Hikikomori Quest - Remaking my Life: Part 14/Until the Next Cross.

[Tashi]

>"Then...what do I have to do to help out? Just... keep this up?"

> Patchouli shakes her head lightly.
> And there's some silence...
> ...
> "... You aren't going to tell her how to do it?" Remilia looks over to Patche.
> "She already has the tool. Now she has to find the way. It's pretty simple, really." Patche calmly states.

>"Because i certainly.... am not gonna give up..."

> "I praise you for that. Therefore, go on. Continue the ritual."
> You don't really get what are they trying to tell you... but it seems you already can take over this situation, but you just have to find how? But with what?
> _

[Monarda]

>"Find the way with vines ? Like what ? Entangling her ?"
>Try to think of the vines doing so, don't constrict of course, just entangle.

[Tashi]

>"Find the way with vines ? Like what ? Entangling her ?"
>Try to think of the vines doing so, don't constrict of course, just entangle.

> You try to think so, but you still feel overpowered by the same magic you are trying to manipulate. You grimace at your somewhat uncomfortable and failed attempt.
> "That's not a bad thought. However, you still can't do it, can you? Maybe you should use some kind of ability to overcome it, don't you think...?" Patchouli hints.
> _

[Monarda]

>"Why are you reading my mind again ? Is this some sort of test ?"
>Try again normally, but harder.

[Tashi]

>"Why are you reading my mind again ? Is this some sort of test ?"
>Try again normally, but harder.

> "Maybe I'm just lucky and I am guessing what you are thinking."
> You try again...
> No good results.
> You are feeling somewhat irritated by this book... Stupid, stupid book...
> The irritation slowly builds up to a bit of anger towards it.
> _

[Monarda]

>We don't need Anger, anger would make Koa sad, and making Koa sad is the last thing we wanna do, we can get irritated, but even this stupid book must have some logic behind it's desires, so let's just get irritated by how poorly it chose to do things, like WHY NOW out of all moments ?

[Tashi]

>We don't need Anger, anger would make Koa sad, and making Koa sad is the last thing we wanna do, we can get irritated, but even this stupid book must have some logic behind it's desires, so let's just get irritated by how poorly it chose to do things, like WHY NOW out of all moments ?

> It's obvious, really! Koakuma worries over your behaviour, which she hasn't watched at all its splendor, and she really wants for you to control yourself at the best of your ability. You don't want to make her sad, get into a discussion, or worse, hurt her.
> However...
> ...
> D-Doing that right now it's a bit difficult!
> While you know it's a bit of a stupid reason to be angry for, you just can't shake off the irritation of the fickleness of this book. Whatever that thing is, if not a book!
> "Are you okay, Kiku?" Sakuya asks in a serious tone.
> _

[Neovereign]

Kiku:

>"Just...irritated..."

[Tashi]

Kiku:

>"Just...irritated..."

> "Irritation will only make you feel even more overpowered by the book." Patchouli speaks calmly, almost as if she isn't surprised by this events. "As far as I know, however, your ability works by anger, or powerful emotions, as far as I can assume. Well... put that to work."
> _

[Monarda]

Kiku-chan:

>"Well... it IS annoying, no doubt about it... but i DO NOT want to give up, Sakura-sama counts on us, we promised to help her find Orange so that we wouldn't have to give Meiling a letter and leave Orange as some presumed dead person ! If i give up now, how do i even hope to find Daiko's mom ?!"

[Tashi]

Kiku-chan:

>"Well... it IS annoying, no doubt about it... but i DO NOT want to give up, Sakura-sama counts on us, we promised to help her find Orange so that we wouldn't have to give Meiling a letter and leave Orange as some presumed dead person ! If i give up now, how do i even hope to find Daiko's mom ?!"

