Nue Quest II: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Fightest]

>Reminder: Why did we decide to talk to Sanae about this?

Also because apparently Kanako is good at sensing unusual phenomena.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Sorry, relaying a message just isn't good enough.  Currently I'm probably the most knowledgeable about this situation and I need to get her assistance.  I've already gotten Reimu completely up to speed but in order to cover the most ground most effectively I need to get Sanae on the same page.  We don't need any attention focused on the wrong areas."

>"It can't be helped," says Momiji.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "Well then, if you really want whatever information I can offer, let me give you some. I'm sure you've realized this from what I've said so far, but you lot aren't the only ones to get hit. Everyone I've talked to today got hit. Everyone. Some are taking it worse than others. Some don't even understand the concept of jewelry as precious gems with monetary value, only seeing them as shiny rocks and beads."
> Hold out a hand with a palm pointed upward.
> "Now, I don't know how much you know about me. You might know more than I'd know you know, since you lot seem like you make for good scouts. But, all that aside, I live underground. And when I say everyone I've talked to today got hit, I meant it. So feel free to consider some of the types of people I've talked to today, ones whose approach to life make them more likely to be people that see gems as worthless rocks and thus probably aren't too pleased that all their money has been replaced with beads, even after they've been dutifully paying protection money to the higher-ups in their city for a long time. Consider how not particularly happy they must be right now to have had their cash stolen from them. Then consider what might happen if I return home to these not particularly happy people with news that my attempts to solve the mystery and get them their money back were considerably hindered by another group of people, a people who's best explanation for said hindrance is that 'it can't be helped.'"

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "Well then, if you really want whatever information I can offer, let me give you some. I'm sure you've realized this from what I've said so far, but you lot aren't the only ones to get hit. Everyone I've talked to today got hit. Everyone. Some are taking it worse than others. Some don't even understand the concept of jewelry as precious gems with monetary value, only seeing them as shiny rocks and beads."
> Hold out a hand with a palm pointed upward.
> "Now, I don't know how much you know about me. You might know more than I'd know you know, since you lot seem like you make for good scouts. But, all that aside, I live underground. And when I say everyone I've talked to today got hit, I meant it. So feel free to consider some of the types of people I've talked to today, ones whose approach to life make them more likely to be people that see gems as worthless rocks and thus probably aren't too pleased that all their money has been replaced with beads, even after they've been dutifully paying protection money to the higher-ups in their city for a long time. Consider how not particularly happy they must be right now to have had their cash stolen from them. Then consider what might happen if I return home to these not particularly happy people with news that my attempts to solve the mystery and get them their money back were considerably hindered by another group of people, a people who's best explanation for said hindrance is that 'it can't be helped.'"

>"Well, some of them are just glossy rocks," says Momiji. Then she frowns as you continue. "...Are you really trying to threaten your way through?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Do you think I want to? I haven't forgotten the fun the two of us had together several months ago, and I have nothing against the tengu in general. But the facts of the matter are that the oni are ready to riot, more so than any other people I've come across today, and they know I'm up here, trying to figure this shit out for them. I have to return home eventually, and if nothing is fixed they're going to want to know what happened. I could tell them the truth, I could tell them a lie, or I could tell them nothing. Two of those three things will result in me being broken into tiny pieces. With all due respect, I don't have much of a choice."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Do you think I want to? I haven't forgotten the fun the two of us had together several months ago, and I have nothing against the tengu in general. But the facts of the matter are that the oni are ready to riot, more so than any other people I've come across today, and they know I'm up here, trying to figure this shit out for them. I have to return home eventually, and if nothing is fixed they're going to want to know what happened. I could tell them the truth, I could tell them a lie, or I could tell them nothing. Two of those three things will result in me being broken into tiny pieces. With all due respect, I don't have much of a choice."

>"Well, I'm certain you have something onhand to show the oni have indeed asked you to look into this?" says Momiji. "Otherwise, it can't be helped. I can't just go to my superiors and say 'Let her in, I have a hunch.'"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I couldn't find either Deva this morning to ask for such a thing. They're out in the town doing their own investigations, for all the good it won't do. They're also probably hiding to a degree, since their people are out for blood. And since I'm sure you'll want to know why I'm here if I haven't talked to either of them, I have a personal stake in this as well. Not all of us were lucky enough to have only their money taken from them, especially when only the money had something of roughly equal value left as compensation."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"And if you can't 'let me in', then take me to the shrine yourself."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I couldn't find either Deva this morning to ask for such a thing. They're out in the town doing their own investigations, for all the good it won't do. They're also probably hiding to a degree, since their people are out for blood. And since I'm sure you'll want to know why I'm here if I haven't talked to either of them, I have a personal stake in this as well. Not all of us were lucky enough to have only their money taken from them, especially when only the money had something of roughly equal value left as compensation."

>"And if you can't 'let me in', then take me to the shrine yourself."

>"Then I can't be helped," says Momiji, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, but that's just how it is."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> What do we know about the Moriya Shrine, beyond that Sanae lives there?

[Hello Purvis]

> What do we know about the Moriya Shrine, beyond that Sanae lives there?

