Chapter 191: Thinking Inside the Box
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"So, how exactly has it only now gotten out of hand" asked Kat
"Well… um, you remember how I talked about how she rebuilt herself with the idea that she was me, and I didn't exactly go away?" asked Minor
Kat nodded "Right well…" Minor drew out the words "In the politest way possible, and do know I treasure our friendship when I… ah… say this. You basically did the equivalent of casting a flash freeze spell on her mind before hitting it with a giant hammer… um sorry?"
Kat shrugged "Don't worry keep going"
"Right ok… um… so this is where it gets a little more difficult to work out" said Minor "So um… keep in mind that this is only my best guess Kat… this is all rather strange even to me…
"So um… when she found out she wasn't me, her mind which had been built up again around that idea just sorta ah… pushed me forward, because she um… subconsciously? No um… doesn't matter… she um, instinctively! Yeah, instinctively knew that I was in fact still around.
"So, I think her mind pushed me forward to take her place so that… I was still around? Rather than accept the fact that she wasn't exactly me, she was her, and so she basically trapped herself, and gave me control…"
Minor took a deep breath but seeing Kat's nod continued "Right so um… that, but see, her mind was still broken, it was just that mind was now in control… so uh… it tried to fix itself better
"That's because um… I was sort of the short-term solution, right? But ah… her mind was then able to recognise I exist, and it sort of started warring with itself…
"So like… Um one part thinks she needs to give up on me… because of course I'm dead, and nothing she can do will ever bring me back… but ah, the other one knows that I'm real, and refuses to take any action against me
"So each part of her is sort of tearing into the other, and I sort of… ah got knocked loose in the fighting? So ah… now I'm stuck in our head again, and nobody gets the body" finished Minor.
Kat frowned. "How sure are you of this"
"Oh ah… not very… I mean… it makes for a good story and I like to tell it to myself… because um… then there are a few ways to win I mean. If I just… went away she might wake up… or if I can prove to be more real… then we can both stay? But like… she would always be fine?" said Minor wincing even as she spoke
Kat bopped her on the head "I was sent here to save both of you, and I'm going to do it. I won't have you talking about destroying yourself"
Minor nodded "Um… yeah, I ah… don't really know how I'd do it anyway… I might have tried a few… extreme things already"
Kat barely restrained the urge to glare at Minor, but apparently still failed as the girl flinched "But ah… it didn't work… and I ah… stayed away from the nightmares"
*Minor mentioned those earlier. And she seems a lot more scared of them then potentially dying* "Minor" Kat said as pleasantly as she could "Can you tell me about the nightmares… is that ok?"
Minor gulped but nodded "Right so… ah… the um, nightmares. Right so… they change things" Minor spoke carefully not quite confronting the topic, but Kat tightened her grip on her and pulled her into a more thorough hug.
This seemed to calm Minor down a bit and she continued "Right… ah, so… change things. So, um… when a nightmare appears it sort of warps memories… it makes them evil, or ah… maybe not evil but not happy anymore
"And um… like… I just get the feeling that it could twist me… maybe not completely not the way it can the memories, but I think they can really hurt me"
Kat nodded "How safe do you think I would be? Can I punch them?" Kat said with a grin
Minor let out a tiny laugh she smothered in her tail "Um… I don't know… I can't. I have to run. I can't hit them with things because it just changes those too…"
Kat patted Minor on the head "It's ok. My demonic energy has been good to me so far. I bet I can punch them no problem"
Minor smiled but Kat more seriously consider the problem. *Once again how real is this? The spell wasn't entirely clear… and whatever I do will certainly affect Minor and Major in perhaps big ways. I'll have to be careful…*
*Plus, these nightmares sound like they could be a bit of a danger to me. I'm not sure how much of the danger Minor feels from them is just because she is also part of this mind, or if they are just an inherent danger.*
Kat bit the inside of her lip. *For example… can I burn them? Minor said that anything she attacked them with would get twisted, but does that include spells? Does she have mana in here?*
*If she doesn't then why do I have my own demonic energy still? Will it work against the nightmares? I've not had it fail to affect anything before… even that extremely hot sand boat was still affected for at least a while especially if I really pushed some energy into it.*
*And I'm missing my system… is that because of the spell or something else? Is it just attached to my body? Or is it because it can't project answers in front of my face when my 'face' is inside someone else's head?*
*Like would Enuko be seeing floating fire text in front of my sleeping body whenever I try? Assuming of course she could see it like my accomplices… And actually.* Kat took a properly look at herself and realised she was missing the mist. *Did I finish ranking up?* Kat didn't want to try and test any newfound strength while she had Minor in her hands.
