Vueko

"Vueko"

- "The Golden City, home to creatures greater than man." It wasn't something we could handle. It was a trap for vapid humans, made out of useless gold.

Vueko (ヴエコ), whose full name is Vueroeruko (ヴエロエルコ), was a captive woman who was chained by her neck in a deep pit of sludge beneath The Village of Iruburu, before Riko set her free.

Appearance
Vueko has a pair of magenta eyes with black bags underneath and red hair with a white streak on her bangs, caused by trauma inflicted during her childhood. Due to her long imprisonment, she has very long hair that seems to have taken a slightly slimy consistency. After being freed, Riko helped clothe her with items from Iruburu's Market of Value to hide her identity.

After being struck by the the curse of the 6th Layer and becoming partly Narehate, her appearance became deformed and she lost the ability to speak in full, coherent sentences, though her mind was still intact.

Personality
Vueko is meek and shy. Her banishment only heightened these traits of her personality; going so far as getting flustered at the mere sight of Reg.

Early Life
Vueko, an orphan, who was raised by Juroimoh, a cruel man who constantly abused her, physically and verbally. He had illusions of grandeur, believing he was "playing the leading part" and that he had been "entrusted" with the Golden City, which he constantly boasted to Vueko.

One day, while fishing at sea, Juroimoh and a few fishermen spotted a smoldering, wrecked ship. All that remained of the crew were their mutilated corpses and a single man, barely alive, cowering in the stateroom. This man babbled wildly about a monstrous, man-eating hole and a "Golden City" at the bottom. Before succumbing to his injuries, the injured sailor gave Juroimoh the Star Compass that points at the location of the Abyss.

Ganja Arc
As she grew older, Vueko inherited the Star Compass and trained to be a Delver, so that she could flee her life and find the Golden City herself. As an adult, she joined the Ganja suicide corps, led by Wazukyan, whose goal was the same as hers. Despite her lack of self-confidence, she eventually became one of the Ganja's Three Sages. They followed the Star Compass, reached the Abyss, and started their descent. They met a native girl, Irumyuui, who had been abandoned by her the Abyss Tribe as offering to the Abyss. Vueko convinced the other members of Ganja to take her with them and act as their guide.

During Ganja's advance to the 6th Layer, they met Interference Units and learned of the The Curse of the Abyss. Accepting that they wouldn't be able to return to the surface, Ganja set up a permanent camp on the 6th Layer. During their time in the camp, Vueko and Irumyuui grew very close to each other and Vueko became the girl's mother figure.

Despite having developed a stable home, food, and water supply, many of members of Ganja, including Irumyuui, suddenly fell gravely ill. Belaf deduced that their water was the cause. Upon further investigation, Belaf discovered the water to be Pseudowater, an organism with the appearance and viscosity of water, which transformed its hosts into misshapen blocks of stone-like matter.

As the group anxiously sought a cure and a new source of water, a team that had been scavenging returned with an egg-shaped Artifact. Wazukyan asked the Interference Units if they understood its powers. They confirmed the object as a Cradle of Desire, which could fulfill the holder's deepest wish. However, the minds of adults are too "messy or complex" for it, but would be more effective in the hands a child, due to them having less complex thoughts. Vueko requested for the Cradle of Desire to be given to Irumyuui in hopes of saving the girl. Wazukyan agreed and Vueko placed the Cradle on Irumyuui's chest. When Irumyuui finally awoke, the Cradle had fused with her body, becoming an open cavity in her chest. Though the girl's pain was gone, she continued to transform.

Due to her wish, Irumyuui kept giving birth to non-human offspring, but because they lacked organs for ingestion, they died soon after being born. The repeated deaths of her children greatly upset Irumyuui. The motherly Vueko did her best to comfort the girl. Later, Vueko also fell victim to the Pseudowater and was not able to comfort Irumyuui anymore. During the time of her illness, Wazukyan fed her something she described "delicious with a scent of fat". Upon waking, Vueko was healed. Upon questioning Wazukyan, he revealed the others had been healed as well, remarking that "that kid saved us all."

To Vueko's horror, the stew that Wazukyan had fed Vueko, Belaf, and the other Ganja members infected by the Pseudowater, was revealed to have been made from Irumyuui's Children. Miraculously, it not only gave nourishment to the infected, but had also alleviated their symptoms.

Vueko, flustered and worried, was asked by Wazukyan if she wanted to see Irumyuui. Vueko was horrified to see that Irumyuui had transformed even more. The girl was barely recognizable as a human, but she still retained her bond with Vueko.

While caressing one of her children, Wazukyan took Irumyuui's newborn, to prepare it for consumption. Irumyuui cried out and Vueko requested that Irumyuui at least stay with her child until it had died. Wazukyan apologetically declined, explaining that the restorative properties of the flesh are more potent before they die naturally. Shaken, Vueko apologized to Irumyuui, in tears, and lamented her inability to help the girl. Irumyuui comforted her by embracing Vueko, saying that she is fine as long Vueko stayed with her. Vueko quietly sobbed, unsure of what kind of hell awaits them.

