Maribel Quest Perpetuation: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "I don't know. There may very well be other Gensokyo...rules? Should I use rules? You seemed bothered by customs. Anyway, there may very well be more I don't know. The outside world is just a whole lot different from here, and neither of us exactly got a handbook to help us acclamate, you know? I apologize for not being familiar with Gensokyo's rules, but given how different they are, I'm not sure all of them can be reasonably held against us."

>"It's not even rules. It's just how things work. It's like saying that sleeping is a rule, you know?" says Marisa. "I mean, you could not sleep. But why? You're only going to cause problems. It's just...I dunno, it's like hearing people don't wash their hands."
>She frowns again.
>"You do wash your hands, right?"

>"No, that's ok, I don't think that's rude. It's fair to wonder what 'normal' things around here we don't get, and I'm sure there's still some knowledge gaps lurking around. I'm sure the reverse would be just as true, or even moreso, if you were to end up in the outside world, as well. No one really notices all the things they take for granted without a point of comparison."

>"Yeah, it's just...insulting, you know? How do you ask someone if they don't do something really basic without being a huge bore?"

>"No offense taken. Honestly, I'm curious about the differences myself, and I do prefer the Gensokyo version for... well, a lot of the differences I've seen so far, actually. Did you have anything specific in mind? I'd have trouble guessing what would be really basic and different without finding out about the difference first - to me, those weird things are 'normal.' Or were, at least."

>"I don't know if I even would have something specific in mind, you know?" says Marisa, shaking her head.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, I wash my hands. And I imagine the vast majority of the 'basic stuff' you mention, given how I've seen other people conduct themselves since I'm been here."
>"Oh well, there's probably not much to be done other than keep blundering forward and hope we don't trip up too badly, eh?"

[E-Nazrin]

>"I guess the most I can ask for is some understanding if I accidentally do something offensive."
>"If you're curious about anything, though, feel free to ask. I should know about any differences before they become a problem for me, too."

[Kilgamayan]

> "Actually, remember that 'indoor plumbing' thing I mentioned? What that means is water gets pumped right into your house. You can wash your hands, wash your dishes and cutlery, and even take baths, without ever having to leave your house. And when you're done using the water, it leaves your house as safely as it entered it, with no structural harm done. It's very convenient."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yes, I wash my hands. And I imagine the vast majority of the 'basic stuff' you mention, given how I've seen other people conduct themselves since I'm been here."
>"Oh well, there's probably not much to be done other than keep blundering forward and hope we don't trip up too badly, eh?"

>Marisa nods. "Yeah, just blunder on."

>"I guess the most I can ask for is some understanding if I accidentally do something offensive."
>"If you're curious about anything, though, feel free to ask. I should know about any differences before they become a problem for me, too."

>"I'll do what I can," says Marisa.

> "Actually, remember that 'indoor plumbing' thing I mentioned? What that means is water gets pumped right into your house. You can wash your hands, wash your dishes and cutlery, and even take baths, without ever having to leave your house. And when you're done using the water, it leaves your house as safely as it entered it, with no structural harm done. It's very convenient."

>"That sounds really convenient," Marisa says with an appreciative nod. "Hard to believe that's not magic."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"There a lot of things in the outside world that might be able to pass for magic if you didn't know the difference. Things that'll do your laundry or dishes for you, ways to see and communicate with people thousands of miles away in an instant, ways to keep your house cool to the exact temperature you want, and more other things than I could possibly name. I'll miss some of them, to be honest. But, in the same way, Gensokyo is full of amazing things you can't find outside, either."

[Hello Purvis]

>"There a lot of things in the outside world that might be able to pass for magic if you didn't know the difference. Things that'll do your laundry or dishes for you, ways to see and communicate with people thousands of miles away in an instant, ways to keep your house cool to the exact temperature you want, and more other things than I could possibly name. I'll miss some of them, to be honest. But, in the same way, Gensokyo is full of amazing things you can't find outside, either."

