Ran Quest: A Z-Machine Sidestory

[E-Nazrin]

>resist bemused smirk at the irony(?) of an ACTUAL rat trying to break into the SDM
>nod
>"Then I hope the librarian's rat-catchers haven't given her too much grief."
>"I should be on my way."
>head out for the SDM, barring any significant interruptions or distractions

[Hello Purvis]

>"Good luck!" Says Murasa.
>You make your way out of the ship's interior, as Murasa begins to shout again, "Ye blaggards think ye can sail this ship? ha! Every last one of ye were at yer mother's tit til you five and twenty years old, or I'm a striped hen!..."
>You leave the ship, as Ichirin waves, and find it is flying over the Forest of Magic again, making it a relatively short trip to Scarlet Devil Mansion.
>drawing close to the grounds, you can see a umber of the faerie maids running around grounds, carrying various blunt objects and raising quite a clamor. You also notice the gatekeeper seems to be involved in some sort of strange frantic dance.

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> Approach the gatekeeper and ask what's going on? Introduce ourselves if she doesn't knwo who we are.

[Hello Purvis]

> Approach the gatekeeper and ask what's going on? Introduce ourselves if she doesn't knwo who we are.

>You approach the gatekeeper. You're familiar with Hong Meiling, and know she has at least a passing familiarity with you, even though the two of you aren't really acquaintances.
>Drawing closer to her, you can see that her frantic dance seems to be less of a dance and more her dodging away and shrieking from a half dozen or so mice running and leaping around her. Periodically one manages to get on her before she shakes it off.

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "Wh-what the heck is going on here Meiling!?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Wh-what the heck is going on here Meiling!?"

>"Mice!" she cries, and she desperately shakes another one off her clothes.

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "Did you see a big one come through? When I say big, I mean a Youkai version. I need to find her."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Did you see a big one come through? When I say big, I mean a Youkai version. I need to find her."

>"I don't know!" she cries. "Just get 'em away from me!"

>_

[Zemyla]

> Danmaku will be dangerous, but we are a fox.  While we're not as used to hunting small animals as Chen might be, we can certainly give it a shot.
> "Sure thing!  Hold still, would you?" Having the benefit of them not crawling on us yet, start plucking them off Meiling and since we don't have any container, tossing them underhand away from the mansion, into the grass.
> They'll survive, since they're light and we aren't flinging them.

[Hello Purvis]

> Danmaku will be dangerous, but we are a fox.  While we're not as used to hunting small animals as Chen might be, we can certainly give it a shot.
> "Sure thing!  Hold still, would you?" Having the benefit of them not crawling on us yet, start plucking them off Meiling and since we don't have any container, tossing them underhand away from the mansion, into the grass.
> They'll survive, since they're light and we aren't flinging them.

>You tell Meiling to stand still. She does, whimpering when the mice charge her. You deftly pluck a few off and lightly toss them away before the rest seem to realize the situation and scatter.
>Meiling falls to her knees, panting. "Oh thank heaven... I hate things crawling on me...you, you don't even know..."

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>briefly wonder how this fear implanted itself in Meiling's psyche
>"Are you alright? I came to try and find the mouse youkai I mentioned. I'm guessing she's here, after seeing that. May I go look?"

[Hello Purvis]

>briefly wonder how this fear implanted itself in Meiling's psyche
>"Are you alright? I came to try and find the mouse youkai I mentioned. I'm guessing she's here, after seeing that. May I go look?"

>You cannot imagine. Maybe she fell into a termite mound as a kid?
>"Yeah, I think so..." says Meiling, as she stands up and straightens her clothes. "I don't know about any mouse youkai, but there are hundreds of mice infesting the mansion all of a sudden! If you think you know something about it, I suppose I can let you in for the emergency. Just don't steal anything, okay?"

>_

[Seian Verian]

> "Don't worry, I would never think to do something so lowly as stealing. I'm not that black-white witch."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Don't worry, I would never think to do something so lowly as stealing. I'm not that black-white witch."

>"Good, good," says Meiling, as she opens the gate.  "And, um, if you could keep the whole mouse thing a secret, I'd really appreciate it..."

