Iku Quest - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> What is our sexual orientation?
> ...Do we even think about that sort of thing in Bhava-Agra?

>About the same as everyone else's.
>Not really. Though you're fairly aware of how come ons and the like work due to your time in Gensokyo.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Are such relations frowned upon? Or is it that enlightened beings simply tend not to be especially interested in them?

>"I don't see why not. It's always good to know new people. I'm Iku Nagae."

[Hello Purvis]

>Are such relations frowned upon? Or is it that enlightened beings simply tend not to be especially interested in them?

>"I don't see why not. It's always good to know new people. I'm Iku Nagae."

>Not exactly frowned upon or forbidden, but it's understood that such things really aren't what enlightened beings do outside the domain of romance, if then. But there isn't really much interest in such anyways.
>"I'm Petite," says the little devil, smiling. "Want me to show you around?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Does this mean that romantic relationships still happen in Bhava-Agra?
>"I did promise the guards at the gate that I would go nowhere else but the library. However, I suppose if I were escorted by someone, it wouldn't violate the spirit of that promise."

[Hello Purvis]

>Does this mean that romantic relationships still happen in Bhava-Agra?
>"I did promise the guards at the gate that I would go nowhere else but the library. However, I suppose if I were escorted by someone, it wouldn't violate the spirit of that promise."

>They can, but they're rare. Close friendships are much more common.
>"Yep!" says Petite, "They won't mind if I'm with you."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Then sure, if you'd like. Though you needn't trouble yourself."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Then sure, if you'd like. Though you needn't trouble yourself."

>"No trouble at all," she says, smiling as the wings on her head twitch, "come on!"
>She springs from her seat and offers you a hand.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Stand up and take her hand
>Follow along

[Hello Purvis]

>Stand up and take her hand
>Follow along

>You stand up and take her hand. Petite quickly twines her fingers around yours, and leads you away, pulling you close and putting her other hand on your arm.
>She leads you to the foyer again. "You've seen all this, I'm pretty sure," she says. "But this is some of Lady Scarlet's artworks. They, um...Mideastern? I don't know. From someplace in the outside world. But there sure are a lot of weird people on them. Well, the ones that have people according to Patchy, they had a thing about drawing stuff that really existed, so they made these patterns and stuff."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>That's a rather... intimate embrace for someone you've just met...
>Admire the artwork
>"She does seem to have quite a substantial collection."

[Hello Purvis]

>That's a rather... intimate embrace for someone you've just met...
>Admire the artwork
>"She does seem to have quite a substantial collection."

>It certainly is!
>You admire an arabesque tapestry. It really is quite an intricate design. You know it tessellates somewhere, you keep seeing bits of it, but you just can't pick up the whole pattern.
>"Yeah, she's been getting this junk for centuries," she says. "Making it, too"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Do we know if Makaians in general have different standards of propriety?
>"Oh, she has some artistic ability herself? What sorts of things does she make?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Do we know if Makaians in general have different standards of propriety?
>"Oh, she has some artistic ability herself? What sorts of things does she make?"

>You don't know Makai that well at all, but you're fairly sure if their standards were this different, you'd know about it.
>"She does a lot of sculpting," says Petite. "All those statues outside? They're hers. She paints, too. But it's not as good. I think she weaves a bit, but I wouldn't know if any of these are her work or not."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Do we recall those statues?
>How well-executed were they?
>"That's quite impressive, really."

[Hello Purvis]

>Do we recall those statues?
>How well-executed were they?
>"That's quite impressive, really."

>You didn't stop to look at them either time.
>"Well, she needs to do something with her time," says Petite, as she reads her head on your shoulder.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, perhaps."
>"Was there someplace else you wished to show me?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yes, perhaps."
>"Was there someplace else you wished to show me?"

>"Oh, sure," says Petite. "I'll show you the east wing, where the maids and guests stay." She starts toward the eastern doors.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Very well."
>Follow along

[Hello Purvis]

>"Very well."
>Follow along

>You follow her into the east wing.
>You come to a long hallway, lined with doors. It is rather sparse decorated, just a few pictures of simply things like flowers here and there. "This is where the maids stay," says Petite. "Most people thing this is pretty boring, but they're wrong. See, this is where they spend much of their spare time, right? So usually there's something fun going on somewhere. The trick is just to figure out which room it's in. But right now most of the maids are up helping Lady Scarlet take over that island. Let me show you the second floor, though."
>She leads you toward a set of stairs.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, I did see her up there earlier. Apparently she's named the island after herself."
>Continue along

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yes, I did see her up there earlier. Apparently she's named the island after herself."
>Continue along

>"Yeah, that sounds like something she'd do," says Petite as walks with you up the stairs.
>The second floor, you see, looks much like the first. There are fewer doors, though, and more pictures on the walls. As well, you can see a stand every so often with a stone bust of vase on it.
>"These are the guest rooms," says Petite. "It's also where Patchy and I live. We're technically guests, although Patchy's been here for decades nows. It really used to get under the Head Maid's skin."
>You feel something wrap around your waist. Looking down, you see Petite's tail has wrapped around you and rests on your hip, rather like someone's arm.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I can't imagine it could be anything other than a technicality after that many years."
>Shift a little uncomfortably
>"Are, uh, are you... always this... forward?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I can't imagine it could be anything other than a technicality after that many years."
>Shift a little uncomfortably
>"Are, uh, are you... always this... forward?"

>"Oh it is," says Petite. "But there used to be quite the tension between them.
>You shift a bit. Even if you didn't know how non-Celestials worked at all, you imagine you would have taken the hint.
>"I try to be!" says Petite, ans she leads you down the hall. "Here, I'll show you one of the rooms. They're very nice."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, I'm sure they are. Uh, how long have you been Patchouli's assistant yourself?"
>Try to assume a little more distance between us, without actually bodily removing her hands/tail

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yes, I'm sure they are. Uh, how long have you been Patchouli's assistant yourself?"
>Try to assume a little more distance between us, without actually bodily removing her hands/tail

>"Awhile now," says Petite. "I never really bothered to keep track."
>You try to put a little more distance between you and her, and she simply follows along.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"What is she like to work for, anyway?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"What is she like to work for, anyway?"

>"A huge pain," says Petite, "But let's not worry about the likes of her, shall we?"
>She opens one of the doors, smiling at you.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Peek inside, without actually stepping inside
>"Petite, I appreciate your showing me around, but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the... undertone. No offense intended."

[Hello Purvis]

>Peek inside, without actually stepping inside
>"Petite, I appreciate your showing me around, but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the... undertone. No offense intended."

>You peek inside. It does seem to be a bedroom. It also seems to be lived in, if the stuff on the walls suggests anything.
>"What's wrong?" she asks. "I'm not going to hurt you or anything. I mean, I know we're different and stuff, but not that different."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"It's nothing personal, I promise you. In fact, you seems like a honest and cheerful woman, and I do appreciate your interest. But where I come from... such activities are generally not considered proper to engage in, like this. Society in Bhava-Agra is different from Gensokyo in many ways."