Maribel Quest Latterly - A Z-Machine Adventure

[E-Nazrin]

>On second thought, that might be a good idea, especially if it was on the way to where Marisa's probably is.

[Hello Purvis]

>On second thought, that might be a good idea, especially if it was on the way to where Marisa's probably is.

>You did pass it, yes. Oh well.

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>Might as well do a quick check for Marisa's in one direction before doubling back.
>Examine footprints, look east and west for any sign of what might be in those directions.

[Hello Purvis]

>Might as well do a quick check for Marisa's in one direction before doubling back.
>Examine footprints, look east and west for any sign of what might be in those directions.

>You look at the footprints. Although you're not really a tracking sort of person; this was more Renko's forte, being the more scientific of the two of you; you have picked up a few things. You can tell they are of various ages, give how worn some are. And they seem to be going in all directions.
>Looking east and west, you see a small path into the western foliage. East, you think you see another large rock in the woods.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Head west. Be on the lookout for any signs of habitation.

[Hello Purvis]

>Head west. Be on the lookout for any signs of habitation.

>You head west.
>The path, such as it is, is fairly overgrown. You don't think it sees a lot of use. The nearby shrubs and bushes have a tendency to reach toward it as well, making the going a little slower than you'd like.
>Up head, you hear a loud clank, the kind you associate with very solid chunks of metal hitting each other.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Cautiously investigate the noise

[Hello Purvis]

>Cautiously investigate the noise

>You creep forward to investigate, and come to a clearing.
>You see a white house, roughly L-shaped and with a fair amount of creepers on it. In the front yard, you see several pieces of exercise equipment. One of those pieces, a weight-lifter's bench, is currently occupied by a large young woman wearing a black dress and with blonde hair, presently wiping some sweat from her forehead. She is fairly tall, though nowhere in Byakuren's league. What she lacks in that, though, she makes up in raw muscle. It takes you a moment to tear your eyes from those abs and notice the amount of heavy-looking disks on those weights...

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>So this is what Reimu meant by 'beefy.'
>Try to stop blushing.
>Has she seen us? Is she in the middle of lifting anything?
>If she's in a safe position, greet.

[DracoOmega]

>"Uh, excuse me. Are you Marisa, by any chance?"

[Hello Purvis]

>So this is what Reimu meant by 'beefy.'
>Try to stop blushing.
>Has she seen us? Is she in the middle of lifting anything?
>If she's in a safe position, greet.

>It is indeed. Good lord.
>That's not so easy.
>She doesn't seem to have, and she seems to be done for the moment.
>You greet her. "Huh?" she says, looking over in your direction as she picks up a pointed, wide-brimmed hat of considerable size from the ground and puts it on.

>"Uh, excuse me. Are you Marisa, by any chance?"

>"That's right. And you are?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm Maribel. Nice to meet you. I'm, uh, new around here, you could say."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'm Maribel. Nice to meet you. I'm, uh, new around here, you could say."

>She nods. "So you're from somewhere way off? Anyway, you know who I am, need something?"
>She gestures for you to have a seat on a nearby rowing machine.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Have a seat
>"Well, I suppose there are a couple things, but I can start with this one. I'm interested in learning magic, and I hear you might be one of the people to talk to about that."
>"And I'm probably from further away than you think, actually. Like, outside of Gensokyo entirely."

[Hello Purvis]

>Have a seat
>"Well, I suppose there are a couple things, but I can start with this one. I'm interested in learning magic, and I hear you might be one of the people to talk to about that."
>"And I'm probably from further away than you think, actually. Like, outside of Gensokyo entirely."

