// Lifeline story data Copyright 2015, 3 Minute Games LLC. 
// http://3mingames.com
// If you're reading this, you're in for spoilers but you probably don't care! Thanks for playing, and have fun.


:: Start
<<silently>>
<<set $arikanamed = 0>>
<<set $atefood = 0>>
<<set $backstory = 0>>
<<set $boysbunks = 0>>
<<set $buildGod = false>>
<<set $car = 0>>
<<set $currentquest = "intro">>
<<set $darkness = 50>>
<<set $dart = 0>>
<<set $dgy = 0>>
<<set $died = 0>>
<<set $dininghall = 0>>
<<set $fabuladagger = 1>>
<<set $fastSpell = 'uncast'>>
<<set $fingerspillow = 0>>
<<set $gas = 0>>
<<set $girlsbunks = 0>>
<<set $greatroom = 0>>
<<set $greatroomabandoned = 0>>
<<set $gumball = 0>>
<<set $happydays = 0>>
<<set $haveBabyFood = false>>
<<set $hotwiresearch = 0>>
<<set $howfartenacity = 0>>
<<set $howwemet = 0>>
<<set $ipodpromise = 0>>
<<set $intercom = 0>>
<<set $key = 0>>
<<set $keyquest = 0>>
<<set $knowschurches = 0>>
<<set $knowsstairs = 0>>
<<set $lantern = 0>>
<<set $lanternquest = 0>>
<<set $laterhaunting = 0>>
<<set $leavesoff = 1>>
<<set $letteropener = 0>>
<<set $locatorcast = 0>>
<<set $looped = false>>
<<set $missionSequence = []>>
<<set $moi = 0>>
<<set $neckwound = 0>>
<<set $nurseryspiders = 0>>
<<set $parentsdeath = 0>>
<<set $playername = "Player">>
<<set $readytenacity = 0>>
<<set $ribbon = 0>>
<<set $ribbonquest = 0>>
<<set $roundone = 0>>
<<set $roundtwo = 0>>
<<set $seenMonk = 0>>
<<set $sendGod = false>>
<<set $simple = 0>>
<<set $smelledFood = false>>
<<set $spideracquire = 0>>
<<set $studyrooms = 0>>
<<set $suspectMonksFast = false>>
<<set $turnedgreen = 0>>
<<set $warpinfo = 0>>
<<set $wentBackChancel = false>>
<<set $wondice = 0>>
<<endsilently>>
Please.
Please, just... tell me that it worked this time.
<<choice [[Uh... that <i>what</i> worked?|whatworked]]>> | <<choice [[What&apos;s happening here?|whatshappening]]>>


:: launch_test
TEST CODE
<<choice [[Lantern|lantern]]>> | <<choice [[keyloopparty|keyloopparty]]>>



:: whatworked
Oh. Oh, my God. I breached the veil.
I know you can't hear my voice, but... you can read my words?
You understand them?
<<choice [[Sure, I do, but...^Sure, I understand them... but I don't understand why I'm seeing them.|surebutwhy]]>> | <<choice [[Yeah, I read English.|ireadenglish]]>>


:: surebutwhy
Because I finally did it! After all the years, all the failures...
...all these scars...
...I finally broke through to you. I can hardly believe it.
I'm ashamed to think how close I was to giving up. To... to letting you go forever. Things got dark, for a while.
But now... now I'm one step closer to seeing your face again.
<<choice [[Wait... who do you think I am?|whodoyouthink]]>> | <<choice [[And who are <i>you?</i>^Look, before this gets any weirder... who, exactly, <i>are</i> you?|whoareyou]]>>


:: whoareyou
What do you mean, Who am I?
I'm your sister! I'm Ar--
No. Hold on. Names have power. I'm not just going to give mine away until I know what the hell is going on here.
I just completed a spell designed to pierce the Quintessence.
To take my spoken words, which would never be able to rise above the howls of the damned souls there...
...and turn them into printed text to be read by one person only.
The person I've been trying to reach for nearly a decade.
<<choice [[And that person is me?|thatpersonisme]]>> | <<choice [[I don&apos;t have a sister.^I think there's been some kind of mistake. I don't even have a sister.|nosisterofmine]]>>


:: thatpersonisme
I've been trying to reach my brother. Rand.
Please... tell me that's you.
<<choice [[Sorry, wrong number.^I don't know what to tell you... other than that I'm not your guy.|notyourguy]]>> | <<choice [[Oh. Yeah, sure, that&apos;s me.|imthatguy]]>>


:: notyourguy
You... you're not?
This isn't Rand?
<<choice [[No. Sorry.|imnotrand]]>> | <<choice [[Well, that <i>is</i> my name...^Actually, my name <i>does</i> happen to be Rand.|iamrand]]>>


:: thatsaplan
Oh. Whoops. I didn't mean to imply that I had a plan.
In my experience, the only thing plans are good for is so you have something to watch fall apart.
Plans are like gangrenous arms, in that respect.
<<choice [[That&apos;s a... pretty dim worldview.|yourehardcore]]>> | <<choice [[We see life differently.^Not to put too fine a point on it, but you're a real "glass half-empty" person, aren't you?|notsoeveryday]]>>


:: whycutting
I... look, I don't know how much of this I want to get into with you.
You're a total stranger. I contacted you by accident.
I mean, maybe you're nobody... or maybe you bent probability so my words would reach you. How could I be sure?
<<choice [[I'm not "nobody."^Everybody is somebody. Just because we've never met doesn't mean I'm a nonentity.|notnobody]]>> | <<choice [["Bent probability"? Huh?|bentprobability]]>>


:: bentprobability
Yeah, you know, warped the odds in favor of my communing with you? Caused my spell to go astray?
Lured me into a trap for your own nefarious purposes?
<<choice [[Pretty sure I didn&apos;t.|notatrap]]>> | <<choice [["Nefarious" isn't really my thing.^I've been called a lot of things by a lot of people, but "nefarious" has got to be a first.|nefarious]]>>


:: notsoeveryday
Aw, c'mon. I'm just like you. I get up in the morning, I put my pants on one leg at a time.
For as long as I still have both legs.
<<choice [[Dark. You&apos;re a dark person.|yourehardcore]]>> | <<choice [[So you're... a magician?^What you said earlier, about runes and charms... that's magic stuff, right?|youremagic]]>>


:: notatrap
...Yeah, I'm not getting the sense that you're a mage with those kind of power levels.
Or <i>any</i> kind of power levels, to be totally honest.
This link between us... this really is just pure chance, isn't it? Just serendipity?
<<choice [[Like that old John Cusack movie.|likecusack]]>> | <<choice [[We can&apos;t all be mages.^Sorry to disappoint, but not everyone can be a mage, you know.|notallmages]]>>


:: likecusack
Right. Except that movie was <i>way</i> more unbelievable than this situation.
(But yeah, I'd like to think of myself as a "Kate Beckinsale type.")
<<choice [[Wouldn't we all?|allbeckinsale]]>> | <<choice [[You're pretty pop-culture savvy.^You know a lot about old pop culture references for a... what are you, a witch?|popwitch]]>>


:: allbeckinsale
I've often thought, if I just had her wardrobe from <i>Underworld,</i> and her powers from <i>Underworld</i>...
...and her simple, relatable, down-to-earth problems from <i>Underworld</i>...
...how much easier my life would be.
<<choice [[You&apos;re pretty pop-culture savvy.^You know a lot about pop culture references for a... what are you, a witch?|popwitch]]>> | <<choice [[Too bad that's all fiction.^I guess it's a shame that vampires and werewolves and magic are all make-believe, then.|magicisntreal]]>>


:: findacar
<<silently>><<set $hotwiresearch = 1>><<endsilently>>
<<if visited() eq 1>>[[hotwireone]]
<<elseif visited() eq 2>>[[hotwiretwo]]
<<elseif visited() gte 3>>[[hotwirethree]]<<endif>>



:: questnearby
Miracle of miracles, I've spotted something!
There's a minivan parked on a side street.
I don't see anyone nearby that might be its owner. And sightlines to the van are poor.
If I thought they'd be back anytime soon, I might wait around and ask to hitch a ride...
...but who knows how long that could take?
<<if $darkness gte 75>>I think I should hotwire this thing. I've done it before. It's not that tricky.
<<elseif $darkness lte 74>>I could... I guess I could try hotwiring the van.
It doesn't exactly feel like the "right" thing to do... but it does feel like the <i>fast</i> thing to do.<<endif>>
Otherwise, I've got a long ways to walk. What do you think?
<<choice [[Walk it. Stealing is wrong.|takeahike]]>> | <<choice [[Hotwire the van. Let&apos;s go!|hotwireit]]>>


:: hotwireit
<<silently>><<darken 15>><<endsilently>>
All right. I guess we're gonna play <i>Grand Theft Auto</i> in real life.
Too bad I didn't bring a surplus of turtle shells...
...or we could play real-life <i>Mario Kart</i> once I get this thing running.
Just remember, you advised me to do this. You're aiding and abetting a felon.
<<choice [[Can you get into it?^Is the van unlocked, or do you have a way to break in to it?|breakin]]>> | <<choice [[I changed my mind.^You know what? When you put it that way, I think you should just walk, instead.|justwalk]]>>


:: breakin
Well, now, if I were my dad, I'd probably know all sorts of tech spells to get past the door lock...
...and to get the van started without having to crack open the steering column.
But instead, I'll have to-- Ha!
Oh, man. It was meant to be! This thing is a Nissan <i>Quest.</i>
What better vehicle to take on a quest?
Anyway. I'm wearing Converse, because I'm a very hip, old-school kind of teen witch.
And Converse have shoelaces, for, you know, lacing up your shoes.
And with a slipknot, and a little bit of elbow grease and ingenuity...
...I can get it through the window, pull up on the door lock, and <i>voila!</i>
We're inside the Quest, <<$playername>>!
<<choice [[A minivan. How thrilling.|minivanthrills]]>> | <<choice [[Move fast, you&apos;re breaking the law.|movefast]]>>


:: movefast
All right, so... I carry a few things with me at all times, because I never know when I'll need them.
In this case, it's Swiss Army knife, and specifically flathead screwdriver tool, to the rescue.
Just... gotta... get this steering column cover off... like so...
...and then parse all these wires.
Hang on a minute. If the owner's manual is in the glove box, that'll save me a ton of guesswork.
[[delay 2m|glovebox]]



:: thatsmyjam
Hey, I figure, if you're gonna break the law, you should at least have some tunes to back you up.
...Man, the Red Hot Chili Peppers sure do like to rhyme words with "California," don't they?
[[startthevan]]


:: coolhotwire
Nope! Everything is definitely <i>not</i> cool!
[[hotwirealarm]]


:: lanternvan
...and try to get my head clear and centered before I get to the curiosity shop.
I'll get back in touch once I'm there.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>[[delay 70m|arrivebyvan]]
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>[[delay 20m|arrivebyvan]]<<endif>>


:: catcharide
Awesome. My feet would write you a thank-you note, but their penmanship is just <i>awful.</i>
[[offtodestination]]


:: StoryTitle
Lifeline: Bloodline 081315


:: whatshappening
An answer.
It's... it's almost unbelievable. After all this time! I had almost given up.
But I've found you again. Unbelievable.
<<choice [[Given up on what?^You seem really excited, so I almost hate to ask, but... "given up" on what?|givenuponwhat]]>> | <<choice [[Found me "again"?^What do you mean, "again"? When did you find me before?|foundmeagain]]>>


:: ireadenglish
Right. Right. Of course you do.
Sorry. It's just... it's been so long. I can't help but still picture you as a child.
But of course you'd have grown. You'd have... changed, in there.
<<choice [[What are you talking about?|whatareyoutalkingabout]]>> | <<choice [[Who do you think I am?|whodoyouthink]]>>


:: whodoyouthink
You're... my...
I cast the spell to reach my brother, Rand.
Please... tell me that's who you are.
<<choice [[Not exactly.|imnotrand]]>> | <<choice [[Uh, sure, I&apos;m your brother.|imthatguy]]>>


:: nosisterofmine
You don't...?
This... isn't just some sort of cruel trick, is it? This isn't Rand, force-fed on lotus petals to forget the past?
You... oh, God, you actually aren't him, are you?
<<choice [[Sorry, no. I&apos;m not.|imnotrand]]>> | <<choice [["Force-fed on lotus petals"?|forcefedlotus]]>>


:: imnotrand
...No.
No, of <i>course</i> you're not. Why should anything go the way it's supposed to? Ever?
<<if $simple is 0>>Just because I spent everything I had on this stupid dagger. Just because I carved these stupid runes in my arm.<<endif>>
It's probably not even really a charmed knife. I bet I didn't summon anything more intimidating than tetanus.
<<choice [[You should see a doctor.|seeadoctor]]>> | <<choice [[What were you attempting?^What exactly were you trying to do, with all this cutting?|whycutting]]>>


:: youcaughtme
...Why would you try to trick me? You heard the part about me casting a spell, didn't you?
I could turn you into a... a toad. Or a horned toad. Or some kind of... I don't know. Toad.
I'm pretty tired right now.
Anyway, you should be terrified of my magical abilities.
<<choice [[Magic isn't real.^Sorry. I can't be scared of magic when I know it's all smoke and mirrors.|magicisntreal]]>> | <<choice [[So you're, what, a witch?|areyouawitch]]>>


:: seeadoctor
Yeah. Solid advice.
Only problem is that "runaway teen sorceress" doesn't come with a great benefits package, you know?
I figure, if my arm turns gangrene, I'll just hack it off and cauterize the wound with fire.
I mean, it's my left arm. I barely use it for anything.
<<choice [[That's... a plan, I guess.|thatsaplan]]>> | <<choice [[Kind of extreme, isn't it?|kindaextreme]]>>


:: kindaextreme
Nah. "Extreme" is drinking a Mountain Dew and skateboarding down a stairway railing.
Chopping off your own arm? Just one of those everyday annoyances.
<<choice [[You&apos;re pretty hardcore.|yourehardcore]]>> | <<choice [[Your "everyday" differs from mine.|notsoeveryday]]>>


:: magicifyouwant
<<if visited() eq 1>>Oh, I do want. I want very much.
This is sort of a consolation prize, though, at this point.
On account of, you know, all the blood. Which wasn't involved in hitchhiking.
But <i>whatever.</i>
So, if you'll excuse me a minute, I've got to cut teensy-tiny symbols into my fingers...
...and then lace my teensy-tiny fingers together and fire up that warp spell.
<<elseif visited() gte 2>>Damn right, that's what I want.
If I don't get to sit on my butt and enjoy some tunes and some air conditioning...
...then at the very least, I should get to poke myself with a Swiss Army knife...
...smoosh myself through time and space, and then puke from the aftereffects.
Clearly the next best thing to riding shotgun in a Lexus.<<endif>>
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: tryquest
All right, then. The Quest it is.
Let's see if I can bring this miracle of Japanese engineering back from the nearly-dead.
Ignition wires, let me just reintroduce you to battery wires...
...and then we'll throw in Mr. Starter Wire, and now it's really a party!
Annnnnnd...
...we have forward motion! Let's get this show on the road!
[[delay 5m^Arika is driving|brokedown]]


:: yourehardcore
Relax. I have yet to chop off an arm.
I've got plenty of scars all over the arms that are still attached.
But you probably don't wanna hear about that.
<<choice [[True. I&apos;ve got my own problems.|myownproblems]]>> | <<choice [[Go ahead, lay it on me.|talkitout]]>>


:: youremagic
That is magic stuff. Correct.
Why? Does that bother you?
<<choice [[No. I know magic's not real.|magicisntreal]]>> | <<choice [[So, you're... a witch?|areyouawitch]]>>


:: notallmages
Yeah, only the "lucky" few like me.
(Did it come across that I was being super-sarcastic when I said "lucky"?)
Trust me, you're better off being an absolute nobody than being a magic-user in this day and age.
<<choice [["Absolute nobody"? Uh, <i>ouch.</i>|notnobody]]>> | <<choice [[Beats being some stuck-up witch.^If being witch means having a crappy attitude like yours, I&apos;m fine the way I am, thanks.|areyouawitch]]>>


:: popwitch
Well, <i>sure</i> I do.
What did you think, that I've spent the last decade with my head in the sand, ignorant of movie theaters and DVDs?
Not while there are Ryan Goslings and Mark Ruffalos running around with their shirts off!
What's the old saying? "A girl cannot survive on basic cable alone."
...Oh, and I'm not a <i>witch,</i> thanks.
[[areyouawitch]]


:: foundquest
Miracle of miracles, I've spotted something!
There's a minivan parked at a rest area off the side of the road.
I don't see its owners anywhere nearby... maybe they hiked off to find a picnic spot...
...or a make-out spot...
...or maybe I should stop imagining that the minivan people are leading far more interesting lives than mine.
(They <i>are</i> minivan people, after all.)
If I thought they'd be back anytime soon, I might wait around and ask to hitch a ride...
...but who knows how long that could take?
<<if $darkness gte 75>>I think I should hotwire this thing. I've done it before. It's not that tricky.
<<elseif $darkness lte 74>>I could... I guess I could try hotwiring the van.
It doesn't exactly feel like the "right" thing to do... but it does feel like the <i>fast</i> thing to do.<<endif>>
Otherwise, I've got a long ways to walk. What do you think?
<<choice [[Walk it. Stealing is wrong.|takeahike]]>> | <<choice [[Hotwire the van. Let&apos;s go!|hotwireit]]>>


:: justwalk
<<silently>><<darken -12>><<endsilently>>
Ugghhh.
I'm going to sigh deeply, and then I'm going to admit that, from a moral standpoint, you're probably right.
I guess I don't really want this thing weighing on my conscience the whole time, do I?
Fine. Fine fine ugghhh fine. I'll walk instead. Fine.
Let me just reprogram my expectations of climate-controlled comfort, annnnnd...
[[takeahike]]


:: minivanthrills
Hey, maybe I want to do some Soccer Mom cosplay. You ever consider that?
Breaking into a minivan is about as close to a "normal" life as I've ever come.
(There is something unutterably sad about that last sentence.)
[[movefast]]


:: glovebox
Okay, cool. Battery wires are red, ignition is white...
...strip a little insulation, twist, spark, and...
<i>Yes!</i> Radio's on! I've got the greatest hits of the '80s, '90s, and today!
<<choice [[Lucky you.|thatsmyjam]]>> | <<choice [[But can you start the van?|startthevan]]>>


:: startthevan
If I can get the starter wire to cooperate with me -- very carefully -- then...
...we're in business! The Quest is on, which means my quest is on!
It, uh... it probably bears mentioning that another thing that's on is the "Empty" light on the gas gauge.
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>So let's hope we've got enough fumes to get to the antiques shop...
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>So let's hope we've got enough fumes to get to Floodland...
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>So let's hope we've got enough fumes to get to the monastery...<<endif>>
...because I can't afford to fill this sucker up.
And if there's a way to make unleaded gas appear out of thin air, I sure don't know it.
<<choice [[Well, good luck driving.^You've gone to all the effort of hotwiring it, you might as well drive it as long as you can.|drivefornow]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe you should walk, then.^If you're that close to empty, maybe it makes more sense just to hoof it.|walkfornow]]>>


:: drivefornow
Good point. Let's not have all that work go to waste.
Hey, besides, Donovan's "Season of the Witch" just came on the radio.
Let's hope that's an auspicious omen.[[ontheroad]]


:: ontheroad
<<silently>><<set $car = 1>><<set $gas = 1>><<endsilently>>
If you don't mind, I'm just gonna crank down the window, crank up the music...
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">><<display "lanternvan">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">><<display "ribbonvan">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">><<display "keyvan">><<endif>>



:: ribbonvan
...and try to get my head clear and centered before I get to Floodland.
I'll get back in touch once I'm there.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>[[delay 70m|arrivebyvan]]
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>[[delay 20m|arrivebyvan]]<<endif>>


:: arrivebyvan
Wow. That was an exciting thrill ride from start to finish!
The needle on the gas gauge just kept pushing deeper and deeper into the red.
I was certain that, at any moment, the Quest would start shaking...
...and then the whole drive train would just fall out in the middle of the road.
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>But instead, here we are in an alley, a block away from Kildecatt's Curiosities.
I'm skipping out on eating for now. This close to the place, I've got a nervous stomach anyhow.
[[carterinfo]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>But instead, here we are. The big circular drive that leads up to the front door of Floodland.
[[infrontofflood]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>But instead, here we are at the gates of the monastery.
And things already feel kind of... strange.
[[monasterygates]]
<<endif>>


:: carshowsup
<<if visited() eq 1>><<display "firstcar">>
<<elseif visited() gte 2>><<display "secondcar">><<endif>>


:: starthitchingnow
<<if visited() eq 1>>
<<silently>><<darken 15>><<endsilently>>
Yeah, fantastic. I'll just stick out my thumb and hope for the best.
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>"The best" being a ride to the antique shop from some kind soul who doesn't murder hitchhikers...
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>"The best" being a ride to the orphanage from some kind soul who doesn't murder hitchhikers...
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>"The best" being a ride to the monastery from some kind soul who doesn't murder hitchhikers...<<endif>>
...or, worse yet, lecture them on how dangerous it is to be a hitchhiker.
You know, what with all the murderers these days.
Anyway, I could be jutting my thumb out for a while before I even <i>see</i> a car...
...much less before one takes the risk of stopping for me.
(Oregon is nice and granola, and lets you walk on the freeway, but hitching <i>is</i> still illegal.)
[[walkingsignoffhitch]]
<<elseif visited() eq 2>>
<<silently>><<darken 15>><<endsilently>>
Yeah, good stuff. I'll throw my thumb in the air, and wave it like I just don't care.
Maybe I should magic up some giant thumbs, like Uma Thurman in <i>Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.</i>
You know, I think they actually filmed that around here.
Anyway. I think I'm gonna go silent for a bit, while I stroll along and try to catch a ride.
I'm going to mentally cast myself in various Uma Thurman roles while I walk.
Oh, look, there's me in <i>Gattaca!</i> I am following the rules!
All right. I'll get hold of you if anything interesting goes down.
[[delay 1h^Arika is walking|nobodystops]]
<<elseif visited() gte 3>>
<<silently>><<darken 15>><<endsilently>>
I'm getting a little tired of showing off my thumb to the world at large.
Certainly, with a digit this marvelous, I should be charging a modest admission fee, right?
Just letting any old passing motorist get a glimpse... I'm starting to feel like a thumb-slut.
Which is a word I just made up, but it's <i>totally</i> a thing now.
[[delay 90m^Arika is walking|carshowsup]]<<endif>>


:: brokedown
So. The show was on the road for about a minute and a half...
...and then we got to the stuttering, shaking, "lost all the- power steering" part of the show.
And now the show is on the shoulder of the road, and, if I'm being totally honest...
...I don't think the show is going anywhere, anytime soon.
The Quest is dead! Long live the Quest!
<<silently>><<set $car = 0>><<endsilently>>
<<choice [[Start walking, I guess.|takeahike]]>> | <<choice [[Try to hitchhike.|starthitchingnow]]>>


:: staysharp
Yes. Fine. Okay. I will stay very sharp.
I will mentally quiz myself on all the Presidents to keep myself sharp.
Washington. Adams. Jefferson. Madison. Monroe. A different Adams. Uh... Cyborg Washington?
I may have overpromised on that whole "staying sharp" thing.
[[offtodestination]]


:: getoutnow
I want to. <i>Believe</i> me. But it's like... my legs don't work.
No part of me works.
There's this sort of... green mist hanging over everything, and it's, like, weighing me down.
My brain is yelling at my body to run, but the volume is turned all the way down.
<grn>You're not going <i>anywhere,</i> Lanphear. At least, nowhere that you <i>want</i> to go.</grn>
<grn>But it isn't <i>all</i> bad news.</grn>
<<choice [[It sounds like all bad news.|allbadnews]]>> | <<choice [[You have to do <i>something!</i>|dosomething]]>>


:: dosomething
I can cry.
That's literally the only thing I can do.
And I'm doing it. So, so hard.
[[allbadnews]]


:: StoryAuthor
Dave Justus


:: givenuponwhat
On piercing the veil. On finally reaching you, there in the Quintessence.
Do you have any idea how long you've been gone?
I don't know how time moves for you. It's been almost ten years, out here... in the world.
(I almost said "the real world," but that's a pretty subjective term, huh?)
Are you all grown now, too? Or are you still the same sweet boy I lost?
<<choice [[I am <i>so</i> confused.^This is, without a doubt, the most confusing conversation I've ever been a part of.|soconfused]]>> | <<choice [[I'm not a boy at all.|imnotaboy]]>>


:: foundmeagain
I know it's been almost a decade since I've seen your face, but...
...please don't tell me you've forgotten me.
Whatever's happened to you, there in the Quintessence, I hoped you would always hang on to some shred of home.
<<choice [[I am so confused.^Okay, this conversation is getting really confusing, really fast.|soconfused]]>> | <<choice [[Who do you think I am?|whodoyouthink]]>>


:: whatareyoutalkingabout
Trapped there. In the Quintessence.
I don't know how time moves for you. It's been almost ten years, out here... in the world.
(I almost said "the real world," but that's a pretty subjective term, huh?)
Are you all grown now, too? Or are you still the same sweet boy I lost?
<<choice [[I am <i>so</i> confused.^This is, without a doubt, the most confusing conversation I've ever been a part of.|soconfused]]>> | <<choice [[I'm not a boy at all.|imnotaboy]]>>


:: whatexactly
The spell I crafted, to pierce the Quintessence!
To take my spoken words, which would never be able to rise above the howls of the damned souls there...
...and turn them into printed text to be read by one person only.
The person I've been trying to reach for nearly a decade.
<<choice [[Okay, you lost me.^How do I put this gently...? There&apos;s not one bit of what you just said that makes sense.|totallylost]]>> | <<choice [[And that person is me?|thatpersonisme]]>>


:: imthatguy
...I don't think I believe you.
And I have to warn you, if you're lying to me...
<<choice [[Okay, fine, I&apos;m not him.|youcaughtme]]>> | <<choice [[I'm him! I'll prove it!^I'm not lying to you! I'm Rand. How can I prove it to you?|illproveit]]>>


:: areyouawitch
I'm a <i>mage.</i>
What were you picturing, some crazy old lady on a broomstick?
Green skin, warty nose, susceptible to buckets of water thrown by Kansas farm girls in shiny red shoes?
I guaran-damn-tee you, I'm none of those things.
(I personally have on a pretty spiffy pair of ruby-red Chuck Taylors, but that's neither here nor there.)
<<choice [[A mage? Yeah, <i>right.</i>^Come on. You don&apos;t really expect me to believe in magic and mages and stuff.|magicisntreal]]>> | <<choice [[What kind of mage wears Converse?|conversemage]]>>


:: notnobody
Right, okay, you're right. We're all special and unique snowflakes.
I just... forgive me if I seem a little edgy. It's just that I've been on the edge for, oh, about ten years now.
And I've figured out, over time, that the best way to keep my balance is not to reach out for anyone or anything.
So trying to contact my brother... it was a huge leap of faith.
And -- not surprisingly -- faith let me fall flat on my stupid face.
But, hey, perfect stranger, you probably don't want to hear about it.
<<choice [[We don't have to be strangers.^Look, we're only strangers until we introduce ourselves. What do you say?|introductions]]>> | <<choice [[I&apos;ve got my own problems.|myownproblems]]>>


:: nefarious
Well, congrats, then. I don't know anything about you, so I have to assume you're nefarious.
That you have nefarious intentions. That you're up to nefarious deeds.
You're probably even wearing nefarious clothing. Whatever <i>that</i> entails.
Doc Martens, is my assumption.
<<choice [[Ha! Docs. Yeah, you called it.^If nothing else, you&apos;re right about the Docs.|nefariousdocs]]>> | <<choice [[Nope. Still not nefarious.|notnefarious]]>>


:: wontleave
I appreciate your loyalty. I really do.
But I'm going to make this call.
I can't in good conscience let you hear what's about to happen.
Remember me as... as being better than that.
[[farewellhitch]]



:: farewellhitch
Remember me as <i>me.</i> Not whatever I'll be when this thing gets inside of me.
I'm severing the spell. It might take a few seconds to fade away completely.
Just know that... I'm grateful for the time we spent together.
You helped me be
better person than
I ever would have
on my own
<grn>That's enough, Arika</grn>
<grn>Open wide</grn>
<<set $turnedgreen = 1>>
[[goodbye]]


:: illproveit
This is just cruel, what you're doing.
Cruel and stupid.
I've caught you in a lie. You're not my brother. I don't know why you'd pretend to be him.
But right now I'm an open wound, and you're just dumping salt all over me.
You have no idea, how much I wanted to find him. How hard I tried. And for you to just...
No. Forget it. I'm not going to cry.
I have no idea what sobbing even looks like through a speech-to-text link...
...but whatever it is, I'm not going to let you see it.
<<choice [[...Okay. You're right. I'm sorry.|youcaughtme]]>> | <<choice [[You need to cry, then cry.^If it would make you feel better to let it out, don&apos;t hold back on my account.|goaheadandcry]]>>


:: totallyright
Like shooting emo fish in an emo barrel.
Tell you what, let me rest up for a minute and then I'll try to guess what color your <<print either ("My Chemical Romance", "Fall Out Boy", "Panic! At The Disco", "Coheed And Cambria", "Taking Back Sunday", "Saves The Day", "Thirty Seconds To Mars", "Alkaline Trio", "Paramore") >> shirt is.
<<choice [[I don't even own one.^You'll be guessing a long time; that's not the kind of person I am.|notnobody]]>> | <<choice [[Uncanny! How'd you know that?^How could you possibly have known that? Are you <i>really</i> some of witch?|areyouawitch]]>>


:: nonmagthreetwo
<<choice [[Look for some wheels.|findacar]]>> | <<choice [[Right idea, wrong title.^While you're on your <i>long walk,</i> maybe you'll remember the correct title.|hikethree]]>>


:: walkfornow
Seriously? After all that effort?
<<if $darkness gte 75>>Come on. I've got the stupid thing running. Time is of the essence.
I really feel like I should just step down on that accelerator pedal and peel the hell out.
<<elseif $darkness lte 74>>I don't know. Maybe you're right.
The owner is already low on gas. It would suck if they came back and discovered they were low on van, too.<<endif>>
<<choice [[Don't steal it. Just walk.^I know it's a lot more work, but walking is the right move.|justwalk]]>> | <<choice [[It&apos;s your call, Arika.|yourcallvan]]>>


:: yourcallvan
<<if $darkness gte 75>>If it's my call...
...then I'm shifting into "Drive" and heading out.
Donovan's "Season of the Witch" just came on the radio. Let's hope that's an auspicious omen.[[ontheroad]]
<<elseif $darkness lte 74>>If it's my call...
...then I'm doing what's right, even though it's a pain in the butt.
Let me put everything back the way I found it, wipe down my fingerprints...
...and then (I hate this, I hate this, I hate this)...[[justwalk]]<<endif>>


:: keyvan
...and try to get my head clear and centered before I get to the monastery.
I'll get back in touch once I'm there.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon" or $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>[[delay 70m|arrivebyvan]]
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>[[delay 20m|arrivebyvan]]<<endif>>


:: Array Read Script

//adjusts the character's $darkness variable given an integer.
macros['darken'] =
{
	handler: function(place, macroName, params, parser)
	{
		//get the input parameter
		var delta = params[0];

		//get the variable's current state
		var darkness = state.history[0].variables['darkness'];

		//now do some math. Subtract 50 from current value
		//so that 0 is halfway between the boundary conditions
		var base = darkness - 50;

		//create a multiplier by calculating the percentage
		//of the current value from its far boundary.
		var x = 1 - Math.abs(base * 2 / 100);
		var modifier = 0;
        var change = 0;
    
		//multiplying delta times base tells us if we're
		//moving toward or away from the center value;
		if (delta * base > 0){
			change = Math.floor(x * delta);
		} else {
			change = Math.ceil(x * delta);
		
			//if we're moving away from the edge,
			//help us out a little to make things
			//move more quickly.
			if (delta > 0){
				modifier = 1;
			} else {
				modifier = -1;
			}	

		}
		//tally it up
		darkness = darkness + change;
		darkness = darkness + modifier;
		//set the variable's new value
		state.history[0].variables['darkness'] = darkness;

	}
}


:: nocigar
Yeah, well. I'm pretty drained after that last spellcasting.
Not really a surprise that my powers of perception are a little bit off the mark.
How about I sleep for, like, 48 hours straight, and then try to guess what color your My Chemical Romance shirt is?
<<choice [[I don't even own one.^You'll be guessing a long time; that's not the kind of person I am.|notnobody]]>> | <<choice [[Please don't disappear for two days.^I'm sort of enjoying our conversation. I'd hate for you to just shut it down.|dontgoaway]]>>


:: bewaryofstranger
Dude, I checked it out. It's a girl, my age or maybe a couple years younger.
Hippy-dippy dress, too much jewelry, blasting Veruca Salt like that's what's powering the car.
I doubt I could feel safer if I'd looked in and seen <i>me</i> behind the wheel.
<<choice [[Okay. Go ahead, catch a ride.|catcharide]]>> | <<choice [[Play it safe; keep walking.|playitsafe]]>>


:: soconfused
Yeah... I'm a little confused, myself.
I did every part of the casting correctly. The runes, the words, the bloodletting...
...I've <i>always</i> done the bloodletting.
This should have worked perfectly!
<<choice [[What, exactly, should&apos;ve worked?|whatexactly]]>> | <<choice [[Are you bleeding right now?|areyoubleeding]]>>


:: imnotaboy
What do you mean, you're not a--
Oh, no. What has that horrible place turned you into?
<<choice [[I never <i>was</i> a boy.^What I&apos;m saying is, I've never been a boy. I don't think I'm the guy you're looking for.|notyourguy]]>> | <<choice [[I'm seriously confused.^I've never been more lost in a conversation.|soconfused]]>>


:: totallylost
<<silently>><<set $simple = 1>><<endsilently>>
How much simpler can I make it?
I spent all my money on an enchanted Fabula Dagger that I bought off a hundred-year-old woman...
...then I used that dagger to carve ancient runes into the skin of my forearms, which are now drenched in blood...
...all while speaking unspeakable words to rip open a hole in reality to reach a hell dimension...
...where my little brother has been languishing for a decade, although time probably moves differently there!
It's <i>so simple!</i>
(Okay, now that I say it all out loud, I'm realizing that it's not very simple after all. Sorry.)
But, uh... you're not my brother Rand, I'm guessing.
<<choice [[Nope. Now <i>that</i> was simple.|imnotrand]]>> | <<choice [[...Sure, I&apos;m that guy.|imthatguy]]>>


:: iamrand
Sure, sure, everybody's gotta be named something.
My brother is Rand Lanphear. I lost him almost ten years ago. He was swallowed up into the Quintessence.
And I've got a sneaking suspicion that you're not him.
<<choice [[Oh. No, sorry, not me.|imnotrand]]>> | <<choice [[...Sure, I&apos;m him.|imthatguy]]>>


:: warpexplain
<<if $darkness gte 75 and $warpinfo is 0>>The quickest way to get there is a series of warps and wefts.
Short jumps -- teleportations -- in and out of the fabric of spacetime, weaving my way to my destination.
Of course... that falls under the category of "dark arts." There's a cost.
<<elseif $darkness gte 75 and $warpinfo is 1>><<display "warpagaindark">>
<<elseif $darkness lte 74 and $warpinfo is 0>>I guess the quickest way to get there would be a series of warps and wefts.
Short jumps -- teleportations -- in and out of the fabric of spacetime, weaving my way to my destination.
But that falls under the category of "dark arts." There's a cost, and I'm not too excited about paying it.
<<elseif $darkness lte 74 and $warpinfo is 1>><<display "warpagainlight">><<endif>>
<<silently>><<set $warpinfo = 1>><<endsilently>>
[[travelplanning]]


:: notnefarious
...Yeah, maybe you're <i>not</i> nefarious.
I'm not really getting the sense that you're a mage with those kind of power levels.
Or, um, <i>any</i> power levels, actually.
This link between us... this really is just pure chance, isn't it? Just serendipity?
<<choice [[Like that old John Cusack movie.|likecusack]]>> | <<choice [[We can&apos;t all be mages.^Sorry to disappoint, but not everyone can be a mage, you know.|notallmages]]>>


:: nefariousdocs
Lucky guess on my part, but they <i>are</i> the most nefarious of all footwear.
If you're wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a T-shirt from some band you really should've outgrown by now...
...then I ought to win a prize or something, shouldn't I?
<<choice [[You&apos;re right on all counts!|totallyright]]>> | <<choice [[Sorry to disappoint.^I almost feel bad for not fitting into your stereotype. But only almost.|nocigar]]>>


:: bettersafe
Whyyyy am I listening to you? I was <i>this close</i> to cruising the back roads of Oregon in a Jetta!
All we would've needed is a Nick Drake song, and we would have been in our own private Volkswagen commercial!
But you had to go and ruin it all.
Thanks a lot, <<$playername>>. I really could've used the residuals from that commercial, too.
So here I am, on the side of the road. You got any smart ideas on what happens next?
<<choice [[Next, you keep walking.|takeahike]]>> | <<choice [[Fine, use magic if you want.|magicifyouwant]]>>


:: allbadnews
<grn>You should be thanking me, you poor girl.</grn>
<grn>You've been without your parents for ten long years. You must have missed them terribly.</grn>
<grn>And now, at long last, you'll get to rejoin them.</grn>
No. This isn't what I wanted. I wanted a fighting chance.
I wanted to save them. To save my brother.
<grn>Oh, I know. But there's a war on, Arika Lanphear.</grn>
<grn>And the tiny, petty wants of a single soldier? Those are the first casualties.</grn>
<<choice [[There must be a way out.|awayout]]>> | <<choice [[Hit her with a spell!^You must have some sort of magic you can use to fight back!|hitherwithspell]]>>



:: useweapon
I don't think you get it. I can't <i>move.</i>
She could show me a special gun that only shoots green-eyed hippy chicks...
...and I still wouldn't be able to use it on her.
But, uh, that's not what she's showing me.
[[whatissheshowing]]


:: severit
Yeah. Yeah, of course I was going to sever it.
I wouldn't ask anyone to bear witness to what's about to happen.
[[farewellhitch]]


:: dontgoaway
Really? You want to keep this dialogue going?
That's... honestly, that's kind of a relief. Because, um...
[[goaheadsayit]]


:: nonmagonetwo
<<choice [[Take a hike, sister.^Walking may be the most arduous choice, but it&apos;s the least likely to get you into trouble.|hikeone]]>> | <<choice [[See if you can find a car.|findacar]]>>


:: goaheadandcry
Thanks, but I think I'll just keep it inside. I've been managing to get along without bawling for a lot of years now.
I don't think I want to start in front of a total stranger.
<<choice [[We don't have to be strangers.^Look, we're only strangers until we introduce ourselves. What do you say?|introductions]]>> | <<choice [[Afraid to be vulnerable?|afraidvulnerable]]>>


:: conversemage
...A very hip mage, who values comfort and style in her footwear?
Hey, maybe I'll level up to Manolo Blahniks after I kill my first dozen undead hordes.
For all you know, magic and shoes are inextricably linked.
Go ahead, make some pun on "soul" and "sole."
[[delay 10s|shoepun]]


:: secondcar
Oh, man! After what felt like an eternity, finally, a car has pulled onto the shoulder up ahead.
So here I go, like a modern-day Blanche DuBois, depending on the kindness of strangers.
Let's just hope that when I see who's driving this car...
...I find hot, muscular <i>Streetcar Named Desire</i> Marlon Brando waiting for me...
...and not late-era, <i>Island of Dr. Moreau</i> Marlon Brando instead.
<<choice [[Here's hoping. Have a safe ride.|takearide]]>> | <<choice [[I don't think you should hitch.|nohitch]]>>


:: donthitch
Fine. <i>Fine.</i> I'll wave them on.
But you owe me like a dozen viewings of <i>Troll 2.</i>
Back to back. No breaks. No looking away.
I will destroy your sanity as you wonder why there are no trolls in a movie with "Troll" in the title.
Meantime... what do you figure <i>I</i> ought to do?
<<choice [[I figure you keep walking.|takeahike]]>> | <<choice [[Go on and use magic if you want.|magicifyouwant]]>>


:: hotwirealarm
This Prelude has an alarm, and that alarm is currently blaring...
...and while it's true that most people these days have learned to tune these things out...
...runaway teens who are breaking the law tend to want to <i>avoid</i> alarms.
So I'm just going to run the hell away. Very fast.
But casual. So I don't look like I'm guilty of anything.
Fast-casual. I'm the Chipotle of runners.
So... what do you figure?
Should I just do this on foot? Or should I maybe warp my way out of trouble?
<<choice [[Warp, in case cops are coming.|warpcops]]>> | <<choice [[Walk. But, uh, walk <i>fast.</i>|takeahike]]>>


:: findacartwo
Okay. Give me a few minutes, I'm gonna go on the hunt.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key" or $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>[[delay 30m^Arika is searching|foundcartwo]]
<<else>>[[delay 15m^Arika is searching|foundcartwo]]<<endif>>


:: travelnode
<<if visited() eq 1>>Here's the plan as I see it.
<<elseif visited() eq 2>>So here's how I see this going down.
<<elseif visited() gte 3>>Here's the details on this one.<<endif>>
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>[[lanternstart]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>[[ribbonstart]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>[[keystart]]<<endif>>



:: ribbonstart
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>The orphanage is maybe thirty-five, forty miles northwest of the woods where I am right now.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>The orphanage is outside Portland, maybe fifteen miles from where I am now.<<endif>>
[[warpexplain]]


:: walkingsignoffhitch
So, I figure I'm gonna go silent for a bit.
Hard enough to walk <i>and</i> stick my thumb out at the same time.
Better not risk trying to keep up a conversation, on top of all that.
I might lose all my motor skills and wind up in a quivering puddle by the side of the road.
But don't worry, I'll let you know if anything interesting happens.
Later, skater.
[[delay 40m^Arika is walking|carshowsup]]



:: nonmagtwoone
<<choice [[Give the Quest a shot, at least.|tryquest]]>> | <<choice [[Start walkin', start singin'.^I'm sure you have a lovely singing voice. I say, it's a nice day for a stroll.|hiketwo]]>>


:: healnotdie
Yeah, you and me both. But I'll play the hand fate deals me.
One way or another, there's going to be a showdown when I get back home.
[[nextstep]]



:: areyoubleeding
What? Yes! Of <i>course</i> I'm bleeding!
How the hell would you expect me to cast a spell without bleeding?
I carved the runes into my arm with this stupid Fabula Dagger --
-- which I'm willing to bet isn't even properly charmed, meaning I got totally ripped off --
-- and now I'm dripping blood all over the place!
So you'd <i>better</i> be my brother Rand, or else this was all for nothing. Absolutely nothing.
<<choice [[Um... I've got bad news.^I don't know what to tell you... but I'm not your guy.|notyourguy]]>> | <<choice [[Sure, I'm your brother.|imthatguy]]>>



:: hourlyrate
<<silently>><<set $ipodpromise = 1>><<endsilently>>Tell you what. If I make it through all this alive, I'll, I don't know, pawn my iPod and pay you back.
Heavily damaged two-gig second-gen Nano... those are worth big bucks, right?
I originally found this one in the trash. So it's a collector's item!
(Trash collector's item.)
Anyway. I can see where you might be nervous that all this "therapy talk" is tearing open old wounds...
...and I just want to reassure you (or try, in my clumsy, less-than-reassuring way):
[[oldwounds]]


:: nonmagthreeone
<<choice [[Ride that minivan into the ground.|tryquest]]>> | <<choice [[Right idea, wrong title.^While you're on your <i>long walk,</i> maybe you'll remember the correct title.|hikethree]]>>


:: hotwireone
Okay. Give me a few minutes, I'm gonna go on the hunt.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>[[delay 20m^Arika is searching|foundquest]]
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon" or $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>[[delay 5m^Arika is searching|questnearby]]<<endif>>


:: warpcops
Yeah, good point.
Honestly, I mostly like cops -- they've helped me out of some scrapes before --
but I <i>do</i> think they'd frown on my current activities.
So yeah, let's get my mojo risin' and warp on out of here.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: foundcartwo
It must be my birthday, 'cause I found myself a present.
It's a Honda Prelude -- looks like a 1990s model, which should be easy pickin's.
The owner made the egregious mistake of not being here momentarily...
...so I'm gonna <i>Bourne Ultimatum</i> the heck outta this thing.
Only with, you know, a lot less finesse, probably.
Let me just do my little breaking-and-entering trick with my trusty--
Aw, <i>crap.</i>
<<choice [[What&apos;s wrong?|wronghotwire]]>> | <<choice [[Is everything cool?|coolhotwire]]>>


:: goaheadsayit
I was just going to say... it took everything I had to open this conduit.
And <i>no,</i> I didn't mean to open it to <i>you,</i> but now that the channel between us is active, well...
...it's actually a lot easier to leave it open than it is to seal it shut again, magically speaking.
The Fabula Dagger only works once. It's not like I've got another shot at this.
So... if... you're not totally averse to the idea... it might be nice to have someone to talk to, for a while.
<<choice [[Okay, but we should formally meet.|introductions]]>> | <<choice [[Not sure that&apos;s a good idea.|notagoodidea]]>>


:: forcefedlotus
Yeah, obviously. Blue lotus, to turn memories into handfuls of dust that the breeze scatters beyond retrieval.
You... you don't know <i>anything</i> about magic, do you?
<<choice [[I know there&apos;s no such thing.|magicisntreal]]>> | <<choice [[What are you, a witch?^All this talk about magic and spellcasting... are you some kind of witch or something?|areyouawitch]]>>


:: magicisntreal
Oh? Magic isn't real?
That's good. Tell me another one.
I suppose gravity's just a theory? I guess the Earth is the center of the universe?
Next you'll tell me there's no such thing as dragons.
<<choice [[Pretty sure that&apos;s true.|nodragons]]>> | <<choice [[You sound crazy right now.|yousoundcrazy]]>>


:: shoepun
<i>To yourself.</i>
[[delay 15s|pasttheshoepun]]


:: afraidvulnerable
I'm not <i>afraid</i> to be vulnerable. It's just that displaying weakness is stupid.
As far as you know right now, I'm an invincible, invulnerable magic-user of the highest order.
It's generally in my best interests to cultivate that image, rather than going around sobbing all the time.
That's why there's not a lot of fan fiction about Sauron rescuing kittens, or Darth Vader's sweet tooth.
<<choice [[You're pretty pop-culture savvy.^You know a lot about pop culture references for a... what are you, a witch?|popwitch]]>> | <<choice [[Everyone's got <i>some</i> flaw.|everyonesflawed]]>>


:: myownproblems
Yeah, you and me both. I totally get it.
I was doing a great job of being miserable and pessimistic before you came along; I could just go back to doing that.
Only...
Nah. Never mind.
<<choice [[What?^Go ahead, what were you about to say?|goaheadsayit]]>> | <<choice [[Are you playing coy?|playingcoy]]>>


:: darkperson
What do you mean?
All I'm doing is envisioning a scenario in which you accidentally die, no one comes to your aid...
...and your beloved household pet begins to gorge itself on your still-warm remains...
...starting with the jellied orbs of your lifeless eyes as they stare back in a silent, vain plea for mercy and
OHHHH now I see how that might come across as dark. Fair enough.
Anyway. Where were we? My sob story, blah blah blah, we hardly know one another, maybe we should fix that.
[[introductions]]


:: cremation
Wow. You're a real giver. Those are some lucky cats you've got.
Anyway. Where were we? My sob story, blah blah blah, we hardly know one another, maybe we should fix that.
[[introductions]]


:: hotwirechicken
But look, this isn't gonna be like last time, where I hunt all over for a car...
...and then at the last second, you chicken out and tell me just to walk instead, is it?
<<choice [[No, I promise.^You find a car, you get into as much trouble with it as you want.|troublecar]]>> | <<choice [[I don&apos;t know. Maybe.^You have to understand, my moral compass just spins like a pinwheel.|pinwheelcompass]]>>


:: takearide
This feels totally okay. It's a girl, my age or maybe a couple years younger.
Hippy-dippy dress, too much jewelry, blasting Veruca Salt like that's what's powering the car.
I doubt I could feel safer if I'd looked in and seen <i>me</i> behind the wheel.
[[offtodestination]]


:: nextstep
<<silently>><<set $missionSequence.unshift("intro")>><<endsilently>>
I just have to grab a few things on my way back to New Tenacity.
Artifacts, you know. Objects of intense mystical power. The usual.
There are three of 'em, between here (the official Middle Of Nowhere, Oregon) and there.
First up...
[[either("lantern","key","ribbon")]]


:: travelplanning
<<if $currentquest is "key" and $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>[[keywalkforest]]
<<else>>
<<if $car is 0>>So, I don't know, maybe I hotwire the next car I see (not so morally upstanding).
<<elseif $car is 1 and $gas is 1>>I've got the Quest, but the gas needle's been deep into "E" since I stole it...
...and I can't afford to put anything in the tank other than good wishes.
<<elseif $car is 1 and $gas is 0>>I've got the Quest, but without gas in the tank, what good does it do me?
(And no, I don't know any spells to make gasoline appear out of thin air...
...and <i>no,</i> siphoning by mouth is beyond where I draw the line.)<<endif>>
<<if visited() eq 1>>The other options, I guess, are to hitchhike (not so safe)...
<<elseif visited() eq 2>>Otherwise, I could thumb a ride, which isn't too appealing...
<<elseif visited() gte 3>>Other plans? Worse comes to worst, I could always hitchhike...<<endif>>
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>[[lanternwalk]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>[[ribbonwalk]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>[[keywalk]]<<endif>>
<<endif>>


:: warpagainlight
<<if visited() eq 1>>Again, I guess the quickest way to get there would be a series of warps and wefts.
But as I've mentioned, that falls under the category of "dark arts."
There's a cost, and I'm not too excited about paying it.
<<elseif visited() gte 2>>I can get there fast using warps and wefts.
But that's "dark arts," which means there's a cost.
And that cost is paid in blood, which I've only got so much of.<<endif>>


:: warpagaindark
<<if visited() eq 1>>Again, the quickest way to get there is a series of warps and wefts.
Which, yes, falls under the category of "dark arts" -- but I think I can handle it.
<<elseif visited() gte 2>>I can get there fast using warps and wefts.
That's "dark arts," sure, but when did dark arts ever hurt anyone?
<i>Irreparably,</i> I mean?<<endif>>


:: keystart
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>The monastery is close to here, tucked up into the woods where I am right now.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>The monastery is in the woods, roughly fifty miles southeast of where I am now.<<endif>>
[[warpexplain]]


:: lanternstart
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>The curiosity shop is about fifty miles northwest of the woods where I am right now.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>The curiosity shop is in Portland, maybe fifteen miles from where I am now.<<endif>>
[[warpexplain]]


:: ribbonwalk
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>...or walk (which would be something like ten hours, assuming I don't collapse first).
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>...or walk (which would be something like four hours, assuming I don't collapse first).<<endif>>
[[tripdecider]]


:: blatheraway
You're too kind.
If I can return the favor -- if you ever want somebody turned into a newt -- you just say the word.
And, I know, you're probably hearing me start to dredge up all this stuff about my childhood...
...and everything that went wrong in New Tenacity...
...and you're thinking, "Whoa. I didn't sign on to be this chick's therapist!"
(Or at least, you're thinking I should PayPal you your standard hourly rate for a session.)
<<choice [[Now that you mention it...^I wouldn't object to a couple bucks, if you wanted to toss 'em my way.|hourlyrate]]>> | <<choice [[No worries on this end.^I'm fine. I'm just sorry to be asking questions that make you open up old wounds.|oldwounds]]>>


:: pinwheelcompass
Well, isn't that fun?
"Save the whales! No more nukes! Nuke the whales!"
You must write your protest signs on dry-erase boards.
I'm gonna find a car, and I'm gonna hotwire that car.
So let's pretend that's what you're in favor of, today.
[[findacartwo]]


:: wronghotwire
Only one thing is wrong!
But it's a big thing!
[[hotwirealarm]]


:: nodragons
It's adorable that you think you're right.
<<choice [[Dragons? <i>Really?</i> You&apos;re talking crazy.|yousoundcrazy]]>> | <<choice [[Prove me wrong, then.^If you're so convinced I'm wrong, then prove to me that dragons exist.|proofofdragons]]>>


:: yousoundcrazy
I <i>feel</i> crazy right now.
I'm standing in a forest in Oregon, dripping blood all over dead leaves...
...arguing the existence of dragons with somebody who clearly has no idea what they're talking about!
Yeah. You're right. This is not what sane people do to pass the time.
But if I'm crazy, I'm dragging you along with me.
<<choice [[Then we should do introductions.^My rule is, if someone's dragging me somewhere, I at least like to know their name.|introductions]]>> | <<choice [[No thanks, I'm good.^I really don't need any of your crazy, thanks. I've got my own problems.|myownproblems]]>>


:: playingcoy
Ha! I can't remember the last time I "played" anything.
I've... man, I've been taking life awfully seriously for an awfully long time.
<<choice [[And why is that?|whysoserious]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe you should relax.^Sounds like you could use a spa day.|spaday]]>>


:: pasttheshoepun
Okay, got that out of your system? Great.
Now that we're past that, do you think...
Nah, you know what? Never mind.
<<choice [[What?^Go ahead, what were you about to say?|goaheadsayit]]>> | <<choice [[Are you playing coy?|playingcoy]]>>


:: notagoodidea
Look, I feel you. I'm not sure it's a good idea, either.
But let's be honest: I'm taking the bigger risk, here. You already know I'm at my weakest point.
I just cast a humongous spell that didn't go the way I wanted it to at all.
I'm drained emotionally, physically... spiritually... um... financially... blood-wise...
(I don't think "blood-wise" is a real word. I'm drained vocabularily...)
(Pretty sure that's not a word either.)
So you've got me at a disadvantage. I... it's hard for me to say this, but...
I need you more than you need me.
I've... man, I've been keeping myself to myself for an awfully long time.
<<choice [[Is that why you&apos;re so serious?|whysoserious]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe you should relax.^Sounds like you could use a spa day.|spaday]]>>


:: everyonesflawed
Yeah, don't I know it. I'm a walking bundle of 'em.
Right at the moment, I've lost enough blood that I'm kind of a stumbling bundle of 'em.
I should probably be a sitting bundle of 'em.
Just for a minute or two. Just until I get my wits about me again.
Nothing like pulling up a nice patch of dead leaves and mumbling mumbles that magically turn into text...
...to be read by someone I didn't mean to contact, and who's probably sick of talking to me already.
<<choice [[I'm not sick of it.^No, you're good. Keep talking, if you want.|goaheadsayit]]>> | <<choice [[I got problems too, whiner.|myownproblems]]>>


:: catswillwhat
Yup. They'll start with your eyeballs.
True story.
<<choice [[That can&apos;t possibly be accurate.|untruecats]]>> | <<choice [[<i>My</i> cat would never do that.|notmycat]]>>


:: notmycat
Hey, believe what you want.
The way I see it, there are two kinds of people in this world:
The kind whose eyeballs are gonna get eaten by cats almost immediately...
...and the kind who leave open tins of Fancy Feast all over the house, in the event that they slip in the shower.
I guess it all comes down to how important an open-casket funeral is to you.
<<choice [[You are a <i>dark</i> person.|darkperson]]>> | <<choice [[I&apos;m going with cremation.|cremation]]>>


:: oldwounds
It's not you, <<$playername>>. I've had those wounds for a long time.
I think... I think I've kept them from healing, because, uh...
...because they were really the only link I had left to my family.
But any idiot can tell you... you can't just walk around with an open wound for ten years. You'll bleed to death eventually.
And I think that's what I've been doing. Slowly but surely.
So... that's why this is the end.
I'm going back to New Tenacity.
And I'm either going to heal that wound, once and for all...
...or I'm going to die from it.
<<choice [[So... what&apos;s the next step?|nextstep]]>> | <<choice [[Let's root for "heal."^If those are the only two options, I'm hoping for "heal" and not "die."|healnotdie]]>>


:: nonmagtwotwo
<<choice [[See if you can find a car.|findacar]]>> | <<choice [[Start walkin', start singin'.^I'm sure you have a lovely singing voice. I say, it's a nice day for a stroll.|hiketwo]]>>


:: nohitch
Aw, c'mon. They stopped for me. It'd be rude if I didn't let them give me a ride.
There's a line in the movie <i>Troll 2</i> about how you shouldn't... <i>turn down</i> hospitality.
I won't repeat it here, in polite company...
...but you should really watch that movie if you haven't seen it. It's <i>sooo</i> good.
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>In fact, you go do that while I catch a ride to the shop. Deal?
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>In fact, you go do that while I catch a ride to Floodland. Deal?
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>In fact, you go do that while I catch a ride to the monastery. Deal?<<endif>>
<<choice [[Fine. Hop in the car.|takearide]]>> | <<choice [[No. Come on, just walk.^I'd feel a whole lot better about things if you didn't jump in a stranger&apos;s car.|donthitch]]>>


:: keywalkforest
Otherwise, I can just start picking my way through the foliage here...
...and keep saying "foliage" out loud over and over until it doesn't sound like a word anymore.
"Foliage."
Oh, man, it happened already.
So... what do you say?
Should I take the magic express train to the monastery?
Or go on a nature walk through the woods, here, like a "normal" person?
<<choice [[Be normal. It works for me.|nonmagictripkey]]>> | <<choice [[Use magic. I sure would.|magictripkey]]>>


:: magictripflood
<<if $darkness gte 75>>Good thinking. I agree. Fast is the way to go, regardless of the cost.
I've bled a lot more to gain a lot less. That's just the price of magic, sometimes.
<<elseif $darkness lte 74>>Yeah... okay. I'm not wild about dipping into the dark arts for this...
...but, I guess, what's the point of being a mage if you don't use your powers now and then?
It'd be like having a Lamborghini that you only drove to the corner and back.<<endif>>
All right, give me a second. Just gotta break out the old Swiss Army knife...
...and carve a few little sigils into my fingers. You know, like the Swiss Army does.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: nonmagictripflood
I suppose that what little soul I've got left is worth preserving.
For another couple days, at any rate.
All right, then. Let's consider the remaining options.
[[nonmagicnode]]


:: nonmagictriplantern
Okay. I'm gonna do this the way that normal, everyday, nonmagical people do it.
So... the first thing... would be...
(uggghhh this is already taking too long)
All right. All right. What do you figure?
[[nonmagicnode]]


:: keywalk
...or walk (it's something like twelve hours, I think, which, <i>ugh</i>)...
[[tripdecider]]


:: lanternwalk
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>...or walk (it's reasonably flat terrain, but still, like, twelve hours, not counting breaks).
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>...or walk (it's reasonably flat terrain, but still, four hours, give or take).<<endif>>
[[tripdecider]]


:: nonmagictripkey
Normal it is.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>But when I get normal splinters, and normal brambles caught in my hair...
...and incredibly normal shin splints and foot cramps and backaches...
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern" or $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>But when I get incredibly normal shin splints and foot cramps and backaches...<<endif>>
...I'm going to do a very normal amount of complaining about it to you.
(By which I mean way, <i>way</i> more than normal.)
So let's normal this bad boy up.
[[nonmagicnode]]


:: tripdecider
What do you think?
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>
Should I use magic for this trip, or play it straight?
<<choice [[Use magic. Sounds easier.|magictriplantern]]>> | <<choice [[Avoid magic, this time around.^As unappealing as the strait-laced options sound, they all seem better than "dark arts."|nonmagictriplantern]]>>
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>
Should I use magic to get to Floodland, or play it straight?
<<choice [[Use magic, if it's faster.|magictripflood]]>> | <<choice [[Stow the magic, this time.^The straightforward options sound like more work, but they won't take a toll on your soul.|nonmagictripflood]]>>
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>
Should I get to the monastery like a "normal" person... or use a little magic?
<<choice [[Be normal. It works for me.|nonmagictripkey]]>> | <<choice [[Use magic. I sure would.|magictripkey]]>><<endif>>


:: donttalk
The thing is... it's probably good for me to talk about it. A little bit, at least.
I mean -- heh -- I plan to go down swinging, and at least this way there'll be some record of it, right?
As long as you're polite enough to let me keep blathering about all my teen witch problems.
<<choice [[Blather away.|blatheraway]]>> | <<choice [[I'm sorry if I'm prying.^I just want to apologize if I&apos;m making you dig open old wounds.|oldwounds]]>>


:: proofofdragons
Yeah. Um... since we're talking about "the whereabouts of dragons who've remained hidden for centuries"...
...and not, say, "my top ten frozen yogurt toppings in descending order of yumminess"...
...you'll understand if I'm reluctant to just go spilling those secrets to a complete and total stranger.
<<choice [[Maybe introductions are in order.^All right, then. Let&apos;s get to know one another.|introductions]]>> | <<choice [[Why so guarded?^Why do you keep throwing attitude at me anytime I ask a question?|whysoserious]]>>


:: nothinghelps
I hear you. I kind of steered you into a crapstorm without checking to see if you'd packed an umbrella.
Maybe if we're gonna keep talking about it... we should at least make one another's acquaintance, huh?
[[introductions]]


:: whysoserious
<<silently>><<set $backstory = 1>><<endsilently>>
Why? Oh, I have no idea.
(Does sarcasm come through in speech-to-text? Because that was supposed to be dripping with sarcasm, just now.)
Maybe it's because I watched my parents die in front of me, and when I tried to help...
...I opened a portal to a nightmare dimension called the Quintessence that swallowed my little brother Rand...
...oh, and when I reached for him, the portal snapped shut, cutting me off from him completely...
...so that I've been wandering the Pacific Northwest for nearly a decade, surviving on my wits...
...trying to amass enough mystical power to reclaim my home, rescue my brother, or die in the attempt.
So. Not a lot of margin for big belly laughs in there, would you agree?
<<choice [[That&apos;s... some heavy stuff.|heavystuff]]>> | <<choice [[I don't even know your name.^That's an awful lot to unpack... and we don't even know one another's names yet.|introductions]]>>


:: spaday
Yeah, you know, I tend to sleep with one eye open... which is hard to do with cucumber slices in the way.
Plus, I doubt I could find a masseur who'd let all these scars pass without comment.
I think I'll just stay uncomfortable and tense. That's what's kept me alive so far.
<<choice [[Suit yourself. Sounds awful.|soundsawful]]>> | <<choice [[What makes you so intense?^At the risk of doing a bad Heath Ledger impression, I have to ask: Why so serious?|whysoserious]]>>


:: troublecar
That's what I like to hear. Unconditional support of my terrible, terrible ideas.
[[findacartwo]]


:: catperson
Did you know? If you die at home, your cat will eat you.
<<choice [[Whaaaat?!|catswillwhat]]>> | <<choice [[That can&apos;t be true.|untruecats]]>>


:: untruecats
I've never personally died at home, so I can't speak from experience.
But really, out of everything I've said to you so far today...
...you have to admit this is by far the most feasible.
<<choice [[Well, <i>that&apos;s</i> true.|truecat]]>> | <<choice [[<i>My</i> cat would never do that.|notmycat]]>>


:: donttrust
Yeah. No wonder.
The... the thing is... I really <i>want</i> to trust you.
I want to believe that the whole world isn't filled with horrible people who are just trying to trick me, or scam me...
...or say whatever they think I want to hear in order to fool me into giving them what they're after.
People who couldn't care less whether I live or die, if it puts an extra dollar in their pockets.
I've met a handful of good folks, in my time out here alone. I know they exist.
But please, just... forgive me if I'm slow to warm up.
Know that I'm doing my best.
<<choice [[It's fine. Sorry to pry.^I understand your reluctance. I'm sorry to bring up old wounds.|oldwounds]]>> | <<choice [[You don't have to talk about it.^If you'd rather not talk about it right now, I get it.|donttalk]]>>


:: hotwiretwo
All right. Hold your horses while I look for some horsepower.
<<if $car is 0>>[[hotwirechicken]]
<<elseif $car is 1>>Not that I think we're gonna do any better than the last pimped-out ride.<<endif>>
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key" or $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>[[delay 30m^Arika is searching|foundcartwo]]
<<else>>[[delay 15m^Arika is searching|foundcartwo]]<<endif>>


:: firstcar
Well, what do you know? Some kind soul has pulled to the side of the road to let me hitch a ride.
Again, <i>I know,</i> this probably isn't the safest thing to do, but my feet are killing me...
...and I would <i>love</i> to get the rest of the way there in climate-controlled comfort.
<<choice [[Sure, hop on in.|takearide]]>> | <<choice [[Be <i>very</i> wary of this person.|bewaryofstranger]]>>


:: arrivedafterwarp
<<if $currentquest is "ribbon">>[[ribbondiversion]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "lantern">>All right. Sorry about all the pomp and circumstance, there. You know what they say about teleporting...
...if the warp doesn't get you, then the weft will.
(That <i>may</i> be a mage-specific saying. I've never seen it cross-stitched onto a sampler.)
Anyhow. Here we are in the alley, a block away from Kildecatt's Curiosities.
[[carterinfo]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>Well. I'm sorry you had to see me like that. Or envision me like that, rather.
Just imagine that I vomit with immeasurable dignity and grace.
That I hurl like a Disney princess.
Like Ariel, after a big lobster dinner.
Anyhow. I'm just outside the gates of the monastery, and things are already feeling... strange.
[[monasterygates]]
<<endif>>




:: nonmagicone
Do I scout around and try to come up with something vehicular?
Or... do I pull a Nancy Sinatra and ask my boots if they're ready to start walkin'?
[[nonmagonetwo]]


:: warptime
<<if visited() eq 1>>[[warpone]]
<<elseif visited() eq 2>>[[warptwo]]
<<elseif visited() gte 3>>[[warpthree]]<<endif>>


:: nonmagicnode
<<if visited() eq 1>>[[nonmagicone]]
<<elseif visited() eq 2>>[[nonmagictwo]]
<<elseif visited() gte 3>>[[nonmagicthree]]<<endif>>


:: magictripkey
<<if $darkness gte 75>>Yeah, I guess I would too.
Better not to think about what it costs me, and instead focus on what I'm gaining.
Which is an express trip to the monastery, instead of a bunch of stumbling around in the woods.
<<elseif $darkness lte 74>>Yeah... I suppose you're right.
I'm not wild about this little dalliance with the dark side...
...but it's certainly the quickest solution, and the one least likely to make me break a sweat.
Don't make me sweaty. You wouldn't like me when I'm sweaty.<<endif>>
Give me a minute here, I'm gonna bust out the Swiss Army knife...
...and get some blood flowing and some sigils carved.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: magictriplantern
Sure. <i>Everything's</i> easier with magic.
Everything except the summoning.
If, uh... if you'll excuse me a minute, I've got to cut intricate patterns into my fingers...
...and then lace them together and say a few words to get the warp spell started.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: offtodestination
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>Anyway, here we go... off to Kildecatt's!
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>Anyway, here we go... off to Floodland!
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>Anyway, here we go... off to the monastery!<<endif>>
<<if $intercom is 0>>I'll leave the connection between you and me open...
...so, if it works the way I think, you should be able to hear any chatting I do with this girl.
<<elseif $intercom is 1>>Just like before, I'll leave the connection between you and me open...
...and you'll hear both sides of any conversation I have with this girl.<<endif>>
[[delay 3m|drowsyride]]


:: takeahike
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
<<if visited() eq 1>>[[takeahikeone]]
<<elseif visited() eq 2>>[[takeahiketwo]]
<<elseif visited() gte 3>>[[takeahikethree]]<<endif>>



:: mercycutoff
<grn>I'm going to offer you a tiny mercy, Arika.</grn>
<grn>Perhaps I'm too soft. Perhaps I'll regret this later.</grn>
<grn>But what's about to happen to you...</grn>
<grn>...the same thing that happened to your parents, to all the residents of New Tenacity...</grn>
<grn>...it will be painful. Beyond excruciating.</grn>
<grn>I can't spare you this agony. Nor would I want to.</grn>
<grn>But I'll give you the chance, right now, to sever your connection to this <<$playername>>...</grn>
<grn>...so that they don't have to bear witness to your transformation.</grn>
<grn>It's the last humane act you'll be able to perform.</grn>
<grn>Will you accept?</grn>
<<choice [[Please, sever it.^I can&apos;t bear to hear you suffer.|severit]]>> | <<choice [[Leave it open.^I've come this far with you. I won't leave you now.|wontleave]]>>


:: lostrand
Yeah, exactly. I used to call it "home." I used to love it with my whole heart.
And then it took away everything I ever cared about.
<<choice [[What went wrong?|whatwentwrong]]>> | <<choice [[You don't have to talk about it.^If you'd rather not talk about it right now, I get it.|donttalk]]>>


:: hiketwo
Like... stroll all the way there on my own?
Or maybe stroll in hopes of hitching a ride?
<<choice [[Hitch a ride, if you can.^It's a long journey, you might as well hitch if you're able.|starthitchingnow]]>> | <<choice [[Just stroll.^Hitching is way too risky. Just walk it.|allhikenohitch]]>>


:: introductions
Look, I was taught from an early age that names have power.
And I was also taught that nothing good comes of surrendering power unnecessarily.
So, yeah, maybe we should get to know one another... but maybe you tell me your name first.
<<choice [[Yeah, all right, fine.|playernameenterarikanot]]>> | <<choice [[I&apos;d rather not.|nonamegiven]]>>


:: heavystuff
Well, you asked "why" so I figured I wouldn't sugarcoat it.
I can tell you more, but substitute the word "puppies" every time I get to "ravenous hellbeasts."
Would that help?
<<choice [[I'm more of a cat person.|catperson]]>> | <<choice [[I'm not sure <i>anything</i> would help.|nothinghelps]]>>


:: talkitout
I don't know. It's not the sort of thing I usually bring up in polite company. Much less to a total stranger.
<<choice [[So let's not be strangers.|introductions]]>> | <<choice [[Why bottle it up?^It's clearly bothering you. Why would you want to keep it pent up inside?|whysoserious]]>>


:: soundsawful
It is. It really is.
But, you know, if the alternative is what happened to the rest of my family, I'd say I got off pretty easy.
<<choice [[Why would you say that?|whysoserious]]>> | <<choice [[Want to talk about it?^You keep kinda dancing around this mysterious past. You want to talk about it, or what?|talkitout]]>>


:: whatwentwrong
What went wrong was... my family trusted people.
People that we never should have trusted.
And they took <i>everything</i> from us.
Our house... our town... everyone we'd ever cared about...
They killed my parents. And when they were finished, they came for me, and my brother.
And I tried, the... the only thing I knew, to stop them.
And I just made everything worse.
<<choice [[I'm so sorry.^That sounds horrible. I'm sorry to bring up old wounds.|oldwounds]]>> | <<choice [[No wonder you don&apos;t trust easily.|donttrust]]>>


:: truecat
Cats are weird little things, you know?
I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm jealous: I'd <i>love</i> to sleep twenty hours a day and poop in a box.
But society frowns. Hard.
Anyway. Where were we? My sob story, blah blah blah, we hardly know one another, maybe we should fix that.
[[introductions]]


:: warpwire
A splendid idea. And one that's not likely to set off any alarms.
Let me just do the necessary prep work, and we'll be on our way.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: nocarthree
Ugh. This is no fun.
Either there just aren't a lot of easy marks to choose from (which is true)...
...or else I'm a little gun-shy after the whole "car alarm" fiasco last time.
But whatever the reason, my heart's just not in this whole hotwiring game right now.
Screw it. I think I'm either gonna just warp, or walk.
<<choice [[Don't warp. That&apos;s dark arts.^I think the best plan -- even though it'll suck -- is to just walk.|takeahike]]>> | <<choice [[Go on and warp, then.|warpwire]]>>


:: warpscreamone
yyyyYYYEEARRGGGHHhhhhh
huh huh huh
hang on sec
jus gon throw up
be righ back
[[delay 2m^Arika is ill|arrivedafterwarp]]


:: hotwirethree
Here we go again. Let me see if I can scrounge up some wheels.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>[[delay 30m^Arika is searching|nocarthree]]
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon" or $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>[[delay 15m^Arika is searching|nocarthree]]<<endif>>


:: nonmagictwo
<<if $car is 1 and $gas is 1>>The Quest seems like it's pretty much running on vapors...
...but who knows? Maybe vapors will get me where I need to go.
I mean, that's the principle behind those e-cigarettes, right?
<<elseif $car is 1 and $gas is 0>>Without gas in the tank, I basically have a Nissan-shaped paperweight.
<<elseif $car is 0>>Should I do a little recon, see if I can scrounge up a vehicle around here?<<endif>>
Or else I can put one foot in front of the other and start walkin', with an appropriate song in my heart.
"Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake. "On The Road Again" by Willie Nelson.
My personal preference would probably be "Sidewalking" by The Jesus And Mary Chain.
Hell, it <i>might</i> be a long enough trek that I could sing <i>all three</i> before I get there!
<<if $car is 1>><<display "nonmagtwoone">>
<<elseif $car is 0>><<display "nonmagtwotwo">><<endif>>


:: nonmagicthree
<<if $car is 1 and $gas is 1>>Do I hop in the minivan and hope it's got enough gas to get me there?
<<elseif $car is 1 and $gas is 0>>Got a minivan, but no gas. Which is the next best thing to having no minivan.
<<elseif $car is 0>>Do I look for motorized transportation of one sort or another?<<endif>>
Maybe I should just resign myself to a long walk.
Like the people in that one Stephen King/Richard Bachman novella, about the long walk.
Where a hundred teenage boys set out on a regimented long walk.
And soldiers shoot them if they falter while they're on the long walk.
I think it was called <i>The Boys That Couldn't Slow Down.</i>
<<if $car is 1>><<display "nonmagthreeone">>
<<elseif $car is 0>><<display "nonmagthreetwo">><<endif>>


:: warpthree
<<silently>><<darken 10>><<endsilently>>
Once more unto the breach, dear friend.
The breach in time and space, I mean. Obviously.
(Man, <i>Henry V</i> would've been a very different play if that was the breach he was talking about.)
Anyhow. I'm off to suffer my way through teleportation.
I guess you know the drill by now: I jump, I scream, I puke.
So... you've got <i>that</i> to look forward to.
See you when the puking's done, <<$playername>>.
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|warpscreamthree]]


:: warptwo
<<silently>><<darken 10>><<endsilently>>
Okay. Here goes... nothing.
Have I, uh... have I mentioned that this hurts?
Like, "a billion tiny needles, lit on fire, just underneath my skin" kind of pain.
Or "trapped in an elevator with a guy who's vigorously defending the <i>Star Wars</i> prequels" kind of pain.
Intense, is what I'm saying. So again, I'll, you know, do my best to keep from screaming.
Gonna grin and bear it. Maybe minus the grinning.
See you on the other side.
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|warpscreamtwo]]


:: warpone
<<silently>><<darken 10>><<endsilently>>
Okay. Here goes... nothing.
This isn't some, you know... <i>Star Trek</i> teleportation or whatever.
It's not instantaneous.
I'm gonna be ducking in and out of the real world for a couple minutes, appearing and disappearing.
And there's a degree of pain involved. So I'll, uh, I'll try to keep from screaming.
I don't wanna know what that'd translate to on your end.
But, hey, this is definitely the fastest way to get there. So. Yeah.
See you on the other side.
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|warpscreamone]]


:: drowsyride
Man... I don't know if it's just that I'm finally putting my feet up for a few minutes, or what...
...but I'm feeling super-sleepy.
Would it be okay if I just cranked the seat back a little bit?
<grn>Sure, of course! Sleep it off, if you need to.</grn>
<grn>Don't worry about me. I've got tunes, and snacks... I can keep myself entertained.</grn>
<grn>Just catch some ZZZ's, and I'll wake you up when we get where we're going...</grn>
<grn>...<i>Arika.</i></grn>
Hey, cool, thanks. Sorry to be such a bummer of a travel companion, but I'm just so...
...sleepy all of a...
...hey...
...never told you...
...my name...
[[delay 6h^Arika is sleeping|awakehitch]]


:: nonamegiven
Playing it close to the vest. I can appreciate that.
I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.
<<choice [[Okay. Fair enough.|playernameenterarikanot]]>> | <<choice [[Let's keep this need-to-know.^We've made it this far without exchanging names; why not keep that going?|nonamegiventwo]]>>


:: playernameenterarikanot
My name is <<textinput $playername "[[Enter|playernamed]]">>.


