Ran Quest: A Z-Machine Sidestory

[Hello Purvis]

>are they easy enough to repair from water damage that it'd make a difference whether it got destroyed or not?
>fox thoughts, get some distance - don't forget about up and down as escape options

>You cannot repair a destroyed spellcard.
>You move away from her, not making the mistake of a forgetting the third dimension.  Then you draw and declare Shikigami: Wizard Fox Thoughts.
>The air before Tenshi explodes into green danmaku. Her card is quickly broken as one of the shots strikes her. She cries out in frustration and tries to dodge. You can't hide your grin, and she slams into another shot, and then another.

> Make that double. We're at our best in artillery range, what with most of our spellcards being homing.

>You keep your distance, moving to and fro, keeping the Danmaku flying as Tenshi tries futile to dodge, then to get close to you and attack with her sword. Finally, tears in her eyes, she turns and shouts "You suck! I hate you forever! I hope you break your toe on the treasure! Then she flees.

>_

[Fightest]

> Self-indulgent victory pose!

[E-Nazrin]

>watch out for flying swords/rocks
>check back on where the ship's gone in the meantime

[Hello Purvis]

> Self-indulgent victory pose!

>You cross your arms and allow yourself a self-satisfied chuckle. Looks like she only followed the "Danmaku is Power" philosophy without adding in the "Shoot and I'll move" aspect.

>watch out for flying swords/rocks
>check back on where the ship's gone in the meantime

>Thankfully, it doesn't seem like Tenshi is interested in any sort of backstabbing, given how fast she's running off.  But you stay wary, regardless.
>The ship is continuing further eastward. If you were simply trying to chase it, this would be a significant problem. But you've been trying to intersect with it, so it just means you need to hurry.

>_

[Kasu]

> Continue interception of the ship.

[Hello Purvis]

> Continue interception of the ship.

>You have to hustle a bit more than you like, but you are able to intercept the ship. The faeries move to attack, shouting "Motherland!" and "Poke 'er in the eye!", but the hooded Youkai, Ichirin if you recall what Shou said, notices you and calls off before anything untoward can happen.
>"Welcome back!" she says. "Murasa said your friend appeared below decks a little while ago."

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "She did? Oh for the love of... where was she?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "She did? Oh for the love of... where was she?"

>"I just said, she was below decks," replies Ichirin. "If you like, you can ask Murasa for more details."
>She gestures toward the ship's cabin.

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "So you don't know where she was "below deck" then? Oh well."
> "Thank you, wait, is she still here? I need to retrieve her ASAP."

[Hello Purvis]

> "So you don't know where she was "below deck" then? Oh well."
> "Thank you, wait, is she still here? I need to retrieve her ASAP."

>"I don't think so," says Ichirin, "Unless she's come back."

>_

[Seian Verian]

> Go to ask Murasa for details

[Hello Purvis]

> Go to ask Murasa for details

>You go belowdecks.
>Inside, you find the ship is largely a single hold. Faeries whiz about to and fro, crying "Yoho!" and "Arrrr!".You hear some maniacal laughter echoing from the fore of the ship.
>"Keep her steady, me ladies!" cries the person who laughed, "This day we sail the seas o' the very edge o' the world, and make war upon the shores o' hell itself! And let not a jack among ye say ye weren't warned!"
>"Aye aye!" shout the faeries as once.

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "Aye, be you Captain Murasa?"
> Avoid laughing at immitating her pirate talk.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Aye, be you Captain Murasa?"
> Avoid laughing at immitating her pirate talk.

>"Who's there!" cries the voice. As you get a better view through the faeries, you can see a youkai dressed as sailor. "Make yerself know lest I give yer backside such an anchoring they'll give ye nicknames for it!"

>_

[Seian Verian]

> "My name is Ran Yakumo. Ichirin said that you had seen my master, and I wished to ask if she told you anything, as I am trying to find her."

[Hello Purvis]

> "My name is Ran Yakumo. Ichirin said that you had seen my master, and I wished to ask if she told you anything, as I am trying to find her."

>"You mean that woman that came in stark naked from the middle of nowhere?" Murasa asks, as she waves you over to join her. "Ichirin said someone was looking for her."

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "Yes, that would be me searching for her. Do you know where in the ship she was, or anything at all she may have said? I'm afraid she is sleep-walking and just so happens to be one of the most powerful beings within Gensokyo. I'm sure you know the problems with anyone who is sleepwalking, merely take that and apply it to someone who, in terms of sheer actual power, is completly unmatched."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yes, that would be me searching for her. Do you know where in the ship she was, or anything at all she may have said? I'm afraid she is sleep-walking and just so happens to be one of the most powerful beings within Gensokyo. I'm sure you know the problems with anyone who is sleepwalking, merely take that and apply it to someone who, in terms of sheer actual power, is completly unmatched."

