Iku Quest Che'tyrnadsat: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> Wait for the Yama to arrive. We don't want to keep Komachi from her work.

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> Wait for the Yama to arrive. We don't want to keep Komachi from her work.

>You stay out of Komachi's way while she calls out to the gathered deceased, informing them that they are to form an orderly line, and any cutting will be held against their karma. A number of phantoms rise from the plain as she does, lining up near the the pier. Komachi talks with each of them briefly, collecting a fee from them via methods you cannot really see, and ushering them onto her boat.
>After a couple minutes of this, you can see a figure on the northern horizon. As you watch, it approaches and you can confirm that it is Shikieiki. She lands gracefully at the edge of the pier, and nods in your direction, "Messenger."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Give a deep bow.
> "Thank you for meeting me here, Lady Shiki. I will get straight to the point, so you may resume your normal duties. I am here to discuss with you the incarceration of Miss Aya Shameimaru."

[Hello Purvis]

> Give a deep bow.
> "Thank you for meeting me here, Lady Shiki. I will get straight to the point, so you may resume your normal duties. I am here to discuss with you the incarceration of Miss Aya Shameimaru."

>She nods again, then glances to  "Komachi, wouldn't it have been better to take her to Higan for this?"
>"What, and let her wander around there lost?" says Komachi with a raised eyebrow. "Unless you wanted me to take time out of ferrying to flag the Messenger down a guide who could leave her post."
>The yama sighs. "Speaking of ferrying, the line is getting a little short."
>"I keep an eye on it," says Komachi, "You still have, what, a good six hours worth. So I've been letting them unwind here and get over all the trauma and stuff."
>Shikieiki sighs again. "Just get to it, please?"
>"Yeah, I'm on it," says Komachi.
>The yama shakes her head and says, "My apologies. Please, continue."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right. Specifically, I have come to request a reduced sentence, on the grounds that perhaps the initial decision was tinged by emotional investment, however understandable such an emotional investment may have been given the circumstances."

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right. Specifically, I have come to request a reduced sentence, on the grounds that perhaps the initial decision was tinged by emotional investment, however understandable such an emotional investment may have been given the circumstances."

>"Such as?" says the Yama.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "Well, given what had just happened to you, I would be surprised if you were not upset in some capacity."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, given what had just happened to you, I would be surprised if you were not upset in some capacity."

>"You are suggesting I acted out of a need for revenge?" says the Yama.

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"No. I... well, perhaps a little history is in order. Are you aware of the recent events involving Bhava-Agra's unexpected descent?"
>If she is not, summarize what's happened.
>"In my early attempts to discover what had happened to our home, I was greeted with suspicion or outright hostility by most of the residents of Gensokyo I encountered. They assumed that Bhava-Agra's descent was a hostile action on our part, and acted accordingly. I, knowing that this was false, made several... shameful assumptions. In particular, my dealings with Remilia Scarlet almost turned the situation into a disaster."
>"The point is that I allowed my feelings to get the better of me, and took certain actions out of frustration. This is something that can happen even to the best of us, yourself included."

[Hello Purvis]

>"No. I... well, perhaps a little history is in order. Are you aware of the recent events involving Bhava-Agra's unexpected descent?"
>If she is not, summarize what's happened.
>"In my early attempts to discover what had happened to our home, I was greeted with suspicion or outright hostility by most of the residents of Gensokyo I encountered. They assumed that Bhava-Agra's descent was a hostile action on our part, and acted accordingly. I, knowing that this was false, made several... shameful assumptions. In particular, my dealings with Remilia Scarlet almost turned the situation into a disaster."
>"The point is that I allowed my feelings to get the better of me, and took certain actions out of frustration. This is something that can happen even to the best of us, yourself included."

>"I am not aware of the details, no," says Shikieiki. "It is a cause of concern, but well outside of my jurisdiction at the moment."
>You give her a quick summary about the shadow theft and some of the events around it. She nods, listening quietly. Then you explain some of your early attempts. "I have noted that you bear the weight of several transgressions," says Shikieiki. "It will likely be necessary for you to do some form of penance to deal with these issues, should you wish to continue to remain in your position. As for my situation, I do not believe I did anything untoward. Why do you say this?"