> "... Letter...?" Meiling blinks in question. "What letter...?"
> "Very well." Patchouli nods. "You are being overpowered by a magical book. You don't know nothing about magic, or rather, you didn't practiced it at all, so it makes you even more useless than an amateur. Power doesn't make a master. A master makes the power, and you can carry this ceremony if you are able to endure the power that is being forced upon you. You know how to do it, but you aren't able to do it while you can't control yourself."
> "To put it in simpler terms, cat girl..." Remilia speaks now. "Unleash your ability, but you have to control yourself in order to not be so weak for such magical power, and keep like that and you'll be able to do it."
> _

[Monarda]

>"I have done it before already, when i had to bring Daiko to make Flan's cake, it was what let me bring him back so quickly..."
>Okay... for Sakura-sama... focus on our feelings of hope about finally making Sakura-sama's promise a truth, do it for our family !

[Tashi]

>"I have done it before already, when i had to bring Daiko to make Flan's cake, it was what let me bring him back so quickly..."
>Okay... for Sakura-sama... focus on our feelings of hope about finally making Sakura-sama's promise a truth, do it for our family !

> "Were you in control when you did it?"
> You think you cotrolled yourself a bit... but it you don't think it can be called 'control' enough, no. Your thought a lot of things at that moment... Things that would make you feel even more blinded.
> But this time, you try unleash the powers of your ambiguous and confusing ability...
> It doesn't work. As much as you dislike to admit it, it isn't strong enough of an emotion. You need more to trigger yourself.
> _

[Monarda]

>"Certainly more than what i had the first time."
>Well use that dislike too ! We can't admit failure !

[Tashi]

>"Certainly more than what i had the first time."
>Well use that dislike too ! We can't admit failure !

> You are absolutely right!
> You won't surrender to this! You also concentrate on how upset you will feel if you don't come succesful from this!
> The pressure upon you lightens a bit, you think. You... you think you are doing it...! But this isn't enough! You need MORE!
> You clear a bit your thoughts at the best of your ability. Y-You were getting excited back there...
> _

[Monarda]

>Think of a Mini-Koa on our shoulder cheering for us !

[Tashi]

>Think of a Mini-Koa on our shoulder cheering for us !

> You picture such image in your mind...
> ...
> You feel that your power slowly starts to fade away at the cute and happy picture, which therefore makes you feel again the pressure as strongly as before.
> Hmm... You wonder what kind of feelings are used to trigger this ability of yours... So far, your power seems to increase the more bad thoughts you have in your mind, therefore making you upset. And those... 'specially only for couples' sensations, or so you think, considering that moment when happened.
> _

[Monarda]

>Well how can we think of that stuff with some magician peeping into our mind ?
>Now think about an tired and fatigued Niji, we can't let all of her work go undone !

[Neovereign]

>Think about failing to complete this. Then losing Orange. Then being kicked out of the mansion for it... And getting further away from Daiyousei and Koa and Cirno. And having an accident that hurts Daiko or one of the family.
>Think about terrible things like that that could happen if we don't get a hold of our latent power.

[Tashi]

>Well how can we think of that stuff with some magician peeping into our mind ?
>Now think about an tired and fatigued Niji, we can't let all of her work go undone !

> Well, if that's really what Patche is doing, it can't be helped now, can it?!
> You picture in your mind. Come! Try to picture! How the hard work of your 'sister' is in vain!
> It works, the feeling of pressure isn't as strong upon you now!

>Think about failing to complete this. Then losing Orange. Then being kicked out of the mansion for it... And getting further away from Daiyousei and Koa and Cirno. And having an accident that hurts Daiko or one of the family.
>Think about terrible things like that that could happen if we don't get a hold of our latent power.

> Come! Try to picture it! How an horrible future awaits you if you don't accomplish this! How you will hurt others if you fail! How everyone will hate you! HOW YOU WILL LOSE EVERYONE YOU CARE FOR!
> ...
> "H-Her eyes are glowing yellow!" Meiling jumps and yelps a bit in a somewhat loud tone as she watches you, which makes Orange stir a bit. "S-She looks a bit different..."
> But of course! That is just how it is! The pressure?! Who cares about that! You don't feel in the slightest overwhelmed by it now! You can do this!
> "... Well, I might say I'm kinda curious about this." Remilia stares.
> "..." Sakuya stares in silence.
> "Now..." Patche speaks. "... Carry on. I'm sure this isn't a problem... is it?"
> _

[Monarda]

>"Problems exist to be dealt with."
>Resume with our initial thoughts of entangling Orange, beware though, do not constrict her.
>We look different huh ? Do we notice any of that ?

