Ran Quest Overtime: A Z-Machine Sidestory

[UncertainJakutten]

>Also, we ARE free Thursday, right?
> If not, see if we can find another day
> If so continue as first commands.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Um, sure, yeah "
> Bow back
> Head down to the ground and avoid the flowers.
> See if we can see Byakuren or Aya nearby.

>"Good," she says. "Would a teahouse on the mountain suffice?"
>You return the bow.
>Yuka departs without a word, you can't tell whether she is smoldering with anger or is truly as nonchalant as she seems.
>Descending down, you see no sign of Aya. You do see Byakuren, who is frowning.

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> "My apologies. I forgot, in my zeal to help my friend, how...uh...territorial the mistress of this garden can be...."

[Hello Purvis]

> "My apologies. I forgot, in my zeal to help my friend, how...uh...territorial the mistress of this garden can be...."

>She nods. "I had presumed you had cleared it with whomever called the garden her own. Are you alright?"

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> "Yeah, I'm fine. Honestly, I probably shouldn't have gotten into the duel and just accepted she was right. But I didn't want her to turn on you or my friend if I wasn't there. Either way, do you know where my friend went?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yeah, I'm fine. Honestly, I probably shouldn't have gotten into the duel and just accepted she was right. But I didn't want her to turn on you or my friend if I wasn't there. Either way, do you know where my friend went?"

>You tell Byakuren you're fine, stretching the truth just a bit as taking a Master Spark is not a comfortable experience at all.
>"I...don't know if just saying she was right would have done anything," Byakuren says, frowning in the direction that Yuka fled. "And, your friend ran into that forest very quickly."

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> "Well, by saying she was right I mean running away and conceding the spell card duel to her. That would basically imply I was wrong and not willing to defend what I did."
> "Anyway, I'll go find her...I won't take up any more of your time if you don't want. Can you find the way back ok? Again, sorry about that unpleasantness..."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, by saying she was right I mean running away and conceding the spell card duel to her. That would basically imply I was wrong and not willing to defend what I did."
> "Anyway, I'll go find her...I won't take up any more of your time if you don't want. Can you find the way back ok? Again, sorry about that unpleasantness..."

>"Is the whole portraiting thing done?" asks Byakuren. "When should I expect to get one?"

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> "It should be, and you should get one...hmm, I'm not sure how long it takes her to develop them. I can't imagine it'd take more than a couple days, if that. I'll take it to you, or get someone to do so when they're ready."
> Smile reassuringly
> "I'm sure they'll come out really well."

[Hello Purvis]

> "It should be, and you should get one...hmm, I'm not sure how long it takes her to develop them. I can't imagine it'd take more than a couple days, if that. I'll take it to you, or get someone to do so when they're ready."
> Smile reassuringly
> "I'm sure they'll come out really well."

>"I'll be waiting, then," she says. She bows to you. "I should get back then. Um, are you sure you're alright?"

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> "I'm pretty much fine. Any damage I DID take will wear off soon enough. I'd be more worried about Yuka to be honest"
> "Anyway, have a good night...again, sorry about what happened..."

[UncertainJakutten]

> If she doesn't say anything further to us, fly off to the woods

[Hello Purvis]

> "I'm pretty much fine. Any damage I DID take will wear off soon enough. I'd be more worried about Yuka to be honest"
> "Anyway, have a good night...again, sorry about what happened..."

>She nods. "If you say so, I suppose that must be how it is. I am sorry you had such a rough time of it."

> If she doesn't say anything further to us, fly off to the woods

>The two of you part, and you return toward the woods.

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> Look for Aya

[Hello Purvis]

> Look for Aya

>You look around for Aya, and see nothing in the immediate area.

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> Continue through the forest then, towards Komachi
> While looking for Aya

[Hello Purvis]

> Continue through the forest then, towards Komachi
> While looking for Aya

>You head into the forest, heading northward.
>The forest is full of moss curtains, practically pitch black in the night. Your eyesight is good enough to see well enough to avoid tripping, but details are difficult to make out. Obvious exits are north and east

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> Call out for Aya
> Can danmaku light the way any?

[Hello Purvis]

> Call out for Aya
> Can danmaku light the way any?

>You call out for Aya. After a moment, you hear some rustling in the trees to your right. "Is she gone?" comes Aya's voice.

>_

[Kasu]

> "Both her and Byakuren are gone."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Both her and Byakuren are gone."

>"Oh thank heaven..." Aya says, as she descends from one of the trees. "...You look like hell, Ran. Did you actually try to hold her off?"

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> "Hold her off? I beat her . Tea party is next Thursday."
> "I figured that I should give you two time to escape since it was kinda my fault you were there. So, you got the pictures, right?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Hold her off? I beat her . Tea party is next Thursday."
> "I figured that I should give you two time to escape since it was kinda my fault you were there. So, you got the pictures, right?"

>"Wow, good job!" says Aya. "And yeah, I got them."

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> "Are they already developed? And can Byakuren get a copy of one? She seemed to want it ."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Are they already developed? And can Byakuren get a copy of one? She seemed to want it ."

>She holds up a few photographs. "I thought she'd want a set. We'll worry about it later, though."

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> "Well then, very good . So, I'll show these to Komachi now, unless there's anything else right now?"
> If there isn't, go to Komachi.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well then, very good . So, I'll show these to Komachi now, unless there's anything else right now?"
> If there isn't, go to Komachi.

>"I'll be waiting for the right moment," says Aya, grinning.
>You take the best-looking photograph, and return to the banks of the Sanzu River. You find Komachi there, staring at the stars. She glances down as you approach. "Hey, that didn't take too long," she says. "Have any luck?"

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> "Amazing luck. I went to Aya and apparently she caught wind of the story. She gave me these pictures."
> Shudder a little
> "Please do not ask how I convinced her to part with them."
> "Anyway, it might not mean anything, since you know Aya, but I REALLY think the Yama should look into this"
> Show her the pictures.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Amazing luck. I went to Aya and apparently she caught wind of the story. She gave me these pictures."
> Shudder a little
> "Please do not ask how I convinced her to part with them."
> "Anyway, it might not mean anything, since you know Aya, but I REALLY think the Yama should look into this"
> Show her the pictures.

>Komachi nods. "Won't ask a thing. I know all about Aya."
>She looks at the picture. "Is...that to scale? Huh. So, those are the flowers, right? What's the deal with them again?"

>_

[UncertainJakutten]

> "That's what I don't know but am nervous about. I don't know if it has to do with the dead, but considering flowers were the sign of the LAST incident involving the dead..."
> "I know the Yama is busy but this could be very important."