Keine Quest: The Broken and the Lost

[E-Nazrin]

>Tell her the region we saw it, so she can forward that to Kanako

[DracoOmega]

>Tell her the region we saw it, so she can forward that to Kanako

>Sanae nods. "It is a fair ways outside our domain, but she may still have felt it."

[E-Nazrin]

>"Or know who might be good to ask for help investigating it. Thank you so much, Sanae."
>"And the village I remember did not move to this place. Or, I think, at all, since the long winter ended before becoming disastrously late. I don't know if that was a direct cause of what's different here, but..."

[DracoOmega]

>"Or know who might be good to ask for help investigating it. Thank you so much, Sanae."

>"There are other youkai who live closer to the place where this happened. I don't know if they'd be able to help you or not. I'm afraid that I don't get much chance to wander, with all the duties I have here."

>"And the village I remember did not move to this place. Or, I think, at all, since the long winter ended before becoming disastrously late. I don't know if that was a direct cause of what's different here, but..."

>"The Year of Winter did not last the whole year, you say? That would be a blessing, certainly. I've often felt sad that we didn't arrive in time to prevent the suffering it caused. Still, we can at least ensure that nothing like that happens again. The old village was some distance from the mountain, though. Did Yasaka-sama's domain reach even that far in this other world?"

[E-Nazrin]

>Explain the religious circumstances of our human village: The influence of the Moriyas, Byakuren's temple, and... Reimu.

[DracoOmega]

>Explain the religious circumstances of our human village: The influence of the Moriyas, Byakuren's temple, and... Reimu.

>You explain how religious matters were in the village you remember. In truth, the village was not especially religious. The Hakurei shrine was respected mostly in name only. Very few people actually ever went there. The Moriya shrine had very little involvement with humans, being impractically distant and surrounded by youkai. Byakuren was a new addition to the mix, but seemed to be gathering some worshipers among humans as well as youkai. You think this was probably more due to Byakuren's personal nature than anything else. She was the kind of person even a stranger could often feel comfortable confiding their problems in. There was very little devoted worship in any corner.

Sanae listens to your explanation rather impassively.

>"I've heard of the Hakurei Shrine and its disappearance from the villagers. As I understand it, though, the shrine was rarely attended, and its god clearly not strong enough to safeguard the village. I've never heard of this Byakuren."

[Hello Purvis]

"It doesn't seem Byakuren was unsealed here. That happened due to events underground a few months before."

[DracoOmega]

"It doesn't seem Byakuren was unsealed here. That happened due to events underground a few months before."

>"Hmmm.... I see. Well, I haven't heard of anything happening underground since the hell raven burst to the surface a couple years ago. But the underground is pretty isolated."

[E-Nazrin]

>"Utsuho was stopped in her crazy schemes before trying to reach the surface in my times, by the Hakurei shrine maiden and a witch from the forest of magic, both with some distant support from youkai they'd met before. The geysers that led to them being noticed released fragments of a holy relic, that ended up being disguised as small UFOs due to... what amounts to a prankster. A 'treasure ship' appeared in the sky as some of Byakuren's followers tried to gather them to release her, and three major figures of Gensokyo went off to investigate it, ultimately assisting in releasing Byakuren themselves. Those three were the Hakurei maiden, the same Forest of Magic witch... and you."
>"I don't know whether they're still sealed underground, if the incident went differently this time, or if they're... just dead. But if that sounds similar to anything that's happened from what you've seen..."

[DracoOmega]

>"Utsuho was stopped in her crazy schemes before trying to reach the surface in my times, by the Hakurei shrine maiden and a witch from the forest of magic, both with some distant support from youkai they'd met before. The geysers that led to them being noticed released fragments of a holy relic, that ended up being disguised as small UFOs due to... what amounts to a prankster. A 'treasure ship' appeared in the sky as some of Byakuren's followers tried to gather them to release her, and three major figures of Gensokyo went off to investigate it, ultimately assisting in releasing Byakuren themselves. Those three were the Hakurei maiden, the same Forest of Magic witch... and you."
>"I don't know whether they're still sealed underground, if the incident went differently this time, or if they're... just dead. But if that sounds similar to anything that's happened from what you've seen..."

>"M- me? I helped unseal her?" She seems a little flustered. "That sounds like quite an adventure. But no, I've never seen anything around here that I'd call a UFO. And no signs of any flying ship from the underground. If they're even there at all, I have no idea."

[Hello Purvis]

>Given we were just researching Byakuren, do we know where the Palaquin Ship was buried?

[DracoOmega]

>Given we were just researching Byakuren, do we know where the Palaquin Ship was buried?

>Not precisely, but it would presumably have been near where the geyser erupted. As for how you'd actually get to that same spot underground, you're not sure.

[E-Nazrin]

>"Hmm... actually, do you know about Marisa? The witch I mentioned. She might know something about this as well, considering the influence she had in events from my memory."
>Even if she did beat us up that one time. Bleh.
>"Oh... and the bamboo forest. There was a mansion of rabbits there, and another girl that guided lost travelers..."

