(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 7)

[DracoOmega]

>"Girl."
>"And I was thinking about checking out the harbormaster's office. You said the document was missing from there, too. It's possible your thief left a clue there that he didn't here."

>Her expression sours. "Yeah, and just try gettin' something outta them about it. Hope you have better luck than me."

[Oldmansour]

>"But, I gotta ask, captain. What if Chisato has a reason for keeping this mouse? You sure you want me to relocate her right away?"

[DracoOmega]

>"But, I gotta ask, captain. What if Chisato has a reason for keeping this mouse? You sure you want me to relocate her right away?"

>The question snaps her back from her brooding, a slightly sheepish expression on her face. "Er, well... I guess if it is her 'pet', it's her call what happens to it. Long as it isn't left wandering around my ship."
>She takes a deep breath and then lets it out slowly. "Okay, come on. You can talk to the little guy- er, girl- for her. Maybe she'll wanna hear what it's got to say. Can leave the rest of it for later."

[Oldmansour]

>"Gotcha. Translator, I can do."

[DracoOmega]

>"Gotcha. Translator, I can do."

>Murasa nods. "Right. Well, let's get this over with."
>She turns and walks back towards the galley exit.

[Oldmansour]

>Follow the cap'n.
>Ask the mouse, if we don't think she's taking a nap, "Have you smelled this big one before?"

[DracoOmega]

>Follow the cap'n.
>Ask the mouse, if we don't think she's taking a nap, "Have you smelled this big one before?"

>You follow after Murasa.
>You're pretty sure the mouse is just remaining what it considers to be out of sight, while people are about. You ask your question.
>"Yup!" she squeaks from inside her hiding place. "That big one moved the flat wooden thing into the light and back again. Didn't give yummies, though."

[Oldmansour]

>Hmm.
>Does this box appear to be similar to the ones in the cargo hold?
>If not, ask Murasa, "Captain? This box here, does it seem... familiar, to you?"

[DracoOmega]

>Hmm.
>Does this box appear to be similar to the ones in the cargo hold?
>If not, ask Murasa, "Captain? This box here, does it seem... familiar, to you?"

>It is a nondescript wooden shipping box. You don't know if it an exact match for something in the cargo hold, but it wouldn't surprise you. It is quite similar, at the least.

[Oldmansour]

>"I presume you moved around a lot of these crates yourself, captain, when you were loading the ship?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I presume you moved around a lot of these crates yourself, captain, when you were loading the ship?"

>"Uh, yeah?" she says, raising an eyebrow dubiously.

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, you remember I mentioned that another crewman found this mouse? Well, she recognizes your scent, and it seems you were the one that brought her on board, if I understand her. She was in one of your cargo crates; I'm not sure if it was this one, though."

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, you remember I mentioned that another crewman found this mouse? Well, she recognizes your scent, and it seems you were the one that brought her on board, if I understand her. She was in one of your cargo crates; I'm not sure if it was this one, though."

>"Huh, really?" Murasa stops and gives the box a once-over, frowning. "Don't suppose you know how long ago that was?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Mice don't have the same sense of time that humanoids do, so it's hard to be precise. I get the impression, though, that Chisato might have found her not long after she came aboard. I'll ask."
>In chitterspeak, "Was it long time or short time between the flat wood being moved, and the different big one found you?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Mice don't have the same sense of time that humanoids do, so it's hard to be precise. I get the impression, though, that Chisato might have found her not long after she came aboard. I'll ask."
>In chitterspeak, "Was it long time or short time between the flat wood being moved, and the different big one found you?"

>Murasa nods.
>"Flat wooden thing moved lots of times," she squeaks. "Big one put me there, then big one move it. Short time, move it again. Sometimes give yummies. Then other big one move wooden thing. Not give yummies. Was kinda sad."

[Oldmansour]

>"Was it always the same big one that gave you yummies, before this big one moved wood thing?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Was it always the same big one that gave you yummies, before this big one moved wood thing?"

