Iku Quest Drei - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>"And you think she'd been there... for days?"
>"Does she remember anything about when it happened? Or does she not really even have the wherewithal to speak about it?"

>"When'd we say that?" says Parsee, frowning at you. "Couldn't have been there more than a day, at most."
>"It looks like she doesn't care to remember," says Utsuho "You really can't talk to her, she doesn't pay attention."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>How close do Alice and Hina look to finishing their meal?

[Hello Purvis]

>How close do Alice and Hina look to finishing their meal?

>Glancing over, you see they look like they are about done.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"So Nitori's still at her home, then?"
>Wait a moment for Hina and Alice to finish up, then approach Hina
>"Excuse me, Hina? Could I speak with you a moment? Privately? Something's come up that I think is more important you have a look at than the Orchard Isle."

[Hello Purvis]

>"So Nitori's still at her home, then?"
>Wait a moment for Hina and Alice to finish up, then approach Hina
>"Excuse me, Hina? Could I speak with you a moment? Privately? Something's come up that I think is more important you have a look at than the Orchard Isle."

>"Yeah," says Parsee, "Yuugi's looking over her right now."
>You wait for Hina and Alice to finish their meal, then approach Hina.
>"Um, alright," says Hina. Alice looks at you with a raised eyebrow.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I mean no disrespect, Alice. I've simply been asked to keep this in confidence for the moment."
>Take Hina aside, when she's ready
>Quietly enough that no one else is likely to hear: "Nitori's shadow has been affected similarly, and it's had a profoundly negative effect on the rest of her being. I'm told she barely seems present to the world around her."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I mean no disrespect, Alice. I've simply been asked to keep this in confidence for the moment."
>Take Hina aside, when she's ready
>Quietly enough that no one else is likely to hear: "Nitori's shadow has been affected similarly, and it's had a profoundly negative effect on the rest of her being. I'm told she barely seems present to the world around her."

>"As you say," Alice says.
>There is pretty much no privacy in the crowded establishment. In the end, you have to bring her close to Utsuho and Parsee's booth. You quickly explain things to her. "Mmm, I see," says Hina. "That sounds like it may be a curse. I'll be sure to stop in and visit her."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"She was also affected at least a day or two before Bhava-Agra, which suggests that whatever is causing this might still be happening. Which is a rather worrisome thought, given how it's affected her."
>"Also, I would appreciate if you try to be discreet about this, as I've been asked to be."

[Hello Purvis]

>"She was also affected at least a day or two before Bhava-Agra, which suggests that whatever is causing this might still be happening. Which is a rather worrisome thought, given how it's affected her."
>"Also, I would appreciate if you try to be discreet about this, as I've been asked to be."

>Hina nods, and says, "I see, I see..."
>"How discreet?" asks Hina.
>"She means don't tell anyone, period," says Parsee, giving her a look.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, I think that would probably be best, until we have a better idea of what's happening."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yes, I think that would probably be best, until we have a better idea of what's happening."

>Hina frowns a little, and nods. "Very well. I won't tell a soul. You can leave it to me."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Thank you very much."
>"Shall I meet with you at your place later, then? I assume there are still things around here you were planning to do before I accosted you the first time?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Thank you very much."
>"Shall I meet with you at your place later, then? I assume there are still things around here you were planning to do before I accosted you the first time?"

>"We were just having lunch, really," says Hina. "But yes, meet me there."

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "All right, then."
> Turn back to Parsee and Utsuho.
> "Is there anything else you want me to know? About this or anything else?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right, then."
> Turn back to Parsee and Utsuho.
> "Is there anything else you want me to know? About this or anything else?"

>You turn back to Utsuho and Parsee. "No, not really," says Utsuho. "Though the less other people know about this, the happier we'll be. Oh, if you stop in before we get back, make sure Yuugi knows we told you."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Understood. I'll see you a little later, then. Hopefully we'll be able to learn something we can work with, to fix all this."
>Head off towards the village granary

[Hello Purvis]

>"Understood. I'll see you a little later, then. Hopefully we'll be able to learn something we can work with, to fix all this."
>Head off towards the village granary

>"Here's hoping," says Utsuho.
>You leave the bar, reflecting that Utsuho is a rather pleasant sort for someone who tried to burn the world. You leave town, walking past Shou's Clothes, the Myouren Temple, and out toward the fields. As you do, you see a sign that reads, "Attention! These fields feed everyone, including you. Mess with them, and I will end you! -Reimu". Painted on it is a flattering, but very serious-looking caricature of the Hakurei Maiden. The fields are empty now, having been harvested not too long ago. However,  you see a few farmers out and plowing the leftover plants into the soil. You see the granary in the distance; a long low building built on legs to elevate it a foot off the ground. Before Byakuren reclaimed her ship to serve as the basis for her temple, it was favored as a granary due to not touching the ground and making it all the harder for vermin to get inside. You see a dark-skinned woman with a spear standing in front of it; you think you recognize her as one of the business owners in town.

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>Did Minoriko say that the serpent was known of in the human village?
>Either way, approach and greet her.

[Hello Purvis]

>Did Minoriko say that the serpent was known of in the human village?
>Either way, approach and greet her.

>She didn't explicitly say this, but given she said her followers were asking her for help with it, you imagine that they are aware.
>You approach the granary guard and greet her. The guard nods to you. "You'd be looking for the barkeep, then?" she asks.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I am, yes. I take it you've seen her, then?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I am, yes. I take it you've seen her, then?"

>The guard nods. "Came a little while ago, she did. Asking about the snake youkai in the forest. Said she was going to do something about it."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, we were planning to attend to that. Do you know where she went?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yes, we were planning to attend to that. Do you know where she went?"

>"Into the forest after it," says the guard. "Said she was gonna deal with it."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, but I mean do you have any idea what part of the forest it might be in?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yes, but I mean do you have any idea what part of the forest it might be in?"

>"Should've asked that," says the guard with a small frown. "The thing was seen up in the northwest edge of the that forest."
>She points toward the forest east of town, you are reasonably sure that is the one that the Hakurei Shrine is in.
>"All I can say is if it gets in here, we're going to have a hard winter."She shakes her head. "We were going to send for the Shrine Maiden, but then the sky fell, and now she's too busy to do anything about it."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I understand. We will do our best to deal with, I promise. Thank you."
>Head off to the northwest edge of the indicated forest

[Hello Purvis]

>"I understand. We will do our best to deal with, I promise. Thank you."
>Head off to the northwest edge of the indicated forest

>She nods. "That'd be kind of you."
>You start toward the eastern forest. Much of its foliage has already felt the taste of fall, leaving the trees with few leaves clinging to them. It's not as dense as the Forest of Magic, making it more inviting to visit. You believe the presence of the Shrine Maiden does a lot to keep youkai away from it, save those that are visiting her. However, you are certain this place has its share of faeries.  The forest grows more dense to the east. Obvious exits are East, West, and South.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Head east
>Keep an eye and ear out for any signs of either the tsuchinoko or Tenshi

[E-Nazrin]

>Odd that one would be hiding near Reimu's shrine...

[Hello Purvis]

>Head east
>Keep an eye and ear out for any signs of either the tsuchinoko or Tenshi

>You head head, deeper into the forest.
>The mat of leaves is thick on the ground, crunching and swishing with your every footstep. The trees grow more closely together here, not so much that they would impede your progress, but enough that it would make flight difficult and unwise. There is fallen tree here, apparently having been here for some time from the rot and mushrooms it bears. Obvious exits are East, West, and South.

>Odd that one would be hiding near Reimu's shrine...

>That is strange. Maybe it doesn't know? Or it is just passing through?

>_