Maribel Quest Continuation: A Z-Machine Adventure

[DracoOmega]

>"Yeah, but she's given me a lot of support. And she's pretty into the idea herself."

>"What're you worried she'll say, anyway? I know you said you could use moral support, and all."

[Hello Purvis]

>"What're you worried she'll say, anyway? I know you said you could use moral support, and all."

>"It's not so much say as...well...possibly do. She might take it, you know. Badly."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"....does she have a reputation for this, or something? Or... did something like that happen to you before?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"....does she have a reputation for this, or something? Or... did something like that happen to you before?"

>"It's just...you'd have to meet her. She's nice a lot of the time? But other times...colder than your arm was. And it's not that she has a reputation, but that she can do thing. She is a magician, I mean."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I don't think magicians are inherently any more prone to taking things out on people than anyone else is. Byakuren is a very powerful magician from what I understand, and she seems like the sort who wouldn't knowingly harm anyone."
>"What were some of the things you saw her be cold about, though? Does she have some touchy subjects or something? How'd it come up?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I don't think magicians are inherently any more prone to taking things out on people than anyone else is. Byakuren is a very powerful magician from what I understand, and she seems like the sort who wouldn't knowingly harm anyone."
>"What were some of the things you saw her be cold about, though? Does she have some touchy subjects or something? How'd it come up?"

>"It's kind of hard to explain," says Renko. "It's, she just has the aura about her, you know? That sort of person you know it's dangerous to piss off. Like some kind of mobster kingpin or something. And when things start to not go the way she's expects them..."
>You pass by Kourindou, taking the bend in the road.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"And you think merely missing a meeting would be enough to do that? I mean, didn't she take you under her wing and all? She must be at least a little kindly disposed towards you."

[Hello Purvis]

>"And you think merely missing a meeting would be enough to do that? I mean, didn't she take you under her wing and all? She must be at least a little kindly disposed towards you."

>"It's not just a meeting, you know..." she says. "It's a planning session for this whole thing. And now...I guess I'm kinda backing out on her...sorta."
>She pauses.
>"Mary," she says after a moment, not looking at you. "I'm still doing it. Not for the riches anymore, or to take over the mansion. I'll forget about those. But because it can be done. I'm not gonna help Alice to it, either. But I'm going to do it, and I'm going to succeed."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"It really means a lot for you to make a mark like this, doesn't it?"

>"And what do you intend to do about Alice, then? If you think she won't take being late well, I can't imagine she'll take not getting her cut of the spoils very well at all."

[Hello Purvis]

>"It really means a lot for you to make a mark like this, doesn't it?"
>"And what do you intend to do about Alice, then? If you think she won't take being late well, I can't imagine she'll take not getting her cut of the spoils very well at all."

>She nods to your first statement. "Not just that, it's...I don't want to let them down, either."
>"Well, whether I do or don't, she's not getting them either way, so it's pretty much the same thing in the end."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm... glad that you've changed your mind about taking their stuff, Renko. I really am. Thank you."

[Kilgamayan]

> "Given that, I should probably let you know that...I can't help you in that battle, if it really is what you ultimately decide to do. The people in the mansion have been too willing to help me with many things. I even...I can't betray them like that."
> "...I don't suppose getting them to simply apologize would be better? If they're really as focused on notoriety as you say, an apology will mean all the more coming from them."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'm... glad that you've changed your mind about taking their stuff, Renko. I really am. Thank you."

>She nods again. "Honestly...I still want to. But I won't. That said, the faeries are definitely going to want a crack at that pantry."

> "Given that, I should probably let you know that...I can't help you in that battle, if it really is what you ultimately decide to do. The people in the mansion have been too willing to help me with many things. I even...I can't betray them like that."
> "...I don't suppose getting them to simply apologize would be better? If they're really as focused on notoriety as you say, an apology will mean all the more coming from them."

>"Ah man..." says Renko. "I was really hoping that'd do it. Nothing I can say to change your mind?"
>She shakes her head. "It's not just about that. I mean, it'd help. But even then, I still want to do this."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I understand that probably no one will be harmed by this now, and I really appreciate that, but... I mean, I can't do that to people who've helped me several times, now. It just seems mean-spirited, you know?

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I understand that probably no one will be harmed by this now, and I really appreciate that, but... I mean, I can't do that to people who've helped me several times, now. It just seems mean-spirited, you know?

>"What'd they do for you, anyways?"
>You can see the rock that marks where Marisa's house is up ahead.

>_

[Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin]

> Summarize.
> Continue leading on!

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, Patchouli helped me get a spell component I was searching for, for one thing."

>"Renko, before we talk to Marisa, I want to know how much of all this you're comfortable sharing with her. I mean, we're going to get advice on dealing with Alice, right? I'm sure she'll ask what the situation is. What do you intend to tell her?"

> Summarize.

>But avoid even hinting at any assistance at all from Sakuya. Patchouli can safely cover our explanation.

[Hello Purvis]

> Summarize.
> Continue leading on!

>"Well, Patchouli helped me get a spell component I was searching for, for one thing."

