(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 12)

[Oldmansour]

>Wonder what it's like to be that carefree? Might be nice to try, once we find a cure. For a little while.
>Who are we kidding? We're no more apt to be carefree than Marisa is to performing an opera. That's not how Nazrin rolls.
>"I get the feeling you could spend a lot of time in a place like this, couldn't you?"

[DracoOmega]

>Wonder what it's like to be that carefree? Might be nice to try, once we find a cure. For a little while.
>Who are we kidding? We're no more apt to be carefree than Marisa is to performing an opera. That's not how Nazrin rolls.
>"I get the feeling you could spend a lot of time in a place like this, couldn't you?"

>You just watch Kyouko putter about to a moment. With all the cares on your mind, it seems an age since you were that unburdened - hell, you probably never were. But that probably also makes her an easy mark for anyone who wanted to take advantage of her lack of wariness. Somehow that thought doesn't sit that well with you at the moment, either. You approach and speak.
>"Couldn't you?" she counters brightly, then takes another sniff of the air. "It's always so bright and cheerful and alive here. I think I might have some more plants if I had a larger apartment, maybe a little garden..." Her eyes alight upon the bellflower in your hand. She smiles. "Is that something else for a job, or just for you?"

[Oldmansour]

>"A little of the latter."
>Chuckle. "That didn't make a lot of sense, did it."

[DracoOmega]

>"A little of the latter."
>Chuckle. "That didn't make a lot of sense, did it."

>"A little!" she replies, then laughs. "But why only a little?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Because I bought it for someone else. A little thank you for looking after me on my first day in a new part of the world."

[DracoOmega]

>"Because I bought it for someone else. A little thank you for looking after me on my first day in a new part of the world."

>"Aww, that's sweet," she says with a smile. "I'm sure they'll like it."
>Kyouko starts to turn back to the flowers beside her, then pauses. You see her brow furrow slightly. She glances back at you.
>"Wait, you don't... you don't mean me, do you?"

[Oldmansour]

>Chuckle.
>"Clever girl."

[Hello Purvis]

Jesus Christ, she's a raptor. You've doomed us, Sour!

[DracoOmega]

>Chuckle.
>"Clever girl."

>It seems to take Kyouko a moment to process this remark, as if she were debating whether this counts as an affirmative on not. Then that smile of her slowly swells across her face until she is practically aglow with it.
>"Thank you, Nazrin! That's really sweet of you! And it's so pretty, too!" She bounces over to have a closer look at the bellflower in your hand.

[Oldmansour]

Great, now I gotta find a raptor youkai to add to the Naz-harem.

>"Figured it was the least I could do."

[DracoOmega]

>"Figured it was the least I could do."

>"Oh, you didn't have to do anything!" she says, then takes a deep sniff of her new flower. Her smile takes on a peaceful tone as she breathes in the subtle scent. "I promise I'll take good care of it!"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Maybe it wasn't something strictly necessary to do, but it was the right thing to do."

[DracoOmega]

>"Maybe it wasn't something strictly necessary to do, but it was the right thing to do."

>"The right thing to do...." She says the words with a soft smile and a light chuckle, and for a moment you can't help but wonder if she's making light of your earnestness. But she wouldn't do that... would she?
>"Well, it's a really sweet gift, Nazrin," she continues, before giving that train of thought too long to run. "Thank you!"

[Oldmansour]

>Twitch.
>"Don't mention it."
>Pause and take a quick look around.
>"Well, I've got what I came here for, plus a... little bonus. I need to swing by the guildhall now, I think."

[DracoOmega]

>Twitch.
>"Don't mention it."
>Pause and take a quick look around.
>"Well, I've got what I came here for, plus a... little bonus. I need to swing by the guildhall now, I think."

>You suppress a little twitch at the yamabiko's effusive gratitude, glancing away from that innocently beaming face again in the hope you don't fully let on. Then you mention heading to the guildhall next.
>"Am I still tagging along?" she asks. "I should I go show Rin Rin her new home?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Ta-... Rin...?"
>Pause.
>"Ah, you've.... named her already?" Point to her flower with our tail.

[DracoOmega]

>"Ta-... Rin...?"
>Pause.
>"Ah, you've.... named her already?" Point to her flower with our tail.

>"Named her already!" Kyouko replies brightly. "She's a cheerful flower, so she needs a cheerful name. I'm sure you and Koki-san will get along just fine," she adds, addressing the plant. "Even if he is a little serious sometimes." Then she giggles.

[Oldmansour]

>Riiiiight....
>"Well, you can come with me if you want. But the guildhall won't smell as nice as this place, pretty sure of that."

[DracoOmega]

>Riiiiight....
>"Well, you can come with me if you want. But the guildhall won't smell as nice as this place, pretty sure of that."

