Okuu Quest Next - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I won't be alone when I get to where I'm going. Besides, the neighborhood is near where I live, anyway. I know the place. It isn't as bad as some people think it is."
>"Of course, if you're concerned about my safety, you could always lend me your stungun again. Hopefully I don't run into anyone else out hunting for me, though..."
>"And thanks again, for everything. I know it's a lot to dump into someone's lap on short notice. I do appreciate it, really."

>If nothing happens in the meantime, wait until whatever time is required to make the arranged meeting with Renko and Maribel

>"I would, but... I kinda need it if I'm going to sleep at all," she says. "Um, sorry. But...you know..."
>After a pause, she says, "You're welcome. It's really no problem. It's kinda nice to have a guest around. Oh, um, the password is eggplant. Try to remember that so I don't end up coming after you."
>Afterward, the two of you fall quiet. You mess about online idly, which does wonders for recharging your batteries. Around ten oclock, you check your email, and see a message from Ace, whose address is thisisfake@homedepot.com.
>The message is simply, "Okay, what?"

>_

[Rin Kagamine]

> Type this to Ace:
>> "A person named Nue Houjuu was following me today, definitely a tail, had a disguise and everything.  She claimed that she was hired by the Scarlets earlier that day to follow me personally.  I have no idea why because I've never had any kind of interaction with the Scarlets.  I want to find out whatever I can about Nue though, especially who hired her.  Apparently someone's been keeping tabs on me and decided today to do something about it.  I'd like to know who, but Nue's my only lead.  I'm looking for as much information as possible."
> Don't send it off yet.
> Turn towards Parsee
> "Password for the door?  Should I knock before I come in or just waltz on in when I'm back?"
> "Sure you don't want to come?"
> "And I agree, it is nice to have other people around.  I've really enjoyed the day with you so far."

[DracoOmega]

>Write a message back to that email address:
 >"I assume you've probably already looked into things a little, or you wouldn't bother to have contacted me. Yuugi mentioned I was tailed by a Nue Hojuu. I caught her when she tried to run, and pressed her for information. She says she was paid 2000 by the Scarlets to observe me and report back. I don't know why they would care, and she claimed she had no idea, either. She did have that much money on her, though. I confronted Sakuya Izayoi about the altercation, and she claimed to have no knowledge of this Nue person, or anything she was involved in. Which, in retrospect, was a pretty predictable response. Might have been a foolish thing to do, but if they really had hired Nue, she'd have told them I was onto them, anyway, so it's not like I let the cat out of the bag by talking to her.
 >"Anyway, I'd like to know if there's any way to find out if the Scarlets had REALLY hired her, or who else she might be working for. And, more importantly, why anyone would care to hire someone to keep an eye on me, anyway. I'm a pretty ordinary person, for the most part."
 >"Yuugi gave you my info as insurance, but maybe you could also take a look into ME, and see if there's anything that might have caught someone's attention for reasons I don't even realize."
 >"Also, I don't suppose you know why someone might want to wrongfully condemn a house owned by a Heida Akyuu? Could she have gotten herself involved in something unpleasant? I'm sure you're subtle anyway, but if you do any checks on her, please try not to alert anyone that someone's looking into her. I'd like to keep her out of this entirely, if possible."
>"I realize I may be asking a lot, and I'm sure there's a pricetag on this, but we can work that out later. Give me something I can work with. Thanks."

[Hello Purvis]

> Type this to Ace:
>> "A person named Nue Houjuu was following me today, definitely a tail, had a disguise and everything.  She claimed that she was hired by the Scarlets earlier that day to follow me personally.  I have no idea why because I've never had any kind of interaction with the Scarlets.  I want to find out whatever I can about Nue though, especially who hired her.  Apparently someone's been keeping tabs on me and decided today to do something about it.  I'd like to know who, but Nue's my only lead.  I'm looking for as much information as possible."
> Don't send it off yet.
> Turn towards Parsee
> "Password for the door?  Should I knock before I come in or just waltz on in when I'm back?"
> "Sure you don't want to come?"
> "And I agree, it is nice to have other people around.  I've really enjoyed the day with you so far."

