[X] Agree.
- [X] Kidnap her right away.
- [X] Kidnap her right away.
Tengu Reporter Quest (Touhou) (World 7 - Wheel of Time)
- Thread starter Entropy Judge
- Start date
- Crossover
- Location
- Internet
[X] Agree.
-[X] Kidnap her right away.
--[X] Ask if she was us to leave a ransom note
-[X] Kidnap her right away.
--[X] Ask if she was us to leave a ransom note
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
[X] Agree.
- [X] Kidnap her tomorrow, after spending the day at the library.
Was originally thinking about spending more time in the library, but I get the feeling that would only make everything harder to understand. Mario is a world that's meant to be experienced, not studied. Let's see if we can't find a super crown.
- [X] Kidnap her tomorrow, after spending the day at the library.
Was originally thinking about spending more time in the library, but I get the feeling that would only make everything harder to understand. Mario is a world that's meant to be experienced, not studied. Let's see if we can't find a super crown.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are not locked.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are locked.
Tengu Airlines
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Agree.
- Kidnap her tomorrow, after spending the day at the library.
With Toadstool distracted, you turn your head back to look at Hatate. She meets your eyes and shrugs, and you nod before facing the princess again. "You said you don't know where Mario is, but I hope you have some kind of plan?" Toadstool looks up, bright blue eyes widening hopefully.
"You – you'll do it?" She sounds so breathless, so hopeful, and then she shakes herself and takes a deep breath. "I – yes, the Chancellor said that Mario went to Tadpole Pond, so I had hoped to go there. I … I don't think we'll actually get there in time to meet up with him, but I hope to at least get on his trail there. And …." She takes another breath, steeling herself, and faces you squarely. "I will pay you before we leave. I just – I don't know how long it will take to catch up to him, so …." You nod and she sighs, relieved. Before she can continue, you tap a finger against the desk.
"I'd like to leave tomorrow night." Toadstool fights a frown, but you just stare her down; you have the power here, after all. "I want to look up some more things in the library, and this will make getting you out easier, because we can formally leave instead of abusing your hospitality." A confused expression breaks through, but you just smile and reach forward to pat her head, mindful of her crown. "Can you arrange to be out on a balcony unsupervised, or can you find a window that opens and put some kind of signal for me?" After a few seconds she nods.
"My rooms are on the other side of the castle, but I can open the window so you can get in. When should I expect you?" It's your turn to lean back, thinking; the earlier you leave, the more likely it'll be that you can find who you want at Tadpole Pond – and isn't that a name that conjures up images of Cirno having fun! - but it also means there's a better chance of being spotted. And while that won't be terribly problematic, it's still unprofessional.
"How about … around a half-hour before twilight ends is the earliest I'll come, so open your window then. If there's anyone in the way of a meeting, I'll let you know and we can work out what to do. Does that work?" Toadstool closes her eyes, thinking it through, and nods before rising.
"Yes, it does. Then I'll see you two tomorrow night." She bows, then walks to the door and carefully peeps out. The guard whispers that it's clear, and she thanks him before slipping out and closing your door.
"I'm not looking up those stupid biographies again," Hatate says darkly, and you chuckle.
"Oh, don't worry," you say, and she makes the mistake of relaxing. "I want you to look up other polities and locations that we might want to know about. I'll take care of the biographies." She glowers at you, then huffs quietly and presses her pillow over her head. You shake your head and make your way to your own bed; tomorrow will be another day spent inside, poring over innumerable tomes, and few people have ever been harmed by a few extra hours of sleep.
Hatate smiles, catlike, as you leave the castle and walk into the slowly-dimming daylight, and you shake your head. Mario – and his rarely-seen brother – seems to be nothing more than an ordinary working man, apart from his apparently-unique ability to defeat Bowser. Toadstool, too, has little going for her apart from being another in a long line of princesses. Bowser, however …. His is certainly a muddied story. He appears to age, but as Hatate said, all the kingdom's histories make references to a 'King Bowser' of the Koopas, even those written long before Mario's birth. And he is always a mighty figure, indomitable, ruling the Koopas through fear and power. Is Mario truly so unique, that he can defeat such a powerful entity? Is Bowser actually quite weak? Is 'Bowser' merely a name of legacy, that all the rulers of the Koopas have worn? Or are the people of the Mushroom Kingdom simply awful at maintaining history? Is the answer even one you have considered, or something else entirely?
