User:NekoRex/Alice13

	It's currently nearing Noon in the chaotic Forest of Magic, as always full of the usual mushroom samba of toxic spores and deadly, warped plant life lurking everywhere. But as usual, it seems some people haven't gotten the hint as a small two-story house sits in a surprisingly peaceful clearing somewhere in the middle of it all. *	Zen_Shin_Tan was trudging through the forest, carrying the front end of a makeshift stretcher. His wards glowing a faint blue, keeping the toxic air at bay. He was following the mental map his shikigami had drew up a day ago when it had followed Marisa back to her shop. (Hopefully, the witch will have something that can help..) <>Ambiance<>	 The dolls outside turn and watch the approaching stranger than trudges through the forest as he does. They're placed very subtly, and are easy to miss, but drift about like tiny fairies, watching inquisitively. *	Homura carried the back end of the stretcher, reluctant to carry the shrine maiden yet had little choise in the matter. She had been relatively quiet, only observing the strange toxic fauna that seemed to only sprout in the general area. 	"Was building a stretcher entirely necessary?" Honda said while in the stretcher. 	Inside the house, Marisa_Kirisame is probably doing something rather mundane, like quickly chowing down on a bowl of special magic mushroom stew (packed with a stimulating concoction!). She's not expecting visitors, really, but she is about ready to go out to kick some celestial ass. 	"It should be just past this treeline." said Zen_Shin. 	"A stretcher is more useful." <>Ambiance<>	 One of the dolls stirs to life from the trees above, dropping down and floating in Homura's way. It gestures once with its lance, as if asking for the reason they're here. *	ALice_Margatroid is probably watching Marisa do that mundane thing, probably while reading on the other side of the room. Although, she perks up a little when she gets feedback from one of her dolls.. 	Between globs of stew, she asks, "So, you gonna come watch me win, Alice? I'm sure it'll be an interesting fight." *	Homura blinked in surprise. A doll? Shikigami? She could not quite tell, and hesitated to make a response of her own. Instead she called out to her master, inclining her head towards the direction of this mysterious thing. 	Mmh.. maybe. 	"Hm? What is it Homura?" 	I might come along just to make sure you don't get bones broken from flying rocks. *	ALice_Margatroid shrugs a little, staring steadily out into space as she focuses on the disturbance. *	Zen_Shin_Tan looked back to see what Homura was calling his attention for. He almost stopped upon seeing the doll. (A shikigami?) <>Ambiance<>	 The doll twitches a bit upon being confronted, gesturing lightly with its pointed weapon once more. 	"Yes, I suppose... You, what are you? Art thou a shikigami? Where dost yourth master?" 	"Nah, I doubt it'll come to that. Even if she does get a hit or two in," Marisa says, scoffing at the thought. "It'll be Spell Card Rules for sure, so I doubt I'd do something that drastic." <>Ambiance<>	 Lingering a little, it finally turns and starts off in the opposite direction, tiny wings flittering. It starts to lead them towards the house, figuring it'd answer their questions. *	Zen_Shin_Tan frowned but followed. (Could it be? That this be one of the witch's sentry?) 	"...Earth to Alice, are you all there?" Marisa seems to ask as she looks in her direction and picks up on the odd look, snapping her fingers a couple times. As she snaps a dim light seems to briefly conjure itself in front of Alice's face, making up for the fact Marisa is a few feet away to get her attention. 	... Eh? Yeah, I suppose. 	I'm sorry, there seem to be people nearby. 	As in.. visitors. I don't know why they're here, they didn't say, but... *	ALice_Margatroid shakes her head a little, standing up and still blinking. 	I'm not sure why they'd want to be here, anyways. <Marisa_Kirisame>	"What da they look like?" she asks with a mouthfull of food. <ALice_Margatroid>	Some large youkai-looking girl, an old man, and some hurt girl on a stretcher. <Marisa_Kirisame>	"A stretcher? Weird, are they expectin' to make an offering to the big ol' plants around here or somethin'? We're not exactly medical experts here." <ALice_Margatroid>	I have no idea why anyone would come to us for medical help, yes.. <ALice_Margatroid>	Unless they wanted me to make the injured girl into a puppet, but.. well, it seems unhuman-like to look for that. *	Marisa_Kirisame looks a bit surprised at the suggestion. "That's not exactly something I've seen you advertise, ya know." <ALice_Margatroid>	... <ALice_Margatroid>	There's a reason I don't advertise it, I just like expanding my horizons. *	ALice_Margatroid shrugs, really not caring all that much if this was some big secret. <ALice_Margatroid>	As I said, "unhuman-like". <Zen_Shin_Tan>	The group finally made it past the final tree line and arrived at the well-hidden dwelling. "I suppose this is the place?" <>Ambiance<>	 The doll comes to a stop at the door, gesturing gently to it, before darting back up into the