:: playernamed
Hey, <<$playername>>.
<<if $playername.toLowerCase() is "taylor">>
...Huh. Why does that name ring a bell?
Who knows? Another time, another world, maybe.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "antoine" or $playername.toLowerCase() is "trotter" or $playername.toLowerCase() is "colby" or $playername.toLowerCase() is "adair">>
Your only enemy is the status quo. Your only friend is chaos.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "rand">>
Nice name. Gonna break my heart a little every time I say it.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "arika">>
You’re kidding. That’s not a name I hear very often.
Unless I’m talking to myself.
Which, in fairness, I do a lot of, lately.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "jareth">>
No kidding? That was my dad’s name.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "naomi">>
No kidding? That was my mom’s name.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "mars">>
Is that your real name?
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "d4n">>
l33t name, dude. The fourth of many Dans, I take it.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "colin">>
I knew a guy by that name. He sure could shoot a game of pool.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "jess">>
I knew a girl by that name once. A fierce one, she was.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "dave">>
That name has a familiar ring to it.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "matt">>
You sound like a friendly guy.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "norman">>
Nice sound to that name.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "fartimus">>
You're a goofball, aren't you?
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "leila" or $playername.toLowerCase() is "carter">>
That might be a little awkward, but I'll let you know why later.
<<endif>>
It's nice to finally meet you, after all that. Thanks... thanks for trusting me.
I'm going to go against every bit of my nature and do the same.
(Here goes nothing.)
Hi.
I'm Arika.
Arika Lanphear.
It's pronounced "ARR-uh-kuh" but everyone says it like "Erica" so I've learned to just smile and accept it.
<<choice [[People screw up <i>my</i> name, too.^Hey, I feel you. Nobody ever gets my name right, either.|neverright]]>> | <<choice [["Arika." Thanks for telling me.|thanksfortelling]]>>


:: thanksfortelling
You're welcome.
[[introsumup]]



:: introsumup
It's... actually kind of nice to know who's on the other end of this spell.
To not feel like I'm just tossing these words into the void, you know?
To have a... a <i>connection.</i>
I, uh... I don't have a lot of occasion to use the word "appreciate" these days.
I sort of worry that I've forgotten how to even pronounce it.
But I... I really >mumble mumble< you listening.
<<choice [[Don't >mumble< mention it.|noproblem]]>> | <<choice [[So tell me about yourself.^All right, this conduit between us is open... tell me about what's going on for you.|talktome]]>>


:: talktome
What's going on for me?
[[talkitup]]


:: talkitup
As you've probably gathered by now, things are less than stellar.
<<if $backstory is 1>>I already gave you the CliffsNotes version of my backstory... which is more than I've told most people.
<<elseif $backstory is 0>>The CliffsNotes version of my backstory -- which is more than I share with most people -- goes something like this:
So about ten years back, I watched my parents die in front of me, and when I tried to help...
...I opened a portal to a nightmare dimension called the Quintessence that swallowed my little brother Rand...
...oh, and when I reached for him, the portal snapped shut, cutting me off from him completely...
...so that I've been wandering the Pacific Northwest for nearly a decade, surviving on my wits...
...trying to amass enough mystical power to reclaim my home, rescue my brother, or die in the attempt.
Good times, huh?<<endif>>
It starts off tragic, has a lot of tragic stuff in the middle...
...and, let's be frank, is rapidly headed for what looks to be an appropriately tragic ending.
<<choice [[How "rapidly" are we talking?^You make it sound like you're heading for that ending sooner rather than later.|rapidlyending]]>> | <<choice [[Can I help make it less tragic?^I don't want to intrude, but if I could do anything to make your life <i>less</i> tragic somehow...?|lesstragic]]>>


:: rapidlyending
...Yeah, well, I guess you're not wrong.
I'm headed back to where I grew up. Where everything went wrong. A little town in Washington state called New Tenacity.
Don't bother looking for it on any maps; you won't find it. That's by design.
It's an enclave of magic-users who sequestered ourselves a little bit away from the rest of society...
...we built a town in the woods where no one would bother us.
Or, at least, that was the <i>plan.</i>
<<choice [[What went wrong?|whatwentwrong]]>> | <<choice [[Is that where you lost Rand?^So is this hidden city where all the stuff with your brother and the hell dimension happened?|lostrand]]>>


:: dancingaround
Oh. Yeah. Where I said I was getting close to the end of things, huh?
You probably think that sounds a little... I don't know... <i>dire,</i> yeah?
[[rapidlyending]]


:: milklaugh
Ha!
You just made me laugh so hard that milk came out of my nose...
<i>...and I wasn't even drinking milk.</i>
<<choice [[That's <i>my</i> magic power. Anyway...^Look, I feel like we're kind of dancing around something you said a minute ago.|dancingaround]]>> | <<choice [[Gross. Hey, can I ask...?^Gross. Hey, this might be weird, but can I ask about something you said a minute ago?|dancingaround2]]>>


:: dancingaround2
[[dancingaround]]


:: allhikenohitch
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
<<if visited() eq 1>>[[takeahikeone]]
<<elseif visited() eq 2>>[[takeahiketwo]]
<<elseif visited() gte 3>>[[takeahikethree]]<<endif>>



:: warpifyouwant
Oh. Yes. Warping would be <i>much</i> more pleasant than walking.
Of course, it'll add another scar to my trainwreck of a thumb...
...but at this point, I'm a lost cause anyway.
Might as well be a magic-using, space-warping, puke-puking lost cause, while I'm at it.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: nobodystops
Yeah, so... it's been like an hour, and nobody has stopped.
I thought I had a pretty decent thumb, but now I'm starting to question <i>everything.</i>
Maybe I should've snagged some nail polish, really made this thing shine, you know?
I could've buffed the cuticle. Could've evened out the tan.
A little foundation to cover the sigil scars.
Man... now that I really look at it, this thumb is a <i>disaster.</i>
This whole enterprise was doomed from the start.
<<choice [[Keep on walking, I guess.|takeahike]]>> | <<choice [[Go on and warp, if you want.|warpifyouwant]]>>


:: warpscreamthree
Uh huh
huh
hugggghkkkkk
Man. Somehow, knowing that it's coming doesn't make it any better.
The one, and only, saving grace is that I can summon up some spring water to wash out my mouth.
Rinse and spit. Rinse and spit.
Forget about "abracadabra" or "hocus pocus" or "klaatu barada nikto"...
...the <i>real</i> magic words to remember are "rinse and spit."
[[delay 3m^Arika is ill|arrivedafterwarp]]


:: warpscreamtwo
HHHHHHhhhhhhnnnnnnnnn
Bit my tongue to keep from screaming
tongue hurts so much I wanna scream
Also yyyuppp here comes the puke right on cue
hang on
hang on
[[delay 3m^Arika is ill|arrivedafterwarp]]


:: nonamegiventwo
<<silently>><<set $arikanamed = 1>><<endsilently>>
Because I think both of us calling the other "Hey You" is gonna get real old, real fast.
Plus, after enough of that, how will I know if I'm talking to you or to myself?
(I've been talking to myself for a long, long time. Seems like it'd be way too easy to slip right back into it.)
Look, all right, I'll extend the olive branch here. Against my better judgment.
(Here goes nothing.)
Hi.
I'm Arika.
Arika Lanphear.
It's pronounced "ARR-uh-kuh" but everyone says it like "Erica" so I've learned to just smile and accept it.
<<choice [[People screw up <i>my</i> name, too.^Hey, I feel you. Nobody ever gets my name right, either.|ohwhatsthat]]>> | <<choice [["Arika." Thanks for telling me.|thanksfortellingunnamed]]>>


:: awakehitch
What the...
How long've I been out?
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>This isn't... this isn't Portland. This is... <i>nowhere.</i>
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>This isn't... this isn't Happy Valley. This is... <i>nowhere.</i>
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>This isn't... this isn't the monastery. This is... <i>nowhere.</i><<endif>>
<grn>Oh, now, I wouldn't say that. There is <i>one</i> notable thing about this little patch of forest.</grn>
<grn>This is the spot where Arika Lanphear died.</grn>
<<choice [[Get out of there! Run!|getoutnow]]>> | <<choice [[Hit her with a spell!^You must have some sort of magic you can use to fight back!|hitherwithspell]]>>


:: ohwhatsthat
Right? It's the <i>worst.</i>
It's like, we as a society figured out how to pronounce "Zach Galifianakis" correctly.
I know I haven't been in as many <i>Hangover</i> sequels as he has, but couldn't we at least <i>try</i> with my name?
So... what's your name, that people are always getting wrong?
[[playernameenterarikanamed]]


:: playernameenterarikanamed
My name is <<textinput $playername "[[Enter|playernamedarikanamed]]">>.


:: playernamedarikanamed
Hey, <<$playername>>.
<<if $playername.toLowerCase() is "taylor">>
...Huh. Why does that name ring a bell?
Who knows? Another time, another world, maybe.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "antoine" or $playername.toLowerCase() is "trotter" or $playername.toLowerCase() is "colby" or $playername.toLowerCase() is "adair">>
Your only enemy is the status quo. Your only friend is chaos.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "rand">>
Nice name. Gonna break my heart a little every time I say it.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "arika">>
You’re kidding. That’s not a name I hear very often.
Unless I’m talking to myself.
Which, in fairness, I do a lot of, lately.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "jareth">>
No kidding? That was my dad’s name.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "naomi">>
No kidding? That was my mom’s name.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "mars">>
Is that your real name?
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "d4n">>
l33t name, dude. The fourth of many Dans, I take it.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "colin">>
I knew a guy by that name. He sure could shoot a game of pool.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "jess">>
I knew a girl by that name once. A fierce one, she was.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "dave">>
That name has a familiar ring to it.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "matt">>
You sound like a friendly guy.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "norman">>
Nice sound to that name.
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "fartimus">>
You're a goofball, aren't you?
<<elseif $playername.toLowerCase() is "leila" or $playername.toLowerCase() is "carter">>
That might be a little awkward, but I'll let you know why later.
<<endif>>
It's nice to finally meet you, after all that. Thanks... thanks for trusting me.
[[introsumup]]


:: neverright
Right? It's the <i>worst.</i>
It's like, we as a society figured out how to pronounce "Zach Galifianakis" correctly.
I know I haven't been in as many <i>Hangover</i> sequels as he has, but couldn't we at least <i>try</i> with my name?
Anyway... I'm glad you and I got around to exchanging names.
[[introsumup]]


:: noproblem
Whew! Good. Let's have one of those relationships where I never have to say "thank you..."
...and you never have to say "you're welcome." Wouldn't that make life a ton easier?
I just feel like the biggest problem in the world right now is that people spend <i>far</i> too much time being polite.
Can we agree to toss good manners out the window?
<<choice [[Agreed.|nomanners]]>> | <<choice [[I&apos;d like to keep a little decorum.|alittledecorum]]>>


:: lesstragic
I mean... it's kinda nice just to have someone to talk to, you know?
As I've gotten closer to... the end of things... I've been keeping to myself pretty much exclusively.
I've sorta shed the few acquaintances I had, and I haven't gone out of my way to make new ones.
<<choice [["The end of things"?^What do you mean, "the end"? That&apos;s some pretty dire talk.|rapidlyending]]>> | <<choice [[I'm glad I can be here.^If what you need is someone to talk to, I'm happy to be that person.|wecantalk]]>>


:: hikethree
Was it called <i>Thinner?</i>
Because I'm certainly going to be thinner if I walk the whole way there.
Maybe I should, you know, hitch a ride if I can.
<<choice [[Please don't. It's too unsafe.^Too many bad things could happen. Just hoof it, okay?|allhikenohitch]]>> | <<choice [[I guess hitching makes sense.^Sure, if someone will stop for you, go for it.|starthitchingnow]]>>


:: wecantalk
Thanks, <<$playername>>. I mean it.
I, uh... I have a hard time trusting people. So I'm really going out on a limb here.
I'm not gonna threaten you, like, "If you screw me over, I'll turn you into a newt," or something.
Just, um... please don't screw me over, okay?
(Because I could totally turn you into a newt.)
<<choice [[I won&apos;t mess with you. Promise.|wontmess]]>> | <<choice [[A newt? <i>Seriously?</i>^Not for nothing, but that seems like a fairly archaic choice of threats.|archaicnewt]]>>


:: hipsterwitch
If only I were a necromancer...
...the Ramones reunion tour T-shirt sales alone would make me a millionaire!
Oh well. I guess I'll never know.
<<choice [[Yeah... earlier, you said "the end"?^A minute ago, you said you were coming to "the end of things." That's some pretty dire talk.|rapidlyending]]>> | <<choice [[Let's leave the Ramones alone.|ramonesalone]]>>


:: ramonesalone
You're right. They <i>did</i> specifically say that they didn't wanna be buried in the pet sematary.
They didn't want to live their lives again.
1980s movie tie-in singles count as last wills and testaments, right?
<<choice [[Absolutely.^Of course. That's the reason I don't forget about any of the people who were in <i>The Breakfast Club.</i>|milklaugh]]>> | <<choice [[Gosh, I hope not.^I&apos;m not taking a look at Phil Collins now, nor at any point since <i>Against All Odds</i> came out.|milklaugh2]]>>


:: milklaugh2
[[milklaugh]]


:: keyhikeone
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" >>...I just <i>know</i> that you'll also be traipsing through the woods, in solidarity with me. Right?
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern" or $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>...I just <i>know</i> that you'll also be walking fifty miles, in solidarity with me. Right?<<endif>>
<i>Riiiight?</i>
Yeah, I didn't think so.
Okay, if I'm gonna do this, I need to strategize.
I can summon fresh water along the way, so no need to weigh myself down with bottles of the stuff.
But, unlike the Olive Garden, I haven't quite mastered the arcane sigils to conjure never-ending pasta.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>And I'm probably not going to find a lot of snack shacks between here and the monastery, sadly.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon" or $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>So if I stumble across any opportunity to load up on carbs, I'd better take it.<<endif>>


:: whatissheshowing
It's a... a little wooden box. And inside it, there's something... green.
The same green as her eyes.
The same green as... as what happened to New Tenacity.
It's glowing. Like, bioluminescent. It's this little smooth lump about the size of my fist...
...but it's starting to... I don't even know how to describe it...
...like it's growing tendrils. Like it's trying to reach out, toward me.
I want to scream, but I can't make enough sound come out.
[[mercycutoff]]


:: awayout
<grn>If you're thinking there'll be some miraculous escape for you, some grand way out of this...</grn>
<grn>...please know that help is not coming. Is <i>never</i> coming.</grn>
<grn>Look deep into my fathomless green eyes and understand how serious I am.</grn>
<grn>The moment you stepped into my car, you stepped into your own coffin.</grn>
<grn>And before you think there's some chance that the person on the other end of that connection might help you...</grn>
<grn>...yes, hello, <<$playername>>, we see you too...</grn>
<grn>...know that in the time you slept, I slipped through so many warps and wefts...</grn>
<grn>...that not even a top-level mage could have tracked our path.</grn>
<grn>Now, sit right there... as if you could do anything else... while I show you something.</grn>
<<choice [[What is she showing you?|whatissheshowing]]>> | <<choice [[Is it a weapon?^If it&apos;s a weapon of some sort, can you get it away from her and use it against her?|useweapon]]>>


:: frownupsidedown
Great idea! I'll walk on my hands!
[[walkingsignoff]]


:: walkitoff
Your sympathy is truly, truly touching.
(I hope you could hear my sarcasm over the sound of my stomach growling.)
[[walkingsignoff]]


:: thanksfortellingunnamed
You're welcome.
This is weird, but my heart is in my throat right now. I would really, <i>really</i> appreciate some reciprocation.
<<choice [[Okay, I&apos;ll tell you my name.|playernameenterarikanamed]]>> | <<choice [[No dice, Arika.|nodicearika]]>>


:: nodicearika
Ugh.
Well, okay. I brought this on myself, I guess. I didn't <i>have</i> to tell you my name, after all.
But if we're gonna keep talking, I've got to call you <i>something.</i>
And if you won't tell me your real name...
...I'm just gonna call you Fartimus Prime.
<<choice [[Uh... what&apos;s that, now?|fartimuswhat]]>> | <<choice [[Changed my mind. I'll talk.^Yeah, on second thought, I think I'll go ahead and give you my actual name.|thatswhatithought]]>>


:: thatswhatithought
Oh, gosh, I never would've suspected that might change your mind.
Go on, then. Sock it to me.
[[playernameenterarikanamed]]


:: nomanners
Yes! Fantastic! Thank you!
<<choice [[You&apos;re welcome.|yourewelcome]]>> | <<choice [[Nice try.|nicetry]]>>


:: hitherwithspell
<grn>Oh. Are you trying to weave some magic against me?</grn>
<grn>That's adorable.</grn>
<grn>I think you'll find that your abilities have been dampened, much like a wet match.</grn>
<grn>The scars on your body tell me that you practice blood magic. Archaic. Barbaric.</grn>
<grn>But don't worry, Lanphear. Although it won't be in service of casting any spells...</grn>
<grn>...you'll have plenty of opportunity to <i>bleed,</i> in just a moment.</grn>
<<choice [[There must be a way out.|awayout]]>> | <<choice [[How can I help?|awayout2]]>>


:: awayout2
[[awayout]]


:: wontmess
Good call. 'Cause I got newt spells for <i>days.</i>
<<choice [[Newts seem a little... old-school.^Not for nothing, but that seems like a fairly archaic choice of threats.|archaicnewt]]>> | <<choice [[So, before, you said "the end"?^A minute ago, you said you were coming to "the end of things." That&apos;s some pretty dire talk.|rapidlyending]]>>


:: archaicnewt
What can I say? I'm an old-school kinda girl.
I still wear Converse Hi-Tops, I still have <i>Paul's Boutique</i> on my iPod, and I still turn people into newts.
Sometimes the classics are the classics for a reason, you know?
<<choice [[A hipster witch. Terrifying.^Hard to think of anything more frightening than a hipster with magic powers.|hipsterwitch]]>> | <<choice [[So, before, you said "the end"?^A minute ago, you said you were coming to "the end of things." That&apos;s some pretty dire talk.|rapidlyending]]>>


:: hikeone
Like... <i>actually</i> take a hike?
Or do a little hitchhiking, you mean?
<<choice [[Try and flag down a ride.^Might as well hitchhike, if someone's willing to offer you a ride.|starthitchingnow]]>> | <<choice [[All hike, no hitch.^Hitching's too dangerous. Just tough it out on your own two feet.|allhikenohitch]]>>


:: lanternhikeone
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>...I just <i>know</i> that you'll also be walking fifty miles, in solidarity with me. Right?
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>...I just <i>know</i> that you'll also be walking fifteen miles, in solidarity with me. Right?<<endif>>
<i>Riiiight?</i>
Yeah, I didn't think so.
Okay, if I'm gonna do this, I need to strategize.
I can summon fresh water along the way, so no need to weigh myself down with bottles of the stuff.
But, unlike the Olive Garden, I haven't quite mastered the arcane sigils to conjure never-ending pasta.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>So I'd better load up on carbs at my first opportunity, if I'm going to spend half a day hiking.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>So if I stumble across any opportunity to load up on carbs, I'd better take it.<<endif>>


:: foodlater
Easy for you to say.
You're not the one who's trying to make it through the day on half a Kind bar and two Altoids.
Walking for miles on an empty stomach? I'm operating at a calorie deficit, here.
I'm burning energy from food I won't even eat until next week.
I know you can't see my frowny face, but trust me, <<$playername>>, it is very frowny.
<<choice [[Sorry you're hungry.^It sucks that you're snacky, but you should probably get a move on.|walkitoff]]>> | <<choice [[Turn that frown upside down.|frownupsidedown]]>>


:: fartimuswhat
Yup. That's what my brother Rand used to call this transforming truck robot toy he had.
It made him laugh like a goon every time. And I like to remember him laughing.
So... last chance. Speak up now with your real name, or forever hold your peace, Fartimus.
<<choice [[Okay, okay. Real name it is.|playernameenterarikanamed]]>> | <<choice [[Fine. I&apos;ll take Fartimus.|iamfartimus]]>>


:: iamfartimus
<<silently>><<set $playername = "Fartimus">><<endsilently>>
You got it!
<<$playername>>, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
[[introsumup]]


:: alittledecorum
Wow. I'm straight-up giving you permission to treat me like dirt, and you're insisting on taking the high road.
You keep up that kinda behavior, my small Grinch heart is going to grow three sizes this day.
Anyway. Next time I thank you for something, blow me off. Just once. Just for grins.
<<choice [[If it'll make you happy...^Fine. I'll do my best to remember to be weirdly rude to you later.|illberude]]>> | <<choice [[I doubt I can pull it off.^Old habits die hard. I think I&apos;m just hard-wired for politeness. Sorry.|oldhabits]]>>


:: yourewelcome
Damn. We screwed that up pretty quickly, huh?
<<choice [[Old habits die hard.^I doubt I can pull it off. I think I&apos;m just hard-wired for politeness. Sorry.|oldhabits]]>> | <<choice [[I'll try harder next time.^Next time you thank me for something, I promise I'll go out of my way to be rude.|illberude]]>>


:: nicetry
Well played, <<$playername>>. Well played indeed.
[[soanyway]]


:: soanyway
So. Anyway. As long as this conduit between us is open, and we've taken the time to introduce ourselves...
...I guess I should tell you a little about my situation.
[[talkitup]]


:: walkingsignoff
Yeah. So. I'm gonna go silent for a little while, as I'm walking.
Save my breath, save my saliva.
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">><<display "lanternwalkingsign">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">><<display "ribbonwalkingsign">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">><<display "keywalkingsign">><<endif>>



:: happybday
Constantly sputtering and never quite dying?
Lemme tell you, in a lot of ways, those candles are my role models.
<<choice [[But you <i>just</i> said they&apos;re annoying.|annoyingcandles]]>> | <<choice [[And this lantern is... useful?|thatsuseful]]>>


:: annoyingcandles
Hi. Have we met? I'm Arika. I'm kind of annoying.
At least until you get to know me. Then I can be <i>really</i> annoying.
<<choice [[So, this lantern is... useful?|thatsuseful]]>> | <<choice [[Fair enough. So, what next?|travelnode]]>>


:: sureimhere
Oh. Cool. I'm, uh... I wanted to run a thought by you.
[[feetkilling]]


:: warpthere
Oh, thank goodness. I've been wanting to do it for like an hour now...
...I think I just needed permission to let myself take the easy way out, you know?
Okay. If, uh... if you'll excuse me a minute, I've got to cut intricate patterns into my fingers...
...and then lace them together and say a few words to get the warp spell started.
Blah blah blah, it's always "bleed this, chant that" with me, I know.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: takeahikeone
Great! Excellent choice! And because you're such a good friend...
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">><<display "lanternhikeone">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">><<display "ribbonhikeone">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">><<display "keyhikeone">><<endif>>
<<choice [[Where's the nearest food?^How close are you to an all-you-can-eat spaghetti buffet?|nearestfood]]>> | <<choice [[Hike now, food later.^You might as well get started walking. You're bound to reach a store or restaurant eventually.|foodlater]]>>


:: nearestfood
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">><<display "lanternfood">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">><<display "ribbonfood">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">><<display "keyfood">><<endif>>
I figure if I keep my head down, keep marching ahead, and stop thinking about waffles for half a second...
...I should be okay.
[[walkingsignoff]]


:: crummyliar
And you were a crummy advisor. So now we're even, huh?
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>Whatever. I'm here, milling about in an alleyway, a block away from Kildecatt's Curiosities.
[[carterinfo]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>Whatever. I'm here. The big circular drive that leads up to the front door of Floodland. [[infrontofflood]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>Whatever. I'm here, at the gates of the monastery.
And things already feel kind of... weird.
[[monasterygates]]
<<endif>>


:: oldhabits
Apology <i>not</i> accepted!
(See? It's easy! We hang out long enough, I promise, I'll turn you into an ingrate just like I've become.)
[[soanyway]]


:: illberude
Ahh, the words every lady longs to hear.
[[soanyway]]


:: levelhead
Yeah, here's hoping. I don't know that "level-headed" is the first word I'd use to describe myself.
I wanted to get in and out of here with as little interaction as possible, but...
[[shopintercom]]


:: speciallantern
Once lit, it stays lit indefinitely.
You know those trick candles that some people put on birthday cakes?
The ones that you blow out, but then they sputter back to life, over and over, and it's super annoying?
This is like the lantern version of that. It never goes out.
<<choice [[And that&apos;s... useful?|thatsuseful]]>> | <<choice [[Happy birthday to <i>you,</i> then.|happybday]]>>


:: thatsuseful
It's useful if, say, you're fighting someone flammable.
And you want your ability to burn them to outlast their ability to stay, y'know... unburnt.
<<choice [[So we'll be... burning people?|burningpeople]]>> | <<choice [[I guess I'm sorry I asked.|sorryiasked]]>>



:: sorryiasked
Well, you know what they say.
You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs...
...then lighting them on fire and letting them burn forever without being able to extinguish themselves.
<<choice [[You mean... burning <i>people,</i> right?|burningpeople]]>> | <<choice [[Yikes. Okay. So, what next?|travelnode]]>>


:: yesrollie
<<if $happydays is 1>>Good stuff. I'll put it on hold, along with your <i>Happy Days</i> glasses.
You're piling up quite a load of kitsch here, my friend.
<<elseif $happydays is 0>>An excellent choice, made by a truly discerning shopper.
Anyway, don't delay in getting down here. An item this gloriously mustachioed won't stick around forever!<<endif>>
Annnnnd that was fun. Back to browsing.
[[delay 30m^Arika is searching|foundlantern]]


:: focuslantern
Right. You're right.
This whole thing, gathering these artifacts... it's all for my folks.
No reason to get any more maudlin about it than necessary.
[[enoughshark]]


:: foundlantern
Oh. Man. I found it. I found the lantern.
It's in a display case up at the front counter, right where Carter is sitting.
Crap. That means there's no way to just carry it up to him casually.
I have to ask him if I can see it, and get into a whole conversation about it...
...and basically do everything I was trying so hard to avoid.
<<choice [[Don't panic. It'll be fine.^You can talk your way through this, if you just keep a level head.|levelhead]]>> | <<choice [[Can you distract him?|distracthim]]>>


:: rolliepillow
<<silently>><<set $fingerspillow = 1>><<endsilently>>
Hey!
You in the market for a Rollie Fingers throw pillow?
<<choice [[Always!|yesrollie]]>> | <<choice [[I&apos;ll take a pass, thanks.|norollie]]>>


:: laterhaunting
//<<META:
//The idea here is that, if the Player chooses to abandon Arika but does not A) delete or B) restart the game, then the game will wait a certain number of days -- let's say 7d -- and then this message will pop up:>>
//Hey, <<$playername>>.
//Had any bad luck recently?
//Yeah. I wonder if that was me?
//<And then the game goes dead. I realize that this message will only be seen by a very small percentage of players... but I have to think it'll freak them out.>


:: keywalkingsign
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>I should be at the monastery in, say, a couple hours. If you haven't heard from me by then...
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon" or $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>If you don't hear from me after, I don't know, a few hours...<<endif>>
...it probably means I got eaten by a bear. Or a wolf. Or a sharknado.
Whatever's native to Oregon around this time of year.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon" or $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|longwalkbreak]]
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>[[delay 2h^Arika is walking|shortwalkarrivedkey]]<<endif>>


:: feetkilling
My feet are absolutely <i>killing</i> me.
These Converse are the height of fashion, don't get me wrong...
...but they're not doing so great at arch support, at the moment.
I'm not sure they were built to be "hike all day" kinda shoes.
So... I'm seriously considering pulling some warps and wefts.
<<if $warpinfo is 0>>Short jumps -- teleportations -- in and out of the fabric of spacetime, weaving my way to my destination.<<endif>>
Which, yes, that's "dark arts." And yes, that means blood.
But since my shoes are probably filling up with blood even as we speak...
...it's starting to sound like a pretty solid option.
What do you think?
<<choice [[Go ahead and warp there.^I think, rather than destroying your feet, you should teleport the rest of the way.|warpthere]]>> | <<choice [[Rest a bit, but keep walking.^Take some time to let your feet rest... but don&apos;t mess with "dark arts."|nowarps]]>>


:: arrivedwalking
<<silently>><<set $atefood = 1>><<endsilently>>
So, hey, I'm here!
As far as you're concerned, I walked the whole way.
I certainly <i>didn't</i> immediately perform a warp-and-weft spell after the last time we talked...
...so that I teleported here instantaneously, thus saving hours of wear and tear on my feet.
And then, after that, I absolutely <i>didn't</i> do card tricks on a street corner...
...until I'd made enough money for a really quite decent omelet and a bottomless cup of coffee.
Not to mention a bottle of calamine for the bug bites.
Nope. I didn't do <i>any</i> of that. Instead I walked, like a damn idiot, for ten hours.
Just like you told me.
As far as you know.
<<choice [[Well, congrats to you.|congratsonwalking]]>> | <<choice [[You&apos;re a crummy liar.|crummyliar]]>>


:: congratsonwalking
Congrats to me, indeed. Good job, Arika.
If I knew a spell that would pat myself on the back, I'd cast it right now.
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>Anyway. I'm here, milling about in an alleyway, a block away from Kildecatt's Curiosities.
[[carterinfo]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>Anyway. I'm here. The big circular drive that leads up to the front door of Floodland. [[infrontofflood]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>Anyway. I'm here, at the gates of the monastery.
And things already feel kind of... weird.
[[monasterygates]]
<<endif>>


:: lantern
<<silently>><<set $currentquest = "lantern">><<endsilently>>
<<set $lanternquest = 1>>
...the lantern from the curiosity shop.
<<choice [[What does that entail?|lanterndetails]]>> | <<choice [[Sounds... not so dangerous.|lanternnotdangerous]]>>


:: lanterndetails
So, there's this antiques shop, just north of downtown Portland, in the Pearl District.
Has a real <i>Gremlins</i> vibe to it, like you might find a Mogwai there if you stopped in on the right night.
But -- much as an army of mischevious monsters might help me -- that's not what I'm after at the moment.
I'm looking for a lantern.
A very special lantern.
<<choice [[What&apos;s special about it?|speciallantern]]>> | <<choice [[Does it charge your power ring?^What are you, in the Green Lantern Corps or something?|greenlantern]]>>


:: greenlantern
My power ring is charged by blood sacrifice, not something doofy like "willpower."
Grow up, already.
But no, this lantern might not help me patrol space or whatever. But it's pretty cool in its own right.
[[speciallantern]]


:: curiehulk
CURIE SMASH!!!
Heh... yeah. So. Anyway. About this lantern.
[[speciallantern]]


:: burningpeople
No no no no no.
It would be a mistake to think of them as "people."
We'll be burning <i>monsters.</i>
They might look like people.
They might <i>scream</i> like people.
But trust me.
They're monsters.
<<choice [[This is getting... dark.|gettingdark]]>> | <<choice [[Fair enough. So what&apos;s next?|travelnode]]>>


:: onemore
...The "I'm Not Mad Tea Party, I'm Just <i>Disappointed</i> Tea Party" ride?
All right. Enough screwing around. Let's talk strategy.
[[travelnode]]


:: distracthim
It's a nice thought, but he's sitting like eighteen inches away from the lantern.
And even if I could get him away from it, the case is locked...
...and the customer is close enough that he'd spot me if I tried any funny business.
I think I'm pretty much destined for a chat with Carter.
[[shopintercom]]


:: norollie
You don't know what you're missing, <<$playername>>.
This is, without a doubt, the most gloriously mustachioed decorative accent piece I've ever seen.
(Well, it's easily in the top five.)
If I make it through the next couple days alive -- and that's a <i>big</i> "if" --
I shall return to claim this pillow as my spoils!
<i>We will meet again in Valhalla, Rollie Fingers!</i>
Annnnnd that was fun. Back to browsing.
[[delay 30m^Arika is searching|foundlantern]]


:: socksmagic
<i>Socks</i> magic. So <i>that's</i> what Aleister Crowley was talking about.
All this time, I was hearing it wrong!
Anyway. Sure. As soon as I get all this stuff sorted out with my brother, and New Tenacity, and all that...
...I promise, your socks will be the Very Next Thing on my checklist.
Meantime, I gotta figure out how to deal with Carter and his shop.
See, he's no dummy. He's been dealing in magical artifacts for centuries.
And not everyone who comes by to browse is as... scrupulous as we are.
So, rumor has it, Carter wised up and put some kind of detection system in place.
<<choice [[Like, a smoke detector for magic?|magicdetector]]>> | <<choice [[Can it be deactivated?|deactivated]]>>


:: goodbye
showseal
<i>Your connection to Arika is closed.</i>
<<if $lantern is 1>><i>You helped her to find the lantern from the curiosity shop.</i><<endif>>
<<if $key is 1>><i>You aided her in recovering the key held by the Timeless Monks.</i><<endif>>
<<if $ribbon is 1>><i>You guided her through getting the ribbon from the orphan girl.</i><<endif>>
<<if $lantern is 0 and $key is 0 and $ribbon is 0>><i>You did not help her to recover any of the artifacts she sought.</i><<endif>>
<i>And now luck, ever present, has turned her back on you.</i>
<i>At another time... in another life... perhaps things could have been different.</i>
<i>This was not that time.</i>
<i>This was not that life.</i>
gameover
//<<if $laterhaunting is 1>>[[laterhaunting]]<<endif>>


:: sosojoke
Well, sorry if my improv comedy skills are a little rusty. I've lost a lot of blood recently.
Side note: I remember, anytime we'd go someplace with a jukebox, like a restaurant or an arcade...
...my dad would do what he called a "Fonzie hex" on it.
He'd knock it with his fist while he snapped, and say a little incantation under his breath...
...and the thing would instantly light up and start playing.
Dad loved little spells that worked on technology; he was always coming up with new ones.
God, I... I don't think I've even heard a jukebox play since he died.
I miss him.
I just miss him so much.
<<choice [[I&apos;m sorry for your loss.|sorrylostdad]]>> | <<choice [[Stay focused on the lantern.^The best thing you can do right now is to stay centered on your goal.|focuslantern]]>>


:: sorrylostdad
It's... I'm not...
Thanks, <<$playername>>.
I'm gonna do my best not to, y'know... get derailed like that.
Ayyy.
[[enoughshark]]


:: justkeepwalking
You <i>what?!</i> Seriously? How can you possibly make that call when...
...wait, you know what? Fine. That's fine.
As far as you know, I'm going to walk the rest of the way.
I'll get ahold of you again once I'm there. Should take about ten hours, like I said.
So as far as you know, I'll spend that whole time walking and itching...
...and you can spend that whole time wondering how it's going for me.
See ya.
[[delay 10h|arrivedwalking]]


:: stilldonuts
Are you still getting doughnuts?
Whatever, I'm going to the shop.
[[gotoshop]]


:: howsthewalk
Yeah, see, the walk. That's what I wanted to talk to you about.
[[feetkilling]]


:: warppermission
Oh, thank goodness. That's all I needed to hear.
I think I just had to have permission to let myself take the easy way out, you know?
Okay. If, uh... if you'll excuse me a minute, I've got to cut intricate patterns into my itchy fingers...
...and then lace them together and say a few words to get the warp spell started.
The itchy, itchy warp spell.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: holdhappydays
<<silently>><<set $happydays = 1>><<endsilently>>
You want me to ask him to "sit on it"?
Ayyy! If I perish on this quest, at least I'll die knowing I got off one decent Fonzie joke before I went.
<<choice [["Decent" is generous.|sosojoke]]>> | <<choice [[All right, enough shark-jumping.^This is all fun and games, but you should probably focus on finding that lamp.|enoughshark]]>>


:: foodlatertwo
Well, sure, that's just <i>dandy</i> advice, thanks.
<<if $atefood is 1>>You do realize that, just because I ate yesterday, that doesn't mean I'm set for life?
<<elseif $atefood is 0>>I'm running on zero here. Less than zero.
I'm so hungry, I would eat a copy of the movie <i>Less Than Zero.</i>
DVD, Blu-Ray, even a VHS tape. I'd twirl it up like spaghetti.<<endif>>
<<choice [[You're delusional with hunger.^Don't eat movies. Just walk it off.|walkitofftwo]]>> | <<choice [[Try not to think about food.|dontthinkaboutfood]]>>


:: lanternnotdangerous
Yeah, of all the quests I have to undertake before I can return to New Tenacity, this might be the easiest.
Of course, I could still get my throat slit if I make the slightest wrong move.
So "easiest" is a relative term, here.
<<choice [[Have you considered simpler quests?^Maybe there are less risky quests out there that you could attempt.|simplerquests]]>> | <<choice [[What does this involve?|lanterndetails]]>>


:: simplerquests
Helen Keller once said, "Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing."
Pretty sure that was her. Or maybe it was Falcor from <i>The NeverEnding Story.</i>
I mean, you can see why I'd get them confused.
<<choice [[Sure. They're very similar.|falcorkeller]]>> | <<choice [[Why do you need this lantern?^Before we go off on a very weird tangent about luck dragons... what's so special about this lantern?|speciallantern]]>>



:: falcorkeller
Same way I often get Marie Curie and the Incredible Hulk confused.
They <i>both</i> worked with radiation. They <i>both</i> turned into giant green monsters. Right?
(I should point out here that my schooling may have been a little spotty.)
<<choice [[That's basically correct, sure.|curiehulk]]>> | <<choice [[Why do you need this lantern?^While Jack Kirby rolls over in his grave, tell me... what's so special about this lantern?|speciallantern]]>>


:: gettingdark
Oh, sorry. Did you think this was gonna be one of those happy-go-lucky revenge plots?
Where I confronted the forces that killed my parents and destroyed my childhood home...
...and then offered them a lollipop and a glittery Hallmark card that says "All is forgiven"?
Because I'm not a lollipops-and-glitter kind of mage.
Sorry if that was unclear.
<<choice [[No, I get it. What&apos;s the plan?|travelnode]]>> | <<choice [[What kind of mage <i>are</i> you?|whatkindofmage]]>>


:: whatkindofmage
The kind who's lost too much, and bled too much, and isn't going down without a fight.
Are you on board with that kind?
Because if not, there are Instagram pages <i>full</i> of glitter mages. I can hook you up.
But for <i>my</i> rollercoaster? You must be at least <i>this</i> pissed off to ride.
So let's do this thing.
<<choice [[All right. What's next?|travelnode]]>> | <<choice [[I'm not sure I'm that angry.^This "rollercoaster" sounds like more negative emotion than I'm ready to invest.|nocoaster]]>>


:: nocoaster
Oh? What ride would suit you better?
The "It's A Small But Only Mildly Bothersome World After All" ride?
The "It Doesn't Matterhorn"?
(I can do this all day. Get with the program, <<$playername>>.)
<<choice [[Fine, fine. What's the plan?|travelnode]]>> | <<choice [[C'mon. One more.|onemore]]>>


:: dontasklantern
Yeah, all right. I'm gonna keep it to myself, and just hunt the shelves.
This could take a while. Like, a <i>long</i> while.
I'll get back to you if I come across the lantern anytime soon.
Or if, y'know, I find a mint-condition rocket-firing Boba Fett figure or something.
[[delay 45m^Arika is searching|rolliepillow]]


:: lotsofsmoke
You don't even know. I've got some smoke-blowing spells that would knock your socks off.
(Or, if you're not currently wearing socks, these spells are so good...
...that they'd cause socks to appear on you, for the sole purpose of knocking them off.)
<<choice [[Why not use magic at the shop?^Can you just use magic to get the upper hand at the shop?|magicodds]]>> | <<choice [[I could use some socks.|socksmagic]]>>


:: ibelieve
Well, that is very sweet and entirely naive of you.
Anyhow, I gotta figure out how to deal with Carter and his shop.
See, he's no dummy. He's been dealing in magical artifacts for centuries.
And not everyone who comes by to browse is as... scrupulous as we are.
So, rumor has it, Carter wised up and put some kind of detection system in place.
<<choice [[Like, a smoke detector for magic?|magicdetector]]>> | <<choice [[Can it be deactivated?|deactivated]]>>


:: bailout
Seriously?! You're just abandoning me?
I've got a big intimidating shopkeeper and his weaselly little magic-sniffing pal staring me down...
...and you're just gonna leave me to my fate?
<<choice [[Yeah. Sorry. I&apos;m out.|outofshop]]>> | <<choice [[No, you're right. I'm here.|longhaul]]>>


:: outofshop
<<silently>><<set $laterhaunting = 1>><<endsilently>>
You unbelievable coward.
<<if $happydays is 1>>You'll never get your <i>Happy Days</i> glasses now.<<endif>>
All right. I'm cutting the connection between us.
But I know how to find you again.
And if I live through the next few days, I swear... I <i>will</i> come back.
I won't let you know I'm there...
...but when little things start to go horribly wrong in your life, you'll have to wonder...
..."Is that just a coincidence? Or is that Arika?"
So long, <<$playername>>.
It's been nice knowing you.
<<choice [[So long, Arika.|goodbye]]>> | <<choice [[Wait! Don&apos;t leave.^I changed my mind! I want to stay connected. Sorry.|stayconnected]]>>


:: enoughshark
Okay. Anyway. Time to get focused.
Here's the problem: It would take me <i>ages</i> to search through all of this junk.
But if I cast a low-level locator spell, and everything goes the way it's supposed to...
...I might be able to find the lantern in no time at all.
Right now, the only other people in the shop are Carter, who's at the counter reading a magazine...
...and one customer, a skinny dude who's looking at the display case full of old hunting equipment.
<<if $darkness gte 51>>I think I should just cast the spell, consequences be damned.
I don't have time to waste poking through every tea tray and Garbage Pail Kid in this dump.
<<elseif $darkness lte 50>>But honestly, I don't think that casting the spell is such a good idea.
Even though it'd be a simple locator, not an aggressive casting in any way...
...it might put Carter on edge, and that's the <i>last</i> thing I need right now.<<endif>>
What do you think?
<<choice [[Cast the spell.^Go ahead and cast the locator spell. What&apos;s the worst that could happen?|castlocator]]>> | <<choice [[Don't risk it.^It sounds like more could go wrong than right. I wouldn't take the chance.|dontcastlocator]]>>


:: dontcastlocator
<<if $darkness gte 51>>Don't be a chump. Magic is there to make things more expedient.
It's like a fast-forward button on the DVR of life. So you can skip all the boring parts and commercials.
Come on. Do you really want to wait around while I spend hours digging through this place?
There's only so many times I can go, "Oooh, a stained doily!" before we're <i>both</i> sick of it.
<<choice [[Fine. Cast the spell.|locatorspell]]>> | <<choice [[No spell. It's a bad plan.^I know you're impatient, but I really think that using magic in here is a bad idea.|nolocator]]>>
<<elseif $darkness lte 50>>I think that's a good call.
I mean, maybe this whole "magic detector" thing is just a rumor, or maybe it's real...
...but it seems stupid to risk it when I'm thirty seconds through the door.
It's going to be a pain to look through everything in this crazy, overstocked shop...
...but normal, boring, everyday people do that at normal, boring, everyday stores all the time, right?
I mean, <i>you're</i> a normal, boring, everyday person. You tell me.
<<choice [[Gee, <i>thanks,</i> jerk.|geethanks]]>> | <<choice [[You know any manners spells?|geethanks2]]>><<endif>>


:: geethanks2
[[geethanks]]


:: geethanks
Wait! No! I didn't mean that as an insult!
(Although, looking back at it, I can see how you might interpret it as one.)
(In fact, I can see how it'd be impossible <i>not</i> to interpret it as one.)
I just... what you have to understand is, I spend most of my life <i>wishing</i> I were a normal, boring, everyday person.
I'm sure you think that having magical abilities would be amazing and wonderful and all that...
...but, honestly, it's never brought me anything but tragedy and heartache.
Oh, and bleeding. Lots and lots of bleeding.
So I'm a little jealous of you, <<$playername>>. Maybe that sounds dumb, but I mean it.
Now, about this lantern-locating spell...
<<choice [[Don&apos;t risk it.|nolocator]]>> | <<choice [[All right, go for it.|locatorspell]]>>


:: goodlucksearching
Yeah, thanks.
I'll get back to you if I come across the lantern anytime soon.
Or if, y'know, I find a mint-condition rocket-firing Boba Fett figure or something.
[[delay 45m^Arika is searching|rolliepillow]]


:: darkaskornot
The thing is, I really don't want to tip him off to what I'm after.
As soon as he knows I'm in the market for the lantern, I'm betting the price will skyrocket.
The less interested I seem in the lantern -- the more I seem to just "stumble across it" --
the easier it should be to talk this skinflint out of it.
<<choice [[You&apos;re right. Don't tip him off.^That's sound logic. Probably better to play this close to the vest.|dontasklantern]]>> | <<choice [[Go ahead and ask him.^You'll be here all day if you don't just ask him. You can deal with the fallout.|yesasklantern]]>>


:: ribbonhikeone
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>...I just <i>know</i> that you'll also be walking fifty miles, in solidarity with me. Right?
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>...I just <i>know</i> that you'll also be walking fifteen miles, in solidarity with me. Right?<<endif>>
<i>Riiiight?</i>
Yeah, I didn't think so.
Okay, if I'm gonna do this, I need to strategize.
I can summon fresh water along the way, so no need to weigh myself down with bottles of the stuff.
But, unlike the Olive Garden, I haven't quite mastered the arcane sigils to conjure never-ending pasta.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>So I'd better load up on carbs at my first opportunity, if I'm going to spend half a day hiking.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>So if I stumble across any opportunity to load up on carbs, I'd better take it.<<endif>>


:: donuttime
Fine. Go get a dozen.
I'll just be here, all alone, risking my neck, putting my life on the line, but that's fine.
Get one with sprinkles.
[[delay 5m^Arika is waiting|stilldonuts]]


:: nowarps
Yeah. "Rest a bit."
I'll just duck back into the woods, here... find a nice, comfortable stump to lay my head on...
...and kick back for a while, until the mosquitoes have bitten me as much as they want.
Then after that, I'll only have nine or ten more hours of walking to look forward to!
Maybe if I'm lucky, the lack of food will cause me to start hallucinating!
It'd sure be great to have an invisible six-foot rabbit named Harvey to keep me company.
Enjoy your air conditioning and indoor plumbing, <<$playername>>, wherever you are.
Signing off while I "rest a bit."
[[delay 3h^Arika is sleeping|wakeinwoods]]


:: wakeinwoods
Well. That was the worst "rest" I've ever had.
I was just about eaten alive by mosquitoes. Don't be surprised if I come down with dengue fever from this.
There's not a single part of me that doesn't itch like mad.
I just... I think I have to call an audible here. I gotta teleport the rest of the way.
If I have to walk another ten hours feeling like this... I'm going to go insane.
<<choice [[Okay. Go ahead and warp there.|warppermission]]>> | <<choice [[I still think you should walk.|justkeepwalking]]>>


:: nothankshappydays
Your loss. This Ralph Malph glass is the most lifelike version of Donny Most I've ever seen.
And that includes the time I met him in person once.
[[enoughshark]]


:: chatdelay
<<choice [[Uh... what&apos;s happening now?|whatsupchat]]>> | <<choice [[Is everything all right?|allrightchat]]>>


:: allrightchat
Honestly? I have no idea.
[[whatsupchat]]


:: lanternfood
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>Not sure. I'll hit civilization sooner or later, if I stick to the main road.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>Not far, thankfully.
Nice thing about this town, for every haunted orphanage, they've got a decent twenty-four-hour diner.<<endif>>


:: ribbonfood
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>Not sure. I'll hit civilization sooner or later, if I stick to the main road.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>Not far, thankfully.
Nice thing about this town, for every weird antiques shop, they've got a decent twenty-four-hour diner.<<endif>>


:: shortwalkarrivedlantern
So... I'm here.
"Here" meaning an alley, a block away from Kildecatt's Curiosities.
I passed who knows how many restaurants and stores on my way, but I didn't grab a bite.
The closer I got to this place, the more I wanted to just keeping trekking forward...
...and now that I'm here, I've got too much of a nervous stomach to eay anything, anyhow.
[[carterinfo]]


:: lanternwalkingsign
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>If you don't hear from me after, I don't know, a few hours...
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>I should be at the shop in, say, four hours. If you haven't heard from me by then...<<endif>>
...it probably means I got eaten by a bear. Or a wolf. Or a sharknado.
Whatever's native to Oregon around this time of year.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|longwalkbreak]]
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|shortwalkarrivedlantern]]<<endif>>


:: ribbonwalkingsign
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>If you don't hear from me after, I don't know, a few hours...
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>I should be at Floodland in, say, four hours. If you haven't heard from me by then...<<endif>>
...it probably means I got eaten by a bear. Or a wolf. Or a sharknado.
Whatever's native to Oregon around this time of year.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|longwalkbreak]]
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|shortwalkarrivedribbon]]<<endif>>


:: longwalkbreak
Hey. You there?
<<choice [[Sure, I'm here.|sureimhere]]>> | <<choice [[How's the walk going?|howsthewalk]]>>


:: lanternthere
Haven't seen the lantern yet... but that's no surprise.
There's so much stuff piled up on the shelves in here, it could take me a while.
But hey, if you're interested in a complete set of vintage Dr Pepper <i>Happy Days</i> glasses...
...I've got Potsie and the whole gang staring me in the face even as we speak.
<<choice [[Um... no, that's okay, thanks.|nothankshappydays]]>> | <<choice [[I am <i>very</i> interested.^See if he'll put the set on hold until the next time I can drop by the shop.|holdhappydays]]>>


:: hangback
I don't know that he's going to send the goon squad up the block just because I've got a little magic in me.
I mean, people warp into and out of Portland all the time.
Half the people you see in line at Voodoo Doughnut teleported in just for a Bacon Maple Bar.
He's just going to be protected against anyone trying to swindle him. Any non-doughnut voodoo.
<<choice [[Okay. Let&apos;s go to the shop.|gotoshop]]>> | <<choice [[Well, now I want donuts.|donuttime]]>>



:: thatskindtwo
Listen, you guys, I appreciate the sympathy.
Now that you know how wrong things went, you know why I have to go back there and set things right.
<cart>I get it, kid. Sorry, <i>Arika.</i> I really do.</cart>
<cart>But as far as you taking on the... the "people" who killed your folks...</cart>
<cart>...look, I can't advise that.</cart>
<cart>And I sure can't sell you this lamp and have you think it'll be enough protection.</cart>
<cart>That's a suicide mission you're talking about.</cart>
<<choice [[Wait, how right is he?^Hearing someone else call it a "suicide mission" is somehow more worrisome.|suicidemission]]>> | <<choice [[But the lantern <i>helps,</i> right?|lamphelps]]>>


:: luckyplan
Hey, luck is a factor in <i>any</i> plan. It's either on your side, or the other guy's.
My dad always had a little saying -- not actual magic, but the equivalent of knocking on wood --
"May luck, ever present, turn her back on my foe."
<<choice [[Couldn't you use magic?^But couldn't you use magic, to make certain the luck is on your side?|magicodds]]>> | <<choice [[So we just hope for the best?|hopeforthebest]]>>


:: hopeforthebest
Yes! That's <i>exactly</i> what we're doing!
And now is the time when I'm supposed to reassure you by saying, "I <i>am</i> the best!"
Except that you're well aware that I summoned you completely by accident.
Oh, and that my brother's been trapped in the Quintessence for a decade, also by accident.
So... you know precisely how much smoke I'd be blowing if I claimed to be the best.
<<choice [[A <i>lot</i> of smoke.|lotsofsmoke]]>> | <<choice [[Even so, I believe in you.|ibelieve]]>>


:: runfromshop
I'm running!
Only problem is... this Ratliff dude... running faster.
<<if $locatorcast is 1>>Plus, my eyes are still blurry from the spell. Keep bashing into stuff.<<endif>>
He's blocking the door. So now... I'm trapped.
Trapped, out of breath, and I look totally guilty of something. Which I'm not!
<<if $darkness gte 75>>Not <i>yet,</i> at any rate.<<endif>>
And now Carter is getting up, standing over the counter, and... holy crap, he's <i>big.</i> Intimidating.
Like he might have a necklace made of shoplifters' ears under that polo shirt.
[[carterspeech]]


:: magicdetected
Yeah, you think?
This isn't exactly how I was hoping to find out.
[[morecarterspeech]]


:: wetalk
Yup. That sure seems to be the case.
But what's done is done. I sure don't want to close the channel now.
Please, <<$playername>>... will you stick with me?
<<choice [[Of course I will.^Absolutely. I'm in this for the long haul.|longhaul]]>> | <<choice [[I think I should bail.|bailout]]>>


:: longhaul
Thank you.
Seriously, having you to talk to... it's the only reason I don't go off the deep end.
This situation we're in... it looks bad. But we can figure it out.
Together.
[[talkthroughit]]


:: stayconnected
...I'll keep the connection open. Because having you to talk to...
...I think it's the only thing that keeps me from going off the deep end.
But don't. Don't toy with me like that. I can't take it.
It would just... I'd really... appreciate it. Okay?
Now. Let's figure out how we're gonna get out of this situation.
Together.
[[talkthroughit]]



:: fightratliff
Trying... to push him out of my head...
But it's like closing a door when all the windows are open.
He's like a fog... seeping in through the cracks... getting in everywhere...
So weird... don't feel like my brain is... connected to my body.
I can tell my nose is... is bleeding... but I can't make my hand wipe it away.
Oh well. What's... a little more blood, anyway?
[[delay 30s^Arika is waiting|forcednameshop]]


:: castlocator
<<if $darkness gte 51>>Exactly. Let's get this show on the road.
Besides, at this point I'm not even convinced that Carter <i>does</i> have any sort of "magic detector."
Because you know what's a lot cheaper and easier than setting up something like that?
Just spreading the <i>rumor</i> that you've got a magic detector, and hoping that scares people into not using magic.
<<elseif $darkness lte 50>>I'm not too sure about this... but then again, maybe I'm worried for nothing.
Maybe Carter just started a <i>rumor</i> that he has some sort of "magic detector" in place, to intimidate people.
That'd be a lot cheaper and more efficient than <i>actually</i> setting one up.
I guess... I guess we're about to find out the hard way.<<endif>>
Thankfully, I don't have to bleed much for this spell...
...just a drop, placed on each eyelid, while I say the cantrip three times.
And then, when I open my eyes... the lantern should be the brightest thing in the room.
<<choice [[Go for it.|locatorspell]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe rethink this idea.|nolocator]]>>


:: nolocator
<<silently>><<darken -8>><<endsilently>>
Okay. No spells.
So... I guess that means I'm stuck here on an episode of <i>Hoarders</i> for the next little while.
<<choice [[Why not ask for help?^Crazy question, but... couldn&apos;t you just ask this Carter guy where the lantern is?|asklantern]]>> | <<choice [[Good luck searching.|goodlucksearching]]>>


:: asklantern
...You think?
<<if $darkness gte 60>>[[darkaskornot]]
<<elseif $darkness lte 59>>[[lightaskornot]]<<endif>>



:: lightaskornot
I guess I could do that. It would certainly make this shopping trip a lot shorter.
But I'm a little bit worried that if I ask after that one item specifically...
...he's going to try to price it up before he'll sell it to me.
And I barely have two nickels to rub together as it is.
Still... maybe I should put more stock in the kindness of strangers.
<<choice [[You're right. Go on, ask him.^Just ask him. You'll be here all day otherwise. You can deal with the fallout.|yesasklantern]]>> | <<choice [[Don&apos;t ask. That's smarter.^You know, it's probably better to play this close to the vest.|dontasklantern]]>>


:: yesasklantern
Okay. I'm just going to talk to him.
<<if $intercom is 0>>I'll leave the connection between you and me open...
...so, if it works the way I think, you should be able to hear both sides of the conversation.
<<elseif $intercom is 1>>Just like before, I'll leave the connection between you and me open...
...and you'll hear both sides of the conversation.<<endif>>
All right. Here goes nothing.
May luck, ever present, turn her back on my foe.
<<choice [[I&apos;m here if you need me.|hereifneeded]]>> | <<choice [[You can do this, Arika.^Stay strong, and just believe that you can talk your way through this.|youcandoit]]>>


:: hereifneeded
Thanks, <<$playername>>.
All right. Here we go.
[[^Arika is in conversation|carterchat]]


:: keyfood
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>Not sure. I doubt I'll turn up anything in the woods...
...unless there's a Quizno's franchisee with a busted GPS out here.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon" or $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>Not sure. I'll hit civilization eventually, if I stick to the main road.<<endif>>


:: gotoshop
Kildecatt's isn't exactly bustling at the moment.
Portland has such weird zoning laws that you can plunk an artifact-laden antique shop like this...
...right down in between a daycare and a topless bar, and nobody bats an eye.
Most of the stuff in this shop is <i>fascinating.</i> Utterly incredible, utterly unique.
And in some cases, astronomically powerful.
So Carter Miles did the smartest thing I can imagine: He put all his enthralling merchandise on display...
...right in the heart of a city that prides itself on being kooky and weird...
...and now nobody even gives these things a second glance.
He's hiding in plain sight, making a few bucks on a good day... it's pretty ingenious.
<<choice [[What do you see inside?^Now that you&apos;re inside the shop, what kinds of stuff are you seeing?|whatsinside]]>> | <<choice [[Have you spotted the lantern?|lanternthere]]>>


:: carterchat
Uh, hi. Excuse me?
<cart>Yeah, what?</cart>
Hey. I was looking -- great store you've got here, by the way, lots of cool stuff --
anyway, I was hoping to find, like, a cool vintage lantern.
My, uh, my high school is doing a production of <i>The Crucible</i>, and I'm looking for props...
<cart>Plenty of lanterns in here. Lanterns by the door. Couple lanterns hanging up from the rafters there.</cart>
<cart>Two or three over where Ratliff's standing. Hey, Ratliff, point her out those Colemans.</cart>
Oh. Thanks. I saw a lot of those already. I was hoping for something more...
...I don't know, rustic. Weathered. Something kind of <i>unique.</i>
I heard this was the place to come for one-of-a-kind items.
<cart>Did you, now?</cart>
Yeah. Like I said, uh, it's for a play about witches...
...do you have a lantern that would be appropriately bewitching?
[[delay 30s^Arika is waiting|chatdelay]]


:: whatsupchat
He's just looking at me.
I don't--
<cart>Ratliff. Lock the door.</cart>
...Uh oh.
<<choice [[Get out of there!^Run, while you still have a chance!|runfromshop]]>> | <<choice [[Hold steady, don't freak out.^Stay calm. No reason to panic yet. Nobody's threatening you.|stayinshop]]>>


:: forcednameshop
<<choice [[What&apos;s happening?|afterforcednameshop]]>> | <<choice [[Is everything okay?|afterforcednameshop2]]>>


:: afterforcednameshop2
[[afterforcednameshop]]


:: afterforcednameshop
I, uh... I don't know.
I could feel Ratliff leave my brain, and then he sort of staggered behind the counter and...
...and threw up.
In a <i>Dukes of Hazzard</i> wastepaper bin, if you're keeping score at home.
And now he and Carter are shooting one another meaningful glances.
Like, whatever you <i>used</i> to have in your mental dictionary under "meaningful glance"...
...you should replace it with this one. Very meaningful. <i>Very</i> glancey.
Now they're whispering. Definitely about me. Definitely not subtle.
[[carterknowstenacity]]


:: carterknowstenacity
<cart>You're... you're a Lanphear, huh?</cart>
<cart>You're Jareth and Naomi's kid?</cart>
Yeah. That's right.
<cart>Listen, we... what I mean to say is, your folks, they were good people.</cart>
<cart>I, uh... me an' Ratliff... I mean, everyone connected to the magic community...</cart>
<cart>...we heard about what happened in New Tenacity, you know, and we thought we understood.</cart>
<cart>But what he just described to me... the images, the emotions he picked out of your brain...</cart>
<cart>...we had no idea.</cart>
<cart>Good lord, we just had no idea.</cart>
<<choice [[Well... that&apos;s kind.|thatskindtwo]]>> | <<choice [[Does "sorry" mean "free lantern"?^He could really put his money where his mouth is by giving you that lantern for nothing.|freelanterntwo]]>>


:: dontthinkaboutfood
Sure, <i>that'll</i> be easy.
That's like telling a vampire, "Try not to think about blood."
Because that's basically all vampires think about, you see.
...Well, I guess that's not technically true. I met a vampire once.
He <i>mostly</i> thought about blood, but also he thought about his eyeliner a lot.
Oh, and he was really into old <<print either ("The Cure", "Siouxsie And The Banshees", "Bauhaus", "Gary Numan", "Joy Division", "This Mortal Coil", "Depeche Mode", "Cocteau Twins") >> albums on vinyl.
And poetry. Dude wrote a <i>ton</i> of poetry. About blood, mostly. And his soul.
<<choice [[But vampires don&apos;t <i>have</i> souls.|notavampire]]>> | <<choice [[I can't tell if you're joking.|notavampire2]]>>


:: notavampire2
[[notavampire]]

:: walkitofftwo
Easy for you to say. You're probably like ten steps away from food right now.
Hey, I've got an idea! One of those "so crazy it just might work" things!
Why don't you go grab some food -- preferably something with a lot of sauce --
and then try shoving it into your phone, or your watch, or whatever you're reading this on?
Maybe it'd show up on my end!
You never know until you try.
<<choice [[I would... rather not.|rathernotfaxfood]]>> | <<choice [[What if I just <i>described</i> food?|describefood]]>>


:: describefood
Oh, no, that's fine. I'm perfectly capable of describing food to myself.
But -- oddly enough -- it's not very filling.
If you won't fax me some lasagna, then we've got nothing to talk about for now.
(That was a weird sentence to say out loud.)
[[walkingsignofftwo]]


:: carterspeech
<<if $locatorcast is 0>>
<cart>See, I find it fascinating that your drama department would put a <i>mage</i> in charge of props.</cart>
<cart>Oh, whoops, were you not expecting us to figure that out about you? Yeah, kid. You're magic, and you're <i>obvious.</i></cart>
<cart>So I'm gonna guess you're here looking for, I dunno, a magic lantern. Like, I dunno, <i>this</i> magic lantern, right here.</cart>
<cart>How'm I doing at my guesses so far?</cart>
<<elseif $locatorcast is 1>>
<cart>So you just happened to wander into my shop, and you just happened to take a shine to this lantern?</cart>
<cart>Now that, little girl, is quite a coincidence, and I'll tell you why.</cart>
<<endif>>
<cart>See, it turns out that this particular lantern has quite an interesting little charm cast on it.</cart>
<cart>Light it up once, it stays lit forever.</cart>
<cart>Most people, they wouldn't know that. Wouldn't know how to take advantage of such a feature.</cart>
<cart>But it'd come in awful handy to a native magic-user... such as yourself.</cart>
<<choice [[Well, I guess he knows.^Turns out those rumors about his "magic detector" weren&apos;t just rumors.|magicdetected]]>> | <<choice [[Still no reason to panic.|dontpanic]]>>


:: morecarterspeech
<cart>That'd be accurate, wouldn't it, hon? You are, in fact, a mage of some sort, yes?</cart>
How... how did you know?
<<if $locatorcast is 1>>Was it when I cast the locator spell, to find the lantern?
<cart>Naw. Didn't need you to pull something as obvious as that.</cart>
<cart>(Nice bloody dots on your eyelids, by the way. Very fashionable.)</cart>
<<elseif $locatorcast is 0>>I haven't done anything to give you that impression.
<cart>Yeah? I wouldn't be so sure about that.</cart><<endif>>
<cart>Ratliff there, he sniffed you out the second you walked through the door.</cart>
<cart>You've got a damn open channel to someone. Speech into script.</cart>
<cart>I don't know who you're chatting with, or where they are...</cart>
<cart>...but you stink of magic, and we take that kinda thing very seriously here at Kildecatt's.</cart>
<<choice [[Oh, man. It&apos;s me.^They figured it out because you and I are in communication with one another.|wetalk]]>> | <<choice [[If they know you're a mage...^Well, if they know you're a magic-user, can you just use magic to get out of this?|tryusingmagic]]>>


:: shortwalkarrivedribbon
<<silently>><<set $atefood = 1>><<endsilently>>
So I've got good news, bad news, and then a cold, hard fact.
Good news is, I found a five-dollar bill wadded up in the gutter on the main road through town.
You spend enough time on the streets, you get kind of a sixth sense for free money.
(Plus I may have also had a free money locator hex running, which is a lot like cheating.)
I took that bad boy to the closest convenience store, and that's where the bad news kicks in:
Did you know they discontinued Fiery Habanero Doritos?
Like, <i>years</i> ago, apparently?
I get that I've been living rough for a long time, but seriously, people...
...you're supposed to keep me informed of the major events!
<<choice [[Yeah, sorry about that.^That really should&apos;ve been the absolute first thing I told you when me met.|nodoritos]]>> | <<choice [[If that's the worst thing today...^If nothing worse than a lack of corn chips happens to you today, it'll be a good day.|lackofchips]]>>


:: shortwalkarrivedkey
Well, I ran through the briars, and I ran through the brambles...
...and I ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go...
...and I had a Johnny Horton song stuck in my head for the last two hours.
Which, I'm pretty sure, counts as cruel and unusual punishment.
I think I just violated the Geneva Conventions on myself.
But it doesn't matter. Because I'm here, now, at the monastery gates.
And things are already feeling kinda strange.
[[monasterygates]]


:: carterinfo
Let me tell you a little about the guy who runs the place, just so you know what we're getting into.
Dude's name is Carter Miles. He's got a sharp eye and a fast mouth.
He collects objects of interest from all over the globe. 
Some stuff that's really ancient, like Aztec pottery or Inverted Jenny stamps...
...and other stuff that's just collectible, like rare lunchboxes, or Lego figures from Comic-Con.
He's especially intrigued by one-of-a-kind stuff.
The guy drives a hard bargain. Prides himself that he always gets the better end of the deal.
<<choice [[So, what's your plan?^If that's the case, how do you intend to get the upper hand?|upperhand]]>> | <<choice [[How much money have you got?|howmuchcash]]>>


:: upperhand
Every Achilles has a heel, and this guy is no different.
It's a poorly kept secret that he's got a tiny little (HUGE) gambling problem.
Word is, he takes the day's profits out of the cash register...
...and antes up in a couple different underground card games.
And when that money runs out, sometimes he'll start selling his goods... <i>way</i> below their value.
So with luck on our side and not his, we'll catch him on a downswing...
...and nab the lantern for a song.
<<choice [[Your plan is "hope we're lucky?"|luckyplan]]>> | <<choice [[Can't you use magic?^Couldn't you use a spell of some sort, to turn the odds in your favor?|magicodds]]>>


:: whatsinside
It honestly might be faster to list the stuff that <i>isn't</i> in here.
He's got everything from Depression-era glassware to <i>No Depression</i>-era Uncle Tupelo autographs...
...about a hundred different nativity scenes, so about three hundred wise men...
...a wall full of globes, <i>most</i> of which seem to be of Earth...
...and little piles of Americana dating back to before there even <i>was</i> an America.
You could spend a week in this place and not see everything there is to see.
<<choice [[But we don&apos;t have a week.|notaweek]]>> | <<choice [[Have you spotted the lantern?|lanternthere]]>>


:: notaweek
You don't have to tell <i>me</i> that.
The problem is, for the most part, things aren't organized into sections.
It's not like all the lamps are on one shelf, subdivided into "gas" or "electric" or "magical."
They're spread out all over. It's enough to drive a shopper to madness.
[[lanternthere]]


:: ribbonhiketwo
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>All right. It's, like, fifty miles from here.
So you've got fifty miles' worth of fun trivia to entertain me with, right?
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>All right. It's, like, fifteen miles from here.
So you've got fifteen miles' worth of fun trivia to entertain me with, right?<<endif>>
<i>Riiiight?</i>
Yeah, I didn't think so.
Okay, let's think food and drink.
I can summon fresh water along the way -- one of the benefits of a magical upbringing.
But no one ever taught me how to pull Hot Pockets out of thin air.
(I can barely pull them out of a microwave without burning my fingertips.)
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>So I'd better grab some grub at my first opportunity, if I'm going to spend half a day hiking.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>So if I stumble across any opportunity to grab some grub, I'd better take it.<<endif>>


:: magicodds
Maybe. But it might be tricky.
See, Carter's no dummy. He's been dealing in magical artifacts for centuries.
And not everyone who comes by to browse is as... scrupulous as we are.
So, rumor has it, Carter wised up and put some kind of detection system in place.
<<choice [[Like, a smoke detector for magic?|magicdetector]]>> | <<choice [[Can it be deactivated?|deactivated]]>>


:: deactivated
That's the thing... there's no reliable info on what the means of detection <i>is.</i>
Whether he's got a charm over the building, or each individual item in it...
...or maybe a protective spell over himself.
Or even some sort of, I don't know, meteorological device that reads magically charged particles in the air.
That's why I stopped a whole city block away from the place. Can't be too careful.
But I also can't spend all day by this Dumpster, making semi-educated guesses...
...so let's go pay a visit to Kildecatt's, what do you say?
<<choice [[I'm in! Let's do this.|gotoshop]]>> | <<choice [[Hold back for a minute.^Maybe you should play it cool for a bit... just to make sure he hasn&apos;t detected your magic.|hangback]]>>


:: reallydetector
No.
No I do not.
[[deactivated]]


:: freelanterntwo
<cart>In all the time Kildecatt's has been open, and through every sob story I've ever heard...</cart>
<cart>...I've never once let anything leave here for free.</cart>
<<choice [[Try the magic word.|magicword]]>> | <<choice [[Didn't you say he gambles?^Earlier, when you first told me about Carter... didn't you say he had a gambling problem?|cartergambles]]>>


