Maribel Quest More - A Z-Machine Adventure

[communist unity (comm-unity)]

> Let's head off towards Marisa's.

If you have any objections or better ideas, feel free to override this.

[Hello Purvis]

> Let's head off towards Marisa's.

>You head for Marisa's, taking to the air. It is dark out, and although your eyes adjust as well as they can on the way to the forest, it is still pretty much an indistinguishable mass of blackness from the air. However, you do see a few lights here and there, between the northern forest and the lake.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Was Marisa's house along the same forest part as Kourindou? Presumably it would be deeper into the woods, but.

[Hello Purvis]

> Was Marisa's house along the same forest part as Kourindou? Presumably it would be deeper into the woods, but.

>It is, on both counts. With that in mind, you think you can guess which of the three or four sets of lights it is.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Take a stab at guessing which light set it is, then. Get closer to the forest as necessary, to see if that makes vision any better. Maybe we can spot the path we know.

[Hello Purvis]

> Take a stab at guessing which light set it is, then. Get closer to the forest as necessary, to see if that makes vision any better. Maybe we can spot the path we know.

>You pick the one you think it is and descend toward it. Your prior reasoning has served you well, and you find yourself hovering over Marisa's house.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Fly down and land in the front yard.
> See what activity within the house we can detect. Sights, noises, whatever.

[Hello Purvis]

> Fly down and land in the front yard.
> See what activity within the house we can detect. Sights, noises, whatever.

>You land in the front yard. Thankfully there's some light from the windows, otherwise you would have stubbed your toe on the rowing machine.
>You don't seem any motion through the windows, nor hear anything particularly loud.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Knock lightly on the door.

[Hello Purvis]

> Knock lightly on the door.

>You knock on the door.
>After a few moments, it opens and Marisa darkens the doorframe.
>"Maribel?" she says, looking at you with a raised eyebrow. "Is there something you need?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yeah. I need some life advice, and believe it or not, you're in the best position to help me."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yeah. I need some life advice, and believe it or not, you're in the best position to help me."

>"Sure, come on in," says Marisa, stepping aside and gesturing toward the kitchen. "Hey, does it involve that cute brown-haired girl that I notice is conspicuously missing?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Thanks."
> Go on in!
> "Renko? It involves her to a degree, yeah. Since we're, well...yeeeeah."
> "Anyway...there's no fancy way to build up to this, so I'll just say it. I've been offered the chance to turn into a youkai. Tonight, if I so desire."

[Kilgamayan]

ProTip for everyone that directly wanted this meeting: I can handle the conversation if you like, and I will try to be as neutral as possible, but everyone knows where I stand on the issue and I cannot guarantee I will remain subconsciously impartial. Be sure to watch closely if you think I'm veering off in a biased direction.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Thanks."
> Go on in!
> "Renko? It involves her to a degree, yeah. Since we're, well...yeeeeah."
> "Anyway...there's no fancy way to build up to this, so I'll just say it. I've been offered the chance to turn into a youkai. Tonight, if I so desire."

>You head inside and turn toward the kitchen. It is pretty much unchanged from the last time you were here, the soup tureen  is still slowly boiling away.
>"Of course you are," says Marisa, as she has a seat at the table. "I saw how you two looked at each other."
>"Wow. Really? What're you gonna do?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "That's the rub. I don't know. I've heard a lot of different opinions about the idea, and pretty much all of them are different. I know you're a human that has avoided turning into one naturally, despite practicing powerful magic. What is your take on human-to-youkai transformation?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I guess I kinda wanted to discuss it with some people who knew more about it than me. You know, get more than one or two opinions on the subject."
>"From what I understand, turning into a youkai natrually isn't all that rare for a practicing magician. Especially one that gets quite good at it. I mean, Patchouli considered it inevitable. Yet, I hear you're one of the best around here, and you're still human. Is that a conscious choice, or...?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "That's the rub. I don't know. I've heard a lot of different opinions about the idea, and pretty much all of them are different. I know you're a human that has avoided turning into one naturally, despite practicing powerful magic. What is your take on human-to-youkai transformation?"

>"Well, I guess I kinda wanted to discuss it with some people who knew more about it than me. You know, get more than one or two opinions on the subject."
>"From what I understand, turning into a youkai natrually isn't all that rare for a practicing magician. Especially one that gets quite good at it. I mean, Patchouli considered it inevitable. Yet, I hear you're one of the best around here, and you're still human. Is that a conscious choice, or...?"

>"That's a complicated question," says Marisa. "Well, let's start with Patchouli. She's a great person and all, means the world to me, but don't listen to her about these kind of things. She's got a lot of opinions, and they're all about power. It's not inevitable at all, just she thinks if you don't do it, you're only half trying." She shakes her head and grins ruefully. "It's a philosophy thing. She thinks of outside sources as cheating for a proper magician. As for me? It's kind of conscious, in that I'm not going out of my way to do it like she did. I've just decided if it happens, it will. But I would prefer it not, to be honest."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Why not? I mean, I've heard some people's takes on the good and bad sides of it, but I'm curious what yours is."
>"And Patchouli's not the only one who told me it was inevitable. Reimu told me the same thing earlier today, in regards to myself."