>"Yes!" she squeaks cheerfully.

[Oldmansour]

>"That's a good big one."
>"The last time wood thing moved, was it same big one that gave you yummies, or this big one here?"

[DracoOmega]

>"That's a good big one."
>"The last time wood thing moved, was it same big one that gave you yummies, or this big one here?"

>"First other big one, then this big one, then other big one again."

[Oldmansour]

>"Thank you."
>In peoplespeak, to Murasa, "She said the box she was in was moved at least three times, first by the other... By Chisato, I suspect, then by you, which is probably when she came aboard, and then Chisato again, which is how she got under Chisato's bed. Assuming this is the same box, of course."

[DracoOmega]

>"Thank you."
>In peoplespeak, to Murasa, "She said the box she was in was moved at least three times, first by the other... By Chisato, I suspect, then by you, which is probably when she came aboard, and then Chisato again, which is how she got under Chisato's bed. Assuming this is the same box, of course."

>The mouse chitters brightly.
>Murasa cocks her head to the side. "Wait, what? You sayin' Chisato knew she was there before I brought her on board?"

[Oldmansour]

>"If I understand the mouse right. Somebody fed her before you moved the box. Unless... If this was a crate of food, Chisato may simply have been loading it, might not have even known this mouse was in there, until she was on board. A mouse would easily see that as someone giving them food."

[DracoOmega]

>"If I understand the mouse right. Somebody fed her before you moved the box. Unless... If this was a crate of food, Chisato may simply have been loading it, might not have even known this mouse was in there, until she was on board. A mouse would easily see that as someone giving them food."

>She waves a hand dismissively. "Eh, she can answer that herself, I guess."

[Oldmansour]

>"Indeed."
>Topside, ho!

[DracoOmega]

>"Indeed."
>Topside, ho!

>You cross the rest of the floor and make your way back up the stairs to the main deck.

>Still lounging by the gangway where you left her, Chisato rolls her head absently in your direction as the pair of you reemerge from the ship. Her reaction is not immediate, but you can pinpoint the presise moment of recognition  as the idleness evaporates from her expression. She pulls herself upright, her bearing tensing.
>"Cap'n?" she says as you draw close, her tone halfway between an acknowledgement and a question. She is scrupulously avoiding looking in your direction.
>Murasa's tone is weary but firm. "I'm going to guess you know you had a mouse living in here?"
>"Well, er, yeah," Chisato replies, glancing briefly at the box, "but with respect and all... what were you poking around my room for?
>"Didn't find her in your room," Murasa says. "Found her crawling around the pantry."
>With remarkable speed, Chisato's expression twists into a florid grimace. "Goddammit!"

[Hello Purvis]

>"So what's the story here?"

[DracoOmega]

>"So what's the story here?"

>"Why's there need to be a story?" Chisato spits, still looking like she wants yell at something. "Somethin' wrong with me not wantin' to kick the guy on sight?"
>"You can't just let mice run around on ship," Murasa says. "You have any idea what kind of shit that can cause?"
>"Hey, I know that!" she counters. "He wasn't supposed to get out."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Nothing wrong with it at all. There's too many people who take mice lightly. I'm just curious why you did it. And where you found her."

[DracoOmega]

>"Nothing wrong with it at all. There's too many people who take mice lightly. I'm just curious why you did it. And where you found her."

>"That makes two of us," Murasa adds.
>Chisato holds onto that frustrated scowl for a moment, before snapping out a resigned "Okay, fine."
>"Saw her run out from between two sacks of flour when I was loading up supplies a couple days back," she continues. "Caught her before she got too far. Dunno why I kept her. Just thought I would, I guess. Didn't see why anyone else should care."
>"You didn't," Murasa repeats flatly. You're not sure if this is just an acknowledgment, or commentary on her crewman's awareness.
>"She wasn't supposed to get loose, dammit!" Chisato protests, fuming again. She mutters something harsh under her breath.

[Hello Purvis]

>"So, what were you going to do with her?"