act15side

You...

...You truly wish to substitute?

Hm? What is it? What are you looking at me for?

No, it is only me seeing through a dull game.

What did you seek me for?

What, we can't just pay you a nice little visit, Ling?

You fell asleep?

Hm?

I'm asking. Did you fall asleep?

How are you able to—

When drunk, I simply sleep.

What of it?

How did you do it?

You ask how I did it... ah, I understand.

You cannot fall asleep, can you? My poor little sister.

Is it because you fear to have nightmares?

If it can even be called a nightmare.

Mm... In many years, we have not met.

So such things are vexing you. And your paintings? Could your paintings not bear the weight of your dreams?

No... is it that you finally began to feel, that paintings—are but false?

You...

Ah! Hey, don't mess with my paintings!

You bundled all those guys below us into your little world, I'm guessing.

And what for... Crude mounts, parched waters. A heart like unto ashes.

How dull.

Gkh...?

But these adorable minor scrawls, these I still find so amusing.

What need you feed them?

You should know what we're here to do.

...Nian.

By your idea, where will our course ultimately be taken?

Don't stare at me like that. I'm thinking about it here, alright...

But right now, I still don't know.

You don't know, then... mm... you do not know.

Not the finest of plans.

Dusk. That scroll all filled with matter in death. It is stagnant, stuck. Somewhat boring. Be rid of it, perhaps.

You don't get to tell me just like that.

Forget not her at the outset, who gave you all true names in one lone word, and what hopes she had for you.

Ancient history by now.

What did you just...

Nothing. Only a moment of bliss snatched, away and apart from this world.

The Grand Tutor had something for you to hand to me, no?

This and that are independent. Even once you see his instructions, you must still behave and come with the Sui Regulator.

All to find him. Find that... basket of blunders.

Indeed.

Take it.

Oh? A letter?

Your so-called Grand Tutor's instructions... no.

This handwriting... would it be him...?

The Grand Tutor is an ever stern one. He would never draft instructions in such flowing script... Did he tell you no more?

My duty is solely to give the letter.

A letter of the court... the first in a long time.

...Heheh.

Is it to us? When did humanity ever get the guts for that? I thought only the True Lung and his little posse would work that sort of courage up.

Then you look at its contents.

Hm?

Affairs come in no more than threes.

...One affair no more than thrice, I see.

Okay, I get it. Yeah, we sure do fit that bill right now.

A fulfilled omen...? That decrepit Grand Tutor couldn't have written this!

This handwriting looks like Jie's, but she already... could someone else have copied her, somehow? But why do it as the Grand Tutor's 'instructions?'

It was that basket of blunders. It seems in recent years, he's 'written' no shortage of things.

I thought he was obstinate, that it would only be right he incur Yan's flames... and now this written orders, is another move of his? And why should the Grand Tutor send the letter in his stead...?

Hey!

Unless... the Grand Tutor chose to play white?

Hey! Stop mumbling to yourself!

The three lapse into silence.

Though they have existed for so long, the sisters are momentarily stupefied.

The wind blows from primordial to present, this time no longer this moment.

...Tha—That's...

I—Impossible... Is even this something he can do...

Don't ask me...

But, well... even if it's just a reflection... I don't like how it's looking at us.

Dusk, you scared?

Don't you always have plenty of ideas? Think of something.

Hey, Ling.

We've gotta band together—what are you doing?

Something suddenly came to me. Last I fell dead drunk, I should have left two vessels of wine here... there, there they are.

Husong? Mm... the flavor is still fine to the nose.

If you're so cool, do you have any solutions?!

Solutions? What solutions?

Solutions to deal with It—

—A solution to address Ourself? Need I tell you?

I...

You're not just going to sit on the sidelines this time, are you?

I hardly could.

We meet again.

On this turn, do I dream of you, or do you dream of me?

By her tail, Ling lifts the jar half full of fine wine, and pours it forth into the cup, meant for the one who seems the culprit of it all.

She lifts it to the heavens.

Shall we drink?

I will refrain.

May you all come one by one, and take your seats,

Ah...! What happened?

Where are we?

This feeling—it's just like being in one of Dusk's paintings...

In that case... who are you?

The night parts as a curtain.

A silhouette sits straight within the center of the room.

Behind him is hung half a scroll.