cover of the trees and returning to where it was before. <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"Careful now Homura." said Zen_Shin as he gently put down the stretcher. <Akumu_Honda>	 "Are we there yet?" <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"Yes, we are here. According to my map." said Zen_Shin. *	Homura imitated her master's actions, bringing the injured down with as little force as she could. *	Zen_Shin_Tan cautiously walked up to the front door and knocked. <Akumu_Honda>	Honda shot a glare at Homura. "It's not like I'm going to be standing up on my own you know. A little help so I can hop into the house?" *	Marisa_Kirisame gets up from the table now, having just finished gobbling down her bowl of food. "Ya want me to get it?" she asks. *	Homura returned the glare with folded arms. *	ALice_Margatroid rolls her eyes, wondering just who that could be with the greatest of sarcasm, before crossing over and going to get the door. <ALice_Margatroid>	What do you people want? *	Zen_Shin_Tan folded his hands together bowed at the sight of Alice. ''Excuse us for disturbing you. Does a miss Kirisame live here?'' <ALice_Margatroid>	That would be correct.. what do you need her for, though? *	Marisa_Kirisame casually puts her hands behind her head as she wanders over to the door herself, wondering what all the fuss is about. Overhearing the question, she pops up from being Alice and answers, I guess ya could say I live here, yeah." before quicly recognizing two of them. "Oh! It's you guys from yesterday! You sure are quick to follow up on stuff, ze." <ALice_Margatroid>	From.. yesterday..?  <ALice_Margatroid>	Who're they, again?  *	Zen_Shin_Tan bowed again at the sight of Marisa. We have come to visit your shop as patrons under the presume that you sell salves.  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Yeah, I met them when I went over to town." Marisa says, putting her arms out wide to alude to the oversized fish she brought home to cook.  "They're a couple of shrine priests like Reimu, whatever ya call 'em."  <ALice_Margatroid>	Let's hope they're not as foul-natured as she can be at times. Ehehe..  *	ALice_Margatroid shrugs, backing off a little.  *	Marisa_Kirisame looks back over at them. "I don't recognize you, though." she says, gesturing to the oni. "You one of their minions or somethin'?"  <Homura>	"Minions-"  *	Homura looked almost insulted by how she was addressed, but said nothing of the matter, "I am Zen Shin's shikigami. That is all." <ALice_Margatroid>	... So a minion, then..  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Oh, like the Gap Troll's fox? Alright, I getcha." Marisa replies. "Well, welcome to Kirisame Magic Shop. Well, that's what I would say if I still had a proper store ta' sell from, eh heh heh." <ALice_Margatroid>	Yes, we're.. working on the whole "Magic Shop" thing, seeing as we have a lot of building to do..  <Akumu_Honda>	"Are you two going to leave me on the ground while ya both talking or something? The ground's nice and damp n' all but I think a cold is going to catch on at this rate." <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"I apoligize for what has happened to your store. Please excuse my rudeness, I must ask. Do you have any sorts of healing salve? My pupil is injured, a fractured femur." explained Zen_Shin. *	Homura scowled slighlty, but nonetheless brought her hands beneath Akumu_Honda's back and knees, hefting the shrine maiden onto her shoulders with surprisingly little effort.   <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Why are ya on a stretcher, anyway?" Marisa starts to ask, before her question happens to get answered. "Healin's salve? I've got just the stuff, actually..." Marisa says, jamming a hand into some random spot on her dress, and pulling out a palm-sized jar filled with something brown. The cap has a pink heart on it, drawn over a scribbled out red star. <Akumu_Honda>	"Well, I wonder. Maybe because a certain muscle bound individual saw fit to try to go for the deathblow in a friendly spar, perhaps." *	Zen_Shin_Tan stared at the brown jar, having his doubts for a moment.  <ALice_Margatroid>	This stuff is made by the individual that went and cheated death, so you're almost certain to get results.  *	ALice_Margatroid nods at the jar.  *	Marisa_Kirisame elbows Alice a bit with her free hand lightly. "I thought you said ya' wouldn't go blabbin' that out to everyone." she complains.  <ALice_Margatroid>	When I put it that way, it sounds like a feat, you be quiet. Showing off to customers is what you want to do, right?  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"The last thing I wanna go boast is that I died." Marisa retorts.  <ALice_Margatroid>	I didn't say that you died, I said that you cheated death. There's a difference. Also, you did technically say..  *	ALice_Margatroid rolls her eyes, chuckling softly. <ALice_Margatroid>	It makes you sound like a person who can do that in their potions and tricks and spells, and people are more likely to buy from a "flashy attitude". <Akumu_Honda>	"Like I said, could we maybe not chat in the open? I'm getting all of these purple mushroom spores on my dress, and I don't think it's entirely healthy. Last thing I wanna do is complicate my existing injury with a case of death by poisoning because a certain old male keeps trying to be overly polite." <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Yeah, well I have plenty of less embarassin' feats, like bein' the best youkai blaster in Gensoukyou. After Reimu." Marisa says, her tone much more haughty. *	Marisa_Kirisame looks a bit suspiciously at Akumu_Honda. "That's no way ta' treat someone who's livin in the only house for a mile. Maybe ya just want me ta dump ya' somewhere less pleasant, ze?" <Zen_Shin_Tan>	Zen_Shin stared at the conversation between the two before reaching deep into one of the folds in his inner robes and jingling around for a bit. He pulled out a few gold coins, good luck ofudas, and good luck omamories. ''Please excuse her behavior. Will these suffice?'' <Akumu_Honda>	"If either case results in me eventually dying of a cause other than old age, I can't say that either option is pleasant." <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Quit yer bellyachin'." Marisa grunts, looking over at Zen at the sound of cash. "Well, if it's buyin' we're talkin, I've got other stuff in the basement ya might be interested in too." Marisa says, gesturing them inside to come in. "Ya don't mind if they come in, right Alice?" she asks as she turns her head to her. <ALice_Margatroid>	I don't really mind, no. I'll be watching to make sure they don't touch anything, though. <Akumu_Honda>	"If you're really running a business, shouldn't ya be at least using the fundamentals of customer service? Nice smile, pleasant attitude. Probably one that doesn't involve invoking an aura of Asura behind you like the one next to me?" <Akumu_Honda>	*like the person next to me* *	Zen_Shin_Tan frowned a bit, unexpected at the sudden welcome but bowed and accepted. He went over to the stretched and motined for Homura to pick up the other end. <Marisa_Kirisame>	"I provide the best customer service in the entire forest." Marisa boasts, leading them to the stairs down. *	Homura shook her head with a furrowed brow, "a stretcher is too wide. I will carry her on my shoulders." <ALice_Margatroid>	Yes, in the.. entire forest.. *	ALice_Margatroid chuckles softly, seating herself on one of the sofas in the living room as she watches the three walk in and down to the basement. <Zen_Shin_Tan>	((Excuse that last line.)) Zen_Shin went over and helped support Akumu_Honda with walking. *	Zen_Shin_Tan, with Homura's help, helped Akumu_Honda into the house. You have a safe dwelling. he commented as they entered. *	Homura felt a little annoyed that her master would expend his energy to help as well, but it was his choice to make, so she simply followed allong. <Akumu_Honda>	"Wah, wait wait waiiiit." Honda's forehead smacked against the upper area above the door as she was far too high on Homura's shoulders. With a noticable smack, she lurched backwards, dazed and somewhat unconscious. *	Marisa_Kirisame leads them down the stairs, where they can smell Marisa's temporary labratory before they can properly see it, having the same smell as the pungent odor of the forest mushrooms, but far, far worse. Inside the basement, however, was a large desk filled with glass tubes and beakers, surrounded by large bubbling pots of some kind of soup, a couple shelves on the wall filled with jars filled with a rainbow of colorful liquids and powders. <Marisa_Kirisame>	Marisa is, of course, oblivious to the smell, and to whatever difficulty the group was having getting down to the basement. *	Homura ignored the painful, yet oddly satisfying crack of skull against wood. Secretly her lips stretched to a little playful smile. *	Zen_Shin_Tan applied another ward on their group upon being blasted with the concentrated and pungent smell. <Zen_Shin_Tan>	''Is this your workplace?" <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Well, I guess this is as close to a shop as you're gonna get." Marisa says, turning around once she was down the stairs and to the side of the room, gesturing to her stuff. "Yeah, this is where the magic happens." she says with a grin.  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Any kind of potion or magic ya can think of, I probably have or can make pretty easy." she says, rattling off some of her wares. "Healin' salves, sleep aids, aids for NOT sleepin', stuff that makes ya see-through, stuff that goes boom, you get the idea."  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"May I purchase the salve first? I shall have a look after I tend to my pupil's wound.'' <Akumu_Honda>	Being unconscious, Honda wasn't in much of a position to appreciate the sights. Or the smell for that matter. <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Ah, right. I don't get a whole lotta customers, really, so I'm not sure how ta' properly price this stuff... especially since that bag of yers ain't real money." <Zen_Shin_Tan>	''Silver and gold does not interest you? Would charms suffice?" <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Wait, yer' tellin me that's silver an' gold?" Marisa says, taking a much closer look at it. "Quite the opposite, actually. I could melt it right down and use it for my work." <Akumu_Honda>	It seemed the wards werent' working as well as Zen_Shin_Tan expectd, as Honda's nose twitched in irritation. The smell was just /that/ bad.  