(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 10)

[DracoOmega]

>Chuckle a wry chuckle. "Remarkable errands are a Seeker's forte."
>"Just one last thing, and I realize this may be a bit out of your element, but, like I said, I'm a bit new to the city. Would you know of any greenhouses, or arboretums here in town?"

>She gives you a gentle smile. "Seeking what does not exist must be a tiring enterprise, no? Still, the sentiment is familiar - a true soul of this discipline knows it well. Oh yes, very well indeed."
>"That is somewhat more within my purview, yes. The Academy has its own, of course - and a very good one it is, in fact, though perhaps not so... large. I had some role to play in this - its foliation, not its size, I should say. No, the space itself was enclosed long before me. In any case, the city has several of good quality. One of the very best can be found in the southwest quarter, alongside the river. Several are there, in fact - the land is suited for such places - but the one I speak of foremost is known as Ueyoshi Nurseries. Their petunias are particularly delicious, yes. Perhaps I should stop by there for an evening meal again some day...."
>She clears her throat. "There are several others of quality, yes - Prescott, Hatani, Quinn. It depends upon the particulars of what you're looking for."

[Oldmansour]

>"I know you said that bittercress doesn't grow well in this region, but it's possible a nursery or greenhouse might know where I might find some, if there's any to be found." Shrug. "Even a Seeker needs a place to start."

[DracoOmega]

>"I know you said that bittercress doesn't grow well in this region, but it's possible a nursery or greenhouse might know where I might find some, if there's any to be found." Shrug. "Even a Seeker needs a place to start."

>"It is possible one of them has some bittercress, yes. Perhaps somewhat unlikely, but not at all impossible. That it would be in bloom?" She shakes her head. "Out of the question. It simply could not possibly be the case."

[Oldmansour]

>Thoughtful noise.
>"I wonder if the bloom is strictly necessary... The book called for it, yes, but... Do plants sometimes have different properties before and after they flower? In terms of their alchemic or healing properties, I mean."

[DracoOmega]

>Thoughtful noise.
>"I wonder if the bloom is strictly necessary... The book called for it, yes, but... Do plants sometimes have different properties before and after they flower? In terms of their alchemic or healing properties, I mean."

>The professor frowns absently. "Didn't you say the recipe called for the flowers themselves? And not simply a plant that had flowered? The later is much easier to come upon, of course - much easier indeed."

[Oldmansour]

>Think back to that book.
>"The exact wording was 'A preparation of its flowers, steeped slowly in a brew'. But, I've never dealt with this sort of thing before, so, I wondered if it HAD to be the flowers, and not the plant itself. I'm a Seeker, not a Healer."

[DracoOmega]

>Think back to that book.
>"The exact wording was 'A preparation of its flowers, steeped slowly in a brew'. But, I've never dealt with this sort of thing before, so, I wondered if it HAD to be the flowers, and not the plant itself. I'm a Seeker, not a Healer."

>"Of course you are," she says with a nod. "But yes, that would call for the flowers themselves. The properties of a plant and its flowers can be very different, yes. Very different indeed. Under none but the most rare of circumstances could one substitute for the other, I'm afraid. Yet another thing that would be convenient were it not true, yes?" She gives you a vaguely commiserative smile.

[Oldmansour]

>Courage, Naz. We were in worse before.
>"Well, it's always good to know exactly what you need. Availability or no."
>"On the upside, before today, I wasn't even sure a cure of any sort existed. So that's one 'impossible' thing found already. Finding another one's just par for my course."
>If we'd been sitting, stand.
>"And the sooner I get started, the better. Thank you, professor, for all your help."

[DracoOmega]

>Courage, Naz. We were in worse before.
>"Well, it's always good to know exactly what you need. Availability or no."
>"On the upside, before today, I wasn't even sure a cure of any sort existed. So that's one 'impossible' thing found already. Finding another one's just par for my course."
>If we'd been sitting, stand.
>"And the sooner I get started, the better. Thank you, professor, for all your help."

>You try to keep heart. Even if things aren't looking up, you're still not as close to death as you were back in that cave where this all started; that's got to count for something, right?
>"Quite the optimism, that is," she says. "You do a credit to your profession, I think - seeking even that which should not be found. I wish that I could tell you otherwise."
>Given the unusually low ratio of chairs to tables in this room, the both of you have been standing.
>The professor sketches small bow with surprising flourish, her scarf ruffling as she sweeps her arm across the air before her. "Always I am happy to help those with questions about my humble discipline. And intriguing questions of yours, these were. Yes, quite the change from those that reach these ears on any average day. So many of them have I answered so many times, one could almost forget that there were others. I apologize that I cannot point you at thing you seek, but such is... as it is."

[Oldmansour]

Anyone else got anything to ask this one?

[Hanzo K.]

I think we're good here.

[Oldmansour]

... I may have just had a stroke of inspiration.

>Refresh memory: Properties of the soil Minoriko gave us. Specifically, did it grow seeds at an accelerated rate?

[Hello Purvis]

I had been pondering whether the plants that Minoriko grew were these flowers, actually.

Possibility: Sacrifice a dose of our medicine, to see if she can find anything useful about it?

[DracoOmega]

>Refresh memory: Properties of the soil Minoriko gave us. Specifically, did it grow seeds at an accelerated rate?

