Part 86: Blackwell Epiphany - Update 13 (Part 2)

This is as good a time as any to broach the topic of the Grace Group. Peter is shocked to hear the name.

...
You KNOW about that?
Sure.
Wow. Well, yeah. I went to some meetings. It was all I needed.

All he needed, hey?

Why's that?
Well, I wasn't the most focused of people back then. It's a long story, but in the end I went to work with my dad running this place.
It's been my life ever since.
Is there anything else you can tell me about the Grace Group?
What's to say? They changed my life.

Yep, he got the idea to take over the gym from the Grace Group. I guess fitness must have been extremely important to him?



Joey then namedrops Michael.

Michael! Now there's a name I haven't heard in a while. How is he?
He's... seen better days.
I'm sorry to hear that. He'll pull through. He always has.
So what can you tell me about Father Michael?
God, it's been over a decade. I'm afraid I can't tell you much.

Sounds like these guys didn't really keep in contact. Other than Lia and George, and Michael and Jeffrey, none of the Grace Group seem to have kept in touch.



Taking a leaf out of Rosa's playbook, Joey decides to try asking about the roof ghost, but really, until we learn a bit more, it's kind of pointless.

Um. That's pretty vague.
Yeah. Never mind. It was a long shot.

Next up, Joey asks about Benjiro.

Do you know anything about Benjiro? Ran the Grace Group meetings?
Sure!

Really? Excellent, we need to learn more about him. Except Peter just sits there in silence.

... Well?
Um.
Funny. I can't think of anything TO say, exactly. It's been twenty years.
Sure. People forget things.
That's it. Exactly.
I just didn't think it would happen to me so soon.

If there was any doubt before, we can say for certain now that it's not a coincidence that people keep forgetting what happened in those meetings, or who Benjiro was. He obviously did something to them during those meetings.



Joey decides to keep dropping names of Grace Group members, to see what he can learn from Peter.

You know Jeff, too?
Not really. I just... heard of him.
Good guy. Took care of my neighbor's dog when she was on vacation.

I guess that was after he became a professional dogwalker. Joey asks about Heather:

Do you know Heather Goffstein?



Heh. Well. I'm a people person.
Wow. Heather. I haven't heard that name in a long time.
Can you tell me anything about Heather?
It's been... a while. And I didn't speak to her much back in those days anyway. Sorry.

Doesn't sound like Peter really knows anything. Last of all, Joey asks about Peter himself.

So tell me about yourself, Peter.
I'm the guy that going to kick your butt into shape.

Peter is yet another character voiced by Gilbert himself, although unlike in previous games, it's not immediately obvious. He does a pretty decent job, really. Between this and one upcoming character that Gilbert also voices, he probably turns in his best performance of the series!

Well, I'll see you around.
You got it. I'll be here. I've just gotta see what's wrong with this damn light.

With not much left to say, Joey returns to Rosa.



So. I found Peter.
Peter? Peter Fielding?
Yeah. He's safe and sound. Spiritually speaking, anyway.
Huh. Michael was sure that Peter's ghost was taken.
Just between you and me? Michael doesn't look to be sure about very much.

He fills Rosa in on what he's learned, but really, the fact that Peter loves fitness is all there is so far.



Let's make sure he stays that way.

Michael Cooper



Rosa and Joey head back to Madeline, who sees them coming and calls out as they approach.

We found one of the Grace Group spooks - Peter Fielding?
I see. Is he still... intact?
Yeah. He tried to get me to join a gym.



Madeline turns away in deep thought.

I thought as much.
You thought so. What do you mean?
You know as well I do. A spirit cannot be moved from this world until it is spiritually ready. It would appear that is also the case here.

That's actually a pretty good theory, but what about the others?

But what about George and Lia?
From my understanding, they were aware of their death when they were taken?
Yeah. They were.
Then there is your answer. They were spiritually ready to leave this world. And so were vulnerable. This... Fielding, was it? He is a lucky soul indeed. Until he is made aware, he cannot be taken. Not by you. Nor by anyone else.

