[PP-F11] Mirror Mirror

[Hidden 1]

In the ethereal realm of dreams, reality finds a reflection, obscured by a veil of imagination and symbolism. Within this surreal landscape, the mind's deepest desires, fears, and memories intertwine, creating a tapestry of experiences that mirrors the waking world.

What lay on that side of the mirror?

~

In the city of Taft, the evening sun's rays shone through the Grand Cathedral's stained glass, casting its mural on the city below. A meadow, blossoming with flowers and wisteria trees. A river passed by these trees, flowing endlessly from a location unknown to the mural. This mural was only visible in full for about thirty minutes a day as was the path that opened to this area. The eleventh floor was strange and many of its sights were completely obscure to most members of Aincrad. 

Nobody would guess that a player's lodging would be found within one of these places. A decent-sized house would be found past those flowers, past the wisteria trees. A house with white walls and ornate enough windows that one might consider it gaudy. A bed of lilies would be found outside along with a wooden porch. These flowers seemed to be well taken care of, not a single one wilted. In the evening sun, light glittered off of the passing river, giving the atmosphere a serene touch. The lights in this building were lit, the faint sound of music would be heard: a woman's voice singing softly. The sound of clattering could also be heard from within, revealing that someone was inside the building. 

Spoiler

Hidden, White Silence
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 52
HP: 840/840
EN: 102/102

Stats:
Damage: 30
Evasion: 4
Accuracy: 6
Battle Healing: 46
Loot Dice: 1
HLY: 16
PHASE
REC: 8
V.D.: 46
V.O.: 92

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Kura Yu Yami | Holy II, Phase, Vamp Off.
Armor: Vantablack | EVA III, Vamp Def
Misc: Night's Bloom | ACC II, Recovery II

Custom Skill:
Lady Midnight | The user may use [Vanish] as a free action.

Skills:
Dagger R5
Battle Healing R5
Cloth Armor R5
Charge

Active Mods:
Untraceable
Vanish
Surprise Attack (Assassin)
Athletics
Blindside

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Stamina
Ferocity
Precision
Nimble

Active Extra Skills:
Hiding R5
Survival
Disguise

Inactive Extra Skills:

Battle Ready Inventory:

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Skylight (Lockpicking): +1 Rank to the Lockpicking skill.
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1]

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild:
Kumatetsu Statue: +1 Base Damage for a thread

Wedding Ring:

 

[Raidou 1]

"My dear, Hilda. I see you, as I did in the mirror.  I saw both of these versions of you. But before the 'real' you and the one in the mirror was reversed."
"I think she found her way"

~

The city of Taft, the colorful mishmash of buildings. The ringing bell of a clocktower playing the part of a reminder. A sack of gilded apples under his left arm, and a bottle of signature cider from a place on floor 4. The inventory a curious thing given the stuff was still hot, as if time stopped whenever it found its way into its little pocket. The roar of footsteps and of chuckles, of conversation created the white noise of civilization. Raidou's joined the fray, becoming one with the roar. Passed the huge church whose architecture dwarfed most of the city. Into an unkempt paradise, whose keeper still sought safety out from the eyes of the seekers that wanted them out.

Raidou knew the place, a meeting or two that would change lives.

As he slid into the garden of eden where history changed for three people. Bare faced, no robe. A disguise nearly better then all others, the ability to hide in plain sight. None took note of the plain looking fellow as he permeated a sea of glowing blue lilies. They welcomed him in their twist of day to night, a twilight in the afternoon. The soft rap on a door still finding a layer of dust, despite every effort to clean it up.

*thunk, thunk*

The woman that held within was likely hardly expecting company, and it was simply a hunch that Raidou assumed she here. Most couldn't escape his gaze, but Hidden was one.