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"Yes, how much would you want for the salve?"  <Akumu_Honda>	"What the blazes is with this smell that feels like a mixture of a wet towel dowsed in rat urine."  <Akumu_Honda>	Honda jerked up awake, smacking her head against the roof in the process, but not as hard as she had against the door. "Ow ow ow ow. Huh. We're inside?" *	Marisa_Kirisame looks a bit offended by the comment on the smell, flicking at Honda a couple danmaku stars that would give you a pretty decent jolt.  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	Similar to last time, upon entering a certain point. The shikigamis protecting the party flared up in spiritual blue flame, engulfing the danmaku stars.  <Akumu_Honda>	Honda didn't really notice the stars, but as her vision returned to normal (unfortunately, the smell was still there.) "Are we talking about money?" Honda said as she rummaged in her chest area. "I have a fair sum of money I saved up for a rainy day from my day job, I'd like to pay for my own expenses."  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"With that much gold, you could buy my whole stock, I think..."  *	Marisa_Kirisame seems quite a bit more interested in the precious metals then real money, in fact." *	Marisa_Kirisame looks rather annoyed by them still using that barrier thing, and flicks a few more stars at her before Jian has a chance to renew the barrier. "Quiet, you." <Akumu_Honda>	"Huh where did I put my pur-" she said as a star firmly struck her forehead. *	Zen_Shin_Tan stared at the scenario before speaking up again. Please do not shoot things around me again... Zen_Shin reapplied his barrier ofuda. <Zen_Shin_Tan>	I'll take as many as I can with a gold coin. <Akumu_Honda>	A ripple sensation ripped through her nerves as the star hit home, overstimulating her senses and knocking Honda out once again. <Marisa_Kirisame>	"That'd be a few, but I don't have much of any one kinda thing." she says, starting off by handing him the jar of healing salve. "That stuff you just spread on the hurt area. It's not instant and ain't a cure-all, but it'll speed up whatever's healin'." *	Marisa_Kirisame watches Honda fall unconcious again, assuring, "Don't worry, that was pretty weak magic, she'll live." *	Zen_Shin_Tan stared at the situation. A bit.... Extremely. Perplexed. At the ways and customs of the people of this era. <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"I'll take as many of the healing salve you have.'' <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Well... that's one of two." Marisa says, pulling another off the shelf. "And I can't really part with both of 'em today. I was gonna leave for a friendly spar before ya' showed up." <Zen_Shin_Tan>	''I'll take the one then. Please keep the rest of its value." <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Ya don't want anything else?" she asks. <Zen_Shin_Tan>	The possession of unnecessities is discourage amongst the onmyouji. <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Well, metal's more valuable to me then cash." Marisa says, pulling a decent-sized bag of something that jingles from under her dress. <Marisa_Kirisame>	"I still recommend a potion of somethin' though, I guarantee there's somethin' else here you'd find useful." <Zen_Shin_Tan>	''A potion? You mean medicine?" <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Concoctions, potions, powders, whatever." Marisa replies. "I've got all kinds."  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"I am not familiar with these... What are they?"  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Magic stuff that does magic things. Whatever you can imagine, I might have somethin' that does it. If not, I could make it. If I've never heard of it, it's probably a pretty neat idea for later." Marisa offers again. <Zen_Shin_Tan>	... What Honda-san asked of you yesterday. Magical paper, paper with magical properties. Do you have those?  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"I've got a few things that could work as tonics or whatever people call it these days, stuff for poison or other nasty things." Marisa starts to drone. "Oh, those paper things? I don't have any ready, but I think I got somethin' better..." Marisa says, searching her shelves for a particular jar. *	Zen_Shin_Tan looked at what Marisa_Kirisame was referring to.  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Hmmm..." Marisa says, finding the jar and pulling it off the shelf. It's a cup-sized jar full of dark red powder. "If you add water to this, I bet it'd make a decent ink. It wouldn't take much to make the powder go boom, either." <Zen_Shin_Tan>	I'll have one of that too then.  