(Shiki)Eiki Quest the 3rd - Text Adventure of the Demonic Eye

[Blitzer]

>Meterial Bredenhof: "I think I can check for 'em if I head to the skies for a minute.  Want me to get on it, boss?"
>Dominantly Dechampisa: "I would appreciate it, Komachi. Thank you."
>Titanics: "No problem." Head out to do so.

>You head upwards and manipulate the distance between your eyes and the underground entrance. You do not see Utsuho or Koishi.

>Tropidurinae Trooper: Eye Maribel warily. "Don't make any trouble."

>She yells "I'm not out to cause trouble!"

>Turn to Yukari. "I don't suppose you feel like actually explaining why she ended up here, now?"

>"Ah yes, I was cut off yesterday when I mentioned Koishi's involvement. To be honest, I'm not perfectly sure how she ended up here while several other Outside World people who lived on Gensokyo Isle didn't arrive in Gensokyo."

>Pirin Poltergeist: And Yukari can't even get us into Sakuya's head to see those people in the other world anymore... and all this extra trouble to her for nothing... surely... oh!
>"Ah! Maribel! Didn't you say something about an exorcism the last time we talked?"

>She is now too far away to hear you.

>Armpits: Oh goddamnit.

>Exorcism say what?

>Rodentius: Mostly our friends from home. Don't want Ruro and Purvis in trouble, among others.
>Also unbreak Blitzer again

>He isn't here anymore.

>Lurk and listen for information-gathering purposes. Avoid attention and act casual.

>You start lurking and listening in the alley. The girl with the grey hair starts approaching you.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Komachi: Land.
>"No sign of 'em."
>Shiki: "Well, I suppose we never did select an exact time to meet. Komachi, can you wait for them? And we'll let Suika rest a bit longer, too. The rest of us will proceed inside. We need to do a test run first, anyways."
>Komachi: 'Kay. The plan's to transfer power to Yukari so she can open a gap to the other world, right?"
>Shiki: "Correct. We're going to test it first, as if it does work, there are a few other concerns that will need to be addressed."
>Party, except Komachi and Suika: Enter the mansion and head for the library.

[E-Nazrin]

>Cordylidae Cynic: Oy vey, it's just one nuisance after another these days...

>Douglas Yuyukans: "Are you sure you're feeling up to this, Yukari dear?"

---

>Ijimus: Welp. So much for subtlety.
>Without openly looking, survey possible escape routes and positions of others in the area in case this goes sour.
>For now, give her a casually polite nod and a quiet greeting: "Hey." She can decide the tone from there...

[Blitzer]

>Komachi: Land.
>"No sign of 'em."
>Shiki: "Well, I suppose we never did select an exact time to meet. Komachi, can you wait for them? And we'll let Suika rest a bit longer, too. The rest of us will proceed inside. We need to do a test run first, anyways."
>Komachi: 'Kay. The plan's to transfer power to Yukari so she can open a gap to the other world, right?"
>Shiki: "Correct. We're going to test it first, as if it does work, there are a few other concerns that will need to be addressed."
>Party, except Komachi and Suika: Enter the mansion and head for the library.

>Nearly all of you (Eiki, Reimu, Yuyuko, and Yukari) head into the mansion and into the library.
>You see Patchouli look up from a book she's reading. "I see you're here."

>Cordylidae Cynic: Oy vey, it's just one nuisance after another these days...

>So many stupid problems...

>Douglas Yuyukans: "Are you sure you're feeling up to this, Yukari dear?"

>"After the power transfer, maybe."

>Ijimus: Welp. So much for subtlety.
>Without openly looking, survey possible escape routes and positions of others in the area in case this goes sour.

>You can always exit the other side of the alley.

>For now, give her a casually polite nod and a quiet greeting: "Hey." She can decide the tone from there...

>"Hello, may I interest you?"

[E-Nazrin]

>Dechampisa Dolomite: "Many of us, but not all. But I believe a test attempt while waiting for the others would be prudent if you are willing, Miss Knowledge."
>Cobra Commander: "How's this supposed to work, anyway?"

