[F6-SP] <<The Gemini>> | Mirror Match!

[Astreya 0]

Astreya followed along behind the mysterious figure, the young woman feeling like she was being a bit too trusting at the moment, but she couldn't help but to begin to think that she might have been a bit too trusting in this moment.  She had heard others note that she was foolish for giving away her first name so easily, but so far no one had been able to give her an answer as to why.  But she had offered to follow this figure somewhere.  

"You look pretty strong.  I'm looking to test my skills. If you beat me, I'll teach you a hidden skill. What do you say?"

That had been the challenge, and Astreya had, in her haste to get stronger, jumped up at the offer.  But now that she was getting further away from the town, she was starting to feel like there was something wrong, here.  "Hey.  Aren't we far enough away?"

 

Full Stats:

Spoiler

 

	Astreya
Basics:	Skills:	Equipment:
HP: 180 Energy: 18 Damage: 6 Mitigation: 17 Thorns: 9	2H Straight Sword[Journeyman] Sword Arts: Spoiler [x2 AoE] Blast (2 Energy +2 per target hit) - A pair of horizontal sweeping strokes that hits multiple targets. [x2] Straight (2 Energy) - Begins with the player bending their knees before thrusting forward with a singular powerful strike covering the gap between you and your opponent. [x3] Scooped (3 Energy) - A three-hit sword art that employs varying over and under-cut motions. [x4 Stun] Lightning (7 Energy) - A combination of four slashes of varying angles aimed at a single target stunning them. [x4] Cyclone (4 Energy) - A multi-hit sword art that uses the user's heel as a pivot to spin violently, chaining together multiple hits. Heavy Armor[Novice] +8 MIT	Weapon: 2H Straight Sword [Damage] Armor: Battle Dress [Mitigation][Thorns] Items: Starter Healing Potion | 50HP | 3 T1 Health Potion | 40 HP | 5 T1 Damage Potion | 1 Damage | 1 T1 Immolation Potion | 10 Thorns | 2

 

 

 

[Astreya 0]

There was no answer from the hooded figure, and Astreya could feel another small tremor of uncertainty flicker through her at this, but she didn't stop.  There were going to be weird things in this world and she was just going to have to learn to deal with it.  She didn't necessarily like that, but she understood that it was a requirement to make it anywhere here in Sword Art: Online.  So when no answer came back to her, rather than stop, she forced herself onward.

The young woman's footsteps brought her along with the hooded figure until they had reached the forest just outside of the town, where she'd fought the boars some time ago.  The figure halted suddenly in a clearing, beginning to untie the cloak that they wore, and with a gesture, cast it off to the side.  As the individual turned around to face her, Astreya's eyes widened.  "What the..."

[Astreya 0]

This was... not what she had expected to see.  This figure looked exactly like her, down to the smallest detail.  Immediately, she took a step back, her hand moving to her sword.  "What's the big idea?" she demanded, not entirely sure if the mirror twin of her was going to answer.  The voice, at least, didn't sound like her own, but that only made the whole thing that much more uncanny, and she swallowed slightly as she looked on at the opponent that stood opposite her.

The Mirror (as Astreya had decided to call... her?) lifted her own hand to the weapon on the back, in a complete and utter copy of what she'd done.  "What are you, five?  Mimicking someone else?  Come on now," she spoke, clearly a bit more rattled about the situation than she was actually letting on, but while she stood there, the Mirror didn't attack, the two just staring at one another, waiting.

[Astreya 0]

She realized then, that the Mirror wasn't going to attack her until she attacked first.  The young woman hesitated, unsure of how to proceed, before she reached down then to her side, pulling out a potion.  It was the Immolation potion that she'd picked up from the store.  "If we're going to fight, I'm gonna be at my best," she called, and the woman opposite her nodded, seeming to not at all mind as Astreya drank the immolation potion.

"But if you are using tricks, then so shall I.  One for one," the Mirror spoke, and to see her body use both a tone of voice and a speech pattern that wasn't hers, it caused another tremor of uncertainty to rise up through her once more, and she watched as the weapon of the other woman began to suddenly buzz with energy, giving it a most unfortunate look, her eyes narrowing as she saw that weapon- she didn't like it.

