Iku Quest P?t: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "Understood. I'll try to put things back as I can, but I guess anything that I can't fix just won't ever be fixed, unless you happen to wander across it by chance and decide it's worth fixing."
> Bend down and brush the dirt off of the 'geist's face as best we can. Without being too rough, of course.
> Gently pick the 'geist back up.
> "Anyway, I suppose I must resume my investigation into how I can help this poor girl, as well as get all the stolen shadows back to their rightful owners. It's a shame you were away when I came by for some ideas, but such is life."

>"Just do not use it without need."
>You try to clean off the Poltergeist's face a little bit. It helps a tad.
>You pick her back up and express your condolences that you couldn't meet with Yukari. "I expect I was doing something more important," says Yukari. "Try not to have worse luck than you have had already."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "I try not to dwell too long on what your business may be at any given time."
> "And...thank you, so very much. For everything. You have given my mind far more than I could have asked for."
> Assuming Yukari does not try to stop us, take flight with the 'geist and head toward Renko's house.

[Kilgamayan]

Heading out for a while. May have limited access for the next few hours (so Suwako may make a reappearance), but no guarantees.

Currently, I think our ideal course of action is to head back to Renko's and get Tenshi, Renko and whoever else might be there (Maribel would be good, Kogasa would be great, a PrismReznor would be excellent) and take them up Youkai Mountain to meet up with Nitori's crew. I don't fully trust Pocky and Brocky here to be completely docile upon her re-awakening, so I want that firepower on-hand, but like Yukari mentioned, we don't want to overload the poor thing. I envision her waking in Nitori's room with ourselves and some combination of Tenshi, Renko and Nitori present, as well as Kogasa and a PrismReznor if we can get them there. The big guns can wait outside in the event of emergency. Five/six people is still a decent amount, but she's waylaid two of them, and she knows it, so that may prevent her from going nuts. (Of course, she's going to be none too pleased about being hogtied, but that's a necessary evil.)

EDIT: I also believe that it's not prudent to go around blabbing to everyone within earshot about our friend's true identity. Renko will need to be told, and Tenshi will likely learn along the way, but the most Nitori's crew needs to know is that she's the one responsible for the shadow theft.

Draco, I kept my vow to you, so I ask the same vow in return. :V Not that I expect us to get that far in the time I'll be gone, but who knows.

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "I try not to dwell too long on what your business may be at any given time."
> "And...thank you, so very much. For everything. You have given my mind far more than I could have asked for."
> Assuming Yukari does not try to stop us, take flight with the 'geist and head toward Renko's house.

>"You're welcome, Messenger," says Yukari. "I'm sure you'll find some way to make it up to me in the long run."
>You leave, and make your way toward Kame House Renko and Maribel's home. You can see some smoke coming from it, leading you to believe that someone is home; or at least someone has broken in and is using the stove. ...Which may well be something one of the people you were supposed to meet there would do."

>_

[Marokuu]

>Can we see Tenshi around?

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we see Tenshi around?

>You do not see Tenshi, or anyone else loitering around outside.

>_

[Marokuu]

>Is the door open?
>If it is: "Hello, anyone here?"
>If not, knock

[Hello Purvis]

>Is the door open?
>If it is: "Hello, anyone here?"
>If not, knock

>You go knock on the door. After a moment, it opens up, and the woman who looks much too much like a younger and slimmer Yukari pokes her head out. "Oh, we were expecting you," then glances at the Brocken Spectre in your arms. "...Is that another victim? We can put her in the back room, too."

>_

[Marokuu]

>"Not quite"
>Head inside

I just wanted to move this along a little, someone who is not terrible at conversations () could take over now

[Hello Purvis]

>"Not quite"
>Head inside

>"Oh," says Maribel. "Just a danmaku victim, I guess?"
>Heading inside, you see Tenshi and Luna sitting at a white and rather strange-looking table that rather clashes with the rustic decor of the house. Both of them seem to be enjoying a cup of tea.
>"That her?" calls Renko from a room to the right.
>"It is," says Maribel, "She has someone else unconscious with her."
>"Hey, it's getting dark early," says Luna, looking around and furrowing her brow.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Could said darkness that Luna is referring to be the giant poltergeist shadow?
>If so: "No, I think that would actually be her shadow. Or, rather, something else's shadow that she's carrying at the moment."
>"This is the person who's been responsible for the stolen shadows."

[Hello Purvis]

>Could said darkness that Luna is referring to be the giant poltergeist shadow?
>If so: "No, I think that would actually be her shadow. Or, rather, something else's shadow that she's carrying at the moment."
>"This is the person who's been responsible for the stolen shadows."

>You have no idea what Luna is referring to in any definite sense, particularly since she is a faerie. But give the room is now darker for said shadow, it seems so.
>You explain. "Oooh," says Luna, before she busies herself with her tea again.
>"Good job," says Tenshi. "So you got Kogasa fixed up, then?"
>Maribel gives the Brocken Spectre a dubious look. "So, she's the one who went after poor Kogasa?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't know that Kogasa is fixed yet. In fact, I rather suspect not. But we will set things right, somehow. She's in the back here, you said?"
>"But yes, she's the one who went after Kogasa. And myself. It is... a truly terrible experience indeed to feel your shadow being torn away from yourself. I very nearly lost myself to her, I think, before I forced her to stop. The memory of it is still unsettling."
>"She is extremely dangerous. She can affect people through touching their shadows. Cause them pain, make it difficult for them to move, perhaps other things. I can easily see how she could have overpowered the others. It is fortunate that there have not yet been a great many more victims, I think."
>"At one point during the battle she took on Kogasa's shadow as her own. This giant one is quite probably a part of Bhava-Agra. I believe the shadows she has taken are inside her, somehow."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I don't know that Kogasa is fixed yet. In fact, I rather suspect not. But we will set things right, somehow. She's in the back here, you said?"
>"But yes, she's the one who went after Kogasa. And myself. It is... a truly terrible experience indeed to feel your shadow being torn away from yourself. I very nearly lost myself to her, I think, before I forced her to stop. The memory of it is still unsettling."
>"She is extremely dangerous. She can affect people through touching their shadows. Cause them pain, make it difficult for them to move, perhaps other things. I can easily see how she could have overpowered the others. It is fortunate that there have not yet been a great many more victims, I think."
>"At one point during the battle she took on Kogasa's shadow as her own. This giant one is quite probably a part of Bhava-Agra. I believe the shadows she has taken are inside her, somehow."

