Nue Quest 9 - Ascension: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "Good. More new people is better. Mystia's a good'un, she's been a pretty big help throughout this whole process, and she can get into a quality skull-smashing attitude when angry enough. You wouldn't know it just from looking at her, though. Come on with me, I've wanted to see how she'd react to getting her money back ever since I ran into her yesterday."
> Assuming no objections from Mamizou, take flight a little bit off the ground (so as to avoid mud) and head toward Mystia's house.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Good. More new people is better. Mystia's a good'un, she's been a pretty big help throughout this whole process, and she can get into a quality skull-smashing attitude when angry enough. You wouldn't know it just from looking at her, though. Come on with me, I've wanted to see how she'd react to getting her money back ever since I ran into her yesterday."
> Assuming no objections from Mamizou, take flight a little bit off the ground (so as to avoid mud) and head toward Mystia's house.

>You take flight and head down the road. At the appropriate point, you make a turn to the east and head down a thickly overgrown path, which is extra hard to traverse with an umbrella out. At one point, you startle a squirrel, who zooms off into the underbrush.
>Drawing close to the stand, you can hear the unmistakable sound of a scraper running across a grill, it seems like someone is doing some cleaning.

>_

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Hope it's Mystia and not her little helper that she mentioned earlier.
> Head into the stand.

[Hello Purvis]

> Hope it's Mystia and not her little helper that she mentioned earlier.
> Head into the stand.

>You head onward, and reach the stand. "Oh, that looks lovely," says Mamizou. "In such a nice rustic place, too."
>Pulling the curtain aside, you see Mystia is there, running a scraper over the grill. "Oh, hello Nue," she says, "Sorry but I'm not open yet. And, um...I tried to chase Hatate down, but she got away."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Shake head.
> "Don't worry about her, she wasn't the one that deserved to be bound and gagged anyway. I'm just checking in to make sure you're all right, since I was slightly worried she managed to do something to you on her way out when we couldn't find either of you. Anyway, since you saw all the papers in the basement and appear to be opening soon, I'm going to assume you've noticed the good news."

[Hello Purvis]

> Shake head.
> "Don't worry about her, she wasn't the one that deserved to be bound and gagged anyway. I'm just checking in to make sure you're all right, since I was slightly worried she managed to do something to you on her way out when we couldn't find either of you. Anyway, since you saw all the papers in the basement and appear to be opening soon, I'm going to assume you've noticed the good news."

>"Okay, good," Mystia frowns for a moment, then says. "Um, actually...I kinda wasn't honest. I let her go, once I saw that the familiar was distracted."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "For the best. I'll be sure to conveniently forget you said that if I'm ever around Petite again."
> "If you're opening again soon, does that mean you're going to chase down your helper beforehand?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "For the best. I'll be sure to conveniently forget you said that if I'm ever around Petite again."
> "If you're opening again soon, does that mean you're going to chase down your helper beforehand?"

>"Yeah," says Mystia. "I made her agree not to say anything bad about us in her paper, which is the only reason why I bothered."
>"Oh, Tokiko? She'll show up once the faeries calm down, probably. Speaking of helpers, who's this?"
>She nods toward Mamizou.

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"An old friend, one I hadn't seen for a long time. I ran into her while I was out getting the sword fixed."
>Introduce them.

[Hello Purvis]

>"An old friend, one I hadn't seen for a long time. I ran into her while I was out getting the sword fixed."
>Introduce them.

>You explain and introduce them to each other.
>"I've heard you've been quite the help to Nue on her uncharacteristic foray into selflessness," says Mamizou.
>"Oh, just little things," says Mystia, shaking her head. "I wasn't really helpful."
>"Well, don't be fooled," Mamizou says. "Typically she would have already robbed you."

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"Nah, I don't really do that now. It kind of got the oni angry with me, and pissing off a city of oni is not an experience I care to repeat, thank you very much."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Nah, I don't really do that now. It kind of got the oni angry with me, and pissing off a city of oni is not an experience I care to repeat, thank you very much."

