Amisa had been back in Starting City, working on getting herself ready to start looking for... her. Her sword felt comfortable in her hand - although she was sure that was due to it being a game, but if the Gemini had taught her anything it was that you couldn't prepare for everything in the safe zone. As she started heading towards an exit, she thought saw a familiar face reading a flyer, before turning around and leaving. Curiously, she read the flyer once the other person was out of sight.

"Greetings to who ever reads this. 
My name is Zachariah and I have a task for any adventurer up for the task
and I will show you young folk a few handy tips and tricks as well.
If you're interested drop by my Workshop."
Followed by directions towards the workshop.

Well, if there was any moment to look into this... tips and tricks were never a bad thing to look into and master, were they? Amisa turned and headed towards Zachariah's workshop.

Amisa's Stats:

It had been about a week since Amisa had originally tried to defeat the Gemini. She had managed to get her hands on some new equipment, and now felt comfortable enough with it enough to try again. Not just to try, but to actually defeat them this time. Besides that, she had looked into the currently running holiday event, and decided that it couldn't hurt to try and collect some eggs on the way. She walked back to the teleport pad, her new combat equipment equipped, and looking more confident than she did the last time.

"Teleport, Krycim."

Despite knowing she should expect it, the heat still hit Amisa in the face like it did last time. The village hadn't changed much - not that she'd expect it to. She gave the people she came across her signature smile as she made her way out into the jungle, hoping her luck would repeat itself and she would not run into more enemies before getting back to the clearing.

Taking this quest:

Amisa's stats:

Gemini's stats:

Thread Summary:

Quest failed!

After staring at her friend list for a moment longer, Amisa closed it and stood up. No sense in tarrying, she had to figure out how she would defeat the gemini next time. Which would be soon, if it was up to her. She'd need to upgrade her equipment, at least. And do it her own way this time, not with borrowed potions... Amisa rose, making her way to the teleport square, her thoughts hidden behind her usual friendly smile. She can't make up for what she did, and didn't, do like this.

"Teleport, Starting City"

Within moments she was back where she started, a plan formed in her mind. She immediately went to look for some other equipment. The order was placed rather quickly, and the crafters seemed happy to help her get ready to be out there. Still, it would take a bit of time before her things were ready, so she would have to wait.

Amisa's daily training regime now had a new purpose to it, even if she wouldn't level up here in the city. And once everything was in place, she would defeat the gemini this time.

Amisa checked her friend list, something she did daily. She may not have moved forward with her friends - abandoned them - but she still checked on them. The list was a name shorter. Sayori had finally deleted her, something she'd expected weeks ago. Still, it hurt.

Kaito - Offline

Suddenly, Sayori's missing name wasn't important anymore. Offline? There's only one way he could be 'offline'. Amisa flew out of the door, towards the Monument. Begging for it to be false. A fluke. A bug. Then thousand names. Nearly two-thousand crossed out.

'K. K. K. K. K... There!' 

The bit of hope Amisa held shattered. Kaito's name, crossed out, with today's date next to it. He wasn't player-killed, at least. She's silent as tears well up in her eyes. If she hadn't hidden away. Hadn't been such a coward. It could've been different. Yes, Kaito was always a bit of a daredevil, but she could've gotten him to wait, to think, to not - She'd been such an idiot! She'd be better. For Kaito's sake.

The walk back was... silent, even if Amisa now technically had company. Soon, the outskirts of Krycim came into view, and the gemini turned around. By now, all traces of her having cloned Amisa had disappeared. "You can make it from here. I look forward to when you come back, A-mi-sa-chan~"

She made sure to get back into the city, before slipping into a quiet corner and just letting herself think for a bit. Something told her it probably hadn't just been chance that the gemini had gotten around the exact trick she had prepared. So for the next battle... she'd fight using her own strength. As she should have from the beginning. As she'd planned to do, ever since that day they were all told just what kind of 'game' they were in. She should've tried harder, gotten over herself sooner, joined her friends... if she could still call them that, after abandoning them as she did. It might have made a difference. She might've been able to make up... and more importantly, to avoid certain events from happening.

Accepted and received!

It was Amisa's first fencing tournament. She'd only been a part of the club for a month or two, but thanks to a sudden cancellation she had been asked to come anyway. Her parents sat to the side, watching what was going on. Her first match was against a second year. The match was over in moments, Amisa beaten thoroughly by her more experienced opponent. She was out, and all she had to show for it was a long road ahead of her.

That evening, on their way home, her parents talked about how it was disappointing to see her lose so easily, and how they expected better from her. How, even if she wasn't going to be champion, she should have been able to put up a fight. Amisa nodded and fought back tears.

The gemini's hand on her face, pulling it to face her breaks her out of her memories. "Amisa-chan. Don't give up now~ I can't have you die here now, can I?" She held out her hand, en after a moment, Amisa took it. The moment they both stood, the hood fell back into place, even if there were still a familiar pair of legs poking out from it. Amisa nodded, pain overwritten by determination. She'd be back here soon enough.