Raidou | HP: 1000/1000 | EN: 138/138 | DMG: 12 | MIT: 44 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 2 | BH: 55 | LD: 6 | BLGT: 32 | REC: 8 | TAUNT | V.D.: 110 | V.O.: 165

Spoiler

Raidou, The Truth
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 94
HP: 1000/1000
EN: 138/138

Stats:
Damage: 12
Mitigation: 44
Evasion: 4
Accuracy: 2
Battle Healing: 55
Loot Dice: 6
BLGT: 32
REC: 8
TAUNT
V.D.: 110
V.O.: 165

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Ebon Star - Vanguard Revenant [T4/Demonic/Straight Sword]: V.O 2, Taunt, Blight 1
Armor: Red Wanderer's Resolve - Sympathy [T1/Demonic/Cloth] 2 Evasion, 2 Vampiric Defensive
Misc: Vision of Wisdom - Whisper [T4/Demonic/Trinket] Evasion 1, Recovery 2, Accuracy 1

Skills:
Straight Sword R5
Cloth Armor R5
Battle Healing R5
Howl
Searching R5
Fighting Spirit
Energist
Charge
Quick Change

Active Mods:
Detect
Athletics
Vengeful Riposte
Tracking
Justified Riposte

Addons:
Nimble
Ferocity
Precision
Focused Howl
Stamina
Reveal

Active Extra Skills:
Parry
Survival
Forgotten King’s Authority
Concentration

Inactive Extra Skills:

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystal x2
Resonance of the Grave [T1/Perfect (Instant)/Debuff/Incarceration] [184322] x1
Misperception Masterpiece/Instant (4): [178761] [200882][200893][200896] x4
Hypnosis 2 Masterpiece/Instant: 186609 x
Lullaby 2 Masterpiece/Instant: 190648 x

Housing Buffs:
Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor []: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild:
Kumatetsu Statue: +1 Base Damage for a thread

 

[Hidden 1]

            Purple eyes squinted hard with focus as the woman stirred a pan of meat and tomato sauce. Long white hair fell back onto a black jacket and sweatpants giving her a bit of a lazy look. Finally, a white shirt would contrast the red of her apparel. It was a much different attire than the one she would normally wear, but it was a kind that she had found herself very comfortable in recently. Switching to her port of noodles for a moment, she would give it a quick stir before returning to the meat. 

*thunk thunk*

A jerk from her hand from surprise brought sauce splattering onto her white shirt. "Fucking Shiina... I told her to message me before she pops up." A sigh came to her lips as she set down her spatula and started walking over to the door. 'wait, Shiina doesn't knock.' The thought made her begin questioning who had come then. Some stranger somehow found the path to the house? Unlikely, but if that were the case they would pay for making her shirt needing an early wash. 

Footsteps could be heard faintly approaching the door, revealing she had no intention to be stealthy about her approach. Turning the doorknob, Raidou would find an expression mixed with confusion and searching. "Oh, it's you, Book Boi," she would say, stepping out to hold the door open for him. "Come in quickly, don't need onlookers thinking I'm letting random men into my abode." 

After ushering him inside, Hidden would trace herself around him, moving through the entrance, past the living room, and into the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, Raidou would be greeted by the sight of an ornate kitchen and dining table. A thin layer of dust lined the kitchen table as if it weren't used. The bar and its stools appeared to be used frequently enough, however. "Need something? Don't get many visitors these days, which I consider a blessing. Getting tired of fishing Sprinkles out from some random piece of furniture." 

@Raidou

[Raidou 1]

The chained footsteps of an occupant confirmed some suspicion. So few knew of this place, that it couldn't be anyone else could it? Catching the odd appearance and look from Hidden, Raidou's mind becoming fixated on but a single phrase. "Book Boy?" He reciprocated, finding the only source to be an odd one. Shiina. Moving into Sey's old abode, the last time he was here was the better part of years ago. The walls had taken to a bit of disrepair, and the layer of soot had claimed most of the surfaces. Picture frames covered in dust, but still housed faint happy memories. The quaint floral patterns on the walls, the fireplace unlit. Raidou's suspicions confirmed, that even Hilda had experienced the same change of self.

