- Nino: ...Ugh. I shouldn't have insulted you after all.
- Nino: It's just that... you made me so mad, okay.
- Nino: But I didn't really mean it, you know...?
- Nino: I lost control for a sec is all.
- Meimona: Oh, no, I understand!
- Meimona: I did do something reaaally stupid.
- Meimona: I totally deserve to be scolded for it.
- Nino: ...You really are okay with it?
- Meimona: Yep! It's all fine! Don't worry.
- Meimona: I can see where you're coming from.
- Nino: ...
What's with this attitude?
Seriously, nothing seems to phase her at all.
Seriously, nothing seems to phase her at all.
And her easygoing mood really isn't helping here...
- Meimona: Anyways, I have an idea...
- Meimona: Maybe if I put the stick back in place, it'll become a horn again?
- Meimona: Lemme try it, Nino! Can I, can I?
- Nino: ...Uh...
- Nino: That couldn't possibly make the situation any worse than it already is.
- Nino: So knock yourself out, I guess.
- Meimona: O-kaaaay! Here goes something!
- Meimona: Woah... what the...?
Nino: Is this an illusion?
- Nino: What happened?
- Meimona: T-the stick is gone, Nino!
- Meimona: It... it just disappeared! Right out of my grasp!
- Nino: Maybe the illusion ran out.
- Meimona: What? So that wasn't even a real stick?
- Meimona: I never thought illusions could ever be tangible!
- Nino: Me either, but...
- Nino: It's the only feasible explanation for what we're seeing.
- Nino: After all, Aria never put anything on my head, did she?
- Meimona: Oh, that's true...
- Meimona: Well, if this really did come from a spirit,
- Meimona: I guess that'd explain why it's more advanced than Aria's handiwork!
- Nino: Mhm. It looks like spirits can make their illusions appear "tangible" for a while, too. Like those strange blood-stained branches my copy fought me with...
- Nino: But all of their creations are still fake illusions.
- Nino: They fall apart and disappear in the end. Like this fake horn.
- Nino: I'm guessing you broke the illusion by pulling out its "root", in a way.
- Meimona: Ummm, hmm... that does fit with what just happened, yeah.
- Meimona: This is all so weird and convenient, though!
- Meimona: Which spirit did such a helpful illusion even come from?
- Nino: I'm... not sure. We initially fought with two spirits back there.
- Nino: And then, a lot more approached...
- Meimona: But all of them should be dead now, right?
- Meimona: So why did one of their illusions remain?
- Nino: Right... I don't have an explanation for that.
- Nino: But I think it's not impossible for an ability to persist after death.
- Nino: The barrier is probably the biggest example of that, no?
- Nino: Oshen's been dead for years by now, but the worlds are still separated.
- Meimona: Hummm, that's true...
- Meimona: So, we kinda know the howdunnit now,
- Meimona: Buuut we still don't know WHODUNNIT!
- Nino: Yeah, I have no clue at all.
- Nino: All of those spirits were pretty hostile.
- Nino: It must've been an accident, or something...
- Meimona: Mmmm! What a mysterious mystery this is!
She's still as cheerful as ever. Why...?
And especially, why now of all times?
And especially, why now of all times?
It's like she doesn't even feel the weight of danger at the present, nor does she seem offended by anything you've done in the slightest.
It's just so strange...
Nino: It's almost like Mei is acting as a caricature of herself... or perhaps a bad imitation.
Huh, yeah. She's kind of exaggerating a lot.
Not her words, you mean. Just the way she's acting.
Not her words, you mean. Just the way she's acting.
Almost like a caricature...
You knew something was off about her. It's not just your imagination after all! But why would she purposefully act sillier than usual?
Could she really be putting on a front, perhaps?
Nino: How did all those pillows get thrown across the room? And since when was the clock on the wall broken? It's almost like there was a struggle here...
Or, hold on... there's another possiblity.
One that is much, much worse than you anticipated.
One that is much, much worse than you anticipated.
Dammit. If it's true, then that means you might've just walked into yet another trap!
The question is, how would you go about verifying it now?
Nino: Ask about the broken clock and pillows. See if Mei could answer in the way she does.
- Nino: Uh... hey, Mei.
- Nino: I just noticed that the clock is broken.
- Nino: Why is that?
- Meimona: Oh, huh! You're right, it's cracked...
- Meimona: I didn't notice at all!
- Meimona: Maybe it was always like that?
- Nino: No, I think it was working when we arrived.
- Nino: Did you do something to it?
- Meimona: Nope, not at all!
- Meimona: I have no clue what broke it.
- Nino: ...Okay. What about the pillows, then?
- Nino: I noticed they're scattered all over the floor.
- Nino: Did you do that, Mei?
- Meimona: Oh, that's... haha, umm...
- Meimona: Yeah. It was me.
- Nino: Why'd you throw them on the ground?
- Meimona: Ummmh... I was just playing a little.
- Meimona: Hehehe, that sounds kind of childish, huh?
- Meimona: But don't worry! I'll pick 'em up and tidy the place.
- Meimona: We'll leave the room as clean as it was when we entered!
- Meimona: I'm no baby, after all.
- Nino: ...
Nino: Would Mei really do something that stupid? She can be a bit scatterbrained, sure, but as far as you've known her she's always been extremely competent when it counts.
That's true. Plus, her answers sound weirdly inconclusive.
Although you haven't known Mei for long, these aren't exactly the things you'd expect her to do... especially not in this kind of situation.
Why would she play like a kid without any worries, when she clearly was incredibly upset before? and how would the clock get broken without her even noticing it?
In the first place, she's the only person who could've broken during your absence.
Unless, of course...
You're not speaking to Mei right now.