*Did I get any new powers? Because I think I was supposed to, but at the same time… was I sent in before my upgrades could finalise and I'm still at rank 1? I can't exactly ask the system to confirm…*
*Another thought is checking the shape of my demonic flame… but I'm not sure I want to bring that out while in Minor's head. If I tried to perform the motions and it instead summoned the flame in front of my real body it might cause Minor's Grandma… Enuko, Enuko, to falter and break the spell and we can't have that.*
Kat shook of her worries. *I haven't even seen what I'm up against. I can't be worried before I even fully understand the situation.* "Kat we have to leave" mumbled Minor from in Kat's grasp
"What?" asked Kat
"Well… um… the nightmares… they sort of chase me around? So like… I need to move around the um… what did I call them? Unclaimed lands… right, that, so that they ah, don't find me or wreck anything" said Minor
"Ok do what you need to do" said Kat
Minor nodded and waved her arms. The scenery rapidly vanished and returned to the deep unending darkness that it was before. She then grabbed tightly onto Kat and Kat felt herself getting pulled.
The darkness didn't seem to change but she could feel that they were somewhere different. "Ok, we should be fine for a bit" said Minor
"How fine exactly?" asked Kat
"Well… ah… um, so like… in the unclaimed lands I can kinda just be anywhere? Um… same for my own memory sections. I can sort of do whatever I want? But the nightmares just sort have to trail along behind" said Minor
"Why not just go so far away they can't catch you?" asked Kat
"Um… well, I'm not quite sure… but I've tried… I think it's because the unclaimed lands aren't really 'real' exactly" said Minor "It's like… they are only real because I'm here, and when I leave they aren't quite real?
"And the nightmares… they make it a little bit real… so if I went really really far away… all the parts in the middle would just sort of disappear again… because they aren't real? Does that make sense" asked Minor
"You know. In a really weird way, it actually kind of does" said Kat
"Ok good. So um… yeah I just have to keep moving, and I also need to um… not go near my memories. The nightmares can't find them if I don't take them there… so I think I'm mostly ok… and like… I'm a bit strange because I think I'm most of my memories if ah… that makes sense?" said Minor
"So… like what? You're concentrated memories then?" asked Kat
"Sort of… I think so?" said Mino
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"So, how exactly has it only now gotten out of hand" asked Kat
"Well… um, you remember how I talked about how she rebuilt herself with the idea that she was me, and I didn't exactly go away?" asked Minor
Kat nodded "Right well…" Minor drew out the words "In the politest way possible, and do know I treasure our friendship when I… ah… say this. You basically did the equivalent of casting a flash freeze spell on her mind before hitting it with a giant hammer… um sorry?"
Kat shrugged "Don't worry keep going"
"Right ok… um… so this is where it gets a little more difficult to work out" said Minor "So um… keep in mind that this is only my best guess Kat… this is all rather strange even to me…
"So um… when she found out she wasn't me, her mind which had been built up again around that idea just sorta ah… pushed me forward, because she um… subconsciously? No um… doesn't matter… she um, instinctively! Yeah, instinctively knew that I was in fact still around.