>You find yourself wondering if perhaps the alcohol had less to do with last night than you'd originally suspected....
>"Oh, that's fine," she says dismissively. "But if you have business to take care of, I don't want to get in the way."

[Oldmansour]

>Smile despite ourselves. "You're hardly in the way, Kyouko. I just didn't want you to be bored; I think a lot of my day is going to involve a lot of walking and a lot of asking questions, pretty dry stuff."

[DracoOmega]

>Smile despite ourselves. "You're hardly in the way, Kyouko. I just didn't want you to be bored; I think a lot of my day is going to involve a lot of walking and a lot of asking questions, pretty dry stuff."

>"I think all kinds of jobs can be interesting," she replies, "And I've never seen a Seeker at work, before! Even if you aren't out hunting more ancient treasure today," she adds with a little twinkle in her eye.

[Oldmansour]

>Grin. "Well, not yet. Never know what might come across your desk in this line of work."
>Well, if she wants to come, then we ain't about to shoo her away.
>Let's be off.

[DracoOmega]

>Grin. "Well, not yet. Never know what might come across your desk in this line of work."
>Well, if she wants to come, then we ain't about to shoo her away.
>Let's be off.

>You decide that you're not in a hurry to be rid of your companion, and welcome her along to the guildhall. Before you leave, Kyouko makes a brief detour to pick up some plant food for 'Rin Rin' and then bombard the nearest gardener with a half-dozen questions about how to best care for it. Even if it's only a simple flower, and not even a pricey one at that, Kyouko seems gladdened just by carrying it. And, well... perhaps despite yourself, you can't help but feel a little happy at brightening her day. Not that the girl really seems to need it, from what you've seen of her.
>And then you are back on the road, following the increasingly crowded streets towards the Seekers guild hall. Kyouko alternates between enjoying the sunlight and the sight and scent of her new friend; you do talk a little, but much of the trip passes in agreeable quiet. Well, save for Kyouko humming to herself or occasionally talking to her flower or cheerfully echoing the greetings of passersby - well, perhaps it's not really so quiet after all, but it's not unpleasant, either. And before too long you are standing in front of the stone stairway leading to the heavy doors of the guild.

[Oldmansour]

Random question.

>How much does a pair of sunglasses run back in Braston? If such a thing exists.
>Enter the hall!

[DracoOmega]

>How much does a pair of sunglasses run back in Braston? If such a thing exists.
>Enter the hall!

>You are vaguely aware of glasses designed to filter sunlight in various ways, but they were not a common thing in Braston and you are not familiar with how much a pair would cost.
>You ascend the stairs and push open the door.

>"I've never been inside here before," Kyouko says as you enter, looking about your surroundings with a sort of guileless curiosity, even if the environs here are not especially impressive by Val Razuan standards.
>The two of you continue down the hallway to the reception area. A different woman is manning the desk than yesterday - and a more approachable one, if the genial expression on her face is to be trusted. There are two others over by the job board: a short redhead in heavy leather boots and a cloak to match, and a taller bored-looking man in a sharp suit; he is quite visibly unimpressed by whatever it is he is reading. From upstairs filters the conversations of several other people.

[Oldmansour]

>Take a glance towards the job board, see how many postings are there.
>Then approach the receptionist.

[DracoOmega]

>Take a glance towards the job board, see how many postings are there.
>Then approach the receptionist.

>The job boards seem to be fairly well filled out, though it's anyone's guess how current or appealing anything listed there is; you can't actually read any of them from here. The man's expression doesn't exactly inspire confidence on that front, but perhaps he just missed his morning coffee. The back of the redhead offers an inscrutable second opinion.
>You approach the receptionist, Kyouko ambling just a little behind as her head drifts from one side of the room to the other, surveying her surroundings with curious interest.

>The woman at the desk smiles as you approach. "Did somebody call for some florists while I wasn't paying attention?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Wouldn't rule it out, but it ain't us. But I am here to talk flowers."
>"Well, a garden, and its gardener, specifically. Does the name 'Yuuka' mean anything to you?"
>Did we get Yuuka's last name, if she has one? If so, append the name with said.

[DracoOmega]

>"Wouldn't rule it out, but it ain't us. But I am here to talk flowers."
>"Well, a garden, and its gardener, specifically. Does the name 'Yuuka' mean anything to you?"
>Did we get Yuuka's last name, if she has one? If so, append the name with said.

>The woman shakes her head. "I'm not much of a plant person, sorry. But maybe if you could give me a few details I might be able to point you in the right direction."
>"Yuuka..." Kyouko echoes quietly - at least in relative terms. "Yuuka..." There is a thoughtful look on her face.

>Dai mentioned no other name for her than that; if she has a second, you do not know it.

[Hello Purvis]

>"She's kind of a legendary figure, out around Isir's Cross. But related to that, do you know anyone around who's done work out that way, or has experience with the place?"