(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 13)

[Oldmansour]

But she didn't say how long ago that was. For all we know, those fairies could have.... returned to nature, or whatever happens to fairies in this canon. And even if they haven't, Dai may have a good memory for a fairy, but I don't think that's true for the bulk of them. At the least, I'd prefer not to gamble already limited time on it.

[DracoOmega]

>Plus she brews a good tea, that's always a plus for a companion. Especially in a touhou game, eh.
>Grin wryly. "'sides, I've got a long way to go and not much time to get there. It's good to be able to have a nice cup of tea before getting into the worst of it."
>It's the little things.

>It is a necessary survival skill in Gensokyo!
>"I wish I could be of more help," Kagerou says apologetically.
>You'll take whatever niceties you can get at this point.

[Oldmansour]

>Nod. "It's okay. I knew how hard this was gonna be when I set out. Believe me, Kagerou, I'll be glad when it's over."
>"I'm actually a bit sorry myself. Forgive me for saying, but you seemed a bit... Well, uncomfortable, earlier."

[DracoOmega]

>Nod. "It's okay. I knew how hard this was gonna be when I set out. Believe me, Kagerou, I'll be glad when it's over."
>"I'm actually a bit sorry myself. Forgive me for saying, but you seemed a bit... Well, uncomfortable, earlier."

>Your comment seems to bring some of this uncomfortableness back. Kagerou fidgets.
>"Well, it isn't every night some stranger shows up at your house and asks you to help save someone's life," she says. "Makes you feel a little... on the spot, you know?" She shakes her head. "I can't tell you where this garden is, but is there anything else I could do to help?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Probably not, unless you have any sudden epiphanies or feel like being a guide. Think I'm gonna give the faeries a miss, though. I'd hate to have to steal the boat that the soldiers keep on the lake."

[DracoOmega]

>"Probably not, unless you have any sudden epiphanies or feel like being a guide. Think I'm gonna give the faeries a miss, though. I'd hate to have to steal the boat that the soldiers keep on the lake."

>"I'm sure someone there would be willing to help you with that," she offers. "They've always been friendly when I've been there."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod. "They didn't seem a bad bunch, ones I talked to anyway. Still, fairies being fairies, I'd probably be better off left to my own devices. I like fairies, but they don't make the most reliable guides in the world."

[DracoOmega]

>Nod. "They didn't seem a bad bunch, ones I talked to anyway. Still, fairies being fairies, I'd probably be better off left to my own devices. I like fairies, but they don't make the most reliable guides in the world."

>"Sometimes they seem to have a good sense of direction," she says. "And sometimes they... don't." She cringes slightly, as if she were recalling some example of this.

[Oldmansour]

>Chuckle quietly. "Seen the latter in person, have we?"

[DracoOmega]

>Chuckle quietly. "Seen the latter in person, have we?"

>Kagerou chuckles awkwardly. "Once or twice."

[Hello Purvis]

So what else do we have to ask?

[Oldmansour]

Only if she wants to come with us. I don't know if it's, strictly speaking, a 'good' idea, so do feel free to stop me if you think I shouldn't.

>Ah, fairies. Ever entertaining, even in absentia.
>"Right, well. I suppose I shouldn't stay too long. I've got a long way to go after all."
>"On the other hand, I hate an unsatisfied curiousity, and since I may not get another chance to ask... Would you mind if I asked you a personal question, Kagerou?"

[DracoOmega]

>Ah, fairies. Ever entertaining, even in absentia.
>"Right, well. I suppose I shouldn't stay too long. I've got a long way to go after all."
>"On the other hand, I hate an unsatisfied curiousity, and since I may not get another chance to ask... Would you mind if I asked you a personal question, Kagerou?"

>You find yourself having more of a soft spot for the little ones than you'd care to let on.
>Kagerou nods.
>"Um, I... guess so?" she answers uncertainly.

[Oldmansour]

>"Obviously I haven't known you that long, but I can already tell you're good company, and a good person. Not everyone would open their door to an armed stranger in the middle of the night, after all. So why do you live out here, way off the beaten path?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Obviously I haven't known you that long, but I can already tell you're good company, and a good person. Not everyone would open their door to an armed stranger in the middle of the night, after all. So why do you live out here, way off the beaten path?"

>Kagerou fidgets a little as you compliment her character, though the question itself seems to leave her a little uncomfortable.
>"I, uh, guess I enjoy the solitude; it's comforting."

