Colleen

Colleen is an NPC on Penacony, located in Dream's Edge. After completing the , she can also be found in Dreamflux Reef.
==Profile==
Colleen is a Nameless. She wasn't around for the dawn of trailblazing star rail era, so she had to join a civil organization that was responsible for its own finances. Compared to other Trailblazers exploring the vast unknown, she was more of a mercenary. Later, she left the organization and became a loner. Since then, she can go wherever she wants and fight whomever she wants. This free-roaming lifestyle brought her a wealth of experience, but she never got to see the legendary spectacle of a group of people working together as one.
===Story===
During an assignment from the Intelligentsia Guild when she was retrieving a probe beacon from nearby this mega black hole called the New Eden, she experienced time travel. When she handed back the beacon, the original manager for the task had long died. It was his apprentice's apprentice who paid her out. Based on the lifespan of mortals, she shouldn't be alive right now.
During Clockwork: Colleen, the Trailblazer helped her remember her lost memory: she came to Penacony to investigate the Watchmaker — a rumored senior Nameless. She assumed a new identity and is now working as a Dreamweaver of the Nightingale Family. Later, she accidentally entered the Dreamflux Reef and eventually found the secrets of Penacony and the Watchmaker.
==Locations==
==Missions and Events==
==Character Mentions==
==Voice Lines==
;Before completing Clockwork: Colleen
;(Version 1)
:: "Wanna hear a story? I have many to tell."
;(Version 2)
:: "The ideas of Captain Colleen are endless."
;After completing Clockwork: Colleen
;(Version 1)
:: "The adventure will begin very shortly."
;(Version 2)
:: "We'll have plenty of opportunities to interact."
;In Dreamflux Reef
;(Version 1)
:: "Perhaps this is what they call the spirit of trailblazing."
;(Version 2)
:: "The people here... They spark such envy in me."
==Dialogue==
===Dream's Edge===
;(First interaction)
:Colleen: Yo, how is it going? It's me, Colleen — the idea hamster for the Dreamweavers. I've got enough Dreamscape material in my head to fill all of Penacony — you want it, I got it!
:Colleen: I'm a traveling merchant by trade, and fly my ship anywhere I please. You can call me "Captain Colleen."
: ..."Captain"?
::Colleen: Ha, can't tell judging by my outfit, can you?
::Colleen: I admit, this look is indeed a little more bling. but if you don't want to be looked down upon in a place like this, you should pay attention to dressing up... It would freak out the lot of you if I were to wear my usual get-up here.
::Colleen: Just accept this for now — and if we get along well, you'll naturally catch my "professional" side.
: Dreamscape material?
:Colleen: The Dreamscape: basically a remix and reshuffle of people's real life experiences. Someone who never goes outside to touch grass can only dream of whatever boredom that happens around their own little patch of turf.
:Colleen: To make the Dreamscape interesting without being nonsense, The Family had to find a consultant — someone who was very well-traveled.
:Colleen: At first, the best candidate for the job was the Nameless. But unexpectedly, that poor chap Akivili ended up kicking the bucket, and the rest of the gang disappeared without a trace soon after... Without this first-choice option available, a traveling merchant was the most reliable — and so they invited me.
:Colleen: After all, how many people in this universe are worthy of the "Nameless" title?
: What about us aboard the Astral Express?
:Colleen: ...
:Colleen: Hang on, are you... a member of the Astral Express? How are things there right now?
:You share with Colleen an overview of your experiences aboard the Astral Express.
:Colleen: ...That's really touching. I didn't expect that after so many Amber Eras there would still be people walking the Path of Trailblaze.
:Colleen: ...*ahem* I'm sorry. Since you've told me so much about your experiences, I should offer up the same as thanks and tell you a little about myself.
:Colleen: So then, what kind of stories do you like best?
;(Continue on to dialogue options below)
----
;(Subsequent interactions)
:Colleen: Yo, you're back. What's the plan this time?
: I'd like to hear about your experiences.
::Colleen: Alright, Captain Colleen's got many a story. What kind of stories do you like best?
:: Thrilling ones.
:::Colleen: Thrilling, eh... Let me see...
:::Colleen: There was this one time on an assignment from the Intelligentsia Guild, when we were retrieving a probe beacon from nearby this mega black hole called the New Eden. The pay was so fat that we agreed without thinking too much about it.
:::Colleen: Upon arrival, we discovered that the beacon wasn't in its original spot. An accident had dragged it away from its fixed location, and it was drifting toward the black hole — soon to cross over the event horizon.
:::Colleen: Crossing the event horizon is like plunging into the stomach of a Giant Sting: there's no coming back from it. So I had to intercept the beacon before it fell completely into the black hole... This was the most difficult challenge I ever encountered in my career as a captain.
:::Colleen: Y'know what, there is gravity outside the event horizon, and it gets stronger the closer you get to the center. My ship's engine wasn't the best, and there was no guarantee that we could even get out once we'd nabbed the beacon...
:::Colleen: ...Luckily there were lots of metal scraps in the beacon's path. I could launch something from the ship to collide with the scraps and ricochet, thereby exerting a returning force onto the beacon...
:::Colleen: This principle is quite hard to explain... Do you know ? It's just like that, but the shot I was gonna make would be the most exquisite, legendary shot in all history!
::: That sounds difficult.
::::Colleen: Yeah, the angle of incidence must be exact with moderate force only; any mistakes would destroy the arrangement of the scraps. There was no room for a mulligan here.
::: I'm sure you're a master.
::::Colleen: No, if it were that alone, it wouldn't count as being thrilling...
::: (Keep silent)
::::Colleen: Aren't you curious as to why this story isn't considered thrilling, though? Don't worry. I'll fill you in...
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: The shot was no good. The missiles did not rebound as expected, but instead smashed around like a headless fly — which then accelerated the sinking of the beacon.
:::Colleen: At this point, I could actually still speed in to catch up with the beacon. But the risk was too great to be worth it.
:::Colleen: And so I turned around the spaceship and planned to jet straight out of that star system... but ended up running straight into an Annihilation Gang fleet. Those crazy mutts were doing all they could to chase me down! I even suspected that perhaps the guild had sent them to hunt me down.
:::Colleen: My ship was blown into magnificent smithereens during the assault, and I used the force of the explosion to board the Annihilation Gang's battleship.
:::Colleen: I won't go into details for now about the battle. In the end I managed to defeat all the bad guys, then put the pedal to the metal to pilot this stolen warship straight out of the star system — now THAT was the most thrilling part of the story.
::: Sounds like nonsense.
::::Colleen: Well... there was lots of violence in the details. I can tell you're young, though, so don't want to expose you to all that.
::::Colleen: ...Anyways, use you imagination! Aren't you a Trailblazer? If so, you shouldn't restrain your thinking to just reality!
::: Awesome!
::::Colleen: Right? Not even the illustrious Galaxy Rangers could do any better. And this is but one small, micro footnote in the annals of my legendary career.
