Iku Quest Cztery: A Z-Machine Adventure

[DracoOmega]

>"I would like to think that the culprit is nearby. But an hour is plenty of time to be long gone, and we don't know if they have some ability to conceal themselves, move quickly, or even perpetrate this from a distance."
>"As for Kogasa... I do not know. We can't simply leave her here, as she is. We probably should bring her somewhere where someone can keep an eye out for her. At least for the short term. I don't think she'd be able to keep up with us on her own."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I would like to think that the culprit is nearby. But an hour is plenty of time to be long gone, and we don't know if they have some ability to conceal themselves, move quickly, or even perpetrate this from a distance."
>"As for Kogasa... I do not know. We can't simply leave her here, as she is. We probably should bring her somewhere where someone can keep an eye out for her. At least for the short term. I don't think she'd be able to keep up with us on her own."

>"Probably less than an hour," says Tenshi. "She had to get over here, right? And, I guess I could take her somewhere, if you wanna keep looking."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I certainly do not intend to rest yet, while other people's beings are at stake."
>"Did you have some place in mind to take her?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I certainly do not intend to rest yet, while other people's beings are at stake."
>"Did you have some place in mind to take her?"

>"Not really, but I'll think of something," says Tenshi. "Where you wanna meet at?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, we were supposed to meet up with Luna near Renko and Maribel's before meeting up with Aya. The reason for that feels a rather low priority given present circumstances, but it's probably as good a meeting place as any, and we probably shouldn't leave the fairies hanging, either. If I cannot find anything here in the next little while, hopefully Aya will have discovered something."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, we were supposed to meet up with Luna near Renko and Maribel's before meeting up with Aya. The reason for that feels a rather low priority given present circumstances, but it's probably as good a meeting place as any, and we probably shouldn't leave the fairies hanging, either. If I cannot find anything here in the next little while, hopefully Aya will have discovered something."

>Tenshi nods. "Okay, I'll meet you there."
>She walks over to Kogasa and grabs her by the shoulders. "C'mon, you little pain in the butt, let's get you out of here."
>Kogasa obliges her by standing up, cradling her umbrella.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Walk over to Kogasa, and clasp our hands around hers, and look her in the eyes
>"Kogasa, I am so, so sorry. I don't know that you'll ever remember I said this, but I swear that I will make things right again."
>To Tenshi: "Please be well, Tenshi. I don't want to have to see this happen to another soul."

[Hello Purvis]

>Walk over to Kogasa, and clasp our hands around hers, and look her in the eyes
>"Kogasa, I am so, so sorry. I don't know that you'll ever remember I said this, but I swear that I will make things right again."
>To Tenshi: "Please be well, Tenshi. I don't want to have to see this happen to another soul."

>You take Kogasa's hands in yours and apologize to her. She stares through you idly, you don't think she really knows you're here.
>"Don't worry," says Tenshi. "If I see any polterghosts around, I'll beat her up before they have the chance to do anything."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Nod
>"Just be careful."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod
>"Just be careful."

>"You too," says Tenshi. "If you don't show up after nightfall, I'll get a search party going."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Thanks. I appreciate it."
>"Well, we probably should get going. Here's to good fortune in both our endeavors."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Thanks. I appreciate it."
>"Well, we probably should get going. Here's to good fortune in both our endeavors."

>"Yeah, don't get beaten up," says Tenshi, as she takes Kogasa by the arm and starts to tug her eastward.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Looking around the clearing, are there any obvious signs of trails that we did not follow yet?

[Hello Purvis]

>Looking around the clearing, are there any obvious signs of trails that we did not follow yet?

>You look around the clearing. On the southern side, you find the trail again, leading south then meandering east.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Go follow it

[Hello Purvis]

>Go follow it

>You follow it.
>This one twists and meanders around much like the prior one. While it does go east from time to time, on the whole it drifts toward the west, periodically looping back on itself if you read it correctly.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Looping back in a similar direction, or literally looping back to form a circular path?
>Assuming we're not literally walking in circles, continue onward, keeping an eye out for any signs of people or other unusual things

[Hello Purvis]

>Looping back in a similar direction, or literally looping back to form a circular path?
>Assuming we're not literally walking in circles, continue onward, keeping an eye out for any signs of people or other unusual things

>Both.
>You note that there seem to be more signs of passage; foliage torn and in some cased ripped from the ground; leaves scattered as though kicked.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Does it look like a fight may have taken place here?
>Can we find a particular location where this seems most concentrated?

[Hello Purvis]

>Does it look like a fight may have taken place here?
>Can we find a particular location where this seems most concentrated?

>It is not concentrated, but rather things you are seeing along the path. They don't seem quite like signs of violence.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Does it seem like this might represent the path of a separate person, who's rather less careful of their surroundings than the previous trails we've followed?

[Hello Purvis]

>Does it seem like this might represent the path of a separate person, who's rather less careful of their surroundings than the previous trails we've followed?

>It could be, but you don't see any evidence to support or disprove this.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Were markings like this evident along the other trails?
>Were these markings evident for most of the length of this trail that we've been on?
>Despite the looping about, do we think that we can determine which way is still 'forward'?

[Hello Purvis]

>Were markings like this evident along the other trails?
>Were these markings evident for most of the length of this trail that we've been on?
>Despite the looping about, do we think that we can determine which way is still 'forward'?

>Not that you saw.
>They seem to be.
>In the main, it seems to be angling southwest.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Continue heading in that direction

[Hello Purvis]

>Continue heading in that direction

>You continue to head southwest. The trail continues to wend and loop with itself every so often.
>After a little while, you think you can hear something rustling the foliage up ahead.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Approach as quietly as we can
>See if we can tell what/who it is, ideally without making our presence obvious

[Hello Purvis]

>Approach as quietly as we can
>See if we can tell what/who it is, ideally without making our presence obvious

>You approach as quietly as you can, taking to the air and hovering toward it.
>Dry brambles, still missing some of their leaves obscure the way ahead; you see the trail goes around them. To the left, you can see the trees are somewhat thicker, while to the right the trees seem to have a few more of their leaves. How will you approach?

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Take the path to the left, and try to avoid rustling against the foliage as best we can, as we approach

[Hello Purvis]

>Take the path to the left, and try to avoid rustling against the foliage as best we can, as we approach

>You work your way to the left, trying not to rustle against the foliage.
>Peering through the trees, you can see a woman in a blue coat, vigorously digging through a bush. Her hair is shock white, and she seems to be very irritated, given the intensity of the glare she is directing at the bush. Then she turns it toward you, as she catches sight of you, and gives a short, frustrated cry.

>_