Iku Quest On Iki - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "I suppose we are. The latter thing, advancing your hobby, would be twofold. I must admit, I initially came here with the intention of simply returning your camera and leaving you to your own devices, because I was no longer sure I could devote the time and effort necessary to getting you a proper picture of yourself. But it would be no trouble at all to recant that assessment and keep giving it effort until it is accomplished."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I suppose we are. The latter thing, advancing your hobby, would be twofold. I must admit, I initially came here with the intention of simply returning your camera and leaving you to your own devices, because I was no longer sure I could devote the time and effort necessary to getting you a proper picture of yourself. But it would be no trouble at all to recant that assessment and keep giving it effort until it is accomplished."

>"Well, I'm not going to force you," says Aya.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I'm not saying you should. I'm saying it would be offered as a service as a part of this whole deal. If nothing else, it would lend a lot more credibility toward your intended message and away from the perceived message, and may actually gain you some appreciation."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I'm not saying you should. I'm saying it would be offered as a service as a part of this whole deal. If nothing else, it would lend a lot more credibility toward your intended message and away from the perceived message, and may actually gain you some appreciation."

>"Well, I still don't agree with you at all on that, but I see what you're saying."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, you must know what the perceived message of your hobby is, right?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, you must know what the perceived message of your hobby is, right?"

>"Oh, I know what people tell me," says Aya. "You just said something completely different beforehand. Anyways, like I said, I'm not going to force you if you don't want to."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "We can return to it momentarily, then. The second half of my offer is information, regarding a large collection of people you likely have never pursued, if Lady Yakumo's information of the subject is true. It would actually tie back into telling you the story of what happened, because it involves one of the places to which I have traveled in my investigations."

[Hello Purvis]

> "We can return to it momentarily, then. The second half of my offer is information, regarding a large collection of people you likely have never pursued, if Lady Yakumo's information of the subject is true. It would actually tie back into telling you the story of what happened, because it involves one of the places to which I have traveled in my investigations."

>"Go on," says Aya.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I can do so, but I will need your word that part of what I am about to tell you will remain out of your newspaper. You may write about the actual place if you must, but the circumstances surrounding my presence here despite my earlier presence there are not to leave this shop. I ask this because this information is not for public consumption, and I expect Lady Yakumo will be very angry with both of us if you made it public knowledge. Is this acceptable?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "I can do so, but I will need your word that part of what I am about to tell you will remain out of your newspaper. You may write about the actual place if you must, but the circumstances surrounding my presence here despite my earlier presence there are not to leave this shop. I ask this because this information is not for public consumption, and I expect Lady Yakumo will be very angry with both of us if you made it public knowledge. Is this acceptable?"

>"I'll tentatively say yes, and we'll discuss it more afterward if needs be."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "...Very well."
> Look over to Rinnosuke.
> "Mister Morichika, may I assume I can trust you will remain silent as well? Your reputation for keeping customer privacy is known and appreciated, but on this issue, I must be sure to ask directly."

[Hello Purvis]

> "...Very well."
> Look over to Rinnosuke.
> "Mister Morichika, may I assume I can trust you will remain silent as well? Your reputation for keeping customer privacy is known and appreciated, but on this issue, I must be sure to ask directly."

>"I haven't heard anything," says Rinnosuke, not looking away from his book.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Look back to Aya.
> "My travels yesterday brought me around many places in Gensokyo...and even one place outside. During the course of the day, I ended up traversing Makai."

[Hello Purvis]

> Look back to Aya.
> "My travels yesterday brought me around many places in Gensokyo...and even one place outside. During the course of the day, I ended up traversing Makai."

>"Oh really?" says Aya.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yes, and the worst part is that it is actually fairly easily entered and left. Now, you must realize that Makai is not a place for the average Gensokyo native. I cannot emphasize that enough. I understand that knowledge of Makai's existence is fairly common, so I do not care if you mention in your story that I was there, but its ease of access from Gensokyo is not, and that absolutely must not be made public knowledge."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yes, and the worst part is that it is actually fairly easily entered and left. Now, you must realize that Makai is not a place for the average Gensokyo native. I cannot emphasize that enough. I understand that knowledge of Makai's existence is fairly common, so I do not care if you mention in your story that I was there, but its ease of access from Gensokyo is not, and that absolutely must not be made public knowledge."