She seemed happy

"No one saw me." Gestures to his back, accenting the lack of the robe. "Smells good in here. I cant say I have considered you a cook before. Always too busy." prodding her response carefully as to see what her answer would be. Moving into the dining area, clearing a place out that seemed suitable. The very same he'd taken in a dream. "I brought you something." Placing the bag of metallic looking gilded apples and the corked bottle of cider upon its surface. Finding a rag, which reminded him instantly of the white fifth. It undoubtedly left by the red haired child. Taking it in hand and beginning to clean the top of the table, as well as the chairs. "It's some delicacies from floor 1 and 4. Thought you could try them out." Yelling his response and keeping the mood light, as dark thoughts of the past preyed upon his mind.

"So Shiina, She visit often?" As he glanced over and saw a small nest egg of egg shells in one of the corners. Just above a small burrow in the trim of the wall.

[Hidden 1]

In response to Raidou's question for his name, Hidden would simply sigh. "I've picked up some poor vocabulary from her. I don't get out much so she is most of the people I talk to." Bringing him inside, the man would immediately begin assuring her that no one had seen him. She would shrug in response. "Not too worried about it. If some weirdo finds my place I'll just kick them out." The room seemed to darken at the word 'kick' only to lighten back up a moment after. Returning to her cooking, she would quickly stir the food still cooking on the stove. 

"Me a cook? Don't make me laugh. It always tastes barely better than shit. Noodles always suck ass," she would reply distastefully. Using a finger, she would tuck white hair behind one ear before squinting at the noodles as if threatening them to taste good. 

"I brought you something. It's some delicacies from floor 1 and 4. Thought you could try them out."

Hidden would turn to inspect the gifts and nod in approval. "Thanks dude! Already know I'm going to fuck up the apples beyond recognition when I try to make them into Candy apples but I will get to at least taste the cider." Leaving them on the bar, the woman would begin turning off her stove. If Raidou got a good look, he would find that surprisingly, Hidden had made enough spaghetti for two to eat their fill. 

"Shiina? It really depends. Sometimes I feel like she's always here and then I don't hear from her for a week. Kinda just bursts through the door unannounced. I usually enjoy the company but sometimes I need someone to come that I don't fear is going to destroy my house." A small chuckle would escape the woman's lips. 

Shifting the conversation, violet eyes would turn on Raidou. It seemed some of her suspicions had bore some fruit. He seemed to be different today. "So no glasses today, huh? You have the free time to just make a trip out here too? Normally you are pretty busy doing who knows what." while he answered, Hidden would turn to begin straining the water from some stiff looking noodles. 

[Raidou 1]

The guy smiles as he tilts slightly to one side, his head turned ever the smallest bit finding the change adorable. "I think it suits you fine. and I know you would. You are strong like that." Raidou admits fishing a basket off the countertop and starting to pile the golden fruit in it, much like it would appeared before. Helping collect dishes and place them down on the table, cutlery in tandem. A meticulous pressing of each one like laying out a floor plan. Once the table is set, Raidou picks a vase and moves outside.

"No problem." The dude caught a bit, Hilda sure had caught the Shiina bug. Plucking one of the small lilies, he eyes the man at the entrance and pays him a single nod. She was doing fine, and he'd need not worry on her behalf. Paying the man a wave, indistinguishable in his current attire. Wandering back in and finding the fireplace, he'd place the vase upon its top. It offers the room the slight bluish glow. "How long have you been back?" Another question that would work to confirm his suspicions in a inconspicuous way. The nomad didn't want to alarm her.

"She used to barge into my house back home." Raidou admits to the few odd occasions his mother had fished the girl out of the koi pond. "She really likes fish for some reason." He comments not understanding that Shiina just sewed chaos and it wasn't an inkling to any one dastardly affair. "I know Simmone has been looking for you." Changing the subject from the shrieking harpy that was the songstress. Finding a seat, and waiting to see the woman enjoy her cider. "No glasses, don't need them." put simply and without an explanation. 