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>"Your secret is safe with me."
>safe enough, at least.
>thank her and head in, try not to look too threatening in case Sakuya shows up

[Hello Purvis]

>"Your secret is safe with me."
>safe enough, at least.
>thank her and head in, try not to look too threatening in case Sakuya shows up

>"Thanks, you're a pal."
>You make your way into the mansion grounds. Up ahead you can see the doors of the mansion, one is currently ajar. To the west, you can see a old water fountain, which is not working. To the east is a statue garden. You can see a few dozen mice scurrying around, and a handful of faerie maids with various instruments chasing them about and raising a ruckus. Obvious exits are North, East, West, and South.

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>rape fairy maid
>peek into the door

[Hello Purvis]

>rape fairy maid
>peek into the door

>You got shanked. Go directly to Higan. Do not pass the Hakurei Shrine, do not collect any talismans
>You peek into the door, as a mouse runs by your feet inside, and see a scene similar to the one outside. Mice are running about everywhere, and a handful of maids are chasing them around and being loud and raucous in general. You see the entry hall is a gallery of some kind.

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> Help the maids the way we helped Meiling, grab da mice and unda-hand em

[Hello Purvis]

> Help the maids the way we helped Meiling, grab da mice and unda-hand em

>You prepare to help out the maids, but it doesn't seem like they are being assaulted as Meiling was.  Instead, they're too busy being chased, or simply scurrying about when the maids aren't paying them any attention. Unfortunately, scurrying mice are harder to deal with than ones making concentrated efforts to hassle someone.

>_

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "Hello ladies, have any of you seen a Mouse Youkai?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Hello ladies, have any of you seen a Mouse Youkai?"

>They seem to be a little too busy to really ackonowledge you. Once looks in your direct, before going back to chasing a mouse with what seems to be a hatbox.

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>useless maids.
>Anyone Ran has decently favorable relations at the SDM? Head to their usual place, if anyone comes to mind.
>regardless, tread carefully, the head maid can be a little scary even if the scrubs are harmless

[Hello Purvis]

>useless maids.
>Anyone Ran has decently favorable relations at the SDM? Head to their usual place, if anyone comes to mind.
>regardless, tread carefully, the head maid can be a little scary even if the scrubs are harmless

>You have had encounters with the head maid before, both on your own and assisting Yukari. As well, you've had some passing encounters with Remilia while assisting Yukari, though she didn't really pay attention to you. You've met the others during the party Remilia had before she tried to invade the moon. Sakuya is easily the one you know best. You have no idea where any of them would be.
>You tread carefully, but where will you be treading?

>_

[Kasu]

> Head for the kitchen.

[Hello Purvis]

> Head for the kitchen.

>Your experiences following Yukari have given you a very rough idea of the mansion's layout. You enter the foyer, and head down the western hallway.
>Up ahead, you see the doors leading to what you think is the Kitchen. Suddenly, about two dozen mice appear out of thin air in front of the door. They scramble around, apparently confused, before rushing off in every direction.
>A few moments later, another ten or so mice materialize in front of the door, with much the same reaction as before.

>_

[Kasu]

> Head into the kitchen.

[Hello Purvis]

> Head into the kitchen.

>You enter the kitchen, and see Sakuya guarding a door on the north wall, carrying an empty laundry basket. The kitchen itself is in surprisingly good condition, given the circumstances. You expected to see pots and pans all over the place and a general mess, but things seem to be in rather good order; though there doesn't seem to be that many pots around. There are mice scurrying around, Sakuya seems to be watching them closely. "If you've come to gloat," She says, "please call the mice off first, so I may give you a proper reply."

>_

[Kasu]

> "Well I was actually looking for a mouse youkai thats supposed to be somewhere in the mansion."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well I was actually looking for a mouse youkai thats supposed to be somewhere in the mansion."

>"I suppose this would be a strange tactic for you."
>Suddenly all the mice around you disappear, and Sakuya has shifted a foot to the left of where she was standing.
>"I've seen no mouse youkai," she says. "But, I've been doing my best to defend the pantry."

>_