Maribel Quest Adjoining: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>How close does the sun seem to be to being overhead, now?
>Go knock on the door

>You've got some time, it's only a ways above the horizon now. You think Renko must have woken you up around the crack of dawn, originally.
>You knock on the door. After a moment it opens, and the fox-tailed woman you say a couple of times yesterday stands at the threshhold. She regards you with a frown and a raised eyebrow, then says, "Yes?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Hello, there. You're Ran, correct? I was wondering if I might be able to speak with Yukari."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hello, there. You're Ran, correct? I was wondering if I might be able to speak with Yukari."

>She nods. "I am. And, I expect Yukari-sama will be interested in speaking with you. We met yesterday, did we not?"
>The fox youkai steps aside to let you in. "Yukari -sama, we have a guest."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I think I might have seen you at Mystia's, yes."
>Step inside

[MysTeariousYukari]

> Stay calm, it's only someone who apperently looks a lot like us and is likely very powerful... nothing to worry about! Right?

[Hello Purvis]

>"I think I might have seen you at Mystia's, yes."
>Step inside

>She nods, as you step inside.
>The interior is simple and rather rustic, but you barely pay attention to it. Standing across from the door, by a low table laden with the remains of breakfast, is a tall woman in a white dress with a purple sort of tabard over it, emblazon with trigrams around the chest and trailing into a ying-yang orb near the bottom. Looking at her is like looking into som sort of perverse mirror. She looks a lot like you, if you were taller, shapelier, a bit more mature...this line of thought is starting to get irksome. Is this some kind of joke?
>She looks at you curiously for a moment, perhaps thinking similar things that you are. Then she says, "Ran! Ran! Can we keep her? I promise to feed her and everything!"
>You think you hear the fox youkai groan, every so slightly.

> Stay calm, it's only someone who apperently looks a lot like us and is likely very powerful... nothing to worry about! Right?

>You're doing your best, but...what?

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Try to assume that was just a very bizarre joke. We were warned she was odd, after all....
>"Er, um, hello. I'm Maribel. And... I guess people weren't exaggerating when they mentioned the resemblance."

[Hello Purvis]

>Try to assume that was just a very bizarre joke. We were warned she was odd, after all....
>"Er, um, hello. I'm Maribel. And... I guess people weren't exaggerating when they mentioned the resemblance."

>Oh god you hope so.
>"Oh, we even sound just a little alike!" says Yukari, grinning broadly. "Ran, did you do this? It's the best present ever!"
>You do not sound like that. Her voice is a little lower pitched than yours, she's probably do well in radio commercials.
>"I had nothing to do with this, Yukari-sama," says Ran. "I think I'll just clean up, then."

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> Walk over to the woman, Yukari, slowly.
> "I heard we look alike, but, wow."
> We are in our Purple/Violet dress right?
> If so "Do, do you even have a dress like mine?"

[UncertainJakutten]

> "Um...actually, I'm a human from the outside world who apparently bears a striking resemblance to you. So, I decided I'd seek you out and talk to you for that and other reasons. Please don't kidnap me...the oni tried that already"
> Frown a little, not threateningly but as if at an unpleasant memory.

[communist unity (comm-unity)]

> "Are you sure we're not long lost sisters or something? No wonder people confused me for you."

[Hello Purvis]

> Walk over to the woman, Yukari, slowly.
> "I heard we look alike, but, wow."
> We are in our Purple/Violet dress right?
> If so "Do, do you even have a dress like mine?"

>You never bothered to change out of the dress you borrowed from Orin and also slept in. You've not had the benefit of a mirror, but you imagine you look a bit like a mess right now.
>"Isn't it special?" Yukari says as you approach slowly. Before you can reply, she suddenly grabs you and hugs fiercely.

> "Um...actually, I'm a human from the outside world who apparently bears a striking resemblance to you. So, I decided I'd seek you out and talk to you for that and other reasons. Please don't kidnap me...the oni tried that already"
> Frown a little, not threateningly but as if at an unpleasant memory.