>Write a message back to that email address:
 >"I assume you've probably already looked into things a little, or you wouldn't bother to have contacted me. Yuugi mentioned I was tailed by a Nue Hojuu. I caught her when she tried to run, and pressed her for information. She says she was paid 2000 by the Scarlets to observe me and report back. I don't know why they would care, and she claimed she had no idea, either. She did have that much money on her, though. I confronted Sakuya Izayoi about the altercation, and she claimed to have no knowledge of this Nue person, or anything she was involved in. Which, in retrospect, was a pretty predictable response. Might have been a foolish thing to do, but if they really had hired Nue, she'd have told them I was onto them, anyway, so it's not like I let the cat out of the bag by talking to her.
 >"Anyway, I'd like to know if there's any way to find out if the Scarlets had REALLY hired her, or who else she might be working for. And, more importantly, why anyone would care to hire someone to keep an eye on me, anyway. I'm a pretty ordinary person, for the most part."
 >"Yuugi gave you my info as insurance, but maybe you could also take a look into ME, and see if there's anything that might have caught someone's attention for reasons I don't even realize."
 >"Also, I don't suppose you know why someone might want to wrongfully condemn a house owned by a Heida Akyuu? Could she have gotten herself involved in something unpleasant? I'm sure you're subtle anyway, but if you do any checks on her, please try not to alert anyone that someone's looking into her. I'd like to keep her out of this entirely, if possible."
>"I realize I may be asking a lot, and I'm sure there's a pricetag on this, but we can work that out later. Give me something I can work with. Thanks."

>You type out a response, incorporating all the major points and what you really want to know., but do not send it yet.
>"Just come in, I guess. I probably won't be awake."
>You ask her to come again. "I probably shouldn't," says Parsee. "I am supposed to be at class tomorrow and stuff. And...well, do you need me there?"
>"You have?" She chuckles. "Who'd enjoy a day of getting followed and going to city hall and stuff? But the pizza was nice. I'm glad you had fun."

>_

[Rin Kagamine]

> "Well, the right company makes even the dullest thing enjoyable.  And isn't that what friends are for anyway?  To make things entertaining?  At any rate, I hope you've been enjoying yourself."
> "Nah, you don't have to come if you don't want to, but I'm not exactly sure what I can expect on this...little outing.  Just thought it'd be nice to have someone along that isn't a ghost chaser.  They really don't seem to bad, but I haven't actually been around either of them for too long."
> "I wonder how the investigation is going to go though.  The more I sit here and think, the more I wonder why I bother.  Chances are high that even if there is a creature, it won't have anything to do with my situation and won't lead me to find why I was followed.  Oy vey.  Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned the woods at all.  What do you think?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, at least you can't say it was a boring first date." Smirk a little at her.

(Out of curiosity, is there any reason we're not sending the email right away?)

[Rin Kagamine]

Because triggering a good flag is too important No, figured you'd want to add on to what I wrote.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, the right company makes even the dullest thing enjoyable.  And isn't that what friends are for anyway?  To make things entertaining?  At any rate, I hope you've been enjoying yourself."
> "Nah, you don't have to come if you don't want to, but I'm not exactly sure what I can expect on this...little outing.  Just thought it'd be nice to have someone along that isn't a ghost chaser.  They really don't seem to bad, but I haven't actually been around either of them for too long."
> "I wonder how the investigation is going to go though.  The more I sit here and think, the more I wonder why I bother.  Chances are high that even if there is a creature, it won't have anything to do with my situation and won't lead me to find why I was followed.  Oy vey.  Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned the woods at all.  What do you think?"

>"Well, at least you can't say it was a boring first date." Smirk a little at her.

(Out of curiosity, is there any reason we're not sending the email right away?)

>"Yeah, it's been fun," she says, "And, maybe I will come, if you're gonna be like that. I gotta admit, those two struck me as amateurs, willing to believe anything. It's those kinds of people who get hung up on the NWO, and don't see the World Bank right under their noses, you know? But...well...there's nothing wrong with investigating. I mean, if there's weird stuff going on around where you live, there's a chance it's involved with things. And even if it isn't, more knowledge is good, isn't it?