As Irumyuui's children continued to be used as nourishment for the Ganja members, Belaf, who had tried to rather starve than eating them, became so weak that Vueko had to force-feed him. While he pleaded her to stop, Vueko thought to herself that this must be what hell is like.

Vueko, while visiting with Irumyuui, discovered a Cradle of Desire in the scar that had opened up in Irumyuui's chest and was dumbfounded, since she was certain that it had broken. Wazukyan arrived at the scene and told Vueko that he had the Interference Units search for another one, because Irumyuui had been growing weaker and he feared she might not have survived much longer without a second Cradle. Suddenly, Irumyuui became restless and began moving. Ominously, Wazukyan told her that it was almost "time to see Irumyuui's true wish being fulfilled".

Wazukyan instructed the remaining Ganja members to stay close and follow Irumyuui. When Irumyuui stopped moving, she began to voraciously consume flying predators of the 6th Layer with her monstrous tendrils. Belaf, still pained by guilt, requested to also be consumed by her and offered himself up to Irumyuui. The gash left behind by the Cradles opened, allowing Belaf to walk right inside her. As Belaf's flesh was torn away, he was reconstructed and transformed into a Narehate. The other Ganja members, struck by the "beauty" of Belaf's new form, concluded that they too would be forgiven for eating Irumyuui's children if they offered themselves up to her. Wazukyan proclaimed that this is was the home that they had been looking for.

Only Vueko hesitated. Wazukyan, noticing, confronted her and asked what was wrong. Vueko expressed her doubt that this is what Irumyuui had truly wished for. In a suicide attempt, she walked off a nearby cliff. She warned Wazukyan that she wouldn't let anybody else have Irumyuui's last wish. Wazukyan manages to grab her leg and in doing so reveals that he had also used a Cradle of Desire on himself. Having hit her head on the cliff wall, Vueko passes out.

Vueko finds herself bound and in a dark pit. Wazukyan, now also a Narehate, explains to her that she is currently inside what used to be Irumyuui's head, as it's the closest that Vueko could be to her. Vueko asks Wazukyan why he used a Cradle on himself, even though the Units warned them that adults would suffer from its effects, and Wazukyan reveals that he that he still has to do all that he can. He tells Vueko that she will be able to feel Irumyuui's emotions and can watch over her, before departing.

In the darkness Vueko is left in, she is able to receive signals from various places. Vueko also received signals from the now mindless Irumyuui and is able to tell because Irumyuui still had the second Cradle her last true final wish is granted: The birth of her last child, Faputa, who one day will take revenge for all her dead brethren.

As Vueko senses Faputa's birth she was relieved that Irumyuui didn't forgive them after all and it can be seen, as the Interference Units quickly approach Faputa, she destroys them quickly before fleeing. Vueko still in the darkness started to sense the signals of Irumyuui's dead children, named them and stayed in the darkness until Riko found her.

Iruburu Arc
Riko discovers Vueko in the dark pit while she is searching for Nanachi and Reg. Riko was surprised to find someone being bound in such a cave and asks Vueko who she is and why she is imprisoned. Vueko timidly introduces herself to Riko and tells her that she was banished because she opposed the founding of Iruburu.

But as she watched the village develop her opinion changed; she didn't believe it to be so bad anymore because everyone was a narehate. She hopes to be freed one day, but thinks Riko probably won't free a potential dangerous person she just met. However, Riko sets her free without hesitation, believing her to pose no danger.

Afterwards, both of them climb out of the small pit and Riko disguises Vueko with various items to make sure she isn't recognized in the village. After they get back Vueko points Riko to Belafu's house, thinking Nanachi must be there. She remains outside because she is afraid of Belaf recognizing her.

After Riko gets back, Vueko asks what happened inside to make Riko so dejected. The scene is interrupted by a Fuzosheppu attacking the village. While the village is under attack by it, Vueko watches Juroimoh fight the Fuzosheppu and is disappointed that he loses. After the battle, Vueko accidentally makes a relieved comment that makes Moogie suspicious and asks Vueko who she is. Vueko thinks she can't keep it a secret any longer and begins to tell her backstory.

After Vueko has finished telling her story all of the listeners look truly surprised. Vueko tells them that Faputa has inherited the three Cradles from Irumyuui, and thus Irumyuui lost the power to maintain the village, but is kept alive by the new value brought in by visitors of the village. Faputa is trying to free her mother, Irumyuui, which would mean the destruction of the village. She also tells them it is not easy to leave the village after having entered it once. Riko asks her if it's possible to convince Faputa from abandoning her wish to destroy the village, but Vueko tells her she most likely wouldn't listen. Riko also ask what Vueko is going to do now, and Vueko responds that all she wants to do for now is not forget Irumyuui.

