Maribel Quest Continuation: A Z-Machine Adventure

[DracoOmega]

>"This is Renko. She's that friend of mine from the outside world that I was looking for. I can't remember if I mentioned her to you or not already today. I finally found her a short while ago."
>"And I wasn't really trying to mess with ghosts. We had a look into that abandoned house up the way out there, and a bunch of them ambushed us. I... don't suppose you know anything about that house or what happened there?"

[Kasu]

> "This is Renko.  She is the person I was trying to find earlier."
> "About the ghosts though, there was this abandoned house near the forest's edge and they appeared after we found a room that seemed to have dried blood all over the place.  Do you know that place?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"This is Renko. She's that friend of mine from the outside world that I was looking for. I can't remember if I mentioned her to you or not already today. I finally found her a short while ago."
>"And I wasn't really trying to mess with ghosts. We had a look into that abandoned house up the way out there, and a bunch of them ambushed us. I... don't suppose you know anything about that house or what happened there?"

> "This is Renko.  She is the person I was trying to find earlier."
> "About the ghosts though, there was this abandoned house near the forest's edge and they appeared after we found a room that seemed to have dried blood all over the place.  Do you know that place?"

>"Um, hi," says Renko, as Marisa busies herself pouring water from a kettle.
>"Nope, never mentioned her to me," says Marisa, as she puts a cup full of tea leaves in front of you. "Good to meet you, Renko."
>"Charmed," Renko answers with a nod as Marisa makes herself comfortable at the table, her chair giving an alarming creek.
>"Abandoned..." says the magician, frowning a bit, "Oh! That place! So there really are ghosts there? Huh. Well, I guess it follows. It's one of those old stories from the old days, you know? And blood? Geez, maybe I oughta have looked into it sooner."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Old stories? What have you heard about it then?"

[Kilgamayan]

> "Do you know what happened there? We wanted to figure it out for ourselves, but after getting frozen stiff, I'm not as enthusiastic as I was."
> Give Renko a 'Sorry' look.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Old stories? What have you heard about it then?"

>"It's one of those tales they tell village kids to keep them out of the forest," says Marisa.

> "Do you know what happened there? We wanted to figure it out for ourselves, but after getting frozen stiff, I'm not as enthusiastic as I was."
> Give Renko a 'Sorry' look.

>"Go sit by the stove," Marisa says, gesturing toward the one with the soup tureen on it. "It'll help you warm up. Angry ghosts can be really bad for you."
>You give Renko a sorry look. She nods, seeming not to be upset.
>"And I don't know the whole story myself, but some decades ago, a woodcutter or carver or something made his house there. Wanted to be near his work. The way I hear it, he was actually kind of friends with some of the forest youkai, and though it'd be okay. Then one night, a youkai broke in and ate 'em up. No one knows who did it. Rumor has it the place was haunted, which is enough to keep most people out of there. Guess it was true."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"That.... sounds pretty scary, actually."
>"There were 5 of them, that Renko counted. Little wispy things. Would that imply that multiple people died there? Or is that not how it works?"
>"Anyway, we took out 2 each, so there's probably one left. I was actually thinking I might like to look into capturing it. Nitori was looking for one to power an air conditioner she's trying to build. And goodness knows they're cold enough for it.... She said something about a bottle with charms on to keep it trapped inside. Would Reimu be one to talk to about that? You know, with the whole exorcism angle and all?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"That.... sounds pretty scary, actually."
>"There were 5 of them, that Renko counted. Little wispy things. Would that imply that multiple people died there? Or is that not how it works?"
>"Anyway, we took out 2 each, so there's probably one left. I was actually thinking I might like to look into capturing it. Nitori was looking for one to power an air conditioner she's trying to build. And goodness knows they're cold enough for it.... She said something about a bottle with charms on to keep it trapped inside. Would Reimu be one to talk to about that? You know, with the whole exorcism angle and all?"

