Keine Quest (Part 5): Broken History

[DracoOmega]

>"More than that. Hakutaku are, essentially, youkai of history. I am one, though it's not very apparent at the moment. That event happened 18 years in the past from your perspective. But, from that of the present, it happened seven years ago. And this is where it begins to get painfully complicated."

>"Oh, so that's not complicated enough already?" Renko frowns. "Go on."

[Hello Purvis]

>"This event is reaching through time, Renko, into the past and into the future. Whatever happened to Maribel..."
>...Oh damn it, that frightened person...
>"It began, a few days ago, but it's reached into the past and future, and it's all became a giant mess from there."

[DracoOmega]

>"This event is reaching through time, Renko, into the past and into the future. Whatever happened to Maribel..."
>...Oh damn it, that frightened person...
>"It began, a few days ago, but it's reached into the past and future, and it's all became a giant mess from there."

>Oh boy... Could it be? Seems so long ago, now...
>"So..." Renko begins slowly. "You're saying this happened 18 years, seven years, and a few days ago? All at the same time?"
>"And that's why I'm not bothering to figure any of this out," Reimu says.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Precisely. And, as a result, history was changed radically in Gensokyo. We've been trying to trace the source of it the rifts between here and there, hoping to find some answers. And, we ended up here. But...I think I've put something together. I might know what happened to her. You said that she dreamed of exploring our world, right? Well, if her dreams actually took her there, perhaps she was attacked?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Precisely. And, as a result, history was changed radically in Gensokyo. We've been trying to trace the source of it the rifts between here and there, hoping to find some answers. And, we ended up here. But...I think I've put something together. I might know what happened to her. You said that she dreamed of exploring our world, right? Well, if her dreams actually took her there, perhaps she was attacked?"

>Renko frowns deeply. "She... she did say that she often woke up being chased by youkai. Do you... think it's possible something happened to her there? Could... something have caught her? How does that even work?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I think something put her to sleep. I've encountered a youkai whose abilities seem to involve that... But, I am not sure how it would be involved with all the rest of this, aside from a loss of control."

[DracoOmega]

>"I think something put her to sleep. I've encountered a youkai whose abilities seem to involve that... But, I am not sure how it would be involved with all the rest of this, aside from a loss of control."

>"Put her to sleep... while she was already asleep?" Renko shakes her head. "I suppose that doesn't make any less sense than anything else you've said."
>"What'd this youkai look like," Reimu asks, peering at you.

[Blitzer]

>"This youkai had white wings."
>Recall any other details about this youkai.
>If so, continue describing the youkai.
>If not, say "I can't recall any other details. I know, it's very vague."

[DracoOmega]

>"This youkai had white wings."
>Recall any other details about this youkai.
>If so, continue describing the youkai.
>If not, say "I can't recall any other details. I know, it's very vague."

>You only saw the youkai in glimpses between the trees inside a forested area at night. There were patches of light, but she was moving quickly, and the only distinctive feature you could notice were a pair of white wings. You mention as much, noting how poor your visibility was at the time.
>Marisa frowns at your description and turns to Reimu, who sighs. "That sounds a little like Gengetsu," Reimu says. "Although I can't imagine what she would have been doing there. Would have been nice if you'd gotten a better look."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I...wonder."
>Consider the dispelling charm. "Ran, if that is the cause, do you think we could dispel it from here?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I...wonder."
>Consider the dispelling charm. "Ran, if that is the cause, do you think we could dispel it from here?"

>"I... I don't know," Ran replies. "I don't feel any obvious enchantment on her, and neither did Marisa. Perhaps, if she did indeed encounter this creature in her dreams, it's affected her on some level too deep to sense?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hell."
>"I suppose we have to go back to that grove."

[DracoOmega]

>"Hell."
>"I suppose we have to go back to that grove."

>Judging from the scowl on Reimu's face, she shares your sentiments.
>"Are you hoping we can find her," Ran says, "and force her to release her hold on this one?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Something like that. I'll be just as happy to find whatever aspect of Maribel is there and just dispel it."

[DracoOmega]

>"Something like that. I'll be just as happy to find whatever aspect of Maribel is there and just dispel it."

>"I suppose that's also a possibility," Ran says. "Although... even if that would explain why she remains asleep, how does it account for her role in creating those fissures?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"If she's related to Yukari, I think losing control explains it in and of itself."

