Iku Quest Sedem: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> How often are we embarrassed by something in Bhava-Agra?
> What was one of the most embarrassing things that ever happened to us?
> How often do we get frustrated in Bhava-Agra to the point of demanding solitude, and is there any particular recent event where this happened?

>Not very often at all, and usually it's due to things such as Tenshi getting into a brawl with a pack of faeries.
>The thing that comes to mind instantly was when Yukari made a fool of you after you finished delivering your message during the scarlet weather incident.
>Not often, really. Things tend to go pretty well for you. Celestials generally don't shirk duties or cause a fuss. Tenshi has periodically made banging your head on the wall seem appealing, though.

> How important is tolerance to Bhavagran teachings?

>As enlightenment is ultimately a personal issue and believed to be something anyone in the human realm of being can achieve, it's quite important to accept others as not be too hard on them for their failings. Samsara is rough on everyone.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "I'm saying that, even though I enjoy being extroverted, I can understand the desire to be introverted to such a degree, and in fact have enjoyed such solitude and secret-keeping in my time. Each has their own benefits to me, and I can appreciate both."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I'm saying that, even though I enjoy being extroverted, I can understand the desire to be introverted to such a degree, and in fact have enjoyed such solitude and secret-keeping in my time. Each has their own benefits to me, and I can appreciate both."

>"How could you possible enjoy ripping out parts of yourself and shoving them in other people's faces?" says the Poltergeist. "It's horrifying! How can you even live with yourself?"

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "Hmm. Well, that depends. I think I mostly understand where you're coming from, but there's a notable detail I'm still not sure on. When one exposes themselves, is it embarrassing for that person, or embarrassing for the people to whom they expose themselves?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Hmm. Well, that depends. I think I mostly understand where you're coming from, but there's a notable detail I'm still not sure on. When one exposes themselves, is it embarrassing for that person, or embarrassing for the people to whom they expose themselves?"

>"It's not just embarrassing," she says. "It's disgusting! Horrible! It's...not something you can live with."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "To be honest, I've never really thought about it in the terms you've described. I apologize for being so difficult in that regard. But I would at least like to take a stab at it."
> "I...guess I don't really think of it as ripping out a part of myself. Like, say, my name. I told you my name earlier, but I don't feel like it's any less a part of me than it was before."

[Hello Purvis]

> "To be honest, I've never really thought about it in the terms you've described. I apologize for being so difficult in that regard. But I would at least like to take a stab at it."
> "I...guess I don't really think of it as ripping out a part of myself. Like, say, my name. I told you my name earlier, but I don't feel like it's any less a part of me than it was before."

>"It's not even something you think about," she says, "It's something that is. It's like how you don't think about that stream, it's just there."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yeah, I can understand it that way. Like having hands, or sharing tea after a danmaku battle."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yeah, I can understand it that way. Like having hands, or sharing tea after a danmaku battle."

>She nods at first, then kind of frowns at the second a little.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Put a hand to our mouth for a couple of seconds, then drop it a little bit, enough so that our mouth is uncovered.
> "Oh...I guess you wouldn't have known about that."

[Hello Purvis]

> Put a hand to our mouth for a couple of seconds, then drop it a little bit, enough so that our mouth is uncovered.
> "Oh...I guess you wouldn't have known about that."

>"It makes sense, I guess..." she says. "I never thought about it until now. Just...."
>She shakes her head in what you assume is mild revulsion.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, we can cross that bridge when we come to it."
> What is our favorite kind of tea?
> "But I'm curious about something, then. You just told me your name several minutes ago, and you don't seem to be full of self-loathing about it to me."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, we can cross that bridge when we come to it."
> What is our favorite kind of tea?
> "But I'm curious about something, then. You just told me your name several minutes ago, and you don't seem to be full of self-loathing about it to me."

>She frowns moreso.
>There's far too many to pick a favorite.
>"I am," she says. "But I'll fix it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "And what about the circumstances surrounding your coming to be?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "And what about the circumstances surrounding your coming to be?"

>"Huh?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I assume you have heard the stories about yourself from others at this point. But how much do you know about why poltergeists in general come to be?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "I assume you have heard the stories about yourself from others at this point. But how much do you know about why poltergeists in general come to be?"

