Maribel Quest Continuation: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>"What do you mean, letting better ideas slip away? Other projects aren't going to go anywhere, just because you take some time out for this one."

>"And well, I thought you'd appreciate the idea of building something difficult and impressive. Something people can look up at and go 'wow'. Sure, you can already fly, but a jet can fly way, way faster than a person possibly could.

>"Sure they slip away," says Nitori. "It's all about inspiration, you see."
>"Hmmm. Well...the speed aspect might be a little something. Kanako's paying for it, right?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"We never discussed that aspect of it, but from the context I would assume she'd have no problem with this."

[Hello Purvis]

>"We never discussed that aspect of it, but from the context I would assume she'd have no problem with this."

>Nitori nods. "...It still sounds like a huge waste of time, to be honest. I mean, there's just so many better, more useful things out there I could be working on."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Are other vehicles a waste of time just because people can already walk? I saw someone driving around on a motor scooter earlier today."
>"And... it'll mean a hell of a lot to someone. Surely that counts for something?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Are other vehicles a waste of time just because people can already walk? I saw someone driving around on a motor scooter earlier today."
>"And... it'll mean a hell of a lot to someone. Surely that counts for something?"

>"Yeah, I don't know where he got that, actually." Nitori shrugs. "Not going to do much good where there isn't a road, though. So, yeah, they kind of are, unless it's a wagon."
>"It would, I guess," says Nitori, "Which is really the only reason I haven't said no."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Is there anything I could do that would help? I'm willing."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Is there anything I could do that would help? I'm willing."

>Nitori ponders for a moment. "Well, the less actual work I have to do building the thing, the better."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I'm certainly capable of chipping in with manual labor, but... I'm afraid I don't know anything about engineering. Utsuho said she'd help, too. Although I think something on this scale could probably benefit from more hands than just that... Do you think any of the other kappa might be interested?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I'm certainly capable of chipping in with manual labor, but... I'm afraid I don't know anything about engineering. Utsuho said she'd help, too. Although I think something on this scale could probably benefit from more hands than just that... Do you think any of the other kappa might be interested?"

>She gives you an appraising look. "Ugh, we'd have to make booms and stuff then, which is just even more of a bother. And it's unlikely I'd be able to get more than a couple."

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I'd like to do whatever I can to help. This means a lot to them, and I'd like to help make it possible. I'm afraid the only source of mass manual labor that comes to mind that I might be able to tap into are fairies, though. ...and I'm sure you can imagine what might happen if we tried that...."

>"Oh, I tried to get you a ghost for the air-conditioner, by the way, but they were all gone when I got back with the ghost sealing bottle... Unless you know someplace else I might be able to find one?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I'd like to do whatever I can to help. This means a lot to them, and I'd like to help make it possible. I'm afraid the only source of mass manual labor that comes to mind that I might be able to tap into are fairies, though. ...and I'm sure you can imagine what might happen if we tried that...."

>"Oh, I tried to get you a ghost for the air-conditioner, by the way, but they were all gone when I got back with the ghost sealing bottle... Unless you know someplace else I might be able to find one?"

>"Well, we'll see," says Nitori. "Maybe I'll sketch up something to ponder over before bed. If you can get anyone else, it'd make things easier."
>"Oh, you did? The bottle alone would be nice, to be honest. But if you really want to go find one, check a graveyard at night."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Ok, I'll keep an eye out for people who might be able and willing to help."
>"And how about this? Since I'm still doing a lot of running around at the moment, I'll keep the bottle with me for now in case I bump into something. If I don't, I'll drop it off to you afterwards."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Ok, I'll keep an eye out for people who might be able and willing to help."
>"And how about this? Since I'm still doing a lot of running around at the moment, I'll keep the bottle with me for now in case I bump into something. If I don't, I'll drop it off to you afterwards."

>"Okay, that'll be good," says Nitori. "If you can round up some good help, I suppose I'll be obligated, won't I?"
>She nods. "Okay, you do that. I won't need it for another couple days at this rate, anyway."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"One other thing I was curious about, while I'm here. What kind of stuff are they planning to teach at that university, once it's built?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"One other thing I was curious about, while I'm here. What kind of stuff are they planning to teach at that university, once it's built?"

>"Probably? Anything they can find," says Nitori. "As long as it's not, you know, going to cause problems."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"What do you mean 'cause problems'? What kind of stuff would cause problems?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"What do you mean 'cause problems'? What kind of stuff would cause problems?"

>"Well it'd be a real problem if someone tried to teach how to mess with the dead, for instance," says Nitori. "Or how to cook humans."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh, that's... uh... not exactly what I expected.  ....do some people around here actually cook humans...?"

[communist unity (comm-unity)]

> "Ugh, I can't imagine that could taste good. It sounds disgusting."
> Captain Obvious, reporting for duty.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh, that's... uh... not exactly what I expected.  ....do some people around here actually cook humans...?"

>"Well, back in the day," says Nitori. "No one does it anymore. But you never know when someone's going to get the itch."

> "Ugh, I can't imagine that could taste good. It sounds disgusting."
> Captain Obvious, reporting for duty.

>Nitori shakes her head. "Couldn't tell you. Humans and Kappa have always been allies. But I guess some youkai like it if it was popular."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "So it's a lot of non-traditional classes, then, instead of the outside world basics, like math, language, history, stuff like that. Or maybe in addition to?"
> "Hmm...would there be any interest in a class focused on the culture of the outside world?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "So it's a lot of non-traditional classes, then, instead of the outside world basics, like math, language, history, stuff like that. Or maybe in addition to?"
> "Hmm...would there be any interest in a class focused on the culture of the outside world?"

>"Whatever they can get, at least at first," says Nitori.
>"Might be," she says. "But if half of that dream is true, it'll be a lot of hard to swallow things."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "...You think the outside world is really that bad?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "...You think the outside world is really that bad?"

>"No no no, not bad," says Nitori, wavng her hands. "Just, different and weird."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Oh. Well, I think that could just add some interest to the whole ordeal. 'Come learn about a world with no magic, where people can't fly or shoot bullets from their hands! Where the rules of science actually apply!' Stuff like that."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Oh. Well, I think that could just add some interest to the whole ordeal. 'Come learn about a world with no magic, where people can't fly or shoot bullets from their hands! Where the rules of science actually apply!' Stuff like that."

>"That's the last thing we need, giving the heretics all the more reason to be annoying," says Nitori.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, okay, that doesn't have to be brought up. There's plenty of other stuff that can be discussed. World geography, government structures, differing forms of entertainment, both casual and competitive...I imagine that it would be harder, by a wide margin, to jam everything into a single semester than trying to fill that semester out."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, okay, that doesn't have to be brought up. There's plenty of other stuff that can be discussed. World geography, government structures, differing forms of entertainment, both casual and competitive...I imagine that it would be harder, by a wide margin, to jam everything into a single semester than trying to fill that semester out."

>She nods. "Anyways, I guess they'd be interested. Probably too soon to be making and solid plans like that, though."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"You have any idea what kind of timeframe they're anticipating for construction?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"You have any idea what kind of timeframe they're anticipating for construction?"

>"Not really," says Nitori. "I've been too busy doing my own thing to really get involved. I'd be surprised if they even had a solid plan, though."