(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 5)

[Oldmansour]

>Hitch the horse somewhere appropriate.
>"We'll be on the road soon, soon as I see Ichirin here."
>Head inside and listen/smell for Ichirin.

[DracoOmega]

>Hitch the horse somewhere appropriate.
>"We'll be on the road soon, soon as I see Ichirin here."
>Head inside and listen/smell for Ichirin.

>You hitch the horse and leave it with a few words of encouragement before entering and searching for Ichirin.
>She turns out to not be very difficult at all to find. You hear some sounds from the common room as you enter the house. Poking your head in, you see Ichirin tidying up the place and doing some light cleaning. She turns her head around as you step in, and a smile tugs tentatively at her face once she recognizes you. She puts down what she's doing and turns around, then she nods slightly. "Good afternoon."

[Oldmansour]

>"I just wanted to stop in before I made my way back to Braston. Fella name Kouichi hooked me up with a ride, and Minoriko gave me enough medicine to see me through for a while."
>Lower our voice, "And I mentioned the spider youkai to counsilor Kousuke. He wasn't too fond of the idea of you helping her."

[DracoOmega]

>"I just wanted to stop in before I made my way back to Braston. Fella name Kouichi hooked me up with a ride, and Minoriko gave me enough medicine to see me through for a while."
>Lower our voice, "And I mentioned the spider youkai to counsilor Kousuke. He wasn't too fond of the idea of you helping her."

>"That's good," she says.
>Ichirin gives a small knowing smile and slowly shakes her head. "It's to be expected. Leave that for me to worry about."

[Oldmansour]

>Twist our mouth a little, "I don't like the thought of you getting in trouble on what may be a fool hope on my part. But I know I can trust you to handle your own affairs. Just let me know if anyone gives you any grief when I get back, and I'll settle their hash."
>"Anyway. Lunasa, or someone from the council, is gonna be by here sooner or later asking about Unzan. They have a plan to try and cut off the spiders at their source, at least until Marisa arrives, but they're gonna want Unzan's help for it.

[DracoOmega]

>Twist our mouth a little, "I don't like the thought of you getting in trouble on what may be a fool hope on my part. But I know I can trust you to handle your own affairs. Just let me know if anyone gives you any grief when I get back, and I'll settle their hash."
>"Anyway. Lunasa, or someone from the council, is gonna be by here sooner or later asking about Unzan. They have a plan to try and cut off the spiders at their source, at least until Marisa arrives, but they're gonna want Unzan's help for it.

>"It's not a fool hope, Nazrin," she says softly. "Even if it turns out to be a false one, it isn't foolish to offer a hurt and angry soul the chance for a better life. Though I don't think there will be any need of hash-settling, either," she adds chasteningly. "They're only worried about their own home and families. You've shown them just how dangerous she can be, so I can't say this is wrong of them, either. I think we can work something out."
>She nods. "What do they want us to do?"

[Oldmansour]

>Sketch her in on Lunasa's plan.
>"Between the spiders and the youkai, if she's healed up enough to cause any trouble, they wanted to have Unzan along to watch their backs."

[DracoOmega]

>Sketch her in on Lunasa's plan.
>"Between the spiders and the youkai, if she's healed up enough to cause any trouble, they wanted to have Unzan along to watch their backs."

>You fill Ichirin in on the details of the plan.
>"Chihiro can do it, I'm sure," she says, "if they can give her enough time without being overrun. It's more peaceable than I might have expected, as well." She nods. "We'll be ready whenever they ask."

[Oldmansour]

>"We all agreed that none of us were looking for an all-out fight between Easthaven and spider, and that we wanted to minimize casualties as much as possible. Plus, it'll make dealing with stray spiders outside easier, if they can't get reinforcements."
>"Not sure if I mentioned this before, but Marisa's the one I plan to ask to deliver the youkai to here. Blonde hair, probably riding a broomstick, big voice, she'll be hard to miss. Especially since there's an outside chance half that hillside will explode a few minutes after she goes in."
>Crack a grin. "Incidentally, if a little fairy shows up tagging along behind her, introduce her to Shimmer. I think they'd get on well together."