:: magicword
What? No. He already said he's got counterspells and baffles in place.
I can't work any magic in here.
<<choice [[I meant "please," dummy.|imeantplease]]>> | <<choice [[Never mind. Forget it.|forgetit]]>>


:: stayinshop
Okay. I'm staying put.
But this customer, this Ratliff dude, sidling around behind me to go lock the front door...
...I gotta tell you, it's not exactly making me feel welcome, you know what I mean?
And now Carter is getting up, standing over the counter, and... holy crap, he's <i>big.</i> Intimidating.
Like he might have a necklace made of shoplifters' ears under that polo shirt.
[[carterspeech]]


:: dontpanic
I'm not panicking!
Stop telling me not to panic!
These are exclamation points of calmness!
[[morecarterspeech]]


:: talkthroughit
<<silently>><<darken -15>><<endsilently>>
Here's the deal, Mr. Miles.
I <i>need</i> that lantern. It's part of an elaborate revenge scheme I've cooked up...
...that sees me finally taking out my parents' killers...
...or burning down all of New Tenacity and dying in the attempt.
So one way or another, I've got to leave here with that thing.
<cart>New Tenacity, huh? I haven't heard that name in a long time.</cart>
<cart>Who are you, exactly?</cart>
<<choice [[Don't tell him your name.^It's like you told me, names have power. No sense in giving that up to him.|noname]]>> | <<choice [[Go ahead, tell him.^Maybe it&apos;d help your case if he knew who you were.|tellname]]>>


:: noname
Forget it. You don't need to know my name.
<cart>Yeah. See, the thing is, when someone comes in here, poking around for enchanted artifacts...</cart>
<cart>...I like to know who, exactly, I'm dealing with.</cart>
<cart>So you can either tell me, or I can have my sniffer here, Ratliff, pry it out of your head.</cart>
<cart>Thing is, once he starts prying, sometimes he doesn't know when to stop.</cart>
<cart>So if there are secrets you'd rather keep to yourself... maybe you'd prefer to just tell us your name, huh?</cart>
<<choice [[Yeah, okay. Just tell him.|tellname]]>> | <<choice [[Don't tell him anything.^What if he's bluffing? Don't tell him your name. Don't tell him a thing.|donttellname]]>>


:: donttellname
Forget it, Carter. I'm not telling you anything.
<cart>You've got brass ones, girl. I'll give you that.</cart>
<cart>Unfortunately for you, Ratliff here is pretty skilled at cracking right through brass.</cart>
<cart>Brace yourself. This is gonna hurt.</cart>
...Um. <<$playername>>? I'm... beginning to think... mmade mmmistake...
<<choice [[Get out of there. Now.|runawayfromshop]]>> | <<choice [[Stay strong. Fight it.|fightratliff]]>>


:: runawayfromshop
I couldn't... even if I wanted to.
Don't feel like my brain is... connected to my body.
<<if $locatorcast is 1>>Plus, eyes are still all weird from the stupid locator spell.<<endif>>
I can tell my nose is... is bleeding... but I can't make my hand wipe it away.
Oh well. What's... a little more blood, anyway?
[[delay 30s^Arika is waiting|forcednameshop]]


:: locatorspell
All right. I'm casting this sucker.
Give me a minute to get it right.
[[delay 2m^Arika is spellcasting|locatorcast]]


:: locatorcast
<<silently>><<set $locatorcast = 1>><<darken 8>><<endsilently>>
Eyes open, annnnd...
...there! I see it!
It's like everything else in the shop went dim, and the lantern started glowing bright white!
It's in the display case, right up front. Right where Carter is sitting.
And now, he's looking right at me.
And so is the customer, the guy standing near all the hunting gear.
And neither one of them look happy.
<<choice [[Did they detect your spell?^Do you think Carter realized you used magic inside his shop?|magicinshop]]>> | <<choice [[Just play it cool.^Take it easy. Maybe you're just being paranoid. Maybe they're not concerned with you at all.|playitcool]]>>


:: youcandoit
I'm gonna do my best. Thanks for the pep talk.
Here goes nothin'.
[[^Arika is in conversation|carterchat]]


:: takeahiketwo
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
Yay! Wonderful! The choice that lets me take in all the fresh air I could ever want!
The scenic route! The slow and steady race-winner!
The "I'm being very sarcastic about how excited this makes me" option!
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">><<display "lanternhiketwo">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">><<display "ribbonhiketwo">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">><<display "keyhiketwo">><<endif>>
<<choice [[Is there food nearby at all?^How close are you to a restaurant of some sort?|nearestfoodtwo]]>> | <<choice [[Food can wait until later.^You might as well get started walking. You&apos;re bound to reach a store or restaurant eventually.|foodlatertwo]]>>


:: thanksforwalking
No, thank <i>you</i> for telling me to walk.
Walking builds character. Not like, say, warping.
And eating.
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>Anyway. I'm here, milling about in an alleyway, a block away from Kildecatt's Curiosities.
[[carterinfo]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>Anyway. I'm here. The big circular drive that leads up to the front door of Floodland. [[infrontofflood]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>Anyway. I'm here, at the gates of the monastery.
And things already feel kind of... weird.
[[monasterygates]]
<<endif>>


:: notavampire
Yeah... you know, now that you mention it, I'm not sure he <i>was</i> a vampire.
He might've just been a goth kid from Spokane.
In fact... yeah. I'm definitely sure that's what he was.
[[walkingsignofftwo]]


:: tryusingmagic
That's a decent thought.
<<if $darkness gte 75>>I could whip up a temporary paralysis spell, freeze 'em both in place.
<<elseif $darkness lte 74>>I could maybe do a disorientation spell, confuse them long enough to make a break for it.<<endif>>
I'd just have to--
<cart>Don't even think about it, girl.</cart>
<cart>I've got so many baffles and counterspells aimed at you right now, it'd make your head spin.</cart>
<cart>We can talk about that lamp all you like...</cart>
<cart>...but you'd better believe, you're not gonna enchant your way into walking out of here with it.</cart>
<cart>We clear?</cart>
<<choice [[Well, that answers that.^I guess there won&apos;t be an easy, abracadabra solution to this one.|nomagic]]>> | <<choice [[How important is this lantern?^Do you really <i>need</i> this lantern? Could you pull off your plan without it?|needlantern]]>>


:: howmuchcash
It's that perfect amount of money that, if you lost it down a sewer grate...
...you wouldn't even bother getting on your hands and knees to go after it.
But that doesn't matter. We're not here to <i>buy</i> the lantern...
...and certainly not at whatever Carter is asking for it.
<<choice [[Oh? What's the angle, then?|upperhand]]>> | <<choice [[I'd get in the sewers for cheap.^I know we don't really know one another, but I assure you, I'd dig around in the sewer for pocket change.|sewerchange]]>>


:: nearestfoodtwo
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">><<display "lanternfoodtwo">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">><<display "ribbonfoodtwo">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">><<display "keyfoodtwo">><<endif>>
I'm just gonna keep truckin' along, like a truck that doesn't need food...
...and hope for the best, like a truck that hopes for food.
[[walkingsignofftwo]]


:: keyhiketwo
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "lantern" or $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>All right. It's, like, fifty miles from here.
So you've got fifty miles' worth of fun trivia to entertain me with, right?
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>All right. It's, like, five miles from here.
So you've got five miles' worth of fun trivia to entertain me with, right?<<endif>>
<i>Riiiight?</i>
Yeah, I didn't think so.
Okay, let's think food and drink.
I can summon fresh water along the way -- one of the benefits of a magical upbringing.
But no one ever taught me how to pull Hot Pockets out of thin air.
(I can barely pull them out of a microwave without burning my fingertips.)
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "lantern" or $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>So I'd better grab some grub at my first opportunity, if I'm going to spend half a day hiking.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>So if I stumble across any opportunity to grab some grub, I'd better take it.<<endif>>


:: walkingsignofftwo
All right. I think I'm gonna keep myself to myself for a little while.
Walk the roads, whistle a jaunty tune, try to figure out the etymology of the word "jaunty."
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">><<display "lanternwalksigntwo">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">><<display "ribbonwalksigntwo">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">><<display "keywalksigntwo">><<endif>>



:: sewerchange
You're right. I shouldn't be presumptuous.
For all I know, you just really enjoy spending time in sewers.
Making friends with mutant turtles, splashing around in other people's poop.
I don't judge.
But back to the topic at hand...
[[upperhand]]


:: magicdetector
Yeah, I think that's pretty much <i>exactly</i> what it's supposed to be.
Anyone starts trying to cast a spell in order to put one over on him...
...Carter knows about it, and throws up some kind of anti-magic measures.
<<choice [[What does this detector look like?|detectorlooks]]>> | <<choice [[Can you shut it down somehow?|deactivated]]>>


:: detectorlooks
Your guess is as good as mine, honestly.
For all I know, it's one of those ED-209s from <i>Robocop</i>...
...telling me, "Drop your magic wand! You have ten seconds to comply!"
<<choice [[Do you <i>really</i> think that?|reallydetector]]>> | <<choice [[Do you even have a magic wand?|reallydetector2]]>>


:: reallydetector2
[[reallydetector]]


:: getbacktoyou
Sure, yeah, that's cool.
I might just slow my pace to a glacial crawl.
I'll be here when you're free.
<<choice [[I'm free now. What's up?|icantalknow]]>> | <<choice [[Is everything all right?|allrightwalking]]>>


:: allrightwalking
Yeah, y'know, I can't complain.
Except... I'm about to complain. Because my feet are threatening to mutiny.
[[lotsofwalking]]


:: forgetit
I feel like I'm missing something.
<<choice [[Manners?|missingmanners]]>> | <<choice [[My not-at-all-subtle hints?|missingmanners2]]>>


:: missingmanners2
[[missingmanners]]


:: imeantplease
<<silently>><<darken -5>><<endsilently>>
Oh.
Oh, yeah, I guess I <i>could</i> try that.
Um, Mr. Miles... would it help anything if I said "please"?
<cart>Are you kidding me with this?</cart>
<<choice [[Is he... upset?|isheupset]]>> | <<choice [[What&apos;s happening?|isheupset2]]>>


:: isheupset2
[[isheupset]]


:: isheupset
He's... laughing?
Like... a <i>lot?</i>
Uh oh, <<$playername>>. I think we might've broken him.
[[delay 1m^Arika is waiting|goodlaugh]]


:: needlantern
Yeah. I need the lantern. The lantern is nonnegotiable.
So, in the absence of spellcasting, let's talk turkey.
[[talkthroughit]]


:: tellname
Fine. I'm Arika.
Arika Lanphear.
[[delay 30s^Arika is waiting|toldnameshop]]>>


:: toldnameshop
<<choice [[What&apos;s happening?|afternameshop]]>> | <<choice [[Is everything okay?|afternameshop2]]>>


:: afternameshop2
[[afternameshop]]


:: afternameshop
I, uh... I don't know.
As soon as I said my name, Carter and Ratliff just shot one another a meaningful glance.
Like, whatever you <i>used</i> to have in your mental dictionary under "meaningful glance"...
...you should replace it with this one. Very meaningful. <i>Very</i> glancey.
Now they're whispering. Definitely about me. Definitely not subtle.
[[carterknowslanphear]]


:: carterknowslanphear
<cart>You're... you're a Lanphear, huh?</cart>
<cart>You're Jareth and Naomi's kid?</cart>
Yeah. That's right.
<cart>Listen, we... what I mean to say is, your folks, they were good people.</cart>
<cart>Everybody was sorry to hear about what happened in New Tenacity...</cart>
<cart>...and especially sorry about your folks.</cart>
<<choice [[Well... that&apos;s kind.|thatskind]]>> | <<choice [[Does "sorry" mean "free lantern"?^He could really put his money where his mouth is by giving you that lantern for nothing.|freelantern]]>>


:: playitcool
Right. Right. Okay. Play it cool.
I'm just casually strolling up the aisle, like I'm just browsing, checking out the merchandise.
Except... it's kinda hard to see where I'm going.
You know how, when it's really sunny outside, and then you step indoors where it's darker...
...and your eyes go all crazy for a few seconds while they try to adjust to the change?
Yeah. <i>That's</i> what this feels like. Only it's not going away after a few seconds.
All I can do is move in the direction of the glow, and try not to knock anything over.
<<choice [[Just take it slow.|takeitslow]]>> | <<choice [[Are they still staring?|stillstaring]]>>


:: magicinshop
I'm pretty sure they know I did the locator spell.
The customer just walked behind the counter and started whispering to Carter.
He also... he took <i>something</i> off the wall from the hunting section.
I can't... dammit, my eyes are still all screwy! I can barely see what's going on!
[[shopintercom]]


:: youcandoitlocator
I'm gonna do my best. Thanks for the pep talk.
Here goes nothin'.
[[^Arika is in conversation|carterchatlocator]]


:: lanternhiketwo
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>All right. It's, like, fifty miles from here.
So you've got fifty miles' worth of fun trivia to entertain me with, right?
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>All right. It's, like, fifteen miles from here.
So you've got fifteen miles' worth of fun trivia to entertain me with, right?<<endif>>
<i>Riiiight?</i>
Yeah, I didn't think so.
Okay, let's think food and drink.
I can summon fresh water along the way -- one of the benefits of a magical upbringing.
But no one ever taught me how to pull Hot Pockets out of thin air.
(I can barely pull them out of a microwave without burning my fingertips.)
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>So I'd better grab some grub at my first opportunity, if I'm going to spend half a day hiking.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>So if I stumble across any opportunity to grab some grub, I'd better take it.<<endif>>


:: suicidemission
Hey, it's only a suicide mission if I actually die on it, right?
Otherwise it's just an adventure!
[[lamphelps]]


:: shopintercom
I've got no choice. I'm going to have to say <i>something</i> to him.
<<if $intercom is 0>>I'll leave the connection between you and me open...
...so, if it works the way I think, you should be able to hear both sides of the conversation.
<<elseif $intercom is 1>>Just like before, I'll leave the connection between you and me open...
...and you'll hear both sides of the conversation.<<endif>>
All right. Here goes nothing.
May luck, ever present, turn her back on my foe.
<<choice [[I&apos;m here if you need me.|hereifneededlocator]]>> | <<choice [[You can do this, Arika.^Stay strong, and just believe that you can talk your way through this.|youcandoitlocator]]>>


:: talkthisover
Okay. Fine. In the absence of spellcasting, let's talk turkey.
[[talkthroughit]]


:: nomagic
Yeah, I guess not.
<<if $darkness gte 75>>Unless he's bluffing... or unless I'm stronger than his countermeasures.
I could pour everything I've got into one big, bloody attack...
...smash the glass, grab the lantern, and make a run for it.
<<choice [[I don't think that's smart.^That sounds like a really, <i>really</i> risky plan. I wouldn't try it.|dontdoit]]>> | <<choice [[Yeah... it's worth a shot.^Might as well go out in a blaze of glory, right?|blazeofglory]]>>
<<elseif $darkness lte 74>>Maybe the smart move is just to try talking this through.
I mean... how much trouble could <i>talking</i> get me into?
<<choice [[Famous last words.|famouslastwords]]>> | <<choice [[Good idea. Talk it out.|talkthisover]]>><<endif>>


:: warptheretwo
Awesome. This is a good plan. You'll see. And I'll never ask for anything again.
Now, let me just ask you for something...
Ha! We have fun, you and me.
Anyhow. Give me a second to do all the carve carve carve and the mumble mumble mumble...
...and we'll get this show on the road.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: carterchatlocator
Uh, hi. Excuse me?
<cart>Yeah, what?</cart>
Hey. I've been looking -- great store you've got here, by the way, lots of cool stuff --
anyway, I've been looking through all the shelves for, like, the perfect vintage lantern.
My, uh, my high school is doing a production of <i>The Crucible</i>, and I'm looking for props...
<cart>Plenty of lanterns in here. Lanterns by the door. Couple lanterns hanging up from the rafters there.</cart>
<cart>Two or three over where Ratliff's standing. Hey, Ratliff, point her out those Colemans.</cart>
Oh. Thanks. I saw a lot of those already, and they're, you know, okay.
But then I spotted that one, in the display case that you're leaning on, and I just knew...
...that's the one I need. It's exactly what I'm looking for.
<cart>Is it, now?</cart>
Yeah. Now, my budget for props isn't very much, but hopefully I can talk you out of it for cheap?
[[delay 30s^Arika is waiting|chatdelay]]


:: longwalkbreaktwo
Hey, <<$playername>>. You busy?
<<choice [[I can talk. What&apos;s up?|icantalknow]]>> | <<choice [[Yeah. Can I get back to you?|getbacktoyou]]>>


:: icantalknow
Oh, you know. Nothing much. Except that my feet are threatening to mutiny.
[[lotsofwalking]]


:: wakeinwoodstwo
Ugh. That was some straight-up terrible sleep.
I think Freddy Krueger's victims have had more restful slumbers.
On the bright side, though, I got to serve as a Golden Corral for all manner of bugs...
...so if I come down with malaria, or Lyme disease, or who-knows-what from these bites...
...I'm looking squarely at <i>you.</i>
(Assuming I haven't gone blind.)
The hell with this. I'm gonna teleport.
No way can I walk the rest of the way like this.
<<choice [[Okay. Go ahead and teleport.|warppermissiontwo]]>> | <<choice [[Come on. Just walk.|justkeepwalkingtwo]]>>


:: ribbonfoodtwo
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>What do I look like, a walking Zagat Guide?
(Seriously, I have no idea what I look like these days. "Crap," probably.)
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>Not far, I'm guessing.
People around here have to eat <i>something.</i> I assume.<<endif>>


:: keyfoodtwo
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "lantern" or $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>What do I look like, a walking Zagat Guide?
(Seriously, I have no idea what I look like these days. "Crap," probably.)
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>No idea.
People around here have to eat <i>something.</i> I assume. Maybe.<<endif>>


:: lotsofwalking
This is a <i>lot</i> of walking, on not a lot of food.
I'm pretty upside-down on my calorie intake versus expenditure.
And I hurt <i>everywhere.</i> Even in muscles that I didn't know I had.
So, if it's all the same to you --
and it <i>should</i> be, since you're however many miles away at the moment --
I'm thinking long and hard about doing some warps and wefts.
<<if $warpinfo is 0>>Short jumps -- teleportations -- in and out of the fabric of spacetime, weaving my way to my destination.<<endif>>
And I know, I've told you that's "dark arts."
And you're probably more concerned with the "dark" than the "art," in this instance.
But I'm feeling really, <i>really</i> artsy right now.
What do you say?
<<choice [[Get artsy. Warp there.^If you're really in that much pain, you should probably just warp.|warptheretwo]]>> | <<choice [[Take a rest, but keep walking.^Maybe stop for a nap, try and recharge... but don't warp.|nowarpstwo]]>>


:: justkeepwalkingtwo
That's a pretty easy thing to say when you're not covered in deer ticks, <<$playername>>.
You seriously think I should walk the rest of the way? You seriously--
Yeah. Okay. Let's do that. Let's do exactly that.
I'm just gonna go silent for the next little while...
...and you can picture me walking that whole time.
Hell, you can even picture me <i>enjoying</i> it. Fresh air, exercise... what's not to love?
And I'll get back to you once I arrive.
After, you know, <i>walking.</i>
Just like you want me to.
[[delay 10h|arrivedwalkingtwo]]


:: rathernotfaxfood
Yeah, well, I'd rather not be doing <i>most</i> things I get up to on any given day.
If you won't fax me some lasagna, then we've got nothing to talk about for now.
(That was a weird sentence to say out loud.)
[[walkingsignofftwo]]


:: arrivedwalkingtwo
<<silently>><<set $atefood = 1>><<endsilently>>
And just like that, I've arrived! As if no time had even passed!
I hope you had a fun time picturing me walking, because walking is obviously what I did.
That whole time.
I didn't just warp and weft around, and spend the last few hours sightseeing...
...and bilking passersby with a little magic-assisted Three-Card Monte...
...and asking around until I found the best Pad Thai for miles...
...and dozing with a full tummy and a clear conscience.
<<choice [[Great. Thanks for walking.|thanksforwalking]]>> | <<choice [[Boy, you suck at lying.|suckatlying]]>>


:: stupidtalk
Well, <i>I</i> know I haven't, and I'm not about to start.
So. Anyway. If magic's off the table, I guess I should structure some interesting word usements.
[[talkthroughit]]


:: missingmanners
Yup.
That is <i>definitely</i> what I'm missing.
Oh well.
Listen, you guys, now that you know how wrong things went..
...you know why I have to go back there and set things right.
<cart>I get it, kid. Arika. I really do.</cart>
<cart>But as far as you taking on the... the "people" who killed your folks...</cart>
<cart>...look, I can't advise that.</cart>
<cart>And I sure can't sell you this lamp and have you think it'll be enough protection.</cart>
<cart>That's a suicide mission you're talking about.</cart>
<<choice [[Wait, how right is he?^Hearing someone else call it a "suicide mission" is somehow more worrisome.|suicidemission]]>> | <<choice [[But the lantern <i>helps,</i> right?|lamphelps]]>>


:: goodlaugh
<cart>Ha! Oh... oh, wow.</cart>
<cart>You might not believe it from looking at me, Lanphear...</cart>
<cart>...but inside this pug-ugly skull, there's a mind like a steel trap.</cart>
<cart>I've been running Kildecatt's for longer than you've been walking this Earth...</cart>
<cart>...and I can tell you -- no exaggeration, no hyperbole --</cart>
<cart>that is the <i>first</i> time anyone has ever said the word "please" to me within these walls.</cart>
<cart>You know what?</cart>
<cart>The lantern's yours.</cart>
<cart>Don't ever let anyone tell you that manners don't count for somethin'.</cart>
<<choice [[Is he serious?^He has to be messing with you. He&apos;s just <i>giving</i> you the lantern? For nothing?|isheserious]]>> | <<choice [[This feels like a trap.|itsatrap]]>>


:: freelantern
<cart>Sorry, kid. You've got the sobbiest sob story I've ever heard --</cart>
<cart>and believe me, I've heard every last one --</cart>
<cart>but nothing's ever left Kildecatt's for free.</cart>
<cart>Especially not when I've got a pretty good feeling I'm never gonna see it again.</cart>
<<choice [[Offer him all your money.|allthemoney]]>> | <<choice [[Didn't you say he gambles?^Earlier, when you first told me about Carter... didn't you say he had a gambling problem?|cartergambles]]>>


:: thatskind
Thanks, Mr. Miles. I appreciate that.
<cart>I mean it, kid. Arika. I really do.</cart>
<cart>But as far as you taking on the... the "people" who killed your folks...</cart>
<cart>...look, I can't advise that.</cart>
<cart>And I sure can't sell you this lamp and have you think it'll be enough protection.</cart>
<cart>That's a suicide mission you're talking about.</cart>
<<choice [[Wait, how right is he?^Hearing someone else call it a "suicide mission" is somehow more worrisome.|suicidemission]]>> | <<choice [[But the lantern <i>helps,</i> right?|lamphelps]]>>


:: stillstaring
As far as I can tell, yes.
I mean, wouldn't <i>you</i> stare if a teenage girl suddenly turned into a bull in your china shop?
A slow-moving, dim-witted bull, but just as clumsy.
<<choice [[Just take it slow.|takeitslow]]>> | <<choice [[Did they detect your magic?^Do you think Carter realized you used a spell inside his shop?|magicinshop]]>>


:: hereifneededlocator
Thanks, <<$playername>>.
All right. Here we go.
[[^Arika is in conversation|carterchatlocator]]


:: takeitslow
If I go any slower, I might actually start moving backward.
[[magicinshop]]


:: lanternfoodtwo
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>What do I look like, a walking Zagat Guide?
(Seriously, I have no idea what I look like these days. "Crap," probably.)
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>Not far, I'm guessing.
People around here have to eat <i>something.</i> I assume.<<endif>>


:: lamphelps
The lantern won't be the only thing protecting me.
I have a plan -- maybe even a good plan -- and the lantern is just a part of that.
But it's an important part. I need to leave Kildecatt's with that lantern.
And I know I can't afford the asking price.
So how can we make this happen?
<<choice [[Offer him all your money.|allthemoney]]>> | <<choice [[Didn't you say he gambles?^Earlier, when you first told me about Carter... didn't you say he had a gambling problem?|cartergambles]]>>


:: nowarpstwo
Oh. I didn't realize we'd reached the "naptime" portion of our day.
After that, do we get graham crackers and apple juice in Dixie cups?
And then we learn about shapes for the rest of the afternoon?
Or maybe see what the Man With The Yellow Hat has planned for Curious George?
Grrr.
...Sorry. I'm just cranky because I haven't had naptime yet.
[[delay 3h^Arika is sleeping|wakeinwoodstwo]]


:: famouslastwords
Hey, you and I have been talking for <i>ages,</i> and I haven't said a single stupid thing yet.
Right?
...Riiiight?
<<choice [[No comment.|stupidtalk]]>> | <<choice [[You go on thinking that.|stupidtalk2]]>>


:: stupidtalk2
[[stupidtalk]]


:: blazeofglory
"Blaze of glory" is pretty big-time. I'd settle for "cloud of befuddlement."
Confuse them just long enough for me to grab the lantern and make a mad dash for the door.
Crap. Am I really doing this?
Crap. Crap. Crap.
<<choice [[Now or never. Go!|grabandgo]]>> | <<choice [[Wait! Don't do it.^Thinking this through, it's probably a really, really bad idea. Hold off, okay?|dontdoit]]>>


:: dontdoit
Yeah, yeah. All right. I won't start anything. You know the old saying:
"Well-behaved women seldom make sorcery."
But if magic's off the table, I guess I'd better structure some interesting word usements.
[[talkthroughit]]


:: warppermissiontwo
Yes, please and thank you. I'm all about driving in the metaphorical fast lane.
Just give me a minute to cut the sigils, and we'll be on our way.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: lanternwalksigntwo
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>I'll check in with you after a handful of hours...
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>I should be to Kildecatt's in a handful of hours...<<endif>>
...unless something jumps out of the woods and eats me.
Ha ha ha ha SHUT UP IT COULD TOTALLY HAPPEN.
Anyhow. Off I go on my jaunty way.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|longwalkbreaktwo]]
<<else>>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|shortwalkarrivedlantern]]<<endif>>


:: ribbonwalksigntwo
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>I'll check in with you after a handful of hours...
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>I should be to Floodland in a handful of hours...<<endif>>
...unless something jumps out of the woods and eats me.
Ha ha ha ha SHUT UP IT COULD TOTALLY HAPPEN.
Anyhow. Off I go on my jaunty way.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|longwalkbreaktwo]]
<<else>>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|shortwalkarrivedribbon]]<<endif>>


:: keywalksigntwo
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon" or $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>I'll check in with you after a handful of hours...
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>I should be to the monastery in a handful of hours...<<endif>>
...unless something jumps out of the woods and eats me.
Ha ha ha ha SHUT UP IT COULD TOTALLY HAPPEN.
Anyhow. Off I go on my jaunty way.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon" or $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|longwalkbreaktwo]]
<<else>>[[delay 2h^Arika is walking|shortwalkarrivedkey]]<<endif>>


:: suckatlying
Now, <i>that</i> can't be true.
Could someone who sucks at lying have made all this cash on a rigged card game?
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">>Whatever. I'm here, milling about in an alleyway, a block away from Kildecatt's Curiosities.
[[carterinfo]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">>Whatever. I'm here. The big circular drive that leads up to the front door of Floodland. [[infrontofflood]]
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">>Whatever. I'm here, at the gates of the monastery.
And things already feel kind of... weird.
[[monasterygates]]
<<endif>>


:: itsatrap
Don't worry, <<$playername>>. I'm on high alert.
Whenever someone offers me something that sounds too good to be true...
...that's usually because it is.
And also because they want to steal my shoes.
<<choice [[Right. Stay on your toes.^And keep your toes inside your Converse at all times.|stayontoes]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe he's serious, though.|isheserious]]>>


:: isheserious
Mr. Miles... if you're just joking with me right now...
Well, it would be really awful if you were.
<cart>No joke. I'm serious as a heart attack. Of which I've had two, and believe me, they're serious.</cart>
<cart>The lantern is yours. I've got more junk in this place than I know what to do with...</cart>
<cart>...and it seems like you've got a pretty good idea of what to do with this lamp.</cart>
<cart>So go ahead... take it, with my blessing.</cart>
<cart>Jareth and Naomi... they were lucky to have a daughter like you.</cart>
<cart>One who's willing to put everything on the line. To risk it all.</cart>
<cart>Just... promise me one thing, would you?</cart>
<<choice [[Sure. It only seems fair.|seemsfair]]>> | <<choice [[Be cautious about promising.|nopromises]]>>


:: foodlaterthree
And yet it would be a lot easier to cover some distance if I had food in me.
Quite a conundrum I'm caught in. Quite a dilemma I'm facing. Quite a pickle I'm in.
...Great. I shouldn't have mentioned pickles.
Now all I want is pickles.
[[walkingsignoffthree]]


:: warptherethree
Oh, man. Me and my Bambi legs thank you.
I know that when I come out the other side of this warp, I'm gonna feel all sick...
...but compared to walking another jillion hours?
I'll take that sickness any day.
Lemme just get prepped, and then I'm on the express shuttle to barf town.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: cartergambles
Yeah, um... Mr. Miles, I don't want to speak out of turn here, but...
...I heard you might be a betting man, from time to time.
Any chance we could, maybe, do a little wagering on that lantern?
Draw straws? Flip coins? Play a particularly high-stakes round of Go Fish?
<cart>Yeah. You heard right. I've been known to take a few bets.</cart>
<cart>I've even lost one or two. Probably no more than that, though.</cart>
<cart>What do you say to a simple dice game? Best two out of three?</cart>
<<choice [[Sounds like a great idea.^This sounds like the best option you're going to get. I say, take it.|letsplaydice]]>> | <<choice [[He could rig the game.^How can we be certain he's not rigging the game to make sure he wins?|riggedgame]]>>


:: allthemoney
All the money I have is barely worth blowing your nose on.
I'm willing to fork it all over for the lantern, though, if that's what it takes.
<cart>Look... I don't want to leave you flat broke. I got a different idea.</cart>
<cart>I'm a betting man. What do you say to a simple dice game? Best two out of three?</cart>
<<choice [[Sounds like a great idea.^This sounds like the best option you're going to get. I say, take it.|letsplaydice]]>> | <<choice [[He could rig the game.^How can we be certain he's not rigging the game to make sure he wins?|riggedgame]]>>


:: riggedgame
<cart>Just so it's clear that this is totally on the level -- purely a game of chance --</cart>
<cart>I'm gonna shut down all the magic baffles.</cart>
<cart>That way, you can sense if I'm up to something, <i>I</i> can sense if <i>you're</i> up to something...</cart>
<cart>...and Ratliff here will sniff it out, the second either of us even <i>thinks</i> about magic.</cart>
<cart>Fair enough?</cart>
<<choice [[Sounds fair to me.^If it's this or nothing, then this seems like a pretty good option.|letsplaydice]]>> | <<choice [[I still don't like this.|dontlikegames]]>>


:: stayontoes
He's put the lantern on the counter. Looks like he's about to make a little speech.
I could either stay and hear him out...
...or I could grab the lantern and make a break for it.
<<choice [[Stay. Let him talk.^If he really is just giving it to you, the smart move is to stay and hear him out.|stayandlisten]]>> | <<choice [[Grab it and run!|grabandgo]]>>


:: takeahikethree
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
What is it with you and walking? Why do you want me to walk so much?
Are you afraid I'm not getting enough cardio, or something?
Because I can assure you... I'm doing just fine. Strong enough to pull the ears off a gundark.
Or, at the very least, strong enough to make obscure pop culture references.
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">><<display "lanternhikethree">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">><<display "ribbonhikethree">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">><<display "keyhikethree">><<endif>>
If only... I could remember... what Darth Vader's relationship to Luke is!
Ah, well. It's probably not important.
Anyway. I've got the water situation handled, in that I can summon it magically.
But food... that's another story. One that currently doesn't have a happy ending.
So since my day planner seems to just have WALKING in big red letters for today...
...I should probably seize upon any vittles I happen to spot.
<<choice [[Can you find food nearby?^Is there anything close by that you can eat?|nearestfoodthree]]>> | <<choice [[Eating can wait.^I'd go ahead and get moving. You can worry about food once you've covered some distance.|foodlaterthree]]>>


:: nearestfoodthree
Gosh, I don't know where the nearest food is.
And it might surprise you to learn that I'm reluctant to do a locator spell...
...since -- although it <i>would</i> cause the closest food source to glow --
it would also make everything else kinda dim and hazy.
Which is not the optimal way to view the world when you're trying to walk through it.
[[walkingsignoffthree]]


:: walkingsignoffthree
Well, I figure you know the drill by now.
You advise me to walk for a jillion hours, I grudgingly agree...
...then I clam up so you won't hear me swear at you under my breath for a jillion hours.
(Honestly, this is the best plan for both of us.)
<<if $currentquest is "lantern">><<display "lanternwalksignthree">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "ribbon">><<display "ribbonwalksignthree">>
<<elseif $currentquest is "key">><<display "keywalksignthree">><<endif>>



:: lanternwalksignthree
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>So I'll say something to you (probably not a swear) after a while...
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>I should swear my way to Kildecatt's in a matter of hours...<<endif>>
...unless I'm so taken by the beauty of nature that I just wander off...
...and go live by a pond and write a spiritual sequel to <i>Walden.</i>
Anyhow. Off I go to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|longwalkbreakthree]]
<<else>>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|shortwalkarrivedlantern]]<<endif>>


:: ribbonwalksignthree
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>So I'll say something to you (probably not a swear) after a while...
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>I should swear my way to Floodland in a matter of hours...<<endif>>
...unless I'm so taken by the beauty of nature that I just wander off...
...and go live by a pond and write a spiritual sequel to <i>Walden.</i>
Anyhow. Off I go to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|longwalkbreakthree]]
<<else>>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|shortwalkarrivedribbon]]<<endif>>


:: keywalksignthree
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon" or $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>So I'll say something to you (probably not a swear) after a while...
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>I should swear my way to the monastery in a matter of hours...<<endif>>
...unless I'm so taken by the beauty of nature that I just wander off...
...and go live by a pond and write a spiritual sequel to <i>Walden.</i>
Anyhow. Off I go to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon" or $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>[[delay 4h^Arika is walking|longwalkbreakthree]]
<<else>>[[delay 2h^Arika is walking|shortwalkarrivedkey]]<<endif>>


:: letsplaydice
All right. Let's play.
What's the game?
<cart>Cho-Han Bakuchi. It's a Japanese thing. Real popular with the yakuza over there.</cart>
<cart>I figure, if it's good enough for organized crime, it's good enough for you and me, huh?</cart>
<cart>Now, there's a lot of tradition to the game.</cart>
<cart>Two six-sided dice, in a bamboo cup. That much, I've got covered.</cart>
<cart>Normally, we'd kneel on a tatami mat... but as luck would have it, I'm fresh out of those.</cart>
<cart>So this latch hook rug of Ziggy Stardust will do in a pinch.</cart>
<cart>And then, uh, traditionally, we'd both go shirtless.</cart>
<cart>Just to prove that we weren't concealing dice or cheating somehow.</cart>
<cart>But... I think we can probably let that rule slide, just this once.</cart>
<<choice [[Good call, Carter.^How nice of the super-creepy shopkeeper not to be super-creepy for half a second.|supercreepy]]>> | <<choice [[Whaaaat is this game?!^I&apos;m googling "cho-han bakuchi" <i>immediately.</i>|whatgame]]>>


:: dontlikegames
Listen, <<$playername>>, I can't say I'm wild about it either...
...but it's kinda this, or nothing.
So I guess it's this.
If it blows up and backfires horribly, you can say "I told you so," okay?
Won't that be fun for you?
<<choice [[It will, actually.|toldyouso]]>> | <<choice [[Fine, fine. Let&apos;s play the game.|letsplaydice]]>>


:: mightdie
<<silently>><<darken 5>><<endsilently>>
I can't make any promises.
I'd hate to tell you I'll be back, and then...
...well, you know.
But with this lantern, now, at least I have a fighting chance.
It'll be nice to have a little light...
...because things are about to get really, <i>really</i> dark.
[[gotthelantern]]


:: stayandlisten
<cart>Okay, Lanphear. The lantern is yours.</cart>
<cart>After all, I've got more junk in this place than I know what to do with...</cart>
<cart>...and it seems like you've got a pretty good idea of what to do with this lamp.</cart>
<cart>So go ahead... take it, with my blessing.</cart>
<cart>Jareth and Naomi... they were lucky to have a daughter like you.</cart>
<cart>One who's willing to put everything on the line. To risk it all.</cart>
<cart>Just... promise me one thing, would you?</cart>
<<choice [[Sure. It only seems fair.|seemsfair]]>> | <<choice [[Be cautious about promising.|nopromises]]>>


:: lanternhikethree
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>The shop is, like, fifty miles from here.
I could make an awful lot of <i>Star Wars</i> references in fifty miles.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon">>The shop is, like, fifteen miles from here.
I could probably recite all of <i>Empire Strikes Back</i> from memory, in that time.<<endif>>



:: ribbonhikethree
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "intro" or $missionSequence[0] is "key">>Floodland is, like, fifty miles from here.
I could make an awful lot of <i>Star Wars</i> references in fifty miles.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>Floodland is, like, fifteen miles from here.
I could probably recite all of <i>Empire Strikes Back</i> from memory, in that time.<<endif>>


:: keyhikethree
<<if $missionSequence[0] is "ribbon" or $missionSequence[0] is "lantern">>The monastery is, like, fifty miles from here.
I could make an awful lot of <i>Star Wars</i> references in fifty miles.
<<elseif $missionSequence[0] is "intro">>The monastery is, like, fifteen miles from here.
I could probably recite all of <i>Empire Strikes Back</i> from memory, in that time.<<endif>>


:: longwalkbreakthree
So... hey. Hi there. I'm not swearing, see? I'm being very polite.
But here's the thing: I'm either gonna collapse, or I'm gonna warp the rest of the way there.
(I mean, odds are good that I'll collapse after the warp, too...
...but at least I'll already be where I'm going, you know?)
Because at this point, I'm thinking, "dark arts, <i>schmark</i> arts."
If I can get there in a matter of minutes via warps and wefts --
<<if $warpinfo is 0>>short jumps in and out of the fabric of spacetime, weaving my way to my destination --<<endif>>
well, then, I'd be some kind of idiot not to do that.
Especially because I've got Bambi legs right now, I'm so weak and worn out.
So... what do you say?
<<choice [[Yeah, go ahead and warp.|warptherethree]]>> | <<choice [[I don't think you should warp.^You can't just say "schmark arts." There's a cost to dark magic, right?|nowarpthree]]>>



:: nowarpthree
Yeah. Yes. There's a cost. True.
But there's also a cost to pushing one's body well past its physical limits.
I feel awful, and continuing to walk for who knows how long...
...even though I'm hydrating, even though I'm pacing myself...
...it's just abusive, at this point.
So I'm warping. Schmark arts all the way.
You can be pissed at me if you want, but I have to take care of myself.
And this is the lesser of two evils. I promise.
<<choice [[Okay, I get it. Warp away.|warptherethree]]>> | <<choice [[I will be pissed.|illbepissed]]>>


:: supercreepy
I need that lantern so badly, I would just about play topless dice if I had to.
Hell, I'd dress up like the San Diego Chicken and play laser tag on a life-sized chess board.
I'm in it to win it, baby!
[[kneelingonbowie]]


:: whatgame
I know, right?
It suddenly makes every party where you <i>didn't</i> play this seem ultra-lame.
<<choice [[It&apos;s totally a real thing.|chohanisreal]]>> | <<choice [[Topless dice. Will wonders never cease?|chohanisreal2]]>>


:: chohanisreal2
[[chohanisreal]]


:: toldyouso
Well then, <i>for your sake,</i> let's just hope I fail.
[[letsplaydice]]


:: seemsfair
Okay, Mr. Miles. What's that?
[[promiseasked]]


:: promiseasked
<cart>Promise me, if you make it through whatever it is you're planning to do...</cart>
<cart>...you'll come back here and let us know.</cart>
<cart>Me and Ratliff... we've seen too many of our people's stories come crashing to an end.</cart>
<cart>Too many lives snuffed out like candles. Washed away like sand by the tide.</cart>
<cart>It'd be nice... just once... to know one of 'em was "to be continued."</cart>
<cart>Deal?</cart>
<<choice [[Of course you&apos;ll be back.^Your story is going to be continued for a long time to come. ...Right?|tobecontinued]]>> | <<choice [[No promises.|mightdie]]>>


:: tobecontinued
<<silently>><<darken -5>><<endsilently>>
Of course. I promise, I'll come back.
<<if $happydays is 1>>After all, someone's gonna have to pick up those <i>Happy Days</i> glasses, right?<<endif>>
Thank you for the lantern. It'll be nice to have a little light...
...because things are about to get really, <i>really</i> dark.
[[gotthelantern]]


:: illbepissed
I can live with that.
And you'll get over it.
Maybe the dulcet tones of my vomiting will bring a smile to your face.
Here's hoping, at any rate.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warptime]]


:: lanterncongrats
<cart>Well, nothin' to say except "congrats," Lanphear. You won, fair and square.</cart>
<cart>And I gotta be honest... I was kinda hoping you would.</cart>
<cart>I've got more junk in this place than I know what to do with...</cart>
<cart>...and it seems like you've got a pretty good idea of what to do with this lamp.</cart>
<cart>So go ahead... take it, with my blessing.</cart>
<cart>Jareth and Naomi... they were lucky to have a daughter like you.</cart>
<cart>One who's willing to put everything on the line. To risk it all.</cart>
<cart>Just... promise me one thing, would you?</cart>
<<choice [[Sure. It only seems fair.|seemsfair]]>> | <<choice [[Be cautious about promising.|nopromises]]>>


:: nopromises
I'm... wary about making promises. Especially because I might not be around long enough to keep them.
But you can ask.
[[promiseasked]]


:: chohanisreal
Yeah? Any tips on how to win every time?
<<choice [[It's pure chance, sadly.^From everything I can tell, this really is a game where you've got a 50/50 shot of winning.|purechance]]>> | <<choice [[Have luck on your side.^What&apos;s your saying? "May luck, something something?"|mayluckwhat]]>>


:: ribbon
<<silently>><<set $currentquest = "ribbon">><<endsilently>>
<<set $ribbonquest = 1>>
...the ribbon from the orphan girl.
<<choice [[What does that involve?|ribbondetails]]>> | <<choice [[What next? Candy from babies?^Getting a ribbon from a little girl doesn&apos;t sound so bad.|ribbonnotdangerous]]>>


:: ribbonnotdangerous
Oh, I'm glad you think so. Maybe you can handle it, and I'll sit this one out.
(She said, sarcastically.)
As with everything involving magic, there is, of course, much more to this than meets the eye.
<<choice [[Of course. What's involved?|ribbondetails]]>> | <<choice [[Does it <i>have</i> to be so hard?^Seriously, why must it be so complicated? Couldn't you just go buy a ribbon somewhere?|buyaribbon]]>>


:: buyaribbon
Gosh, you know, I <i>would</i> just go buy any ol' ribbon...
...but I'm afraid my pagan skin would catch fire the moment I set foot inside a Hobby Lobby.
So instead, how about I go get this <i>one specific ribbon</i> that I actually need?
<<choice [[Fine, fine. What&apos;s involved?|ribbondetails]]>> | <<choice [[So picky about your accessories!^I'm sure you'll look great no matter what you're wearing. Don't stress about it.|dontstress]]>>


:: dontstress
Man, when you don't get it, you <i>really</i> don't get it, huh?
This isn't about dolling myself up all pretty.
(Even though the ribbon is a deep cobalt blue that would <i>totally</i> make my eyes pop.)
<<if $key is 1>>This is about threading the ribbon through the key I got from the monastery...
...which is the only thing that activates the key's mystical properties.
<<elseif $key is 0>>This ribbon is one part of the equation -- a key being the other --
and only the chocolate/peanut butter combo of both of them activates the key's mystical properties.<<endif>>
So, yeah. You see? Not just a fashion choice for me.
(...But, seriously, if I don't die in the next few days, I should really do something new with my hair.)
<<choice [[Good for you! Don&apos;t die.|dontdie]]>> | <<choice [[Tell me about this ribbon.|ribbondetails]]>>


:: dontdie
Yeah. "Don't die" is at the top of my To Do list.
Later list items contradict it, but I'm trying not to think too hard about that.
Anyhow. Let me tell you what's involved in not dying, this time around.
[[ribbondetails]]


:: howoldleila2
She was maybe five when she showed up there, six by the time I left? Hard to tell.
Sometimes she seemed ancient. Sometimes she seemed ageless.
When I think about her -- about her age, or how she talked, or how she carried herself --
everything gets sort of jumbled in my memory.
[[timetogo]]


:: magicusertoo2
Not a magic-user in the same way I am. Like, she didn't know the spells, didn't know the rituals.
Had no idea that there was this whole magical world just out of view of the rest of humanity.
But there was no doubt in my mind... she'd been in touch with something arcane.
Whether she understood it, or not.
<<choice [[Did you try to help her?^Since you understood magic, were you able to help her at all?|helpleila]]>> | <<choice [[How old was she?|howoldleila]]>>



:: gotthelantern
<<silently>><<set $missionSequence.unshift("lantern")>><<set $lantern = 1>><<set $fabuladagger = 1>><<endsilently>>
Oh. Oh wow.
I know it's what I set out to do, and everything, but still...
...some part of me can hardly believe that I got the lantern!
And also, <i>every</i> part of me is exhausted.
It's like those bumper stickers say: "If you do it right, shopping is a sport."
What I need right now is a Gatorade and a long nap.
<<choice [[So what's your plan?|wheretonext]]>> | <<choice [[Are you going to be okay?^You've been through a lot, on not much food. Will you be all right?|wheretonext2]]>>


:: kneelingonbowie
All right. I'm kneeling on David Bowie's face, which feels a little like sacrilege.
Let's hear the rules.
<cart>This is about as simple as it gets. Which is no judgment on the yakuza, in case they're listening.</cart>
<cart>Dice go in the cup, cup gets shaken, cup gets placed on the ground, mouth down.</cart>
<cart>You pick odds or evens. So we each got the same shot at winning.</cart>
<cart>I lift up the cup, we see who won the round, the tension mounts.</cart>
<cart>It's fun for the whole Japanese mafia!</cart>
<cart>So what do you say, Lanphear? You in?</cart>
<<choice [[Of course you&apos;re in.|yourein]]>> | <<choice [[What's your stake?^We know you're playing for the lantern... but what are you wagering?|yourstake]]>>


:: wonboth
<<silently>><<set $wondice = 1>><<endsilently>>
Holy crap.
I <i>won.</i>
The last time I won anything, it was free tickets to a screening of Adam Sandler's <i>Jack and Jill.</i>
Which, I think we can all agree, wasn't much of a win.
But this... oh my God. I did it. I got the lantern.
<i>I got the lantern!</i>
<<choice [[Congratulations!|lanterncongrats]]>> | <<choice [[Grab it while you can.^Make sure you get hold of it before Carter changes his mind.|grablantern]]>>


:: grablantern
<<silently>><<darken 5>><<endsilently>>
<cart>Hey. Hey! Take it easy! No need to get grabby. You won the game, we all saw it.</cart>
<cart>And if we're being honest, I think me and Ratliff were both rooting for you.</cart>
<cart>But you start getting all twitchy like that... it puts us on edge.</cart>
<<choice [[Okay. He's right. Be cool.|becool]]>> | <<choice [[Just grab it and run!^You don't need to stick around for a post-game wrap-up. Grab your winnings and split!|grabandgo]]>>


:: becool
Sorry. You're right. I'm a little jumpy, myself.
[[lanterncongrats]]


:: mayluckwhat
May luck, ever present, turn her back on my foe.
[[kneelingonbowie]]


:: purechance
Well, that means Carter's got a 50/50 shot at losing.
I like those odds!
[[kneelingonbowie]]


:: claires
Spoken like someone who's never been to a doorbuster sale at a Claire's Boutique.
[[travelnode]]


:: howkind
Isn't it? I generally find a way to salute them for taking an interest.
[[floodlandwalk]]


:: howwrong
That's just it... to this day, I'm not sure I could define it, exactly.
The word I've settled on, after having had years to mull it over...
...is <i>haunted.</i>
I think that Leila had, somehow, gotten a look beyond the veil...
...a look at the lost souls swirling, unmoored, in the Quintessence...
...and that she'd brought just a little of it back to live inside her head.
<<choice [[Was she a magic-user, too?^So, what, she had power but didn&apos;t know how to use it?|magicusertoo2]]>> | <<choice [[She was, what, a powerless mage?|powerlessmage]]>>


:: ribbondetails
So, on the outskirts of Portland, a little southeast, there's a town called Happy Valley.
Believe me, the name is sharply ironic.
Early on, after I'd first run away from New Tenacity and was on my own...
...I washed up in an orphanage there. This joint run by the Sisters of Mercy.
And I do mean "washed up." The kids there nicknamed the place "Floodland"...
...because every time it rained, the halls would fill up with dirty water and mud.
It looked like a bombed-out, soggy post-apocalypse world...
...which makes for a lousy Kevin Costner movie, and an even lousier orphanage.
<<choice [[Sounds horrible.^This place sounds terrible. I'm sorry you had to spend any of your childhood there.|horribleorphanage]]>> | <<choice [[I'm glad you made it out.|madeitout]]>>


:: oddsrollone
<<silently>><<set $rollone = random(2,12)>><<endsilently>>
<cart>You're betting on odds. I shake the dice cup like a Polaroid picture, and...</cart>
<cart>...it comes up <<$rollone>>.</cart>
<<if $rollone is 3 or $rollone is 5 or $rollone is 7 or $rollone is 9 or $rollone is 11>><cart>Nice one, Lanphear. First round goes to you.</cart>[[wonroundone]]
<<elseif $rollone is 2 or $rollone is 4 or $rollone is 6 or $rollone is 8 or $rollone is 10 or $rollone is 12>><cart>Whoops. Looks like the first round goes to me.</cart>
<cart>Don't worry, best two out of three takes it. You still have a fighting chance.</cart>[[lostroundone]]<<endif>>


:: wonroundone
<<silently>><<set $roundone = 1>><<endsilently>>
<cart>All right, you want to stick with what got you here, or switch it up?</cart>
<cart>Odds or evens?</cart>
<<choice [[Odds.|oddsrolltwo]]>> | <<choice [[Evens.|evensrolltwo]]>>


:: oddsrolltwo
<<silently>><<set $rolltwo = random(2,12)>><<endsilently>>
<cart>You say odds, so I say evens.</cart>
<cart>And the dice cup says... drumroll please... <<$rolltwo>>.</cart>
<<if $rolltwo is 3 or $rolltwo is 5 or $rolltwo is 7 or $rolltwo is 9 or $rolltwo is 11>><cart>Stupid friggin' dice. I never liked you anyhow.</cart>[[wonroundtwo]]
<<elseif $rolltwo is 2 or $rolltwo is 4 or $rolltwo is 6 or $rolltwo is 8 or $rolltwo is 10 or $rolltwo is 12>><cart>Annnnd that's one in the "W" column for ol' Carter.</cart>[[lostroundtwo]]<<endif>>


:: wonroundtwo
<<silently>><<set $roundtwo = 1>><<endsilently>>
<<if $roundone is 1 and $roundtwo is 1>>[[wonboth]]
<<elseif $roundone is 1 and $roundtwo is 0>>[[wononelostone]]
<<elseif $roundone is 0 and $roundtwo is 1>>[[wononelostone]]
<<elseif $roundone is 0 and $roundtwo is 0>>[[lostboth]]<<endif>>


:: waitingatfloodland
So when I left Floodland, seven years ago, there was this little girl who had just shown up there.
Her name was Leila Grace, and there was something... just... <i>wrong</i> about her.
It was subtle. The sort of thing I didn't notice right away, and most people didn't notice at all.
If I hadn't been sensitive to the supernatural, and over-the-top paranoid after losing my family...
...it might've slid right by me.
<<choice [[How do you mean, "wrong"?|howwrong]]>> | <<choice [[Was she a magic-user, too?|magicusertoo]]>>



:: helpleila
I tried.
When I ran away from Floodland, I broke a couple of other kids out with me.
And even though Leila was way younger, and I knew she was only going to slow me down...
...I <i>begged</i> her to come with me. Pleaded with her.
Because I knew, she damn sure wasn't going to get the help she needed there.
I had no business being on my own, much less trying to take care of her.
I was only a kid myself then. Eleven years old. But I wanted to protect her, if I could.
Try to figure out her powers, what they were and why they seemed to be taking such a toll on her.
<<choice [[How old was she?|howoldleila2]]>> | <<choice [[She sounds... really weird.|weirdkid]]>>


:: weirdkid
Yeah, you're not kidding. She <i>was</i> weird.
But I had spent all my life up to that point thinking <i>I</i> was the weirdo, you know?
So I sympathized. I wanted to help her.
[[howoldleila2]]


:: powerlessmage
No... I think it'd be more accurate to say she was a <i>mageless power.</i>
She was all this weird, raw, swirling energy... with no idea how to focus it.
[[magicusertoo2]]


:: ribbondiversion
My apologies. Didn't mean to get melodramatic on you, there.
<<if $darkness gte 75>>There are dark mages who can warp and weft without any side effects...
...I think, largely, because they've done it so often that they're basically dead inside.
Right now, I am <i>extremely</i> jealous of those mages.
<<elseif $darkness lte 74>>Some mages can warp and weft without getting sick all over the place...
...but it's because they've done it so often that something inside them just... <i>dies.</i>
I never want to end up like that, numb to the cost...
...except in those couple of minutes after a jump, when it feels like I'm vomiting up every meal I've ever eaten.<<endif>>
<<choice [[You gonna be all right?|allrightwarp]]>> | <<choice [[What if you became dark?^So, what would be the consequences of you embracing that dark side?|darkside]]>>



:: allrightwarp
Yeah. Yes. I'll be okay in a minute, thanks.
It's just, after a jump, I feel a lot like Jeff Goldblum in <i>The Fly.</i>
Or a lot like the fly in <i>The Fly,</i> if the other way sounds like I'm bragging.
<<choice [[So, pretty gross, then.|prettygross]]>> | <<choice [[So teleporting turns you dark?^So, what would be the consequences of you embracing that dark side?|darkside]]>>


:: prettygross
Like I swallowed a bunch of fire ants, and then swallowed a bunch of fire ant repellent.
Which you would <i>think</i> would just balance things out, but that's not quite how it works.
The "dark arts" -- there's a reason they're not called "the rainbow puppy fun-times arts."
[[darkside]]


:: timetogo
All I can tell you for sure is, when I asked her, that final night, to come with me...
...her response chilled me to my core.
<<choice [[Why? What happened?|whatdidleilasay]]>> | <<choice [[What did she say?|whatdidleilasay2]]>>


:: whatdidleilasay2
[[whatdidleilasay]]


:: escapedflood
I ran away, sure. But I don't know if I ever really escaped.
Not all of me.
I guess, now that I'm headed back there... I'll find out for sure.
<<choice [[Why do you need to go?|whygoflood]]>> | <<choice [[You don't think she's still there?^You said that was, what, eight years ago? She can&apos;t still be there, can she?|stillatflood]]>>


:: stillatflood
You know how, like, the Jedi Knights could sense other people that were powerful in the Force?
Or Professor X can roll into his Cerebro room and find mutants all over the world?
There's a little of that same sort of interconnectedness among mages.
I can't, like, concentrate really hard and tell you, "Oh, there's a new magic-user in Topeka."
But once I've met a mage... a sort of invisible thread forms between us.
And if I tug on that thread with my mind, I can figure out where the other end of it is.
Leila's thread... it hasn't moved.
Just like she promised... she's always been at Floodland.
<<choice [[That poor girl.|poorgirl]]>> | <<choice [[Why do you need her?|whyleila]]>>


:: poorgirl
I wouldn't be so quick to feel sorry for her.
Something tells me, it's <i>exactly</i> where she wants to be.
[[whyleila]]


:: wantribbon
Let's not confuse "want" with "need."
<<if $key is 1>>The ribbon makes the key work. So I have to have them both.
<<elseif $key is 0>>I've got to have the ribbon, and then I've got to go get a key.
Each one's useless without the other.<<endif>>
<<if $darkness gte 75>>This ribbon... it's an artifact that might corrupt someone weaker.
Might twist someone toward darkness, if they couldn't handle it.
But I'm not worried. It's not going to hurt me unless I want it to.
<<elseif $darkness lte 74>>But if we're being honest here, <<$playername>>, this stupid ribbon scares me half to death.
I haven't been so freaked out by a piece of fabric since halftime at the 2004 Super Bowl.
This is a mission of last resort.
And there's no sense in putting it off any longer.<<endif>>
<<choice [[Okay. So what&apos;s the plan?|travelnode]]>> | <<choice [[How dangerous could it be?^You're getting a ribbon from a teenage girl. I&apos;m sure you'll make it out alive.|claires]]>>


:: wononelostone
Oh, man. Won one, lost one.
That means this last roll is for all the marbles.
I've punched a living gargoyle in the face, and I wasn't as nervous then as I am now.
I look to you, Ziggy Stardust, and all the Spiders From Mars... give me strength.
[[thirdroll]]


:: thirdroll
<cart>This is it, Lanphear. And I'm giving you the choice, again. Odds or evens?</cart>
<cart>Take your time. Me, I got all day. It's not like these ALF pogs are coming back in style.</cart>
<<choice [[Odds.|oddsrollthree]]>> | <<choice [[Evens.|evensrollthree]]>>


:: evensrollthree
<<silently>><<set $rollthree = random(2,12)>><<endsilently>>
<cart>The lady says "evens."</cart>
<cart>Let's see if the dice are listening.</cart>
<cart>Looks like we've got a... <<$rollthree>>.</cart>
<<if $rollthree is 3 or $rollthree is 5 or $rollthree is 7 or $rollthree is 9 or $rollthree is 11>><cart>Ouch. Sorry, kid. The dice giveth, and the dice taketh away.</cart>[[lostboth]]
<<elseif $rollthree is 2 or $rollthree is 4 or $rollthree is 6 or $rollthree is 8 or $rollthree is 10 or $rollthree is 12>><cart>Well, I'll be a kobold's uncle. You win, Lanphear.</cart>[[wonboth]]<<endif>>


:: grabandgo
<<silently>><<darken 20>><<endsilently>>
Right. You're right.
I'm out of here.
<cart>Hey!</cart>
<cart>What're you--</cart>
<cart>Dammit, Ratliff, stop her!</cart>
...Yeah, hey, I just remembered a couple things.
One, the door is locked.
And two, this Ratliff guy is a lot faster than I amWHULLLLFFF
<<choice [[What just happened?|whatjusthappened]]>> | <<choice [[Are you all right?|allrightshop]]>>


:: allrightshop
I am... <i>not</i>... all right.
Don't know why they call it... a "breadbasket"... but I just got punched in mine.
Knocked all the... wind outta me.
Dropped the lantern, too. Probably broke it, with my luck.
The hell was I thinking, trying to run?
[[thehell]]


:: whoopsmybad
Yeah, you think?
Oh, man. Acting on impulse is never a smart idea for me.
I always wind up locked in a junk shop with a knife to my throat.
[[hopedforit]]


:: yourein
Of course I'm in. Let's roll.
<cart>Easy, now. I'm putting up this nifty lantern, but you haven't placed your stake yet.</cart>
[[yourstake]]


:: yourstake
Yeah, so... what exactly am I throwing into the pot, here?
<cart>Well, now. The way I see it, if you've got an open channel to somebody...</cart>
<cart>...you must've used a Fabula Dagger to carve yourself up for that spell.</cart>
<cart>And if you've still got that on you... that might just be something you could ante up.</cart>
What's the point? I've used it already. It's worthless now.
<cart>Ha. Okay. You just go on thinking that.</cart>
<cart>You willing to put your quote-unquote "worthless" Fabula Dagger up against my lantern, then?</cart>
<<choice [[Take the wager.^The lantern's worth more to you than the dagger anyway. Go for it.|takewager]]>> | <<choice [[Hold on a second...^If the dagger is still useful, like he's implying, maybe you should hold onto it.|holdontodagger]]>>


:: takethedeal
<<silently>><<set $lantern = 0>><<set $fabuladagger = 0>><<endsilently>>
Yeah. Okay. Fine.
Here's all my stuff. I leave with nothing.
<cart>Right.</cart>
<cart>...Nothing except a scar, to remind you why you lost it all.</cart>
<<choice [[Wait, what did he say?|whatscar]]>> | <<choice [[What does he mean by that?|whatscar2]]>>


:: whatscar2
[[whatscar]]


:: whatscar
<i>AAAGGGHHHHH!</i>
Ratliff just... just ran the point of the knife down... side of my neck!
<<choice [[Oh, God! Are you okay?|neckokay]]>> | <<choice [[Fight back against him!|fightknife]]>>


:: neckokay
<<silently>><<set $neckwound = 1>><<endsilently>>
I don't think it was deep, but... there's a lot of blood.
Then again... in my line of work, when <i>isn't</i> there?
Feeling pretty lightheaded... two dudes staring me down.
Best option... walk through the door that Ratliff's holding open...
...mark this whole visit down as a loss.
<<if $darkness gte 75>><<choice [[Fight back! Lash out!|lashout]]>> | <<choice [[Are you going to be okay?|wheretonext]]>>
<<elseif $darkness lte 74>><<choice [[Where will you go?^You&apos;re injured and broke... where are you going to go now?|wheretonext]]>> | <<choice [[Are you going to be okay?|wheretonext2]]>><<endif>>


:: cantdothis
I can't do this.
<<choice [[Of course you can.^Come on. You&apos;re stronger than you know. You can face down this girl.|facedown]]>> | <<choice [[You need to face your fears.^I know this is scary, but this ribbon is important to you. You have to see this through.|facedown2]]>>


:: facedown2
[[facedown]]


:: facedown
N-no. You don't understand.
I literally <i>can't</i> do this.
I was putting one foot in front of the other, and then I suddenly <i>couldn't</i> anymore.
The wind kicked up like a physical force, and I couldn't push against it.
It swept up all the dead leaves, and now they're... swirling all around me!
I'm trying to... bat them away... but it's like a swarm of locusts.
They're getting n my face...
n m mth...
cnt brthe
<<choice [[Run back the other way!|runback]]>> | <<choice [[Use a counterspell, fast!|counterleaves]]>>


:: leavescalm
Ptah!
Hhhhhhuuuuuuhhh
Oh. Oh my God. I can breathe again.
Air has never been this sweet.
Leaves. Leaves were everywhere. It was like being buried alive.
Dead leaves pushing into my mouth, down my throat, into my lungs. I thought I was dead.
And then, just as suddenly, they pulled back... and settled into this, like, <i>shroud</i> around me.
Which is plenty creepy, but at least I can breathe.
<<choice [[Not off to a great start.|badstartflood]]>> | <<choice [[Can you magic the leaves away?^Now that you can move again, is there a counterspell to disperse the leaves?|leavesspell]]>>


:: badstartflood
Yeah, right? What's the old saying? "Begin as you mean to go on."
I do <i>not</i> intend to go on like this.
All coated in muddy leaves.
Gross.
<<choice [[Well, look at the bright side...^Some folks don&apos;t even have leaves they can call their own.|brightside]]>> | <<choice [[Can you magic the leaves away?^Now that you can move again, is there a counterspell to disperse the leaves?|leavesspell]]>>



:: brightside
Wow. That's a real "glass half full" way to look at this...
...but I'm not drinkin' what you're servin' up.
Gimme a second, I'm gonna try to whip up some sort of spell to get rid of these stupid things.
[[delay 30s|leavesspell]]


:: magicwonthurt
Famous last words.
If you're lucky, you might never feel it going to work on you.
A thousand papercuts, spread out over fifty years, so you barely even notice.
But if you're <i>not</i> lucky...
Bones break. Buildings crumble. You step off the wrong curb, and <i>BAM!</i> That's all she wrote.
Even at its kindest, magic can be unforgivably cruel.
And the thought of bringing any of that cruelty down on you, <<$playername>>...
...when all you did was keep talking to a nervous girl who screwed up a spell...
...it hurts my heart.
And I want to do whatever I can to prevent it.
<<choice [[So just don't go dark.^Sounds like the easiest solution is just not to practice dark magic.|nodark]]>> | <<choice [[Worry about the fallout later.^We can fret about my papercuts once you've finished what you set out to do.|falloutlater]]>>


:: nodark
Yeah, well... I don't want to hurt you.
But also, I'm not going to stop at <i>anything</i> if I have a chance of saving my brother.
So... you can see where I'm at a bit of a crossroads, "dark magic/light magic"-wise.
But, hey, it's like people try to tell me when I've got resting bitchface:
"Cheer up... it might never happen!"
<<choice [[How... kind of them.|howkind]]>> | <<choice [[It usually <i>does</i> happen, though, huh?|doesithappen]]>>


:: doesithappen
In my experience?
You bet it does.
[[floodlandwalk]]


:: magicusertoo
Not in the same way I am. Like, she didn't know the spells, didn't know the rituals.
Had no idea that there was this whole magical world just out of view of the rest of humanity.
But there was no doubt in my mind... she'd been in touch with something arcane.
Whether she understood it, or not.
<<choice [[What does that mean, exactly?^So, what, she had power but didn&apos;t know how to use it?|howwrong2]]>> | <<choice [[She was, what, a powerless mage?|powerlessmage2]]>>



:: holdontodagger
I don't know what he's talking about with the dagger.
It's strictly a single-use artifact, as far as I've ever been told.
But if I win the game, I get the lantern <i>and</i> I get to keep the Fabula Dagger...
...so it's kind of a win-win, yeah?
[[anteup]]


:: anteup
<cart>All right. Lantern's on the counter, next to your Fabula Dagger.</cart>
<cart>Just so we both know exactly what we're playing for.</cart>
<cart>Magic baffles are off. Ratliff's keeping an eye on us both for cheating.</cart>
<cart>My advice is... DON'T CHEAT.</cart>
<cart>Now, the most important question you've had to answer all day...</cart>
<cart>...you want odds, or evens?</cart>
<<choice [[Odds.|oddsrollone]]>> | <<choice [[Evens.|evensrollone]]>>


:: evensrollone
<<silently>><<set $rollone = random(2,12)>><<endsilently>>
<cart>You're betting on evens. I shake the dice cup like a Polaroid picture, and...</cart>
<cart>...it comes up <<$rollone>>.</cart>
<<if $rollone is 3 or $rollone is 5 or $rollone is 7 or $rollone is 9 or $rollone is 11>><cart>Whoops. Looks like the first round goes to me.</cart>
<cart>Don't worry, best two out of three takes it. You still have a fighting chance.</cart>[[lostroundone]]
<<elseif $rollone is 2 or $rollone is 4 or $rollone is 6 or $rollone is 8 or $rollone is 10 or $rollone is 12>><cart>Nice one, Lanphear. First round goes to you.</cart>[[wonroundone]]<<endif>>


:: horribleorphanage
Yeah, it was really...
Wow. I just got an actual, literal bad taste in my mouth, just from thinking about it.
It was a place where a lot of awful things happened.
I got out, and I broke a couple of kids out along with me...
...but there were more, so many more, that I couldn't save. No matter how much I wanted to.
And I've... honestly, <<$playername>>, I've been terrified of going back.
<<choice [[Do you have to do it?^If the memories are this painful, do you really have to put yourself through this?|havetogo]]>> | <<choice [[Face your fears.|faceyourfears]]>>


:: madeitout
Yeah, well. I ran away from there, like I run away from everywhere.
You do it long enough, and it just becomes second nature.
But now I'm running <i>toward</i> it. Toward Floodland, and then toward New Tenacity.
I must be crazy.
<<choice [[Let's call you "driven."^Doesn't that sound nicer than "crazy"? Even if they're one and the same right now?|youredriven]]>> | <<choice [[So what's waiting at Floodland?|waitingatfloodland]]>>


:: lostroundone
<<silently>><<set $roundone = 0>><<endsilently>>
<cart>That didn't go so great for you, but you've got a chance to switch things up now.</cart>
<cart>Odds or evens?</cart>
<<choice [[Odds.|oddsrolltwo]]>> | <<choice [[Evens.|evensrolltwo]]>>


:: evensrolltwo
<<silently>><<set $rolltwo = random(2,12)>><<endsilently>>
<cart>You say evens, so I say odds.</cart>
<cart>And the dice cup says... drumroll please... <<$rolltwo>>.</cart>
<<if $rolltwo is 3 or $rolltwo is 5 or $rolltwo is 7 or $rolltwo is 9 or $rolltwo is 11>><cart>Annnnd that's one in the "W" column for ol' Carter.</cart>[[lostroundtwo]]
<<elseif $rolltwo is 2 or $rolltwo is 4 or $rolltwo is 6 or $rolltwo is 8 or $rolltwo is 10 or $rolltwo is 12>><cart>Stupid friggin' dice. I never liked you anyhow.</cart>[[wonroundtwo]]<<endif>>


:: lostroundtwo
<<silently>><<set $roundtwo = 0>><<endsilently>>
<<if $roundone is 1 and $roundtwo is 1>>[[wonboth]]
<<elseif $roundone is 1 and $roundtwo is 0>>[[wononelostone]]
<<elseif $roundone is 0 and $roundtwo is 1>>[[wononelostone]]
<<elseif $roundone is 0 and $roundtwo is 0>>[[lostboth]]<<endif>>


:: youredriven
Oooh, I like that!
If I ever have to apply for a job after this, maybe you can coach me on rewriting my résumé.
I'll do a search on "crazy" and replace it with "driven"...
...probably should use a phrase like "a real go-getter" instead of "will crotch-kick anyone in my way."
And when they ask me where I see myself in five years...
...I'll stop whipping out a tarot deck and trying to divine an accurate answer.
<<choice [[All good ideas.|allgoodideas]]>> | <<choice [[You&apos;re hired!|yourehired]]>>


:: powerlessmage2
No... I think it'd be more accurate to say she was a <i>mageless power.</i>
She was all this weird, raw, swirling energy... with no idea how to focus it.
[[howwrong2]]


:: howoldleila
She was maybe five when she showed up there, six by the time I left? Hard to tell.
Sometimes she seemed ancient. Sometimes she seemed ageless.
When I think about her -- about her age, or how she talked, or how she carried herself --
everything gets sort of jumbled in my memory.
<<choice [[That&apos;s... really weird.|weirdkid2]]>> | <<choice [[Did you try to help her?^Since you understood magic, were you able to help her at all?|helpleila2]]>>


:: weirdkid2
Yeah, you're not kidding. It was weird. <i>She</i> was weird.
But I had spent all my life up to that point thinking <i>I</i> was the weirdo, you know?
So I sympathized. I wanted to help her.
[[helpleila2]]


:: thehell
<cart>The hell were you thinking, trying to run?</cart>
<cart>I mean, get serious, girl. Between Ratliff and me...</cart>
<cart>...we once hogtied a mad demiurge who tried to walk out of here with <i>New Mutants</i> #98 in his pants.</cart>
<cart>Did you really think we were gonna have trouble stopping a teenage girl?</cart>
<<choice [[That was the hope, yes.|hopedforit]]>> | <<choice [[I may have miscalculated.^So, when I advised you to run, I might not have thought it all the way through.|whoopsmybad]]>>


:: darkside
Think of magic as a coin with two sides. It sounds simplistic, but bear with me.
As a mage, you're <i>constantly</i> spending that coin. Because every spell has a cost.
Me, my family, my whole lineage... we practice blood magic.
It's not too hard to look at my scars and figure out what my cost is.
When a mage goes dark, though... it's so much worse.
<<choice [[Worse than all those scars?|worsethanscars]]>> | <<choice [[How bad are we talking?|worsethanscars2]]>>


:: worsethanscars2
[[worsethanscars]]



:: worsethanscars
When you start playing around with the dark arts... that's when you're digging deep.
Cutting open new wounds before the old ones even start to heal. Spending more of that coin than you have.
Swearing you'll pay it back but knowing you never will.
That's the thing about magic, though... it balances its own scales. It takes its share.
And if you can't cover the price... it'll take it out of someone else.
Someone you care about.
That's why I've spent the last few months shedding friends, cutting ties. Going it alone.
And that... that's what makes me scared.
Because -- apart from my brother, out there in the void -- the only someone I care about anymore...
...is <i>you.</i>
<<choice [[Oh. Should I be worried?^I appreciate that, and everything, but how does that work out for me in the end?|shouldiworry]]>> | <<choice [[Magic isn&apos;t going to hurt me.|magicwonthurt]]>>


:: lostboth
<<silently>><<set $lantern = 0>><<set $fabuladagger = 0>><<endsilently>>
No.
I... just like that, I lost.
Lost the lantern. Lost the Fabula Dagger. Lost everything.
I trusted to luck... and she let me down.
My mission is over before it even started.
<<choice [[Don't give up hope.^There's got to be something we can do to salvage this. Don&apos;t abandon hope yet.|dontgiveup]]>> | <<choice [[Just... grab the lantern.^The lantern is right there on the counter. So is the dagger. Grab them and run!|grabandgo]]>>