>She nods. "Yeah, the actual story has more build up. But it's a pretty good sign of what the old times could be like. Wonder who did it?"
>"Usually," says Marisa. "Ghosts that just wander in tend to be friendly."
>You took out three.
>"Yeah, she's done that before," says Marisa. "A ghost in a jar is the best thing during summer. But don't tell anyone at Hakugyokurou; they get mad and start talking about how you shouldn't make toys out of them. She could probably clean 'em out, too, if you wanted her to."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Go sit by the stove, if we haven't done so already
>"Hakugyokurou?"
>"But yeah, I'll probably go talk to Reimu later, when I get the chance. That was just something that happened on the way here, though. We were headed this way in the first place to ask for your advice about something regarding Alice. You're friends with her, right?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Go sit by the stove, if we haven't done so already
>"Hakugyokurou?"
>"But yeah, I'll probably go talk to Reimu later, when I get the chance. That was just something that happened on the way here, though. We were headed this way in the first place to ask for your advice about something regarding Alice. You're friends with her, right?"

>You pull a chair over to the stove. It is giving up quite a bit of heat. It feels delicious.
>"That's one of the places where the dead go," says Marisa. "It's a nice enough place. The princess there is a little daffy sometimes, but plenty smart under it all. Her gardener doesn't have much a sense of humor, though."
>"Oh, Alice? Sure, I can tell you all about her."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, what's she been like in your experience, anyway? Renko says she seems like she'd be... a bit dangerous to upset."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, what's she been like in your experience, anyway? Renko says she seems like she'd be... a bit dangerous to upset."

>"Oh, she's a sweetheart," says Marisa. "She acts all cold, but it's just a show. She doesn't like people getting too close to her most of the time. Well, as long as you're not getting in her way, anyways."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"And, uh, what if you kinda are? Even if a bit unintentionally? Let's just say you were collaborating on something, and then had a change of heart and decided to back out on part of it?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"And, uh, what if you kinda are? Even if a bit unintentionally? Let's just say you were collaborating on something, and then had a change of heart and decided to back out on part of it?"

>"Oh yeah, she's not going to be happy about that sort of thing at all," says Marisa. "There's not many Youkai, hell, not many people, who take that well."
>That stove heat feels so nice...

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, let's just say there's a very good reason for the change of plans... Any tips on breaking it to her?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, let's just say there's a very good reason for the change of plans... Any tips on breaking it to her?"

>Marisa frowns. "Don't let her invite you in. Just what're you two up to?"

[Kilgamayan]

> Look to the side at Renko. Raise an eyebrow at her. Pray she understand that we think she should be talking, because we don't want to blab anything we shouldn't.

[Hello Purvis]

> Look to the side at Renko. Raise an eyebrow at her. Pray she understand that we think she should be talking, because we don't want to blab anything we shouldn't.

>You give Renko a prompt. "Oh, um..." she says. "It's just...we've kinda hit on a scheme to make some good money. Like, a lot of it. Only...it's kinda more shady than I want o get into, I guess..."
>Marisa frowns. "Yeah, there's no good way out of that."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Is Alice really that enthusiastic about that sort of thing? I mean, you're her friend and you're well-meaning. That's not the kind of thing she normally does, right?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Is Alice really that enthusiastic about that sort of thing? I mean, you're her friend and you're well-meaning. That's not the kind of thing she normally does, right?"

>"Actually, as far as money goes?" says Marisa, "She usually isn't. She does well enough for herself, and lives in a kind of way where it usually isn't a problem."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Then... you think she might have some other motivation for it?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Then... you think she might have some other motivation for it?"

>"Maybe," says Marisa. "Or she went broke."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I suppose that's possible. But... well, we're getting out of it, one way or the other. I just... Well, I admit to being a little nervous after what Renko told me about her."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I suppose that's possible. But... well, we're getting out of it, one way or the other. I just... Well, I admit to being a little nervous after what Renko told me about her."

>"She probably won't, you know, break anything," says Marisa. "But she'll definitely hold a grudge."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"And, uh... does she tend to do anything about these grudges? Other than simply dislike people over them?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"And, uh... does she tend to do anything about these grudges? Other than simply dislike people over them?"

>Marisa shrugs.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"So, I guess we just go talk to her and hope for the best, then?"
>Try to look at least a little uncomfortable about this prospect

[Hello Purvis]

>"So, I guess we just go talk to her and hope for the best, then?"
>Try to look at least a little uncomfortable about this prospect

>It is not difficult to look uncomfortable at this prospect.
>"Yeah, that's what I would recommend," say Marisa.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>To Renko: "Is there... anything else you wanted to add?"

[Hello Purvis]

>To Renko: "Is there... anything else you wanted to add?"

>"Um, not really," says Renko, looking noticeably less comfortable than she was beforehand.

>_