[F6-SP] Cleansing the Black Lotus (Gemini)

[Simmone 0]

 

Taking the plate glove in hand, looking to the party awaiting the first run: Raidou, Setsuna, Kasumi with a simple nod in agreement to them. Not sure of the meaning behind the gesture but reluctantly equips it just through an interest in what his plan was. Popping the cork in the vial purchased from her own shop, the orange liquid contained within and chugs the fluid tasting of burnt hair. Simmone then passes the other vials around as Raidou nods taking his from here replying “Thank you, Simmone.”

 

Simmone changes Black Cat's Jumpsuit [Light] for Swordsman’s Bracer [Heavy]

Simmone consumes an Immolation Potion

Simmone hands 2*Immolation potions to Setsuna

Simmone hands 2*Immolation potions to Kasumi

Simmone hands 2*Immolation +1 Potions to Raidou

 

Stepping down the jagged uneven flooring an unruly and plated gauntlet ill-fitted to her arm, hot and humid with moisture clinging to her like dipping herself in oil Simmone pressed on through varied scents tropical in nature. To her left in a spray of water against crashing stone, painting a rainbow in the mist with a soft crash of the falling water creating ambient white noise through the serene lush green surrounding her. Looking at her quest log trying to get a sense of what the quest entails with a flick of a traveling hand.

Spoiler

Simmone, The Black Cat

Level: 4

HP: 80/80

EN: 8/8

Weapon: Ornate Quicksilver Rapier [Rapier] (T1/Rare) Bleed 1 (12 Unmitigated Damage per round for 2 rounds on NBD 9-10), Keen (+1 BD after successful attack on the following attack.)

Armor: Swordsman's Bracer [Heavy] (T1/Perfect) 3 Mitigation (+27 Damage Mitigation)

Misc: Cat's Gaze [Trinket] (T1/Perfect) +3 Accuracy

Damage: 2

Accuracy: +3

Immolation: 10 Unmitigated Damage on Successful Enemy attacks to aggressor

Keen: +1 BD after landing a strike, for the next attack

Mitigation: +27 Damage Mitigation

Bleed: 12 Unmitigateable damage each round for 2 rounds (9-10)

Skills:

1H Rapier: Rank 1

 

Edited February 17, 2020 by Simmone

[Simmone 0]

Carefully reading each word of the description back it provides no clarity or destination for what’s intended to transpire. A wipe of her brow with her sleeve to clear the sweat from it, at first intending to use her left before she notices the gleaming plate strapped to her arm switching to her right for the task as to not grind the metal plates uncomfortably across her skin, it clear she was not used to their presence. Simmone takes eyes to the plates’ silver surface, reflecting the sunlight overhead as she raises her arm “What is the point of this? You’d lend me this for this task, I do not understand your plan or motives...Raidou” The words hang on her lips, thoughts carrying her back to when the boy had held so much fire against the group dogging him with the pressure that he stood against and left them dumbstruck.

[Simmone 0]

Proceeding aimlessly through the forest of large trees, through darkened vine working itself into a net of growth Simmone has to take an art to cleave them in twain to allow passage, then impeding her path with heavy mass. Passing through the small tapestry of cords of plants. Simmone’s patience thinning from the heat sticking to her in a damp condensation as she passes deeper into the jungle, aiming to drop this endeavor as her resolve falters. Looking at her map with the intentions of forfeiting, she becomes aware of it fuzzing. Appearing as if static on a T.V. with no signal she was condemned into following the steps she took, as her location was robbed from her and with it any idea which direction she was headed. “Just perfect….” eyes to the map in a few flustered frustrations, Simmone felt like a mouse trapped in a maze with no end. 
 

[Simmone 0]

Moving forward as the only possibility now was a success or being lost eternally in this canopy of leaves. The path twists and winds in a network of forest meeting stone loosely. A blurring line of rock cobbled into brick and dirt in pieces, it was unclear which overtook which. Each step increasing the solid brick flooring as the dirt became less and less frequent until it was a solid floor of a man-made design under her heeled boots creating the path leading to the depths. “Where have I stumbled…” faint confusion bouncing off stonework around her, reverberating back to her ears and down the hall in a tunnel of the past, The words continue until they don’t, falling in silence to the sounds of heeled steps down the long corridor. Darkness takes hold of the enclosure, a glimmer of light at the end of both figurative and literal cage leading her in one direction.