[DracoOmega]

>"If she's related to Yukari, I think losing control explains it in and of itself."

>"I don't know that even Yukari would have the strength to do that under her own power," Ran says. "And Maribel is human. I wish I knew what her presence here meant. Or her existence itself, for that matter."
>"I.. not sure I know how to take that," Renko says.
>Ran shakes her head. "I mean no disrespect, least of all at a time like this. But their resemblance is more than uncanny. They could pass as identical twins, were it possible for one to be older than the other."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Still, it's the only lead we have at the moment."

[DracoOmega]

>"Still, it's the only lead we have at the moment."

>"That... may be true," Ran says. "But I still feel there's some important element we're missing, here. Something in what Yukari said. Something in their connection." She shakes her head. "I don't know what it is. But I agree that returning to that grove may be our best option. If we can awaken Maribel, she may be able to tell us more."
>"I don't know what she could," Renko said. "I can't imagine she'd be keeping a secret that big from me. We were in this together; searching for traces of other worlds. But if there's anything you can do to help her..." She bows her head towards you. "Please."

[Hello Purvis]

>"There may be something in Yukari's words. But, frankly, I need her to be wrong or misunderstood right now, if only for this girl's sake. The question is, how can someone who doesn't even exist yet come into Gensokyo via dreams? The only thing that would make sense is that something was calling her there. This may have been Yukari, simply by existing, or it may not be... And if it's not, I have no idea what it would be."
>"The grove, I think, is our next goal. The question is, how do we get back, and can we bring anyone with us."

[DracoOmega]

>"There may be something in Yukari's words. But, frankly, I need her to be wrong or misunderstood right now, if only for this girl's sake. The question is, how can someone who doesn't even exist yet come into Gensokyo via dreams? The only thing that would make sense is that something was calling her there. This may have been Yukari, simply by existing, or it may not be... And if it's not, I have no idea what it would be."
>"The grove, I think, is our next goal. The question is, how do we get back, and can we bring anyone with us."

>"Such a pain in the ass," Reimu says, frowning.
>Ran nods. "It does seem like the most obvious course of action, speculation aside. As for returning, the spot at which either of us entered through should hopefully suffice. The terminus this is anchored to on Gensokyo's side can only accommodate two people, however. If more were to enter at once, I couldn't guarantee where they would end up. Or if they would end up anywhere at all."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Let's go, then. Hopefully we'll be able to catch whomever it is."
>"Tell me about Gengetsu, Reimu?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Let's go, then. Hopefully we'll be able to catch whomever it is."
>"Tell me about Gengetsu, Reimu?"

>"So... you're going back to Gensokyo, then?" Renko asks. "I guess I'll know if you succeed when Mary wakes up?"
>"I, uh, don't really know that much about her, to be honest," Reimu says. "Would probably be around nine or ten years ago now, I met her. I stumbled into this sort of dream realm that her and her sister made. It was a little like Mugenkan, if you've heard of it? Smaller, though. Better hidden. But there was this strange energy emanating from there, and I'd assumed she was up to something, so..."
>"So she beat her up," Marisa adds cheerfully.
>"Hey, she shot first!" Reimu replies.
>Marisa nods. "Yup. 'cause you'd just finished beating her sister up."
>Reimu scowls at her. Renko looks a little nonplussed.

[Hello Purvis]

>"I don't suppose you can describe that strange energy in a way that makes sense?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't suppose you can describe that strange energy in a way that makes sense?"

>Reimu shrugs. "Probably not. It's mostly an intuition thing. It was kinda fuzzy and vague, almost like something on the edge of your consciousness. Pretty powerful, just the same."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Did she use anything that caused sleep?

[DracoOmega]

>"Did she use anything that caused sleep?

>"Sorta," Reimu said. "I think dreams were her domain, really. But that feels pretty much the same when you're on the receiving end of it."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hmmm. How did you resist it?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Hmmm. How did you resist it?"

>"By shooting her in the face," Marisa says, grinning widely.
>Reimu throws her an irritated glance. "Yeah, pretty much that."

[Hello Purvis]

>"...That sounds like an absolutely wonderful idea. What else can you tell me? And, let's be on our way before something else happens."
>Consider Renko.
>"Did you bring your own car here?"