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "A combination of a couple of reasons. I talked with Lord Tenma earlier today, and he felt able to say little about the situation, other than that he was in a very difficult position. Then I have also considered the reactions of others to Miss Shameimaru's tendencies. She gets everyone, and none of us are thrilled about it. But you are the only one to have taken this sort of action. I myself had not considered it, and from what I have learned, it seems the likes of Lady Yakumo, Lady Yasaka, Lady Moriya and others have not used those channels either."

[Hello Purvis]

> "A combination of a couple of reasons. I talked with Lord Tenma earlier today, and he felt able to say little about the situation, other than that he was in a very difficult position. Then I have also considered the reactions of others to Miss Shameimaru's tendencies. She gets everyone, and none of us are thrilled about it. But you are the only one to have taken this sort of action. I myself had not considered it, and from what I have learned, it seems the likes of Lady Yakumo, Lady Yasaka, Lady Moriya and others have not used those channels either."

>"Is this it?" she asks.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "Well, the fact that no one else has taken this action may not necessarily reflect well on yourself, which is also a concern. It is easy for the likes of me to see what happened and appreciate that you may have made a rare rash decision or perhaps even agree that Miss Shameimaru deserved it. But for others, who will only see an action no one else considered, and hear about Lord Tenma being told how to run his village, opinions of you may not remain quite as high."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, the fact that no one else has taken this action may not necessarily reflect well on yourself, which is also a concern. It is easy for the likes of me to see what happened and appreciate that you may have made a rare rash decision or perhaps even agree that Miss Shameimaru deserved it. But for others, who will only see an action no one else considered, and hear about Lord Tenma being told how to run his village, opinions of you may not remain quite as high."

>"I would also consider their opinions on Aya being punished for terrorizing so many people," says Shikieiki. "As well, you say that I am the only one that has taken an action other than trying to fight her, but I am not sure how this is a grounds for condemnation? I could pose that those who only tried to defeat her were more likely to be acting out of spite than a genuine concern for the problem consistent violations of privacy and harassment. I am afraid I cannot quite following your reasoning, Messenger."

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "As unfortunate and revenge-driven retaliation may be, it is merely a short-term 'punishment', it does not force difficult decisions on Lord Tenma, and it comes from people to whom the higher standard of behavior that comes from being a part of the spiritual bureaucracy does not apply."

[Hello Purvis]

> "As unfortunate and revenge-driven retaliation may be, it is merely a short-term 'punishment', it does not force difficult decisions on Lord Tenma, and it comes from people to whom the higher standard of behavior that comes from being a part of the spiritual bureaucracy does not apply."

>"I am still not able to follow," says the Yama, frowning. "How did asking Lord Tenma to reign in one of his own constitute acting out of course?"

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "From what I can tell, he did not consider Miss Shameimaru a large issue, and I suspect he would be more in-tune with her behavior than most."

[Hello Purvis]

> "From what I can tell, he did not consider Miss Shameimaru a large issue, and I suspect he would be more in-tune with her behavior than most."

>"From my experience," says Shikieiki, "he was also not aware of the full scope of her activities at the time."

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "Is there more to her activities than taking pictures? I will admit I am not aware of other things she does, aside from journalism."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Is there more to her activities than taking pictures? I will admit I am not aware of other things she does, aside from journalism."

>The yama nods. "The event I am most familiar with would be attempting to create the illusion of an incident and trying to implicate an innocent person of such in order to lure me from my duties, not to mention the interruption of said duties."

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> Raise an eyebrow.
> "When was this?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Raise an eyebrow.
> "When was this?"

>"It was about a year and a half ago," says the Yama. "It would be how she managed to get her picture."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "And who was implicated?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "And who was implicated?"

>"Byakuren Hijiri," says Shikieiki. "She had only been unsealed some hours beforehand."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "She actually printed such a newspaper that quickly?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "She actually printed such a newspaper that quickly?"

>"I don't believe they made it to her newspaper," says the Yama, "I'm not certain if that was their destination at all."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Oh. I presume she lied to your subordinate, then?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Oh. I presume she lied to your subordinate, then?"

>She nods. "Through a proxy, but yes."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I see. Was this other person punished as well?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "I see. Was this other person punished as well?"

>"She couldn't be found at the time," says Shikieikim shaking her head. "Nor was she under Lord Tenma's jurisdiction. As well, she didn't have quite the laundry list of offenses behind her as Aya did. As such, I decided not to pursue it, as she didn't seem to have an inclination to continue her misdeeds."

>_