::::Colleen: If you're interested, I can spin a few more action stories for you later... just let me come up with some of the details first.
::: (Keep silent)
::::Colleen: Er, don't you have any... thoughts?
::::Colleen: Whatever, this story is terrible and hacky... just forget it.
::: I'll listen another day.
:: Make it a little more romantic.
:::Colleen: More romantic... Then let's talk about the incident in the asteroid belt.
:::Colleen: One time, I was piloting a spaceship and roaming the stars, when I accidentally came to a place that wasn't on the astral charts: a space junkyard filled with asteroids.
:::Colleen: The data in these remote star systems is priceless. I could get huge credit rewards for reporting the coordinates to IPC.
:::Colleen: But before that, I had to carefully check our vicinity — this gig was all too easy, and there had to be something going on behind the scenes.
:::Colleen: There were so many obstacles in this place that the ship's instruments kept tripping alarms everywhere, rendering it useless. I had no choice but to make observations by dead reckoning, and manually piloted the spaceship.
:::Colleen: Just as I was focusing all my attentions on the six directions around me, the snarling teeth and claws of this alien suddenly floated into sight...
::: That's terrifying!
::::Colleen: Yeah! But I wasn't scared. My heart is tougher than diamond — despite this monster having two pairs of eyes and skin smoother than an Insumousu. There was no dread in my heart.
::::Colleen: Upon closer look, I realized that this guy's skin was all dried up as though dead... Judging by its appearance, it should have no problem whatsoever surviving in the universe.
::: What did the alien look like?
::::Colleen: Two pairs of eyes and smooth skin, almost like a fish with arms and legs — judging by its appearance, it should have no problem whatsoever surviving in the universe.
::::Colleen: Upon closer look, I realized that this guy was dead, and had been so for some time.
::: (Keep silent)
::::Colleen: Upon closer look, I realized that this guy was dead. It looked like a fish with arms and legs, and its exterior seemed as though it would have no problem surviving out in the universe.
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: I've never seen anything like it in the data bank, which means it's either an undiscovered species, or... extinct.
:::Colleen: Later on, I did some digging around this star system and discovered those asteroids were not formed naturally. They were fragments from an explosion, and were all sourced from the same planet.
:::Colleen: The computer analyzed the sample composition, and found that the fragments were formed over 10 Amber Eras ago — a huge event happened back then, which you should know about.
::: I'm not so good at history...
::::Colleen: It was a stellaron — the Cancer of All Worlds that set out on its invasion of all worlds thereafter.
::: A stellaron has appeared?
::::Colleen: That's right. It was from that moment forth that the Cancer of All Worlds started its invasion across all worlds.
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: Civilizations destroyed by stellarons are not altogether uncommon. At first, I didn't really take it seriously, and was planning on warping out of there as soon as I'd reported the coordinates — that is, until I discovered those symbols on the surface of the asteroids.
:::Colleen: It really was a magnificent sight, with these blocks of dense scratches etched onto each asteroid like a tattoo. There were both deep and shallow markings, in all kinds of different shapes, which undoubtedly were carved out by someone as if... they were glyphs from some civilization.
:::Colleen: The sight piqued my interest — which of the Nameless could ever refuse such an invitation to explore?
:::Colleen: So I continued on into the center of the trash dump, passing blocks with glyphs carved into them along the way as well as... little houses built onto the asteroids.
:::Colleen: These houses looked like little honeycombs woven out of tin foil. Simple in structure and numbering in the hundreds, they were clearly artificially build — an entire settlement once lived here!
:::Colleen: I checked over the houses but only found more alien corpses. There were no survival supplies in any of the buildings, and almost no tools at all save for a crude pickax.
:::Colleen: It's possible that they are the survivors of this planet, escaping utter catastrophe through some means but doomed to ultimately die due to exhaustion of resources.
:::Colleen: Before the final moments of their lives, they vital information — maybe histories, or research into Stellarons — in the form of glyphs carved into the surfaces of these asteroids.
:::Colleen: This work looks truly tedious and boring... What kind of firm resolve supported their completion? I don't know, but their achievements have no doubt left a monument for their home planet and civilization.
:::Colleen: It's a shame that the Synesthesia Beacon could not decrypt text; the slow, irregular traveling long ruled out any possibility of re-sequencing these asteroids. Otherwise, I would have read it — to see what it was that kept them going as a team on the brink of death.
:::Colleen: In the end, I sent off the coordinates to IPC as planned, then put the pedal to the metal to hightail it out of there — I'd learned the lesson I was supposed to, and the secret of the glyphs should be left to professionals.
::: Sounds like it'll become a tourist destination...
::::Colleen: Maybe. But in comparison, I'd rather this story wasn't buried forever.
::::Colleen: ...It would be a great pity for such hard work to go unrecognized.
::: Did IPC pay out a bonus?
::::Colleen: They sure did. I had been focused on making a score, but after witnessing such a grand sight, money no longer seemed to matter.
::::Colleen: Plus based on the IPC's style, I knew I'd face endless interrogations as the person who made first contact. I'd be far better slipping off and getting some peace and quiet.
::: (Keep silent)
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: Anyhow, was that story romantic enough for you?
::: There's a kind of majestic beauty to it.
::::Colleen: Right? I prefer this kind of unusual romance over traditional love.
::::Colleen: There are hundreds of millions of stars in the cosmos. On such a vast scale, this mutual infatuation between two people seems inevitably insignificant.
::::Colleen: Anyway, it's great that you liked it.
::: Mid.
::::Colleen: *sigh* So it seems you lose some of the magic when you put it into words.
::::Colleen: If you get the chance, you really should try and see that sight with your own eyes... Maybe you could make it into a dream bubble?
::: I prefer love stories.
::::Colleen: Haha, that's indeed one kind of romantic ideal, but I prefer this kind of... unusual romance.
::::Colleen: After all, their infatuation is just one of uncountable connections throughout the cosmos. The universe is truly wonderful, isn't it?
:: One that's educational.
:::Colleen: Well... generally speaking, everything that happens in this universe is just a pile of coincidences stacked up, and it's difficult for humans to learn anything from that.
:::Colleen: However, I do have a story that fits the bill.
:::Colleen: About 10 Amber Eras or so back, the notorious "Mechanical Pirate King" Wyland roamed the galaxies...
:::Colleen: When this pirate was young, he switched out almost all of his body parts with prosthetics, wreaking havoc throughout star zones and committing countless crimes. The bounty on his head was enough to buy a whole planet of your own.
:::Colleen: In his old age, Wyland's mind became overwhelmed by excessive mods. Pain and hallucinations tortured him daily, twisting him into a mad, irritable, neurotic... monster.
:::Colleen: His once-loyal crew either deserted him or were cruelly tortured by him. Just as this band of pirates was about to fall apart, a masked visitor came to Wyland telling him that an extract from the brain of the void song whale could relieve his adverse reactions.
:::Colleen: At his wits' end, Wyland could not help but clutch to any last straw that might save his life. And so began the massacre of the void song whales...
