ORIGINAL QUEST TEXT Many establishments on Main Street and beyond have been left in ruins after the forest twisted its way through the city streets. Overgrown roots have pierced through concrete, steel, and glass alike, invading the walls and floors of many buildings. Even what remains of the city's power supply is flickering in and out thanks to the way the foliage chokes the power lines, leaving some places without light and heat to protect them from the perpetual chill. All hands on deck are needed to clear away as much of the foliage as possible. Those who tackle this quest shouldn't encounter much trouble once the clean-up begins now that the Forest Spirit has been pacified, but you should mind your step regardless — the streets can be unstable with the way some roots have broken through. There are defunct subway and sewer passages waiting down below for anyone unlucky enough to take a tumble.
Given the amount of dirty, physical work to be done, this quest is repeatable and can be done many times throughout the rest of the month. If you show concern for the state of the Forest Spirit when accepting this task, Master will simply reply with a tame wink: ”Not to worry. Even the most beautiful of flowers need a little pruning to stay healthy.”
QUEST RESULTS The two are more productive on the surface, it seems. Debris is cleared up perfectly, and with their combined abilities, they're able to set aside useful plant material and thatch it together to helpfully seal one or two of the cracks to the sewers and subway beneath. It doesn't look as though there's anything of interest down there, anyway, though they're free to look at the broken trains or sewer... waste.
One thing will catch Lalli's eyes on the surface, however. There's something like string caught in the vines and branches of leftover foliage, and upon closer inspection, he may realize that the string was purposefully wound and looped into a pattern before it snagged on a branch and was left here. Someone's lost game of ayatori. If the two don't recognize it, their youkai will helpfully mention that it's a game for children. Other than that, the cleaning goes smoothly and without any significant interruption (other than one or two youkai thanking them for fixing some of those cracks!), leaving them to collect their cash reward and earn their thanks.
Now that Lalli isn't HIDING ON THE ROOFTOPS (badly), Katsuki has a better look at him. He doesn't...really work well with others? But that's fine, because Lalli doesn't either. Katsuki is at least very efficient at leading teams, usually. Though moreso when he knows what the fuck his teammates can do.
[They can efficiently work alongside each other, each doing their own thing until one or the other actually needs help with one task or another. Or at least that's what Lalli feels like, it's how he usually works with other people.
And while they're cleaning debris, he hears Katsuki's question and pauses. How does one explain a scout's job? He's not normally one for words anyway, so he has to think for a moment before answering.]
Scouting. I survey nearby areas, looking for the dangerous places and the safe places. Safe places to rest at, dangerous ones to know where to fight, or to avoid.
[He tosses another chunk of concrete into a pile nearby. Get the vines sorted from the rubble, so the vines can be burned. That's what he's working on right now.]
Sometimes I hunt trolls. But I'm not supposed to do that alone, only when there's an emergency.
[That makes sense to him. If you've never grown up around them, you wouldn't actually know that much. So he just accepts that answer and nods.
...and doesn't explain anything further about living in a world of zombies, because he's Like That. Sometimes he needs to be prodded with the right questions to share information, because he doesn't realize he's leaving important bits out.
But that's also about the time he will see the ayatori wrapped around a branch, and he pauses.]
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DECEMBER 2020: UNLOVED FLOWERS (LALLI HOTAKAINEN)
That said: ]
What the hell can you even do?
[ May as well get down to the basics, here. ]
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And while they're cleaning debris, he hears Katsuki's question and pauses. How does one explain a scout's job? He's not normally one for words anyway, so he has to think for a moment before answering.]
Scouting. I survey nearby areas, looking for the dangerous places and the safe places. Safe places to rest at, dangerous ones to know where to fight, or to avoid.
[He tosses another chunk of concrete into a pile nearby. Get the vines sorted from the rubble, so the vines can be burned. That's what he's working on right now.]
Sometimes I hunt trolls. But I'm not supposed to do that alone, only when there's an emergency.
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...Well. Character development demands he at least try. ]
What the fuck's a troll?
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...big. Kind of like Yokai. And their insides are usually on the outside.
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[ With organs outside, he means. ]
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[ Because like. Brains. ]
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[ In horror movies. ]
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[A pause.]
Trolls eat all of the body. Do zombies do that too?
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[ He doesn't watch THAT many horror flicks, okay. ]
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[Lalli, zombies don't have to make sense.}
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[ He's never spent that much time thinking about the logistics of zombies, okay. ]
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[That makes sense to him. If you've never grown up around them, you wouldn't actually know that much. So he just accepts that answer and nods.
...and doesn't explain anything further about living in a world of zombies, because he's Like That. Sometimes he needs to be prodded with the right questions to share information, because he doesn't realize he's leaving important bits out.
But that's also about the time he will see the ayatori wrapped around a branch, and he pauses.]
What's this?
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[ He hasn't looked that closely yet. ]