The Legend of Hieda II: Her Mother's Sword (Complete)

[Kasu]

Ah... I'm not very good at this kind of thing, so I think I'll opt for the Flashback.

That okay with you guys?

[Stuffman]

What the fuck Okuu.

Kasu: That's fine, but I would think Youmu's personality is consistent enough that we can probably pull this off.

[Hanzo K.]

I dooon't think that's Okuu. At least, not the Okuu we know. I'm pretty sure this is The Yatagarasu.

[Fightest]

Guys, it's Kanako. Come on. Okuu's colour palette is white, black and green. I pretty clearly said red and purple. Gosh.

Flashback

> How many times have the two of you sat together like this? You would skip practise, and Youmu would pretend to be disapproving but you knew as much as she did that she loves the little spot under the waterfall where the two of you would sit and watch past the rushing waters as the world went by. And, at the end of the day, you would return to Youki and report on your training and know that even he knew what the two of you had been doing all day long, but he would not scold you, and you knew that this was all Youmu wanted out of her life. Someday perhaps you would go your separate way, perhaps yearning for an adventure of your own, but for now and for the years to come, you had carved out your own slice of Heaven.
> Strength: Content. Youmu does not crave adventure, nor does she care about what she may or may not achieve in the future.
> Weakness: Family ties. Youki played a big part in Youmu's life. Youmu would balk at leaving the old man alone and disappointed.

[Stuffman]

I'll take a whack at trying to make one of the hard arguments. If it works, the rest of you can use the freebies, if it doesn't, I hope one of you can knock this out of the park D:

> "Youmu, please! It's not your time yet! This is the story's doing, it's just trying to make us both suffer! This isn't natural, it's an attack by an enemy! Don't surrender like this!"

[Fightest]

> Enforced Participation Corollary Addendum:
> If all participating players have presented an argument and neither success nor failure have been reached, one automatic failure will be added and player participation will be reset.

> "Youmu, please! It's not your time yet! This is the story's doing, it's just trying to make us both suffer! This isn't natural, it's an attack by an enemy! Don't surrender like this!"

> "Ah, Aichi. In the end it does not matter, does it? For us mortals, our death comes one way or another, whether it be in our sleep or at the end of a foe's blade. We can only hope that we have no regrets when we die, and I know that I die peacefully. I have you to thank for that, Aichi."
> Youmu smiles.
> No progress count: 1.

[Jq1790]

Seems this will be appropriately difficult.  Wasn't looking to use the weakness now, but I think we should try to get things rolling in our favor, see if we can build momentum.

>"What about those who you would leave behind, though?  I couldn't bear to see you go before you are meant to...and I'm not the only one who would feel this way."

[Fightest]

>"What about those who you would leave behind, though?  I couldn't bear to see you go before you are meant to...and I'm not the only one who would feel this way."

> Youmu hesitates.
> "You mean Grandfather. He would outlive his grand-child." She buries her face in her hands. "He is not strong enough to go on without me."
> Weakness targeted. Automatic Success! Success count: 1. No progress count reset.
> The Family ties weakness may not be targeted again.

[Kasu]

Hmm... Could there be a weakness tied to her duties to Yuyuko?  What do you guys think?

[Jq1790]

Hmm... Could there be a weakness tied to her duties to Yuyuko?  What do you guys think?

I'm not so sure, given that Youmu only met Yuyuko recently, right when this whole mess started.  (Recall that THIS Youmu is most likely not the Youmu we know from canon, given that this is many, many years in the past as compared to Akyuu's time, which could be called the present.)

However, duty in general, or perhaps loyalty or some similar vein, could be a viable target.  I can't try it due to the Enforced Participation Corollary.  If you can't think of anything to try, whoever can act right now, feel free to Flashback so we get a better idea of our options. 

Also I do have a command to input if I'm allowed.  It's not an argument, so the EPC shouldn't stop me, but anyway...

>Skills, filtered to only those useful in context of Social Combat.  (We were able to utilize these sorts of things in Are's tale(to say nothing of Akyuu's), so maybe Aichi has some we can take advantage of that the Parser hasn't let us in on because we didn't ask.)

[Stuffman]

However, duty in general, or perhaps loyalty or some similar vein, could be a viable target.

