Keine Quest (Part 2): Broken History

[DracoOmega]

>Follow her in.
>"You'd do that to her, anyways, given half the chance. But I appreciate the thought. Even if I would normally get just a little jealous of the attention you give her and not me."
>Teehee.
>"But, that's part of why I'm here. Kaguya and Eirin are responsible for what happened to the moon, and it's vitally important that we undo it.  And, frankly, there's no one better for it, nor anyone who knows this forest better."

>You follow Mokou back towards the house.
>"Yeah, well...."
>"And yeah, I figured it was their doing. But I hate to disappoint you if you think I can just guide you to their front door or something. A century of knowing every bump and marker in this forest doesn't mean a damn thing with that spell of theirs. I swear I'm getting closer, but... And what's so vitally important about fixing it now? It's been like this for years and nothing's blown up yet."

>Mokou opens the door and you step inside. The place looks almost exactly like you remember it. Well, aside from all the little touches you added yourself. The place always seemed rather more like a cabin than a house. It's effectively a single room, with a few small dividers between it, and the decor is quite spartan. You'd think two dozen lifetimes would give someone plenty of time to accumulate stuff, but Mokou just never really saw the point of it. Well, and there's not much stuff around to accumulate when you never leave the forest, either...

>"You never did say who she was," Moukou gestures towards Rumia. "You haven't said much for yourself, either, kiddo."
>"Quiz lady was talking," she replies, sounding a little huffy. "And you better not make her cry again!"

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's Rumia. She's been a very good friend. She saved my skin, and possibly my life, just a little while ago."
>"As for why it's so important, it is because I draw much of my own power from the full moon, and I'll need it to figure out what went wrong. As well, there are others who have been affected by it in their own ways."

[DracoOmega]

>"That's Rumia. She's been a very good friend. She saved my skin, and possibly my life, just a little while ago."

>"Huh. Good enough," she gives Rumia a curt nod. Rumia just keeps giving her that pouty-faced glare.

>"As for why it's so important, it is because I draw much of my own power from the full moon, and I'll need it to figure out what went wrong. As well, there are others who have been affected by it in their own ways."

>"What went wrong? What did go wrong? I mean, what's wrong with now? Other than Kaguya being a little shit with my forest. ...and, uh, other than, well.... us, maybe, I guess...."

[Hello Purvis]

>"You remember the winter that wouldn't go away? That was supposed to have been fixed. They would later go on to have stopped Kaguya and Eirin, and all kinds of other things. I don't know if you know about the hell raven affair, but they kept that from happening to. There's other things, but it would take more time to explain. And...yes, even if everything else went right, losing all that time with you would be inexcusable and a good enough reason, don't you think?"
>Grin.
>"You'd do the same thing if it were your case, only probably with more shouting."
>"As for getting into Eientei...are you aware of any entrances to the Underground here?"

[DracoOmega]

>"You remember the winter that wouldn't go away? That was supposed to have been fixed. They would later go on to have stopped Kaguya and Eirin, and all kinds of other things. I don't know if you know about the hell raven affair, but they kept that from happening to. There's other things, but it would take more time to explain. And...yes, even if everything else went right, losing all that time with you would be inexcusable and a good enough reason, don't you think?"
>Grin.

>Mokou sputters a bit. "Well, that... that mightn't be... so bad?'  She gives you a 'sheepish, but trying really hard not to look sheepish' look. You can't help but giggle to yourself about what thoughts are probably jumbling around in her head right now.
>"And who's this 'they', anyway?"

>"As for getting into Eientei...are you aware of any entrances to the Underground here?"

>"Underground? Never been down there. And nope, nothing like that around here. I'm sure of it."

[Hello Purvis]

>"They would be Reimu Hakurei, a shrine maiden whose shrine seems to have vanished from the face of the world, and Marisa Kirisame, a black magician who seems to have similarly been removed at some point."
>"Then we have to do things the hard way, it seems. I'm certain there are tunnels that run through here, but if there are no entrances, we'll just have to make one. In the meantime, what can you tell me about that field?"

