Maribel Quest Continuation: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>"Renko... you know that I already said I can't. I appreciate so much that you've changed your mind on looting the place afterward, but... that still doesn't change the fact that I don't feel I can fight them in good conscious."

>She sighs. "Alright. I guess if some chunk of whatsit really means that much to you..."

> Ponder whether or not Sakuya would forgive the use of a 'teleportation' demonstration if her name specifically wasn't dropped and it was done in the interest of preventing her household from getting overrun in a most painful and embarrassing fashion.

>You expect she wouldn't have issues with this.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"It's more than that, you know. I talked to them. They helped me, I helped them; I'd like to stay on good terms with them too, you know. I'm sure you'd feel a bit differently about doing this kind of thing to someone you knew, even a little."

>Continue on to Alice's house

[Hello Purvis]

>"It's more than that, you know. I talked to them. They helped me, I helped them; I'd like to stay on good terms with them too, you know. I'm sure you'd feel a bit differently about doing this kind of thing to someone you knew, even a little."

>Continue on to Alice's house

>"They gave you some spell thing," says Renko. "I did more than that for you in the course of a day back at the agency."
>You walk down the road, toward the late, Renko taking the lead.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Renko... it's not about whether I care more about you or them. It really isn't. You know if it really came down to that, who I'd pick. But just because I care about you deeply doesn't mean that I feel right in going along with this. That's all. I want to do whatever I can to support you, Renko. Just... not something like this."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Renko... it's not about whether I care more about you or them. It really isn't. You know if it really came down to that, who I'd pick. But just because I care about you deeply doesn't mean that I feel right in going along with this. That's all. I want to do whatever I can to support you, Renko. Just... not something like this."

>"Alright, alright," she says. "It's just kind of annoying to hear you talk about all they've done for you, when it pretty much isn't anything compared to us."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"All I'm saying is that I don't want to hurt them, because they're decent people who've done me no harm. No more, no less."
>Take her arm
>"Renko... surely you know I don't mean it that way..."

[Hello Purvis]

>"All I'm saying is that I don't want to hurt them, because they're decent people who've done me no harm. No more, no less."
>Take her arm
>"Renko... surely you know I don't mean it that way..."

>She nods. "Yeah, but that's not what you were saying. And you can only hear it said like you did so many times, you know?"
>You take her arm. "Yeah, I was wrong," she says. "Sorry."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"No, I understand. I'm sorry, too."
>Give her a little kiss on the cheek
>Continue onwards

[Kilgamayan]

> "And thank you for even going through with this. It means a lot to me that you're going to do this...especially after the things I just said."
> "Once our conversation with Alice is over, perhaps we should have another talk ourselves? I kinda feel like I'm not doing as much for you as you are for me, and...well, I'm sure we can think of some things to discuss, you know?"

[Kilgamayan]

[00:38:53] * PurvisHasLeftThisTimestream (CitizenorE@{hostmask}.net) Quit

> Damnit, you, get back here. Don't leave us hangin' at a time like this.

[Hello Purvis]

>"No, I understand. I'm sorry, too."
>Give her a little kiss on the cheek
>Continue onwards

>You return her apology and give her a quick kiss. She smiles a bit, "Thanks," she says.
>You can see the shore of the lake up ahead. There are a number of faeries playing over the water.

> "And thank you for even going through with this. It means a lot to me that you're going to do this...especially after the things I just said."
> "Once our conversation with Alice is over, perhaps we should have another talk ourselves? I kinda feel like I'm not doing as much for you as you are for me, and...well, I'm sure we can think of some things to discuss, you know?"

>"I know, I know," she says. "And...you're helping me actually do this, aren't you? That's good enough."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Don't worry, we'll get this sorted out. She cared enough to teach you; I'm sure she'll be willing to let this pass, too, in time."
>We hope

[Kilgamayan]

> "Besides, I have to help you talk to Alice, don't I? I'm the reason you're late, after all."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Don't worry, we'll get this sorted out. She cared enough to teach you; I'm sure she'll be willing to let this pass, too, in time."
>We hope

>She nods, while watching the faeries. "Yeah, I hope so."
>You both do.