Well, two things are clear: first, that you won't find a true answer outside of Bowser's elite, if even there, and second, that something is going to have to be done about Bowser if youkai move here. He is the font of chaos in this place, a position that naturally competes with youkai, so either a deal needs to be made with him, or something needs to happen to him. Admittedly, not every bad thing that happens is due to him, but he is the constant, the lingering darkness that everyone watches for. You laugh to yourself, and Hatate looks at you. "... Is something wrong?" You shake your head.
"Just trying to think about who in Gensokyo is most like Bowser," you say after quickly making sure no one around can hear you. "I got as far as Yuuka, and then tried imagining Bowser doing something like buying flowers in a shop like she does sometimes." Hatate's lips twitch as she tries to imagine the kappa-oni figure daintily buying flowers from a mushroom-shaped creature less than half his height. She eventually has to stop and clamp her hands over her mouth, and you smile happily. On the other hand, Hatate's research bore fruit only somewhat less perplexing than your own. Other continents move closer or farther from the Mushroom Kingdom's island over time, with no easily-researched reason. The reason seems to have been ignored entirely, and the continents shifting simply treated as a fact of life. Which could indicate a lack of imagination, the consequences of which … could be great or small, depending on how things work. You ponder the considerations until the sun sinks dangerously low on the horizon. "Alright, Hatate, I'm going to go pick up Toadstool." She nods and puts her notebook away before taking your bag from you.
"I'll meet you upstairs, then." You nod and fly toward the castle, keeping an eye out for anyone who actually looks up, or for anyone on the walls or towers of the castle, but the place seems clear. You find Toadstool's open window after a minute, but when you glide through you cock your head at the two of them.
"Oh, Aya, you're here! Thank you." One Toadstool turns to the other and hugs her. "Thank you again. I'll be fine."
"Of course you will, dear. And put a leash on that boy of yours!" The first Toadstool turns bright red, from nose to ears, and snatches two bags from the table as the second one laughs happily. "Go on, go on! Take care!" You pick up the first Toadstool, who waves back at the second as you fly out of the room and up to meet with Hatate.
"Sorry about that. I don't want to worry anyone, so she's going to pretend to be me until I get back. Oh, right, I said – here. Two hundred coins." You nod and take the smaller of the two bags when she holds it out for you. The other likely has her own personal effects or is otherwise private. Hatate descends slightly and joins you as you fly south, toward Tadpole Pond. "... It's so wonderful up here. So peaceful and calm." Of course, the other side of that is why tengu live in forests and on mountains: if you only fly in the sky, you lose track of what happens on the ground, and you can't tell one land creature from another. You have to live with one foot in the air and one on the ground, or you get complacent and uncaring. Like the creatures that live deep in the ocean, where land-dwellers can't go.
But even taking that into account, the air here feels calm. You could summon a windstorm, but the skies wouldn't be happy; they enjoy their leisurely days. Is it just a localized effect, and you'll be able to find wilder winds somewhere else, or is it something about this world? And, as with every other deep question you've had so far: how will it affect youkai on a long-term basis?
"Oh! That looks amazing!" You shake your head at Hatate as she darts down to fly over the tremendous waterfall that pours out the side of the cliff. She slings the bags awkwardly over her shoulders and takes out her camera, taking as many pictures as she can in the starlight. Well, it certainly is rather pretty, so you can't blame her too much.
"This is the … Midas River, was it?" Toadstool looks at you, surprised, then smiles and nods. "And it feeds into Tadpole Pond, so we just follow it until we get there."
"Yes, that's right …." You look down at the princess, wondering what's passing through her mind. After a few seconds, she looks up at you. "Your home must be much bigger than ours. Otherwise you wouldn't need to be so fast." You blink, then cock your head as you think through your response.