>You've briefly met the deities that dwell there, during the time that Sanae was dragging you around after beating you, convinced she found an alien. Suwako was alright, for a deity, but you didn't care for Kanako very much. The Yamato deities have always kind of irked you.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "And I don't suppose an invitation from the Shrine will help at all, will it?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "And I don't suppose an invitation from the Shrine will help at all, will it?"

>"If you have one, it might do something," says Momiji. "Let's see it?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Don't have one. Not yet. But you did say you'd be willing to relay a message to Sanae for me, right?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Don't have one. Not yet. But you did say you'd be willing to relay a message to Sanae for me, right?"

>She nods. "I can do that."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Okay. Please tell her that I need to talk to her about this incident, that it would far preferable if I could meet her at her Shrine, and that my passage is currently restricted."
> Give a lopsided grin.
> "And please also tell her that, sadly, I do not have a change of her clothes on my person, but I could still do the body pretty well, if she still finds it amusing."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Okay. Please tell her that I need to talk to her about this incident, that it would far preferable if I could meet her at her Shrine, and that my passage is currently restricted."
> Give a lopsided grin.
> "And please also tell her that, sadly, I do not have a change of her clothes on my person, but I could still do the body pretty well, if she still finds it amusing."

>Momiji frowns as you add that last part. "Alright. I can't deliver it immediately, obviously, but I'll get it to her as soon as I can. Check back in a few hours?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Will it be just past sunset in a few hours?

[Hello Purvis]

> Will it be just past sunset in a few hours?

>Given it's summer, you have a few hours yet until sunset.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> So, if Mokou proposed coming back a bit after sunset, this proposed return to the mountain could take place right before that?

> Whatever expression we are wearing, keep it on for a couple more seconds.
> "So let me see if I understand this correctly. Someone comes along with the intention of investigating and fixing the problem that I'm 99% sure is the reason the mountain is closed in the first place, and the reaction to this arrival is to ask for information, first without offering anything in compensation, then by offering to send a message, an offer that waits until later to reveal it won't be delivered for several hours. Am I just extra irritated because I seem to be the only person in Gensokyo that actually had something outright stolen from them, or is this actually what just happened now?"

[Hello Purvis]

> So, if Mokou proposed coming back a bit after sunset, this proposed return to the mountain could take place right before that?

> Whatever expression we are wearing, keep it on for a couple more seconds.
> "So let me see if I understand this correctly. Someone comes along with the intention of investigating and fixing the problem that I'm 99% sure is the reason the mountain is closed in the first place, and the reaction to this arrival is to ask for information, first without offering anything in compensation, then by offering to send a message, an offer that waits until later to reveal it won't be delivered for several hours. Am I just extra irritated because I seem to be the only person in Gensokyo that actually had something outright stolen from them, or is this actually what just happened now?"

>This should be possible, as long as you don't linger at the shrine too long.
>"Actually, it would be someone claiming to be doing this," says Momiji. "Notably, someone with a pretty long history of being a troublemaker. Like I said, if you had something to show, things would be different. But as thing stand, my orders are my orders."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

Damn our not only no longer being Iku, but being the exact opposite of Iku. :shakefist:

If we can do business with the Moriyers and still have time to hit Mokou up as we agreed, I'm fine with taking the offer as it stands. We could probably kill some time heading back to the human village to see if things are any better, or even just poking around Gensokyo out of curiosity (or heading back underground). It sucks that we can't get to Kanako now, but she's not exactly going anywhere, and I'd rather not make enemies of the tengu village by trying to bust our way through, especially with no spellcards.

This is only me, though. I won't input any commands to leave unless people by and large agree to skedaddle (and even then we should probably give Momizi a few last words, like how we need to be back in the human village by sundown so if she could hurry things along that would be splendid).

[GuyYouMetOnline]

Sounds good to me. Although we might tell Momiji to just have someone else deliver the message if it's some time before she can.

[Fightest]

Thirding the message-sending. Play up the trust and honor angle. Use the extra time for information-gathering, specifically from the Scarlets.

[Suwako Moriya]

> Frown for a few seconds, then break into a grin.
> "Ahaha. All right, I yield. The message will be fine, thanks. The earlier the better as possible, though. I have an important investigation commitment in the human village at sunset."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"If it could be delivered more quickly by someone else, then that's fine; I see no reason it has to be you personally who delivers the message."

[Suwako Moriya]

For reference, I'll be V/LA until tomorrow at who knows what time but it shouldn't be any later than this. My handbell group has a concert on Martha's Vineyard tonight and we're staying overnight. Don't wait up for me on any decisions.

Extra thought occurs, if we're so inclined: We could return home and grab our Sanae garb. Would take time, but would also probably make Sanae happy, and that might earn us extra favor with the deities.

[Fightest]

> Seriousface.
> "I trust the message will be delivered promptly and accurately."

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown for a few seconds, then break into a grin.
> "Ahaha. All right, I yield. The message will be fine, thanks. The earlier the better as possible, though. I have an important investigation commitment in the human village at sunset."

>"If it could be delivered more quickly by someone else, then that's fine; I see no reason it has to be you personally who delivers the message."

>Momiji nods. "I'll do my best to pass it along. But I'm not really in a position to just go off on my own or send off anyone here."

> Seriousface.
> "I trust the message will be delivered promptly and accurately."

>She frowns. "When my duties and my needs allow."

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

Do we want to ask about the mystery sensation?