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I'd be happy to have you along. And yeah, after today, I'm willing to entertain things I would never have considered, before. And since I still have no idea what's going on, who knows what may or may not be connected."
>(Assuming no objections at this point) Send the email.
>Head out for the meeting at the appointed time

[Rin Kagamine]

>Head out for the meeting at the appointed time

We've still got time to kill best time to trigger flags
> "I know you have class in the morning, but isn't that what college is for?  Going out later on adventures with your friends?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I'd be happy to have you along. And yeah, after today, I'm willing to entertain things I would never have considered, before. And since I still have no idea what's going on, who knows what may or may not be connected."
>(Assuming no objections at this point) Send the email.
>Head out for the meeting at the appointed time

We've still got time to kill best time to trigger flags
> "I know you have class in the morning, but isn't that what college is for?  Going out later on adventures with your friends?"

>"Well, okay, I suppose it won't hurt," says Parsee. "You'll need someone who knows what's up, anyways. But I want a present tomorrow."
>You send the email.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Haha. I suppose that can be arranged."
>Smile at her.
>"Have anything in mind? Or want me to surprise you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Haha. I suppose that can be arranged."
>Smile at her.
>"Have anything in mind? Or want me to surprise you?"

>"Damn right it can be arranged," says Parsee, smiling back.  "And, surprise me,"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Ponder Parsee's taste in stuff from what we can see around her place (knick-knacks, posters, etc.)

[Kasu]

> Think to yourself how amazing it is that we know someone we just met today so well.

[Hello Purvis]

>Ponder Parsee's taste in stuff from what we can see around her place (knick-knacks, posters, etc.)

>You look around. She doesn't have much in the way of posters; just one advertising the Felabration, which seems to be an Afrobeat Festival somewhere. It is quite colorful. There is, however, a print of some middle eastern thing in the kitchen area, some turbaned man riding a flying donkey with a human face. You can see little African and Middle-eastern-looking knickknacks in the clutter, as well as various books. You also see a couple of stuffed animals here and there, well-disguised among the general mess. There's also bowl filled with weird-looking coins over by the bedroom entrance.

>_

[Kasu]

> Time.
> Sift through some memories that took place before today.

[Hello Purvis]

> Time.
> Sift through some memories that took place before today.

>It's a bit after ten now.
>What sort of things are you looking to remember?

>_

[DracoOmega]

>When would we need to leave to be at the Mad Mart bus stop by 11:30?

[Hello Purvis]

>When would we need to leave to be at the Mad Mart bus stop by 11:30?

>10:45 to 11:00. While the buses run at night, until 2 AM, they are much fewer in number.

>_

[Kasu]

> Sift through the childhood memories that stand out the most.

[Hello Purvis]

> Sift through the childhood memories that stand out the most.

>Your childhood memories are kinda fuzzy. You can remember some big things; a few details on your last day of first grade, the time you fell off the monkey bars in third grade, things like that. You do have a few big memories from then. You remember when you met Yamame during summer vacation after 4th grade; you were at the park playing in the sandbox, and it turned out she lived nearby. You remember the time you got suspended for telling a teacher she was a mean bitch in 8th grade, and Satori took your playstation away for a week. You remember the time your class took a field trip onto one of the big fishing boats in the harbor. You can remember a few Christmases immediately. There's probably a lot more things you could recall if you were willing to sift enough. Is there something in particular you wish to try to find?

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Can we remember any encounters with paranormal or at least 'odd' events, of some kind? Even if we had written them off as nothing, at the time? Anything which seems vaguely 'out of place', considering the events of the day, and our general sense of 'wrongness' with the world?

>If nothing else comes to mind, get ready to head out with Parsee

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we remember any encounters with paranormal or at least 'odd' events, of some kind? Even if we had written them off as nothing, at the time? Anything which seems vaguely 'out of place', considering the events of the day, and our general sense of 'wrongness' with the world?

