[PP-PT-F01] Forsaken Penance

[Mari 1]

Day had set well into the night; and rain poured from the heavens above - pelting a barely conscious Mari as she lay sprawled out amidst the mud and debris in front of the cemetery. She had tried...lords she had tried. It took years to get to this point. Mari thought she had been prepared. Mari thought she had everything she'd need to truly attempt to take it on. But she was so sorely mistaken. It's mitigation too high - her energy too low. Maybe...she should have rested more beforehand? No...she'd not be able to sleep properly knowing this was looming on the horizon. Even if she had, the outcome would have been the same. With her current build...her current skill set...even with all her upgraded armor, her levels...Mari was still one of the strongest in all of Aincrad... she still failed. So why?

It was impossible...

Mari should have known. There was a reason why there were no known accounts of people successfully completing redemption. It wasn't made to redeem anyone. It was made to kill. It was made to completely annihilate any with an orange cursor who dared to tread the path of penance. It forsook them. Dangled hope in front of them, only to cut the cancer out. If Mari continued...she knew she would have died. In the past Mari would have accepted such a fate - her name would finally join all the others that she had written upon that monument. Fitting. But she couldn't. She had too much to live for now.

At first, its hits didn't strike hard, she'd hurt herself more against its armor than its weak attack, but that was just to lull her into a sense of false security, its attacks growing more and more violent as the battle progressed. Its health bar barely dwindled even after her strongest attacks. The burning venom of her weapon did nothing to it.

A slight ringing in her ears, from messages going unanswered. From who, she was not sure. Mari had many contingencies in place - and it had been an entire day since she initially messaged people to let them know what she was doing. It was only natural people would worry. Right? Blurriness tinged the edges of Mari's vision as she struggled to lift her head up from the ground. Her entire body ached. A dull thrum of pain that dragged across her nervous system and set deep in her bones. Mari lifted a hand to open up her messaging system before it fell to the floor. Darkness took over her vision as the exhausted woman passed out.

There she lie, face down in the mud. The angry souls of the lives Mari took, high up in heaven pelting her in an unrelenting downpour. Each drop adding to the ruthless and stinging chill that set deeper and deeper into her tiny form.



Redemption, was no longer in the cards for Mari.


Mari | HP: 35/35 | EN: 25/25 | DMG: 12 | MIT:77 | ACC:4 | AA  | FL.AURA: 2 | BH:2 | BRN: 14 | ENV-O: 8 | PARA-V | LD:5  | True Tier 14                                                                                                                         

Edited September 12 by Mari

[Oscar 0]

Heavy footfalls squelched in the mud as Oscar approached Mari’s prone form. She was a pitiful sigh, face down in the grime with the remnants of her battle lingering on her frame. Oscar had been twice-notified. Once by Mari herself, once by his hounds. His hounds lingered still, at the fringes, out of sight. Redemption was a wall that stood between Orange Players and their hopes of rejoining society. To put their past behind them and move forward. It was, quite literally, the jailer of the damned. Their final arbiter.

But Redemption had a fatal flaw. It equated might with righteousness. There were many who had been spared Oscar’s blade that could not quite pass muster when it came to this boss. They retained the symbol of their sin, even if they had moved past the person they were before. Forever afflicted with their stigmata. Never to be forgiven.

Oscar approached Mari as she lay prone. He wondered what was going through her head. He squatted down, his hands hanging limply between his knees.

“You lost,” Oscar said, deliberately pouring salt in the wound. “Happens.”

Redemption had tested her might. Oscar would test her conviction. Of the two, only one mattered.

“You gonna cry about it? That doesn’t sound like the Mari I know.”

He let his words linger in the air, remained silent so that the daggers could truly sink in. Oscar was not one to kick someone while they were down. But -

“Do you really think you belong here?”

There was one situation where he would.

“Face-down, sucking mud, looking like a pathetic sack?”

Sometimes, people just needed a kick in the pants.

“When are you gonna get mad about it?”

And sometimes, it didn’t matter if they were already down.

“On your feet, Mari. You’re better than this.”

 

Spoiler

"Name: Oscar
True Tier: 11
Level: 35
Paragon Level: 69
HP: 1020/1020
EN: 134/134

Stats:
Damage: 24
Mitigation: 127
Accuracy: 3
Evasion: 1
Battle Healing: 56
Loot Die: 5
Stealth Rating: -5
AA 
PHASEVAMP-O: 168
REC: 4

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - <<Kyūketsuki>> T4 KATANA//ABS.ACC/PHASE/VAMP2                                                                                                                                         
Armor/Trinket: 
  - <<TACTICAL UNDER ARMOR>> T4 HEAVY ARMOR//MIT/MIT/MIT/REC
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - <<IVORY GOLD LEAF RING>> T1 TRINKET//ACC/ACC/EVA/EVA

Combat Mastery:
  - Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
  - AOE Shift

Familiar Skill:
  - 

Custom Skill:
  - squabble up. 

