Keine Quest (Part 6): Broken History (Complete)

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'm going to fire a little danmaku. Let me know if you see it. And, um, if I hit you, I apologize."
>Fire toward the floor; a single shot. Try to make it bright.

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm going to fire a little danmaku. Let me know if you see it. And, um, if I hit you, I apologize."
>Fire toward the floor; a single shot. Try to make it bright.

>"I will," she says. "And don't worry. I would suffer worse than that to leave."
>You try to gather the brightest danmaku you can muster and fire it at the floor. Although the shot itself is bright, and illuminates your own body somewhat, it does nothing to illuminate your surroundings by even a degree. It connects with the 'floor', then bursts out of existence.
>"I'm sorry," the voice says. "I didn't see anything."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Alright, one more. This one should last a little longer."
>Much the same, but upwards.

[DracoOmega]

>"Alright, one more. This one should last a little longer."
>Much the same, but upwards.

>"Ok," she says.
>You fire a second bright shot upwards. It similarly provides no illumination, and fades rapidly into the darkness. Your eyes can follow it for about a dozen feet before it grows too dark to see. You don't hear it impact anything.
>"Still nothing."

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we detect any direction in which the voice sounds stronger?

[DracoOmega]

>Can we detect any direction in which the voice sounds stronger?

>Perhaps vaguely. You aren't entirely certain.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Keep talking to me. Do you remember anything else from before you were here, perhaps?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Keep talking to me. Do you remember anything else from before you were here, perhaps?"

>"Not... really," she says. "I remember that I used to see things. I remember being able to do things. I don't... I don't remember what they were. I'm sorry. I'm really, truly sorry."

[Hello Purvis]

>Any luck detecting where the voice is strongest yet?
>"Do you remember having a name?"

[DracoOmega]

>Any luck detecting where the voice is strongest yet?
>"Do you remember having a name?"

>It's difficult to tell. You think you may have to blunder around a bit.
>"I remember that I did," she says. "I don't remember what it was."

[E-Nazrin]

>"Does the name 'Gengetsu' sound familiar, then?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Does the name 'Gengetsu' sound familiar, then?"

>"...maybe," she says. "I... I really wish I could answer that for you. I'm sorry."

[Hello Purvis]

>Blunder around a bit. Keep trying to follow it.
>"What about Mugetsu?"

[DracoOmega]

>Blunder around a bit. Keep trying to follow it.
>"What about Mugetsu?"

>You continue trying to follow her voice, judging where it seems loudest and angling in that direction. Sometimes it sounds like you may have moved past her, and you adjust your course accordingly. You think you're narrowing it down. Or at least you hope you are. If it weren't for the rope in your hand, you fear you might be hopelessly lost by this point.
>"I... I feel it should," she says. "I don't know why, but I truly feel it should."

[Hello Purvis]

>"If I'm not mistaken, that would be your sister's name. And Gengetsu your own. Admittedly, there's some chance I am wrong. But I don't think so."
>Keep following.

[DracoOmega]

>"If I'm not mistaken, that would be your sister's name. And Gengetsu your own. Admittedly, there's some chance I am wrong. But I don't think so."
>Keep following.

>"That's..." Her voice is soft, yet mournful. "Do you have any idea what it's like to hear your own sister's name... and not recognize it? I'm so ashamed of myself."
>You keep trying to follow the voice; you can't even tell whether you're moving in a straight line or not at this point. Shouldn't you have run out of rope by now, or does it just feel like you've traveled further than you really have?
>After a little while longer, you think you see a hint of color among all the blackness, ahead and to your right.

[Hello Purvis]

>Home in on that color.
>"You're hurt, Gengetsu. You did something that seemed harmless, but was not very wise. It's good to be regretful, but try not to let it rule your being. Hopefully, though, we can get you out of here and get you started on making up for it all."
><Back toward Maribel: "Can you still hear us out there?"

[DracoOmega]

>Home in on that color.
>"You're hurt, Gengetsu. You did something that seemed harmless, but was not very wise. It's good to be regretful, but try not to let it rule your being. Hopefully, though, we can get you out of here and get you started on making up for it all."
><Back toward Maribel: "Can you still hear us out there?"

>You move towards the hint of light among the endless blackness. It quickly gets larger and more defined as you approach; there is no mistaking that something is there.
>"If I can," she says. "If only I can, I would do anything."
>"I can still hear you," Maribel responds, sounding quite distant now. "A little, anyway."

