Maribel Quest Succeeding - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> Mental check: are we getting the bloodmoss for Murasa or ourselves? Too many damn ingredients running around right now.

[Rin Kagamine]

> Bloodmoss for Byakuren actually

[DracoOmega]

>May as well keep an eye out for likely shops on our way there

[Hello Purvis]

> Head for the Palace.  We can get the herbs on the way out of the city.

> Return to Palace to inquire about Koishi
> Then proceed to acquire bloodmoss

>You decide to head for the Palace of the Earth Spirits again.

> Mental check: are we getting the bloodmoss for Murasa or ourselves? Too many damn ingredients running around right now.

> Bloodmoss for Byakuren actually

>May as well keep an eye out for likely shops on our way there

>You're starting to feel a little overwhelmed.
>Along the way, as you near the building where Mari lives, you notice a shop at the corner with a messy sign that reads "Herbs"
>Reaching the Palace again, you find Satori has made some progress. As well, the pigeon has moved to her shoulder. She looks at you for a moment, and you think you see her typical solemn expression nearly drop. "Ah. Okuu asked you about her..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yes. She seems genuinely concerned. Do you know anything about Koishi's whereabouts?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yes. She seems genuinely concerned. Do you know anything about Koishi's whereabouts?"

>"She is, I am certain," says Satori. "They parted on terrible terms. And no. I don't think anyone does. She...hides herself very well. She can make it so that people who are looking at her don't notice she is there."

>_

[Rin Kagamine]

> "That sounds quite discouraging actually.  When was the last time you heard from her?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Is there.... any way around that? I mean, the whole camouflage thing. Not that I should really be trying to intrude on her privacy, but you know..."

[Hello Purvis]

> "That sounds quite discouraging actually.  When was the last time you heard from her?"

>"From her directly?" asks Satori. "Ages, as far as this world is concerned."

>"Is there.... any way around that? I mean, the whole camouflage thing. Not that I should really be trying to intrude on her privacy, but you know..."

>"Not that I know of. I know the Hakurei Maiden has found her, but I'm not sure if it is because she detected Koishi, or it Koishi took an interest in her and revealed herself."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"That sounds pretty sad, actually. If... if it isn't too prying of me to ask, why does she spend so much time away from everyone, and her own family?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"That sounds pretty sad, actually. If... if it isn't too prying of me to ask, why does she spend so much time away from everyone, and her own family?"

>"It is how she copes," says Satori. "I am content to remain here, known and mostly avoided, with the periodic excursion. Koishi wants to roam the world, but she cannot bear to be feared or shunned for what she is. So she hides."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"For what she is? Does she read minds like you, too?"

[Kilgamayan]

> "She hasn't talked to you in that long? Why?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"For what she is? Does she read minds like you, too?"

>"Not any longer," says Satori. "She closed her third eye in an attempt to cut off her powers. But one cannot deny their nature so easily; she now reads and can somewhat manipulate the subconscious. That is how she stays hidden."
>"This said, I don't think that she stays hidden all of the time. She likely has to ask for help from time to time, if nothing else. I imagine she tends toward crowded events as well."

> "She hasn't talked to you in that long? Why?"

>"She hates it here." says Satori. "There's little more to it than that."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I guess there's nothing more to do than keep my eyes open if I ever happen to bump into her, no matter how unlikely that might be."

[Kilgamayan]

> "But you're her sister! Surely you're worth visiting, even occasionally?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I guess there's nothing more to do than keep my eyes open if I ever happen to bump into her, no matter how unlikely that might be."

>"If you consider places where she might be, you might get lucky and find someone who has seen her."

> "But you're her sister! Surely you're worth visiting, even occasionally?"

>"It's rare, but sometimes she will. But, she never stays for long. Please understand, it is not that she hates us, it is that she cannot stand to be here."
>She pauses for a moment. "Perhaps I speak too soon. I cannot imagine she would be at all happy with Utsuho now."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Would she remember what happened any better than anyone else does, though? Maybe she wouldn't even recall that she was angry with her in the first place?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Would she remember what happened any better than anyone else does, though? Maybe she wouldn't even recall that she was angry with her in the first place?"

>"That, I cannot answer for sure," says Satori. "But, I suspect that if anyone could do it without assistance, it would be Koishi."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yeah, maybe, I suppose... Well, I hope I manage to find her. Certainly I expect I'll end up covering most of Gensokyo just in the course of exploring, anyway, so perhaps there's a chance. Thanks, though. I probably should be off, again."

>Head back to the herbalist we saw on our way here

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yeah, maybe, I suppose... Well, I hope I manage to find her. Certainly I expect I'll end up covering most of Gensokyo just in the course of exploring, anyway, so perhaps there's a chance. Thanks, though. I probably should be off, again."

>Head back to the herbalist we saw on our way here

>"I wish you luck," she says.
>You make your way out of the Palace, and find your way back to that herbalist. The section here doesn't seem to be nearly as large as the one you visited before. The merchant, a smallish bush heavily-muscled oni with brown hair, sits behind a table, taking a long drink from a gourd. It takes her a moment to finish, then she says, "Whacha lookin' for?"

>_

[Rin Kagamine]

> "Some bloodmoss, how much for the best quality?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Bloodmoss. High grade stuff."
>Realize that we probably have no way to tell low grade from high grade, do we?

[Kilgamayan]

>Realize that we probably have no way to tell low grade from high grade, do we?

> Not like we have to worry about the oni cheating us, though.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Some bloodmoss, how much for the best quality?"

>"Bloodmoss. High grade stuff."
>Realize that we probably have no way to tell low grade from high grade, do we?

>"Got bought out this morning," says the oni with a shrug. "Sorry 'bout that."
>You have no idea what it even looks like.

> Not like we have to worry about the oni cheating us, though.

>This is what you are counting on, more or less.

>_

[Rin Kagamine]

> "Odd, this is the second herbalist I've been to today that's sold out.  Did one person buy it all up?"

[DracoOmega]

>"That's the second place I've been to that's been bought out today... Has there been a shortage of supply lately, or something?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's the second place I've been to that's been bought out today... Has there been a shortage of supply lately, or something?"

>"Sorta," the oni says.

> "Odd, this is the second herbalist I've been to today that's sold out.  Did one person buy it all up?"

>The oni nods. "At least here, she did." She then has another drink from her gourd.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Any idea who it was? If they've gone and bought up everything in town, maybe I could convince them to sell me a pinch of it. Don't need much, but it's important."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Any idea who it was? If they've gone and bought up everything in town, maybe I could convince them to sell me a pinch of it. Don't need much, but it's important."

>"Don't know her name," says the merchant, "But she's no oni. Got the funny wings, black dress, nice ass... Think she runs a place somewhere in the pub district?"

>_