Nitori Quest 2 - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "Not about this specifically, no. I came running pretty quickly. I guess I should mentioned that I asked a tengu if she'd be interested in joining my rocket flight, and she's currently mulling it over, but that conversation happened before I saw any stars were missing."

[It's Purvis!]

> "Not about this specifically, no. I came running pretty quickly. I guess I should mentioned that I asked a tengu if she'd be interested in joining my rocket flight, and she's currently mulling it over, but that conversation happened before I saw any stars were missing."

>"I see," says the daitengu. "So, you only have that you've noticed it to share?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, I haven't exactly gone up there to investigate it yet. The rocket isn't ready."

[It's Purvis!]

> "Well, I haven't exactly gone up there to investigate it yet. The rocket isn't ready."

>"So, you are planning to investigate?" the tengu says,

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, now that depends on what one would consider a proper investigation. See, my rocket launch is currently part of a contest I'm in with another group of folks planning to launch their own rocket into space, and the stakes of winning or losing are preeeeeetty high. I'll certainly do enough investigation to make sure that whatever made those stars vanish won't also make my face vanish along with them while I'm doing my thing. But determining more details on the who, or what, or why, or how, or how to get things back to normal? If figuring those things out isn't directly related to making sure we stay safe, that's going to be valuable contest time lost."

[It's Purvis!]

> "Well, now that depends on what one would consider a proper investigation. See, my rocket launch is currently part of a contest I'm in with another group of folks planning to launch their own rocket into space, and the stakes of winning or losing are preeeeeetty high. I'll certainly do enough investigation to make sure that whatever made those stars vanish won't also make my face vanish along with them while I'm doing my thing. But determining more details on the who, or what, or why, or how, or how to get things back to normal? If figuring those things out isn't directly related to making sure we stay safe, that's going to be valuable contest time lost."

>"So you're saying we should inquire with this competitor, then?" the Daitengu replies.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "You can if you want, though they're probably even more averse to losing than I am. Look, I'm not saying I won't do it; I prefer to keep relations with you all on the positive side of things. I'm just saying it may need to be made worth my while. I'm putting a year's worth of subjecting myself to on-call labor on the line with this contest, so I don't really have much room for error."

[It's Purvis!]

> "You can if you want, though they're probably even more averse to losing than I am. Look, I'm not saying I won't do it; I prefer to keep relations with you all on the positive side of things. I'm just saying it may need to be made worth my while. I'm putting a year's worth of subjecting myself to on-call labor on the line with this contest, so I don't really have much room for error."

>"And what are you promising, exactly?" says the Daitengu.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Would it make sense for a travel route to pass through the area of space where the missing Daitengu Constellation star should be?

[It's Purvis!]

> Would it make sense for a travel route to pass through the area of space where the missing Daitengu Constellation star should be?

>Really, nothing is stopping you from just going there, if you wanted. You don't have a route planned as of yet.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> If we were both standing upright, where serious we come up to on this tengu?
> Is she hot?

> Adopt a thinking expression.
> "...Assuming satisfactory recompense? I can plan my flight path to head straight toward your specific missing star. I could spend...let's say three days, possibly more if I get lucky in my mission, investigating where it went and how to get it back, as well as actually doing what I can to get it back, assuming such does not endanger the lives of my crew. If you would prefer it, I can make room for the potential crewmate tengu I mentioned earlier so that you have slightly more direct influence on the situation."

[It's Purvis!]

> If we were both standing upright, where serious we come up to on this tengu?
> Is she hot?

> Adopt a thinking expression.
> "...Assuming satisfactory recompense? I can plan my flight path to head straight toward your specific missing star. I could spend...let's say three days, possibly more if I get lucky in my mission, investigating where it went and how to get it back, as well as actually doing what I can to get it back, assuming such does not endanger the lives of my crew. If you would prefer it, I can make room for the potential crewmate tengu I mentioned earlier so that you have slightly more direct influence on the situation."