> "Besides, I have to help you talk to Alice, don't I? I'm the reason you're late, after all."

>"Well, yeah, but that was me, too..." She chuckles a bit. though you get the feeling it is akin to whistling through a graveyard for her.
>You can see the cabin where you saw the woman with the enormous doll earlier today.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "...Wait, THIS is Alice's place?"
> "...I think I might know what that secret weapon is..."

[Hello Purvis]

> "...Wait, THIS is Alice's place?"
> "...I think I might know what that secret weapon is..."

>"Yep," says Renko. "Not too far from the target, either."
>Renko nods. "I've heard some stories from the faeries around here, myself."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, that sort of weapon is certainly... large and distinctive, at any rate. If it's something she's known for, I can't imagine she could hide her involvement from the people at the mansion after this was done with. I guess she just figured they wouldn't be able to do anything to her afterward?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, that sort of weapon is certainly... large and distinctive, at any rate. If it's something she's known for, I can't imagine she could hide her involvement from the people at the mansion after this was done with. I guess she just figured they wouldn't be able to do anything to her afterward?"

>"I assume she has ways to take care of herself," says Renko, frowning.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Anyway, let's just get this over and done with. Nothing to be gained by waiting here, hoping it will go away."
>Head towards the house
>"You want to knock first?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Anyway, let's just get this over and done with. Nothing to be gained by waiting here, hoping it will go away."
>Head towards the house
>"You want to knock first?"

>Renko nods.
>You approach the house. It is a rather simple looking, boxy sort of cabin. It seems to be in very good condition, better maintained than practically any other home you've seen in Gensokyo.
>"I think I should..." Renko says, as she walks up the small porch. She knocks on the door, and waits. She takes a few deep breaths.
>After a minute or so, the door opens, revealing the blonde woman in the blue dress whom you saw earlier today. She looks at Renko coolly, then says, "Better late than never, I suppose." Then she turns her blue-green eyes toward you and frowns. "Who is this?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Hi, I'm Maribel. I'm a very close friend of Renko's. We just managed to find each other again a short while ago."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hi, I'm Maribel. I'm a very close friend of Renko's. We just managed to find each other again a short while ago."

>"Ah, you're the infamous Maribel," says Alice. "Good, now we could focus. Except...why are you here? Have you decided to get involved?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Infamous? Did Renko already mention me, then?"

>"And, well...."
>Look encouragingly at Renko. She should be the one to say it.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Infamous? Did Renko already mention me, then?"

>"And, well...."
>Look encouragingly at Renko. She should be the one to say it.

>Alice nods.
>Renko takes your cue, and says. "I'm out, Alice."
>"What." There is no trace of a question in Alice's reply.
>"I'm not going to raid the Scarlet Devil Mansion with you."
>There is a painful silence, as Alice gives Renko a frosty look.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"It's her decision to make, Alice. She proposed the idea in the first place. No one else has to know what did or didn't happen here."

[Kilgamayan]

(^ This was discussed and agreed upon between the two of us, for the unaware. We're in the process of hashing out ideas on where to take the conversation based on Alice's reaction.)

[Hello Purvis]

>"It's her decision to make, Alice. She proposed the idea in the first place. No one else has to know what did or didn't happen here."

>"So if I understand you correctly," she says, looking toward you, frowning just a little bit.  "You're threatening to inform on me? To my face? Is this correct?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I was saying the exact opposite, actually, if you note what I actually said. No one else knows, so you don't stand to lose anything that you didn't already have two days ago."

[Kilgamayan]

> "To be honest? I'd rather not 'inform on you'. Marisa is a good-natured person, and I'd rather not do that to one of her friends."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I was saying the exact opposite, actually, if you note what I actually said. No one else knows, so you don't stand to lose anything that you didn't already have two days ago."

> "To be honest? I'd rather not 'inform on you'. Marisa is a good-natured person, and I'd rather not do that to one of her friends."

>"No, I think you're trying to tell me you believe I'm a fool," she says calmly. "That your friend can just waltz in, take my time and knowledge, offer me false promises, and waltz away under the threat of trying to incriminate me. This really just leads me to wonder if you're bluffing, or you think you have something to back it. Perhaps I shouldn't take that chance?"

>_