Iku Quest Tsamet'i - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "Things appear to be progressing as well as I could hope for. Bhava-Agra's shadow has been restored."
> Smile.
> "We did it, Tenshi. We have saved our home."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Things appear to be progressing as well as I could hope for. Bhava-Agra's shadow has been restored."
> Smile.
> "We did it, Tenshi. We have saved our home."

>"Good job," says Tenshi with a nod. "It's probably time to get things fixed anyways."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yes. And well done to you as well. You were an important part of what has transpired over the last two days."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yes. And well done to you as well. You were an important part of what has transpired over the last two days."

>"Well, not anyone could have just beat up the gate guard like that," says Tenshi.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Smile.
> "That is one of a few things of which I can think, yes."
> Drop the smile and resume a neutral expression.
> "There has been headway elsewhere as well. How much about the poltergeist have I told you? It is a bit hard to keep track of who knows what at this point."

[Hello Purvis]

> Smile.
> "That is one of a few things of which I can think, yes."
> Drop the smile and resume a neutral expression.
> "There has been headway elsewhere as well. How much about the poltergeist have I told you? It is a bit hard to keep track of who knows what at this point."

>"You had some plan with Nue, which I guess involved a great disguise?" says Tenshi.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yes. Okay. Let me give you a little more background information about her, then. This poltergeist lives with the belief that self-exposure is a horrible, depraved thing. She is very firm in this faith. To her, denying it would be the same as, say, denying the sky is blue."
> "And 'self-exposure' is very broad. She believes it is a depraved thing to even be seen, or to admit opinions or personal characteristics."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yes. Okay. Let me give you a little more background information about her, then. This poltergeist lives with the belief that self-exposure is a horrible, depraved thing. She is very firm in this faith. To her, denying it would be the same as, say, denying the sky is blue."
> "And 'self-exposure' is very broad. She believes it is a depraved thing to even be seen, or to admit opinions or personal characteristics."

>"Yeah, I remember that she was a huge weirdo," says Tenshi. "But you've not spelled it out quite like that. Yeesh."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yes, she certainly is a unique case. And, to make matters worse, we have learned over the past two days that poltergeists come into being through the belief of others, and, more importantly in this case, they are sustained by the belief of others, by others acknowledging their presence. What do you think will eventually happen to a poltergeist that makes every effort to make sure no one knows they exist?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yes, she certainly is a unique case. And, to make matters worse, we have learned over the past two days that poltergeists come into being through the belief of others, and, more importantly in this case, they are sustained by the belief of others, by others acknowledging their presence. What do you think will eventually happen to a poltergeist that makes every effort to make sure no one knows they exist?"

>Tenshi nods. "Yeah, that'd be a problem."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Right. That is the idea behind Nue's disguise. And it is quite a good one, I dare say. Her face, hair and body shape are all a bit different. Different enough that even I had trouble identifying her. This way, she can interact within society without betraying her own beliefs. Not very much, anyway."
> "But I tell you this for a very important reason. You have seen what she really looks like. If you are to meet her again in front of other people, I must ask that you honor her desire to present the illusion she is presenting. Please, do not identify the real her to anyone else, unless she gives permission to do so."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Right. That is the idea behind Nue's disguise. And it is quite a good one, I dare say. Her face, hair and body shape are all a bit different. Different enough that even I had trouble identifying her. This way, she can interact within society without betraying her own beliefs. Not very much, anyway."
> "But I tell you this for a very important reason. You have seen what she really looks like. If you are to meet her again in front of other people, I must ask that you honor her desire to present the illusion she is presenting. Please, do not identify the real her to anyone else, unless she gives permission to do so."

>"Yeah, sure, I won't say anything," says Tenshi.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Smile.
> "Thank you. I knew I could depend on you."

[Hello Purvis]

> Smile.
> "Thank you. I knew I could depend on you."

>"Yeah, yeah," she says. "So, if the problem's dealt with, what now?"

[Kilgamayan]

> "Now? Now I hope for several things. I hope that the poltergeist can find happiness, or at least contentment, in her efforts to sustain herself. I hope that you and she may eventually become friends, as the two of you are actually rather alike. And I hope what you and I have experienced with each other over the last two days serves as a beginning for us, rather than an end."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Now? Now I hope for several things. I hope that the poltergeist can find happiness, or at least contentment, in her efforts to sustain herself. I hope that you and she may eventually become friends, as the two of you are actually rather alike. And I hope what you and I have experienced with each other over the last two days serves as a beginning for us, rather than an end."

