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

[DracoOmega]

>"It's very confusing. But, you might be a special case. It might be a harmful thing, or it might be beneficial. I...honestly don't know what would happen."

>"That's not very reassuring," she says, peering at the shadow. "I don't... think it wants to hurt me, anyway. But it... doesn't really understand itself? How am I supposed to understand it, then?"
>The shadow slithers towards her and Maribel stops retreating. She kneels down to get level with it.
>"You said I'm trapped here, right? I'm trapped and Renko's suffering, and you don't know how to get me out. Right?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's about the size of it. In theory, if we get this girl, Gengetsu"
>Motion toward the shadow.
>"Back into one piece, we can properly wake you up. Just...not all of those pieces are very smart. Or sane."

[DracoOmega]

>"That's about the size of it. In theory, if we get this girl, Gengetsu"
>Motion toward the shadow.
>"Back into one piece, we can properly wake you up. Just...not all of those pieces are very smart. Or sane."

>She frowns. "Sane? Well, at least this one doesn't seem insane to me. As far as I can understand it, anyway. I think I'd even call it earnest."
>"But, uh, how do you put a being like this back together again?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's the hard part. I would hope they'd come back together on their own, myself, when put close together, or perhaps touched. The problem is...they all have a sort of overriding desire to find you. We don't know if that's due to helping themselves, harmful intentions, or just the last real thought Gengetsu had before she was split up."

[E-Nazrin]

>"... though, her sister, who helped me get this far, seems to think that there's something else involved. Something more to the 'shadow' nature of some of these that doesn't really fit her sisters. I'm not sure what that means, or if it's true - it seems like she desperately wants to believe that this isn't Gengetsu's fault."

[DracoOmega]

>"That's the hard part. I would hope they'd come back together on their own, myself, when put close together, or perhaps touched. The problem is...they all have a sort of overriding desire to find you. We don't know if that's due to helping themselves, harmful intentions, or just the last real thought Gengetsu had before she was split up."

>"If they're all trying to find me," she says. "how come none of the rest of them seem to have found me yet? I've just been walking quietly along the shore here. I thought I'd have a look at that mansion. You could probably see me from miles away."
>She looks at the shadow. "What is it about me that's so important? Is it because this is my dream now? Or so I'm told."
>The shadow doesn't seem to understand why someone wouldn't be important. They are unique. They have consciousness. The rest of the world has no consciousness. It wants to know the ones other than itself. Maybe they can help it understand what it is.
>"I wonder what it's like, not knowing what you are." Maribel regards the shadow gently and tries to smile. "At least I still remember who I am, and where I came from. Although you tell me I should remember you. Maybe there are other things I should be remembering." She frowns. "It's disturbing, not knowing what they are. Maybe I can understand, just a little."

>"... though, her sister, who helped me get this far, seems to think that there's something else involved. Something more to the 'shadow' nature of some of these that doesn't really fit her sisters. I'm not sure what that means, or if it's true - it seems like she desperately wants to believe that this isn't Gengetsu's fault."

>"She... has a sister?" She looks at you with a pained expression then turns back to the shadow. "I... can't imagine what it must be like for her if this is what she's been reduced to."
>The shadow doesn't understand the idea of 'sister'. It thinks this has something to do with others. It still doesn't really understand others.
>"I can't blame someone for not wanting to think this was their sister's own fault. I don't know what to say. I wish I could help, if I knew what I could do. And if there's someone else involved, I haven't seen them either. I've been alone tonight, until you showed up."

[Hello Purvis]

>"We've tried reasoning with one of the more compliant parts of her, but she really just couldn't think too broadly. The other...well, I ended up having to restrain her out of fear of her hurting you. She was furious. So was I, to be honest."
>Look away.
>"This seems to be the most reasonable part of her we've found. And, I don't think you were here the whole time. A few minutes ago, before we had to flee from the aftereffects of meeting those last two. I suppose, for you, it seems like you've been here for all that time?"

[DracoOmega]

>"We've tried reasoning with one of the more complain parts of her, but she really just couldn't think too broadly. The other...well, I ended up having to restrain her out of fear of her hurting you. She was furious. So was I, to be honest."
>Look away.
>"This seems to be the most reasonable part of her we've found. And, I don't think you were here the whole time. A few minutes ago, before we had to flee from the aftereffects of meeting those last two. I suppose, for you, it seems like you've been here for all that time?"