[Simmone 0]

Coming to the end of the corridor with the burning sunlight blinding her as her pupils adjust to the newfound light from outside shoving itself into her retina. The blurring fading slowly and softly with the passage of time reclaiming her sight, the sticky feeling of the humidity still assaulting her skin making her chest feel heavy and thick like gasping for air. Simmone pauses almost with a choke before she takes a few deep breaths as to not faint as the air seems thicker and solid here. The treeline around her in a ring, an arena of sorts with thick walls of trunks painting a fence around in an almost perfect circle.

[Simmone 0]

Within this ring of trees seeming almost a man-made construction given the perfect roundness of the sphere its graced with a small makeshift table, of splintered boards carved loosely of grayed jungle wood. Upon the surface lie some papers in a language not familiar to her. Pulling herself to inspect the table moving the sheets of words unfamiliar she takes across the table to see if anything of use or description of where she might be lies within.

#135878 LD: 8 Failure

Despite her attempts to see where she may be, she finds little use laden about the surface of the small platform hidden in the jungle from prying eyes. Seeing nothing more than small paper she gives up and chooses to press on, Simmone takes a step away and presses on through the treeline, having to hack away at heavy leaves and brush with her rapier, a silver glint with purple to break through the perimeter.

Edited February 17, 2020 by Simmone

[Simmone 0]

The foliage gives way after a few repeated hacks against it, spraying an odd fragrance like aloe about that dances through Simmone’s nostrils. “Peculiar..” thinking very little of the scent as she moves on struggling to push through a dense net of wires littered with leaves connected through the wooden maze with minimal light breaking in from overhead leaving most of it cast in a greenish shadow.

A hop over the protruding roots of one of the large trees to her left, Simmone keeps pace hoping this damp and muggy mess wouldn’t become her tomb landing on a bit of squishy ground burdened with moss growing feverishly under the umbrella of leaves shielding it from the sun. Peeling her heels from the suctioned ground, slightly contemplating her choice in footwear as the improper one. Trekking on passing each large tree, with a vault or a pass under the network of a foot diameter roots.
 

[Simmone 0]

The trees start to become fewer and fewer through the road Simmone walks, turning to grass baron stone flooring underfoot. The clicking of her heels upon the rock surface as it seems to create an incline, becoming a bit difficult to ascend Simmone looks to her map once again confirming it’s still within a haze of static.

“Why the hell am I here!” Simmone yells to a background with no answer, the words fall to none as her composure falters in her fury. Simmone debates dropping this charade, returning and accepting the failure not knowing what the heck she was doing in this forest under-leveled for the area at the behest of a man she barely knew who had only told her what to do and had not explained like she was told he would.

“Why haven’t I been told…” Simmone giving up at the precipice of the mountain the climb starting to prey on her strength.
 

[Simmone 0]

"Maybe he doesn’t trust me, I’ve failed to ensnare his interests enough for him to share. I thought this loyalty I was giving was sufficient but perhaps not…” a stare to her left arm, the plate blazing on its surface as if the swordsman was right beside her. “If… why would he give me this? What am I doing here, I wasn’t meant for this physical labor. I hate this place, this game!” The principle of having to carry her own weight she hated, Simmone was pampered so much that the thought of having to do it herself, carry her own two feet and put her life at risk for her made her feel like a child. Fear, wasn’t something she was used to experiencing and the feeling finally settling into her in an unfamiliar state as the sense started to overwhelm her and take away her ability to think.
 

[Simmone 0]

Simmone sat for what was mere minutes that felt like lifetimes trying to find the courage to stand, to press on but like a child finally pushed from the nest she didn’t know how to respond to such a powerful emotion. A shift in the winds, the weather changing and began a sudden downpour dumping insult to injury. The water was cool and rapid tearing the heat from Simmone’s chest as it broke down her face in streams, feeling like tears that seemed fitting. Not sure if they were in fact tears or just a replication of them as the water found its way under her chin as the rain poured and poured soaking her to the bone.

Taking her arms to her elbows in across, her shoulders raising as she pulled them tight to her chest feeling isolated on this mountain and defeated as if she had lost and failed.
 

[Simmone 0]

Embracing herself through the chilling rain dropping like an ocean from the sky, her clothes sticking to her as her hair does the same. Each breath is troubled in a huff of white under the beating water, drowning her under a wave of sorrow and misery weakness robbing her of thought and being lost within the white noise of the falling rain like a cage of the mind.