------

1 Immolation Potion Used!  10 Thorns Damage until the end of the encounter!

[Astreya 0]

Whoever this person was, they weren't going to get away with taking her face- that was something that she couldn't at all stand for.  It was the only thing that really made her unique in this world, and she would be damned if she was going to let someone else take that from her.  "All right- then let's go all out!" she called out and then Mirror readied herself as well.  As Astreya came forward, Mirror took the first swing, the weapon coming in at a blur.

But Astreya was focused, and managed to skirt around the weapon, just barely avoiding the strike, but in doing so, she saw an ample opportunity for her as she spun on her heel, her weapon beginning to whirl around her, slashing out in a series of strikes against Mirror's unprotected form, cutting through the armor- if anything, Astreya knew how the armor functioned well enough to find its holes.  

Mirror grunted, before darting back.  "You'll not land another blow like that upon me.  Now let me show you your weaknesses." 

---

Astreya uses Cyclone (x4) vs Mirror!
ID# 186717 results:
Battle: 10 (Critical Hit! +2 Base Damage, ((6+2)*4) = 32 | 32-15 = 17 Damage Dealt!)
MOB: 4 (Miss!)
----

Astreya Stats:	Mirror Stats:
HP: 180/180 Energy: 14/18 Damage: 6 Mitigation: 17 Thorns: 9	HP: 73/90 Damage: 45 Mitigation: 15 Acc: +1 on First Turn Crits: +9 on 9, +18 on 10

 

Edited March 26, 2021 by Astreya
Fluff

[Astreya 0]

Astreya frowned at the certainty in the words that were given, the woman gripping her weapon tightly.  "You say that, but I'll show you," the girl called back.  This person, whoever they were, they were acting way too haughty for her liking.  She shifted herself slightly, watching the movements of her opponent for a moment.  She needed to find out how Mirror moved, to adjust and capitalize on their style.  The better she could do that, the easier time she'd have in-

Her thoughts suddenly went numb as her body as the blade connected in the weak point of her own armor, and Astreya's whole body felt like it was bound with iron bands.  She couldn't move, she couldn't look around, she couldn't even breathe it felt like for several seconds before she stumbled back away, the  numbness fading.  Her eyes went to the buzzing on Mirror's blade, and she let out a slow exhale.  So, that's what it was.

---

Astreya uses Cyclone (x4) vs Mirror!
ID# 186718 results:
Battle: 9
MOB: 9 (Critical Hit! 45+9-17=37 Damage Dealt.  Paralyze removed Astreya's Action!)

----

Astreya Stats:	Mirror Stats:
HP: 143/180 Energy: 15/18 Damage: 6 Mitigation: 17 Thorns: 9	HP: 73/90 Damage: 45 Mitigation: 15 Acc: +1 on First Turn Crits: +9 on 9, +18 on 10

Edited March 26, 2021 by Astreya
Fluff

[Astreya 0]

There was only the briefest moment of hesitation between both of them after the last exchange before both women darted in, Mirror as a perfect twin to Astreya, and the pair of them clashed their blades in a vicious struggle.  The sudden show of force from the pair of their weapons slamming together caused a shower of sparks to cascade of, and Astreya twitched slightly as she saw it, before she redoubled her efforts, grunting as she pushed back against Mirror's own blade.

The hesitation between the pair lasted only a moment longer before Astreya broke through the guard, slashing at her twin, but in the same movement, Mirror attacked as well, the pair of them striking at one another, pain flaring up on both sides.  "Guh... ouch," Astreya gave a small sound as she stumbled back away, readying herself for another attack against her mirrored twin.  She thought she'd be ready for this... but this was hard.

----

Astreya uses Cyclone (x4) vs Mirror!
ID# 186719 results:
Battle: 7 (Hit! 6x4 = 24 - 15 = 9 Damage Dealt!)
MOB: 7 (Hit! 45 - 17 = 28 Damage Dealt!  19 Thorns Damage Taken!)

----

Astreya Stats:	Mirror Stats:
HP: 115/180 Energy: 12/18 Damage: 6 Mitigation: 17 Thorns: 9	HP: 45/90 Damage: 45 Mitigation: 15 Acc: +1 on First Turn Crits: +9 on 9, +18 on 10

Edited March 26, 2021 by Astreya
Fluff

[Astreya 0]

And hard it was... the woman's limbs felt like they were starting to turn to jelly already- and this fight hadn't even been going on that long.  "What are you even after, with this?  Why are you-" Astreya asked, before her foe was already coming in.  "Tch," the young woman hissed as she shifted her stance back and away from the other, but it didn't much matter with the ferocity that Mirror was coming in with, Astreya was finding herself on the defensive end.

