[F6-SP] Mirror Image <<The Gemini>>

[Kataware 0]

Kataware decided to visit a place a little more rustic. However, she didn't know that it would be like this. Her expectations of the tropical rainforest of Floor 6 was dwarfed by the virtual reality of the environment around her, much like how she seemed like a speck of dust when compared to the enormous sizes of the trees. In fact, she wondered if this was Aincrad's biggest floor, at least vertically. After all, she strained to see the top of the tree, especially as the branches and leaves intertwined with other trees.

She walked around for what seemed like hours, trying to avoid any mischevious NPCs and players so she could just enjoy this moment to herself. A luxury that she seemed to have less and less of as time has gone by. Her attempts to play catch-up has left her tired. After all, she was trying to compress some of the frontliner's two years' worth of work in as short of a time as possible.

((Skills, stats, equipment, and inventory:

Spoiler

Level: 1 | HP: 20 | EN: 2

Skills: 

- Rank 1 Heavy Armor (+5 MIT)

Equipped:

- Vanity Dagger

Spoiler

Item Name: Spiked Pouldrons
Profession: Merchant
Rank: 2
IDs: 75276, 75278, 75279
Roll:  Craft: 10 + 1 = 11,  Craft: 6 + 1 = 7,  Craft: 11 + 1 =12
Item Type: Heavy Armor
Quality: Perfect
Tier: 1
Enhancements: Thorns 1, Heavy Momentum 1, Mitigation 1
Description: More elaborate, heavier, and definitely spikier shoulder guards than normal shoulder guards. 

Battle Ready Inventory:

- 3 Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

))

Edited July 14, 2018 by Kataware
Why did I put PP at first?

[Kataware 0]

For the time being, it was working. No such player was giving her any sort of trouble other than the odd guy who was happened to stop by and ask if she really was a girl. Before walking away without turning back, she answered, ”That’s a really idiotic question. If you were really wondering, I am indeed a female of the human species.” Kataware did, however, rub the bridge of her nose as she worried how some of the men in the game would react to being re-introduced to society after Aincrad was cleared. After all, it has already been two years.

Other than that sole encounter with the male player, only the Amazons bothered her with a couple of greetings. Guess Kayaba really tried to make this world seem alive. Even if it meant just having thess NPCs roam about and greet players. However, her peaceful time roaming about the city was suddenly broken by a hooded figure wearing a dark green cloak approached her as she rounded the corner. ”You look pretty strong.” Just one day by myself. Nothing to stress me out, please.

[Kataware 0]

The cloaked figure, however, was deaf to Kataware’s internal thoughts. “I'm looking to test my skills. If you beat me, I'll teach you a hidden skill. What do you say?”

Kataware sighed, realizing that there was no real escape from these type of annoying occurences. I might as well just appease whoever this person is. She tried to see if the person was concealing any weapons, but she was unable to find anything. In fact, when Kataware tried to position herself towards the opening in order to see if she could identify the person, all she found was a black void staring back. She was startled as she heard the voice speak again.

“What do you say?”

However, Kataware knew something was up. Seeing as how she was still a level 1, she knew she was vulnerable to external threats especially other players although the repeated script led her to believe that the cloaked figure was something different. As a test, Kataware quipped the Spiky Pauldrons that she had recently bought from some merchant named Shield and also her starting Dagger. “Alright, alright. Let’s just go. Let’s make this quick.”

As the cloaked figure began to lead the way, presumably outside of the safe zone, Kataware looked through her game menu. Eventually, she was able to find the quest log and found something quite interesting.

<<Quest Started: The Gemini.>>

She couldn’t help but laugh a small bit as she caught up with the cloaked figure. Let’s just see how strong this twin of mine is.

Edited July 15, 2018 by Kataware
Formatting

[Kataware 0]

Kataware was oddly relaxed as the cloaked figure led her outside of the safezone. She was still a bit on edge especially as any of the mobs on this floor could almost definitely kill her, but some guy instinct led her to believe that no mobs would appear before or after this quest finished. And if there are any mobs, it shouldn’t be too difficult to avoid them. After finishing that thought, she nearly fell down after tripping on a massive tree root. Or maybe not.

It took only two minutes before the cloaked figure decided that it was a private enough location and stopped to turn around. “I guess this will do.” The part of the cloak that covered its torso parted to show Kataware’s dagger and the Spiked Pauldrons that she was wearing at the moment. With a flourish of its cloak it threw off, Kataware’s doppleganger charged towards her, brandishing the dagger and aiming with the intent to kill.

[Kataware 0]

Kataware was caught unaware as the cloak landed on her head, blocking her view from the Gemini in front of her. Her mirror image took this opportunity to dash forwards while holding the normal dagger in a forward/hammer grip. Still facing Kataware face-to-face, or rather face-to-cloak, the Gemini thrust the dagger through Kataware’s right side.

Although the Gemini’s execution was near flawless and did tear into the cloak quite easily, the dagger only met metal and did not deal nearly as much damage as the Gemini had intended. In fact, Kataware distinctly felt the Gemini recoil after taking damage from the <<Thorns>> enhancement on her armor. I guess it paid off after all.

While fumbling around with the cloak in an attempt to get the cloak off of her head as quickly as possible, she swung her dagger blindly to cut off sizable chunks of the fabric. As they fell around her, Kataware noticed that the Gemini had already backed off and appeared to be getting ready for its next attack.

