[SP-F5] Insanity Pursues (Completed)

[Pyro 0]

Pyro couldn't sleep. Not after what she saw, not after what happened. She'd told Arekkusu it only made her stronger... she lied. 'For my friends, I have to lie.' She told herself. Pyro would never break in front of her friends, she didn't want them to care about her or to worry just because she wasn't acting normal. An act. That's all it ever was for her. At school. At home. And even now Pyro had to pretend she was normal when it was a proven fact she wasn't. She had to take medicine! What normal person has to take medicine everyday to control themselves? Not one, that's who. Seeing her mother again had broken Pyro from the inside out.

 

When Pyro was first taken out of school she was unstable, mentally and emotionally. Years of meetings with a psychiatrist helped reduce the insanity. Social exercises and practices, daily doses, and sessions where she would told how to act had morphed Pyro into someone acceptable by society. Yet she was still bullied. She was now the same person she was years ago, the real Pyro. Only moments ago she was in town furiously pounding at her head; stared at by other players with a disgusted, confused or scared look. Sometimes it was all of those looks fused into one expression. Now she was in the desert gripping her sword like a mad-women, one eye twitching. She was itching for death, to let go of everything for the moment. Who cared if she met death? It would probably be for the best. Who knows, maybe one day she might accidently lash out and hurt the one's she loved?

 

"Y-Yeah.. for the best!" Pyro laughed to herself and chewed on a piece of her hair that was in a tangled mess. She looked truly crazy. This is me, and I won't tolerate anyone who doesn't accept it." She yelled to no one in particular. Her thoughts argued with her voice and body. 'I can't go out alone! I would never hurt anyone... I'll remain normal no matter what.' Was all Pyro could think on the inside, the only sane part left.

 

She just wasn't strong enough.... not for her or anyone else.

[Pyro 0]

Pyro was fighting, well, fighting as hard as someone trapped could. For a moment it seemed as if she was winning the fight when her inner thoughts warned her but that was only hope calling. She couldn't control a thing she was doing or saying... or even thinking anymore. Maybe if she saw her mother one more time everything would be better. Maybe if she had let that damned morphed monster that called itself her mother kill her she would finally be at peace. Pyro thought from the beginning she was strong, that nothing could harm her. How wrong was she... Pyro told herself she couldn't feel love but didn't she have Brayden? Pyro told herself she would be a solo player for life but didn't she have many friends? Pyro told herself so many things in one lifetime it was hard to even keep track. "How many things are there that I was wrong about?" She muttered, falling to her knees, dropping her sword to her side. She leaned back and pulled on her hair so that her scalp burned. "Why was I broken by seeing my mother? Do I miss her?" She asked herself while sitting in an uncomfortable position. Not that Pyro noticed how she was sitting. Her thoughts and questions didn't even make sense anymore. They were jumping from place to place every second. She had so many questions to ask herself... so many things to do... so many things to think about.

 

"Maybe this is what sadness feels like." She held her heart that felt as if it was being squeezed by a million tiny hands. The emotion she'd never felt before suddenly attacked her. Everything hitting Pyro so fast only made her angrier and she picked her sword up and threw it as far as possible. She screamed and shook her head, pulling her hair even harder. The pain felt a million miles away, emotions swirling, Pyro's mind caving in.

[Pyro 0]

After what seemed hours, Pyro's screaming fit had died down. She found herself walking towards her sword, sheathing it. Was this how life was going to be until she left Sword Art Online? Random fits of insanity that she couldn't help? Pyro sighed at least for the time being she was mentally stable. Her scalp felt sore to the touch and she groaned in pain. Not only that but her throat burned and she could barely speak. Pyro couldn't remember a thing that had happened all she remembered was feeling as if she just woke up for the first time in days in the strangest position on the ground. 'Oh, and I'm in the desert.' She told herself, shaking her head. Luckily nothing had happened in those few moments or surely she would have perished. There was no way she could control these random spurts of insanity but at least she was sane for the time being, and could explain to her friends when she got back why she would be acting this way from now on.

 

'Sounds reasonable enough.' Pyro told herself sadly. 'I wish I wasn't this way...'

[Pyro 0]

On the way back Pyro felt butterflies in her stomach and constantly chewed on a fingernail. Her surroundings weren't familiar and nobody was around. She secretly wished she'd decided to map out Floor 5 early on like she had for a couple of the other floors. 

 

The ground started to shake, or move at least and Pyro thought she was hallucinating until something poked out of it. She bent down to take a better look and whatever made its way out of the ground wrapped around her leg tightly. It looked like a vine and had sharp thorns that dug into her skin and made it impossible to move. She screamed and clawed and hit at whatever it was but failed. The rest of the monster arose from the sand making a draft blow past Pyro, getting sand into her eyes. She blinked away the grains of sand that didn't really seem to hurt at the moment and took some time to stare at her new enemy. It was huge but didn't look very strong or powerful to her. The vines came from around the monster that seemed to be able to summon the plants from nowhere. It was at least 10 feet tall and rather skinny. It was the same color of sand and probably used that for camouflage to hide and attack. 

