Maribel Quest More - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'm not sure that she has a huge lot of downtime between usages. And I'm pretty sure there's not going to be any way NOT to get caught off-guard by it. I mean, by definition, you never see what she's doing, so it all seems to happen at once."

>"Is there anything else I could do that might be helpful, information-wise? I wish something more came to my own mind..."

>"If I'm going to abandon all pretense of trickery, well outside of helpful items anyways, then anything you can tell me helps. I can think of a couple things that might affect Sakuya, but the problem is they'd cripple me worse. I think, though, the best thing would be to limit her motion as much as possible. Even if time is stopped, if she has to pick her way through a complex mess, it's less time she spends hurting me."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"You have any idea how you'd go about doing that, though?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"You have any idea how you'd go about doing that, though?"

>"I think a few hundred faeries can pull it off," says Renko with a grin. "Got anything else for me?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"How're you planning to deal with the vampire? I understand that she probably won't be much good out in the sun, but they have no reason to exit the building to fight you, either."

[Hello Purvis]

>"How're you planning to deal with the vampire? I understand that she probably won't be much good out in the sun, but they have no reason to exit the building to fight you, either."

>"I got nothing special," says Renko, shaking her head. "I hear she can be reckless, but aside from that, I have to play it by ear. But I'm still confident in my troops. I'm hoping, though, that I can lure them all out."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I suppose if she has a reputation for pride, she mightn't be willing to stand idly by while an army camps in her courtyard, after possibly subduing her servants."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I suppose if she has a reputation for pride, she mightn't be willing to stand idly by while an army camps in her courtyard, after possibly subduing her servants."

>Renko nods. "That's what I'm hoping for. Worse comes to worst, I think I can pick where in the mansion she'd come after me just by going for the pantry prematurely."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Did Rinnosuke say that the light in the bottle of softly glowing light was actually SUNlight?

[Hello Purvis]

>Did Rinnosuke say that the light in the bottle of softly glowing light was actually SUNlight?

>You are reasonably sure this is exactly what he said.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Now that I think about it, Kourindou actually had a bottle of sealed sunlight on the shelf the last time I was there. I don't know how strong an effect it would have on that vampire, but...."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Now that I think about it, Kourindou actually had a bottle of sealed sunlight on the shelf the last time I was there. I don't know how strong an effect it would have on that vampire, but...."

>"You mean that store in the forest?" asks Renko. "Most faeries won't even go near it. But if that have something like that, then we definitely need to get it!"
>She pauses.
>"Wait, it's not really expensive, is it?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"He seems to be on a barter-only system, so I couldn't even tell you what it was going for. But I might have something in here that could be worth trading for it. I seem to be acquiring a bit of a collection."
>"Any idea why the fairies won't go near the place?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"He seems to be on a barter-only system, so I couldn't even tell you what it was going for. But I might have something in here that could be worth trading for it. I seem to be acquiring a bit of a collection."
>"Any idea why the fairies won't go near the place?"

>She nods. "Alright, let's talk on the way before the guy closes up shop."
>"I am not sure why they won't go near. But if faeries won't touch it, it has to be at least as bad as that haunted house."

[DracoOmega]

>Start towards Kourindou
>"The shopkeeper's demeanor was a bit cool, but quite professional. I wouldn't see that that would keep them away."

[Hello Purvis]

>Start towards Kourindou
>"The shopkeeper's demeanor was a bit cool, but quite professional. I wouldn't see that that would keep them away."

>You start toward Kourindou. Renko takes to the air at a fairly good clip, forcing you to catch up.
>"...I think I got it," Renko says after you catch up. "He's a shopkeeper, right? In the middle of a forest full of faeries and youkai and who knows what else, right? How does he keep any stock on his shelves? Faeries will rob you just for fun sometimes."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"And there's tons of junk outside the place, too. ...maybe they've learned not to try it with him for whatever reason?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"And there's tons of junk outside the place, too. ...maybe they've learned not to try it with him for whatever reason?"

>Renko nods. "Yeah. I bet that's it. If he's got stuff outside and the faeries don't go after it, he must have them petrified."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, for what it's worth, he didn't seem especially scary to me. A little odd, but not scary."

>"Renko, there's something else that's on my mind I wanted to talk about. It's about that enchantment Byakuren offered. Well... now she's given me alternate choice, and it's a lot better in some ways, but... it has some provisos attached."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, for what it's worth, he didn't seem especially scary to me. A little odd, but not scary."

>"Renko, there's something else that's on my mind I wanted to talk about. It's about that enchantment Byakuren offered. Well... now she's given me alternate choice, and it's a lot better in some ways, but... it has some provisos attached."

>"I guess I'll have to see him," says Renko.
>"Go on," Renko says, not sounding particularly concerned.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, you see, what I've learned is that these enchantments don't stack. When you get one, that's it. You can't get a different one. You can't remove your old one. And, in effect, they set the upper limit of what you will ever be magically capable of. This second one is much stronger than the first was. And, in a way, I don't want to effectively 'handicap' myself by setting my upper threshold lower than what it could be, you know?"
>"The problem is... well, Byakuren said that this will probably also incur some... size increase. On a lesser scale than her own, although she could not say exactly how much it would be. And, well, that's kinda...."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, you see, what I've learned is that these enchantments don't stack. When you get one, that's it. You can't get a different one. You can't remove your old one. And, in effect, they set the upper limit of what you will ever be magically capable of. This second one is much stronger than the first was. And, in a way, I don't want to effectively 'handicap' myself by setting my upper threshold lower than what it could be, you know?"
>"The problem is... well, Byakuren said that this will probably also incur some... size increase. On a lesser scale than her own, although she could not say exactly how much it would be. And, well, that's kinda...."

