Maribel Quest Succeeding - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "How about this, Kisume: we pretend the money you stole from me this morning covers the cost of your bucket."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Even if he didn't ask where it came from, he obviously still knows who traded it to him. And even if he doesn't choose to answer, there's nothing lost by trying. Unless you two have a better idea? And one that doesn't just involve arguing over this until you're both blue in the face?"

>"Not really..." says Murasa.
>"I got one that's loads better."

> "How about this, Kisume: we pretend the money you stole from me this morning covers the cost of your bucket."

>"What stealing?" she asks, giving you a look. "That was a mugging, and I got you fair and square! Not like I waltzed into your place when you were out and about and couldn't do a thing about it."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Look, how about this. I'll go ask Rinnosuke, and if that doesn't pan out, I can look into getting a replacement bucket for the clinic. I assume one bucket is just as good as any other to you, Murasa? But this bucket in particular is important to you, Kisume? Would that work?"

[Kilgamayan]

> "Except you DID get me when I couldn't do a thing about it. Not that it matters to you, apparently. Anyway, what's your idea?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Look, how about this. I'll go ask Rinnosuke, and if that doesn't pan out, I can look into getting a replacement bucket for the clinic. I assume one bucket is just as good as any other to you, Murasa? But this bucket in particular is important to you, Kisume? Would that work?"

>Murasa nods. "It's not the bucket, really, that's important, her calling me a thief that got to me."
>"Only cause you are."
>Murasa twitches.
>"And you're right it is! Me and it have been through some hard times together!"

> "Except you DID get me when I couldn't do a thing about it. Not that it matters to you, apparently. Anyway, what's your idea?"

>"Could've not stood there." Kisume says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "ANYWAY. What is your idea?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "ANYWAY. What is your idea?"

>"You gimme back what's mine," she says, "and I don't let slip to the Devas there's a thief around."

[DracoOmega]

>"You want to just give her the bucket, and I'll try to figure out what happened?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"You want to just give her the bucket, and I'll try to figure out what happened?"

>"Not really, but there isn't much of a choice, I suppose..." says Murasa.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"It's probably the easiest way to resolve things for the moment. I get the impression Kisume could stand around yelling at you all day, otherwise..."

[Hello Purvis]

>"It's probably the easiest way to resolve things for the moment. I get the impression Kisume could stand around yelling at you all day, otherwise..."

>"Fine," says Murasa. "Take it."
>Kisume says nothing, bouncing over to the bucket and grabbing it. You swear you hear her muttering something to it. Then she bounces toward the door. "Hey, you're all right," she says to you as she reaches the exit. "Don't even worry about that tunnel anymore."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Thanks, I appreciate it."
>Wait for Kisume to be safely out of earshot
>"Look, for what it's worth, being called a thief by a compulsive robber doesn't mean a whole lot, no matter how aggravating it must be."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Thanks, I appreciate it."
>Wait for Kisume to be safely out of earshot
>"Look, for what it's worth, being called a thief by a compulsive robber doesn't mean a whole lot, no matter how aggravating it must be."

>Kisume leaves, and you wait until she is out of earshot, then try to give Murasa some condolences. "Eh, maybe. I just feel like such a damn fool..."
>She sighs. "So, was Mari alright?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"She seemed ok. I mean, she was coughing a bit, and all, but I get the impression that's pretty expected for her at this point. I think she might have taken a liking to me a little, though. She gave me this as I was leaving."
>Show her the figure.

[Hello Purvis]

>"She seemed ok. I mean, she was coughing a bit, and all, but I get the impression that's pretty expected for her at this point. I think she might have taken a liking to me a little, though. She gave me this as I was leaving."
>Show her the figure.

>"Yeah, that's what the tea is for," says Murasa. "And she's a sweet old thing, if you get around all the old bigotries she carries around and stuff.
>You show her the figure. "Yeah, she gives to anyone that doesn't get on her bad side. She's afraid they'll end up alone and unloved in the corner of some pawn shop if she doesn't give them out herself."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"That's both a little sweet and a little sad, when I think about it."
>"Anyway, here's your stuff back. I got it all refilled and everything like you asked."
>Give Murasa the box back.

>"On another note, I don't suppose you know a good place to get some high quality bloodmoss here?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's both a little sweet and a little sad, when I think about it."
>"Anyway, here's your stuff back. I got it all refilled and everything like you asked."
>Give Murasa the box back.

>"On another note, I don't suppose you know a good place to get some high quality bloodmoss here?"

>"Yeah, it is," she says, as she accepts back the medicine chest and checks it. "Good, thanks."
>"Bloodmoss? Shouldn't be too hard to get, it's a cooking ingredient. High quality might be a little hard, but any herbalist ought to have it."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Ah. I asked at the one that I got this refilled at, but they were out. I guess I can check around for the other ones."

>"Anything else you need a hand with, or can I go look into a few other things now?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Ah. I asked at the one that I got this refilled at, but they were out. I guess I can check around for the other ones."

>"Anything else you need a hand with, or can I go look into a few other things now?"

>"I think I'm good for now," says Murasa. "I'll be sure to tell Byakuren you put in some good time. Thanks a lot!"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Happy to help!"
>Head out and follow Yuugi's directions to the pawn shop

[Blitzer]

>Wait a minute. Kisume mugging us was this morning? Before-lunch must have been ridiculously hectic...

[Hello Purvis]

>"Happy to help!"
>Head out and follow Yuugi's directions to the pawn shop

>You depart, and follow Yuugi's directions to the western residential district. After a little bit of searching, you find building much like the one Mari lives in, with a wooden sign in front that reads "Pawn".  The door is closed, which is unusual. Typically you would expect a business such as this to have it wide open, and maybe the owner trying to entice people in.

>Wait a minute. Kisume mugging us was this morning? Before-lunch must have been ridiculously hectic...

>Yeah've been pretty busy.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Try knocking on the door.
>If no response: "Hello, is anyone in?"
>Otherwise, look around the place a little

[Hello Purvis]

>Try knocking on the door.
>If no response: "Hello, is anyone in?"
>Otherwise, look around the place a little

>You knock on the door. After a moment, it opens and a small, thin-looking oni with short dark hair and straight horns extending from her temples glances out. "Terribly sorry, but  closed right now."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I just had a quick question, that's all. Yuugi's wondering why you haven't paid."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I just had a quick question, that's all. Yuugi's wondering why you haven't paid."

>She frowns. "Rats."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't suppose you can give me an explanation?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I don't suppose you can give me an explanation?"

>"I've got rats!" she says. "Been trying to chase 'em out, y'see. But no luck."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Rats? Like, the literal kind?"

[Kilgamayan]

>"Rats? Like, the literal kind?"

> Probably not the best idea to say this, it'll probably only irritate them more, and irritated oni = bad.