:: oddsrollthree
<<silently>><<set $rollthree = random(2,12)>><<endsilently>>
<cart>The lady says "odds."</cart>
<cart>Let's see if the dice are listening.</cart>
<cart>Looks like we've got a... <<$rollthree>>.</cart>
<<if $rollthree is 3 or $rollthree is 5 or $rollthree is 7 or $rollthree is 9 or $rollthree is 11>><cart>Well, I'll be a kobold's uncle. You win, Lanphear.</cart>[[wonboth]]
<<elseif $rollthree is 2 or $rollthree is 4 or $rollthree is 6 or $rollthree is 8 or $rollthree is 10 or $rollthree is 12>><cart>Ouch. Sorry, kid. The dice giveth, and the dice taketh away.</cart>[[lostboth]]<<endif>>


:: whatjusthappened
Ratliff... just sucker-punched me... right in the gut.
Can't... can't catch a breath.
Dropped the lantern, too. Probably... broke it, with my luck.
The hell was I thinking, trying to run?
[[thehell]]


:: hopedforit
<<if $wondice is 1>><cart>You won the game, idiot. You were home free.</cart>
<<elseif $wondice is 0>><cart>You know, I'm not the prettiest guy, but I've got a good heart.</cart>
<cart>Buying it, winning it, trading me something for it...</cart>
<cart>...I imagine you were gonna walk out of here with that lantern one way or another.</cart><<endif>>
<cart>But then you decided to act all squirrely. So now I'm gonna ask for my lantern back.</cart>
<cart>And when I say "ask," I mean "demand."</cart>
<cart>In case you don't know what "demand" means, Ratliff can show you a dictionary.</cart>
<cart>And when I say "dictionary," I mean his skinning knife.</cart>
<<choice [[So... this is bad.|thisisbad]]>> | <<choice [[Might as well use magic.^Your back&apos;s against the wall -- or against a hunting knife. Might as well cast a spell.|mightaswellmagic]]>>


:: thisisbad
<<silently>><<darken -3>><<endsilently>>
Look... what if I just... say I'm sorry?
I was stupid, and wrong, and irrational, and I could <i>not</i> be more sorry.
I'm emotionally distraught about my parents. It's my time of the month. Mercury's in retrograde.
Please. I don't want any trouble. I'll go.
Okay?
<<choice [[Good. That was very calm.|staycalm]]>> | <<choice [[Bust out some magic!|mightaswellmagic]]>>


:: staycalm
<cart>...You can go.</cart>
<cart>But the lantern stays here.</cart>
<cart>And so does that Fabula Dagger you're carrying, the one you used to open up the communication.</cart>
<cart>And all your money. Whatever you've got.</cart>
<cart>You can walk out of here, but you go with <i>nothing.</i></cart>
<<choice [[Better than <i>not</i> walking out.|takethedeal]]>> | <<choice [[Forget it. Use magic on him!|mightaswellmagic]]>>


:: fightknife
With... what?
Dagger's gone. Can't use magic.
Feeling pretty lightheaded... with all this blood loss.
Two dudes staring me down.
Best option... walk through the door that Ratliff's holding open...
...mark this whole visit down as a loss.
<<if $darkness gte 75>><<choice [[Fight back! Lash out!|lashout]]>> | <<choice [[Are you going to be okay?|wheretonext]]>>
<<elseif $darkness lte 74>><<choice [[Where will you go?^You&apos;re injured and broke... where are you going to go now?|wheretonext]]>> | <<choice [[Are you going to be okay?|wheretonext2]]>><<endif>>


:: whatdidleilasay
She looked right at me. Right <i>through</i> me, like I was meaningless.
And she spoke, no louder than a whisper, in a voice that I couldn't even be sure was hers.
And she said...
"I can't leave, Arika. Floodland is where I belong.
"It's where I've always been.
"It's where I'll always be.
"And no matter how far or how fast you run...
"...you will always be here, too."
And then... she turned around, and walked into the shadows... and I never saw her again.
<<choice [[Well, <i>that's</i> creepy as anything.|creepyasanything]]>> | <<choice [[But you escaped!^It doesn't matter what that weird kid said... you got out of there!|escapedflood]]>>


:: creepyasanything
Yeah. She was a creepy little girl.
And now, like some kind of idiot, I'm headed right back to the last place I saw her.
<<choice [[Why do you need to go?|whygoflood]]>> | <<choice [[You don't think she's still there?^You said that was, what, eight years ago? She can&apos;t still be there, can she?|stillatflood]]>>


:: whygoflood
Because I know that -- even after all this time -- Leila Grace is still there.
There's this weird interconnectedness that forms between mages when they meet...
...like a gossamer thread that links us, faintly, across any distance.
And her thread hasn't moved once, in all this time.
Just like she promised... she's always been at Floodland.
<<choice [[That poor girl.|poorgirl]]>> | <<choice [[Why do you need her?|whyleila]]>>


:: whyleila
The reason I need to get to her is this:
When she was admitted to Floodland, she was a foundling.
Left at the doorstep, with no note, no identification...
...she couldn't, or wouldn't, tell the Sisters anything except her name.
And she had a dark blue ribbon, wound around her left arm and tied at her wrist.
She never talked about it, never made reference to it... and never once took it off.
<<choice [[And you want that ribbon.^Right. You said at the outset, you wanted a ribbon from an orphan girl.|wantribbon]]>> | <<choice [[What was so special about it?|specialribbon]]>>


:: specialribbon
I can't give you an exact answer to that.
All I know is, the more adept I became with my powers, the more I noticed the ribbon.
It's like... it almost <i>stank</i> with energy. Like brimstone I could only smell in my mind.
Whatever it is, it's strong magic, and it's bad magic.
<<if $key is 1>>But without the ribbon, the key won't work. So I need them both.
<<elseif $key is 0>>But I've got to have the ribbon, and then I've got to go get a key.
Each one's useless without the other.<<endif>>
<<if $darkness gte 70>>This ribbon... it's an artifact that might corrupt someone weaker.
Might twist someone toward darkness, if they couldn't handle it.
But I'm not worried. It's not going to hurt me unless I want it to.
<<elseif $darkness lte 69>>So I'm terrified of getting my hands on this ribbon, but I've got no choice.
This is a mission of last resort.
And there's no sense in putting it off any longer.<<endif>>
<<choice [[Okay. So what&apos;s the plan?|travelnode]]>> | <<choice [[How dangerous could it be?^You're getting a ribbon from a teenage girl. I&apos;m sure you'll make it out alive.|claires]]>>


:: wheretonext
Oh, you know... I'll probably just wander into a nearby alley...
<<if $car is 1>>curl up in the spacious backseat of a purloined Nissan Quest...
<<elseif $car is 0>>...grab some cardboard, curl up next to a Dumpster...<<endif>>
...hope Portland can avoid dumping its trademark Portland rain on me for a few hours.
<<if $neckwound is 1>>I've got a low-level healing charm that'll work on my neck while I sleep.<<endif>>
When I wake up... <i>if</i> I wake up... I'll be good as new.
New garbage.
All right. Talk to you later. I hope.
[[delay 9h^Arika is sleeping|wakeupinalley]]


:: shouldiworry
I promise, <<$playername>>, I'll do everything I can to protect you.
After all, your only crime was to keep talking to a nervous girl who screwed up a spell.
The thought that that might bring any badness down on you...
......it hurts my heart.
And I want to do whatever I can to prevent it.
<<choice [[So just don't go dark.^Sounds like the easiest solution is just not to practice dark magic.|nodark]]>> | <<choice [[Worry about the fallout later.^We can fret about the cost to me once you've finished what you set out to do.|falloutlater]]>>


:: falloutlater
That's... noble of you. Really.
I put up a front most of the time, like I've got a handle on this magic crap...
...like everything just rolls off my back, you know?
But to stand up and say what you just did... that takes real bravery.
(Or else you <i>really</i> don't understand how bad things might get. But let's just call it bravery.)
I'm... it's an honor to have you by my side.
[[delay 30s|blowingthis]]


:: blowingthis
That was <i>waaay</i> too cheesy, wasn't it? I'm totally blowing this.
<<choice [[You're fine. Don't worry.^Sure, words like "honor" are pretty hefty when we've just met, but I'll cope.|illcope]]>> | <<choice [[Move past it. Move past it.|movepastit]]>>


:: movepastit
Never mentioning it again, over here.
Clearing throat, avoiding eye contact, asking about local sports teams.
Moving on.
[[floodlandwalk]]


:: floodlandwalk
All right. No more putting this off.
I've got to go back in to Floodland, and find out... just how bad things have gotten.
Up the driveway. Toward the front door. One foot in front of the other.
You can do this. You can do this.
[[delay 30s|cantdothis]]


:: counterleaves
Cant gt to knfe!
Cant mak sgils
Cnt mov!
Kkakkkkhh!
Hel
Helllp
Leavs n my lngs
Oh Gd
O Gd
[[delay 1m^Arika is choking|leavescalm]]


:: runback
Cant run! Cnt mov!
Kkakkkkhh!
Hel
Helllp
Leavs n my lngs
Oh Gd
O Gd
[[delay 1m^Arika is choking|leavescalm]]


:: leavesspell
I... huh.
Here are a couple problems with that.
The leaves are binding to me so close that I'm having trouble prying them apart...
...meaning I can't get to my knife, meaning I can't do the bloodletting.
(I'll keep working on that, don't worry.)
But the weirder thing is, they left a taste in my mouth...
...dirt, and worms, and -- I don't know -- like <i>ashes,</i> maybe...
...and every time I try to speak an incantation, my voice just dries up.
This is an anti-magic baffle made freakishly tangible.
<<choice [[Well, <i>that's</i> not good.^If you can't do magic, you might really be up a creek here.|nomagiccreek]]>> | <<choice [[I guess Leila learned some tricks.|leilatricks]]>>


:: takewager
Of course I'm going to take the wager.
The dagger's lost all of its magical mojo. It's just a pointy thing that's pointy, now.
I don't care if I lose it, one way or the other.
But if I win the game, I get the lantern <i>and</i> I get to keep the Fabula Dagger...
...so it's kind of a win-win, yeah?
[[anteup]]


:: faceyourfears
You're right. It's hard, but I know you're right.
Because my memories of New Tenacity are so much worse.
Floodland... it'll be like a trial run. If I can make it through this, then I'll know...
...I'll know I have some chance, however slim, of winning once I get back home.
<<choice [[One step at a time.^Let's just focus on the task at hand, for now.|taskathand]]>> | <<choice [[What's waiting at Floodland?|waitingatfloodland]]>>


:: havetogo
Yes. I do.
Because my memories of New Tenacity are so much worse.
Floodland... it'll be like a trial run. If I can make it through this, then I'll know...
...I'll know I have some chance, however slim, of winning once I get back home.
<<choice [[One step at a time.^Let's just focus on the task at hand, for now.|taskathand]]>> | <<choice [[What's waiting at Floodland?|waitingatfloodland]]>>


:: allgoodideas
Well, <i>of course</i> they're good ideas. I'm a real go-getter!
(Guard your crotch.)
...Anyway. About Floodland.
[[waitingatfloodland]]


:: yourehired
Thanks!
I need some immediate paid time off so I can go on vacation to this creepy orphanage.
Hold all my calls.
...Anyway. About Floodland.
[[waitingatfloodland]]


:: helpleila2
I tried.
When I ran away from Floodland, I broke a couple of other kids out with me.
And even though Leila was way younger, and I knew she was only going to slow me down...
...I <i>begged</i> her to come with me. Pleaded with her.
Because I knew, she damn sure wasn't going to get the help she needed there.
I had no business being on my own, much less trying to take care of her.
I was only a kid myself then. Eleven years old. But I wanted to protect her, if I could.
Try to figure out her powers, what they were and why they seemed to be taking such a toll on her.
[[timetogo]]


:: howwrong2
That's just it... to this day, I'm not sure I could define it, exactly.
The word I've settled on, after having had years to mull it over...
...is <i>haunted.</i>
I think that Leila had, somehow, gotten a look beyond the veil...
...a look at the lost souls swirling, unmoored, in the Quintessence...
...and that she'd brought just a little of it back to live inside her head.
<<choice [[Did you try to help her?^Since you understood magic, were you able to help her at all?|helpleila]]>> | <<choice [[How old was she?|howoldleila]]>>


:: onemoregame
Maybe... one more game, Mr. Miles?
<cart>Ha! Nice try. No thanks, kid. I know enough to quit while I'm ahead.</cart>
<cart>Take that lesson to heart. It'll serve you well.</cart>
<<choice [[Maybe he&apos;s right.|rightaboutquitting]]>> | <<choice [[Blah blah. Grab the lantern!|grabandgo]]>>


:: dontgiveup
I... I don't know what to do.
Keep it... keep it together, dummy.
I refuse to be one of those girls who cries when she doesn't get her way.
It's a dice game. All chance. All luck. A 50/50 shot.
I was just as likely to... to lose as to win. I knew that going in.
Maybe... I don't know, maybe there's a way to see my plan through, without the lantern.
Maybe I can rethink this whole thing.
I just need to walk out of here, with my chin held high instead of quivering...
...which means I'd better do it <i>right damn now.</i>
<<choice [[Stay strong. Walk tall.^You're right. The best thing you can do now is be gracious in defeat.|graciousdefeat]]>> | <<choice [[Grab the lantern and run.^If you're leaving anyway, just grab the lantern and the dagger, and run for it!|grabandgo]]>>


:: mightaswellmagic
<<silently>><<darken 5>><<endsilently>>
Yeah. Okay. I can do this. If I can just fire off a flashbang spell under my breath...
<cart>Hey! What are you, stupid?</cart>
<cart>Yeah, of course you are. You just tried to run out on me, and then when that didn't work...</cart>
<cart>...you thought you'd compound your problems by throwing magic at them.</cart>
<cart>It's like I said earlier, though, kid... I've got counterspells.</cart>
<cart>And since it looks like your specialty is blood magic...</cart>
<cart>...it'd probably suck pretty bad if I hit you with a Weeping Wound cantrip.</cart>
<<choice [[What does that mean?^Do you know what he&apos;s talking about? Is that a bad one?|whatspell]]>> | <<choice [[Arika, get out! Run!|runawaynow]]>>


:: lashout
Just punched Ratliff... with all the strength I had left.
Tiny satisfaction in seeing him spit blood.
Then realized I'd made a <i>huge</i> mistake...
...'cause he's got a knife at my throat and he's
hkkgghll
hkkk can't
hkkggk
no magic
hkkgllkk
hhkkkk
hk
h
[[delay 3m|arikabledout]]


:: wakeupinalley
<<silently>><<set $missionSequence.unshift("lantern")>><<endsilently>>
Huh. It's amazing what a little catnap and a general-purpose healing spell can do for a gal.
All right. I guess it's time to get moving.
<<if $keyquest is 0 and $ribbonquest is 0>>
Next on the agenda...
[[either("key","ribbon")]]
<<elseif $keyquest is 0 and $ribbonquest is 1>>
The last of the artifacts is...
[[key]]
<<elseif $keyquest is 1 and $ribbonquest is 0>>
The last of the artifacts is...
[[ribbon]]
<<elseif $keyquest is 1 and $ribbonquest is 1>>
All the piddly little missions are over with. It's time for...
[[finalfight]]<<endif>>


:: illcope
Cool. Once we've known each other a while longer, you can scroll back to this...
...and remember how prematurely honored I was.
Anyway. We had a moment. Let's move on.
[[floodlandwalk]]


:: leilatricks
I don't understand how it's possible that she's able to control this.
Unless... oh.
<i>Crap.</i>
<<choice [[Unless what...?|unlesswhat]]>> | <<choice [[What&apos;s wrong?|unlesswhat2]]>>


:: unlesswhat2
[[unlesswhat]]


:: nomagiccreek
Yeah, that thought had occurred to me.
But that's the strange thing about all this...
[[leilatricks]]


:: moveforward
Safe?
No. Of course not. Nothing about this is safe.
Of all the quests I need to complete before I can go back to New Tenacity...
...this is the one I've always thought I was least likely to come back from.
But that doesn't mean I'm just gonna roll over. I'll march right in there and lay the smack down.
...Okay, not so much "march," since these leaves are really weighing me down.
I'll trudge slowly in there, like a tree sloth on cough syrup, and set the smack down gently.
Wouldn't want to damage the smack.
Anyway. Wish me luck, <<$playername>>.
<<choice [[Good luck in there.|goodluckflood]]>> | <<choice [[Just try to be careful.|trytobecareful]]>>



:: trytobecareful
"Careful" went out the window a long time ago.
I'm gonna try not to be <i>dead.</i>
[[goodluckflood]]


:: rightaboutquitting
Ugh. I hate to say it, but maybe you're right.
He's right, you're right, everybody's right.
Time to be a quitter.
I'm out of here.
Thanks for the life lesson, Mr. Miles. It sure sucked.
<<choice [[So what's your plan?|wheretonext]]>> | <<choice [[Are you going to be okay?^You've been through a lot, on not much food. Will you be all right?|wheretonext2]]>>


:: wheretonext2
[[wheretonext]]


:: graciousdefeat
<cart>Listen, Lanphear... tough break.</cart>
<cart>I mean, if it was up to me, maybe, I could bend the rules a little...</cart>
<cart>...but the dice say you lost. And dice don't lie.</cart>
<cart>Maybe next time, huh? You get another Fabula Dagger, as nice as this one...</cart>
<cart>...you come right back on in here. We'll talk. Roll the bones.</cart>
<cart>But until then... much as it might break my heart to send you out of here with nothin'...</cart>
<cart>...them's the breaks, kid.</cart>
<<choice [[Screw that. Grab the lantern!|grabandgo]]>> | <<choice [[One more dice game?|onemoregame]]>>


:: taskathand
You're right. I need to just stay focused.
Plenty of time to get distracted once I'm dead.
(I imagine that heaven is mostly just hanging out on clouds and going, "Hey! Look! A squirrel!")
So. Anyway. Here's what this quest is all about.
[[waitingatfloodland]]


:: goodlucknursery
Yeah. Luck.
Let's pretend <i>that's</i> what I need.
If you happen to find any, like, Creepy Orphan Girl Repellant Spray...
...you know, just mixed in there with all the luck you're wishing me...
...maybe toss in a can or two of that, too, for good measure, okay?
<<choice [[I&apos;ll keep checking for the spray.|creepyspray]]>> | <<choice [[You can win. I know it.^Arika, you&apos;re strong enough to do this. Please believe that.|strongnursery]]>>


:: creepyspray
It's always in the last place you look.
We should really make a note to check in the anti-orphan supply closet <i>first</i> next time!
If, y'know, there <i>is</i> a next time.
...Okay. Okay. I'm just pacing.
I'm just nervous, and talking to myself, and pacing...
...and trying to put off the fight that I know <i>has</i> to happen.
I, uh, I do this, I guess. I run my mouth like some kind of freak.
Sorry about this.
<<choice [[Don't apologize.^You're not a freak. You're strong and kick-ass. Do what you gotta to get prepared.|strongnursery]]>> | <<choice [[You're gonna win, no problem.^Arika, you&apos;re strong enough to do this. I know you are.|strongnursery2]]>>


:: strongnursery2
[[strongnursery]]


:: runawaynow
<<silently>><<set $lantern = 0>><<set $fabuladagger = 0>><<endsilently>>
I can't. I literally can't.
The door is locked, there's a knife to my throat, and... ugh... this spell he's working...
...it makes every scar on my body open back up and start bleeding again.
And there are a <i>ton</i> of scars to... owww... to reopen... arrggh!
<cart>Yeah, you know, after you hand over your Fabula Dagger, and all your money...</cart>
<cart>...I think I'm gonna ask Ratliff to give you one <i>more</i> scar, too...</cart>
<cart>...just as a reminder to <i>never</i> come back to Kildecatt's again.</cart>
[[whatscar]]


:: whatspell
<<silently>><<set $lantern = 0>><<set $fabuladagger = 0>><<endsilently>>
Um. Yeah. It's a bad one.
It means that every scar on my body opens back up and starts bleeding again.
And there are a <i>ton</i> of scars to... owww... to reopen... arrggh!
<cart>Yeah, you know, after you hand over your Fabula Dagger, and all your money...</cart>
<cart>...I think I'm gonna ask Ratliff to give you one <i>more</i> scar, too...</cart>
<cart>...just as a reminder to <i>never</i> come back to Kildecatt's again.</cart>
[[whatscar]]


:: arikabledout
Blood loss... too great.
<<set $died = 1>>
[[goodbye]]


:: unlesswhat
The end of that sentence is, "...unless she <i>isn't</i> controlling it."
Unless it's just an outward manifestation of her inner desires. Her wants and whims.
What does Hamlet say? "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so?"
I think that Leila Grace is thinking.
I think she's thinking bad thoughts.
And the magic is making them so.
<<choice [[But you can still win, right?^Still, your years of honing your skills have to trump her raw energy, yes?|honedskills]]>> | <<choice [[Is it safe to move forward?|moveforward]]>>


:: honedskills
God, I hope so. Otherwise, what's the point of all this practice been?
And don't tell me "practice makes perfect," because we all know "nobody's perfect."
So, by the transitive property, practice makes me a nobody.
And what's a nobody like me doing in a place like this?
<<choice [[Getting that damn ribbon.|getthatribbon]]>> | <<choice [[Beating up a little girl.|beatupleila]]>>


:: beatupleila
Aw. Dude.
When you say it like that, you make it sound <i>wrong</i> somehow.
<<choice [[I call 'em like I see 'em.|callemseeem]]>> | <<choice [[No, don't worry, I approve.^Hey, sometimes we don't get to choose who we lay the smack down on.|goodluckflood]]>>


:: callemseeem
Sure, sure.
And I bet you're still mad at Luke Skywalker for flying all over the galaxy...
...just to pick fights with that poor ol' burn victim.
All right. Enough of this lighthearted talk of punching children.
I'm going in.
[[goodluckflood]]


:: livelong
Close. So close. You Nimoyed when you should've Shatnered.
Happens to the best of us.
[[goodluckflood]]


:: soundlike
It's this sort of... <i>clacking</i> noise.
Like teeth grinding, but on a larger scale. Almost seismic.
It's... oh, holy crap.
<<choice [[What? What is it?|whatsound]]>> | <<choice [[Are you okay?|okaysound]]>>


:: whatsound
It took me a second to realize... the clattering, the banging...
...because it's not something I should be seeing and hearing. Not something that seems real.
But it's as real as anything else in this messed-up place.
[[floatingrocks]]


:: elementofsurprise
Yeah, I think it's fair to surmise that she knows I'm here.
The wind just kicked up and scattered the stones... but the leaves are holding tight.
I hate this quest so much already, and I haven't even gotten inside the house.
<<choice [[No time like the present.|notimelikenow]]>> | <<choice [[You could turn back.|turnbacknow]]>>


:: notimelikenow
You said it.
Let's just hope the doorknob doesn't scald me when I touch it.
Or turn into a snake when I twist it.
Or turn into a snake that scalds me.
Nothing worse than hot snakes.
[[frontdoor]]


:: strongenough
I hope you're right. At the moment, I barely feel strong enough to take another step.
But I will. I <i>have</i> to.
So, what do you figure... check out the downstairs, or head upstairs and look around?
<<choice [[Check out downstairs.|checkdownstairs]]>> | <<choice [[See what&apos;s upstairs.|checkupstairs]]>>


:: checkupstairs
<<silently>><<set $knowsstairs = 1>><<endsilently>>
Headed up the grand staircase now.
This thing was probably beautiful once. The runner is almost threadbare now...
...but you can see little hints of the old carpet, here and there.
It was a rich, deep-dark blue, back when this building was new.
(Hard to conceive of a place this decrepit as <i>ever</i> being "new," but it must've been, right?)
The handrails have lost their luster. Half the posts are missing out of the balustrade.
<<if $knowschurches is 1>>I, weirdly, know <i>way</i> more stairway-related words than I would've thought.
Kinda like how I know more about monastery terms than is strictly healthy.
<<elseif $knowschurches is 0>>I, weirdly, know <i>way</i> more stairway-related words than I would've thought.<<endif>>
Stupid dead leaves are really slowing me down. Tripping over myself to get anywhere.
<<choice [[Nothing you can do about them?|nothingaboutleaves]]>> | <<choice [[Wait... you need blood, right?^In order to perform a spell, you need to be able to cut sigils, correct?|bleedleaves]]>>


:: nothingaboutleaves
Other than curse their existence and the disadvantage they put me at here?
I can't get to my knife, I can't carve any sigils, I can't magic them away.
I can be super-annoyed by them. If being super-annoyed were a superpower...
...I'd have my own line of comic books, action figures, and Underoos.
<<choice [[Fine. Forget I asked.|forgetiasked]]>> | <<choice [[So you need to carve sigils?|bleedleaves]]>>


:: forgetiasked
Yeah, well. Sorry if I sound cranky.
Try rubbing yourself all over with dry leaves for half an hour, see how <i>you</i> feel.
<<if $spideracquire is 1>>Throw some spiders in for good measure, if you weren't itchy enough already.<<endif>>
[[upstairsleaves]]


:: upstairsleaves
Ugh. Dragging all these leaves like some sort of bridal train.
Makes me feel like I'm about to get married to an Ent.
And if I can't get out of this binding...
...Leila's going to hand me a beatdown for a wedding present.
(Slightly better than a toaster oven, slightly worse than a juicer.)
[[topofstairs]]



:: topofstairs
At the top of the stairs, there's a landing running off both left and right.
Either direction, there's a hall with bunk rooms for the kids...
...girls on the left, boys on the right.
Or if I go straight, there's a cluster of study rooms...
...and beyond that, the nursery. For the littlest kids.
That's where the light is coming from.
<<choice [[Then go to the nursery.|gotonursery]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe scope out elsewhere first.|otherupstairs]]>>


:: gotonursery
Wow. Direct and to-the-point, huh?
Okay. No turning back now, I guess. That's where Leila is, so that's where I'm going.
And I have <i>no idea</i> what to expect when I get there.
<<choice [[Good luck in there.|goodlucknursery]]>> | <<choice [[You can win. I know it.^Arika, you&apos;re strong enough to do this. Please believe that.|strongnursery]]>>


:: strongnursery
I, uh...
Thanks, <<$playername>>.
Seriously. Every instinct in my body is to make some sort of sarcastic remark...
...or to brush off the encouragement you're trying to give me.
But... but I really need to hear it.
Like, <i>really</i> need it.
So... thank you. I mean it.
We're all strong enough, when we're actually called upon to be.
The only real magic trick is to not forget that.
...Okay. Okay. This one's for my parents. This one's for Rand.
Ready or not, Leila Grace...
...<i>here I come.</i>
[[enternursery]]


:: leilaripper
I can't imagine who <i>else</i> would've...
...and I don't have to. I can touch a painting -- where the eyes should be -- and find out.
This portrait of Sister Havana... yeah, the traces are faint, but unmistakable.
That "invisible thread" between Leila and me is strung through all of these pictures.
She's the one who tore out all these eyes, all right.
But... <i>why?</i>
<<choice [[For some sort of spell, maybe?|nunspell]]>> | <<choice [[You should keep moving.^Don&apos;t get stuck staring at bizarro nun pictures. Keep pushing forward.|moveonnuns]]>>


:: nunspell
I can't think of any spell that needs a bunch of torn-out eyes from paintings...
...but I'm the first to admit, I don't know every spell in the world, obviously.
The thing is, Leila shouldn't know <i>any</i> spell in the world, really.
Not formally, I mean. She just intuits things and externalizes them.
So this could all be about something that isn't even in the rulebook.
It's so weird. This huge long row of them. I can't stop staring.
<<if $boysbunks is 0>>[[boysnunquestion]]
<<elseif $boysbunks is 1>>[[nomoreportraits]]<<endif>>


:: boysnunquestion
<<choice [[You need to keep moving.^If you're feeling compelled to stop and gawk, that probably means you shouldn't.|moveonnuns]]>> | <<choice [[Are there more portraits elsewhere?^Does the boys&apos; hall have more portraits of the deceased in it?|boyshalldead]]>>


:: boyshalldead
Not from what I remember. I mean, obviously, they could've changed things since I was here.
But it was just boring paintings of serene landscapes... lighthouses, snowy woods, et cetera.
I guess they were meant to keep the boys calm and subdued --
unlike all those hot, racy nuns, with their habits and wimples and frowns.
It was the interior design equivalent of saltpeter, basically.
I suppose it worked -- I never saw a Floodland boy try to make out with a lighthouse.
...Anyhow. Enough staring at eyeless nuns. I gotta tear myself away and keep moving.
[[moveonnuns]]


:: magicdarts
Sure, when you say it like <i>that,</i> it sounds somewhat less than noble.
But keep in mind, that whole time...
...I was defrauding orphans at darts in order to <i>momentarily feel better about myself.</i>
So that makes it all okay, right?
Anyway, the point is, in order to pull off this Great Darts Caper...
...I, naturally, enchanted one of the darts.
[[enchanteddart]]


:: enchanteddart
Made a tiny mark on the barrel, so that I knew it was the right one.
And then, if I was down in a game, I'd grab my marked dart...
...and I could whisper to it. Tell it the number I needed it to hit.
<<choice [[So... you still have the dart?|stillhavedart]]>> | <<choice [[How exactly is that helpful?|helpfuldart]]>>


:: helpfuldart
How is it helpful?
<<if $leavesoff is 0>>Well, as you might know if you've got lousy hand-eye coordination...
...darts are <i>pointy</i> and they will make you <i>bleed.</i>
And -- hey presto! -- I need something pointy to carve some sigils...
...and a little blood on my fingertips to get the spell moving...
...and then I can finally be rid of this stupid binding of dead leaves!
And once that's done, it turns out the dart is <i>sharp</i> and can be <i>thrown.</i>
<<elseif $leavesoff is 1>>Well, it turns out that darts are <i>sharp</i> and can be <i>thrown.</i><<endif>>
Which means I have one more weapon against Leila, if it comes to that.
[[dartweapon]]


:: leafremovalifneeded
So, first things first... I'm gonna have to use the tip of the dart...
...to get a few little symbols poked into my fingertips, here.
It's spellcasting by pointillism. I'm the Georges Seurat of magic!
Now, if I can manage to mumble the right magic words through the taste of ashes...
...maybe, just maybe, I can finally be rid of this leaf binding.
Give me a minute, here, okay?
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|dartleafspell]]



:: dartleafspell
<<if $spideracquire is 1>>Remember how I said... I know some spells... to control spiders?
And remember how there are all sorts of spiders creeping around in these dead leaves?
Well... I just turned a negative into a positive.
I've got these eight-legged freaks doing the dirty work for me...
...rooting around, dislodging the leaves one by one, tossing them aside.
I must look like some sort of giant, molting bird right now, dropping leaves left and right.
I just have to give the spiders a few minutes to work, and then I'll be free of this binding...
<<elseif $spideracquire is 0>>All right. Little symbols on my fingertips, little words under my breath...
...<i>yes.</i> It's working!
I've got an arcane wind, localized only to my old bedroom.
And it's slowly stripping the dead leaves off of me.
Slowly undoing this binding that's been slowing me down the whole time.
I just need to give it a few minutes to work, and then I'll finally be free...<<endif>>
...and ready to take down Leila Grace once and for all.
[[delay 10m|girlshallnoleaves]]


:: getthatribbon
Yes. Right. Getting a ribbon.
Has a battle ever been fought over something as noble as this?
Someday, there'll be epic poems written about this day.
Start trying to figure out some good rhymes for "the mighty Arika."
(Remember, it's pronounced "ARR-uh-kuh.")
<<choice [[Sure, <i>that&apos;ll</i> be an easy rhyme.|hardrhyme]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe it should be free verse.|freeverse]]>>


:: freeverse
Pssh. Free verse is just prose where someone got the hiccups too close to the Return key.
The only trick to free verse is to write a normal sentence...
...and then go back and punctuate it as if William Shatner were reading it out loud.
Anyway. I've got.
To go face down.
This chick.
Wish
Me luck
<<$playername>>.
<<choice [[Good luck in there.|goodluckflood]]>> | <<choice [[Live long and prosper.|livelong]]>>


:: goodluckflood
Here we go. Proceeding up the front walk.
Cloaked in dead leaves, whether I want to be or not, like some sort of tatterdemalion.
Using big words like "tatterdemalion" to make myself feel superior to Leila Grace.
Realizing that it isn't working as well as I hoped.
Hearing... what the hell <i>is</i> that?
<<choice [[What does it sound like?|soundlike]]>> | <<choice [[Where is it coming from?|comingfrom]]>>


:: floatingrocks
It's the rocks.
All the rocks on the property. The decorative stones that made up the walkway...
...and all the ones that were washed here by the constant flooding.
Pulled up, off the ground, out of the mud. Floating in midair, right in front of my face.
Spelling out the words... WELCOME HOME ARIKA.
<<choice [[Well... that's unsettling.^I think it's fair to say, Leila has cornered the market on creepiness.|unsettling]]>> | <<choice [[So much for the element of surprise.|elementofsurprise]]>>


:: onlylight
There are mages who do that. Who walk the path of the light, and never stray.
They expend most of their magic on keeping their gardens free of weeds.
Keeping their rabbit hutches clean. Tidying their collections of souvenir spoons.
They're the sort of wizards for whom the word "kindly" was invented.
Me? I can't afford to be like that. I need the dark spells, from time to time.
They may be killing me, but they're the only thing keeping me alive.
[[darkside]]


:: darkunpleasant
That's an understatement.
Like "Ebola is mildly uncomfortable" or "Tony Stark has a slightly exaggerated sense of self-worth."
The darkness is like a rot. Like a <i>cancer.</i>
[[darkside]]



:: explaindark
I... all right. So, like, when I talked about warps and wefts... that's dark magic.
You're ripping open reality. Creating wounds in the fabric of spacetime.
And reality -- like anything else -- feels pain when it gets wounded.
Which is why that sort of thing gives me pause.
Because the more a mage indulges in the dark arts, the more people and things feel pain.
And the more that mage's soul gets chipped away, piece by tiny piece...
...until one day, there's nothing left at all.
<<choice [[Sounds... unpleasant.|darkunpleasant]]>> | <<choice [[So, only practice light magic.^It seems like the solution is just to remove the "dark" spells from your bag of tricks.|onlylight]]>>


:: godarkifhaveto
Yeah. Of course.
[[whateverittakes]]


:: frontdoor
Annnnd... I'm in. Over the threshold. Past the front door.
Which just politely but firmly shut itself behind me.
Aw, God. Being back here just dredges up the worst memories.
Hunger. Sleeplessness. Loneliness. <i>Fear.</i>
I know that the general perception is that depression is something you <i>have</i>...
...but I believe, sometimes, that it's someplace you <i>are.</i>
The strong ones, and the lucky ones, they find a way to leave that place.
And only the fools like me invent reasons to return.
<<choice [[You're strong. Stay that way.^You were strong enough to get out once; you'll be able to do it again.|strongenough]]>> | <<choice [[It's a solid reason.^I know you don't want to be here... but you&apos;re doing this for the right reasons.|rightreasons]]>>


:: comingfrom
It's coming from <i>everywhere.</i>
This horrible sound, like... bones scraping against other bones, or something. It's...
...oh, holy crap.
<<choice [[What? What is it?|whatsound]]>> | <<choice [[Are you okay?|okaysound]]>>


:: okaysound
I'm... yeah, I'm okay. I'm unharmed.
But every single hair on my body is standing on end.
[[floatingrocks]]


:: unsettling
I'd like to tell you that I've got some sort of tricks up my sleeve...
...some sort of next-level wickedness that'll make this look like child's play.
But the truth is, it's taking everything I've got not to pee myself a little right now.
And that's just from the welcoming committee. I haven't even gotten inside the house yet.
<<choice [[No time like the present.|notimelikenow]]>> | <<choice [[You could still turn back.|turnbacknow]]>>


:: whateverittakes
Believe me, I'll do whatever it takes.
But I can't be blithe about it. "Going dark" isn't as simple as flipping a switch.
(I guess it is in most rooms. But not in magic.)
[[darkside]]


:: turnbacknow
No. There's no turning back. Not at this late hour.
The only way out is through.
(Let's just hope I'm through with her before she gets through with me.)
[[frontdoor]]


:: rightreasons
Sure. Making it more difficult for a young girl to accessorize.
Best reason in the world.
What do you figure... poke around downstairs, or head upstairs and have a look?
<<choice [[Check out the downstairs.|checkdownstairs]]>> | <<choice [[See what&apos;s upstairs.|checkupstairs]]>>


:: bunkroomnode
Fair enough. Who knows, maybe I could sneak in a quick catnap before I have to face Leila?
(Kidding, obviously.)
(The beds here are <i>terrible</i> for napping.)
You think I should head left, where all the girls' rooms are?
Or check out the boys' side, which -- <i>as far as the nuns know </i> -- I've never seen before?
<<choice [[Stick to the girls&apos; rooms.|girlsbunks]]>> | <<choice [[See how the other half lives.^It's hard to imagine anything more thrilling than a bunch of boys' abandoned bedrooms.|boysbunks]]>>


:: girlsbunks
<<silently>><<set $girlsbunks = 1>><<endsilently>>
Heading left... like I did every night after dinner, for waaay longer than I like to think about.
The hallway seems smaller now, somehow. And sadder, if that's even possible.
I don't think there've been any touch-ups done since I left.
Same wallpaper. Same sconces. Same wainscoting.
Same portraits of nuns and novices who once worked here, now deceased, with--
Okay. I take it back. There <i>is</i> something new.
<<choice [[What is it?|whatsnewnuns]]>> | <<choice [[Something about the portraits?|whatsnewnuns2]]>>


:: whatsnewnuns2
[[whatsnewnuns]]


:: whatsnewnuns
Well, I mean, so there are new portraits of dead women, ones that weren't here when I was...
...a <i>lot</i> of new portraits, now that I see how far down the hall the row of pictures extends...
...but that makes sense. People die.
People around Floodland appear to die in disproportionate numbers, but fine, whatever.
No, what's new -- and creepy as hell, the longer I look at it --
is that they've all got their eyes cut out.
<i>Clawed</i> out, is maybe more accurate. No precision, just ripping and tearing.
<<choice [[That&apos;s pretty unsettling.|creepyportraits]]>> | <<choice [[Do you think Leila did it?|leilaripper]]>>



:: nomoreportraits
<<choice [[You need to keep moving.^If you're feeling compelled to stop and gawk, that probably means you shouldn't.|moveonnuns]]>> | <<choice [[The boys' hall wasn't this weird.|boyshallnormal]]>>


:: tellmealready
Sorry, sorry. Okay, so, once upon a time in the miserable kingdom of Floodland...
...we used to have a dartboard down in the great room.
<<if $greatroom is 1>>I didn't think about it when I was down there earlier...
...for the simple reason that the board's not there anymore.<<endif>>
The Sisters eventually removed it, on account of darts being associated with pubs...
...and thus with drinking, and thus with <i>fun.</i>
Even though no Floodland kid was in any danger of having a drink, much less of having fun.
But! While the board <i>was</i> here, we came about as close to fun as we ever did.
And your pal Arika Lanphear, it turned out, was pretty darn good at tossing darts.
You might even say I was... <i>magically</i> good at it.
<<choice [[Or I might say you cheated?^Are you saying you used magic to win a game against children?|magicdarts]]>> | <<choice [[And you're telling me this, why?^I&apos;ll assume there's a point to this tale of you swindling your poor fellow orphans?|swindleorphans]]>>


:: bleedleaves
Yeah... that's pretty much the long and short of it.
Why? What are you thinking?
<<choice [[You just need something sharp.^A broken-down staircase sounds like it&apos;d be <i>full</i> of sharp edges.|somethingsharp]]>> | <<choice [[If the staircase is so brittle...^Could you bash a piece off the stairs and use it for your purposes?|somethingsharp2]]>>


:: somethingsharp2
[[somethingsharp]]


:: nostairstab
Yeah. The last thing I want is to have made it through all these trials and torments...
...only to die of an infected splinter in a few days.
<<if $darkness gte 65>>Hell with it. If I can't use magic, I'm just gonna punch this chick in the teeth.
<<elseif $darkness lte 64>>Damn. Well, if I can't use magic, I'll just... figure something else out, I guess.<<endif>>
[[upstairsleaves]]


:: loosescrew
Awesome! I've got a screw loose!
(Yes, I just heard it out loud. No, I don't believe you need to comment upon it.)
This is going to take some doing, and it's not gonna be pretty...
...but if I can just get a few little symbols scraped into my fingertips...
...and just get a handful of words mumbled through the taste of ashes in my mouth...
...maybe, just maybe, I can be rid of this leaf binding.
Give me a minute, here, okay?
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|stairsspell]]


:: stairsspell
<<if $spideracquire is 1>>Remember how I said... I know some spells... to control spiders?
And remember how there are all sorts of spiders creeping around in these dead leaves?
Well... I just turned a negative into a positive.
I've got these eight-legged freaks doing the dirty work for me...
...rooting around, dislodging the leaves one by one, tossing them aside.
I must look like some sort of giant, molting bird right now, dropping leaves left and right.
I just have to give the spiders a few minutes to work, and then I'll be free of this binding...
<<elseif $spideracquire is 0>>All right. Little symbols on my fingertips, little words under my breath...
...<i>yes.</i> It's working!
I've got an arcane wind, localized only to the stairs.
And it's slowly stripping the dead leaves off of me.
Slowly undoing this binding that's been slowing me down the whole time.
I just need to give it a few minutes to work, and then I'll finally be free...<<endif>>
...and ready to take down Leila Grace once and for all.
[[delay 10m|stairsnoleaves]]


:: stairsnoleaves
<<silently>><<set $leavesoff = 1>><<endsilently>>
Oh, my God. I'm free.
I'm free!
You never really appreciate how nice it is not to be coated in dead leaves...
...until you've spent half an hour coated in... y'know... dead leaves.
<<if $spideracquire is 1>>Thanks, spiders. Don't go anywhere. I might have another favor to ask.<<endif>>
Now... let's get up there and face this girl on a level playing field.
[[topofstairs]]


:: otherupstairs
Okay. I can scout around a bit up here, see if there's anything worth seeing.
Leila seems content to wait for me to come to her, which is both polite and terrifying.
<<if $leavesoff is 0>>Not as if she won't be able to hear me wherever I go, with these damn leaves on me.
<<elseif $leavesoff is 1>>At least, now that the leaf cloak is gone...
...she won't necessarily be able to hear every single step I take up here.<<endif>>
So, what do you figure... the bunk rooms, or the study rooms?
<<choice [[Go look around the bunks.|bunkroomnode]]>> | <<choice [[Try the study rooms.|studyrooms]]>>


:: creepyportraits
It's... ugh. It's like, I can't look away from them.
I want to -- it's <i>all</i> I want to do -- but they're oddly alluring.
It's like... this sensation of being <i>watched</i>... by people who refuse to look at you.
<<choice [[So, Leila tore them up?|leilaripper]]>> | <<choice [[Keep moving.^If you're feeling compelled to stop and stare, that probably means you shouldn't.|moveonnuns]]>>


:: boyshallnormal
Right? I don't remember anything being ripped out of the landscape art back there.
Leila Grace, I don't know what the hell you're up to here...
...but it's a cinch you're not getting your own interior design show on HGTV anytime soon.
...Anyhow. Enough staring at eyeless nuns. I gotta tear myself away and keep moving.
[[moveonnuns]]


:: swindleorphans
Yes, yeah, there's a point.
Because what I did, you see, is that I enchanted one of the darts.
[[enchanteddart]]



:: stillhavedart
Yeah! When the Sisters were removing the darts set from the great room --
making a big show of it, delivering a homily on sloth, the whole nine yards --
I very quietly snuck my marked dart up my sleeve and out of the room.
And I hid it under a loose floorboard under one of my bedposts...
...and that's where it's been until right this moment.
<<choice [[So it'll be helpful somehow?|helpfuldart]]>> | <<choice [[Any weapon's good, at this point.|dartweapon]]>>


:: dartweapon
And if it's a weapon that'll go exactly where I aim it...
<<if $darkness gte 70>>...then Leila might want to find some protective goggles real quick.
<<elseif $darkness lte 69>>...well, I'm gonna have to think long and hard about where to aim.<<endif>>
Because I'm here to incapacitate... <i>probably</i> nothing worse than that...
...but I'm getting that ribbon, come hell or high water.
Or -- this being Floodland -- hell <i>and</i> high water.
<<if $leavesoff is 0>>[[leafremovalifneeded]]
<<elseif $leavesoff is 1>>[[doneingirlshall]]<<endif>>


:: girlshallnoleaves
<<silently>><<set $leavesoff = 1>><<endsilently>>
Oh, my God. I'm free.
I'm free!
You never really appreciate how nice it is not to be coated in dead leaves...
...until you've spent half an hour coated in... y'know... dead leaves.
<<if $spideracquire is 1>>Thanks, spiders. Don't go far. I might have another favor to ask soon.<<endif>>
Now, at least, when I walk through the door to kick Leila's butt...
...we'll be on a level playing field.
(Until whatever the <i>next</i> thing is that she throws at me.)
[[doneingirlshall]]


:: hardrhyme
Well, maybe try my last name, then.
"Her name is Lanphear! She's got a plan here!
"The girl is set to explode, you better stand clear!
"She's serving up all her foes like they were pan-seared...
"And if she dies here today, please shed a damn tear!"
...Yeah, all right, that's it.
I'm getting out of the magic business and going into hip hop.
<<choice [[Sounds like a plan.|hiphop]]>> | <<choice [[You could have a real future.|hiphop2]]>>


:: hiphop2
[[hiphop]]


:: hiphop
Yeah, maybe. Too bad the East Coast/West Coast mage wars have gotten so intense.
Always gotta look over your shoulder. Don't wanna get caught in a drive-by spellcasting.
...Annnyway. Moving on. Gotta go face down this chick.
If something happens to me... I'll see you at tha crossroads.
[[goodluckflood]]


:: infrontofflood
It's half washed out, covered in various strata of mud and leaves.
Looks like no one's taken care of it in ages.
Ditto the orphanage itself. Shutters hanging by one hinge, like rotting teeth.
Shingles missing, gutters sagging, ivy dead in the trellises.
But there's still a light on, inside, upstairs.
One light, just enough for one person.
Okay, Leila Grace.
I'm coming for you.
<<choice [[You sure you're ready?^Are you certain you're prepared for... whatever's waiting in there?|readyforevil]]>> | <<choice [[What do you expect in there?^Other than a creepy girl and her creepy ribbon, do you know what's waiting in there?|readyforevil2]]>>


:: readyforevil2
[[readyforevil]]


:: readyforevil
I... I'm not sure, if we're being honest.
You remember when I talked about there being, like, an "invisible thread" between mages when we meet?
<<choice [[Sure, I remember.|rememberthread]]>> | <<choice [[Refresh me, if you would.|refreshthread]]>>


:: rememberthread
The thread between me and Leila has always been... <i>different</i> from any other thread.
For one thing, her end has never moved.
But also -- I think because she's not a practicing mage -- the thread is just...
...how do I explain this? It's like her end is... singed, maybe?
Like if you struck a match and then pinched out its head...
...but it never stopped smoking and giving off that noxious, sulfurous smell.
Whatever she is -- whatever's inside her -- it's made of some massively <i>dark</i> magic.
<<choice [[Explain "dark magic" to me.|explaindark]]>> | <<choice [[Can you overpower her?^If she's powerful but doesn't know how to focus it... doesn&apos;t that give you the advantage?|advantagearika]]>>


:: advantagearika
I honestly don't know how to answer that.
I've had a lot more practice... but I think there's a good chance that she has a lot more power.
I sort of wonder if I'm bringing a knife to a flamethrower fight, you know what I mean?
<<choice [[You'll go dark if you have to?|godarkifhaveto]]>> | <<choice [[You're the better mage.^You know what you're doing. You're bound to come out on top.|bettermage]]>>


:: bettermage
Send a sharpshooter up against a tsunami, and let me know who wins.
[[whateverittakes]]


:: moveonnuns
Most of the bedroom doors are open, with nothing much to see inside.
Beds are made, for the most part -- that was always the first thing we did every morning --
and there are various clothes and books and personal items scattered all around.
...Which, now that I think about it, is actually pretty strange.
<<if $greatroomabandoned is 1>>It's just like in the great room, with all the toys and games...
...just abandoned in the playing, in the middle of someone's turn.<<endif>>
<<if $boysbunks is 1>>Like over in the boys' bunks, too.
<<elseif $boysbunks is 0>>I wonder if it's like this over in the boys' bunks, too?<<endif>>
This clothing, these stuffed animals, those shoes...
...these would be every material possession these girls had.
Why would they just leave them here like this? It doesn't make sense.
<<choice [[Unless that wasn't the intent.^Maybe they didn't realize that they wouldn&apos;t be coming back for their things?|notintent]]>> | <<choice [[I think you should leave.^Every discovery you make is weirder than the last. Get out of there.|leavegirlshall]]>>


:: dininghall
All right, let's go check out this dismal excuse for a cafeteria.
Just rows upon rows of uncomfortable benches shoved up against chipped, pitted tables...
...carved with initials and obscenities from bored, rebellious orphans.
(As if there's really any other kind, after they've been here long enough.)
It's weird... there's a noise, the closer I get to the dining hall.
<<choice [[What kind of noise?|whatkindofnoise]]>> | <<choice [[Do you think people are in there?|peopleinhall]]>>


:: checkdownstairs
Okay. I'll stay down here for a while, see what's what.
It's weird to be here when it's not filled with people, you know?
I mean, it's not as if the halls ever exactly echoed with the sound of children's laughter...
...but there was always some kind of hum of activity. A dull roar of dullness.
Now, though... it's like walking through a mausoleum.
From here, I could head into the dining hall, or toward the great room.
<<choice [[Check out the dining hall.|dininghall]]>> | <<choice [[Go see about the great room.|greatroom]]>>


:: studyrooms
<<silently>><<set $studyrooms = 1>><<endsilently>>
These study rooms, I'm convinced, were Pink Floyd's inspiration for <i>The Wall.</i>
Perfect rows of wooden desks, featuring the world's most uncomfortable chairs...
...and everything aligned on the principle that "if it's not a right angle, it's a wrong angle."
Drab, olive-green wallpaper, the same color as the chalkboards...
...so no matter where you looked, it seemed like you were surrounded by dullness.
The only decorative touches were little framed illustrations of various saints...
...oh, and the painting of The Big Guy.
<<choice [[And who&apos;s that, exactly?|whosbigguy]]>> | <<choice [[Are you talking about... God?|talkingaboutgod]]>>


:: boysbunks
<<silently>><<set $boysbunks = 1>><<endsilently>>
Yeah... I've got news for you. I saw these rooms a time or two when they were occupied...
...and what I remember the most was that they smelled a lot like sweat socks.
(May have had something to do with all the sweat socks. Just a theory.)
It always seemed dirtier than the girls' hall. Rowdier. But also friendlier, maybe.
There was, like, this shadow economy of smuggled-in comic books.
The boys would pass these things around amongst themselves, under the Sisters' noses...
...reading them until they fell apart. Then Scotch-taping them and reading 'em again.
<<choice [[That part sounds nice, at least.|nicecomics]]>> | <<choice [[Does it still smell bad?|sweatsocksmell]]>>


:: sweatsocksmell
The stink has mellowed out, a bit...
...but peeking into a few of the bedrooms, I'm happy to report that the socks are still present.
So if you're in the market for lightly used juvenile foot protection...
...Happy Valley, Oregon, has got you covered. <i>Disturbingly</i> so.
[[abandonedstuff]]


:: leavegirlshall
Yeah, okay. Good point. There are too many lousy memories down this hallway, anyhow.
I mean, there's a reason I ran away from this place. There's a --
Wait. Oh, man, wait wait wait.
<<choice [[What is it?^What&apos;s the matter? Is something happening?|waitonwhat]]>> | <<choice [[Is Leila coming?^What&apos;s wrong? Did you hear her coming or something?|waitonwhat2]]>>


:: waitonwhat2
[[waitonwhat]]


:: somethingsharp
<<$playername>>, I could <i>kiss</i> you!
Hell, if it weren't an enormous diversion that I can't possibly afford to take...
...I would warp there and kiss you <i>right now.</i>
Yes. Yes. Yes. Here's a bit of railing that'd probably give way with a good kick...
...oh, or here's one of the posts that's already broken. Splinter city, though.
Yikes. The more I look at it, the more this whole thing looks like an abscess waiting to happen.
<<choice [[Gross. Maybe don&apos;t do it, then.|nostairstab]]>> | <<choice [[There <i>must</i> be something.|stairstab]]>>


:: waitonwhat
I just remembered -- I can't believe I forgot this!
I've gotta check in my old room. Which was, obviously, lucky number 13.
(Sometimes, destiny gets lazy with the clichés.)
Give me a minute, let me see if I can find it.
[[delay 4m^Arika is searching|pryfloorboard]]


:: pryfloorboard
<<silently>><<set $dart = 1>><<endsilently>>
This is so great! It was still there! After all these years!
<<choice [[<i>What</i> was still <i>where?</i>|tellmealready]]>> | <<choice [[Stop being cagey, just tell me!|tellmealready2]]>>


:: tellmealready2
[[tellmealready]]


:: doneingirlshall
So, what do you figure for my next move, <<$playername>>?
<<choice [[Time for the showdown.|gotonursery]]>> | <<choice [[Keep exploring upstairs.^Don't go rushing into the fight before you've seen everything up here.|patrolupstairstwo]]>>


:: stairstab
Wait a sec... I'm remembering something about these stairs.
The nuns were really proud of them --
I mean, inasmuch as pride is a sin and they should've probably kept their mouths shut --
because the stairs were constructed fully out of wood. No nails, no screws... only wood dowels.
<i>But</i> -- and here's where it gets interesting -- they had to be repaired once.
While I was here... not long after Leila arrived, in fact...
this kid fell down the stairs in the middle of the night. Broke the railing.
Broke the kid, too, but that's a whole other sad story.
Anyway, when it came time to repair the stairs, they had to relent...
...and use actual metal screws to reaffix it to the wall!
<<choice [[So there <i>is</i> something sharp!|sharprail]]>> | <<choice [[Find those screws!|sharprail2]]>> 


:: sharprail2
[[sharprail]]


:: sharprail
Hang on... shouldn't be hard to find the right one... it'll look newer than the others.
There! Spotted it!
Gimme a minute, I'm gonna kick this thing loose from the wall, if I can.
[[delay 5m^Arika is kicking it old-school|loosescrew]]


:: gofindleila
The only place she's gonna be is upstairs. Lying in wait for me.
Or maybe sitting in wait. I really couldn't tell you her posture.
Time to go check things out up there.
Really hoping there aren't any more spiders along the way.
[[checkupstairs]]


:: exploreelsewhere
Yeah, fair enough. <i>Anywhere</i> is better than on top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese.
(Great job, Arika. Get <i>that</i> stupid tune stuck in your head, why don't you?)
<<if $greatroom is 0>>So, what do you figure... check out the great room, or head upstairs?
<<choice [[Go explore the great room.|greatroom]]>> | <<choice [[If Leila is upstairs, head that way.|checkupstairs]]>>
<<elseif $greatroom is 1>>Nothing else to see down here. I guess it's upstairs or nothing.
<<choice [[Sounds like "upstairs," then.|checkupstairs]]>> | <<choice [[Wait, so "nothing" is a choice?|donothing]]>><<endif>>


:: refreshthread
So, whenever two people who practice the arcane arts meet for the first time...
...there's this bond that forms, a kind of psychic connection.
So, like, if I ran into Sabrina the Teenage Witch at a cocktail party...
...afterward, I'd kinda always be dimly aware of her, in the back of my mind.
Not like I could read her thoughts or see what she was doing...
...but I'd have a rough idea where she was. Or if she suddenly, y'know... <i>wasn't,</i> anymore.
<<choice [[Like if she died, you mean.|sabrinadied]]>> | <<choice [[Sounds like it&apos;d be distracting.^Having mental connections to so many mages seems like it would get disconcerting after a while.|distractingmages]]>>


:: lackofchips
Way to put things in perspective, <<$playername>>.
Well, I'd pour one out for my beloved Doritos, if I had one to pour out.
[[coldhardfact]]


:: nodoritos
Look, just don't let it happen again, okay?
Man, next you'll tell me I can't get New Coke anymore.
<<choice [[Uh...|newcoke]]>> | <<choice [[What&apos;s the "cold, hard fact"?|coldhardfact]]>>


:: deathbyspider
...and now, all of a sudden, there's this huge, horrible noise filling the space.
Scraping, scratching, bristling. Like a million spiders amplified times a million.
Or...
...or like <i>one</i> spider, the size of an elephanAAAAAGGGHHHHHH
It's got it's got a grip on me
Spinning me around oh no oh my God oh no
What is it OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD
Like a vice on my skull I can I can actually HEAR the bones cracking I can h
<<set $died = 1>>
[[goodbye]]


:: nicecomics
All things considered, I guess it was. The boys looked out for one another like that...
...and I think a bunch of the younger ones learned to read from those comic books.
You can get a pretty solid legal education from <i>Daredevil</i> back issues, after all.
(Plus, a <i>lot</i> more ninja action than even the best Ivy League law schools.)
I read a few comics while I was here, too. Mostly <i>Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts.</i>
Which, frankly, I considered homework, rather than pleasure reading.
Poking my head in a few of the rooms, I can see any number of comics lying around.
Lots of them open, like someone just abandoned them in the middle of the story.
<<choice [[That&apos;s kind of weird, huh?|abandonedstuff]]>> | <<choice [[Be on alert for ninjas.|ninjaalert]]>>


:: abandonedstuff
<<if $greatroomabandoned is 1>>It was like this downstairs, too... like the kids just stopped cold.
Right in the middle of being kids.<<endif>>
<<if $girlsbunks is 1>>Same thing over in the girls' bunks, as well.
<<elseif $girlsbunks is 0>>I wonder if it's like this over in the girls' bunks, as well?<<endif>>
So every single person in Floodland just jumped up and left...
...and ditched everything they owned, in the bargain?
What could've made them do that?
Or -- more to the point -- <i>who</i> could've made them do that?
Damn. I know the answer to that one. And she's waiting for me in the nursery.
<<choice [[Time to go face her, then.|gotonursery]]>> | <<choice [[Keep patrolling upstairs.^No need to rush headlong into this fight. Maybe there&apos;s more to find elsewhere.|patrolupstairs]]>>


:: whatkindprints
The human kind.
Smaller than mine. On a straight, confident path into the dining hall.
Right up to the edge of one of the hills of spoiled melons and wilted lettuce.
And then... nothing. The prints just <i>stop.</i>
They don't turn around. There aren't any signs of climbing into the food (nasty as that'd be).
It's as if the walker -- and why beat around the bush? --
it's as if <i>Leila</i> stopped walking, and started floating.
And that's some next-level magic that a non-mage like her should <i>not</i> be able to pull off.
[[dininghallnext]]


:: talkaboutmud
You know how I said this place floods, yeah?
Well, there's a layer of silt all over the floor here.
And there are dozens upon dozens of rodent footprints in it --
which probably means I'm standing just inches away from the cast of <i>Fievel Goes West</i> --
along with some scalloped patterns that I have to assume are snakes.
Probably here for the rodent buffet.
But then, there's one set of prints that... just weirds me out.
<<choice [[What kind of prints?|whatkindprints]]>> | <<choice [[Rats and snakes are weird enough.^You&apos;re well within your rights to already be skeeved out by all the vermin tracks.|weirdenough]]>>


:: peopleinhall
No... it's not like voices, or activity, or anything.
More like a humming sound. Or a... a <i>buzzing?</i> Just keeps getting louder.
[[arriveddininghall]]


:: whatkindofnoise
Like this loud hum. But... I don't know, more jagged than that.
More like a buzzing, I guess. Like an industrial saw, or something.
And it just keeps getting louder.
[[arriveddininghall]]


:: greatroom
I still remember the creak of every one of these floorboards.
They all shriek and groan underfoot... but they're louder now.
Maybe they continued to warp over the years, as the building got drenched by rainy seasons.
Or maybe it's just my mind playing tricks on me.
(Or maybe it's Leila, playing tricks on my mind.)
<<choice [[Keep it together.|keepittogether]]>> | <<choice [[Can you ward her off somehow?^Is there some spell you can cast that might protect you from her mind games?|mindgames]]>>


:: notintent
Like... they were forced out? Some kind of mass exodus?
Wow. What did Leila do, to clear out this entire place in a blind panic?
And what's wrong with me that I'm still moving <i>toward</i> her...
...rather than leaving all my worldly belongings here and running away screaming?
<<choice [[Is the ribbon this important?|ribbonimportant]]>> | <<choice [[You should leave this hall.^Don&apos;t stay in one place too long. Keep moving, stay alert.|leavegirlshall]]>>


:: ribbonimportant
If the ribbon weren't vital to my plan, I wouldn't have come this far inside this awful place.
I'd have stayed three states away for the rest of my life.
Or I'd have only come close enough to douse the place in gasoline and light the match.
Better yet, I'd've nuked the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
I mean, there are so many lousy memories down this one hallway alone, that I --
Wait. Oh, man, wait wait wait.
<<choice [[What is it?|waitonwhat]]>> | <<choice [[Is Leila coming?^What&apos;s wrong? Did you hear her coming or something?|waitonwhat2]]>>


:: fromgirlsyesboys
Well, so, I've already seen -- and <i>smelled</i> -- the boys' hall.
<<if $studyrooms is 1>>And I saw the situation in the study rooms.
Which means "rushing into the fight" is about the only item left unchecked on my list.
I think I've got to stop putting it off, and finally go face down Leila Grace
[[fromgirlstonursery]]
<<elseif $studyrooms is 0>>So if I'm going to stall, about the only other place I can twiddle my thumbs...
...is the group of study rooms, back at the top of the stairs.
Either that, or I just waltz into the nursery and start bustin' skulls.
<<choice [[Go check out the study rooms.|studyrooms]]>> | <<choice [[Bust skulls, then.^Or really, just <i>one</i> skull. Hers, not yours, if you&apos;ve got a choice.|gotonursery]]>><<endif>>


:: patrolupstairstwo
<<if $boysbunks is 0>>[[fromgirlsnoboys]]
<<elseif $boysbunks is 1>>[[fromgirlsyesboys]]<<endif>>


:: wherenext
<<if $dininghall is 0>>So, I can see what's up in the dining hall, or I can head upstairs.
Upstairs is, I'm pretty sure, where Leila is hanging out...
...so maybe I should stop delaying the inevitable and go face her.
<<choice [[Upstairs sounds like a plan.|checkupstairs]]>> | <<choice [[Check out the dining hall.|dininghall]]>>
<<elseif $dininghall is 1>>Between this and the dining hall, I've seen what the downstairs has on tap.
So then I guess it's upstairs, or nothing.
<<choice [[Sounds like it&apos;s upstairs, then.|checkupstairs]]>> | <<choice [[Wait, is "nothing" an option?|donothing]]>><<endif>>


:: biggermage
The only thing getting "under my skin" is spider venom.
Which, honestly, probably isn't great. I should do something about that.
But in the meantime, the best thing I can do is focus on drumming her out into the open...
...and getting that ribbon off of her. One way or the other.
(I haven't figured out what "the other" is yet, so I really hope "one way" works.)
[[wherenext]]


:: forgetfoodclimb
Yes. Awesome. I will forget it.
But hey, if you want to make a huge mountain of disgusting food in <i>your</i> kitchen...
...and go climbing all over it like a hobbit trying to ditch his jewelry...
...you feel free, okay? You can tell me all about it later.
[[exploreelsewhere]]


:: dininghallnext
So... this place isn't becoming more appetizing the longer I stay.
Beyond the dining hall are just a bunch of administrative offices...
...but I'd have to figure out some way through all this rotting crap first.
Otherwise -- and far easier -- is the option to just go back the way I came.
<<if $greatroom is 0>>I could see what there is to see in the great room down here.
<<elseif $greatroom is 1>>Already explored the great room, so there's not much more to see down here.<<endif>>
The other option is to head upstairs.
<<choice [[Climb through the rotten food.|climbthroughfood]]>> | <<choice [[Go explore elsewhere.|exploreelsewhere]]>>


:: distractingmages
You learn pretty quickly to tune it out, so it's like very quiet white noise.
It gets to where you only really notice it if you're actively searching for someone...
...or if the person on the other end of the thread stops being on the other end of the thread.
If they die, or... or disappear from this plane.
[[faithinrand]]


:: sabrinadied
Died... or disappeared from this plane.
[[faithinrand]]


:: threadtangent
Wow. Okay. Thanks for letting me wander down that tangent for a minute.
Anyway. We were talking about the thread, the invisible link.
[[rememberthread]]


:: newcoke
Oh, <i>COME ON.</i>
[[coldhardfact]]


:: coldhardfact
Yeah. All right. Anyway.
The cold, hard fact is this: I'm standing in front of Floodland now.
Sorta wishing I hadn't eaten five bucks' worth of gas station hot dogs...
...because this place makes me feel sick to my stomach.
Just seeing the big circular drive that leads up to the front door gives me chills.
[[infrontofflood]]


:: ninjaalert
I think the plural of "ninja" is just "ninja."
You know, like "sheep."
I'll be on the lookout for ninja sheep, though. That's good advice.
[[abandonedstuff]]


:: patrolupstairs
<<if $girlsbunks is 0>>[[fromboysnogirls]]
<<elseif $girlsbunks is 1>>[[fromboysyesgirls]]<<endif>>


:: fromboysnogirls
All right. So I've got a handful of options here. I can check out the girls' hall...
...which'll probably be a lot like this one, all things considered...
...though I'd guess it'll smell a little more like lavender, a little less like sweat socks.
<<if $studyrooms is 1>>[[fromboysstudyyes]]
<<elseif $studyrooms is 0>>[[fromboysstudyno]]<<endif>>


:: weirdenough
Sure, right. And normally I'd agree with you.
But what I'm looking at are <i>human</i> prints.
Smaller than mine. A confident pace. Up toward the edge of a food mound...
...and then they just stop.
They don't turn around. They don't leave impressions in the food.
They just disappear. Like the walker -- like, let's just say it, <i>Leila</i> --
stopped walking and started floating.
Which, again, is some pretty hefty magic that she should <i>not</i> be able to do.
So rodents and snakes and flies, oh my...
...but I'm more concerned about the Wicked Witch of the Northwest.
[[dininghallnext]]


:: howlongdining
I'm not an expert in food spoilage.
These days, food hardly stays in my hands long enough for me to look at it before I chow down.
But (ugggh!) given that what I thought was rice is just a plate full of maggots --
kinda like that one scene from <i>The Lost Boys</i> --
I'd say this stuff has been out long enough to form its own ecosystems.
Plus, I can sort of paint a picture based on the tracks in the mud.
<<choice [[What do you mean?|talkaboutmud]]>> | <<choice [[What kind of tracks?|talkaboutmud2]]>>


:: talkaboutmud2
[[talkaboutmud]]


:: arriveddininghall
<<silently>><<set $dininghall = 1>><<endsilently>>
Well, here we are in the dining hall, and... mystery noise solved.
It's <i>flies.</i>
Flies swarming over mountains of discarded food, gorging themselves on the rot.
It looks like someone dragged out the contents of every pantry, every fridge, every freezer...
...and just left it here to spoil and stink.
Vegetable platters gone to waste, cheese trays filled with mold...
...this is what I imagine the dressing room looks like backstage at a Marilyn Manson concert.
<<choice [[Gross. Sounds awful.|grossdining]]>> | <<choice [[How long has it all been there?|howlongdining]]>>


:: keepittogether
Right, right. Good advice.
It's unnerving, though. Even when I stand perfectly still, so the rustling of leaves dies down...
...I still hear the sound of my own breathing, shallow and scared.
[[arrivedgreatroom]]


:: mindgames
I would if I could... but this leaf-cloak is still binding to me too tightly.
I can feel the itch in all my scars, the desire to summon some kind of enchantment...
...but I can't make it happen. It's infuriating.
[[arrivedgreatroom]]


:: fromboysstudyno
It's either that, or the group of study rooms, back at the top of the stairs.
So... what do you figure?
<<choice [[Go explore the study rooms.|studyrooms]]>> | <<choice [[Check out the girls&apos; bunks.|trygirlshall]]>>


:: allrightgreatroom
That's a... really good question! Not totally sure how to answer it.
[[spiderswitch]]


:: getoutgreatroom
Yes. Getting out. Right away.
The thing of it is, I even know some little cantrips to control spiders.
To make them move en masse, or bite on command...
...even to spell things out in their silk, <i>Charlotte's Web</i>-style.
Useful if you need to leave a message for someone in the woods. Or in a really cobwebby room.
So I could probably control the spiders in the great room --
at least as well as Leila seems to be, with her externalized instincts --
if I could just get to my blade to carve some sigils.
<<choice [[No point worrying about "if"s.^You know you can't shake the leaves right now, so don't obsess over it.|cantshakeleaves]]>> | <<choice [[Where to next?|wherenext]]>>


:: cantshakeleaves
I know, I know... I just hate this feeling of powerlessness.
I'm used to always having the upper hand. Doing blood magic, it just becomes second nature.
I can carve a sign and mumble some Latin in the time it takes you to blink.
Being restrained like this... it's making me crazy.
Which, of course, is <i>exactly</i> how Leila wants me to feel...
...and I <i>hate</i> that I'm playing into her hands.
<<choice [[Time to go find her, then.|gofindleila]]>> | <<choice [[Stay calm. Stay focused.^You can&apos;t let her get under your skin. You have to be the bigger mage here.|biggermage]]>>


:: freakspiders
Yeah! I'm freaking out, too!
I'm on the verge of bawling tears of dread...
...who am I kidding, I'm <i>way</i> past the verge...
[[deathbyspider]]


:: whatspiders
I don't... I can't see anything except light and shadow.
Or really, shadow and <i>darker</i> shadow.
But this gigantic shape just sort of rose up in my field of view...
[[deathbyspider]]


:: fromgirlstonursery
I have <i>zero idea</i> what to expect when I get to the nursery.
You know how people say dumb, movie-trailer crap like "expect the unexpected"?
I would <i>welcome</i> the unexpected, in this case...
...because it sounds so much more <i>normal</i> than what I think is actually waiting for me.
<<choice [[I wish you luck in there.|goodlucknursery]]>> | <<choice [[You can win. I know it.^Arika, you&apos;re strong enough to beat this girl. Please believe that.|strongnursery]]>>


:: fromgirlsnoboys
Well, so, I can go scope out the boys' hall...
...which I can't imagine will be monumentally different from the girls' hall, really.
<<if $studyrooms is 1>>[[fromgirlsstudyyes]]
<<elseif $studyrooms is 0>>[[fromgirlsstudyno]]<<endif>>


:: climbthroughfood
Uh... what?
You heard the part where I said that all this stuff was rotting and decaying, right?
And filled with rats and snakes and maggots and whatnot?
And the part where I'm wearing shoes with, like, no tread...
...and also that <i>I don't want to climb around in gross rotting food!</i>
You heard all that?
I'm just checking.
<<choice [[Could be worth it, though.^What if you find something really cool and useful in the administrative offices?|admincool]]>> | <<choice [[All right, forget it.|forgetfoodclimb]]>>


:: faithinrand
That's...
...oh, God, okay, keep it together, Arika.
That's what's so hard about losing my brother in the Quintessence.
The invisible thread between Rand and me... it was the strongest one I had.
And as soon as that portal closed, it was just... just <i>gone.</i>
Everything I'm doing to find him... I'm doing on faith. The faith that he's still alive.
And if I stop to think about it for too long...
...I realize just how stupid and pointless and misguided that faith probably is.
<<choice [[You can't think like that.^You have to keep trying. You have to believe he's trying to get back to you, too.|keeptrying]]>> | <<choice [["Faith" means not knowing.^Believing that your questions have an answer worth hearing... that&apos;s what makes life worth living.|whatfaithmeans]]>>


:: imhere
I appreciate that, <<$playername>>. Seriously.
I can have faith in you, if nothing else.
My brain these days is scrambled like a breakfast special at Denny's...
...so it's really nice to have you by my side, helping me make some of these calls.
[[threadtangent]]


:: spiderswitch
<<silently>><<set $spideracquire = 1>><<endsilently>>
My hand -- ah! My hand was resting on the light switch, and then -- ow!
It started to, like, sting, and then I looked over and, and...
...the switch plate wasn't there any more, like the wall paint had just swallowed it up--
--oh my God. Not paint.
<i>Spiders.</i>
This whole room is coated in millions and millions of <i>spiders.</i>
<<choice [[Get. Out. NOW.|getoutgreatroom]]>> | <<choice [[They must be guarding something.^Maybe Leila put them there to keep you from getting to something important.|guardspiders]]>>


