Nue Quest II: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>You are Nue Houjuu,  Gensokyo's premier shapeshifter! Yours is a long and storied past, ranging from hassling the Mikado's palace in the old days to being sealed underground to making your way among migrant oni and more. But by and large, you've gotten by. These days, you live in the Ancient City, and run a successful tavern, as well as a couple of side businesses. As well, you have taken to hanging with a group of surprisingly open-minded Buddhists.
>And you've been robbed.
>You are an independent-minded person and prone to mischief. You are a confident and flirtatious, seldom at a loss of words or caught off guard. In the old days you had no problem terrorizing those in the highest seats of power, but these days you have calmed down somewhat. Even if you no longer aspire to your old heights of harassing Emperors, you still love to stir up trouble every now and again. Despite this, you find yourself surprisingly responsible these days, between running legitimate businesses and helping out your surface world friends. Some days, you wonder if you're losing your edge. Partially you blame Byakuren's influence; she has a way of making want to behave, at least a little bit. As well, having lived among the rigorously honest oni; quick to answer injury with violence; has done much to quietly shape you toward being a more socially-minded soul. Particularly after the end result of your first attempts to run scams and thieve your way through as you used to...
>These days you consider the oni as good friends, even if they're a bit more gruff than you'd like sometimes. Your tavern serves as a well-known peaceful spot, where people in the Ancient City can go to relax and not worry about the brawls and such, though sometimes they do happen right outside your doorstep. You are acquainted with one of the Four Devas that lead the oni, a woman calling herself Kay. She sometimes uses your tavern as a base of operations, though this has been happening less often lately. You have also found yourself tied to the people of the Myouren Temple, after they forgave you for your last big prank of interfering with their restoration of their leader. They've proven to be true friends, and have done what they can to assist you when you need it.
>A strange event of some kind seems to have turned everyone's money into gemstones of roughly equivalent worth. You aren't sure what caused it or why, but you do know a rabbit youkai was seen entering and leaving your house. Chaos has started to break out in the city, and is only barely contained in the human town. You've made some inquires, and found that the event may not be magic, at least not in the sense that most people understand it. If things continue to degenerate, things could get very messy in Gensokyo.You have Nazrin working your tavern, trying to turn a profit from the events. As well, your spell cards have gone missing.
>You have run into Tenshi and a gang of celestials she had been training on the way up toward Youkai Mountain. They managed to defeat you in a tense sparring session, but you think that you acquitted yourself well.

> Move over to Tenshi and offer another handshake.
> "You're doing pretty well for yourself, too, if what they can do so far is any indication."

>Tenshi accepts the gesture. "I'll make something out of them," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "By the way, if you lot were coming down from the mountain, I assume you passed through Tengu Town. Are they in a tizzy like the human village and oni city are?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "By the way, if you lot were coming down from the mountain, I assume you passed through Tengu Town. Are they in a tizzy like the human village and oni city are?"

>"Oh like you wouldn't believe," says Tenshi. "They usually don't even notice Celestials, but we got some evil eyes there, I'll tell you. I figure someone probably stole Tenma's horse. The kappa were in a tizzy, too."

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yeah, I figured. It seems like all of Gensokyo's money has been turned into gems. "
> Pull out one of our rose quartzes.
> "No one has any idea how or why. If any of you have any spare change on you, you might want to check to make sure it's still there. Don't know if whatever this was could hit as high as your place."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yeah, I figured. It seems like all of Gensokyo's money has been turned into gems. "
> Pull out one of our rose quartzes.
> "No one has any idea how or why. If any of you have any spare change on you, you might want to check to make sure it's still there. Don't know if whatever this was could hit as high as your place."

>"Huh, really?" says Tenshi. "Didn't notice. But I'm kinda broke anyways, and other celestials never keep money on them anyways."

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"Yeah, I remember that."

[Kilgamayan]

> "Wonder if that's why all the tengu gave you the crazy you. You lot stand to lose the least from something like this."

> Do we know of a Youmu Konpaku?

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yeah, I remember that."

>Tenshi nods.

> "Wonder if that's why all the tengu gave you the crazy you. You lot stand to lose the least from something like this."
> Do we know of a Youmu Konpaku?

>"Maybe," says Tenshi. "Well, I'm pretty sure it wasn't us, at least."
>You've not heard that name. But you have heard of a half phantom that visits the village on rare occasions.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> What do we know of the half-phantom?
> "Yeah, after the fall, I think the last thing you lot'd want to do is actually be responsible for chaos."
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "So who are you shopping for, anyway?"

[Hello Purvis]

> What do we know of the half-phantom?
> "Yeah, after the fall, I think the last thing you lot'd want to do is actually be responsible for chaos."
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "So who are you shopping for, anyway?"

>"Eh, haven't decided," Tenshi says. "I figured I'd know what I'm looking for when I see it."
>You don't know much, you've never seen her. Just that she visits from elsewhere.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Here's hoping you're looking for jewelery. Goodness knows Gensokyo has enough."
> Look around at the other celestials, then back at Tenshi. Lower voice a bit.
> "Can I talk to you in private real quick?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Here's hoping you're looking for jewelery. Goodness knows Gensokyo has enough."
> Look around at the other celestials, then back at Tenshi. Lower voice a bit.
> "Can I talk to you in private real quick?"

>"Maybe," says Tenshi with a shrug.
>You ask Tenshi for a word in private.
>"Yeah sure," says Tenshi. She looks over toward her students and says, "Go wait by the forest edge, I'll be a minute."
>The celestials depart westward, some of them still nursing their wounds.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "So. Have you seen...uh...Iku's other little buddy recently? The one from back when you all fell."

