Maribel Quest Abridging - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, we should be past the city soon, and there won't be any more crowds from there until the hot springs, I'd imagine. Maybe a few fairies..."
>"You know, I was just thinking how far I've come since the last danmaku fight I was involved in down here, with you. Didn't have a clue about anything at the time. And now, after all I've gone through this morning, those spirits seemed almost tame."
>"....not that I wouldn't mind a long break from that sort of thing, just the same. Especially after this morning."

>"Well, they only seem tame because you were focused on escaping," says Satori. "Had you stayed to fight, it would have been much worse. And I don't doubt things should be better after crossing the bridge. And yes, I imagine that you have earned a rest, after what you showed me."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh, I'm not implying that I'd want to sit and fight them. But I was just thinking that I wouldn't even imagine trying to make it through there a day ago."
>Exit the underground

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh, I'm not implying that I'd want to sit and fight them. But I was just thinking that I wouldn't even imagine trying to make it through there a day ago."
>Exit the underground

>"True," says Satori as you fly along the bridge. "You have proven to be an amazingly fast student."
>You make your way out of the underground, a peaceful enough trip without any bother from bucket youkai or spider youkai with no sense of personal space. Soon, you approach the brighter lights of outside, while Satori shields her eyes.
>You emerge again into the light and free-flowing wind. Satori is a bit slow to follow you, her arm over her eyes. "This should be far enough," she says.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"You'd rather wait for her here, then?"
>Assuming yes:
>"Well, I'll go fetch her, then."
>Return to the hot springs

[Hello Purvis]

>"You'd rather wait for her here, then?"
>Assuming yes:
>"Well, I'll go fetch her, then."
>Return to the hot springs

>"No, but I can read the way in your thoughts well enough," says Satori. "And I'll need a few minutes. It's too bright and open out here right now..."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I... guess it's easy to forget that not everyone's used to the sun, sorry."
>Is it especially bright, by our own reckoning?

[Hello Purvis]

>"I... guess it's easy to forget that not everyone's used to the sun, sorry."
>Is it especially bright, by our own reckoning?

>You don't think it's especially bright. It feels more cheerful than anything. But maybe you're just giddy from victory still.
>"That's alright," says Satori. "We often forget people like you aren't used to being underground."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Fair enough."
>"Well, I hope some good comes out of this. For everyone involved. It's sad to see so much hurt between anyone, let alone family. Maybe it's not my place to say, but... I'm glad you came."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Fair enough."
>"Well, I hope some good comes out of this. For everyone involved. It's sad to see so much hurt between anyone, let alone family. Maybe it's not my place to say, but... I'm glad you came."

>She nods. "I'll do what I can. I don't like this rift any more than you do."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, good luck. I guess if you feel comfortable to cover the last leg on your own, I should give you two your privacy now."
>"What about the return trip? I know you said that you find the spirits hard to deal with without being able to sense their thoughts, and if taking the usually safer route is painful for you..."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, good luck. I guess if you feel comfortable to cover the last leg on your own, I should give you two your privacy now."
>"What about the return trip? I know you said that you find the spirits hard to deal with without being able to sense their thoughts, and if taking the usually safer route is painful for you..."

>"I'm sure it will be less bad when I have a bed to crawl into when I get to the end of the course," says Satori "Please do not worry about me."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Ok, I'll do my best. Be well, Satori. And good luck."
>Head back to our new house

[Hello Purvis]

>"Ok, I'll do my best. Be well, Satori. And good luck."
>Head back to our new house

>"Fare well," says Satori as you depart.
>It's not an especially long trip back to the house. However, you note a plume of smoke curling up into the air from it from some distance away. Drawing closer, there seems to be a bonfire in the front yard.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Can we identify what's burning?
>Can we see anyone around?
>If not, call out: "Hello?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we identify what's burning?
>Can we see anyone around?
>If not, call out: "Hello?"

>You do not know what is burning. But you do see a familiar fedora-wearing figure near it. Curiously, it seems Renko has given up her multi-color dress in favor of her old clothes. You also think you see a faerie or two flitting around it.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Walk over to her
>"Hey, there! I'm back."
>Give her a hug
>"What're you burning? The old broken furniture?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Walk over to her
>"Hey, there! I'm back."
>Give her a hug
>"What're you burning? The old broken furniture?"

>You walk over to Renko. "Hey, welcome back!" she says.
>You give her a hug. She returns it, squeezing you tightly.
>"Yeah," she says. "Seemed the best thing to do with it. I guess we could have used it as firewood or something, but...yeesh. Didn't want to keep it around longer than we should have. I got some help getting it out, thankfully. It was, um, that one woman, the one that looks like you...?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh, you mean Yukari? Man, she does seem to get around. Although I suppose that's kind of her shtick. But I'm happy she lent a hand with it. Is the place basically gutted now?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh, you mean Yukari? Man, she does seem to get around. Although I suppose that's kind of her shtick. But I'm happy she lent a hand with it. Is the place basically gutted now?"