>Murasa makes a curious expression. "We'll deal that unmatched bit shortly enough. But sleeping walking you say? That's no good for someone like that. She did sorta talk at me. Said to make sure I had all the treasures before we set out for Makai. Nothing we didn't already know. When I told her we were missing a couple, she opened this sorta hole thing and said she'd handle it. I'm guessin' she's looking for the jeweled pagoda or maybe the flying arc. Either way, I barely knew what to do about her."

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "Any clues about where she went?"
> "Wait, of the items your gathering, by any chance was one of them a Lantern or something similar?"
> Would Makai be warm?

[Hello Purvis]

> "Any clues about where she went?"
> "Wait, of the items your gathering, by any chance was one of them a Lantern or something similar?"
> Would Makai be warm?

>"Well, I told her we had Nazrin and Shou looking the for artifacts, so maybe she's after them?"
>"Kinda. It looks a little like one if you don't know any better."
>Makai has a wide range of weather, pretty much anything you can expect in Gensokyo, and a lot more.

>_

[Seian Verian]

> "Do you have any idea where Nazrin and Shou might be?
> Actually... Didn't we see Shou at the hot spring?

[Hello Purvis]

> "Do you have any idea where Nazrin and Shou might be?
> Actually... Didn't we see Shou at the hot spring?

>"Probably going through any place they think the pagoda is hidden at."
>You most certainly did; she was taking a break.

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>wonder if Yukari is actually sleepwalking or if it's an act to cover her tracks in searching for the artifacts
>More importantly, if she's helping, then these guys are probably legit about Byakuren's intentions... right?
>"Then I guess this all makes for another reason for me to look for them, as well. Ichirin told me that the holy... well, one of the other artifacts was somehow broken up into a lot of small, floating toys of some sort. Do you know a more specific description?"

[Hello Purvis]

>wonder if Yukari is actually sleepwalking or if it's an act to cover her tracks in searching for the artifacts
>More importantly, if she's helping, then these guys are probably legit about Byakuren's intentions... right?
>"Then I guess this all makes for another reason for me to look for them, as well. Ichirin told me that the holy... well, one of the other artifacts was somehow broken up into a lot of small, floating toys of some sort. Do you know a more specific description?"

>If this really is an act, you're going to have some words for her... But at the same time, she did seem genuinely out of it for that brief moment you encountered her. That could have been an act, she can certainly put on a good act when she wants to.
>That is a particularly nice possibility. You could think of worse ones.
>"There's some sort of curse on them," says Murasa, "Near as I can tell, anyways. Keeps them from looking like they're supposed to. But you can tell it's them pretty easily, because they fly."

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "So flying objects, do they have any other describing features? Color, size, anything?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "So flying objects, do they have any other describing features? Color, size, anything?"

>"Uh, I've heard they tend to be mostly one color," says Murasa. "Better to ask Nazrin about that, she's the one that saw 'em; but they got away from her. They're not that big, I don't think."

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "Would you happen to know where Nazrin is then?"
> "Thank you very much Captain Murasa. If Hijiri is as kind as I have heard, then I wish you and your crew safe sailing and good luck in your quest to free Hijiri."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Would you happen to know where Nazrin is then?"
> "Thank you very much Captain Murasa. If Hijiri is as kind as I have heard, then I wish you and your crew safe sailing and good luck in your quest to free Hijiri."

>"Last I heard, she was going to look into that mansion around the lake," says Murasa.
>She smiles as you wish her well. "It's good to hear people care," she says.

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>give her a warm smile
>"I'll admit I had my doubts - maybe sounding a bit too good to be true, and surprising it didn't arise until now... but you do seem to be sincere about Hijiri, and if Yukari is willing to trust you, so should I."
>give her a little bow
>"That said, I think I'll go see if I can find Nazrin. The Scarlet Devil Mansion can be... a little dangerous. I'll see what I can do if there's any trouble there."
>"... ah, though it would probably help to know what she looks like."

[Hello Purvis]

>give her a warm smile
>"I'll admit I had my doubts - maybe sounding a bit too good to be true, and surprising it didn't arise until now... but you do seem to be sincere about Hijiri, and if Yukari is willing to trust you, so should I."
>give her a little bow
>"That said, I think I'll go see if I can find Nazrin. The Scarlet Devil Mansion can be... a little dangerous. I'll see what I can do if there's any trouble there."
>"... ah, though it would probably help to know what she looks like."

>You say some kind words, and bow to Murasa. "Things really have changed, haven't they?" She murmurs.
>"Oh, Nazrin, she's a little mouse youkai," Murasa holds a hand at about chest level for emphasis. "Always has dowsing rods. She's kinda sketchy, but she means well."

>_