>Fjords of the Styx: Give Yukari's hand a little squeeze. "I meant emotionally. Just let me know if it starts getting to you..."

-----

>Ijimus: Raise eyebrow. "... interest me in what, now?"
>Are these prostitutes...?

[Blitzer]

>Dechampisa Dolomite: "Many of us, but not all. But I believe a test attempt while waiting for the others would be prudent if you are willing, Miss Knowledge."

>"Very well."

>Cobra Commander: "How's this supposed to work, anyway?"

>Patchouli says "If you want to know how the power transfer process works, expect a lot of magibabble. If you want to know the steps to the power transfer process, then all participants have to stand in a circle, hold hands, and then a magician?myself, in this case?outside the circle has to say the incantation."

>Fjords of the Styx: Give Yukari's hand a little squeeze. "I meant emotionally. Just let me know if it starts getting to you..."

>"Don't worry, Yuyuko. I've been able to weather a lot recently. Even I'm surprised by how well I'm taking all this."

>Ijimus: Raise eyebrow. "... interest me in what, now?"

>"Never mind. Do you have any idea what just happened?"

>Are these prostitutes...?

>O_o This is the last command I would have expected at all.
>Who the heck knows?

[E-Nazrin]

>Tortoise Trampler: "Would Marisa be able to do this, too?"
>Is there any particular reason, say from shrinemaidenness, that we shouldn't participate in this?

-----

>Rodentius: Hopefully we won't regret giving away a little info...
>"All I really know is that it's probably due to some sort of 'overlay.' I'm guessing you guys aren't from <NAME OF HOME WORLD>?"
(Don't take that one literally, parser.)

[Blitzer]

>Tortoise Trampler: "Would Marisa be able to do this, too?"

>"Yes, but once she arrives she will inevitably take at least one book. Even if we do this outside."

>Is there any particular reason, say from shrinemaidenness, that we shouldn't participate in this?

>No.

>Rodentius: Hopefully we won't regret giving away a little info...
>"All I really know is that it's probably due to some sort of 'overlay.' I'm guessing you guys aren't from <NAME OF HOME WORLD>?"
(Don't take that one literally, parser.)

>"What kind of a name is 'NAME OF HOME WORLD'?!"
>"No..."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Shiki: "Let us perform the test."
>Party: Get in a circle around Yukari and hold hands.
>Shiki: "Please begin the spell, Patchouli."

[E-Nazrin]

>Asp Master: Crack a grin at Patchouli's complaint. "Yeah, but good to know in case she's ever up to something."
>Sigh and join in.

>Blatant Self Insert: Nod. "Then I'm guessing somehow either at least one of us has warped between worlds, or there's been some sort of overlapping combination. So what's your story?"
>Any other details about our interrogator? Does she look Gensokyoian in any noteworthy fashion?

[Blitzer]

>Shiki: "Let us perform the test."
>Party: Get in a circle around Yukari and hold hands.
>Shiki: "Please begin the spell, Patchouli."

>Asp Master: Crack a grin at Patchouli's complaint. "Yeah, but good to know in case she's ever up to something."
>Sigh and join in.

>You all enter a circle and hold hands.
>Patchouli says "Can I expect you to know when you will be able to open a gap to the other world?"
>Yukari says "Of course. I know my power."
>"Very well." She mutters the incantation.
>A magic circle appears between all of you.
>"Now can you open a gap?"
>"Not yet."
>A few more seconds pass.
>"Now?"
>"No."
>A few more seconds pass.
>Yukari says "This may take a while..."

>Blatant Self Insert: Nod. "Then I'm guessing somehow either at least one of us has warped between worlds, or there's been some sort of overlapping combination. So what's your story?"

>"I was in a village, then a giant gap appeared in the sky. At the same time, all of the male villagers around my location turned into young girls....I was also turned from a man into a young girl, but that was long ago."

>Any other details about our interrogator? Does she look Gensokyoian in any noteworthy fashion?

>Gensokyoans don't have an obvious, visible, and widespread clothing characteristic that easily marks them as Gensokyoans, so you don't know.

