Maribel Quest Adjoining: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>"I have actually tried, a little. Not just about this, but about other issues. She's seemed pretty intent on not letting much of anything be an issue worth worrying about, though. If she's fronting, she's been doing a good job of being convincing about it."

>"Hmmm, I won't insult her by saying it's a deception," says Yukari, as she senses you are done and begins to rinse out her hair. "And she does seem to have a good way of thinking in general. But don't you agree there are some things that should be worried about?"

>Except that mumbling when she was falling asleep...

>You wonder how awake she was for that, in retrospect...

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I've done my fair share of worrying about her, I'll say that much. But I'm hoping that when we get settled down here, and some more time passes, maybe she'll have reconciled her perspectives more. She's nearly as new to the place as I am, after all."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I've done my fair share of worrying about her, I'll say that much. But I'm hoping that when we get settled down here, and some more time passes, maybe she'll have reconciled her perspectives more. She's nearly as new to the place as I am, after all."

>"That may be a good idea," says Yukari. "But in the meantime, you might have to protect her."

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>"Well... admittedly, that's part of why I was looking into Byakuren's enchantments. A bit ironic, isn't it?"

I'm not putting this in, since I don't know if it's appropriate. But it's what I believe.

"Renko... seemed a bit different when I first met her again, here. More impulsive, less thoughtful, more ambitious, more... passionate. It worried me a little, at first. But she's still the Renko I love, and... I don't want to hurt her. Even if she might be in shock over having physics broken over her head, especially with the fairies giving the first impression... I'm not sure how best to help her with that."

[DracoOmega]

>"I'll do my best to do so. Although... you don't just mean physically, do you?"

And that doesn't seem too inappropriate to me, personally.

[E-Nazrin]

Very well then. Let's cut to the core of the matter.

>"To... be honest... Renko seemed a bit... different when I first met her again, here. More impulsive, less thoughtful, more ambitious, more... passionate. It worried me a little, at first. But she's still the Renko I love, and... I don't want to hurt her. Even if she might be in shock over having physics broken over her head, especially with the fairies giving the first impression... I'm not sure how best to help her with that."

EDIT: Also, I don't think Yukari explicitly ruled out the possibility of a sorceress miko, i.e. "both." That sounds like an interesting niche to try for. But details will have to wait...

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well... admittedly, that's part of why I was looking into Byakuren's enchantments. A bit ironic, isn't it?"

>She laughs, as she turns to face you again.  "Isn't it like I said? It creates problems as it solves them."

>"I'll do my best to do so. Although... you don't just mean physically, do you?"

>"Of course I mean more than just physically," says Yukari. "You'll have to guide her away from bad decisions. Then again, you're already doing this, aren't you?"

Very well then. Let's cut to the core of the matter.

>"To... be honest... Renko seemed a bit... different when I first met her again, here. More impulsive, less thoughtful, more ambitious, more... passionate. It worried me a little, at first. But she's still the Renko I love, and... I don't want to hurt her. Even if she might be in shock over having physics broken over her head, especially with the fairies giving the first impression... I'm not sure how best to help her with that."

>"Is that what really needs to be helped?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, I'm trying. ...how much of this do you know, and how much it are you just guessing?"

[E-Nazrin]

>"Yes. I am trying to guide her, as best I can right now. It's the how that's difficult... and listening to me just because it's me isn't much better, as sweet as it can be."
>Consider whether she already knows about the invasion... there could be a lot of ways to use that warping ability of hers.

How do we bring up the possibility of Renko being power-hungry/power-mad ala Utsuho?

"... Renko is... also fairly adept at magic, or at least has talent. She seems a little more capable than I am on my own, at this point. But she's... never been powerful before. I woke up in the Underground, and I helped Utsuho restore Gensokyo during that hiccup in history. It was surprising to hear of... what she'd done after becoming powerful herself. Do you think...?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yes, I'm trying. ...how much of this do you know, and how much it are you just guessing?"

>"All I know is what you have told me," says Yukari. "If I have the benefit of experience, well..."

>"Yes. I am trying to guide her, as best I can right now. It's the how that's difficult... and listening to me just because it's me isn't much better, as sweet as it can be."
>Consider whether she already knows about the invasion... there could be a lot of ways to use that warping ability of hers.

>She nods. "This, I think, is more the problem, if she isn't thinking for herself.
>You would think she doesn't, with what she just said. But, she could be misleading you...

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>"Then do you have any suggestions for snapping her out of it?"
>Guess this is what we get for not focusing on therapy training.

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I'll continue to do my best to help her, and to guide her away from things she might regret later. And more importantly, I'll be there for her if she's been running from herself and it catches up to her."

>"She's already committed to staying here, and I was having my doubts about leaving again, anyway, so I guess we'll be in here for the long haul, now. It's a lot to get used to, but time can make almost anything seem normal."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Then do you have any suggestions for snapping her out of it?"
>Guess this is what we get for not focusing on therapy training.

>"Mmm, I would suggest not letting her put decisions on someone else," says Yukari.
>Stupid theoretical stuff, being more interesting...

>"Well, I'll continue to do my best to help her, and to guide her away from things she might regret later. And more importantly, I'll be there for her if she's been running from herself and it catches up to her."

>"She's already committed to staying here, and I was having my doubts about leaving again, anyway, so I guess we'll be in here for the long haul, now. It's a lot to get used to, but time can make almost anything seem normal."

>Yukari nods, "It'll be a difficult balance to keep, won't it? On one hand, you do want her to make her own decisions. On the other, you don't want her to throw herself off a cliff..."
>"Oh, you'll forget anything was strange within a couple months," says Yukari.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I'll just have to play it by ear. No real other way to go about it, really."
>"Oh, I like the strange. Yesterday might well have been the best day of my life. On the other hand, a little rest and normalcy is also nice..."