>"Wait, are you saying I'm a weirdo, too?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Give a soft chuckle.
> "No, not at all. Or, at least, not in such a derogatory sense. I have since realized that you both dwell in realms where your personal standard for behavior differs from the norm of that realm, a norm that is so common that both of you are often pushed by those around you to have your own personal standards violated. Your preferred mode of conduct differs from that of your fellow celestials, while her preferred mode of conduct differs from her fellow Gensokyans. Both of you are also willing to fight to maintain your own beliefs, despite whatever overwhelming pressure there may be to conform from the norms of your respective societies."

[Hello Purvis]

> Give a soft chuckle.
> "No, not at all. Or, at least, not in such a derogatory sense. I have since realized that you both dwell in realms where your personal standard for behavior differs from the norm of that realm, a norm that is so common that both of you are often pushed by those around you to have your own personal standards violated. Your preferred mode of conduct differs from that of your fellow celestials, while her preferred mode of conduct differs from her fellow Gensokyans. Both of you are also willing to fight to maintain your own beliefs, despite whatever overwhelming pressure there may be to conform from the norms of your respective societies."

>Tenshi nods, but you have the feeling she doesn't really get it.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Hmm. Let me see if I can explain it better...perhaps the specifics will help. Basically, your fellow celestials want you to behave how they do. Things like not being deceitful, avoiding violence, stuff like that. You hear these ideas and shrug them off, because that's not who you are. And then there is a clash, where your fellow celestials are willing to punish you for not adhering to these ideas, and you are willing to retaliate in the name of being true to yourself, such as by making it rain on Bhava-Agra. Her situation is similar. Society around her not only tolerates social interaction, but actively endorses it. She sees these ideas and shrugs them off, because that's not who she is. And then there is a clash, where people try to violate her beliefs by actively searching for her, and she is willing to retaliate in the name of being true to herself, such as by taking people's shadows."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Hmm. Let me see if I can explain it better...perhaps the specifics will help. Basically, your fellow celestials want you to behave how they do. Things like not being deceitful, avoiding violence, stuff like that. You hear these ideas and shrug them off, because that's not who you are. And then there is a clash, where your fellow celestials are willing to punish you for not adhering to these ideas, and you are willing to retaliate in the name of being true to yourself, such as by making it rain on Bhava-Agra. Her situation is similar. Society around her not only tolerates social interaction, but actively endorses it. She sees these ideas and shrugs them off, because that's not who she is. And then there is a clash, where people try to violate her beliefs by actively searching for her, and she is willing to retaliate in the name of being true to herself, such as by taking people's shadows."

>"Yeah, but it's not really the same at all," says Tenshi. "It's not just that they try to make me like them, it's that they're all worse than me because they lie so much more and think they're better than everybody. But there's really nothing wrong with just being with people."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Raise an eyebrow.
> "And on what grounds do you say there is nothing wrong with being with people?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Raise an eyebrow.
> "And on what grounds do you say there is nothing wrong with being with people?"

>She shrugs. "Just isn't. Anyone who's not a weirdo can tell you that."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "So may I presume that you see such a belief about self-exposure as weird, and also that being weird is a bad thing?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "So may I presume that you see such a belief about self-exposure as weird, and also that being weird is a bad thing?"

>"Well yeah, obviously," says Tenshi. "What're you getting at?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, to be honest, it sounds like you are making a negative judgment of another because their behavior differs from yours."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, to be honest, it sounds like you are making a negative judgment of another because their behavior differs from yours."

>"Maybe, but it's not like I'm gonna give her a hard time over it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "...Hmm, I see. Let me ask a curiosity question, if I may. Do you believe it is okay to think oneself better than another, as long as one does not attempt to disrupt that other person's life with that sentiment?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "...Hmm, I see. Let me ask a curiosity question, if I may. Do you believe it is okay to think oneself better than another, as long as one does not attempt to disrupt that other person's life with that sentiment?"

>"Well when you can prove it, there's no problem," says Tenshi. "Just that pretty much everyone here acts like they're so perfect when they're really just scum."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Raise an eyebrow again.
> "How does one prove one life philosophy better than another?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Raise an eyebrow again.
> "How does one prove one life philosophy better than another?"

>"I dunno," says Tenshi. "Probably winning at stuff."

>_