[jaunt] [week 1 - backdated to before Jules's death] Royally screwed up

[razorblade_empress]

Met Chloe's overlay a little while ago. She gave me a warning about a pair of siblings, Ghalib and Chara. Says the brother, Ghalib, spends a lot of time recruiting people to Dreampush for him, and oddly enough, the people he recruits become really enthusiastic about Dreampushing for him, to the point that they go out recruiting for him. Given that whoever you're Dreampushing for has total access to your mind while you're 'Pushing and can basically do whatever the hell they want to your thoughts and emotions, I've gotta say that this sounds a little suspicious.

I mean, I'm not sure I trust Chloe's overlay either, but still.

The sister, Chara, supposedly only approaches guys, but she actually did come over and talk to me earlier. I did a quick perspective read on her, and that added another wrinkle to all this: she's royalty. Specifically, she's sister to the king in hiding, who I'm assuming is Ghalib, unless they've got another sibling hidden away somewhere. Chara feels her purpose is to support her brother, the 'rightful Protector of the Umbrian Vale,' and to ensure the line of Malion doesn't end with them. Which probably explains why she primarily approaches men - they need an heir, and responsibility for that's fallen on her. Everything else is secondary to her responsibilities.

Malion, incidentally, was the last god-king. My memory of our last trip here is woefully incomplete, but assuming I'm matching dates correctly in my head, he was still in charge when we were here last, and the Overmind was still a thing.

For the record, Chara is Thorne's overlay. I'm blanking on who 'Ghalib' is normally, but he's also one of us. Short guy, overlay walks with a limp. [There's a short pause while she shares the memory of the likenesses Hana had shown her; 'Chara' is indeed Thorne, while 'Ghalib' is Gil.] These two. Be careful about letting them into your minds, especially him.

Comments

[lightnovelexperiences]

...noted. Thanks for the warning.

[She’s clipped and to the point.]

Thorne is a... is a good. We cannot assume her overlay is too, correct?

[Thanks for the concept of Infiltration! She hates it!]

[razorblade_empress]

Correct. Unfortunately.

[Unless her mind's also been tampered with, which Yukino isn't completely discounting.]

[lightnovelexperiences]

[the thought occurred to Deedee as well, but it means the chance she should be counted as hostile is raised, in the end. Just because she isn’t culpable doesn’t change the fact that she is capable.]

I feel like arriving as I am was dodging a bullet.

[razorblade_empress]

[True.]

It's got its own hazards, but yeah.

[comebewe]

Ghalib is Gil. He tried to convince me to start Dreampushing as well. Practically declared it to be my civic duty. We may have...been a bit little too vehement in our desire not to do that.

...I didn't realise anything was off about Thorne's overlay, though. [Which is why right now Matthew is mentally going, Fuck].

[razorblade_empress]

Vehement how? I mean, not that I blame you or anything, because I sure as hell didn't want anything to do with Dreampushing even before this, but...

I'm not sure I would've realized anything was off with Thorne's overlay if I hadn't been forewarned.

[comebewe]

I might have called it invasive and incredibly vulnerable to abuse. And told him that nothing he could give us would be worth giving up our own mind.

[razorblade_empress]

Well, you're not wrong...

[comebewe]

But apparently being that vocal about it is a bit...unusual. We think he's a little suspicious of us, now.

[razorblade_empress]

Some of that is probably the culture here, with the way it's so expected that you're willing to share your energy and whatnot. That cultural mindset probably makes it a hell of a lot easier for him to talk people into 'Pushing for him in general.

[comebewe]

The cultural mindset is exactly what makes it so easy to abuse. I doubt Ghalib's the only one to do so.

[razorblade_empress]

Probably not. The honor system only goes so far. In his case, though, I think he was probably raised to feel entitled to it - true Protector of the Umbrian Vale and all that shit.

[comebewe]

Yes, because clearly the best way to protect other people is to violate their minds.

[why yes, the sarcasm is strong with Matthew]

[razorblade_empress]

Clearly.

{And also with Yukki.]

[capital_asset]

You must have talked to him before I did, because he didn't mention Dreampushing to me at all. Given what we know now, I think he probably didn't want to arouse additional suspicion.

[Gil and Thorne are going to hate these overlays so much when they come back to themselves.]

[comebewe]

It's possible. Or maybe he didn't think you were a likely mark.

Thorne, though - Chara - she did tell us that she was planning to try and get in a place called the Shadow District. Except she was pretty secretive about how she planned to get in there. Apparently, the security system makes you sink to your knees in awe and then...breaks your neck.

But if she's part of whatever the bloody hell Ghalib's going on, maybe there's more to what she wants with that place is more than just idle curiosity.

[capital_asset]

Or that. Even if he had, my overlay is a Cleritor; they don't generally Dreampush.

...Charming. If she does have a way to get in there, how much do you want to bet it has to do with her and her brother's ancestry?

[comebewe]

I think betting against that would be a great way to lose your money.

If we really want to know, nothing says we can't get in there too. I have...no bloody idea what kind of security messes with people's heads and breaks their necks. But we could portal right past whatever defenses that place has.

[capital_asset]

Telekinesis is one of the local psychic powers...

[comebewe]

...They can give buildings telekinetic abilities too?

[capital_asset]

I can't say for certain, but much of the old tech was powered by psi, and I could see that extended to security systems.

[comebewe]

Makes sense, I suppose.

[capital_asset]

Although it could also be that the security system might be psi-powered in some way, but the security measures are not.

[comebewe]

I honestly have no idea. This world has things...beyond our understanding.

[capital_asset]

I'm not sure either - I'm just speculating for now.

[truerevelation]

How ... enthusiastic are we talkin'? Shit. I ain't into people tryin' to sweet talk their way into my brain.
Thanks. I'll keep an eye out.

[razorblade_empress]

I haven't met any of 'em, but they apparently really loooove Dreampushing for him. The way she talked about it, it sounded like a cult.

[And she absolutely fucking hates cults.]

[truerevelation]

Why the hell would someone think that's so goddamn awesome? Ugh... [There's some clear venom in his tone.] There's something screwy there. Cult wouldn't surprise me... Start doin' somethin' cause it sounds like a good idea and next thing ya know you think it's the most awesome thing you ever did and...

...Yeah.

[razorblade_empress]

I'm not sure they'd think it's so awesome if they were left to their own devices. But when you're Dreampushing for someone, they can do pretty much whatever the hell they want to your thoughts and emotions... and I wouldn't be surprised if they could also remove or hide the memory of them ever having done it.

[truerevelation]

The bastards! That shit's ... yeah, you were sayin' about royalty? Had everyone else be their personal batteries, 'n now makin' them love it? This - this...

[Okay, he'll refrain from necessarily punching any of them he meets, but. Not happy. So not happy.]

It's gotta stop.

[razorblade_empress]

No argument there.

[letsgetdowntobismuth]

Don't worry, kid, we didn't like it last time either. Threw the entire damn jaunt to protest that being an option.

[truerevelation]

... damn.

[He takes a moment.]

So. Uh. What happened? I mean, this is all ... it's the wrong side'f Moebius, ain't it?

[letsgetdowntobismuth]

As far as we know, it was the one that caused it.

[truerevelation]

Shit. So this is a case of 'fix the mess this time', huh...

[letsgetdowntobismuth]

Depends on how you define 'fix'. If this place got totalled after last time, doesn't seem like there's much left we can do. And personally, I'm not fond of royalty.

[truerevelation]

Yeah, don't blame ya, 'specially not this sort.