Maribel Quest Abridging - A Z-Machine Adventure

[DracoOmega]

>Dash backwards and ascend.
>As we do, hurl the doll in our hands at the ones firing at us
>Fire back at them!

[Kilgamayan]

Sorry that we went for Commemorative Stein K.O. with something other than the yo-yo, UK, but the bowl seemed better suited for the job. :<

[Hello Purvis]

>Dash backwards and ascend.
>As we do, hurl the doll in our hands at the ones firing at us
>Fire back at them!

>You dash backward and ascend away from the barrage! Regardless, a few shots still hit you in the legs with painful shocks. You're starting to feel fairly tired.
>You try to throw the doll back at the attackers, but it doesn't work very well with the hold you current have on her, and she just flops through the air and takes a few bullets before falling to the ground.
>Renko shoots down a couple others, and diverts the attention of the group a bit. Between your maneuvers and her fire, you think you've taken out about half of them, though a few are only stunned for the moment.
>You shoot back at them, one of your standard unfocused clouds. At the same time, most of the remaining group focuses on you while a couple try to snipe Renko.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Shift out of the way of incoming fire
>Quickly tag the dolls that are only stunned, then switch fire back to the active dolls

>Tired or not, we've making progress!
>Spare a glace to Alice. How does she seem to be doing?

[Hello Purvis]

>Shift out of the way of incoming fire
>Quickly tag the dolls that are only stunned, then switch fire back to the active dolls

>Tired or not, we've making progress!
>Spare a glace to Alice. How does she seem to be doing?

>You shift away from the incoming fire, getting close to being in Renko's way in the process, and try to target the stunned dolls. It is diffcult to see with all the danmaku in the air, but you think you hit a couple, at least.
>You try not to lose heart, you're getting there!
>You look toward Alice for a brief second, and see her reach the open set of doors, which you presume leads to a gallery. "Retreat outside!" she cries, then slips through.
>The dolls start to move!

>_

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Quickly pursue Alice. Maneuver past the dolls entirely, as best we can
>If Alice is still in sight, fire the quickest shots we can muster at her
>If not, and we can tag a couple dolls while we're moving, do so, but don't interrupt our pursuit to do so

[Hello Purvis]

>Quickly pursue Alice. Maneuver past the dolls entirely, as best we can
>If Alice is still in sight, fire the quickest shots we can muster at her
>If not, and we can tag a couple dolls while we're moving, do so, but don't interrupt our pursuit to do so

>You move to pursue Alice, firing a couple quick shots at her.
>One flies through the doorway, before she slams the doors shut, and the others collide into them harmlessly.
>The dolls seem to be ignoring you entirely, those that can still move, and fly at top speed for the foyer.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Quickly, try to open the doors before she can lock them
>If they are ALREADY locked: "Renko, go see if Patchouli has a key for these. Or knows where to get it."

[Hello Purvis]

>You reach the doors and try to open them! They are not locked!
>But when you put try to open them, you feel a good amount of force against them keeping you from doing so.
>"Hold still," you hear Alice stay on the other side of the door.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>This force is holding both doors?
>Did Alice sound like she was talking to us, or another doll?
>If it sounded like it was directed to us, get away from the door.
>Otherwise: "Renko, give me a hand with this!"
 >Pull on the doors together with as much force as we can muster

[Hello Purvis]

>This force is holding both doors?
>Did Alice sound like she was talking to us, or another doll?
>If it sounded like it was directed to us, get away from the door.
>Otherwise: "Renko, give me a hand with this!"
 >Pull on the doors together with as much force as we can muster

>It seems to be.
>She didn't sound like she was shouting through the door at leas,it but it could be addressed either way.
>The doors open inward, pushing is the key!

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Give me a hand with this, Renko."
>Keep the handle in the open position and brace as much of our weight against the door as we can.
>If it's still not budging, try ramming it a little.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Give me a hand with this, Renko."
>Keep the handle in the open position and brace as much of our weight against the door as we can.
>If it's still not budging, try ramming it a little.

>"Right," says Renko, firing a few parting shots at the fleeing dolls.
>You keep the handle open, and put your weight against the door as you can. It definitely budges a bit, then the opposing force fights back.
>Renko joins you. The door gives a bit more.
>You notice there is still one doll left in the hall that is still moving. It was the one you used as a bludgeon. She's sitting against the wall and crying. Perhaps not exactly crying, as there's no sound, but her shoulders are heaving and she's covering her face with her hands.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Keep trying to force the door
>Feel strangely guilty about the doll, just the same...

[Hello Purvis]

>Keep trying to force the door
>Feel strangely guilty about the doll, just the same...

>You keep trying to force the door, even though you feel a bit like a jerk.
>The two of you slowly manage to wedge the door open a bit more. You can see a bit of Alice's back through the crack! As well, you can see that doll with the disturbing smile looking out at you through it.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>While continuing to force the door, try to slip a little danmaku between the crack and into Alice's back

[Hello Purvis]

>While continuing to force the door, try to slip a little danmaku between the crack and into Alice's back

>You try to shoot Alice in the back. Unfortunately, this detracts your attention from keeping maximum force on the door, as you have to lift a hand to do so. The doll snakes her hand out, taking the shot before it hits Alice, and the door slips mostly closed again.
>"What're you doing?" Renko says.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Keep pushing. Redouble our force out of our frustration
>"The doll blocked the shot."