:::Colleen: Wyland hooked his nervous system straight into the bridge terminal for maximum hunting efficiency, so that commanding the entire battleship was like moving a limb. The cost was that once he lost his supply of whale extract, he would experience organ failure and perish soon after.
:::Colleen: Those were crazy days, with whales perishing in the cannon fire every day. Even the Annihilation Gang was won over by Wyland's ambition, willingly joining the hunt — just for the thrill of it.
:::Colleen: After multiple unheeded warnings, the Interastral Peace Corporation reached out to the Galaxy Rangers about building an alliance to wipe out this enduring scourge. In the end, both sides contributed crack troops and planned to launch an operation to lop the head off Wyland's main battleship.
::: Sounds like a must!
::::Colleen: Who said it wasn't? But even with such a luxuriant lineup, victory was far from guaranteed.
::: The IPC and the Galaxy Rangers working together? That is rare...
::::Colleen: Who said it wasn't? But even with such a luxuriant lineup, victory was far from guaranteed.
::: (Remain silent.)
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: Don't think a beheading operation is easy. The battleship's radar was Wyland's eyes. Its cannons were extensions of his arms. Boarding such a monster as this requires perfect mastery of piloting.
:::Colleen: Luckily, I also participated in that battle... as the pilot of the transport vessel.
:::Colleen: When we opened the door to the captain's quarters, all we could see was an empty glass tank and scattered drips hanging about the place — the largest of which was hooked up to Wyland's back...
:::Colleen: Wyland lay on the ground, like a fish out of water — dead.
::: Scared to death?
::::Colleen: No, that isn't really very educational.
::: ...How did they die?
::::Colleen: We were puzzled at the time too. We thought there would be this ferocious battle, but it shifted straight to the cleanup stage without a shot being fired.
::: (Remain silent.)
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: Later on, we learned that well beforehand, Wyland had sold off all the extract he had to a masked buyer who paid very good money for it.
:::Colleen: He thought the supplies in the tank would last until the next hunt, but could find no prey after weeks of searching. According to the statistics from the Intelligentsia Guild, there haven't been any living void song whales in that sector for a long time.
:::Colleen: So when the righteous alliance attacked, Wyland had already been dead for some time due to graft-host rejection...
:::Colleen: He was still trying to use his mouth to suck the last few drops of extract out of the tubes during his final moments.
::: What an ironic ending.
::::Colleen: Yes, truly an moment. The Mechanical Pirate King, a menace of the era, meeting his end like this.
::: And what of his followers?
::::Colleen: Wyland was the best fighter and died. The rest of them naturally scattered to the solar winds. But IPC and Rangers still meted out to them the punishment they deserved.
::: ...
:::Colleen: *sigh* Organic creatures love modding themselves into robots. Wyland was no exception...
:::Colleen: But he was never able to rid himself of human greed, until in the end he died farcically upon a throne made of twisted tubes.
:::Colleen: I trust everyone is able to learn something different from his experiences. And in my opinion...
:::Colleen: If you already have people who want your head, don't let it get to the point where you've alienated your own family.
:: Not right now.
: Nothing.
::Colleen: Then safe travels — the best wishes there could ever be for the Nameless.
====Post-Mission====
;(If Colleen's Emotion is set to Calm)
:Colleen: Oh, my friend, what's the plan this time?
----
;(If Colleen's Emotion is set to Angry)
:Captain Colleen frowned, her rage bubbling up beneath the surface like an undercurrent.
----
;(If Colleen's Emotion is set to Happy)
:Colleen: Pfft... No matter where you're heading, you're walking forward!
----
;(If Colleen's Emotion is set to Sad)
:Captain Colleen stared up at the sky with a sullen face — or perhaps it was something even higher than the sky.
----
: Were you following me just now?
::Colleen: Wow, you're sharp, smart .
::Colleen: Truth be told, I have the means to leave the Dream's Edge, but I've spent enough time here to know that the trip is bound to be perilous. The Family may have already taken precautions.
::Colleen: That's why I wanted you to explore the route first so that you could trigger all the traps laid for me in advance.
::Colleen: Guess what happened in the end? I was on the fifth floor, but The Family was on the first floor. Aside from the two IPC minions who messed with me, there were no other troubles.
::Colleen: No, it's too early to gloat now. I'd be doomed if my enemies strike when I let down my guard...
::Colleen: ...Even if any danger comes our way, I believe I'll be strong enough to keep you safe.
:: You're using me!
::Colleen: Ah, I can't deny that, but... I hope you aren't bothered by it.
:: Of course I can do that.
:::Colleen: I knew it! Thanks for being the bigger person here, Nameless. I could not be more grateful to you.
:::Colleen: To show my remorse, here's a token of my apology. Please keep it!
:: I don't think that's okay...
:::Colleen: I know that something like this is not easy to forgive, but... at least I didn't harm you, right? Haha, right...
:::Colleen: ...Ah, I'm sorry. I know it was wrong. Please accept this gift as an apology.
::: Fine, just this once.
::::Colleen: I knew it! Thanks for being the bigger person here, Nameless. I could not be more grateful to you.
:::Colleen: To show my remorse, here's a token of my apology. Please keep it!
:: Alright. I got it.
:::Colleen: I'm surprised you didn't flip out right away. The Nameless nowadays are so easygoing.
::Colleen: Here's your reward for letting me follow you all the way here. Please take it.
::Colleen: Remember not to reveal my identity to anyone. I don't want too much attention.
:;(Obtain )
----
: I'd like to hear about your experiences.
::Colleen: Alright, Captain Colleen's got many a story. What kind of stories do you like best?
:: Thrilling ones.
:::Colleen: Thrilling, eh... Let me see...
:::Colleen: There was this one time on an assignment from the Intelligentsia Guild, when we were retrieving a probe beacon from nearby this mega black hole called the New Eden. The pay was so fat that we agreed without thinking too much about it.
:::Colleen: Upon arrival, we discovered that the beacon wasn't in its original spot. An accident had dragged it away from its fixed location, and it was drifting toward the black hole — soon to cross over the event horizon.
:::Colleen: Crossing the event horizon is like plunging into the stomach of a Giant Sting: there's no coming back from it. So I had to intercept the beacon before it fell completely into the black hole... This was the most difficult challenge I ever encountered in my career as a captain.
:::Colleen: Y'know what, there is gravity outside the event horizon, and it gets stronger the closer you get to the center. My ship's engine wasn't the best, and there was no guarantee that we could even get out once we'd nabbed the beacon...
:::Colleen: ...Luckily there were lots of metal scraps in the beacon's path. I could launch something from the ship to collide with the scraps and ricochet, thereby exerting a returning force onto the beacon...
:::Colleen: This principle is quite hard to explain... Do you know ? It's just like that, but the shot I was gonna make would be the most exquisite, legendary shot in all history!
::: That sounds difficult.
::::Colleen: Yeah, the angle of incidence must be exact with moderate force only; any mistakes would destroy the arrangement of the scraps. There was no room for a mulligan here.
