Maribel Quest Abridging - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>Try to move such that, by pursuing us, Alice's back is drawn in front of the open library doors
>How close is she to that position now?
>"Well, it's pretty solid, I'll give it that."
>Fire a few more times. Let her enjoy herself, and perhaps hopefully not be too alert to other things.
>Can we see anything, or more importantly anyONE in the library by looking at it? Try not to make it obvious we're looking that way.

>You try try to move that way, but it will draw you closer to it as a side result.
>You are pretty sure Alice and the construct are visible from the library now; there's a pretty good field of vision from there.
>"Of course," says Alice as you comment.
>Right now, you cannot see anyone in the library observing, but you are also flying, which limits your vision through door frames a bit.

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "Dang it, I knew I shoulda gotten the Thunder and Homing instead of the Fire and Homing! Was my best hope in the game too..."
> Alice mentioned Reisen dealt with this construct before, correct? Maybe we should speak with her about this after.

[Kilgamayan]

> Are those two dolls that were flanking us earlier still with us?

[Hello Purvis]

> "Dang it, I knew I shoulda gotten the Thunder and Homing instead of the Fire and Homing! Was my best hope in the game too..."
> Alice mentioned Reisen dealt with this construct before, correct? Maybe we should speak with her about this after.

>Maybe you'd like a win game button too, commie
>That might not be a bad idea, but maybe you should probably survive first.

> Are those two dolls that were flanking us earlier still with us?

>You don't immediately see them.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Is Alice still advancing on us?
> "So what of your dolls, now that you have this?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Is Alice still advancing on us?
> "So what of your dolls, now that you have this?"

>She is.
>"Come again?" she asks.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "This thing is obviously a lot sturdier and more powerful than a hand-sized doll. What are you going to do with your old dolls?"

[DracoOmega]

>Keep backing up at a similar pace to the construct's advancing
>See if we can fire a stream of danmaku that curves, rather than moving straight. Try to guide it in a c-shaped path that arcs out around the construct's reach and back towards Alice

[Hello Purvis]

> "This thing is obviously a lot sturdier and more powerful than a hand-sized doll. What are you going to do with your old dolls?"

>"Are you suggesting I'd abandon them?" asks Alice, frowning.

>Keep backing up at a similar pace to the construct's advancing
>See if we can fire a stream of danmaku that curves, rather than moving straight. Try to guide it in a c-shaped path that arcs out around the construct's reach and back towards Alice

>You continue to back away, trying not to move too fast.
>You've never fired curving danmaku before. How do you intend to do it?

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Try visualizing the desired path of bullets as we will them into being, in a similar way that we have been visualizing the pattern and spread of our shots.

[Hello Purvis]

>Try visualizing the desired path of bullets as we will them into being, in a similar way that we have been visualizing the pattern and spread of our shots.

>You've not really tried for anything like a pattern yet. The closest you've come is picturing cloud density. But, you think that ought to be enough to try something new.
>You concentrate on coaxing your bullets into a curving line. At first, it simply doesn't work. You try again, holding onto the image more strongly.  A line of small bullets bursts from your hands, curving outward from you, then arcing inward toward Alice.
>Unfortunately, the attack goes wide by a yard or so and passes behind her, but still you feel a sense of accomplishment.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Keep trying to refine our aim with this. Switch between sides. Try not to make the angle of approach too predictable to Alice.
>Continue to withdraw until we start to get uncomfortably close to the opposite wall

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, there were two flanking me earlier, and I don't see them now. And then there was the crying one in the hallway."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, there were two flanking me earlier, and I don't see them now. And then there was the crying one in the hallway."

>"Oh, those two are lurking in the hall," says Alice. "They know not to get in the way. As for the one crying, I didn't see her or anyone else when I came out."