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Anything else?" she asks, handing him the jar as well. "Use your imagination." she suggests.  *	Marisa_Kirisame starts to turn around but quickly looks back and warns, "Ya might wanna be a bit careful with that, by the way."  <Marisa_Kirisame>	The jar itself is labeled with a similar warning.   <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"I will heed your warning. Homura, is there anything that interests you?" *	Zen_Shin_Tan asked as he began to apply the salve onto the wound.  <Homura>	"Mmmn?"  *	Homura perked up a little as she heard her master address her.  <Homura>	"...Not particularly. I have little interest in these...concoctions. If they do work for me." <Marisa_Kirisame>	"The tonics might not, but the powders probably will." Marisa answers.  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Dunno about the effects of some of this stuff on youkai..." Marisa wonders to herself. "Might be worth some more research when I become a full fledged magician." she says, lowering her volume to a thoughtfull mutter.  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"I'll... Take one of each. Take how much you need for it." <Marisa_Kirisame>	"...Ya gotta be more specific."  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"Would you happen to have change for whatever is left for the gold?"  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Yeah, I have plenty of money here." Marisa says, jingling the bag again, "I dunno how much you gold ya value for it, though."  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"Hmm. Do you need silver just as much?" <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Precious metal is pretty handy for alchemy, whatever the type." Marisa says.  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"Would it be easier to request change using silver then?"  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"I guess, but I'm fine with exchanging however much you're willing to hand over with money you can use." Marisa says.  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"I'll pay using silver then. I'll buy the salves, the explosive, and potions covering enough types of ailmants for the silver." <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Alright, ailments I can do." Marisa says, taking around 8 more jars of various sizes and shapes, from tiny vials to spherical bottles the size of your fist. They're all labeled to be effective for common diseases or toxins.  *	Zen_Shin_Tan handed the coin over. Thank you.  *	Marisa_Kirisame puts a hand on her chin and examines the coin thoughtfully, thinking about how much it'd be worth, and how useful it'd be. After a few seconds, she frowns and says, "I'm gonna be honest, I can't let ya walk out with all that for just one of these."  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"How many more would you require?"  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Two of these silver coins would pay for the whole lot." Marisa replies. "And I'd still like to offer to buy a gold coin or two for some yen. Let's face it, I need the gold more then the cash, and anyone else would probably swindle ya to get ahold of stuff like that." *	Zen_Shin_Tan thought about this for a while before recalling something he had heard of from merchants trading with the Thang Empire.  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"May I have credit? I will give you the gold, and if I ever need something. I'll come by to buy it from you then and you may deduct it from that value." <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Yeah, that'd work." Marisa says, sounding surprised at the suggestion. "Seems like an unfair deal though, since I never get actual customers. But sheesh, I don't think I'd have to charge ya for potions ever again." *	Zen_Shin_Tan handed over the gold too and bowed. Thank you for doing business.  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	((3 coins of gold. 2 coins of silver. Each are 1 ounce each))  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Y-yeah." Marisa says, giving a nod in reply.  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	"We will be taking our leave. Good day to you Kirisame-san. Homura, help me carry Honda-san back to the stretcher." *	Homura inclined her head slightly toward Marisa_Kirisame before turning to leave. Silently she wondered if the stretcher was not already coated in spores, but that was not hers to care about.  <Marisa_Kirisame>	Marisa guides them back to the front door, opening it for them to let them leave. She's being surprisingly polite, if you knew anything about Marisa's personality, although still to a fault.  <Zen_Shin_Tan>	The group came back to a spore-covered stretcher. Zen_Shin had forgotten to place a ward on the stretcher itself. Silently cursing himself for forgetting, Zen_Shin carefully shifted Honda onto his back and made sure to cast another guard shikigami on her leg. Thank you again. said Zen_Shin toward Marisa before heading off.  <Marisa_Kirisame>	"Come back anytime!" Marisa greets goodbye in reply. "Don't die on the way back!"