[E-Nazrin]

>Gecko Gangster: Grumble. "Is it at least working at all?"
>Keep going for a while, as long as no one's getting really harmed.

-----

>Ijimus: Well, that explains the clothes, at least.
>... heh. Loli-Purvis is a strange thought...
>"D'you know what village that was? Or hell, what, ah, nation it was in, at least?"
>We'll leave the personal histories aside for now...

[GuyYouMetOnline]

...

Holy shit, Blitzer. Can you possibly make this any more convoluted? Seriously, you're starting to give me a headache.

[Blitzer]

>Gecko Gangster: Grumble. "Is it at least working at all?"

>"Yes, it is."

>Keep going for a while, as long as no one's getting really harmed.

>You keep going for 15 seconds, during which Yukari stays quiet.
>Patchouli says "Is this helping at all?"
>Yukari says "Well, the process is working, and my gap abilities feel better."

>Ijimus: Well, that explains the clothes, at least.
>... heh. Loli-Purvis is a strange thought...
>"D'you know what village that was? Or hell, what, ah, nation it was in, at least?"

>"I believe it was called the Human Village, but you can't call the area it was in a 'nation'...it's called Gensokyo. I'm not too clear on the details, though; I've been kind of out of it for a while."

>We'll leave the personal histories aside for now...

>Let's leave that aside...

...

Holy shit, Blitzer. Can you possibly make this any more convoluted? Seriously, you're starting to give me a headache.

Maybe. But what exactly confuses you?

I can at least say that some of the events in Eiki Quest are not connected to others.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

Nothing's confusing me, but that doesn't mean it's easy to keep all this straight, especially now that you've thrown Miko Quest into the mix.

>Party: Keep going.
>Shiki: "Let us know as soon as you think you can open a gap to the other world, Yukari."
>Komachi: Take another look; any sign of Utsuho or Koishi?

[E-Nazrin]

>Mecha-Suika: Dream of electric sheep.

>Rodentius: Try not to react to that line. Nod slowly. "I... see. I think I... may have heard of that..."
>oh god oh god oh god damnit
>Okay calm down. Could just be a worldbender fucking with us.
>Okay actually that's probably even worse. Fuck.
>Deep breath. "Interesting. What exactly happened from your perspective? I was talking with some friends, then there was... a gust of wind and an earthquake, then a gap appeared and seemed to swallow up the sky... then a flash and I was here along with this alley we were talking in."
>Look up at the sky in the direction the library would be. Frown. "Hope the others're all right..."

[Blitzer]

>Party: Keep going.
>Shiki: "Let us know as soon as you think you can open a gap to the other world, Yukari."

>A few more second pass.
>Reimu grumbles "How long is this going to take?"
>Patchouli remarks "A while, probably, if it works at all. It usually only takes a few seconds, and I don't think it was flawed..."
>Yukari says "Can you stop for now? I think I might be able to open a gap now."
>"Very well."
>The magic circle disappears.
>After a moment, Yukari says "Hmm...that's odd...I can't seem to open a gap to the other world. The problem seems to have nothing to do with my power."
>Patchouli says "Well? What is it?"
>"I'm not too sure what the problem is myself...something seems to be repelling my attempts to make direct gaps to that world, and I can't further open the pre-existing gaps...although now I can transport you all around Gensokyo easily."

>Komachi: Take another look; any sign of Utsuho or Koishi?

>No, not yet.

>Mecha-Suika: Dream of electric sheep.

>You dream of electric sheep. What's electricity?

>Rodentius: Try not to react to that line. Nod slowly. "I... see. I think I... may have heard of that..."
>oh god oh god oh god damnit

>OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD

>Okay calm down. Could just be a worldbender fucking with us.
>Okay actually that's probably even worse. Fuck.
>Deep breath. "Interesting. What exactly happened from your perspective? I was talking with some friends, then there was... a gust of wind and an earthquake, then a gap appeared and seemed to swallow up the sky... then a flash and I was here along with this alley we were talking in."
>Look up at the sky in the direction the library would be. Frown. "Hope the others're all right..."