If you want to go with this angle, I think the fancy italicized keyword thing you'd be aiming for is her obligation. Not sure how likely it is to be a thing, though, and it might just be pressing the guilt button.

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

I get the feeling that there's an argument to be made with the fact that almost every single duel with Youmu simply ended in the both of us grappling each other on the grounds. I mean, despite having trained together and sparring all those times, there has never really been a conclusion has there?
I mean, you can't really spend your entire life growing up with someone that you consider to be both your best friend and your rival and be content with simply having fun. At some point you want to find out who is stronger than the other don't you?

On the topic of the duties regarding Yuyuko, on top of it being an obligation that she has yet to fulfil, wouldn't it also tarnish the name of her grandfather to leave a contract incomplete?

Iunno. Back to lurking for me.

[Fightest]

>Skills, filtered to only those useful in context of Social Combat.  (We were able to utilize these sorts of things in Are's tale(to say nothing of Akyuu's), so maybe Aichi has some we can take advantage of that the Parser hasn't let us in on because we didn't ask.)

I'll answer this outside the Parser's voice: I've moved away from the Skill/Stance paradigm, at least for Aichi's story. The main mechanic is, indeed, targetable keywords.

[Unfortunate]

Should we say that the entire reason we went on this quest was for her, and that our efforts would go to waste if she passed on now? Or is that a bit too close to Best Friend?

[Stuffman]

Well, somebody do something. Take the freebie if you're not feeling confident.

[Kasu]

Hrm... You know what? I think Stuff was onto something when he mentioned Youmu's obligations.

So if everyone's okay with it...

> Target Youmu's obligation to Yuyuko and Youki.

[Stuffman]

You spent your turn on the flashback, somebody else would have to do it.

It's one of the better ideas we have, though.

[Jq1790]

I'd like to request a list of who you're counting as active members who've not yet taken a turn, if that's possible, Fightest?  This way I, Kasu, and Stuffman can tell when we can take additional turns.

[Fightest]

Tell you what, I'll reset the counter here, as I simply have no way of telling who is active or not or whether people are off on holiday or something.

> Youmu laughs quietly.
> "Look, Aichi, I'm starting to fade! How strange. It is like looking at the world through through a light fog!" she says, looking at the sun through her hands.
> Failure count: 1. Participation reset.

[Kasu]

Since the counter's been reset let's try it and see what happens.

> Target Youmu's obligation to Yuyuko and Youki.

[Fightest]

> Target Youmu's obligation to Yuyuko and Youki.

> "So what?" she snaps, "is this not her doing? I do not think I owe anybody anything!"
> Youmu bites her lip.
> "And even if I did, she already has my body. That should be enough."
> She fidgets some more.
> "And even if it is not, then... she would have to voice her discontent personally!"
> Weakness targeted. Automatic success! Success count: 2.
> The Loyal weakness may not be targeted again.

[Stuffman]

Great! Now we just have to bring it home.

I'll think up a way to play the Guilt card. In the meantime, somebody should start writing a heartfelt BFF speech to go afterward.

[Stuffman]

This will probably make her a bit mad, but that's the point, I suppose.

> Attept to guilt Youmu.
> "And what about all those years your grandfather spent training you? You want to quit here, and put it all to waste? How will he feel when I have to tell him that you gave up right at the last moment, and that it was all for naught? It's just...lazy!!"

[Fightest]

> Attept to guilt Youmu.
> "And what about all those years your grandfather spent training you? You want to quit here, and put it all to waste? How will he feel when I have to tell him that you gave up right at the last moment, and that it was all for naught? It's just...lazy!!"

> "How like you to be so cruel, Aichi. Leave grandfather out of this! He devoted his life to me, and I to him! I do not owe anybody anything! Not grandfather, nor you! Just let me die in peace!"
> Guilt used. Automatic success! Success count: 3.

[Jq1790]

Hoping this isn't too over the top, and that it's written half as well as I was intending...

>Attempt persuasion as Youmu's Best Friend.
>"How can you expect me to just LET you die, Youmu?!  You know me better than anyone, so you should know that's impossible!  You're someone irreplaceable to me, and I know you feel the same of me!  Don't just leave me after all we've been through!  There's still so much more we could do together- still so much happiness unshared, sadness unconquered...So many potential memories unmade!  Please, Youmu, just stay with me!"