>Maribel frowns. "That's... unsettling. But, for what it's worth, even if I don't remember: Thank you. I get the impression you've come a long way for me."
>She nods. "Yes, it does. Like I said, I hadn't met anyone tonight. I hadn't even been here very long. At least as far as I can remember."
>"You said there were others with you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Smile. "You're welcome."
>"There were. Her sister, and a magician. We've been separated. I was looking for them, too."

[DracoOmega]

>Smile. "You're welcome."
>"There were. Her sister, and a magician. We've been separated. I was looking for them, too."

>"I'm afraid I haven't seen them, either," she says. "As I said, I was alone. ...I'm feeling a little useless at the moment."
>"How did you get separated?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Likewise, as far as being useful goes. We had to flee from those two other aspevts of Gengetsu. There was...an accident, of sorts. You had to defend yourself from one of them. This being primarily your dream, you are able to control it a bit. So you opened a sort of gap in reality to defend yourself; like a shield. It got a little out of control, and we had to run, aside from being outmatched at the time."
>"Before you ask, I believe you still can do this. I think you just concentrated on what you wanted to happen, and it did. You actually helped me out greatly that way. But do be careful if you try it."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Likewise, as far as being useful goes. We had to flee from those two other aspevts of Gengetsu. There was...an accident, of sorts. You had to defend yourself from one of them. This being primarily your dream, you are able to control it a bit. So you opened a sort of gap in reality to defend yourself; like a shield. It got a little out of control, and we had to run, aside from being outmatched at the time."
>"Before you ask, I believe you still can do this. I think you just concentrated on what you wanted to happen, and it did. You actually helped me out greatly that way. But do be careful if you try it."

>Maribel looks at you attentively as you describe what happened, nodding along.
>"So I can control this? A little, anyway?" She frowns. "Dare I ask what I should be careful of?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Try not to open any gaps. Or, I suppose, do anything that would be reality-shattering. That said, you were able to make the moon full for me. I'd be happy if you left it that way, it gives me strength."

[DracoOmega]

>"Try not to open any gaps. Or, I suppose, do anything that would be reality-shattering. That said, you were able to make the moon full for me. I'd be happy if you left it that way, it gives me strength."

>"Wow, I did that?" She looks up at the moon. "Really? I thought it was just full tonight. But if I could really do something like that..." She pauses and stares. Suddenly wisps of clouds start to sweep in across the sky, billowing and swelling until the night is distinctly overcast. The look on Maribel's face is priceless; equal parts disbelief and wonderment.
>"I did that!" she says turning to you. "I can't believe it. I-" She frowns. "Wait, do, uh, the clouds get in the way of the moon for you?"
>The shadow radiates confusion and astonishment, itself. Something in the world changed. It felt it. It felt it from her. How does she do that? Something about it feels... familiar. Important. It shifts towards her again.

[Hello Purvis]

>Does it?
>Presuming no: "It's not a problem."
>Glance to the shadow. "You've fascinated her again."

[DracoOmega]

>Does it?
>Presuming no: "It's not a problem."
>Glance to the shadow. "You've fascinated her again."

>No. The effect of the moon on you is more fundamental than that, and doesn't require it to be visible. You can feel it just as clearly inside, on a cloudy day, or while underground.
>"Oh, that's good," Maribel says. "Although, frankly, the sky looks nicer without them." The clouds start to disperse as she says this.
>"So it seems. I... think I may let it touch me. I feel a little sorry for it. Her." She shakes her head. "I don't even know. But if there's some way I can maybe help it understand things, perhaps it'll help us get her back together?"
>Maribel reaches a hand out towards it. "It's okay. I'd like to understand you a little, too. Maybe we can help each other?"
>The shadow moves into her hand, and Maribel's eyes suddenly widen, staring fixedly into empty space.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Are you okay?"
>Watch the both of them.

[DracoOmega]

>"Are you okay?"
>Watch the both of them.

