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16 Apr 2023
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Reed: Follow but question him.

You wonder if you're being too paranoid.
After all, you've just met a spirit that looked like someone you trusted.

But then again... would a spirit really kill its own?

  • Reed: ...Wait, Five.
  • Five: Huh...?
  • Reed: Don't follow him just yet.
  • Nino: What's wrong?
  • Reed: Nino. I have an important question.
  • Reed: How do you know where Aria ended up?
  • Nino: Oh! Umm...

Reed: You don't see why one spirit would kill another, but it's also suspicious that he would know where Aria is.

  • Nino: I figured it out from our exiting order in the rift.
  • Nino: Our physical locations don't seem to matter, Reed,
  • Nino: But rather, it's who leaves before who.
  • Nino: Aria ended up more to the south because she left first.
  • Nino: You left after, so you've ended up somewhere between me and her...
  • Reed: What.
  • Reed: I don't think I'm following.
  • Nino: Uagh! I just don't know how to explain it well enough, alright?
  • Nino: Look at it as if I'm making a guess. A very educated guess!
  • Nino: Finding you where I expected to certainly confirmed it to be correct,
  • Nino: So Aria should be where I expect, too!
  • Nino: Although there's some chance that my guess is wrong...
  • Nino: It's still something worth investigating, right?
Huh. You can't tell if that's flimsy logic or not.
Hell, would Nino have been able to track the order everyone crossed in, let alone spend enough time thinking about it to come up with and test out such an idea?

Well, if what he's saying is all correct, then...
Nino could be clever enough to figure something like this out on his own.

And if he's wrong, then uh...
Then, that still isn't proof of anything particular, actually.

Reed: Nino back at the barrier let go to get Mei back. Why would he dismiss her now, when she could be in terrible danger?

Nino's dumb enough to act totally confident about the stupidest ideas, isn't he? After all, you wouldn't be in this predicament if you hadn't trusted his judgement.

It kinda seems normal for him to be completely wrong sometimes.

Urgh, why is it so annoyingly difficult to figure this out?
Maybe you should try a different line of questioning here, just in case.

  • Reed: ...Then, what about Mei?
  • Nino: Oh, umm... I'm sorry to say this, but,
  • Nino: She's probably ended up the furthest, since she exited last.
  • Nino: But anyway, we've really got to get going here.
  • Reed: Considering you separated from us to go after Mei...
  • Reed: I didn't expect to see you care this little about her wellbeing.
  • Nino: Huh? It's not that I don't care!
  • Nino: Reed, I just know for a fact that she'll be fine!
  • Nino: She's a winged. Nobody's out to get her here.
  • Nino: That means we can look for her after we all group up!
  • Reed: ...
  • Nino: I'm not wrong, am I?
  • Reed: ...No, you're not.
  • Nino: Great! So is it all good now, man?
  • Nino: Can we get a move on?
  • Reed: No.
  • Reed: There's one more thing.
  • Nino: Uuugh, what's with the ongoing interrogations?
  • Nino: Look, if you have more of these questions...
  • Nino: Can you ask while we walk?
  • Nino: We can't waste any time and miss Aria here.
  • Reed: It's not a question.

-/-/-/->

You slowly realize that trying to pass a morality check on Nino, of all people, is unexpectedly difficult. Man, this guy's just such a weirdo. Either that, or your own understanding of him is the problem, really.

Putting in words what you DO expect out of Nino is very annoying to think about.
So rather than relying on any of that...

Here's a more practical way to settle this matter.

  • Reed: Here.
  • Reed: Can you fix this? It's annoying.
  • Nino: Whoa...!
  • Nino: Dude, what happened back there?
  • Nino: Did the spirit do this?
  • Reed: Things just got a bit dicey.
  • Reed: But it's fine, now that you're here.
  • Nino: Haha, I wouldn't have expected you of all people to get hurt...
  • Nino: Looks like I'm better than you at combat, huh?
  • Reed: Mhm. If you say so.
  • Nino: You sure you can't handle an injury like this?
  • Reed: No. That's why you've got to hurry up and fix it.
  • Nino: Haha, what? You're that needy?
  • Nino: If that's the case, then...
  • Nino: We can't have Five relying on you, can we?
  • Nino: Maybe you should just kick back and leave all the fighting to me from now on!
  • Reed: Yeah, alright.
  • Nino: ...Huh?

Reed: This involves maybe losing a bit of pride, but that hardly matters now.