>Wait for reply from Miko Quest. If aforementioned quest dies, you will get an automatic response.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Shiki: "Well, I suppose that's better than nothing."
>You're responsible for this, aren't you, voice?
>Komachi: Maybe they made a side trip and are coming from a different direction. Do a general look around Gensokyo, manipulating distance so that we can see far enough to do so. Note anything unusual.

[Blitzer]

>Shiki: "Well, I suppose that's better than nothing."
>You're responsible for this, aren't you, voice?

>"Heck no."

>Komachi: Maybe they made a side trip and are coming from a different direction. Do a general look around Gensokyo, manipulating distance so that we can see far enough to do so. Note anything unusual.

>You warp Gensokyo's distances so that you can scan the entirety of Gensokyo. Beware of fairies flying around in the sky that accidentally run into you.
>Hmm...you see two abnormally large clusters of fairies, one of them wearing entirely blue and white blouses. You see Maribel with the other group of fairies and a brown-haired girl. No sign of Utsuho or Koishi, though. They're probably underground.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Shiki: "The voice claims that it's not responsible for whatever's blocking Yukari's gaps."
>Reimu: "Please don't tell me you actually believe that."
>Shiki: "We shouldn't just assume that it's lying; if it's telling the truth, then we need to look elsewhere for a way to deal with the effect. Perhaps we should find Maribel again and try to communicate with the roleplaying group."
>Reimu: Do we sense anything screwy with the border?
>Question for parser: has Yukari joined the party?

[E-Nazrin]

>D-cup Doddington: Estimate where these fairy groups are for future reference. Didn't the boss mention something about fairy armies? That's probably them.
>Make out with stray fairy

>Genji Grappler: Eye Shiki suspiciously. The way she's wording it is rather generous towards that voice...

>Fjords of the Styx: "Ah, then I suppose I should go get Rikako again, shouldn't I?"
>If no objections, head off to do so!

>Armpits: What do we know about the heretic's involvement in all this?

[Blitzer]

>Shiki: "The voice claims that it's not responsible for whatever's blocking Yukari's gaps."
>Reimu: "Please don't tell me you actually believe that."
>Shiki: "We shouldn't just assume that it's lying; if it's telling the truth, then we need to look elsewhere for a way to deal with the effect. Perhaps we should find Maribel again and try to communicate with the roleplaying group."

>Genji Grappler: Eye Shiki suspiciously. The way she's wording it is rather generous towards that voice...

>How suspicious...maybe she has given in.

>Reimu: Do we sense anything screwy with the border?

>You do not.

>Armpits: What do we know about the heretic's involvement in all this?

>You know she has a device that lets her see into these unusual gaps.

>Question for parser: has Yukari joined the party?

>She has not.

>D-cup Doddington: Estimate where these fairy groups are for future reference. Didn't the boss mention something about fairy armies? That's probably them.

>Looks like it. You see one of the fairy groups is in the western forests near Youkai Mountain, while the other is deep in the Forest of Magic.
>Oh dear lord, you can warp space to your own whim.

>Make out with stray fairy

>You attempt to make out with a stray fairy, but instead find yourself making out with Tenshi. You continue hatesnogging her. Pardon me while I adjust the narrow fenestrated wall, to redirect myself from this impropriety. Oh goodness.

>Fjords of the Styx: "Ah, then I suppose I should go get Rikako again, shouldn't I?"

>Nobody objects.

>If no objections, head off to do so!

>You head off to get Rikako. However, on the way there...you see Rikako herself flying towards you.
>"Hey. Where're you going right now?"

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Yuyuko: "Actually, I was going to get you. We need to go gap-viewing again."
>Lead Rikako to the library.
>"Found her! She was already coming."
>Shiki: "How convenient. Rikako, I'm afraid that we need your assistance again. We thought we had a way to reach the other world, but it's being blocked, so we want to check on the other world to see if the block might be coming from there. We can find maribel to try and check with the roleplaying group, but I think we should broaden our investigation a bit, so I'd like to check other parts of that world, as well. Have you detected any new gaps?"
>If she hasn't checked her detection device: "Could you please check? We should observe as much of that world as we can."

