Sword Quest V - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> Well, if she actually is a Lunarian, it's not hard to see why she lives here now.
> We should at least be polite and get all the way through the tea over the course of the conversation, though.
> Nod. "Out of curiosity, have you found anything interesting today?"
> Sip.
> While drinking, gently float our ghost half across the table to Kotohime's side. Let's see what she does with us.

[Hello Purvis]

> Well, if she actually is a Lunarian, it's not hard to see why she lives here now.
> We should at least be polite and get all the way through the tea over the course of the conversation, though.
> Nod. "Out of curiosity, have you found anything interesting today?"
> Sip.
> While drinking, gently float our ghost half across the table to Kotohime's side. Let's see what she does with us.

>You imagine it would be comfortably familiar, even if the furnishes seem to be much more local.
>"You," she says. "But it would be unlawful to try to collect you. At least not unless you want to be?"
>She watches your ghost half in a manner than reminds you of a kitten watching a bit of string.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Unfortunately, I am already in the employ of another. It would not do to try to serve two mistresses."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Unfortunately, I am already in the employ of another. It would not do to try to serve two mistresses."

>"I can pay better!" she says. "All the tea you can drink." It is really hard to tell if she's being wry or serious.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Chuckle a bit. Bob our ghost half up and down a little bit as well.
> "Your enthusiasm for my presence is appreciated. Lady Saigyouji and I will be together for a very long time to come, however."

[Hello Purvis]

> Chuckle a bit. Bob our ghost half up and down a little bit as well.
> "Your enthusiasm for my presence is appreciated. Lady Saigyouji and I will be together for a very long time to come, however."

>"It was worth a try, " she says, smiling as your ghost half bobs. "This Lady Saigyouji is a lucky person."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> How often are people mesmerized with our ghost half, and how okay are we normally (that is, not under possible threat of arrest) with people touching it?

> "Ah, thank you. I think she will like you when you two meet."
> Sip.

[Hello Purvis]

> How often are people mesmerized with our ghost half, and how okay are we normally (that is, not under possible threat of arrest) with people touching it?

> "Ah, thank you. I think she will like you when you two meet."
> Sip.

>Children often are, but they are usually mesmerized by anything different. It's not uncommon for faeries, either. Some adult humans are, but none have been so forward as Kotohime about it.  You've learned it's easiest to let people sate their curiosity as long as they are reasonably polite.
>"Oh, you're going to introduce us?" she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "She is the playwright for the play I asked you about earlier, so you are going to meet her eventually."
> Gesture to our ghost half with a free hand.
> "By the way, you may continue your examination of my ghost half if you like, as long as you are not too rough."

[Hello Purvis]

> "She is the playwright for the play I asked you about earlier, so you are going to meet her eventually."
> Gesture to our ghost half with a free hand.
> "By the way, you may continue your examination of my ghost half if you like, as long as you are not too rough."

>"Oh! Right! That!" says Kotohime. "I'll be looking forward to it!"
>"Really?" she says, as she scoots closer to you, then takes it in hand. She begins to knead it and smush it between her fingers gently. It doesn't hurt, but it does feel a bit weird. Like someone giving you a clumsy shoulder rub or playing with your hand as though it were a doll's hand.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Can we reshape our ghost half beyond making it look like another version of ourselves?

> Try not to fidget too much from the sensation.
> Have another sip of tea. How close are we to finished?

[Hello Purvis]

> Can we reshape our ghost half beyond making it look like another version of ourselves?

> Try not to fidget too much from the sensation.
> Have another sip of tea. How close are we to finished?

>Not really. You can kind of force it to chance shape by putting it into a box too small for it, but it's really not something you can hold once it leaves the box. The copy of yourself essentially comes from focusing on yourself and pushing that over into it.
>You try not to fidget, but it's a little difficult when you're being poked and prodded at, even gently. You're starting to wonder if it isn't ticklish in a hitherto undiscovered way...
>You are about half done with the tea. If you think of it as some other drink, it's somewhat more pleasant.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Okay, allow ourselves to fidget a little bit. But only a little bit, not enough to be disruptive.
> "I must admit another curiosity. How often do you keep in contact with your fellow Lunarians?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Okay, allow ourselves to fidget a little bit. But only a little bit, not enough to be disruptive.
> "I must admit another curiosity. How often do you keep in contact with your fellow Lunarians?"

>"Contact?" she says, looking up from trying to form your ghost half into a cube with her hands.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "You know, saying hello, talking about your lives, things like that."

[Hello Purvis]

> "You know, saying hello, talking about your lives, things like that."

>Kotohime looks at you as though you started clucking like a chicken.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Blink.
> "I...did ask you earlier if you hailed from the moon, and you said yes. Perhaps I misheard?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Blink.
> "I...did ask you earlier if you hailed from the moon, and you said yes. Perhaps I misheard?"

>"Oh yes, that is so," she says, as she returns her attention to your ghost half.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> Blink again, then shake our head. We'll never get a straight answer out of this woman; we can just ask someone from Eientei about her the next time we see one of them.
> Return to working on our non-tea drink while Kotohime futzes with us.

[Hello Purvis]

> Blink again, then shake our head. We'll never get a straight answer out of this woman; we can just ask someone from Eientei about her the next time we see one of them.
> Return to working on our non-tea drink while Kotohime futzes with us.

>You return to your finishing your beverage.
>"You did you become a half ghost?" says Kotohime.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> We have presumably never dwelled much on the half-ghost reproduction process, have we?
> "I have always been this way, actually. My father was also a half-ghost."

[Hello Purvis]

> We have presumably never dwelled much on the half-ghost reproduction process, have we?
> "I have always been this way, actually. My father was also a half-ghost."

>You have not.
>"Amazing," she says, as she tries to shape your ghost half into a cone.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> Sip.
> "I am, perhaps unfortunately, not aware of any other half-ghosts. All of the other residents of the Netherworld are full ghosts. Mmm...I should probably say that they will not terribly enjoy having their entire bodies molded about, so you should probably restrict such activities to my ghost half when you are there."

[Hello Purvis]

> Sip.
> "I am, perhaps unfortunately, not aware of any other half-ghosts. All of the other residents of the Netherworld are full ghosts. Mmm...I should probably say that they will not terribly enjoy having their entire bodies molded about, so you should probably restrict such activities to my ghost half when you are there."

>"Oh, alright," she says. "Most ghosts don't seem to like being touched anyways."

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> Nod.
> "The same could be said for most sentient beings, I imagine. You seem genuinely fascinated, however, and you have not tried to harm me, so I do not have a problem with you indulging your curiosity."

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "The same could be said for most sentient beings, I imagine. You seem genuinely fascinated, however, and you have not tried to harm me, so I do not have a problem with you indulging your curiosity."

>"Yes, this is enchanting," she says. "What would happen if someone were to try to run off with it? Not that I'm planning to."

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> What would happen? Could they take it as far away as they like, or is there a point at which our human half will start being dragged along with our ghost half?

[Hello Purvis]

> What would happen? Could they take it as far away as they like, or is there a point at which our human half will start being dragged along with our ghost half?

>The latter. It's rather like being drug along by your arm. You imagine if you got stuck and the dragging force was strong enough, it would pop out as your arm would, likely to similar effects on your well-being.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "They would drag my human half along with them. Forced separation is..." Frown. "...not a pleasant idea for me to dwell on."
> Sip.

[Hello Purvis]

> "They would drag my human half along with them. Forced separation is..." Frown. "...not a pleasant idea for me to dwell on."
> Sip.

>You finish off your drink, while Kotohime nods. "That makes sense. What does all this feel like, you twitch and fidget every so often."

>_