Iku Quest Tsamet'i - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown again.
> "At least someone finds these events entertaining."

>"I can tell you, a lot of people will," says Aya.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Right. Anyway, after my escape from Miss Sameko, I wandered further toward where I had been guided to escape Makai. Eventually, I found myself back in Gensokyo without further encounters. I do not know why I was allowed to traverse the two realms so easily, as it was my understanding that Gensokyo and Makai were separated by a barrier. Curious to observe, however, was a note left in a cave in what I can only assume to still be Makai, where someone named 'Sara' has stated intent to quit their position as gate guard and find employment elsewhere. Given the paper was quite aged and the note mentioned the incredibly long winter of several years ago, I can only imagine Lady Shinki never noticed that this poor Sara had resigned. Very curious."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Right. Anyway, after my escape from Miss Sameko, I wandered further toward where I had been guided to escape Makai. Eventually, I found myself back in Gensokyo without further encounters. I do not know why I was allowed to traverse the two realms so easily, as it was my understanding that Gensokyo and Makai were separated by a barrier. Curious to observe, however, was a note left in a cave in what I can only assume to still be Makai, where someone named 'Sara' has stated intent to quit their position as gate guard and find employment elsewhere. Given the paper was quite aged and the note mentioned the incredibly long winter of several years ago, I can only imagine Lady Shinki never noticed that this poor Sara had resigned. Very curious."

>"Mmm, that is curious," says Aya.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, I was not about to question my re-emergence into Gensokyo. I ended up making a straight path to the first establishment I saw, which ended up being the Hakurei Shrine. I learned that Reimu had tempered her suspicion of myself and the Eldest Daughter in regards to Bhava-Agra's purported invasion, but that it had not quite vanished yet. I also learned that the Eldest Daughter had tried to show Reimu the culprit, as she had been with me when the culprit sent me away to my shadow home, but the culprit had vanished, and my shawl with them. I doubt I will ever retrieve it, which makes reason number 4."
> "Reimu said the Eldest Daughter had gone home to tell our people about what had happened to me. She also mentioned that she still did not trust me entirely, and that she was also fairly irritable, given her bed had been stolen. A fairy prank, to be sure, given I had met a group of fairies plotting some unknown revenge on Reimu earlier, and Hakurei Shrine beds were found on Marisa's roof, of all places, the next morning. The beds have since been restored to their proper home."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, I was not about to question my re-emergence into Gensokyo. I ended up making a straight path to the first establishment I saw, which ended up being the Hakurei Shrine. I learned that Reimu had tempered her suspicion of myself and the Eldest Daughter in regards to Bhava-Agra's purported invasion, but that it had not quite vanished yet. I also learned that the Eldest Daughter had tried to show Reimu the culprit, as she had been with me when the culprit sent me away to my shadow home, but the culprit had vanished, and my shawl with them. I doubt I will ever retrieve it, which makes reason number 4."
> "Reimu said the Eldest Daughter had gone home to tell our people about what had happened to me. She also mentioned that she still did not trust me entirely, and that she was also fairly irritable, given her bed had been stolen. A fairy prank, to be sure, given I had met a group of fairies plotting some unknown revenge on Reimu earlier, and Hakurei Shrine beds were found on Marisa's roof, of all places, the next morning. The beds have since been restored to their proper home."

>Aya snickers a bit as you mention Reimu's missing bed, and the fate of it. "That sounds like Reimu, she gets really suspicious when things get strange."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I suppose such is understandable when one is in her position. Anyway, I then left the shrine and made my way toward a gathering of allies to warn them of what I had encountered that day. The culprit had made several threats toward myself and those who knew where I was and was prepared to take them all down, and given what I had experienced from them up to that point I was not taking those threats lightly."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I suppose such is understandable when one is in her position. Anyway, I then left the shrine and made my way toward a gathering of allies to warn them of what I had encountered that day. The culprit had made several threats toward myself and those who knew where I was and was prepared to take them all down, and given what I had experienced from them up to that point I was not taking those threats lightly."

>"Mmhm," says Aya. "Not surprising, given all the things you've told me."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "This group of allies made plans for the night and mostly settled in. I traveled back home, to reunite with the Eldest Daughter and let her know I was not dead, since for all she knew, I was. We ended up spending the rest of the night strategizing, and then I simply did not have it in me to keep my eyes open any longer, and we passed the first night of this ordeal in peace."