[Fightest]

>Attempt persuasion as Youmu's Best Friend.
>"How can you expect me to just LET you die, Youmu?!  You know me better than anyone, so you should know that's impossible!  You're someone irreplaceable to me, and I know you feel the same of me!  Don't just leave me after all we've been through!  There's still so much more we could do together- still so much happiness unshared, sadness unconquered...So many potential memories unmade!  Please, Youmu, just stay with me!"

> Youmu unclenches her fists and looks down at the ground. She speaks quietly.
> "Of course you care, Aichi. Of course."
> She reaches out to touch you on the shoulder, but her hand passes right through you. You do not even feel anything.
> "Hah," she says, trying to keep a level expression.
> Best Friend used! Automatic success! Success count: 4. Victory condition met.
> And Youmu's facade breaks, and she opens her mouth to speak but only a quiet wail comes, unending, punctuated only by big, sobbing gasps, and tears flow, disintegrating into strangely cheerful starry wisps as soon as they leave touch, and she does nothing but sit there and cry, her whole body limp.
> "I don't want to die," she squeaks out,
> And it is as if the realisation has only caught up with her as her eyes widen and she tries to ask you something but only the wail comes again and she collapses onto the ground, pounding weakly at the soft grass with her fists and she tries to regain control, use your shoulder to pull herself back up, but of course she cannot touch you and she is overwhelmed once again, her body wracked, trying to breathe only to cry it all out again and she tries again and again to pull herself together but it seems that anything, anything is enough to remind her of her fate.

[Jq1790]

We have somewhere to be. 
>"Youmu, we should return.  We need to get your body back, and we won't do that here."
>Using our recently given power, carve open our own path to the Saigyouji mansion.  Manipulating the concept of here and there should be simple for us now.
>Begin to search for Yuyuko.

[Fightest]

>"Youmu, we should return.  We need to get your body back, and we won't do that here."

> It takes some time, but Youmu gathers herself enough to retreat into Gathering-Clouds-of-Heaven. You can still hear quiet sobs coming from the sword. Youmu might still be here with you, but you know that she will not last past sunset.

>Using our recently given power, carve open our own path to the Saigyouji mansion.  Manipulating the concept of here and there should be simple for us now.
>Begin to search for Yuyuko.

> Whoa, there, buddy, you're good, but you're not that good. Fortunately the Saigyouji mansion is, indeed, not far away, and you get to the town with time to spare before evening comes.
> A servant greets you at the gates of the mansion. There is no resistance laid out against you, and you are led to meet, once again, with the Lady Saigyouji. The vast cherry tree yet blooms, despite its season being long gone.
> The walls of the mansion shift and churn with colour and emotion, and even the floor seems uncertain of itself. The story that has penetrated this place so deep seems unsure where it will go next. The main reception room is a caleidoscope of patterns and colours.

> And in the same room where the deed happened she met the Lady again, and right there behind her, a silent reminder of everything that has happened so far, stood Youmu's body at attention, eerily rigid, its eyes unseeing, its mouth moving as if speaking, but no sound came out. The Lady Saigyouji seemed eager, there was an excitement in her eyes.

> "Yes, the resolution! Oh, it was worth everything just to see this ending! You will do it, will you not? You will end the story?"

[Stuffman]

Well, I'm glad that worked out. If it didn't, my last resort would've been to tell Youmu I love her :V

> "Oh, I'll end it, alright."
> "As you asked, I've become a Chosen.* Are you going to hand over Youmu's body?"

*I kind of have my doubts about this because I have no idea what the hell Kanako was on about.

[Jq1790]

Well, I'm glad that worked out. If it didn't, my last resort would've been to tell Youmu I love her :V

Part of me considered this(in a platonic sense), so it's not just you who thought of that.  Anyway, I think we might be some sort of Chosen given that we're now chock full of divinity and such and our abilities and such have been amplified greatly, if the description our lovely Parser gave is any indication.  Seems there're still certain limits though, as I ended up finding out.  Glad it didn't end up costing time or anything.