>"Not really..." she says. "Kind of."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, to put it simply, when enough people share a strong enough, deep enough belief in an idea, the force of will behind that belief manifests itself as a poltergeist, who exists to be the idea so strongly believed in. I've been around the Gensokyo block a few times, and I'm still very surprised that a consciousness can be created through sheer force of will, but such is the way of things."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, to put it simply, when enough people share a strong enough, deep enough belief in an idea, the force of will behind that belief manifests itself as a poltergeist, who exists to be the idea so strongly believed in. I've been around the Gensokyo block a few times, and I'm still very surprised that a consciousness can be created through sheer force of will, but such is the way of things."

>She nods a bit.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Before I continue, by the way, I hope you don't feel like I'm trying to trivialize your existence. I don't think you feel that way, but I want to be sure regardless. Since, as I'm sure you've seen for yourself, you've taken the idea that you represent and given yourself a personality, complete with likes, dislikes and curiosities like anyone else. The circumstances surrounding your coming to be don't make you any less of a person than anyone else."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Before I continue, by the way, I hope you don't feel like I'm trying to trivialize your existence. I don't think you feel that way, but I want to be sure regardless. Since, as I'm sure you've seen for yourself, you've taken the idea that you represent and given yourself a personality, complete with likes, dislikes and curiosities like anyone else. The circumstances surrounding your coming to be don't make you any less of a person than anyone else."

>"Good," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Now. You've seen the large number of people wandering around the forest, explicitly searching for you. Not that you enjoy thinking about it and not that I enjoy reminding you of it, but it's necessary to make the point. Think about how this all must have started. A few people saw something strange and believed in you as a result. They tell some friends, who many have also seen something strange, or may just be willing to believe there's something out there, and then they tell their friends, and suddenly there's a large mass of people, all believing you exist. All believing very deeply that you must be out there, hiding somewhere. And as a result of all that belief, you did exist, you were out there, hiding somewhere."
> "In essence, you came to be because a large number of people shared deep personal beliefs with each other. Beliefs that were wrong when the believers first held them, no less, which shulde demonstrate the magnitude of belief it took those people to share them with others. All these people exposed themselves to one another, willing to work together, willing to learn together, willing to believe together, and you were born as a result."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Now. You've seen the large number of people wandering around the forest, explicitly searching for you. Not that you enjoy thinking about it and not that I enjoy reminding you of it, but it's necessary to make the point. Think about how this all must have started. A few people saw something strange and believed in you as a result. They tell some friends, who many have also seen something strange, or may just be willing to believe there's something out there, and then they tell their friends, and suddenly there's a large mass of people, all believing you exist. All believing very deeply that you must be out there, hiding somewhere. And as a result of all that belief, you did exist, you were out there, hiding somewhere."
> "In essence, you came to be because a large number of people shared deep personal beliefs with each other. Beliefs that were wrong when the believers first held them, no less, which shulde demonstrate the magnitude of belief it took those people to share them with others. All these people exposed themselves to one another, willing to work together, willing to learn together, willing to believe together, and you were born as a result."

>"I don't think you could have summed it up in a more depraved way," she mutters.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Shrug.
> "It's still what it is. And, if anything, that would probably be the best example of how self-exposure can be a good thing; that enough of it from enough people can create life, the most beautiful and precious thing there is."

[Hello Purvis]

> Shrug.
> "It's still what it is. And, if anything, that would probably be the best example of how self-exposure can be a good thing; that enough of it from enough people can create life, the most beautiful and precious thing there is."

>"No..." she mutters, no longer looking at you. "It means I shouldn't even be here..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

Uh oh.

> "But you ARE here. How can not existing be right and existing be wrong? How is that fair to you?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "But you ARE here. How can not existing be right and existing be wrong? How is that fair to you?"

>"Don't bother," she says, "You were right the first time. I'm not sure it can be helped..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Right the first time? What could she mean?
> What emotion is her face portraying?

[Hello Purvis]

> Right the first time? What could she mean?
> What emotion is her face portraying?

>It's hard to know what she means.
>She definitely seems troubled.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Slightly confused look.
> "What? What was I right about?"