(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 9)

[DracoOmega]

>Only an hour? That's a stroke of luck in our favor.
>Let's just stand back and watch, for now. We're only here to watch them leave.

>It doesn't seem to have taken them too long to locate their target, in the end. Well, assuming this is it, anyway.
>You stand back and watch as Hatoko flies down to meet the rabbit.

>The latter waves the object at the former and lets out a satisfied chuckle. "Easy as pie!"
>"I even stopped to eat it first!" Hatoko replies lightly, in an cheerful echo of the rabbit's own voice; her face somehow reflects none of the mirth in her words.
>"Y'know," the rabbit replies in a caustic tone. "It's real annoying when you do that."
>Hatoko doesn't react visibly to her words, but returns to her own voice nevertheless. "You're sure this is it?"
>"Check out their reaction, if you got doubts," she says, jerking her head towards Murasa and Ishi. "'sides, no one goes to that much trouble to hide junk."
>Hatoko gives the object an appraising look. "Where did you find it?"
>"Little compartment tucked under one of the engine maintenance ducts. Never even spot if it didn't know it was there. Lucky you got me along, eh? Couldn't figure how to pop it, though, so we had to pry the whole works apart with metal cutters and crowbars."
>Never before in your life have you been able to pinpoint with such precision the exact moment someone decided to commit murder.
>"I'll strangle you with your own ears! I'll tie you to the rotors until your brain turns into pudding, you little- gckkk!" At this point, Ishi's tirade is cut off by her finally succeeding in toppling her chair outright and planting face-first into the deck.
>"Can it, Ishi," Murasa mutters. Amazingly, the kappa actually seems to rein herself in. "Actually, nevermind - let's hear a few more. I could use a laugh." It actually takes you a moment to realize this is Hatoko.
>"And you can shut the hell up, too," Murasa says darkly. "You got what you came for, didn't you?"
>Hatoko gives her a pointed look. The corner of her mouth creeps up ever so slightly. "If you say so."
>"Where's the boss, anyway?" the rabbit asks, craning her head around the deck.
>"She's supervising the cargo transfer," Hatoko replies, then holds her hand out. "I'll del-" But the rabbit has already turned and bolted back towards the stairs. And, incidentally, you.

[Oldmansour]

>Resist the urge to trip her.
>Resist more, it's REALLY tempting. Remember we're still gimped...
>Let her go past. The stealing's done, even a minor thing like sending this particular thief sprawling is meaningless.

[DracoOmega]

>Resist the urge to trip her.
>Resist more, it's REALLY tempting. Remember we're still gimped...
>Let her go past. The stealing's done, even a minor thing like sending this particular thief sprawling is meaningless.

>You wrestle fiercly with the urge to stick a foot out and send the little rabbit flying. She's barely even looking where she's going - it'd be so easy! ...but you decide that it's just a waste of energy at this point, whatever the brief satisfaction it would give.

>You take another look at the object in her hands as she bounds in your general direction. Its identity remains inscrutible, but the detailing on it becomes clearer. Well, clearer in the sense that you can see it; you still don't have a clue what it means, if it even means anything at all. But the smooth black surface of the object is traced with an intricate geometric design of intersecting angular forms, writ in a subtle gradation of blues and purples. There seems to be an almost iridescent sheen to them. As she rushes past, you feel something odd brush briefly against your senses - the metaphysical equivalent of a scent you just can't place. And then it's gone. You hear the rabbit start on down the stairs behind you.
>For a moment, it looked as though Hatoko would pursue her, but she simply turns and flies back towards the wheelhouse instead. Ishi struggles to right herself.

[Oldmansour]

>Was there anything on that object that seemed similar to either our sword, or what we saw on those torii gates underground before the spider youkai attacked us?
>Can we see into the wheelhouse from here? Specifically, who's in there that isn't a thief?
>Go help Ishi up. As best as we can.