>"Renko, before we talk to Marisa, I want to know how much of all this you're comfortable sharing with her. I mean, we're going to get advice on dealing with Alice, right? I'm sure she'll ask what the situation is. What do you intend to tell her?"

>But avoid even hinting at any assistance at all from Sakuya. Patchouli can safely cover our explanation.

>You turn west at the rock, and start down the narrow trail toward Marisa's house.
>"That's it?" Renko asks. "You just got a component? That's not really as much as you made it out to be..."
>You ask about Alice. "Well, let's not try to spill the beans about the plan." Renko says, "Just say we've been working together on something big."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I got the impression it was a fairly valuable one, and we spent time discussing my possible future as a magician and all that. I'm sure you'd feel similarly if you spent any length of time with someone."

>"Ok, so you've been working on something big together, and you're worried you've peeved her off, and are looking for advice? That it, then, basically?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I got the impression it was a fairly valuable one, and we spent time discussing my possible future as a magician and all that. I'm sure you'd feel similarly if you spent any length of time with someone."

>"Ok, so you've been working on something big together, and you're worried you've peeved her off, and are looking for advice? That it, then, basically?"

>"I guess..." she says. "I was just under the impression they...you know...did something."
>"Yeah. Maybe mention I'm gonna break it off."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Ok, sounds good enough to me, I guess. Maybe Alice really isn't so scary once you get to know her better? Here's hoping."
>Continue to Marisa's

[Kilgamayan]

> Didn't Sakuya say we could pass off stopping time as teleportation?

[DracoOmega]

> Didn't Sakuya say we could pass off stopping time as teleportation?

>If we had to use it when someone saw it. No need to bring it up on its own. And best not to mention her connection with the training of it, or other people will figure out what the teleportation actually is.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Ok, sounds good enough to me, I guess. Maybe Alice really isn't so scary once you get to know her better? Here's hoping."
>Continue to Marisa's

>"Maybe..." says Renko.
>You soon reach Marisa's front yard. She doesn't seem to be outside at the moment.  Renko frowns at the exercise equipment.

> Didn't Sakuya say we could pass off stopping time as teleportation?

>She did say this.

>If we had to use it when someone saw it. No need to bring it up on its own. And best not to mention her connection with the training of it, or other people will figure out what the teleportation actually is.

>She also rather implied this.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yeah, she's, um, something of a bodybuilder.... to wildly understate it. You'd never think she was a magician by the way she's built. Evidently takes the whole 'both mind and body must be strong' thing seriously. But she's pretty friendly, from what I've seen, just the same."
>Go knock on the door

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yeah, she's, um, something of a bodybuilder.... to wildly understate it. You'd never think she was a magician by the way she's built. Evidently takes the whole 'both mind and body must be strong' thing seriously. But she's pretty friendly, from what I've seen, just the same."
>Go knock on the door

>"I see," she says, staring at a rack of weights.
>You knock on the door. "Just a moment!" Marisa calls, before opening the door. She grins down at you, her prior garb now augmented by another apron, this one bearing a large M on it.  "Oh hey, Maribel," she says. "Come on in. What can I do for ya?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Hey, there!"
>Step inside
>"We're here looking for a bit of advice, actually. And hoping you could maybe answer a question or two."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hey, there!"
>Step inside
>"We're here looking for a bit of advice, actually. And hoping you could maybe answer a question or two."

>You step inside a entry hall with a coat-rack off to the side. There is a door to the south, opening to a decently-sized kitchen. To the north, you see a half-closed  door with what looks like a messy bedroom on the other side of it. Obvious exits are North, South, and East.
>"Oh, sure," says Marisa. "There's room at the kitchen table for you. How're your spells coming along?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Go sit at the kitchen table.
>"Well, I haven't had as much time to sit and practice as I'd like; I've been running all over today. But I've had more than a few unexpected opportunities for danmaku. It's coming easier now. I even managed to capture a spell card."
>Show it to her
>"Speaking of unexpected... I don't suppose you have something hot I could drink? I just had a ghost try to freeze me from the inside out and I'm still chilled."

[Hello Purvis]

>Go sit at the kitchen table.
>"Well, I haven't had as much time to sit and practice as I'd like; I've been running all over today. But I've had more than a few unexpected opportunities for danmaku. It's coming easier now. I even managed to capture a spell card."
>Show it to her
>"Speaking of unexpected... I don't suppose you have something hot I could drink? I just had a ghost try to freeze me from the inside out and I'm still chilled."

>You walk into the kitchen. Renko follows after a moment, trying her best not to stare at Marisa and obviously failing. The kitchen itself is fairly well appointed, with two stoves, a couple of countertops, and numerous cabinets. A rather impressive-looking spice rack sits near one of the counters. A large soup tureen is quietly bubbling away on one of the stoves. There is an odd sort of spicy smell in the air. To the west, you see a door leading to another room, with chairs and shelves.
>"Hey, that's great!" she says as she looks at your spellcard. "Oh, I remember this one. She's worked on it a bit. Interesting. Not a bad catch at all."
>"Ghosts?" She says, giving you a curious look. "What're you messing with ghosts for? But yeah, let me get some tea ready for you. Who's your friend?"

>_