"Hmm … no, I don't think so. Speed relates less to size of habitat and more to the predator-prey relationship. Things that are fast are fast in order to get food, or to escape from a hunter. Things that are slow have a different perspective – either they're tougher, or stronger, or have more numbers, or some other advantage that means that even though they're slower than a hunter, they still have a survival advantage." Toadstool frowns unhappily, but you slow down and float above the water as a dark tadpole peeks its head up. Toadstool looks down at it, confused, and Hatate makes a worrisome squealing noise – it's a baby frog, it's not cute!
"Oh, wow! You're Princess Toadstool! What are you doing here?" The tadpole's eyes bulge slightly as he stares up at Toadstool, and she bows back as elegantly as she can under the circumstances.
"Um, I'm looking for Mario. I heard that he came this way, looking for advice. Do you know where he is?" The tadpole rolls around once before replying.
"Mario? No, he's not here, I think. Ah, but you should ask Grandpa! Follow me, I'll show you where he lives." The tadpole turns and starts scuttling down the river. You follow it, and Hatate ignores your scowls. Soon enough, you come to Tadpole Pond itself, and the many small islands that are scattered around it. Some look more like concentrated heaps of lily pads, while others might have actual soil somewhere in their makeup. Eventually it stops, only to be swarmed by a pack of its fellow tadpoles, and you set Toadstool down before lightly cuffing Hatate. You look past the knot of churning water; a short distance away is a lily pad island, and the froglike figure on it seems to be working by candlelight. Then the tadpoles split up, forming a stepping-stone chain from the shore to the island.
"This way, Princess! Don't worry, we'll make sure you don't fall in!" Toadstool glances at you, and at your nod she starts walking, quickly but carefully, over the tadpoles. They must be glad she isn't the kind to wear sharper heels.
What do you do?
[ ] Follow along and listen to what 'Grandpa' has to say.
[ ] Just sit and wait for Toadstool to get back.
[ ] Explore the pond a little.
[ ] Other?
- Kidnap her tomorrow, after spending the day at the library.
With Toadstool distracted, you turn your head back to look at Hatate. She meets your eyes and shrugs, and you nod before facing the princess again. "You said you don't know where Mario is, but I hope you have some kind of plan?" Toadstool looks up, bright blue eyes widening hopefully.
"You – you'll do it?" She sounds so breathless, so hopeful, and then she shakes herself and takes a deep breath. "I – yes, the Chancellor said that Mario went to Tadpole Pond, so I had hoped to go there. I … I don't think we'll actually get there in time to meet up with him, but I hope to at least get on his trail there. And …." She takes another breath, steeling herself, and faces you squarely. "I will pay you before we leave. I just – I don't know how long it will take to catch up to him, so …." You nod and she sighs, relieved. Before she can continue, you tap a finger against the desk.
"I'd like to leave tomorrow night." Toadstool fights a frown, but you just stare her down; you have the power here, after all. "I want to look up some more things in the library, and this will make getting you out easier, because we can formally leave instead of abusing your hospitality." A confused expression breaks through, but you just smile and reach forward to pat her head, mindful of her crown. "Can you arrange to be out on a balcony unsupervised, or can you find a window that opens and put some kind of signal for me?" After a few seconds she nods.
"My rooms are on the other side of the castle, but I can open the window so you can get in. When should I expect you?" It's your turn to lean back, thinking; the earlier you leave, the more likely it'll be that you can find who you want at Tadpole Pond – and isn't that a name that conjures up images of Cirno having fun! - but it also means there's a better chance of being spotted. And while that won't be terribly problematic, it's still unprofessional.
"How about … around a half-hour before twilight ends is the earliest I'll come, so open your window then. If there's anyone in the way of a meeting, I'll let you know and we can work out what to do. Does that work?" Toadstool closes her eyes, thinking it through, and nods before rising.