:: fromboystonursery
I have <i>no idea</i> what to expect when I get there.
You know how people say dumb, movie-trailer crap like "expect the unexpected"?
I would <i>welcome</i> the unexpected, in this case...
...because it sounds so much more <i>normal</i> than what I think is actually waiting for me.
<<choice [[I wish you luck in there.|goodlucknursery]]>> | <<choice [[You can win. I know it.^Arika, you&apos;re strong enough to beat this girl. Please believe that.|strongnursery]]>>


:: fromboysyesgirls
Here's the thing, <<$playername>>. I've already seen the girls' hall.
<<if $studyrooms is 1>>And I studied the study rooms too.
Which means "rush headlong into this fight" is about the only option remaining.
Believe me, I'm basically petrified about it...
...but it's time. I've got to go face down Leila Grace.
[[fromboystonursery]]
<<elseif $studyrooms is 0>>So just about the only other distraction I can distract myself with...
...is the group of study rooms, back at the top of the stairs.
I mean, it's either that, or just head to the nursery and get this over with.
<<choice [[Go explore the study rooms.|studyrooms]]>> | <<choice [[Hell with it, then. Nursery time.|gotonursery]]>><<endif>>


:: fromboysstudyyes
I've already studied the study rooms, though I don't think it improved my grades one bit.
So I think "rush headlong into this fight" is about the only other option remaining.
What do you figure?
<<choice [[Go see to the girls&apos; hall.|trygirlshall]]>> | <<choice [[Hell with it. Fight time.|gotonursery]]>>


:: grossdining
Smells awful, too.
It's a feast of awful for all five senses.
[[howlongdining]]


:: gofromgreatroom
Yeah, you know, some part of me thinks I should explore more...
...like I should really dig in to every nook and cranny of this place.
Turn up everything that it's hiding. Find out what Leila Grace has been up to.
And then there's the other part -- and it sounds like you agree with this one --
that says, "Nope. A cursory glance is fine. Stick and move, stick and move."
And yeah, I think we're at the "move" part of that equation.
<<if $dininghall is 0>>So... I can check the dining hall, or head upstairs.
<<choice [[Check out the dining hall.|dininghall]]>> | <<choice [[See what&apos;s happening upstairs.|checkupstairs]]>>
<<elseif $dininghall is 1>>I've seen pretty much everything the downstairs has to offer.
I guess it's upstairs, or nothing.
<<choice [[Go check out upstairs, then.|checkupstairs]]>> | <<choice [[Wait, is "nothing" an option?|donothing]]>><<endif>>


:: whatsupgreatroom
<<silently>><<set $greatroomabandoned = 1>><<endsilently>>
Well, it's just that... all those games, and books, and crafts projects...
...they're all still spread out, on the tables and floors here in the great room.
Like kids were in the middle of a round of Monopoly, and just abandoned it.
There's a Jenga tower that looks like it's been on the verge of falling forever.
An Operation game where Cavity Sam died under anesthesia with butterflies still in his stomach.
<<choice [[That&apos;s... really weird.|weirdgreatroom]]>> | <<choice [[Sounds like you should go.|gofromgreatroom]]>>


:: arrivedgreatroom
<<silently>><<set $greatroom = 1>><<endsilently>>
Okay, I'm here in the great room now, and it... it isn't very reassuring.
<<choice [[What do you mean?|whatdoyoumean]]>> | <<choice [[Do you think it&apos;s safe?|isitsafe]]>>


:: carefullights
Let's just take it as a given that I'm going to be careful, no matter what.
There's... okay, I found a bank of switches on the side wall...
...but flipping them on and off has no effect.
And I'm guessing it's that way everywhere in the house...
...nothing in here works, unless Leila <i>wants</i> it to work.
In fact, I wouldn't--
Oh.
Oh, what the hell.
<<choice [[What&apos;s happening?|happeninggreatroom]]>> | <<choice [[Are you all right?|allrightgreatroom]]>>


:: happeninggreatroom
I don't know!
[[spiderswitch]]


:: guardspiders
So... what are you suggesting? That I keep pushing <i>forward</i> through this?
There's crazy, and then there's "wading through infinite arachnids" crazy...
...and I'm pretty sure I'm not the second type.
Besides... what if all they're guarding is, like, some enormous mother spider?
Because that is <i>not</i> something I want to see.
<<choice [[Risk it and find out.^You'll never know unless you take the chance.|riskspiders]]>> | <<choice [[You're right. Get out of there.|getoutgreatroom]]>>


:: wrappedup
<<$playername>>?
I don't... know if you can still hear me.
I can barely hear myself. I don't know if our connection is still open.
I can't see anything.
There's... threads all around me. Silk. I can't move.
I don't know how long I was out, but I'm pretty sure I went numb and then unconscious.
I'm just starting to get some feeling back, and...
...I don't want it.
I'm scared.
<<choice [[Can you get free?|getfreesilk]]>> | <<choice [[Are the spiders still there?|spidersthere]]>>


:: spidersthere
I... I think so. I can hear tiny little noises. Scuttling sounds.
Everything's pretty muted, it's like...
Oh.
Oh, no.
<<choice [[What is it?|whatspiders]]>> | <<choice [[You&apos;re freaking me out.|freakspiders]]>>


:: fromgirlsstudyyes
I've already seen the study rooms, and there's not much happening there...
...unless that Socrates portrait has drawn a mouth back onto itself in my absence.
(And if that <i>has</i> happened, I'm probably better off not knowing.)
So I think "rushing into the fight" might be the only other option I've got left.
What do you figure?
<<choice [[Go see to the boys&apos; hall.|tryboyshall]]>> | <<choice [[Hell with it. Fight time.|gotonursery]]>>


:: fromgirlsstudyno
It's either that, or the group of study rooms, back at the top of the stairs.
So... what do you figure?
<<choice [[Go explore the study rooms.|studyrooms]]>> | <<choice [[Check out the boys&apos; bunks.|tryboyshall]]>>


:: whosbigguy
Oh. Yeah. I guess <i>you</i> probably didn't grow up with a big painting of him in your house.
The dude's name is Andrew William Harvey Taylor. The founder of Floodland.
[[aboutfounder]]


:: talkingaboutgod
Ha! Funny you should ask.
No, I'm talking about Andrew William Harvey Taylor. The founder of Floodland.
[[aboutfounder]]


:: admincool
Like what? Binder clips?
I gotta say, <<$playername>>, it's hard to imagine that those nuns kept anything back there...
...that'd be worth dog-paddling through an acre of rancid cottage cheese to get to.
<<choice [[Never mind then, forget it.|forgetfoodclimb]]>> | <<choice [[Won&apos;t know unless you try.|trytheclimb]]>>


:: trytheclimb
Okay. Fine. <i>Fine.</i>
I'll climb the giant hill of spoiled veggies and curdled yogurt...
...summit the dark gray ham hocks and tumble down the backside of Mount Gristle...
...and go check out the stupid row of offices in back of the kitchen.
But you owe me a new pair of Converse and a metric ton of dignity...
...because I'm about to just absolutely <i>ruin</i> both of those things.
I'll spare you the gagging noises that'll be the only sound I make for the next little while.
[[delay 10m^Arika is climbing|overthehill]]


:: keeptrying
Yeah.
Yeah, you're right. There's no giving up now.
I just have to believe that I'm going to find him.
Alive and as unharmed as someone could be after all that time in the Quintessence.
And then we'll tie our threads back together...
...and I'll never let anything sever them, ever again.
He's my little brother. I owe him that much.
I owe him a decade of his life back.
[[threadtangent]]


:: whatfaithmeans
I, uh... yeah. You're right.
On my good days, I know you're right.
It seems like I have fewer and fewer good days, lately.
But I guess that's what faith is all about: believing in something greater than yourself...
...because yourself doesn't always feel like it's worth believing in.
<<choice [[You're strong. Believe that.|keeptrying]]>> | <<choice [[I'm here for you.|imhere]]>>


:: riskspiders
Uggghhhh why am I listening to you?
I am coated in leaves that are now coated in spiders. These are <i>clear signs</i> I should leave!
Carrie didn't stick around prom for one more dance after they dumped pig's blood on her.
<<choice [[Fine, get out of there.|getoutgreatroom]]>> | <<choice [[Press on, see what's waiting.^Think about it: Why have a room full of spiders if they aren't protecting something?|pressonspiders]]>>


:: trygirlshall
Wheee. The girls' hall.
Is there a word for nostalgia that also makes you sick to your stomach?
<i>Naus-</i>talgia?
[[girlsbunks]]


:: donothing
Well... no. I guess "nothing" really <i>isn't</i> something I can do.
I came all this way. I gotta see this through.
So I'm trudging up those stairs... whether I like it or not.
[[checkupstairs]]


:: weirdgreatroom
It's beyond weird.
I mean, I'll admit it. Floodland wasn't exactly a laugh riot...
...but I had some good times in this room. As much as anyone could.
Looking around it now... it's like the playground at the start of <i>Terminator 2.</i>
It's hard to imagine that a room this dark, and cold, and cavernous...
...it's hard to believe it ever even <i>once</i> played host to a child's laugh.
My skin just crawls.
I'm going to find the light switch, see if it even still works.
<<choice [[Okay. Just be careful.|carefullights]]>> | <<choice [[My guess is "no."^From the way you're describing this place, I'm guessing nothing works anymore.|nothingworks]]>>


:: pressonspiders
Because... I don't know... just to be spooky for spooky's sake?
They're biting... all over me.
I can't rip these leaves off, but somehow the spiders can get inside wherever they want.
Hands are really starting to swell up where they got me.
Muscles are all... twitchy. Weird little spasms.
Just trying to make it across the room, get to the opposite door.
These things are dropping off the ceiling onto me! Can't swat them away fast enough!
I just need t
nnnghhkk
[[delay 1m^Arika has fallen|fallenspiders]]


:: whatdoyoumean
It was always this big, wide open space where all of the kids could gather at once.
Not so much that we were all joining in fellowship or anything like that...
...it was more that the Sisters had an easier time keeping an eye on all of us.
There's a few shelves of books, and a bunch of old board games...
...some knitting needles, coloring books, Mod Podge sets, that kinda thing.
In fact... huh.
<<choice [[What&apos;s up?|whatsupgreatroom]]>> | <<choice [[Something wrong?|whatsupgreatroom2]]>>


:: whatsupgreatroom2
[[whatsupgreatroom]]


:: isitsafe
Hard to say. It looks bigger, with nobody in it. Cavernous and creepy.
And it's dark in here. All of the furniture is just swimming in pools of shadow.
They must have repainted after I left. The walls look a lot darker than I remember.
Sort of a mottled black and gray. Weird and uneven.
I'm going to find the light switch, see if it even still works.
<<choice [[Okay. Just be careful.|carefullights]]>> | <<choice [[My guess is "no."^From the way you're describing this place, I'm guessing nothing works anymore.|nothingworks]]>>


:: nothingworks
Well, look at you. You guessed right.
There's a whole bank of light switches, but flipping them off and on has no effect.
And it's probably that way throughout the whole building...
...nothing works unless Leila <i>wants</i> it to work.
I'm willing to bet that--
Oh.
Oh, what the hell.
<<choice [[What&apos;s happening?|happeninggreatroom]]>> | <<choice [[Are you all right?|allrightgreatroom]]>>


:: fallenspiders
MMnot okaay
Legs're alll gummy
Like gummmy wrms
super cold bt cant stop sweatin
n spidrs spders evywher
spdrs
[[delay 4h^Arika is sleeping|wrappedup]]


:: getfreesilk
No! I can't get out of this!
How completely useless is it to know magic if I have to bleed to make it work?
If I could maybe... bite through the webbing... just get a rip started...
Oh.
Oh, no.
<<choice [[What is it?|whatspiders]]>> | <<choice [[You&apos;re freaking me out.|freakspiders]]>>


:: tryboyshall
Okay then. I'll go see what's on offer in the boys' bunks.
And I know what you're thinking:
It's probably <i>super</i> exciting for me to get to go explore this uncharted territory!
Surely the Sisters kept the girls and boys strictly separated while I was here...
...and I must've never experienced the sweet smell of victory from a successful raid!
[[boysbunks]]


:: aboutfounder
The man who set this place up as a home for wayward souls.
Who brought the Sisters of Mercy here and dumped a bunch of orphans in their laps.
There's an enormous portrait of him, hanging in the biggest study room --
education was apparently <i>hugely</i> important to Taylor --
but the picture is of him, sitting there all bearded and regal and backlit.
Like some kind of deity. Some kind of divine overseer of the study hall, with--
<i>Whoa.</i>
<<choice [[What? What&apos;s wrong?|wrongportrait]]>> | <<choice [[Is everything all right?|wrongportrait2]]>>


:: wrongportrait2
[[wrongportrait]]


:: wrongportrait
I just got to the big room, and the portrait is still here...
...but the <i>mouth</i> has been ripped out of it. There's just a gaping hole instead.
<<if $girlsbunks is 1>>First all those nuns' eyes torn out in the pictures on the girls' hall...
...and now <i>this.</i> Clearly a pattern, but not one I understand.
And really, <i>really</i> not one I want to be a part of.
<<elseif $girlsbunks is 0>>None of the other pictures around here -- the ones of the saints and stuff -- are torn up.
It really makes this one -- and the absence of that feature -- jump out at you.<<endif>>
The little bits of the canvas, just hanging there, rustling in a chilly draft...
...almost seems like the image of Taylor is in <i>pain.</i>
And of course, Leila's metaphysical fingerprints are all over it.
<<choice [[Some sort of spell she's done?^Do you think she's worked that piece of the painting into some kind of curse, maybe?|paintingcurse]]>> | <<choice [[Can the painting hurt you?|paintinghurtyou]]>>


:: paintinghurtyou
I, uh... I'm not sure. I don't <i>think</i> so.
I mean, short of falling off its nail and landing on top of me, which might leave a bruise.
The magic I'm picking up around it is diffuse, you know? Scattered.
I still don't think she knows what she's doing when it comes to spellcasting.
<<if $girlsbunks is 1>>But she must've ripped out the mouth and all those eyes for <i>some</i> reason...
<<elseif $girlsbunks is 0>>But she must've ripped out the mouth for <i>some</i> reason...<<endif>>
...and the fact that I don't know what that reason was...
...yeah. I don't like that feeling one bit.
[[nomorestudy]]


:: donthavetotell
No, don't be silly. I trust you as far as I can throw you.
And believe me, I know some dark spells that could hurl you for <i>miles.</i>
[[newtenacitylocation]]


:: gettotenacity
Here's what I was thinking.
In the grand Doc Brown tradition, where we're going, we don't need roads.
Or rather, we don't <i>get</i> roads.
Battle Ground, Hockinson, Lewisville... that's pretty much where the sidewalk ends.
That was on purpose, of course... we didn't want New Tenacity to be easily accessible.
Not the sort of place that random Sunday drivers could just stumble across.
Hence why we all learned to warp and weft at an early age.
<<if $warpinfo is 0>>Short jumps in and out of the fabric of spacetime, weaving our way to our destination.
Dark magic... but necessary magic.
<<elseif $warpinfo is 1>>I know, it probably seems bizarre to teach dark magic to children...
...but I've met kids who learned <i>way</i> more screwed-up stuff from their folks.<<endif>>
<<choice [[So your parents prepared you.^It sounds like you were made ready from a young age for this battle you&apos;re about to fight.|readynode]]>> | <<choice [[You ready for this?|readynode2]]>>


:: readynode2
[[readynode]]


:: readynode
<<if $readytenacity is 1>>[[superready]]
<<elseif $readytenacity is 0>>[[readyforfinal]]<<endif>>


:: superready
Ready as I'm ever going to be.
(Which came out sounding a lot less reassuring than I'd hoped.)
[[warptenacity]]


:: overthehill
So here is the plan:
I want to scrub myself down with industrial cleanser for approximately the rest of my life.
And I never want to touch, eat, look at, or <i>think about</i> creamed corn, ever again.
If we can agree to those terms, I might just be able to move on with my life.
<<choice [[Sounds fair.|faircreamedcorn]]>> | <<choice [[I&apos;ll do my best.|bestcreamedcorn]]>>


:: newtenacitylocation
It's hidden in Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
In the southern end, not far from a town called -- aptly, for today -- Battle Ground.
I checked, once. Gifford Pinchot is no relation to Bronson Pinchot.
You know, Balki on <i>Perfect Strangers</i>?
I don't know why, but I found that <i>hugely</i> disappointing at the time.
<<choice [[Get out of the city!|getoutofcity]]>> | <<choice [[How will you get there?|gettotenacity]]>>


:: paintingcurse
I don't know. Again, I really don't believe that she has any idea what she's doing...
...when it comes to actual, regimented, by-the-books spellcasting.
<<if $girlsbunks is 1>>But she must've ripped out the mouth and all those eyes for <i>some</i> reason...
<<elseif $girlsbunks is 0>>But she must've ripped out the mouth for <i>some</i> reason...<<endif>>
...and the fact that I don't know what that reason was...
...yeah. I don't like that feeling one bit.
[[nomorestudy]]


:: nomorestudy
All right. Enough of this. I've spent all the time I care to spend in study hall.
I've learned whatever lesson I was supposed to learn.
I found out that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal.
Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.
Now let's get a move on before the <i>real</i> Princess Basket-Case shows up...
...and does something criminal to my brain.
What do you figure? Take the fight to her, in the nursery?
Or keep poking around upstairs and delaying the inevitable?
<<choice [[Take the fight to Leila.|gotonursery]]>> | <<choice [[See what else is upstairs.^Take your time. Savor that orphanage.|patrolupstairsstudy]]>>


:: fromstudyyesgirls
Well, here's the deal, <<$playername>>. I've seen the eyeless nuns down the girls' hall.
<<if $boysbunks is 1>>And I've experienced the olfactory delights of the boys' rooms, too.
So now that I've scoped out the study rooms as well...
...there's really nothing left for me to do, except go face down Leila Grace.
I'm not super-excited about it... but I guess it <i>is</i> what I came here to do.
Like a dummy.
[[fromboystonursery]]
<<elseif $boysbunks is 0>>The only other place I haven't dawdled upstairs so far is the hall of boys' bunks. 
So it's either that, or march right into the nursery and throw a tantrum.
What do you reckon?
<<choice [[Dawdlin' in the boys' hall.|dawdlin]]>> | <<choice [[Hell with it, then. Tantrum time.|gotonursery]]>><<endif>>


:: dawdlin
Ah, yes. "Dawdlin' in the Boys' Hall."
One of the lesser-known Mötley Crüe singles.
...This hallway, of course, was supposed to be strictly off-limits to the girls.
Probably because the Sisters thought we'd just be overwhelmed...
...by the sheer volume of musky pheromones wafting in our general direction.
[[boysbunks]]


:: finalfight
...the showdown in New Tenacity.
This one's for all the marbles.
<<choice [[You feeling ready for it?|readyforfinal]]>> | <<choice [[How far away is it?|howfarfinal]]>>


:: howfarfinal
<<silently>><<set $howfartenacity = 1>><<endsilently>>
It's not that far to where I'm headed, all things considered.
Just on the other side of the Columbia River, in Washington state.
New Tenacity is tucked away in...
...well, it's always been a closely guarded secret.
But there's nothing left of it anymore. And I've told you everything else.
So I don't see the harm in spilling the magic beans.
<<choice [[Thank you for trusting me.|trustme]]>> | <<choice [[You don&apos;t have to tell me.|donthavetotell]]>>


:: trustme
Yeah. Of course.
You've seen me through some of the worst moments of my life...
...just in the last few days.
And, hell, who knows?
You could be seeing me through the last day of my life.
The least I can do is tell you where I'm gonna bite the dust.
[[newtenacitylocation]]


:: getoutofcity
Oh. I get it. A <i>Perfect Strangers</i> reference.
Don't be ridiculous.
Annnyhow, I've put a little thought into the trip to New Tenacity.
[[gettotenacity]]


:: bestcreamedcorn
"You'll do your best?"
Like you had all these plans to talk about creamed corn, and now you have to rearrange things?
You're a real weirdo, <<$playername>>.
[[adminhall]]


:: faircreamedcorn
I thought so. In fact, I thought it was one of my more reasonable requests.
[[adminhall]]


:: turnbackadmin
Oh, no. Not on your life.
If you think I'm turning around and crawling back over that mountain of sludge...
...you've got another think coming.
I will punch a hole through the floor of this muddy hallway and dig my way to freedom before I do that.
...Fourth door. Locked too.
In case you were curious.
[[fifthdoor]]


:: fifthdoor
And, last but not least, the head nun's office, which will, of course, also be lo--
Well, well!
Looks like I jumped the gun, Mother Superior. This one's open!
<<choice [[Nice! What&apos;s inside?|insideoffice]]>> | <<choice [[Careful... could be a trap.|trapoffice]]>>


:: trapoffice
Y'know, I think it's safe to say that every square inch of Floodland could be a trap.
I'm proceeding with caution, believe me. I'm prepared for an ambush at literally any moment.
But my Spider-Sense isn't tingling just this second. So I'm going in.
Hey, maybe I'll find my permanent record in here!
<<choice [[I'm sure it's sterling.|goodrecord]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe look for a weapon.^A more useful thing to find might be something you could use as a weapon, if you needed.|weaponoffice]]>>


:: goodrecord
Right? Girls who levitate visiting priests and organize breakouts always get the best write-ups.
All right... let's see what's inside this musty old office.
Hmm hmm hmm.
[[insideoffice]]


:: warptenacity
So, it's just a jump to the left, and then a step to the right. The question is...
...do I warp straight to New Tenacity, and jump right into the fray?
Or do I stop off for one last meal in Battle Ground, like a condemned prisoner?
I doubt I could even keep food down, at this point.
I'm as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of long-tailed-cat-seeking missiles.
<<choice [[Get some food in you.^Even if you&apos;re not hungry, you probably need the calories.|warptofood]]>> | <<choice [[Skip the food.^There's no point to eating if it's just gonna come right back up.|warptotenacity]]>>


:: gotblade
I <i>do</i> have a blade!
And I've got just enough exposed skin on my fingertips --
because this damned cloak of dead leaves is covering me wrist-to-toes --
that I'm going to try a little spell, here.
Just have to manage to get the words out, through the taste of ashes in my mouth.
Give me a minute. Stand back and watch me work.
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|openermagic]]


:: whatittakes
When the time comes. When I have to take on the...
[[whoorwhat]]


:: outsidetenacity
I can feel the magic of my old hometown from here, but...
<<choice [[But what?|somethingwrong]]>> | <<choice [[Is something wrong?|somethingwrong2]]>>


:: somethingwrong2
Yes. Very.
[[somethingwrong]]


:: somethingwrong
It's... corrupted.
This was a town of about three hundred, when we were at our peak.
Not a big place. It was pretty easy to know everyone's name.
Pretty easy to know what side of the light/dark divide they favored.
Some mages did more of their work in the shadows.
Others were all about rainbows and moonglow.
But all in all, things balanced out. New Tenacity, on the whole, was perfectly neutral.
Perfectly... <i>perfect.</i>
<<choice [[And now?|nowitsnot]]>> | <<choice [[Not so much, anymore?|notsomuch]]>>


:: notsomuch
Not at all. That neutrality is a relic, long abandoned.
This ground, these woods, the very air that I'm breathing...
...it's nothing but evil. The darkest of dark magic.
<<choice [[Tell me more.^Who -- or what -- caused this place to turn so evil, exactly?|whoorwhat]]>> | <<choice [[Can you face this darkness?|darkenough]]>>


:: darkenough
<<if $darkness gte 66>>I've made my share of decisions.
Hell, you've helped me make plenty of them.
I'm sure by this point I'm a dark enough mage to do what needs doing.
<<elseif $darkness gte 33>>I... I hope so. I've tried to walk a neutral path.
You've helped me make some decisions on both sides of that line.
When it comes down to it... I think I can do what needs doing.
<<else>>I... I don't know. I've tried to stay on the light end of the spectrum.
You've been guiding me toward decisions that kept me there.
When it comes down to it... I really hope I can do what needs doing.<<endif>>
<<choice [[I believe in you.^When the time comes... I'm sure you'll have what it takes.|whatittakes]]>> | <<choice [[Who caused this darkness?|whoorwhat]]>>


:: openermagic
<<silently>><<set $letteropener = 1>><<darken 10>><<endsilently>>
<<if $spideracquire is 1>>Remember how I said... I know some spells... to control spiders?
And remember how there are all sorts of spiders creeping around in these dead leaves?
Well... I just turned a negative into a positive.
I've got these eight-legged freaks doing the dirty work for me...
...rooting around, dislodging the leaves one by one, tossing them aside.
I must look like some sort of giant, molting bird right now, dropping leaves left and right.
I just have to give the spiders a few minutes to work, and then I'll be free of this binding...
<<elseif $spideracquire is 0>>All right. Little symbols on my fingertips, little words under my breath...
...<i>yes.</i> It's working!
I've got an arcane wind, localized only to this room.
It'll be hell on the file folders, but that's not my top concern right now.
No, more importantly... it's slowly stripping the dead leaves off of me.
Slowly undoing this binding that's been slowing me down the whole time.
I just need to give it a few minutes to work, and then I'll finally be free...<<endif>>
...and ready to take down Leila Grace once and for all.
[[delay 10m|freeofleaves]]


:: patrolupstairsstudy
<<if $girlsbunks is 0>>[[fromstudynogirls]]
<<elseif $girlsbunks is 1>>[[fromstudyyesgirls]]<<endif>>


:: fromstudynogirls
All right, then. I can count my options on my fingers...
...each finger more unappealing than the last.
There's the hall with all the girls' bunks, where I used to hang my hat.
(Not that we were allowed to have hats. And I'm sure hanging them would've been a sin, too.)
<<if $boysbunks is 1>>[[fromstudyboysyes]]
<<elseif $boysbunks is 0>>[[fromstudyboysno]]<<endif>>


:: fromstudyboysno
It's either that, or the boys' hall. Surely, a thrill ride every step of the way.
So... what do you figure?
<<choice [[Go explore the boys' rooms.|tryboyshall]]>> | <<choice [[Check out the girls' bunks.|trygirlshall]]>>


:: talkstrategy
<<if $howfartenacity is 1>>[[warptenacity]]
<<elseif $howfartenacity is 0>>[[howfarfinal]]<<endif>>


:: warptofood
Yeah, that's probably a good point.
Besides, I know this greasy spoon in Battle Ground. Great burgers...
...but they look about the same going down as coming up.
So it won't be any great loss.
I, uh... I'm broke as a joke, so I might have to skip out on the check.
Which I don't feel great about... but then, I don't feel great about much, these days.
Lemme just get prepped for the jump.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|foodwarp]]


:: warptotenacity
Yeah, that's probably a good point.
There's probably some sort of folk wisdom written down somewhere...
...about facing your parents' killers on an empty stomach.
Can't remember what Harry Potter ate before he took down Voldemort.
Probably those jellybeans that tasted like earwax and tripe.
That kid got the short end of the wand.
Anyhow. Let me get prepped for the jump.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|nofoodwarp]]


:: nofoodwarp
<<silently>><<darken 5>><<endsilently>>
Okay. Here I go hurtling through time and space...
...like a TARDIS, only with slightly more of a sense of direction.
<i>Slightly.</i>
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|warpscreamnofood]]


:: warpscreamnofood
And now, of course--
huggghhhkkk
the cramping up
and the tears
Somebody take a picture, quick
I wanna remember this
[[delay 3m^Arika is ill|arrivednofoodwarp]]


:: arrivednofoodwarp
Hooray. I'm here. And the ground beneath me is a little more fertilized.
So this is it. I'm standing a couple hundred yards outside New Tenacity.
[[outsidetenacity]]


:: adminhall
So, here I am in the administrative hall.
First, let's praise the <i>genius</i> architect who built this wretched place...
...for <i>only</i> making this place accessible through the kitchen.
And now, let's...
Aw. Great. Just great.
<<choice [[What&apos;s wrong?|wrongadmin]]>> | <<choice [[Everything okay?|wrongadmin2]]>>


:: wrongadmin2
[[wrongadmin]]


:: wrongadmin
First door I tried was locked.
This second door... locked.
I swear, if you just made me wade hip-deep through the eggplant killing fields for nothing...
Third door. <i>Locked.</i>
<<choice [[Can you break in?|breakinadmin]]>> | <<choice [[Guess you should turn back.|turnbackadmin]]>>


:: breakinadmin
Oh, believe me, there's nothing <i>morally</i> that's stopping me from breaking in.
It's just that these are big, solid oak doors. No windows to smash.
And I can't get to my Swiss Army knife because of these stupid, binding leaves...
...so I don't have any way to pick the locks.
The ridiculous thing is, these offices are <i>filled</i> with paper clips...
...and I could pick these locks in about two seconds, if I had a couple of those.
That's some straight-up irony. Tell Alanis Morisette to write a song about <i>that.</i>
...Fourth door. Locked too. In case you were curious.
[[fifthdoor]]


:: insideoffice
What's inside... is a bunch of books, and a bunch of files, and a bunch of office supplies.
Wow. I don't want to tell tales out of school...
...but there was some <i>serious</i> hoarding of Liquid Paper going on behind closed doors.
I mean, how many mistakes can one person make, anyway?
(Rhetorical question. Do <i>not</i> think of me while answering that.)
<<choice [[Wouldn&apos;t dream of it.|noremarks]]>> | <<choice [[Anything else useful in there?|moreuseful]]>>


:: weaponoffice
I'll keep looking through the drawers in this battleship of a desk...
...but honestly, the Mother Superior's greatest weapon was her ability to shame us with a stare.
She didn't even carry around a ruler, like a proper <i>Blues Brothers</i> nun.
So the odds of me finding anything in here that'll help me out are--
Well, well. Shut my mouth.
<<choice [[Find something good?|foundopener]]>> | <<choice [[What did you spot?|foundopener2]]>>


:: foundopener2
[[foundopener]]


:: foundopener
I almost missed it. It was shoved all the way in the back of a drawer...
...like she hadn't used it in absolutely ages.
And there are -- unfortunately -- little flecks of rust on it, which backs up my theory.
But here it is, in all its pointy glory:
a nine-inch-long brass letter opener.
<<choice [[Nice! Now you&apos;ve got a blade!|gotblade]]>> | <<choice [[It is still sharp?|stillsharp]]>>


:: stillsharp
It's sharp enough to break my skin. And that's as sharp as I need it to be.
I don't have a lot of exposed skin to break, unfortunately --
this stupid cloak of dead leaves is covering pretty much every square inch of me --
but a little bit at my fingertips is all it takes.
Then I just have to manage to get the words out, through the taste of ashes in my mouth.
Gonna try a wee spell, here. Give me a couple minutes.
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|openermagic]]


:: nowitsnot
Now... I can feel something very <i>wrong</i> with this place.
Something... broken.
The neutrality is a thing of the past.
I'm about to step onto evil ground.
<<choice [[Tell me more.^Who, or what, turned this place so evil, exactly?|whoorwhat]]>> | <<choice [[Can you handle the darkness?|darkenough]]>>


:: whoorwhat
Yeah, okay. I guess I've really only alluded to them, up to this point.
There was a family who arrived in town. Called themselves the Greens.
A young couple, with a baby. Novice mages. They didn't seem to know much magic.
Just enough to have nosed out where New Tenacity was hidden away.
They were dirt-poor when they showed up. Nothing to their names.
The town -- my folks in particular -- took pity on them.
I mean, we've all been there, right?
Or we all got there eventually.
<<choice [[Sure. I understand.|understandpoor]]>> | <<choice [[But something went wrong?|somethingwentwrong]]>>


:: understandpoor
So we helped them out. Took them into our home. Like anybody would have.
No one likes to see another human being suffer.
Except... the Greens weren't human beings.
And we figured that out much, <i>much</i> too late to do anything about it.
<<choice [[How did you find out?|howfindout]]>> | <<choice [[What <i>were</i> they?^Wait... if they weren&apos;t human, what precisely were they?|whatweregreens]]>>


:: howfindout
It was slow. Insidious.
You'd be talking to someone in town. At a shop, or at school, or whatever.
And even though you'd know that person all your life -- <i>literally</i> --
they would just seem... different, somehow.
<<choice [[Meaning what?|meaningwhat]]>> | <<choice [[Wait... <i>other</i> townspeople?^I thought we were talking about the Green family, not other New Tenacity residents.|otherfolks]]>>


:: otherfolks
Right, right. But the Greens seemed perfectly normal.
It was the way the <i>town</i> started to change after their arrival...
...that's what made us suspicious of them, finally.
<<choice [[What was up with them?^So, what was going on with the Greens, that they could change the whole town?|whatweregreenstwo]]>> | <<choice [[How did the townspeople change?|meaningwhat]]>>


:: whatweregreenstwo
They were... something I'm still not sure I understand.
And I'm about to try and fight them -- try and <i>kill</i> them --
without really knowing what they are. What their true nature is.
If you're wondering whether that terrifies me to my core...
...three guesses.
<<choice [[They were... monsters?|greenmonsters]]>> | <<choice [[You can beat them.|beatgreens]]>>


:: taketimegreen
No. It's fine. I need to dredge these memories up.
Like pouring kerosene on the fire of why I came back here.
[[greenmerge]]


:: meansofinfection
<<silently>><<set $moi = 1>><<endsilently>>
Exactly. I didn't put that together at the time, of course -- I was just a kid --
but these things were being forced into people's mouths.
And from there, they would take over their whole bodies.
They could do a passable imitation of people, honestly --
as far as controlling their movements, their speech centers, whatnot --
and I never got the sense that any of the hosts were feeling any pain.
But then... I never got the sense they were feeling <i>anything.</i>
<<choice [[What an awful way to go.^To be turned into some sort of "pod person"... it sounds horrible.|podperson]]>> | <<choice [[But they never got you.|didntgetyoutwo]]>>


:: didntgetyoutwo
No. They didn't get us.
My mom tossed out a quick obfuscation spell --
she was always so much faster at rune-carving than the rest of us --
while my dad worked up what was basically a net to contain the Green creature.
He was big into meshing technology with magic. He stunned them somehow...
...and shoved me and Rand out of the room. Told us to get outside.
Of course, he didn't know about the horde of possessed mages headed for us.
<<choice [[So, what happened next?|wentoutside]]>> | <<choice [[So you were sent outside...|wentoutside2]]>>


:: whatdidtenacity
I just... I knew I had to keep Rand safe. No matter what.
And I could see all the townsfolk bearing down on us. A sea of green eyes.
Mages from every corner of the spectrum. Charging up their spells.
Ready to destroy us if we disobeyed the Greens.
And behind them -- sweeping down on them, crashing toward us -- 
the forest, like an ocean of green, like a tidal wave of leaves and bark.
So I -- I acted on instinct. Without thinking.
I just lashed out.
<<choice [[What did you do?|lashedout]]>> | <<choice [[Did you... did you kill them?^I hate to even ask, but... did you kill all those mages to protect yourselves?|killmages]]>>


:: walktheregood
I'm not sure you understand how calories work.
I'm gonna burn off the burger before I've lost sight of Battle Ground...
...and then I'm still gonna have a <i>long</i> ways yet to go.
But whatever. I've got my iPod. There are plenty of trees to look at.
What's more exciting to look at than trees?
I'm just gonna lock into strolling mode...
...and I'll let you know once I'm near the ol' homestead.
Talk to you after a while, crocodile.
[[delay 8h^Arika is walking|arrivetenacitywalking]]


:: warpnopuke
Whooooaaaaa.
Okay. Okay. Okay.
I think
I think I can do this.
I think I can hold it down.
No talking for a minute.
[[delay 4m^Arika is doing her best|arrivedtenacitynopuke]]


:: arrivedtenacitynopuke
Yes! All right! For the first time in my life, I warped without puking!
All jump, no dump.
...I'm sorry I said that.
Anyhow. I'm here. A couple hundred yards outside New Tenacity.
[[outsidetenacity]]


:: readyforfinal
<<silently>><<set $readytenacity = 1>><<endsilently>>
What, are you kidding? Nothing in the world could make me feel ready for this.
<<if $lantern is 1>>I've got the lantern... but I'm terrified it won't work properly.
<<elseif $lantern is 0>>I didn't get the lantern. So I'm screwed right from the start.
I know other fire spells, sure... but nothing on that magnitude.<<endif>>
<<if $key is 1 and $ribbon is 1>>I managed -- somehow, by the skin of my stupid teeth --
to get both the key and the ribbon.
Whether they'll actually work the way they're meant to... I have no idea.
<<elseif $key is 1 and $ribbon is 0>>I've got the monks' key, but without the ribbon...
...well, it might as well be the key to a used Toyota Yaris, for all the good it'll do.
<<elseif $key is 0 and $ribbon is 1>>I got the ribbon off Leila's arm, but without the key...
...well, it's about as useful as the ribbon in a klutzy kid's floor routine.
<<elseif $key is 0 and $ribbon is 0>>I failed getting the key, and I failed getting the ribbon...
...which means I've pretty much failed at everything before I even started.<<endif>>
Basically, the only thing I'm <i>ready</i> for...
...is to have my butt handed to me.
<<choice [[Keep up the positive vibes.^With a chipper attitude like that, how can you lose?|positivevibes]]>> | <<choice [[You could always give up.|giveupfinal]]>>


:: positivevibes
Man, I've been searching and searching through all my belongings...
...but it looks like I forgot to pack my rose-colored glasses.
Probably could've picked up a pair at Kildecatt's if I'd known I needed 'em.
Oh well. Guess I'll have to make do with this huge pile of doom...
...and a little sprinkling of gloom.
As usual.
<<choice [[That's no way to win.|nowaytowin]]>> | <<choice [[Okay. Let's talk strategy.|talkstrategy]]>>


:: freeofleaves
<<silently>><<set $leavesoff = 1>><<endsilently>>
That's it. I'm free.
I'm free!
You never really appreciate how nice it is not to be coated in dead leaves...
...until you've spent half an hour coated in... y'know... dead leaves.
<<if $spideracquire is 1>>Thanks, spiders. Don't go anywhere. I might have another favor to ask.<<endif>>
<<choice [[So you can do magic again.^With those leaves off of you, you can do the proper carvings, right?|carveagain]]>> | <<choice [[Time to take Leila down.|officeexit]]>>


:: greenmerge
So, yeah, the Greens... they spoke in one voice. Creepy enough.
But then... they started to <i>merge.</i> To meld together, into a single thing...
...that was no longer father and mother and daughter...
...but was just one organism. One <i>creature.</i>
Six eyes. Three mouths. Six arms, reaching for us, clawing at us.
It seemed to dig inside itself and produce these...
...I don't know how to describe them, even to this day.
These smooth little lumps. About the size of my fist. Alive. <i>Pulsing,</i> almost.
And green. As green as the creature's six eyes.
As green as the overgrowth that was crushing our city.
But these green lumps... they <i>glowed</i> green. Like, bioluminescent.
And there were four of them, and it couldn't have been more clear...
...there was one intended for each member of my family.
My parents, my brother... and <i>me.</i>
<<choice [[The means of infection.^Those must've been how the Greens infected and possessed the other townspeople.|meansofinfection]]>> | <<choice [[But they didn't get you!|didntgetyou]]>>


:: podperson
It's nothing I would want to go through. I knew that then, I know that now.
I'd rather die as myself than live -- if that's even "living" --
as some sort of drone for whatever brand of crazy the Greens were peddling.
<<if $moi is 1>>And they wanted us. They came at us. They tried hard. But...
[[didntgetyoutwo]]
<<elseif $dgy is 1>>And I know what you're thinking, now:
Those little green lumps, that the Greens were trying to force on us...
...those were the means of infection. The way they'd possessed the whole town.
[[meansofinfectiontwo]]
<<endif>>


:: wentoutside
Rand and I went running out of the house...
...and I was trying to cover his ears, because I could hear...
...I could hear mom and dad, back inside.
Screaming. <i>Scared.</i>
I'd never heard my parents scared of anything, <i>anything,</i> before that day.
It was the worst sound in the world.
But we got outdoors, and it was like...
...everything we'd ever known, everything that had ever made us feel safe...
...our town, our community, the woods around us...
...it was all closing in on us.
<<choice [[God, Arika. I&apos;m so sorry.|sorrytenacity]]>> | <<choice [[What did you do?|whatdidtenacity]]>>


:: fromstudyboysyes
I've already experienced the intoxicating bouquet of mildewy footwear in the boys' hall.
Which means it's down to either the blasé bunks of my youth...
...or else a daredevil dash into the nightmarish nursery.
What do you figure?
<<choice [[Go see to the girls&apos; hall.|trygirlshall]]>> | <<choice [[Hell with it. Fight time.|gotonursery]]>>


:: nowaytowin
Yeah, yeah. I think it was Sun Tzu who said:
"Every battle is won before it is fought."
But he's dead and I'm not -- yet -- so I guess me and my crappy attitude have him beat.
Now, let's get to New Tenacity...
...and see how much more of <i>The Art of War</i> I can misquote before the day's done.
[[talkstrategy]]


:: foodwarp
<<silently>><<darken 5>><<endsilently>>
Okay, Chewie. Prepare to make the jump to light-speed.
This should be... unpleasant.
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|warpscreamfood]]


:: noremarks
You're very kind.
Some of that is probably the lingering notion that I could still turn you into a newt...
...but hey, I'll take kindness wherever I can get it.
<<choice [[Anything else in her office?^Surely there's something more useful than thumbtacks and pens in there.|moreuseful]]>> | <<choice [[Any chance there's a weapon?|weaponoffice]]>>


:: moreuseful
The mere implication that anything could be <i>more useful</i> than, uh...
...gross, what even is this?
More useful than what appears to be a hardened ball of confiscated chewing gum?
Ugh. This crosses the line from rule-enforcement to some kind of weird Wrigley's fetish.
It's hard as a damn rock, though. Maybe I could chunk it at Leila's head.
Though it's hard to image that fight going down as one of the all-time greats...
...if it's won or lost on a wad of years-old Juicy Fruit.
Less "Neo vs. Agent Smith" and more "anybody vs. that dude from <i>Gymkata.</i>"
<<choice [[Nasty! Yeah, leave that there.|leavegumball]]>> | <<choice [[Hardened gum is better than nothing.|takegumball]]>>


:: leavegumball
You don't have to tell me twice. I will happily leave this disgusting thing where I found it.
(Even though a dozen or more pieces of gum in here belong to me, by rights.)
So... I fear this whole excursion may have been for nothing.
Well, nothing but a lonely brick of abandoned chewing gum.
<<choice [[Sounds like it&apos;s time to split.|officeexit]]>> | <<choice [[Anything else interesting?^Anything like a weapon you can grab in there?|weaponoffice]]>>


:: officeexit
Yup. You're not wrong.
And hey, here's something interesting that I never knew, in all the time I was at Floodland...
...there's a door in the Mother Superior's office, and behind that door are some stairs.
And the stairs go up. And what's up those stairs?
The upstairs.
On a route that I sincerely doubt Leila expects me to take.
So maybe -- <i>just maybe</i> -- I've got a little bit of that ol' element of surprise back.
<<choice [[Nice! Sneak up on her.|sneakuponleila]]>> | <<choice [[Sure you should go that way?^Are you <i>absolutely certain</i> you don&apos;t want to crawl back through that pile of rotting food?|foodpile]]>>


:: somethingwentwrong
Yeah. Something went very wrong. And that something was the Greens.
But at first, we never suspected a thing.
They were down on their luck. They just needed a helping hand.
[[understandpoor]]


:: whatweregreens
They were... something I'm still not sure I understand.
And I'm about to try and fight them -- try and <i>kill</i> them --
without really knowing what they are. What their true nature is.
If you're wondering whether that terrifies me to my core...
...three guesses.
The way they revealed themselves... there were more questions than answers.
<<choice [[Talk about that.|howfindouttwo]]>> | <<choice [[They were... monsters?|greenmonsters]]>>


:: meansofinfectiontwo
Exactly. I didn't put that together at the time, of course -- I was just a kid --
but these things were being forced into people's mouths.
And from there, they would take over their whole bodies.
They could do a passable imitation of people, honestly --
as far as controlling their movements, their speech centers, whatnot --
and I never got the sense that any of the hosts were feeling any pain.
But then... I never got the sense they were feeling <i>anything.</i>
<<choice [[So, what happened next?|wentoutside]]>> | <<choice [[So you were sent outside...|wentoutside2]]>>


:: wentoutside2
[[wentoutside]]


:: meaningwhat
It was subtle. Like, they wouldn't talk as much as they used to.
They moved with a little hitch in their step, you know?
Like they <i>basically</i> remembered all the moves to a complicated dance...
...but they were faking it here and there, hoping you wouldn't notice.
And their eyes...
...the irises all turned green.
Beautiful, deep, emerald green. Unforgettable.
Horrible.
<<choice [[The Greens transformed them?|transformedthem]]>> | <<choice [[So the Greens were monsters?|greenmonsters]]>>


:: beatgreens
Yeah? I'm not so sure.
I mean, they infected the whole town.
And it happened <i>so fast.</i> It just snowballed.
One day this polite young couple was bunking in our spare room...
...and the next thing you knew, New Tenacity was just...
...<i>gone.</i>
[[taleoftenacity]]


:: whatwasthunder
It was a couple of things, actually.
One was the rumbling sound of three hundred possessed townspeople --
possessed <i>mages</i> -- marching toward my family's home.
And the other thing was more ambient, more pervasive...
...and I didn't understand what it was until later, until I was running away.
It was the sound of the forest itself. The trees, the vegetation, the woods...
...groaning and creaking and splitting as it overgrew the edges of our town.
Screaming and stretching as it swallowed up the outskirts of New Tenacity...
...and began shooting its vines and tendrils through houses and shops.
Through churches and libraries. Through buildings and roads.
Through people.
Possessed foliage snaking through possessed people...
...the shrieks of the woods as loud as the screams of the men. The women.
The children.
<<choice [[Oh, my God.^That's... that's horrific. I can&apos;t even imagine.|horrifying]]>> | <<choice [[So you ran?|soyouran]]>>


:: soyouran
Not at first. At first, I stood my ground, alongside my family.
We were bleary-eyed, in our pajamas, trying to figure out what was happening...
...and there were the Greens. All three of them.
Just sitting together on our living room couch, like they were posing for a snapshot.
Calm, cool, collected. Green-eyed.
And then, all three of them opened their mouths -- even the baby --
and at the same time, with one voice, they said,
"We have found what we need here. And so we will take it."
And then...
...oh, God, I don't even want to think about it.
<<choice [[Take your time.|taketimegreen]]>> | <<choice [[Then what?^Come on. The suspense is killing me.|suspensekilling]]>>


:: suspensekilling
Nice. Real nice choice of words.
Fine, fine. I was going to tell you anyway. So here goes.
[[greenmerge]]


:: didntgetyou
<<silently>><<set $dgy = 1>><<endsilently>>
No. They didn't get us.
My mom tossed out a quick obfuscation spell --
she was always so much faster at rune-carving than the rest of us --
while my dad worked up what was basically a net to contain the Green creature.
He was big into meshing technology with magic. He stunned them somehow...
...and shoved me and Rand out of the room. Told us to get outside.
Of course, he didn't know about the horde of possessed mages headed for us.
<<choice [[Those poor people.^What an awful way to go.... to be turned into some sort of "pod person."|podperson]]>> | <<choice [[Those green, lumpy things...^Those must have been the means of infection, the way the Greens possessed people.|meansofinfectiontwo]]>>


:: lashedout
I made a safe place.
I drew on power I didn't even know I <i>had,</i> at that age. <i>Dark</i> power.
I just knew that I had to get Rand away from the chaos.
So I... I tore open a hole in the world. And I put him there, for safekeeping.
It was only supposed to be for a minute. Just until...
...until I figured out how to get things under control.
<<choice [[You were only ten.^No one could have expected you to get that madness "under control." You were a child.|nocontrol]]>> | <<choice [[Something went wrong?^I&apos;m guessing things didn't work out the way you'd hoped.|wrongportal]]>>


:: killmages
I... I don't...
I did what I had to do.
[[lashedout]]


:: planburger
So, here's the deal. From Battle Ground to New Tenacity...
...it's roughly twenty-five miles, marching straight into the forest.
Which means about eight hours on foot.
(With the spring in my step from that burger, call it seven and a half.)
Otherwise I warp, which is obviously a lot faster...
...but there's the risk that everything I just ate makes a return appearance.
Although if I try -- really try -- maybe I can keep it down.
<<choice [[Walk. Burn off the burger.|walktheregood]]>> | <<choice [[Warp. Try your luck.^Nothing like playing Russian roulette with the contents of your stomach.|warptheregood]]>>


:: warptheregood
Yeah. It's like <i>The Deer Hunter</i> but with more teleportation.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warproulette]]


:: warproulette
Okay. Spin the cylinder. Here goes nothin'.
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|warpnopuke]]


:: arrivetenacitypuke
Well. I can't say I didn't deserve that.
Uh. Okay. So. I'm here now, a little worse for the wear.
A couple hundred yards outside New Tenacity.
[[outsidetenacity]]


:: nicesock
Not gonna lie, <<$playername>>. It really, <i>really</i> did.
But, uh, it didn't seem to have much effect on her.
I'm not sure punching and kicking is the way to go, here.
I think I'd better make like Felix the Cat, and reach into my bag of magic tricks.
[[nospiderspell]]


:: giveupfinal
Heh.
I'm gonna pretend that was reverse psychology, and not an actual suggestion.
If I were going to give up, I'd have done it a long time ago.
Probably long before you and I even met.
I've... our conversations have given me strength to keep trying.
So, thank you and your reverse psychology.
And your forward psychology, when you've used that.
I'm not giving up. And I'm not letting you give up on me.
So there.
<<choice [[Fair enough. Let's talk strategy.|talkstrategy]]>> | <<choice [[I wouldn't give up on you.|wouldntgiveup]]>>


:: carveagain
You bet I can. And that means I stand a chance of hitting Leila before she can hit me.
<<if $darkness gte 60>>All the trouble she's put me through already...
...I'll sucker-punch her without a second thought.
<<elseif $darkness lte 59>>All the trouble she's put me through already...
...it'll take everything I have not to sucker-punch her the first chance I have.<<endif>>
<<choice [[Absolutely. Take every advantage.|suckerpunch]]>> | <<choice [[You&apos;re better than that.^Come on. You have to be the better person. Fight fair.|nosuckerpunch]]>>


:: nosuckerpunch
<<if $darkness gte 60>>Pretty sure all notions of a fair fight went right out the orphanage window...
...as soon as she started making leaf bindings and welcome signs out of flying rocks.
I'm taking her out, any way I can.
<<elseif $darkness lte 59>>Look, I like to think of myself as the "good guy" here, too.
But the truth of the matter is, I need to be willing to do whatever it takes...
...so that I don't have to think of myself as the "dead guy" here.<<endif>>
All right. Now I have a letter opener. Ho ho ho.
<<if $gumball is 1>>Oh, and a big ol' ball of gum.<<endif>>
<<choice [[Sounds like you&apos;re all set.|officeexit]]>> | <<choice [[Now all you need is an exit.|officeexit2]]>>


:: officeexit2
[[officeexit]]


:: staborpunch
What do you think... come in stabby with the letter opener, or punchy with the fists?
<<if $darkness gte 70>>"Stabby" sounds a little messy and severe... and I kinda like that.
<<elseif $darkness lte 69>>"Stabby" sounds a little messy and severe... maybe "punchy" is the way to go?<<endif>>
<<choice [[Stabby.|stabbytime]]>> | <<choice [[Punchy.|punchonly]]>>


:: punchonly
All right. Here goes nothing.
This might be the most important sucker punch in the world of magic...
...since J. Gordon Whitehead took down Harry Houdini.
(And while you look that up, I'm gonna go hit a girl.)
[[hitwithgum]]


:: sorrytenacity
That's... thanks. But you don't have to be sorry.
I spent a few years feeling sorry, too, but then I realized...
...I did what I had to.
I did what was necessary.
[[whatdidtenacity]]


:: wouldntgiveup
Thanks, <<$playername>>. I wouldn't give up on you, either.
I just felt like maybe both of us could use a little pep talk.
Forgot my pom-pons, though. They'll probably kick me off the JV squad for that.
Ready? Okay! Let's get down to brass tacks.
[[talkstrategy]]


:: warpscreamfood
Wulllllllfff
Ugh, ugh, ugh.
Nothing worse than traveling by warp and weft.
Oh, except flying economy class.
That's a <i>million</i> times worse.
[[delay 3m^Arika is ill|arrivedfood]]


:: arrivedfood
Okay. I've freshened myself up as much as possible.
It's a little like those commercials where they Febreze a hovel.
But I'm presentable enough to order a cheeseburger, so that's the plan.
This place, Battle Ground Beef, has been here for I don't know how long.
My family used to make excursions into town every once in a while...
...for shakes and fries and more grease than should be legal.
Those were good times.
Good, heartburny times.
<<choice [[Sounds like it.|soundsgood]]>> | <<choice [[Hope the food&apos;s still good.|hopefoodsgood]]>>


:: soundsgood
Yeah, well, if I didn't get all maudlin and weepy about things...
...then this wouldn't feel like a real homecoming, now, would it?
I was just thinking about how mom would--
Wow. Holy cow.
Our favorite waitress, Maxine, is still here.
That... kinda kills my whole "dine and dash" plan.
<<choice [[Maybe you should leave.|leavefood]]>> | <<choice [[Has she seen you?|waitressseen]]>>


:: takegumball
But... <i>is</i> it? Is it <i>really?</i>
Do I really want to weigh myself down with the masticated Chiclets of a hundred orphans?
This thing must be <i>swimming</i> in cooties.
<<choice [[Gross. Okay, leave it.|leavegumball]]>> | <<choice [[Bring it along.^You never know. Maybe you&apos;ll figure out a way to weaponize cooties.|bringgumball]]>>


:: bringgumball
<<silently>><<set $gumball = 1>><<endsilently>>
Alright. I now have a softball-sized lump of rock-hard gum in my inventory.
Just like all the best fantasy heroines.
<<choice [[Sounds like you&apos;re all set.|officeexit]]>> | <<choice [[Anything else interesting?^While your gum wad is clearly the top prize, any other weapon you can grab in there?|weaponoffice]]>>


:: taleoftenacity
One winter morning, just before dawn, my family awoke to what we thought was thunder.
But... it wasn't.
<<choice [[What was it?|whatwasthunder]]>> | <<choice [[Some sort of snowstorm?^A winter storm of some kind? An avalanche? You&apos;re not far from Mount St. Helens.|eruption]]>>


:: eruption
No, it wasn't an eruption, or an avalanche or a blizzard.
Those -- maybe -- we could've dealt with.
[[whatwasthunder]]


:: horrifying
If I hadn't lived through it, I couldn't have invented such a scenario.
Even now, when I have nightmares about it -- which is <i>frequently</i> --
what my memory and my subconscious throw together is nowhere near as terrifying...
...as the actual event itself.
<<choice [[And so you ran from it.|soyouran]]>> | <<choice [[I'm so glad you lived.^With all of that bearing down on you, it's a miracle you made it out alive.|gladyoulived]]>> 


:: gladyoulived
<<if $darkness gte 66>>I guess. A big part of me wishes I hadn't.
I think I'd have been a lot happier, these last ten years...
...if I'd just been taking a dirt nap the whole time.
<<elseif $darkness gte 33>>I guess. I mean, I'm glad I made it out of there with a chance, you know?
A chance to still, possibly, save my brother.
But it's such a slim chance... what if this has all been for nothing?
<<else>>Sure. I'm thankful I escaped from there with a chance.
A chance to still, possibly, save my brother.
Everything that's happened to me in the last ten years...
...if I manage to rescue him, it will have all been worth it.<<endif>>
Anyway. Back then, my world was collapsing.
Maybe I should have taken off at the first peal of that "thunder." But I didn't.
[[soyouran]]


:: greenmonsters
Yeah. But not the kind of monsters who hide under your bed or in your closet.
The kind who <i>sleep</i> in the bed, in the next room.
The kind whose clothes hang in the closet, right beside yours.
The kind who have already slaughtered the whole summer camp...
...before you even realize that a hockey mask has gone missing.
<<choice [[You can beat them.^No matter what kind of monsters they are, I know you can take them down.|beatgreens]]>> | <<choice [[How did it all end?|endwithgreens]]>>


:: howfindouttwo
It was slow. Insidious.
You'd be talking to someone in town. At a shop, or at school, or whatever.
And even though you'd know that person all your life -- <i>literally</i> --
they would just seem... different, somehow.
<<choice [[Meaning what?|meaningwhat]]>> | <<choice [[Wait... <i>other</i> townspeople?^I thought we were talking about the Green family, not other New Tenacity residents.|otherfolkstwo]]>>


:: stabbytime
Okay. Deep breath.
I'm gonna rush her from behind, swing the blade and strike her in the right side.
<<if $darkness lte 69>>I'm not looking to kill her... just to incapacitate her for a while.
<<elseif $darkness gte 70>>I'm not planning to kill her... but things dont always go according to plan.<<endif>>
Hey, maybe I'm doing her a favor and spearing her appendix before it can rupture!
Yeah. Let's just pretend that's what this is. A <i>favor.</i>
Here goes.
[[delay 30s^Arika is attacking|stabbedinside]]


:: otherfolkstwo
Right, right. But the Greens seemed perfectly normal.
It was the way the <i>town</i> started to change after their arrival...
...that's what made us suspicious of them, finally.
<<choice [[The Greens transformed them?|transformedthem]]>> | <<choice [[How did the townspeople change?|meaningwhat]]>>


:: transformedthem
They... I think they <i>infected</i> them somehow.
You'd see these very faint, sort of indistinct scars around the people's mouths.
Scars that... this is weird, I know...
...but they were the same green color as their eyes.
What in the hell scars someone and leaves their skin <i>green?</i>
Did the Hulk set up a kissing booth, and I didn't hear about it?
<<choice [[Hulk is a good guy, though.^What you're describing doesn't sound like the work of a superhero. It sounds monstrous.|greenmonsters]]>> | <<choice [[The Greens sound <i>monstrous.</i>|greenmonsters2]]>>


:: greenmonsters2
[[greenmonsters]]


:: wrongportal
<i>Everything</i> went wrong.
Mages closing in. Forest closing in. My home <i>burst</i> like a boil.
The Green creature came, came <i>seeping</i> out of it...
...holding up my parents like a trophy. Their beaten, bloody bodies.
Just conscious enough to still see me.
Just alive enough to beg me to look away.
And I knew, no matter what happened... Rand shouldn't see what was coming.
So I...
...God help me, I closed the portal, with him on the other side.
Snapped it shut, and lost him in the Quintessence.
<<choice [[Which is how we met.^Of course. That&apos;s where you were trying to find him, when you summoned me instead.|howwemet]]>> | <<choice [[What happened to your folks?|happenedfolks]]>>


:: nocontrol
No?
My little brother could have. He thought the world of me.
He thought the sun rose and set on my say-so.
It was... it was my <i>job</i> to keep him safe. My only job!
That day more than ever! That moment, more than any other!
And I failed!
It doesn't matter how hard I tried... because I failed.
<<choice [[It&apos;s not your fault.^You did everything you could. Things just... went wrong.|wrongportal]]>> | <<choice [[You were under attack.^You were braver than any ten-year-old should ever have to be.|braver]]>>


:: justlook
I, uh... I guess I have one of those faces that people just remember.
Hi, Maxine. It's been a while. How've you been?
<max>Never mind me, girl. What has it been, ten years since I've seen your face?</max>
Yeah... something like that. Sorry. I've been... busy.
<max>Busy. Huh.</max>
<max>Pardon my French, but you look like you've been to hell...</max>
<max>...and the Devil kicked you out 'cause you were draggin' down property values.</max>
<<choice [[I like her.|likemaxine]]>> | <<choice [[Pretty accurate guess.|goodguess]]>>


:: likemaxine
Sure, she's good people.
Better than I deserve.
<max>Girl, you missed a little bit of dirt behind your ears.</max>
<max>And in front of 'em, and everywhere else on your body as well.</max>
[[goodguess]]


:: nicemaxine
There are some people who are better than they have any reason to be.
I always wanted to be one of those people.
Maybe... if I make it through this fight...
...maybe I'll work harder on being one.
If I make it through this fight.
And this burger.
I, um, I think I just want to be alone with my thoughts for a little while.
I'll let you know when I'm finished eating, okay?
[[delay 40m^Arika is eating|donewithburger]]


:: donewithburger
That was, hands down, the best burger I've ever eaten.
I don't care that the edges were burnt and the middle was almost raw.
I don't care that the fries were a mixture of soggy and over-salted...
...like some sort of sea chantey by The Decemberists.
It was served with love, and warmth, and good wishes.
And it turns out, I needed those more than I needed food, today.
<<choice [[Well, I'm glad for you.|gladburger]]>> | <<choice [[Okay, so, what's the plan?|planburger]]>>


:: gladburger
Yeah. Thanks. I feel glad, too.
Been a long time since I could say that.
And I'm about to wreck it all by thinking about what comes next...
...but it was really, <i>really</i> nice while it lasted.
[[planburger]]


:: warpafterburger
<<silently>><<darken 10>><<endsilently>>
Well, it's like they say... you don't buy food, you just rent it.
And I didn't even buy it, so...
...time to evict some squatters.
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|warpscreamburger]]


:: warpscreamburger
The 
worst
uhhhh
How did I forget
Warping is like swimming. You wait half an hour after you eat.
[[delay 5m^Arika is ill|arrivetenacitypuke]]


:: letwalldrop
Okay. I'm letting it crash down... but I'm doing it with some force.
Hoping it'll knock the wind out of her...
...if there's any wind in her to begin with, that is.
Three... two... one... drop!
<<choice [[Did it work?|afterdrop]]>> | <<choice [[Everything okay?|afterdrop2]]>>


:: afterdrop2
[[afterdrop]]


:: waterribbon
I, uh... yeah, I think I can make a grab for it...
...whoa...
...but it tampers with the spell's integrity if I break the water's surface.
I'm not sure I can concentrate hard enough to hold the water wall together...
...<i>and</i> untie the ribbon, especially if she fights me on it.
<<choice [[Give it a shot.|tryforribbon]]>> | <<choice [[Let the water wall drop.|letwalldrop]]>>


:: waterworks
The hallway moves like the ocean moves.
Suddenly, it's all just... <i>here.</i>
There was a little water, and then there was <i>all</i> the water.
And I'm throwing up my hands, like that could possibly protect me...
...and somehow, it protects me.
There's, like... a wall of water between me and Leila.
She's still just floating, like some exotic fish in an enormous aquarium.
And she seems stunned by what I've done, but...
...here's the really weird thing...
...she's not making any bubbles.
<<choice [[Like, she&apos;s not breathing?|notbreathing]]>> | <<choice [[Can you get to the ribbon?|waterribbon]]>>


:: watermagic
All right. In the words of Peter Gabriel...
..."Here Comes the Flood."
Maybe.
Hopefully.
I can... I think I can feel a rumbling.
Maybe it's just my imagina--
Nope. Not my imagination.
There's water dripping <i>up.</i> From the floor to the ceiling.
Pretty sure that's not natural.
<<choice [[Sounds like it&apos;s working.|waterworks]]>> | <<choice [[Should you get out?|getoutwater]]>>


:: spidersarrive
<<silently>><<set $nurseryspiders = 1>><<endsilently>>
Here they come. The first of them, through the heating grates.
One by one, two by two. Tens, hundreds, thousands.
All I have to do is suggest that they swarm the walls...
...and voila! No more nuns' eyes spying on my every move!
Which, unless I miss my guess, means I can sock Leila in the gut --
<i>like so!</i> --
and she'll never see it coming!
<<choice [[That must&apos;ve felt nice.|nicesock]]>> | <<choice [[Take her down, fast.|nospiderspell]]>>


:: foodpile
Oh, that's <i>hilarious,</i> <<$playername>>. You should take that routine on the road.
Or at least, far away from here.
[[sneakuponleila]]


:: sneakuponleila
I'm heading up the -- it turns out, <i>very creaky</i> -- old stairs now.
Jeez, every step on these things sounds like a wooden ship capsizing.
It'll be a miracle if she doesn't hear me coming...
...but either way, here I come.
[[leilabackattack]]


:: suckerpunch
<<if $darkness gte 60>>If I can drop her before she even knows I'm there...
...well, that's not likely. But it would be pretty great.
<<elseif $darkness lte 59>>I can't imagine that she won't see me coming...
...but the thought of dropping her without throwing a punch <i>is</i> pretty tempting.<<endif>>
All right. Now I have a letter opener. Ho ho ho.
<<if $gumball is 1>>Oh, and a big ol' ball of gum.<<endif>>
<<choice [[Sounds like you&apos;re all set.|officeexit]]>> | <<choice [[Now all you need is an exit.|officeexit2]]>>


:: stabbedinside
Wow. I did it!
I snuck up and stabbed her, and she just dropped! Dropped like a bag of flour!
A small bag of flour that someone dropped to the floor from a height of roughly eighteen inches!
...It doesn't sound that impressive when I say it out loud.
<<if $leavesoff is 0>>And the second she fell, so did all the dead leaves that were binding me!
They must've needed her concentration to keep them together.
So thank God <i>that's</i> finally over with!<<endif>>
I... oh. Wow. She's bleeding a lot. Like, <i>a lot</i> a lot.
Like Johnny Depp's bed in <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street.</i>
Or like the elevators in <i>The Shining.</i>
<<if $darkness gte 70>>I wanted to take her down, but I wasn't expecting... this.
<<elseif $darkness lte 69>>I mean, I wanted to get her attention...
...but this is getting <i>way</i> out of hand.<<endif>>
What do I do?
<<choice [[Grab the ribbon and go.^Don't worry about how much she's bleeding. Get what you came for and get moving!|grabribbonnow]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe cast a healing spell?^Can you do something that heals her, like, <i>after</i> you&apos;ve already left?|healafterleaving]]>>



:: nogumsneak
<<if $letteropener is 1>>I've got a couple options for sneaking up on her, I guess.
This letter opener is sharp enough to do some actual damage...
...and rusty enough to feel pretty unhygienic.
Otherwise, I've got my two swingin' fists in an attempt to knock her out.
<<elseif $letteropener is 0>>So my best option, primitive as it sounds, is probably to go in with fists swinging...
...and attempt to knock her out before she knows what's happening.<<endif>>
<<if $leavesoff is 1>>I mean, sure, I've got my knife, so sure, I can whip up some magic...
...but that takes a little time, and "a little time" might be more than I have.
<<elseif $leavesoff is 0>>Since I still can't get to my stupid Swiss Army knife or do any spells...
...the ol' knuckle sandwich might be as sophisticated an attack as I have to offer.<<endif>>
<<choice [[Less talk. More attack.^Stop thinking this whole thing to death, and just take her down!|lesstalkmoreattack]]>> | <<choice [[Get her before she gets you.|lesstalkmoreattack2]]>>


:: lesstalkmoreattack2
[[lesstalkmoreattack]]


:: lesstalkmoreattack
<<if $letteropener is 1>>[[staborpunch]]
<<elseif $letteropener is 0>>[[punchonly]]<<endif>>


:: hopefoodsgood
"Good" is such a relative term. Besides, I doubt I'll even taste it right now.
I'm just indulging a little nostalgia before I--
Wow. Holy cow.
Our favorite waitress, Maxine, is still here.
That... kinda kills my whole "dine and dash" plan.
<<choice [[Maybe you should leave.|leavefood]]>> | <<choice [[Has she seen you?|waitressseen]]>>


:: leavefood
I, y'know, I was thinking the same thing...
...but I'm pretty sure she spotted me.
In that she looked right at me, and her eyes got big as saucers...
...and she dropped the coffee pot she was carrying, and said my name.
So call me Nancy Drew, because I just detected that I've been detected.
[[maxinedialogue]]


:: endwithgreens
How?
Quickly, that's how. So quickly, we never saw it coming.
One day, we were taking in this polite young couple and their baby...
...and the next thing you knew, New Tenacity was just...
...<i>gone.</i>
[[taleoftenacity]]


:: happenedfolks
<<silently>><<set $parentsdeath = 1>><<endsilently>>
The... the Green creature, with all its eyes on me...
...hissing at me with all its mouths, moving toward me with what used to be legs...
...it grabbed my parents in all of its hands, and it just...
...it just <i>tore them in half.</i>
<<choice [[Oh. Oh, no.|stunned]]>> | <<choice [[I don&apos;t know what to say.|stunned2]]>>


:: stunned2
[[stunned]]


:: howwemet
<<silently>><<set $howwemet = 1>><<endsilently>>
Right. I... I saved up for months.
Half-starved myself, so I could keep as much money as possible.
And I bought that Fabula Dagger off this ancient woman...
...this hundred-year-old mage, who, when she sold it to me...
...promised it would reach through reality, tear a hole in the world...
...and connect me with the person I most needed to contact.
Which I assumed -- I <i>knew</i> -- had to be Rand.
Except... it turned out to be you.
<<choice [[Hey, I was surprised, too.|surprisedagger]]>> | <<choice [[You figure it was broken?|busteddagger]]>>


:: braver
Maybe. I don't know.
But it doesn't make a difference. Because something went wrong.
[[wrongportal]]


:: maxinedialogue
<max>Oh, my God. Little Arika. Just look at you.</max>
<<choice [[Yeah. Just look at you.|justlook]]>> | <<choice [[I guess you&apos;re unforgettable.|justlook2]]>>


:: justlook2
[[justlook]]


:: hikeorwarp
Okay. It's roughly twenty-five miles from here, hiking straight into the forest...
...until I reach New Tenacity. Which is, like, eight hours.
Otherwise I warp, and I guarantee I'll puke up the burger I just stole.
Guilt would make me do it, even if it weren't a side effect of the magic.
<<choice [[Walk. Burn off the burger.|walktotenacity]]>> | <<choice [[Warp. Fast and fair.^If you&apos;re going to feel bad about eating it, might as well be quick about shedding it.|warpafterfood]]>>


:: goodguess
Yeah, yeah.
I'm not gonna lie, Maxine. Things have been rough. <i>Really</i> rough.
<max>And I'm not gonna lie to you, girl. I figured you for dead.</max>
Yeah, well. Give me a couple hours and ask me again.
<max>You don't look like you've had a proper meal in a month of Sundays.</max>
<max>And I know people don't come here for a "proper meal"...</max>
<max>...but we'll do the best we can with you.</max>
<<choice [[Tell her that you&apos;re broke.^You need to be up-front with her about your finances.|tellherbroke]]>> | <<choice [[Keep quiet about your finances.|donttellbroke]]>>


:: tellherbroke
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
Yeah, um... I don't know why I came here today, Maxine.
I don't have a dime to my name. I can't afford to eat.
<max>Then you know <i>exactly</i> why you came here, Arika.</max>
<max>Because you know we'll take care of you.</max>
<max>You'll catch us next time you come through town. Right?</max>
Y-yeah. Of course I will.
Thanks, Maxine.
<<choice [[That&apos;s nice of her.|nicemaxine]]>> | <<choice [[You better tip well.|tipwell]]>>


:: tipwell
Shut. Up.
Don't be mean. I'm on the verge of happy tears right now.
I would tip her the world if I could.
But where would she keep it?
Okay. I'm just gonna sit and be nostalgic and eat my greasy burger.
I think I just want to be alone with my thoughts for a little while.
I'll let you know when I leave, okay?
[[delay 40m^Arika is eating|donewithburger]]


:: wontsteal
Okay. So we're agreed.
Neither of us will steal food for the next little while.
Because of karma and whatnot. Kismet. All those "K" words.
Kermit. That smug little Muppet wouldn't want us to steal.
[[hikeorwarp]]


:: warpafterfood
Guh. I guess you're right.
Let me bleed a little for my sins.
[[delay 3m^Arika is preparing|warpafterburger]]


:: arrivetenacitywalking
Hey. You still with me?
<<choice [[Still here.|stillwithyou]]>> | <<choice [[How was the walk?|howwaswalk]]>>


:: stillwithyou
Yeah. Didn't figure I was gonna get rid of you that easily.
Not that I was <i>trying</i> to get rid of you. I just mean--
See, this is why I shouldn't go eight hours without human contact.
Anyhow, I've arrived, pretty much.
I'm standing a couple hundred yards outside New Tenacity.
[[outsidetenacity]]


:: afterdrop
Yeah. Water wall is down. Things here are a great deal damper than they once were.
And, uh... here's a little bit of good news. When the wall dropped...
...Leila dropped with it! Dropped like a bag of flour!
A small bag of flour that someone dropped to the floor from a height of roughly eighteen inches!
...It doesn't sound that impressive when I say it out loud.
I... oh. Wow. Yeah, she's not breathing.
<<if $darkness gte 70>>I wanted to take her down, but I wasn't expecting... this.
<<elseif $darkness lte 69>>I mean, I wanted to get her attention...
...but this seems kinda severe.<<endif>>
What do I do?
<<choice [[Grab the ribbon and go.^Don't worry about whether she's okay. Get what you came for and get moving!|grabribbonnowwater]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe cast a healing spell?^Can you do something that heals her, like, <i>after</i> you&apos;ve already left?|healafterleavingwater]]>>