>If nothing else comes to mind, get ready to head out with Parsee

>You really can't remember anything that is truly paranormal. You jumped at shadows sometimes when you were little; just about everyone did. You used to be afraid of ghosts, but you never saw any. You remember that one time when you were five and you got scared by the way the streetlight outside refracted through the window, Satori had to explain how light worked to you that night. But you can't think of anything that's really unexplained.
>You pass a bit more time, until the proper hour draws near. No response comes from Ace in the meantime.
>The two of you head out at the appointed time, Parsee taking especial care to lock up the apartment, and wondering aloud how much a security system would cost. The two of you wait by the busstop for a little bit, the nighttime Industrial Park quiet, save for a point when you hear the echoes of a revving motorcycle engine in the distance. Parsee takes this time to talk about some fake conspiracy theories, like chemtrails and the North American Union. After a goof fifteen minutes or so, the bus arrives. The two of you are the only ones on it. Unfortunately, it is also going the long way, so it takes 40 minutes to get to your stop. Parsee takes this time to talk about some more false conspiracy stuff. One that catches your interest is the story of an Russian site, back in the days of the USSR when the internet was still a mostly government and university thing, that posed as an anticommunist activist site and gave out false information. Then, when the USSR did collapse, it ended up giving out actual news on the ground about the fallout.
>Eventually, you arrive at your stop. You see Renko and Maribel in front of Mad Mart, enjoying some slushies. Maribel waves to you.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Fake conspiracy theories, as in even Parsee said she considers them fake?
>The site gave out fake information to people OUTSIDE the USSR? Or inside it?

>Wave to Maribel and Renkko and walk over to them.
>"Hey, guys. Sorry if we're a little late."
>"Here's hoping this pans out a little bit better than your last stop, eh?"
>"Do you have any more information on this sighting other than 'strange animal'? Any sounds or whatever to look out for?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Fake conspiracy theories, as in even Parsee said she considers them fake?
>The site gave out fake information to people OUTSIDE the USSR? Or inside it?

>Wave to Maribel and Renkko and walk over to them.
>"Hey, guys. Sorry if we're a little late."
>"Here's hoping this pans out a little bit better than your last stop, eh?"
>"Do you have any more information on this sighting other than 'strange animal'? Any sounds or whatever to look out for?"

>Parsee assures you they are fraudulent. Though the website did exist, just it gave fake info, until the USSR actually collapsed and it turned into the real thing.
>It gave info meant for outside.
>You join Maribel and Renko. "Don't worry, we weren't waiting long," says Maribel. "And yeah. I've got high hopes for this one. I was kinda thinking about blowing it off before, but with the successes we've had today? I can hardly wait!"
>"Not much, no," says Renko. "I was kinda wanting to question people around the site about it, but the time never came up."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, it might be a little late to question people at this point. Even if we bump into some people around at this time of night, it's not exactly the most unthreatening-seeming for a gang of people to walk up to strangers at midnight and start asking them strange questions."

>"How specific an area were you given for these sightings, anyway? A street? A block?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, it might be a little late to question people at this point. Even if we bump into some people around at this time of night, it's not exactly the most unthreatening-seeming for a gang of people to walk up to strangers at midnight and start asking them strange questions."

>"How specific an area were you given for these sightings, anyway? A street? A block?"

>"A particular alley," says Renko.
>"It's just a few blocks from here," Maribel adds, as Renko starts to slurp the last bits of her slushie. "To the south."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"An alley? Well, at least it's nice and specific."
>"Lead on."
>Follow them.

[Hello Purvis]

>"An alley? Well, at least it's nice and specific."
>"Lead on."
>Follow them.

>"Right," says Renko, tossing her cup in the trash.
>She leads the way, heading southward, toward the streets you don't bother with very often. You're vaguely familiar with them, from roaming around in your younger days, but you don't know anyone around here. Maribel keeps to your right side, while Parsee follows along on your left, saying nothing. "I really think we're onto something with that grove you found," Maribel says. "Renko may poopoo the idea, but I know there's something there. You can tell just from the atmosphere there."
>"A spooky atmosphere isn't good science," says Renko.
>"Maybe not, but extranormal things don't always care about that." Maribel says, then sticks her tongue out at her companion's back. "Anyways, I hope you don't mind, but I turn that towel into a makeshift shimenawa. It seemed the right thing to do for that tree."
>"Wouldn't that keep the ghost sealed in?" Parsee asks. "Or out?"
>"I don't think so," says Maribel. "It didn't seem like that kind of spirit."
>Parsee snorts.

>_