Huh. So only the aware spooks can be split in half, it seems. That's going to make things very awkward. It is a good explanation as to why Lia and George showed up as ghosts despite being aware of their deaths, though. I guess most aware spooks just kind of zip off in their own time.



Suddenly, the truth dawns on Rosa.

Whatever do you mean?
Lia. George. Just by trying to save them, we destroyed them.
... I suppose... yes, it could be seen that way. But please. Do NOT blame yourself. How could you have known?

In Lia's case, fair enough. If we hadn't pursued her, she probably wouldn't have killed herself. But in George's case, he died before we even knew who he was, and nothing we did contributed to his fate. I guess the only reason we could be blamed is that George pursued us because of who we are. Still, Rosa seems to blame herself.

Ignorance doesn't change anything.
Listen to me. Whatever or whoever is taking these souls, they were marked long before they died. All we can do now is move forward. And save who we can.

It's actually really nice to be working with Madeline on this one Good to have her insight, and someone to bounce thoughts off. I guess if there was a ever a case where we could use some extra help, it's this one.



Joey is unsure of what our plan should be.

Of course not. It has been known for some spirits to become aware on their own. The right face, the right moment, anything can trigger it. And if that happens to Fielding... No. Our duty is to save him, and save him we shall.
How? The usual rules have been chucked out the window. We make a move and he gets hammered. And we're not gonna let that happen. Not again.
It is a dilemma, for certain.

It doesn't sound like she has a plan either.

You've been around the block a few times, so to speak. Nothing like this has ever happened to you before?
The destruction of the very essence of life? No. Such a thing is... difficult to contemplate. And to witness it? Even more so.
We need to think about this. Plan our next move.
Of course.



Hm. Maybe Madeline does have a plan after all.

I must confer with my host. Please, excuse me.

With that, she phases back through the door to speak with Michael. Rosa and Joey quickly follow her inside.



Michael is obviously very relieved to hear the news.

He is still... deceased, but in all other respects, yes. He is as well as can be.
This... changes everything. You have no idea...

Rosa and Joey walk in to the foyer.



I never even considered that Peter's soul could be saved. And maybe Heather, too! Yes. Heather. If she wasn't taken, then her soul must still be lost.
And this is a good thing?
Of course. If a soul is merely lost, it still can be saved.



That depends on how good Madeline's plan is, I guess.

So what's your plan?
We are approaching this from ignorance. And possibly from fear. Before I was trapped in the void, I was a spirit guide for a very long time. I can learn much from a spirit by looking at it. And talking to it. If Fielding's soul still exists, then it must be brought here.
And Heather. Heather's soul must still be out there!
And her as well. Of course.

That's not really much of a plan, but I guess it's better than nothing. If we can bring Peter and Heather (if her soul still exists) here, Madeline can hopefully learn something about what's causing this to happen.

Peter Fielding's spook is at the gym. It's not too far away. You can talk to him there.
Are you kidding? I step out of this circle, who knows what could happen!

Michael does not like this plan one bit.



Be at peace, my host. I would not ask you to do such a thing.
Well, thank Heaven for that.
Besides, it is unnecessary. As you say, only spiritually aware souls are attacked. Since this Fielding is NOT spiritually aware, meeting him in his current state would be fruitless. We need to awaken him before I can determine anything about him.

Joey has obvious reservations about this.

Um. Won't awakening these ghosts destroy 'em? Aren't we trying to avoid that?
Don't be absurd. We'll put them behind this circle. They will be safe there.
And how are we supposed to do that? Spooks like me can't enter the thing.
This might surprise you, Mallone, but I did think of that. Come here.

Hahaha, Madeline sounds so frustrated at Joey



Joey floats over to Madeline, who produces a small item in her hand.