>Renko nods. "That's her. We'll move the futon in tonight, but aside from that, it's empty. I got a few of the maids to help out with the dusting, though."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Ah, that's good. We'll get this place in shape, yet."
>"Man, it's going to be so nice to just be able to relax for a while. It's been a pretty overwhelming day, no matter how sweet the victory."
>"You figure out what we're going to do with those mechanical parts? Logistics-wise, I mean."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Ah, that's good. We'll get this place in shape, yet."
>"Man, it's going to be so nice to just be able to relax for a while. It's been a pretty overwhelming day, no matter how sweet the victory."
>"You figure out what we're going to do with those mechanical parts? Logistics-wise, I mean."

>"We're going to, alright," says Renko.
>She nods. "Yeah. I still can't believe it's over. Still kinda wish we took just a bit of that gallery, and maybe some chairs...but oh well. We'll do okay."
>"Well, I still think we ought to figure out who makes the money around here, melt it down, and use it to get some furniture and stuff."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"That still gives me the creeps, to be honest. But I'm not sure what else to do with it. I just wish I could feel certain that whatever shred of consciousness that was in it is just plain gone, you know?"
>"But, I suppose, it never seemed capable of acting without the spell to hold it together. At this, at least, would scatter the materials in ways that would be very hard to assemble ever again."
>"How're you feeling, anyway, Renko? Now that it's over with? I suppose it hasn't quite sunk in yet, but still. You achieved what you set out to achieve. Actually, you did even better than what you'd originally set out to do."
>Give her a kiss

[Hello Purvis]

>"That still gives me the creeps, to be honest. But I'm not sure what else to do with it. I just wish I could feel certain that whatever shred of consciousness that was in it is just plain gone, you know?"
>"But, I suppose, it never seemed capable of acting without the spell to hold it together. At this, at least, would scatter the materials in ways that would be very hard to assemble ever again."
>"How're you feeling, anyway, Renko? Now that it's over with? I suppose it hasn't quite sunk in yet, but still. You achieved what you set out to achieve. Actually, you did even better than what you'd originally set out to do."
>Give her a kiss

>"Well, it wasn't dangerous until Alice put it back together, right?" says Renko. "And this'll make sure it never gets put back together again."
>"Kind of shellshocked, still," says Renko. She might have said more, but then you kissed her. And she decides this is a better course of action and runs with it.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Hold the kiss for a little bit longer
>"Renko, do you have anything pressing to oversee here, or can we just go sit down somewhere? I'm still pretty exhausted from the mansion, and I managed to get into another firefight in the underground. Nothing serious, don't worry. But still. Right now I think I'd like nothing more than to spend some time resting next to you, and just be."

[Hello Purvis]

>Hold the kiss for a little bit longer
>"Renko, do you have anything pressing to oversee here, or can we just go sit down somewhere? I'm still pretty exhausted from the mansion, and I managed to get into another firefight in the underground. Nothing serious, don't worry. But still. Right now I think I'd like nothing more than to spend some time resting next to you, and just be."

>You hold it for a bit longer. It's just feels so good, after all this.
>"I suppose the faeries can make sure the fire doesn't spread," says Renko. She looks toward them.
>You notice one seems to be roasting a fish over the flames. "Sure! We'll take care of it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Mental note: talk to Yamame next time we're on our way through the Underground, assuming she's around (since it seems she wasn't this time).

[Kilgamayan]

> Also, if Renko has gone back to her traditional outfit, maybe we should do the same.
> Though, obviously, not right this second.

This is as much for my memory as for anyone else, but sometimes it's helpful to have these things written down instead of just memorized. I don't want things to wrap up just yet.

Greater priorities (in no particular order):

- Get the house clean
- Gather pieces of the Construct to give us some starting cash
- Check in with Byakuren to tell her how things have gone (and return her branch)
- Finalize the Jet Programme
- Get a ghost for Nitori
- Find the blacksmith's bellows (We want someone to help us melt down all that gold and silver? There we go. Even if she can't do it, she'll surely know someone that can.)

Lesser priorities/priorities not immediately accomplishable:

- Find out how Satori/Koishi went
- Check up on Reimu and Plum Flower
- Check up on Kogasa
- Check up on Mystia and Tokiko
- Check up on Hatate, probably bringing Renko with us
- Talk to Yamame about Utsuho

[Solais]

Hmm, I don't really want to barge in, but isn't the story actually over now? I know there are still a lot of things to do, but... the main game is done, and usually it was always over by then. Not that I'm complaining, it would be great if we could solve everything, unlike some previous quests. :V

[Hello Purvis]

> Mental note: talk to Yamame next time we're on our way through the Underground, assuming she's around (since it seems she wasn't this time).

>She does seem to have been occupied, hasn't she?

> Also, if Renko has gone back to her traditional outfit, maybe we should do the same.
> Though, obviously, not right this second.

>You do wonder about that. She did seem to like that dress.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "Well, since you're going back to the classic look, I think I will too. Mind giving me a moment?"
> Assuming Renko responds in the affirmative, enter the house, find a private room and change into our regular dress.