Maribel Quest Latterly - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "I think you don't, given the nature of this conversation so far. I'd be willing to work for one, though."

>"Very well," she says. "What will you do?"

>"All Marisa said was that you were the person to talk to about it. I didn't know if that meant you had one, or would just know where I could get one."

>"I do," she says. "But I am waiting for you to make it worth my while to part with one."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Strip.
> "Given the lack of things I know about you, if you don't have any ideas yourself, the best I can offer starts with a guess: You had quite a strange dream very recently, didn't you?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Strip.
> "Given the lack of things I know about you, if you don't have any ideas yourself, the best I can offer starts with a guess: You had quite a strange dream very recently, didn't you?"

>"Insufficient abs"
>"Hardly a surprise, given everyone did," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well shoot, you really do have your sources. I guess you also know that it probably wasn't actually a dream, then?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well shoot, you really do have your sources. I guess you also know that it probably wasn't actually a dream, then?"

>"I've heard theories to that effect," she says. "You are claiming to have proof one way or the other?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, to some degree I AM proof, actually. I come from outside Gensokyo. I lived in the outside world, then moved to the island; this alternate world that we all dreamed about. And I was pulled back here when it ended."
>"I don't know the whole story myself, but I do know a couple people who know a lot more about it than me."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, to some degree I AM proof, actually. I come from outside Gensokyo. I lived in the outside world, then moved to the island; this alternate world that we all dreamed about. And I was pulled back here when it ended."
>"I don't know the whole story myself, but I do know a couple people who know a lot more about it than me."

>"For the time being," says the woman, whom you've presumed is Patchouli, "Let is pretend you are indeed from outside Gensokyo, and from that place in particular. That you are here doesn't necessarily prove anything. Admittedly, it does suggest the case you argue, but it is not necessarily the only explanation. But please, elaborate. Who would know more?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Keine, for one. She evidently had a hand in fixing it. Also, Komachi evidently didn't have this shared dream, and actually saw Gensokyo replaced with ocean for several months, until it suddenly came back, just recently."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Keine, for one. She evidently had a hand in fixing it. Also, Komachi evidently didn't have this shared dream, and actually saw Gensokyo replaced with ocean for several months, until it suddenly came back, just recently."

>"I see," says Patchouli. "One moment."
>She turns her seat, and says, "Petite, I need you."
>A red-haired woman pokes her head around a shelf, looking at Patchouli expectantly.
>"Petite, prepare to depart for the Sanzu river at once. I want you to talk with the shinigami about her experiences with shared dream and Gensokyo disappearing. You are not to dally before or afterward on this task. Once you are done, report here at once."
>"May I bring a lunch?" she asks in a silky voice.
>"...Very well."
>With that, the red-haired woman disappears back behind the shelf.
>"I have decided to trust you on both the words of Marisa and Byakuren," she says, "Please do not let them down."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Byakuren too? Man, word really gets around here. I appreciate your sentiments, though, and assure you I am telling the truth."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Byakuren too? Man, word really gets around here. I appreciate your sentiments, though, and assure you I am telling the truth."

>"She sent me a letter earlier this morning," says Patchouli. "Apparently she was worried I would do something unpleasant to you. She seems to think I must be very bored."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I'll have to thank her for the sentiment. She's been very kind and helpful to me today."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I'll have to thank her for the sentiment. She's been very kind and helpful to me today."

>"Quite," says Patchouli. "She also begged me not to try and entice you down the path of the youkai, which is foolish of her. If you have any interest in magic, no doubt you're already anticipating it if not awaiting it."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, when I was speaking with Reimu earlier today, she seemed to think that me becoming a youkai was inevitable if I continued to learn magic. Something to do with how quickly I picked it up."
>"Although, being a youkai doesn't seem like it would necessarily be so different from being human, in many ways."

[Kilgamayan]

> "I'm still weighing that in my head. Mystia already gave me her youkai sales pitch, as it were. All I know for sure right now is that I don't want to make a decision before finding my missing best friend."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, when I was speaking with Reimu earlier today, she seemed to think that me becoming a youkai was inevitable if I continued to learn magic. Something to do with how quickly I picked it up."
>"Although, being a youkai doesn't seem like it would necessarily be so different from being human, in many ways."

>"For the vast majority of magicians, it is inevitable. Reimu's role and bloodline may keep her from such if she applies herself. But for the likes of us, there is little point in trying to resist."
>"It largely is not, save for the fears of the small-minded. Ignore them and live as always."

> "I'm still weighing that in my head. Mystia already gave me her youkai sales pitch, as it were. All I know for sure right now is that I don't want to make a decision before finding my missing best friend."

>"If you are undecided, then cease all pursuit of sorcery immediately. It will make the decision for you."

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "Getting better at Danmaku is fine though, right? Or could getting to good at that turn me into a youkai?"

[Kilgamayan]

> Well, that's a downer. Where's Tokiko when we need something to squeeze? For stress relief purposes, of course.
> Actually, while we're thinking about it, compare Tokiko's chest to Meiling's.

[Kilgamayan]

> "Wait. If Byakuren didn't want me to turn into a youkai, why did she set me down this path in the first place?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Well, that's a downer. Where's Tokiko when we need something to squeeze? For stress relief purposes, of course.
> Actually, while we're thinking about it, compare Tokiko's chest to Meiling's.

>Sometimes people worry about strange things when panicked. You are pretty sure she's about equal with Utsuho.