[Kilgamayan]

> "We also talked to Mokou, who seemed to have a lot of negative things to say about it...you think she could be biased as well, like you suggest Patchouli is?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Why not? I mean, I've heard some people's takes on the good and bad sides of it, but I'm curious what yours is."
>"And Patchouli's not the only one who told me it was inevitable. Reimu told me the same thing earlier today, in regards to myself."

>"Just don't feel any dissatisfaction with being human," says Marisa. "And with all the youkai around, there needs to be a few of around to make sure people don't forget humans can do magic, too."
>"Reimu said it? Well, to be fair, she's a Shrine Maiden. She tells me the same thing, too."

> "We also talked to Mokou, who seemed to have a lot of negative things to say about it...you think she could be biased as well, like you suggest Patchouli is?"

>"I dunno," says Marisa. "I don't know Mokou that well. But she's always been pretty level-headed, except for when Kaguya gets involved. Then she kinda goes nuts. Also kind of brash, I guess."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Do you know what affects whether a magician naturally becomes a youkai? Is it at all predictable, from what you've seen?"
>"Does it happen all at once? Or is it a gradual process?"
>"And so is it less that you have something against being a youkai than that you're quite content with what you have right now?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Do you know what affects whether a magician naturally becomes a youkai? Is it at all predictable, from what you've seen?"
>"Does it happen all at once? Or is it a gradual process?"
>"And so is it less that you have something against being a youkai than that you're quite content with what you have right now?"

>"That's hard to say, what affects it," says Marisa. "I think, the more obsessed you get, the more likely it'll happen. There's also some inborn element, I think. But, that's only a couple variables. I think if you cast something that's too powerful, but pull it off anyways, it might happen. It's really complex."
>She shrugs. "I think it depends on how it happens."
>"Well, bit of both. I just don't want to be one, and I'm happy as I am. It's not that I'd be really super upset if I did become one. Just that being a human magician to be reckoned with is something to be proud of, I think."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"When a human magician becomes a youkai, even through a natural process, are they usually more powerful as a result?"
>"Out of curiosity, do you know anyone that you'd known both before and after they became a youkai?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"When a human magician becomes a youkai, even through a natural process, are they usually more powerful as a result?"
>"Out of curiosity, do you know anyone that you'd known both before and after they became a youkai?"

>"Typically," says Marisa. "Though I imagine sometimes it might not make a difference, if they were naturally gifted enough beforehand."
>"Sort of. I met Alice when she was human, long time ago. Didn't really get to know her until afterward, though, so I dunno if it counts."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Nah, I was just wondering if you might have had any personal experiences on the topic of how people dealt with becoming one."
>"Do you at least have a little textbook knowledge of the effects it might have on a person, mentally-wise? Or is that a pretty individualistic thing?"

[E-Nazrin]

THAT is an interesting idea.

>"Do you know who might be able to give me both parts of her story?"
>... wait, does that mean that Alice HASN'T gone through the age-related detachment Mokou was talking about? Then this is REALLY what she's like...?

[Hello Purvis]

>"Nah, I was just wondering if you might have had any personal experiences on the topic of how people dealt with becoming one."
>"Do you at least have a little textbook knowledge of the effects it might have on a person, mentally-wise? Or is that a pretty individualistic thing?"

>"Well, I've never heard Alice making a big deal about it," says Marisa. "But she's a really private person. I think it might have estranged her from her mom. ...Don't tell her I said that."
>"Well, that's hard to say," says Marisa. "But with a magician, you can usually expect them to start getting more and more obsessed with something. Their magic, usually. Don't get me wrong, a good deal of obsession is needed if you're gonna get good at it. But...it can get pretty bad for a youkai magician when they're on a roll. I've heard stories about them selling everything they own just to get a certain book, stuff like that. I dunno if it's true, but I could see it happening. Aside from that, it's pretty personal. I think it kind depends on how it happens."

>"Do you know who might be able to give me both parts of her story?"
>... wait, does that mean that Alice HASN'T gone through the age-related detachment Mokou was talking about? Then this is REALLY what she's like...?

>"Well...if you wanted to go to Makai, you might be able to talk with some of her old friends and family. But getting there is a pain."
>That's a good question. But...if Marisa knew Alice before she was a youkai, how long ago did it happen?

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"You think some of that obsession might be less a side-effect of being a youkai, and more a consequence of the mindset that these people had in the first place? I mean, you already said that the more obsessed you are, the more likely a magician is to become a youkai in the first place."
>"And out of curiosity, how DO you get to Makai?"
>"And what's it like there?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"You think some of that obsession might be less a side-effect of being a youkai, and more a consequence of the mindset that these people had in the first place? I mean, you already said that the more obsessed you are, the more likely a magician is to become a youkai in the first place."
>"And out of curiosity, how DO you get to Makai?"
>"And what's it like there?"

>"I think one leads to the other, and they just sort of work in tandem," says Marisa. "Obsession probably comes first, though. But there might be exceptions. Heh, there are probably exceptions."
>Marisa shakes her head. "Don't go to Makai. It's a rough place. And really you'd be better off just talking to Alice herself. I could tell you how to get there, but Reimu would get mad at me. She doesn't like that being spread. Says it gives people ideas."

>_