>Maribel does not respond to you. She doesn't seem to be obviously in pain, although her stare is a little disconcerting to see. Perhaps you looked similarly when you experienced that? You know you lost track of the world around you a bit.
>Maribel remains motionless while the shadow churns and roils. You can feel it seeking, touching, trying to understand, although your sense of it is more vague and distant than before. Maribel squints and strains and moments seem to pass slowly. Then she finally withdraws her arm with an unsteady gasp. The shadow seems elated.
>Maribel blinks and shakes her head, putting an arm on the ground to support herself.

[Hello Purvis]

>Place a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"
>Observe the shadow.

[DracoOmega]

>Place a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"
>Observe the shadow.

>You put a hand on Maribel's shoulder. "I... I think so. I mean yes. Just... disoriented."
>The shadow seems to be shifting back and forth more rapidly, almost like it were excited. Actually, you feel quite certain it's excited. It's being even less articulate than usual, but this much comes across clearly.

[Hello Purvis]

>"What happened?"

[DracoOmega]

>"What happened?"

>Maribel blinks a few times. "She looked into some of my memories and I saw some of hers. Or the fragments that remain of them. I think she saw things in me she recognized. No, not just recognized, but things she remembered. Or would remember, if there was enough left of her consciousness to do so. I think she may have pulled a few missing pieces from me. But there are so, so many more."
>"I- I remember things, too. Things I'd forgotten. Fragments of things that we shared. I... remember meeting her in the forest. I think. It was a night much like this one. I was running. I don't remember much else."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, this seems to confirm she is Gengetsu, at least."
>Kneel by the shadow. "How do you feel?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, this seems to confirm she is Gengetsu, at least."
>Kneel by the shadow. "How do you feel?"

>"I think you're right," Maribel says. "Or an impression left of her. It remembered some of being her. At least once I shared the missing pieces."
>You kneel next to the shadow. It's excited that it can put meaning to some of the things it remembers. It still has a hard time truly understanding what it is, but it and this one shared memories. Maybe there are others out there who could help it understand? Both of you seem to have known of so many others. Why are there so few here?
>"I still have no idea how to put her back together, though," Maribel says. "It's one thing to touch someone's memories, but... I think there's more of her missing than just that."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I think the solution would be to find the other aspects, and let it love on them a little bit. Let me see if I can help it learn a little more about them"
>Think of Summoner Gengetsu and Violent Gengetsu, and touch it again.

[DracoOmega]

>"I think the solution would be to find the other aspects, and let it love on them a little bit. Let me see if I can help it learn a little more about them"
>Think of Summoner Gengetsu and Violent Gengetsu, and touch it again.

>"I hope that can work," Maribel says.
>You concentrate on your memory of the two Gengetsus you fought earlier and reach out to touch the shadow. You again feel the sudden surge in your mind and the flood of alien and fragmented sensations. But the shadow seems to have a point of focus now that was absent before. You think it may be trying to focus on the pieces of what it thinks may be its own identity. You feel it touch the images you hold in your mind. Their form reminds it of other things it's seen. Things the other remembered it being. But something about them is frightening. Especially Violent Gengetsu. It doesn't understand their impulses. I doesn't think it wants to be like that.
>After a moment, you draw your hand back and try to collect yourself. The shadow seems to be mulling over what it saw.

[Hello Purvis]

>Shake head.
>"Well, she doesn't seem to approve of the other aspects, which is nice. Now I suppose we just move on and hope to find someone."

[DracoOmega]

>Shake head.
>"Well, she doesn't seem to approve of the other aspects, which is nice. Now I suppose we just move on and hope to find someone."

>You shake your head. You don't seem to feel as foggy as you did the first time. Perhaps it wasn't reaching as deeply into you?
>"Sure," Maribel says. "So... just pick a direction and go? Or did you have a better idea? I mean, I don't know how you found me here in the first place."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Chance, really. So...let's pick a direction. Perhaps our friend will have some idea where to go?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Chance, really. So...let's pick a direction. Perhaps our friend will have some idea where to go?"

>The shadow doesn't seem to know. It doesn't sense anyone else here. Then again, it didn't sense this other until we moved last time.
>"I don't see anyone," Maribel says, scanning across the horizon. "But I suppose there's always that mansion. Surely, someone must- ....wait. If that mansion is a creation of my dream, then there isn't really anyone living there, is there? Unless my mind felt like putting them inside?"