Iku Quest Sechs - A Z-Machine Adventure

[DracoOmega]

>Stop by the tavern en-route to the Dragon Palace

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I beat her once. Didn't seem to put much of a dent in her spirits, but then again, she had another trick up her sleeve, so maybe she didn't feel actually beaten? To be fair, I guess she actually wasn't. I wonder if she realizes I escaped her trap?"

>Parsee shrugs. "Dunno, but I hope you can do it twice. Because I'd try it again if I were her."

>Stop by the tavern en-route to the Dragon Palace

>You are drawing close to the village, and decide to look into the tavern.
>Landing in front of it, you see the village is pretty quiet at the moment. There's some activity from the blacksmith; at least the light and sound of metal being hit suggests so, but otherwise the roads are empty at the moment. That and the general noise coming from the Tavern.
>Entering the establishment, you see there are a fair few people here. Nazrin is still tending to the bar, while various tradespeople occupy the seats, as well as a couple of celestials. Aside from that, there doesn't seem to be anyone notable here.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Walk up to Nazrin
>"I don't suppose you've seen Tenshi around here recently?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Walk up to Nazrin
>"I don't suppose you've seen Tenshi around here recently?"

>"Nope," says Nazrin. "She still missing?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"No. Well, yes. I mean, we've been together for a fair part of the day, but lost each other again."
>Sigh
>"It's... been a very, very long day."

[Hello Purvis]

>"No. Well, yes. I mean, we've been together for a fair part of the day, but lost each other again."
>Sigh
>"It's... been a very, very long day."

>Nazrin nods. "Want a drink?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Shake head
>"No, I think I should go and keep looking. Thanks just the same."
>"If you see her, tell her that I've gone to the Dragon Palace."
>Leave, and fly to the Dragon Palace

[Hello Purvis]

>Shake head
>"No, I think I should go and keep looking. Thanks just the same."
>"If you see her, tell her that I've gone to the Dragon Palace."
>Leave, and fly to the Dragon Palace

>"Kay," says Nazrin, as one of the tables motions towards her.
>"It was a good thought at least," says Parsee as the two of you depart.
>It's not too far to the Dragon Palace from here. As you draw closer, you notice that there seems to be something going on around the village on the far side of the island. It seems that there's an abnormal number of people gathered in the streets there.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Head over to this village and investigate the gathering

[Suwako Moriya]

If Tenshi's getting help, send Parsee ahead to introduce us. We risk embarrassing her if we show up first.

[Hello Purvis]

>Head over to this village and investigate the gathering

>You descend on the village, and see about a dozen or so celestials are gathered around one of the houses. Others are watching from the distance. Just about everyone seems either confused or concerned. One of the people you note near the house is pink-haired celestial with two ponytails; you recognize her as Emiko, the head chambermaid of the Dragon Palace.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Can we spot Tenshi among the group?

If Tenshi's getting help, send Parsee ahead to introduce us. We risk embarrassing her if we show up first.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.
If us being fine makes her look like she was crying wolf, I say we simply state loudly to the crowd how she absolutely did the right thing, and that we stand behind her actions. A public siding with Tenshi's word ought to do more to help her than trying to be subtle about not embarrassing her, I'd think.
How does sending Parsee ahead help, anyway?

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we spot Tenshi among the group?

>You do not see Tenshi.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Approach the house, and Emiko

[Suwako Moriya]

You ask questions with answers difficult for phone posting. Just think about Tenshi's emotional fragility and the nature of crowd mentalities.

[DracoOmega]

I do believe I understand what you're referring to. Us being fine, after she's spend time convincing people we're not, could make her lose face. But remember, with the crowd we're talking about, our word carries a great deal of weight. If we say something, they'll listen. In fact, when would the last time Tenshi ever got publicly thanked for doing anything?

[Hello Purvis]

>Approach the house, and Emiko

>You draw closer to the house. You don't see any lights on inside it.
>A few of the spectators note your appearance as you land, while Parsee looks around, frowning and shifting a bit. As you approach the house, Emiko looks toward you, and the worried look she was wearing disappears. "Lady Nagae," she says, speaking quickly as she is wont to do, "The Eldest Daughter has holed herself up in the at house and we don't know what to do!"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Quietly enough that our voice might not be heard inside the house itself yet: "Holed herself up? What happened?"

[Suwako Moriya]

Well, that's convemient.

Now I'd say have Parsee talk to her first for dramatic effect. >_>

[Hello Purvis]

>Quietly enough that our voice might not be heard inside the house itself yet: "Holed herself up? What happened?"

>Emiko fidgets a bit with the hem of her robe. "I don't know the whole story but she came and said you were in big trouble and we needed to do something, then someone saw that she had stolen the sword and then things got bad and now she's here!"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Got bad? Howso? I guess no one believed her when she said that I was in serious trouble?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Got bad? Howso? I guess no one believed her when she said that I was in serious trouble?"

>"No no we believed her, Lady Nagae," says Emiko, "But it's just she stole the sword and we said she needs to give back and then she got really angry and then...um...this."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"And it was felt it more important to disarm her in a time of crisis than to attend to the emergency she had brought to everyone's attention?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"And it was felt it more important to disarm her in a time of crisis than to attend to the emergency she had brought to everyone's attention?"

>"We could do both things, Lady Nagae," says Emiko, frowning. "And, um...she shot at some of the laundry staff for getting too close."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Sigh
>"She retains the sword with my permission, nor do I intend to take it from her now. What becomes of this later can happen later. For now, there are more important matters."

>Walk up to the house door, knock, and call in
>"Tenshi! It's me! Can you please let me in?"

[Suwako Moriya]

> While talking and after knocking, gesture to the crowd that they are to hold back. A raised hand opened out to them should do. Accompany it with a no-nonsense stare.

[Hello Purvis]

>Sigh
>"She retains the sword with my permission, nor do I intend to take it from her now. What becomes of this later can happen later. For now, there are more important matters."

>Walk up to the house door, knock, and call in
>"Tenshi! It's me! Can you please let me in?"

> While talking and after knocking, gesture to the crowd that they are to hold back. A raised hand opened out to them should do. Accompany it with a no-nonsense stare.

<Emiko frowns, then nods.
>You approach the door and knock, then call out. Parsee stays behind. As do others when you hold up your hand.
>"What!" comes Tenshi's voice from inside. "What happened? Aren't you supposed to be dead or something?!"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Not dead, thankfully. Although it is a minor miracle that I was able to escape where she cast me into. It's a very long story. Can I please come in? No one else is going to come in with me, I promise."

[Suwako Moriya]

> "And no one is going to try and take the Sword of Hisou from you."
> Fix another no-nonsense look on the crowd.
> "Are they?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Not dead, thankfully. Although it is a minor miracle that I was able to escape where she cast me into. It's a very long story. Can I please come in? No one else is going to come in with me, I promise."

> "And no one is going to try and take the Sword of Hisou from you."
> Fix another no-nonsense look on the crowd.
> "Are they?"

>You give the crowd a look. You're met mostly with confusion from them.
>"Yeah, okay," says Tenshi. You head the sound of something large and furniture-sounding scooting across the floor, and the door opens a bit.

>_