Blow after blow rained down upon her and she struggled to bring her blade to bear against them as each one battered her arms and legs further, until the point where she didn't think she could even manage to bring up a defense against it any longer.  And Mirror took advantage of that, striking the blade near its base, sending the weapon flying from her hands as it embedded in the dirt a short distance away.

---

Astreya uses Cyclone (x4) vs Mirror!
ID# 186722 results:
Battle: 2 (Miss!)
MOB: 6 (Hit! 45 - 17 = 28 Damage Dealt!  19 Thorns Damage Taken!)

----

Astreya Stats:	Mirror Stats:
HP: 87/180 Energy: 11/18 Damage: 6 Mitigation: 17 Thorns: 9	HP: 26/90 Damage: 45 Mitigation: 15 Acc: +1 on First Turn Crits: +9 on 9, +18 on 10

Edited March 26, 2021 by Astreya
Fluff

[Astreya 0]

Her arms hurt, but there was a sudden fire that burned in her stomach, and she couldn't help an almost aggressive growl that was building up in her throat.  "Good.  Let that determination grow within you," Mirror spoke, and Astreya wasn't really sure what it was that the other woman was getting at as she stumbled away, going to grasp her sword on the ground once more.  But as her hand wrapped around the hilt, she felt the blade from her twin slamming into her back and through to her stomach.

Astreya grunted, her eyes closed for what felt like a long time, simply laying there, her body pinned down on the blade held by Mirror.  "Where was that anger I just saw?  Are you giving up?" Mirror spoke down at her, and the young woman beneath her felt her jaw grit together as the will to live, and not only to live, but to succeed began to swell up within her.

Astreya uses Cyclone (x4) vs Mirror!
ID# 186723 results:
Battle: 1
MOB: 9 (Critical Hit! 45+9-17=37 Damage Dealt.  Paralyze removed Astreya's Action!)

----

Astreya Stats:	Mirror Stats:
HP: 50/180 Energy: 12/18 Damage: 6 Mitigation: 17 Thorns: 9	HP: 26/90 Damage: 45 Mitigation: 15 Acc: +1 on First Turn Crits: +9 on 9, +18 on 10

Edited March 26, 2021 by Astreya
Fluff

[Astreya 0]

"I haven't given up," Astreya responded, feeling pain in her body from the woman's weapon thrust through her.  Reaching down, she pulled out a flask of healing liquid, beginning to drink the contents of such, even with the sword still stuck within her.  She allowed her body to recover slightly from the wounds that had been taken.  While struggling was the obvious response to the situation, instead she wanted to just take the more tactical one, which was to recover for a moment, and as long as Mirror was going to allow it, she'd take full advantage.

There was a pause before Mirror pulled the blade back out, and while in the real world that would have caused more damage, since it wasn't an attack here, it did nothing.  "So I see.  Come on then.  Come at me," Mirror spoke, and stood opposite where she lay, waiting for Astreya to get back up to her feet once more.  "Show me your fighting spirit."

 

----

Astreya uses a T1 Health Potion: +40 HP
ID# 186724 results:
Battle: 2 (N/A, just drinking potion)
MOB: 3 (Miss!)

----

Astreya Stats:	Mirror Stats:
HP: 90/180 Energy: 13/18 Damage: 6 Mitigation: 17 Thorns: 9	HP: 26/90 Damage: 45 Mitigation: 15 Acc: +1 on First Turn Crits: +9 on 9, +18 on 10

Edited March 26, 2021 by Astreya
Fluff

[Astreya 0]

Still on the ground, Astreya couldn't help but to feel annoyed.  Not so much at Mirror, but at herself.  She was losing this fight against someone that looked just like her.  Did that make this other figure the real her?  She knew that wasn't true at all, but it still was hard to think about for the young woman as she grunted slightly, feeling the wound throbbing from where she'd just been stabbed.  She knew it was just the Nervegear putting those signals into her brain- that she hadn't actually been stabbed... but it didn't make it hurt any less.

Grunting, she put a hand on the ground, as if she were going to pick herself up to a standing position... when the woman turned sharply on the ball of her foot, whirling once more like a dervish.  "I'll tell you when I've given up!" Astreya hollered at MIrror, catching the other completely off-guard with the sudden assault!

