Face, meet fist. This is Akyu Quest!

[Fightest]

> New Kid rushes up.

> "Sir, sir! You're all right, sir! After you went down, I thought that was it, sir, that I wouldn't see you again, sir! It was horrible, sir, so much blood, sir!"

> She stops spluttering after a bit. She goes on to recount how Eirin showed up minutes after the fight and brought you straight here. In fact, it turns out you were out for no more than thirty minutes. During that time Shikieki showed up, only to find out you couldn't receive the customary congratulatory notice. She stayed to make sure you were taken care of, then left. Only now do you notice that, in the bed next to yours, lies Kaguya, snoring loudly. She looks remarkably content.

> You note your Standing has increased to 129.

[Kasu]

> "Well...  I sure as hell don't want to go through that again."
> Reassure New Kid and thank her for trying to put out the fire.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Reisen is alright, as well? How are the rabbits and the faeries doing?"
>Try to get out of bed.

[Mr_Bob]

>Ponder a moment. Why did it seem like a good idea to take on Eientei again? Hopefully we're not on bad terms. Maybe even friendly rivals through fists. Assess possibility for alliance with Eientei. We'll need a good hospital.

[Fightest]

> "Well...  I sure as hell don't want to go through that again."
> Reassure New Kid and thank her for trying to put out the fire.

> New Kid shuffles up and gives you a hug, trying to avoid touching your chest.

>"Reisen is alright, as well? How are the rabbits and the faeries doing?"
>Try to get out of bed.

> Eirin replies over her shoulder. "She's fine. She's had worse, and she's tougher than she looks." Eirin ponders for a moment. "Not much worse, mind you. As for the rabble - they're still outside, gathering themselves from the brawl."

> You gingerly get out from under the covers and step on the floor. It feels solid. You feel some patches of your skin - mostly on your face and legs - feel a bit strange as they stretch and flex. Some parts of you ache a bit, but, compared to what you felt at the end of the fight, this is nothing.

> "Good, you're responding well to the treatment. That was the first time I worked on a pure human, so I wasn't sure about the right concentration."

>Ponder a moment. Why did it seem like a good idea to take on Eientei again?

> You won, so there's that.

>Hopefully we're not on bad terms. Maybe even friendly rivals through fists. Assess possibility for alliance with Eientei. We'll need a good hospital.

> There doesn't seem to be any enmity in the air, nobody out for blood revenge or anything, so it's certainly a possibility.

> As you mull this over, you hear Kaguya mutter an "ow" as she slowly pulls herself up, looking around groggily. Eirin greets her with a smile. "Princess. Welcome back."

> Kaguya nods, eyes half-closed, then turns to you, looking you up and down. "Amazing, you're something else. I practically blew you up, and you're already walking! I can't help but admire your resolve."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Let us say I have a great deal of frustration to work out at times. You are well, I hope?"

[Fightest]

>"Let us say I have a great deal of frustration to work out at times. You are well, I hope?"

> Kaguya flexes a shoulder and prods the back of her head. "Oh, I'm fine. You were much worse off, it would be embarassing for me to complain in your presence. Congratulations on your victory. It was well-earned."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Thank you, highness."
>Bow politely.
>"It was quite a desperate struggle. I fear that had I not prevailed when I did, victory would have been most assuredly yours. Thank you for opening your hospital to me afterward. You as well, Doctor Yagokoro."
>Bow politely.
>"If I may have your leave, I would like to check on the other faeries, and make sure all is well with them."
>Presuming permission is given, go to do so.

[Fightest]

>"Thank you, highness."
>Bow politely.
>"It was quite a desperate struggle. I fear that had I not prevailed when I did, victory would have been most assuredly yours. Thank you for opening your hospital to me afterward. You as well, Doctor Yagokoro."
>Bow politely.
>"If I may have your leave, I would like to check on the other faeries, and make sure all is well with them."
>Presuming permission is given, go to do so.

> Kaguya returns your bow with a curtsy of her own. "You are welcome to my home at any time, Madam Hieda. I feel I can trust you deeply."

> Eirin smiles at you. "It is my pleasure to treat a friend of the Princess. I'll still need to put on that cast, but that can wait until you've done what you need to do."

> As you turn to leave, you hear a "huh?" from Eirin. She is holding up a sealed letter, looking at it inquisitively. "This wasn't here a moment ago.... It seems to be for you." She extends the letter towards you.

[Kasu]

> "Thanks."
> Ponder the possibilities of Yukari placing the letter there.
> Cautiously open letter and examine the contents.

[Fightest]

> Ponder the possibilities of Yukari placing the letter there.
> Cautiously open letter and examine the contents.

