Maribel Hearn Quest: ACT III - Part 3

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Nod and sit down.
>"How so ? Please explain it some more."

>You have a seat, as does your group.
>"My other student was a Youkai of Darkness, the polar opposite of Kikuri's ability. I found her on the verge of being exterminated, and took her here, where she could feed on the ambient darkness left behind by the sinners, and weaned her off the human flesh she had become addicted to. While she was initially resistant, she agreed to stick around and join the order. Perhaps it was because Kikuri and I were the first people to show her kindness... Anyway, soon, the two fell in love, and were inseparable. When Kikuri was trapped in the hellmoon, my other student desperately tried to save her, nearly compromising the realm stability in the process. After I was forced to slap some sense into her, she left here in exile. Vowing to return with a way to release Kikuri. Kikuri has been waiting patiently every day since then."
>Konngara looks at the window, sadly.
>"I never had the heart to tell her that her love is never coming back..."
>_

[Monarda]

>"What was the name of that other student ? Maybe i could find her out there."

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"What was the name of that other student ? Maybe i could find her out there."

>"Her name was Rumia..." Konngara replies.

>"_{^{What? No, it couldn't be...}}" you hear Renko mumble to herself.

>"Though don't even bother with it. She won't have any memories of her past." hints of regret present themselves of Konngara's face "The seal I placed on her made sure of that..."
>_

[Monarda]

>"R-Rumia ?! That same Rumia that looks like a kid ?! But why ?"
>Look upset.
>"Why did you just do that ?!"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"R-Rumia ?! That same Rumia that looks like a kid ?! But why ?"
>Look upset.
>"Why did you just do that ?!"

>"Ah, so you've met her." Konngara frowns, "I did it to save her life... When I encountered her again, she had returned to her flesh-eating ways and had managed to amass enough darkness consume Gensokyo. She had become a threat, and many had come to stop her. Eventually, our combined efforts managed to defeat her, and if I hadn't quickly sealed her, she would've had to have been permanently exterminated. I couldn't leave her as she was, either, or it would've just lead history to repeat itself. So I had the seal specifically suppress her immense power, as well as wipe her memories. It was, as you would say, a rebirth."
>Konngara sighs.
>"Of course, that seal is not expected to last forever. Once it fails, she will no doubt be consumed by anger and grief once more. And once that happens, I'm afraid there will be no choice but to end her... She will not see reason..."
>_

[Monarda]

>"No... no that can't be..."
>Shake our head.
>"I can't let that happen... she deserves better !"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"No... no that can't be..."
>Shake our head.
>"I can't let that happen... she deserves better !"

>"Merry's right! She doesn't seem like a person who deserves that!" Renko exclaims.

>Konngara shakes her head.
>"Neither of you have met the real Rumia, and I pray you never will. You don't know her like I do. You don't understand what she's capable of..."
>she looks away.
>"It's a shame she had to fall so far... She had such great potential to keep the balance as an Astral Knight..."

>_

[Monarda]

>"I can't let her stay like that, it's an disaster waiting to occur ! Deep inside the Rumia that Kikuri knows still exists, and i intend to find it and rescue it."
>Frown.
>"I have been through worse than that, i won't give up."

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"I can't let her stay like that, it's an disaster waiting to occur ! Deep inside the Rumia that Kikuri knows still exists, and i intend to find it and rescue it."
>Frown.
>"I have been through worse than that, i won't give up."

>"Don't you think I've already tried that?" Konngara frowns.
>_

[Monarda]

>"Well i can't just sit here and do nothing, i must find a way, for everyone's sake, especially Kikuri's and Rumia's."
>Look upset.
>"Maybe if i can free Kikuri... maybe seeing Kikuri freed will awaken that part of her again..."

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Well i can't just sit here and do nothing, i must find a way, for everyone's sake, especially Kikuri's and Rumia's."
>Look upset.
>"Maybe if i can free Kikuri... maybe seeing Kikuri freed will awaken that part of her again..."

>"Releasing Kikuri isn't an option either. The Hellmoon simply cannot release her due to her nature as a light youkai, and any attempts to change the Hellmoon's nature or destroy it will likely cause Jigoku to completely collapse." Konngara replies, "But yes, if it could somehow be done, perhaps seeing Kikuri released will stop Rumia, since she would then no longer have a cause... "
>_

[Monarda]

>"...maybe Lady Yukari could do it..."