[DracoOmega]

>"We all agreed that none of us were looking for an all-out fight between Easthaven and spider, and that we wanted to minimize casualties as much as possible. Plus, it'll make dealing with stray spiders outside easier, if they can't get reinforcements."
>"Not sure if I mentioned this before, but Marisa's the one I plan to ask to deliver the youkai to here. Blonde hair, probably riding a broomstick, big voice, she'll be hard to miss. Especially since there's an outside chance half that hillside will explode a few minutes after she goes in."
>Crack a grin. "Incidentally, if a little fairy shows up tagging along behind her, introduce her to Shimmer. I think they'd get on well together."

>Ichirin looks rather startled by your description of Marisa's arrival. "Explode? Are you... sure she's the right person to be doing this?"

[Hanzo K.]

>"Best person I could ever think to have do it. I know her well enough that while her methods might be a tad Volatile, she's really the best seeker I know that I can count on to get the job done."
>Smile somewhat.
>"Best one for the job, because she's a good friend."

[Hello Purvis]

>"And...she'll give our friend an idea of what she's really up against. It'll be harder for her to just write off my warnings when they're in plain sight. Oh, is there room for her to stay here?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Best person I could ever think to have do it. I know her well enough that while her methods might be a tad Volatile, she's really the best seeker I know that I can count on to get the job done."
>Smile somewhat.
>"Best one for the job, because she's a good friend."

>"Well, as long as she doesn't kill her in the process..." she says warily. "But... if you trust her, I can trust her too."

>"And...she'll give our friend an idea of what she's really up against. It'll be harder for her to just write off my warnings when they're in plain sight. Oh, is there room for her to stay here?"

>Ichirin nods. "Yes, we've got a couple rooms free. As I said, it's been pretty quiet around here these past years."

[Oldmansour]

>And if Marisa blows up the hillside, and its denizens after she gets the youkai to where we want her, well, so much the better for Easthaven.
>"Just one more thing. When I was examining my pack earlier on, I found a kunai in there. Now, I seem to remember losing all three that I had. You have any idea where that one might have come from?"

[DracoOmega]

>And if Marisa blows up the hillside, and its denizens after she gets the youkai to where we want her, well, so much the better for Easthaven.
>"Just one more thing. When I was examining my pack earlier on, I found a kunai in there. Now, I seem to remember losing all three that I had. You have any idea where that one might have come from?"

>Easthaven would certainly be better off without them wandering the woods, though you wonder what effect this would have on the youkai's chances of acquiescing to a peaceable existence...
>"Oh yes, that," she says. "Lunasa gave it to me yesterday. Evidently her and her sisters found it stuck in the ground along a trail of yours they'd been tracking, and figured it was yours. I cleaned it up a little and put it back with your things."

[Oldmansour]

>"Neat. I thought that one was still stuck up under a tree somewhere."
>Restrain a facepalm.
>"Yknow, with everything that's happened since I got back, I almost forgot that I came out here in the first place on a job. Technically, I did actually complete it, so..."

[DracoOmega]

>"Neat. I thought that one was still stuck up under a tree somewhere."
>Restrain a facepalm.
>"Yknow, with everything that's happened since I got back, I almost forgot that I came out here in the first place on a job. Technically, I did actually complete it, so..."

>Ichirin frowns uncomfortably. "Unfortunately, I don't think this is the end anyone was expecting. None of the cattle are returned, and what took them is still at large. I know it's not your fault," she adds quickly. "You've done more than could possibly be expected from the job description, and some of it was probably impossible from the start." She trails off.

[Oldmansour]

>Twitch.
>"Are you telling me that I'm not getting paid for this?"

[DracoOmega]

>Twitch.
>"Are you telling me that I'm not getting paid for this?"

>"No," she says firmly. "No, I'm not prepared to let that happen."
>She pauses. "I have... some of the money that was pooled together. Not all of it. A few people wanted to wait for results before they were willing to commit anything. But still, it's some. More than what several people likely want to pay you, and not nearly as much as you deserve for what you've been through." Her eyes harden. "I won't let them back out, not after all this. If they want to argue that you don't deserve it, let them try."

[Oldmansour]

>Smile despite ourselves.
>"You're a good woman, Ichirin."

[DracoOmega]

>Smile despite ourselves.
>"You're a good woman, Ichirin."

>You give Ichirin a smile.
>The edge almost self-consciously falls from her face. "It's only what's just," she says. "And someone could easily have gotten killed if you hadn't discovered the spiders."

[Oldmansour]

>"And it's fair to say things might not have gone so well if someone else had gone into that cave. For better or for worse, I did make it out. Not everyone else would've been that lucky."
>"I'll sure take whatever money I can get my hands on. It's not impossible I'll have to do some traveling to find a cure, depending on what Rinnosuke has to tell me, and fast transport don't always come cheap."