"Yes, it does. Then I'll see you two tomorrow night." She bows, then walks to the door and carefully peeps out. The guard whispers that it's clear, and she thanks him before slipping out and closing your door.
"I'm not looking up those stupid biographies again," Hatate says darkly, and you chuckle.
"Oh, don't worry," you say, and she makes the mistake of relaxing. "I want you to look up other polities and locations that we might want to know about. I'll take care of the biographies." She glowers at you, then huffs quietly and presses her pillow over her head. You shake your head and make your way to your own bed; tomorrow will be another day spent inside, poring over innumerable tomes, and few people have ever been harmed by a few extra hours of sleep.
***
Hatate smiles, catlike, as you leave the castle and walk into the slowly-dimming daylight, and you shake your head. Mario – and his rarely-seen brother – seems to be nothing more than an ordinary working man, apart from his apparently-unique ability to defeat Bowser. Toadstool, too, has little going for her apart from being another in a long line of princesses. Bowser, however …. His is certainly a muddied story. He appears to age, but as Hatate said, all the kingdom's histories make references to a 'King Bowser' of the Koopas, even those written long before Mario's birth. And he is always a mighty figure, indomitable, ruling the Koopas through fear and power. Is Mario truly so unique, that he can defeat such a powerful entity? Is Bowser actually quite weak? Is 'Bowser' merely a name of legacy, that all the rulers of the Koopas have worn? Or are the people of the Mushroom Kingdom simply awful at maintaining history? Is the answer even one you have considered, or something else entirely?
Well, two things are clear: first, that you won't find a true answer outside of Bowser's elite, if even there, and second, that something is going to have to be done about Bowser if youkai move here. He is the font of chaos in this place, a position that naturally competes with youkai, so either a deal needs to be made with him, or something needs to happen to him. Admittedly, not every bad thing that happens is due to him, but he is the constant, the lingering darkness that everyone watches for. You laugh to yourself, and Hatate looks at you. "... Is something wrong?" You shake your head.
"Just trying to think about who in Gensokyo is most like Bowser," you say after quickly making sure no one around can hear you. "I got as far as Yuuka, and then tried imagining Bowser doing something like buying flowers in a shop like she does sometimes." Hatate's lips twitch as she tries to imagine the kappa-oni figure daintily buying flowers from a mushroom-shaped creature less than half his height. She eventually has to stop and clamp her hands over her mouth, and you smile happily. On the other hand, Hatate's research bore fruit only somewhat less perplexing than your own. Other continents move closer or farther from the Mushroom Kingdom's island over time, with no easily-researched reason. The reason seems to have been ignored entirely, and the continents shifting simply treated as a fact of life. Which could indicate a lack of imagination, the consequences of which … could be great or small, depending on how things work. You ponder the considerations until the sun sinks dangerously low on the horizon. "Alright, Hatate, I'm going to go pick up Toadstool." She nods and puts her notebook away before taking your bag from you.
"I'll meet you upstairs, then." You nod and fly toward the castle, keeping an eye out for anyone who actually looks up, or for anyone on the walls or towers of the castle, but the place seems clear. You find Toadstool's open window after a minute, but when you glide through you cock your head at the two of them.
"Oh, Aya, you're here! Thank you." One Toadstool turns to the other and hugs her. "Thank you again. I'll be fine."
"Of course you will, dear. And put a leash on that boy of yours!" The first Toadstool turns bright red, from nose to ears, and snatches two bags from the table as the second one laughs happily. "Go on, go on! Take care!" You pick up the first Toadstool, who waves back at the second as you fly out of the room and up to meet with Hatate.
"Sorry about that. I don't want to worry anyone, so she's going to pretend to be me until I get back. Oh, right, I said – here. Two hundred coins." You nod and take the smaller of the two bags when she holds it out for you. The other likely has her own personal effects or is otherwise private. Hatate descends slightly and joins you as you fly south, toward Tadpole Pond. "... It's so wonderful up here. So peaceful and calm." Of course, the other side of that is why tengu live in forests and on mountains: if you only fly in the sky, you lose track of what happens on the ground, and you can't tell one land creature from another. You have to live with one foot in the air and one on the ground, or you get complacent and uncaring. Like the creatures that live deep in the ocean, where land-dwellers can't go.