>She nods. "I can keep that to myself."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Thank you. And I can explain my travels well enough to skirt the issue entirely, so your story should not lose anything for not having it."
> Small smile.
> "Now, having said all that, you are clearly not an average Gensokyo native. I imagine you would have little difficulty escaping from any encounters with individuals that happen to turn sour. I learned that Makai does know how to ambush en masse, so you will need to keep your guard up around any area that is not particularly open. Other than that, however, it is an entire realm of people who I imagine are not familiar with your hobby, and it would take little effort on your part to enter and leave it."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Thank you. And I can explain my travels well enough to skirt the issue entirely, so your story should not lose anything for not having it."
> Small smile.
> "Now, having said all that, you are clearly not an average Gensokyo native. I imagine you would have little difficulty escaping from any encounters with individuals that happen to turn sour. I learned that Makai does know how to ambush en masse, so you will need to keep your guard up around any area that is not particularly open. Other than that, however, it is an entire realm of people who I imagine are not familiar with your hobby, and it would take little effort on your part to enter and leave it."

>"I suppose there is an appeal to adding Shinki to my gallery," says Aya, "But, I would have to think about it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "I must admit, you seem to have far less enthusiasm for this hobby than I would have guessed based solely on what it entailed."

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "I must admit, you seem to have far less enthusiasm for this hobby than I would have guessed based solely on what it entailed."

>"It's art," says Aya. "And it's just, Shinki has never set foot into Gensokyo, that I know of. I'm not sure many Makaians have, except for Patchouli's familiar."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I was not aware that was a factor, but that's not really what I was getting at. You have not shown too much enthusiasm for the idea of getting a picture of yourself, either. Now clearly one cannot accuse you of self-aggrandizement in regards to lacking enthusiasm for the goddess of Makai, so it makes me wonder if it's something else that has made you approach both ideas with a sense of 'it would be nice, but'."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I was not aware that was a factor, but that's not really what I was getting at. You have not shown too much enthusiasm for the idea of getting a picture of yourself, either. Now clearly one cannot accuse you of self-aggrandizement in regards to lacking enthusiasm for the goddess of Makai, so it makes me wonder if it's something else that has made you approach both ideas with a sense of 'it would be nice, but'."

>"Two reasons," says Aya. "First, I  don't really think you have the skills to do it. Not to insult you, but there's a lot to being a photographer beyond just pointing a camera. More than I can teach in a short period of time, and a lot of it is technique you can't teach. And second, if you did, I really don't think you'd have the time for it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Do you think anyone has the skills to do it? Your friend is demonstrably inadequate for the task and I imagine she's better with a camera than the vast majority of Gensokyo given how long she has associated with you."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Do you think anyone has the skills to do it? Your friend is demonstrably inadequate for the task and I imagine she's better with a camera than the vast majority of Gensokyo given how long she has associated with you."

>She frowns for a moment, then says, "Maybe Hatate. She might, just might, have learned enough in the past year to be almost competent. Momiji has the basic skills, she just can't catch me off guard enough to do it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Would you ask her to try? You would theoretically not even need to supply her with a camera like you did me."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Would you ask her to try? You would theoretically not even need to supply her with a camera like you did me."

>"Sharing the same town with that hack is too much," says Aya.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

Oh, whatever. I've been internally debating this for too long to not do it if she wants no part of Hatate.

> "But still, if she is the only one you imagine could-"
> Stiffen and put on a concerned expression.
> Turn our head to look at the door to the shop. Do so somewhat swiftly, but don't just whip it around.

[Hello Purvis]

> "But still, if she is the only one you imagine could-"
> Stiffen and put on a concerned expression.
> Turn our head to look at the door to the shop. Do so somewhat swiftly, but don't just whip it around.

>You start to speak, then stiffen up and look over toward the door.
>You notice from the corner of your eye that Aya moves away from it a step, tensing and clearly preparing to take flight.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Is there a window near the door? If so, start slowly walking toward it. If not, start slowly walking toward the door.
> Either way, lower our voice.
> "How good is your eyesight at night?"
> Is that charge still built?

[Hello Purvis]

> Is there a window near the door? If so, start slowly walking toward it. If not, start slowly walking toward the door.
> Either way, lower our voice.
> "How good is your eyesight at night?"
> Is that charge still built?

>There is a window not too far from the door. You move toward it and ask Aya about her night vision in a low tone.
>"I can see pretty well," says Aya, as she inches toward another window.
>Rinnosuke looks up toward you for a moment, then back to his book.
>The charge is still there.

>_