Astreya uses Cyclone (x4) vs Mirror!
ID# 186725 results:
Battle: 8 (Hit! 6 * 4 = 24 - 15 = 9 Damage Dealt!)
MOB: 5 (Miss!)

----

Astreya Stats:	Mirror Stats:
HP: 90/180 Energy: 10/18 Damage: 6 Mitigation: 17 Thorns: 9	HP: 17/90 Damage: 45 Mitigation: 15 Acc: +1 on First Turn Crits: +9 on 9, +18 on 10

Edited March 26, 2021 by Astreya
Fluff

[Astreya 0]

Even with the sudden surprise attack, it seemed that Mirror was mostly unfazed.  The attack had struck the not-Astreya woman, and she had taken a tactical step back before waiting for the actual PC to turn around again, and as Astreya came back to face her, the feeling once more of a blade coming into her stomach was felt as the attack struck home.  Astreya's body felt that similar freezing sensation, and knew that the electricity on the blade was keeping her from moving.  "You're unfocused, and swinging wildly.  You need to relax, focus, concentrate."

The words from the other version of her felt like they were coming from a weighted hammer, and Astreya grunted softly, her eyes closing for a moment as she stood, still being impaled by the two handed blade of Mirror.  Those words that were spoken started to stir up a bit in her soul, and she realized where she'd heard them before.  Her father.

---

Astreya uses Cyclone (x4) vs Mirror!
ID# 186726 results:
Battle: 8
MOB: 10 (Critical Hit! 45+18-17=46 Damage Dealt.  Paralyze removed Astreya's Action!)
----

Astreya Stats:	Mirror Stats:
HP: 44/180 Energy: 11/18 Damage: 6 Mitigation: 17 Thorns: 9	HP: 17/90 Damage: 45 Mitigation: 15 Acc: +1 on First Turn Crits: +9 on 9, +18 on 10

Edited March 26, 2021 by Astreya
Fluff

[Astreya 0]

While she didn't know how damaged Mirror was, she had taken that immolation potion at the start of the fight, and she could tell that the reflective energies of it was pairing up with her armor and doing a hell of a job at harming the incoming attacks from Mirror.  But at this distance, there was no way fro Mirror to get away from her- and she realized that if she did what had just been said, and thought about this tactically instead of just waving a sword around like a maniac, she'd have a better opportunity here.

She shifted slightly then as she shifted forward toward Mirror.  As she did so, the sword inside of her cut deeper, but as this was now an 'attack' by the system terms, her Thorns activated and delivered damage that couldn't be stopped to the doppleganger of herself.  The attack hit and the doppleganger, Mirror, released the weapon and stepped away, arms spread.  "You've earned the right for victory.  Take what is yours."

----

Astreya uses a T1 Health Potion: +40 HP
ID# 186727 results:
Battle: 8 (N/A, just drinking potion (wish I wouldn't have though))
MOB: 6 (Hit! 45 - 17 = 28 Damage Dealt!  19 Thorns Damage Taken!  Mirror Defeated!)

----

Astreya Stats:	Mirror Stats:
HP: 84/180 Energy: 12/18 Damage: 6 Mitigation: 17 Thorns: 9	HP: 0/90 Damage: 45 Mitigation: 15 Acc: +1 on First Turn Crits: +9 on 9, +18 on 10

Edited March 26, 2021 by Astreya
Fluff

[Astreya 0]

Astreya looked at the form of Mirror opposite her, the woman standing with her arms outstretched to either side as she beckoned Astreya to finish what she'd started.  To claim her prize.  The woman hesitated- it was hard to kill something in general, even if this was a game- it was even harder to kill something that wore your face.  Nonetheless, the woman began to move forward toward her opponent, watching her with a slight frown on her features.  "Why did you say what you did?  Those words aren't even something I've ever said."

Mirror didn't answer, merely standing with her arms outward, like a large letter T.  Astreya swallowed as she took a half step forward still, not able to pull back away from her.  There was something odd about this entire situation and she didn't much care for it.  Was this how Sword Art Online was supposed to go?  Was there something else here?

[Astreya 0]

But there was no response from Mirror, not that Astreya had voiced the thoughts out loud, but all the same... 