>Keep trying to refine our aim with this. Switch between sides. Try not to make the angle of approach too predictable to Alice.
>Continue to withdraw until we start to get uncomfortably close to the opposite wall

>You keep trying to fire on Alice while talking. You think you're getting the hang of arching shots, but targeting them is difficult. As well, you find it harder to pour as many shots into them as you might like.
>You are quite certain the corner is drawing uncomfortably close, but yo would have to look behind you to be sure.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Can we still see no movement or anything from the library at this angle?
>How close are we to walls on either of our sides? If there is an opening to circle right or left around the construct, leaving more room behind us, try to take whichever seems roomier, as long as it wouldn't just drag the construct back in front of the western hallway again, or leave Alice directly facing the library.
>Since this probably requires us cutting across the construct's path a little, drop fire and put all our effort into speed until we're better positioned

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we still see no movement or anything from the library at this angle?
>How close are we to walls on either of our sides? If there is an opening to circle right or left around the construct, leaving more room behind us, try to take whichever seems roomier, as long as it wouldn't just drag the construct back in front of the western hallway again, or leave Alice directly facing the library.
>Since this probably requires us cutting across the construct's path a little, drop fire and put all our effort into speed until we're better positioned

>You cannot.
>You glance back. The Eastern wall is less than two yards away. The northern one is about four yards away.
>Mustering your speed, you try to circle north around Alice and the construct. Alice turns as you do, keeping the construct between you and her. The construct strikes out toward you, just barely missing your side. The speed of the attack confirms your suspicions, you cannot let this thing hit you!
>You have have a clear path to the front door, as well as one to the western wing.

>_

[Janitor Morgan]

Throwing out the idea of making a familiar or two to fly around the construct. If it swipes at them, use that chance to maneuver further; if not, have them fire at Alice.

Just a thought.

[DracoOmega]

>Shift our retreat back towards the west wing
>Try something different with our danmaku, again. Try sending a cloud at a trajectory above Alice's head (and out of range of the construct's arms) and try to will it to converge towards Alice once it's past the construct. Visualize this in a similar manner that we used to create curving danmaku

Throwing out the idea of making a familiar or two to fly around the construct. If it swipes at them, use that chance to maneuver further; if not, have them fire at Alice.

Just a thought.

I'm not sure we have enough control over our familiars to do this. Moreso, we still need to fetch the incantation and cast it to make them. I don't think we can take the time to do this now.

[MysTeariousYukari]

Well, let's assume we could stop time right now. What could we do with it?

We can go from their on what to do, cause our Mystic Arte/Time Stop can kick in again after a few minutes, which it has been(I hope), roughly.

[DracoOmega]

Right now, we MIGHT have enough time to get past the construct and fire on Alice using our time stop. But I'd like to save it until we have a more pressing need to capitalize on it. We're going to be essentially backing ourselves into a corner with this maneuver, and we may need to stop time to get out again, if things go poorly. Remember, simply stalling for time also benefits us, at the moment.

[Hello Purvis]

>Shift our retreat back towards the west wing
>Try something different with our danmaku, again. Try sending a cloud at a trajectory above Alice's head (and out of range of the construct's arms) and try to will it to converge towards Alice once it's past the construct. Visualize this in a similar manner that we used to create curving danmaku

>You circle around and head back toward the west wing.
>Turning back to face Alice, you try something new. You create a cloud, trying to set it to converge toward Alice. You feel the energy drain form you as you fire a small cloud, barely more than a dozen small bullets and send it flying over the construct's head. It keeps going, past Alice, then flies apart in all directions. That might be dangerous, if not for the fact that there's only a few bullets, leaving many directions uncovered, and that the shots aren't very fast.
>"It was a valiant effort," says Alice, "But the cat and mouse is wearing a little thin."
>She pulls a few strings, and the construct raises its hand. Several arcs of danmaku swirl from its palms, filling the air and spiraling toward you in different directions. You think you can see columns among the arcs, but you aren't certain...

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Quickly put as much as distance as we can between us and the bullets, while trying to read their paths closely. Continue to head towards the west wing corridor.
>Try to shift to a position to avoid both the arcs and the columns, as best we can

[MysTeariousYukari]

Crud... do or die, I pick do!

