Kisume Quest IX - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yeah. Got an ID on the rogue farmer guy. Figured you might at least want to know what happened to him."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yeah. Got an ID on the rogue farmer guy. Figured you might at least want to know what happened to him."

>"Oh, please," says Minoriko. "I would be very happy to hear that."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Okay. This is gonna sound really far-fetched, but it's what happened."
> Breathe.
> "The guy's not from Gensokyo at all. His home land built a machine that lets people in here. He was here in disguise because he was scouting aroun for information. Yukari's sent him back home, though, and it sounds like it's very unlikely we'll see him ever again."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Okay. This is gonna sound really far-fetched, but it's what happened."
> Breathe.
> "The guy's not from Gensokyo at all. His home land built a machine that lets people in here. He was here in disguise because he was scouting aroun for information. Yukari's sent him back home, though, and it sounds like it's very unlikely we'll see him ever again."

>"Hm," says Minoriko. "That does sound far-fetched. But, I don't think you would just causally tell lies about Yukari. What was this place?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "It was a police state called Kosa. They had tons of fancy machines and stuff, but they have basically no experience with magic. I wish I could tell you more, but outside world stuff is way beyond me. If you like, you can ask Yukari about it. Or Kasen the hermit, if you know her."

[Hello Purvis]

> "It was a police state called Kosa. They had tons of fancy machines and stuff, but they have basically no experience with magic. I wish I could tell you more, but outside world stuff is way beyond me. If you like, you can ask Yukari about it. Or Kasen the hermit, if you know her."

>"Kosa," she says, her eyes seeming to look into the distance. "Kosa, Kosa...ah yes. It's been a couple centuries since I heard that name. It sounds like it has changed considerably."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "The police state thing is very new, yeah. Only a few years, I think."

[Hello Purvis]

> "The police state thing is very new, yeah. Only a few years, I think."

>She nods. "Interesting. Regardless, I am happy he is no longer besmirching the name of Gensokyo's farmers. That was inexcusable."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Somewhat relate to that, I got a piece of sun from Yukari for helping out. If I start growing things underground with it, should I leave it out all the time? Or should I take it down sometimes to simulate night time?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "Somewhat relate to that, I got a piece of sun from Yukari for helping out. If I start growing things underground with it, should I leave it out all the time? Or should I take it down sometimes to simulate night time?"

>"I would take it down periodically," says Minoriko. "And remember what I told you about light exposure. Some plants don't need too much to thrive, so plan your fields accordingly."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Got it."

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "Got it."

>"Then you should be fine," says Minoriko.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Great. In that case, I gotta take off. Thanks for the advice."
> Let Minoriko respond, then, assuming we're not prompted to stay, take flight and head back to the Sanzu fair.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Great. In that case, I gotta take off. Thanks for the advice."
> Let Minoriko respond, then, assuming we're not prompted to stay, take flight and head back to the Sanzu fair.

>"You're welcome!" says Minoriko. "take care of the soil, and it shall take care of you!"
>You begin to make your way back to the Sanzu River, heading back toward the main road and then proceeding northward. As you pass through Human town, coming close to the Temple, you hear a feminine voice from the ally call out, "Hey! Kisume! Come here!"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Does the voice sound familiar?

[Hello Purvis]

> Does the voice sound familiar?

>It kind of does. You've heard it yesterday, but it's a little hard to put a face to it. You've heard a lot of new voices in the past couple days.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Huh. Well, none of the voices we heard around the human village turned out to be too bad.
> Head into the ally.

[Hello Purvis]

> Huh. Well, none of the voices we heard around the human village turned out to be too bad.
> Head into the ally.

>You make your way into the alley; between two housing rows. There isn't much light here, and only the periodic space hardy  weed thrives here. Standing close to the southern building is a familiar form wearing a straw rain cloak and a noh mask of an oni. She holds up a cloth sack, which jangles in the distinctive metallic way that coins do.
>"This is yours," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Oh hey. Thanks!"
> Take it.
> "How are you holding up, then?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Oh hey. Thanks!"
> Take it.
> "How are you holding up, then?"

>You accept the bag, which is pleasantly heavy.
>"It's difficult," she says. "People keep asking questions, and I don't want to answer them. I am hoping they will stop asking if I tell them that often enough."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Hot damn.
> Give a sympathetic frown regardless.
> "I hope that doesn't include your master."

[Hello Purvis]

> Hot damn.
> Give a sympathetic frown regardless.
> "I hope that doesn't include your master."

>"It did," she says. "But he has already stopped asking."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I guess that's a start. Also, I don't know if this will help you or not, since I don't know how much you two already know about the issue, but I was able to pull a couple of strings for you. If you or Iku are ever so inclined, the next time Iku meets the yama, the yama will offer a full explanation on the details of poltergeists and the afterlife bureaucracy. And she won't ask any personal questions about why Iku might want to know."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I guess that's a start. Also, I don't know if this will help you or not, since I don't know how much you two already know about the issue, but I was able to pull a couple of strings for you. If you or Iku are ever so inclined, the next time Iku meets the yama, the yama will offer a full explanation on the details of poltergeists and the afterlife bureaucracy. And she won't ask any personal questions about why Iku might want to know."

>"...Did you really?" says Shuuei, cocking her head. "I will be sure to tell this to Iku, then. I am sure she is interested."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Yeah. All the yama knows is that Iku had a poltergeist friend, and the two of you combined don't know a whole lot about the afterlife process. I figured that would be safe enough to admit, since the former is easy to guess on seeing the two of you together, and the latter is probably true of most everyone. If the yama learns any more details about you, they won't have come from me."

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "Yeah. All the yama knows is that Iku had a poltergeist friend, and the two of you combined don't know a whole lot about the afterlife process. I figured that would be safe enough to admit, since the former is easy to guess and the latter is probably true of most everyone. If the yama learns any more details about you, they won't have come from me."

>She gives a nod. "Good. She shouldn't need to know more." After a moment, she adds, "Thank you. You didn't have to do that."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Give a small smile.
> "Not a problem. And, uh...let me give you one final piece of advice, grounded in my own personal experience. The past couple of hours have nearly shattered some pretty deep personal stuff for me, stuff that I've held and felt for a long time. And it was shattered a very good way."
> Breathe.
> "You're welcome to believe whatever you want about anything you want as strongly as you want. But...never say never. You never know if you could be wrong."

[Hello Purvis]

> Give a small smile.
> "Not a problem. And, uh...let me give you one final piece of advice, grounded in my own personal experience. The past couple of hours have nearly shattered some pretty deep personal stuff for me, stuff that I've held and felt for a long time. And it was shattered a very good way."
> Breathe.
> "You're welcome to believe whatever you want about anything you want as strongly as you want. But...never say never. You never know if you could be wrong."

>"It is easy to that," she says. "But another thing to live with it and recognize it. But, I understand what you mean."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Just sayin'. You heard how I spoke of the yama yesterday, and you hear how I speak of her now."

[Hello Purvis]

>She nods again.

>_