:: tryforribbon
I'll try. Just have to keep a steady hand...
...concentrate on maintaining the spell <i>and</i> achieving my goal...
...don't make even the... smallest... mistake...
Crap.
Well, you'll never guess what.
<<choice [[You made the smallest mistake.|watermistake]]>> | <<choice [[Surprise me.|watermistake2]]>>


:: watermistake2
[[watermistake]]


:: notbreathing
Yeah, <i>exactly</i> like she's not breathing.
But she doesn't seem distressed about it. She's just sorta... looking at me.
Like <i>I'm</i> the one on display.
And... wait. There <i>are</i> little bubbles. I could barely see them.
They're coming from her left fist.
<<choice [[That&apos;s... weird.|weirdbubbles]]>> | <<choice [[The arm with the ribbon?|ribbonbubbles]]>>



:: getoutwater
I... I've asked it to avoid me. To just envelop Leila.
I guess in a few seconds, we find out how good a mage I actually am.
If my last words are "glub glub," please put them on my tombstone.
That's how I want to be remembered.
[[waterworks]]


:: waterspell
This will take some doing.
I'm hoping that if I don't make a move toward Leila, she'll return the favor...
...and give me a couple minutes to work out the spell.
I've never tried this summoning on this scale before.
It's like asking a water fountain to become a tsunami.
A tsunami that doesn't get me wet. So... yeah.
Gonna take some doing.
[[delay 4m^Arika is spellcasting|watermagic]]


:: goforspell
<<if $dart is 1>>[[dartspell]]
<<elseif $dart is 0>>[[waterspell]]<<endif>>


:: nospiderspell
Okay, <i>think,</i> Arika... there's got to be something magical you can do.
(You <i>are</i> a mage, after all.)
<<if $dart is 1>>Oh. Oh, my gosh... the dart!
I think we just found it a nice, solid target.
<<elseif $dart is 0>>I feel like I'm running on empty, here... I just...
...wait. That's it. I can summon spring water from just about anywhere.
The ground around Floodland must be saturated.
I'm gonna bring a wave crashing down on Leila!<<endif>>
<<choice [[Yes! Go for it!|goforspell]]>> | <<choice [[This could get ugly.|couldgetugly]]>>


:: spiderspell
Wait a second... my spider buddies from the great room downstairs!
They managed to cover an entire wall down there...
...I'm willing to bet they could do the same here...
...and then I wouldn't have to worry about the nuns' eyes anymore!
Let me get out of Leila's way for a second, and carve up some runes...
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|spidersarrive]]


:: alertnursery
Believe me, I'm on high alert for anything that looks even slightly out of place.
Like, oh, I don't know, <i>everything.</i>
[[describerear]]


:: attackfrombehind
Okay, <<$playername>>. You're right.
<<if $darkness lte 59>>It feels a little like cheating, to attack her from behind like this...
...but I guess this is one of those cases where you've gotta cheat to win.
<<elseif $darkness gte 60>>Some tiny part of me feels like it's cheating, to attack her from behind like this...
...but I'm comfortable telling that tiny part of me to shut the hell up.<<endif>>
<<if $gumball is 1>>[[gumballsneak]]
<<elseif $gumball is 0>>[[nogumsneak]]<<endif>>


:: gumballsneak
<<if $letteropener is 1>>I've got a couple weapons on hand, here.
There's a letter opener sharp enough to do some actual damage...
...and a ball of chewed gum dense enough to make a crater.
<<elseif $letteropener is 0>>What I've got as far as a weapon...
...is a ball of chewed gum dense enough to make a crater.<<endif>>
<<if $leavesoff is 1>>But here's the thing -- and this might actually be kind of genius --
if I take a gamble that Leila had at least one piece of gum confiscated...
...and added somewhere within this massive hunk of nastiness...
...then I <i>might</i> be able to pull off a pretty great spell.
<<elseif $leavesoff is 0>>If my aim is true, I should be able to crack her in the back of the head with this gum.<<endif>>
<<if $letteropener is 1>>Otherwise, I might be better off simply jabbing her with the letter opener.
<<elseif $letteropener is 0>>Otherwise, I might be better off simply going in with fists swinging.<<endif>>
What do you think?
<<choice [[Try hitting her with the gum.|magicgumattack]]>> | <<choice [[Gum is silly. Keep it simple.^Just stick to something you can be certain will work.|lesstalkmoreattack]]>>


:: leilabackattack
The stairs go up to a rear access hall... huh. This must run directly behind the nursery.
I never knew this was here! I mean, I guess I never would have had any <i>reason</i> to know...
...but it'd be a direct route from the admin offices to the bunks.
<i>No wonder</i> it seemed like the Sisters could always show up so quickly...
...whenever there was a fight between kids, or a whiff of mutiny in the study rooms...
...or, worst of all, the cardinal sin of me trying to read after "lights out."
<<choice [[You and your fancy book-learnin&apos;.|booklearnin]]>> | <<choice [[So can you use this hall?^It sounds like, if you play your cards right, you can get behind Leila.|rearhall]]>>


:: rearhall
This access hall is carpeted...
...and because it wasn't heavily trafficked -- or at least that's my guess --
the carpet, and the padding underneath it, are both pretty solid.
Meaning they're muffling my footsteps really nicely...
...'cause I'm at the back door to the nursery, and I haven't made a <i>sound</i> so far.
There's light coming from under the nursery door.
Now that I'm close to it, though... I don't think it's <i>electric</i> light.
<<choice [[Meaning what... candles?|candlelightnursery]]>> | <<choice [[Or something else entirely?^Are you trying to say that it&apos;s not normal light at all?|otherlightnursery]]>>


:: otherlightnursery
Right. It's something magical.
But, like seemingly <i>everything</i> magical that she manages to do...
...it's not a specific spell that I'm aware of.
Not some by-the-numbers luminance ritual that any ol' mage could learn.
Instead, it's like she just... <i>wanted</i> it to be light...
...and the world kind of bent itself around to light up for her.
And that whole notion scares the dark and light <i>crap</i> out of me.
<<choice [[Can you get the door open?^Are you able to get the nursery door open without her noticing you?|rearnurserydoor]]>> | <<choice [[Just stay very quiet.|quietnurserydoor]]>>


:: rearnurserydoor
Yeah, I've got the door open a few inches... almost wide enough for me to slip through.
I'm having to move it really slowly, to fight the rust in the hinges...
<<if $leavesoff is 0>>...and, of course, to keep all these dead leaves from making too much noise.
<<elseif $leavesoff is 1>>...and it's requiring a maddening amount of patience, which I kinda don't have right now.<<endif>>
But the good news, if there is any such thing here, is that she hasn't noticed me yet.
<<choice [[What&apos;s she doing?|describerear]]>> | <<choice [[Stay on alert.|alertnursery]]>>


:: hitwithgum
She just dropped! Dropped like a bag of flour!
A small bag of flour that someone dropped to the floor from a height of roughly eighteen inches!
...It doesn't sound that impressive when I say it out loud.
<<if $leavesoff is 0>>And the second she fell, so did all the dead leaves that were binding me!
They must've needed her concentration to keep them together.
So thank God <i>that's</i> finally over with!<<endif>>
Wow. Oh, man. She's... she's out <i>cold.</i>
She's still breathing. So I didn't kill her.
<<if $darkness gte 70>>More's the pity.
<<elseif $darkness lte 69>>Which I <i>guess</i> is a good thing.<<endif>>
Oh, man. This is great. Almost <i>too</i> easy.
I just untie the ribbon while she's passed out...
...and by the time she wakes up, I'm miles away from Floodland.
And I never have to think about her again for the rest of my life.
<<choice [[Sounds like a solid plan!|solidplan]]>> | <<choice [[Just be careful around her.|carefularoundleila]]>>


:: solidplan
Okay. Let's just get this ribbon untied, and we'll...
Huh.
Weird.
<<choice [[What&apos;s weird?^I know the shorter answer might be "what <i>isn't</i> weird," but what specifically now?|weirdnowgum]]>> | <<choice [[Is everything all right?|weirdnowgum2]]>>


:: weirdnowgum2
[[weirdnowgum]]


:: weirdnowgum
She... I mean, I ran up behind her. So I didn't get a good look at her face at first.
But she's not looking good.
Not in a "got cracked in the head just now" way...
...but in a "I don't think she's looked good for a <i>long time</i>" way.
Her eyes are kinda sunken, her cheeks are gaunt and hollow, her hair is thinning...
...and her skin is... it's <i>cold</i> to the touch.
I mean, I'm sure no one's paid the heating bills at Floodland in quite a while...
...but this is a bone-deep kind of cold. Blanched and cadaverous.
<<choice [[Just get the ribbon, already!|ribbonalready]]>> | <<choice [[Is she, like... undead?|undeadleila]]>>


:: waitressseen
She just looked straight at me, and dropped the plate she was carrying.
So I'm gonna guess, "yes," in answer to your question.
[[maxinedialogue]]


:: howwemetintro
Once I made the decision to come back here, of course...
...I decided to try to reach out to my brother to let him know I was on my way.
<<choice [[Oh, yeah. The Fabula Dagger.|howwemet]]>> | <<choice [[Which is how we met.^Of course. You were trying to get hold of him, when you summoned me instead.|howwemet2]]>>


:: howwemet2
[[howwemet]]


:: stunned
I didn't know what to do. I just stood there. The whole world caving in on me.
All I had was my Swiss Army knife.
My parents had given it to me the previous Christmas.
Told me to always keep it on me. That I was old enough, responsible enough...
...to decide when and how to use magic on my own.
And with those words ringing in my ears, I just started cutting runes.
I couldn't tell how much of the blood was mine.
I tossed out an obfuscation spell, just like my mother used to do.
And as the houses and trees and bodies came crashing down on top of me...
...I warped.
I didn't know where, and I didn't care. I just reached out for anywhere...
...and left my home behind.
Until today.
<<if $howwemet is 1>>[[headedin]]
<<elseif $howwemet is 0>>[[howwemetintro]]<<endif>>


:: busteddagger
Yeah, at first, I sure did. I was certain that old witch had screwed me over.
What the hell was I doing, chatting with some stranger through their tech...
...when I was <i>clearly</i> supposed to be reconnected with my lost brother?
But the more I've gotten to know you, <<$playername>>...
...the more time we've spent together, these past few days...
...the more I think, maybe that old woman knew what she was doing, after all.
Maybe you <i>were</i> the person I most needed to contact.
So...
...thanks.
<<choice [[Glad I could help.|gladtohelp]]>> | <<choice [[We&apos;re not done yet.|notdoneyet]]>>


:: surprisedagger
Yeah, I don't doubt it. Having me show up on your tech...
...it must've been like answering the door to a crazy, runaway teen...
...who just barges in and takes over your life.
Which sounds like the pitch for an adorable '90s sitcom starring Linda Cardellini...
...and yet also sounds like <i>exactly</i> what the Greens did to my family.
So, um, sorry if it ever felt that way to you. But, honestly, <<$playername>>...
...the more I've gotten to know you, the more time we've spent together...
...the more I think, maybe that old woman knew what she was doing, after all.
Maybe you <i>were</i> the person I most needed to contact.
So...
...thanks.
<<choice [[Glad I could help.|gladtohelp]]>> | <<choice [[We&apos;re not done yet.|notdoneyet]]>>


:: donttellbroke
<<silently>><<darken 10>><<endsilently>>
Oh. This feels awful.
She just ran off to get me a burger and fries...
...and I'm gonna walk the check when I'm done.
<<if $darkness lte 60>>I don't even have an appetite. I don't want to be the person who would do this.
<<elseif $darkness gte 61>>Is this the kind of person I've let myself become?<<endif>>
<<choice [[A girl's gotta eat.|gottaeat]]>> | <<choice [[Leave before the food comes.^If you take off before the food arrives, it'll ease your conscience.|dashnodine]]>>


:: dashnodine
Maybe you're right. If I just take off now, no harm, no foul.
<max>Girl, where are you headed? It takes a second for that burger to cook.</max>
<max>Those greasy brown patties don't just happen by <i>magic,</i> you know.</max>
I, uh... I just realized... I left my wallet in my other pants.
I was just gonna duck out and... go get it?
<max>Who are you tryin' to fool? You don't have any other pants.</max>
<max>And they sure as hell don't have a wallet in 'em.</max>
<max>Sit down and eat what I bring you. It's on the house.</max>
<max>You'll catch us next time you come through town. Right?</max>
Y-yeah. Of course I will.
Thanks, Maxine.
<<choice [[That&apos;s nice of her.|nicemaxine]]>> | <<choice [[You better tip well.|tipwell]]>>


:: repaylater
Are you kidding? I can <i>never</i> come back here.
This was the last place in the world that someone was happy to see my face...
...and I just wasted all of that, for a cheeseburger.
A cheeseburger I didn't even enjoy, and I won't even be able to keep down.
Never steal, <<$playername>>.
It's like punching yourself in your own gut.
<<choice [[Fair enough.|wontsteal]]>> | <<choice [[Be glad for the burger.|gladforburger]]>>


:: gladforburger
Un. Freakin'. Likely.
[[hikeorwarp]]


:: walktotenacity
Yeah, all right. I'll burn off the burger.
And about ten thousand other calories, besides.
This Bataan Death March can be my penance. Maybe I'll collapse before I get there.
Serve me right.
I'm gonna trudge along to the soundtrack of my own self-doubt for a while.
This is gonna take most of the day, so...
I'll let you know once I'm done beating myself up.
[[delay 8h^Arika is walking|arrivetenacitywalking]]


:: howwaswalk
It was... weirdly enough, it was kind of nice.
I listened to music for a little while.
You know: Taylor Swift, Einstürzende Neubauten, Leonard Cohen.
My "morning workout" playlist.
And then I just walked alone, with my thoughts. Some good, some bad.
And then, before I knew it... I was here.
A couple hundred yards outside New Tenacity.
[[outsidetenacity]]


:: watermistake
It's kind of a good news/bad news thing.
Bad news is, the water wall dropped. I couldn't maintain it.
Good news is... Leila dropped with it! Dropped like a bag of flour!
A small bag of flour that someone dropped to the floor from a height of roughly eighteen inches!
...It doesn't sound that impressive when I say it out loud.
I... oh. Wow. Yeah, she's not breathing.
<<if $darkness gte 70>>I wanted to take her down, but I wasn't expecting... this.
<<elseif $darkness lte 69>>I mean, I wanted to get her attention...
...but this seems kinda severe.<<endif>>
What do I do?
<<choice [[Grab the ribbon and go.^Don't worry about whether she's okay. Get what you came for and get moving!|grabribbonnowwater]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe cast a healing spell?^Can you do something that heals her, like, <i>after</i> you&apos;ve already left?|healafterleavingwater]]>>


:: ribbonbubbles
Yeah, that's the one. No idea what to make of that.
Also, I don't know how long this spell is going to hold...
...so I need to figure out what to do, and fast.
<<choice [[Can you get to the ribbon?|waterribbon]]>> | <<choice [[Grab the ribbon and go.|waterribbon2]]>>


:: weirdbubbles
You're telling me. No idea what to make of this.
Also, I don't know how long this spell is going to hold...
...so I need to figure out what to do, and fast.
<<choice [[Can you get to the ribbon?|waterribbon]]>> | <<choice [[Grab the ribbon and go.|waterribbon2]]>>


:: waterribbon2
[[waterribbon]]


:: dartspell
Okay. Let's give this dart a little whisper, just to let it know...
...that its target is right in the center of that blindfold.
Right between Leila's eyes.
A little magical lobotomy to take her down a notch or two.
[[delay 1m^Arika is spellcasting|dartthrown]]


:: couldgetugly
Yeah. It sure could.
For <i>her.</i>
[[goforspell]]


:: spellsleila
<<if $spideracquire is 1>>[[spiderspell]]
<<elseif $spideracquire is 0>>[[nospiderspell]]<<endif>>


:: counteractart
<<if $leavesoff is 0>>[[nospellsleila]]
<<elseif $leavesoff is 1>>[[spellsleila]]<<endif>>


:: forgeteyes
Feint left, move right, swing a fist, and <i>okay the eyes are definitely moving.</i>
Got totally thrown off balance, looking at them and not where I was going.
And there's... there's something else really weird going on with Leila.
She's blindfolded. With a piece of another painting.
<<if $studyrooms is 1>>It's... it's the mouth of Andrew William Harvey Taylor.
<<elseif $studyrooms is 0>>I would swear... and I know this sounds insane...
...but I think it's the mouth of Andrew William Harvey Taylor.
The founder of Floodland.<<endif>>
From his huge portrait in the study room. Ripped out of the canvas.
And it's... it's <i>talking</i> to Leila.
The eyes are watching what I'm doing... and the mouth is telling her how to react.
Her art project is going to help her kick my ass.
<<choice [[Can you counteract it?|counteractart]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe remove the eyes.|removeeyes]]>>


:: eyesdoing
Uh... I don't know.
It's subtle. It's probably just a trick of the light.
But it sort of seems like... they're following me.
That can't be true, though. They're just paintings.
Enough. Okay. I'm comin' at her.
[[forgeteyes]]


:: enternursery
It's the only room with a light on... but I'm not even sure where the light is <i>coming</i> from.
All of the furniture is pushed up against the walls...
...actually, it looks like it was <i>slammed</i> up against the walls.
Crib slats are splintered. Mobiles are broken. Mirrors cracked. Changing table split in two.
All so she could clear out space in the center of the room...
...where she's just <i>floating.</i>
<<choice [[Does she have the ribbon?|ribbonfront]]>> | <<choice [[Try just talking to her.|talktoleila]]>>


:: booklearnin
Look, I was too deep into the world of the Baby-Sitters Club to back out, at that point.
I had to find out what happened after Mary Anne threw out that chain letter!
Anyway. Not the point. We were talking about ambushing Leila, which seems possible.
[[rearhall]]


:: candlelightnursery
No, I don't think it's candles.
It doesn't have that sort of "flickering" quality that candlelight has.
But it's a cinch that Leila hasn't paid her public utilities bills anytime recently...
...so I'm not sure <i>what</i> she's doing for mood lighting in there.
<<choice [[Can you open the door?^Can you get the nursery door open without her noticing you?|rearnurserydoor]]>> | <<choice [[Be very quiet.|quietnurserydoor]]>>


:: quietnurserydoor
Yeah. You don't have to remind me. I'm being quiet.
<<if $leavesoff is 0>>This enormous cloak of dead leaves isn't exactly helping matters, though.
<<elseif $leavesoff is 1>>I'm just glad I finally got all those rustling leaves off me.<<endif>>
So far, so good... I've got the door open almost wide enough for me to slip through...
...and she hasn't noticed me at all, yet.
<<choice [[What&apos;s she doing?|describerear]]>> | <<choice [[Stay on alert.|alertnursery]]>>


:: describerear
She's got all the furniture pushed up against the walls...
...no, wait, that's wrong. That makes it sound like it was orderly.
Everything is <i>slammed</i> up against the walls, in a big mess.
Crib slats are splintered. Mobiles are broken. Mirrors cracked. Changing table split in two.
She's cleared out a space in the center of the room...
...and she's just <i>floating</i> there.
<<choice [[You have the advantage...^Right now, she doesn't know you're there... so attack her, already!|attackfrombehind]]>> | <<choice [[Does she have the ribbon?|ribbonrear]]>>


:: ribbonrear
Yeah, she's still got it. I can see it wrapped around her left arm, just like always.
She's making little weird gestures with her left hand, too.
Like... like she's conducting some kind of invisible orchestra, almost.
Or dancing around a little marionette that only she can see.
God, this chick is freaky.
Takes one to know one, and I <i>definitely</i> know one.
<<choice [[Great. Ambush her from behind.|attackfrombehind]]>> | <<choice [[Let&apos;s get the ribbon and go!^Enough hemming and hawing. Take her down, grab her ribbon, and get out of there!|hemandhaw]]>>


:: hemandhaw
"Hemming and hawing"? I'm not "hemming and hawing."
I'm trying to figure out how to take down a monster made out of pure externalized id...
...wrapped in unfocused magical abilities, swirled with arcane accidents...
...and stuffed into a <i>My Little Pony</i> sweatshirt.
So just <i>give me a second,</i> okay?
<<if $gumball is 1>>[[gumballsneak]]
<<elseif $gumball is 0>>[[nogumsneak]]<<endif>>


:: magicgumattack
All right. Here goes nothing.
<<if $leavesoff is 0>>It's the windup (difficult to do with all these damn leaves all over me)...
...and the pitch...
...and -- ha ha <i>HA!</i> -- I nailed her![[hitwithgum]]
<<elseif $leavesoff is 1>>Just have to whisper to this disgusting wad of gum...
...find the pieces that used to belong to Leila...
...and then magically coax them into returning to her mouth...
...at <i>very</i> high speeds...
...and bringing all the rest of the gum brick along with them.
[[delay 1m^Arika is spellcasting|hitwithgummagic]]<<endif>>


:: carefularoundleila
I promise you, I'm being <i>incredibly</i> careful around her.
At any moment, I'm expecting something super-creepy to happen.
Like, the ribbon becomes a snake, and then the snake becomes a bat...
...and then the bat starts flying around the room, and gets tangled in my hair...
...and then I have to shave my head bald to get rid of it.
Which, like I said: super-creepy.
[[solidplan]]


:: folksintro
Right. I... I should finish telling that.
Every story needs an ending.
[[happenedfolks]]


:: waitasecond
<<choice [[Wait, though, your parents...^You've got to finish the story of what happened to your parents.|folksintro]]>> | <<choice [[What's the rest of the story?|folksintro2]]>>


:: folksintro2
[[folksintro]]


:: notdoneyet
I'm walking back into those woods... back to where it all fell apart...
...and I'm going to set the Green and everything it brought with it on fire.
<<if $lantern is 0>>It would've been a whole lot easier with that lantern...
...but I'll exhaust every trick I know. And I won't give up.
<<elseif $lantern is 1>>That's what the lantern is for. To start a fire that doesn't stop.
Not until every stinking <i>atom</i> of the Greens' corruption has turned to ashes.<<endif>>
<<if $parentsdeath is 1>>[[headedin]]
<<elseif $parentsdeath is 0>>[[waitasecond]]<<endif>>


:: gladtohelp
Yeah, well, if you're up for it... you still can.
[[notdoneyet]]


:: gottaeat
Yeah, I guess so.
Listen, since I'm about to be the villain of Battle Ground Beef...
...I think I just want to be alone with my thoughts for a while.
My very dark, very punishing thoughts.
I'll get back to you when I'm done with my ill-gotten burger.
[[delay 40m^Arika is eating|dineanddash]]


:: dineanddash
Ugh. I did it.
I waited until she was back in the kitchen, and then I just... ran for it.
Everything I've done, to claw my way back to New Tenacity...
...and I feel worse about this than anything else.
Maybe in the next life... I'll be a better person.
I sure hope so, because in this one, I don't feel like I could get much worse.
<<choice [[You did what you had to.|didwhatyouhadto]]>> | <<choice [[You&apos;ll pay them back later.^You can always come back through town later and repay them. With interest, even.|repaylater]]>>


:: didwhatyouhadto
Yeah... only, I think that's just an excuse people use to act horrible.
I could have done a lot of things that weren't stealing food from good people.
But I didn't do any of those things.
And now I've got a lump of meat sitting like molten iron in my gut.
This is... this is just the worst.
Never steal, <<$playername>>.
It's like punching yourself in your own gut.
<<choice [[Fair enough.|wontsteal]]>> | <<choice [[Be glad for the burger.|gladforburger]]>>


:: destroygreens
You don't have to tell me twice.
I came here to chew bubblegum and destroy Greens...
<<if $gumball is 1>>...and I'm all out of bubblegum.
(In that I left my huge wad of it back at Floodland.)
<<elseif $gumball is 0>>...and I'm all out of bubblegum.<<endif>>
<<if $lantern is 1>>[[lanternpath]]
<<elseif $lantern is 0>>[[nolanternpath]]<<endif>>


:: makeyourstand
Enough, Greens.
Enough of your threats. Enough of your taunts.
Enough of me holding back, when what I really came here to do...
...<i>is kick your ass.</i>
You might want to stand back, <<$playername>>...
...because even across our connection... I think you're going to feel some heat.
<<choice [[Got my marshmallows ready.|marshmallows]]>> | <<choice [[Do it. Destroy them.|destroygreens]]>>


:: comeandtakeme
<grn>Do you really think you have any authority over us?</grn>
<grn>Any say at all in the hour of your own demise?</grn>
<grn>You don't tell us when we can "come and take you," child.</grn>
<grn>You are ours the moment we decide it's so.</grn>
<grn>And we will prolong the taking for slow, painful, agonizing ages.</grn>
<grn>We will delight in adding you to our collection.</grn>
<grn>You will be a crown jewel... an <i>emerald,</i> like all the others.</grn>
<<choice [[Maybe you should run.|mayberun]]>> | <<choice [[Make your stand.|makeyourstand]]>>


:: removeeyes
I can try. There are dozens, maybe a hundred of 'em.
But I can make the attempt. Just have to--
AGGGHH!
Ah! Ah! Ah! Leila did <i>not</i> like that!
Her blindfold must've told her what I was up to, and I got a punch to the kidney.
Ahhhhhh, man, gonna have to figure out another way.
<<choice [[A spell, maybe?|counteractart]]>> | <<choice [[Grab the blindfold.|grabblindfold]]>>


:: attackfront
I... oh. This is wild.
<<if $girlsbunks is 1>>All the nuns' eyes, from all the portraits on the girls' hall?
They're all here. In the nursery. Tacked to the wall.
<<elseif $girlsbunks is 0>>There are all these tiny eyes tacked to the wall.
<i>Paintings</i> of eyes, I mean. I think...
...I think these were all ripped out of the portraits of the nuns...
...the ones that line the hall to the girls' bunks.
Creepy.<<endif>>
Maybe... maybe Leila needs that sense of being watched over. Being protected.
Or maybe she just really, really wanted to creep me out.
It's working.
<<choice [[Forget the eyes. Attack her!|forgeteyes]]>> | <<choice [[Are the eyes doing anything?|eyesdoing]]>>


:: ribbonfront
Yeah, she's still got it. I can see it wrapped around her left arm, just like always.
She's making little weird gestures with her left hand, too.
Like... like she's conducting some kind of invisible orchestra, almost.
Or dancing around a little marionette that only she can see.
God, this chick is freaky.
Takes one to know one, and I <i>definitely</i> know one.
<<choice [[Okay, so... attack her?|attackfront]]>> | <<choice [[Let&apos;s get the ribbon and go!^Enough hemming and hawing. Take her down, grab her ribbon, and get out of there!|hemandhawfront]]>>


:: talktoleila
Uh... you really think that'll work?
She's floating about a foot off the ground, she looks about ninety percent dead...
...she's wearing some sort of blindfold that looks like, what, a giant mouth?
Hey, uh, Leila? Sweetheart?
It's me, Arika. Maybe you remember me, from back in the day?
We had some good times, yeah?
Sure. Nothing but good times at ol' Floodland.
Anyway, I was hoping I might be able to borrow your ribbon for a little while?
Just gotta run a quick errand with it. Life-or-death, apocalypse, that kinda thing.
Think that'd be okay?
<<choice [[Any response?|anyresponse]]>> | <<choice [[She&apos;s still wearing the ribbon?|ribbonfront]]>>


:: grabribbonnowwater
<<silently>><<darken 15>><<endsilently>>
Yeah, all right. The whole point of the water attack was to, you know, <i>attack.</i>
<<if $fingerspillow is 0>>
Not to apologize and offer her a pillow while I'm laying her out.
<<elseif $fingerspillow is 1>>Not to apologize and offer her a pillow while I'm laying her out...
...although we <i>did</i> find that amazing Rollie Fingers pillow at Kildecatt's.
Damn. Having her wake up on <i>that</i> would almost be worth it.<<endif>>
So yeah. I'm just gonna untie the ribbon, take it off her arm, and leave her here.
If she decides not to breathe anymore...
...well, that's just not gonna be my problem.
<<choice [[That's pretty harsh.|prettyharshwater]]>> | <<choice [[I think it's the right call.|rightcallleilawater]]>>


:: healafterleavingwater
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
Yeah. I can whip something up, I think.
It might not totally fix any internal damage, but, maybe --
in the immortal words of Mötley Crüe, whom I quote way more than I should --
it'll kickstart her heart.
Because, well, I didn't <i>necessarily</i> set out to kill her.
I feel kinda bad about it.
<<choice [[Get the ribbon, <i>then</i> heal her.^Remember your priorities. You can worry about fixing her after you grab the ribbon.|takeoffthatribbonwater]]>> | <<choice [[Go ahead and heal her now.|healrightnowwater]]>>


:: dartthrown
Yes!
The blindfold couldn't talk its way out of this one!
She just dropped! Dropped like a bag of flour!
A small bag of flour that someone dropped to the floor from a height of roughly eighteen inches!
...It doesn't sound that impressive when I say it out loud.
I... oh. Wow. She's bleeding a lot. Like, <i>a lot</i> a lot.
You wouldn't think one little dart would make such a mess.
<<if $darkness gte 70>>I wanted to take her down, but I wasn't expecting... this.
<<elseif $darkness lte 69>>I mean, I wanted to get her attention...
...but this is getting <i>way</i> out of hand.<<endif>>
What do I do?
<<choice [[Grab the ribbon and go.^Don't worry about how much she's bleeding. Get what you came for and get moving!|grabribbonnowfront]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe cast a healing spell?^Can you do something that heals her, like, <i>after</i> you&apos;ve already left?|healafterleavingfront]]>>


:: nospellsleila
I can't work any magic with this stupid leaf binding!
I should've figured out some way -- <i>any</i> way -- to get rid of this thing.
Now I'm facing off against a geyser of pure, unfocused dark magic...
...and my only defense is to basically ask real nice for her to stop.
She's... holy crap, what is she even doing?
<<choice [[What&apos;s happening?|whatsleiladoing]]>> | <<choice [[Do you need to leave?|getoutleila]]>>


:: rightcallleila
Thanks. I mean, I figure, do unto others as they'd do unto you, right?
And I'm reasonably certain she would do some pretty crappy things unto me.
[[takeoffthatribbon]]


:: grabribbonnow
<<silently>><<darken 15>><<endsilently>>
Yeah, all right. The whole point of a sneak attack is to, you know, <i>attack.</i> Sneakily.
<<if $fingerspillow is 0>>
Not to apologize and offer her a pillow while I'm laying her out.
<<elseif $fingerspillow is 1>>Not to apologize and offer her a pillow while I'm laying her out...
...although we <i>did</i> find that amazing Rollie Fingers pillow at Kildecatt's.
Damn. Having her wake up on <i>that</i> would almost be worth it.<<endif>>
So yeah. I'm just gonna untie the ribbon, take it off her arm, and leave her here.
If she bleeds out...
...well, that's just not gonna be my problem.
<<choice [[That's pretty harsh.|prettyharsh]]>> | <<choice [[I think it's the right call.|rightcallleila]]>>


:: healafterleaving
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
Yeah. I can whip something up, I think.
It might not totally fix any internal damage, but it'll heal the wound, stop the bleeding.
Because, uh, there's a <i>lot</i> more bleeding than I expected.
I feel kinda bad about it.
<<choice [[Get the ribbon, <i>then</i> heal her.^Remember your priorities. You can worry about fixing her after you grab the ribbon.|takeoffthatribbon]]>> | <<choice [[Go ahead and heal her now.|healrightnow]]>>


:: healrightnow
Aw, I don't know...
...if I get her back on her feet, she might just kick my ass.
You don't think maybe I should get what I came for...
...and then just toss a healing spell over my shoulder as I'm running out the door?
<<choice [[Fine, okay. Get the ribbon.|takeoffthatribbon]]>> | <<choice [[No. Fix her now.^If she's bleeding as much as you say, she might not last until you're leaving.|seriouslyhealher]]>>


:: hitwithgummagic
Oh, my God! That was amazing! I wish you could've seen it!
That big ball of chewed-up gum went sailing through the air, straight for her --
just like a sentinel sphere from those <i>Phantasm</i> movies --
and then started bashing her in the mouth, over and over!
It was like watching a pinball machine where the ball's stuck between two bumpers forever!
Knocked out a couple of her teeth, bruised her mouth up real bad, and then...
[[hitwithgum]]



:: firespellsitis
Nothing like running and cutting yourself in an attempt to make fire.
It's the new "patting your head and rubbing your stomach."
All right, I just have to... get the last of these runes carved...
<grn>What did you think, child? That you would subject us to your "magic," and we would tremble?</grn>
<grn>You don't even know what you really are.</grn>
<grn>You have <i>no idea</i> what fuels the powers you wield.</grn>
<grn>And still you wield them clumsily, like the child you are...</grn>
<grn>...which is why you'll be buried in a child's grave today.</grn>
<<choice [[Shut it out. Shut it out.|lightfirespell]]>> | <<choice [[Just get the spell started!|lightfirespell2]]>>


:: lightfirespell2
[[lightfirespell]]


:: firegoingokay
You mean, is my magic fireworks show...
...versus my parents' cold-blooded killers...
...turning out exactly the way I'd hoped?
Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and answer that with a big ol' <i>no</i> right at the moment.
[[getbentgreentwo]]


:: sparklittwo
Okay. It worked. It seems almost impossible, after all that... but it worked!
I can toss out the magical equivalent of Molotov cocktails, here...
...but -- dammit -- the Greens can smother them just as easily.
A tactic they seem to have figured out almost immediately.
Like they're using a freakin' Game Genie on this level!
<grn>Child, this... this is foolishness.</grn>
<grn>Stop what you're doing. Reason with us. Surely, you are not beyond sense.</grn>
<<choice [[Tell the Greens to get bent.|getbentgreentwo]]>> | <<choice [[Are things going okay?|firegoingokay]]>>
 


:: watchoutgreentwo
Whoa!
Thanks for the heads-up, <<$playername>>!
Vine just came shooting out of the trees --
if you hadn't warned me, it would've knocked the knife right out of my hand.
All right. Just gotta duck and dodge long enough to light a spark.
[[delay 1m^Arika is spellcasting|sparklittwo]]


:: lightfirespell
I'm trying! I just...
nnghh
...have to get the final runes carved for the spell!
<grn>Blood "magic?"</grn>
<grn>How positively primitive. Allow us to cut off this attempt at the pass.</grn>
<<choice [[Just ignore it.|ignoregreen]]>> | <<choice [[Watch out.^I think it&apos;s coming for you... somehow.|watchoutgreentwo]]>>


:: headedin
This is it, Greens. I'm coming for you.
And this day ends when you do, or I do...
...or we both fall together.
[[delay 3m^Arika is walking|towardtenacity]]


:: nolanternpath
Now, see, here's where it would be <i>really</i> helpful to have that lantern.
You know, the one from the curiosity shop?
The one that, once you light it, it never stops burning until you tell it to?
Because my plan, once I got back to New Tenacity and encountered the Greens...
...was basically "Point, Click, Incinerate."
And while I've got a few piddly little fire spells of my own...
...they don't hold a candle -- <i>this is no time for puns, Arika</i> -- to that lantern.
But, when in Rome... make like a Roman candle, I guess.
<<choice [[Fire spells it is, then.|firespellsitis]]>> | <<choice [[Seriously, the puns...|badfirepuns]]>>


:: marshmallows
Save a s'more for me.
<<if $lantern is 1>>[[lanternpath]]
<<elseif $lantern is 0>>[[nolanternpath]]<<endif>>


:: mayberun
<<if $darkness gte 66>>No offense, but screw that.
I'm not running from this fight. I've been running for ten years.
I'm here to win, or to die.
<<elseif $darkness gte 33>>I... maybe that would be the smart thing to do here.
But I've been running for a long time.
I think this is where I have to stop running.
Have to turn and face what's been chasing me.
<<else>>I get it. I get what you're suggesting, completely.
A sane person would run. And I try to be a sane person.
But there comes a point when I just... I can't run any longer.
I have to turn and face what's chasing me.
Even when it scares me to death.<<endif>>
[[makeyourstand]]


:: shutupandfight
I... I don't...
Dammit, you're right. I'm going down swinging.
<i>You want me, Greens? Come and take me!</i>
[[comeandtakeme]]


:: strongerthangreen
Are you insane? I'm not stronger than this!
Even on my best day, my most confident day --
and that day is so far in the rearview, I can't see it waving --
I was never strong enough to face something this all-encompassing.
<<choice [[You have to be.|shutupandfight]]>> | <<choice [[Shut up and fight it.|shutupandfight2]]>>


:: shutupandfight2
[[shutupandfight]]


:: whossaying
It's... it's that same horrible voice. I'd know it anywhere.
The voice of the three Greens, speaking as one.
It's coming from... from <i>everywhere.</i>
As if it's in every leaf, every rock, every branch. It's inescapable.
[[moregreen]]


:: prettyharshfront
Hey, if she makes it... she'll have that invisible thread.
She'll be able to find me, if she wants. Hunt me down.
I'd probably even deserve it.
But that means she'd have to leave Floodland... and I'd have to live through New Tenacity.
So there are a lot of "if"s that I just don't have time to ponder right now.
[[takeoffthatribbonfront]]


:: hemandhawfront
"Hemming and hawing"? I'm not "hemming and hawing."
I'm trying to figure out how to take down a monster made out of pure externalized id...
...wrapped in unfocused magical abilities, swirled with arcane accidents...
...and stuffed into a <i>My Little Pony</i> sweatshirt.
So just <i>give me a second,</i> okay?
<<choice [[Just attack, head on.|attackfront]]>> | <<choice [[Get her before she gets you.|getherfirst]]>>


:: anyresponse
Does dribbling blood from her mouth count as a response?
Because if so, then yes, she's responding all over herself.
<<choice [[Well. Gross.|grossresponse]]>> | <<choice [[But she has the ribbon?|ribbonfront]]>>


:: healrightnowwater
Aw, I don't know...
...if I get her back on her feet, she might just kick my ass.
You don't think maybe I should get what I came for...
...and then just toss a healing spell over my shoulder as I'm running out the door?
<<choice [[Fine, okay. Get the ribbon.|takeoffthatribbonwater]]>> | <<choice [[No. Fix her now.^If she's seriously not breathing, she might not last until you're leaving.|seriouslyhealherwater]]>>


:: grabribbonnowfront
<<silently>><<darken 15>><<endsilently>>
Yeah, all right. The whole point of the attack was to, you know, <i>attack.</i>
<<if $fingerspillow is 0>>
Not to apologize and offer her a pillow while I'm laying her out.
<<elseif $fingerspillow is 1>>Not to apologize and offer her a pillow while I'm laying her out...
...although we <i>did</i> find that amazing Rollie Fingers pillow at Kildecatt's.
Damn. Having her wake up on <i>that</i> would almost be worth it.<<endif>>
So yeah. I'm just gonna untie the ribbon, take it off her arm, and leave her here.
If she bleeds out...
...well, that's just not gonna be my problem.
<<choice [[That's pretty harsh.|prettyharshfront]]>> | <<choice [[I think it's the right call.|rightcallleilafront]]>>


:: healafterleavingfront
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
Yeah. I can whip something up, I think.
It might not totally fix any internal damage, but it'll heal the wound, stop the bleeding.
Because, uh, there's a <i>lot</i> more bleeding than I expected.
I feel kinda bad about it.
<<choice [[Get the ribbon, <i>then</i> heal her.^Remember your priorities. You can worry about fixing her after you grab the ribbon.|takeoffthatribbonfront]]>> | <<choice [[Go ahead and heal her now.|healrightnowfront]]>>


:: whatsleiladoing
Her... her left hand -- the one on the arm with the ribbon --
it looks different from the rest of her. More... <i>alive,</i> I guess.
She's holding it up, and... ugh! Her palm is splitting open!
Can something look like a stigmata and be completely unholy at the same time?
The... oh, God, it's not just a wound... it's a mouth.
A mouth in her hand.
<<choice [[You need to go. Now.|leavenow]]>> | <<choice [[Is the mouth... talking?|mouthtalking]]>>


:: getoutleila
Yes. Yes, I should probably leave.
I should probably forget about the stupid ribbon, and just escape with my life...
...and be grateful if I even get away with that much.
But I... I can't stop looking at what's happening.
[[whatsleiladoing]]


:: grabblindfold
Yeah, I thought of that. But every time I make a move for it...
...well, it tells her that I'm making a move for it, and she gets out of the way.
Quite a perimeter alarm she's got set up here. Frustrating as hell!
[[counteractart]]


:: prettyharshwater
Hey, if she makes it... she'll have that invisible thread.
She'll be able to find me, if she wants. Hunt me down.
I'd probably even deserve it.
But that means she'd have to leave Floodland... and I'd have to live through New Tenacity.
So there are a lot of "if"s that I just don't have time to ponder right now.
[[takeoffthatribbonwater]]


:: rightcallleilawater
Thanks. I mean, I figure, do unto others as they'd do unto you, right?
And I'm reasonably certain she would do some pretty crappy things unto me.
[[takeoffthatribbonwater]]


:: prettyharsh
Hey, if she makes it... she'll have that invisible thread.
She'll be able to find me, if she wants. Hunt me down.
I'd probably even deserve it.
But that means she'd have to leave Floodland... and I'd have to live through New Tenacity.
So there are a lot of "if"s that I just don't have time to ponder right now.
[[takeoffthatribbon]]


:: takeoffthatribbon
Okay. Let's just get this ribbon untied, and we'll...
Huh.
Weird.
<<choice [[What&apos;s weird?^I know the shorter answer might be "what <i>isn't</i> weird," but what specifically now?|weirdnow]]>> | <<choice [[Is everything all right?|weirdnow2]]>>


:: weirdnow2
[[weirdnow]]


:: seriouslyhealher
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
All right. You've got a point. I mean, I didn't set out to <i>kill</i> her.
Let me get the proper sigils carved, and run the spell.
The stupid part is, making her <i>better</i> means making myself <i>worse.</i>
Healing spells have a real one-for-one cost. I'll be weaker for giving her strength.
Sorta wishing I hadn't stabbed her, now. But there's no time for regrets.
It's like Wayne Gretzky said: "You miss one hundred percent of the stabs you don't take."
[[delay 4m^Arika is spellcasting|starttoheal]]


:: starttoheal
Sigils are carved. I'm bleeding, Leila's bleeding, we all bleed for ice cream.
Now I just have to hold her hand and say some Latin gibberish, and--
Whoa. This is <i>so</i> bizarre.
<<choice [[What now?|whatsbizarrenowheal]]>> | <<choice [[Tell me about it later.^If you stop to tell me every time something's weird, we'll be here all day. Move it!|movealongheal]]>>


:: movealongheal
Yeah, okay, right. Here goes the healing spell.
It's gonna... make me a little woozy for a minute.
I'm basically taking in... a measure of her affliction... and processing it myself.
Like how Michael Clarke Duncan puked up a cloud of gnats in <i>The Green Mile,</i> you know?
And that helped Tom Hanks learn how to pee the right way?
That's pretty much <i>exactly</i> what this is.
[[delay 3m^Arika is ill|getribbonafterill]]


:: getribbonafterill
Ugh. Well, <i>that</i> was fun.
Tom Hanks, wherever you are, I hope you're peeing just a little bit easier right now.
Leila, on the other hand, isn't looking so great. But I've done all I can do for her.
Now I gotta concentrate on getting that ribbon, and getting a move on.
I'm working on the knot right now. I don't think this thing has <i>ever</i> been untied.
I can't really get at it with just my fingernails. Lemme try it with my Swiss Army knife.
[[delay 2m^Arika is working|nogoodribbon]]


:: getbentgreentwo
You know, it'd be a lot easier to reject their vegetable magnetism...
...if I felt like I was having <i>any</i> effect at all against them.
This was... this was stupid, <<$playername>>.
I shouldn't have come here without the lantern.
I should never have come back here at--
Wait.
What the hell...?!
<<choice [[What is it?|whatportalopens]]>> | <<choice [[Are you all right?|whatportalopens2]]>>


:: whatportalopens2
[[whatportalopens]]


:: badfirepuns
I know! I know! I joke when I get nervous!
And oh, hey, when there's an entire forest worth of "wants to kill you" out there...
...that's a pretty fair time to get nervous, yeah?
[[firespellsitis]]


:: moregreen
Holy. Crap.
Every tree is cracking open to reveal a mouth full of splinters.
Every branch is swiping at me with gnarled fingers.
Roots caked in mud are bursting from the ground like burrowing, blind snakes…
…lashing out at me with every step I take, every leap and stumble.
The Greens became a creature, and then the creature became the forest…
…and now the forest is just one enormous monster.
And I stepped right into its belly.
<grn>It was kind of you to come back home to us, Arika Lanphear.</grn>
<grn>To die, like your parents. To disappear, like your brother.</grn>
<grn>You've made it so much simpler for us.</grn>
<<choice [[Don't listen.|dontlisten]]>> | <<choice [[You're stronger than they are.|strongerthangreen]]>>



:: whatportalopens
There's a portal opening up... just out of the blue, right next to me.
But... this isn't the exact spot that--
Rand? Is that <i>you?</i>
<cart>Um... no. Sorry to disappoint.</cart>
<cart>Lanphear? You there?</cart>
What in the...
Carter? Carter Miles, from the antique shop?
<cart>Yeah, that's me. You busy?</cart>
<<choice [[Go ahead, take his call.|talktocarter]]>> | <<choice [[Put him on hold.|putcarteronhold]]>>



:: dontlisten
You don't get it. It's <i>impossible</i> not to listen.
There's nothing else to hear!
The voice of the Greens is... it's in my <i>bones.</i>
I can feel it rattling my teeth. Feel it pulling on the stalks of my eyes.
This place <i>is</i> the Greens, now. They've consumed it.
And... they're ready to consume me.
<<choice [[Stay strong, Arika.^Remember that you're stronger than they are.|strongerthangreen]]>> | <<choice [[Don't let them win.|shutupandfight]]>>


:: wherecomingfrom
It's coming from... from <i>everywhere.</i>
As if it's in every leaf, every rock, every branch. It's inescapable.
And it's... it's that same horrible voice. I'd know it anywhere.
The voice of the three Greens, speaking as one.
[[moregreen]]


:: towardtenacity
<grn>Oh, my. What a lovely retelling of a timeless tale that was.</grn>
<grn>So sweet in its details. So soothing in its specifics.</grn>
<grn>Like a gentle lullaby, Arika Lanphear.</grn>
<grn>How kind of you to come all the way out to our home...</grn>
<grn>...just to try to sing us to sleep.</grn>
<<choice [[Who&apos;s saying all of that?|whossaying]]>> | <<choice [[Where is that coming from?|wherecomingfrom]]>>


:: lanternpath
This is why I brought the lantern. Just gotta get it lit once.
It does the rest of the work for me.
<grn>What did you think, child? That you would bring your trinkets here?</grn>
<grn>That you would subject us to your "magic," and we would tremble?</grn>
<grn>You don't even know what you really are.</grn>
<grn>You have <i>no idea</i> what fuels the powers you wield.</grn>
<grn>And still you wield them clumsily, like the child you are...</grn>
<grn>...which is why you'll be buried in a child's grave today.</grn>
<<choice [[Shut it out. Shut it out.|lightlantern]]>> | <<choice [[Just get the lantern lit!|lightlantern2]]>>


:: lightlantern2
[[lightlantern]]


:: rightcallleilafront
Thanks. I mean, I figure, do unto others as they'd do unto you, right?
And I'm reasonably certain she would do some pretty crappy things unto me.
[[takeoffthatribbonfront]]


:: healrightnowfront
Aw, I don't know...
...if I get her back on her feet, she might just kick my ass.
You don't think maybe I should get what I came for...
...and then just toss a healing spell over my shoulder as I'm running out the door?
<<choice [[Fine, okay. Get the ribbon.|takeoffthatribbonfront]]>> | <<choice [[No. Fix her now.^If she's bleeding as much as you say, she might not last until you're leaving.|seriouslyhealherfront]]>>


:: grossresponse
No arguments here. This is sixteen different flavors of creepy.
All right. I need to stop being icked out, and just lay the smack down.
Here goes noth--
[[attackfront]]


:: seriouslyhealherwater
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
All right. You've got a point. I mean, I didn't set out to <i>kill</i> her.
Let me get the proper sigils carved, and run the spell.
The stupid part is, making her <i>better</i> means making myself <i>worse.</i>
Healing spells have a real one-for-one cost. I'll be weaker for giving her strength.
Sorta wishing I hadn't drowned her, now. But there's no time for regrets.
[[delay 4m^Arika is spellcasting|starttoheal]]


:: takeoffthatribbonfront
Okay. Let's just get this ribbon untied, and we'll...
Huh.
Weird.
<<choice [[What&apos;s weird?^I know the shorter answer might be "what <i>isn't</i> weird," but what specifically now?|weirdnowfront]]>> | <<choice [[Is everything all right?|weirdnowfront2]]>>


:: weirdnowfront2
[[weirdnowfront]]


:: getherfirst
That's the thing. She's not really trying to "get" me.
She's just sorta floating there, watching me.
Or... <i>is</i> she watching?
I think... this is so weird. I think her eyes are covered.
Screw this. I'm going in.
[[attackfront]]


:: takeoffthatribbonwater
Okay. Let's just get this ribbon untied, and we'll...
Huh.
Weird.
<<choice [[What&apos;s weird?^I know the shorter answer might be "what <i>isn't</i> weird," but what specifically now?|weirdnowwater]]>> | <<choice [[Is everything all right?|weirdnowwater2]]>>


:: weirdnowwater2
[[weirdnowwater]]


:: leavenow
Right. You're right.
Without the ability to do magic... can't fight this.
Hand is just screaming.
Gotta run. Cover my ears and just run.
[[delay 4m^Arika is running|felldownstairs]]


:: mouthtalking
It's just... screaming.
It's the only thing I can hear. It's so loud.
Feels like the screaming... inside my own brain...
Like I want to... dig my brain out of my skull...
just to make the noise stop
Getting louder
Louder
My ears
Bleeding
There's blood
Blood on the dead leaves
Blood on everything
just wanted
stupid
ribbon
<<set $died = 1>>
[[goodbye]]


:: weirdnow
She... I mean, I ran up behind her. So I didn't get a good look at her face at first.
But she's not looking good.
Not in a "got stabbed by a letter opener a few seconds ago" way...
...but in a "I don't think she's looked good for a <i>long time</i>" way.
Her eyes are kinda sunken, her cheeks are gaunt and hollow, her hair is thinning...
...and her skin is... it's <i>cold</i> to the touch.
I mean, I'm sure no one's paid the heating bills at Floodland in quite a while...
...but this is a bone-deep kind of cold. Blanched and cadaverous.
<<choice [[Just get the ribbon, already!|ribbonalready]]>> | <<choice [[Is she, like... undead?|undeadleila]]>>


:: ribbonalready
Right. You're right, <<$playername>>. Enough screwing around.
Guhhhh, her skin feels like a fish's belly. I just... have to get... the knot undone...
Whoa. This is <i>so</i> bizarre.
<<choice [[What now?|whatsbizarrenow]]>> | <<choice [[Tell me about it later.^If you stop to tell me every time something's weird, we'll be here all day. Move it!|movealong]]>>


:: whatsbizarrenow
The skin on her left arm is all pale and cold and clammy...
...but her left hand... it's normal.
Like, warm to the touch, and soft, and -- like a hand is <i>supposed</i> to feel.
<<choice [[She wasn&apos;t like this, before?|notlikebefore]]>> | <<choice [[Seriously, just get moving.^Get the ribbon untied and get out of there, before she comes to.|ribbonandrun]]>>



:: notlikebefore
No. I mean, that was years ago, the last time I saw her --
and she was plenty creepy back then, don't get me wrong.
Like she was the understudy for Wednesday Addams.
But she had rosy cheeks, thick and curly hair, good circulation...
...her hands were the same color as one another.
Now... it's like someone put together a wax dummy...
...but didn't have all the parts, so they grabbed a left hand from somewhere else.
<<choice [[Fascinating. Now be quiet.^I&apos;m sure this is a great story, but please, just hurry and get the ribbon, okay?|movealong]]>> | <<choice [[Just get the ribbon.^Your weird story is full of weirdness... but we really just need to grab the ribbon.|ribbonandrun]]>>


:: whatsbizarrenowheal
The skin on her left arm is all pale and cold and clammy...
...but her left hand... it's normal.
Like, warm to the touch, and soft, and -- like a hand is <i>supposed</i> to feel.
<<choice [[She wasn&apos;t like this, before?|notlikebefore]]>> | <<choice [[Seriously, just get moving.^Do the healing spell, grab the ribbon, and get out of there, before she comes to.|movealongheal]]>>


:: talktocarter
I'm, uh, I'm hiding out in the woods from the...
...the <i>things</i> that killed my parents and destroyed my hometown, Mr. Miles.
How are you?
<cart>Oof. That doesn't sound like any way for a young lady to spend her days.</cart>
<cart>Must be why this Fabula Dagger nudged me to get hold of you now.</cart>
<cart>See, Ratliff and I... we've been chattin', ever since you left.</cart>
<cart>Plenty of time for chattin' while you're organizing <i>Magic: The Gathering</i> singles.</cart>
Sure. If you can get the supermodels to quiet down enough so you can hear yourselves think.
<cart>Right! Well, we kinda realized... we don't need this damn lantern.</cart>
<<choice [[Wait... what did he say?|whatdidcartersay]]>> | <<choice [[Oh, <i>now</i> he tells you.|nowcartertellsyou]]>>


:: putcarteronhold
Ha! Talk about your hell dimensions.
No, um, I've got a second here... I figure I should probably take this.
[[talktocarter]]


:: dontstopyet
I think... I think I'm okay for a minute.
The vines slowed down to just a crawl. They're sending out little tendrils...
...but as long as I stay on my toes, I can avoid those.
I just need a minute to get my bearings, to try and figure out...
...where exactly I am in New Tenacity.
There... that's the highest mound... I can still see a windmill blade sticking out...
...which means if I turn north from there, maybe a hundred and fifty feet...
...yes! There it is!
<<choice [[What do you see?|seewhat]]>> | <<choice [[Don&apos;t leave me hanging...|seewhat2]]>>


:: seewhat2
[[seewhat]]


:: outrunvines
Running seems to be my only real option.
Never thought I'd be in a life-or-death race against foliage.
This is like one of those time-lapse videos...
...where nature reclaims the earth in fast-motion.
Feel like Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" should be playing behind me.
It's... it's crazy. All these little hills and rises...
...they used to be my neighbors' homes. My friends' swing sets. My school.
Now they're... just in my way. Just...
No. <i>Wait.</i>
<<choice [[What is it?|barnthought]]>> | <<choice [[Don't stop until you're safe.|dontstopyet]]>>



:: ignoredit
I was so busy ignoring it, the freakin' <i>forest</i> just shot out a vine...
...and knocked the stupid knife out of my hand before I could get the rune finished!
Now I've gotta go scrambling to find it...
...and, oh yeah, there's more vines coming after me.
<i>Awesome.</i>
<<choice [[Can you stop them?|stopvines]]>> | <<choice [[Can you outrun them?|outrunvines]]>>


:: ignoregreen
Yeah, yes, I'm ignorin--
<i>Dammit!</i>
<<choice [[What happened?|ignoredit]]>> | <<choice [[Are you all right?|ignoredit2]]>>


:: ignoredit2
[[ignoredit]]


:: lightlantern
I'm trying! I just...
nnghh
...have to get the runes carved for the fire spell!
<grn>Blood "magic?"</grn>
<grn>How positively primitive. Allow us to cut off this attempt at the pass.</grn>
<<choice [[Just ignore it.|ignoregreen]]>> | <<choice [[Watch out.^I think it&apos;s coming for you... somehow.|watchoutgreen]]>>


:: seriouslyhealherfront
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
All right. You've got a point. I mean, I didn't set out to <i>kill</i> her.
Let me get the proper sigils carved, and run the spell.
The stupid part is, making her <i>better</i> means making myself <i>worse.</i>
Healing spells have a real one-for-one cost. I'll be weaker for giving her strength.
Sorta wishing I hadn't bullseyed her, now. But there's no time for regrets.
It's like Wayne Gretzky said:
"You miss one hundred percent of the dart throws you don't take."
[[delay 4m^Arika is spellcasting|starttoheal]]


:: weirdnowwater
She, uh... she is <i>not</i> looking good.
Not in a "just drowned in a giant magic aquarium" way...
...but in a "I don't think she's looked good for a <i>long time</i>" way.
Her eyes are kinda sunken, her cheeks are gaunt and hollow, her hair is thinning...
...and her skin is... it's <i>cold</i> to the touch.
I mean, I'm sure no one's paid the heating bills at Floodland in quite a while...
...but this is a bone-deep kind of cold. Blanched and cadaverous.
<<choice [[Just get the ribbon, already!|ribbonalready]]>> | <<choice [[Is she, like... undead?|undeadleila]]>>


:: weirdnowfront
She, uh... she is <i>not</i> looking good.
Not in a "got hit in the face with a dart a few seconds ago" way...
...but in a "I don't think she's looked good for a <i>long time</i>" way.
Her eyes are kinda sunken, her cheeks are gaunt and hollow, her hair is thinning...
...and her skin is... it's <i>cold</i> to the touch.
I mean, I'm sure no one's paid the heating bills at Floodland in quite a while...
...but this is a bone-deep kind of cold. Blanched and cadaverous.
<<choice [[Just get the ribbon, already!|ribbonalready]]>> | <<choice [[Is she, like... undead?|undeadleila]]>>


:: felldownstairs
Well. That sucked.
Turns out that when you're covering your ears...
...and wearing a flowing gown made of dead leaves...
...you don't exactly have the best balance when running down stairs.
So I managed to hobble my way outside of Floodland at last.
I can still hear that horrible screaming... but it's not so loud anymore.
I can't believe I came all this way... went through all of that...
...and I didn't get the ribbon.
I hate to have come all this way only to leave empty-handed...
...but it's better than not leaving at all.
Damn.
Maybe I can loop back to Floodland after I've learned more about that screaming hand...
...or gained more dark powers...
...or have nothing else to live for.
<<choice [[Don't talk like that.^You're strong. You just have to figure out the right way to be strong here.|strongflood]]>> | <<choice [[You'll get the ribbon one day.^Don't despair. If not today, then soon.|soonribbon]]>>


:: undeadleila
Let's not jump straight to the "zombie" conclusion.
I mean, don't you feel like zombies are kinda played-out?
Wouldn't it be better if this were something different?
Like if she were a were-tarantula? Or a half shark alligator half man?
Or maybe if sh--
Ugh. Okay. All joking aside. Her skin feels like a fish's belly.
I just... have to get... the knot in the ribbon undone...
Whoa. This is <i>so</i> bizarre.
<<choice [[What now?|whatsbizarrenow]]>> | <<choice [[Tell me about it later.^If you stop to tell me every time something's weird, we'll be here all day. Move it!|movealong]]>>


:: movealong
Fine, fine, fine. I'm working on the knot in the ribbon now.
I don't... think this thing has <i>ever</i> been untied.
I can't really get at it with just my fingernails. Lemme try it with my Swiss Army knife.
[[delay 2m^Arika is working|nogoodribbon]]


:: ribbonandrun
I'm trying, okay? The stupid (beautiful, important, <i>essential</i>) ribbon is stuck!
The knot in this thing would earn all sorts of merit badges.
I don't think it's <i>ever</i> been untied.
I can't really get at it with just my fingernails. Lemme try it with my Swiss Army knife.
[[delay 2m^Arika is working|nogoodribbon]]


:: litaftervanenolantern
Okay. It worked. It seems almost impossible, after all that... but it worked!
I can toss out the magical equivalent of Molotov cocktails, here...
...but -- dammit -- the Greens can smother them just as easily.
A tactic they seem to have figured out almost immediately.
Like they're using a freakin' Game Genie on this level!
<grn>Child, this... this is foolishness.</grn>
<grn>Stop what you're doing. Reason with us. Surely, you are not beyond sense.</grn>
<<choice [[Tell the Greens to get bent.|getbentgreentwo]]>> | <<choice [[Are things going okay?|firegoingokay]]>>
 


:: whatnowrand
Now... now I thread that sinister ribbon from the orphanage...
...through the filigree in the head of the monks' key...
...oh, my God, my hands are trembling so hard, I don't know if I can even do this.
<<choice [[You can.|youcanusehands]]>> | <<choice [[Steady. Stay steady.^This is everything you&apos;ve been working toward. Just take your time.|youcanusehands2]]>>


:: youcanusehands2
[[youcanusehands]]


:: soundsbeautiful
It is. Oh, <<$playername>>, it <i>is.</i>
I wish you could be here. I wish you could see this.
I want to hold onto it forever, but...
[[dontletgo]]


:: nowcartertellsyou
Quiet, you.
I think things are happening to me that are better than I deserve.
[[whatdidcartersay]]


:: whatdidcartersay
Hang on, Mr. Miles... what are you saying?
<cart>Damn thing's just taking up space here at the shop...</cart>
<cart>...and you seemed like you really had a plan for it.</cart>
I, uh, I did. I <i>do.</i>
<cart>Well, uh, that bein' the case -- and you bein' Jareth and Naomi's kid, and all --</cart>
<cart>how about you take it off my hands, huh?</cart>
<cart>Let's call all debts forgiven, all hard feelings forgotten, all right?</cart>
<cart>Life's too short for bad blood between good people.</cart>
<<choice [[Wait, what&apos;s he saying?|whatshesaying]]>> | <<choice [[Can he get it to you now?|getlanternnow]]>>


:: grabribbonfirst
Yeah! Of course I'm going for the ribbon. That's why I'm here.
I just... didn't expect this kind of crazysauce defense system in place!
Any -- <i>whoa!</i> -- anytime I get close to Leila's body...
...the hand leaps up and starts attacking me again!
<<choice [[How can you fight it?|fighthehhand]]>> | <<choice [[Can you stab it?|stabthehand]]>>


:: seewhat
The weathervane on Pete Pendelman's barn.
Still sticking up, through all the overgrowth.
Still with that ugly-as-sin rooster on top of it.
Still with the arrow pointing out the direction of the wind...
...the arrow that's rusty, and a little crooked...
...but sharp as hell. Sharp enough to cut some runes.
<<choice [[Sounds... unpleasant.^Well, I guess this is an option. But it sounds painful.|painfulvane]]>> | <<choice [[You&apos;ll get tetanus.^This plan sounds like a do-it-yourself lockjaw kit.|painfulvane2]]>>


:: painfulvane2
[[painfulvane]]


:: barnthought
I had a thought. A desperate, maybe stupid, maybe brilliant...
...<i>definitely</i> dangerous thought.
I just need a minute to get my bearings, to try and figure out...
...where exactly I am in New Tenacity.
The vines seem to have run out of steam for the time being...
...so maybe I'll actually have a moment's peace to sort this out.
There... that's the highest mound... I can still see a windmill blade sticking out...
...which means if I turn north from there, maybe a hundred and fifty feet...
...yes! There it is!
<<choice [[What do you see?|seewhat]]>> | <<choice [[Don&apos;t leave me hanging...|seewhat2]]>>


:: stopvines
What, like, with a spell?
Unless they just <i>happen</i> to lacerate me in the exact pattern of the runes I need...
...I think my magical options are pretty limited here.
Which means I can either try ripping them up with my bare hands --
more than they rip <i>me,</i> I mean --
or else just running away, as fast as I can.
<<choice [[Run like crazy.|outrunvines]]>> | <<choice [[Rip &apos;em to shreds.|ripvines]]>>


:: sparklit
Okay. It worked. It seems almost impossible, after all that... but it worked!
The lantern is lit... and it doesn't go out until I give the word.
I'm scalding every bit of overgrowth from this place.
If I can't have back the New Tenacity of my childhood...
...then I'll salt the earth so nothing -- especially nothing <i>Green</i> --
can ever take root here again.
<grn>Child, this... this is foolishness.</grn>
<grn>Stop what you're doing. Reason with us. We are not beyond sense.</grn>
<<choice [[Tell the Greens to get bent.|getbentgreen]]>> | <<choice [[Do you need to heal yourself?|healyourselfknife]]>>
 


:: watchoutgreen
Whoa!
Thanks for the heads-up, <<$playername>>!
Vine just came shooting out of the trees --
if you hadn't warned me, it would've knocked the knife right out of my hand.
All right. Just gotta duck and dodge long enough to light a spark.
[[delay 1m^Arika is spellcasting|sparklit]]


:: killhand
I'm not sure! This is definitely some beyond-dark magic at work.
Body parts taking on a life of their own... growing body parts of their own...
...I'm not sure I know the counterspells to even begin to destroy this thing.
I -- oh, boy.
It's stopped screaming.
It's trying to speak, which is an even <i>worse</i> sound.
<<choice [[What is it saying?|handsaying]]>> | <<choice [[You need to go. <i>Now.</i>|stoptrying]]>>


:: handsaying
Here, you can hear it through our connection:
<lh>You're thinking of killing me, child? You would be a fool to attempt it.</lh>
<lh>You and I have so much to offer one another.</lh>
<lh>I kept the Leila child alive for so long... well past her usefulness.</lh>
<lh>She was unfocused... indefinite... unteachable. Not like you.</lh>
<lh>You are a powerful vessel already. If we join our abilities together...</lh>
<lh>...there is nothing we cannot accomplish. No plane we cannot master.</lh>
<lh>The Leila child brought you here, to me. But I am finished with her.</lh>
<lh>Now I want you. Bind me to you with the ribbon, Arika Lanphear.</lh>
<lh>Let us become what we were always meant to be... <i>together.</i></lh>
<<choice [[That is pure crazy talk.|crazytalk]]>> | <<choice [[What&apos;s it mean, "together"?|togetherhand]]>>


:: togetherhand
I'm not sure I even want to know what "binding together" involves.
<lh>We are two. On our own, we will never be as powerful as we wish to be.</lh>
<lh>But if you cleave me to yourself, like the Leila child did...</lh>
<lh>...we will begin to become one. One mind, one body.</lh>
<lh>One unlimited wellspring of magical power.</lh>
<<choice [[But that killed Leila.|killedleila]]>> | <<choice [[Do not trust this thing.|donttrusthand]]>>


:: killedleila
Yeah... that doesn't seem to have worked out too well for ol' Leila, there.
<lh>She was weak. Raw power, with no discipline. A gun that could not be aimed.</lh>
<lh>With you, it will be different. We will be a mage without bounds.</lh>
<lh>The most complicated spells will require the merest thought.</lh>
<lh>The darkest rituals will be completed in an eye's blink.</lh>
<lh>You cannot tell me that this level of power doesn't tempt you?</lh>
<<choice [[Sure, power is great...|greatpower]]>> | <<choice [[The cost seems too high.|greatcost]]>>


:: greatpower
<lh>I know your secret heart, Arika Lanphear.</lh>
<lh>You wish to return to New Tenacity? To destroy the Greens?</lh>
<lh>I am that destruction, held in the palm of your hand.</lh>
<lh>You wish to pry open the Quintessence? To see your long-lost brother?</lh>
<lh>I <i>am</i> the Quintessence. I speak it through this mouth.</lh>
<lh>It opens and shuts on my command.</lh>
<lh>Bind to me and we will reach into it together. We will retrieve your kin.</lh>
<lh>We will do magic beyond your imagining!</lh>
<<choice [[Don&apos;t listen to it.^This thing is only saying what you want to hear.|handsweettalk]]>> | <<choice [[Could you really save Rand?|handsaverand]]>>


:: handsaverand
That's just it... I don't know.
I'm so confused right now.
This thing... somehow it knows me well enough to know exactly what I want.
Does it know me enough to know what I'll do to get it?
Just me, on my own, with whatever meager skills I have...
...there are still a million ways I could fail before I reach New Tenacity...
...and a million <i>more</i> ways I could fail once I'm there.
I know this is as dark as dark magic gets...
...and I know there's no coming back from this...
...but what if...
...what if this is how I win?
<<choice [[Think about what you're saying.^This isn't befriending a kid from the wrong side of the tracks... this is evil.|evilhand]]>> | <<choice [[Look at poor Leila.^Leila joined up with this... <i>thing</i>... and look at her now.|poorleila]]>>


:: nogoodribbon
It's no good! I can't untie it!
It's knotted in this insane, byzantine tangle down by her wrist, and I can't...
...Ow! Dammit! I just cut myself! <i>Again!</i>
(I think that pretty much <i>has</i> to be the title of my autobiography.)
Screw this. I'm just gonna flip out the little scissors attachment on my knife...
...and snip through this thing in my best Alexander the Great impersonation.
And a one, and a two, and a--
[[delay 1m^Arika was mistaken|chokinghazard]]


:: chokinghazard
Guuuuuhh!
Can't... breathe!
Leila's... Leila's body is just lying there...
...but as soon as... I started to get the ribbon loose...
...her hand came off.
Clean off. Like... ribbon was the only thing... holding it on.
Grabbed my neck and just started <i>squeezing</i>...
...like a vice.
Barely got it off. Threw it across the room.
And now it's...
...scuttling back toward me like a crab.
What the <i>hell</i> is going on?
<<choice [[Get out of there!|getoutofthere]]>> | <<choice [[Get the ribbon and go!|grabribbonfirst]]>>


:: getrandback
...I think it's about damn time I got my brother back.
Give me a few minutes. I've got to walk back into New Tenacity.
Or rather, the blackened husk that was once New Tenacity.
[[delay 15m^Arika is walking|backinruins]]


:: backinruins
This is it. This is the spot.
That gossamer thread I've talked about? The one I had with my brother...
...it just disappears into thin air, right here.
Besides, there's a warmth to this spot...
...one that has nothing to do with the fact that I'm standing on cinders.
This was my home. The Lanphear home.
The place where I had everything... and the place where I <i>lost</i> everything.
<<choice [[So... what happens now?|whatnowrand]]>> | <<choice [[Where does that thread lead?|randthread]]>>


:: randthread
It leads into the Quintessence.
Into the exact spot, in our front yard, where I shoved him into there.
And I've...
...oh, my God, my hands are trembling so hard, I don't know if I can even do this.
<<choice [[You can.|youcanusehands]]>> | <<choice [[Steady. Stay steady.^This is everything you&apos;ve been working toward. Just take your time.|youcanusehands2]]>>


:: youcanusehands2
[[youcanusehands]]


:: youcanusehands
Right. Right. Slow and steady. All the time in the world.
This world and any other.
The ribbon is... threaded through the key... and they're both... <i>glowing.</i>
I've never in my life been so close to anything so powerful.
So... <i>magical.</i>
It's like trying to hold starlight in my hands.
<<choice [[Sounds beautiful.|soundsbeautiful]]>> | <<choice [[Don&apos;t let go.|dontletgo]]>>


:: dontletgo
That's the thing. I think I <i>have</i> to let go of it.
Because it knows where to go.
It's... it's lodged itself, in midair.
As if there were a keyhole in the world, one that no one could see.
But I know it's there.
Ten years ago, without meaning to, I slammed a door shut, right here.
And today...
...I'm sorry, I can't stop crying...
...today, I'm finally opening it back up.
<<choice [[Turn that key.|turnthekey]]>> | <<choice [[Good luck, Arika.|turnthekey2]]>>


:: turnthekey2
[[turnthekey]]


:: turnthekey
Okay. I'm about to.
But, listen, <<$playername>>... whatever happens next --
because, remember, this thing opens up a hell dimension of lost souls...
...not necessarily a magical Li'l Brother Lost 'n' Found --
I just want to say...
...thank you.
You've seen me through the hardest days of a hard life.
Days that, honestly, I was pretty sure were going to be the <i>last</i> ones.
The fact that they weren't -- the fact that I'm even standing here right now --
that's because of you. <i>Only</i> because of you.
So whatever happens when I turn this key...
...know that I'll never forget you.
And wherever life, and fate, and this bizarre clockwork universe take you...
...in the words of my dad, "May luck, ever present, turn her back on your foes."
Okay... here goes nothing.
I'm turning the key.
[[delay 1m^Arika is spellcasting|keyturned]]


:: keyturned
Light. The brightest light I've ever seen.
Blinding... but comforting.
Light that sounds like glass bells. Light that feels like an enveloping bath.
Faces in the distance. Through a fog. I can't make them all out...
...and yet, I know I recognize them. Every one of them.
A hand, reaching for me.
And a voice.
A voice I haven't heard in ten long, long years.
<rand>Arika?</rand>
Rand.
<rand>Arika. Come with me.</rand>
<rand>I have so much to show you.</rand>
<rand>And I've been waiting such a long time for you to get here.</rand>
Rand...
...I'm so sorry it took me until now.
<<$playername>>, I... I have to go.
<<choice [[Of course.^Don&apos;t think twice. Go with your brother.|gowithrand]]>> | <<choice [[Are you sure?|sureaboutrand]]>>



:: whatshesaying
I... I don't...
I don't know what to say. <i>Thank you,</i> Mr. Miles.
<cart>It belongs in the hands of someone who's gonna <i>use</i> it...</cart>
<cart>...not sitting here on a shelf, gathering dust.</cart>
<cart>Same way Indiana Jones should've been out there with that Ark of his...</cart>
<cart>...melting Nazi faces off, left and right. <i>Use</i> it, Junior!</cart>
<cart>Now, hang on... I'm a little fuzzy on the metaphysics of this dagger...</cart>
<cart>...ah, here we go.</cart>
And boom. Just like that.
There's a rip in spacetime, just large enough for Carter to hand me the lantern.
And all my problems are solved.
Or at least, all my problems that involve burning things.
<<choice [[Nice!|letsburnthings]]>> | <<choice [[All right, Mr. Miles!|thankscarter]]>>