Nino: Ask "Mei" who her mom is. That way, you could confirm her identity.
Nino: That's not the real Mei.
- Nino: That's enough from you!
- Nino: What'd you do with the real Mei!?
- Meimona: W... what? I-I am real, Nino!
- Nino: No, you're not.
- Nino: The real one would know the answer to my questions,
- Nino: And wouldn't try to avoid them like you're doing!
- Meimona: Oh... y-you think I'm a spirit?
- Nino: I don't think so, I now know so.
- Meimona: S-so that's why you're asking all this stuff...
- Nino: You ruined my disguise on purpose, didn't you!?
- Nino: Where's the real Mei? What'd you do with her!?
- Meimona: ...Haha, wow...
- Meimona: I'd ask if this is some kind of cruel joke,
- Meimona: But it doesn't look like it at all.
- Nino: Confess quickly if you want me to go easy on you.
- Meimona: Just... what'd I do to seem so suspicious to you...?
...How dare this devious thing.
To make such sad, pained expressions using her face. Just who does this asshole think it's imitating? It deserves a fate even worse than death for this.
--/-->
- Meimona: Fine... if it'll help, then I'll just answer you.
- Meimona: My mum's... Nadine.
- Meimona: She's a winged who often acts more like a human.
- Meimona: She adopted a lot of children, one of them being me.
- Meimona: But... you don't know all of that, do you?
- Meimona: I don't think I ever told you too much, at least.
- Meimona: So... you probably- no, definitely think this is inconclusive because you don't actually know all the details... right?
- Nino: ...
- Meimona: So, I should answer something else...
- Meimona: Something a spirit wouldn't know, and only you would, right?
- Meimona: I can't think of anything like that, though.
- Meimona: Which means questions and answers aren't that useful here.
- Meimona: What a bummer, haha...
- Nino: You... are you just playing with me now?
- Meimona: ...Ah... gosh...
- Meimona: I-it's okay... I have a solution for this.
- Meimona: Why don't you just use that sword to find out...?
- Nino: Huh?
- Meimona: When you cut those spirits up...
- Meimona: They never bled like real people would.
- Meimona: I remember it well.
- Meimona: So... you'll be able to tell that way.
- Nino: ...
--/-->
Real Mei: Where are you!?
- Meimona: U-ugh... hah.
- Meimona: I-I'll just do it myself if you won't!
- Nino: Ah!?
- Meimona: Auhhh, s-see? The real Mei's right here...
- Meimona: You have nothing to worry about at all!
- Meimona: Even if I'm... sounding all weird.
- Meimona: I'm still real. Unfortunately, maybe.
- Meimona: Sorry... agh... to disappoint you so much.
- Nino: W-what the hell...
- Meimona: I messed up really bad, I guess.
- Meimona: Enough that you couldn't believe anyone would be that stupid.
- Meimona: Haha... sorry. I'm really sorry.
- Nino: M-Mei...
- Meimona: Don't heal me yet.
- Meimona: I'll... wait a little... like this.
- Meimona: But only until you're certain I'm real.
- Meimona: Please... heal me when you're sure, okay?
- Meimona: You'll make it all better again... won't you?
- Nino: ...
- Meimona: I... only did this because I still trust you'd come for me when I need you.
- Meimona: Even if it's a little late, even if it's imperfect...
- Meimona: You always show up in the end.
- Meimona: So, it's okay.
--/-->
i didn't do nuthinnnnn to no one
I doubt your statement.
Nino: This doesn't actually prove anything. A spirit could easily make an illusion of blood.
Mei: What the HELL are you doing don't STAB yourself. There's no call for that!
Nino and/or Mei i dont really know who this is best for: Remember the monster guy did this with just a small cut to the hand. That... would've been a pretty harmless way to do this test she's insisting on but it seems to be a bit late for that now.
Nino: What the fuck.
like why did she break the clock of all things though
when you have a breakdown I don't think you really care about logic, i guess she threw the pillows and then one of em just flew to the clock
That would have to be one dense pillow to crack the glass. Or a fragile clock.
this is getting too heavy for me. whatever happened to some nice friendly SAND EATING.
Nino: If this is the real Mei, she should possess great strength in your presence. Ask her to pick you up one-handed (since she's already shown herself capable of that, and it would be hard to replicate via illusion).
To clarify, a very capable spirit could maybe make a couch invisible and create an illusion of one, then pretend to lift it over its head. (We know illusionists can make things invisible/camouflaged since Aria hid herself that way once.) But Nino can probably tell if he's really being lifted.
Nino: Calm down. Even if she is a spirit, she doesn't seem to be trying to hurt you right now.
Nino: Heal her. See if you can sense her body while doing so.
Nino: Ask her more questions.
Mei: You have to be more honest.
Mei: What happened to the room?
The Prosperous: Uh-oh, Nino's being dumb again. Time to rewrite reality one more time!
Nino: Have her lower eyelids looked like that? You should check, just in case.
Nino: Personally, this Meimona shouldn't be trusted too much. However, it is your decision to choose if you want to follow with her or not at the end of the day.
Nino: If this is a spirit reading Mei's memories to answer your questions, the real Mei is likely somewhere nearby.
Nino: Think about this carefully. The real Mei is likely unconscious somewhere nearby, where the spirit is reading her thoughts.
Or, to play with multiple ideas here
Nino: Have you ever heard of possession?
Nino: Stand down. Use healing hands on her and help her, If you really fear her being a spirit, just nick her with your sword and then heal her when your suspicions are gone.
Nino: Look at Mei's wound closely, verify if she's real.
Nino: Hug Mei
If this Mei ends up being the real one, I feel like she'd need one
Interesting thing to note, If Aria’s Illusion really is gone shouldn’t Nino’s eyes be back to normal?