>Renko nods along. "So, you're trying to get the most out of it. And...that involves more or less whatever happened to her?"
>She chuckles. "You know. I can't really imagine that happening to you. So you gonna do it?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I... don't know. It's a bit unnerving, you know. The permanence of it. And, well... I wouldn't want to make you feel uncomfortable, either. We're in this together, Renko."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I... don't know. It's a bit unnerving, you know. The permanence of it. And, well... I wouldn't want to make you feel uncomfortable, either. We're in this together, Renko."

>She nods. "Yeah, I can see what you mean. But, well, if you want my thoughts. I'm not worried about you passing me up. I mean, I wouldn't have gotten mad if you were the first to have seen a ghost back on the isle. Maybe a little bit upset if I missed it, too. If you're going to do anything like that. But like I'm saying, we're in this together, I'm not going to get mad. As for the other part? Well...if it gets to be a problem, we'll just have to find a way to cut you back down to size. Or maybe I'll just have to find some way to make myself big, too." She shakes her head. "Sounds kind of romantic in a weird way, don't you think?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"You've... gotten pretty good at taking crazy things in stride, haven't you? I guess we both have, after a fashion. So you'd really be ok with it? Don't hold back for my sake."

[Hello Purvis]

>"You've... gotten pretty good at taking crazy things in stride, haven't you? I guess we both have, after a fashion. So you'd really be ok with it? Don't hold back for my sake."

>"I've learned pretty much everything I thought worked was a pretty lie," says Renko, not quite looking at you. "And about the only way to deal with it is to not worry. I've also started to realize it means most of the limits we used to think where there are gone. Look at us, we're pretty much defying like five kinds of old physics axioms right now!"
>She pauses for a moment to collect her thoughts. "About the time you came back is about the time I could really not worry about it. I had the most important thing back, you know. Which is why, well, when it was pretty obvious you felt the same way, I didn't waste any time showing it. I love you, Mary, and I want you to be happy. So, if this is what you want, I'll support you in it just like you've been supporting me. I mean, it doesn't really worry me. If you end up like Byakuren, well, it's not like you wouldn't still be you. If it ends up a problem, we'll just fix it one way or the other."
>"You get what I'm trying to say, right?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Renko..."
>Match velocities and take her hand. Try to gently encourage a stop.
>"You are an amazing person, you know. I can't say how much it means to have you in the thick of this with me, and for you to be so understanding. I love you, Renko."
>Kiss her. Haven't been doing enough of that lately.
>"I want to do what I can to make you happy, too. After this whole business is over, do you have any idea what you want to reach for next?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Renko..."
>Match velocities and take her hand. Try to gently encourage a stop.
>"You are an amazing person, you know. I can't say how much it means to have you in the thick of this with me, and for you to be so understanding. I love you, Renko."
>Kiss her. Haven't been doing enough of that lately.
>"I want to do what I can to make you happy, too. After this whole business is over, do you have any idea what you want to reach for next?"

>You call her name, then take her hand and encourage her to stop. "Nothing amazing about it," she says. "Just how I feel. I mean, it's not like you aren't giving me that kind of treatment, too..."
>You kiss her to help deal with that bit of silence. She gently returns it.
>"Next? Who knows?" Renko says. "First things first, I want to get that house into order. Not very ambitious, I guess. After that...well, there's gotta be some hidden treasure out there somewhere, I suppose."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"It's nice having some not-so-crazy goals in the middle of it all, you know? Doing nothing but learning new ways to do the impossible every day would get a little tiring, I think. Nothing like home sweet home, after all. ...speaking of which, I've hardly sat down all day. I think I'm going to sleep like a log once this is all done. Probably doubly-so, if what Byakuren said about the recovery time on those enchantments holds up."
>"Anyhow, let's go get you some sunlight in a jar, shall we?"
>Continue to Kourindou

[Hello Purvis]

>"It's nice having some not-so-crazy goals in the middle of it all, you know? Doing nothing but learning new ways to do the impossible every day would get a little tiring, I think. Nothing like home sweet home, after all. ...speaking of which, I've hardly sat down all day. I think I'm going to sleep like a log once this is all done. Probably doubly-so, if what Byakuren said about the recovery time on those enchantments holds up."
>"Anyhow, let's go get you some sunlight in a jar, shall we?"
>Continue to Kourindou

>"Well, the treasure one's important," says Renko, chuckling. "Because I dunno how long I can convince the faeries to keep giving me free meals."
>You continue on toward Kourindou. At the speed Renko had been travelling, you arrive there fairly short order. From above, you can see the light shining through the windows.
>"Wow, looks like a junkyard down there," says Renko.

>_

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, treasure or no treasure, I'm sure we can find something to do around here that would keep us fed."
>"And yeah, it does, doesn't it? Pretty random collection of merchandise inside, too. Boringly normal stuff, and exotic magical stuff. ...sometimes hard to tell which is which, to be honest. Anyway, let's go inside."
>Go inside