[DracoOmega]

>"They would be Reimu Hakurei, a shrine maiden whose shrine seems to have vanished from the face of the world, and Marisa Kirisame, a black magician who seems to have similarly been removed at some point."

>"Yeah, even I heard about the shrine bit. Never met her, though. Or this Marisa person. But, they were supposed to have fixed at this, you say? What've they got to do with us, though?"

>"Then we have to do things the hard way, it seems. I'm certain there are tunnels that run through here, but if there are no entrances, we'll just have to make one. In the meantime, what can you tell me about that field?"

>"It's the damnedest piss-off in the world, that's what it is. Like you said, I know this forest inside and out. Could probably find my way through it blindfolded. Only, as soon as I start getting anywhere near to Eientei, nothing makes sense anymore. I mean, I know where I should be heading, but I always end up somewhere else. I don't know how the hell they did it. I've spent years trying to get back there, now. I've even caught sight of it, a couple times. And then it disappears behind the trees again, and I'm suddenly a whole damn mile away."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Us? Not much. But you wanted to know what changed, didn't you?"
>"I assume you tried all the usual tricks, like leaving a trail and throwing rocks ahead?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Us? Not much. But you wanted to know what changed, didn't you?"

>"Well, yeah... But, well, I was just kinda wondering how or why this was different, too. Supposedly."

>"I assume you tried all the usual tricks, like leaving a trail and throwing rocks ahead?"

>"Hey, you should know me better than that! About the only thing I haven't done is burn the whole damn place down, and I won't give her the satisfaction of wrecking my own home just to get to her."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I don't think we met, really. I'm not sure why, just yet."
>When did we meet Mokou, anyways?
>"Also.  you say you see some of the Eientei people moving around without problems? Any idea how they do it? And, what did happen to the trails and rocks and stuff?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't think we met, really. I'm not sure why, just yet."
>When did we meet Mokou, anyways?

>"Huh. Too bad, I guess."
>Now that you think about it, it was actually during the summer of the year of the Spring Snow Incident. Maybe you were just preoccupied, this time around....?

>"Also.  you say you see some of the Eientei people moving around without problems? Any idea how they do it? And, what did happen to the trails and rocks and stuff?"

>"You can still see rabbits every now and again. Never seen anyone important, though. As for how they do it," Mokou shrugs. "Maybe there's a path that works. Maybe it just doesn't affect them. I dunno. I tried trailing them back, but usually lose them a few steps later. And the rocks and markers stay where you put them. Just you don't. I tied something to a tree, once, then kept moving forward and somehow ended up back at the tree again. I'm damn sure I didn't turn once. You could throw a rock ahead, move to catch up to it, and find yourself someplace different entirely."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod.
> Contemplate if we know enough about this to devour its history, for a night or so.

[DracoOmega]

>Nod.
> Contemplate if we know enough about this to devour its history, for a night or so.

>What 'this' are you referring to? The ward?

[Hello Purvis]

>Yes, the ward.

[DracoOmega]

>Yes, the ward.

>You know what it does, but you don't really understand how it works, or more importantly, how it came to be created. Still, it may be possible to try, although given the nature of what you're trying to devour, you'd effectively be pitting wills against another powerful magic. It may or may not be sufficiently effective.

[Hello Purvis]

>If the attempt fails, would the devouree; or the caster of such, be aware of the attempt?
>"Can you take me to it?"

[DracoOmega]

>If the attempt fails, would the devouree; or the caster of such, be aware of the attempt?

>There's a good chance that if you succeed in budging it at all, someone could notice that something's off. They might not be able to immediately trace it back to you, though.

>"Can you take me to it?"