>You have a seat on the rowing machine. The groove in the bench mat suggests it is well used.
>You mention learning magic from her. "Oh, you are? Well, um, I'm sorta not interested in students right now."
>You tell her where you come from. "Well don't that beat all?" she says.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yeah, I actually didn't even really know that magic existed until this morning. As hard as that probably is to believe for someone who's lived here all their life. So, I've been picking up bits and pieces as I can, while I explore the place. Reimu said I was a really quick study, actually."
>Sketch another little barrier

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yeah, I actually didn't even really know that magic existed until this morning. As hard as that probably is to believe for someone who's lived here all their life. So, I've been picking up bits and pieces as I can, while I explore the place. Reimu said I was a really quick study, actually."
>Sketch another little barrier

>You're starting to get alright at this magic thing; you're pretty sure you're gathering the energy in half the time that you were before.
>You sketch a Barrier. Marisa nods. "Huh, looks like you don't need me, anyways."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, every magician has their own tricks and style of magic, though, right? I'd like to learn a little of yours. Surely you can show me something quick, anyway? I'm a really eager learner."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, every magician has their own tricks and style of magic, though, right? I'd like to learn a little of yours. Surely you can show me something quick, anyway? I'm a really eager learner."

>"Maybe," she says. "You know, though, if you bounce all over the place like that, you'll never get any good."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Hey, I've only been at this stuff a couple hours, you know. Cut me a little slack if I haven't picked a specialization, yet. Heck, I don't even know enough to know what there is to specialize IN."

[E-Nazrin]

>"But, I should see what style suits me best before I settle into one way of learning, right? May I see what you can do, for now?"
>"At the moment, I just want to pick up a variety of tricks to defend myself until I can find my friend and really decide whether to stay in Gensokyo."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hey, I've only been at this stuff a couple hours, you know. Cut me a little slack if I haven't picked a specialization, yet. Heck, I don't even know enough to know what there is to specialize IN."

>She laughs. "Just a couple hours, and you can do that? You oughta look into working, then. Reimu would be able to retire in no time!"

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>"'Working?'"
>"Well, Reimu DID ask me to wake up Komachi after I visited her..."

[Hello Purvis]

>"'Working?'"
>"Well, Reimu DID ask me to wake up Komachi after I visited her..."

>"At the shrine, I mean," she says. "Sounds like you have the makings of a real shrine maiden, maybe even better than that lazy bum we have now."
>She winks. You're not sure which part it applies to...
>"Well, that's not too hard. Unless Komachi's gone a few nights without sleep, I guess."

[E-Nazrin]

>"It wasn't. I think I got lucky about just getting asked to plant flowers after wandering above... that green-haired youkai's flower field, though."

[Hello Purvis]

>"It wasn't. I think I got lucky about just getting asked to plant flowers after wandering above... that green-haired youkai's flower field, though."

>"Oh, that explains the box," she replies, then chuckles. "Yuka must have taken a shine to you."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Assess surrounding area for potential fire lily planting sites.
> "I really hope so, I definitely don't want to cross her. Based on what I've heard of her, it kinda seemed like she wanted to rip my head off, especially when I asked her if she had that weird dream everyone else seems to have had around here."

[Hello Purvis]

> Assess surrounding area for potential fire lily planting sites.
> "I really hope so, I definitely don't want to cross her. Based on what I've heard of her, it kinda seemed like she wanted to rip my head off, especially when I asked her if she had that weird dream everyone else seems to have had around here."

>The yard isn't that well maintained, but it could do with a splash of warm color amidst the greens of the plantlife and the dark grays of the exercise equipment.
>"Oh she has," says Marisa, "This is just her way. But she is irritable, so you can't be careless."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"She told me to go plant these around Gensokyo. I don't suppose you have any place here you wouldn't mind a couple? I'd... kinda rather get this off my hands sooner than later. Veiled threats and all, you know...."

[Hello Purvis]

>"She told me to go plant these around Gensokyo. I don't suppose you have any place here you wouldn't mind a couple? I'd... kinda rather get this off my hands sooner than later. Veiled threats and all, you know...."

>"Sure!" says Marisa. "Just put a couple in the window box."

>_