Cloudsea - The Chronicle of Alice Van Vaugen

Alice look very uncomfortable all of a sudden. Her shoulders shrug up and she places a hand against her ear, and tilts her head from one side to the other. Her brow furrows, and the haze watches her. It doesn't actually need her to say anything. It would be much more convenient if she didn't ask the questions bubbling up in her head. But she will ask, because knowledge is important.

"... I can hear them. It's really easy to just dismiss them as my brain's thought process wandering, but sometimes they're crystal clear. I'm hoping this is your fault, because I'm not ready to admit that... I'm... crazy."

The voices have always been there. They are a part of you. It is part of why I was drawn to you.

"Cool. Continue explanation, I'll have to ask about that some other time."

The voices that you can hear are manifestations of your urges, in a sense. They will encourage you to do things. They are part of the overarching narrative that is now your life. You will feel compelled to do the things they say. Think the thoughts they think. Say the things they say. As you did.

"So I'm not crazy, I'm just not fully in control of my facilities. Thanks... What keeps me from just... you know."

Nothing. The voices may ask you to do stupid things. Dangerous things. Deadly things. That is where my support comes in. I will do my best to make sure you understand that some things are just better left as thoughts.

Alice stared into the haze. She narrowed her eyes a little, as it flickered and shifted in front of her. She looked at her hands, then back at the haze. She stuck a hand into it, and wiggled it around, then pulled it back out.

"Well. Fine. I guess. It seems like something I just shouldn't worry about. I hope we get along together, voices- WAIT so is this like having other people in my head? Are they watching me? How much of my life are they aware of? I have privacy concerns!"

Sort of. Yes. Depends. Some may want to know more. Some might want to know less. Your concerns are not unwarranted- But think of your life as a book. A writer tries to gloss over things that are unimportant, in the grand scheme."

"Oh. So. Are they aware of this conversation?"

I assure you, Alice of Vaugen, this conversation is quite important. To you, to me, to them.

Alice walks away. The haze floats there for a moment, then turns to look at you. It floats, and watches you. It tilts it's head, then turns back to Alice, who has returned, nursing a cup in her hands.

You are taking quickly to your powers, here. Shall we continue? The voices were insistent that we spoke of Qhen after we spoke of them, and I agree- it was the correct order.

She sits down on a little stool, staring into the cup.

"Yeah. Sure. Qhen. Can we- I..."

. . .

"Is this a I, or a We? Are we a team? Are the voices part of that team? How does that work?"

. . .

"And don't give me anything about how you said two questions, or how the voices are asking about themselves and Qhen. You said this is about trust, right? Trust, like respect, power, money and fame, is only worth anything if you earn it. I mean-"

Alice looked down at her cup, suddenly realizing she was wearing a very angry look on her face. She took a drink. The contents of the cup are consistent with an herbal fruit tea. One sugar cube. One spoon of cream.

"I have the most terrible suspicion that I am being used with ulterior motives."

We are only a team, if you wish to be one. That goes for me, and your voices. We each have something to offer each other. The voices bring new, fresh, interesting ideas. You have a solid head on your shoulders, and an understanding of the world that the voices do not have.

"And what do you bring?"

Until you find a purpose or path where I cannot follow, I will keep you alive, to the best of my ability. No. You are not immortal. To wit- even if you were, you will likely find dying incredibly displeasing. I suggest you avoid it at all costs. Shall we talk about Qhen now?

Alice gets up again. Walks away. Comes back. Sits down.

". . .Okay. Yes. I don't know if Qhen goes in the 'trustworthy' list, but if they're being manipulated by something, against their will... It seems like a good idea to stop that."

It's quite simple. You will need to engage Qhen in combat, and then, when the opportunity arises, kill the specter that possesses them.

". . ."

. . .

"That's it. That's the advice?"

The ground- the void begins the shake. Alice suddenly looks up from her tea, and glances around. Great cracks begin to appear in the distance, spreading faster and faster as they approach, forming a great web as the furthest expanses of the white void begin to fall away, revealing a black abyss beyond.

Sorry, Alice of Vaugen. I said two questions for a reason. I do not say these things out of some desire to hide things from you. I was merely thinking of how much time we had left.

"What is happening...?"

We're being pulled into someone's zone of influence...

- BATTLE THEME INTENSIFIES -


Alice and Qhen stare at each other from across a grassy field floating in a black abyss. What now?