>You're rather on the shorter end of things. And she absolutely is not. You suspect you're not even chest height to her.
>Arguably.
>"What, precisely, are you offering to bring back for your price?" the daitengu says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Furrow our brow deeper in thought.
> "...The return of your star. Or, if I prove incapable of such, enough information that you or one of yours can finish the job."

[It's Purvis!]

> Furrow our brow deeper in thought.
> "...The return of your star. Or, if I prove incapable of such, enough information that you or one of yours can finish the job."

>"And you are asking for?" the daitengu prompts.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "A social opportunity. With you."

[It's Purvis!]

> "A social opportunity. With you."

>"Excuse me?" the daitengu says.
>"What?!" says Koa.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Ignore the devil.
> "Simply some sort of honest attempt at an extended social interaction. Momiji Inubashiri visits me sometimes to play board games, and we just spent a while together at the festival in the kappa village earlier this evening. I'm looking for something like that."

[It's Purvis!]

> Ignore the devil.
> "Simply some sort of honest attempt at an extended social interaction. Momiji Inubashiri visits me sometimes to play board games, and we just spent a while together at the festival in the kappa village earlier this evening. I'm looking for something like that."

>The daitengu is quiet for a few moments. Finally she says, "You are aware how presumptuous you're being."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Do her facial expression or movements suggest anything about what she might be thinking?
> "Oh, I get that your time is extremely valuable. I wouldn't have offered to take multiple days' worth of focus off of this contest or to commit to addressing the problem if I didn't understand what I was asking."

[It's Purvis!]

> Do her facial expression or movements suggest anything about what she might be thinking?
> "Oh, I get that your time is extremely valuable. I wouldn't have offered to take multiple days' worth of focus off of this contest or to commit to addressing the problem if I didn't understand what I was asking."

>A slight narrowing of her eyes.
>She is quiet for a moment. "One board game," she says at length. "If you succeed to our satisfaction."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "As long as there's an honest effort to be social, that's fine by me. Not that I expect you to not take it seriously, it's just that I feel like you simply going through the motions just to be rid of me as quickly as possible would hurt a lot more than if you had just declined to begin with."

[It's Purvis!]

> "As long as there's an honest effort to be social, that's fine by me. Not that I expect you to not take it seriously, it's just that I feel like you simply going through the motions just to be rid of me as quickly as possible would hurt a lot more than if you had just declined to begin with."

>"That is the risk you will have to accept," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Mmm. Do you care if it's one-on-one, or can other people also play? Momiji might like to join in, and I just learned today that the rainbow god of markets is a board game enthusiast."

[It's Purvis!]

> "Mmm. Do you care if it's one-on-one, or can other people also play? Momiji might like to join in, and I just learned today that the rainbow god of markets is a board game enthusiast."

>There is a pause, either you said something she wasn't expecting, or she is trying to make you sweat a little.
>"If you can succeed to our satisfaction," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Alright, these terms work for me."

[It's Purvis!]

> "Alright, these terms work for me."

>She nods and stands. "Please send word when you have results."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Of course. Thank you for your time, Miss...?"

[It's Purvis!]

> "Of course. Thank you for your time, Miss...?"

>"Iizunamaru," the daitengu says. "You have given us great expectations, we look forward to see them fulfilled"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Stand ourselves (so that we can get a better sense of how much shorter than her we are).
> "I'd be disappointed in myself if I gave you any less, Miss Iizunamaru."

[Branneg Xy]

> Stand ourselves (so that we can get a better sense of how much shorter than her we are).
> "I'd be disappointed in myself if I gave you any less, Miss Iizunamaru."

> When the situation relaxes and there is no risk of impoliteness or disrepect,look at Koakuma Peacefully...

> ...how is her expression and body language ?

> Does she still seem to take "social interaction's opportunity, to Iizunamaru the Daitengu" in the "misunderstood and exaggerated sense"?