Author Topic: (Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 14) (Read 46574 times)

Oldmansour · « **Reply #690 on:** August 27, 2015, 05:38:28 AM »

>Wryly, "And here I thought I was erring on the discreet side."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #691 on:** August 27, 2015, 06:25:34 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 27, 2015, 05:38:28 AM

>Wryly, "And here I thought I was erring on the discreet side."

>"You should probably be glad you weren't more discreet or we wouldn't be having this conversation."
>And with that, she reaches into her satchel and withdraws a small cylindrical container of lacquered wood, black with a stylized lunar motif.
>"I'm putting my butt on the line for you here, so there's going to be some conditions."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #692 on:** August 27, 2015, 06:49:59 AM »

>"I'm listening."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #693 on:** August 27, 2015, 07:48:02 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 27, 2015, 06:49:59 AM

>"I'm listening."

>"Nobody sees this, nobody hears of this, and nobody gets a hold of this. They never leave Houraisan property for any reason and they didn't today. And if I ever find it ended up in someone else's possession, they won't have paid you enough to make up for the world of trouble you'll be in. So, for both our sakes, please don't do anything stupid."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #694 on:** August 27, 2015, 07:50:17 AM »

>"If that ends up in anyone else's hands, then it means I'm dead. I'm not out to be the richest corpse on the continent."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #695 on:** August 27, 2015, 08:07:06 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 27, 2015, 07:50:17 AM

>"If that ends up in anyone else's hands, then it means I'm dead. I'm not out to be the richest corpse on the continent."

>Ringo laughs. "No, that sounds like a pretty lousy deal to me. And I'd like to believe you, so... here."
>She hands you the container.
>"Don't make me regret this now, okay?"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #696 on:** August 27, 2015, 08:18:16 AM »

>Accept the container. "I promise. And when I... If I get back, I'll make this up to you, if I can. This Seeker pays what she owes."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #697 on:** August 27, 2015, 08:32:21 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 27, 2015, 08:18:16 AM

>Accept the container. "I promise. And when I... If I get back, I'll make this up to you, if I can. This Seeker pays what she owes."

>You accept the container. It is cool to the touch, and heavy with promise.
>"Eh, it's just a flower," Ringo says with a shrug. "Nobody will even notice it missing, I hope. Wouldn't exactly feel right collecting a debt on you not dying. But hey, if you want to swing back once you're better, I might be able to find something for you to do."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #698 on:** August 27, 2015, 09:34:06 AM »

>Does it appear to be sealed or locked or bearing any kind of magic we can sense?

DracoOmega · « **Reply #699 on:** August 27, 2015, 09:40:36 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 27, 2015, 09:34:06 AM

>Does it appear to be sealed or locked or bearing any kind of magic we can sense?

>None of these things. It appears to be a perfectly mundane (if classy-looking) cylindrical wooden container. You think the top pulls off.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #700 on:** August 27, 2015, 10:03:19 AM »

>"Do I need to keep it watered, or anything else between here and there?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #701 on:** August 27, 2015, 10:12:47 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 27, 2015, 10:03:19 AM

>"Do I need to keep it watered, or anything else between here and there?"

>Ringo shrugs and shakes her head. "I told you I'm no gardener. A little water probably wouldn't hurt, but it's only going to be a few days, right? I'm sure it can't be that fragile. But what do I know?"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #702 on:** August 27, 2015, 10:26:38 AM »

>"Yeah.... A few days. A few days.... One way or the other."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #703 on:** August 27, 2015, 10:38:38 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 27, 2015, 10:26:38 AM

>"Yeah.... A few days. A few days.... One way or the other."

>"You take care, okay? Would hate to have gone to all this trouble for nothing."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #704 on:** August 27, 2015, 12:18:25 PM »

>Chuckle wryly. "Trust me, that makes two of us."
>Extend our hand. "And thank you again. You really came through for me."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #705 on:** August 27, 2015, 07:44:15 PM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 27, 2015, 12:18:25 PM

>Chuckle wryly. "Trust me, that makes two of us."
>Extend our hand. "And thank you again. You really came through for me."