> There was no signature hum of a portal opening, but that could mean little - the nature of the Boundary Youkai, as she is commonly referred to by humans, and her motivations, remains a mystery.

> The writing on the envelope is simple and legible, with a slight hint of a childish scrawl to it. It only says To Akyu of the Hieda Clan, Eientei, The Bamboo Forest.

> You unfold the letter. All that's written on the front is 30.......29.......28.

[Kasu]

> Is it actually counting down by itself?  Or are the numbers all just written there?
> If its counting by itself, quickly inform Eirin and everyone else.

[Fightest]

> Is it actually counting down by itself?  Or are the numbers all just written there?
> If its counting by itself, quickly inform Eirin and everyone else.

> The numbers are just written there.
> "There's something on the back," says Eirin.

[Kasu]

> "Eh?"
> Check the back of the letter.

[Hello Purvis]

>Do we recognize the handwriting? Or, by process of elimination, know whose handwriting it isn't?

[Fightest]

> "Eh?"
> Check the back of the letter.

> 25...24...23

>Do we recognize the handwriting? Or, by process of elimination, know whose handwriting it isn't?

> It's not Eirin's. Not Rinnosuke's. Neither of the shrine maidens'. Not the fairies' - you're pretty sure they can't write. Not Kaguya's, you remember a few of her handwritten plaques at the expo. However... you do recall seeing this same handwriting at the expo on some of the banners... that characteristic hint of a scrawl really added some spice into them.

[Jana]

>Dammit, it's probably the trickster rabbit. Quickly, what do we know about her? Also, ask Eirin if she can recognize this as Tewi's handwriting.

[Hello Purvis]

>Also put the letter down.

[Kasu]

> "This letter is fairly creepy..."

[Ecthel]

> Flip the letter again. If it's counting itself now, immediately drop it.

[Fightest]

>Dammit, it's probably the trickster rabbit. Quickly, what do we know about her? Also, ask Eirin if she can recognize this as Tewi's handwriting.

> Not much. While she is brash and outgoing in public, nobody really knows anything about her other than that, well, she is a trickster.

> "It... could be."

>Also put the letter down.

> You put the letter back on the table.

> "This letter is fairly creepy..."

> Flip the letter again. If it's counting itself now, immediately drop it.

> Kaguya raises an eyebrow. "Just some numbers? That is quite strange."

> The other side of the letter hasn't changed since you last read it.

> Cirno comes in through the door, holding an envelope. "Hey, uh, I found this out in the corridor. I was kinda spaced out, so I only noticed it now. It's for you." She extends you the letter.

[Demonbman]

>Open letter cautiously and read its contents out loud
>Then show letter to Eirin

[Fightest]

>Open letter cautiously and read its contents out loud
>Then show letter to Eirin

> The address on the envelope and the writing on the letter are in the same font.

> You read out loud, "nineteen, eighteen, seventeen."

> Eirin has a look at the letter.

> "I think that's "fifteen, fourteen, thirteen" on the back..."

[Demonbman]

>"Hmm...no sixteen"
>Try to remember if 16 is a relevant number to us

[Hello Purvis]

>"I daresay it would be wise of us to leave. Now."
>Make to do so, and head outside.

[Fightest]

>"Hmm...no sixteen"
>Try to remember if 16 is a relevant number to us

> You don't recall any numbers of importance. Then again, the previous letter missed out a few numbers between the front and the back as well, and there wasn't any importance to the missed ones that you remember, either.

>"I daresay it would be wise of us to leave. Now."
>Make to do so, and head outside.

> Eirin nods, so does Kaguya. "I am inclined to agree."

> You all quickly shuffle out of the infirmary, and start to move towards the exit. Reisen joins up with your group just before the exit, and the six of you promptly get out of the building, and into the courtyard. You can see rabbits and fairies moving about here and there in mixed groups, tending to the injured, chatting, some munching on sandwiches.

> You can hear a faint whistling far above you.

[Hello Purvis]

>Look up.

[Fightest]

>Look up.

> The night sky is dark, and, with the pale light of the moon, you can just spot a small shape flying overhead, trailing two parallel rows of lights. At this distance, they look like unusually bright stars.

> The shape continues its flight, trailing more and more of these lights, always in two parallel rows.

> The lights are coming closer, as if dropping away from the shape and towards you, and, as they do so, they seem to get brighter - a white-hot brightness, like that of the Sun.

> "Oh, no..." mutter Eirin and Kaguya in unison.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Should we be running?"

[Demonbman]

>"Its Mokou!"
>Tell Everyone get somewhere far away and safe!