Skills:
  - Battle Healing R5
  - Energist
  - Extended Weight Limit
  - Fighting Spirit
  - Heavy Armor R5
  - Howl
  - Katana R5
  - Quick Change
  - Searching R5

Extra Skills:
  - Forgotten King's Authority
  - Meditation
  - Parry
  - Survival

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:
  - Ferocity
  - Focused Howl
  - Iron Skin
  - Precision
  - Reveal
  - Stamina

Mods:
  - Detect
  - Impetus
  - Night Vision
  - Tracking

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - <<CRYSTAL OF DIVINE LIGHT>> ID: 236066 x1
  - <<DARK SERAPHIM>> T4 HEAVY ARMOR - VAMP.D2/HOLY BLESSING 2 x
  - <<DIVINE RANCOR>> T4 KATANA - HOLY/HOLY/PHASE/BLIGHT x
  - <<GLOVES OF CAERUS>> T1 LIGHT ARMOR//3 LD x
  - <<IMUGI'S INSPIRATION>> MASS HEAL x
  - <<RHINO'S HORN>> ID: 236068 x
  - <<SANCTITY'S RUIN>> T4 KATANA - FROSTBITE/BLEED/BLIGHT/BURN x
  - <<TELEPORTATION CRYSTAL>> x
  - <<TIGER'S BALM>> ANTIDOTE x

Housing Buffs:
  - Basic Kitchen: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30.
  - Storage Closet: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
  - Living Room: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
  - Attic (Bedroom): +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. Cannot boost a skill without ranks, or increase a skill past its maximum rank. Cannot boost a skill the user has not learned yet. Ranks obtained using this buff will make the mods of that rank available for purchase. Mods obtained this way are unusable if this buff is removed until the skill is returned to the appropriate rank by way of SP purchase.
  - Basement: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
  - Master Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
  - Master Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
  - Extended Workshop: +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
  - Ornate Fishing Pond: +2 Fishing EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to fishing attempts.
  - Dining Hall: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed. Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread.

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild Totem:
  - Kumatetsu
Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:

Gathering Profession:
"                                                                                                                            

 

Edited September 12 by Oscar

[Mari 1]

Who knows how long the unconscious woman had been there like that, alone - pelted by a rain that slowly began to relent. Having dealt its icy blows - the storm satiated. Hours, maybe. Enough time for her health to tick back to full. Enough time for the sun to set to night. Enough time for another to find her. Mari barely heard the footsteps approach, the squelch of heavy boot in mud as his feet sunk deep into the earth. Mari groaned - hardly conscious as she heard his voice, reiterating that she had lost. Mari lifted a tired hand in an attempt to wave him away. Much like a child who wanted to sleep in would to a parent. It fell to the earth with a splat. Mari wasn't going to cry about it, if anything, Mari felt oddly at peace with the whole ordeal. "Oscar..." Mari mumbled. She was surprised to see him here. Well, hear him. Granted she had messaged him to let him know she may have to high tail it to his store - but when Mari used her crystal, shouting the Town of Beginnings - she was thrown here. Face first into the muck and grime of countless sinners before her. 

It took a great deal of effort to push herself away from the mud, rolling onto her back. Rain still speckled lightly against her face, trickles of dirt and grime washing away. At least the weather was slowly easing up. "M'tired." she muttered as she lifted an arm to sit over her forehead in a weak attempt to shield her face from the rain. More words were thrown at her. Not spat, but spoken with a still bluntness. Almost the kind of chastising a teacher would give their student. "Cry?" She asked, weariness dragging her voice low. "No." Cerulean eyes shifted over to meet his own. There was a heavy set weariness behind them, but she didn't feel defeated. Annoyed? Maybe.  "I'm just ...tired..." She hadn't allowed herself to rest, to sleep. Always fighting, always pushing forward. Bringing others up like Corvo and Reytac so they could handle the frontlines. Reigning in the fiery fury of her husband. Lurking around the Laughing Coffin to ensure they kept away from what was most precious to her. Amassing col, and materials. Not only for herself but for her guild. It was all so much. 