But even taking that into account, the air here feels calm. You could summon a windstorm, but the skies wouldn't be happy; they enjoy their leisurely days. Is it just a localized effect, and you'll be able to find wilder winds somewhere else, or is it something about this world? And, as with every other deep question you've had so far: how will it affect youkai on a long-term basis?
"Oh! That looks amazing!" You shake your head at Hatate as she darts down to fly over the tremendous waterfall that pours out the side of the cliff. She slings the bags awkwardly over her shoulders and takes out her camera, taking as many pictures as she can in the starlight. Well, it certainly is rather pretty, so you can't blame her too much.
"This is the … Midas River, was it?" Toadstool looks at you, surprised, then smiles and nods. "And it feeds into Tadpole Pond, so we just follow it until we get there."
"Yes, that's right …." You look down at the princess, wondering what's passing through her mind. After a few seconds, she looks up at you. "Your home must be much bigger than ours. Otherwise you wouldn't need to be so fast." You blink, then cock your head as you think through your response.
"Hmm … no, I don't think so. Speed relates less to size of habitat and more to the predator-prey relationship. Things that are fast are fast in order to get food, or to escape from a hunter. Things that are slow have a different perspective – either they're tougher, or stronger, or have more numbers, or some other advantage that means that even though they're slower than a hunter, they still have a survival advantage." Toadstool frowns unhappily, but you slow down and float above the water as a dark tadpole peeks its head up. Toadstool looks down at it, confused, and Hatate makes a worrisome squealing noise – it's a baby frog, it's not cute!
"Oh, wow! You're Princess Toadstool! What are you doing here?" The tadpole's eyes bulge slightly as he stares up at Toadstool, and she bows back as elegantly as she can under the circumstances.
"Um, I'm looking for Mario. I heard that he came this way, looking for advice. Do you know where he is?" The tadpole rolls around once before replying.
"Mario? No, he's not here, I think. Ah, but you should ask Grandpa! Follow me, I'll show you where he lives." The tadpole turns and starts scuttling down the river. You follow it, and Hatate ignores your scowls. Soon enough, you come to Tadpole Pond itself, and the many small islands that are scattered around it. Some look more like concentrated heaps of lily pads, while others might have actual soil somewhere in their makeup. Eventually it stops, only to be swarmed by a pack of its fellow tadpoles, and you set Toadstool down before lightly cuffing Hatate. You look past the knot of churning water; a short distance away is a lily pad island, and the froglike figure on it seems to be working by candlelight. Then the tadpoles split up, forming a stepping-stone chain from the shore to the island.
"This way, Princess! Don't worry, we'll make sure you don't fall in!" Toadstool glances at you, and at your nod she starts walking, quickly but carefully, over the tadpoles. They must be glad she isn't the kind to wear sharper heels.
What do you do?
[ ] Follow along and listen to what 'Grandpa' has to say.
[ ] Just sit and wait for Toadstool to get back.
[ ] Explore the pond a little.
[ ] Other?
- Location
- The Land of Many Bregrets
- Pronouns
- They/Them
In hindsight, it really does seem obvious that Hatate would like this place more than Falmart. She's probably more in tune with this world than Aya is.
I wonder, should we try to teach danmaku to Peach? To me, since spell card names and patterns reflect the user's personality and history, it's a good way to get insights into a person and culture, so it might be useful to our work in this land.
Plus, I'm just curious what Peach's spell cards would be like.
Plus, I'm just curious what Peach's spell cards would be like.
- Location
- Internet
[X] Follow along and listen to what 'Grandpa' has to say.
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
Not only can I imagine it, I feel like I've seen it before.
[X] Follow along and listen to what 'Grandpa' has to say.
Yeah, this is all much more her speed. I don't think this place will appeal to most Tengu though. It's so clam and peaceful, and while the inhabitants scare easy, it's not a deep fear, and frankly they're weirder then most Youkai. I'd say this is a good place to visit and get a fresh perspective, but not a place for most to live.
