Nue Quest Vth Vanguard: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> Take out our trident and try to poke some of the coins.

>You try to poke the coins, and have no more success. It's like trying drive it into the ground.

>What's in the southwest part of the Forest of Magic? What's further to the southwest of it, if anything?

>You don't know what's to the southwest, really. the furthest south you've ever been was last night. From what you saw, a whole lot of nothing. But likely there's probably a few interesting places hidden under the trees.
>"How did you do this, Rinnosuke?" she asks. "It's quite a breathtaking feat, no matter how you look at it."
>"Isn't it obvious?" He says.

>How well can we dig?

>About as well as any other normal person.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Put the trident away and look back at the two speakers.

[Hello Purvis]

>You turn to face the speakers again. Rinnosuke has not budged. Byakuren has knelt down on the ground, as is her habit when speaking with others.
>"I am a little slow sometimes," says Byakuren. "Perhaps you could say it for me plainly?"
>"It is simple," says Rinnosuke, "Just as the beauty of the exchange violates the idea of equivalency, it creates a spark, so to speak. A kind of friction is made with each exchange, each time the paradox grows a little deeper. And I harvest it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Wouldn't you still be able to do that in your new economy, where you'd be doing it much more often?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Wouldn't you still be able to do that in your new economy?"

>"And others as well," says Rinnosuke, "if they can open their eyes to the splendor of it all."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Anyone can harvest that spark? How?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Anyone can harvest that spark? How?"

>"They need to funny appreciate the beauty of the exchange," says Rinnosuke. "Not just as a passive observer, they must know it and feel it. Do you understand? It is one thing to look at an artwork in passing, it is another to stop and appreciate each detail that went into it's crafting, to understand it's history and it's maker. So few can do this...it is a shame, don't you think?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, yeah. I can appreciate having the effort and precision that goes into my jewel crafting acknowledged by an outside observer. But I don't go out forcing people to care, for a number of reasons."

I like how I explicitly said not to argue and yet here I am doing exactly that. >_> At least this time the motive is a lot more clearly bogus, and hopefully further exposing it at such will get Byakuren further on our side.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, yeah. I can appreciate having the effort and precision that goes into my jewel crafting acknowledged by an outside observer. But I don't go out forcing people to care, for a number of reasons."

>"You may see things as you like," says Rinnosuke.
>"I think I've asked all that I need to," says Byakuren, looking toward you. "Have you?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Poke at the apron with the non-trident end of our trident. If the other end of the trident is pointy in itself, angle our poking so that we're not stabbing the apron. Does our trident feel cold as we poke the apron?
> "Not sure. I'm still kinda working this situation out to its logical conclusion. These paradox sparks. Let's just go ahead and assume that they can indeed be harvested by anyone that buys into the system, because the obvious alternative would be that only you can do it and the implications of that combined with what you're trying to do are pretty clear."

[Hello Purvis]

> Poke at the apron with the non-trident end of our trident. If the other end of the trident is pointy in itself, angle our poking so that we're not stabbing the apron. Does our trident feel cold as we poke the apron?
> "Not sure. I'm still kinda working this situation out to its logical conclusion. These paradox sparks. Let's just go ahead and assume that they can indeed be harvested by anyone that buys into the system, because the obvious alternative would be that only you can do it and the implications of that combined with what you're trying to do are pretty clear."

>You feel no especial chill from the trident.
>Byakuren nods. "Let's make this assumption. Then what?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Resheath the trident, pull out Tewi's dress, wrap it around our hand and grab at the apron with the wrapped hand.
> While doing all this, talk.
> "Even with that sort of equality, I imagine people are going to take time to warm up to the idea, assuming one has to truly see this proposed beauty of exchange. In the meantime, they'll still have to use the system to get by, even though they'll be unable to reap the additional benefits of harvesting these sparks for however long they take to get to that point. If they ever do."

[Hello Purvis]

> Resheath the trident, pull out Tewi's dress, wrap it around our hand and grab at the apron with the wrapped hand.
> While doing all this, talk.
> "Even with that sort of equality, I imagine people are going to take time to warm up to the idea, assuming one has to truly see this proposed beauty of exchange. In the meantime, they'll still have to use the system to get by, even though they'll be unable to reap the additional benefits of harvesting these sparks for however long they take to get to that point. If they ever do."

>You wrap your hand and try to grab the apron, immediately the horrid chilling sensation returns.
>"I agree with that," says Byakuren.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Drop the apron and walk back over to the Jacinth Tiger. Whie walking, unwrap our hand from the dress, put it away, and keep speaking.
> "But we have someone in this room that already has a whole bunch of these sparks, is in perfect position to keep gathering them even if what's about to happen exhausts all the current ones, and has more knowledge of how to game the system than the rest of Gensokyo combined. This person is going to have a running head start in the race, and will be accelerating much, much faster than anyone else."

[Hello Purvis]

> Drop the apron and walk back over to the Jacinth Tiger. Whie walking, unwrap our hand from the dress, put it away, and keep speaking.
> "But we have someone in this room that already has a whole bunch of these sparks, is in perfect position to keep gathering them even if what's about to happen exhausts all the current ones, and has more knowledge of how to game the system than the rest of Gensokyo combined. This person is going to have a running head start in the race, and will be accelerating much, much faster than anyone else."