>"Oh, I would never kidnap you!" Yukari says, not letting you go, starting to rock back and forth. "No no."
>You can think of a lot of things to frown over right now.

> "Are you sure we're not long lost sisters or something? No wonder people confused me for you."

>"I don't have any human sisters, I'm afraid," Yukari says.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Then descendants, perhaps? Reimu was honestly wondering if I might have had a drop of youkai in my ancestry, considering how quickly I picked up on some types of magic despite not even knowing it existed until yesterday."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Then descendants, perhaps? Reimu was honestly wondering if I might have had a drop of youkai in my ancestry, considering how quickly I picked up on some types of magic despite not even knowing it existed until yesterday."

>"Oh, you big silly," says Yukari, letting go of you with one arm long enough to ruffle your hair. "I've never had children in my life! It's far too soon for me to think about things like that anyways."
>You are pretty sure you hear Ran make...some kind of sound, like she is choking off some kind of involuntary reaction. You don't know what one it would be.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Not that I don't appreciate your kind disposition, but don't you think this is... a tad much for someone you've only just met?"

[Kilgamayan]

> Hey, maybe Yukari could help Renko out.

[communist unity (comm-unity)]

> "So, what do you usually do around here? You're pretty well known in Gensokyo."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Not that I don't appreciate your kind disposition, but don't you think this is... a tad much for someone you've only just met?"

>She just gives a merry laugh and squeezes you again.

> Hey, maybe Yukari could help Renko out.

>This is plausible...

> "So, what do you usually do around here? You're pretty well known in Gensokyo."

>"Oh, just this and that, little things to keep me occupied."

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>"Er... like what?"
>Feeling of dread at the answer.

[DracoOmega]

>"Are you... always like this to guests? Or do you find my resemblance simply that adorable?"
>"And, uh, is that's the case... why?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Er... like what?"
>Feeling of dread at the answer.

>"Why, any little thing that catches my interest!" she says. You can hear the grin in her voice, though you can't really see her face in your current position. "And, sometimes, I take it upon myself to look into little incidents."
>Your feeling of dread is not appeased.

>"Are you... always like this to guests? Or do you find my resemblance simply that adorable?"
>"And, uh, is that's the case... why?"

>She laughs again. "Who wouldn't find it adorable!"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"While this isn't as relevant now as it once was, I suppose I should ask for curiosity's sake, given that it was the original reason I was directed towards you. If a person wanted to return to the outside world, you're the one to speak with about that, correct?"

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "Would it also be "adorable" if I could use Border or Boundary related magic? Because, I can."

[Hello Purvis]

>"While this isn't as relevant now as it once was, I suppose I should ask for curiosity's sake, given that it was the original reason I was directed towards you. If a person wanted to return to the outside world, you're the one to speak with about that, correct?"

>She gives you another squeeze, "Why, I could take you outside just as much as you'd like, dear. Where would you like to go?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I mean outside as in 'Outside Gensokyo', in case I was unclear."

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "Would it also be "adorable" if I could use Border or Boundary related magic? Because, I can."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I mean outside as in 'Outside Gensokyo', in case I was unclear."

>"I quite aware," says Yukari, as she starts to stroke your hair. "Oh, this is such a mess..."

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> Stop being ignored.
> "You said I'm "adorable." Would you find it more or less so if I could use Border or Boundary related magic? Because, I can."

[communist unity (comm-unity)]

> "I just wanted to know if it was possible, I think I'm pretty comfortable on staying here for now."
> Didn't Reimu say Yukari was skilled with borders and boundaries?
> If so, say "I've heard you're pretty good with border and boundary related magic, and Reimu said I had an affinity for it, I think.

[DracoOmega]

>"Sorry, I kinda camped out in the forest last night and haven't had the benefit of a comb or a mirror since. My apologies."
>"And is it really that trivial for you to leave and re-enter Gensokyo?"