After Reg returns with parts of Faputa, the village itself reacts to them. Reg panics and contemplates to bring the parts to Belaf right away, but is stopped by Vueko because she assumes seeing them could drive Belaf insane. When Vueko asks Reg how he acquired the parts, Reg tells her Faputa gave them to him so that he would fulfill his promise.

Wazukyan, who had eavesdropped the conversation, concludes Reg must have been "The Prince" and is surprised Reg managed to secure parts of "The Princess". He also casually greets Vueko, expresses his joy of her finally being able to leave her pit, and asks her if she already told them about "The Princess". Vueko reluctantly confirms she has, but notes she told the story from her point of view.

After the conversation between Wazukyan, Riko and the villagers, Juroimoh shows up and starts attacking. Wazukyan quickly grabs Vueko and moves to a higher position to avoid Juroimoh. Reg manages to draw Juroimoh's attention and a fight erupts between them, which leads to Juroimoh transforming into a even more monstrous form with/ from the dark gooey liquid masses. While observing, Vueko asks Wazukyan why Juroimoh has the same name as her adoptive father who used to abuse her. Wazukyan explains that Irumyuui created Juroimoh from the signals she received from Vueko and Juroimoh is the very will of the village itself.

Both Wazukyan and Vueko observe Reg's battle against Juroimoh. While Wazukyan is excited, like watching a sport competition, Vueko shouts at Reg that the Iruburu Balancing won't work on Juroimoh.

Shortly after Reg fired his incinerator, Faputa arrives. Faputa tells the onlooking villagers she will not forgive their sins and the time for their "extermination" has come.

As Vueko and Wazukyan witness the battle and destruction, iron rain of the 6th Layer starts to fall. This leads to Wazukyan using his own body to shield Vueko and himself from it.

When Faputa turns to attack Riko, Vueko, scared for Riko's safety tells Wazukyan to let her go, but he informs her she would just get killed if she were to try to help.

After Belaf's death, Vueko is saddened by what happened to Belaf but Wazukyan is relieved as Belaf has shared his feelings with Faputa, and thus Faputa most likely wouldn't kill Vueko now; though he assumes he would be in real trouble now. Wazukyan apologizes to Vueko before wrapping her in the rest of his body and leaping down with her.

At some point after Wazukyan had leaped down with Vueko, she started traveling upwards in the village. While she is doing so, Vueko is reminiscing about her past with Ganja, how she encountered Riko, and how Riko has accomplished so much while she wasn't able to decide for herself.

Lost in her thoughts, she is suddenly brought back out of them as the curse of the 6th Layer affecting her starting from one of her legs due to the boundary having vanished enough. As she starts losing her humanity, she is quickly thrown down a flight of stairs by Pakkoyan, in an attempt to allow Nanachi to retrieve her. This serves as Pakkoyan's final action, as she subsequently vanishes from existence, no longer protected by the village.

Nanachi quickly approaches Vueko, takes her back to the others, and the group plans to make their way back to Faputa, having sent Reg ahead beforehand already.

When Faputa notices the rest of the group after they had made their way back and approaches them, upon seeing Vueko in her transformed state, Faputa seems sorrowful and expresses she will direct her attention to Vueko later.

As the village starts to crumble and fade away after Faputa starts the progress of dismantling the village, Vueko, who is among the onlookers reminisces about how she never was able to forgive herself for eating Irumyuui's children and her not having been able to perish with Irumyuui, as well as having come to release that Irumyuui wanted more than just that. In her inner monologue, Vueko thanks Irumyuui for having treated her as human, that she has come to acceptance with the sin she has to carry for seeing off Irumyuui first, and how it is her very own warm darkness.

After the village had been completely destroyed, as Faputa slowly wakes up again she takes notice of Vueko.

Vueko tries to verbally communicate with Faputa, but Faputa tells her that there is no need for Vueko to try to speak as she can hear them anyway. Faputa tells Vueko that she did not know of her existence until Belaf showed her his memories via his scent. Faputa tells Vueko that she wants to learn more about the mother she never got to know. As Faputa questions if she really resembles her mother that much, Vueko clarifies that while not in personality, her smoothness and warmth are similar. Faputa also tells Vueko that she thought she had inherited everything from her mother, however, the memories of Vueko's existence were nowhere to be found within her. This leads Faputa to assume that Irumyuui cared about Vueko so deeply that she didn't want to part with any part of Vueko, to the point of not even letting Faputa have her memories.

Vueko's thoughts drift to old hearsay of trash turning to Gold, her final thought on this is how ironic it is that she recalls this now. As her consciousness begins to grow weaker, Vueko addresses Faputa as Irumyuui, and tells her how happy she was to have encountered Irumyuui and the change she had due to meeting her. Afterwards, she passes away which saddens Faputa much to her confusion due to Vueko belonging to her mother and not her.

Specific Knowledge
As a former Sage of Ganja, Vueko possesses knowledge about the history of Iruburu's creation, and the 6th Layer.