>You drop the apron, and the feeling goes away.
>"I've concluded much the same," says Byakuren.
>"As I have been beforehand," says Rinnosuke. "What would be different about the situation?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "The system would be different. You could exchange those sparks for other things. Power, looks, a longer life span. Things you couldn't get with them now. And for all we know, each exchange involving sparks creates more sparks, which just ramps your resources up even further."

[Hello Purvis]

> "The system would be different. You could exchange those sparks for other things. Power, looks, a longer life span. Things you couldn't get with them now. And for all we know, each exchange involving sparks creates more sparks, which just ramps your resources up even further."

>"It will be a wonderful ballet of exchanges," he says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Poke at the Jacinth Tiger with our trident while talking.
> "Well, sure, you'd say that. You'll be dancing center stage while everyone else just learns how to jump properly off to the side. Though it does give pause for thought, doesn't it? These sparks, what function do they have? What purpose do they serve as themselves? You could exchange your happiness, sure, or you could keep it and be happy. You could exchange your looks, or you could keep them and look good. You could exchange your athleticism, or you could keep it and be in good physical shape. You could exchange these sparks, or...do what with them?"

[Hello Purvis]

>You poke at the little statue, and nothing unusual happens.
>"It would take more time than I am willing to spend to truly explain their potential," says Rinnosuke.

[Kilgamayan]

> "Then tell me what practical purpose they will serve to the common Gensokyo native."

[Rin Kagamine]

> "Well you're going to have to explain it to everyone eventually, why not start now?  If you don't inform them of this new system there's an extremely high chance that it will never come to fruition. You're forgetting that humans are stubborn and will resist any kind of change no matter how slight.  Without any explanation they're much more likely to revert to the old system.  Hell, they're probably doing that now!  Do you really want to be caught in this stalemate for years or would you rather go ahead and get them started on this plan?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Then tell me what practical purpose they will serve to the common Gensokyo native."

>"No more than they do now," says Rinnosuke. "You cannot hope to begin to touch them, as you are. I imagine it will be largely the same for a long time even afterward."

> "Well you're going to have to explain it to everyone eventually, why not start now?  If you don't inform them of this new system there's an extremely high chance that it will never come to fruition. You're forgetting that humans are stubborn and will resist any kind of change no matter how slight.  Without any explanation they're much more likely to revert to the old system.  Hell, they're probably doing that now!  Do you really want to be caught in this stalemate for years or would you rather go ahead and get them started on this plan?"

>"I may consider taking some students," says Rinnosuke, "But will be decided later."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> How thick and solid has the Jacinth Tiger felt?

[Hello Purvis]

> How thick and solid has the Jacinth Tiger felt?

>It's not large, you could hold it in the palm of your hand.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Sounds like all the more reason why this change will greatly benefit you in comparison to everyone else."
> Use the trident to gently knock the Jacinth Tiger off the mound of money it's on so it hits the floor.
> How is that cobblestone shaped?

[Hello Purvis]

> "Sounds like all the more reason why this change will greatly benefit you in comparison to everyone else."
> Use the trident to gently knock the Jacinth Tiger off the mound of money it's on so it hits the floor.
> How is that cobblestone shaped?

>"It is unavoidable when things have slid so far."
>You knock the tiger onto the floor, and your hands immediately begin to ache fiercely with the now- familiar cold sensation!
>It is flat and oblong.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

Now or never, I guess.

> Come on, Nue! Grit through it! You're the best in the world at what you do! Don't let a little cold hold you back!
> Try to pull the cobblestone out of our purse.

[Hello Purvis]

Now or never, I guess.

> Come on, Nue! Grit through it! You're the best in the world at what you do! Don't let a little cold hold you back!
> Try to pull the cobblestone out of our purse.

>You grit your teeth and try to bear with it, very aware that that your eyes are starting to tear up and a scream is going to force its way through your throat soon.
>You reach into your purse, fumbling desperately with fingers in too much pain to listen properly, and grab the cobblestone.
>"Nue?" Byakuren says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Gotta do this gotta do this gotta do this! Can't let the power-hungry win! Everything we've stood for over the years, knocking the undeserving on their ass where they belong! This is the worst one yet, and needs to be taken down!
> If we're gripping the cobblestone in one hand, grab that one hand with the other. If we're gripping it with two hands, keep them as they are.
> Turn that shout from one of pain into one of anger and let it out! Bring that stone down on the statue as hard as we can!

[Hello Purvis]

> Gotta do this gotta do this gotta do this! Can't let the power-hungry win! Everything we've stood for over the years, knocking the undeserving on their ass where they belong! This is the worst one yet, and needs to be taken down!
> If we're gripping the cobblestone in one hand, grab that one hand with the other. If we're gripping it with two hands, keep them as they are.
> Turn that shout from one of pain into one of anger and let it out! Bring that stone down on the statue as hard as we can!

>You do everything in your poor to keep your mind on the task, and bring down the cobblestone on the statue as though you were smashing a votive offering on the emperor's own altar, shouting out your rage and pain at this man's self-centeredness. Distantly, you hear Byakuren crying out.
>The cobblestone smacks into the little statue, and through your blurry vision you watch it split in half. The pain in your hands does not abate, it's getting hard to concentrate through the pain, to keep from wringing your hands to do something, anything, to lessen the pain!
>"Well," says Rinnosuke, "I am a kind person at heart, Miss Houjuu, so I will allow you to offer me something to replace that item you just broke."

>_