"I'm worth far more than the mud." Mari finally said after several long minutes of silence. She believed it too. In the past, she'd never say such things. Mari groaned as she sat up, almost slipping in the mud, she had to readjust herself. Falling forward and balancing her weight on the palms of her hands. Mari blinked away the blurriness that continued to ebb at the corner of her vision. "The old me woulda gotten mad." Mari said as she lifted her head up to meet Oscars steeled gaze. "The old me would have let myself die back there. Thinking it a sound and just fate. But...the old me died in that prison. Now...."

Now....

"The colour of the crystal that floats above my head doesn't define me. You can't take that away, nor can Redemptions wrath. The only who can - is me. So..." Mari attempted to push herself to her feet, her legs buckled beneath her - and the woman collapsed back into the mud. "Fuck" She'd say under her breath, before trying a second, then a third. Finally - Mari managed to do just that, barely pulling her body to a standing position. One, then two steps forward and Mari was leaning on Oscars shoulder for support. His words may have been cold, or cruel to some. But Mari understood the intention behind them, and appreciated his candor.

"What brings you here? I had told you I'd escape to your store but..." Her gaze shifted back to the entrance of the cemetery. "I didn't expect to be thrown here." Mari's eyes shifted to shadows unseen beyond her vision. Was it Freyd's watchdogs? Did Oscar have his own network keeping an eye on her? Or did he simply know to come here after waiting to hear from her all day.

"Boy do we have a lot to..." There was a pause in her speech as she faltered slightly, the world spinning. Her grip tightened on his shoulder for support. "T-To catch up on." Mari managed as she gave his shoulder a few gentle pats. So much to tell him, to update him on. Although....Mari began to wonder how much he already knew. Mari managed to offer him a small smile to reassure him but it faded just as quickly as it came. Mari was tired. Redemption, in the literal sense of the quest was out of her reach. But realistically....Mari had redeemed herself a long time ago.

Edited September 12 by Mari

[Oscar 0]

“No time for tired,” Oscar said. He reached forward, wiping the mud from her face. It had been a while since he’d given her so tender a gesture. But she was a kept woman. And Oscar wasn’t one to overstep. But in the aftermath of such a devastating loss, Oscar simply wouldn’t be a good friend if he wasn’t there for her to lean on. “You need a shower. And some soup. It’s cold.” 

She looked demolished - and not in the good way. Oscar made it a point to know who took on the boss. Who won, who died. But escaping from Redemption was a rarity. There was a part of him that wondered whether or not it was because she’d lost her nerve. But standing in front of him, looking like she was about to drop, Oscar got the sense that could not have been further from the truth. He got a sense of satisfaction. That she’d tried - failed - but didn’t let it get to her.

That she was perfectly content with the consequences of her choices.

That was, in essence, the point of Redemption. To come to terms with it all and leave it behind.

“Come on. Let’s get you taken care of.”

Oscar never realized just how difficult it was to get anywhere. Going from Floor One to Floor Seven the long way was a hard trek. As tired as she was, Oscar had decided to pull her along piggyback just to let her get off of her feet for a moment. He was able to move faster then, not even bothered in the slightest by the extra baggage. But it was a still a long walk. One that he took slowly, smoothly. Dragging out the time of rest as much as he possibly could - being as unintrusive as he could. He felt her head droop against his back, her breathing slow. He had no idea if she was actually asleep, but he didn’t speak either. Just calm silence and deep serenity in the long trek.

Finally, they arrived at his house. Oscar couldn’t help but think as to what had happened the last time that she had darkened his doorstep. But, again, taken woman. And this wasn’t the time or the place.

“We’re here,” Oscar said as he slowly let her slide off of his back. He pulled his coat from his arms, draping it over her as he opened the door. “Come along,” he added. She knew the way to the bathroom. He didn’t have to play the host. But he didn’t want to get too far away either for fear she might collapse along the way.

“Take as long a shower as you need,” Oscar said as he stopped at the door. “I’ll get you something to eat. And then we can talk, okay?”

 

[Mari 1]

No time for tired,”

Mari's eye twitched. She wanted to snap at him for that. No time? No fucking time? Was she just repeating the same mistakes of her past? Burning the candle at both ends? Too much of herself given, and not enough to hold things together? The bile and fire burned and Mari opened her mouth to throw a fiery insult at Oscar but it all fizzled out as he reached forward. Calloused hand wiping mud from her face.  Fragments of memories, their times together trickled to the forefront of her mind and quelled her temper. Mari leaned forward, her head resting on his shoulder. An inhale of familiar scents, and an annoyed grumble was all she offered him. "You're warm though." More of her weight fell onto him, Mari trusted Oscar. She was absolutely wrecked. Every limb hurt, every muscle throbbed. The mention of food caused her stomach to rumble loud enough for the man to hear.

