Keine Quest (Part 5): Broken History

[DracoOmega]

>"No."
>Hold back the urge to strangle her.

>Mugetsu falls into a lonely looking frown. "I'm not sure what happened to her. You had traces of her presence on you when you came here last night. That was why I tried to reach out to speak with you. I... didn't understand your resistance. I only wanted to talk with you."
>You resist the urge to work off some muscle tension on Mugetsu's neck. Oh, you could fill a book with the things that haven't gone right since this all started.

[Hello Purvis]

>"She attacked me that way beforehand. You'll understand my reluctance. Especially given it's not the only time I've been attacked that way that night. Now, explain. Please."

[DracoOmega]

>"She attacked me that way beforehand. You'll understand my reluctance. Especially given it's not the only time I've been attacked that way that night. Now, explain. Please."

>"She's vanished," Mugetsu says. "Without any trace I can find. I know she came here two nights ago now, following something that struck her curiosity. And then she was gone. I knew you'd been there. I was hoping you knew what had happened to her."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Gengetsu has a victim that night. A blonde girl, human, about 20 or so. Where is she? This is important beyond my ability to express."

[DracoOmega]

>"Gengetsu has a victim that night. A blonde girl, human, about 20 or so. Where is she? This is important beyond my ability to express."

>"Victim?" Mugetsu shakes her head. "There is no girl here. There is no one else here but you and your friends. There must have been some sort of misunderstanding. My sister didn't come here to hurt anyone."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Then, you get to hear a long story, Mugetsu. Make yourself comfortable. First. do you understand what a hakutaku is, and what we do?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Then, you get to hear a long story, Mugetsu. Make yourself comfortable. First. do you understand what a hakutaku is, and what we do?"

>"So, you do know something?" she says. "And no, I don't, sorry."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I think I know something. And hakutaku serves as a guardian of history, we are sensitive as to when it's been tampered with. And, your Gengetsu seems to have done just that. You say that she disappeared two days ago, yes? Have you paid much attention to the events outside of this place?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I think I know something. And hakutaku serves as a guardian of history, we are sensitive as to when it's been tampered with. And, your Gengetsu seems to have done just that. You say that she disappeared two days ago, yes? Have you paid much attention to the events outside of this place?"

>"This space is just a construct," she says. "A fragment of a dream undrempt. To those outside, you will simply appear to be asleep. Or did you mean the forest you were in? In either case, what events are you talking about?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Alright. So, you know about the long winter, the human village being abandoned, the moon being sealed away, and so on?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Alright. So, you know about the long winter, the human village being abandoned, the moon being sealed away, and so on?"

>"I... don't leave my home very often. I see little of the outside world. I'm sorry."

[E-Nazrin]

>Spare a moment for arcane profanity.
>Deep breath.
>... wait, didn't we fall asleep in that grove? Did Gengetsu use our powers, too? Further mental arcane profanity.

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's what I thought."
>"Well, Gengetsu met an unusual person, a person from outside who enters Gensokyo via her dreams. She is also has a connection to Yukari that we don't fully understand. Gengetsu put this dreamer to sleep, and...things got very messed as a result."

[DracoOmega]

>Spare a moment for arcane profanity.
>Deep breath.
>... wait, didn't we fall asleep in that grove? Did Gengetsu use our powers, too? Further mental arcane profanity.

>You grimace and spit out a few choice yet unrecognizable words. Mugetsu looks confused. "Are you ok?" she asks.
>You take a deep breath and try to collect yourself.
>You did lose consciousness, although it felt less like falling asleep and more like the word was shattering around you. It was... decidedly unpleasant, and quite different than the other brushes with sleep you've had.

>"That's what I thought."
>"Well, Gengetsu met an unusual person, a person from outside who enters Gensokyo via her dreams. She is also has a connection to Yukari that we don't fully understand. Gengetsu put this dreamer to sleep, and...things got very messed as a result."

>"I'm sorry," Mugetsu repeats, frowning.
>"She was what my sister came her to find. ....I think. A walking dream. She wanted to know what it was."

[Hello Purvis]

>"That girl's in a coma now, outside. And, since that event, history has been changed drastically."

[E-Nazrin]

>"Do you have any idea how Gengetsu might have caused this, intentionally or otherwise?"

[DracoOmega]

>"That girl's in a coma now, outside. And, since that event, history has been changed drastically."

>"Outside? There is no girl outside of here. I have spent the last day in these woods; I am sure of it."