[Tashi]

>"Problems exist to be dealt with."
>Resume with our initial thoughts of entangling Orange, beware though, do not constrict her.
>We look different huh ? Do we notice any of that ?

> You might say that your voice suffered an unnoticeable change, but you can't bet on it.
> Patchouli doesn't answer to your affirmation. And then, the room is once again wrapped in silence...
> You think about- no... You order this lowly book's magic to entangle the young girl.
> As if your will was all it mattered to it, it follow orders and continues spreading its vines over Orange's body.
> She stirs slightly at the sensation of some of them touching her, but its not enough to wake her up. She's really deeply asleep...
> You do not, but you can notice. You feel different, though you can't pin-point what are exactly the changes. Well, the physical ones at least. Internally, you know you are holding great physical prowess, and probably other...
> Soon enough, Orange's body is gently wrapped by this vines. Obviously, not completely. Such bizarre scene for any outsider might led them to think she's in some kind of danger.
> The vines stop in place and nothing else happens. They are awaiting your orders...
> _

[Neovereign]

>Command the book's magic to Inform us of what happened to Orange.

[Monarda]

>Well, first order it to analyze her, and to make sure it does not hurt her or else....
>Then we have it report it's findings.

[Rin Satsuki]

>Command the book's magic to Inform us of what happened to Orange.

> Sadly, you don't think the book's magic is capable of telling you what happened to her. You think this is more to know what is inside her right now. Either way, if the book does find something odd, it would be the same as telling you 'this is why she was like that', sooo...

>Well, first order it to analyze her, and to make sure it does not hurt her or else....
>Then we have it report it's findings.

> You order this scrap of magic paper to do something useful, and to examine Orange at detail. You hope, however, that the vines don't intend to, uh, go inside her for real, like through her mouth or such...
> Luckily, it doesn't end up like that. Instead, a gentle green light emanate from these vines, and Orange shifts a bit.
> ...
> Seconds pass in absolute silence, and your anger slowly starts to fade away, along with your strength like last time. It's normal, you think. You start to feel the pressure again slowly...
> The vines stop glowing and start to return to their magic circles, leaving Orange alone in her sleep...
> The book then, after retrieving its magic vines, shows you, and to everyone else, what was inside Orange some seconds ago. Or at least, the leftovers of it.
> It's... It's...
> The fatigue you are feeling right now is too much, prompting you to fall on your knees, and losing consciousness afterwards...
> ...

...

When you have less perspectives, or different ones, you have to expand your world.

--Hikikomori Quest.
This is not even the beginning.

...

> You are Bastet, or Shiro for those curious about your real name.
> You have to admit that, for some time now, you have been immersed in the world of books at the library of the house. Particularly, you are still reasoning about the one that talked about the 'Nebulosa' in the dreams.
> You also have to admit that you think you know why Daiko likes to read so much, or at least, what he likes. It's quite fantastical what you can find here... but yet, it's a bit boring at times.
> "You have been quite silent for a bit..." Oniru speaks, but then seems to regret it a bit. "S-Sorry for interrupting, by the way."
> _

[Monarda]

>"Relax..."
>Poke Oniru's tail.

[Rin Satsuki]

>"Relax..."
>Poke Oniru's tail.

> You mentally touch Oniru's tail. Or you hope so, at least.
> After a second, you feel in your tail a sensation of being touched, which prompts it to sway a bit.
> "I am relaxed. I'm just surprised you didn't got bored by now, even if its to save the Dream World." The Baku inside you says with a tone of uncertainty. "No offense."
> _

[Monarda]

>"I meant relax as in don't worry about disturbing, having you around is a merry thing."
>Smile.

[Rin Satsuki]

>"I meant relax as in don't worry about disturbing, having you around is a merry thing."
>Smile.

> "It's not like someone suddenly speaking in your mind isn't unsettling, at least when you are focused as you are right now."
> Albeit of being in a corner of the library, you are able to hear the door opening, followed by footsteps.
> "Shiro-chan?" Sakura's voice resonates through the library. "Are you still around heeere?"
> _

[Monarda]

>"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaiii !"
>Go meet up with her.