Reisen Quest Another: A Z Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> Does it looks like the effects of a Luna Veil?

[Hello Purvis]

> Does it looks like the effects of a Luna Veil?

>No. You're not quite sure what it is.

>_

[Kasu]

Oh snap.  Reminds me of the dream cutlass.
> Head for the anomaly.

[Hello Purvis]

Oh snap.  Reminds me of the dream cutlass.
> Head for the anomaly.

>You start to head for this anomaly. You quickly realize this is leading you toward Youkai Mountain.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Oho. So THAT'S what Kanako is doing.
> Gunwink in the general direction of Youkai Mountain, then head back toward Hakugyokurou.

[Hello Purvis]

> Oho. So THAT'S what Kanako is doing.
> Gunwink in the general direction of Youkai Mountain, then head back toward Hakugyokurou.

>You give a gunwink toward the spreading glow among the clouds, and continue on toward Hakugyokurou.
>The rest of the trip is uneventful, though a tad lonely without the wolf following at your heels now. You carry on down the road, slip off of it into the mountains, and find the pass with easy. Continuing through it, the bitter cold of Hakugyokurou winter quickly bites at you as you begin to ascend the stairs. Soon, you reach the Palace of the Dead, and find Youmu waiting for you. "Welcome back," she says with a bow.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Hello, Youmu. I have a favor to ask of you."

[Hello Purvis]

>She nods. "I expected that you would. What do you need from me?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Eientei's rabbits are holding a theatrical performance tonight, which you and your mistress are invited to attend. Afterward, we will be having a feast. The problem is that this feast is...a rather impromptu decision, necessitated by unforeseen circumstances. As such, we could really use your help preparing for it. Whatever supplies you can donate would be more than welcome, and we could definitely use your help in the kitchen as well."
> "The Scarlet Devil Mansion's residents will also be there, and several of their maids are already at Eientei to begin preparations. I also believe Sakuya will be over later to help, once a part of those unforeseen circumstances are resolved, so you would not be alone with the rabbits in preparation."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Eientei's rabbits are holding a theatrical performance tonight, which you and your mistress are invited to attend. Afterward, we will be having a feast. The problem is that this feast is...a rather impromptu decision, necessitated by unforeseen circumstances. As such, we could really use your help preparing for it. Whatever supplies you can donate would be more than welcome, and we could definitely use your help in the kitchen as well."
> "The Scarlet Devil Mansion's residents will also be there, and several of their maids are already at Eientei to begin preparations. I also believe Sakuya will be over later to help, once a part of those unforeseen circumstances are resolved, so you would not be alone with the rabbits in preparation."

>"That will be...interesting, given circumstances. But I would be happy to help, it's not often I get to make a lot of food at once. Just let me go make certain that it's alright."
>She turns to leave.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Actually, if you don't mind, I'll go with you. Just in case your mistress has any questions."
> If Youmu does not object, follow her.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Actually, if you don't mind, I'll go with you. Just in case your mistress has any questions."
> If Youmu does not object, follow her.

>"Very well," says Youmu.
>She leads you into the Palace, and you quickly lose your way again among the seemingly endless halls, galleries, and chambers.
>Soon enough, you arrive in a small, curiously sparse room. Yuyuko sits there, surrounded by over a score of ghosts, quietly writing something. "Ah, how unexpected," she says as she looks up at you. Some of the ghosts approach you and fly around you, you think they are examining you in some way.
>Youmu quickly explains the situation to Yuyuko. The ghost princess regards you for a moment, then smiles, "I'll be on my best behavior," she says. "There will be no need to worry about anything."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Muffle the button as best we can and bring our voice down.
> "Thank you. Also, please don't forget about the special circumstances surrounding yourselves and the Scarlet Devil Mansion."

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "I know you two are polite and wouldn't cause trouble unless it was called for. I hope you two have fun "
> Is their anything at all we need to mention to Yuyuko and Youmu? The Apparition maybe? Let's bring that up while we are here, get Yuyuko's input on it.

[Hello Purvis]

> Muffle the button as best we can and bring our voice down.
> "Thank you. Also, please don't forget about the special circumstances surrounding yourselves and the Scarlet Devil Mansion."

>You muffle the button. You want to be certainly certain no one on the other end hears.
>"I'm still trying to figure out who robbed me," says Yuyuko, drawing a fan from her sleeves "I do suspect you, but it was be terribly gauche to simply blame you in your own home. And I couldn't say a thing to Remilia without any evidence."

> "I know you two are polite and wouldn't cause trouble unless it was called for. I hope you two have fun "
> Is their anything at all we need to mention to Yuyuko and Youmu? The Apparition maybe? Let's bring that up while we are here, get Yuyuko's input on it.