::: I'm sure you're a master.
::::Colleen: No, if it were that alone, it wouldn't count as being thrilling...
::: (Keep silent)
::::Colleen: Aren't you curious as to why this story isn't considered thrilling, though? Don't worry. I'll fill you in...
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: The shot was no good. The missiles did not rebound as expected, but instead smashed around like a headless fly — which then accelerated the sinking of the beacon.
:::Colleen: So I quickly chased after him at full speed. I really should have turned around and left at that point, but perhaps it was the Trailblazer inside me.
:::Colleen: While safely retrieving the beacon, my ship was captured by the gravity well of the black hole, trapping me on the accretion disk. It felt like being in water rapids — no matter how hard you tried there was no way forward, and if you relaxed for a second, it would push you back.
:::Colleen: Overloading the engine, I maintained a temporary force balance. However, once my fuel burned up, the spaceship would inevitably tumble straight into the abyss.
:::Colleen: Just then, I found myself remembering that line from the sages: "If you wish to leave somewhere, you must first abandon something."
:::Colleen: And so I performed a separation procedure, launching the entire cargo cabin of the spaceship backwards to use the recoil generated to break away from the black hole.
:::Colleen: Luckily we didn't end up crossing the event horizon, otherwise only the Aeons know what might have happened...
:::Colleen: But this was no victory. Outside the vicinity of the black hole, I discovered that a long time had passed — far longer than I could've imagined...
:::Colleen: When I handed back the beacon, everyone looked at me as though I had two heads: the original manager for the task had long died. It was his apprentice's apprentice who paid me out.
::: Did you travel through time?
::::Colleen: That's one way of putting it. After all, based on the lifespan of mortals I shouldn't be alive right now.
::::Colleen: As for whether this is a blessing or a curse, I'm afraid only time can deliver an answer...
::: The Intelligentsia Guild keeps their promises...
::::Colleen: Haha, if I really could meet someone from dozens of Amber Eras ago, I'd be happy to pay them money — could there be anything cooler than this?
::::Colleen: After all, not just anybody gets the chance to live so long.
::::Colleen: As for whether this is a blessing or a curse, I'm afraid only time can deliver an answer...
::: Doesn't seem that thrilling to me.
::::Colleen: Sure, when it's put like that. After all, problem-solving is really all about jettisoning the ballast, that's all. It sounds really simple.
::::Colleen: But when the time comes, not everyone has the guts to sever their own tail to escape. And I think the most thrilling part of all is in the escaping...
::::Colleen: Whether skipping such a long passage of time is a blessing or a curse, I'm afraid only time itself can deliver an answer...
::: (Keep silent)
::::Colleen: I know this story is unbelievable, but so many extreme things happen out there in the universe every day. Besides, we the Nameless cannot limit ourselves to the boundaries of reality!
::::Colleen: What's more, I have no idea right now whether this is a blessing or a curse... I'm afraid only time can deliver an answer.
:: Make it a little more romantic.
:::Colleen: More romantic... Then let's talk about the incident in the asteroid belt.
:::Colleen: One time, I was piloting a spaceship and roaming the stars, when I accidentally came to a place that wasn't on the astral charts: a space junkyard filled with asteroids.
:::Colleen: Such oversights are often due to insufficient map data. I could get huge credit rewards for reporting correct coordinates to IPC.
:::Colleen: It's a shame IPC had a bounty out on my head, so that money's out of my reach for now — but that doesn't stop me from taking a stroll around there. Who knows what treasure I might find?
:::Colleen: There were so many obstacles in this place that the ship's instruments kept tripping alarms everywhere, rendering it useless. I had no choice but to make observations by dead reckoning, and manually piloted the spaceship.
:::Colleen: Just as I was focusing all my attentions on the six directions around me, the snarling teeth and claws of this alien suddenly floated into sight...
::: That's terrifying!
::::Colleen: Yeah! But I wasn't scared. My heart is tougher than diamond — despite this monster having two pairs of eyes and skin smoother than an Insumousu. There was no dread in my heart.
::::Colleen: Upon closer look, I realized that this guy's skin was all dried up as though dead... Judging by its appearance, it should have no problem whatsoever surviving in the universe.
::: What did the alien look like?
::::Colleen: Two pairs of eyes and smooth skin, almost like a fish with arms and legs — judging by its appearance, it should have no problem whatsoever surviving in the universe.
::::Colleen: Upon closer look, I realized that this guy was dead, and had been so for some time.
::: (Keep silent)
::::Colleen: Upon closer look, I realized that this guy was dead. It looked like a fish with arms and legs, and its exterior seemed as though it would have no problem surviving out in the universe.
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: I've never seen anything like it in the data bank, which means it's either an undiscovered species, or... extinct.
:::Colleen: Later on, I did some digging around this star system and discovered those asteroids were not formed naturally. They were fragments from an explosion, and were all sourced from the same planet.
:::Colleen: The computer analyzed the sample composition, and found that the fragments were formed over 10 Amber Eras ago — a huge event happened back then, which you should know about.
::: I'm not so good at history...
::::Colleen: It was a stellaron — the Cancer of All Worlds that set out on its invasion of all worlds thereafter.
::: A stellaron has appeared?
::::Colleen: That's right. It was from that moment forth that the Cancer of All Worlds started its invasion across all worlds.
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: Civilizations destroyed by stellarons are not altogether uncommon. At first, I didn't really take it seriously, and was planning on warping out of there as soon as I'd reported the coordinates — that is, until I discovered those symbols on the surface of the asteroids.
:::Colleen: It really was a magnificent sight, with these blocks of dense scratches etched onto each asteroid like a tattoo. There were both deep and shallow markings, in all kinds of different shapes, which undoubtedly were carved out by someone as if... they were glyphs from some civilization.
:::Colleen: The sight piqued my interest — which of the Nameless could ever refuse such an invitation to explore?
:::Colleen: So I continued on into the center of the trash dump, passing blocks with glyphs carved into them along the way as well as... little houses built onto the asteroids.
:::Colleen: These houses looked like little honeycombs woven out of tin foil. Simple in structure and numbering in the hundreds, they were clearly artificially build — an entire settlement once lived here!
:::Colleen: I checked over the houses but only found more alien corpses. There were no survival supplies in any of the buildings, and almost no tools at all save for a crude pickax.
:::Colleen: It's possible that they are the survivors of this planet, escaping utter catastrophe through some means but doomed to ultimately die due to exhaustion of resources.
:::Colleen: Before the final moments of their lives, they vital information — maybe histories, or research into Stellarons — in the form of glyphs carved into the surfaces of these asteroids.
:::Colleen: This work looks truly tedious and boring... What kind of firm resolve supported their completion? I don't know, but their achievements have no doubt left a monument for their home planet and civilization.
:::Colleen: Finally, I decided to send in the coordinates to IPC — which would expose my location without offering me up any gain whatsoever. But after witnessing such a grand sight, money no longer seemed to matter.