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "This group of allies made plans for the night and mostly settled in. I traveled back home, to reunite with the Eldest Daughter and let her know I was not dead, since for all she knew, I was. We ended up spending the rest of the night strategizing, and then I simply did not have it in me to keep my eyes open any longer, and we passed the first night of this ordeal in peace."

>"Sounds like things were trouble free after you got back," says Aya.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "In a way, I suppose. There were still some several outstanding issues, but in terms of being physically beaten to a pulp I had already gone as low as I was going to from then until now."

[Hello Purvis]

> "In a way, I suppose. There were still some several outstanding issues, but in terms of being physically beaten to a pulp I had already gone as low as I was going to from then until now."

>Aya nods, jotting some things down quickly.
>"So, next day?"

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yes, the next day. We checked in with our allies and, after gathering some information about the culprit's potential whereabouts, as well as people that might no more, we set off to visit those people. As luck would have it, the culprit found us, about as confused as I was as to my presence in Gensokyo again, though considerably more agitated. It was the best Christmas present ever."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yes, the next day. We checked in with our allies and, after gathering some information about the culprit's potential whereabouts, as well as people that might no more, we set off to visit those people. As luck would have it, the culprit found us, about as confused as I was as to my presence in Gensokyo again, though considerably more agitated. It was the best Christmas present ever."

>"So, she didn't think you were going to come back?" says Aya. "What happened next?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "They did not. As far as I can tell, they were unaware of the crack I mentioned earlier."
> "What happened after that was a very long and somewhat confusing encounter. I returned a lost item of theirs that I had spent some time searching out the night before, and in return, they became a bit more willing to talk. I had learned some things about them through my travels two days ago, and between those discoveries and some of the things they told me, my heart went out to them. I had figured out, at that point, that they were not malicious, and actually had no ill intentions when they took my home's shadow. I wanted to help them, as they had their own share of problems, just as everyone else does, but their problems were quite unique, problems that were far more easily solved with help."

[Hello Purvis]

> "They did not. As far as I can tell, they were unaware of the crack I mentioned earlier."
> "What happened after that was a very long and somewhat confusing encounter. I returned a lost item of theirs that I had spent some time searching out the night before, and in return, they became a bit more willing to talk. I had learned some things about them through my travels two days ago, and between those discoveries and some of the things they told me, my heart went out to them. I had figured out, at that point, that they were not malicious, and actually had no ill intentions when they took my home's shadow. I wanted to help them, as they had their own share of problems, just as everyone else does, but their problems were quite unique, problems that were far more easily solved with help."

>Aya nods; writing. "Go on."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Our encounter eventually drew to a close with me offering to gather information about shadows for the culprit. I made a few trips to a couple of people knowledgeable on the subject, Lady Moriya and Miss Knowledge again. They had much to say on the subject, and valuable information was obtained for combating the culprit's issues. We also obtained valuable information and assistance from Lady Yakumo, who helped fix the aforementioned crack."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Our encounter eventually drew to a close with me offering to gather information about shadows for the culprit. I made a few trips to a couple of people knowledgeable on the subject, Lady Moriya and Miss Knowledge again. They had much to say on the subject, and valuable information was obtained for combating the culprit's issues. We also obtained valuable information and assistance from Lady Yakumo, who helped fix the aforementioned crack."

>"Interesting," says Aya. "And what did you learn?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Mostly about the general nature of shadows, but also about what happens when someone tries to siphon power from the shadow of an entire spiritual realm. Suffice it to say, I would not recommend anyone try it themselves, and neither would Miss Knowledge."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Mostly about the general nature of shadows, but also about what happens when someone tries to siphon power from the shadow of an entire spiritual realm. Suffice it to say, I would not recommend anyone try it themselves, and neither would Miss Knowledge."

>Aya writes. "Alright, go on."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "After receiving this help and information, the culprit decided they would need to think about what they wanted to do next, as it was quite an important decision for them. To give them the time necessary to mull their options over, I attended to some other business, and then met once again with Lady Scarlet, where we learned that each of us had made some unfortunate misinterpretations of the actions of the other. After demonstrating to Lady Scarlet that my people were innocent in regards to the fall of our home, we began negotiations regarding how to restore things to a form where both Bhava-Agra and Volatilis Scarlet Regnum would be satisfied. Lady Scarlet fared quite well for herself during these discussions, though I...well, I learned that I do not how to cope with not being trusted."