>"That's why you can't trust her," says Mamizou, "If she can't bamboozle people at home, she'll definitely take aim at anyone else."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Turn back to Mystia.
> "Anyway, don't sell yourself short. I might still be looking for Tewi if you hadn't been there last night."

[Hello Purvis]

> Turn back to Mystia.
> "Anyway, don't sell yourself short. I might still be looking for Tewi if you hadn't been there last night."

>"Heh, maybe," says Mystia.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right, well, if you're fine and you think your helper buddy will return just fine, I'll leave you be to restart your business."

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right, well, if you're fine and you think your helper buddy will return just fine, I'll leave you be to restart your business."

>"Okay," says Mystia. "Feel free to stop on by, and I'll give you a free one."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Same to you, whenever you're in the mood for some alcohol."

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "Same to you, whenever you're in the mood for some alcohol."

>"If I ever find my way down there," says Mystia.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Shouldn't be a problem once you get to the city proper. Just watch out for Kisume. Lives near the entrance to the cave and likes mugging people."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Shouldn't be a problem once you get to the city proper. Just watch out for Kisume. Lives near the entrance to the cave and likes mugging people."

>She nods. "We'll see."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right, you take care of yourself. Good luck with the grand reopening."
> Assuming no objection from either present party, take flight, cresting the canopy as necessary (make sure the umbrella doesn't get wrecked!), and start heading toward Turtle House.
> "One last stop before we should go meet up with Byakuren again. Since Alice isn't around, it's the perfect time for your to meet the outer world kids."

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right, you take care of yourself. Good luck with the grand reopening."
> Assuming no objection from either present party, take flight, cresting the canopy as necessary (make sure the umbrella doesn't get wrecked!), and start heading toward Turtle House.
> "One last stop before we should go meet up with Byakuren again. Since Alice isn't around, it's the perfect time for your to meet the outer world kids."

>"Thanks!" says Mystia, as you depart.
>You take to the air, taking care not to harm your umbrella, and make your way toward Turtle House.
>"Ah, right," says Mamizou. "I remember that you mentioned them."
>As you approach the house, you notice that the windows are dark. At this time of day, it suggests they are not home.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "Well, damn. Guess they aren't here."

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "Well, damn. Guess they aren't here."

>"Probably for the best," says Mamizou. "That monster would have given them nightmares."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Maybe. They're pretty hardy kids, though. Anyway, let's not waste time getting back to Byakuren."
> Assuming no objection, take flight and begin heading back to the temple.
> On the way there...
> "This might be getting a little ahead of myself, since the Temple is the most important place to visit and you need a proper introduction to Byakuren, but...what do you think of this place? Giant red oxen aside, of course."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Maybe. They're pretty hardy kids, though. Anyway, let's not waste time getting back to Byakuren."
> Assuming no objection, take flight and begin heading back to the temple.
> On the way there...
> "This might be getting a little ahead of myself, since the Temple is the most important place to visit and you need a proper introduction to Byakuren, but...what do you think of this place? Giant red oxen aside, of course."

>"Of course," says Mamizou.
>The two of your start to make your way back toward town. On the way, as you fly over the plains, you ask Mamizou about her experiences.
>"Rushed,"  she says. "But, it does seem quite refreshingly like home in many ways. Pity there doesn't seem to be a proper city above ground, but it's nice enough. Though it is strange to meet humans in the forests and youkai in town, I'm sure you'll agree."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I can imagine it so. At this point, though, I'm pretty used to the mingling, so maybe it just doesn't register as much with me as it would have long ago. It's certainly preferable to how things used to be, though."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I can imagine it so. At this point, though, I'm pretty used to the mingling, so maybe it just doesn't register as much with me as it would have long ago. It's certainly preferable to how things used to be, though."

>"I can see some upsides," says Mamizou.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Sorry about it being rushed, by the way. Circumstances didn't allow for a proper tour, unfortunately. I'm glad for what little we got, at least."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Sorry about it being rushed, by the way. Circumstances didn't allow for a proper tour, unfortunately. I'm glad for what little we got, at least."

>"It's hardly your fault," says Mamizou. "And indeed."

>_