Meira Quest (Part 3)

[日巫子]

> Pluck some rice and give it to Mii. "You've been eating all day!"

> You feed some rice to Mii.  Hopefully she won't try to eat all of your provisions.
> "Miiii."  Mii's appetite appears to be sated, as she floats down to the ground.
> Kouyoshi's tail waves.  "She spoke again."

> _

[Sect]

> "She did!" Chow down. Mmm~. "How'd you like it?"

[日巫子]

> "She did!" Chow down. Mmm~. "How'd you like it?"

> You continue eating.  There's not much of the rice ball, and you soon find that it's already halfway eaten.
> "It's good~"  Kouyoshi's tail swishes back and forth as she licks rice off her fingers.  "I want to make more of these sometime."

> _

[Sect]

> Chow down on the rest. "Mmm hmm!"
> If we had a tail, we'd totally swish it too.

[日巫子]

> Chow down on the rest. "Mmm hmm!"
> If we had a tail, we'd totally swish it too.

> You finish eating the rice ball.
> You kind of wish you had a tail, too.
> Kouyoshi is already finished eating, and is occupying her time by poking Mii.  The hairball squeaks a little, but makes no protest.

> _

[Sect]

> Stroke Mii's... uh... fluff.
> "Hey, are you ready?" Stand up and get ready!

[日巫子]

> Stroke Mii's... uh... fluff.
> "Hey, are you ready?" Stand up and get ready!

> Mii is nothing but fluff, so there's really nothing you can't pet.
> "Mrrr."  Mii rolls over on the ground.
> You stand up and gather your things.  Kouyoshi wipes her hands on her skirt and stands up.
> "Yup."  She looks up at the sky.  "Probably a few hours to evening."

> _

[Sect]

> Pick up Mii. "Let's go, then."
> Onwards!

[日巫子]

> Pick up Mii. "Let's go, then."
> Onwards!

> You retrieve Mii from the ground, and continue on.
> It doesn't take much longer to leave the wheat field, and soon you and Kouyoshi are approaching the edge of the next forest.  The trees here are taller, and somehow it looks a little darker inside.  Kouyoshi seems unfazed and keeps going, leaving behind the warm, open world of the wheat field for the towering trees.

> _

[Sect]

> Hesitate a bit, before running after Kouyoshi. Keep an eye out!

[日巫子]

> Hesitate a bit, before running after Kouyoshi. Keep an eye out!

> You falter, before running in after Kouyoshi.  It looks kind of scary in there...
> This forest, you think, reminds you a lot of the Forest of Magic, except it has a more wild element to it.  The trees here are so tall and thick that you feel like a bug in comparison.  Vines creep around everything: the tree trunks, and the roots jutting out of the ground.  You see muchrooms at every level here, clustering in the foliage and circling the highest points of the tree trunks.  Every now and then you see a sparrow flutter by, or see a snail clinging to a flower.  It's almost pitch black in here, but your eyes adjust almost immediately to the darkness.  Mii, on the other hand, takes to hiding in your satchel.
> It definitely takes more work getting through here, because the terrain has suddenly gotten more bumpy and filled with roots and ankle-high foliage.  Kouyoshi proves to be surprisingly nimble, as she hops around the ground with ease.  In comparison, you're much slower, and she keeps having to stop and wait for you.

> _

[Sect]

> Let's try to keep up! We don't want to slow her down!

[日巫子]

> Let's try to keep up! We don't want to slow her down!

> You do your best to keep up, although Kouyoshi does end up slowing down to match your pace.

> _

[Sect]

> Ugh... we're going to have to get stronger!
> Keep going!

[日巫子]

> Ugh... we're going to have to get stronger!
> Keep going!

> You're still pretty weak; you'll have to work harder.
> You keep going.  Although you eventually get the hang of maneuvering the tree roots, you're starting to feel a little fatigued.  Time passes and you start to hear bird calls in the trees every now and then.  You can't see the sky through the trees, so you're not able to check the time, either.

> _

[Sect]

> "Hey, Kouyoshi, Kouyoshi, how much further do we have?"
> Keep a' walkin'.

[日巫子]

> "Hey, Kouyoshi, Kouyoshi, how much further do we have?"
> Keep a' walkin'.

> Kouyoshi shakes her head.  "I don't know."
> You keep going.  You think you've gotten used to walking continuously at this point.
> "I wonder how close it is to night," Kouyoshi says.  "Other youkai will start coming out then, maybe we could ask for directions."

> _

[Sect]

> "Other youkai...? What if they're mean youkai?"

[日巫子]

> "Other youkai...? What if they're mean youkai?"

> "Yeah.  Of course they're going to be here.  We can always beat them back or run away if they cause any problems."

> _

[Sect]

> "Oh, okay." Yeah, we'll throw fire at them!
> Keep moving!

[日巫子]

> "Oh, okay." Yeah, we'll throw fire at them!
> Keep moving!

> If they come near you, you'll set them on fire.  That should scare them off.
> A lot of time passes.  At least, it feels that way.  The trees seem endless, and the ground just gets bumpier and bumpier until you're crossing hills and going through valleys.  Eventually, you start hearing rustling in the bushes, and chattering sounds.  It kind of reminds you of the whispering you heard back at Mayohiga.
> All of this walking is starting to wear you out.  Even Kouyoshi has taken a seat on a tree root to catch her breath.

> _

[Yonowaaru]

>"Haaah"
>Try to find a comfortable branch and take a small rest. See if you can hear any anomalies in the sounds of the forest.

[Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin]

> Check status of Mii.

[日巫子]

>"Haaah"
>Try to find a comfortable branch and take a small rest. See if you can hear any anomalies in the sounds of the forest.

> You take a seat on the nearest log.  After hours of walking, just sitting down feels like heaven.  You try to listen for any strange sounds in the forest, but you don't have to make much of an effort.  The chattering and strange animalistic cries are as plain as day.

> Check status of Mii.

> You check to see how the little hairball's doing.  She has fallen asleep in your satchel.

> _

[Sect]

> Shiver. They sound just like those sounds at the village...
> "Hey... where... where did those youkai come from...?"

[日巫子]

> Shiver. They sound just like those sounds at the village...
> "Hey... where... where did those youkai come from...?"

> The sounds are uncomfortable reminders of Mayohiga.  You can't help but shiver.
> Kouyoshi blinks.  "Huh?"

> _

[Sect]

> "The ones that attacked Mayohiga... they came from somewhere, right? That kitsune didn't just open a youkai box or something, right?"

[日巫子]

> "The ones that attacked Mayohiga... they came from somewhere, right? That kitsune didn't just open a youkai box or something, right?"

> "Oh, them."  Kouyoshi hangs on the tree root, swinging back and forth.  "They were from forests and mountains nearby."

> _

[Sect]

> "E-even this forest...?"

[日巫子]

> "E-even this forest...?"

> "There are youkai everywhere," Kouyoshi says, still swinging.  "It's Gensokyo, after all."

> _