"I know why we...." Mari's words were spoken with a dreary fatigue. Her voice low. "We...haven't heard of anyone defeating it." Mari would lift her head, ever so slightly to glance in the direction of the foreboding graveyard. "I don't...think its made to allow people to." She had been so prepared. But all of the energy regeneration, potions, and tricks in the world could not allow her to defeat it. Or maybe...she had simply taken one too many lives, the sins engraved on her back too heavy.

Oscar would offer his back and Mari all too readily accepted it, too tired to care - to argue. They made the trek up towards Oscars house. Mari would rest her chin on his shoulder, at one point she had fallen asleep. Feeling the heat coming off his back, the vibrations of his heartbeat and the steady rise and fall of his chest along with the rocking of each footstep. It was...comforting. In a sense...Mari missed this closeness to Oscar. Her eyes fluttered open with a small groan as she tightened her hold around his chest. They were at his home. Mari slowly slid off his back and groggily rubbed her eyes. "Sorr...fell shleeep..." She'd mumble. Oscar lead Mari to the bathroom, a gentle hand on her back trying to get her into the shower. A glance at a particular wall made Mari snort in amusement. More memories.

Mari stumbled once, before making her way into the bathroom. The turn of a few knobs, and the hiss of water almost too hot to handle would wash away the mud, debris and most of the weariness that ebbed at her body. I need to let him know I'm safe.... Still standing naked in the shower she opened up her HUD 

Mari --> Lancaster: I failed. I'm okay. Resting at Oscars. 
Lancaster --> Mari: You no need it. Sei la perfezione

Mari couldn't help but laugh at the message as she finished her shower. Lancaster wasn't fond of her taking Redemption - but pushed her to do it if she desired it. He grew concerned for her.

Leaving the shower with her skin tinged a soft hue of red, hair wet and hanging down below her shoulders. She wore an oversized white shirt. One of Lancasters that she had grabbed from their shared inventory. Normally, that was all she would wear. But decorum dictated the woman not stroll out half naked into the kitchen. Even if she had been completely naked there before. So she wore thick black stockings beneath the shirt. Still not leaving a lot to the imagination but Mari was comfortable enough with Oscar. Her hair was up in a low ponytail, and on her feet... tiny little frog slippers that opened and shut their mouth with every step. Mari entered the kitchen with the damp towel in her hand. Looking around and not finding anywhere in particular to put it she simply threw it over her shoulder and took a seat at one of the bar stools. Her eyes traced the counter, more memories. Then her fingers traced its clean surface.

"Thanks....I know how....frustrating it is to have to go the long way around."  Mari crossed her arms in front of her and leaned forward, resting her chin on them. Did he have questions for her? Was he disappointed? She wasn't sure. Fingers would fiddle with her wedding ring, turning it round and round her finger. The last thing she wanted to do was upset the man. He'd done so much for her, more than he would ever really realize.

"Thanks for everything, really."  Mari was attempted to hold herself well, but to anyone with a discerning eye she was exhausted. Barely able to keep herself some swaying, every time she blinked it was slow. "So...how did you know I wound up there?" Mari asked.

Edited Friday at 03:57 PM by Mari

[Oscar 0]

“Don’t thank me,” Oscar said. The moment she settled into her chair, Oscar had a plate of stew. It smelled dangerous, laden with spices and thick with capsaicin. Nothing better for warming the body after a long nap in the rain than a big bowl of spicy stew. And, of course, Oscar had no chill when it came to such things, so the Scoville scale was more than likely blown out. He slid a glass of sweet wine and a small plate of bread in her direction. “I insist.”

Oscar had a deep and profound love for all of his friends. He struggled to articulate, so he hoped that his actions would bridge that gap.

“As far as how I knew where you were, I keep an eye on Redemption,” he replied with a shrug. “You’re not alone in your struggle. Most fail. But my goal isn’t to kill all of the PKers. I would prefer that people understand that they can be redeemed. Whether they kill that fucking boss or not.”

Past mistakes should be left there. There was a way forward. Mari had learned that lesson. Redemption had, almost literally, burned it into her bones. The point was not to slay the boss, but to understand that no matter how deep the sins go, they do not define you. That they need not weigh you down.

“You got married,” Oscar remarked as he filled his own bowl, pointing at the ring on her finger with his ladle. “A shame that we can’t indulge ourselves anymore. But, that is a curse I’m willing to bear. Marriage looks good on you. You look happy.”

Oscar would not be a homewrecker. And besides, he was always happy for those bittersweet partings. Mari was not the first, she would not be the last. They could keep the memories of their time together, but Oscar would never get bent out of shape because she had found permanence. 

Rather defeated the point of friends with benefits.