[Hidden 1]

Raidou would begin setting the table for two, bringing silverware and plates to the table. Fetching a heat pad, she would place the spaghetti and noodles atop finished with some slightly burnt garlic bread that had been cooking in the oven. "Well, I guess it looks better than it normally does..." Hidden would mumble to herself. A question would come from Raidou who had moved himself into the living room now. 

"How long have you been back?"

Hidden raised an eyebrow in response and stepped from the kitchen back into the living room. "Here? I guess about a month or two? I've noticed a couple of things off since...." A moment passed for her to think. The similarities between now and her dream were uncanny. If Simmone and Sey were here, it would be an exact replica. "I'd say the moment where we were force teleported from Razwell's ship. I felt extremely sick that day like I was seasick." The sickness had faded rather quickly, but at that exact same moment, it felt as if something were different. As if she wasn't really herself. Unfortunately, the white lily hadn't made any sense of it yet. 

Finding about another of Shiina's interests was intriguing. There was some fun to be had with that. Perhaps a trip to the river before forcibly stuffing her underwater? "Simmone huh?" Hidden would reply. "I'd invite her to dinner more but I'm pretty sure spaghetti would make her ass too fat." It was weird, it felt like Simmone had eaten spaghetti with her before. "I really ought to go out and see more. A lot of people have a hard time remembering little ol' me these days. To think I was the most wanted criminal in Aincrad at one point."

Hidden would close her eyes. Something... no... Someone had been standing outside for a few minutes now. How bothersome. "I don't need glasses either. Have a friend outside? Should've been smarter to stay out of the shadows if they wanted to hide." Shadows would pool at the intruder's feet, locking them in place. It was extremely faint, but a small trail of black ink would color one of the girl's sclerae. Her eyes seemed unenthused as they trained themselves on the door. 

 

[Raidou 1]

If Hilda had been back for that long, and yet she'd yet to clean most of it. She was waiting for someone. Like a father leaving a bedroom untouched after their son went to college. A coping mechanism. "I have had a similar feeling, although I cant explain it." Taking a space on the wall, pressing his back where that red haired child turned man would once lean over. "Sick?" Raidou found the oddity both strange yet real. Although he'd hardly experienced anything as drastic, he did feel a bit light headed the days that followed.

Curious, Raidou fishes around in his pocket and plucks a singular black feather. One that others had abandoned on the streets of Ladonia. "I found this, shortly after the event. Celeste has confirmed the Ifrit or the wreckage of it hasn't been spotted since." The nomad remarks spinning the thing in his hand. "Moreover, Razwell hasn't been seen since." Although he hardly came for a political discovery. Catching her words, Raidou uses it as a reason to change subjects.

"Yeah, Simmone has been a little worried I suppose. I take it you shared some words on the regular?" The nomad acknowledges he hardly knew their relationship and yet the Black Cat had taken a keen interest. That second statement, he'd choose to ignore. Best to keep his imagination in check, and he wasn't touching that one. "Well, as far as I can tell APD and its investigators have since given up their hunting. Most of their members have been silent." Taking a cup and pouring slowly the cider into the cup, it still steams in a display of heat. "And for once it wasn't my doing." Just dropping the hammer like it was a small detail, knowing where her attentions were headed. The white lily that almost replaced Opal, was just as predictable as always.

Pushing the cup into her hands, a smile. "I do, he's a real good friend of mine. I owe him a great deal." chuckling as he'd take a seat, right where he sat in a dream. "I warned him, but he was persistent. Trust me Hilda." The first time he'd ever used her real name. The one that he has always known. "There is nothing to worry about." Reaching over and sliding the place mat over and taking a bite of her really burnt bread.

He cant help but cough sharply as he ate charcoal

"Give him time, he's harmless. At least to you. Now lets eat."

