Sword Quest IX - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: So odds are we wouldn't be able to fly around while lugging her along, would we?

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: So odds are we wouldn't be able to fly around while lugging her along, would we?

>Not for long, at least.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Frown again, and gently lay the woman back down on the horse. "Unfortunate."
> Youmu: "Yeah, it wasn't very easy even just getting her on the horse."
> Miko: "It seems we have a decision to make. Transferring the life force to a vessel is the safest option, but the process will take several days. Transferring the life force into one of us is the fastest option, but it will put the carrier at great risk. Carrying her body to the tree avoids the problems of both these options, but I sincerely doubt any of us is capable of supporting the extra weight for as long as necessary, particularly with the lengths of those stairs. This also carries the risk of her waking up before arrival and being uncooperative, if not outright hostile."
> Miko: Cross arms and look at Reimu and Youmu. "Proper incident resolution is more your areas of expertise than mine, so I will leave the decision to you. I will help as I can with the actual transferral process, but you will have to forgive me for not being able to completely devote my time to a task that is several days long."
> Youmu: Look to Reimu with an uncertain frown. "What do you think? I'd like to see this done as quickly as possible, but I understand our priorities may not completely line up."

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: Frown again, and gently lay the woman back down on the horse. "Unfortunate."
> Youmu: "Yeah, it wasn't very easy even just getting her on the horse."
> Miko: "It seems we have a decision to make. Transferring the life force to a vessel is the safest option, but the process will take several days. Transferring the life force into one of us is the fastest option, but it will put the carrier at great risk. Carrying her body to the tree avoids the problems of both these options, but I sincerely doubt any of us is capable of supporting the extra weight for as long as necessary, particularly with the lengths of those stairs. This also carries the risk of her waking up before arrival and being uncooperative, if not outright hostile."
> Miko: Cross arms and look at Reimu and Youmu. "Proper incident resolution is more your areas of expertise than mine, so I will leave the decision to you. I will help as I can with the actual transferral process, but you will have to forgive me for not being able to completely devote my time to a task that is several days long."
> Youmu: Look to Reimu with an uncertain frown. "What do you think? I'd like to see this done as quickly as possible, but I understand our priorities may not completely line up."

>"So this is what I don't understand," says Reimu. "If it was so dangerous to actually carry that life force, how did Seiga do it? Did she have her zombie do it?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Did we learn precisely how Seiga carted off the energy?

[UncertainJakutten]

So what are the odds that the sword is already prepared as a vessel for the energy? Just sayin'.

[Kilgamayan]

Mmm, that's worth a check, I think.

Nice Setsuna, by the way. I miss my Negima fandom days.

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: Did we learn precisely how Seiga carted off the energy?

>She nearly alluded to it at one point, as you think back to it, but the tide of the conversation changed away from it and it was never really said.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: If we inspected our sword, would we be able to tell if it was used as a vessel, or if it were prepared to be one?

> Youmu: Shake head. "The zombie was captured when Seiga escaped."
> Miko: "Yoshika was still present when I arrived to inspect the tree. I am not 100% sure how Seiga transported the energy, but it seems logical to believe she used some sort of vessel. It seems she had been in contact with this woman for quite some time; it is very likely she had spent the time to perform the necessary preparations."

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: If we inspected our sword, would we be able to tell if it was used as a vessel, or if it were prepared to be one?

> Youmu: Shake head. "The zombie was captured when Seiga escaped."
> Miko: "Yoshika was still present when I arrived to inspect the tree. I am not 100% sure how Seiga transported the energy, but it seems logical to believe she used some sort of vessel. It seems she had been in contact with this woman for quite some time; it is very likely she had spent the time to perform the necessary preparations."

>Miko: You could easily tell.
>Reimu: "Maybe we oughta use that, then."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Frown in thought. "Mmm..."
> Miko: Look to Youmu, and gesture at our sword. "...May I see that for a moment? You may keep hold of it if you wish."
> Youmu: Frown uncertainly, then hold Miko's sword up horizontally in front of us, pointed to one side.
> Miko: Make our way to our sword and inspect it for vessel use.

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: Frown in thought. "Mmm..."
> Miko: Look to Youmu, and gesture at our sword. "...May I see that for a moment? You may keep hold of it if you wish."
> Youmu: Frown uncertainly, then hold Miko's sword up horizontally in front of us, pointed to one side.
> Miko: Make our way to our sword and inspect it for vessel use.

>You check over your sword, and find it is not the vessel. Which is good, it would have been a fairly black mark against Seiga if she did that. Not to mention it would have been impressive, given how quickly she would have been able to prepare it.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Step back. "Well, she did not use this sword. I suppose it would have been quite a feat to do so, given she only obtained it this morning."
> Miko: "I still cannot commit to spending all of my waking time to devising a new vessel, however. Unless you are both truly willing to let this situation go as it is for many days, we will either need to obtain whatever vessel Seiga used, or find an alternate manner to bring this woman to the Netherworld."