> "You speak like a victor, but this Chess match isn't as near to Checkmate as you would like to think."
> Start running through the danmaku, trying to dodge here and their "Leeeeerooooy-", Za Warudo if we can "Hi-Ougi!", and get past the Construct, to Alice, danmaku and pummel her.
> Assuming we manage the Time Stop, "Jeeeeenkins!" once Time goes back to normal.
> If we pull off all the above "Or rather, as near to Checkmate in your favor, as you thought.
> If the Time Stop doesn't kick in "Well, that sucks."

*reads Draco's post* Aren't we in a Dead End? If we are not, ignore my post.

[DracoOmega]

Crud... do or die, I pick do!

> "You speak like a victor, but this Chess match isn't as near to Checkmate as you would like to think."
> Start running through the danmaku, trying to dodge here and their "Leeeeerooooy-", Za Warudo if we can "Hi-Ougi!", and get past the Construct, to Alice, danmaku and pummel her.
> Assuming we manage the Time Stop, "Jeeeeenkins!" once Time goes back to normal.
> If we pull off all the above "Or rather, as near to Checkmate in your favor, as you thought.
> If the Time Stop doesn't kick in "Well, that sucks."

*reads Draco's post* Aren't we in a Dead End? If we are not, ignore my post.

>Hold off on this for now

To the best of my knowledge, we still have that whole hallway behind us, and the pantry at the end of it, which I hope to reach.
Keep in mind, Renko will be firmly behind Alice if she comes out of the library again, and Alice may quite have forgotten for the moment that she's there

[Hello Purvis]

>Quickly put as much as distance as we can between us and the bullets, while trying to read their paths closely. Continue to head towards the west wing corridor.
>Try to shift to a position to avoid both the arcs and the columns, as best we can

>You back away quickly, trying to read the shots. There's a wave of red ones and a waves of blue, both fairly sizable spheres, come at you. They are arranged into columns of arcs, you think, it should be safe to move between them. But, the red and blue shots are not in sync, and when you reach the end of the closer red ones and the start of the blue, moving between them will be difficult.
>As you consider this, the construct adds more danmaku, a circle of red arrow-like bulelts which linger around it.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Continue to back away
>About how far into the corridor are we?
>Shift between the columns of red shots. Choose a gap that seems to have the most favorable opening between the red and blue shots
>Be ready to shift all our movement into adjusting ourselves from a gap in the red shots to a gap in the blue shots at the right time

[Kilgamayan]

> Does Alice still appear to be controlling the construct with her strings?
> If so, which hand is she using?

[Hello Purvis]

>Continue to back away
>About how far into the corridor are we?
>Shift between the columns of red shots. Choose a gap that seems to have the most favorable opening between the red and blue shots
>Be ready to shift all our movement into adjusting ourselves from a gap in the red shots to a gap in the blue shots at the right time

>You continue to back away.
>You've not quite reached the corridor again yet, but it is close.
>Moving between the red shots, you find yourself having to follow the arcs to the side a bit, letting the construct close the distance a bit.
>The disconnect between the red and blue series draws near. You watch them, preparing to shift yourself to accommodate the blue arcs. You see the perfect gap slip by you ahead, but moving backwards as you are, you cannot do much to take advantage.
>The changeover comes! The blue columns are not completely out of sync, but it is is still a tight fit; you brush against it painfully with the back of your hand in the process.
>The red arrowheads fall back toward the construct for a moment, then suddenly fly outward, forming their own curved columns and coming at you quickly!

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Will the new columns reach us before the blue ones around us have passed?
>If they won't, continue to back off until the blue columns pass, then shift into a gap between the new columns
>If they will, can we find a gap between them and the blue columns around us to shift into? Take it, if so.

[Hello Purvis]

>Will the new columns reach us before the blue ones around us have passed?
>If they won't, continue to back off until the blue columns pass, then shift into a gap between the new columns
>If they will, can we find a gap between them and the blue columns around us to shift into? Take it, if so.

>They will.
>You try to slide between them, and find this wave of arrowheads favors the left, letting you move to the right side of column and stay relatively unharried until the columns pass
>You reach the West Wing corridor again; nearly slamming your back into the door frame after having to move away from those columns.

>_