:: getlanternnow
I don't see how that'd be possible...
...except for the fact that we're mages, which means <i>anything's</i> possible.
[[whatshesaying]]


:: getoutofthere
But I... I have to get the ribbon first. Right?
That's the whole point of this.
Except -- <i>whoa!</i> -- anytime I get close to Leila's body...
...the hand whips up and starts attacking me again!
<<choice [[How can you fight it?|fighthehhand]]>> | <<choice [[Can you stab it?|stabthehand]]>>


:: painfulvane
Oh, man. There's so much iron oxide on this thing...
<<if $lantern is 1>>...I'll need to cast a healing spell on myself as soon as I get the lantern lit.
<<elseif $lantern is 0>>...I'll need to cast a healing spell on myself as soon as I get the fire spells set up.<<endif>>
This is gonna suck. Kids, do <i>not</i> try this at home.
Or, uh, on top of your barn.
[[delay 2m^Arika is spellcasting|litaftervane]]


:: getloose
I... I can't...
This hurts... so much...
Can't believe... I came all this way...
only to die back in New Tenacity...
This isn't...
how it was supposed to be...
<grn>Quiet now, child. You've suffered long enough.</grn>
<grn>Too long with the burden of your own thoughts. Your own ideas.</grn>
<grn>But don't worry. That will all be over soon.</grn>
<grn>Open wide.</grn>
<<set $turnedgreen = 1>>
[[goodbye]]


:: letteropenerstab
That's what the letter opener is for, yeah?
BAM! Right between the knuckles, and...
...oh, ick. Oh, this is so awful.
<<choice [[What&apos;s the problem?|handproblem]]>> | <<choice [[Worse than a rogue hand?|roguehand]]>>


:: ripvines
I <i>ow!</i> I think I might've <i>ouch! crap!</i> might've miscalculated.
These <i>ahh!</i> vines aren't, like, the kind <i>ugh</i> you can rip, I guess.
They're -- AGGHH -- they've really got me, <<$playername>>!
<<if $fabuladagger is 1>>I can't... get to the Fabula Dagger... to cut myself loose...
<<elseif $fabuladagger is 0>>Don't have... any way... to cut myself loose...<<endif>>
...vines are... really digging in... I... I think they're gonna...
...gonna tear me apart...
<grn>Well, it would only be a fitting end, wouldn't it, child?</grn>
<grn>As your parents went, so will you go...</grn>
<grn>...and we will paint our green leaves red with your blood...</grn>
<grn>...and the "magic" you believe it possesses.</grn>
<<choice [[You have to get loose!|getloose]]>> | <<choice [[There must be a way!|getloose2]]>>


:: getloose2
[[getloose]]


:: handproblem
The hand is... it's <i>screaming.</i> Screaming in pain at being stabbed.
It fell away from me, on its back... well, you know what I mean...
...and it's screaming because <i>it's grown a little mouth in its palm.</i>
With horrible little baby teeth and everything.
This is <i>not</i> what I signed on for. I just wanted a stupid ribbon.
<<choice [[Forget about the ribbon.^Things are getting way too freaky. You need to leave before it gets worse.|stoptrying]]>> | <<choice [[Can you kill the hand?|killhand]]>>


:: crazytalk
Right? If "binding together" means chopping off my own hand...
...and tying this monstrosity in its place with the ribbon...
...then, yeah, I don't think I'll be doing <i>that</i> anytime soon.
How do I put this freakin' thing out of my misery?
<<if $fabuladagger is 1>>[[daggerhand]]
<<elseif $fabuladagger is 0>>[[magichand]]<<endif>>


:: donttrusthand
Right? If "cleave me to yourself" means chopping off my own hand...
...and tying this monstrosity in its place with the ribbon...
...then, yeah, I don't think I'll be doing <i>that</i> anytime soon.
How do I put this freakin' thing out of my misery?
<<if $fabuladagger is 1>>[[daggerhand]]
<<elseif $fabuladagger is 0>>[[magichand]]<<endif>>


:: greatcost
Well, I mean... the greater the power, the greater the cost, sure.
But... it was always going to take great power to do what I set out to do.
Maybe more power than I ever had.
And maybe... if I ever hope to accomplish those things...
...this is the cost I have to be willing to pay.
[[greatpower]]


:: handsweettalk
I know. I know!
But... how can it know everything I want?
And -- I hate to even think it -- but what if this is my best chance?
Just me, on my own, with whatever meager skills I have...
...there are still a million ways I could fail before I reach New Tenacity...
...and a million <i>more</i> ways I could fail once I'm there.
I know this is as dark as dark magic gets...
...and I know there's no coming back from this...
...but what if...
...what if this is how I win?
<<choice [[Think about what you're saying.^This isn't befriending a kid from the wrong side of the tracks... this is evil.|evilhand]]>> | <<choice [[Look at poor Leila.^Leila joined up with this... <i>thing</i>... and look at her now.|poorleila]]>>


:: magiclietwo
Yeah... I don't know what that was about, either.
I mean, the Greens had taken over a magic city. Full of mages.
Presumably for a reason.
<<if $lantern is 1>>I brought them down with a magic lantern, that I lit with a magic spell.
<<elseif $lantern is 2>>I brought them down with a magic lantern...
...delivered through a magic portal via a magic dagger.<<endif>>
All of that crap about me never knowing who I am, or what powers me?
It... doesn't get to me. I know who I am.
<<choice [[And you&apos;ve got some closure.|feelbetternowtwo]]>> | <<choice [[So, you feel better now?|feelbetternowtwo2]]>>


:: feelbetternowtwo2
[[feelbetternowtwo]]


:: easylifetwo
I never...
...thanks, I mean. I should say thanks.
But I never expected an easy life. And I don't know that I ever wanted it, really.
The only thing I've wanted, for as long as I can remember...
...is just to watch my parents' killers meet their end.
And today -- after way too long -- I got that.
[[whatsafterthis]]


:: whatsafterthis
As far as what comes next...
<<if $key is 1 and $ribbon is 1>>[[getrandback]]
<<elseif $key is 1 and $ribbon is 0>>[[keyyesribbonno]]
<<elseif $key is 0 and $ribbon is 1>>[[keynoribbonyes]]
<<elseif $key is 0 and $ribbon is 0>>[[keynoribbonno]]<<endif>>


:: keyyesribbonno
...I'm kind of at a loss.
I got the key from the Timeless Monks -- which seemed like it took <i>forever</i> --
but when it came time to grab the ribbon off Leila Grace, back at Floodland...
...I choked.
(Literally, a little, but mostly figuratively.)
<<choice [[Meaning what, exactly?|keyneedsribbon]]>> | <<choice [[So the key is useless?|keyisuseless]]>>


:: keyneedsribbon
Meaning, I'm screwed.
Meaning, I guess I could try and go back, someday, to find that ribbon.
But by now it's probably been incorporated into some underwater <i>Little Mermaid</i> dance number...
...and I'm not fighting a Rasta crab over the damn thing.
I've already lost that battle, mon.
[[keyisuseless]]


:: whatneedkeyribbon
Which is to open a hole in reality... right in the spot where I closed one.
To make a doorway back into the Quintessence... like I've been trying to do for a decade.
But I screwed up. I didn't get everything I needed.
I destroyed the Greens. Or at least, the ones at New Tenacity.
And that... honestly, that feels great.
But it's a pyrrhic victory. Because when I set out on this quest...
...it was with the thought of rescuing my brother.
And if I can't do that...
...then I can't ever really win.
<<choice [[Maybe there are other ways.|dontgiveuphope]]>> | <<choice [[Don&apos;t give up hope.|dontgiveuphope2]]>>


:: dontgiveuphope2
[[dontgiveuphope]]


:: dontgiveuphope
Yeah. Maybe I can eventually figure out some <i>other</i> way to get to my brother.
It only took me ten years to put together this plan.
Maybe there's something back at Kildecatt's, among all the Micronauts toys.
Maybe in whatever's left of Floodland, whatever's still standing of the monastery.
Maybe in any one of a million other magical locations in this world, or the next.
But for now, I've failed.
<<choice [[You're being hard on yourself.|hardonyourself]]>> | <<choice [[Please don't give up hope.|stillhope]]>>



:: hardonyourself
You bet I am.
[[closingstatement]]


:: gowithrand
This... I didn't know I could hold this much in my heart.
Goodbye, <<$playername>>.
Or really, I suspect...
...<i>see you soon.</i>
[[goodbyewinner]]


:: sureaboutrand
There's not a single question in my mind.
Goodbye, <<$playername>>.
Or really, I suspect...
...<i>see you soon.</i>
[[goodbyewinner]]



:: letsburnthings
Oh. Man. I'm gonna burn so much stuff with this thing.
You have no idea.
You, sir, are <i>the best.</i>
[[thankscarter]]


:: thankscarter
<cart>Don't mention it, Lanphear.</cart>
<cart>Just... make your parents proud, okay?</cart>
I will, Mr. Miles. I promise.
And... thank you.
If I make it through this... I'll come see you and Ratliff again.
Soon.
<cart>Lookin' forward to it, Lanphear.</cart>
[[lanterninhand]]


:: fighthehhand
I don't know!
It's stronger than I am... a <i>lot</i> stronger!
I'm trying to circle around it... but it's acting like a living thing.
Like a wild animal, protecting the ribbon.
If I can just get in there and get the ribbon, and make a mad dash...
...<i>YAAAHHHHHH!!!</i>
<<choice [[What happened?|happenedhand]]>> | <<choice [[Did the hand get you?|happenedhand2]]>>


:: happenedhand2
[[happenedhand]]


:: stabthehand
Stab it, stab it, okay...
<<if $letteropener is 1>>[[letteropenerstab]]
<<elseif $letteropener is 0>>[[swissarmystab]]<<endif>>


:: swissarmystab
That's what the Swiss Army knife is for, yeah?
BAM! Right between the knuckles, and...
...oh, ick. Oh, this is so awful.
<<choice [[What&apos;s the problem?|handproblem]]>> | <<choice [[Worse than a rogue hand?|roguehand]]>>


:: roguehand
Yeah, um, kind of. Because at least, before this, it was a <i>silent</i> rogue hand.
Now it's some sort of... I don't even know. It's getting more abominable by the second.
[[handproblem]]


:: litaftervane
<<if $lantern is 1>>It... it worked. I almost don't believe it... but it worked!
The lantern is lit... and it doesn't go out until I give the word.
I'm scalding every bit of overgrowth from this place.
If I can't have back the New Tenacity of my childhood...
...then I'll salt the earth so nothing -- especially nothing <i>Green</i> --
can ever take root here again.
<grn>Child, this... this is foolishness.</grn>
<grn>Stop what you're doing. Reason with us. We are not beyond sense.</grn>
<<choice [[Tell the Greens to get bent.|getbentgreen]]>> | <<choice [[Don&apos;t forget to heal yourself.|healyourself]]>>
<<else>>[[litaftervanenolantern]]<<endif>> 


:: healyourselfknife
What, these little knife nicks?
They'll be fine. Small price to pay.
I'll heal them after a little while, sure.
But right now, the wet blood is catching the reflection of the flames...
...and the whole thing -- I know how twisted this is gonna sound --
but it's just so damn <i>beautiful.</i>
Like a sunset. Like a sky painted crimson as the horizon swallows the sun...
...and draws a close to a day that went on for a decade.
If you don't mind, I'm gonna retreat to a safe distance...
...and just sit and watch the Greens burn for a while.
[[delay 3h^Arika is watching|afterthefire]]


:: magichand
<<choice [[Some kind of spell?|spellcasthand]]>> | <<choice [[Just stomp on it.^It&apos;s got teeth, right? Make it bite a curb and stomp it hard.|curbstomphand]]>>


:: poorleila
Right... but she was weak. She was never a real mage.
I've got the discipline. The training.
What if I can bend the hand's power to my wishes, and not the other way around?
I could get everything I want. My home. My brother.
I'd be unstoppable.
<<choice [[Sure you could handle it?|surehandle]]>> | <<choice [[Arika, please don&apos;t do this.|pleasedontdoit]]>>


:: evilhand
Okay, I hear you... but all dark magic has a <i>little</i> evil to it.
All I'd have to do is be the dominant one.
To control the hand's power, rather than letting it control me.
I could get everything I want. My home. My brother.
I'd be unstoppable.
<<choice [[Sure you could handle it?|surehandle]]>> | <<choice [[Arika, please don&apos;t do this.|pleasedontdoit]]>>



:: terribleidea
Most of my ideas are terrible, at this point.
What's one more?
Okay. Okay.
<<if $darkness gte 60>>I think I should go for it. I think it's me best shot at winning.
<<elseif $darkness lte 59>>I'm really thinking hard about doing it.
This is your chance to talk me out of it.<<endif>>
<<choice [[Go on and do it.^You clearly want to do it. You clearly believe you can handle it. So go on.|goonbind]]>> | <<choice [[Don&apos;t. I beg you.^I know it seems like the easiest option... but it must be too good to be true.|dontbind]]>>


:: goonbind
All right. I'm doing it.
Let's bind. Let's get together, yeah yeah yeah.
<lh>You've come to your senses at last, Arika Lanphear.</lh>
<lh>I must tell you, once the process is begun, there is no stopping it.</lh>
Right, right. You made the sale, stop talking.
<lh>First, I must devour your sinister hand. Remain calm.</lh>
What? Devou--
AHHH! Its little mouth! It's eating! Eating my hand! Oh my God!
<lh>REMAIN CALM. This is but the first of many pains.</lh>
<lh>I will devour flesh and bone, and then I will start on your soul.</lh>
Wait, you'll what?
<lh>The process is begun. There is no stopping it.</lh>
But... but together... we'll save my brother... right?
<lh>There is no "together." There is only me.</lh>
<lh>I told you what you needed to hear in order to get what I wanted.</lh>
<lh>Dark magic is the magic of lies, Arika Lanphear.</lh>
<lh>I would have thought you'd learned that by now, little mage.</lh>
Oh, no.
<<$playername>>, I've never felt this cold before.
I think I made a huge mistake.
I'm so scared.
<<$playername>>?
<<set $died = 1>>
[[goodbye]]


:: daggerhand
<<choice [[How about the Fabula Dagger?|fabulakill]]>> | <<choice [[Some kind of spell?|spellcasthand]]>>


:: keyisuseless
The key without the ribbon is just a hunk of metal.
Key-shaped metal. Lovely filigree around the head.
Apparently winds some kinda God-clock, who knew?
But it doesn't do what I need it to do.
<<choice [[Which is what, exactly?|whatneedkeyribbon]]>> | <<choice [[So, it <i>is</i> useless.|reallyuselesskey]]>>


:: reallyuselesskey
Well, it'll make a swell paperweight.
But no, it's not gonna accomplish what I nabbed it for.
[[whatneedkeyribbon]]


:: stillhope
I...
I won't. As much as I might want to, in the moment.
[[closingstatement]]


:: ribbonneedskey
Meaning, I'm screwed.
Meaning, I guess I could try and go back, someday, to find that key.
But at a monastery that seems to turn to ruins in a matter of seconds, not centuries...
...I feel like that key may already be an artifact lost to the ages.
[[ribbonisuseless]]


:: allgodown
It was kinda sublime, really.
Just stepping back and watching all the evil burn away.
Hearing the Greens scream, in that everywhere-all-the-time voice...
...trying, up until the very end, to talk me into joining with them.
Cajoling. Threatening. Begging.
Telling me, over and over, that I would never know who I truly was, otherwise.
That I would never really understand where my powers came from.
And then, at the end, just howling...
"Magic is a lie."
Over and over. Until the fire had burned away everything. Even the voice.
<<choice [["Magic is a lie"?|magiclietwo]]>> | <<choice [[You&apos;ve got some closure, then.|feelbetternowtwo]]>>


:: feelbetternowtwo
I do. I really do.
Like the useless parts of me burned away in that fire, too.
The heaviest parts, the ones I'd been dragging around for ten years.
They're gone now. Evaporated like tears.
<<choice [[I&apos;m glad you feel free.^You went through hell, and it tore you down until nothing was left but the good parts.|goodpartstwo]]>> | <<choice [[So, what comes next?|whatsafterthis]]>>


:: goodbyewinner
showseal
<i>Your connection to Arika is closed.</i>
<<if $lantern is 1>><i>You helped her to find the lantern from the curiosity shop.</i><<endif>>
<<if $key is 1>><i>You aided her in recovering the key held by the Timeless Monks.</i><<endif>>
<<if $ribbon is 1>><i>You guided her through getting the ribbon from the orphan girl.</i><<endif>>
<<if $lantern is 1 and $key is 1 and $ribbon is 1>><i>And with those elements in hand, you returned her home...</i>
<i>...and returned her to her brother.</i><<endif>>
<i>You were her luck, ever present, and you never turned your back on her.</i>
<i>Your efforts will not be forgotten.</i>
<i>And you have not seen the last of Arika Lanphear.</i>
gameover



:: goodpartstwo
<<if $darkness gte 66>>I don't know, anymore, whether there are "good parts" of me at all.
Maybe all that burned away was my ambiguity.
The things that cause me to hesitate before casting a spell.
Before drawing a blade, or throwing a punch.
Maybe I'm just leaner and meaner now.
I definitely <i>feel</i> meaner.
<<elseif $darkness gte 33>>Maybe that's true. Who knows?
I think there are good parts of me, and bad parts.
I've made terrible decisions, and noble ones, to get here.
I've bled -- a <i>lot</i> -- and I've made other people bleed.
So what remains of me, after going through all of this?
I guess... the parts I need to survive another day.
<<else>>I'd like to think that's true.
I know I'm not perfect. Far, far from it.
But maybe, when it counted, I made the kind choice.
I took the harder path to stay in the light, when the dark path was simpler.
But if I've been through hell, and come out the other side...
...well, no one could do that and remain <i>completely</i> untouched by the darkness.
Could they?<<endif>>
<<choice [[I... hope you'll be okay.^I know you haven't had an easy life. I hope it calms down now.|easylifetwo]]>> | <<choice [[I know you haven't had an easy life.^I know you haven't had an easy life. I hope it calms down now.|easylifetwo]]>>


:: keynoribbonyes
...I'm kind of at a loss.
I got the ribbon off of Leila Grace -- which was its own special little hell --
but when it came to getting the key from the monks, time was not on my side.
<<choice [[Meaning what, exactly?|ribbonneedskey]]>> | <<choice [[So the key is useless?|ribbonisuseless]]>>


:: lanterninhand
<<silently>><<set $lantern = 1>><<endsilently>>
Oh, you Greens.
You're so screwed, and you don't even know it.
I've got friends in high places.
Well... in places, at any rate.
One little snap of my bloody, bloody fingers, and...
<i>...voila.</i> The lantern is lit.
[[lanternlit]]


:: lanternlit
<i>Burn,</i> you Green monster. Burn <i>forever.</i>
<<choice [[Should you run, maybe?^Since you're planning to burn the whole forest, maybe you should leave the forest?|leaveforest]]>> | <<choice [[Don't forget to heal yourself.|healyourself]]>>


:: happenedhand
I went for the ribbon -- aggghhhh -- and the hand latched onto my arm --
and now -- HOLY CRAP -- it feels like it's digging into me --
like it's -- aaahhhh! -- like it's <i>chewing</i> on me and I can't --
oh God it hurts -- I can't pry its fingers off, they're clamped on too --
AAAHHHH stop stop stop
<<choice [[Stab it with something!|stabthehand]]>> | <<choice [[Forget the ribbon.^Maybe if you stop trying to get the ribbon, the hand will leave you alone?|stoptrying]]>>


:: stoptrying
What was the point of any of this, if I get all the way to the end...
...and then walk away without the ribbon, the one thing I came here for?
<<choice [[At least you'd leave alive.|leavefloodalive]]>> | <<choice [[You're right. Keep fighting.|keepfightingflood]]>>


:: keepfightingflood
Yes. Okay. I'll keep fighting.
I could... ahh! Cut it out!
I could stab it. Yeah. That's what I could do.
[[stabthehand]]


:: getbentgreen
I think the message is pretty clear. But just in case...
...<i>burn,</i> you Green monster. Burn <i>forever.</i>
<<choice [[Should you run, maybe?^Since you're planning to burn the whole forest, maybe you should leave the forest?|leaveforest]]>> | <<choice [[Don't forget to heal yourself.|healyourself]]>>


:: healyourself
Right. I'll do the healing spell.
I'm also gonna see if I can whip up something...
...sort of like the <i>reverse</i> of the water summoning spell.
Purge every drop of water from the ground, the trees, the sky.
I want to make this place as dry as a tinderbox...
...so there's nothing, absolutely nothing to stop the burning.
[[delay 6m^Arika is spellcasting|castacouple]]


:: pleasedontdoit
I understand every reason in the world why you want to talk me out of it.
Binding myself to an evil magic hand. It's the sort of thing a crazy person would do.
Except that, by this point, I think I'm a little crazy.
And I think...
...I think I'm crazy enough to do this.
<<choice [[This is a terrible idea.|terribleidea]]>> | <<choice [[It&apos;s up to you.|uptoyou]]>>


:: surehandle
You don't get into magic because you <i>lack</i> confidence.
Okay. I'm doing this.
This is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy...
...but I can do it. I can control the hand. I can come out on top.
I can see Rand again.
<<choice [[This is a terrible idea.|terribleidea]]>> | <<choice [[It&apos;s up to you.|uptoyou]]>>


:: uptoyou
Yeah, okay, it's up to me. Everything is, in the end.
<<if $darkness gte 60>>I think I should go for it. I think it's me best shot at winning.
<<elseif $darkness lte 59>>I'm really thinking hard about doing it.
This is your chance to talk me out of it.<<endif>>
<<choice [[Go on and do it.^You clearly want to do it. You clearly believe you can handle it. So go on.|goonbind]]>> | <<choice [[Don&apos;t. I beg you.^I know it seems like the easiest option... but it must be too good to be true.|dontbind]]>>


:: castacouple
Okay. Spells are cast. Infection averted. Water rerouted.
If you don't mind, I'm gonna retreat to a safe distance...
...and just sit and watch the Greens burn for a while.
[[delay 3h^Arika is watching|afterthefire]]


:: afterthefire
That was... <i>enormously</i> satisfying.
<<choice [[You feel better, huh?|feelbetternow]]>> | <<choice [[How did it all go down?|allgodown]]>>


:: dontbind
Uggggh okay!
I hope I don't regret this later.
But if I'm not gonna join forces with this ugly mother...
...then I've got to figure out some way to put it out of my misery.
<<if $fabuladagger is 1>>[[daggerhand]]
<<elseif $fabuladagger is 0>>[[magichand]]<<endif>>


:: curbstomphand
That would be hugely satisfying.
I'd have to throw a charm at it, to make it go bite a stair riser...
...or even just hold still long enough for me to get in a few good licks.
It's still monologuing at me. Let me see if I can get a little spell whipped up.
[[delay 2m^Arika is spellcasting|handnolikey]]


:: spellcasthand
Yeah... I could do some kind of binding, maybe...
...just get this creeper off my back long enough that I can grab the ribbon.
It's still monologuing at me. Let me see if I can get a little spell whipped up.
[[delay 2m^Arika is spellcasting|handnolikey]]


:: fabulakill
Yes! Excellent idea!
<<if $letteropener is 1>>That thing's tons sharper than any old letter opener!
<<elseif $letteropener is 0>>That thing's tons sharper than any old Swiss Army blade!<<endif>>
I just gotta coax the creepy monster hand to prowl over close to me...
...which shouldn't be hard, since "Creepy Monster Hand on the Prowl" is kind of its thing...
Hey! Hamburger Helper!
Your mama's only got three fingers, and two of 'em are thumbs!
Ha! Boom! It jumps, and I...
...swing...
...and connect! Right in its nasty little mouth!
Ooh, boy, and we're back to the incoherent screaming. This is pleasant.
It's writhing around, but I've got it pinned to the floorboard.
<<choice [[Great! Grab the ribbon!|ribbonatlast]]>> | <<choice [[Should you check on Leila?|checkleila]]>>


:: checkleila
I mean... I can check, but I already know how that check is going to go.
She's dead, <<$playername>>.
Maybe it happened when the hand let go of her...
...but I suspect it happened long ago. Years, probably.
That... <i>thing</i> used her up --
and I don't want to think about what it did to everyone else who used to live here --
and then it lay in wait for me. Beckoned me. Baited me with this ribbon.
It's a sick joke, but the joke's on it.
Because I'm leaving with the ribbon and both my hands intact, thanks.
<<choice [[Cool. Grab the ribbon, then.|ribbonatlast]]>> | <<choice [[Just get out of there, fast.|ribbonatlast2]]>>


:: ribbonatlast2
[[ribbonatlast]]


:: ribbonisuseless
The ribbon without the key is just a scrap of fabric.
Lovely fabric. A beautiful cobalt blue color.
Apparently binds magical demon hands to your arm, if you like. Who knew?
But it doesn't do what I need it to do.
<<choice [[Which is what, exactly?|whatneedkeyribbon]]>> | <<choice [[So, it <i>is</i> useless.|reallyuselessribbon]]>>


:: reallyuselessribbon
Well, it'll be great for when I want to do up a kicky ponytail.
But no, it's not gonna accomplish what I nabbed it for.
[[whatneedkeyribbon]]


:: closingstatement
If I had it to do all over again... I'd probably do things a little differently.
But hey, listen... even if that's true, I still want to say...
...thank you.
You've seen me through the hardest days of a hard life.
Days that, honestly, I was pretty sure were going to be the <i>last</i> ones.
The fact that they weren't -- the fact that I'm even standing here right now --
that's because of you. <i>Only</i> because of you.
My dad always used to say, "May luck, ever present, turn her back on your foes."
I guess, in this case, I turned out to be somebody's foe...
...'cause luck sure screwed me over. But I hope it's not that way for you.
I hope that, wherever life, and fate, and this bizarre clockwork universe take you...
...luck will be on your side.
I'm gonna sign off now. It's been good knowing you, <<$playername>>.
I'd say goodbye, but really, I suspect...
...it's <i>see you soon.</i>
[[goodbyeloser]]


:: goodbyeloser
showseal
<i>Your connection to Arika is closed.</i>
<<if $lantern is 1>><i>You helped her to find the lantern from the curiosity shop.</i><<endif>>
<<if $key is 1>><i>You aided her in recovering the key held by the Timeless Monks.</i><<endif>>
<<if $ribbon is 1>><i>You guided her through getting the ribbon from the orphan girl.</i><<endif>>
<<if $key is 0 or $ribbon is 0>><i>Sadly, although you returned her to her home...</i>
<i>...without the proper elements in hand, you could not return her to her brother.</i><<endif>>
<i>But you were her luck, ever present, and you never turned your back on her.</i>
<i>Your efforts will not be forgotten.</i>
<i>And you have not seen the last of Arika Lanphear.</i>
gameover



:: magiclie
Yeah... I don't know what that was about, either.
I mean, the Greens had taken over a magic city. Full of mages.
Presumably for a reason.
<<if $lantern is 1>>I brought them down with a magic lantern, that I lit with a magic spell.
<<elseif $lantern is 2>>I brought them down with a magic lantern...
...delivered through a magic portal via a magic dagger.<<endif>>
All of that crap about me never knowing who I am, or what powers me?
It... doesn't get to me. I know who I am.
[[whatsafterthis]]


:: feelbetternow
I do. I really do.
Like the useless parts of me burned away in that fire, too.
The heaviest parts, the ones I'd been dragging around for ten years.
They're gone now. Evaporated like tears.
<<choice [[Don't think of them as useless.^Those parts fueled you to get to where you are, to do what you did today.|notuseless]]>> | <<choice [[I'm glad you feel free.^You went through hell, and it tore you down until nothing was left but the good parts.|goodparts]]>>


:: goodparts
<<if $darkness gte 66>>I don't know, anymore, whether there are "good parts" of me at all.
Maybe all that burned away was my ambiguity.
The things that cause me to hesitate before casting a spell.
Before drawing a blade, or throwing a punch.
Maybe I'm just leaner and meaner now.
I definitely <i>feel</i> meaner.
<<elseif $darkness gte 33>>Maybe that's true. Who knows?
I think there are good parts of me, and bad parts.
I've made terrible decisions, and noble ones, to get here.
I've bled -- a <i>lot</i> -- and I've made other people bleed.
So what remains of me, after going through all of this?
I guess... the parts I need to survive another day.
<<else>>I'd like to think that's true.
I know I'm not perfect. Far, far from it.
But maybe, when it counted, I made the kind choice.
I took the harder path to stay in the light, when the dark path was simpler.
But if I've been through hell, and come out the other side...
...well, no one could do that and remain <i>completely</i> untouched by the darkness.
Could they?<<endif>>
<<choice [[I... hope you'll be okay.^I know you haven't had an easy life. I hope it calms down now.|easylife]]>> | <<choice [[So, how did it all end?|allgodowntwo]]>>


:: allgodowntwo
It was kinda sublime, really.
Just stepping back and watching all the evil burn away.
Hearing the Greens scream, in that everywhere-all-the-time voice...
...trying, up until the very end, to talk me into joining with them.
Cajoling. Threatening. Begging.
Telling me, over and over, that I would never know who I truly was, otherwise.
That I would never really understand where my powers came from.
And then, at the end, just howling...
"Magic is a lie."
Over and over. Until the fire had burned away everything. Even the voice.
<<choice [["Magic is a lie"?|magiclie]]>> | <<choice [[So, what comes next?|whatsafterthis]]>>


:: keynoribbonno
...I'm at a loss.
I didn't manage to get the key from the Timeless Monks...
...nor did I snag the ribbon from my ol' playdate pal, Leila Grace.
<<choice [[Meaning what, exactly?|nonothing]]>> | <<choice [[What did those do, anyway?|whatdidthosedo]]>>


:: leavefloodalive
Crap. Maybe you're right.
There's no sense dying on this hill...
...trying to grab a ribbon that won't do me any good if I don't make it out alive.
I hate to have come all this way only to leave empty-handed...
...but it's better than not leaving at all.
Damn.
Maybe I can loop back to Floodland after I've learned more about this hand...
...or gained more dark powers...
...or have nothing else to live for.
<<choice [[Don't talk like that.^You're strong. You just have to figure out the right way to be strong here.|strongflood]]>> | <<choice [[You'll get the ribbon one day.^Don't despair. If not today, then soon.|soonribbon]]>>


:: leaveforest
Yeah, good point. I should definitely retreat to a safe distance.
And you know what? When I leave...
...I'm gonna take all the water with me.
Sort of like the <i>reverse</i> of the water summoning spell...
I'll purge every drop from the ground, the trees, the sky.
I want to make this place as dry as a tinderbox...
...so there's nothing, absolutely nothing to stop the burning.
[[delay 4m^Arika is spellcasting|castwaterpurge]]


:: castwaterpurge
Okay. Drought spell cast. Water rerouted.
If you don't mind, I'm gonna retreat to a safe distance...
...and just sit and watch the Greens burn for a while.
[[delay 3h^Arika is watching|afterthefire]]


:: handnolikey
<lh>You dare to direct your magic at me?</lh>
<lh>We will be partners, or we will be enemies...</lh>
<lh>...and I will not tolerate an attack from an enemy!</lh>
Ahhh! Okay! Lesson learned!
Don't direct magic at the hand, or it'll do crazy crab moves...
...and jump all around and try and bite you! Okay! Okay!
<<choice [[Direct your magic elsewhere.|magicelsewhere]]>> | <<choice [[Just get out of there.|leavefloodalive]]>>


:: magicelsewhere
<<if $spideracquire is 1>>Wait, that's it! That's <i>perfect!</i>
I don't have to aim my magic at the hand at all!
Not when I've got about a million eight-legged friends...
...just waiting for an invitation to the party!
[[delay 2m^Arika is spellcasting|spidersshowup]]
<<elseif $spideracquire is 0>>Direct it <i>elsewhere</i>... not right at the hand...
...okay. Okay. This place is falling apart. Use that to my advantage.
Rip the floorboards to sticks. Try and impale it. Or at least give it nowhere to stand.
Here goes.
[[delay 2m^Arika is spellcasting|floorboards]]<<endif>>


:: notuseless
I suppose you're right. And now I've shed them, because they're not needed.
Like a knight on a bloodied battlefield, dropping his armor.
Or a stripper after a long night of work, finally taking off her, um...
...wait, no, I guess she'd be putting <i>on</i> more...
...look, it's not a perfect metaphor, okay?
But I got rid of the baggage, and left the... what? The good parts?
[[goodparts]]


:: easylife
I never...
...thanks, I mean. I should say thanks.
But I never expected an easy life. And I don't know that I ever wanted it, really.
The only thing I've wanted, for as long as I can remember...
...is just to watch my parents' killers meet their end.
And today -- after way too long -- I got that.
[[allgodowntwo]]


:: nonothing
Meaning, I'm screwed.
Meaning, I guess I could try and go back, someday, to find that ribbon.
But by now it's probably been incorporated into some underwater <i>Little Mermaid</i> dance number...
...and I'm not fighting a Rasta crab over the damn thing.
I've already lost that battle, mon.
And the key? At a monastery that seems to turn to ruins in a matter of seconds, not centuries...
...I feel like it may already be an artifact lost to the ages.
<<choice [[Maybe you're right, maybe not.^Without going back and exploring them both, who's to say for sure?|exploreagain]]>> | <<choice [[What were the key and ribbon for?|whatdidthosedo]]>>


:: whatdidthosedo
If you had both the ribbon and the key -- which I <i>don't</i> --
you could thread the ribbon through the filigree in the head of the key.
And then together, they'd open a hole in reality... right in the spot where I closed one.
They'd make a doorway back into the Quintessence... like I've been trying to do for a decade.
But I screwed up. I didn't get everything I needed. Or <i>anything</i> I needed.
I destroyed the Greens. Or at least, the ones at New Tenacity.
And that... honestly, that feels great.
But it's a pyrrhic victory. Because when I set out on this quest...
...it was with the thought of rescuing my brother.
And if I can't do that...
...then I can't ever really win.
<<choice [[Maybe there are other ways.|dontgiveuphope]]>> | <<choice [[Don&apos;t give up hope.|dontgiveuphope2]]>>


:: dontgiveuphope2
[[dontgiveuphope]]


:: numberone
Close. No cigar.
It just sucks, is all.
[[whatdidthosedo]]


:: strongflood
Maybe you're right. Maybe I <i>am</i> strong.
Or maybe I'm just now discovering the depths of my weakness.
[[letsgo]]


:: soonribbon
Yeah. I guess.
Leaving... I know it's the safest option.
It just feels wrong.
[[letsgo]]


:: spidersshowup
<<if $nurseryspiders is 0>>Here they come. The first of them, through the heating grates.
One by one, two by two. Tens, hundreds, thousands.
<<elseif $nurseryspiders is 1>>They were already here, just waiting to be told what else to do.<<endif>>
I told them there was a feast for them here, in the shape of a disembodied hand.
I told them the tastiest morsels were inside its mouth.
That confused their little spider brains. I told them to push past the confusion.
And now they're chowing down...
...and nothing the hand says seems to be convincing them otherwise.
I guess I could stop them before they devour it entirely...
...but spiders gotta eat too, you know?
<<choice [[Let them eat it!|spiderseathand]]>> | <<choice [[Stop them just short.|spidersdonteat]]>>


:: floorboards
I think it's working.
The hand started jumping around again, but I swatted it back down with a floorboard.
And the more I keep hammering it from all sides with splintered wood...
...the less bouncy it's getting.
It's bloody, and woozy, and it's struggling to yell swear words at me.
<<if $darkness gte 70>>I'm not even ashamed to say it... this is kinda fun.
<<elseif $darkness lte 69>>I know I shouldn't feel this way...
...but I'm actually having fun beating the hell out of something.<<endif>>
All right, it's pretty worn down... now I gotta think about my finishing move.
I can very easily do a binding spell that'll form a cage out of this wood...
...and that oughtta keep the hand imprisoned, unless it chews its way out.
Or... I can keep tightening that cage in on itself, little by little...
...until all that's left of the hand is a bloody paste with a few broken bones sticking out.
And then we can be sure it won't bother anybody again.
<<if $darkness gte 70>>Frankly, I'm in favor of the "smash it into nothingness" option...
<<elseif $darkness lte 69>>Maybe smashing it into nothingness is too harsh, I don't know...<<endif>>
...what do you think?
<<choice [[Destroy it for good.|smashhand]]>> | <<choice [[Just cage it.^Whatever it is, it&apos;s a living thing. I guess.|cagehand]]>>



:: cagehand
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
I don't know whether this counts as one of God's creatures, in need of saving...
...and I'd really hate to think of <i>two</i> of these things on Noah's next ark.
But all right. I won't crush it into a fine paste.
Because you asked all pretty.
[[ribbonatlast]]


:: ribbonatlast
<<silently>><<set $ribbon = 1>><<endsilently>>
Now I can just slip the ribbon off Leila's arm.
I can't believe how easy this feels... after everything I just went through.
I just get to... to claim my prize, and stand up and walk out of here.
I sorta don't want to think about who the last person was who got to walk out of here.
Because... some part of me is pretty sure that it was me.
When I ran away, all those years ago.
I just left everyone at Floodland to their fate.
And what a horrible fate it turned out to be.
<<choice [[You don&apos;t know that for sure.|dontknowfate]]>> | <<choice [[You aren't responsible.^Whatever happened here after you left, it wasn't your fault.|dontknowfate2]]>>


:: dontknowfate2
[[dontknowfate]]


:: dontknowfate
I know. I know.
I was a child. I had no control over what happened.
All I can control is the here, and the now.
<<if $fabuladagger is 1>>The hand has stopped moving. I'm taking the dagger back.
<<elseif $fabuladagger is 0>>The hand has stopped moving.<<endif>>
It's time to go.
There isn't time to give Leila's body a proper memorial…
…but Floodland is basically flotsam in waiting. I'll draw out all the water in the area…
…and give her a burial at sea.
And when the rains come again, they'll fall on the submerged ruins of this horrible place.
If you'll… give me a minute, I'm gonna say a few words.
The last of which will take this building under.
I'll meet up with you again in a little while.
[[delay 20m^Arika is spellcasting|floodburnt]]



:: floodburnt
That's it.
Floodland has drowned.
Watching it sink and crumble… exposing the char-black skeleton of the place...
...this is as beautiful as the building was ever going to look.
I'm glad I was here to see it.
Whatever memories that horrible place held...
...whatever bodies, real and metaphorical, were buried there...
...let them catch the tide and float, light as sea foam, to the heavens.
Let them be a burden to no one anymore.
I...
I've never been so tired in all my life.
<<if $car is 1>>I'm gonna go sleep in the Quest for a while.
<<elseif $car is 0>>I'm gonna find someplace dry, try and curl up for a little while.<<endif>>
By the time I wake up... maybe Floodland will just be one more pool in the Oregon earth...
...and the world will be a better place for it.
[[delay 10h^Arika is sleeping|wakeafterflood]]


:: exploreagain
Yeah, well, lemme get right on that.
I've just been taking it easy the last few days, you know.
I should probably challenge myself a little.
Unrelated: Guess which finger I'm holding up?
<<choice [[Rude.|rudefinger]]>> | <<choice [[I&apos;m number one?|numberone]]>>


:: rudefinger
Count on it.
It just sucks, is all.
[[whatdidthosedo]]


:: letsgo
All right. Let's go before I have a chance to regret this.
Regret this <i>more,</i> I mean.
[[delay 1m^Arika is walking|exitflood]]


:: wakeafterflood
<<silently>><<set $missionSequence.unshift("ribbon")>><<endsilently>>
I dreamt of screaming hands and flooded hallways.
Orphans suspended in the water, begging me for help...
...help that I couldn't give.
I, uh... I did a healing spell on myself. Seems to have patched up my body.
Not sure my mind is ever going to get over that place, though.
Okay. No time to dwell on that. Gotta keep moving.
<<if $keyquest is 0 and $lanternquest is 0>>
Next on the agenda...
[[either("key","lantern")]]
<<elseif $keyquest is 0 and $lanternquest is 1>>
The last of the artifacts is...
[[key]]
<<elseif $keyquest is 1 and $lanternquest is 0>>
The last of the artifacts is...
[[lantern]]
<<elseif $keyquest is 1 and $lanternquest is 1>>
All the piddly little missions are over with. It's time for...
[[finalfight]]<<endif>>


:: spidersdonteat
<<silently>><<darken -10>><<endsilently>>
I'll suggest to them that maybe they shouldn't devour it whole...
...but spiders gonna do what spiders gonna do.
Some of 'em give super-powers to a Peter Parker here, a Miles Morales there...
...others let Farmer Zuckerman know he's hosting "some pig" out in his barn...
...and then there are the ones who eat malevolent magical hands.
Anyhow. While they're busy with that, I'll get what I came for.
[[ribbonatlast]]


:: spiderseathand
<<silently>><<darken 10>><<endsilently>>
Better safe than sorry, right? Let's devour this thing whole and get moving.
<lh>You fool, Arika Lanphear! You impetuous, reckless child!</lh>
<lh>Together, we could have had it all! We could have feasted upon the world!</lh>
Sorry, buddy. You're barking up the wrong tree.
<lh>I am the gateway to the Quintessence! I could have given you back your brother!</lh>
I'll... I'll find another way. A better way.
Just shut up and be brunch, already.
<rand>Ar... Arika?</rand>
...Wait.
Wait!
<<choice [[What is it?|whatvoicespiders]]>> | <<choice [[Whose voice was that?|whatvoicespiders2]]>>


:: whatvoicespiders2
[[whatvoicespiders]]


:: smashhand
<<silently>><<darken 10>><<endsilently>>
Better safe than sorry, right? Let's crush this thing into paste and get moving.
<lh>You fool, Arika Lanphear! You impetuous, reckless child!</lh>
<lh>Together, we could have had it all! We could have feasted upon the world!</lh>
Sorry, buddy. You're barking up the wrong tree.
<lh>I am the gateway to the Quintessence! I could have given you back your brother!</lh>
I'll... I'll find another way. A better way.
Just shut up and get crushed, already.
<rand>Ar... Arika?</rand>
...Wait.
Wait!
<<choice [[What is it?|whatvoice]]>> | <<choice [[Whose voice was that?|whatvoice2]]>>


:: whatvoice2
[[whatvoice]]


:: whatvoice
That was... that was Rand's voice!
Coming from inside the wooden block... coming from the hand!
Oh, God... I concentrated so hard on the crushing... I can barely pry it apart!
Open! Open, dammit! Please, just...
...uggghh.
This is... this is what I wanted. What I imagined, in my mind's eye.
The hand is barely recognizable as a hand. It's just a bloody pulp.
Its mouth is shut, like it was trying to heal back over, almost.
But I heard it.
I <i>know</i> I heard it.
Rand's voice. Clear as a bell.
Calling out.
Calling my name.
<<choice [[It must have been a trick.^That monster would have done anything to save its life.|handtrick]]>> | <<choice [[You have to move past it.^Whether it was real or not, you can&apos;t let it make you falter now.|movepastrand]]>>


:: exitflood
The hand is screaming after me. "Bonding" this and "together" that.
We'll just see where fate takes me in the next few days.
Maybe things will get so bad that by the time I make it back here...
...I'll be willing to listen.
[[delay 5m^Arika is walking|outsideflood]]


:: whatvoicespiders
That was... that was Rand's voice!
Coming from inside the mass of spiders... coming from the hand!
Oh, God... I concentrated so hard on getting them to devour it...
I can barely get them to leave it be!
Off! Get off it, dammit! Please, just...
...uggghh.
This is... this is what I wanted. What I imagined, in my mind's eye.
The hand is barely recognizable as a hand. It's just a bloody pulp.
Its mouth is shut, like it was trying to heal back over, almost.
But I heard it.
I <i>know</i> I heard it.
Rand's voice. Clear as a bell.
Calling out.
Calling my name.
<<choice [[It must have been a trick.^That monster would have done anything to save its life.|handtrick]]>> | <<choice [[You have to move past it.^Whether it was real or not, you can&apos;t let it make you falter now.|movepastrand]]>>


:: movepastrand
It's... no. I mean, it freaked me out.
I haven't heard that voice in ten years.
But it won't make me falter. Not at all.
Whether it was real, or a trick, or I-don't-know-what...
...that was Rand.
And that means there's a chance -- however slim -- that he's still alive.
That he's counting on me to save him.
So enough of this screwing around in haunted orphanages...
...time to grab that ribbon and get moving!
<<choice [[Now you&apos;re talking!|ribbonatlast]]>> | <<choice [[You'll find your brother.^If Rand is out there, I have every faith that you'll find him. Soon.|findbrother]]>>


:: findbrother
Thanks, <<$playername>>. I think so too.
Sometimes you just need a kick in the pants to get you moving again.
[[ribbonatlast]]


:: outsideflood
I'm alive.
I have nothing else to show for my time at Floodland.
I let this place wreck me as a child...
...and then I let it defeat me as a woman.
I'm exhausted... the kind of tired that drills into your bones...
...and with every step I take, all I can think is:
"I lost."
<<if $car is 1>>All right. I'm gonna go sleep in the Quest for a while.
<<elseif $car is 0>>I'm gonna find someplace flat and dry, try and curl up for a little while.<<endif>>
I'm betting I'll sleep hard after this...
...but I'm not counting on pleasant dreams.
[[delay 10h^Arika is sleeping|wakeafterflood]]


:: handtrick
I... I know you're right.
But that doesn't make it any less intense.
I haven't... I haven't heard that voice in ten years.
Whether it was real, or a trick, or I-don't-know-what...
...that was Rand.
And that means there's a chance -- however slim -- that he's still alive.
That he's counting on me to save him.
So enough of this screwing around in haunted orphanages...
...time to grab that ribbon and get moving!
<<choice [[Now you&apos;re talking!|ribbonatlast]]>> | <<choice [[You'll find your brother.^If Rand is out there, I have every faith that you'll find him. Soon.|findbrother]]>>


:: playitsafe
Are you kidding me? What are you afraid of?
She must weigh a buck-o-five, soaking wet. And I've got magic on my side.
Trust me. The only thing to worry about is that there's too much Counting Crows on her mix CD.
I'm going for it.
<<choice [[Fine. Just stay alert.^I&apos;m not wild about this idea, but you make some good points. Just stay sharp.|staysharp]]>> | <<choice [[Please don't. Just walk away.^Just tell her you've changed your mind, and wave her on. Better safe than sorry.|bettersafe]]>>


:: whatribbon
<<if $ribbon>>Remember? The ribbon? Creepy Leila? Orphanage? Ringing any bells?
I realize we've all slept since then -- some of us more soundly than others --
but how many creepy orphanages have you walked someone through in the last week?
<<else>>
We'll get there. I promise. And it'll be a doozy.
For now, let's just say that it's something that belongs to an old friend.
<<endif>>
So, anyway... let's talk about where we're headed now.
[[keydetails]]


:: monasterygates [key]
<<silently>><<set $atefood = 0 >><<endsilently>>
I'm at the road leading to the monastery. 
Although calling it a "road" is an insult to decent roads everywhere.
It's more a pair of wheel tracks snaking through the trees and disappearing into the woods.
I think I saw these woods on the cover of <i>Dark and Foreboding</i> magazine last month.
I went past this intersection about a dozen times before I found it.
And now that I'm looking closely, I can see why. There's a spell here, hung skillfully in place.
<<choice [[What kind of spell?|keykindofspell]]>> | <<choice [[You should be careful.|keybecareful]]>>


:: keywhywishnotfindit [key]
Because like I said before, I have <i>no</i> plan for this.
<<if $ribbon>>
At least with Leila, I knew something about what I was getting myself into.
<<endif>>
I don't know a lot about this monastery, or the monks, or what they might do if they catch me here.
The only way I can imagine being more afraid of a monk would be if I saw Tony Shalhoub shirtless.
And then... no, forget it.
<<choice [[Consider it forgotten.|keyconsiderforgotten]]>> | <<choice [[No, tell me.|keytellmemore]]>>


:: keytellmemore [key]
<<silently>><<darken -5>><<endsilently>>
I guess the truth is that part of me <i>wants</i> to fail, you know?
Part of me wants to never get this key, because that means that it wasn't <i>me</i> that failed. 
If that's the case, then it was <i>fate</i> that failed <i>me</i>.
And you can't blame someone for their fate. But you can blame them for their failure.
Not, you know, that I intend to fail.
<<choice [[I understand.|keyunderstandfailure]]>> | <<choice [[You need to pull yourself together!|keypullyourselftogether]]>>


:: keyunderstandfailure [key]
<<silently>><<darken -5>><<endsilently>>
Thanks. That means a lot to me.
[[keylookatgate]]


:: whatiskeyfor
<<if $ribbon>>I thought you were paying attention earlier. Did I not mention there'd be a test?
The key by itself doesn't <i>do</i> anything. Until I thread Leila's ribbon through it.
<<else>>
On its own, the key does...
...well, come to think of it, the key doesn't actually <i>do</i> anything. 
At least not until I get hold of a certain <i>ribbon</i>.
<<endif>>
<<choice [[Gotcha.|keydetails]]>> | <<choice [[What ribbon?^What ribbon are we talking about here?|whatribbon]]>>


:: key
<<silently>><<set $currentquest = "key">><<endsilently>>
<<set $keyquest = 1>>
...the key from the Timeless Monks.
<<choice [[How do you do that?|keydetails]]>> | <<choice [[Stealing from monks?^Are you sure it&apos;s a good idea to steal from holy men?|stealfrommonks]]>>


:: keybecareful [key]
I know I like to needle you a bit, but I really appreciate that you care.
So, lemme take a brief interlude from being snarky to thank you for looking out for me.
Okay, that's better. Now then:
"Be careful"? Oh, great idea! I hadn't thought of that!
[[keylookatgate]]


:: keykindofspell [key]
It's a spell that makes your gaze kind of <i>hurry</i> past the road without seeing it.
Your eyes involuntarily speed up when they get there, and everything becomes a blur for a nanosecond.
If you weren't looking for this place, you'd never find it.
I almost wish I hadn't.
<<choice [[Why not?|keywhywishnotfindit]]>> | <<choice [[Seriously, be careful.|keybecareful]]>>


:: keyconsiderforgotten [key]
<<silently>><<darken 5>><<endsilently>>
You're a real pal. I guess.
[[keylookatgate]]


:: keypullyourselftogether [key]
<<silently>><<darken 5>><<endsilently>>
Yeah. I suppose you're right.
[[keylookatgate]]


:: keydetails
This monastery's way out in the middle of nowhere. Very few people even know about it.
Apparently it's the kind of place you can drive past a thousand times without really seeing it.
And from what I know of the Timeless Monks, that's exactly how they want it.
They don't want anyone horning in on their monk doings.
Their... <i>monk</i>-y business, if you will.
<<set $iwill = false>>
<<choice [[I will!|monkbackstoryiwill]]>> | <<choice [[I won&apos;t. That&apos;s inexcusable.|monkbackstory]]>>


:: monkbackstoryiwill
<<set $iwill = true>>
[[monkbackstory]]


:: stealfrommonks
Trust me, these aren't your run-of-the-mill monks. 
Maybe you're picturing St. Francis hanging out with woodland creatures?
The Timeless Monks are nothing like that.
They aren't kindly. They don't belong to any religion you've ever heard of.
They don't do good works or sing chants.
And they sure as hell don't brew beer like those guys in Belgium, more's the pity.
<<choice [[What <i>do</i> they do?|whatdomonksdo]]>> | <<choice [[What do you need the key for?|whatiskeyfor]]>>


:: keylookatgate [key]
The first thing I have to contend with here is the gate that bars entrance to the "road" in question.
And a chainlink fence that stretches into the distance in both directions.
The gate is pretty clearly locked, and climbing over it looks like a chore.
It has pointy things on top.
<<choice [[But you have to climb.|keyclimbgate]]>> | <<choice [[Try a spell.^Maybe you could open the gate with some kind of spell.|keytryspellopengate]]>>


:: keytryspellopengate [key]
<<if $darkness lt 50 >>I don't know. I don't think there's any need to use magic for this.
I think I'll wind up bleeding less if I try climbing.
[[keyclimbgate]]
<<else>>
[[keytryspellopengate2]]
<<endif>>


:: keytryspellopengate2 [key]
<<if $darkness lt 75>>I don't know. That may not be totally necessary.
Surely I shouldn't have to bleed every time I want to walk into someplace?
<<else>>Sure. Let's do it. Sounds like a plan.
<<endif>>
<<choice [[No, you&apos;re right. Forget it.|forgetspellopengate]]>> | <<choice [[Go for it.|attemptgatespell]]>>


:: keyclimbgate [key]
<<silently>><<darken -5>><<set $spelledGate = 0 >><<endsilently>>
I mentioned the pointy things along the top, didn't I? At the top of the gate.
Okay, fine. I'm going to do some climbing, I guess.
And some really <i>delicate</i> climbing along the top there.
[[delay 5m^Arika is climbing|keyclimbedgate]]


:: monkbackstory
<<if $iwill >>
I appreciate that.
<<else>>
Well, let's put you in a harrowing struggle for your life...
...and then see how many bravura quips <i>you</i> come up with. Okay there, quippy?
<<endif>>
Yeah, so, these monks. 
People refer to them as the "Timeless Monks"...
...but their actual name is Ordo Fratrum Artificis Temporis.
Which, if you've studied Latin --
and boy, have I <i>ever</i> studied Latin, given my vocation --
you know translates as "Order of the Brotherhood of the Architect of Time."
Either that, or it means "Order the frat boys some artificial tempura."
Either way, it's creepy.
<<choice [[Yeah, I&apos;ll say.|monkbackstory2]]>> | <<choice [[Why have you studied Latin?|whylatin]]>>


:: whatdomonksdo
Nobody knows. It's something to do with clocks... 
...or something.
The books I've read aren't exactly clear on the subject.
[[keydetails]]


:: forgetspellopengate [key]
Yeah, maybe I should just climb the stupid gate after all. Although it seems like a terrible idea, too.
Maybe it's time for a rousing round of Eenie Meenie Miney Crap.
[[keyclimbgate]]


:: attemptgatespell [key]
<<silently>><<darken 5>><<set $spelledGate = 1 >><<endsilently>>
All righty. Just a tiny nick with my handy-dandy knife and...
Give me a minute. I need to get these runes right.
[[delay 1m^Arika is spellcasting|castgatespell]]


:: keyclimbedgate [key]
Well. That was... awkward. And uncomfortable. But at least I didn't get skewered by a pointy thing.
But this was clearly the right way to go.
Using magic for something like this would have just been wasteful.
[[keystartdownroad]]


:: monkbackstory2
So, yeah. They moved their headquarters from Scotland to Oregon back in the 1970s.
In those days, there was no religion too nutty for the west coast...
...so these freakazoids must have fit right in.
Even modeled their monastery design on a medieval abbey to make themselves seem more legit.
I don't know too much about them, but I do know that they have a thing for clocks.
And there's one clock in particular that they --
I don't know if they <i>worship</i> this clock, per se --
but they have <i>definitely</i> made it a few mix tapes.
The clock is at the monastery, and the key that I'm looking for is the key that winds this clock.
<<choice [[What&apos;s so special about the clock?|whyclockspecial]]>> | <<choice [[That&apos;s super-weird.|clocksuperweird]]>>


:: whylatin
You know us magic users. We can't get enough of dead languages.
While other kids my age were getting state capitals by rote and grousing about pre-Algebra...
...I was learning how to make out ancient hieroglyphics...
...and memorizing the conjugations of verbs like "clamare," which means "to scream."
As in: "clamo, clamas, clamamus Clamato," which translates roughly to:
"I scream, you scream, we all scream for clam-flavored tomato juice."
[[monkbackstory2]]



:: keygoingdownroad [key]
Okay, I've made it partway down the road.
I know I said it was dark and foreboding before, but it's lovely here. 
Finches and sparrows darting through the canopy. Clouds drifting along above. Pine trees... pining.
Wait. I can feel something.
<<if $ribbonquest is 1>>It's not like Leila's wild magic -- not exactly.
<<else>>It's magic, for sure, but not any like magic I've experienced before.
<<endif>>
It has a different flavor. A different shape. A different... scent?
<<choice [[What do you mean?|keyscentwhatmean]]>> | <<choice [[What are you seeing?|keygoingfartherdownroad]]>>



:: castgatespell [key]
<<silently>><<set $swissknife = 1>><<darken 5>><<endsilently>>
I can feel my consciousness slip out of my body and into the air around me. 
(There is <i>definitely</i> magic here already. Powerful magic.)
My mind glides into the lock mechanism -- it's so simple.
All I have to do is push these little pin thingies and...
...voila! It's open!
I have to wonder, though. Was it really a good idea to use magic to do this? 
I'd've wound up with bloody fingers either way, and this method is certainly faster...
...but it costs more. Metaphysically speaking.
Maybe I should have just climbed over the fence, pointy things or no.
[[keystartdownroad]]


:: keyscentwhatmean [key]
One time I saw this documentary about people who are taste-testers for potato chips.
And they had all this specialized vocabulary for the nuances of potato-chippery.
I must sound as stupid to you right now as those potato chip people sounded to me.
<<choice [[You&apos;re not wrong.|keynotwrongaboutchips]]>> | <<choice [[You don't sound stupid!^Hey, who among us doesn't like potato chips? I get it.|keywrongaboutchips]]>>


:: clocksuperweird
Yeah. It's pretty nutty, agreed. But then again, who am I to judge?
I'm sending messages to a complete stranger on their little computer using blood magic.
[[whyclockspecial]]


:: whyclockspecial
Here's the thing about the Timeless Monks. Nobody knows much about them.
But more than one dusty old tome talks about how winding the clock is their most sacred endeavor.
And the key is what they use to wind the clock.
Sacred endeavor = magic potential. Got it?
<<choice [[How do you plan to get the key?|getkeyplan]]>> | <<choice [[Why a key?^Why does it have to be a key?|whythiskey]]>>


:: keystartdownroad [key]
Okay, now that I'm past the gate, I can start down the road. 
I'll tell you if I see anything strange. Stick around for a little while, okay?
[[delay 30m^Arika is walking|keygoingdownroad]]


:: keynotwrongaboutchips [key]
<<silently>><<darken 3>><<endsilently>>
You're a paragon of moral support.
[[keygoingfartherdownroad]]


:: keywrongaboutchips [key]
Thanks. I have no idea how I must sound to someone who doesn't do magic.
I assume "crazy." Like "potato chip crazy."
But I appreciate it.
[[keygoingfartherdownroad]]


:: getkeyplan
So, they had a leader, a guy named Clepsydra, who brought them over from the Old World.
He used to be active in magic circles, but nobody's heard a word from him in years.
Mostly people seem to think he's dead, and that the monastery is abandoned.
So I might just be able to stroll in and grab it.
<<choice [[What if he&apos;s still alive?|keyclepstillalive]]>> | <<choice [[Uh huh. What&apos;s Plan B?|getkeyplan2]]>>


:: whythiskey
It has to be a key. Because I'm <i>opening</i> something. That's how magic works.
I've searched high and low for a garage door opener or keyless entry clicker with the same properties.
Such things just <i>don't</i> exist, I'm sad to say.
[[getkeyplan]]


:: keygoingfartherdownroad [key]
The road continues for about a half mile farther, it looks like.
I can see some kind of building beyond the trees, a hint of stone. I assume it's the monastery.
Off the side of the road, though, there's an apple orchard.
It looks run-down, but I can plainly see apples. Which reminds me that I am extremely hungry.
But also my stomach is in knots so I can't bear the thought of eating.
<<choice [[Try the orchard.^You should eat something. Check out the orchard.|keytryorchard]]>> | <<choice [[Keep walking, then.^You can always eat later, I suppose.|keykeepwalking]]>>


:: getkeyplan2
I'm just going to have to scope out the monastery and see what happens.
If the monks <i>are</i> still there, then, I don't know...
...maybe there's a secret tunnel I can find that leads right to where the key is stored.
Maybe they have a group naptime that I can exploit.
But ultimately it doesn't matter. Because I need that key. So I'm going to get it.
But first I have to get to the monastery.
[[travelnode]]



:: keyclepstillalive
If that's the case, then I'm probably screwed. So (say it with me now...)
Let's hope that isn't the case.
[[getkeyplan2]]


:: keytryorchard [key]
Now that I'm standing in it, it's less of an "orchard"...
...and more of a "barren crapscape that maybe one time was an orchard."
There are apple trees, sure, but they're choked with weeds, untended.
These are not happy trees, like in a Bob Ross painting. These are scary trees, like in <i>The Wizard of Oz.</i>
<<choice [[Who is Bob Ross?|keywhoisbobross]]>> | <<choice [[Those Oz trees were jerks.|keyoztreesarejerks]]>>


:: keykeepwalking [key]
<<if $spelledGate>>When I was working my mojo on the gate just now, I could feel how strong the monks' magic is.
It's a strange kind of magic, too. Clipped and precise.
I'm going to need all of my strength to fight it, I think. Eating something now might be a <i>really</i> good idea.
<<else>>I <i>am</i> feeling pretty peckish, but maybe you're right.
Maybe I should just get this over with.
<<endif>>
<<choice [[Head to the monastery.|keytowardmonastery]]>> | <<choice [[Maybe you should eat.^On second thought, head to the orchard and see if there are any apples.|keytryorchard]]>>



:: keywhoisbobross [key]
You should just Google him. Check out the Afro. Check out the motel-room-quality paintings.
When I was really little, I would sit in my dad's lap and we would watch reruns of his show on PBS.
I told my dad I wished I could meet Bob Ross, and my dad said that he'd died a few years before I was born.
I cried for Bob Ross.
[[keylookapples]]


:: keyoztreesarejerks [key]
Right? They get mad at Dorothy for picking their apples...
...and to show it, they <i>throw</i> their apples at her!
And that's leaving aside the notion that their anger makes no sense from an evolutionary perspective...
...given that the whole reason trees have fruit in the first place...
...is so creatures will eat the fruit and spread the seeds around.
So, yeah. Oz trees. Big dumb jerks.
[[keylookapples]]



:: keytryapple [key]
Oh. Wow. That apple was... very not good.
You wanna talk about tart? This thing had more tart than the Knave of Hearts.
You wanna talk about mealy? This thing was more mealy than Meals on Wheels.
And... oh my <i>God</i>.
<<choice [[What happened?|keyappleworm]]>> | <<choice [[Are you in danger?|keyappledanger]]>>


:: keylookapples [key]
Yikes. Looking at these apples, I have to say that the greengrocer in me is <i>not impressed</i>.
<i>How</i> the greengrocer got in me, I'll <i>never</i> know.
That was me doing a Groucho Marx voice. I'm guessing the spell doesn't add a <groucho> tag or anything?
Mental note -- add a <groucho> tag to the spell.
I'm getting off track, sorry. It's just that these apples look so uninviting, I'm avoiding the topic.
They're small and gnarled, and this one has a little hole in it.
<<choice [[Try one.^Take a bite of one. See if it's any good.|keytryapple]]>> | <<choice [[Wait on eating.^Maybe you'll find something to eat in the monastery.|keywaiteatmonastery]]>>



:: keyappledanger [key]
No, sorry. Not in any danger at the moment. Didn't mean to alarm you.
[[keyappleworm]]


:: keyuruguay [key]
Yeah, you can look that one up on your own, <<$playername>>.
Although, come to think of it, talking about it would definitely take away my appetite.
<<choice [[Go ahead and try the apple.|keytryapple]]>> | <<choice [[You should probably get moving.|keyeatlaterthen]]>>


:: keyappleworm [key]
It's just that... ugggh. There's a freakin' <i>worm</i> in this apple.
No. I was wrong about that. Correction -- 
there is... <i>half</i> a worm in this apple.
Ewwwwwwwwwww.
<<choice [[Just eat around it.^An apple with a worm in it is still safe to eat. Just don&apos;t eat the worm part.|keyeatappleanyway]]>> | <<choice [[So much for apples.|keysomuchforapples]]>>



:: keyeatappleanyway [key]
I knew there was something I didn't like about you.
Okay. Fine. I need to eat. It'll keep my strength up.
<<if $spelledGate >>These monks have some strong monk-mojo, after all.<<endif>>
I'm going to eat this apple now. But I'm not going to enjoy it.
<i>That'll</i> teach you.
[[delay 3m^Arika is eating|keyateapple]]


:: keywaiteatmonastery [key]
I mean, I'm pretty hungry. But I'm not like "Uruguayan rugby team" hungry.
It might not be a bad idea to eat now, but I can wait.
<<choice [[Eat later, then.|keyeatlaterthen]]>> | <<choice [[Uruguayan rugby team?|keyuruguay]]>>


:: keysomuchforapples [key]
Yeah. Pretty sure I'll never eat another apple again as long as I live.
[[keyeatlaterthen]]


:: keyateapple [key]
<<silently>><<set $atefood = 1>><<endsilently>>
Well, I don't feel hungry anymore.
I may never eat another apple for the rest of my life...
...but, at least for the moment, I am no longer experiencing hunger.
In fact, I think hunger is a feeling I may never know again.
[[keytowardmonastery]]


:: keytowardmonastery [key]
<<if $atefood>>
Okay, I'm headed for the monastery, stomach queasy but full, to get the key.
<<else>>
Okay, I'm headed for the monastery, stomach empty but not growling, to get the key.
<<endif>>
Somehow.
Hey, maybe while I'm walking, one of us will think up a plan for how I'm going to get this key?
It's about half a mile away, so I guess it'll take me half an hour or so.
[[delay 35m^Arika is walking|keyfrontofmonastery]]


:: keyeatlaterthen [key]
Okay, yeah. I'll probably find something to eat in the monastery. I mean, monks gotta eat too, right?
Anyway, this orchard gives heebies to my jeebies.
[[keytowardmonastery]]


:: keyfrontofmonastery [tag]
Here I am, in front of the monastery itself.
I was... sort of expecting it, but it's still weirding me out.
I mean, I knew it was designed to <i>look like</i> a medieval Gothic abbey.
What I was absolutely not imagining was an <i>actual</i> medieval Gothic abbey.
Because this building seriously looks a thousand years old.
Which is weird, since by all accounts it was built in 1972.
<<choice [[Tell me what you&apos;re seeing.|keydescribemonastery]]>> | <<choice [[Is there anybody there?|keyanybodythere]]>>



:: keyanybodythere [key]
No, I don't see anyone around. I'm looking, but the place seems deserted. 
Maybe the rumors are right...
...and the monks all gave up the religious life and went back to their day jobs.
<<display keyflitseries>>
[[keydescribemonastery]]


:: keydescribemonastery [key]
It's like someone airlifted this place off a craggy heath in North Harumphington Upon Snobbing --
or you know, wherever sounds European enough for you --
and just deposited it here among the maples and firs.
It's a big pile of old stones, somehow raising itself up to form the shape of a building.
In the back of it there's a tower that stretches up to the sky, maybe a hundred feet tall.
A tower with a <i>big</i> clock in it.
It looks like I can go in the front door of the abbey...
...or I could skirt around the building and find another way in.
<<choice [[Go on in.|keygoinfront]]>> | <<choice [[Look for another entrance.|keylookotherentrance]]>>



:: keygoinfront [key]
Sure, why not? It's not like there's anybody here to stop me.
[[keytimeslowstart]]


:: keylookotherentrance [key]
That makes sense. Might as well be cautious, even though this place looks completely deserted.
[[delay 5m^Arika is walking|keywalkperimeter]]


:: keywalkperimeter
Except now that I've walked around the place, there <i>are</i> not other entrances. Just this one. 
So it looks like I'm going in the front door, the way God, or at least these monks, intended.
[[keytimeslowstart]]


:: keytimeslowstart [key]
Just so you know, despite my casual, flippant, Mal-Reynolds-but-with-ovaries attitude...
...I'm not actually coming into this with no plan whatsoever. I have some spells I can use.
If the monks break their vow of silence and try to stop me, I can protect myself.
<<if $darkness lte 32>>If I absolutely have to.
<<elseif $darkness lte 66>>And I will.
<<else>>And I might even enjoy it a little.<<endif>>
<<slow>>
So don't be too  worried  about  me.
E v e r y t h i n g  i s  g o i n g  t o  b e
<<endslow>>
[[delay 5m^Arika is …|keytimeslowend]]



:: keytimeslowend [key]
<<slow>>
j u s t  f i n e .
I'm  a  tough  cookie.
<<endslow>>
Though I'm not sure why a tough cookie is supposed to be a good thing.
Doesn't sound like it would be much fun to eat.
<<choice [[What just happened?|keyslowwhathappened]]>> | <<choice [[Is everything okay?|keysloweverythingok]]>>


:: keysloweverythingok [key]
Sure, everything's fine. I'm about to enter a monastery filled with insane monks with time control powers.
What could possibly be wrong?
<<choice [[You stopped in the middle of a sentence.|keypointoutwait]]>> | <<choice [[You zoned out there.|keypointoutwait2]]>>


:: keypointoutwait2
[[keypointoutwait]]


:: keyslowwhathappened [key]
Nothing happened. A cookie joke. What are you talking about?
<<choice [[You just stopped talking.|keypointoutwait]]>> | <<choice [[Everything got weird and slow.|keypointoutwait2]]>>


:: keypointoutwait [key]
Oh. Oh. Oh, crap.
If you're saying that I slowed down and stopped, like...
...like a Chuck E. Cheese animatronic during a power outage, or something...
...then that is a <i>big</i> problem.
That means that what they say about the monks is true. And that scares the crap out of me.
<<choice [[What do they say?|keywhatsaymonks]]>> | <<choice [[This is the monks&apos; magic?|keymonkshavemagic]]>>



:: keywhatsaymonks [key]
What they say is that the monks can alter the flow of time at will. That sounded nuts to me.
I don't know any spells that can slow down time. Not exactly.
[[keyhereigo]]


:: keymonkshavemagic [key]
Yeah. They've got magic... and what's more, it can affect the passage of time.
Which I <i>cannot</i> do. Well. Not exactly.
[[keyhereigo]]


:: keyhereigo [key]
Okay, I'm heading in the front door.
[[delay 10s|keygonarthex]]


:: keygonarthex [key]
<<silently>><<set $knowschurches = 1>><<endsilently>>
So. The front door was big, and wooden, and it creaked like an Olympic-caliber creaking machine.
And now I'm in the entrance hall to the abbey.
I want to call it a narthex. I feel like "narthex" is the right word for the room that this is.
I googled "monastery terms" before I came here, and I think that's this one.
I'm pretty sure it's not "aphex" because that's a twin.
Could you look up "narthex" and tell me if it's the word I'm looking for?
'Cause I'm really kind of scared right now, and that might help.
<<choice [[Sure. I&apos;ll look it up.|keylookupnarthex]]>> | <<choice [[Forget it.^It&apos;s not important. Just tell me what you see.|keynolookupnarthex]]>>


:: keygarthcheckstonesintro [key]
Okay, gimme a minute. These rocks are slippery.
[[delay 2m^Arika is climbing|keygarthcheckstones]]


:: keygogarth [key]
Now that I'm looking at it, it seems like there used to be a tower here on the corner of the building.
Looks like the tower collapsed a long time ago, and all the stones here are the wreckage of it. 
Only they've been here so long that the wind and rain have made a steep mound out of them.
Like a mini-mountain range jutting up in the middle of the quad, with trees growing on it and everything.
<<if $seenMonk eq 0 >>Maybe nobody really does live here?
<<else>>You'd think nobody had lived here for a really long time.
<<endif>>
Looks like it'd take a few minutes to get up to the top of it, but I think could manage it.
[[Check out the stones.^Go ahead and climb to the top of the stones.|keygarthcheckstonesintro]] | [[Keep moving.|keygarthmoveon]]





:: keylookupnarthex [key]
<<silently>><<darken -3>><<endsilently>>
Okay, thanks. I know this is weird, but it makes me feel better.
So, what's the answer? Is this room a narthex, or isn't it?
<<choice [[Yes.^A narthex is an antechamber or large porch in a church.|keynarthexlookupwin]]>> | <<choice [[No.^No, looks like a narthex is something else.|keynarthexlookuplose]]>>


:: keynolookupnarthex [key]
<<silently>><<darken 2>><<endsilently>>
Fine, be that way. Sheesh.
Well, whatever the hell this room is called, here's what it looks like:
[[keydescribenarthex]]


:: keygarthcheckstones [key]
Okay, I made it up to the top of the mound here.
It's kind of pretty, actually. I can look out and see the road and the orchard over the wall.
Behind me I can see the clock tower. Still reading straight up midnight.
Right in front of me there's a big tree stump. A really big stump.
Which is very strange, if you think about it. 
I'm not gonna count the rings, but this tree had to be at least a hundred years old.
A tree that grew on a fallen tower of a monastery that was built in 1972. Are you seeing the issue here?
[[I don&apos;t understand.|keygarthstonesdumb]] | [[I... think so.|keygarthstonessmart]]