[E-Nazrin]

>"I can believe that last part."
>"And yes, I know the risks of her impulsiveness. She's had some alarming ideas, but I managed to talk her out of the worst of them. It's just... I don't think that fully solved the problem. But I can't find strong enough objections to some of her other impulses, as dangerous as they might be. Especially if I want her to reconsider from her own perspective, rather than mine."
>"Do you think it would be wise to let her make those mistakes, and be there for her if she gets hurt by them?"

Draco, curing Renko is a priority. Let's not avoid that.

[DracoOmega]

I don't believe I'm avoiding it, and I think 'curing' is a bit of a strong word to use. I guess I personally feel that after the SDM attack, there'll be downtime that'll give her some chance to work through this stuff and come to terms with it (with Maribel's support). I don't think there's any quick fix we're going to be able to throw together right now.

[E-Nazrin]

There isn't. But the effects of what happens at the SDM are going to be major, however it pans out. More advice and ideas won't hurt.

EDIT: Especially if that advice is about how to help her recover in a healthy way afterwards.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I'll just have to play it by ear. No real other way to go about it, really."
>"Oh, I like the strange. Yesterday might well have been the best day of my life. On the other hand, a little rest and normalcy is also nice..."

>She grins. "I'm glad. One must always appreciate newness, don't you think?"

>"I can believe that last part."
>"And yes, I know the risks of her impulsiveness. She's had some alarming ideas, but I managed to talk her out of the worst of them. It's just... I don't think that fully solved the problem. But I can't find strong enough objections to some of her other impulses, as dangerous as they might be. Especially if I want her to reconsider from her own perspective, rather than mine."
>"Do you think it would be wise to let her make those mistakes, and be there for her if she gets hurt by them?"

>"Hmmm. Do you think the mistakes are likely to make her less inclined to be herself, or more inclined to think through them?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

Jesus, this is still going?

[E-Nazrin]

Jesus, this is still going?

I will fight you. In my sleep.

>"To be herself...?"
>What WAS Renko usually like, back in the outer world?
>"... that's a good question. But it's clear which is better to focus on, isn't it? Making sure she understands that... might be the best I can hope for."
>But would success or defeat make a better lesson? Damnit.

[Hello Purvis]

>"To be herself...?"
>What WAS Renko usually like, back in the outer world?
>"... that's a good question. But it's clear which is better to focus on, isn't it? Making sure she understands that... might be the best I can hope for."
>But would success or defeat make a better lesson? Damnit.

>The primary difference was that Renko used to be more analytical, more willing to poke at things and ask why they were like they were. This had  a side effect of her sometimes complaining that things didn't make sense. You kind of don't miss that last part too much. Kind
>Yukari nods. "Well, which is better, it's best that you are there for her." She offers a smile. "Which seems to be exactly what you're planning."
>This is hard to say. But given what she said yesterday about the whole thing working, you're pretty certain success is important to her.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

Well, getting to read all that while I wasn't still 3/4 asleep helped me understand it a little bit better. I have a couple of ideas for approaches to this new Renko problem, but those will have to wait for later.

> How much more 'thinking through' is Renko likely to do with ideas if she is defeated, though? She had thought this invasion idea out fairly well, for one, at least on the tactical end. Hmm.

[Hello Purvis]

> How much more 'thinking through' is Renko likely to do with ideas if she is defeated, though? She had thought this invasion idea out fairly well, for one, at least on the tactical end. Hmm.

>You are not certain. Outside, Renko wasn't one to give up. But, she was also pretty certain about how the world works, at least up to a point, as well. It's entirely plausible either she will keep at it until she can make it work, or that she'll just give up entirely. Whether or not she could keep her faeries after the first defeat is questionable.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Well, presumably, this is a one-and-done deal anyway, so there won't be a 'first' defeat to worry about. The fairies are in this for the respect and the revenge, and they'll get both of those by the end of it. Any battles beyond that would mean Renko's just using them as tools to further her own gains, which would be pretty hypocritical on her part.

> ..Bet she's thought of that, too. No wonder she wants to win so badly.

[Hello Purvis]

> Well, presumably, this is a one-and-done deal anyway, so there won't be a 'first' defeat to worry about. The fairies are in this for the respect and the revenge, and they'll get both of those by the end of it. Any battles beyond that would mean Renko's just using them as tools to further her own gains, which would be pretty hypocritical on her part.

> ..Bet she's thought of that, too. No wonder she wants to win so badly.

>Renko's certainly not mentioned any other plans in this regard.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yeah, I do plan on that...and I you've given me some things to think about that will take what we have now and make it even better. Thank you for your kindness."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yeah, I do plan on that...and I you've given me some things to think about that will take what we have now and make it even better. Thank you for your kindness."

>"Oh, you're most certainly welcome," says Yukari, smiling, "I do with the two of you well."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Thanks."
>Lay back and an enjoy the water a little bit more

[Hello Purvis]

>"Thanks."
>Lay back and an enjoy the water a little bit more

>You lay back and enjoy the water. It really is nice to have a good hot bath to get clean. Reimu's pond was nice, but it's really got nothing compared to this. It shouldn't be too hard to find this place again, as well. You think it's not too far from the entrance to the Underground. It probably gets really crowded sometimes, though. You suspect Yukari's presence might have a role in keeping it private as long as it has been.
>Yukari, now sitting next to you, takes you hand into hers without a word.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm sure everything will work out. Or, rather, I'm going to make sure everything works out."