"Let's go."

As Amisa's regaining movement, the gemini tries to attack her again. While she knows that being hit would probably help her - after all, she did drink that immolation potion, her survival instinct causes her to turn away from the blade, causing the gemini to miss.

She's trying to get ready to attack herself, when her health bar drops into the red. The moment it hits 1HP, the gemini grins. "That's enough, wouldn't you say, Amisa-chan?" The bleed counter disappears as combat ends, and Amisa drops to her knees. Why... I can't... I have to...

"Cheer up, Amisa-chan~. I'll let you live, for now. I'll even help you get back to town." The gemini stood in front of her, sword gone, bending down. Seeing her own face stare back at her was... disconcerting. "And when you can get it right, I'll let you try again~"

Tears drop onto the ground underneath Amisa's face as she turned away from her clone.

Dice Rolls:

Results:

Before Amisa can do anything, her clone is on her, using her rapier as if she'd been born with it. Although she couldn't feel pain in the game, a grunt still escaped her lips. The attack itself hadn't done much, thanks to the potion, but the icons that appeared next to her health bar would be an issue. Instinctively, she still tried to retaliate. The paralysis stopped any chance of that happening, however. So all she could do was stare at her health bar as it ticked down, well into yellow territory.

The gemini jumped back after the attack and twirls around, giving Amisa what felt like an almost sickly sweet smile. "What's wrong, Amisa-chan? Didn't practice enough? How will you do well enough if you can't even move?"

Amisa's blue eyes go icy cold as she glares at the gemini. She'd only have one move left at this rate. This couldn't be it... could it?

Dice Rolls:

Results:

Going to floor six while she was only level one was probably not the best idea. Still, travelling in silence, she couldn't help but be amazed at the scenery. The sound of the rushing waterfall in the distance, the ridiculous size of the trees as she walked between their roots, the buzzing of insects, smells and colours all added up to an almost dizzying result, and all Amisa could do was thank her luck that the monsters of this floor didn't bother her.

Eventually, she came to what could be called a small clearing, although the small, ruined wall over on one side told her why it was likely here. Still, this was the marked location, even if she didn't see the hooded figure anyway. She turned to check the nearby water, seeing nothing but her own reflection. That was when Amisa heard a chuckle behind her.

"So you came. Good." The hooded figure sat on the wall, white shoes peeking out from under the cape. "How about we get started then, Ojou-chan?"

"Amisa." Amisa curtly corrected. "I'm not a lady. Not like that."

Even if the face wasn't visible, she could tell the figure was smirking. "We'll see."

They stood up from the wall, moving to stand across Amisa. As they removed their cloak, Amisa let out a small gasp before focussing. She should have expected it, with the creature being called 'gemini', but still. She drew her rapier, as the gemini did the same.

"Let's play, Amisa-chan~"

Amisa stepped onto the teleport platform, letting it send her to Krycim. The moment she arrived the difference in humidity hit her, causing the air in the floor to almost feel oppressive. Still, with her usual expression on her face, she walked to one of the exits of the settlement, choosing the one closest to the point the hooded figure had sent her.

None of the Krycim's inhabitants approached her as she walked through, something that suited her just fine for the moment, as she moved with purpose. Upon reaching the edge of the safe zone, Amisa hesitated for a moment, before her friendly smile turned more determined, and she stepped through. Her first step into dangerous territory after the announcement had been made left a visible footprint, even if she knew it would disappear soon. She knows not all of the friends she played with that day have made it, but after today... she'd finally be able to do her part in getting everyone out of here.

"You seem pretty strong. Meet me on the sixth floor. If you can beat me, I'll teach you a hidden skill."

"To the death?" Amisa keeps focussing on her practice as she speaks, keeping an eye on the hooded figure. While she's in a safe zone, so they can't harm her, for now, their appearance seemed... suspicious.

"That would be up to you, ojou-chan," the figure taunts her as it disappears. "I'll send you the location." Sure enough, right as she's alone again, there's a ping on her map, pointing to a secluded spot in the jungle. Annoyed, Amisa sheathes her weapon. Best to at least look into this.

After a bit of asking around, she's told that this happens. A hooded figure shows up, challenges a player, and the winners gain either the Concentration, or the Disguise skill. They're calling it the Gemini, although rather than outright explaining why, they just told her that she'd see soon enough.

The next morning, there's a package for her, with two potions, and the instructions to drink them before the battle starts. Amisa looks them over. Migitation, and Immolation. A sensible strategy. And, all the practice in the world would not bring her further if she didn't start working with actual opponents. She debates leaving the potions for a moment. After all, she shouldn't depend on handouts. Still, it would give her an edge in the fight. After checking the duration, she drinks both of them, before equipping her sword and vanity armour, and setting out.

Taking this quest:

Gemini's Stats:

Amisa's Stats:

Accepted and received!

Inventory change log:

Accepted with a grateful bow.