:: keynarthexlookuplose [key]
Oh. Well, that sucks. I could have sworn this was a "narthex." Huh.
I know I can count on you to have actually looked that up, and not just <i>pretended</i> to look it up. 
Because once this is over, I'm going to consult my Funk & Wagnalls...
...and if you're fibbing to me, you're going to have a pissed-off teen witch on your hands.
Well, whatever this place is called, here's what it looks like:
[[keydescribenarthex]]


:: keynarthexlookupwin [key]
Hell yeah, it's a narthex. I know my narthexes! It's not a huge win, but I'll take it.
So here's what this <i>narthex</i> looks like:
[[keydescribenarthex]]


:: keygocloister [key]
I'm outside again, standing in a covered walkway, which is called a cloister...
...looking out over a grassy open square area, which is called a garth.
Yes, I am pretty sure it <i>is</i> called a "garth."
And no, I don't know why everything in a monastery has to have a weird name.
Or why I <i>remember</i> all the weird names.
<<if $knowsstairs>>Like how I remember the names of all the parts of a staircase.
I guess I'm just really fascinating.<<endif>>
This covered walkway appears to stretch around the entire square. I could walk along it. 
The garth was probably once flat, but those days are a distant memory.
Like a garage band with a handful of power chords and no original tunes, everything is covered in rock.
Party on, Garth.
[[Walk along the cloister.|keycloisterwalk]] | [[Check out the garth.|keygogarth]]



:: keygarthstonesdumb [key]
Don't worry. I'll spell it out for you.
[[keygarthstonessmart]]


:: keygarthstonessmart [key]
That would mean that the tree had been here for at least a hundred years.
And that the tower fell down years before that in order to make a good place for a tree to grow.
And that tower was built long before that in order to have time to crumble and fall.
And I'm no math whiz, but I'm pretty sure it couldn't have all happened since 1972.
Or since Europeans discovered Oregon, for that matter.
[[How is that possible?|keygarthstonespossible]] | [[Maybe you got your dates wrong.|keygarthstonesdatewrong]]



:: keyinspectimages [key]
Upon closer inspection, they appear to be... images of gears and cogs, only closer up.
I guess some things aren't actually worthy of closer inspection.
<<display keyflitseries>>
Huh. Guess I'll move along now. Nothing else to see here... I hope.
[[keynarthexmoveon]]


:: keydescribenarthex [key]
It's basically a big stone hall, with some columns and arches over a trio of doors on the far side.
I assume those doors lead to the main church, which I'm pretty sure is called the "nave."
The thing that worries me about those doors is that there's a sound coming from them.
And a pretty eerie, rustly sound at that.
On the walls, there's all this careful masonry detail work -- images of cogs and gears everywhere.
<<choice [[Inspect those images.|keyinspectimages]]>> | <<choice [[Keep searching.|keynarthexmoveon]]>>




:: keygarthstonespossible [key]
You got me. I know a couple of spells that fiddle around with time a bit. 
But time is a major force. Not something to be messed with lightly. I--
Whoa!
[[What happened?|keygarthmonk]] | [[Did you fall?|keygarthdidfall]]


:: keygarthstonesdatewrong [key]
I don't think so. I mean, I read that date in a bunch of different books. But what do I--
Whoa!
[[What happened?|keygarthmonk]] | [[Did you fall?|keygarthdidfall]]


:: keycloisterwalk [key]
It's a covered walkway. There's not much to see. 
I can keep going around it if I want, but the fallen tower has made it impassable on the far side. 
Or I can check out the garth.
<<choice [[Keep walking around.|keycloisterwalkmore]]>> | <<choice [[Check out the garth.|keygogarth]]>>


:: keynarthexmoveon [key]
The only way forward is through these three wooden doors.
[[delay 8s|keygonave]]



:: keygarthdidfall [key]
No, but I almost did. And guess why?
[[keygarthmonk]]


:: keygarthmonk [key]
<<silently>><<set $seenMonk = $seenMonk + 1>><<endsilently>>
<<if $seenMonk gt 1 >>It appears my monk friend, or someone who looks a lot like him, has returned.
<<else>>
A man in a long brown robe is standing on the stump in front of me. 
He's got a hood on his head that's covering his face completely.
He literally wasn't there one second ago. 
How could he possibly have climbed up here without me noticing?
<<endif>>
[[What does he want?|keygarthtalkmonk]] | [[Does he seem dangerous?|keygarthmonkdangerous]]


:: keycloisterwalkmore [key]
There's really nothing to see here.
I'm not getting any spiritual revelations, if that's what you're wondering.
I'm going to check out the garth.
<<display keyflitseries>>
[[keygogarth]]




:: keygarthtalkmonk
<<if $intercom>>Like before, I'll keep the connection open so you can hear.
<<else>>I'll keep the connection open between us, so you can hear me talking to him.
<<endif>>
<monk>You wonder about the passage of time.</monk>
<monk>You know warp and weft and still you wonder.</monk>
You know about the warp and the weft? You guys are magic?
<monk>Magic is... a useless word.</monk>
<<display keymonkseries>>
[[Ask him more about warps.|keygarthaskmore]] | [[Ask him what happened here.|keygarthaskmore2]]


:: keygarthaskmore2
[[keygarthaskmore]]


:: keygarthmonkdangerous [key]
I don't know. He's just... standing there, motionless. 
[[keygarthtalkmonk]]


:: keygonave [key]
Okay, this place is offically cuckoo. As in, I'm literally looking at a cuckoo clock.
Which is just one of the many, many clocks here in the nave of the abbey.
And that's where the noise is coming from -- hundreds of clocks all ticking in the same room.
It sounds like a herd of grasshoppers trundling across a basketball court...
...which is something you often see.
Imagine rows upon rows of stone pews all facing an insane chancel at the far end of this enormous hall.
And imagine there are parishoners filling up the entire church, packed in like God-fearing sardines.
Now imagine that those parishoners are all <i>clocks,</i> and you'll have an idea of what I'm looking at.
Only not, because you're still not getting how weird it is.
There's something where the altar should be, but I can't see what it is.
<<choice [[Tell me about the clocks.|keynavetellclocks]]>> | <<choice [[Talk about the altar.|keynavetellaltar]]>>


:: keygochancel [key]
<<silently>><<set $seenMonk = $seenMonk + 1>><<endsilently>>
This chancel is like nothing I've ever seen. 
In place of an altar, there's this... I don't know if <i>sculpture</i> is the word. 
That would imply that it was constructed by someone for a reason.
This thing looks like a tornado blew threw a gear and cog factory --
and then an art school student tried to capture that moment in metalwork...
...and is gonna be held back this semester.
What do these monks even <i>do</i> here?
I -- oh, crap!
<<choice [[What happened?|keychancelmonkappear]]>> | <<choice [[Are you okay?|keychancelmonkok]]>>



:: keygotransept [key]
Here we have a transept. It's a big wide area off to the side of the nave.
If you look at one of these old abbeys from the top...
...the nave and the transepts together form the shape of a cross.
The nave is the main part of the cross, and the transepts are the arms.
Walking through this transept -- pardon the imagery --
it's hard to shake the notion of someone getting nails pounded through their hands.
Otherwise it's just a long hallway, albeit a spooky one.
<<if not $looped>>
There's a small door at the end of the corridor.
Because of my intense abbey layout research --
by which I mean the half-hour of googling I did at the library --
I know that the little door probably leads to the chapterhouse.
Which is just a room, so I'm not sure why they call it a "house." 
<<else>>There's a passage that opens up a ways down, presumably to the nave.
<<endif>>
<<choice [[Look around here.|keytranseptsearch]]>> | <<choice [[Keep going.|keytranseptmoveon]]>>


:: keygarthaskmore [key]
Can you explain to me--
Oh. He just vanished. <<if $seenMonk gt 1>>Again. Not getting aggravating at all.<<endif>>
[[keygarthmoveon]]


:: keynavetellaltar
It's hard to see what's up there. I'd have to go look more closely.
Whatever it is, it's way weird.
[[keynavemoveon]]


:: keynavetellclocks [key]
There are probably three hundred clocks in this room. All kinds of them.
Grandfather clocks reclining against the pews. Wall clocks lying on their backs on the stone. 
One entire row near the front is a family of digital clock radios in varying shapes and sizes.
They're all unplugged, but they're all showing the same time, and all playing static at a low volume.
This place is really freaking me out.
[[keynavemoveon]]


:: keychancelmonkok [key]
Not gonna lie to you. I have strong doubts about my level of okayness at this moment.
[[keychancelmonkappear]]


:: keytranseptalcove [key]
Oh, look! An empty alcove! Wait 'til I tell all my friends about the completely empty alcove I saw!
Oh, wait. I don't <i>have</i> any friends.
Because I spend all of my time in empty alcoves...
...instead of at discos and pizza parlors, or wherever the kids meet up.
<<choice [[Stop being so hard on yourself.|keytranseptalcovehard]]>> | <<choice [[Don&apos;t forget the video arcades.|keystranseptalcovearcades]]>>


:: keychancelmonkappear [key]
<<if $seenMonk eq 1>>
A man in a long brown robe is standing in front of me.
He's got a hood on his head that's covering his face completely.
He literally wasn't there one second ago. Back then, this place was completely empty.
<<else>>
Another monk just showed up. Or maybe it's the same monk. They look exactly the same.
<<endif>>
<<choice [[Run!|keychancelmonkrun]]>> | <<choice [[Talk to him.|keychancelmonktalk]]>>


:: keygarthmoveon [key]
<<if not $looped>>
There's a door on the other side of the stones, but it'll take some climbing to get there. 
Give me a few minutes.
[[delay 3m^Arika is climbing|keygorefectory]]
<<else>>
Looks like I've made my way around the entire monastery. 
Might as well head back to the chapterhouse and see what's there.
[[delay 5m^Arika is walking|keygochapterhouse]]
<<endif>>


:: keytranseptsearch [key]
There are a bunch of dark recesses along the transept.
Not sure what they would be for in an old church. Even less sure what the Timeless Monks use them for.
Ugh. I hate that I'm speaking in the present tense about them.
<<display keyflitseries>>
Huh. There's a little alcove back here, behind a column. It looks empty.
<<choice [[Check out the alcove.|keytranseptalcove]]>> | <<choice [[Don&apos;t bother.^You don&apos;t have time to look in every single nook and cranny.|keytranseptnookandcranny]]>>



:: keytranseptalcovehard [key]
<<silently>><<darken -3>><<endsilently>>
Aw, shucks. I'm just throwing a pity party. And you're the only one who showed up to the shindig.
Now I feel both better and worse at the same time.
[[keytranseptalcovemonk]]


:: keystranseptalcovearcades [key]
Right. I could totally kill at <i>Mortal Kombat,</i> but only if I could play Shang Tsung.
<i>"Your soul is miiiiine."</i>
I'm sorry, what were we talking about?
[[keytranseptalcovemonk]]


:: keynavemoveon [key]
I can head up to the chancel, or I can head out the side door into a cloister.
Assuming, of course, I've got those terms right.
Maybe I should just say I can go to the raised altar part with the weird thingy on it...
...or I can go out the door into a covered walkway deal.
<<choice [[Go to the chancel.^Try the raised altar part.|keygochancel]]>> | <<choice [[Go to the cloister.^Try the covered walkway deal.|keygocloister]]>>



:: keychancelmonkrun [key]
Good idea. I'm out of here.
<<slow>>
Except... when I turn around...
...he's standing right there in front of me.
Oh. Crap.
<<endslow>>
[[keychancelmonktalk]]


:: keychancelmonktalk [key]
<<if not $intercom >><<set $intercom = 1>>I'll leave the connection open. If all goes well, you should be able to hear both sides of the conversation.
<<else>>Just like before, I'll leave the connection open so you can listen in.
<<endif>>
Hey there. I'm guessing, if you've taken a vow of silence, this is about to get awkward.
<<display keymonkseries>>
<<choice [[Ask about the key.|keychancelmonkaskkey]]>> | <<choice [[Ask about the sculpture.|keychancelmonkasksculpture]]>>


:: keytranseptnookandcranny [key]
What is this place, an English muffin?
You know, from those really old Thomas' English Muffin commercials?
Where they talked about nooks and crannies to a weirdly uncomfortable degree?
No?
Aw, forget it. You're too young.
But anyway, yeah, you're probably right about limiting my exploration.
[[keytranseptmoveon]]


:: keygorefectory [key]
I'm in what appears to be the refectory, or dining hall.
This is where the monks would eat, if there were monks.
<<if $seenMonk >>Or, rather, monks that sat still long enough to eat.<<endif>>
It's just a couple rows of simple wooden tables, with simple wooden benches arranged alongside them.
Unlike the nave, with its clock-filled pews, the refectory is empty.
There's a thick layer of dust on the tables and benches. Nobody has eaten here in a very long time.
There's a wide arch that leads to an open kitchen off to one side, which looks similarly empty.
[[Have a look at the kitchen.|keyrefectorykitchen]] | [[Leave the refectory.|keyrefectorymonk]]


:: keychancelmonkaskkey [key]
That's probably not a good idea. I mean, I'm trying to play it cool here.
Although from what he's saying, it sounds like he already knows what I'm after.
I'm just going to ask him about the sculpture.
[[keychancelmonkasksculpture]]


:: keytranseptalcovemonk
Oh, dammit! Are you kidding me?
<<choice [[What happened?|keytranseptmonkwhathappened]]>> | <<choice [[I personally am not kidding you.|keytranseptmonknotkidding]]>>



:: keyrefectorykitchen [key]
There's not much going on the kitchen, either. 
There's a huge wood-burning stove along one wall next to a massive fireplace, both cold and dark.
There are some cabinets along one wall, although I shudder to think what might be in them.
<<if not $atefood>>Still, it might be a good idea to check them for some grub.
But not literal grubs. I won't eat those.
<<endif>>
[[Look in the cabinets.|keyrefectorycabinets]] | [[Check the fireplace.|keyrefectoryfireplace]]



:: keychancelmonkasksculpture [key]
So, tell me about this sculpture. What does it represent?
<monk>It represents nothing. It is an expression of truth.</monk>
<monk>Art is a flawed attempt to model reality. That is backward.</monk>
<monk>It is reality that is the model.</monk>
Okay, my bad. Um... what truth does your sculpture express?
<monk>Your question is meaningless.</monk>
Aaaand he vanished. Just zapped out of existence, like a cheap special effect.
All that was missing was an audible pop...
...although if there was one, I might not have heard it over the droning of the clocks.
That was... terrifying.
<<if not $looped>>I guess that answers the question of whether the monks are still around...
...in the extremely chilling positive.<<endif>>
[[keychancelmoveon]]


:: keybackchancel [key]
<<silently>><<set $wentBackChancel = true>><<endsilently>>
Sure. Just gonna head back out to the cloister and go through the nave. Give me a minute.
[[delay 3m^Arika is walking|keygochancel]]


:: keybackcloister [key]
<<silently>><<set $wentBackCloister = 1>><<endsilently>>
Sure. Just gonna head back out to the chancel and go through the nave. Give me a minute.
[[delay 3m^Arika is walking|keygocloister]]


:: keytranseptmonknotkidding [key]
No, not you. I mean... you know... the Universe.
[[keytranseptmonkwhathappened]]


:: keyrefectoryfireplace [key]
The fireplace is currently cold to the touch, and incredibly dirty.
It's a lot like Sam Kinison.
<<display keyflitseries>>
[[Return to the refectory.|keyrefectoryreturn]] | [[Check out the cabinets.|keyrefectorycabinets]]


:: keyrefectorycabinets [key]
Now this is just... <i>strange.</i>
The cabinets are full of baby food.
[[Are you sure?|keyrefectorybabysure]] | [[What is it doing there?|keyrefectorybabydoing]]


:: keytranseptmonkwhathappened
<<silently>><<set $seenMonk = $seenMonk + 1>><<endsilently>>
It happened again!
Out of nowhere, another monk is now just standing here with me in the alcove!
Let's see what this one has to say... assuming it's a different monk.
<<display keymonkseries>>
<<choice [[Ask if he&apos;s the same monk.|keytranseptmonkask]]>> | <<choice [[Ask him what he means.|keytranseptmonkask2]]>>


:: keytranseptmonkask2
[[keytranseptmonkask]]



:: keychancelmoveon
<<if not $looped>><<choice [[Head to the transept.|keygotransept]]>> | <<choice [[Get out of here.^This place is too dangerous. You should go.|keychancelgetout]]>>
<<else>>
There's nothing else here I haven't seen already. Past here is the nave, which is where we came in.
Might as well head back to the chapterhouse and see what's in there.
[[delay 5m^Arika is walking|keygochapterhouse]]
<<endif>>


:: keyrefectorybabysure [key]
It's hard to say for certain.
They're tiny little glass jars with pictures of babies on them.
I suppose they could be filled with just about anything.
But these ones appear to be filled with baby food. I mean, it <i>is</i> just a guess.
But what is it doing here?
[[keyrefectorybabydoing]]


:: keyrefectorybabydoing [key]
That's the real question, isn't it?
Are the monks -- assuming they exist at all --
<<if $seenMonk>>apart from that one disappearing one --<<endif>>
running some kind of underground baby fighting league?
Or have they taken a vow of not chewing? So many questions.
[[You should eat some.|keyrefectoryeatfood]] | [[You should take some.|keyrefectorytakefood]]


:: keytranseptmonkask [key]
Well, I <i>would</i> ask him that, except he just disappeared.
<<if $suspectMonksFast>>But at least I think I know how he's doing it.
<<else>>I just wish I knew how he was doing it.
<<endif>>
I think I've had it with this transept.
[[keytranseptmoveon]]


:: keyflitseries [key series]
<<if visited() eq 1>>Wait... what was that?
I thought I saw something kind of... <i>flit by,</i> in my peripheral vision. 
Huh. I guess I must have imagined it. I'm pretty freaked right now, in case you hadn't noticed.
<<elseif visited() eq 2>>Hey! There it is again! That weird <i>flitting</i>.
I know I saw something this time. I mean, I'm <i>pretty sure</i>.
<<elseif visited() eq 3>>There it is again! Okay, I am <i>not</i> crazy. I am <i>not</i> just nervous.
There is <i>definitely</i> something moving around here.
It's just moving extremely fast.
<<elseif visited() eq 4>>Oh, man. I am so dumb.
I just realized how these monks are doing their disappearing trick.
I know what's going on here.
<<silently>><<set $suspectMonksFast = true>><<endsilently>>
<<endif>>



:: keychancelgetout [key]
<<if $darkness lte 66>>I don't think that's a good idea.
<<else>>Are you nuts? I'm not leaving now. I got this!
<<endif>>
<<if not $looped>>
[[delay 8s|keygotransept]]
<<else>>
[[delay 5m^Arika is walking|keygochapterhouse]]
<<endif>>



:: keymonkseries [key series]
<<if visited() eq 1>><monk>You are Arika Lanphear.</monk>
Not a question. That's in no way intimidating.
That's just a fact. You've heard of me?
<monk>All that is here is here always.</monk>
Right on. I get it. Then you're aware that I am one badass puissant mage...
...and that you do <i>not</i> want to mess with me.
<monk>The point is moot. What you seek is not what you require.</monk>
Right. Now tell me how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.
<monk>There are no angels. Only the celestial clockwork, the music of the spheres.</monk>
<monk>You are a cog in the mechanism, as are we.</monk>
<<elseif visited() eq 2>><monk>You have skill with the elements of hidden power, that is clear.</monk>
What, you mean magic? You can just say magic.
<monk>Magic is a meaningless term. A null set.</monk>
<monk>Perhaps you may assist us in our project. There would be no higher honor.</monk>
<<elseif visited() eq 3>>What is this project you were talking about before?
<monk>Clepsydra is/was/will be our leader. He is not currently separate.</monk>
<monk>He has been distributed.</monk>
Do I even want to know what that means?
<monk>For a time we were lost, confused. But now we understand. We know why Clepsydra commissioned us.</monk>
And why is that?
<monk>To perform the great task. The ultimate endeavor.</monk>
<monk>To create the perfect clockwork. To build God.</monk>
<<silently>><<set $buildGod = true>><<endsilently>>
<<elseif visited() eq 4>>
You people are insane. Or you person. I still don't know which it is.
<monk>We will erect a deity in this place.</monk>
<monk>We will give it our knowledge of what you call warp and weft. We will send it back.</monk>
Back where?
<monk>To the place where time has no meaning. To t = 0. The place of highest entropy.</monk>
<monk>Then our deity will create the Universe as it always has.</monk>
<monk>That is our purpose. To bring about what is and has always been.</monk>
<<silently>><<set $sendGod = true>><<endsilently>>
<<else>>
He isn't saying anything. 
Just staring at me and -- oh. Vanishing. I mean, what else is there to say?
<<endif>>



:: keytranseptmoveon
<<if not $looped>>
That door looks spooky and claustrophobic as hell, there at the end of the already-spooky transept.
I wonder if I should back up and try the wide-open spaces of the cloister instead.
<<choice [[Go back.^Go back and check out the cloister instead.|keybackcloister]]>> | <<choice [[Go through the door.|keygoloop]]>>
<<else>>
There's something really weird up on the chancel. Might be worth looking at.
<<choice [[Check out the chancel.|keygochancel]]>> | <<choice [[Go back to the chapterhouse.|keydelaychapterhouse]]>>
<<endif>>


:: keyrefectoryeatfood [key]
<<if $atefood >>Listen. I ate the disgusting, worm-filled apple at your behest.
I'm not doubling down with liquefied zucchini.
[[keyrefectorytakefood]]
<<else>>
What, are you serious? You actually expect me to eat this stuff?
[[You must be pretty hungry.^You didn't eat the apples in the orchard.|keyrefectoryhungry]] | [[Take some with you.^Okay, but grab some... just in case.|keyrefectorytakefood]]
<<endif>>


:: keychapterhouseinfo [key display]
<<if visited() eq 1>>The chapterhouse is where monks do monk stuff.
Okay, I have no idea what a chapterhouse is. We'll have to find out together.
Unless you google it and don't tell me.<<endif>>


:: keyrefectoryhungry [key]
I <i>am starving</i>, it's true.
<<if $suspectMonksFast >>And I know I'm going to need to cast a very difficult spell to catch up with these speedy monks.<<endif>>
Okay, I'll open a jar and take a sniff.
No, not the zucchini... sweet potatoes. I can pretend it's pumpkin pie filling.
Oh, gross!
[[Is something wrong?|keyrefectorysomethingwrongfood]] | [[I don&apos;t like sweet potatoes, either.|keyrefectorysweetpotatoeseither]]


:: keyrefectorytakefood
<<silently>><<set $haveBabyFood = true >><<endsilently>>
I'll take some with me just in case I get snacky along the way.
[[keyrefectoryreturn]]


:: keyrefectorysweetpotatoeseither [key]
It's not that. I actually like sweet potatoes.
I yam what I yam.
[[keyrefectoryfoodsmell]]


:: keyrefectorysomethingwrongfood [key]
I don't know. Maybe?
[[keyrefectoryfoodsmell]]


:: keygoloop [key]
<<if previous() eq 'keytranseptmoveon'>><<set $started = 'transept'>>The door stuck a bit, but I finally got it open. 
<<elseif previous() eq 'keydortermoveon'>><<set $started = 'dorter'>>Okay, the stairs led down to a little door, which stuck a bit, but I managed it just fine, thanks.
<<endif>>
I keep expecting to see the disappearing monk again, but there's nobody in the passageway beyond. Yet.
I'm now in the "slype," which is not a video conferencing service. It's just a passageway.
But it's a very narrow passageway, which kind of freaks me out.
There are high stone walls on both sides.
The walls come together far above my head in a sloppy arch that doesn't do my claustrophobia any favors.
The only light here comes from a row of tiny clerestory windows way above me.
"Clerestory" is a pretty word. Let's just focus on that.
It looks like it should be pronounced "kle-res-tury" but it's actualy "clear-story."
Oh, I can assure you, I am <i>all kinds of fun at parties</i>.
<<choice [[When was your last party?|keyloopparty]]>> | <<choice [[Haven&apos;t been to many parties, huh?|keyloopparty2]]>>


:: keyloopparty2
[[keyloopparty]]


:: keyrefectoryfoodsmell [key]
<<silently>><<set $smelledFood = true >><<endsilently>>
It doesn't smell rotten, or poisoned, or anything like that, but there's an <i>extra</i> smell to it.
Like something's been added to it. Something familiar.
[[You need to eat.^You don't have any choice; you need food. Give it a try.|keyrefectoryactualeatfood]] | [[Don&apos;t eat it.^There must be something wrong with it.|keyrefectoryleavefood]]


:: keyloopparty [key]
Who, me? With my dead parents, missing brother, head full of revenge fantasies and body full of knife scars?
Just put a lampshade on my head and watch me go!
I'm a regular party animal!
And hey, if I'm <i>not</i> a party animal...
...I could probably literally turn myself into an animal, if that's what the party requires.
<<choice [[Sorry. You&apos;ve had it tough.|keylooppartysorry]]>> | <<choice [[Jeez. Pardon me.|keylooppartygeez]]>>




:: keyrefectoryreturn [key]
I just came back to the refectory from the kitchen. I thought I heard a noise just now and--
[[keyrefectorymonk]]



:: keyrefectoryactualeatfood [key]
Okay, I'm taking a little taste.
[[delay 30s^Arika is tasting|keyrefectorytastedfood]]


:: keyrefectoryleavefood [key]
I know I need to eat, but I'm just not sure I need to eat <i>this</i> stuff.
Really wish I'd taken advantage of the orchard now.
[[keyrefectorytakefood]]


:: keylooppartysorry [key]
<<silently>><<darken -2>><<endsilently>>
No, I'm sorry. You've been nothing but helpful and I just can't stop being snide.
Who knows? Maybe the next time you get contacted magically, it'll be by someone who has their crap together.
[[keyloopwalkprebegin]]


:: keylooppartygeez [key]
<<silently>><<darken 2>><<endsilently>>
Oh, right. Because you're having such a <i>hard time</i>...
...sitting there staring at a glowing rectangle while my life is in danger.
All apologies.
[[keyloopwalkprebegin]]


:: keyrefectorytastedfood
Ugh. It tastes like... machine oil!
Well, mostly it tastes like sweet potatoes...
...but with a definite bouquet of the stuff they use to lubricate chainsaws with.
Will I die if I drink multipurpose oil?
Is it toxic? Can you look that up for me?
[[It&apos;s fine.^It might make you a little nauseous, but it isn&apos;t toxic.|keyrefectoryeatallfood]] | [[It could be dangerous.|keyrefectoryfooddangerous]]


:: keyloopwalkprebegin [key]
<<silently>>
<<set $looped = true>>
<<set $knowLoop = false>>
<<set $previousLoop = ''>>
<<set $loopCount = 0>>
<<endsilently>>
[[keyloopwalkbegin]]


:: keyrefectoryeatallfood [key]
Okay, I'm going to choke down a couple of jars. I'll get back to you in a few minutes.
[[delay 30m^Arika is eating|keyrefectoryatefood]]


:: keyrefectoryfooddangerous
Yeah, I'm sorry. I know it's a bad idea to not eat anything right now...
...but this is just... <i>disgusting.</i>
I'm still gonna take it with me, though... because who knows how desperate I'll get later?
[[keyrefectorytakefood]]


:: keyloopwalkbegin [key]
Okay, this is a little unsettling.
This "slype" is supposed to be just a little passage that runs from the <<$started>> to the chapterhouse.
But instead it's winding and twisting.
And now it dead-ends into a T-junction. I can go left or right.
[[Go left.|keyloopstateL]] | [[Go right.|keyloopstateR]]


:: keyrefectoryatefood [key]
<<silently>><<set $atefood = 1>><<endsilently>>
Oh, wow. That was unbelievably disgusting.
See, what they don't tell you about eating baby food laced with machine oil is this:
That machine oil taste really starts to <i>expand</i> in your mouth.
So that now it's all I can taste. Maybe all I'll ever be able to taste, for the rest of my days.
But at least I ate. 
[[keyrefectoryreturn]]


:: keyloopstateL [key]
This way, the passage narrows and gets a little darker. Now I can go right or left again.
[[Go left.|keyloopstateLL]] | [[Go right.|keyloopstateLR]]


:: keyloopstateR [key]
The passage widens a bit here, but it's a little darker.
I can go left or right again.
[[Go left.|keyloopstateRL]] | [[Go right.|keyloopstateRR]]


:: keyrefectorymonk [key]
<<silently>><<set $seenMonk = $seenMonk + 1>><<endsilently>>
<<if $seenMonk gt 1 >>Damn if there isn't another monk appearing out of nowhere, standing on one of the dining tables.
[[keyrefectorytalkmonk]]
<<else>>
Suddenly, there's a man in a long brown robe standing on one of the tables. 
He's got a hood on his head that's covering his face completely, so I can only partially see his face.
He literally wasn't there one second ago.
So... there's that.
[[What does he want?|keyrefectorytalkmonk]] | [[Does he seem dangerous?|keyrefectorymonkdangerous]]
<<endif>>


:: keyrefectoryattackmonk [key]
<<if $fabuladagger >>I pulled out the Fabula Dagger and lunged for him...
...but he vanished before I got within a foot of him.
<<else>>Okay, well, I don't have the Fabula Dagger anymore...
...and I'm not sure if going after this guy with a Swiss Army knife is wise.
What am I going to do with that? Open a bottle of wine and get him so drunk he's incapacitated?
Snip the tags out of his robe so they don't chafe, thereby winning his eternal gratitude?
Mesmerize him with my incredible whittling skills?
Anyway, it doesn't matter because he just disappeared.
<<endif>>
[[keyrefectorymoveon]]


:: keyrefectorytalkmonk [key]
<<if $intercom>>I'll keep the connection open so you can hear every scintillating word.
Because if there's one thing this guy is, it's a conversationalist.
<<if $seenMonk gt 1>>Assuming it's just the one guy.<<endif>>
<<else>>I'll keep the magic connection open between us, so you can hear me talking to him.
<<endif>>
Pretty sure you're not supposed to stand on the table, man.
<<display keymonkseries>>
[[He seems dangerous.^Maybe you should take the initiative and attack him.|keyrefectorymonkconsiderattack]] | [[You should get out of here.|keyrefectorymonkgetout]]


:: keyloopstateLL [key]
The passage seems to go downhill a bit. Another turn.
[[Go left.|keyloopstateLLL]] | [[Go right.|keyloopstateLLR]]


:: keyloopstateLR [key]
The passage goes uphill a bit. Another branching.
[[Go left.|keyloopstateLRL]] | [[Go right.|keyloopstateLRR]]


:: keyloopstateRL [key]
The passage veers off to the left a bit, then dead-ends into another passage.
[[Go left.|keyloopstateRLL]] | [[Go right.|keyloopstateRLR]]


:: keyloopstateRR [key]
The passage veers off to the left, then comes to another T-intersection.
[[Go left.|keyloopstateRRL]] | [[Go right.|keyloopstateRRR]]


:: keyrefectorymonkdangerous [key]
I have no idea. Right now he's just standing there.
But I will say that he's blocking my exit from the refectory.
[[keyrefectorytalkmonk]]


:: keyrefectorymonkgetout [key]
<<if $seenMonk eq 1>>Maybe you're right. I'm just gonna turn tail and--
<<else>>Why bother? Any second now, he's just going to--
<<endif>>
And he's gone. Go figure.
[[keyrefectorymoveon]]


:: keyrefectorymonkconsiderattack [key]
<<if $darkness gte 66>>Sure, why not. I can take this joker.
[[keyrefectoryattackmonk]]
<<else>>Not sure if attacking him is such a grand idea. Especially since--
Oh. Especially since he just disappeared.
[[keyrefectorymoveon]]
<<endif>>


:: keyloopstateLLL [tag]
<<silently>><<set $currentLoop = 'LLL'>><<endsilently>>
[[keyloopexaminepath]]


:: keyloopstateLLR [key]
<<silently>><<set $currentLoop = 'LLR'>><<endsilently>>
[[keyloopexaminepath]]


:: keyloopstateLRL [key]
<<silently>><<set $currentLoop = 'LRL'>><<endsilently>>
[[keyloopexaminepath]]


:: keyloopstateLRR [key]
<<silently>><<set $currentLoop = 'LRR'>><<endsilently>>
[[keyloopexaminepath]]


:: keyloopstateRRR [key]
<<silently>><<set $currentLoop = 'RRR'>><<endsilently>>
[[keyloopexaminepath]]


:: keyloopstateRRL [key]
<<silently>><<set $currentLoop = 'RRL'>><<endsilently>>
[[keyloopexaminepath]]


:: keyloopstateRLL [key]
<<silently>><<set $currentLoop = 'RLL'>><<endsilently>>
[[keyloopexaminepath]]


:: keyloopstateRLR [key]
<<silently>><<set $currentLoop = 'RLR'>><<endsilently>>
[[keyloopexaminepath]]


:: keyrefectorymoveon
Yeah, let's get out of here. <<if $atefood>>If I had an appetite, it'd be gone now.<<else>>I've lost my appetite. Mostly.<<endif>>
<<if not $looped>>
[[Continue farther into the monastery.|keygohallredshift]] | [[Go back.^Go back and check out the chancel instead.|keybackchancel]]
<<else>>
There's a door leading outside, to the cloister. Or I can head back to the chapterhouse.
[[Try the cloister.|keygocloister]] | [[Head back.^Go back and try the chapterhouse.|keygochapterhouse]]
<<endif>>


:: keyloopexaminepath [key]
At the end of the hall, there's a monk. The same monk.
He raises his hand and makes a twisting motion, and I feel sick inside.
It's like warping and wefting, but... sideways. I can't...
<<set $loopCount = $loopCount + 1>>
<<if $loopCount lt 3>>
  [[delay 30s^Arika is …|keyloopwalkbegin]]
<<elseif $loopCount eq 3>>
  [[keylooprealize]]
<<elseif $loopCount eq 4>>
  [[keylooprepeatknowing]]
<<else>>
  <<if $previousLoop eq $currentLoop>>
    [[keyloopescape]]
  <<else>>
    <<set $previousLoop = $currentLoop>>
    [[keylooprepeatknowing]]
  <<endif>>
<<endif>>


:: keylooprepeatdrwho [key]
It doesn't matter where I got the idea. The point is that it might work.
Maybe those boffins over at the BBC know a thing or two about time physics! It could happen!
The episode was called "The Armageddon Factor," in case you're curious.
[[delay 30s^Arika is …|keyloopwalkbegin]]

:: keylooprepeatdrwho2
[[keylooprepeatdrwho]]


:: keygohallredshift [key]
Past the refectory, there's a hallway with big windows that overlook the garth and the fallen tower. 
It'd be picturesque if I wasn't scared out of my wits.
The hallway is about fifty feet long, with a big wooden door at the end. My guess is that it leads to the dorter, where the monks sleep.
Although I'm beginning to doubt <i>anyone</i> sleeps here.
<<slow>>Wait. Why is the sky turning <i>red</i> outside?
What  is  happening?
The  hallway  goes
on
for e v e r
<<endslow>>
[[delay 2h^Arika is walking|keyhallredshiftmiddle]]


:: keylooprepeatknowing [key]
<<if visited() eq 1>>Okay, clearly I'm stuck in some kind of "time loop." I'm assuming that's the technical term.
I guess the question is, how does one get oneself out of a time loop? Because--
[[delay 30s^Arika is …|keyloopwalkbegin]]
<<elseif visited() eq 2>>Okay, that was annoying.
When I get to the bottom I go back to the top of the slype...
Hey, what if we repeated the loop again, only just like we did the previous time?
I saw that on an episode of <i>Doctor Who</i> once.
<<choice [[Doctor Who? Really?|keylooprepeatdrwho]]>> | <<choice [[I don&apos;t know what that is.|keylooprepeatdrwho2]]>>
<<elseif visited() eq 3>>I really think we should try it again, just like the previous time.
Here we go.
[[delay 30s^Arika is …|keyloopwalkbegin]]
<<elseif visited() eq 4>>Oh, you have got to be kidding me with this. Do it again, making the <i>same exact choices</i>.
[[delay 30s^Arika is …|keyloopwalkbegin]]
<<elseif visited() eq 5>>Really? Four times and you still haven't figured this out?
[[delay 30s^Arika is …|keyloopwalkbegin]]
<<elseif visited() eq 6>>I'm not speaking to you any more until this is over.
[[delay 30s^Arika is …|keyloopwalkbegin]]
<<else>>
[[delay 30s^Arika is …|keyloopwalkbegin]]
<<endif>>


:: keyloopescape [key]
Oh, my God! I can't believe that actually worked!
I mean, an idea from a <i>Doctor Who</i> episode? That seems ludicrous!
I guess those boffins know a thing or two after all!
(No. I have no idea what a "boffin" is. Like a "boffo puffin"?)
(No. I have no idea what "boffo" means.)
There was a weird twisty feeling, and all these passageways just kind of... merged... into one.
And at the end of the one passageway there's a door.
I've never been so excited to see a door.
And I met Ray Manzarek at Amoeba Music once.
[[keygochapterhousepath]]


:: keylooprealize [key]
Uh, hey. Are you noticing something strange happening here?
Because I am starting to get a <i>wicked</i> feeling of déjà vu.
<<choice [[You&apos;re repeating yourself.|keylooprealizerepeating]]>> | <<choice [[I thought the spell was broken.^I thought something was wrong with the communication spell.|keylooprealizespellwrong]]>>


:: keygodorter [key]
Here we are in the dorter. The dorter is basically a bedroom for monks.
To get an idea of what it looks like, imagine the dormitory in an orphanage, like in <i>Annie.</i> 
Now remove all the adorable singing orphans --
because I can tell you from experience, orphans don't do a lot of singing --
and replace them with an equal amount of gloom and shadow.
That's the dorter here at the monastery.
Fun fact: Dorter sounds like "daughter" said in a Chicago accent.
Oh, do this: Say "beer can" with an English accent. Out loud.
Come on, just do it.
[[Okay, fine.|keydorterbeercan]] | [[That&apos;s ridiculous.^I'm not going to do that.|keydorternobeercan]]



:: keyhallredshiftmiddle
<<slow>>
a  n  d
e    v    e    r
<<endslow>>
[[delay 3h^Arika is walking|keyhallredshiftend]]


:: keylooprealizerepeating
Oh, yeah? Well, you've asked me "Are you okay?" like fifty times since we started talking. So pardon me.
Oh. Wait.
You mean I've been saying <i>exactly</i> the same things? I must be caught in a--
[[delay 30s^Arika is …|keyloopwalkbegin]]


:: keyhallredshiftend [key]
<<slow>>What  in  the  hell  just  happened?
It's like everything slowed to a crawl.
<<endslow>>
It felt like it took, like, fifteen minutes to cross that fifty-foot passageway!
How long did it <i>actually</i> take?
[[It took five hours.|keyhallredshiftfivehours]] | [[You don&apos;t want to know.|keyhallredshiftdontwantknow]]


:: keylooprealizespellwrong [key]
What do you mean? Are you having a hard time hearing me?
No, that's not what you mean. I'm not having déjà vu! I must be caught in a--
[[delay 30s^Arika is …|keyloopwalkbegin]]


:: keydorterbeercan [key]
Good. Now say "bacon" with a Jamaican accent.
[[Very funny.|keyjamaicansuccess]] | [[I don&apos;t get it.|keyjamaicanfail]]


:: keydorternobeercan [key]
Look. I am stuck in a monastery that is possibly haunted...
...or at the very least well staffed with teleporting monks.
Will you please just say "beer can" with an English accent?
[[Okay, fine.|keydorterbeercan]] | [[Sorry, not gonna happen.|keydorterneverbeercan]]


:: keyhallredshiftdontwantknow [key]
You know what? You're right. I <i>don't</i> want to know. Never ever tell me.
I'm just gonna keep going.
[[keygodorter]]


:: keyhallredshiftfivehours [key]
Five <i>hours?</i> Are you kidding me?
You know what? Don't answer that. I'm really afraid you'll say you aren't.
Let's just open this door and see what other next-level bonkers thing is waiting beyond it.
[[keygodorter]]


:: keydorterneverbeercan [key]
Fine. Now you'll never know why I asked. Jerk. Chicken.
Jerk chicken.
[[keydorterchoice]]


:: keyjamaicansuccess [key]
It's silly, granted. 
But it's the little things that keep you amused...
...when you're infiltrating magical monks to avenge your parents' deaths.
[[keydorterchoice]]


:: keyjamaicanfail [key]
Say them both out loud. Trust me.
"Beer can" with an English accent.
"Bacon" with a Jamaican accent.
Oh, forget it.
[[keydorterchoice]]


:: keygochapterhousepath [key]
I'm through the door. This is what the slype is supposed to look like.
On one side, I can clearly see the <<$started>>, where I just came from.
In the middle, I can see an arch leading to what must be the chapterhouse.
<<if $started eq 'transept'>>And at the other end of the hallway there's a stairway leading up.
<<choice [[Go to the chapterhouse.|keygochapterhouse]]>> | <<choice [[Keep exploring.^See what&apos;s at the top of those stairs.|keygodorter]]>>
<<elseif $started eq 'dorter'>>And at the other end of the hallway there's a door, which I think leads back to the church part.
<<choice [[Go to the chapterhouse.|keygochapterhouse]]>> | <<choice [[Keep exploring.^See what&apos;s on the other side of that door.|keygotransept]]>>
<<endif>>


:: keyhallblueshift
<<fast>>
I'm walking along a hallway that's about fifty feet long.
Outside some tall windows, I can see the garth and the cloisters surrounding it.
Some kinda big pile of stones lying in the middle of it. And --
Hey, why is everything turning blue?
Why is everything going so fast?
Whatthehellishappening?
<<endfast>>
Okay, that was weird. Everything just got real fast there for a second.
Moving on.
[[keygorefectory]]


:: keydelaychapterhouse [key]
[[delay 2m^Arika is walking|keygochapterhouse]]


:: keydorterchoice [key]
I suppose I could look under every bed, but it almost seems like a waste of time.
The beds are basically metal frames with nothing on them. Nobody is sleeping here.
Or if they are, they sure aren't sleeping well.
[[Move along, then.|keydortermoveon]] | [[Examine a bed.^Just to be thorough, take a good look at one of the beds.|keydorterlookbed]]


:: keydorterlookbed [key]
Yep. It's a bed. I'm not some kind of bed expert, mind you --
but I would bet this is the kind of bed you'd have been able to purchase in bulk back in 1972.
It's just a plain black metal frame with springs stretched across it.
So that's something that actually makes sense.
But looking closer, there's something weird here, as well.
There are tiny golden gears stuck in the springs.
Why? Why would that be a thing?
<<display keyflitseries>>
[[You should keep going.|keydortermoveon]] | [[Heh. "Dorter" is a funny word.|keydorterfunnyword]]



:: keydorterfunnyword [key]
You can say that again, <<$playername>>. You can damn well say that again.
[[keydortermoveon]]


:: keygochapterhouse [key]
The chapterhouse sounds like a much cooler place than the chapterhouse actually turns out to be.
Maybe a better name for it would be "Tiny Office" --
altough I don't think anyone would have bought a book called <i>Tiny Office: Dune.</i>
At least, not that late in Frank Herbert's career.
There. A <i>Dune</i> joke, just for you.
Because you seem like the kind of person who would enjoy a <i>Dune</i> joke.
[[The spice must flow!|keychspice]] | [[No clue.^I have no idea what you're talking about.|keychnospice]]


:: keydortermoveon [key]
<<if not $looped>>
There's a staircase leading downward here, that seems to head back in the general direction of the church.
Wish me luck.
[[delay 30s^Arika is walking|keygoloop]]
<<else>>
<<if $wentBackChancel>>
Down the hallway about fifty feet or so, I can see the refectory, where I already was.
So I guess I should head back to the chapterhouse.
[[delay 3m^Arika is walking|keygochapterhouse]]
<<else>>
I can head down the hallway toward what appears to be the refectory...
...or I can go back to the chapterhouse.
[[Try the refectory.|keyhallblueshift]] | [[Go to the chapterhouse.|keydelaychapterhouse]]
<<endif>>
<<endif>>


:: keychnospice [key]
You're probably better off not knowing.
[[keychdescribe]]


:: keychspice [key]
Don't get carried away there, Muad'Dib.
[[keychdescribe]]


:: keychdescribe [key]
The first thing you notice about this room is the smell. 
It smells old and stale -- 
<<if $smelledFood>><<set $punctuation = "...">><<else>><<set $punctuation = ".">><<endif>>
and now that I think about it, it's the first thing I've smelled since I got here<<$punctuation>>
<<if $smelledFood>>...barring the weird machine-oil baby food aroma.<<endif>>
I'm getting old ashtray, cheap bourbon, long-rotted bologna. Human smells. 
Like how a wine expert would describe the bouquet of prison toilet pruno.
There's just the kind of stuff you'd expect to see in a cruddy old office:
a desk with faux-wood top, a polyester-backed plastic task chair, a mountain of dog-eared manilla folders.
It's like the source of all the evil in the world turned out to be your dad's accountant.
It's very dark in here. There are no windows. And there's no sound.
Suddenly I'm very scared.
[[Why are you scared?|keychwhyscared]] | [[Don&apos;t worry. You&apos;ll be okay.|keychscaredok]]


:: keychscaredok [key]
Thanks. I know I have every <i>right</i> to be scared in such a creepy situation...
...but I still feel like I have to be tough.
That's what happens when you grow up without parents, I think.
You just spend all your time being tough, until at some point tough is all you are.
[[I get it.|keychscaredgetit]] | [[What about this place scares you?|keychwhyscared]]


:: keychwhyscared [key]
I don't know. Just something about the gloom here. It's more personal. More <i>human</i>.
Everything else I've seen here has seemed larger and weirder than life.
But this place is a place where some <i>human</i> tragedy took place. 
And that upsets me more than any of the crazy stuff I've seen today.
[[keychnoticestairs]]


:: keychscaredgetit
<<silently>><<darken -3>><<endsilently>>
Thanks. I appreciate that.
[[keychnoticestairs]]


:: keychnoticestairs [key]
It looks like there's a tiny spiral staircase leading upward in the back corner of the room. 
I almost didn't notice it -- it's nearly invisible in the shadows.
What -- oh, my God!
[[Monk again?|keychmonkagain]] | [[What is it?|keychwhatisit]]


:: keychwhatisit [key]
What else? The damn monk!
Only this time he appeared in a flash of brilliant white light, just to scare the hell out of me.
[[keychmonk]]


:: keychmonkagain
Yeah, smartass. It's the monk again. 
But this time he had the decency to appear in a flash of blinding light...
...thus scaring the absolute crap out of me.
You know, in case I was getting bored of him just popping in from nowhere with no fanfare.
[[keychmonk]]


:: keychmonk [key]
He's just standing there, looking at me. 
Oh, crap. 
He's pulling back his hood... I can see his face.
[[Please be careful.|keychmonkbeready]] | [[What does he look like?|keychmonkappearance]]


:: keychmonkbeready [key]
<<if $darkness lte 33>>I don't know what's going to happen, but I appreciate your help.
<<elseif $darkness lte 66>>I'll do my best.
<<else>>I'm going to kick this guy's ass if he messes with me.
<<endif>>
[[keychmonkappearance]]


:: keychmonkappearance [key]
He looks... pretty normal, actually.
Like, you know how sometimes a guy who's a realtor or a bank clerk will shave his head?
And then everyone is like, "Why did Brian shave his head?"
This guy kind of looks like that guy.
Except for his eyes, which are terrifying me in a way that's extremely difficult to describe.
[[Try to describe them.|keychdescribeeyes]] | [[Forget the eyes!^You can tell me about his eyes some other time, I think.|keychforgeteyes]]


:: keychforgeteyes [key]
I'll write you a sestina about it later on...
...with the keywords "black," "terror," "unholy," "nightmare," "dead," and "creeptastic."
[[keychmonkspeak]]


:: keychdescribeeyes [key]
They're cold. Utterly cold, and devoid of emotion. 
In the dim light, it's hard to tell what color they are, or if they even <i>have</i> a color.
For all I know, they could be perfectly black. I kind of feel like they are.
[[keychmonkspeak]]


:: keychmonkspeak [key]
Just like before, I'll leave the "intercom" on, so you can hear what we're saying.
<<if $sendGod>>So, you guys are going to build God and send him back into the past. Awesome.
Best of luck with that.
<monk>You jest, but you understand nothing. You will soon see the truth, however.</monk>
<<elseif $buildGod>>So you guys are building God, huh. That's cool.
I wish you all the luck in the world with that.
<monk>Your flippant attitude will not serve you beyond here.</monk>
<<else>>
Look, I don't know what your deal is, and I don't care. I have no beef with you.
<monk>We know. We know why you are here.</monk>
<<endif>>
<monk>Climb the staircase if you wish. We will not stop you.</monk>
<monk>Yet.</monk>
He's just staring at me again. Like he's trying to decide what to say.
[[delay 30s^Arika is waiting|keychmonkclep]]




:: keychmonkclep [key]
<monk>This is where Clepsydra lived. This is where he did his work.</monk>
<monk>It is... difficult now that he has been integrated. More difficult than we believed. We are...</monk>
What?
<monk>We have concerns.</monk>
Another flash. And now he's gone again. And colored lights are dancing in my eyes.
[[Climb the stairs.|keychclimbstairs]] | [[Stop and think first.|keychstopthink]]


:: keychstopthink [key]
You're right. I need to think about this.
I have a feeling the clock I'm looking for is directly above me. I need to be ready for anything.
<<if $suspectMonksFast>>
[[keychpreparespell]]
<<else>>
[[keychreadyforanything]]
<<endif>>


:: keychpreparespell [key]
I know how the monk is doing his magical disappearing act.
I, too, am magical, in case you'd forgotten. I have a spell I can use.
It burns energy something fierce, though.
See, these monks have a hold on time, right? They aren't teleporting.
They're just moving really really fast. 
<<if $atefood>>
Fortunately, I've eaten, albeit not well.
[[keychprecast]]
<<elseif not $atefood and $haveBabyFood>>
I haven't eaten, but I have the jar of baby food from the refectory.
[[Eat the baby food.|keycheatfood]] | [[Don&apos;t risk it.|keychdontriskfood]]
<<else>>
I haven't eaten, but I don't see what choice I have at this point.
[[keychpreparespellnofood]]
<<endif>>



:: keychreadyforanything
You're right. I just wish I could figure out how the monk was doing his little pop-ins. 
It's not warping and wefting, or at least not in any way I've ever learned.
<<if $atefood>>
Fortunately, I've eaten, albeit not well.
So if I need to cast a spell, I'll at least have a little energy for it.
[[keychclimbstairs]]
<<elseif not $atefood and $haveBabyFood>>
I haven't eaten, but I have the jar of baby food from the refectory. Maybe I should eat it.
That way, if I need to cast a spell, I'll at least have a little energy for it.
[[Eat the baby food.|keycheatfoodanything]] | [[Don&apos;t risk it.|keychdontriskfoodanything]]
<<else>>
I haven't eaten, but I don't see what choice I have at this point.
It'd be nice to have some energy if I have to do a spell, but I'll do my best.
[[keychclimbstairs]]
<<endif>>


:: keycheatfood [key]
Okay, I'll try to choke this stuff down. Give me a few minutes.
[[delay 5m^Arika is eating|keychdoneeating]]


:: keychdontriskfood [key]
Okay. I mean, I really need to eat, but you're right. This stuff can't be any good.
[[keychpreparespellnofood]]


:: keychprecast [key]
<<if $fabuladagger>>I have my trusty dagger.<<else>>I have my trusty Swiss Army knife.<<endif>>
I can cast the spell down here, and then go up and take these guys on.
[[Go upstairs now.|keychclimbstairs]] | [[Cast the spell first.|keychcastspell]]


:: keychdontriskfoodanything [key]
Yeah, well, probably not the best idea, but that stuff looks repellant, and I really want this over with.
Wish me luck.
[[keychclimbstairs]]


:: keychdoneeating [key]
<<silently>><<set $atefood = 1 >><<endsilently>>
Oh, wow. That was incredibly repulsive.
Like drinking baby food laced with machine oil while scared out of your wits.
<i>Exactly like that.</i>
But at least now I've eaten, and I can cast the spell.
[[keychprecast]]


:: keycheatfoodanything
Okay, I'll try to choke this stuff down. Give me a few minutes.
[[delay 5m^Arika is eating|keychdoneeatinganything]]


:: keychcastspell [key]
Okay, that makes sense. Give me a minute here to cast the spell.
[[delay 4m^Arika is spellcasting|keychspellcastdown]]


:: keychpreparespellnofood [key]
Okay, I'm going to be honest. This may not work so great.
I mean, I'm pretty sure I can cast the spell...
...but being this hungry, this low on fuel, I can't guarantee the results.
[[keychprecast]]


:: keychdoneeatinganything
<<silently>><<set $atefood = 1 >><<endsilently>>
Oh, wow. That was incredibly repulsive.
Like drinking baby food laced with machine oil while scared out of your wits.
<i>Exactly like that.</i>
But at least now I've eaten, and I'm as ready as I can be.
[[keychclimbstairs]]


:: keychspellcastdown [key]
<<if $atefood>>
<<set $fastSpell = 'worked'>>
[[keychfastspellworkingdown]]
<<else>>
[[keychfastspellfaileddown]]
<<endif>>


:: keychfastspellfaileddown [key]
<<silently>><<set $fastSpell = 'failed'>><<endsilently>>
Oh. Oh, crap.
I think maybe the spell didn't work the way I'd hoped. That really, really sucks.
Nothing I can do about it now, though. I need that key.
[[keychclimbstairs]]


:: keychfastspellworkingdown [key]
The spell worked. I can feel it stirring inside me, just waiting for the keyword that triggers its effect.
I'm ready.
[[keychclimbstairs]]


:: keychclimbstairs
I'm climbing the stairs. There are a lot of them, and it's very dark, and the stairs are very small.
This may take a few minutes.
[[delay 3m^Arika is climbing|keytower]]


:: keytower [key]
<<silently>><<set $describedTower = false>><<endsilently>>
I'm here.
This is the clock tower. This is where the monks' big fancy clock is.
And presumably this is where my key is.
Unfortunately, this is also where all the monks are.
[[Tell me what you see.|keytowerwhatsee]] | [[How many monks?|keytowerhowmanymonks]]


:: keytowerdescribe [key display]
I'm in a huge room, bigger than it would seem from the outside.
There's a clock here, but -- I don't see how it could work.
There are gears and cogs everywhere...
...enmeshed in an unworkable machinery that would haunt Rube Goldberg's nightmares.
There are coils of copper tubing looping across the stone ceiling.
Freshets of wire exploding from every dark space.
It reminds me of magic, but there's something so... <i>unnatural</i> about it. Something mechanical.
This isn't a clock. 
<<if $buildGod >>It's their God.<<else>>I don't know what it is.<<endif>>
But look -- I mean, I know you can't look because you're not here -- but seriously, look!
Right there, set into a brass plate on the far wall... there's a keyhole.
And in the keyhole is my key!
Unfortunately, there are a lot of monks between me and it.


:: keytowerhowmanymonks [key]
Twelve. One for each hour, I guess. They're all just standing there.
No, they're reaching for their hoods. They're pulling them back.
Ah. well, there you go.
They're all the same guy. Same bald head, same dead eyes. 
Twelve boring, scary bank clerk dudes probably named Brian, all staring right at me.
[[You should get out of there.|keytowerrun]] | [[You can do this.|keytoweryoucandoit]]


:: keytowerwhatsee [key]
<<silently>><<set $describedTower = true>><<endsilently>>
<<display keytowerdescribe>>
The real issue here is the monks. Guess how many?
[[keytowerhowmanymonks]]


:: keytowerrun [key]
<<if $fastSpell eq 'failed'>>You know, the spell didn't work. I haven't eaten, and I'm so tired.
But I can't leave yet. I won't.
<<elseif $fastSpell eq 'uncast'>>I'm not ready to give up just yet, <<$playername>>.
<<elseif $fastSpell eq 'worked'>>Are you kidding? Not on your life.
You're about to see something really cool.
<<endif>>
[[keytoweryoucandoit]]


:: keytoweryoucandoit [key]
<<if not $describedTower >><<display keytowerdescribe>><<endif>>
<<if $fastSpell eq 'worked'>>
[[keytowertriggerspell]]
<<elseif $fastSpell eq 'failed'>>
[[keytowerspellfailed]]
<<elseif $fastSpell eq 'uncast'>>
[[keytowerspelluncast]]
<<endif>>


:: keytowertriggerspell [key]
<<silently>><<set $key = 1>><<endsilently>>
I say the trigger for the spell: "Gimme something fast."
<<fast>>
And suddenly, everything gets really fast.
Like, realyreallyreallyfast!
I take a single step forward and I move ten feet!
The monks are looking at me.
The monks are coming at me.
But at the speed I'm now going --
<<endfast>>
-- they might as well be moving in slow motion.
[[Go for the key.|keytowergokey]] | [[Attack the monks.|keytowerattackmonks]]



:: keytowerspellfailed [key]
<<silently>><<set $key = 0 >><<endsilently>>
I say the trigger for the spell: "Gimme something fast," and pray to the Sisters of Mercy --
or anyone else who might be listening, including the God of the Timeless Monks.
<<fast>>
And time... speeds up.
Sort of.
I can tell things are going faster, but it's not enough.
I really should have eaten something. I'm just too tired.
This spell takes too much of a toll on my metabolism.
The monks are coming toward me. 
If I broke for it now, I might be able to escape, but going for the key might be iffy.
<<endfast>>
[[Get out of there.^The spell failed. You should try to escape.|keytowerfailescape]] | [[Go for the key.^You&apos;ve come this far. You have to try.|keytowerfailtrykey]]


:: keytowerspelluncast [key]
The monks are staring at me, and not in a friendly way.
Oh, boy. I really should have tried to cast that spell downstairs...
...while things were a bit less crazy.
I guess I'll try to cast it now.
[[Better late than never.|keytowercastlate]] | [[You have to fight them.|keytowerfailknife]]


:: keytowercastlate [key]
Okay, I've got the knife. They're just looking at me, waiting to see what I'll do.
I'm gonna cast the spell and see what happens. But under these conditions, I don't know if it'll work.
[[delay 3m^Arika is spellcasting|keytowerspellroulette]]


:: keytowergokey [key]
<<fast>>
I tried to take a measured step in the direction of the key, and the room just leapt toward me.
I clearly don't understand the power of the spell I've just cast. That could be a problem.
I just tripped over my own feet and went sailing toward the clock mechanism.
At the speed of sound, for all I know.
I crashed into the clock.
It hurt.
Bad.
The key is here.
A whole lot of things are happening at once.
<<endfast>>
[[delay 5s^Arika is staring|keytowerdescribelee]]


:: keytowerattackmonks [key]
I don't know if I can attack them right now. They still haven't made any threatening moves.
I’m not looking to hurt anyone, unless it’s in self-defense.
I'm just gonna go for the key and take my chances.
[[keytowergokey]]


:: keytowerfailescape [key]
<<if not $ribbon>><<fast>>You don't understand. I have to get that key! I have to!<<endfast>>
[[keytowerfailtrykey]]
<<else>>
<<fast>>
Yes. I don't think I have any choice.
I'm going to run for it.
I'm so tired.
Just so damn tired.
<<endfast>>
[[delay 1m^Arika is running|keytowerescapenokey]]
<<endif>>


:: keytowerfailtrykey [key]
That was a mistake.
I ran for the key -- and I was immediately surrounded on all sides by monks.
Monks who had a really easy time grabbing me.
One of them is now standing in front of me, looking me in the eye.
[[Can you get to your knife?|keytowerfailknife]] | [[What is he saying?|keytowerfaillisten]]



:: keytowerdescribelee [key]
I think I've got the knack of this speed spell, so things should be a bit more calm. 
I'm watching the monks come at me. It's like they're bad mimes running into an imaginary wind. 
They're laughable at this pace.
So here's what just happened.
As I reached up to grab the key, a hand appeared from nowhere and took it from me!
I looked and all I could see was a human-like form, bathed in iridescent light.
Everything was swirling. I could barely see or hear.
The person -- I'm assuming it was a person -- looked over its shoulder at me as it walked away.
It said, in a voice I could barely recognize as human, it was so distorted:
"Back in two shakes, Arika."
Back in two shakes.
Then it took the key, and it vanished.
I don't know who was more surprised, me or the monks.
For a magically elongated instant, we just stood there looking at each other like idiots.
Then suddenly the person was back, only this time even more swirly than before.
"Here you go," it said in that same distorted voice. "Be careful with this."
And handed me the key. 
Just like that. The whole thing took maybe three seconds. And then the person was gone.
And now here I am, holding the key, surrounded by what I can only assume are a dozen very angry monks.
They're closing in on me. Did I mention they look really angry?
[[Run!|keytowergotkeyrun]] | [[Attack!|keytowergotkeyattack]]



:: keytowerspellroulette [key]
<<if not $atefood>>
[[keytowerspellroulettefail]]
<<else>>
//<<set $fastSpellTmp = 1>>
//<<set $fastSpellTmp = random(1,2)>>
//<<if $fastSpellTmp = 1>>
<<set $fastSpell = 'worked'>>
[[keytowerspellrouletteworked]]
//<<else>>
//<<set $fastSpell = 'failed'>>
//[[keytowerspellroulettefail]]
//<<endif>>
<<endif>>


:: keytowerfaillisten [key]
What choice do I have? If I try to attack or do magic, the monks will be on me in a heartbeat.
I'll keep the connection open, like before.
<monk>You are a skilled practitioner, though you do not know what it is you practice.</monk>
So, not skilled enough, apparently.
<monk>That is of no consequence. Your blood sugar is dangerously low. Your "spell" could not have succeeded.</monk>
<monk>Once you have integrated with us, that will no longer be a problem.</monk>
[[They want you to join them?|keytowerintegratemonks]] | [[What does "integrated" mean?|keytowerintegratemonks2]]


:: keytowerintegratemonks2
[[keytowerintegratemonks]]



:: keytowerescapenokey [key]
I would say you're not going to believe this...
...but I honestly don't know if you've believed anything I've told you yet.
I'm standing in front of the monastery. 
Correction. I'm standing in front of where the monastery <i>used</i> to be.
When I hauled ass out of there, I threw a bunch of the machinery behind me...
...you know, to keep the monks from following me.
There were some pretty amazing sparks. A weird light filled the room.
The monks looked very gravely concerned. I'm pretty sure I broke something very important.
I was running so fast I barely noticed...
...but even at that breakneck speed, I could see something weird going on.
Like everything was accelerating around me. The whole world turning blue.
Everything got all flat and two-dimensional. I felt heavy, like I was made of lead.
I could feel the speed spell -- what little there was of it -- wearing off before I reached the narthex.
By the time I made it to the front door of the abbey, there <i>was</i> no more abbey!
I looked back and saw what I'm seeing now --
an enormous ruin, a jumbled pile of weathered stones in the middle of the Oregon forest.
The monastery is gone. And so is my key.
This is bad.
I'm going to get some sleep and...
...I don't know what. Try to figure out what to do next.
[[delay 10h^Arika is sleeping|keyend]]


:: keytowergotkeyattack [key]
Okay, fine. I guess this counts as self-defense if anything does.
One of them is coming at me, still painfully slow.
<<if $fabuladagger>><<set $weapon = "dagger">><<else>><<set $weapon = "knife">><<endif>>
I whipped out the <<$weapon>> and made a warning swipe, hoping just to brush him back, right?
But instead he just <i>lunged</i> into it, grabbing for the key.
<monk>You must not! That is the heart of God!</monk>
My knife went right into his belly, slicing him open.
And -- oh, this just gets weirder and weirder! Come on!
[[What is it?|keytowermonkrobot]] | [[Are you okay?|keytowermonkrobot2]]


:: keytowermonkrobot2
[[keytowermonkrobot]]


:: keytowergotkeyrun [key]
I think I can make it -- they're not quite moving quickly enough to stop me.
I'm going to run for it.
[[delay 5m^Arika is running|keytowerranwithkey]]


:: keytowerspellrouletteworked [key]
As soon as I started spellcasting, the monks came at me. But it was strange.
It was like they were... scared.
They leapt on me, knocked me down, but I kept on working the spell as best I was able. 
I was pretty sure it wouldn't work.
But guess what?
It worked.
Wonders never cease.
[[keytowertriggerspell]]


:: keytowerspellroulettefail [key]
Unsurprisingly, the spell didn't work like I'd hoped.
I mean, it sort of worked. But I have a feeling when I say the trigger, it's not going to be so great.
[[keytowerspellfailed]]


:: keytowerintegratemonks [key]
Okay, I'm not necessarily saying no, but... what do you mean by "integrated"?
Because in this context, that sounds bad.
<monk>As we did with Clepsydra, we will dissect your physical form and distribute it among ourselves.</monk>
Holy hell!
He's lifing up his robe, and pulling back a flap and -- maybe I shouldn't be too surprised at this point --
but these monks are straight up robots.
[[You can say "no" now.|keytowernothanksintegrate]] | [[Time to fight your way out!|keytowerfailknife]]


:: keytowermonkrobot [key]
I don't know how to say this, but these monks?
They are <i>robots.</i> Or something. Because they have lots of little clockwork bits.
But the thing is that these clockwork bits are also wired into human parts.
Really desiccated, decaying human parts.
Close enough to robots for me to not be too concerned about what I'm about to do.
[[delay 5m^Arika is fighting|keytowermonksdead]]


:: keytowerfailknife [key]
I can try. The monks are surrounding me, but they're not holding on to me. 
I can tell they're ready to step in if I try anything funny, though.
Not sure if attempting to work magic is a good idea right now.
[[Might as well go for it.|keytowerfailattack]] | [[Knives have other uses.|keytowerfailknifeuses]]


:: keytowernothanksintegrate [key]
That's very flattering, but I'd prefer to remain all in one piece, if that's okay.
<monk>As you wish, though it would be a great honor for all of us for you to integrate, as we did with Clepsydra.</monk>
Okay, he's pointing inside his chest cavity...
...and I can see that there are a bunch of gears and cogs and stuff --
-- but all this stuff is attached via copper tubing to a heart. A <i>human</i> heart, I'm guessing.
<monk>I was fortunate enough to receive this.</monk>
And now he's looking at the other monks.
[[keytowerjoinchoice]]


:: keytowermonksdead
<<silently>><<darken 10>><<endsilently>>
I just killed twelve robots.
I feel pretty good about it, but also kind of terrible about it.
It's hard to explain how I feel about it.
I'm just staring at a pile of bodies, telling myself they're fake.
I'm mostly buying it.
I'm leaving now.
[[delay 1m^Arika is walking|keytowerwalkedwithkey]]


:: keytowerranwithkey [key]
I don't believe it. I'm free. I made it!
It took some leaping and dodging --
and I think I may have sprained both ankles and a wrist coming down that spiral staircase at speed.
Speaking of speed, the spell is just wearing off, and boy, am I going to have a headache.
But I'm miles away from the monastery. And I have the key!
Maybe the monks will come after me for it? I don't know, and right now I don't care.
Time for a well-deserved rest.
[[delay 10h^Arika is resting|keyend]]


:: keytowerfailknifeuses [key]
I don't think attacking the monks right now is going to accomplish much.
[[What do you have to lose?|keytowerfailattack]] | [[Use the knife on yourself.^Who knows what horrible things these guys are going to do to you? Better to end it.|keytowerfailattack2]]


:: keytowerfailattack2
[[keytowerfailattack]]


:: keytowerjoinchoice [key]
<monk>If you join us, it would be beneficial to both of us.</monk>
<monk>Otherwise you will die. The choice is obvious.</monk>
[[Join them.^What choice do you have? Say you&apos;ll join them for now.|keytowerjoin]] | [[No way. You have to do something.|keytowerfailknife]]



:: keytowerwalkedwithkey
I don't believe it. I'm free. I made it!
I feel really weird inside.
The spell is just wearing off, and boy, am I going to have a headache.
But I'm miles away from the monastery now. And I have the key!
Time for a well-deserved rest.
[[delay 10h^Arika is resting|keyend]]


:: keytowerjoin [key]
Okay, let's say I join you. What exactly will you do for me?
<monk>That depends on you.</monk>
<monk>If you wish to join us, study our teachings, you will someday become more powerful than you can imagine.</monk>
<monk>Were that the case, it would be a trivial thing to return to New Tenacity and avenge yourself.</monk>
<monk>Alternately, you could supply us with something we require, and we would offer you a favor in return.</monk>
What do you require? Dare I ask?
<monk>Not much. A kidney. Your gall bladder. A lung. Nothing you cannot survive without.</monk>
Annnnd, he's lifting up his robes. Yikes.
[[Join them.^Maybe they can teach you something, or at least you can escape later.|keytowersignup]] | [[Give up a kidney.^They seem to know their way around a human body, at least.|keytowertrade]]


:: keytowerfailattack
I'm not sure if I agree that was the best plan, but I took the knife out anyway.
And was immediately attacked by all twelve monks.
They move so fast compared to me, I can't defend myself.
They're hurting me... really bad.
I can feel my bones shatter --
my organs being pierced.
So much pain.
So efficiently delivered.
<<set $died = 1>>
[[goodbye]]


:: keyend
<<silently>><<set $missionSequence.unshift("key")>><<endsilently>>
Huh. Amazing what a little beauty sleep and a works-while-you-wait healing spell can accomplish.
All right. That's over with. I guess it's time to get a move on.
<<if $lanternquest is 0 and $ribbonquest is 0>>
Next on the checklist...
[[either("lantern","ribbon")]]
<<elseif $lanternquest is 0 and $ribbonquest is 1>>
The last of the artifacts is...
[[lantern]]
<<elseif $lanternquest is 1 and $ribbonquest is 0>>
The last of the artifacts is...
[[ribbon]]
<<elseif $lanternquest is 1 and $ribbonquest is 1>>
All the piddly little missions are over with. It's time for...
[[finalfight]]<<endif>>


:: keytowertrade [key]
Okay, I'm willing to trade a kidney for a favor. But just one kidney. And I get to pick the favor.
<i>And</i> the kidney.
(The monks are looking at each other. It's eerily silent.)
<monk>It is acceptable. If it is within our power to provide.</monk>
I think it is. All I'm asking for is a little time travel.
<monk>That is within our power... in a sense.</monk>
Okay, <<$playername>>. I need to work things out with these monks. I'll get back to you.
[[delay 10h^Arika is undergoing surgery|gottagetbackintime]]


:: keytowersignup [key]
Okay, I'll join you. Let's do it.
<monk>We are pleased that you have so chosen. You will not regret this decision.</monk>
[[delay 10h^Arika is studying|keytowerarikajoined]]


:: gottagetbackintime [key]
<<silently>><<darken -100>><<endsilently>>
Sorry that took so long.
But you'll never guess where I am. I'm in New Tenacity!
And what's more, you'll never guess <i>when</i> I am!
Ten years ago, that's when!
The monks brought me to some hidden room beneath the dorter...
...drugged me up, and then I guess they nicked a kidney.
I say "I guess" because I'm not just in my nine-year-old life --
I'm in my nine-year-old body, too.
They sent me back in time. That was my favor. To back before it even started.
To warn my parents. To keep my brother from ever going to the Quintessence.
I'm standing in my front yard. My brother... oh, my God, my brother's at the door.
<rand>Why're you looking at me funny, Arika?</rand>
Rand? Is that really you?
<rand>Stop being weird, Arika.</rand>
My mom is in the kitchen, I can see her through the window. She looks so young!
<rand>Who are you talking to, you freakazoid?</rand>
Don't worry about it, kiddo.
<rand>You better come inside, Arika. It's getting late. Mom's gonna be mad.</rand>
Mom. Right. There's something I have to tell mom! Right away!
<rand>What is it?</rand>
It's really important! Only I... I can't remember what it is!
<rand>Oh my god, you are such a dork, Arika!</rand>
Shut up! I am not!
<rand>Whatever. If it was really important, you'll remember later.</rand>
But it was... I know it was really...
Rand, stop looking at me like that! You are such a butthole!
<rand>Mom, she called me a butthole!</rand>
I'm sure I'll remember. It <i>was</i> something really important.
It was about... something... green?
Oh, well.
Mom! Tell him to leave me alone!
[[goodbye]]


:: keytowerarikajoined
Sorry for the delay.
For you it's been a few hours, but in that time I've spent <i>years</i> studying with the Timeless Monks.
At first I thought I would just listen to them and wait for a chance to escape.
But then I realized they had a lot to teach me...
...so I listened and learned, thinking I could use their magic to save my brother.
But then I had a revelation.
I realized the truth of the clockwork deity. I came to accept that we are but cogs in his plan.
I am a cog. My brother is a cog. My parents were cogs, long since discarded by the mechanism.
All proceeds according to the order set down by God.
<<if $buildGod>>And we are building God. Together.<<endif>>
<<if $sendGod>>And we are sending God back to create the Universe anew. Not this Universe. A better one.<<endif>>
I have appreciated your help. But it is no longer required.
Goodbye.
[[goodbye]]