[Hello Purvis]

>Keep pushing. Redouble our force out of our frustration
>"The doll blocked the shot."

>"What shot?" says Renko.
>Something pushes back against you very powerfully, as the door closes the rest of the way. It no longer budges.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>No longer budges at all? If it really seems entirely futile now, stop.
>"I tried to slip a shoot through the cracks at Alice. I figured that might distract her enough for us to get it open. But another doll intercepted it before it reached her."
>Whisper to Renko: "Renko, keep an eye on this door. If anything happens, come get me. I'm going to library, and then around the front. I just need you to see if she comes back out this way, ok?"
>Quickly head to the library

[Hello Purvis]

>No longer budges at all? If it really seems entirely futile now, stop.
>"I tried to slip a shoot through the cracks at Alice. I figured that might distract her enough for us to get it open. But another doll intercepted it before it reached her."
>Whisper to Renko: "Renko, keep an eye on this door. If anything happens, come get me. I'm going to library, and then around the front. I just need you to see if she comes back out this way, ok?"
>Quickly head to the library

>It doesn't budge. You stop, as does Renko.
>"Dang," she says, "We almost had it. And I'll let you know if she does."
>You return to the library. You find Patchouli sitting where you left her, looking a bit pale. "I don't like the look you're wearing," she says.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I got oil of vibration all over Alice and beat her in the head with a bowl... A bunch of dolls are disabled, and she had the rest of them retreat outside. But she's barricaded herself in the gallery. I think the giant doll is blocking the door. We can't budge it. Is there another way in? Mundane or otherwise."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I got oil of vibration all over Alice and beat her in the head with a bowl... A bunch of dolls are disabled, and she had the rest of them retreat outside. But she's barricaded herself in the gallery. I think the giant doll is blocking the door. We can't budge it. Is there another way in? Mundane or otherwise."

>"Go to the other gallery," says Patchouli, "There's a side door that joins them. Is she in the east one or the middle one? Don't bother with the west door, it's leads to the dining room."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"The middle one. Thank you!"
>"Oh, do you know if her dolls can operate if she's unconscious? Despite not even being able to walk straight, none of them seemed to become any less coordinated. I'm... a little concerned about that giant one."

[Hello Purvis]

>"The middle one. Thank you!"
>"Oh, do you know if her dolls can operate if she's unconscious? Despite not even being able to walk straight, none of them seemed to become any less coordinated. I'm... a little concerned about that giant one."

>"They are independent," says Patchouli, "But they tend not to be aggressive without her. As for a giant one, this is the first I have heard of it." She shrugs. "A secret project, I suppose?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Sort of secret, maybe. Although I did just see it out in front of her house the other day. Anyway, unless you have some last minute advice, I should get back."
>Assuming no last minute advice worth following up on, quickly return to where we left.
>Head to the eastmost door and motion for Renko to follow
>Open it cautiously, and be prepared for something lying in wait
>Assuming there is nothing immediately inside this gallery, enter.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Sort of secret, maybe. Although I did just see it out in front of her house the other day. Anyway, unless you have some last minute advice, I should get back."
>Assuming no last minute advice worth following up on, quickly return to where we left.
>Head to the eastmost door and motion for Renko to follow
>Open it cautiously, and be prepared for something lying in wait
>Assuming there is nothing immediately inside this gallery, enter.

>"Nothing you likely haven't already learned," says Patchouli.
>You dash back toward the western wing, and find nothing out of place. Renko watches the door from a distance, periodically glancing toward the weeping doll. She joins you as you enter the hall. "Nothing unusual from the door," says Renko.
>You open eastmost set of double doors, a find nothing unusual happens.
>Entering, you find the gallery is full of Asian art of all kinds. Much like the foyer, it is filled will wooden statues, folding screens, framed prints, and other such things. However, the artwork is not limited to just Japanese pieces. You can see Chinese paintings, Vietnamese three-color ceramics, and many other things you cannot begin to identify despite the art appreciation class you took. Of particular interest to you is a set of closed double doors against the western wall, leading into the other gallery.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Can we sense if our time stop has recharged without actually trying to use it?
>Indicate the doors to Renko, and get her to follow us over to them
>Try to open them a tiny crack as silently as we can, and peer through

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we sense if our time stop has recharged without actually trying to use it?
>Indicate the doors to Renko, and get her to follow us over to them
>Try to open them a tiny crack as silently as we can, and peer through

>No. This was a problem when you were practicing it yesterday.
>You approach the doors, Renko behind you.
>You try to open them gently; thankfully they are well maintained and do not squeal at all. But there is still a sound of the knob opening.
>Will you open the door as to give you a view of the north side of the gallery, the south side, or the middle?

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Open them such that we can see the side of the gallery where the door to the hallway is.
>If there is nothing there that seems to take notice of us, shift our position to peer at the rest of the room in sequence.