Profile

Username: Amisa (Written: 青海砂)

Real name: Akaga Shizue

Age: 27 (25 at start of the game)

Gender: Female

Height: 160cm (5’3”)

About:

The Akaga family was a rather old-fashioned family. That being a family which had high and traditional expectations. As such, Shizue was taught in early childhood that there were two ‘career’ options in her future. The first being a proper housewife and stay-at-home-mother. With a husband who had her family’s approval. The second was becoming an accomplished career woman in her own right. Any other future was decried as unsuitable or beneath her. When she did ask why it was, her mother smiled and simply told her that it was because they wanted the best for her.

And because they wanted the best for her, they also demanded the best from her. Anything less was disrespectful to her elders. As such, she was expected to be a highly performing part of an athletic club, be class president, if not student council president, and to top the rankings in her academic pursuits. Shizue, not knowing any different, did everything in her power to make this happen. And she succeeded, being a part of the fencing club, student council president and topping the academic leaderboards. Yet, something in her life still felt missing. At one point, some classmates introduced her to video games, and she found that she could let go a bit by playing them. Relax, and find a place of her own. Her parents disagreed, calling them a fad with no purpose other than to waste time she should spent studying, training, or doing her chores.

Despite this, she persevered, hiding her games, and only playing after she was done with everything else. And it paid off. Between her making some actual friends online, using the alias Amisa, named for the ocean close to her home, and her getting into Tokyo U, Shizue managed to satisfy her parents demands while still having something to call her own.

After moving to Tokyo, the first thing she did was invest in a proper system, even if she still spent more time being the proper student and young lady than she did gaming. Still, when her friends suggested trying Sword Art Online on launch, she agreed, and even took some time off in order to ensure she could get her hands on one of the 10.000 copies.

Virtues:

Hardworking. If there is anything her upbringing taught Shizue, it is that hard work carries you far. And years of giving everything she has taught her to push her limits every day. All in all, when Shizue decides to do something, she will give it her all, and work day and night to get the best possible result.

Determined. Once Shizue sets her eyes on something, she will not let it go. Be it apologising to a wronged person, perfecting a skill, or overcoming a challenge, she will put every bit of her hard work and sheer stubbornness to do it. This helped her get to where she is, but it also has a flipside.

A friendly face.  Shizue always took care to look friendly and approachable, and this has become her standard. Her neutral expression is a friendly smile, and unless she has a good reason not to be, she will be friendly and polite when meeting new people.

Practical. During the years of trying to do everything at once, Shizue picked up a habit of being very practical. Getting everything done as quickly as possible, while still performing to the standard her family was used to, was the only way to get away with gaming without cutting into her sleeping schedule even more. It does cause her to be blunt when caught off-guard, but with how she tries to prepare for anything, it doesn’t happen often.

Flaws:

Perfectionism. Being raised with the constant expectation to be the best leaves its mark on you. Shizue may not live with her parents anymore, but with every little mistake she can still hear their comments echoing in her mind. Even when she knows it doesn’t make sense, it can stop her from acting in the moment, or cause her to be incredibly frustrated with a perfectly acceptable result.

Stubborn. Once Shizue sets her eyes on something, she will not let it go. Be it apologising to a wronged person, perfecting a skill, or overcoming a challenge, she will put every bit of her hard work and sheer stubbornness to do it. This helped her get to where she is, but the flipside is that she is incapable of letting go. No matter how small the change is, if it is not what she planned to do, she has an extremely hard time changing her plan to incorporate it.

Lack of genuine connection. Between being busy every single day, and trying to be a friend to everyone, Shizue had a hard time genuinely connecting to the people around her. It was far too easy to sink into her practiced mask of friendly politeness, even if it distanced her from people. And when she couldn’t do that, her capability for bluntness scared at least some people away. Shizue’s online friends were the first people she felt she didn’t have that issue with, even if they joked about her being a ‘little lady’ every now and again. Still, once the true nature of SAO was explained, and she reverted to her usual face, she ended up more distant from the group, only strengthening that feeling.

Profession:

(Leave blank until the Earning a Living quest has been completed.)

Skills

SP Left: 0
SP Spent: 5
SP Total: 5

Inventory

DPS package chosen

Stats

Roleplays

Relationships

Sayori – One of Shizue’s friends online. However, after seeing what she actually looked like, she blurted out entirely the wrong thing in her surprise, causing her friend to punch her and run off. They haven’t seen each other since, but if they do, Shizue would love to apologise for what she said.

Aislin - One of Shizue's classmates in high school, and schoolmate in Tokyo U. The two have crossed blades in real life, when their respective sports club set up inter-club sparring matches, still they did not quite get along in high school.

Story Thus Far

The first day… changed everything. While at first she and her friends had fun together, after the announcement of the true nature of the game, as well as the issue of the ‘mirror’ items, Shizue ended up alone, stuck, and with her self-preservation instinct well into perfectionism mode. She resolved not to leave Starting City until she knew she and her sword were as one. Until it could act as an extension of herself. After all, that blade would be all there was between her and actual, real life death