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
Doh, just remembered this.
Peachette is around, and she's got the Super Crown. There's really only one thing to do about this situation, but I'm not quite sure how we'll arrange Bowser and the Super Crown to be in the same place without it being contrived.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Amusing as the idea that followed this is, I'm not sure the base is true. Toadstool's Grandma/chambermaid doesn't really look like Toadette, and Mario temporarily transforms into both Bowser and Toadstool once or twice. I'm not sure I'll be using the Super Crown will be canon for the quest.
Votes are not locked.
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Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are locked.
Cirno's Enemy
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Follow along and listen to what 'Grandpa' has to say.
You take your bag from Hatate, then hesitate for a moment – but the lead tadpole glances up at you and seems to nod, so you follow Toadstool across the flesh-bridge to the lily-pad island. Hatate brings up the rear, apologizing to the tadpoles as she goes, instead of just lifting herself so she's half her weight, like you. Toadstool looks back when she reaches the island, then nods and walks forward toward the candles; you make sure to keep from looking in that direction so you can be properly surprised. You do spy several turtle-like creatures sitting in tiny clouds near the tops of the trees, apparently playing some kind of card game in the dim light. Maybe you can talk with them if things get boring.
Sitting on the ground at a low table is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a modest-sized frog with an enormous, meticulously-groomed beard. If you're any good at reading frog emotions, he's rather surprised by your sudden appearance. "Good evening, Princess Toadstool, and welcome to Tadpole Pond. I am Frogfucius." Several of the tadpoles are practically crawling up the island, hanging on his every word, and at least the frog isn't enough to trigger Hatate's squealing.
"Hello, Frogfucius. I'm sorry I came here so suddenly, but …." The frog gestures for her to come closer, and she walks up to the table before dropping to her knees, her skirt settling properly around her instead of bunching up, and you can't help but wonder how frequently she sits down suddenly, that she's mastered the technique of making it look elegant. "I heard – from the servants at the castle, I heard that Mario came here. Is – is he still here?" Frogfucius eyes her carefully for a moment, seeming to ignore you and Hatate.
"You have moved very quickly, Your Highness; word of your return to the Mushroom Kingdom had only come to me this morning, and word of your imminent arrival reached me only shortly before you did." Yep, that's irritation in his voice. Could it be that the biggest gossips in this world are the tadpoles? Well, that's just not right! Tengu spread news and information the fastest, and this geriatric amphibian needs to learn his place if your people move here. Of course, that doesn't mean you aren't going to be as polite as Yukari to him, all smiles and kind words. If he ever talks to you, anyway. "I am sorry, but your hero is in another town." Toadstool sighs, almost deflating, but nods and keeps her emotions in check. She must have been desperately hoping that she would meet him here, and you barely keep yourself from shaking your head. She recovers quickly, though.
"... I understand, Frogfucius. Do you know where he could be?" The frog sits contemplatively for several seconds, his dark eyes finally glancing to you, and then Hatate.
"Mario has set out to drive away Smithy, the invader who attacked Bowser's Keep." Toadstool's head tilts.
"Smithy? Attacked Bowser? I don't understand." The frog hesitates again, and you nod.
"I think he's suspicious of us, Your Highness," you say, and Toadstool turns to stare at you. "He doesn't know if we're working for or with this Smithy character, so he's not sure how much to say, in case it gets somewhere it shouldn't." Hatate is staring at you, too, but when Toadstool looks back at the frog, he nods. To her credit, Toadstool neither leaps to your defense nor sides with the frog immediately, and instead opts to think about what she knows about you. Hatate starts looking nervously at you.
"... I trust Aya and Hatate, Frogfucius. Please tell me what you can about Smithy." Well, you're probably going to have to explain yourself to her sometime soon.