What's this thing?
Call it a... totem. It was made with some of my essence. The circle was created in much the same manner, so it will make a perfect focus. When you awaken a spirit, use the totem to send them directly here. They will remain safely behind the circle, until we can determine the next course of action.
So I'll be trapped in this circle with Peter and Heather's ghosts?
I am afraid so, my host.
Well. I suppose it can't be helped. And I guess it will be nice to see them again.
Yes.

Hm. Madeline definitely knows some tricks. We could have used that kind of knowledge in some earlier cases!



With Michael in a bit better spirits, Rosa decides to see if he'll tell her anything more.

No. Of all the people in our group, Peter was the one I spoke to the least. I think George once belonged to his gym. Even took personal training sessions for a while. But George wasn't really the personal fitness type.

Seems like George was the social hub of the group. He shacked up with Lia, seems to have remained in contact with Michael and Peter, and was the one who told Michael that Heather was dead. And speaking of Heather...

I need to know everything you can tell me about Heather.
... Well, there was one thing. It was a confession of sorts, you see, and she trusted me.
What was it?
You don't understand. It was a confession. It might have been a long time ago, but it was still a sacred trust.
I can't betray that trust. It goes against everything I believe in.

Oh geez, we don't need to be stymied by this, even if it is understandable from a priest of 15+ years. Rosa appeals to common sense.

Don't you think that, under the circumstances, she would understand?
I'm not sure God would.

Joey is less gentle about it than Rosa is.

Does it really matter? What's the worst that could happen?
You lose your soul?



Fortunately, his stern words seem to ring true to Michael.

Heather was a prostitute. She wanted to confess, but didn't feel right entering a church. She might have been Jewish, judging by her name, but I think she just wanted to speak to someone who understood.
Understood?
Someone who had been to Grace Group meetings. Someone who had had a life-changing revelation, like I did. I don't know what her revelation was, but she wanted to purge herself of her old life. So she asked if I could come to her apartment and listen to her. So I did.

Wow. They really did have all types at the Grace Group meetings.

Do you remember where she lived?
I was a priest entering the house of a prostitute. It's not something you forget. She lived by Thompkin's Square Park. Here's the address.
Is there anything else you can tell us about Heather? Anything at all?
I just know she was a prostitute when she went to Grace Group meetings. I don't know what's happened to her since.

Alright, let's see what we can figure out.

I guess we should get going.
Then I do believe our talk is concluded. I will return outside.

Madeline turns to leave...



...but it seems Michael is in a more genial mood than earlier.

Yes, my host?
It's all right.
All right?
Yeah. Stay inside. It's cold out there.
I don't feel the cold, my host.
I know. I know! Just... stay? Please. And thanks.
It is my pleasure, my host.

Good to see them doing a bit better


We've got a bit more focus now! We'll see if we can figure out how to help Peter out tomorrow, as well as try to chase up Heather. Hopefully our collaboration with Madeline will pay dividends and we can at least save half of the members of the Grace Group! See you all tomorrow.





In yesterday's Word of God update, I discussed briefly Gilbert's thought that the Blackwell Universe operated under very strict rules, but with no supervision. However, this clashed slightly with a conversation Joey had with Madeline towards the end of Deception, where she asked if Joey had "had any training?"

That sounds like spirit guides are supposed to be trained, presumably by some kind of higher power. How does that all fit in? Gilbert clears up the confusion.

A spirit guide typically becomes linked with an experienced Bestower, or vice versa

The idea is that whenever a Bestower passes on, their spirit guide ends up with a new one. In that way, just as we saw in Legacy, the spirit guide educates the Bestower on what to do.

Supposedly, the same thing should happen when a new spirit guide takes up the role. They're supposed to end up with an experienced Bestower, who helps teach them what they're supposed to be doing. In theory, it should never be the case that both a Bestower and a spirit guide pass on (whatever that means in the context of a spirit guide...) at the same time, so there should always be someone in the Bestower/guide partnership capable of instructing the other.

Obviously, this didn't happen for Joey. Why not? Did it have something to do with what Jocelyn did when they helped him to move on? We'll just have to wait and see!