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: Step back. "Well, she did not use this sword. I suppose it would have been quite a feat to do so, given she only obtained it this morning."
> Miko: "I still cannot commit to spending all of my waking time to devising a new vessel, however. Unless you are both truly willing to let this situation go as it is for many days, we will either need to obtain whatever vessel Seiga used, or find an alternate manner to bring this woman to the Netherworld."

>"Shouldn't be too hard to get some youkai strong enough to carry her," says Reimu. "Heaven knows Gensokyo is lousy with them."
>"Could we find it?" says Kotohime. "The vessel, I mean? You did talk to this Seiga criminal, right?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "I had actually arranged for Seiga to come to this village with her entourage once they had all gathered, in the interest of controlling the timing and location of the inevitable encounter. I am not sure what she will do now, however. It is entirely possible she is working to retrieve Yoshika as we speak."
> Youmu: Span fingers. "Wait, I have an idea. I had left a message with the ship ghost, asking if Byakuren could join us for the return trip to the Netherworld, in the interest of theatre organization, since everyone else is here."
> Miko: Give an ever-so-slight eye-twitch, but say nothing.
> Youmu: "Perhaps she could carry Meira to the tree?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "I had actually arranged for Seiga to come to this village with her entourage once they had all gathered, in the interest of controlling the timing and location of the inevitable encounter. I am not sure what she will do now, however. It is entirely possible she is working to retrieve Yoshika as we speak."
> Youmu: Span fingers. "Wait, I have an idea. I had left a message with the ship ghost, asking if Byakuren could join us for the return trip to the Netherworld, in the interest of theatre organization, since everyone else is here."
> Miko: Give an ever-so-slight eye-twitch, but say nothing.
> Youmu: "Perhaps she could carry Meira to the tree?"

>"That'd work for me," says Reimu.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "That would certainly be preferable to preparing a new vessel. In that case, I will need to obtain some talismans. Can I acquire some in this village?"
> Youmu: Are we aware of anywhere in the village that sells talismans?

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "That would certainly be preferable to preparing a new vessel. In that case, I will need to obtain some talismans. Can I acquire some in this village?"
> Youmu: Are we aware of anywhere in the village that sells talismans?

>Youmu: You don't know of any.
>"I guess I could get some blank ones back home," Reimu says. "Maybe let your minions know what's up and make sure they haven't eaten all of my yokan."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "That would be most appreciated. And I trust that Tojiko will not cause you any problems."
> Miko: Fish out another 10☼ and give it to Reimu. "Please consider this recompense for the resource expenditure I have caused you,."

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "That would be most appreciated. And I trust that Tojiko will not cause you any problems."
> Miko: Fish out another 10☼ and give it to Reimu. "Please consider this recompense for the resource expenditure I have caused you,."

>Reimu waves it away. "Don't worry about it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Put it back. "I see. Very well, if you insist."
> Youmu: "In that case, I'm going to return to the Temple, and given them an update on the situation."
> Miko: "Hmm." Look to Kotohime. "Would you be willing to watch our unconscious friend here? I would like to investigate the local curio shops, if any of them are still open."
> Youmu: What curio shops do we know of in the village?

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: Put it back. "I see. Very well, if you insist."
> Youmu: "In that case, I'm going to return to the Temple, and given them an update on the situation."
> Miko: "Hmm." Look to Kotohime. "Would you be willing to watch our unconscious friend here? I would like to investigate the local curio shops, if any of them are still open."
> Youmu: What curio shops do we know of in the village?

>Kotohime looks to Youmu and says, "You don't need me, I guess?"
>"You're going shopping now?" says Reimu.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: "Not immediately, no. I would appreciate your attendance when we travel to the Netherworld, though."
> Miko: "I was prepared to seek out and purchase some blank talismans before you offered some of yours. Or are you saying that most shops are likely to be closed right now?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: "Not immediately, no. I would appreciate your attendance when we travel to the Netherworld, though."
> Miko: "I was prepared to seek out and purchase some blank talismans before you offered some of yours. Or are you saying that most shops are likely to be closed right now?"

>Youmu: Kotohime nods to you. "I'll keep watch!"
>"They're probably not closed," says Reimu. "But don't worry about it. I'll get you some from the shrine. I've only got a million of 'em sitting around."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "In that case, let us begin what we need to do."
> Youmu: "I'll return shortly."
> Miko make our way over to the unconscious woman and begin our investigation of her condition.
> Youmu: Head back toward the Myouren Temple.

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "In that case, let us begin what we need to do."
> Youmu: "I'll return shortly."
> Miko make our way over to the unconscious woman and begin our investigation of her condition.
> Youmu: Head back toward the Myouren Temple.

>Youmu: You make your way back toward the temple. You note that the ship ghost has returned to her position on the roof. The nyuudo seems to have drifted off a bit more southward.

>_

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Is the ship ghost looking this way or no?

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: Is the ship ghost looking this way or no?

>She is not.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Give a wave upward.
> Youmu: "Hoy."

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: Give a wave upward.
> Youmu: "Hoy."

>"Oh hey!" she calls down. "Need something?"

>_