Seija Quest 2

[Tom]

> Do we recognize that book from anywhere? Maybe Alice was holding it the first time we met, back when Houraisan sent a whole bunch of people after us by telling them they were going on a trial of guts?
> How large is the book compared to our current size? Do we think we could lift it and carry it?

> It's vaguely familiar, perhaps it's the same one she was holding?  But then again you couldn't get a good look through all the danmaku and she held it pretty close to protect it.  It's dauntingly big, you doubt you could do anything more than push it.  Examining it up close you see the title is made up for three words, one of which you believe spells Alice's name in another language.

[Kilgamayan]

> Drat.
> Well, opening it could give us some information...but it's also a magician's book presumably written in a language we don't understand, and if anything goes wrong, our munchkin-sized ass isn't going to be able to do anything about it. So let's leave it be.
> ...strawberries, come to think of it, how the hell do inchlings exist at all like this? At least we can't die. They don't even have that!
> Exit this room, (struggle to) close the door behind us, and head back into the study/studio to peek out the window again to make sure Alice is still working away.

[Tom]

> Drat.
> Well, opening it could give us some information...but it's also a magician's book presumably written in a language we don't understand, and if anything goes wrong, our munchkin-sized ass isn't going to be able to do anything about it. So let's leave it be.
> ...strawberries, come to think of it, how the hell do inchlings exist at all like this? At least we can't die. They don't even have that!

> It is truly a miracle inchlings can survive at all!  Perhaps they all live in a tiny world where everything is inchling-sized?

> ...strawberries, come to think of it, how the hell do inchlings exist at all like this? At least we can't die. They don't even have that!
> Exit this room, (struggle to) close the door behind us, and head back into the study/studio to peek out the window again to make sure Alice is still working away.

> You find the best way to get the door to shut is to push it and swiftly fly through it before it closes.  In the studio across the hallway in take a peek outside the window and notice Alice is no longer in the garden...

[Kilgamayan]

> Oh crap.
> Can we hear her anywhere?

[Tom]

> Oh crap.
> Can we hear her anywhere?

> You stand still to listen and hear faint footsteps downstairs, perhaps in the kitchen?

[Kilgamayan]

> Is our shelf in full view of the kitchen?

[Branneg Xy]

> With the papers back in their original location you take a look around the room and spot something you couldn't see from the entrance on a nightstand next to the bed.  It appears to be an old, thick book of some sort with a leather strap holding it shut.

> You make a mental note of what you've learned so far... (Knowledge obtained)
>> Alice's Art Atelier - You can almost reach out a touch the scenery in Alice's paintings
>> Mysterious Ink Bottle - An paint bottle with clear liquid?  Why bother painting with it at all?
>> Mechanical Diagrams - A blueprint with a note (question?) about a "articulating spherical bearing"
>> Writing Colors - The question on the blueprint is written in light blue ink, while the highlighting is written in red ink.  A bottle of light blue ink was found near the aforementioned blueprint.

//1 Clear (Invisible) Bottled Ink+2Colored Inks+Color-Highlighted Blueprints= ! //

> Is our shelf in full view of the kitchen?

> Would Alice spot us if she were to come upstairs without dolls,since we could still blend-in and follow here among those otherwise ,in our current position?

[Tom]

> Is our shelf in full view of the kitchen?

> The shelf you woke up on?  No, you couldn't see into the kitchen from it.  Besides it's not like you were supposed to be on that shelf!  You just thought it'd be a good spot to take a nap amongst other inactive dolls, would she really notice an extra or a missing doll?

> Would Alice spot us if she were to come upstairs without dolls,since we could still blend-in and follow here among those otherwise ,in our current position?

> If there were no dolls you'd probably stick out, whereas if there was a group you could jump in and pretend to be one with the pack!

[Kilgamayan]

> Has Alice yet gone to sleep since returning from the shrine?
> Begin sneaking down the stairs to get a visual assessment of the situation.

[Tom]

> Has Alice yet gone to sleep since returning from the shrine?
> Begin sneaking down the stairs to get a visual assessment of the situation.

> She tried when you first arrived, she got up an hour or two later mumbling about not being able to rest.
> You poke your head our from the top of the stairs and spot Alice in the middle of pouring a cup of tea in the kitchen.

[Kilgamayan]

> Is her back to us, at least? Or are we viewing her from the side?

[Tom]

> Is her back to us, at least? Or are we viewing her from the side?

> From the side

[Kilgamayan]

> Duck our head back behind the stairwell wall. If there isn't one, scoot further back up the stairs until we're out of sight again.
> Then have a listen to try to determine what Alice is doing.

[Tom]

> Duck our head back behind the stairwell wall. If there isn't one, scoot further back up the stairs until we're out of sight again.
> Then have a listen to try to determine what Alice is doing.

> You hide further up the stairs.  You hear some footsteps which then stop and after a few moments start again and slowly get closer!

[Kilgamayan]

> Retreat, retreat! Head back into the study!

[Tom]

> Retreat, retreat! Head back into the study!

> You swiftly fly back towards the study and make it inside as Alice reaches the top of the steps!  Success!

[Kilgamayan]

> Are there any obvious places to hide, like a closet or a pile of clothes or other fabrics?

[Tom]

> Are there any obvious places to hide, like a closet or a pile of clothes or other fabrics?

> There's a stack of paintings leaning against the wall, you reckon you could hide behind them!
> Another option is opening the window and flying out.

[Kilgamayan]

> Based on how the window looks, do we think we could open it, leave, and close it fast enough to not be spotted?

[Tom]

> Based on how the window looks, do we think we could open it, leave, and close it fast enough to not be spotted?

> You might, but it would certainly alert Alice with a thud when it shut

[Kilgamayan]

> Right, the noise. That's out of the question, then.
> Hide behind the stack of paintings.

[Tom]

> Right, the noise. That's out of the question, then.
> Hide behind the stack of paintings.

> You dive behind the paintings as a footsteps approach.  Alice must've heard something because she opened the door momentarily before shutting it again.  Success!

[Kilgamayan]

> Phew!
> We might not be out of the woods yet, though. Stay hidden in silence, listening to whatever goes on out in the hallway.

[Tom]

> Phew!
> We might not be out of the woods yet, though. Stay hidden in silence, listening to whatever goes on out in the hallway.

> Close call!
> You hear another door open and shut before hearing a few footsteps which then go quiet.

[Kilgamayan]

> Breathe.
> Float up to the window and slowly open it.
> Float out through the window, and slowly let it close without slamming.

[Tom]

> Breathe.
> Float up to the window and slowly open it.
> Float out through the window, and slowly let it close without slamming.

> Taking a moment to compose yourself you fly up to the window and with a lot of effort manage to slide it open.  Once through you try and discretely close it but accidentally drop it an inch or two before the bottom!  You hope she didn't hear!

[Kilgamayan]

> Quick, straight upward and onto the roof! (But not on or near the skylight.)

[Tom]

> Quick, straight upward and onto the roof! (But not on or near the skylight.)

> You fly up and land on the roof, climbing to the top and staying clear of the louvered skylight.  The window slats look like they can be pried open from the outside.

[Kilgamayan]

> Creep up to the skylight and peek inside.

[Tom]

> Creep up to the skylight and peek inside.

> You carefully look inside and see the door to the bedroom shutting