[Hello Purvis]

> "So. Have you seen...uh...Iku's other little buddy recently? The one from back when you all fell."

>"You mean her pet ghost?" says Tenshi. "Uh, not lately. She doesn't come to the tavern much. Why?"

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yeah, that one. You've seen her at all is the important thing What's up with her? She was skiddish as all hell way back and now she's a sales rep."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yeah, that one. You've seen her at all is the important thing What's up with her? She was skiddish as all hell way back and now she's a sales rep."

>"Oh, the jeweler makes her do it," says Tenshi. "She hated it, at least originally, but I think she's kind of gotten a thick skin toward it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, good for her. I'm glad she's finally gotten over all that, at least to a degree."
> "And hey, when you see Iku again...let her know, if what we did together contributed to what she's doing to herself, that I'm sorry."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, good for her. I'm glad she's finally gotten over all that, at least to a degree."
> "And hey, when you see Iku again...let her know, if what we did together contributed to what she's doing to herself, that I'm sorry."

>Tenshi nods. "Yeah, I'll tell her. No problem."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Good, good, thanks. I hope you're treating her right while she's going through this. She's a great one in an ocean of good ones, and deserves whatever support she can get."
> Give a small smile.
> "Kinda strange that she fell in with the likes of me given all that, for as short a time as we worked together. But I guess the world just works in funny ways sometimes."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Good, good, thanks. I hope you're treating her right while she's going through this. She's a great one in an ocean of good ones, and deserves whatever support she can get."
> Give a small smile.
> "Kinda strange that she fell in with the likes of me given all that, for as short a time as we worked together. But I guess the world just works in funny ways sometimes."

>"Eh, you're making too big a deal about it," says Tenshi, as starts westward.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Hey, she cares about you. Just make sure she knows the reverse is true as well."

[E-Nazrin]

> "Hey, she cares about you. Just make sure she knows the reverse is true as well."

Is this Nue-like at all?

[Kilgamayan]

We're a playful free spirit, not a jerk. <_<

As far as I'm concerned, Nue saw a bit of Byakuren in Iku that night with Shuuei.

But no, I don't intend on pursuing this much further than what I've done.

EDIT: Put it this way. If I were intent on ignoring who Nue is I'd toss a couple of gems in Tenshi's direction.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Hey, she cares about you. Just make sure she knows the reverse is true as well."

>"Yeah, yeah," says Tenshi as she continues down the road.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Continue on the path up the mountain

[Hello Purvis]

> Continue on the path up the mountain

>You continue along the road. The trees grow thicker, and the foliage overhead grows more tangled, until it feels like it's past sunset. The trees are dark and gnarled things, rather reminding you of places you liked to haunt back in the old days when you hassled the Mikado. The air is still with heaviness that's difficult to ignore. A thick earthy scent that makes you think of mushrooms and mosses. It is quiet, you don't hear anything from the woods. But up ahead, you can hear the distant sound of a crowd.

>_

[Fightest]

If we want to slip in as a fairy, we're going to need to start putting on that disguise now.

[Rin Kagamine]

> Inventory
> Do we have anything to disguise ourselves as a fairy?

[Hello Purvis]

> Inventory
> Do we have anything to disguise ourselves as a fairy?

>Your inventory contains:
>Black dress
>A short number that draws attention low, and has a lovely bit of frills around the neck. It's made to accommodate your wings, and is is quite stretchy, very useful when you need to change shapes on the fly.
>Black Stockings
>They keep your legs warm and clean. They can stretch to accommodate some shape changes.
>Black Bracelet
>A simple accessory that plays off the asymmetric of your natural form.
>Red shoes
>A cute pair of shoes that stand out against your stockings.
>Rose Quartz x2
>A common gem with a pinkish hue. Worth about 15-25☼.
>Black Pearl x2
>A rare and precious kind of pearl, easily worth 100-130☼.
>Red Spinel x2
>A lovely but low value gem that the uninitiated may mistake for a ruby. Worth 50-80☼.
>You are only a few minutes away from your pub by foot if you move quickly.
>Green Glass Bead x15
>Cheaply made, but kind of pretty. Worth 1☼. at most, and you'd quickly expect a bulk discount.
>Loose Cobblestone
>This seems to have been taken from the streets of the Ancient City
>Brown Jasper
>An ornamental gem worth 30-40☼
>Freshwater Pearl
>A common, low value pearl worth 7-8☼
>Aventurine
>A greenish stone that worth 20-25☼.
>Banded Agate
>A layered stone you would value at 7-11☼ 
>Carnelian
>A common brownish red decorative stone that you price at 7-11☼
>Rabbit Dress
>A yellow sun dress in the style favored by the rabbits of Eientei, made for a slender person a few inches shy of five feet tall.
>Hand Mirror
>A small sturdy mirror for on the go use.
>Trident
>Your trusty weapon and fishing tool.
>You might be able to use the Rabbit Dress, if you wanted to pass off as an exceptionally large faerie. Or possibly your black dress, with a little work.

>_

[Rin Kagamine]

So no real fairy disguise then?  Awesome.  I'm not opposed to trying to talk to one of the tengu (probably run into Momiji or Aya first) and asking for passage to the Moriya Shrine instead of trying to sneak past (which we'll probably have to do anyway) but all y'all are probably asleep now so I'll sit on it for a bit.