Nue Quest 10 - The Lost Levels: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yeah. She looked roughed up. Guess Shinki didn't go down easy. Marisa's back too, but Reimu thinks she's passed out from exhaustion in her own house."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yeah. She looked roughed up. Guess Shinki didn't go down easy. Marisa's back too, but Reimu thinks she's passed out from exhaustion in her own house."

>"I'm not surprised," says Byakuren. "One can only wonder when they slept last time."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Is Mamizou still inside? Hopefully she was less trouble than me, I have a reputation to maintain."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Is Mamizou still inside? Hopefully she was less trouble than me, I have a reputation to maintain."

>"She is," says Byakuren. "Right now she should be keeping an eye on Rinnosuke."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Great."
> Give a smile.
> "She's not charging by the minute, I hope."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Great."
> Give a smile.
> "She's not charging by the minute, I hope."

>"Well, she didn't mention a fee up front, anyways," says Byakuren, with a faint grin.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Good. Well, I don't like leaving you here alone, but I think I need to take Mamizou home, since she hasn't seen Former Hell yet. Anything I should relay to the folks underground in terms of when they should come back up, since you're running low on messengers?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "Good. Well, I don't like leaving you here alone, but I think I need to take Mamizou home, since she hasn't seen Former Hell yet. Anything I should relay to the folks underground in terms of when they should come back up, since you're running low on messengers?"

>"I don't think people will leave me alone for very long," says Byakuren, "So think nothing of it. As for the rest, well, tell them that I'll be here. I expect they'll head up when things clear up enough for them to do so."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right."
> Smile, then float over to Byakuren and give her a hug as best our size differences will allow.

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right."
> Smile, then float over to Byakuren and give her a hug as best our size differences will allow.

>You float over and hug Byakuren. Unlike many of your victims today, she does not shy away as you wrap your arms around her waist. She returns the gesture, folding her arms around you. "You did well, Nue."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "We did well."

[Hello Purvis]

> "We did well."

>"Only in the most technical sense," says Byakuren.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Grin.
> "Don't give me that. This doesn't happen without you and you know it."

[Hello Purvis]

> Grin.
> "Don't give me that. This doesn't happen without you and you know it."

>"Perhaps," says Byakuren. "But, related to that, let me see if you are still cursed."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Release the hug if we haven't already.
> Hold our hands up in front of us.
> "Go for it."

[Hello Purvis]

> Release the hug if we haven't already.
> Hold our hands up in front of us.
> "Go for it."

>You let her go and hold up your hands. She enfolds them into her hands, and closes her eyes. She chants softly, and you feel a tingly electric sensation creep through your hands, somewhat reminiscent of the feeling that you had when your places the broken sword pieces together but less hard to pin down. You manage to resist the urge to squirm as the sensation continues, until she lets your hands go.
>"I don't feel any sign of it," she says, smiling, "I think you'll be fine."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "That's good to know. It does raise the question of how Kourindou is going to protect its goods, though."

[Hello Purvis]

> "That's good to know. It does raise the question of how Kourindou is going to protect its goods, though."

>"I have no idea," says Byakuren. "I intend to worry about things like that after we figure out how to nudge him back toward sanity."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I suppose that's the best way to handle things. And now that Mamizou's here, I can probably help out topside more, once she's trained enough that she can be left alone in the tavern."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I suppose that's the best way to handle things. And now that Mamizou's here, I can probably help out topside more, once she's trained enough that she can be left alone in the tavern."

>"Oh, she's agreed to help you out?" says Byakuren. "It would be nice to see you here more often."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Smirk.
> "She hasn't yet. But she will, if she wants a roof to sleep under."
> Wave a hand dismissively.
> "We pushed each other's buttons for years upon years. I'm sure it won't be a problem. If nothing else, it's an immediate job with immediate money."

[Hello Purvis]

> Smirk.
> "She hasn't yet. But she will, if she wants a roof to sleep under."
> Wave a hand dismissively.
> "We pushed each other's buttons for years upon years. I'm sure it won't be a problem. If nothing else, it's an immediate job with immediate money."

>"Ah, I see," says Byakuren. "Does she have anything with her at all?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I don't think so, actually. And I don't know if the hole is closed yet or not."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I don't think so, actually. And I don't know if the hole is closed yet or not."

>Byakuren nods. "It may be best not to linger with that, then, if she intends to go back and get anything."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right. Where in there did you say he was being kept?'

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right. Where in there did you say he was being kept?'

>"He's in the southern storeroom right now," says Byakuren. "I intend to clean it out tonight, so that there won't be anything he can use."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Okay. Be right back."
> Head inside, remove shoes as appropriate, and make our way to said southern storeroom.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Okay. Be right back."
> Head inside, remove shoes as appropriate, and make our way to said southern storeroom.

>You head inside, remove your shoes, and head upstairs to the proper room.
>The door is hanging open. Looking inside, you can see Mamizou rummaging through a box of things in the corner, while Rinnosuke is laying on a futon, staring blankly at the ceiling. The room itself is filled with various odds and ends, particularly some old boat parts from the temple's days as a ship. you doubt it would take long to clean out.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Hey there, sunshine. Find anything good?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Hey there, sunshine. Find anything good?"

>She looks up quickly, then says, "No, nothing worthwhile. Nor is your merchant friend very good company, either."

>_