:::Colleen: I'd learned the lesson I was supposed to, and the secret of the glyphs should be left to professionals. I trust they will be better than me at decoding them.
::: Sounds like it'll become a tourist destination...
::::Colleen: Maybe. But in comparison, I'd rather this story wasn't buried forever.
::::Colleen: ...It would be a great pity for such hard work to go unrecognized.
::: So did you manage to escape?
::::Colleen: Of course, just gotta put that pedal to the metal.
::::Colleen: If IPC were ever powerful enough to send out an immediate dispatch for my coordinates, they'd have had me long ago.
::: (Keep silent)
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: Anyhow, was that story romantic enough for you?
::: There's a kind of majestic beauty to it.
::::Colleen: Right? I prefer this kind of unusual romance over traditional love.
::::Colleen: There are hundreds of millions of stars in the cosmos. On such a vast scale, this mutual infatuation between two people seems inevitably insignificant.
::::Colleen: Anyway, it's great that you liked it.
::: Mid.
::::Colleen: *sigh* So it seems you lose some of the magic when you put it into words.
::::Colleen: If you get the chance, you really should try and see that sight with your own eyes... Maybe you could make it into a dream bubble?
::: I prefer love stories.
::::Colleen: Haha, that's indeed one kind of romantic ideal, but I prefer this kind of... unusual romance.
::::Colleen: After all, their infatuation is just one of uncountable connections throughout the cosmos. The universe is truly wonderful, isn't it?
:: One that's educational.
:::Colleen: Well... generally speaking, everything that happens in this universe is just a pile of coincidences stacked up, and it's difficult for humans to learn anything from that.
:::Colleen: However, I do have a story that fits the bill.
:::Colleen: When this pirate was young, he switched out almost all of his body parts with prosthetics, wreaking havoc throughout star zones and committing countless crimes. The bounty on his head was enough to buy a whole planet of your own — it's hard to say whether that included my contributions.
:::Colleen: In his old age, Wyland's mind became overwhelmed by excessive mods. Pain and hallucinations tortured him daily, twisting him into a mad, irritable, neurotic... monster.
:::Colleen: His once-loyal crew either deserted him or were cruelly tortured by him. Just as this band of pirates was about to fall apart, a masked visitor came to Wyland telling him that an extract from the brain of the void song whale could relieve his adverse reactions.
:::Colleen: This wasn't some kind of cure-all; it was a trap. I strongly opposed this suggestion, but Wyland was at wits' end and could not help but clutch on to any last straw that might save his life. Finally, he and I took our separate ways.
:::Colleen: And so also began the massacre of the void song whales...
:::Colleen: Wyland hooked his nervous system straight into the bridge terminal for maximum hunting efficiency, so that commanding the entire battleship was like moving a limb. The cost was that once he lost his supply of whale extract, he would experience organ failure and perish soon after.
:::Colleen: Those were crazy days, with whales perishing in the cannon fire every day. Even the Annihilation Gang was won over by Wyland's ambition, willingly joining the hunt — just for the thrill of it.
:::Colleen: After multiple unheeded warnings, the Interastral Peace Corporation reached out to the Galaxy Rangers about building an alliance to wipe out this enduring scourge. In the end, both sides contributed crack troops and planned to launch an operation to lop the head off Wyland's main battleship.
::: Sounds like a must!
::::Colleen: Who said it wasn't? But even with such a luxuriant lineup, victory was far from guaranteed.
::: The IPC and the Galaxy Rangers working together? That is rare...
::::Colleen: Who said it wasn't? But even with such a luxuriant lineup, victory was far from guaranteed.
::: (Remain silent.)
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: Don't think a beheading operation is easy. The battleship's radar was Wyland's eyes. Its cannons were extensions of his arms. Boarding such a monster as this requires perfect mastery of piloting.
:::Colleen: Luckily, I also participated in that battle... as the pilot of the transport vessel.
:::Colleen: When we opened the door to the captain's quarters, all we could see was an empty glass tank and scattered drips hanging about the place — the largest of which was hooked up to Wyland's back...
:::Colleen: Wyland lay on the ground, like a fish out of water — dead.
::: Scared to death?
::::Colleen: No, that isn't really very educational.
::: ...How did they die?
::::Colleen: We were puzzled at the time too. We thought there would be this ferocious battle, but it shifted straight to the cleanup stage without a shot being fired.
::: (Remain silent.)
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: Later on, we learned that well beforehand, Wyland had sold off all the extract he had to a masked buyer who paid very good money for it.
:::Colleen: He thought the supplies in the tank would last until the next hunt, but could find no prey after weeks of searching. According to the statistics from the Intelligentsia Guild, there haven't been any living void song whales in that sector for a long time.
:::Colleen: So when the righteous alliance attacked, Wyland had already been dead for some time due to graft-host rejection...
:::Colleen: He was still trying to use his mouth to suck the last few drops of extract out of the tubes during his final moments.
::: What an ironic ending.
::::Colleen: Yes, truly an moment. The Mechanical Pirate King, a menace of the era, meeting his end like this.
::::Colleen: By comparison, I enjoyed him much more in the flesh.
::: And what of his followers?
::::Colleen: Wyland was the best fighter and died. The rest of them naturally scattered to the solar winds. But IPC and Rangers still meted out to them the punishment they deserved.
::: ...
:::Colleen: *sigh* Organic creatures love modding themselves into robots. Wyland was no exception...
:::Colleen: But he was never able to rid himself of human greed, until in the end he died farcically upon a throne made of twisted tubes.
:::Colleen: ...Foolish, hateful scoundrel. He rushed off to kill himself before he could find the secrets of the universe... This time, I lost.
::: What did you lose?
:::Colleen: I once made a bet with him about the day he'd die over a bottle of liquor. Seems like he won out in the end.
:::Colleen: ...But I've got no idea how to give him his prize.
:: Not right now.
: I have some questions for you.
::Colleen: Oh? You seem quite keen to learn about the life of pirates. Ask away then.
:: Where did you get your invitation letter?
:::Colleen: It's a long story. The letter originally belonged to a traveling merchant, and I wen through some trouble to claim it as mine... The whole thing was quite a fun experience.
:::Colleen: At first, I boarded his ship with my crew, planning to seize the letter by force... However, I soon realized we were no match for the IPC guards on the ship.
:::Colleen: By then, the guards had already captured all my crew members and were going from room to room hunting down escapees.
:::Colleen: So, I tied up my arms and pretended to be an innocent woman held captive. They fell for the trick and even put me in a room all by myself.
::: Didn't they recognize you?
::::Colleen: I never show my face when I work. There's no image of me on my wanted posters.
::: Aren't there wanted posters out there for you?
::::Colleen: Yes, but there's no image of me on them, all because I never show my face when I work.
:::Colleen: Besides, can you even tell I'm a pirate from my face at first glance?
::: I've long seen through you.
::::Colleen: How impressive. You really live up to your reputation as a Nameless.
::: I can't.