[E-Nazrin]

>Monitor Mutilator: What did we hear about the world through those gaps, anyway? Get the full story if we haven't already... they sound very suspicious. Now if only we could reach them...

[Blitzer]

>Yuyuko: "Actually, I was going to get you. We need to go gap-viewing again."

>"I expected that."

>Lead Rikako to the library.

>She follows behind, hefting the large gap-seeing machine.

>"Found her! She was already coming."
>Shiki: "How convenient. Rikako, I'm afraid that we need your assistance again. We thought we had a way to reach the other world, but it's being blocked, so we want to check on the other world to see if the block might be coming from there. We can find maribel to try and check with the roleplaying group, but I think we should broaden our investigation a bit, so I'd like to check other parts of that world, as well. Have you detected any new gaps?"

>"No, not really. Trust me, I've tried. Of course, while its detection distance isn't perfect, it's far from very large."

>Monitor Mutilator: What did we hear about the world through those gaps, anyway? Get the full story if we haven't already... they sound very suspicious. Now if only we could reach them...

>You haven't heard anything yet.
>Processing reply to Ijiyatsu's E-Nazrin...
>"Pretty much just what I said. There was a big hole in the sky, then everyone turned into girls and all this new stuff appeared. Like you."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Yuyuko: "You expected we'd need your help again? Why? Did something happen?"
>Shiki: "I don't suppose you can sense these gaps, Yukari?"
>Komachi: Keep looking around. Maybe Utsuho and Koishi are coming from the mountain? Or maybe they misunderstood the meeting place and went to the Hakurei Shrine? Heck, maybe they even had business in the human village, so look there, too.

[Blitzer]

>Yuyuko: "You expected we'd need your help again? Why? Did something happen?"

>"No, it's just that I know you seem to need my help a lot."

>Shiki: "I don't suppose you can sense these gaps, Yukari?"

>"I can."

>Komachi: Keep looking around. Maybe Utsuho and Koishi are coming from the mountain? Or maybe they misunderstood the meeting place and went to the Hakurei Shrine? Heck, maybe they even had business in the human village, so look there, too.

>If they were there, you would have seen them already.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Komachi: And we saw nothing unusual at the human village?
>Shiki: "In that case, Yukari, have there been any new ones? Or has anything been happening to the border?
>Reimu: "Also, make the gap into Sakuya's head already. And I'm going in this time. I want to see what this other world is like."

[E-Nazrin]

>Balkan Yuyukans: "Actually, Patchouli, where is Sakuya right now?"
>Have we ever tried the one in Meiling's head?

>Fatmus: "So no quake or flash on your end?"
>Guess we got sucked into there, rather than the other way around. Though that doesn't explain the genderbending...
>Take a better look around. Any sign of landmarks that would normally be near Purvis' alley, or that stand out on their own?
>... did that little white gap come along with us?

[Blitzer]

>Komachi: And we saw nothing unusual at the human village?

>No.

>Shiki: "In that case, Yukari, have there been any new ones? Or has anything been happening to the border?

>"Hmm..."
>A few seconds pass by.
>"There seems to be one in the middle of the Forest of Magic. There is nothing wrong with the border, though."

>Reimu: "Also, make the gap into Sakuya's head already. And I'm going in this time. I want to see what this other world is like."

>Yukari says "We can just as easily observe that gap over there."
>She gestures towards the large library gap.

>Balkan Yuyukans: "Actually, Patchouli, where is Sakuya right now?"

>"Cleaning somewhere in the mansion. Perhaps you should ask Remilia exactly where she is."

>Have we ever tried the one in Meiling's head?

>You have.

>Fatmus: "So no quake or flash on your end?"

>"There was a flash. No quake, though."

>Guess we got sucked into there, rather than the other way around. Though that doesn't explain the genderbending...
>Take a better look around. Any sign of landmarks that would normally be near Purvis' alley, or that stand out on their own?

>Purvis's alley is a landmark in and of itself.

>... did that little white gap come along with us?

>That white gap is still there.