Maribel Quest Perpetuation: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> Good question. How do we feel?

[Hello Purvis]

> Good question. How do we feel?

>A whole lot less tired and sore, for one thing. You're kind of hungry, though. But it can wait for awhile.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "A bit better, yeah, but...you should ask me again in a minute."

[Hello Purvis]

> "A bit better, yeah, but...you should ask me again in a minute."

>"I'll give you a minute, then," she says, smiling.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Okay."
> Sigh.
> "Renko, I've been thinking...ever since that talk we had about my, uh, blink ability, I've been thinking about us, and...and how I've just been such a jerk to you, so many times since we found each other yesterday. Like that, and questioning your sanity, and making you stand up to Alice, and...and just everything I've done. I feel so...ugh..."
> If we haven't teared up yet, we should be doing it now.
> "I'm...I'm so sorry, Renko...I'm so selfish, and short-sighted, and you've been so good to me, and...and..."
> Hug. We both need this.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Okay."
> Sigh.
> "Renko, I've been thinking...ever since that talk we had about my, uh, blink ability, I've been thinking about us, and...and how I've just been such a jerk to you, so many times since we found each other yesterday. Like that, and questioning your sanity, and making you stand up to Alice, and...and just everything I've done. I feel so...ugh..."
> If we haven't teared up yet, we should be doing it now.
> "I'm...I'm so sorry, Renko...I'm so selfish, and short-sighted, and you've been so good to me, and...and..."
> Hug. We both need this.

>You unburden your heart to Renko, tearing up a bit, and apologize. You hug her, which isn't too hard as you are both already pretty firmly embraced.
>"Hey, stop that," says Renko. "It's been a crazy time for both of us. And yeah, some of those things got me a bit mad, but you stopped doing them and that's the important part. It's okay." She kisses you again. "We both made mistakes. Don't worry about it, I forgive you."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I...I'm so lucky to have you...I love you so much..."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I...I'm so lucky to have you...I love you so much..."

>"Damn right you are," says Renko. "But really, don't worry about it. You did what was right in the end. Only a jerk would hold it against you. Now calm down and kiss or something."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, who am I to argue with that?"
>Calm down a little
>Kiss her

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, who am I to argue with that?"
>Calm down a little
>Kiss her

>"Exactly," she says.
>You try to calm your; all has been forgiven. You feel guilty, still, but she's let it go. You can start making it up to her now, rather than just worrying.
>You kiss her. It turns out to be a long one. Perhaps it wouldn't be too bad to get worn out again...

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Perhaps it mightn't. What's a victory if you can't celebrate a little afterwards, hey?
>Let's give Renko and ourselves a better reason to be worn out.

[Hello Purvis]

>Perhaps it mightn't. What's a victory if you can't celebrate a little afterwards, hey?
>Let's give Renko and ourselves a better reason to be worn out.

>You decide to have a victory celebration with Renko. It serves to relieve the morning tension nicely, to say the least. Her shirt takes more time to get off, but perhaps that's more rewarding. The two of you are getting into a nice routine now. And she's definitely picking up a thing or two, much to your delight.
>Afterward, you spent some more time cuddled together, periodically murmuring soft nothings to each other.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"You know, Renko, it's going to be nice just being able to have a bit of a peaceful life here, after all the craziness that's happened. Here's hoping crazy comes in somewhat smaller doses in the future, hey?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"You know, Renko, it's going to be nice just being able to have a bit of a peaceful life here, after all the craziness that's happened. Here's hoping crazy comes in somewhat smaller doses in the future, hey?"

>"Yeah," she murmurs. "Bit more manageable."

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>It's evening by now, isn't it?
>Enjoy cuddles.

[Hello Purvis]

>It's evening by now, isn't it?
>Enjoy cuddles.

>You aren't sure, but give you can still see in here, you don't think it was that long. The two of you certainly didn't spend that much time together. You estimate it is mid to late afternoon.
>Regardless, you enjoy the cuddles. She is very pleasingly soft and warm...

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Remember that we still have stuff to do
>Ignore it and cuddle some more
>Eventually, admit that we can always resume this once other stuff is off our plate
>"Well, should probably get a few more things done before it gets too late. Go find those bellows and see about getting those parts melted down. Can you show me the area you think they were at?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Remember that we still have stuff to do
>Ignore it and cuddle some more
>Eventually, admit that we can always resume this once other stuff is off our plate
>"Well, should probably get a few more things done before it gets too late. Go find those bellows and see about getting those parts melted down. Can you show me the area you think they were at?"

>You were starting to feel a bit restless anyways.
>"Huh? Sure thing, love."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Get up and stretch
>Get dressed
>"Well, lead the way."
>Follow along

[Hello Purvis]

>Get up and stretch
>Get dressed
>"Well, lead the way."
>Follow along

>You get up and have a nice stretch. What a lovely conclusion to the afternoon's activities.
>After getting dressed, you bid Renko to lead you toward where she thinks the bellows might be. "Sure, this way," says Renko.
>She leads you near where Marisa's house is. She gestures toward the Eastern forest, opposite of Marisa's house, and says, "It was somewhere in there, I think."
>The forest she gestures toward is pretty dense, you'd not sure you can see an obvious path to get through.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "That looks a bit difficult to get through..."

[E-Nazrin]

>From the ground, from above, or both?

[DracoOmega]

>Look around for less obvious paths, including ones not quite at ground level

[Hello Purvis]

> "That looks a bit difficult to get through..."

>"That's why faeries like it," says Renko.

>From the ground, from above, or both?

>You could easily fly over the trees, but then you wouldn't see the bellows if they are there. But walking would be difficult and probably scratch you up pretty badly.

>Look around for less obvious paths, including ones not quite at ground level

>You might be able to slip through if you fly just below the tree boughs, but it seems to seems to lead more toward the east.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, nothing but to poke around a bit, I guess."
>Try to slip in through the path just below the tree boughs
>Move slowly, and keep an eye out for both bellows and fairies who might know something about it

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, nothing but to poke around a bit, I guess."
>Try to slip in through the path just below the tree boughs
>Move slowly, and keep an eye out for both bellows and fairies who might know something about it

>"Alright," says Renko. "I'll let you know if I know anybody."
>You try to slip through. It is slow going, the foliage below doesn't offer much in the way of clearance.
>Moving eastward and looking around, you don't seem much empty ground; mostly there are bushes and tall grasses. You also see a faerie, about as long as your forearm with red hair and a green dress, loafing on a low branch. "Hi Other Dai," she says, looking toward you. "Hi Other Dai's Girl."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Hey there! How's it going?"
>"I don't suppose you've seen a bellows around here? We need it for something important."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hey there! How's it going?"
>"I don't suppose you've seen a bellows around here? We need it for something important."

>"Pretty good!" says the faerie. "I got hit by a knife! Then when I woke up, I got some bread from the pantry!"
>"A what bell?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"It's a blacksmith thing. You squeeze it, and puffs of air come out the other end. I heard there was one in the general area, here."

[E-Nazrin]

>"How was the bread?"
>Would just calling it something weird from the human village work better?