>Marisa nods. "I have some memories of 'em. But not much..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "You know, I wonder...how interesting do you think the citizens of Gensokyo would find these things? I don't know how useful I could be in actually implementing them, but...well, it would just be easier to come out with it."
> "I don't know if you've heard, but the kappa are building a university. Since I'll need a source of income for us to survive here, I was considering applying there once it's finished, with a curriculum like Outer World Culture. And before you ask, there would be no science. I've had that talk several times already. Instead, it could be used to detail the daily lives of the outer world human, and the things the outer world has and does that are different from what goes on in Gensokyo. Things from everyday house activity to professional competitions to governing bodies. Stuff like that. Do you think anyone would consider this worth learning about?"

[DracoOmega]

> "You know, I wonder...how interesting do you think the citizens of Gensokyo would find these things? I don't know how useful I could be in actually implementing them, but...well, it would just be easier to come out with it."
> "I don't know if you've heard, but the kappa are building a university. Since I'll need a source of income for us to survive here, I was considering applying there once it's finished, with a curriculum like Outer World Culture. And before you ask, there would be no science. I've had that talk several times already. Instead, it could be used to detail the daily lives of the outer world human, and the things the outer world has and does that are different from what goes on in Gensokyo. Things from everyday house activity to professional competitions to governing bodies. Stuff like that. Do you think anyone would consider this worth learning about?"

>Omit the mention of 'science', one way or another, from this description. No need to give her negative ideas that mightn't have otherwise occurred to her.

[Hello Purvis]

> "You know, I wonder...how interesting do you think the citizens of Gensokyo would find these things? I don't know how useful I could be in actually implementing them, but...well, it would just be easier to come out with it."
> "I don't know if you've heard, but the kappa are building a university. Since I'll need a source of income for us to survive here, I was considering applying there once it's finished, with a curriculum like Outer World Culture. And before you ask, there would be no science. I've had that talk several times already. Instead, it could be used to detail the daily lives of the outer world human, and the things the outer world has and does that are different from what goes on in Gensokyo. Things from everyday house activity to professional competitions to governing bodies. Stuff like that. Do you think anyone would consider this worth learning about?"

>Omit the mention of 'science', one way or another, from this description. No need to give her negative ideas that mightn't have otherwise occurred to her.

>"That might be interesting," says Marisa. "But I don't know how much you'd make doing that."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm ok with a modest lifestyle. But you need to put food on the table somehow, right? I think it might be enjoyable work. I'm not sure what else there might be around here for me to do that I'd be suited for."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'm ok with a modest lifestyle. But you need to put food on the table somehow, right? I think it might be enjoyable work. I'm not sure what else there might be around here for me to do that I'd be suited for."

>"Well, you could try to apprentice with an herbalist or something," says Marisa. "Or find something in the Ancient City, if you don't mind being underground."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Being underground doesn't really bother me, although I hear the city itself can get rough sometimes. But one of the Devas kinda laid claim to me, so I gather the rest will probably leave me alone. They have so far, anyway. Although working for an oni feels a little, well..."
>"But yeah, I guess there's a few things to look into and think about as we get settled in here."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Being underground doesn't really bother me, although I hear the city itself can get rough sometimes. But one of the Devas kinda laid claim to me, so I gather the rest will probably leave me alone. They have so far, anyway. Although working for an oni feels a little, well..."
>"But yeah, I guess there's a few things to look into and think about as we get settled in here."

>Marisa nods. "See, there's lots of things you can do. Mind, I'd stay away from the Ancient City if I could help it. But I bet that deva would help you out."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Uh, we know how to prepare tea, right?

[Hello Purvis]

> Uh, we know how to prepare tea, right?

>You may be a barbarian, but you're not that much of one.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I hope that we can get the place at least a little together before Remilia decides it's time to drop by for tea. But on the note, I really would appreciate it if you could lend us some, just in case she's quick about it. We, uh, really have nothing household to our name but a futon."
>"...wait, we don't have any way to heat the water, either, do we? Or is there some magical substitute that can be used in a pinch, until we get a real stove?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I hope that we can get the place at least a little together before Remilia decides it's time to drop by for tea. But on the note, I really would appreciate it if you could lend us some, just in case she's quick about it. We, uh, really have nothing household to our name but a futon."
>"...wait, we don't have any way to heat the water, either, do we? Or is there some magical substitute that can be used in a pinch, until we get a real stove?"