“Lancaster, right. He seemed rather uncomfortable at the beach party. I’m a little offended -” A half joke. More born from his desire to be an excellent host than any hard feelings. “-but I get it. Hard for an orange player to settle back into community.”

 

[Mari 1]

Mari coughed just breathing in the steam that permeated from the strew caused her nostrils to burn. Truth be told Mari loved spicy things. She just did not have the best tolerance for it. More than most..but not enough to truly enjoy it. Mari picked up her spoon, twirling it between thumb and forefinger before letting its curved side skim across the top of her meal. Don't thank me...He'd say, but Mari didn't know how much to truly express what he meant to her. How he managed to help boost her confidence and help her actually live. "I can't recall...." Mari said quietly, still not quite prepared to take a sample of the food - her mouth watered and her stomach growled, but instead she picked up the glass of wine and swirled it. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of Lancaster babbling on about its legs, or whatever the hell wine had. "If I ever told you, but yanno that night I came here?" Mari gestured around the room with her wine glass- being careful not to spill it, holding in a snort at the double entendre. "That was the first time I had allowed myself to sleep in a bed. Since my cursor turned orange. So, I got a lot to thank you for."  

Mari let her spoon sit on the rim of the bowl as she reached for the bread and broke a piece off. "Oh! I actually took up the cooking profession...I've always loved baking and got back into it recently, now that I'm actually eating food again!" Mari said with a bright smile, earnest words that denoted just how much she had denied herself in her past. She dipped the bread in the stew, hoping it'd absorb some of the heat. "I'd love to share some of my food with you sometime!" Mari adored baking, not so much cooking...but baking. She loved it. Mari threw the piece of bread into her mouth. The heat hit her immediately, and with the force of an oncoming truck.

The woman covered her mouth and started to cough, her eyes watering as the heat quickly burned through her mouth and settled in the back of her throat. "Omgawdh..." She muttered into her hand, eyes watering as she looked up at the man. Was he insane?  The spice was nearly unbearable, yet despite that Mari grabbed the spoon and shoved two, three, then four full scoops into her mouth chewing. She was crying now, and her nose ran. Still. A swallow as she wiped her mouth. "That's really really good...but Fuck Oscar...." Mari fanned her mouth as she grabbed her glass of wine and downed the entire thing. "The hell..." She placed a hand on her heart. "Are you sure you're not trying to kill me?"

Oscar poured Mari another glass of wine, and Mari took another several gulps, downing half her glass before shifting back to the meal. After the initial struggle, it was a little easier to eat - only slightly. Chunks of beef, slow cooked melted in her mouth, and chunks of sweet tomato would burst in a sweet yet acidic relief. to contrast the spice. Oscar continued to talk as Mari struggled with her meal, wanting very much to keep tasting an eating it but quite frankly struggling with the heat of the meal.

“You got married”

"Hmm?" Mari glanced at her finger. "oh...OH! Yeh!" S Mari laughed, offering Oscar a grin as she leaned over the counter, placing her head  in the palm of her hand. "Yanno, he did say I am free to ....do whatever I wanted." Mari paused, knowing Oscar would catch onto the implication. "But truth be told, I don't think I'm the kinda person who could do that." She'd tilt her head, looking up at him. "I mean, you've experienced first hand how obsessive I can be with that sorta thing. But...I'd be lying if I said I won't miss it."

Mari slid her left hand across the counter to show Oscar the small malformed ring. It was clearly handmade. Blackened steel encapsulating a small red stone. "It's a long story - it happened rather quickly. If...we had more time I'd have liked you to be there. But-"

How should she say this?

"He's uncomfortable because he's....maybe being uhm...might be a target?" Her smile faded and her playful attitude faltered. "It's gonna come to light at some point but he was  a member of the LC. was."  Mari chewed the inside of her cheek. Oscar was the first person she told. Outside of Raidou and Freyd, both who were....already aware of his position. "Raidou knows, but he already knew. You're the....first person I told. I don't really want to go around advertising it. But, you'd find out at some point and I'd rather you hear it from me. You're right. I am happy. He pushes me to do better, to be a better person. To put myself first for once. Hell...he even helped me take on Redemption."

Mari sighed as she ran a hand through her hair, pulling tendrils of orange out from her high ponytail. "We're so very alike, its almost scary. I look at him...and I see where I could have been, if I didn't have people like Baldur, and you, who pulled me out of that dark place. He's no saint. But he's good to me. For me. He left them, for me. Because he realized things could be better."

There was a few long moments of silence, and Mari began to regret sharing - not for revealing the information, but for ruining the lighthearted moment between them.

"Next time, I'll make sure his attire is appropriate." She managed.