Keine Quest (Part 5): Broken History

[E-Nazrin]

>"Wait... what? Passenger? But if she'd have to enter my dream, then I'd have to be asleep..."
>"... and she can come out again as soon as we arrive. That's the trick, isn't it?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Wait... what? Passenger? But if she'd have to enter my dream, then I'd have to be asleep..."
>"... and she can come out again as soon as we arrive. That's the trick, isn't it?"

>Ran nods, a hint of a smile on her face. "Yes, that's essentially it."

[E-Nazrin]

>"Clever. Mugetsu, do you think it would work that way? If you entered someone's dream, and their 'real' body moved, would you be able to leave the dreamworld at their new location?"
>"And does that mean that you might still be able to come along, Ran, or should we not risk that?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"And I wouldn't wake up if you tossed me into a rift while asleep."
>"...This means I could bring one of them back, couldn't I?"

[E-Nazrin]

>"If not both..."

[DracoOmega]

>"Clever. Mugetsu, do you think it would work that way? If you entered someone's dream, and their 'real' body moved, would you be able to leave the dreamworld at their new location?"
>"And does that mean that you might still be able to come along, Ran, or should we not risk that?"

>Mugetsu nods, then frowns. "Well, it works that way most of the time. I've never had someone cross into another world while they were asleep, though."
>"I would imagine it would work the same as last time, were I to accompany you," Ran says. "It's up to you."

>"And I wouldn't wake up if you tossed me into a rift while asleep."
>"...This means I could bring one of them back, couldn't I?"

>"If I step out," Mugetsu says. "You should wake up. Don't worry."
>"Are you referring to Reimu and Marisa?" Ran asks. "I would imagine yes, assuming they wish it at this point. I'd been left with the distinct impression that Reimu, at least, was unsure."

>"If not both..."

>Ran nods. "There's nothing stopping you from making more than one trip. Aside from the unpleasantness of the transit, of course."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I think I'll go alone. I want to at least give them the chance to come back..."

[DracoOmega]

>"I think I'll go alone. I want to at least give them the chance to come back..."

>Ran nods. "Fair enough. I guess we should head back, then."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Alright."
>Look to Mokou. "Can I count on you to kick me through the gate once Mugetsu had put me to sleep?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Alright."
>Look to Mokou. "Can I count on you to kick me through the gate once Mugetsu had put me to sleep?"

>"Well, it'd be the first useful thing I've done in a while," Mokou says, looking mildly annoyed. "But don't worry, you can count on it."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I wouldn't trust anyone else with the task of flying my unconscious self through a gate to another world."
>Make way back toward the fissure.

[E-Nazrin]

>"But if you're gonna be that way, then I guess we could take a break so you can be 'useful' in a more... personal fashion"

[DracoOmega]

>"I wouldn't trust anyone else with the task of flying my unconscious self through a gate to another world."
>Make way back toward the fissure.

>Mokou laughs. "Suppose no one's ever entrusted me with something quite like that before. Just wish there was something more I could be doing. I feel a little useless after all this sitting around. But you go do what you have to. I'll make sure you get there."
>The group of you depart and return to the fissure where you encountered the shadow of Gengetsu.
>Ran takes the portal key out and holds it up. It glows soft purple for a moment, and the gap reopens. Then she takes the key and hands it to you.
>"Good luck to you," she says. "To both of you. I hope that you find you sister, and we find some answers."

>"But if you're gonna be that way, then I guess we could take a break so you can be 'useful' in a more... personal fashion"

>She glances furtively at your other companions, then leans towards you and whispers: "...just hurry up and get back here, ok?"

[E-Nazrin]

>inventory

[DracoOmega]

>inventory

>Oops, you left all your possessions on the ground outside Yukari's

>Blue dress (currently worn)
>Origin Sign "Ephemerality 137"
>Land Sign "Three Sacred Treasures - Mirror" (expended)
>Spiritual Birth "First Pyramid"
>Ending Sign "Phantasmal Emperor"
>Future "The Next History of Phantasm"
>Scroll case (containing a message from yourself)
>Purse (containing 2149 yen)
>Diary (locked)
>Set of keys
>Blue Crystalline Fragment
>Fissure Map
>Enchantment-Dispelling Invocation
>Portal Key

[Hello Purvis]

>"I suppose it is time for you to do your thing, Mugetsu."
>"Hold me, Mokou?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I suppose it is time for you to do your thing, Mugetsu."
>"Hold me, Mokou?"