[Hello Purvis]

>"If you were to get a map, would you be able to show me where the hell raven emerged?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Hmm... actually, do you know about Marisa? The witch I mentioned. She might know something about this as well, considering the influence she had in events from my memory."

>"Sorry, that name doesn't ring a bell."

>Even if she did beat us up that one time. Bleh.

>Reimu was the one who did most of the beating up of you that night. And to be fair, that was at least partially your own fault. Honestly, most of the time you like to forget that who mess even happened...

>"Oh... and the bamboo forest. There was a mansion of rabbits there, and another girl that guided lost travelers..."

>"A mansion in the bamboo forest? I thought the place was basically uninhabited. Well, other than rabbits and some faeries and such. Sorry."

>"If you were to get a map, would you be able to show me where the hell raven emerged?"

>"Sure, that wouldn't be a problem. Or I could even just tell you. It's... still visible from a long way off, I'm afraid."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Alright, if it wouldn't be a problem."

[DracoOmega]

>"Alright, if it wouldn't be a problem."

>Sanae gives to you directions. The location in question is far to the south of Youkai mountain, and slightly to the east, perhaps about halfway between here and the Garden of the Sun. You've been given enough landmarks to find your way there, and the environs are fairly open that you should apparently have little difficult finding the specific spot once you're near it.

[E-Nazrin]

>Would it be a long trip? It's getting close to konking-out time, most likely. And we've still got to figure out what to do with Rumia...

[DracoOmega]

>Would it be a long trip? It's getting close to konking-out time, most likely. And we've still got to figure out what to do with Rumia...

>It's probably nearly as far away from here as the human village was. And yes, the thought of walking that far at the moment is.... not so pleasant.

[E-Nazrin]

>"Alright. I'm exhausted, I think I need to go home and get some sleep. When will you be around next?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Alright. I'm exhausted, I think I need to go home and get some sleep. When will you be around next?"

>"Well, after today's rites, not for another several days, anyway. But you can always reach me at the Moriya Shrine. Everyone's welcome there, it's just that the climb is a bit beyond most of the villagers. That's not a problem for you, of course."

[E-Nazrin]

>"Don't be surprised if I visit tomorrow to ask about this. Thanks, Sanae. I'm going to go get some rest."
>Bid farewell and head home! Next challenge: Rumia.

[DracoOmega]

>"Don't be surprised if I visit tomorrow to ask about this. Thanks, Sanae. I'm going to go get some rest."

>"Of course. We'll figure out what happened, Keine. Your counterpart was a valued member of this village, and the Moriya Shrine will not stand idly by during this, I promise."

>Bid farewell and head home! Next challenge: Rumia.

>You say goodbye and head back towards your house. More people seem to be arriving at the shrine. It's actually kind of odd seeing this degree of religious devotion, but you suppose it's understandable given the circumstances. The village as a whole is pretty active now, with a great deal of hustle and bustle in the market area. Soon, though, you reach the relative quiet of your house and step inside.
>The dining area floor is almost literally covered in paper, now, and Rumia sits happily in the middle of the mess, smiling and rocking her feet. She's certainly had no shortage of enthusiasm for this whole drawing thing. She looks up at you as you enter. "Welcome back!"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hi Rumia. Do you think you could live off bread for now? I need to sleep rather badly. I'll make something better when I get up."

[DracoOmega]

>"Hi Rumia. Do you think you could live off bread for now? I need to sleep rather badly. I'll make something better when I get up."

>"Sure. Rumia's not really hungry now, anyway. Those burgers were really yummy!"

[Kasu]

> "Thank you for the compliment."
> Smile a bit.
> Head for bed.

[DracoOmega]

> "Thank you for the compliment."
> Smile a bit.
> Head for bed.

>Rumia smiles at you, and for the moment seems content to just sit among the piles of her handiwork, occasionally picking one up to stare at it from different angles.
>You head off towards the bedroom, and now that you're finally not attempting to push past your tiredness, it fully hits you how tired you really are. It has been an emotionally and physically exhausting day. Really, you're almost surprised you're still going.
>You quickly switch into some nightclothes, pull the covers of the bed aside and collapse onto it. Sleep rushes over you before you've barely closed your eyes.

>Your sleep is deep and dreamless, and seems to cling to you even when you open your eyes again. With some effort you crane your neck towards the window. It's dark out. The sheets feel leaden upon you. You also have the nagging feeling that something isn't quite right.

[Seian Verian]

> Examine this feeling.
> Can we tell anything about it?
> Get up and look around a bit

[Hello Purvis]

>"Rumia?"

[DracoOmega]

> Examine this feeling.
> Can we tell anything about it?
> Get up and look around a bit

>You're not really sure. But then again, you're also not really awake yet. It feels kind of like a nagging itch at the back of your mind, like something you're not quite remembering, but should.
>You yawn and drag yourself out of bed.
>A cursory inspection of the room doesn't show anything amiss. Everything seems just as it was when you went to sleep. Only darker.

>"Rumia?"

>You don't get an answer.