[DracoOmega]

>Was there anything on that object that seemed similar to either our sword, or what we saw on those torii gates underground before the spider youkai attacked us?
>Can we see into the wheelhouse from here? Specifically, who's in there that isn't a thief?
>Go help Ishi up. As best as we can.

>While both could be described as angular, this didn't really seem to resemble the writing on Kumokirimaru. In fact, it didn't particularly look like writing at all, but rather some sort of geometric pattern.
>You can't really see inside it, though Hatoko herself is standing outside. It looks like she's merely using it as a good vantage point to supervise the activity on deck.
>You go over and try to help back Ishi up, since it doesn't look like she's going to be able to manage it on her own. Though she's going at it with such vigor that she nearly clocks you in the jaw with the back of the chair as you lean over to assist.

>"Thanks," she replies curtly as you right her, though you suspect the sourness on her face is not meant for you.
>"What brings you back up here, anyway?" Murasa asks. She sounds tired.

[Oldmansour]

>Grin and Ishi. "Besides turning kappas upright?"
>Back to serious mode. "That rabbit's shouting woke me up- least I THINK I was asleep- so I had to see for myself."

[DracoOmega]

>Grin and Ishi. "Besides turning kappas upright?"
>Back to serious mode. "That rabbit's shouting woke me up- least I THINK I was asleep- so I had to see for myself."

>"Might have a full-time job with that unless she settles down," Murasa says, throwing a vaguely irritated look at Ishi. The kappa responds with a sulky frown.
>Murasa nods. "Fair enough, I suppose." She jerks her head towards the cargo winch and the pirates operating it. "They're busy taking their cut."

[Oldmansour]

>"So I gathered. Is that where Neu is, down there with the pirates? I wondered, when I didn't see her up here."

[DracoOmega]

>"So I gathered. Is that where Neu is, down there with the pirates? I wondered, when I didn't see her up here."

>She nods again. "Yeah, busy co-coordinating the transfer. And, I suppose, watching to make sure they don't take more than we agreed to, for whatever that's worth." The roll of her eyes makes clear just how little she thinks that it.

[Oldmansour]

>Suck in a breath through our teeth. This is not the time to ask about that dingus.
>"So.... That's it, then. They'll be leaving soon."

[DracoOmega]

>Suck in a breath through our teeth. This is not the time to ask about that dingus.
>"So.... That's it, then. They'll be leaving soon."

>You elect to save any inquiries about the relic until later.
>"Not soon enough," Murasa mutters.

[Oldmansour]

>"Amen to that, captain. Amen to that..."

[DracoOmega]

>"Amen to that, captain. Amen to that..."

>Murasa just watches them winch up another pallet of shipping crates with a grim, but weary expression on her face. Ishi seems content to just continue sulking. Or discontent, you suppose.

[Oldmansour]

>Is Neu's chair still present? If so, have a seat.

[DracoOmega]

>Is Neu's chair still present? If so, have a seat.

>It is not. Someone must have tidied it away after she left.

[Oldmansour]

>Figures the bloody pirates would tidy up when leaving something out would have been nice.
>Find a convenient place for us to sit down, rest our back against and stretch our leg out. Then have a seat.

[DracoOmega]

>Figures the bloody pirates would tidy up when leaving something out would have been nice.
>Find a convenient place for us to sit down, rest our back against and stretch our leg out. Then have a seat.

>Even when they're not trying, they still seem to be awfully good at raining on your day.
>You find a spot over by the rotor strut where you can sit down and sprawl out a little. Then you give your leg some blessed relief, lie back, and watch the pirates finish up their 'work'.