>Mugetsu nods, and you feel yourself quickly start to grow weary.  "Dream peacefully. When you awake, we will be outside."
>With a fading voice, you call out to Mokou. You feel her arms hold you gently. "I've got ya," she says. "No worries." Her voice is already growing distant.

[Hello Purvis]

>Hold out just long enough to make sure Mokou has us. Then give in.

[DracoOmega]

>Hold out just long enough to make sure Mokou has us. Then give in.

>You feel secure in Mokou's grasp. In fact, you feel a sense of peace and warmth there. On the boundary between sleep and waking, you can almost forget for a moment where you are. You think you see her smiling at you, as your vision fades. Like the world you used to live in. Like the world you've missed so much. You let yourself fall.
>An indeterminate length of time later, you awaken again. You remember little of your dream, save that it was peaceful. You feel a vague sense of melancholy as your awareness seeps back to you. You think... you were dreaming of home. Your real home. Sometimes if feels like you may almost have forgotten it, amid all the chaos and searching of the last few days.
>As you tentatively open your eyes, you see Mugetsu's face hovering over yours. She looks distinctly uncomfortable, and you can see her eyes darting to the side, every now and again.
>"We're here," she says.

[Hello Purvis]

>Sit up and look around.
>"Are you okay?"

[DracoOmega]

>Sit up and look around.
>"Are you okay?"

>You sit up and look around. If you're not mistaken, this is the same alleyway that Ran arrived at last time, and where the two of you re-entered Gensokyo.
>"Uh, yes. I'm ok. I mean-" You see her glance to her side again. Following her gaze, you see the road at the end of the alley, where cars are whizzing quickly and noisily past. There are fewer than last time you were here, though.
>"This place is strange," she says. "But I'm ok."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Don't worry about those things. They're scary, but people ride in them. We'll just call up Marisa, and...ah crap, we need money for the phone."
>Get up, look around for the presence of phones.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Don't worry about those things. They're scary, but people ride in them. We'll just call up Marisa, and...ah crap, we need money for the phone."
>Get up, look around for the presence of phones.

>Mugetsu nods uncertainly as you explain, then frowns. "Did you forget something?"
>You get up and look around for a phone. There's certainly none within sight in the alleyway. Or much of anything else, for that matter. You walk towards the street and have a look along it. None seem immediately visible here, either.

[Hello Purvis]

>"We need some money to get a ride to where we need to go. It shouldn't be hard to get, though."
>Start down the street, looking for a phone. Or someone to bum change off of.

[E-Nazrin]

>"Say, Mugetsu, any reason you didn't molest me in my sleep"

[DracoOmega]

>"We need some money to get a ride to where we need to go. It shouldn't be hard to get, though."
>Start down the street, looking for a phone. Or someone to bum change off of.

>"Oh, I see," Mugetsu responds, her expression making you wonder whether she really does.
>You head down the road, keeping your eyes peeled for a phone, or someone who can give you a little money.  Mugetsu frowns somewhat uncertainly at the cars as they pass by. The buildings in this area are substantially larger, and somewhat less hospitable looking than the areas you walked the last times you came here. There are also fewer pedestrians. Still, you do spot a few. There is appears to be a well dressed, somewhat older man walking a little further down the road from you, as well as a younger couple some distance beyond that. There are scattered people even further along, but you can't make them out at this distance. You don't see any phones yet.

>"Say, Mugetsu, any reason you didn't molest me in my sleep"

>"Oh good, you don't remember. Uh, I mean, of course I wouldn't do such a thing."

[Hello Purvis]

>Approach the older gentleman, if we can catch up with him.

[DracoOmega]

>Approach the older gentleman, if we can catch up with him.

>You attempt to catch up to the older gentleman. He is walking at a much slower pace than you and it doesn't take long before you reach him. He studiously takes no notice of you.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Pardon me, sir, may I ask for a small favor?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Pardon me, sir, may I ask for a small favor?"

>The man turns to you, a practiced uninquisitive expression on his face. "Yes, what is it?"