>That is what she said - that any seeds planted in it would hearty and quickly. While she didn't say exactly how quickly, given the context of the gift, you have to assume it's quickly enough to be of some use to you.

[Oldmansour]

>Did she happen to mention the type of plant she used to grow our medicine?

[DracoOmega]

>Did she happen to mention the type of plant she used to grow our medicine?

>She did not.

[Oldmansour]

Either way, this might be our answer. Prior to this, I didn't really have a plan other than, well, wander around town until something happened, for all intents and purposes.
Now, though, all we need to find is the seeds of this plant.

>Minoriko didn't give us any seeds, either, did she?

[DracoOmega]

>Minoriko didn't give us any seeds, either, did she?

>She did not.

[Oldmansour]

Well, if our medicine IS made of the right plant, then maybe you're right, Purvis, maybe this expert here can... reverse engineer it, or something, figure out what plant Minoriko used.

>Rocks.
>Well, seeds have to be easier to find than the flowers this time of year.
>... right?
>How much medicine do we currently have on us, and do we have the capacity to make more if the need arises?

[DracoOmega]

>Rocks.
>Well, seeds have to be easier to find than the flowers this time of year.
>... right?
>How much medicine do we currently have on us, and do we have the capacity to make more if the need arises?

>Well, given that the seeds of flowering plants technically come from the flowers themselves, this would seem to require someone having a supply on hand from several years ago - and hopefully bittercress seeds are still viable after that long.
>You have the majority of a moderate sized bottle's worth of medicine left. At the rate you've been consuming it, you expect this could last for another two weeks, anyway. You have no idea how it was made in the first place, and have no ability to make more of it.

[Oldmansour]

>About how long do we think we have left to... work with, considering what Minoriko and Ichirin said, factoring in the travel time and delays we've encountered?

[DracoOmega]

>About how long do we think we have left to... work with, considering what Minoriko and Ichirin said, factoring in the travel time and delays we've encountered?

>Minoriko wasn't entirely specific with how long she expected you had, but you got the impression it was no more than a couple of weeks. Since your battle with the spider youkai, five days have now passed.

[Oldmansour]

>Taking that into account, if Minoriko is correct, we have more medicine than we really need, one way or the other?

[DracoOmega]

>Taking that into account, if Minoriko is correct, we have more medicine than we really need, one way or the other?

>It seems likely that you won't make it to the end of the bottle, if her prognosis is accurate. One way or the other.

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, I think I may have one or two more... intriguing questions, now that I think about it."
>"The nurseries you mentioned, or even the one here on campus. Would you know if any of them have bittercress seeds?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I think I may have one or two more... intriguing questions, now that I think about it."
>"The nurseries you mentioned, or even the one here on campus. Would you know if any of them have bittercress seeds?"

>"Do you, then?" she asks, peering at you curiously. "Well, still I stand ready to answer, yes. Or attempt to do so, at any rate. Do go ahead."
>She ponders this thoughtfully. "I... do not think we do. We have many seeds, yes. Many indeed, of plants exotic and others... less so - even the most common of herbs can still have its value, yes? But bittercress? Hmmm... it is not something we normally have use for. The other nurseries may be similar. Or they may not." She smiles. "Of course, the seed is of little use to gathering the flowers more swiftly, no? Several years it would take for its blooming, whether new or old or otherwise - even in the far corners of the isles, the plant flowers upon the same cycles. Or very nearly so, yes. Quite remarkable, that."

[Oldmansour]

Even if these plants are made of the same plant, I don't think it would be possible to get the flower out of them. And if that book was right, it's the flower we need, not its composite chemicals.

>Smile a little. "I may be able to find a way to get around that. If I can get my hands on the seeds I need. I may not be able to make something from nothing, but something from something, that's something else."
>"Which brings me to my next question. Assuming there's no seeds to be found here in town, odd though that might be, what would be the closest place to here where Bittercress grows naturally?"

[DracoOmega]

>Smile a little. "I may be able to find a way to get around that. If I can get my hands on the seeds I need. I may not be able to make something from nothing, but something from something, that's something else."
>"Which brings me to my next question. Assuming there's no seeds to be found here in town, odd though that might be, what would be the closest place to here where Bittercress grows naturally?"

>She nods sagely. "Indeed it is. Indeed it is, at that."
>"Hmm.... the nearest, you say?" She frowns thoughtfully. "That might be, perhaps, along the edge of the Maruzawa in the north of Hanashibara, yes. Lots of colorful milkweed down there, so I hear - a rather pleasant marsh, if small. There is a village somewhere nearby, I think; I forget its name. Finding it nearer to Val Razua... tricky, that may be. Not impossible, but less certain, yes."

[Oldmansour]

>The librarian mentioned a place in Hanashibara. Might be that place there, then.
>"And that would be.... a day or so's travel from the city?"

[DracoOmega]

>The librarian mentioned a place in Hanashibara. Might be that place there, then.
>"And that would be.... a day or so's travel from the city?"

>"That would depend upon how you choose to travel there, yes? By river may be fastest - I am not sure. I should expect two days, at least. Many years has it been now since last I crossed the border...." Her eyes take on an absent character. ...well, more absent than normal.