>"Do you have any idea how Gengetsu might have caused this, intentionally or otherwise?"

>"We can... touch the dreams of others. But dreams do not walk unbidden in the waking world. She wanted to understand this. I'm sure she tried to touch it, herself."

[E-Nazrin]

>"Do you mean inappropriate touching, if you know what I mean?"
>"I'm pretty sure that the dreamer girl was here two days ago, when Gengetsu found her. And probably touched her, somehow leading to all of this."
>"What would Gengetsu be able to do with her dreams, after touching upon them?"
>... what did that thing we encountered before getting Patchouli that sample of the anomaly look like, again?

[DracoOmega]

>"Do you mean inappropriate touching, if you know what I mean?"
>"I'm pretty sure that the dreamer girl was here two days ago, when Gengetsu found her. And probably touched her, somehow leading to all of this."
>"What would Gengetsu be able to do with her dreams, after touching upon them?"
>... what did that thing we encountered before getting Patchouli that sample of the anomaly look like, again?

Mugetsu smiles faintly. "There are all kinds of dreams."
>Mugetsu nods. "I believe she was here, yes. Or that something was here. If you say it was her, I'll believe you."
>"We can enter a person's dreams," Mugetsu says. "Observe them. Interact with them. Sometimes shape them, if we choose to. Upon waking, the dreamer may remember us, or they may not. It does no harm, I promise you. We are not beings of nightmare."
>It was essentially a featureless three-dimensional silhouette. But it did appear to be shaped like a medium sized humanoid with large wings.

[E-Nazrin]

>"I can't be entirely sure, but it's the most sensible explanation for all of this, so far."
>"... what would those abilities imply being able to do if she were to find a dream in the waking world?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I can't be entirely sure, but it's the most sensible explanation for all of this, so far."
>"... what would those abilities imply being able to do if she were to find a dream in the waking world?"

>"I understand."
>Mugetsu frowns. "I don't know. Neither did she. It isn't something we had seen before. This is why she wanted to touch it. To understand and learn about it."

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "If you left this dream world, would you be able to sense Gensetsu if she was nearby?"
> "If you wish to help this situation at all, you could come with us Mugetsu. You mentioned that you didn't mean harm, so if you wish, you could come with me.

[DracoOmega]

> "If you left this dream world, would you be able to sense Gensetsu if she was nearby?"
> "If you wish to help this situation at all, you could come with us Mugetsu. You mentioned that you didn't mean harm, so if you wish, you could come with me.

>"Gengetsu is not here," she says. "I came and waited for her, but she hasn't returned."
>Mugetsu shifts uncomfortably. "I... do not feel safe in the waking world. And one of the others is angry with me."

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "One of the people I came to the forest with? She is assuming that it's Gengetsu here, not you. Plus, I can calm her down if it helps. Would you be willing to join me, if I calmed her?"

[E-Nazrin]

>"If you're sincerely willing to help us find Gengetsu and sort this mess out, then I believe they may understand."

[DracoOmega]

> "One of the people I came to the forest with? She is assuming that it's Gengetsu here, not you. Plus, I can calm her down if it helps. Would you be willing to join me, if I calmed her?"

>"So she's angry because she thinks I'm her?" She frowns. "Why is she angry with my sister? Your friend is scary. The waking world is scary."

>"If you're sincerely willing to help us find Gengetsu and sort this mess out, then I believe they may understand."

>"I want to find my sister. But I don't want to let you hurt her." She tilts her head. "You're angry at her, too, aren't you?"

[E-Nazrin]

Suggest: "... I am, but if your sister is really as timid as you seem to be, then I'd be willing to believe that this isn't intentional."

[Jana]

Suggestion: "If this is really a misunderstanding, we won't hurt her if she doesn't try to hurt us. You have my word."

Darnit, E-mouse! And I mean that in the most affectionate way possible.

[E-Nazrin]

>"... I am angry, but if your sister is much like you, I would be willing to believe that this wasn't intentional. Unless she tries to be actively hostile, I'd rather not attack her if there's a good way to avoid it."
>"Perhaps I should try and explain why we're upset?"

[DracoOmega]

>"... I am angry, but if your sister is much like you, I would be willing to believe that this wasn't intentional. Unless she tries to be actively hostile, I'd rather not attack her if there's a good way to avoid it."
>"Perhaps I should try and explain why we're upset?"

>"My sister didn't mean to hurt anyone. I'm sure of it." She shakes her head. "I won't let you hurt her, either, though."
>"Please," she says. "I want to understand."