[Hidden 1]

Raidou had begun to show concern about how she had felt that day. "Perhaps sick isn't the correct word. I just... felt I had lost something that had been a part of me. A weight in my chest was lifted, but let a hole in its stead." Describing it wasn't easy when it was a feeling she had not yet felt before. 

Purple eyes drift onto a black feather as Raidou revealed it to her. She couldn't begin to guess the relevance of the object. "Have you attempted appraising the feather yet? Perhaps where it came from is where the ship went." It was by far the best guess she could come up with. Simmone? Worried? She needs to get her priorities straight. I've been here, not doing much. Been wondering if I should go do a quest to attempt to rekindle myself." The question came to be whether she and Simmone shared words. "We don't talk too much, but I feel like she knows a lot. Maybe even too much." 

Simmone's eyes were hard for even her to hide from. The APD had been rather easy but escaping Firm Anima's scouts was rather difficult. Her attention became redirected as a cup of cider was pushed into her hands, the smell itself beginning to entice her. Offering a smile as thanks, she would bring the cup to her lips. The taste was sweet and crisp. Her eyes fell onto Raidou for a moment as she wondered how good the tea he always liked to drink was. He was most definitely a pro at making it now. 

The White Lily would come to gloss over the detail regarding whether or not Raidou had been responsible for APD's silence, instead focusing on other things. When was the last time she had actually just sat down with Rai and enjoyed his company? Had she ever? Or had they always been focused on the bigger things? Was this improvement? Or was she simply not accomplishing the work she needed to?

"I do, he's a real good friend of mine. I owe him a great deal. I warned him, but he was persistent. Trust me Hilda."

Shrugging, the dark lines that had begun to form in her eyes faded as the shadows crept back to the corners where they had come from. "Remind me again, when did I tell you my real name?" Hidden would purse her lips as she heard the crunch from the bite of bread. 

[Raidou 1]

Spinning the black feather in his fingertip and thumb staring at it if it was a clue, and yet not knowing where to begin. "An interesting observation on both fronts. After that day, I would agree I feel liberated. As to this." It stops to a halt and he places it to the table, his eyes fixated on it. "It reads as a simple black feather, almost too simple. Floor 26 doesn't even have any black birds." The cool analysis of the situation, found him diving into the more abstract.

His head turns to look at Hidden, offering her a gentle smile. "I know, I know. But you'll find that your actually pretty difficult for even her to track down. Simmone doesn't know to look here, and I assume you know this place isn't exactly the easiest to find neither unless you know where to look." The honesty was so blatant, Raidou's usual but it seemed uncharacteristically transparent as well. To his inventory, a thermos. The cider was for her, and for him? A bitter unsweetened green tea. Steam billows as he flips open the lid and corrects a cup upward.

Offering it to the glass, a raise of white portrays how hot it was. A trick of the system that the temperature never changes. "Maybe pay her a visit, so she can stop blowing up my messenger." Taking a single drink washes his glasses in a fogged film. Taking them from his face, he'd begin to clean them using a cloth plucked from his pocket. A simple thing, one of white fabric. A nice shined gloss to it, one that went unnoticed for it was nothing more then a simple cloth.

"Simple, you didn't. At least not directly." The plain acknowledgement as he'd place the glasses down on the table. Folded. "Hello Hilda, I don't believe we've met. The former Faceless Lord of Laughing Coffin." He'd offer her that same polite smile, as if the phrase was just as small as discussing their meal. "The guild that has been making your, Sey's and Adrian's life difficult for the last few years." Another sip of his tea, and he'd continue. "You'll be happy to know, that it seems like us they have mostly lost their drive to be obnoxious and hinder the players progress. There are stragglers, but most of the guild has been abolished. As to why, I don't really care." A pause as he let that sink in. "Even Hanma turned herself in to Black Iron Dungeon. You outlasted them, Finally you've won."