  • Reed: I'm plain horrible and can't do anything on my own, leader.
  • Reed: So fix my injury already.
  • Nino: Uhhh, wait, why're you talking like that?
  • Nino: That's so not like you, Ree-
  • Reed: I said fix it. Now.
  • Nino: ...Uh... alright, alright!
  • Nino: You're so adamant, jeez.
  • Nino: Guess this group can't last a second without me around, huh?
  • Reed: Cut out the stupid comments and hurry it up.
  • Nino: O-okay, okay, wow!
  • Nino: I got this, so stop your crying...

-/-/-/->

  • Nino: Why are you acting so weird about this in the first place?
  • Nino: I'd almost have thought of you as a spirit, all things considered!
  • Nino: It's hardly the time for jokes, you know.

-/-/-/->

  • Reed: The only joke here is how bad you guys are at imitating us.

Nino: Defend!

-/-/-/->

  • Five: W-woah!
  • Reed: ...So slow. Too slow.
  • Reed: Looks like you can't replicate his ability, after all.
  • Reed: Were you just babbling on to buy yourself time?
  • Nino: Hey now, back off!
  • Nino: You've got the wrong idea here!
  • Reed: Do I now.
  • Reed: I'm offended you think you can fool me past this point.
  • Reed: If you're really Nino...
  • Reed: Then let's see you fix yourself after one well-placed shot, huh?
  • Nino: ...
  • Reed: I think that's the most definitive proof you could give us.
  • Nino?: ...Haha.
  • Nino?: I guess there's no point in pretending anymore.
  • Reed: Can't risk getting scrambled like mist, I see.
  • Five: I-is it spirit... again!?
  • Reed: Stay close, Five.
  • Reed: Let me deal with this faker.
  • Reed: Then I'll find the real Nino for you soon enough.

Reed: COMBAT.

  • Reed: For some reason... I really hoped that was the real deal.
  • Nino: Haha! I'll have you know, you're forcing my hand here.
  • Nino: It's not like I actually wanted to hurt you or anything.
  • Reed: And what were you hoping to achieve,
  • Reed: With the stupid theatrics of killing one of your own?
  • Nino: I was just going to make you go back home.
  • Nino: It's for the best, you know.
  • Nino: In fact, if you allow it... I'll still lead you there safely.
  • Reed: Uh-huh, sure.
  • Reed: I'd be a moron to trust a spirit not to backstab us.
  • Nino: Well, if you'll refuse to listen...
  • Nino: Then I'm afraid I must hurt you, after all!
  • Nino: And sorry to say, but...
  • Nino: I'll still wear this face while I do it.

-/-/-/->

  • Nino: Isn't it funny, though...
  • Nino: How NATURAL this behavior seems?
  • Nino: For this HUMAN called Nino ...
  • Nino: To raise his BLADE against you.
  • Nino: Quite a FITTING image, is it not?
  • Reed: ...Be quiet.
  • Reed: Nino would never.
  • Nino: Hahahaha!
  • Nino: ... --- / .... . / ... .- -.-- ... .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.-
  • Nino: .. .----. ...- . / -... . . -. / - --- .-.. -.. / .- / .-.. .. . ..--..
  • Nino: -- -.-- / .-.. .- -.. -.-- / .-- --- ..- .-.. -.. / -. . ...- . .-. .-.-.-
  • Nino: Even though you barely know a thing about this human...
  • Nino: How can you be so sure of your judgement ?
Yeah, your understanding of the guy and his intentions certainly isn't the best, but if there's one thing you could say about Nino for sure...

It's that he wouldn't physically harm anyone in your group.

Clash.

  • Reed: Being around those guys is real annoying.
  • Reed: They make me think and act in ways I never thought I ever would.
  • Reed: But that's just how living people influence each other.
  • Reed: A worthless spirit could never replicate that.
  • Reed: So don't even pretend to understand what any of us are like.
  • Nino: Huh...!?
This could get nasty... no, this WILL get nasty.
Because you're not letting this one off easy. Its attitude's ticked you off enough.

You tell Five to cover her eyes and look away.

-/-/-/->

  • Nino: How dare you talk to ME that way!
  • Reed: Does the truth hurt?
  • Reed: I didn't know spirits got offended.
  • Nino: MIND YOUR WORDS, HUMAN.
  • Reed: ...Actually, nah. Not buying it.
  • Reed: I'm sure you lot don't feel anything at all.
  • Reed: Got some nerve thinking I'd believe your bullshit,
  • Reed: Let alone show you any respect.
  • Nino: YOU... YOU... ★★★

Reed: ATTACK.