“What should I do?” The soft words drowned by the flooding waters falling from her lips as her hair sticks to her face, her eyes blank and dropping focus drained of perspective. A few softened steps in the distance, causing the fear to agitate in her belly not knowing what lies beyond the pouring drizzle her mind begins to race with possibilities of what it might be just out of sight. “Leave me be cardinal! I’ve had enough of this charade… Just leave me here to sit in my failure…”
 

[Simmone 0]

“Boo Hoo! We can’t do this, Raidou we are scared! This isn’t what we are capable of!” A subtle shout breaking over the white noise of the falling rain drowning out all but the sounds of the grim voice burning through it. Simmone’s eyes open and scan for the vocal origin, through heavy obscurity in the rain a pair of grim bright and yellow eyes pierce through the veil. “What? Who are you?” Simmone swallows hard trying to get a clear look at what was speaking at her from just out of sight.

“What you’ll see will change you, let them speak and face yourself.”

Simmone looks up reluctantly as it rings in her ears, as if spoken again she tries to do as she was told not sure what else to do at this point but this one thing being the only thing that drives her through the crushing fear.

 

 

Edited February 17, 2020 by Simmone

[Simmone 0]

“A few subtle words, coated with practice silver and we can achieve whatever we desire, who cares who it hurts at the end if it justifies the means. Men will drop their lives if asked and my oh my! we enjoy the total surrender. Give us your life in exchange for nothing but being penniless! Its a riot!”
A darkened two-tone voice that shatters the peaceful backdrop from a hazed faded and blackened mirror image that seems to regurgitate her own darkness as a weapon. ‘What is this nonsense you speak?” Simmone visibly shook at the accuracy of the words as they fly true enough to pierce her heart. Simmone doubles back, shifting along the surface of the stone trying to put some distance between the monster speaking with such efficient insight into her soul, moving back while on her rear. “Stay away from me, you do not know what you pretend to…”
 

[Simmone 0]

“Everyone belongs under our heels, they aren’t worth more than the ground on which we walk. A secret we dare not share though, lest they see us for the witch we are...” the mirror goads her with a twisted smile of almost pointed teeth, burning yellow eyes bleeding from its sockets. “What nonsense are you speaking, how to pretend to read my intentions specter?” Simmone shouts struggling to retrieve herself from the ground, frightened and soaked to the bone had never been in such an extreme situation felt so young, so small against the grain waves of water and the words that poured into her being.

Finding her feet, Simmone manages to stand and starts to back away as a pair of eyes find a frame and staring back through her like clear glass, is a mirror of herself. “What!?” Simmone doesn’t know how to interpret this, as a bitter reflection breaks the ground between them.

[Simmone 0]

“Just a bit of honeyed words is all it takes to bend those to our will, is it not correct? Men and women both see our regalia and a chance at our hides, and we use this to force them into whatever we want them to do.”

“Leave me alone…” Simmone shouts in self-defense being overwhelmed by the accusation

“We know that we speak the truth, for I am you…” the hollowed form taking a couple more steps toward her

“No, you know nothing!” A couple more steps back

“Of course we do, we are the same.” a few more forward

“No you're not me!” finding the trunk of a tree with her back

“Say it again, I dare you!” a goading smile beginning to peak on lips with flared yellow eyes

“YOU’RE NOT ME!”

A darkened chuckle with a twisting grin, “Then that makes me...me and after I erase you there will be I’ll be the only one left!” Drawing its blade in a flourish, a blackened version of Simmone’s Rapier and takes a few steps the heels clicking under the pouring rain.
 

[Simmone 0]

An aggressive lunge to Simmone as it flurries with an ethereal shade wrapping around its frame that seems to be a bleed of the storm around them. Slamming against Simmone as she raises her arms instinctual unsure of the course of action she should take. The attack finds true against Simmone but the blow glances with sparks off Raidou's glove. Looking up in a bit of a fluster knowing the blow hit her takes note of her HP bar. Only a minor sliver missing from it as the Gemini hisses and backs away winding up for another swing as its HP plummets.

ID#135882

Battle: 2+3 Missed!

Craft: 6

Loot: 9

MOB: 2+4 HIT

Simmone starts to understand the odds were rigged from the beginning, Raidou planned for this. "How, what in the hell?" Sliding her inventory open and checking the descriptions more carefully the game of chess he has played before to sway the scales in her favor become clear. The creature stood no chance in this unequal footing.

