>Let's not disturb her right now.
>Take a moment and try to examine what happened in those last few moments, and see what we can learn from this.
>Electing to leave Lily be for the moment, you decide to gather your thoughts on just what happened to you. What you sensed when you reached out with your mind to touch that liquid was unlike anything you'd ever encountered. Anything you'd ever imagined. It wasn't like what you sensed when you were in contact with either of the two demons you know to be on this world. That thing was no youma, that's for certain.
>There seemed to be nothing to it- Nothing but a drive to consume. That's how you think you would describe it, now that you have the time to think, and are free its influence. It wasn't really so much a 'need' as a 'drive'. Something even simpler than instinct. If that thing WAS a life form, it was probably a very simple one, simpler than even an insect. And you can't be 100% even of that much. Its influence on you was incredibly pronounced, your mind was clouded by that alien drive. Were you not so strong of mind, you honestly believe that alien influence would have led you to try and rip Kiku's throat out and drink her blood hot from the vein. The thought makes a cold chill run down your spine in fear. You were genuinely close...
>And it definately inspired 'hunger' in you, whereas it didn't seem to 'hunger', in that it needed to be fed, so much as that's all it did. Perhaps, because you are clearly a sentient being, that drive was able to influence your higher faculties. You recognized that drive as hunger, whereas it may not have had that capacity. You dread to think what would have happened if that muck had touched the mind of someone else. And this thing was sitting underneath a facility designed to aid newborn youkai. It's a terrible thought.
>And yet, for a moment back there, you did have a sense that there was something more, some sense that beneath that drive, that single drive. But because so much of you mind was corrupted by that taint, and you had to devote nearly all your willpower to not tearing Kiku's arms off with your teeth, you've no idea what that could have been.
>As for why that smoke made you pass out, that much at least seems easier to discern. Your body shut down when you inhaled something so alien. Either that, or.... something worse. But you SEEM fine, now, at least physically, at least past the understandable sense of muddled in your head, and the fact that you feel like you haven't eaten in nearly a year, if not longer.
>Actually, do attempt to contact Lily, doing so through the ring. There is much danger here, and we should make sure that both of our companions are all right.
>Let's not disturb Great Tiger over there.
>Certainly. We can see her, after all. We'll check on Lily, then go to whoever we think needs our help the most.
>After debating the merits of trying to get into contact with Lily, you then decide to give it a shot, and raise your ring up, and speak quietly into it, reaching out to your winged partner.
>"You're awake!" Lily voice comes back strong over your ring, relief very strong in her bright voice. For some reason, hearing her voice makes you feel better. "Thank goodness... Are you all right?"
