#illusionoftranscience

The odachi youkai was staring down intently at a stream rather low on the youkai mountain. Her oversized weapon and scabbard floating nearby. In the stream was a small collection of pans each collecting small amounts of sediment as it passes by. Riteraru tilts her head after a minute, then tilts it the other way. “It should have worked by now…” she mumbled to herself. She took her scabbard and used it to pull in one of the pans without having to get in the stream herself and begun to examine the sediment inside. The youkai would stare for a short while before dumping the contents and resetting it thinking another attempt will work.

“...” Does he pretend to serve tea while he thinks of something, or tell her straight out he doesn’t have any left?...He should feel a bit mad about her rudeness, but he’s a little impressed and worried she found his hidden snow-lair.“Um... all I have is... chilled water. I’m surprised you got here.”