>"Huh," says Tenshi. "So how're we going to get them out? Shake her by the ankles or something?"
>"...Was it a good idea to bring her here?" asks Maribel.
>"That's her!" says Luna suddenly, pointing at the Poltergeist in your arms. "That's the ghost!"

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> To Maribel: "She needs her hands and feet to do any real damage. As she is now, I don't expect she's much of a threat, especially with more people than just myself present."
> To all: "And it is indeed the ghost, yes. In that vein, there is actually something about which I need to speak to Renko. Is she around?"

(Editor's note: If Renko isn't around, Maribel will do. Might wanna find somewhere private, though; I suspect Luna's likely to blab, being a fairy.)

[DracoOmega]

>Nod
>"Yes, it's her. Your information did help me find her, and for that I thank you."
>"As for bringing her here, well... I don't think she's in a position to harm anyone at the moment. And I certainly couldn't leave her where she was. If she tries anything, I will deal with her swiftly."
>"But there is another reason I brought her here specifically... I think Renko should hear this."

(Editor's note: If Renko isn't around, Maribel will do. Might wanna find somewhere private, though; I suspect Luna's likely to blab, being a fairy.)

Renko's already spoken, if you notice ^^;
She's just in an adjoining room.

[Hello Purvis]

> To Maribel: "She needs her hands and feet to do any real damage. As she is now, I don't expect she's much of a threat, especially with more people than just myself present."
> To all: "And it is indeed the ghost, yes. In that vein, there is actually something about which I need to speak to Renko. Is she around?"

>Nod
>"Yes, it's her. Your information did help me find her, and for that I thank you."
>"As for bringing her here, well... I don't think she's in a position to harm anyone at the moment. And I certainly couldn't leave her where she was. If she tries anything, I will deal with her swiftly."
>"But there is another reason I brought her here specifically... I think Renko should hear this."

>Maribel nods. "Well, okay then," she says, not sounding at all convinced.
>"I'm just in here," says Renko from the adjoining room. "What do you need?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Head towards the room Renko's in
>Gesture for Maribel and Tenshi to follow

[Suwako Moriya]

> "Luna, we'll be back in a moment, okay?"

[Suwako Moriya]

I don't know how you planned on breaking the news, but I was gonna go through the same steps Yukari did with us, since it was so much more fun that way than her simply telling us. (I think Renko might appreciate a chance to do detective work instead of being fed the conclusion.) Obviously the outsiders will need to be told how poltergeists work, but after that and nudging them with a couple of very important details, I expect Renko, at least, will figure it out.

Of course, I'm leaving again, so ultimately it's up to you.

[Hello Purvis]

>Head towards the room Renko's in
>Gesture for Maribel and Tenshi to follow

>You head toward the room; Maribel and Tenshi follow.
>"Hey, what's going on?" asks Luna, looking up from her tea.

> "Luna, we'll be back in a moment, okay?"

>"Oh, okay," she says.
>You walk into a kitchen. There is a large stove off to the side; Renko kneels in front of it, feeding it bits of firewood. She glances over toward you, then raises an eye. "Hey, Mary, that's her," she says. "That's the weird girl I saw last week."
>"Really now?" says Maribel, glancing at the poltergeist again.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh, you saw her before? What happened?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh, you saw her before? What happened?"

>"It was just in the distance," says Renko. "She kinda slinked off, and I was with the group, so I didn't really think much else about it. Sometimes you run into people in the Forest of Magic, you know?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Nod
>"Then what was it about her that struck you as weird?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod
>"Then what was it about her that struck you as weird?"

>"Uh, nothing really," says Renko. "She was just someone I hadn't seen before."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Given what she's capable of, be glad that you encountered her no closer than that. Though, I suspect you would have been rather disappointed at the time to realize you'd passed her by, given who and what she is."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Given what she's capable of, be glad that you encountered her no closer than that. Though, I suspect you would have been rather disappointed at the time to realize you'd passed her by, given who and what she is."

>"Who is she?" asks Renko, looking at her with a small frown. "...Is this Shinki?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Not quite, no. She requires a bit more explanation than that."
> "How much do either of you know about poltergeists and how they're created? Tenshi, if you know anything, feel free to chime in."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Not quite, no. She requires a bit more explanation than that."
> "How much do either of you know about poltergeists and how they're created? Tenshi, if you know anything, feel free to chime in."

>"Well, that was my guess," says Renko with a shrug.
>"I know they're supposed to be a pain in the butt," says Tenshi.
>"We've not really gotten that far," says Maribel, sounding a little sheepish.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I do not understand all the details myself, but essentially poltergeists are born through the belief of others. Someone believes so strongly that something must exist that this belief resonates with the universe, and brings that existence into being. She, too, was born because others believed so fervently that she must exist; it was impossible for her not to."