>You reassure them that you know they'll do their best.
>While expert opinion has led you to believe that the Apparition has nothing to do with proper ghosts, it is possible Yuyuko may know something. She did have one of the gems, after all.

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

>While expert opinion has led you to believe that the Apparition has nothing to do with proper ghosts, it is possible Yuyuko may know something. She did have one of the gems, after all.

> Then lets mention it to her. Didn't we first encounter it outside Hakugyokurou anyway? Despite it's un-natural sort of appearence, Yuyuko may have a bit of info about it, or at least how something like that could come to be.

[Hello Purvis]

> Then lets mention it to her. Didn't we first encounter it outside Hakugyokurou anyway? Despite it's un-natural sort of appearence, Yuyuko may have a bit of info about it, or at least how something like that could come to be.

>You first encountered with the Apparition was in the northern part of the Forest of Magic, but you think it had been following you since after you left Yuka's Field, if the feeling it gave you was any indicator.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Unmuffle the button.
> Explain the Apparition to Yuyuko.

[Hello Purvis]

> Unmuffle the button.
> Explain the Apparition to Yuyuko.

>You unmuffle the button, and tell her the story of the Apparition. She listens, holding her opened fan to her chin. As you finish, she says, "Why, I've never heard of anything like that at all. A ghost in the shape of a machine, that even the living can see? How silly!" She snaps the fan shut. "That, Reisen, is no ghost. To be a ghost implies having a soul. That thing is simply willpower."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Willpower? From whom do you think it comes?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Willpower? From whom do you think it comes?"

>"Oh, not anything you'd call a who, dear," says Yuyuko, idly pointing the fan at you. "A what. It has force of will. It seems to think. But it has no soul; not like...let's say a karakasa. I cannot tell you what that thing is, but I can tell you that it is quite a few hundred years too soon for it ever to show its face here, if ever it can."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Is there anything else you know or can speculate about this thing? Admittedly, I haven't seen it since blasting it full-on with the force of several of these gems, but there's no guarantee that means it's gone."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Is there anything else you know or can speculate about this thing? Admittedly, I haven't seen it since blasting it full-on with the force of several of these gems, but there's no guarantee that means it's gone."

>"Hmmm..." says Yuyuko. She places the tip of her fan to her lips, and considers for a moment. "That depends on what it is. If it truly is nothing more than will and thought, then you have done all you can do. There is nothing for it but to overwhelm its will so strongly that it cannot reform. I suppose it may be possible to trap it if you're one of those magical sorts, but I think we can both agree it just delays things.
>"But...it has a particular shape. That suggests, at one time, this shape was important to it. If you can find the significance of that shape, I am certain you can solve the riddle."

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "Do you have any hints or ideas as to where I could start my search, or is this purly on my own skill, wit, and such?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Do you have any hints or ideas as to where I could start my search, or is this purly on my own skill, wit, and such?"

>"You know as much as I do," says Yuyuko.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right, thank you for your insight. It is much appreciated."
> "I must now take my leave, since there are still some time-sensitive matters to attend to, such as tonight's festivities. I don't know if I could find my way back out of your home by myself, though."

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right, thank you for your insight. It is much appreciated."
> "I must now take my leave, since there are still some time-sensitive matters to attend to, such as tonight's festivities. I don't know if I could find my way back out of your home by myself, though."

>"I'll need you to take me to Eientei as it is," says Youmu. "I...don't have the direction sense to find it myself."
>Yuyuko covers her face with her fan and giggles. "I'll be along when the show starts. You may take your leave, Youmu."
>With that, Youmu leads you through the palace once more, and back to the stairs leading from Hakugyokurou.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Lead Youmu to Eientei.

[Hello Purvis]

> Lead Youmu to Eientei.

>You trek back to Eientei, with Youmu in tow. She follows you quietly. You think she's staring at the gems behind you. After all, she did think that the one Yuyuko gave you was worthless. But she says nothing.
>The trip back is an easy one. The whole sky is glowing now; as you pass through human town, you see many people milling the streets, looking at it in wonder. No one seems to be afraid or worried over it, oddly enough. You wonder if that is Kanako's intention?
>You pass through the Forest of Magic and into the Bamboo Forest. The battlefield has been abandoned, but you can see the scars left behind. Mysterious burns, rocks shattered, bamboo flattened and torn apart in ways that you do not want to imagine the cause of.
>You reach the gates of Eientei, and pause. There are two of Yorihime's rabbits standing guard there. They haven't noticed you yet, as you've not emerged from the bamboo, but you know that any sudden move might alert them. Youmu stops behind you.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Slowly turn back to Youmu and put a finger to our lips.
> Slowly and quietly back away from the gate and the rabbits and head for the back entrance.
> Listen to the button.