 

"Crap."

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5569

BD: 10 (Critical Success +2 damage)

MD: 1 (Failure)

 

Pyro unsheathed her sword and chopped at the vine. The monster hissed and jumped back as if it were hurt, almost sounding like a little child crying or whining it seemed. She shook her head and jumped back. Pyro didn't know if regular attacks would work for this type of monster but decide to try anyway. She cocked her sword back and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, focusing on the target. She then ran forward with astonishing speed and jumped up into the sky, above the monster, slashing back and forth as quickly as possible as she began to fall landing many cuts. It squirmed and formed a mouth on its... face and deformed body. Pyro honestly couldn't tell but didn't plan to. As long as it got hurt that was all that mattered. Still, it sounded like a little kid when crying out in pain and that gave Pyro an odd feeling in her stomach. Vines came from behind and the side but Pyro rolled to the side and dodged one, grabbing and cutting the other in half. She ignored the thorns cutting into her skin. Right now all that mattered was winning the fight.

 

Pyro HP: 22/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 21/30 

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5571

BD: 3 (Failure)

MD: 6 (Success)

 

The monster's vines grew all around Pyro blocking her. She found herself getting tangled up again but this time her whole body was tied up in the grasp of the monster. It growled and lifted her high into the sky before throwing her far away and directly into the ground. She felt herself go a few feet down into the earth and the impact blurred her vision for a few second. The monster slid and morphed back into the sand, appearing a few feet away from her once again. Pyro gripped her sword and prepared for the worse or best hopefully.

 

Pyro HP: 20/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 21/30

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5574

BD: 4 (Failure)

MD: 3 (Failure)

 

A gust of sand blew again and the sand monster buried its vines back into the sand instead grabbing Pyro with its actual arms this time. They were long and slender and felt like sand paper to the touch. The hands were unusually large compared to the rest of the body, no to mention the long sharp black claws rested upon the ends of each gigantic human-like finger. It held her body in one hand and before it could deal any real damage Pyro managed to somehow escape the strong grasp. In the attempt she dropped her sword and would have to wait until a next successful attack plan for her to be able to retrieve it without getting hurt or coming out alive. She cursed under her breath Both enemies had missed this time.

 

Pyro HP: 20/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 21/30

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5623

BD: 6 (Success)

MD: 2 (Failure)

 

Pyro had to think quick and fortunately formed a plan in time for another incoming attack. She dodged it swiftly and ran towards her sword, picking it up as she ran past it. She flipped the sword so she could grip the handle. Pyro stopped running and turned around in defense stance readying for an attack. The sand monster swung another large, clawed hand at her but she jumped over it and while in the air cut it off. The clump of human-like sand colored sand fell and busted into crystal shards. The monster let out a cry but this time it was an angry one and widened its mouth so it took up half of its face. Pyro scrunched up her nose in disgust at the sight.

 

Pyro HP: 20/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 16/30

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5713

BD: 8 (Success)

MD: 5 (Failure)

 

Pyro shook her head and prepared herself to fight again. The vines were still gone and the monster lunged at her again. She easily dodged this slow moving attack by jumping and little to the left. Pyro jumped on its back and climbed up the back with high speeds, drawing a line with her sword directly where the spine should be. The monster quickly pulled itself back up and Pyro jumped over the head and landed on the ground softly, turning to meet the monsters displeased, twisted, deformed mouth turned into what seemed like a frown.

 

Pyro HP: 20/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 15/30

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5743

BD: 8 (Success)

MD: 9 (Critical Success +1 damage)

 

The sand monster took no time for the next attack. Pyro's cut had been ingraved into its spiny, scaly, peeling human-like sand colored skin and slowly the monster was coming apart, one arm already gone. Vines grew back and grabbed Pyro by the feet, spinning around her ankles. It held out the only arm left and a sword formed. The weapon was extremely long and completely green. It looked like the vines; like a plant. The sand monster swung at her and cut Pyro in the stomach. She was dropped and Pyro clutched her stomach. It only hurt a little since this was just a game but it still stung and left a green mark on her stomach for a few seconds before disappearing.

 

Pyro HP: 17/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 10/30

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5744

BD: 8 (Success)

MD: 1 (Failure)

 

Sand monster swung the sword once again at Pyro, but Pyro was quick enough to jump up and over the long, sharp blade in time. The monster swung rather slow but was still effective and quick enough to land a good blow. Pyro would have to be careful. She used the sword and jumped onto it as the monster began bringing it back up and flipped into the air, cutting the enemy's face where the eyes should have been. It stumbled back a few times and twisted its mouth and growled at her. 