::::Colleen: Exactly, right? So, it was no surprise when those guards couldn't tell so, too.
::: You're nasty.
::::Colleen: You might be right, but that story is already in the past. It won't harm anybody no matter how many times I retell it.
:::Colleen: Now, back to the story. Gaining the trust of the guards was akin to having control over the Achilles' heel of the ship. It made the rest of the plan so much simpler...
:::Colleen: While everyone was sleeping in the cryosleep pods, I sneaked into the cockpit, knocked out the guards, and kept them unconscious for a day longer. I had more than enough time to take the invitation letter and other valuable items with me.
:::Colleen: I've become a traveling merchant since then.
:: Would you like to join the Astral Express?
:::Colleen: Hmm... That's a very tempting offer. The opportunity to join aboard the Astral Express is an utmost honor for a Nameless.
:::Colleen: But I'm just not too keen on it now. Now, I'm just too tired to travel with others, and I can no longer feel the joy and enjoy the challenges along the journey.
:::Colleen: Unless... The adventure this time can change my mind.
:: About that document I collected for you...
:::Colleen: You must be wondering how this item is related to the puzzle of the Watchmaker... I'm curious, too.
:::Colleen: Gah! I paid for information about the Watchmaker, but this is all I got from that blasted informant!
::: Maybe the other documents have gone missing.
::: Maybe your informant is sending them in batches.
:::Colleen: Who knows? I hope he isn't trying to fool me, or I'll make him regret ever being born.
:: It's nothing.
: It's nothing.
::Colleen: Remember not to reveal my identity to anyone. I don't want too much attention.
===Dreamflux Reef===
:Colleen: Oh, look who it is! I didn't expect to meet you again, .
:Colleen: I see you've also discovered the secrets of Penacony's beautiful dream. I should know not to doubt the skills of a Nameless. Now that you have learned of the Dreamflux Reef, what do you think of this land?
: Its existence has value.
::Colleen: Haha, I agree. Sometimes, I feel more awake in a dream than I do in real life.
: The Dreamscape is just another escape for people.
::Colleen: Haha, the words of the strong! For real though, normal people will always need a safe haven.
::Colleen: Of course, you can stick with your answer. I just don't think that this is a one-size-fits-all situation. Even if dreams did not exist, people would still find something to lose themselves in.
: I think this question is a little outside my pay grade...
::Colleen: Haha, fine. At least you didn't just give me some perfunctory response. I praise your sincerity.
::Colleen: In that case, allow me to share my views.
:Colleen: What make the Dreamflux Reef different from the Twelve Hour is that it was built upon the foundation of "freedom." Everyone here has a story, even someone like me.
:Colleen: If you ask me, the opposite of freedom is order... The two forms of Penacony's Dreamscape are but an extension of this argument.
:Colleen: The Twelve Hour is a vacuum that had eliminated all worries. The Dreamflux Reef is an unadulterated Primordial Dreamscape. They are like two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other. I don't know why the Watchmaker created the Dreamflux Reef, but...
:Colleen: As a Trailblazer... Perhaps the true meaning of the Way of the Trailblaze is to have the space to make decisions for yourself.
:Colleen: Trailblaze requires us to rely on ourselves to move forward, not to be spurred or urged in any direction. It is when you have the option to run away that courage can truly be considered valuable.
:Colleen: Some people enjoy pleasure and hope, that it can dilute the misery of reality. Some despise opulence and long for a life without restrains... Whatever kind of person you are, there should be a place for you in the dream.
:Colleen: That which we call "impossible" is what encourages us to make a choice and find the dream that truly belongs to us... Even if it is not glamorous.
:Colleen: These are just my personal views. Of course, I imagine I am still only on something like the third floor when the Watchmaker is up high on the fifth... I would love to have a chance to ask him myself one day.
:Colleen: I will be in the Dreamflux Reef for some time yet. If you have any more thoughts, you can talk to me anytime.
----
;(If Colleen's Emotion is set to Calm)
:Colleen: The way of the Trailblaze... Hah, how profound.
----
;(If Colleen's Emotion is set to Angry)
:Colleen: Watchmaker... Just where have you gone?
----
;(If Colleen's Emotion is set to Happy)
:Colleen: The Dreamscape has given me a chance to start again... I have already come to enjoy this feeling.
----
;(If Colleen's Emotion is set to Sad)
:Colleen: Having roamed the outside world for all this time... I'm starting to miss home, too.
----
: Were you following me just now?
::Colleen: Hey, smart , have you only just noticed?
::Colleen: Truth be told, I have the means to leave the Dream's Edge, but I've spent enough time in the cosmos to instinctually know that the trip is going to be perilous. The Family may have already taken precautions.
::Colleen: That's why I wanted you to explore the route first so that you could trigger all the traps laid for me in advance. But, where did that leave me? I'm here on the fifth level, and The Family is on the first.
::Colleen: Aside from the two IPC minions who messed with me, there were no other troubles. Tsk, it almost feels a little boring.
:: You were using me?
:::Colleen: Ah, I can't deny that, but... I hope you aren't bothered by it.
::: Of course I can do that.
::::Colleen: I knew it! Thanks for being the bigger person here, Nameless. I could not be more grateful to you.
::::Colleen: To show my remorse, here's a token of my apology. Please keep it!
::: I don't think that's okay...
::::Colleen: I know that something like this is not easy to forgive, but... at least I didn't harm you, right? Haha, right...
::::Colleen: ...Ah, I'm sorry. I know it was wrong. Please accept this gift as an apology.
:: Fine, just this once.
:::Colleen: I knew it! Thanks for being the bigger person here, Nameless. I could not be more grateful to you.
:::Colleen: To show my remorse, here's a token of my apology. Please keep it!
:;(Obtain )
----
: I want to chat with you.
::Colleen: Alright, you start.
:: How did you come to the Dreamflux Reef?
:::Colleen: It's a long story. After we bid farewell last time, I looked back over the informer's things and uncovered some secrets...
:::Colleen: In reality, all of the victims had one thing in common... Now, you know what that is. But back then, I didn't put it together straight away. If anything, I overthought it so much that I ended up even more confused...
:::Colleen: So, I closed my eyes to quiet my mind, and when I opened them, here I am. Isn't it mysterious? Sometimes the hardest of riddles are solved in the simplest ways...
::: That is... a coincidence.
::: That didn't explain anything!
:::Colleen: It may be a little disappointing, but many guests entered the Dreamflux Reef in this way... though their reactions were a lot more dramatic than mine.
:::Colleen: I have to say, the people who are actively choosing to stay here are extremely brave... A Primordial Dreamscape like this doesn't have the same Family guarantee of "being free from danger," after all.
:;(After completing Trailblaze Mission And on the Eighth Day)
:: Have you heard about what happened at the Grand Theater?
:::Colleen: The remnants of "the Order"? It truly amazes me that an Aeon that has been dead for so long could still cause issues.. Ahem, I'm not talking about our Akivili, of course.