"So, I think her mind pushed me forward to take her place so that… I was still around? Rather than accept the fact that she wasn't exactly me, she was her, and so she basically trapped herself, and gave me control…"
Minor took a deep breath but seeing Kat's nod continued "Right so um… that, but see, her mind was still broken, it was just that mind was now in control… so uh… it tried to fix itself better
"That's because um… I was sort of the short-term solution, right? But ah… her mind was then able to recognise I exist, and it sort of started warring with itself…
"So like… Um one part thinks she needs to give up on me… because of course I'm dead, and nothing she can do will ever bring me back… but ah, the other one knows that I'm real, and refuses to take any action against me
"So each part of her is sort of tearing into the other, and I sort of… ah got knocked loose in the fighting? So ah… now I'm stuck in our head again, and nobody gets the body" finished Minor.
Kat frowned. "How sure are you of this"
"Oh ah… not very… I mean… it makes for a good story and I like to tell it to myself… because um… then there are a few ways to win I mean. If I just… went away she might wake up… or if I can prove to be more real… then we can both stay? But like… she would always be fine?" said Minor wincing even as she spoke
Kat bopped her on the head "I was sent here to save both of you, and I'm going to do it. I won't have you talking about destroying yourself"
Minor nodded "Um… yeah, I ah… don't really know how I'd do it anyway… I might have tried a few… extreme things already"
Kat barely restrained the urge to glare at Minor, but apparently still failed as the girl flinched "But ah… it didn't work… and I ah… stayed away from the nightmares"
*Minor mentioned those earlier. And she seems a lot more scared of them then potentially dying* "Minor" Kat said as pleasantly as she could "Can you tell me about the nightmares… is that ok?"
Minor gulped but nodded "Right so… ah… the um, nightmares. Right so… they change things" Minor spoke carefully not quite confronting the topic, but Kat tightened her grip on her and pulled her into a more thorough hug.
This seemed to calm Minor down a bit and she continued "Right… ah, so… change things. So, um… when a nightmare appears it sort of warps memories… it makes them evil, or ah… maybe not evil but not happy anymore
"And um… like… I just get the feeling that it could twist me… maybe not completely not the way it can the memories, but I think they can really hurt me"
Kat nodded "How safe do you think I would be? Can I punch them?" Kat said with a grin
Minor let out a tiny laugh she smothered in her tail "Um… I don't know… I can't. I have to run. I can't hit them with things because it just changes those too…"
Kat patted Minor on the head "It's ok. My demonic energy has been good to me so far. I bet I can punch them no problem"
Minor smiled but Kat more seriously consider the problem. *Once again how real is this? The spell wasn't entirely clear… and whatever I do will certainly affect Minor and Major in perhaps big ways. I'll have to be careful…*
*Plus, these nightmares sound like they could be a bit of a danger to me. I'm not sure how much of the danger Minor feels from them is just because she is also part of this mind, or if they are just an inherent danger.*
Kat bit the inside of her lip. *For example… can I burn them? Minor said that anything she attacked them with would get twisted, but does that include spells? Does she have mana in here?*
*If she doesn't then why do I have my own demonic energy still? Will it work against the nightmares? I've not had it fail to affect anything before… even that extremely hot sand boat was still affected for at least a while especially if I really pushed some energy into it.*
*And I'm missing my system… is that because of the spell or something else? Is it just attached to my body? Or is it because it can't project answers in front of my face when my 'face' is inside someone else's head?*
*Like would Enuko be seeing floating fire text in front of my sleeping body whenever I try? Assuming of course she could see it like my accomplices… And actually.* Kat took a properly look at herself and realised she was missing the mist. *Did I finish ranking up?* Kat didn't want to try and test any newfound strength while she had Minor in her hands.
*Did I get any new powers? Because I think I was supposed to, but at the same time… was I sent in before my upgrades could finalise and I'm still at rank 1? I can't exactly ask the system to confirm…*
*Another thought is checking the shape of my demonic flame… but I'm not sure I want to bring that out while in Minor's head. If I tried to perform the motions and it instead summoned the flame in front of my real body it might cause Minor's Grandma… Enuko, Enuko, to falter and break the spell and we can't have that.*
Kat shook of her worries. *I haven't even seen what I'm up against. I can't be worried before I even fully understand the situation.* "Kat we have to leave" mumbled Minor from in Kat's grasp
"What?" asked Kat
"Well… um… the nightmares… they sort of chase me around? So like… I need to move around the um… what did I call them? Unclaimed lands… right, that, so that they ah, don't find me or wreck anything" said Minor
"Ok do what you need to do" said Kat
Minor nodded and waved her arms. The scenery rapidly vanished and returned to the deep unending darkness that it was before. She then grabbed tightly onto Kat and Kat felt herself getting pulled.