 

Pyro HP: 17/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 5/30

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5745

BD: 5 (Failure)

MD: 1 (Failure)

 

Pyro landed on the ground with a thud, falling down onto her butt, dropping Broken Wing. The monster took this as a chance and swung, but missed Pyro who rolled out of the way and grabbed her curved sword in the process. She jumped to her feet and attempted to attack the monsters arm that seemed nearby but missed by a few inches as it was too late. Pyro cursed under her breath and jumped back into defense stance ready to fight until its death. 'Or my death.' She told herself though it seemed highly unlikely at this point.

 

Pyro HP: 17/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 9/30

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5749

BD: 2 (Failure)

MD: 5 (Failure)

 

The monster seemed angry now, angrier than before. It lifted the longsword over its head and struck down towards Pyro quickly and heavily. It would be too late to move out of the way. She put on foot forward and planted both feet into the ground and lifted her own sword, holding it with both hands. The steel clashed and sparks flew. Pyro was thrown back far but still held her position. She closed her eyes shut tightly and grunted trying hard to hold back the large sword. Pyro, when it seemed she was losing, threw the other sword forward and made it so she could roll out of the way. 

 

Pyro HP: 17/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 9/30

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5774

BD: 10 (Critical Success +2 damage)

MD: 6 (Success)

 

Pyro was tired; more tired than she already was. She decided to just rush forward and ended up attacking its legs. The monster responded with a loud cry that sounded like a child's and dropped its sword, catching and holding it with its vines and swung at Pyro. Pyro was sent flying into the air and landed on her ide on the ground many feet away from the monster. It had taken the liberty to toss her like a ragdoll once again but it seemed the legs were a weak spot as Pyro had made the monster cry louder than usual and made its HP drop low.

 

Pyro HP: 15/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 2/30

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5776

BD: 7 (Success)

MD: 9 (Critical Success +1 damage)

 

The monster didn't hesitate. It dropped into the sand and appeared back in front of Pyro, stomping on her. It didn't crush her enough the stomp wasn't hard enough but it had lowered her HP a good deal. Pyro lifted her sword and cut and its foot while it was retreating and the monster opened its mouth in a perfect o before crysta shards flew in every direction. The good above Pyro was the last to break and she reached out to touch the shards that broke upon her soft finger touching them. She smiled so wide that it hurt and crawled back up onto her feet. 

 

Pyro HP: 12/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 0/30 (dead)

[Pyro 0]

When she thought was done, finally done, a smaller version of said defeated monster appeared in front of her, the same black sword. Its height matched Pyro's own and was ready for another fight. Pyro sighed and held out Broken Wing as a sign that she was ready to fight.

 

ID: 5778

BD: 3 (Failure)

MD: 2 (Failure)

 

Both weren't ready to fight and swung, but missed as both dodged out of the way. Pyro sighed and rolled her eyes.

 

Pyro HP: 12/22

 

Second Sand Monster HP: 3/3

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5782

BD: 1 (Failure)

MD: 10 (Critical Success +2 damage)

 

Pyro, distracted, was hit by the monster and impaled directly through the shoulder by the monster who's deformed mouth curled into a smirk as it twisted the sword around and Pyro cringed in pain. She grabbed the sword and pulled it out, staggering back and wincing.

 

Pyro HP: 8/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 3/3

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5783

BD: 7 (Success)

MD: 6 (Success)

 

Pyro swung at the monster with Broken Wing and landed a hit on its side but it was prepared and swung as well, landing at hit on her opposite side. Both retreated their swords and jumped back. Pyro stared at what was supposed to be eyes and growled, it growling back in response. Pyro smirked and crossed her arms. The monster seemed confused until it started to burst into shards again and then it screeched. Pyro finally sheathed her sword knowing it was gone for good.

 

Pyro HP: 6/22

 

Sand Monster HP: 0/3 (dead)

 

+1 mats

[Pyro 0]

ID: 5785 

LD: 11+1=12 (Any type of good item or mob healthx5 COL) 

 

Pyro looked around and began walking home. She passed over where the first monster died and a screen popped up regarding loot. She smiled and clicked the screen that would allow her to collect COL over a good item. 

 

+150 COL

 

+1 mats 

 

After collecting her reward she ate a few pieces of bread to restore her health, that, and she was starving.

 

-3 bread -1 water

 

Pyro HP: 22/22

[Pyro 0]

Pyro began the long walk back to the safe-zone clutching her sore shoulder, her hair even messier than before. Yet Pyro was smiling and she didn't know why but just couldn't stop. It was impossible and even after it started smiling she kept on stretching her skin.