  • -.-- --- ..- / .- .-. .-. --- --. .- -. - / --- -. . -.-.-- / .. / . -- .--. .- - .... .. --.. . / .-- .. - .... / - .... . / .--. .-. .. -. -.-. . ... ... .----. / .--. .-.. .. --. .... - / .--- ..- ... - / ..-. .. -. . -.-.--

Spirits: RISE and CONVERGE.

  • .-. .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- .-. .-. .-. .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- ..- --. ....
Shit! It pretended to kill the other one?
So both of these fuckers are working together!? The hell is going on here?

They're way too organized and persistent to be regular spirits!

Reed: Shut them up.

  • ..-. --- .-. / .--. .-. .. -. -.-. . ... ... .----. / ... .- -.- . --..-- / .-- . / .-- .. .-.. .-.. .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- / .- .- .- .- ....
You've heard enough fuckin' beeps for a lifetime today.

-/-/-/->

  • .--. .-. .. -. -.-. . ... ... / --. .- ...- . / -- . / .- / ... . -.-. --- -. -.. / -.-. .... .- -. -.-. . --..-- / - .... .. ... / .. -- .. - .- - .. --- -. / --- ..-. / .-.. .. ..-. . / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / -. --- - / -... . / .- / .-- .- ... - . -.-.--
The spirit's arms rise, desperately clawing for a target to scratch.
It can't even see you, but it still wants to fight.

That thing's near death... why won't it just give up!?

What a bizarre sight. You hope Five won't peek now... or, you just have to end this thing's struggle as quickly as possible here, before she sees any of it.

-/-/-/->

  • ..-. --- .-. / .--. .-. .. -. -.-. . ... ... .----. / ... .- -.- . .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- / --. --- / .... --- -- . --..-- / --- .-. / -.. .. . / .-- .... . .-. . / -.-- --- ..- / ... - .- -. -.. -.-.--

Aria: ATTACK.

  • Aria: Stand back!
  • Five: A-Aria...!?
  • Aria: I'll take out the one in the front!

Reed: Go with it, shoot the one in the back.

  • .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- -.-.--
Reed: Before anything else, make sure she's real.
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Pilly
Pilly
11 months ago

Morse Translations!

Nino Spirit:

SO HE SAYS...

I'VE BEEN TOLD A LIE?

MY LADY WOULD NEVER.YOU ARROGANT ONE! I EMPATHIZE WITH THE PRINCESS' PLIGHT JUST FINE!

R...RRR...RRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAUGH

Aria Spirit:

FOR PRINCESS' SAKE, WE WILL... AAAAH

PRINCESS GAVE ME A SECOND CHANCE, THIS IMITATION OF LIFE WILL NOT BE A WASTE!

FOR PRINCESS' SAKE... GO HOME, OR DIE WHERE YOU STAND!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

nevermind3476
nevermind3476
11 months ago

Morse code translations:
SO HE SAYS...
I'VE BEEN TOLD A LIE?
MY LADY WOULD NEVER.

YOU ARROGANT ONE! I EMPATHIZE WITH THE PRINCESS' PLIGHT JUST FINE!

R...RRR...RRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAUGH
FOR PRINCESS' SAKE, WE WILL... AAAAH

PRINCESS GAVE ME A SECOND CHANCE, THIS IMITATION OF LIFE WILL NOT BE A WASTE!

FOR PRINCESS' SAKE... GO HOME, OR DIE WHERE YOU STAND!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Wight
Wight
11 months ago

I can't wait for this Aria to ALSO be a spirit.

Ashenchromatic
Ashenchromatic
11 months ago
Reply to  Wight

she would never hit us with the three for three right

VB.rainer
VB.rainer
11 months ago

Holy shit

Reed and Aria: Before anything else, make absolutely, positively sure that each other are real and not spirits.

Reed, Aria, and Five: Explain everything that happened up to this point. Then, figure out a way to find Mei and Nino.

Reed: Why would the spirits try to lead you back to the human world? Surely it was just a trap, right? Right?

Probably Not Nino: Heal Mei???

Actual Legit Nino: God fucking dammit, Nino, where the hell are you?

Amamber
Amamber
11 months ago

nevermind

nevermind3476
nevermind3476
11 months ago

Pets: Catch up, confirm realness of everyone via noses

GG Player
GG Player
10 months ago

so the spirits actually beep morse code?? i thought it was just like ghostly whispers or something thats so funny

^