[DracoOmega]

>"And it's fair to say things might not have gone so well if someone else had gone into that cave. For better or for worse, I did make it out. Not everyone else would've been that lucky."
>"I'll sure take whatever money I can get my hands on. It's not impossible I'll have to do some traveling to find a cure, depending on what Rinnosuke has to tell me, and fast transport don't always come cheap."

>"Most definitely," she says.
>Ichirin pauses a moment, looking at you, then nods. "Of course."

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, the sooner I have it, the sooner I can be on the road."

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, the sooner I have it, the sooner I can be on the road."

>"Yes, of course," she says. "I'll go get it."
>Ichirin leaves the common room and walks down the hallway, her footsteps trailing off in the direction of her bedroom. A minute or so later, she returns, clutching a handful of coins.
>"Here's what I have," she says, handing it to you. "280 guilders."

[Oldmansour]

>Makes a mouse wonder what the pay would have been at full? Ah, well, take what a girl can get. So that means we're worth now, what, 375?
>"Thanks."
>"I'll be sure to send word as soon as I've found a cure." Pause, then swallow. Honesty, Nazrin... "And even if I can't."

[DracoOmega]

>Makes a mouse wonder what the pay would have been at full? Ah, well, take what a girl can get. So that means we're worth now, what, 375?
>"Thanks."
>"I'll be sure to send word as soon as I've found a cure." Pause, then swallow. Honesty, Nazrin... "And even if I can't."

>The sum is actually quite a bit better than her discussion of it would have led you to believe. In fact, you wouldn't be surprised to see full payment at less than this rate. And this brings your current total to 475.
>Ichirin's calm and composed expression wavers for a moment, and then gives way to quiet sorrow. She puts her arms around you. "I know you will..."

[Oldmansour]

>Oops, forgot to carry the 1.
>Return the gesture, and then disengage when we feel her do the same.
>Put on a strong face, just the hint of a grin. Heaven forbid this be the last she sees us, but if it is, then it'll be at our best.
>"Take care of yourself, Ichirin."
>If she doesn't stop us, depart, unhitch our cart, and hit the road to Braston. And offer a wave to Ichirin or anyone else that comes out of the home to see us off. Assuming they don't stop us, of course.

[DracoOmega]

>Oops, forgot to carry the 1.
>Return the gesture, and then disengage when we feel her do the same.
>Put on a strong face, just the hint of a grin. Heaven forbid this be the last she sees us, but if it is, then it'll be at our best.
>"Take care of yourself, Ichirin."
>If she doesn't stop us, depart, unhitch our cart, and hit the road to Braston. And offer a wave to Ichirin or anyone else that comes out of the home to see us off. Assuming they don't stop us, of course.

>It's been a rough few days.
>You put your own arms around Ichirin and simply stay like that for a while, until you feel her let you go.
>You resolve to put on a strong and even cocksure expression, despite the disquiet in your heart. This is how you'd want to be remembered, if...
>Ichirin stares at you piercingly, as though she were trying to commit every inch of this moment to memory. Her eyes are moist with silent tears, but her face is resolute.
>"I'll be praying for you, Nazrin," she says. "Every day."

>You leave the orphanage, unhitch your cart and set out for your journey. There is a long road ahead, and on the other side of it the home you've known for the last years, and maybe, just maybe a cure. Ichirin follows you out to the door and stands vigil there as you fade away into the distance. You wave goodbye to her as you depart, but even as you reach the limits of your own eyesight, find she hasn't moved at all. With a strange loneliness in your heart, you turn your eyes back to the road, and soon enough the village itself is but a distant mark on the horizon. You are alone with the journey and your own thoughts.

[Oldmansour]

>Once we put a little more distance between us and Easthaven, pull the horse to a stop for a moment, then lean back, close our eyes, and breathe deep a few times. Please don't let this be the last time we see that place. Maybe Braston is home, maybe our fame and fortune is elsewhere from that, our cure is more than likely, but Easthaven WAS our home. And the people there...
>"Keep them safe."
>Pull yourself together, Naz. Time to be sentimental once we fix ourselves. Give the reins a snap. "Come on, horse, we got miles to eat up."
>Keep an occasional eye for Cirno along the way. She wayliad us once, outside chance she'll be back.