The darkness didn't seem to change but she could feel that they were somewhere different. "Ok, we should be fine for a bit" said Minor
"How fine exactly?" asked Kat
"Well… ah… um, so like… in the unclaimed lands I can kinda just be anywhere? Um… same for my own memory sections. I can sort of do whatever I want? But the nightmares just sort have to trail along behind" said Minor
"Why not just go so far away they can't catch you?" asked Kat
"Um… well, I'm not quite sure… but I've tried… I think it's because the unclaimed lands aren't really 'real' exactly" said Minor "It's like… they are only real because I'm here, and when I leave they aren't quite real?
"And the nightmares… they make it a little bit real… so if I went really really far away… all the parts in the middle would just sort of disappear again… because they aren't real? Does that make sense" asked Minor
"You know. In a really weird way, it actually kind of does" said Kat
"Ok good. So um… yeah I just have to keep moving, and I also need to um… not go near my memories. The nightmares can't find them if I don't take them there… so I think I'm mostly ok… and like… I'm a bit strange because I think I'm most of my memories if ah… that makes sense?" said Minor
"So… like what? You're concentrated memories then?" asked Kat
"Sort of… I think so?" said Mino
"So, how exactly has it only now gotten out of hand" asked Kat"Well um, you remember how I talked about how she rebuilt herself with the idea that she was me, and I didn't exactly go away?" asked MinorKat nodded "Right well" Minor drew out the words "In the politest way possible, and do know I treasure our friendship when I ah say this. You basically did the equivalent of casting a flash freeze spell on her mind before hitting it with a giant hammer um sorry?"Kat shrugged "Don't worry keep going""Right ok um so this is where it gets a little more difficult to work out" said Minor "So um keep in mind that this is only my best guess Kat this is all rather strange even to me"So um when she found out she wasn't me, her mind which had been built up again around that idea just sorta ah pushed me forward, because she um subconsciously? No um doesn't matter she um, instinctively! Yeah, instinctively knew that I was in fact still around."So, I think her mind pushed me forward to take her place so that I was still around? Rather than accept the fact that she wasn't exactly me, she was her, and so she basically trapped herself, and gave me control"Minor took a deep breath but seeing Kat's nod continued "Right so um that, but see, her mind was still broken, it was just that mind was now in control so uh it tried to fix itself better"That's because um I was sort of the short-term solution, right? But ah her mind was then able to recognise I exist, and it sort of started warring with itself"So like Um one part thinks she needs to give up on me because of course I'm dead, and nothing she can do will ever bring me back but ah, the other one knows that I'm real, and refuses to take any action against me"So each part of her is sort of tearing into the other, and I sort of ah got knocked loose in the fighting? So ah now I'm stuck in our head again, and nobody gets the body" finished Minor.Kat frowned. "How sure are you of this""Oh ah not very I mean it makes for a good story and I like to tell it to myself because um then there are a few ways to win I mean. If I just went away she might wake up or if I can prove to be more real then we can both stay? But like she would always be fine?" said Minor wincing even as she spokeKat bopped her on the head "I was sent here to save both of you, and I'm going to do it. I won't have you talking about destroying yourself"Minor nodded "Um yeah, I ah don't really know how I'd do it anyway I might have tried a few extreme things already"Kat barely restrained the urge to glare at Minor, but apparently still failed as the girl flinched "But ah it didn't work and I ah stayed away from the nightmares"*Minor mentioned those earlier. And she seems a lot more scared of them then potentially dying* "Minor" Kat said as pleasantly as she could "Can you tell me about the nightmares is that ok?"Minor gulped but nodded "Right so ah the um, nightmares. Right so they change things" Minor spoke carefully not quite confronting the topic, but Kat tightened her grip on her and pulled her into a more thorough hug.This seemed to calm Minor down a bit and she continued "Right ah, so change things. So, um when a nightmare appears it