Maribel Quest - A Z-Machine Adventure

[DracoOmega]

>Quickly hide behind a pile of debris, if we think she hasn't seen us yet

[Hello Purvis]

>Quickly hide behind a pile of debris, if we think she hasn't seen us yet

>Being out in the open, you are completely sure she's seen you.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Spare a quick glance behind us. Is Satori close behind her?
>"You know, I think you're having entirely too much fun, here."
>How close are we to the nearest door?

[Hello Purvis]

>Spare a quick glance behind us. Is Satori close behind her?
>"You know, I think you're having entirely too much fun, here."
>How close are we to the nearest door?

>You spare a quick glance and oh god she's close!
>"Nothing wrong with that, is there?"
>You're a few yards away from the nearest door.

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, but you see, I'm not!"
>Dash for the nearest door
>Try doing the bottle rolling thing while we dash to it. Probably won't accomplish anything, but you never know...

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yes, but you see, I'm not!"
>Dash for the nearest door
>Try doing the bottle rolling thing while we dash to it. Probably won't accomplish anything, but you never know...

>"You should lighten up and enjoy things!"
>You dash for the door, rolling the bottle behind you. You hear the oni curse, which leads you to think you've had some success!
>You reach the door.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Open it, and unless there appears to be more oni just inside, dash in and shut it behind us. Don't stop moving to do that, though.

[Hello Purvis]

>Open it, and unless there appears to be more oni just inside, dash in and shut it behind us. Don't stop moving to do that, though.

>You grab the door, turn the knob, and thank heaven it isn't locked! Throwing the door open, you dash inside, seeing no oni immediately.
>You can't really close the door behing you effectively and stay moving, so you setting for just slamming it shut.
>You're in a room full of shelves and barrels which are likely full of all kinds of neat junk if you had the time to look. There's a door ahead!
>You're starting to feel slightly winded.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Do any of the barrels look open or empty in the moment we have to access such things?
>If so, consider hiding in one
>Otherwise, repeat the same procedure with the next door

[Hello Purvis]

>Do any of the barrels look open or empty in the moment we have to access such things?
>If so, consider hiding in one
>Otherwise, repeat the same procedure with the next door

>You don't have time to really assess this, as the door flies open behind you. Instead you just dash ahead!
>You come into a kitchen, the oni chasing you hot on your heels. There is a brown-haired oni in here, giving you a confused look. A large counter runs through the middle of the kitchen, and you can see a door to your left!

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Try to position yourself so that the table (and the other oni) is between you and your pursuer, while still placing you closer to the door, if possible
>"Hey, is she allowed in here with that thing?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Try to position yourself so that the table (and the other oni) is between you and your pursuer, while still placing you closer to the door, if possible
>"Hey, is she allowed in here with that thing?"

>You run around the counter, and find the oni is following you around.
>"What're you doing in here?!" shouts the brown-haired oni, whom you assume is a cook.
>"My turf!" shouts your pursuer

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I already said, how the heck was I supposed to know that? Satori was just showing me around. And then you start trying to beat her up, too."
>Is the counter on top of a solid island, or is the space underneath it that we could use to get from one side of the counter to the other?
>Continue trying to keep our distance. If it's possible to roll under the counter, do so

[Hello Purvis]

>"I already said, how the heck was I supposed to know that? Satori was just showing me around. And then you start trying to beat her up, too."
>Is the counter on top of a solid island, or is the space underneath it that we could use to get from one side of the counter to the other?
>Continue trying to keep our distance. If it's possible to roll under the counter, do so

>"I was telling her!" says your pursuer.
>The counter is not a solid island, you could slip under it.
>You keep moving and slip under the counter; your smaller size giving you something of an advantage against your pursuer as she tries to follow you through.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"We were already on our way out! You do realize Utsuho isn't going to be too happy with you when she hears about this, right?"
>Keep moving around the table, and trying to duck under when necessary

[Hello Purvis]

>"We were already on our way out! You do realize Utsuho isn't going to be too happy with you when she hears about this, right?"
>Keep moving around the table, and trying to duck under when necessary

>"She's got her own problems, these days!" says the oni.
>You duck back through the counter. The oni's response is to upend it, and barrel toward you!

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Can we maneuver back to the door we came in through, and run back out?
>Otherwise, head for the other door

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we maneuver back to the door we came in through, and run back out?
>Otherwise, head for the other door

>The way you came in is behind you. The other door is to your left.
>"What the hell!" shouts the cook.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Head through the left door

[Hello Purvis]

>Head through the left door

>You head for the left door, just barely evading a grab by your pursuer!
>You come into a wide room, apparently a pub or eatery of some kind judging from the tables and chairs. Most notably, there is a bar counter in your way. Several oni at the tables look your way curiously.
>You pursuer has not given up, though you've gained a little distance on her.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Is there anyone else on this side of the bar?
>If so: "I don't suppose you approve of angry people with swords in your establishment?"
>Try to head around the bar counter

[Hello Purvis]

>Is there anyone else on this side of the bar?
>If so: "I don't suppose you approve of angry people with swords in your establishment?"
>Try to head around the bar counter

>There is someone tending to the bar, but she is a little too surprised to really react.
>You dash around the counter, as your pursuer emerges from the kitchen.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Keep heading towards the actual door. Try to stay out of arm's reach of any oni patrons, if you can.
>Can you see anyone who doesn't look like an oni?

[Hello Purvis]

>Keep heading towards the actual door. Try to stay out of arm's reach of any oni patrons, if you can.
>Can you see anyone who doesn't look like an oni?

>You run for the front door!
>You pursuer vaults over the bar and closes a significant amount of the distance between the two of you.
>Thankfully, none of the oni seem to be grabbing at you; perhaps your pursuer has dibs? Unfortunately, you're too busy running for your life to really survey the racial makeup of the crowd.
>You burst from the tavern with the oni in hot pursuit! You can go right or left; or forward a bit until you hit the side of the opposing building.

>_

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Do we have any idea what direction we split from Satori?

[Hello Purvis]

>Do we have any idea what direction we split from Satori?

>You could puzzle it out if you didn't mind the oni catching up to you in the meantime.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Run left. Keep an eye out for obstacles, or possible other avenues of escape

[Hello Purvis]

>Run left. Keep an eye out for obstacles, or possible other avenues of escape

>You run toward the left, and...there's Satori!
>She mouths something, then raises her hands.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Raises her hands in a sort of 'stop' gesture? Or in something more aggressive or potentially magical?
>Keep running towards her, and be prepared to duck to the ground if something flies our way towards the Oni

[Hello Purvis]

>Raises her hands in a sort of 'stop' gesture? Or in something more aggressive or potentially magical?
>Keep running towards her, and be prepared to duck to the ground if something flies our way towards the Oni

>More the latter.
>You keep running, as there is a definite spark around Satori's hands.
>You duck, practically diving down to the ground! You hear something sizzle and fly over your head, the back of your neck tingles. This is followed by a grunt from your pursuer, and of something heavy hitting the ground.

>_