>Ringo accepts your hand and shakes it firmly.
>"Don't mention it." Then she grins wrly. "Literally don't, please."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #706 on:** August 28, 2015, 02:02:42 AM »

>Return her grin. "Mention what?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #707 on:** August 28, 2015, 02:35:53 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 28, 2015, 02:02:42 AM

>Return her grin. "Mention what?"

>Ringo pauses a moment, then chuckles. "Good question! Why am I even here, anyway? I must have gotten lost."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #708 on:** August 28, 2015, 03:44:28 AM »

>"I think I might have, too. Not a bad place to get lost, though."
>Tuck the cylinder away, carefully, most carefully. We can examine the flower we don't have later.
>"But I suppose I'd better try to find my way out of this place."
>Assuming Ringo has nothing else to add, let's go rejoin Kyouko.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #709 on:** August 28, 2015, 03:54:14 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 28, 2015, 03:44:28 AM

>"I think I might have, too. Not a bad place to get lost, though."
>Tuck the cylinder away, carefully, most carefully. We can examine the flower we don't have later.
>"But I suppose I'd better try to find my way out of this place."
>Assuming Ringo has nothing else to add, let's go rejoin Kyouko.

>"It's a nice tree," she says simply.
>You carefully stow the canister in your pack and stand up.
>"That makes two of us," she says. "I've still got paperwork to take care of. There's always paperwork to take care of."

>You say your farewells to Ringo, then make your way back out of the park to where you parted ways with Kyouko. She is still standing dutifully beside the lamppost where you left her, and looks at you expectantly as you approach.
>"...how'd it go?"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #710 on:** August 28, 2015, 03:59:09 AM »

>"No shouting, now, okay?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #711 on:** August 28, 2015, 04:00:51 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 28, 2015, 03:59:09 AM

>"No shouting, now, okay?"

>She looks at you pensively. "Okay...."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #712 on:** August 28, 2015, 04:22:27 AM »

>Give her a thumbs up. "She did it. Ringo came through."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #713 on:** August 28, 2015, 04:31:22 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 28, 2015, 04:22:27 AM

>Give her a thumbs up. "She did it. Ringo came through."

>Kyouko's entire face lights up and then she makes a visible effort to stifle her own response, which comes out as a kind of stilted mutter. "Hooray!"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #714 on:** August 28, 2015, 04:54:08 AM »

>"I can hardly believe it. All this time, and I... I was still worried about what I'd do if she didn't, and now..."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #715 on:** August 28, 2015, 05:42:40 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 28, 2015, 04:54:08 AM

>"I can hardly believe it. All this time, and I... I was still worried about what I'd do if she didn't, and now..."

>"And now you have it," she says in a hushed tone. "It's that wonderful?"
>And then, without warning, she give you a hug.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #716 on:** August 28, 2015, 06:00:55 AM »

>"I... I...."
>We're about to get emotional, aren't we?
>Yes. Yes we are. But maybe we deserve it.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #717 on:** August 28, 2015, 06:41:26 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on August 28, 2015, 06:00:55 AM

>"I... I...."
>We're about to get emotional, aren't we?
>Yes. Yes we are. But maybe we deserve it.

>You sputter out a response to this sudden act of affection, but the warmth of the woman's arms around you and the cheerful optimism in their squeeze touches upon the weariness in your heart. You have struggled so long, so hard, against pain and injury and callous indifference. You have felt the life slowly leaving you, your limbs and vision failing you, and still the world will not let you rest. The only reason the weight of it hasn't crushed you yet is that you can't afford to let it. But you're so, so tired.
>You feel the tear running down your cheek before you even realize you're crying. The cool night air brushes across where Kyouko's arms had been just moments before and you find yourself wishing she hadn't let go.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #718 on:** September 15, 2015, 03:28:31 AM »

>"Damn..."
>Brush away tear.
>"That's not like me."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #719 on:** September 15, 2015, 03:37:56 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on September 15, 2015, 03:28:31 AM

>"Damn..."
>Brush away tear.
>"That's not like me."

>You curse and hastily brush the tears from your eyes. You know it's too late to hope she didn't see them, but their very presence makes you feel... vulnerable. Weak.
>"It's okay to cry," Kyouko says gently.