sort of warps memories it makes them evil, or ah maybe not evil but not happy anymore"And um like I just get the feeling that it could twist me maybe not completely not the way it can the memories, but I think they can really hurt me"Kat nodded "How safe do you think I would be? Can I punch them?" Kat said with a grinMinor let out a tiny laugh she smothered in her tail "Um I don't know I can't. I have to run. I can't hit them with things because it just changes those too"Kat patted Minor on the head "It's ok. My demonic energy has been good to me so far. I bet I can punch them no problem"Minor smiled but Kat more seriously consider the problem. *Once again how real is this? The spell wasn't entirely clear and whatever I do will certainly affect Minor and Major in perhaps big ways. I'll have to be careful**Plus, these nightmares sound like they could be a bit of a danger to me. I'm not sure how much of the danger Minor feels from them is just because she is also part of this mind, or if they are just an inherent danger.*Kat bit the inside of her lip. *For example can I burn them? Minor said that anything she attacked them with would get twisted, but does that include spells? Does she have mana in here?**If she doesn't then why do I have my own demonic energy still? Will it work against the nightmares? I've not had it fail to affect anything before even that extremely hot sand boat was still affected for at least a while especially if I really pushed some energy into it.**And I'm missing my system is that because of the spell or something else? Is it just attached to my body? Or is it because it can't project answers in front of my face when my 'face' is inside someone else's head?**Like would Enuko be seeing floating fire text in front of my sleeping body whenever I try? Assuming of course she could see it like my accomplices And actually.* Kat took a properly look at herself and realised she was missing the mist. *Did I finish ranking up?* Kat didn't want to try and test any newfound strength while she had Minor in her hands.*Did I get any new powers? Because I think I was supposed to, but at the same time was I sent in before my upgrades could finalise and I'm still at rank 1? I can't exactly ask the system to confirm**Another thought is checking the shape of my demonic flame but I'm not sure I want to bring that out while in Minor's head. If I tried to perform the motions and it instead summoned the flame in front of my real body it might cause Minor's Grandma Enuko, Enuko, to falter and break the spell and we can't have that.*Kat shook of her worries. *I haven't even seen what I'm up against. I can't be worried before I even fully understand the situation.* "Kat we have to leave" mumbled Minor from in Kat's grasp"What?" asked Kat"Well um the nightmares they sort of chase me around? So like I need to move around the um what did I call them? Unclaimed lands right, that, so that they ah, don't find me or wreck anything" said Minor"Ok do what you need to do" said KatMinor nodded and waved her arms. The scenery rapidly vanished and returned to the deep unending darkness that it was before. She then grabbed tightly onto Kat and Kat felt herself getting pulled.The darkness didn't seem to change but she could feel that they were somewhere different. "Ok, we should be fine for a bit" said Minor"How fine exactly?" asked Kat"Well ah um, so like in the unclaimed lands I can kinda just be anywhere? Um same for my own memory sections. I can sort of do whatever I want? But the nightmares just sort have to trail along behind" said Minor"Why not just go so far away they can't catch you?" asked Kat"Um well, I'm not quite sure but I've tried I think it's because the unclaimed lands aren't really 'real' exactly" said Minor "It's like they are only real because I'm here, and when I leave they aren't quite real?"And the nightmares they make it a little bit real so if I went really really far away all the parts in the middle would just sort of disappear again because they aren't real? Does that make sense" asked Minor"You know. In a really weird way, it actually kind of does" said Kat"Ok good. So um yeah I just have to keep moving, and I also need to um not go near my memories. The nightmares can't find them if I don't take them there so I think I'm mostly ok and like I'm a bit strange because I think I'm most of my memories if ah that makes sense?" said Minor"So like what? You're concentrated memories then?" asked Kat"Sort of I think so?" said Mino