:::Colleen: Come to think of it, this whole situation being resolved so smoothly must have been considerable thanks to your Crew, right?
::: Of course, we're awesome.
::: Sort of, everyone did their share.
::: It's all thanks to auto-battle.
:::Colleen: Haha, the Astral Express... truly lives up to its reputation as Nameless' greatest asset. Truth be told, the more your fame grows, the more we bask in your glory.
:::Colleen: Who knows, maybe one day I'll be able to roam the vast universe as I please, without having to answer to anyone ever again... Ah, I hope I live to see that day.
:: Let's leave the topic here.
:::Colleen: See you! Who knows, maybe one day I can become a captain, too! Haha.
: That's all. Bye-bye.
::Colleen: See you! Who knows, maybe one day I can become a captain, too! Haha.
===Clockwork===
====Dream's Edge====
: Activate Clockwork
::
:::Colleen: Hiss... My logical mind has regained control... My mood has been all over the place lately.
:::Colleen: Rumor has it, that dreamscape isn't always like this. It's The Family that molded it to its current state...
:::Colleen: If our emotions are controlled by others and could be manipulated like clay... wouldn't that be terrible?
::
:::Colleen: Tsk, I suddenly remember something pretty distressing...
:::Colleen: As I said before, I traveled with some of the Nameless for a while, before we parted ways. This incident was the catalyst.
:::Colleen: That day, our spaceship was restocking provisions on a desert planet. The warehouse manager bought a creature named Hairy from the locals — that was its name. I don't know what species it was.
:::Colleen: The crew looked at this yellow boulder calf lookalike and decided to cook it up to eat. I had no objections. But just when the chef was about to stick the knife, Hairy spoke...
:::Colleen: It said that it's an intelligent species and hoped to discuss philosophy and the arts with us — instead of being carved up into pieces of meat. It also said, it was its own idea to join everyone on the ship.
:::Colleen: As the most experienced crew member, I took charge of communicating with this "monster." We chatted about everything, from history and culture to Aeon worship — and its knowledge was even richer than mine.
:::Colleen: So I told my companions that we should view it as an intelligent species and a sentient person. Everyone thought I was being unreasonable.
:::Colleen: The chef said, "We still want to eat it. Since it looks similar to yellow boulder calves, the meat should taste the same."
:::Colleen: At the time, we already had enough food to feed ourselves — but these people just wanted to try a new exotic species... Before the butcher's knife fell, I could see tears welling up in Hairy's eyes...
:::Colleen: Later that night, everyone enjoyed their own juicy cutlet. Everyone raved about how delicious it tasted, but I didn't take a single bite.
:::Colleen: After this voyage was over, I left the team, and struck out on my own.
::: Why?
::::Colleen: Because I was enraged. You could also say my impetuous nature played a role.
::::Colleen: I'm not against eating meat, but as the Nameless, these people obviously lack the awe for the unknown and the spirit of adventure — they should've joined the Annihilation Gang, instead...
::::Colleen: Just like us, Hairy was a creature of high intelligence... I know it's strange to say, but when a cow starts talking about spirits and philosophy with you, how can anyone treat it as just a piece of meat?
::: Do you think they lack any empathy?
::::Colleen: Not only that, they also lack an awe for the unknown — killing the wonder of possibility in the cradle.
::::Colleen: Just like us, Hairy was a creature of high intelligence... I know it's strange to say, but when a cow starts talking about spirits and philosophy with you, how can anyone treat it as just a piece of meat?
::: I bet it tasted really good though...
::::Colleen: ...
::::Colleen: If you're a glutton, go to a restaurant and order a steak if you'd like to enjoy the meaty pleasures of livestock.
::::Colleen: But Hairy was no livestock. Just like us, Hairy was a creature of high intelligence... I know it's strange to say, but when a cow starts talking about spirits and philosophy with you, how can anyone treat it as just a piece of meat?
::;(First time only)
::::Colleen: I learned a lesson from all this: some people can only entertain the most vulgar of desires. Never try reasoning with them.
::::Colleen: Now I make sure that I pack plenty of extra rations whenever I head out. If people are full when they see meat, they won't be compelled to try and eat everything they see.
::::Colleen: Let me share a little with you. May your stomach never impact your decision-making ability.
:::;(Obtain )
::
:::Colleen: ...
:::Colleen: I suddenly recalled the New Londinium experience... Since I'm in a good mood, let me share it with you.
:::Colleen: New Londinium is IPC's industrial planet. A place that produces heavy pollution constantly. The air used to smell of suffocating smoke, stinking like Baviru cheese that had been sitting in the cupboard for six months.
:::Colleen: When I was there the first time, I was inexperienced and couldn't breathe when I got off the ship... Luckily, a passerby managed to bring me to a physician in time.
:::Colleen: All the physicians on that planet wore face-covering beak masks. Initially, I thought they had deliberately dressed themselves to look stylish and were silently mocking them.
:::Colleen: It was until they put the same mask on me that I realized I could breathe freely again... That was an air purifier mask made by the IPC! It was impossible to get around without that in the filthy environment.
:::Colleen: Just then, a projection of the company's advertisement appeared in the sky. In it was a man dressed in a suit, and he spoke in a tone that fit his appearance...
:::Colleen: "Citizens of New Londinium, all of you have been performing well for the past year. IPC's efficiency has also improved tremendously, a big step forward for environmental protection.
:::Colleen: Those words were so ridiculous that I burst out laughing, and the people around looked at me like a freak.
:::Colleen: So I hurried and explained to them that this was the oldest joke in the history of mankind — no matter where you're heading, you're walking forward!
::;(First time only)
::::Colleen: Later, when I left New Londinium, I realized the beak-looking air purifying mask was a limited edition and wasn't sold on other planets! No matter how hard I tried, I could only get such cheap alternatives.
::::Colleen: I must go again if I have the chance... Here, take this. I hope you can treasure every breath you took.
:::;(Obtain )
::
:::Colleen: *sighs* Despite the hopes of heaven and the threats of hell, the only thing can be certain. This life is truly fleeting.
::: Why are you waxing poetic all of a sudden?
::: Did you just think of something?
::: I have heard of this story.
:::Colleen: I was just reminded of a destroyed planet. Until its very last moments, there were still people there struggling to survive... at least, most of them.
:::Colleen: That planet was called Outerland, and it was located in a distant border galaxy. It belonged to a star corrupted by a Stellaron, and was constantly releasing radiation.
:::Colleen: This radiation had little effect on plants, but was fatal to most of the animals on the Outerland — including the people.
:::Colleen: To deal with the radiation, the local architects erected barriers around the remaining settlements to permanently separate the inside from the outside. No light could penetrate the barrier, and the people could only eke out a miserable existence in darkness.
::: What a crude solution.
::::Colleen: Sure is. When this plan was first raised, it was met with many an objection...
::::Colleen: But faced with the threat of death, there were no other choices available.
::: At least they managed to survive.
