Sword Quest V - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: "I see. Very well, thank you." Turn to Miko. "This ghost only just arrived here. All of the other ghosts in places where they could have gone have established that they did not see anyone. It seems our best bet is through this open door."
> Miko: Nod. "That seems to be the only logical choice, yes."
> Youmu: Turn back to the ghost. "Please pardon our intrusion."
> Both: Head through the open door on the other side of the room.

>You head through the room and into the next one. This one is a small gallery, with a few vivid ink paintings dangling from the walls, depicting what seem to be a herd of boars crashing through a festival. There isn't much in the way of furniture, but their are two closed doors, one ahead to the east and one to the south.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: How much taller than Youmu are we?
> Youmu: Do the ghosts use the doors? Or can they just pass right through them?

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: How much taller than Youmu are we?
> Youmu: Do the ghosts use the doors? Or can they just pass right through them?

>Miko: You are several inches taller than Youmu, who is not a very tall person at all.
>Youmu: It depends on the ghost itself. Some can, some can and distinctly refuse to do so, and some cannot at all.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Frown. "I do not suppose your ghosts use the doors as non-ghosts would?"
> Youmu: "Some do." Poke our head back into the sitting room at the ghost there. "Excuse me again. Did you come into this sitting room by the hallway or this gallery room?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: Frown. "I do not suppose your ghosts use the doors as non-ghosts would?"
> Youmu: "Some do." Poke our head back into the sitting room at the ghost there. "Excuse me again. Did you come into this sitting room by the hallway or this gallery room?"

>Youmu: "I came from the hall," says the ghost. "You ran past me before."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Frown. "I see. Thank you for your help." Turn back to Miko. "This ghost entered through the hallway. That exhausts all possibilities, unless those we are chasing were thoughtful enough to close the doors behind them, which I rather doubt."
> Miko: If Youmu is being truthful, and whoever we're chasing did not go through either open doorway or down to the next intersection, are there any other places they could have gone?

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: Frown. "I see. Thank you for your help." Turn back to Miko. "This ghost entered through the hallway. That exhausts all possibilities, unless those we are chasing were thoughtful enough to close the doors behind them, which I rather doubt."
> Miko: If Youmu is being truthful, and whoever we're chasing did not go through either open doorway or down to the next intersection, are there any other places they could have gone?

>Miko: They could have gone down the hall and through any of the intersection directions. They could have potentially closed a door behind them if they were wanting to hide...

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "Why would they have not closed doors behind them? Who exactly are we pursuing, anyway?"
> Youmu: "Some guests from the underground, including a satori that's trying to not be a satori anymore and is sort of subconsciously killing herself in the process. The satori trying to run away for some reason, and her companions are chasing her down."
> Miko: Opinion of satori youkai.
> Miko: "I see. Was this the only door on your side, then?"
> Youmu: "The only open one, yes. There is another room that has a door, but it is closed and has no ghosts."
> Miko: "Perhaps someone on the other side of that door closed it after they went through?"
> Youmu: "That is...possible, I suppose."
> Youmu: Do we know where the closed doors in our current room lead?

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "Why would they have not closed doors behind them? Who exactly are we pursuing, anyway?"
> Youmu: "Some guests from the underground, including a satori that's trying to not be a satori anymore and is sort of subconsciously killing herself in the process. The satori trying to run away for some reason, and her companions are chasing her down."
> Miko: Opinion of satori youkai.
> Miko: "I see. Was this the only door on your side, then?"
> Youmu: "The only open one, yes. There is another room that has a door, but it is closed and has no ghosts."
> Miko: "Perhaps someone on the other side of that door closed it after they went through?"
> Youmu: "That is...possible, I suppose."
> Youmu: Do we know where the closed doors in our current room lead?

>Miko: You've never met a satori, but they never sounded particularly appealing.
>Youmu: You think so. The Southern door should lead to another gallery. The eastern one to a game room.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: "Let us try that other room, then."
> Both: Head to the empty sitting room with the closed door and open that closed door.

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: "Let us try that other room, then."
> Both: Head to the empty sitting room with the closed door and open that closed door.

>You circle around and go through the closed door. This brings you into the gallery that you predicted, this one featuring a series of prints standing rocks with various events happening around them over the course of a year. A door to the north leads to the gallery you were just in. Another, closed stands to the east.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Where would that eastern door lead?

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: Where would that eastern door lead?

>Youmu: If you are not mistaken, it should lead to a room with a fountain and some seats.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Give a single pound to a nearby wooden wall (or the floor, if no wooden walls are withing immediate reach) and grunt in frustration. "Where could they have gone?!"
> Miko: Frown. "I do not mean to state the unpleasant but obvious, but if all of your ghosts at the other intersection have truly not seen your other companions, then I fear further searching of closed doors and unknown corridors is random guessing at best. I believe the best course of action would be to report this to your Mistress."
> Youmu: "I have already failed her once today in letting someone escape me through our halls. I cannot do so again."
> Miko: Take on a gentler tone. "Miss Konpaku, please listen to me."
> Youmu: Look over at/up to Miko.
> Miko: "I can understand your frustration. Your Mistress is fortunate to have a servant as dedicated as you. But it is for the best that you let her know what has happened. Speaking personally, if Futo and Tojiko suddenly found themselves unable to complete a task, I would much rather they tell me as soon as possible, instead of wasting time chasing faint possibilities. I imagine your Mistress is probably of the same mind."
> Youmu: Consider for a few seconds, then sigh. "I suppose you are right. Let us return to the Saigyou Ayakashi. Please, follow me."
> Both: Make our way back to the giant tree.

