(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest

[Hello Purvis]

>Hand him over before she does something silly.

[DracoOmega]

>Hand him over before she does something silly.

>You move to hand over Sokrates, but as you do, the cat leaps free of your arms of his own accord and lands on Ellen's shoulder.
>"Oh, I'm so glad to see you again," she says, rubbing him behind the ears. "Were you scared, all lost and alone and far away? Well, don't worry because now you're home and everything's okay again!" Her smile is practically beaming.

[Hello Purvis]

>"He's probably the most well-behaved cat I've ever met. He was just fine, though. Some faeries borrowed him to try and do a magic trick."

[DracoOmega]

>"He's probably the most well-behaved cat I've ever met. He was just fine, though. Some faeries borrowed him to try and do a magic trick."

>Ellen frowns thoughtfully. "A magic trick? But Sokrates isn't magical at all!" Her eyes widen with alarm. "Oh, you know I didn't mean it that way," she says consolingly, turning to Sokrates. "You know you're the most precious cat ever, and I love you forever and ever. Yup." She tickles him behind the ears again.

[Hello Purvis]

>"The faeries thought he was. But he didn't give anyone a bit of trouble."

[DracoOmega]

>"The faeries thought he was. But he didn't give anyone a bit of trouble."

>"Of course he didn't!" Ellen says, smiling proudly.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Wish there were more cats like that. Anyways, that's the job done, I think?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Wish there were more cats like that. Anyways, that's the job done, I think?"

>Ellen looks a little puzzled. "The job? ...oh!" She dashes back into the house. "One moment!" she calls out.
>True to her word, she returns a moment later with a small red fabric sachet tied with a festive ribbon. "Here!" she says, handing it to you.

[Hello Purvis]

>Take it and open it. Try not to look underwhelmed despite a sinking sensation.

[DracoOmega]

>Take it and open it. Try not to look underwhelmed despite a sinking sensation.

>You take the sachet and open it, trying to disguise your concerns about its contents. Ellen watches with an eager smile as you undo the ribbon and empty the sachet onto your palm. A small red sphere rolls out, emblazoned with a heart circumscribed by a star. ...followed by coins. It would take a moment to count them, but at first glance it looks like an extremely generous fee for finding a lost cat.
>Before you have a chance to say anything, Ellen throws her arms around you in a fierce hug. "Thank you so much, uh... um... what was your name again?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'm Nazrin, and you're welcome!"
>Glance at the sphere.
>"What's this thing?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm Nazrin, and you're welcome!"
>Glance at the sphere.
>"What's this thing?"

>"Thanks, Nazrin!" Ellen says.
>You take another look at the sphere. It's about the size of a walnut and smooth all around. You get the definite vibe that it's magical.
>"It's a Fuwafuwa Heart Droplet," she says cheerfully. "Sometime when you're feeling down, just hold it in your hand and say 'Fuwafuwa!' and it'll help you feel happier. It's like someone gave you a big hug. But make sure you hold it tight, or the magic will just poof into the air and you'll waste it."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Huh. How many times does it work before it runs out of oomph?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Huh. How many times does it work before it runs out of oomph?"

>"Just once," she says. "It's solidified magic. It dissolves when you use it. Oh! But I could make you another if you use that one up. I sell little trinkets and things like that."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Huh. I'll keep that in mind."
>"Hey, do you pay much attention to cats? Like, other cats just running around?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Huh. I'll keep that in mind."
>"Hey, do you pay much attention to cats? Like, other cats just running around?"

>"Well..." Ellen puts a finger to her chin, and muses thoughtfully. "Sokrates is a little shy, but he sometimes likes to say hi to other cats when we're out for walks. He can get along with anyone!" she adds. "Yup."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>How close does this payment get us to those dowsing rods?

[Hello Purvis]

>"There's a couple I'm looking for, in particular."
>Describe the two that the faeries are looking for.

[DracoOmega]

>How close does this payment get us to those dowsing rods?

>You'd have to count to be sure, but you suspect this will make a solid dent in it. Dowsing rods come in more than one price range, of course, but the ones you had your eyes on were over 100 guilders.

>"There's a couple I'm looking for, in particular."
>Describe the two that the faeries are looking for.

>You describe the cats the fairies were looking for, at least as well as they described them to you.
>"Hmmm.... lots of cats have stripes," Ellen says. "But a cat with black and white patches and a big fluffy tail? Um..." She taps a finger against her cheek. "Did the one we saw yesterday have a fluffy tail or not, I wonder? ...or was that the day before yesterday?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Where did you see it?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Where did you see it?"

>"You know down south, where the river bends in like this?" She makes an undulating gesture with her hands. "And there's a little cart that sells candied apples in the summer - they're so yummy - and-" She frowns. "...or was it by the cobbler's?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Do we at least know where the river is?
>If so, what is around there?

[DracoOmega]

>Do we at least know where the river is?
>If so, what is around there?

>You do. There's a relatively narrow river which runs along a fair portion of the eastern edge of Braston. Nearly all of the town is on the western side of it, although it does extend across to the other bank at a couple points; there's a old stone bridge to the northeast of here which used to be on the outskirts of town, but is now nearly in the middle of a marketplace after development spilled across the river.
>To the south of here, the river bends around part of the residential areas before doubling back to the east and disappearing into the hills. You're not sure which specific bend Ellen is talking about; a fair number of houses back onto the river in that area, but the density of construction rapidly thins out as you go further south, and there are segments where there's not much at all along the banks but grass and rock.

[Hello Purvis]

>Anything of significance to the south of here?

[DracoOmega]

>Anything of significance to the south of here?

>Nothing comes to mind. More houses, mostly. Perhaps the very occasional shop or work building, and what passes for a 'park' in Braston, but which could more accurately be called 'a place we haven't put buildings yet'. A little further past that, and you've essentially left Braston behind entirely; it's just increasingly hilly wilderness.

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'll keep it in mind, thanks!"
>What sort of post-job procedures do we need to do back at the guild?

[DracoOmega]

>"I'll keep it in mind, thanks!"
>What sort of post-job procedures do we need to do back at the guild?

>"Okay!" Ellen nods.
>It's standard procedure for both the Seeker and their client to sign a form as confirmation of completion and accepted payment. This safeguards the client against a unscrupulous Seeker later claiming non-payment for services, as well as allowing the guild to take the job notice off the board and save any other interested Seekers a wasted trip. In this case, it occurs to you that even if you got a signature from Ellen, she didn't actually leave a name with the original request. And in any event you, uh, didn't think to take the appropriate forms with you, now that you might finally have a use for them on your own.

[Hello Purvis]

>Worst hangover ever =[
>"I'll be by later to get the job closed out, unless you feel like following me back to the guild. Or someone will."

[DracoOmega]

>Worst hangover ever =[
>"I'll be by later to get the job closed out, unless you feel like following me back to the guild. Or someone will."

>On the plus side, the headache you woke up with this morning is no longer in evidence. ...although this is probably because Yuzu managed to give you a rather more obvious one.
>"Oh, don't worry about that," Ellen says, waving dismissively. "Sokrates and I can drop by the guild on our afternoon walk. You were so wonderfully helpful to the both of us."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Okay. Leave yourself a note or something."
>What were those other jobs we took?