Keine Quest (Part 5): Broken History

[Hello Purvis]

>"Worse comes to worst, I may be able to do something about it when the moon is full."

[DracoOmega]

>"Worse comes to worst, I may be able to do something about it when the moon is full."

>Marisa nods. "Yeah, I figured that's what you were implying. What did you have in mind? I, uh, don't know exactly what you can do, when push comes to shove."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Manipulate history, to some degree. If needs be, I can try to arrange for a variety of things that could give us more information. Nothing permanent, of course, but enough to hopefully learn some things."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Manipulate history, to some degree. If needs be, I can try to arrange for a variety of things that could give us more information. Nothing permanent, of course, but enough to hopefully learn some things."

>"Sounds handy," Marisa says, though she frowns at you. "Strikes me as a little unnerving, though. Wouldn't want my-" Her sentence is interrupted by the sudden corporealization of a figure beside you. She looks somewhat battered, and possibly in pain.
>"I... I couldn't do it," Mugetsu says, breathing heavily. "I don't know how."

[Hello Purvis]

>"What happened? Are you okay?"

[DracoOmega]

>"What happened? Are you okay?"

>"I... I'm ok," Mugetsu replies, then shakes her head. "No. I'm not okay. I'm not... that injured, but... I'm not ok. She's not ok. I don't... even know if I can... do anything."
>"Hey..." Marisa says, getting out of her chair. "Here, have a seat or something. You don't look so good."
>"No... " Mugetsu shakes her head again, still breathing heavily. "I've got to- I've got to- What am I suppose to do?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"What happened, Mugetsu? Start from the beginning."

[DracoOmega]

>"What happened, Mugetsu? Start from the beginning."

>Mugetsu just keeps shaking her head slowly back and forth, not even looking at you. You can hear her breathing tremble, ever so slightly.
>"C'mon now..." Marisa says softly. "Y'know we'll help if we can. Just... sit down. Talk when you're ready."
>It seems to take a few moments for her words to register with Mugetsu. "I... I'll try," she says eventually, and eases herself into Marisa's seat. She takes several deep, unsteady breaths.
>"I found her," she says at length. "Or pieces of her. I don't even know how much of her is left. But I know it's her."
>She turns to you, a desperate pleading in her eyes. "You could tell, too, couldn't you? If they were family? Even if they didn't know you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>What.
>"If who were family?"

[DracoOmega]

>What.
>"If who were family?"

>Straight answers do seem to be in short supply these days.
>"I mean if they were your family," she replies. "She's mine. My sister's all of mine. And she's not..." She seems to sense the rising agitation in her voice and pauses.
>"There are... beings, inside there," she continues. "They feel of her. Sometimes even look like her. What you saw was probably one of them. They... didn't recognize me. Or if they did, they couldn't speak. I know she's a part of them," she says emphatically. "I know. I don't know why, or how, but I'm sure of it. Even if they tried to drive me away."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod.
>"How many were there? What else did you see in there?"

[DracoOmega]

>Nod.
>"How many were there? What else did you see in there?"

>"I saw 4 or 5, anyway. Not all at once. There's probably more, if I could find them. It's a maze in there. Even for me; I don't know why. She's dreaming of Gensokyo, still. Or parts of it. But it's twisted in upon itself."

[Hello Purvis]

>"And you couldn't untwist it with your abilities?"

[DracoOmega]

>"And you couldn't untwist it with your abilities?"

>Mugetsu shakes her head. "I can touch dreams and guide them, weave with them, but I am still not the dreamer. And this is a strange dream. The texture is different; firmer, less malleable."

[Hello Purvis]

>"You said they tried to drive you away. Howso?"

[DracoOmega]

>"You said they tried to drive you away. Howso?"

>"They... attacked me," she says. "Some of them, anyway. I didn't want to leave until I was sure she wasn't down there, somewhere, but...."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Then you'll need some back-up if you want to get back into there. Can you take us with you?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Then you'll need some back-up if you want to get back into there. Can you take us with you?"

>"I..." Mugetsu frowns. "I've never tried. Not directly, but... dreams sometimes touch on one another. I might be able to bridge the gap and guide you from yours into hers. Maybe. But... that might make it hard for you to leave again."

[Hello Purvis]

>"How would that make it hard?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"How would that make it hard?"

>"I can leave the dream when I choose to. Mostly. But you would likely have to return to your own before you could wake. In a dream like Maribel's, it might take time to find the way back. I don't know what would happen were she to wake up while you were still inside her."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I can leave the dream when I choose to. Mostly. But you would likely have to return to your own before you could wake. In a dream like Maribel's, it might take time to find the way back. I don't know what would happen were she to wake up while you were still inside her."

>"But she won't wake up as long as you are there, right?"

[DracoOmega]

>"But she won't wake up as long as you are there, right?"

>"She shouldn't," Mugetsu agrees. "Although I have less ability to influence this dream than most. Still, it might just mean that retreating quickly will be impossible. I felt I should warn you."

[Hello Purvis]

>"So, about like how things normally are."
>Glance to Marisa. "Well?"

[DracoOmega]

>"So, about like how things normally are."
>Glance to Marisa. "Well?"

>"I don't think it would seem normal to you," Mugetsu says. "What you see will... depend on Maribel, and myself. And even yourself, a little."
>Marisa shrugs. "Kinda feel a little on edge wandering around in there, you know? Something about it just feels unnatural. But if that's all there is to be done, I guess I'm game."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Think Reimu would want to help?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Think Reimu would want to help?"

>"Eh, she might," Marisa says. "If she felt she had to."
>"Every person I try to guide in will be an extra burden," Mugetsu says. "I'm not sure how many I can manage."

[MysTeariousYukari]

> "So even just me and Marisa is going to be difficult."
> Solo, not counting Mugetsu, yet again, we are going Lone Wolf far to often.
> "All Skulls On, Iron On."

[DracoOmega]

> "So even just me and Marisa is going to be difficult."
> Solo, not counting Mugetsu, yet again, we are going Lone Wolf far to often.
> "All Skulls On, Iron On."

>"It... might be," Mugetsu says. "I can't guarantee how well this will work. I wish I could promise more."
>It has been a wearing few days. Hopefully you can end it soon. There are places and people you want nothing more but to return to.
>What in the what now?

[Hello Purvis]

>"We should at least try with the both of us. One of those things was bad enough"
>"...Unless...Mugetsu, do you think you could arrange it so that her dreams contain a full moon, or is that too much for you?"

[DracoOmega]

>"We should at least try with the both of us. One of those things was bad enough"
>"...Unless...Mugetsu, do you think you could arrange it so that her dreams contain a full moon, or is that too much for you?"

>Mugetsu nods. "I'll do my best."
>"And I can try. I... think it should be possible. The dream is strange, but not immutable."
>"Would that even do anything, though?" Marisa asks, frowning. "I mean, that moon wouldn't be real."
>Mugetsu frowns. "Reality in dreams is... subjective. Belief in the power of the moon might be enough. Or it might not. Things work differently there than they do in the waking world."