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: Give a single pound to a nearby wooden wall (or the floor, if no wooden walls are withing immediate reach) and grunt in frustration. "Where could they have gone?!"
> Miko: Frown. "I do not mean to state the unpleasant but obvious, but if all of your ghosts at the other intersection have truly not seen your other companions, then I fear further searching of closed doors and unknown corridors is random guessing at best. I believe the best course of action would be to report this to your Mistress."
> Youmu: "I have already failed her once today in letting someone escape me through our halls. I cannot do so again."
> Miko: Take on a gentler tone. "Miss Konpaku, please listen to me."
> Youmu: Look over at/up to Miko.
> Miko: "I can understand your frustration. Your Mistress is fortunate to have a servant as dedicated as you. But it is for the best that you let her know what has happened. Speaking personally, if Futo and Tojiko suddenly found themselves unable to complete a task, I would much rather they tell me as soon as possible, instead of wasting time chasing faint possibilities. I imagine your Mistress is probably of the same mind."
> Youmu: Consider for a few seconds, then sigh. "I suppose you are right. Let us return to the Saigyou Ayakashi. Please, follow me."
> Both: Make our way back to the giant tree.

>The two of you make your way back to the Youkai Tree. There you find Yukari and Yuyuko giggling over something or other. The former looks your way and says, "Oh, I don't like expression at all."
>"Oh dear, did the garden catch on fire?" says Yuyuko.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "It seems that one of Miss Konpaku's guests has scampered off, for some mysterious reason. Her remaining companions gave chase, quickly vanishing from ghostly attention. We were unable to track them down."
> Youmu: Grit teeth. "I grow tired of being made a fool in my own home."

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "It seems that one of Miss Konpaku's guests has scampered off, for some mysterious reason. Her remaining companions gave chase, quickly vanishing from ghostly attention. We were unable to track them down."
> Youmu: Grit teeth. "I grow tired of being made a fool in my own home."

>"Oh," says Yuyuko. "Perhaps we should organize a search party?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: "That may be for the best. They could be just about anywhere by now."
> Miko: "May I assume expediency is necessary? It seems that they must come this way eventually if they ever wish to travel home, unless there is another entrance to this realm of which I am not aware."

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: "That may be for the best. They could be just about anywhere by now."
> Miko: "May I assume expediency is necessary? It seems that they must come this way eventually if they ever wish to travel home, unless there is another entrance to this realm of which I am not aware."

>"Well, they could fly out from a courtyard," says Yuyuko. "But, everyone has to leave the same way they came in. ...Well, no. Actually the vast majority who leave are reincarnated. But someone alive can only leave like that."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko, with the smallest hint of a smile, to Youmu: "Perhaps you could ask your friend in red to keep watch for your other guests."
> Youmu: Would Lyrica actually do that?

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko, with the smallest hint of a smile, to Youmu: "Perhaps you could ask your friend in red to keep watch for your other guests."
> Youmu: Would Lyrica actually do that?

>Youmu: She might? You honestly don't know, you've never really asked the Prismrivers to do any real favors for you.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu, to Miko: "...Maybe. I'm not really sure if she would. It has never come up before."
> Youmu, to group: "Regardless, yes, expediency would be preferred. I would really like to know why Koishi ran off like that."
> Miko: Is that a name we know?

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu, to Miko: "...Maybe. I'm not really sure if she would. It has never come up before."
> Youmu, to group: "Regardless, yes, expediency would be preferred. I would really like to know why Koishi ran off like that."
> Miko: Is that a name we know?

>Miko: You do not know her.
>"I imagine she was frightened," says Yuyuko. "Isn't she quite the skittish sort?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: "It seems so. I also pointed out an instance where she had a facial expressed other than a smile, and it nearly shocked her stiff." Frown. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything..."

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: "It seems so. I also pointed out an instance where she had a facial expressed other than a smile, and it nearly shocked her stiff." Frown. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything..."

>Yuyuko waves a hand "It's fine, it's fine. We'll find them."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Nod. "As you say, Yuyuko-sama. How shall we begin, then?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: Nod. "As you say, Yuyuko-sama. How shall we begin, then?"

>"You won't be beginning anything," she says. "You, you may recall, have a pair of tasks to tend to! I'll find them, and make sure they don't get away."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Did we ever get confirmation from Byakuren if she would be up for the play or not?
> Youmu: What was Yuyuko's description of the play again?
> Miko: Are we aware of any animosity between this realm and the vampire manor?

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: Did we ever get confirmation from Byakuren if she would be up for the play or not?
> Youmu: What was Yuyuko's description of the play again?
> Miko: Are we aware of any animosity between this realm and the vampire manor?

>Youmu: You've not set it in stone, but you're pretty sure she can counted on. The description was something like "The strange ordinary day of common extraordinary people."
>Miko: You are not.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "Ah, excellent, this alleviates the awkwardness of my departure in the middle of this search." Turn to Youmu. "I believe one of your tasks is to find Seiga and restore your tree, yes? I am headed to the vampire manor now, to ask their librarian for assistance in finding her. Perhaps you could join me there."
> Youmu: Blanche. "I...do not think I would be of much assistance. Patchouli, and that entire household, does not have the highest opinion of me."
> Miko: Raise an eyebrow. "I see." Glance over at Yuyuko quizzically.