Reimu Quest (Part 8)

[日巫子]

>Explore the mansion.

> You're not near the mansion right now.  However, you can see it over the tops of the trees.  Intent on exploring it, you start flying towards it.
> As you do so, you notice that some of the ghosts are following you.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Look back at the gaggle of ghosts. Do we notice anything interesting about them?
>"Hey, you guys know where the princess or her gardener is?"

[日巫子]

>Look back at the gaggle of ghosts. Do we notice anything interesting about them?
>"Hey, you guys know where the princess or her gardener is?"

> You examine the ghosts.  They're all generics and impossible to tell apart.
> When you speak to them, they all start flying past you, and to the left.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Follow them!

[日巫子]

>Follow them!

> You follow the ghosts through the grove.  The wind blows softly through the trees, but the ghosts are not fazed.  They lead you towards a stone path out of the way.  A familiar girl with white hair in a bob cut is trimming a nearby bush while a ghost circles her head.  You don't make any loud noises coming here, but she turns away from her work nonetheless.
> "It's unusual, seeing you in the Netherworld," she says to you.  She's only on the other side of the path, so there's no need for yelling here.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yeah. I need to talk about some important things. First, let me ask a question thought. Where do you get the food here from?"

[日巫子]

>"Yeah. I need to talk about some important things. First, let me ask a question thought. Where do you get the food here from?"

> "Oh.  We get our food from the Human Village," Youmu says.  "I'm the only one here who needs to eat, so we don't need a whole lot."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Ugh. Well...you're probably going to have problems with that in the future. Was really hoping you guys had some other source."

[日巫子]

>"Ugh. Well...you're probably going to have problems with that in the future. Was really hoping you guys had some other source."

> "I know, I've been to the surface.  Lady Yuyuko told me that you had visited us."
> Youmu tightens her grip on her swords.  "I was shocked.  The Human Village was Gensokyo's bread basket."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"So...I've been looking for alternatives that aren't raiding Bhava-Agra for peaches. Though if we need to raid Bhava-Agra for peaches, I'll be counting on you. The underground is also flooded, so they're going to have their own problems. Don't think we can count on the kappa having enough cucumbers for everyone, and getting the tengu to do anything is about as fun as trying to pull teeth, if they even have enough to share."

[日巫子]

>"So...I've been looking for alternatives that aren't raiding Bhava-Agra for peaches. Though if we need to raid Bhava-Agra for peaches, I'll be counting on you. The underground is also flooded, so they're going to have their own problems. Don't think we can count on the kappa having enough cucumbers for everyone, and getting the tengu to do anything is about as fun as trying to pull teeth, if they even have enough to share."

> Youmu stands up straight, as if awaiting orders.  "Right!  I could definitely convince Bhava-Agra to part with some of their food...with Lady Yuyuko's permission, of course.  Have you considered hunting or fishing?"

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yeah, but if you could just hunt enough to feed a town, we'd never bother with growing things. Though hunting's probably going to be easier for awhile, what with all the animals bunched up on less dry land. Fishing will work for a bit, maybe, but once we get rid of the water..."

[日巫子]

>"Yeah, but if you could just hunt enough to feed a town, we'd never bother with growing things. Though hunting's probably going to be easier for awhile, what with all the animals bunched up on less dry land. Fishing will work for a bit, maybe, but once we get rid of the water..."

> "Well, it's not a permanent solution," Youmu says, cupping her chin.  "I saw all the fish that had accumulated in the water.  If there was some way to keep the ones we catch fresh, the village would have at least that much for a while."

> _

[Hanzo K.]

>What do we know about food preservation?

[Hello Purvis]

>"We could probably offload them into some ponds, maybe. But we'd need to have ponds in the first place. And then catch enough to last more than a little while. Which would involve strongarming the kappa. And we wouldn't have too much time to do it, because we need to get rid of the water as soon as we can."

[日巫子]

>What do we know about food preservation?

> With meat and fish, you could try drying or salting them, but freezing has always been easier even before you got a fridge from Yukari.

>"We could probably offload them into some ponds, maybe. But we'd need to have ponds in the first place. And then catch enough to last more than a little while. Which would involve strongarming the kappa. And we wouldn't have too much time to do it, because we need to get rid of the water as soon as we can."

> "Yes, I think turning against the kappa would be a bad idea, since they seem to like or at least tolerate humans," Youmu says.  "I was thinking more along the lines of preserving them instead of offloading, although that isn't a perfect idea either because I'm still trying to figure out where we'd store it all."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Not to mention getting all the stuff to salt them, smoke them, and so on. And we'd still need to get the kappa to help out to get enough to last more than a day or so."

[日巫子]

>"Not to mention getting all the stuff to salt them, smoke them, and so on. And we'd still need to get the kappa to help out to get enough to last more than a day or so."

> "Ohhh..."  Youmu sighs.  "What would you suggest doing instead?"

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's the question, isn't it? Can't go to Makai, that stuff's definitely poison."

[日巫子]

>"That's the question, isn't it? Can't go to Makai, that stuff's definitely poison."

> "Definitely not, although I wouldn't know," Youmu says, and then blurts out,  "Speaking of other worlds, what about the Outside?  I'm sure there's a lot of food there.  Miss Yukari seems knowledgeable about that place, I'm sure she could do something to help."
> She then seems to shrink into herself.  "I mean...I admit that considering that is a stretch."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh she's gonna do that whether she likes it or not. It's just a question of how much she can bring."

[日巫子]

>"Oh she's gonna do that whether she likes it or not. It's just a question of how much she can bring."

> "An entire train's worth, maybe."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh, those things... Well, maybe that'd work."

[日巫子]

>"Oh, those things... Well, maybe that'd work."

> "Yes.  Their main purpose in the first place is transportation, or so I've heard."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'll keep it in mind, that' be easiest since we'd just have to make Yukari do all the work."

[日巫子]

>"I'll keep it in mind, that' be easiest since we'd just have to make Yukari do all the work."

> "Alright, then."  Youmu nods.  "By the way...where is Miss Yukari?"

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Somewhere. Ran's working on digging her out of whatever hole she's buried herself in so I can yell at her."

[日巫子]

>"Somewhere. Ran's working on digging her out of whatever hole she's buried herself in so I can yell at her."

> "Well, that's good.  I mean, Lady Yuyuko would probably want to talk to her, too."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Anything important, or just catching up or what?"

[日巫子]

>"Anything important, or just catching up or what?"

> "The latter.  Catching up, I mean."

> _