>It actually takes longer than you'd expected, much to your annoyance; cargo loading and unloading is apparently time-consuming, especially when the tengu ship doesn't seem set up to be top-loaded in this fashion. And so they compensate for this by throwing more people at the problem, and for a while the scene is one of many figures swooping to and fro along the neighbouring ship. It looks like they're taking a hell of a lot of stuff, to your eye, though you suppose it's probably only a fraction of what's in the Maiden's hold. It's mostly uneventful, though at one point, a mistimed hoist bombards the deck with a rain of peaches and plums, some hammering out a chaotic beat upon the deck while others splatter wetly against it. Someone swears. Ishi taunts one of the tengu who was nearly pummeled by their mistake. Murasa seems to pointedly not be watching. It leaves something of a mess, though you suppose that hardly looks amiss among the blood and other debris that will need cleaning after all is said and done.
>Eventually things start to wind down. The flow of cargo slows. Pirates disperse and start to filter back to their ships. The winch is taken down. Aya makes another appearance on deck in her characteristically enthusiastic manner, restating her invitation to tag along with her, and even asking Murasa is she's sure she doesn't want to swap stories over drinks before she leaves. The response to each of these questions is predictable, and while Aya still looks disappointed, she doesn't seem surprised.

>At Aya's word, Karu makes a series of hand gestures and speaks softly beneath her breath. The ring of talismans around Murasa springs to life and each seems to briefly assume the form of a stylized bird for a just moment as they fly back neatly into her hands. She smiles and bows her head, whispers another quiet word, then folds them up and slips them into her robe.
>Murasa stands and stretches, looking more than a little sore. There's no mistaking the tone of the glare she throws in the onymouji's direction, though she merely responds with a demure smile - a little sheepish, even. Then Murasa walks over to untie Ishi. And, rather more surprisingly, Karu starts to approach you.

[Oldmansour]

>Keep a grip on the sheathe of our sword. No telling what Aya's spellcaster might want.
>Glance in her direction, then turn our head away slightly.

[DracoOmega]

>Keep a grip on the sheathe of our sword. No telling what Aya's spellcaster might want.
>Glance in her direction, then turn our head away slightly.

>You shift a wary hand unto your weapon, then throw her a glance and look away again.
>She frowns a little as she approaches. "You don't need to do that, you know. I'm not going to steal it from you."

[Oldmansour]

>"Then what DO you want?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Then what DO you want?"

>"Aya asked me to see if I could figure out how this sword ticks," she says. "And if maybe I can do something with it to help you a bit."

[Oldmansour]

>Okay, now she has our attention.
>Look back at her. "I beg your pardon."

[DracoOmega]

>Okay, now she has our attention.
>Look back at her. "I beg your pardon."

>"Aya asked me to see if I could figure out how this sword ticks," she repeats. "And if maybe I can do something with it to help you a bit." She smiles.

[Oldmansour]

>"So first she tries to bribe me with your help, now she's offering it for free?"

[DracoOmega]

>"So first she tries to bribe me with your help, now she's offering it for free?"

>"Um... maybe?" She gives you a sheepish grin.

[Oldmansour]

>"You'll forgive me if I'm a bit dubious."

[DracoOmega]

>"You'll forgive me if I'm a bit dubious."

>"Sure, I can do that!" A little more color returns to her smile. "But you know, if she'd really wanted to take it, she could have done it hours ago."

[Oldmansour]

>Aya's pet exorcist might be a touch on the simple side here.
>"Yeah, I know. I've been sure of that ever since that parrot of their's almost punctured my throat. What I don't get now is why Aya would turn around and ask you to help me for nothing."

[DracoOmega]

>Aya's pet exorcist might be a touch on the simple side here.
>"Yeah, I know. I've been sure of that ever since that parrot of their's almost punctured my throat. What I don't get now is why Aya would turn around and ask you to help me for nothing."

>It would be a little odd for someone obviously competent, but she certainly seems on the lightsome side of things....
>"Because she'd rather not sit around and leave you to die if there's something she could do to help? Mind you, I'm not saying for sure that I can, so don't get your hopes up too much. But I'm happy to give it a try, if you're willing."

[Oldmansour]

>Funny how she's already left us sitting around, letting our clock run down while she satisfied her greed. Guess she's only generous once she gets her own way.
>Still.... She has already stolen the thing.
>Does this spellflinger show any obvious signs of deception, something Aya said that missy here isn't mentioning?