 

ID: 103975 || MD: 9 (+ 1 = 10) || BD: 1

<<Gemini attacks Kataware with 6 DMG. After reductions, Kataware is reduced from 20 HP to 19 HP.>>

<<Kataware’s Thorns activates. Deals 9 DMG to Gemini, ignoring MIT. Gemini is reduced from 10 HP to 1 HP.>>

<<Kataware misses. Kataware is reduced from 2 EN to 0 EN.>>

 

<<Stats:

Spoiler

Gemini || HP: 1/10 || Base DMG: 5 || MIT: 1 || ACC: 0 || EVA: 0
 

@Kataware || HP: 19/20 || Base DMG: 1 || MIT: 14 || ACC: 0 || EVA: 0 || EN: 0/2
 

>>

Edited August 2, 2018 by Kataware
Post Completion

[Kataware 0]

Just as soon as Kataware had sliced off the cloak and was finally able to see the Gemini for the first time. She wasn’t too surprised at the appearance of the Gemini, seeing as how she had already clued in that it was the twin. Despite the lack of initial shock, Kataware needed to remind herself that this was simply another program within Aincrad as she had a fleeting thought of being her own worst enemy at this current point in time. It’s nothing but another AI in this death game.

The Gemini leaped forwards once again and swiftly transitioned from the forward/hammer grip to a revere/edge out grip and slashed at where Kataware’s abdomen would be behind the armor. However, much like before, most of the damage was dispersed by the armor and, instead, damaged the Gemini who fell on the ground limp. However, unlike the usual way most mobs and players would fracture into crystals and disappear upon defeat, Kataware noticed that the Gemini was apparently a deviant in this aspect. Why is it still here?

 

ID: 103988 || MD: 9

<<Kataware regains energy. Kataware goes from 0 EN to 1 EN.>>

<<Gemini attacks Kataware for 6 DMG. After reductions, Kataware is reduced from 19 HP to 18 HP .>>

<<Kataware’s Thorns activates. Kataware deals 9 DMG to Gemini, ignoring MIT. Gemini’s HP is reduced from 1 HP to 1 HP.>>

 

Spoiler

Gemini || HP: 1/10 || Base DMG: 5 || MIT: 1 || ACC: 0 || EVA: 0

Kataware || HP: 18/20 || EN: 1/2 || Base DMG: 1 || MIT: 14 || ACC: 0 || EVA: 0
 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2018 by Kataware
Post Completion

[Kataware 0]

“Why won’t you finish it already?” The Gemini’s voice, although previously masked, was clearly imitating her own. It was on the ground in the same vulnerable position that it landed in once it was defeated. “I know you could have done it just a second, and easily too. Why won’t you?”

Kataware saw the way she was holding the dagger. Although she had never wielded the dagger before, she had instinctively used the same reverse/edge out grip that the Gemini had used. Kataware pulled her hand back to her right hip and holstered the dagger. She sat down, cross-legged, facing the Gemini who was still on the ground.

“Why, why do you insist on doing this? Why do you not deal the finishing blow?”

Kataware played with the foliage surrounding them. She picked up a few leaves and, like she used to, began to take apart the leaf section-by-section, vein-by-vein. When she spoke, her voice was indifferent and seemed to lack any emotion. “I’m still trying to figure out whether to treat you just like another obstacle within this video game, or if I should give you some discretion.”

 

<<Kataware regains energy. Kataware goes from 1 EN to 2 EN.>>

<<Kataware regenerates health. Kataware goes from 18 HP to 20 HP.>>

[Kataware 0]

The Gemini’s facial expression changed from one of annoyance to confusion. Then it changed from confusion to amusement. And then it started laughing. “Are you- do you really think that just because I look like you that I should earn some special treatment?”

Kataware was surprised to hear it laugh. It had been a while since she had a hearty laugh herself, especially since she was never one to laugh out loud. Even in the real world, her outward expression of amusement was usually limited to smiling or chuckling. So to Kataware, the Gemini’s laugh seemed alien. However, it gleaned some valuable information to Kataware. She thought that this was probably the case, but she wanted to somehow confirm it anyways. The Gemini’s apparent personality was nowhere near Kataware. In fact, it seemed like they were opposites.

Kataware was more reserved, the Gemini was more expressive. Kataware was patient and willing to wait for the opportunity to present itself, while the Gemini made the opportunity for itself. Kataware was more observant while the Gemini, quite obviously after attacking Kataware’s armor to their detriment twice, was impulsive. Just like a mirror image, it looks exactly the same but is still my opposite.

[Kataware 0]

Kataware finally found her response after the short moment of silence. “Both you and I know that isn’t the case.” She knew that the more she spent time with the Gemini was more time that she was playing Devil’s Advocate with herself, so she planned to prolong it as long as possible. To her, this was quite entertaining because she had the opportunity to learn more information from the exact opposite perspective, especially if it meant that she might learn something new.

However, the Gemini simply wasn’t having it. Its amusement quickly turned to anger. Its voice took on a tone that Kataware never heard herself take on. Her usually indifferent and rational mindset didn’t have much space for anger or anything past mild sorrow. The Gemini slammed the ground and yelled out causing Kataware to jump back slightly. “Do you think you’re so cool, acting as if you know everything?”