"Unfortunately, I do not have much that I can tell. He has conquered Bowser's castle and repelled at least one attack that was not led by Bowser himself. His minions have been sighted in the Mushroom Kingdom, in Rose Town, and around Moleville, and Mario has reached Rose Town, although I don't know yet how far he has advanced against Smithy's minions there." Toadstool nods, then looks back at you.
"Aya, you said you were exploring. What are you looking for?" You nod politely.
"My people are looking to move from our homeland. Hatate and I are looking for suitable places to settle. I don't know anyone named Smithy, and I don't know how our people would react to his." Toadstool nods, thinking.
"I see. Would you be willing to help fight against Smithy?" You frown, then shrug.
"I would prefer not to – neither Hatate nor I are fighters. We're reporters. If we were backed into a corner, of course we would fight back, but it would be better for us to not get involved. And, no, we can't go back and ask for some actual fighters to come help." You smile weakly and shrug again. "And you don't seem to know much about Smithy and his goals apart from conquest. It's possible that his rule would be compatible with our people, and they would prefer to side with him." Everyone is staring at you, from Hatate to the trio of cloud-sitters, but your eyes are focused on Toadstool, and after a few more seconds, the princess smiles at you. The frog still seems wary of you, but he has relaxed slightly – although whether that's because of the questions you were asked or just because his age meant he couldn't hold himself stiffly for so long, you can't tell.
"Thank you, Aya. I'm sorry for asking you that, and – will you still take me to Mario?" You bow low and come up smiling.
"Of course, Princess Toadstool." She gives you a relieved smile. The frog nods sagely and strokes his beard.
"Hmm … well, we do not usually have visitors, so we don't have much in the way of accommodations, but you are quite welcome to spend the night here at Tadpole Pond." Toadstool's eyes light up, although she's much too polite to say something immediately, and you would prefer to fly during the day … but the sooner you can reunite hero and princess, the sooner you can get back to investigating the rest of the world.
What do you do?
[ ] Accept the frog's offer.
- [ ] And leave in the morning
- - [ ] To Rose Town.
- - [ ] To Moleville.
- [ ] Ask the frog questions in the morning.
- - About?
[ ] Decline the frog's offer and leave immediately.
- [ ] To Rose Town.
- [ ] To Moleville.
[ ] Other?
You take your bag from Hatate, then hesitate for a moment – but the lead tadpole glances up at you and seems to nod, so you follow Toadstool across the flesh-bridge to the lily-pad island. Hatate brings up the rear, apologizing to the tadpoles as she goes, instead of just lifting herself so she's half her weight, like you. Toadstool looks back when she reaches the island, then nods and walks forward toward the candles; you make sure to keep from looking in that direction so you can be properly surprised. You do spy several turtle-like creatures sitting in tiny clouds near the tops of the trees, apparently playing some kind of card game in the dim light. Maybe you can talk with them if things get boring.
Sitting on the ground at a low table is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a modest-sized frog with an enormous, meticulously-groomed beard. If you're any good at reading frog emotions, he's rather surprised by your sudden appearance. "Good evening, Princess Toadstool, and welcome to Tadpole Pond. I am Frogfucius." Several of the tadpoles are practically crawling up the island, hanging on his every word, and at least the frog isn't enough to trigger Hatate's squealing.
"Hello, Frogfucius. I'm sorry I came here so suddenly, but …." The frog gestures for her to come closer, and she walks up to the table before dropping to her knees, her skirt settling properly around her instead of bunching up, and you can't help but wonder how frequently she sits down suddenly, that she's mastered the technique of making it look elegant. "I heard – from the servants at the castle, I heard that Mario came here. Is – is he still here?" Frogfucius eyes her carefully for a moment, seeming to ignore you and Hatate.
"You have moved very quickly, Your Highness; word of your return to the Mushroom Kingdom had only come to me this morning, and word of your imminent arrival reached me only shortly before you did." Yep, that's irritation in his voice. Could it be that the biggest gossips in this world are the tadpoles? Well, that's just not right! Tengu spread news and information the fastest, and this geriatric amphibian needs to learn his place if your people move here. Of course, that doesn't mean you aren't going to be as polite as Yukari to him, all smiles and kind words. If he ever talks to you, anyway. "I am sorry, but your hero is in another town." Toadstool sighs, almost deflating, but nods and keeps her emotions in check. She must have been desperately hoping that she would meet him here, and you barely keep yourself from shaking your head. She recovers quickly, though.