>"Sure, I'll loan you some tea," says Marisa. "As for the rest, maybe look through the smithy at the village? Or maybe the pawn shops in the ancient city?"
>"There's a stove," says Renko. "Remember, we saw it through the window. But, um...we'd need wood for it. And, maybe learn how to make a fire?"
>Marisa laughs. "Wow, you guys really are helpless. Well, first off, charcoal is better than wood. And you'd be better off using a brazier than a stove for heating tea, unless you're also doing some other cooking. Get a good wok for food, it'll make life easier."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yeah, I'm sure it must sound rather clueless. But pretty much all stoves you're going to find in the outside world run on electricity. Using one that requires physical fuel is... different, to say the very least. You won't find too many people in an outside city who've ever gathered firewood on their own, either."
>"But yeah, thanks for the advice. There's going to be a long list of things to shop for, once we have the money to buy them with."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yeah, I'm sure it must sound rather clueless. But pretty much all stoves you're going to find in the outside world run on electricity. Using one that requires physical fuel is... different, to say the very least. You won't find too many people in an outside city who've ever gathered firewood on their own, either."
>"But yeah, thanks for the advice. There's going to be a long list of things to shop for, once we have the money to buy them with."

>Marisa chuckles. "Don't worry too much about it. You'll get the hang of it in no time. Anyways, I can loan you some charcoal, too, if money's tight. But I'll expect you to gather me some more mushrooms in the next couple days."

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>Maybe we should actually make that list.
>"No problem. But what do you do for work, Marisa? It doesn't sound like you live on those mushrooms, if they're mostly for magic."

[Hello Purvis]

>Maybe we should actually make that list.
>"No problem. But what do you do for work, Marisa? It doesn't sound like you live on those mushrooms, if they're mostly for magic."

>That might not be a bad idea.
>"I run an all purpose magic shop and problem solving service," says Marisa, grinning proudly. "Youkai, faeries, spells, whatever you need beaten up or dealt with. Don't get too much business, though...But I make ends meet."

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>What do we have, for writing utensils and paper? Or that we've seen in Gensokyo?
>What wonders the printing press might do for this world...
>"That sounds like an... unusual line of work. What sort of things have you done for that, then?"

[DracoOmega]

>What wonders the printing press might do for this world...

>Wouldn't the newspaper suggest that such a thing exists? Or at least something that works similarly?

[Hello Purvis]

>What do we have, for writing utensils and paper? Or that we've seen in Gensokyo?
>What wonders the printing press might do for this world...
>"That sounds like an... unusual line of work. What sort of things have you done for that, then?"

>You have some newspapers you could write in the margins on. You've seen people use quills and ink, brushes and ink, and you think Hatate had a fountain pen. You didn't pay much attention.
>That's an interesting question.
>"Not a whole lot," says Marisa. "Helped some faeries get a tsuchinoko once. Normally I end up roving around looking for jobs when money gets tight."

>Wouldn't the newspaper suggest that such a thing exists? Or at least something that works similarly?

>Oh that's a point, isn't it?

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yeah, I think I'll take you up on the offer of charcoal, too. I don't mind lending another hand with the mushroom gathering later. I don't think we'll be cashless for too long, but I'd hate to be caught entirely unprepared if Remilia did show up before then. It wouldn't seem very hospitable of us after all this."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yeah, I think I'll take you up on the offer of charcoal, too. I don't mind lending another hand with the mushroom gathering later. I don't think we'll be cashless for too long, but I'd hate to be caught entirely unprepared if Remilia did show up before then. It wouldn't seem very hospitable of us after all this."

>Marisa nods. "Where are you two at again? That one house on the edge of the forest?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yeah, the abandoned one. It's tidied up quiet nicely now, though. But essentially completely empty."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yeah, the abandoned one. It's tidied up quiet nicely now, though. But essentially completely empty."

>"Alright, I'll drop off some stuff in a little while," says Marisa.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Ok, sounds great, thanks."
>"Anything else you wanted to know? About today's events, or otherwise?"