>"I can. But don't expect much. Or do you have a plan up your sleeve that you haven't bothered to tell me, yet?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I might. If you can show me enough about it...I might be able to deal with it for a little while. I really hadn't considered just how comprehensive your research into its effects might be, but if you can show me enough, and help me figure out how it works..."

[DracoOmega]

>"I might. If you can show me enough about it...I might be able to deal with it for a little while. I really hadn't considered just how comprehensive your research into its effects might be, but if you can show me enough, and help me figure out how it works..."

>"I don't know if I'd call it research. And I don't really know it works. But if you really want to have a look at it, I can show you."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, you probably know some of the tricks to it, right? In any event, experiencing it should help."

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, you probably know some of the tricks to it, right? In any event, experiencing it should help."

>"Well...." she hesitates a bit. "To be honest, I'm not even sure there's a pattern to it. Or if there is, it keeps changing. I'm not sure it's been any more than dumb luck the couple times I got closer to it. But, hey, if you want to go get lost together for a bit, I'm not going to bother trying to talk you out of it."

[Hello Purvis]

>"You know, in the world I remember, you'd jump at the chance to get lost together for a bit."
>Perhaps a creative exaggeration, but we earned some fun.
>"Shall we?"

[DracoOmega]

>"You know, in the world I remember, you'd jump at the chance to get lost together for a bit."
>Perhaps a creative exaggeration, but we earned some fun.

>"Yeah, well, y'know... maybe I would." She gives you a sort of tentative half-smile. You remember that one!

>"Shall we?"

>"Sure, why the hell not." Mokou gets up and heads out the door, again. "C'mon," she gestures after you.

[Hello Purvis]

>Meet that smile!
>Follow along.
>"Stay here, Rumia, it'll be easier with fewer people to get lost."

[DracoOmega]

>Meet that smile!
>Follow along.

>You smile back at Mokou. Ah, it feels nice to be able to do that! And then you follow her out of the house, Rumia falling in beside you.

>"Stay here, Rumia, it'll be easier with fewer people to get lost."

>"Um, ok...." She stops bobbing after you, and looks a little downcast. "...does Rumia have to? What if any more mean shadow-thingies show up?"
>"Shadow-whats now?" Mokou asks, looking quizzically at you.

[Hello Purvis]

>To Mokou: "Long story, I'll tell it along the way."
>To Rumia: "Okay, but you have to do a very good job staying with us."

[DracoOmega]

>To Mokou: "Long story, I'll tell it along the way."

>"Sure. The way's long enough as it is.  I get the feeling you're just full of long stories, anyway...."

>To Rumia: "Okay, but you have to do a very good job staying with us."

>"Sure~!" Rumia walks right up next to you, practically underfoot. Mokou gives her a sidelong glance, followed by an almost inaudible note of irritation. Then she sighs and shrugs her shoulders. "Well, let's get going, then," she states, and heads off towards the east.

[Kasu]

> Follow Mokou.
> Tell Mokou the epic story of how we engaged a shadow monster with Rumia and lived to tell about it.

[Hello Purvis]

>Link it to how we got here in the first place.

[DracoOmega]

> Follow Mokou.
> Tell Mokou the epic story of how we engaged a shadow monster with Rumia and lived to tell about it.

>Link it to how we got here in the first place.

>You follow Mokou off into the trees and start to explain your encounter with the shadow creature, its possible resemblance to a youkai you met earlier, and how it might somehow be connected to your arrival in this different world. Rumia occasionally interjects with helpful details such as "And then it went 'ssssplooey~! Mokou doesn't say much, but you're pretty certain she's listening attentively.

>Despite your entire course looking indistinguishably featureless, Mokou leads quickly and purposefully, making multiple course-corrections around unnavigably dense clusters of bamboo, with little more than a quick scan of the terrain every now and again. You're hopelessly lost in no more than a couple minutes. Rumia follows your directive to stay close so well that you eventually have to tell her to move a little further back for fear of continually tripping up in her.

>"Is your life always that interesting?" Mokou asks, after a pause in the narrative.