::::Colleen: Yeah, that's what people thought at first. But as time goes by, your resolve is bound to be ground away no matter how strong it may be...
::::Colleen: People used to bathing in the sun cannot fathom the unbearable darkness of the night.
::: Sounds... very similar to Jarilo-VI.
::::Colleen: Jarilo... Oh, the frozen planet that you mentioned before.
::::Colleen: They have their similarities, but the conclusions could not be further apart...
:::Colleen: The long darkness brought security to the Outerland, but also madness...
:::Colleen: Life inside the barrier was far harder than was envisaged. Neither the energy needed to keep the lights on nor the resources needed for survival could be distributed fairly to everyone.
:::Colleen: After complicated profit calculations, their leader ordered that all resources should be seized for the shield-projector Canopy Tower to guarantee normal operations for the barrier. Regular citizens could not set up lights without obtaining prior authorization.
:::Colleen: The closer you got to the Canopy Tower in the middle of town, the more light you could get. This tower became a symbol of oppression and injustice.
::: Would these measures really be enough to protect the Outerland?
::::Colleen: They were enough for a while. I can't say whether it was a long time or a short time... but it was about half an Amber Era.
::: A necessary sacrifice.
::::Colleen: Perhaps. Outerland did survive for some time because of it... for about half an Amber Era.
::: (Keep silent)
::::Colleen: In any case, this method has indeed preserved Outerland for a period... about half an Amber Era.
::: I'll listen another day.
:::Colleen: Hopes have dwindled during that time — because that kind of life never seemed to end.
:::Colleen: Fear and anger began to spread. Some protested, not wanting to spend their lives in a cage, while others said that the rich and powerful ones in the center should distribute more resources...
:::Colleen: Until one day, an elderly man set up a spotlight in the poverty district at the edge of the barrier and revolted against the Canopy Tower. Thereafter, a long and bitter civil war broke out in the Outerland.
:::Colleen: Chaos destroyed the energy core of the Canopy Tower. With a gigantic hole torn in the sky, the intensely radioactive sunlight poured in...
:::Colleen: As they counted down towards their collective death, all the people glimpsed the blue sky once again.
:::Colleen: The elderly man cried tears of joy as he clutched a pot of flowers, its branch sprouting anew — it was the three-day spikemoss left behind by his late wife, which could be brought back to life with only a little sunlight.
::: Because of his selfishness, he got everyone killed.
::::Colleen: Is that so? If I were him, I would probably do the same.
::: Will the ending be better if the rich and the powerful relented?
::::Colleen: That's hard to say. Injustice was certainly a problem, but it wasn't Outerland's biggest issue.
::: How did you know about that?
::::Colleen: No one says that only survivors can narrate their stories. Otherwise, there won't be many storytellers left.
::::Colleen: As for how I know, feel free to hazard a guess — after all, no intriguing women go without secrets.
::::Colleen: Let's go back to Outerland. I'm rather affected by this incident...
::: (Keep silent)
::::Colleen: Hard to take a stand? Well, such things are common in the universe...
:::Colleen: Humans will labor ceaselessly with no complaints for the sole purpose of living in happiness. However, if survival is the best outcome that they can possibly reach — with a harsh environment, intensive mental stress, and absolutely no hopes of the situation ever improving — then the idea of enduring present sufferings for a better future would suddenly seem a lot less appealing.
:::Colleen: Unfortunately, even such a terrible life is something that many people have to fight to achieve...
:::Colleen: It's only a matter of time before Outerland perishes, like a terminal chronic illness... Unless someone can fix its star contaminated by the Stellaron, but what are the chances?
:::Colleen: I wanted to make this story into the Dreamscape to educate people about what happened on the other end of the universe, but The Family found this topic too oppressive and did not approve it...
:::Colleen: *sigh* What a pity. Without a little melancholy, how can we bring out the happiness in better dreams?
====Dreamflux Reef====
: Activate Clockwork
::
:::Colleen gathers her emotions and sheathes them with a smile.
:::Colleen: As time has passed, I've come to like this place... I enjoy the giant memoria void more than anything... It reminds me of the universe.
:::Colleen: The evenings of Dreamflux Reef are calmer and quieter than the Golden Hour. I'm not sure how to explain it. It's like staying up through the night in the real world. My heart falls calm alongside it, and I'm able to experience the true nature of the night fully... Or maybe I should say space.
:::Colleen: I hear many people seek solace in the night like I do. As for the reason, I guess a more literary explanation would be... "Humanity will always yearn for the stars."
::
::;(First interaction)
:::Colleen's face folds into a gentle frown.
:::Colleen: ...Is this really the end of the adventure? Is this small stage really all that the Watchmaker wanted to show us?
::: Why are you complaining all of sudden?
::::Colleen: No I'm not complaining I'm just a little... defeated.
::: Weren't you praising him just before?
::::Colleen: It's true that his plans deserve credit. I just feel a little... defeated.
:::Colleen: I thought that Dreamflux Reef was going to be the crux of the entire adventure. I thought that I would be cast into fierce battle and come to understand the truths of the universe...
:::Colleen: ...But I've not seen anything here besides the empty tombs of a few Nameless. Are they really the Watchmaker's Legacy? That's such an anticlimax...
:::Colleen: Is there some kind of puzzle we haven't yet solved? Or is Micah hiding something from me...
:::Colleen: Tsk... Where are you, Watchmaker...?
::;(Obtain )
----
::;(Subsequent interactions)
:::Colleen's face folds into a gentle frown.
:::Colleen: I thought that Dreamflux Reef was going to be the crux of the entire adventure. I thought that I would be cast into fierce battle and come to understand the truths of the universe...
:::Colleen: ...But I've not seen anything here besides the empty tombs of a few Nameless. Are they really the Watchmaker's Legacy? That's such an anticlimax...
:::Colleen: Tsk... Where are you, Watchmaker...?
::
:::Colleen: I've just realized something funny... The false identity I gave myself here is that of a rebellious young girl that ran away from home.
:::Colleen: Ridiculous, right? But, it's given me a second chance at youth. Plus... I play the role well. People's attitudes are influenced by another character's role in society... And what is more loveable than a pitiful young girl?
:::Colleen: This reminds me... When I was a child, I used to lie on my bed and fantasize. I wondered if I was born on another planet, would my life have been completely different?
:::Colleen: Unfortunately, there are no hypotheticals in the real world. But it was this Dreamscape that actually gave me the chance to start again... And I've come to enjoy the feeling of playing another character... Haha.
::;(Obtain , first time only)
::
:::Colleen suddenly falls silent as her expression becomes gloomy. Suddenly, she looks like... a wise sage.
:::Colleen: Before I even realize... my adventure had already ended. I went to great lengths to solve the puzzle and make it here. Now, I'm suddenly left with nothing to do...
:::Colleen: Where am I supposed to go from here? Back home? Ah, I don't know why, I'm getting a bit of a lump in my throat...
:::Colleen: Haha... All this roaming the world alone has made me soppy and sentimental...
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==Change History==
==References==