[Oldmansour]

>"I can respect that. And I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

[DracoOmega]

>"I can respect that. And I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

>She shakes her head. "Oh no, it's fine. Besides, you sound like you have far more important things to worry about than me."

[Oldmansour]

>Swirl tea. But what if we're not back this way again? What if this is all just a wild goose chase? What if we find Yuuka and she doesn't help us, or worse? What if she DOES help us only we keel over half way back? We still have such a long, dark, lonely road to walk...
>"Wish I could argue that."

[DracoOmega]

>Swirl tea. But what if we're not back this way again? What if this is all just a wild goose chase? What if we find Yuuka and she doesn't help us, or worse? What if she DOES help us only we keel over half way back? We still have such a long, dark, lonely road to walk...
>"Wish I could argue that."

>You give your tea a swirl, thoughts of your uncertain future swirling with it. You answer simply. Kagerou just gives you an sympathetic smile in return. The air feels heavy even as the crackle of the fire remains constant; it does not care whether you are to live or die, after all.

[Oldmansour]

>Ponder. Based on the progression of our disease thus far, if it remains consistant, how soon before we can expect to be seriously impeded?

[DracoOmega]

>Ponder. Based on the progression of our disease thus far, if it remains consistant, how soon before we can expect to be seriously impeded?

>It is hard to say for sure. It been around a week now, and you can definitely feel something off, even if it's not acute enough to stop you doing most of the things you would be doing. If it was twice as bad or so in another week, you might have to drag yourself around, but maybe could still do so. Beyond that, who knows? For all you know, you could be feverish in just a few days.

[Oldmansour]

Yknow, as much as I'd love to bring her along, and having backup does sound like a good idea, the more I talk to her, the more I think she wouldn't go for it. Not given the circumstances, anyway. If she knew we were sick, then she might, but she doesn't.

>Did we see any signs of weaponry within or without this house? Any sort of signs that Kagerou might have experience with arms training/combat?

[DracoOmega]

>Did we see any signs of weaponry within or without this house? Any sort of signs that Kagerou might have experience with arms training/combat?

>No. Though her choice of domicile and the infrastructure around it suggests competent outdoorsmanship.

[Oldmansour]

>Outdoorsmanship doesn't always mean being to take an angry bear if need be.
>Speaking of which, what have we learned so far about the more threatening wildlife out this way and where we're going? Beyond Yuuka, of course, we might need more than Kagerou to deal with an angry one of those anyway.

[DracoOmega]

>Outdoorsmanship doesn't always mean being to take an angry bear if need be.
>Speaking of which, what have we learned so far about the more threatening wildlife out this way and where we're going? Beyond Yuuka, of course, we might need more than Kagerou to deal with an angry one of those anyway.

>'Take on', perhaps not, but 'handle', perhaps. Though it's not the bears you're worried about.
>Sekibanki said there wasn't much dangerous wildlife in the area to speak of. There was the occasional bear, but not generally hostile, you're led to believe.

[Oldmansour]

>Well, we handled giant spiders. Even sick, we can probably handle the occasional bear.
>Finish refreshments.

[DracoOmega]

>Well, we handled giant spiders. Even sick, we can probably handle the occasional bear.
>Finish refreshments.

>You finish up your tea in relative silence, happy for the warmth and a moment's respite before the journey ahead. Kagerou contemplates your map, fingering her mug tensely. She doesn't say much - you suspect she isn't sure what she ought to - but her drink seems nearly forgotten in her reverie. A few quiet moments pass. She asks if you'd like seconds. You decline; you want to cover more ground tonight and you're already feeling tired.
>As you stand to leave, she hesitates a moment, then says "Let me go with you. At least part of the way. I may not know to find what you're looking for, but I do know the woods around here. Maybe I could shave a little time off your trip. Maybe that would even matter; I don't know. I can't promise much, but... I feel I should do something."

[Hello Purvis]

>Smile. Thank heaven she didn't make us ask.
>"That would be very kind of you, and I'd be grateful to accept."

[DracoOmega]

>Smile. Thank heaven she didn't make us ask.
>"That would be very kind of you, and I'd be grateful to accept."

>You smile. Kagerou looks a little relieved, if anything.
>She nods. "Alright then, just let me gather up a few things."
>And with that, she puts down her tea and marches purposefully into the adjoining room. You hear the sound of rummaging.

[Hello Purvis]

>Finish off any treats left to finish off.