Neo Gensokyo Quest - Part 8

[Kilgamayan]

> "Trying harder, I guess?"
> Try manifesting a second Youmu, one that we have control over.

[Neovereign]

> "Trying harder, I guess?"
> Try manifesting a second Youmu, one that we have control over.

> You try to make a second Youmu... nothing comes of it though. You don't even get that bit of sensation from earlier. Maybe you're desensitized to it already? After one time, though...
> "I mean, thinking something like "my sword should be the size of a tower" doesn't do anything but make me feel silly." Youmu says. "I don't see anything happening to the space around us or such. And if we try physical stuff, we might suddenly disappear and go somewhere else."
>_

[Kilgamayan]

> How's the figure of the soft fluffy bunny we're cuddling at the moment, anyway?

> "Maybe if we all tried to will the same thing into existence, together?"

[Neovereign]

> How's the figure of the soft fluffy bunny we're cuddling at the moment, anyway?

> "Maybe if we all tried to will the same thing into existence, together?"

> She's mostly slim, but a little pudgy, as if she doesn't decline snacks / dessert but tries to stay shapely, as far as you can guess. It could be entirely different reasons, you have no clue.

> "Like...?" Youmu considers.
> "Am alarm clock?" Reisen suggests.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Give Rei'sen a gentle squeeze, wherever our hands are on her now.

> "Sure, that might work. Though, now that I think about it, even if we're pretty confident about what is happening, we don't really know why, do we? Youmu floated the question earlier, but then Sanae diverted us to focusing on waking it up. I think it might be worth revisiting the 'why' before we try to end it."

[Neovereign]

> Give Rei'sen a gentle squeeze, wherever our hands are on her now.

> "Sure, that might work. Though, now that I think about it, even if we're pretty confident about what is happening, we don't really know why, do we? Youmu floated the question earlier, but then Sanae diverted us to focusing on waking it up. I think it might be worth revisiting the 'why' before we try to end it."

> You squeeze the bun lightly, seemingly enough to not bother her as much as your existence has previously. Maybe she's warming up to you? Or afraid of provoking you given how you've handled her before... though she's stopped sounding tearful from that failed jump earlier, too, at least.

> "It's a dream, right?" Rei'sen questions. "If we wake up, we can escape it."
> "And after that, we just need to figure out what Doremy's up to." Reisen adds. "If anyone knows what's going on with dreams, it's her."
>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "...Why is it twice now that someone floating the question of why this is happening has led to someone else immediately try to send the conversation in a different direction?"

[Neovereign]

> Frown.
> "...Why is it twice now that someone floating the question of why this is happening has led to someone else immediately try to send the conversation in a different direction?"

> "Well, I'm expecting the why to be answered by Doremy if we can find her." Reisen shrugs. "I don't think I'm as good at sniffing out clues regarding the dream world, honestly. Unless you're saying you have some good guesses as to why that would be better to pursue than Doremy?"
>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I don't, not immediately. It's simply something I found suspicious."
> Gently squeeze Rei'sen again.
> "Like, if one accepts the premise that this setting is Gensokyo itself dreaming, that doesn't also require accepting the premise that all of us here are who we claim we are, in regards to being representations of our 'real' selves. Any one or more of us could be plants trying to steer any of us that are truthful about who we are away from some unknown truth of this dream."
> Gently squeeze again.
> "I obviously can't say that's definitely or even probably the case, but once is an accident, twice is a trend, you know?"

[Neovereign]

> "I don't, not immediately. It's simply something I found suspicious."
> Gently squeeze Rei'sen again.
> "Like, if one accepts the premise that this setting is Gensokyo itself dreaming, that doesn't also require accepting the premise that all of us here are who we claim we are, in regards to being representations of our 'real' selves. Any one or more of us could be plants trying to steer any of us that are truthful about who we are away from some unknown truth of this dream."
> Gently squeeze again.
> "I obviously can't say that's definitely or even probably the case, but once is an accident, twice is a trend, you know?"

> "C-Could you let me go now? I'm not some doll or toy..." Rei'sen requests.
> "Right... that does make some incongruencies more evident. Like my phantom half, and your and Rumia's appearances." Youmu states, looking over.
> "If that's your train of thought, why bother finding out why this is happening if we aren't ourselves? I planned on getting some rest, and this is just interrupting it." Rumia complains. "I don't want to go about wracking my head and swapping ideas around."
> "Yea..." Rei'sen agrees. "Some sleep would've been nice."
>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "What do you mean, 'why bother finding out' something? Finding things out is my entire reason for being."
> "Regardless, it does seem like sleeping might get you out of this. I'm pretty sure that's what Kogasa tried, and she was the first to vanish."
> Give Rei'sen one last hug-squeeze (rather than a hand squeeze), and then let her go.