[ENTER THE PALACE]

[warpweft]

[You find yourself with a sensation like floating in water.]

[Above, the sky is dark. You can occasionally see things shifting, like gusts of wind, or perhaps waves of water. Is it…even a sky above you? Or is it some kind of giant ocean? Whatever it is, you can’t make it out very well. All around you, you appear to be floating in what appears to be water. It looks like a great, wide ocean of…space in every direction around you, with stars and lights twinkling in the distance. It looks like water and feels like water, but it doesn’t make you wet. You can reach your hand into it and pull some out, the purple and violet water and the tiny points of light inside it will even rest in your hands if you cup them to carry it, but once you’re not trying to hold it anymore, it’ll flow off of you, not a single drop remaining behind. You feel something similar if you go underneath the surface. The “water” doesn’t touch your eyes, mouth or nose when give the chance, it merely drifts around you, allowing you to breathe and see unabated. And you can see for a great distance, the twinkling stars illuminating the ocean of space all around you. Though perhaps less dark and empty, it feels every bit as vast as the sky above. You feel like you could swim forever and never reach the edge.]

[It’s quiet, here, with little noise around you but the starry ocean’s waves crashing back into its surface. It’s peaceful. In another situation, it might even be comfortable.]

Comments

[messianic]

[ oh this was a mistake. As soon as Minato makes his way into here, he regrets it. It's wet and cold and stormy and he does not like that. Still, there's no option but forward, and eventually...

A tower!

Once he's let in, he just kind of stands there, dripping and looking a bit like a drowned cat, expression ever-so-slightly frowny.

But he does obediently close the door behind him. Phew. ]

[voidhearts]

[You step into the living room of, honestly, a pretty nice apartment! At the opposite end of the room, there’s an open door leading out into the balcony (where there…isn’t a huge storm coming in through the open door?), a big TV hanging on the wall and an exceptionally soft looking couch and an equally comfy easy chair next to it. The couch must be as comfortable as it looks, because there’s a black cat napping on it, currently catching a sunbeam from the open balcony. It regards you for a second, then goes back to lounging.]

[Up on the wall, there’s a kitschy little carved wooden sign - it reads “WELCOME TO THE WITCH HOUSE” and it has a little painting of a witch on a broomstick on it. As you look around, a young woman comes from the kitchen holding a tray with two cups and some snacks on it.]

It sounded pretty bad out there, so I thought I’d get some hot cocooooohhhhhh, it got you pretty good, huh….!

[She sets the tray down on the coffee table in front of the couch.]

Uh, I’ll get a towel too! Please, just make yourself at home! We can talk in a second!

[She trots off down a hallway to another part of the apartment.]

[You’re currently in the Living Room. You can explore the Kitchen or the Hallway, the latter of which the girl just ran into. Or you can just stay here and drink some hot cocoa and wait for that towel.]

[Also, notably, your phone beeps again.]

[Welcome to the Palace: Step 2 completed!

[Which is quickly replaced with....]

[Step 3: Obtain a quest
Obtain a quest from one of Nessa's confidants.
Shadow Nessa: Look, I don’t want to put too fine of a point on this. You know what they say, there are no small parts, just small actors, but we have to be realistic here. Some of the people here are more important than others. That’s just life. It’s fine, they can still contribute, you should talk to them! They might have something very useful to say! …but they’re not going to be any help finding the Voidheart, so, it’s not really going to be that useful. Just make sure you pick up the important quest. Once you do, you can keep track of your quests in the NessaQuest app.]

[messianic]

[ huh........ peering at his phone for that notification. It's just like his jrpgs and mmorpgs!!

But it would be rude to leave after she told him to stay there, so he's going to drip right where he's at (and drink that hot cocoa, thanks).

And wait for her to get back.




This feels kind of invasive, but at the same time, if it helps, then... surely it's fine to talk with Nessa's important people like this. ]

[voidhearts]

Here you go!

[The girl comes back with a towel and hands it to you. Warm and fluffy! It’s just what you need after braving that storm. The girl tucks her hands behind her back.]

Oh, uh. [She sticks her hand out to shake.] Hi! I’m Nell, I’m Nessa’s cousin! And… [She gestures around the two of you.] This is her apartment! Uh. Our apartment, I guess. I live here with her. And this… [She reaches a hand on the cat napping there. He lets out a ‘mrrrrp’ and rolls over.] Is Puck!

[messianic]

[ oh... this is nice and pleasant. He carefully sets his mug aside so he can at least dry off his hair and headphones/mp3 player, tilting his head to listen as he does. ]

I see... sorry for intruding, but it's very nice to meet you both. I'm Minato. I'm... a friend of Nessa-san's.

[ a beat. ]

Is it always this stormy here?

[voidhearts]

[Nell picks up her own mug and blows on it a bit. She lets out a little bit of a sigh at Minato's question.]

No...no, it's not. Normally it's just some fog and a little rain and thunder, you know, just for...ambiance! But lately it's gotten really bad...

[She nervously twiddles her fingers on her mug.]

I think it's because of... [She starts to say a name, but trails off. She doesn't even seem to want to say it out loud.]

[messianic]

[ he sips his cocoa quietly for a moment, towel still over his hair, before finally: ]

Do you mean a white-haired young woman, by any chance? Kind of...stab happy?

[voidhearts]

[She gives a couple anxious nods.]

Y...yeah.

I guess you already ran into her, huh...? Sorry about that.

[messianic]

Oh, you don't have to apologize. I'm okay.

[ ish. mostly. ]

So she's a big problem, huh... is there anything you can tell me about her? I don't know much.

[voidhearts]

...

...

