Do the Right Thing 25 !H8UfLAg.DQ 2012/05/19 (Sat) 04:11 No. 156495 ▼ File 133740071466.jpg - (1.15MB, 1280x960 , where do you want to go today.jpg)
“You're her, aren't you?” you say, the gears of your mind finally clicking into place.
Gears do that, right?
“Huh? You know this kid, after all?” Yuugi asks, no longer grinning, yet somehow sounding more curious than concerned about the situation.
“Did you see that?!” you hear Rikako excitedly call out as she jogs up to you. “Please tell me the rest of you saw that! That was-...who's the kid?”
“You've been busy little bees, haven't you?” the girl replies, making no attempt to conceal her amusement as she glances around at your semi-assembled group.
“Yeah, we had a long night down there.” you reply casually, much to your surprise. Considering the fact you currently held in your arms a being who was probably physically capable of pulling you apart one piece at a time with her bare hands, and who you had given every reason to want to do just that, you can't help but wonder if you shouldn't be feeling something resembling fear or panic at that moment. Something, anything that would indicate you were in possession of even a semi-functional survival instinct.
And yet, somehow, you don't.
“Hey, Rikako? Remember that thing that was supposed to do that thing that I did that thing with to you-know-who that we thought didn't do that thing we thought it'd do?”
“That depends. Are you asking what I suspect you are asking?”
“What are you suspecting that I'm asking?”
“I suspect you are asking if I recall the events of yesterday.”
“Do you?”
“How could I possi-...yes. Yes, I remember yesterday.”
“Oh, good. Well, it turns out it probably actually did do that thing, after all.”
“You're saying the device worked?”
“Yeah, this girl is that woman. Or was before, well-”
“You're saying the device worked. That is what you are saying.”
“Well, yeah, I guess that is wha-”
“YES!” Rikako abruptly shouts, pumping her fist in the air a couple times before quickly composing herself. “A-ah, I mean, fascinating. Do go on.”
“Oh~? So this was your doing, then?” the girl in your arms asks, twisting around just enough to look at Rikako directly. Though tone did not change, you feel her body tensing up ever-so-slightly.
“Oh, not entirely!” the scientist replies with barely-contained excitement. “The design and assembly were my work, certainly, but the components themselves were taken from a variety of-”
“Don't care~! Fix it.”
“Ah, well, that may be difficult...”
“Difficult.” the girl repeats, her voice no longer carrying any hint of playfulness.
“Yes, very much so. The components I used were the products of a science and technology that are quite literally not of this world. Fascinating stuff, really. Even with Yagokoro's explanations, I was still having trouble grasping even the most basic mechanics of the-”
“Your point?” the girl says, her patience apparently reaching a critical low.
“My point, quite simply, is that the materials used in the creation of that device were rare enough as it was. The means of reversing its effects, if there is such a thing, may not even exist.” Rikako states, her science-fueled giddiness quickly disappearing as she realizes what she was saying, and to whom she was saying it. “O-of course, that's not to say it's impossible!” she quickly adds. “Though the technology may be alien in origin, the principles behind would still have to be based in-”
“I don't care what sorcery you must invoke to remove this curse, human. I want it undone.”
“Actually, it's not a curse, or any sort of magic, but-”
“Don't. Care.” the girl says, firmly, before turning her gaze back to you. “And you. How do you intend to take responsibility for this?”
“Treat you to dinner?” you ask, hopefully.
“No.”
“Treat you to lunch?”
“No.”
“Br-”
“Don't say 'breakfast'.”
“Brunch?”
“...you know, forget it. I'll just break your legs, and we'll call it even. How does that sound?”
“Don't you dare!” Medicine shouts, glaring daggers at the green-haired girl.
“Easy, kiddo. She ain't gonna do anything like that.” Yuugi says, gently laying a hand on the little doll-girl's head. “Are ya?”
The girl narrows her eyes at the horned woman. “Is that a threat, Oni?”
“Heh! Nah, I'm just sayin' you're just not gonna do anything like that, is all.”
The woman and woman-turned-girl stare at each other, as silence falls over the group. Aside from a strange grin that begins to slowly appear on both of their faces, neither one moves. It was a situation you could only describe as a stand-off, save for the fact that only one of the participants was technically standing, with the other laying in your arms.
Somehow, 'stand-and-lay-off' doesn't have quite the same impact.
So it is a stand-off.
Even if not everyone is standing.
Before you can begin to reflect upon the question of what, exactly someone was first standing on in order to be standing off of it, Rikako mercifully clears her throat.
“Excuse me, but if I may interject for a moment?” she asks, approaching you. “If you wish for your 'condition' to be undone, Miss...?”
“Yuuka.
“Miss Yuuka, then. As I was saying, if you wish for it to be undone, it would be counter-productive to harm anyone who might be capable of finding a means of accomplishing that, would it not?”
“Are you suggesting something?”
“A proposal, actually. There is something you want done, and I believe I know of a way we might expedite the process, if you care to hear it.”
“Go on...” the girl called Yuuka says.
“It's quite simple, really. We divide our efforts. While I carry out my own research on the matter, he can investigate alternative methods elsewhere. I think you would agree that it would be far more efficient to explore multiple options simultaneously, and I believe it is in all of our best interests to resolve this matter in a timely fashion.”
“...very well.” Yuuka says, wriggling herself out of your arms and floating gently to the ground. Scooping up her oversized watch, she slowly glances around the area. “Now, where is the Celestial? There is something I wish to discuss with her, as well.”
“Er, actually...” you begin to say, only to have Rikako speak over you.
“She's laying just outside the cave entrance. You can't miss her.”
“Thank you~!” Yuuka says cheerily, nodding her head slightly before turning and walking off towards the cave.
Just as the down-sized youkai disappears beyond the sunflower stalks, Rikako brings her face close to your own.
“Alright, I don't know if she'll still be able to hear us, so I'll keep this brief.” she whispers to you. “I'm going to go back to Yagokoro, see if she might be able to help in any way. Meanwhile, you get your own problem taken care of.”
“Problem?”
“Spirits? Possession?”
“...oh, that.”
“Yes, that.”
You had to admit, the prospect of having your mind and body taken over by evil spirits did strike you as something that should be avoided
Granted, it's not exactly the best body there is, but you live in it, damn it!
Still, something about this arrangement didn't quite sit right with you.
Sure, you don't know a thing about what Rikako did to make that thing work the way it did, but it
“But what about finding out how to, you know, 'fix' her?”
“If you know of anywhere or anyone that might have an answer, then by all means, look into it. Perhaps whoever you can get to take care of your spirit problem may be able to assist. I wouldn't get my hopes up about that, however. Science and magic may both have rules, but those tend to go right out the window when you mix the two. Just do what you can, even if it's to just stall for time. I might be there a while.”
“Well, okay. While you do that, I'll head for...”
[ ] Old Shrine – Dude, where's my wallet?
[ ] New Shrine – You gotta have faith!
[ ] Big House – This time, try knocking.
[ ] Little House – So, you like to play with dolls, huh?