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"...maybe Lady Yukari could do it..."

>"You mean the boundary youkai? I'm unsure if she'd even cooperate, or would even be able to release Kikuri harmlessly."
>"Yukari-sama should be able to, she can do anything!" Chen nods.
>"Even she has her limits. Rumia herself proved that before she was sealed..."
>"Nya?"
>_

[Monarda]

>"Huh ? How so ?"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Huh ? How so ?"

>"Rumia is a Youkai of Darkness, and she and her darkness have properties similar to a void, which lacks and cannot be contained by boundaries. The boundary youkai's powers, therefore, cannot directly affect her."
>_

[Monarda]

>"But that means her darkness can't directly harm others either right ?"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"But that means her darkness can't directly harm others either right ?"

>Konngara shakes her head, "She can definitely fashion it into weapons and projectiles, and she can also use it to reduce visibility. Her seal currently locks her out of the harmful applications of her power... Though she will be able to use them in that manner once again if she is unsealed."
>_

[Monarda]

>"Well, harmless ones toofrom what i saw."
>Sigh.
>"Either way, i can't let her stay like that, i bet she will be much happier with her friends and her love and memories."

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Well, harmless ones toofrom what i saw."
>Sigh.
>"Either way, i can't let her stay like that, i bet she will be much happier with her friends and her love and memories."

>"She probably wouldn't be happy to see me at all if she had her memories back..."
>_

[Monarda]

>"That may be true, but she will probably understand later it was for the safety of both her and Gensokyo's, after all, the only other option at the time was exterminating her correct ?"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"That may be true, but she will probably understand later it was for the safety of both her and Gensokyo's, after all, the only other option at the time was exterminating her correct ?"

>"Correct."
>_

[Monarda]

>Nod.
>"Also... Shingyoku told us that they can't come here, why ?"
>What time is it ?

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Nod.
>"Also... Shingyoku told us that they can't come here, why ?"

>"They are bound to Gensokyo, specifically the vicinity of the Hakurei Shrine and the surrounding mountains. It's part of an old agreement they made long ago."

>What time is it ?

>You check the phone.
>10:51 PM.
>You have one hour, nine minutes until midnight.
>_

[Monarda]

>"Maybe they would have an idea for that ?"
>Make a gap leading to the spot were they were.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Maybe they would have an idea for that ?"
>Make a gap leading to the spot were they were.

>You create a gap.
>you currently have two active gaps
>"They won't be able to help with Kikuri's situation. They might be able to help with a fusion, but Kikuri's predicament is more similar to a seal. Not to mention it is physically impossible to bring the two together."
>_

[Monarda]

>"A seal... so maybe a shrine maiden would be of use ?"
>Search for them through the gap.

[Samaren]

> Do we remember place where concert will be clearly enough to make a gap?
> Set alarm clock in our phone at 11:50 PM.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

//I'm considering running a second, less serious, quest at the same time as this one, thoughts?

>"A seal... so maybe a shrine maiden would be of use ?"
>Search for them through the gap.

>You step through the gap, leaving everyone else behind.
>Shingyoku is still there where you left them, in male form.
>"Ah, so you've returned. Did you find anything?"

> Do we remember place where concert will be clearly enough to make a gap?
> Set alarm clock in our phone at 11:50 PM.

>You just know it's somewhere on the road between the village and the Hakurei Shrine. You don't know the exact location.
>You take out the phone and set the alarm.


>_

[Monarda]

>"Yes, they are alive and well."
>Nod.
>"She said you have knowledge about "fusion" correct ? If so, mind taking a look at our friends here ?"
>Gesture to Sumitenshi.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

//Okay then...

>"Yes, they are alive and well."
>Nod.

>Their form switches to the woman, who looks somewhat relieved, "Ah, that is good to hear."

>"She said you have knowledge about "fusion" correct ? If so, mind taking a look at our friends here ?"
>Gesture to Sumitenshi.

>You gesture to empty space. You don't think they followed you.
>"What friends?"
>_