[She nods and sets her mug down.]

She's our oldest cousin. She was, uhm. Our teacher. Our grandmother made her our teacher.

....I'm guessing you...probably saw what she did to Nessa by now.

[messianic]

... I did, yeah.

[ a faint frown. Family..... ]

Why would she do something like that?

[voidhearts]

....

[It takes her a moment to say this next part. It's clearly pretty difficult for her to say, but it's equally clear that she thinks it's important that she share it.]

Our grandmother, Lilith.

She told her to.

[messianic]

Your--your grandmother did?

[ that startles him a bit despite himself. ]

Why?

I--sorry, I don't want to pry if it's hard to talk about it, but...

[voidhearts]

I-it's fine. I think....I think you'll have to know one way or the other eventually, if you're going to be able to help...

...there is one thing we could do. That might make it better.

[messianic]

Really? What is it?

[ HE'LL DO IT... ]

[voidhearts]

Well, Nessa is a really private person. She doesn't really like talking about this kind of stuff...which is probably why the Treasure is hidden in the first place, to be honest...

But! I have an idea for that!

I think if you share some of your memories with Nessa, it'll make her open up a bit more! And we can use that to find the Treasure!

[Minato's phone gets a notification.]

[You're being offered a quest. Do you accept?
> Yes
> No]

O-of course, if you have another quest you're doing right now, it's okay if you do that one first! I don't want to intrude or anything, it's totally fine if we do this later!

[......she looks like she's kind of hopeful that you'll do her quest first.]

[messianic]

[ ... well. Minato blinks at the notification, sipping his cocoa quietly.

It seems fair, honestly. If he's in the depths of Nessa's heart, then... he probably has to share some of himself, too.

> Yes ]

Okay. That sounds fair to me. What do I need to do?

/2

[voidhearts]

I'll show you how! It's really easy, Puck will help us! C'mon, Puck!

[Nell runs a hand on the lounging black cat's back. He stretches out and lets out a yawn before getting back to his feet and hopping onto Nell's shoulder, where she gives him some scratches under his chin.]

[New quest obtained!]
[Quest: The Cousin
The story of two cousins and their second chance.]

[Step 1: Share a Memory
Use Puck to share a memory with Nell.
Shadow Nessa: Is she….? Where did she get the idea for that….? ]

[Which in turn....!]

[Welcome to the Palace: Step 3 Completed!]

[Wow, you're a real dynamo!]

[Step 4: Collect a memory.
Experience a memory and add it to your inventory.
Shadow Nessa: Honestly, this place is in such bad shape. Memories are just pouring out of every nook and cranny right now, odds are you’ll have tripped over one before you even got to this step. Sigh. The inner sanctum of my soul really has seen better days.]

[voidhearts]

[Puck then hops off of Nell's shoulder and lands on a violet crystal that suddenly appears in the middle of the living room, using his feline reflexes!!! to balance perfectly atop it. The crystal shimmers for a second....before a silhouette appears beneath its surface.]



[Nell puts her hands together, looking a little excited, but a little anxious too.]

Okay! It's working so far....! Just focus on the memory you want to share!

[When Minato focuses hard enough, he'll find a pulsing sphere of light appearing in his hand. Nessa's memory earlier was purple, what color will his be...?]

[messianic]

[ Ah... this is a lot. He only has a brief chance to glance over most of the notifications and messages before he has to focus instead on Puck and Nell. ]

A memory...

[ he stares down at the silhouette, tilting his head a little. ]

Does it matter what kind of memory it is...?

[ he's ready and willing to share, but... if it'll help Nessa more to see a happy memory, or if it'll help to share a sad memory... he wants to be sure! ]

[voidhearts]

Uh....

[Nell looks at Minato. Then looks at Puck. Puck lets out a brief meow and bats at Nell with his paw.]

Puck says "not yet".

[messianic]

Okay... any memory, then.

[ he's quiet for a long moment, thinking, and then he focuses on... a memory!

It is completely silly, but there is a lot of fondness there for it as well. ]

/2

[voidhearts]

[After enough focusing, the memory appears and you can place it into the crystal. Once the memory is inside the crystal, it starts to glow brightly, slowly shifting from violet, to blue, then back....as a violet orb drifts back out of the memory and touches against your chest. As it does, visions start to flow through your mind....]

[Welcome to the Palace: Step 4 Completed!]

[The Cousin: Step 1 Completed!]

[You are so powerful.]

[Step 5: Use the NessaShare app.
Open the NessaShare app and share your thoughts on the memory you acquired to earn NessaPoints.
Shadow Nessa: You don’t have to talk specifically about the memory. It can be anything, honestly. Just make sure it’s pithy and clever. But also, detailed and eloquent. Don’t suck up, I find it very annoying when people are cloying with me. But I’m extremely susceptible to being buttered up, so throw in some compliments. Look, I’m rambling, just share something honest and poignant about how fascinating my life is and you’ll be well compensated for it.]

[Step 2 is still processing....please stand by momentarily....]

[...the other quest seems to need a minute to catch up.]

[voidhearts]

[Nell, meanwhile looks shocked.]

Oh...oh! That looked like a nasty drop! Was everybody okay?!

[She doesn't seem to find the girl pressed against the window with bolts in her neck particularly out of the ordinary....]

[messianic]

[ he's going to need a minute to really parse through the memory he just saw--there was a lot to it, and his phone is beeping at him again, and... oh.

He blinks. ]

Oh--yes, thank you for your concern. But we ended up falling into the hot springs, which were deep enough to break our fall without anyone getting hurt. We were all safe.

[ he fiddles with his phone. Share his thoughts, huh...? ]