let's make one thing clear here- she's not the same as you. you married a single man. she knew he was cheating and went along with it. that makes you a decent person and her a whore. she deserves no pity. the fuck did she expect, him not to do to her what he readily did before to you? stupid harlot.

make sure there really isn't anything in the bag and continue your pursuit.

>>479692
no dude, he told her she was pretty and so she wanted to believe him.

make sure the bag is empty and keep moving.

I'm sorry.

And then move on. There's nothing more you can do for her, or to be done with her. You still have the last piece of your heart to find, and a husband to confront.

We will go find him, then.

>>479692
Jesus, Elephant Guy, that's harsh.

>>479790

no it isn't. having your partner of many years end the relationship by cheating on you is a thing which breaks you for life. I know it from personal experience.

>>479790
>>479850
let's keep stuff quest related, guys. this is not the place to mourn your shitty past relationships

Take the bag and leave.

Hang on, what was the promise exactly?

FRACTAL 2012/12/19(Wed)18:17 No. 479923 ID: 6808dd
File 135596984687.png - (150.37KB , 700x600 , 48.png )

I tell her that I'm sorry because I am.

The bag is empty, as all his promises always were. It says "love" on it in marker. I don't want it.

Ulric touches my arm and we continue.

The girl was right - the stream is so shallow that I can't see how his boat could have navigated it. I could easily wade across it if I wished.

We walk, and we walk, and the stream trickles away into wet dunes with baby tufts of seagrass.

It is the ocean and I can see where my husband has dragged the boat.

This .... this can't be right.

I'm supposed to find him.

I'm supposed to confront him.

I'm supposed to get my heart back.

Investigate the end of the trail.

check the red shrubs

He's still there, on the horizon. How long would it take to retrieve your boat to go after him?

Could you swim that far? What lies in that direction, anyway?

Follow the tracks to the edge of the beach. And then watch the sun set on this chapter of your life.

If he threw the last piece of your heart into the ocean, you will never see it again. You'll never see your husband again either- in all likelihood he's going to die trying to cross the ocean alone, with little supplies, in a dingy little boat, and tired from rowing and dragging all day already. He's gone.

You might never get the last shard of your heart back. Love is like that. But we can try.

continue towards the beach.

FRACTAL 2013/01/09(Wed)19:57 No. 483930 ID: 6808dd
File 135779025631.png - (106.45KB , 700x600 , 49.png )

I check everywhere as i stumble towards the water. I kick my feet through the sand, hoping to unearth some final clue. I kneel down and search through the coarse, bristly red dune grass, hoping to find something nestled among the dry, angry blades.

I reach the line where the water laps at the sand and is sucked dry by the thirsty beach. It is slowly erasing the tracks of the dragged boat. Ulric comes up behind me but says nothing.

I see nothing but briny water tossing back shards of red reflection. It is cold and the sand bites when the wind whips it against my legs.

I stand there for a long time until the sun is thinner than a bleeding cut and I am shivering.

Ulric touches my shoulder and I don't know what to do.

The moral of this story is that you never really get back everything you once gave; you have to fill the last gap yourself, with something else.

Speaking of that, Ulric is right there. Give him a hug and cheer up.

FRACTAL 2013/01/09(Wed)20:22 No. 483934 ID: 6808dd
File 135779176413.png - (339.22KB , 700x600 , 50.png )

I turn to Ulric and embrace him. He's not any warmer than the air but it still helps.

He hugs me back and I can feel his blunt claws through my shirt. I am crying and his arms are tightening until I can barely breathe and somehow they are the only thing holding me together. It is cold.

It's cold and his voice is in my ear.

"Do you still feel lost?"

>"Do you still feel lost?"
...I don't know. I'm not sure I remember what it feels like to be found.

No, but you'll manage. All it takes is time, and it's easier with an extra set of eyes.

No, because now I'm with you. (I know it's corny, but c'mon guys, I want a good end)

No. You know exactly where you are. Don't you, Katherine?

your past was a lie, your future is all but uncertain and your present is just plain fucking weird.

so yes. yes, you are.

yes, but we can find our way together

No; you were never lost in the first place, it just took a lot of time to realize this.

FRACTAL 2013/01/10(Thu)13:25 No. 484114 ID: 6808dd
File 135785310925.png - (119.46KB , 700x600 , 51.png )

"No ... I'm not lost anymore."

There is a buzzing in my ear. It is colder and colder but no longer unpleasant. I step away from him and look up at his face.

"I know where I am."

FRACTAL 2013/01/10(Thu)13:25 No. 484115 ID: 6808dd
File 135785313738.png - (82.40KB , 700x600 , 51S.png )

Because the shock of losing him forever, of knowing he's gone forever, has knocked loose a little seed of knowledge from the dark, moist corners of my mind and my soul is fertile ground

FRACTAL 2013/01/10(Thu)13:25 No. 484116 ID: 6808dd
File 135785315344.png - (172.55KB , 700x600 , 51ST.png )

and isn't it true that horace died in the flood last year

FRACTAL 2013/01/10(Thu)13:26 No. 484119 ID: 6808dd
File 135785318004.png - (196.91KB , 700x600 , 51STYX.png )

and isn't it true he had a little niece who ran to the city with its lights and noises and filth, who was raped and killed and dumped in the woods

FRACTAL 2013/01/10(Thu)13:26 No. 484121 ID: 6808dd
File 135785320316.png - (99.65KB , 700x600 , STYXSTYX.png )

isn't it true that the forest gatekeeper's head is now hanging quietly above someone's fireplace

FRACTAL 2013/01/10(Thu)13:27 No. 484123 ID: 6808dd
File 135785322983.png - (111.91KB , 700x600 , NO.png )

i am reeling
it is cold
isn't it t rue that the r e is no river out of the sw amp

i sn't it true that if there were a r iv er i would have left a long t ime a.go

i push u lri c away b e cause i k.now that as so.on as he re ceived my w edding invitation he sat in his p arlor and put a little g un to his he ad

FRACTAL 2013/01/10(Thu)13:27 No. 484125 ID: 6808dd
File 135785325508.png - (165.37KB , 700x600 , thereisnoriver.png )

there is no river out of the swamp

FRACTAL 2013/01/10(Thu)13:27 No. 484127 ID: 6808dd
File 135785327102.png - (276.44KB , 700x600 , therewasneveranyriver.png )

there is no river out of the swamp

FRACTAL 2013/01/10(Thu)13:28 No. 484128 ID: 6808dd
File 135785328331.png - (146.32KB , 700x600 , iwillrotintheswampthatboremeintothisworldifichoose.png )

there is no river out of the swamp

Wow

>>484128
Okay that is not what I expected to happen at all.

Well, the whole quest seemed to be about acceptance of loss and moving on. That... just wasn't the way we meant it.

Rest in peace, Kathrine.

>>484128
What? No. Get off the ceiling, fox. You're drunk.

But who was the fox girl we met near the end with the paper?
And husband walks away like that? He ain't dead, is he? Or did the husband hang himself and all that shit was self-reflection trying to understand Kathrine's point of view?

Because this fox has no pants and Katherine has a plaid skirt.
We also have the other rabbit we saw, the third one with the roses?

Whew.

>>484141
err not roses, necklace

all questions about the quest are gonna be fielded in the katherine quest disthread (http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questdis/res/59239.html) and i'm also gonna be writing up some closing thoughts there!
thank you guys so much for doing this with me, this is my first finished quest and i am really, really pleased with it. <3

I, uh, wow. you what. and when and how and why did all of this? I don't even! I just, wow.

many bricks have been shat today.

Good end.