>You move close enough to the form to make out some details. It is a figure, stumped motionless upon the ground, limbs spread limply away from its body. There is no trace of any color in its form but grey. Parts of it, particularly its arms and legs seem hazy, almost smoke-like.

[Hello Purvis]

>"There you are. Let's get you out of here, Gengetsu."
>If we can, try to pick her up, since she said she can't move.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"There you are. Let's get you out of here, Gengetsu."
>If we can, try to pick her up, since she said she can't move.

>"You can see me?" she says, turning her head and searching around without an obvious direction in mind. Her gaze moves past you without appearing to see you.
>You bend down to pick her up, your hands passing though the whispy parts of her entirely. It leaves a strange, almost numbing sensation. Still, you find something solid past them to hold onto and lift. Ordinarily, you think this would take a fair bit of effort for you, but in hakutaku form she feels more awkward than heavy.
>"I- I think I felt something," she says.

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's me. I'm picking you up and carrying you out of here. I don't think you can see right now, but hopefully will be able to do something about that."
>Sling her over our shoulder, and follow the rope out.
>"I found her! I'm coming out!"

[DracoOmega]

>"That's me. I'm picking you up and carrying you out of here. I don't think you can see right now, but hopefully will be able to do something about that."
>Sling her over our shoulder, and follow the rope out.
>"I found her! I'm coming out!"

>"It is?" she says, still looking around aimlessly for you. "...thank you. No matter what else becomes of me, thank you."
>You sling her over your shoulder, then start to follow the rope back out.
>"Great!" Maribel says. "It's a little nerve wracking not being able to see you in there."

>After walking for a little while, you see the outline of the door become visible through the blackness. You can make out Maribel's outline peering into it. She waves enthusiastically when she sees you. Shortly afterward, you emerge back into the light once more. Maribel frowns as she looks at the form over your shoulder, while the shadow is practically bubbling with curiosity. Something is familiar about this one, too! Even more familiar than all the others!

[Hello Purvis]

>Gently place Gruegetsu against the wall, sitting upright.
>"You're out of that place now. Do you feel any different?"

[DracoOmega]

>Gently place Gruegetsu against the wall, sitting upright.
>"You're out of that place now. Do you feel any different?"

>You lean down and gently place her against the wall.
>"I... A little, maybe. I'm not sure. I- I still can't see anything." She frowns. "...you can see me, though... can't you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I can. Let me try something."
>Let the shadow know it's alright to touch this one.

[DracoOmega]

>"I can. Let me try something."
>Let the shadow know it's alright to touch this one.

>"I am blind then," she says softly.
>The shadow waits barely a moment after you tell it this, and reaches out to touch Gengetsu. Her eyes widen and dart about as it makes contact.
>"What is-" she gasps. "What are-" Then she falls silent, staring into the empty distance. They stay together like that for several minutes, Gengetsu never moving or blinking. Then the shadow withdraws. It is more subdued than you've seen it since you first met.
>"I- I think I remember," Gengetsu says. "A little. That night. I... remember my sister's name. Oh, how could I have ever forgotten..." You see a single tear form in her eye.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Good, you're getting a bit better. Don't be too sad, I'm sure they'll both forgive you. Mugetsu will be ecstatic! "
>Kneel down by Shadow Gengetsu, and try to give it some encouragement, too.

[DracoOmega]

>"Good, you're getting a bit better. Don't be too sad, I'm sure they'll both forgive you. Mugetsu will be ecstatic! "
>Kneel down by Shadow Gengetsu, and try to give it some encouragement, too.

>Gengetsu shakes her head. "I don't know that I deserve her forgiveness. As I am, I am helpless to fulfill my responsibility to her. I have still failed as a sister."
>You kneel down by the shadow. You... think it may be trying to grasp the concept of sadness. It doesn't entirely understand why it feels this way. But it does understand that the being it just touched is like itself in ways no other being yet has been. It thinks it was once like it, somehow. It has difficulty remembering. Beyond that, it is still uncertain.

[Hello Purvis]

>"You'll have to get yourself together, first. But take heart, we'll get this all straightened out yet. You understand what it was that you just communed with, I hope?"

[DracoOmega]

>"You'll have to get yourself together, first. But take heart, we'll get this all straightened out yet. You understand what it was that you just communed with, I hope?"

>"I'm... not sure," she replies. "It held memories that I'm certain are mine. But it's consciousness is... very simple. Almost absent, like it were nothing more than a collection of fragments of experience. I... think they might be mine, but I don't know how or why."