"... I understand, Frogfucius. Do you know where he could be?" The frog sits contemplatively for several seconds, his dark eyes finally glancing to you, and then Hatate.
"Mario has set out to drive away Smithy, the invader who attacked Bowser's Keep." Toadstool's head tilts.
"Smithy? Attacked Bowser? I don't understand." The frog hesitates again, and you nod.
"I think he's suspicious of us, Your Highness," you say, and Toadstool turns to stare at you. "He doesn't know if we're working for or with this Smithy character, so he's not sure how much to say, in case it gets somewhere it shouldn't." Hatate is staring at you, too, but when Toadstool looks back at the frog, he nods. To her credit, Toadstool neither leaps to your defense nor sides with the frog immediately, and instead opts to think about what she knows about you. Hatate starts looking nervously at you.
"... I trust Aya and Hatate, Frogfucius. Please tell me what you can about Smithy." Well, you're probably going to have to explain yourself to her sometime soon.
"Unfortunately, I do not have much that I can tell. He has conquered Bowser's castle and repelled at least one attack that was not led by Bowser himself. His minions have been sighted in the Mushroom Kingdom, in Rose Town, and around Moleville, and Mario has reached Rose Town, although I don't know yet how far he has advanced against Smithy's minions there." Toadstool nods, then looks back at you.
"Aya, you said you were exploring. What are you looking for?" You nod politely.
"My people are looking to move from our homeland. Hatate and I are looking for suitable places to settle. I don't know anyone named Smithy, and I don't know how our people would react to his." Toadstool nods, thinking.
"I see. Would you be willing to help fight against Smithy?" You frown, then shrug.
"I would prefer not to – neither Hatate nor I are fighters. We're reporters. If we were backed into a corner, of course we would fight back, but it would be better for us to not get involved. And, no, we can't go back and ask for some actual fighters to come help." You smile weakly and shrug again. "And you don't seem to know much about Smithy and his goals apart from conquest. It's possible that his rule would be compatible with our people, and they would prefer to side with him." Everyone is staring at you, from Hatate to the trio of cloud-sitters, but your eyes are focused on Toadstool, and after a few more seconds, the princess smiles at you. The frog still seems wary of you, but he has relaxed slightly – although whether that's because of the questions you were asked or just because his age meant he couldn't hold himself stiffly for so long, you can't tell.
"Thank you, Aya. I'm sorry for asking you that, and – will you still take me to Mario?" You bow low and come up smiling.
"Of course, Princess Toadstool." She gives you a relieved smile. The frog nods sagely and strokes his beard.
"Hmm … well, we do not usually have visitors, so we don't have much in the way of accommodations, but you are quite welcome to spend the night here at Tadpole Pond." Toadstool's eyes light up, although she's much too polite to say something immediately, and you would prefer to fly during the day … but the sooner you can reunite hero and princess, the sooner you can get back to investigating the rest of the world.
What do you do?
[ ] Accept the frog's offer.
- [ ] And leave in the morning
- - [ ] To Rose Town.
- - [ ] To Moleville.
- [ ] Ask the frog questions in the morning.
- - About?
[ ] Decline the frog's offer and leave immediately.
- [ ] To Rose Town.
- [ ] To Moleville.
[ ] Other?
[x] Accept the frog's offer.
- [x] Ask the frog questions in the morning.
-- [x] How his information network works? It looks like most of his people can't exactly move around on land.
-- [x] What does he know about magic?
Might as well tap the local info center while we're here. Everyone is free to come up with better questions though.
- [x] Ask the frog questions in the morning.
-- [x] How his information network works? It looks like most of his people can't exactly move around on land.
-- [x] What does he know about magic?
Might as well tap the local info center while we're here. Everyone is free to come up with better questions though.