[b]Fengye![/b]

“I [i]cannot[/i] believe you have put me up to this,” the Maid hisses. “I should just…”

She makes an attempt at making an expressive gesture with the oversized N’yari sword and squeals as it slips right out of her hands and yields to the demand of earth that all things descend. When she prances backwards in the confines of the tent, her leash bobs up and down like a wave, and she hisses.

(The rain beats down on the tent’s sides. It’s becoming an even more pleasant noise. Like a drum you can almost forget is beating.)

The poor thing had to hop to the camp after being spanked, after all. Her legs are still wobbly, like that of a silly little sheep. You, on the other hand, were carried here by Jazumi as a way of showing off her catgirl muscles. Do they call it the Princess Carry where you’re from, dear?

“…well? Do you mean to give me back my power?” She thinks she’s being subtle about it, and that the air of composure isn’t slipshod and ready to slide off her face at the slightest provocation. “Or was this just buying yourself time before [i]you[/i] end up groveling for them, you idiot woman?”

[hr]

[b]Kalaya![/b]

“That doesn’t exactly sound like a bad idea,” Petony says, and you get the feeling she’s not talking about the summoning. If she’d been trapped on that barge, she probably would have been even worse than Han. And wouldn’t that have been something to see?

“Then it’s settled,” Dima says, clapping her hands together. “Come morning, we head for Holly!” Which is to say, she intends to march you right back to the highlands, to go find Peregrine and, by extension, Uusha.

Machi makes an amused mmph and gives you a Look, as if to say: oh, you’re getting yourself into trouble, little lowlander, and only [i]I[/i] will be able to save you in the end.

[hr]

[b]Giriel![/b]

“Oh, the daughter of Hymair is where she is required to be,” the Banneret says. Her voice is high, enthusiastic, slightly breathless. “But my job’s not done.”

And she takes you by the wrist. Rather forcefully.

“Come along~! We have to go find my dear, darling Zhaojun!”

Can you even believe it? She wants you to abandon Han to the mercies of Piripiri so that you can play some small part in Heaven’s inscrutable politics, so that you can go and confront that spirit again all collared and unprepared! But what other choice do you have? The Banneret is likely to take Azazuka’s body off into only Mercury knows where, and this might be your only chance to go and stop that spirit!

What are your priorities in this moment, Giriel? To Agata, to Han, to Azazuka, or against Zhaojun?

[hr]

[b]Lotus![/b]

You glance behind you. No, this isn’t a distraction so that someone else could flank you. That’s what you’d do if you were ambushing someone, so maybe… “Han,” you say, and your voice trembles like a reed in the wind, and wouldn’t you know it, the wind is kicking up, the rain rolling down and spattering on the umbrella you’re still trying to hold over Han, “maybe she really does want to talk?” Maybe she’s just here to scold you. Or to confirm that you’re safe and to let you know that Agata’s extending an invitation somewhere. Or maybe it’s one of Mom’s servants in disguise!

You peer over Han’s shoulder, trying to see through the rain whether this really is a human person or something that’s good at pretending.