[Kilgamayan]

> Oh, damnit, we were supposed to meet Nue in the tengu village.

[Hello Purvis]

> "After receiving this help and information, the culprit decided they would need to think about what they wanted to do next, as it was quite an important decision for them. To give them the time necessary to mull their options over, I attended to some other business, and then met once again with Lady Scarlet, where we learned that each of us had made some unfortunate misinterpretations of the actions of the other. After demonstrating to Lady Scarlet that my people were innocent in regards to the fall of our home, we began negotiations regarding how to restore things to a form where both Bhava-Agra and Volatilis Scarlet Regnum would be satisfied. Lady Scarlet fared quite well for herself during these discussions, though I...well, I learned that I do not how to cope with not being trusted."

>Aya nods. "Elaborate on this mistake, please?"

> Oh, damnit, we were supposed to meet Nue in the tengu village.

>Didn't she say something about Maribel and Renko owing her a favor?

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Lady Scarlet assumed that Gensokyo was being invaded, and retaliated in self-defense. As I knew Bhava-Agra to be innocent, I watched two Bhavagran islands get forcibly occupied, and I assumed her intentions were malicious. As it turns out, neither of these assumptions were true, though I hope it is quite understandable why they would have been made."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Lady Scarlet assumed that Gensokyo was being invaded, and retaliated in self-defense. As I knew Bhava-Agra to be innocent, I watched two Bhavagran islands get forcibly occupied, and I assumed her intentions were malicious. As it turns out, neither of these assumptions were true, though I hope it is quite understandable why they would have been made."

>"How does one occupy someone else's land without it being malicious?" says Aya.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "By doing so in self-defense from an invading force, and treating the citizens of those islands with respect and interfering with their daily lives as little as possible."

[Hello Purvis]

> "By doing so in self-defense from an invading force, and treating the citizens of those islands with respect and interfering with their daily lives as little as possible."

>"Did she actually do that?" says Aya. "I'm pretty sure I saw a couple of celestials around the mansion doing menial labor."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "You very likely did, but Lady Scarlet treated them with the same respect as she treats all of her subordinates. I have spoken with a few celestials to whom Lady Scarlet assigned tasks, and they did not seem particularly perturbed by the situation, beyond it being different from what they are used to in life, and general sorrow for the state inflicted upon Bhava-Agra by the fall itself."

[Hello Purvis]

> "You very likely did, but Lady Scarlet treated them with the same respect as she treats all of her subordinates. I have spoken with a few celestials to whom Lady Scarlet assigned tasks, and they did not seem particularly perturbed by the situation, beyond it being different from what they are used to in life, and general sorrow for the state inflicted upon Bhava-Agra by the fall itself."

>"Huh," says Aya. "I'm definitely going to have to look into that, too. Anyways, carry on."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "As I just visited with her, you may speak with the celestial gate guard, Miss Amaya, about her experiences working for the mansion, if you so desire. She can tell you that she has not been mistreated, among other things."
> "Anyway, our negotiations eventually concluded in a manner where both sides seemed satisfied. The precise details are, I feel, private matters and not particularly necessary to this conversation anyway, though I obviously cannot speak for Lady Scarlet. Once our business was concluded, I met with the shadow culprit once more, who had earlier restored the shadow of Miss Kogasa, which I forgot to mention. And before you get many ideas, part of the conditions upon which Miss Kogasa was restored to her normal self were that she would not talk about who the culprit is to anyone. I cannot guarantee her safety if someone convinces her to break that promise in any capacity."

[Hello Purvis]

> "As I just visited with her, you may speak with the celestial gate guard, Miss Amaya, about her experiences working for the mansion, if you so desire. She can tell you that she has not been mistreated, among other things."
> "Anyway, our negotiations eventually concluded in a manner where both sides seemed satisfied. The precise details are, I feel, private matters and not particularly necessary to this conversation anyway, though I obviously cannot speak for Lady Scarlet. Once our business was concluded, I met with the shadow culprit once more, who had earlier restored the shadow of Miss Kogasa, which I forgot to mention. And before you get many ideas, part of the conditions upon which Miss Kogasa was restored to her normal self were that she would not talk about who the culprit is to anyone. I cannot guarantee her safety if someone convinces her to break that promise in any capacity."

>"There's other things she can tell me, I'm sure," says Aya. "So, you managed to get the shadow thief to give the goods back, huh?"

>_