> "Getting better at Danmaku is fine though, right? Or could getting to good at that turn me into a youkai?"

>"Hard to say."

> "Wait. If Byakuren didn't want me to turn into a youkai, why did she set me down this path in the first place?"

>"Because she is an optimist who believes in the ideal of indomitable will," says Patchouli. "I, on the other hand, prefer to consider how things are."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I don't think I'm ready to stop this just yet, in any event. It's just... a strange idea to get used to. You have to keep in mind that until this morning, I didn't even know that youkai really existed, or what they were like. I've spent a lot of my life searching for strange things that you can't normally find t in the outside world, like magic. Now that I finally know it exists... I'm not sure I can just leave it be so easily."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I don't think I'm ready to stop this just yet, in any event. It's just... a strange idea to get used to. You have to keep in mind that until this morning, I didn't even know that youkai really existed, or what they were like. I've spent a lot of my life searching for strange things that you can't normally find t in the outside world, like magic. Now that I finally know it exists... I'm not sure I can just leave it be so easily."

>"Nor do I blame you in the least," says Patchouli. "This is why I would exhort you not to be ensnared by such worries and grasp your potential fully. You speak of your friend, but what friend would begrudge you this? Would she begrudge you if you came upon great wealth, or obtained a position of power?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"No, perhaps not... And she was as much in search of these kinds of things as myself. I admit that even though the prospect is kind of scary, it's also fascinating. I really wonder what it's like..."

[Hello Purvis]

>"No, perhaps not... And she was as much in search of these kinds of things as myself. I admit that even though the prospect is kind of scary, it's also fascinating. I really wonder what it's like..."

>"Precisely," says Patchouli. "And, it is much leading learning to read. A new world opens to you, and what is lost is insignificant."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"What IS lost, though, out of curiosity? I mean, 'human' feels almost like just a label in some ways, here. The youkai I've met seem to possess just as much of what one might call 'humanity'. Even if what is lost is insignificant, what is it?"

[Kilgamayan]

> "At the same time, I wish to see her again, not only to hear her opinion, but also to see how capable of these feats she is herself. I would not want to change on her if she could not change with me."

[Hello Purvis]

>"What IS lost, though, out of curiosity? I mean, 'human' feels almost like just a label in some ways, here. The youkai I've met seem to possess just as much of what one might call 'humanity'. Even if what is lost is insignificant, what is it?"

>"It is a nebulous thing," she says. "Byakuren would say that one takes a lower place in the path to enlightenment. But I would ask what magician would care about such things if they took up magic to begin with? Whether or not she is right, this is hard to say. The existence of certain youkai make me think otherwise. What is lost is your place in the outside world. Your home would be here, without a doubt. Some will tell you that you can never go back, but this is fantasy. For an accomplished magician, it is very possible. Perhaps, though, like me, you will cease to care enough to try. You may have a harder time wrestling with some of your instincts. Perhaps you will not. In the older days, society would have rejected you harshly for it. In these days, it is not such an issue. Hm, there is a kind of physical weakness you may wish to be aware of. Items of faith, charms, exorcisms, and the like, will work against you. But again, if you had such fears you would not have started to learn magic, would you?"

> "At the same time, I wish to see her again, not only to hear her opinion, but also to see how capable of these feats she is herself. I would not want to change on her if she could not change with me."

>"Would you delay in obtaining wealth of influence on her behalf in such a way?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"And I take it there's not too many people here that go around trying to exorcise youkai, anyway, is there? Even Reimu didn't seem too bothered by the prospect of me becoming a youkai, as long as I didn't try to cause trouble. But I'm not the trouble causing type, and I doubt that would change."
>"What instincts did you mean, anyway?"

[Kilgamayan]

>"Would you delay in obtaining wealth of influence on her behalf in such a way?"

> "I would. As I hope she would take my feelings into consideration when forming her opinion, I must take her situation into consideration when I form mine. It would be selfish of me to disregard her situation in the name of empowering myself."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I would. As I hope she would take my feelings into consideration when forming her opinion, I must take her situation into consideration when I form mine. It would be selfish of me to disregard her situation in the name of empowering myself."

>"I would say there is no way that allowing yourself to cross over could harm her situation. But, I think I understand. I know not whether to scoff or envy you. Though again, I would ask, is there any possible way it could harm her, should you trust her that much? I can't imagine she would reject you."

>"And I take it there's not too many people here that go around trying to exorcise youkai, anyway, is there? Even Reimu didn't seem too bothered by the prospect of me becoming a youkai, as long as I didn't try to cause trouble. But I'm not the trouble causing type, and I doubt that would change."
>"What instincts did you mean, anyway?"

>"As long as you don't make a fool of yourself, it shouldn't be a problem. Though I would warn you that when problems occur, the Shrine Maiden and her ilk have a tendency to shoot first and ask questions over tea."
>"It varies from youkai to youkai. For instance, those who were beasts sometimes do beast-like things; the traditional problem is eating humans, which as you can understand lead to many of the issues that are only clearing up today. For magicians, our temptations tends to be our obsessions. Sometimes it is difficult not to, say, sidestep paying for necessary components when money is lacking and inspiration is high. Or, when the desire for a student runs strongly, to sidestep the necessity of assuring a potential pupil's family accepts the idea. None of this should surprise you, I have no doubt you've considered some unsavory things to further yourself already."

>_