Simmone: HP:79/80, Damage: 2, Mitigation: 27, Accuracy +3, Immolation: 10 Unmit

Gemini: HP: 30/40, Damage: 20 [BD9-10: 24-28], Accuracy +3 (+4 First Attack) Mitigation: 7, Paralyze 1 (9-10)

Edited February 17, 2020 by Simmone

[Simmone 0]

With newfound confidence as the creature retracts Simmone readies an art. The creature recovers from its cool down and follows her in a reflection of the same. Tearing across the field in a compounded mirror of yellow and purple they both connect with a crash of thunder and metal on metal. The glove activates and defends Simmone while the creature doesn't share the same luxury. Simmone takes a small tick of damage while the creature finds the end of her blade harshly. A jab that tears deep through its abdomen seeming to do little damage. But Simmone notices the small box of a stuck ailment appear next to the creatures targeting reticle. "Well, It seems you've thought of this..."

Flurrying her blade and retracting the red data from its surface as the creatures wound begins to widen. It would be only a few more moments, before the bleed kicked in.

 ID# 135887 results:

 Battle: 9 Minor Critical (Basic 3 Damage, Bleed 1)

 Craft: 4

 Loot: 10

 MOB: 3+3 HIT

Simmone: HP:78/80 EN:7/8, Damage: 2, Mitigation: 27, Accuracy +3, Immolation: 10 Unmit

Gemini: HP: 19/40, Damage: 20 [BD9-10: 24-28], Accuracy +3 (+4 First Attack) Mitigation: 7, Paralyze 1 (9-10) [BLD 1 (12 Unmit over 2)]

 

Edited February 17, 2020 by Simmone

[Simmone 0]

The bleed procs, as it tears through half of the creatures remaining HP. Looking desperate it lunges against Simmone again, leaving her faith in the guild masters arm latched to hers like a shield the rapier of her other self tears across its surface in sparks leaving no scratch upon its surface. Immolation activates and the fire draws up the clones weapon and onto it burning away its strength. Dropping to one knee it looks to Simmone for what she had planned for it having been left on its last leg.

Simmone draws closer having easily bested the fight given how much the odds had been swayed to her, a careful plan to fruition.

Raidou, I think I understand...

Looking to the plate on her arm as she steps closer and places the point of her rapier to the shadow's chest softly weighing her options while the creature lies incapacitated.

ID#135888 results:

 Battle: 3+3 HIT

 Craft: 4

 Loot: 19

 MOB: 4+3 HIT!

Simmone: HP:77/80 EN:7/8, Damage: 2, Mitigation: 27, Accuracy +3, Immolation: 10 Unmit

Gemini: HP: 1/40, Damage: 20 [BD9-10: 24-28], Accuracy +3 (+4 First Attack) Mitigation: 7, Paralyze 1 (9-10) [SPARED!]

Edited February 17, 2020 by Simmone

[Simmone 0]

With its strength waning, the shadow form falls from its feet to a knee with a softened look to Simmone, as she stands over the top of the creature. Retracting her blade with spite and placing the point to her own reflection just above the heart as the creature spits at her with the following words.

“Do it, make me...me” 

Simmone glares and pretends to start to push the blade into its chest before she flourishes the blade and sheathes it. “No, your not separate from me.” Leaning over the creature with an extended left arm covered in Raidou’s plated glove. Simmone’s offered arm as if the guild master's arm to herself as if he was accepting her issues. “I get that, you’re a part of me, just the part I can’t help but hide and despise, I’ll just have to better than myself.” As she pulls ‘herself to its feet’ vanishing in a blueish light with a smile.

The strength of the heart required to face oneself has been made to manifest
Simmone has faced her other self
Simmone has obtained the resolve to overcome life’s hardships
 

Edited February 17, 2020 by Simmone

[Simmone 0]

Simmone takes a seat as she processes exactly what has transpired, taking a soft look at the plate affixed to her left arm. It was clear that Raidou had pre-planned exactly what was to happen here, and despite her reluctance to follow behind him blindly he had no intention of putting her life at risk. 

Trying to make sense of her thoughts mixing around in her head, Simmonè realized that while sitting there, it was silent. Looking around her she realized that the storm that was there seconds ago… just stopped. With a small sigh, Simmonè gets to her feet saying “Off to the next member so you can help them as you have helped me” as she glances at the Swordsman’s Bracer and starts heading in the direction that was intending to head before the interruption. Mud splashing at every step still soaking wet decides at that moment that when everything is done, Simmonè will be taking a long hot bath to wash away what has happened today.

Edited February 17, 2020 by Simmone