Nue Quest II: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "It's a bit more complicated than that. To put it simply, as far as we can tell, those gems are your money. They've been transformed somehow."

>"Oh, okay," says the poltergeist in red. "Did you figure out how to fix our money?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Still working on that. Remember, I ran off to see what could be done about fixing your roof."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Still working on that. Remember, I ran off to see what could be done about fixing your roof."

>"Still a good idea to check," she says. "So, about the roof?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Right. I'll try to summarize as best I can. The Buddhists can't leave the village right now, since the humans are in a tizzy about their money being turned into gems. But what can happen is you three going to visit them, to get some ideas of what fixing the roof could entail in terms of gathering supplies. The leader, the really big woman named Byakuren, would also like to be able to clear the air surrounding your sister's nervousness. And, of course, you can talk to the human village jeweler while you're there, if you still want to do that."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Right. I'll try to summarize as best I can. The Buddhists can't leave the village right now, since the humans are in a tizzy about their money being turned into gems. But what can happen is you three going to visit them, to get some ideas of what fixing the roof could entail in terms of gathering supplies. The leader, the really big woman named Byakuren, would also like to be able to clear the air surrounding your sister's nervousness. And, of course, you can talk to the human village jeweler while you're there, if you still want to do that."

>"I guess we can," says the poltergeist. "It's not like we have much else lined up for today."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> We remember these three having been underground in the past. Do we remember anything about them splitting up temporarily, or have we only ever seem them as a cohesive group?
> "Have your sister bring her sword blade, too. I can't guarantee anything, but the big woman might be able to read what's written on it."

[Hello Purvis]

> We remember these three having been underground in the past. Do we remember anything about them splitting up temporarily, or have we only ever seem them as a cohesive group?
> "Have your sister bring her sword blade, too. I can't guarantee anything, but the big woman might be able to read what's written on it."

>You remember that they had broken up for a time, yes.
>"Alright," says the poltergeist. "You want us to do this now, or when we feel like it, or what?"

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

"Let's take care of it now. The sooner we get you three over there, the sooner I can resume investigating the money problem."

[Hello Purvis]

"Let's take care of it now. The sooner we get you three over there, the sooner I can resume investigating the money problem."

>"Alright, alright, give me a few minutes to round the others up," says the poltergeist in red.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "Do what you need to do."
> Wait around for the poltergeist crew to round up.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Do what you need to do."
> Wait around for the poltergeist crew to round up.

>It take s a couple of minutes for the noise to fade, and for the three sisters to pour out through the door, their instruments hovering along with them. The white-haired one clings something wrapped in cloth in her arms. "This isn't a concert, right?" she says. "If this is a concert I'm gonna bust up your house but good!"

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "Not if you don't want it to be. If it was, though, you'd be able to play what you want."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Not if you don't want it to be. If it was, though, you'd be able to play what you want."

>The white-haired one nods, seeming satisfied with your words.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "All right, let's move on out."
> Assumimg no objections, take flight and head back to the human village.

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right, let's move on out."
> Assumimg no objections, take flight and head back to the human village.

>You head back toward the village. It's an interesting trip; the poltergeists have no apparent desire to travel quietly, as they gossip about the surroundings and recent events at home, in between individual bouts of musical experimentation. Sadly, none of it is interesting at all, much of it is a debate over whether they're called Lily of the Valley, or Lily in the Valley.
>Returning to town, you see that things are much as before.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Head to where Byakuren was.

[Hello Purvis]

> Head to where Byakuren was.

>You find Byakuren easily enough, landing near the schoolyard.
>"Welcome back, Nue," says Byakuren. "And, hello to you three."
>Glancing back, you see the Prismrivers have landed behind you, and are in general shifting uncomfortably and looking around. After a moment, the one in red pushes the white-haired one forward.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Turn to Byakuren.
> "Ah, yes. Our white-haired friend had a traumatic experience at Shou's place once. Probably best to reconcile that first, eh?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Turn to Byakuren.
> "Ah, yes. Our white-haired friend had a traumatic experience at Shou's place once. Probably best to reconcile that first, eh?"

>Byakuren looks toward her and says, "Tell me what happened?"
>"Well, um," says the white-hair, frowning and twisting at the edges of her bundle, "when we broke up, I got a job with Shou, playing music for her store, and it was awful! She made me play a sitar and it was the worst thing ever! I hated it! I never wanna see another stripe ever! It was so boring and dull like that music Lunasa likes!"
>"Hey!" says the blonde.
>"That sounds like it was a difficult experience," says Byakuren. If she's not feeling sincere about that, she's hiding it very well. "What would you have preferred to play?"
>"All kind of things!" says the white-hair. "I would have had people dancing in the aisles!"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Dancing, huh? I wonder if we could drag Iku down from the sky for that."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Dancing, huh? I wonder if we could drag Iku down from the sky for that."

>"Maybe!" says the white-haired poltergeist. "No one could resist!"
>"Would that have been good for the store, I wonder?" says Byakuren.
>"Sure!" says the white-hair. "Everyone would have come and danced and seen all the weirdy stripey stuff and had a great time!"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Give Byakuren a sideways glance, then turn back to the white-haired one.
> "Oho. Wouldn't mind seeing some crowds drawn around here for something happy. Happier than what they've gone through, anyway."

[Hello Purvis]

> Give Byakuren a sideways glance, then turn back to the white-haired one.
> "Oho. Wouldn't mind seeing some crowds drawn around here for something happy. Happier than what they've gone through, anyway."

>You give Byakuren a sideways glance. She returns it as well as she can without  being too obvious.
>"Oh right," says the white-hair. "Well it'd be easy, I am the talented one~"
>"Hey!" cries Lunasa
>"Like hell!" says the one in red.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Raise an eyebrow.
> "Now, now, no need for infighting. I'm sure all three of you are good at making people happy in your own ways. Though I'd certainly guess you're at your best when you're all together."

[Hello Purvis]

> Raise an eyebrow.
> "Now, now, no need for infighting. I'm sure all three of you are good at making people happy in your own ways. Though I'd certainly guess you're at your best when you're all together."

>"Sometimes!" says the white-haired poltergeist.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "Funny thing, though, is that you said you didn't want to play a concert. You seem awfully confident in what you can do for someone that didn't want to play a concert."

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "Funny thing, though, is that you said you didn't want to play a concert. You seem awfully confident in what you can do for someone that didn't want to play a concert."

>"Oh yeah," she says. "I'm not working for them!"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Not even if you get to play what you enjoy playing?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Not even if you get to play what you enjoy playing?"

>"Nope, never!" she says. Then she frowns. "Well, maybe, if the pay is good...but just maybe!"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Hmm."
> Turn to Byakuren.
> "Should Shou be spoken to about this, maybe?"