Exhaling, she observed the other individual for a long moment before it seemed that the woman had finally made up her mind.  She pulled her weapon back, holding it in both her hands in order to properly wield it as she finished closing the distance between herself and the other woman, not having the slightest hesitation in her step now as she drew closer.

She knew what she was going to do, and she understood that there would be far-reaching effects from the consequences of these actions. Maybe not in the game world as a whole, but for her. Whatever this was- it was unnatural, but in a way that felt like it was something familiar to her.  Like a piece of her actual, real life was here, holding conversation with her through a trial by combat.

[Astreya 0]

The Nerve Gear didn't have any way to actually pull that information from her, right?  There was no way that it could come in to access her memories, and know had happened to her, growing up?  The surreality of the experience was beyond anything that she could have expected when she started out on this journey and... she also knew that her journey had just begun.  That she wasn't nearly at any point yet where she could say with a definitive answer that she was ready to go into the big leagues.

And yet.

This felt like a turning point.  A reminder of the world where she'd come from- a world forgotten.  Memories came rushing back to her of the time spent with her parents, with her friends, and so forth.  

She grit her teeth- this world had always felt unreal to her, but that unreality had become her reality over time.  And now... she lifted her weapon high, facing her doppleganger.

[Astreya 0]

The weapon spun a bit in her grasp, flipping around before she sheathed in upon the scabbard on her back, and she took a step forward again to throw her arms around her twin, pulling her closer to herself.  "I don't know who or what you are.  But regardless, you've made me remember a lot of things that I'd forgotten about.  Things that I want to see and experience again, so I'm gonna make sure that I keep this lesson close to my heart, and I don't forget the lessons I was taught, or where I came from... or where I need to go," the woman spoke quietly, still holding the form of the other Astreya close to her, who still had yet to move.

She took in a long, deep breath, holding it for a few moments before she exhaled, feeling the weight of her decisions starting to settle onto her shoulders.  This was the right path.

[Astreya 0]

Relax.
Focus.
Concentrate.

These words had been drilled into her head by her father since she was small.  Whenever she was playing in a sport or chess or whatever it was, whenever she started to get frustrated with herself or her teammates, her father had always called her over.  He hadn't given her a pep talk or gone into anything sappy about her trying her best.  It was just those three words.  Relax. Focus. Concentrate.  

They'd become something of a mantra for her when she had been out in the 'real' world.  It'd allowed her to get past many things that made her nervous, or angry, or sad.  She could let her mind start to pick apart the 'why' and not just let it be an emotional rollercoaster, which had helped her to become as adjusted as she was today.  But somewhere along the way, she'd forgotten those three words, and now... today, she'd heard them again.

[Astreya 0]

Still, Mirror hadn't said a word, but Astreya didn't push for details, and instead began to pull back away from the other woman.  As she did so, she opened her eyes to gaze upon the other woman's features... before she realized she was staring at a training dummy.  She blinked, almost nearly yelping in surprise as she stumbled a few steps backward, looking this way and that, to see if there was anyone else around that had caught her hugging a training dummy.  

"Wh...wait.  What?" she asked aloud, looking around.  There was no sign of her opponent.  No sword, no cloak that had been discarded.  No Mirror.  She reached her hands up to her eyes, rubbing at them several times as she looked around again.  "Wait, seriously?" she asked aloud, turning around several times to make sure she hadn't just missed a doppleganger of herself somewhere in this forest who was watching and mocking her.

[Astreya 0]

There was nothing.  "Okay.  I must be losing my mind.  But..." she spoke, glancing back at the dummy as it stood, faceless, its arms out to either side.  Relax, focus, concentrate.  It had to have been something in her mind.  Maybe the decision to actually do this, to get to the front lines, had caused her to have some sort of mental break?  Or perhaps just a major amount of stress had led to a hallucination?

She shook her head, turning away from the training dummy.  "C'mon Ris.  Get your head in the game.  We got levels to get," she spoke to herself, clapping herself on both cheeks before she began to march out of the forest, not turning to look back at the sole training dummy that stood in the center of it as she moved with a renewed sense of determination.

After she had left, only an empty field remained behind.

======

Thread Completion Wrap-up!
5 SP (3 Quest, 1 Thread Page, 1 Bonus 2.6)
1000 Col (400 Thread Page, 600 Quest)
Extra Skill: <<Concentration>> if The Gemini is spared.