[SP:F6] Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger <<The Gemini>>Completed

[Mayuri 0]

Mayuri found herself quite alone of the sixth floor on a path leading her who knew where, in the middle of the dense jungle. The calls of the birds and other wild sounds and rustles of the bush around her unnerved the young woman a bit, but still she travelled on. The young raven haired woman had gotten herself lost, very lost. She had only meant to check out the main village on the level, but had yet to find where she was to turn. Maybe she’d missed it awhile back, she was no longer sure. Turning around was not in the cards however, because she hadn’t missed it, and her path was just ahead, she’d have been very upset and not bother with coming back to this horrible jungle floor.

 

Another half an hour and Mai decided that she just wasn’t going to find what she was looking for. The girl sighed and kicked her geta along the ground. “All I wanted was to look around,” she fussed. As she complained the young woman spotted someone moving ahead of her. “Oh good a person!” Mai said relieved.

 

The person was hooded and had its back to the girl. “Excuse me!” Mai called out.

 

The figure spun about and dropped his hood and gave Mayuri a smile. “I ummm... do you know where the main settlement on this floor is?” She asked, “ I’ve been walking so long and I can’t find it,” Mai admitted.

 

The man grinned even more widely and moved toward Mai. Had she been a more careful girl, she might have noticed there being something off about the gentleman. “But of course I know...” he said and chuckled.Mai being Mai, grinned and giggled with him though she didn’t know why. “I’d be happy to tell you, but first, you must duel me for the information. In exchange, I shall take you to the village and give you something valuable in return.”

 

The young woman stared at the unusual man with her large teal eyes. “Um... sure,” she said wondering why she had to duel him for the information. Couldn’t he have just been nice to her instead and shown her where it was without a fight?

 

A screen popped up and it was a duel request from the hooded man. Mai clicked "accept". It was then that she noticed the man’s name. “Gemini?” she said and grinned. “I’m a Gemini,” Mai cheered.

 

“So am I...” the man laughed.

 

He pulled his cloak from around himself and tossed it aside. The dark brown cloak fluttered through the air and Mauri watched as it fluttered to the floor. “What was that f-,” Mai looked back to the gentleman to ask, but her words fell short when she saw herself standing there.

“HUH?” Mai said very confused as to what was going on.

Edited August 12, 2015 by Mayuri

[Mayuri 0]

The young woman stood there staring at herself, only she wasn’t as she was now, but when she started out. The other Mayuri was dressed in Mai’s starter clothes: White dress, blue bodice, and even her blue dancing slippers. If she was correct, the other Mai would also have on white bloomers beneath the dress to protect her modesty. Other Mai also carried a weapon: her original Hwando.

 

“Is this some kind of sick joke?” Mai asked as she looked at herself in shock.

 

“The only joke here is you,” other Mai said with a laugh.

 

Gemini moved quickly and came rushing toward the young raven-haired woman in the pink kimono. She took the hwando up in both her hands and before Mayuri could raise her Anneal blade to protect herself she was slashed by her own starter weapon. The blade connected with her right arm and cut deeply into her flesh. The young woman cried out as her health points fluttered away and her other self stood there looking rather pleased that she’d cut Mai. Pink Mayuri retaliated by turning her Anneal blade out and slashing back at her doppelganger and hopped back several jumps to avoid another attack.

 

“I don’t want to fight you!” Mai screamed at herself holding her injured arm.

“Oh you’ll fight... you’ll  fight... or you’ll die. It’s as simple as that. You should have read the terms of the game before accepting them.” Gemini sneered.

 

 

27006

BD: 6     Mai hits Gemini for +2 DMG

MD: 9    +1 CRIT  Gemini hits Mai for +2 DMG  (3 DMG-1 MIT=2 DMG)

 

 

Mayuri   17/19

Gemini   17/19

Edited August 9, 2015 by Mayuri

[Mayuri 0]

Mayuri in pink didn’t want to die. She was afraid. How could she have been so stupid as to have accepted a fight like this without knowing the details? If only Life had been with her when she had decided to go exploring. Her friend would not have let her get herself into such trouble! But Life wasn’t here, and there wasn’t time to open her HUD and call him for back up. She was just going to have to face the Gemini alone and win.

 

With her newfound determination, Mai eyed herself over. When she started out, she was not a terribly strong player. The Mai before her seemed to be as strong, but something was missing. A second glance and she realized what it was: her equipment Other Mayuri did not have on Sakura Sunset and she lacked the Anneal Blade. This only meant one thing to Mai:she had the advantage, and she could win.

 

The petite beauty snapped into action with a smile upon her face. With the information she had she could not lose. All she had to do was make sure that Gemini couldn’t hit her, which would be easy with the evasion on her kimono. Mai rushed her opponent and swung her blade making contact with her opponent’s side. The metal shredded into the meaty side of the Gemini as if it were slicing through hot butter. There was a flicker of pixels and the mob’s health dropped a few points. Gemini found he could not retaliate and instead jumped back trying to protect itself from Mayuri’s furious strike.

 

“I’m not a joke... “ Mai said quite seriously as she looked into the teal eyes mirroring herself back.

 

27014

BD: 9   +1 Crit     Mai hits Gemini for +3 DMG

MD: 0 (2-2 EVA)    Missed

 

Mayuri   17/19

Gemini   14/19

 

Edited August 9, 2015 by Mayuri

[Mayuri 0]

Gemini laughed, “That remains to be seen. After all what kind of foolish creature wanders around alone, especially one as low leveled and poor skilled as you.” He chuckled in amusement of his own words.

“That doesn’t make me a joke… and I might be poorly skilled, but I’ve enough ability to finish off the likes of you.” Mai said defiantly as she circled herself.  Gemini stared at her with unrelenting fierceness, but the young woman would not be detoured. Now that she knew what it was that she wanted, Mai was the sort not to stop until the job was done.  Other Mai growled realizing that Shay was not about to bend to her will. The Gemini raised the Hwando high over her head meaning to bring it down upon Mai in one furious stroke, but the young woman was ready. She spun about as brandished her blade, deeply slicing it into her opponent as she used the flourish not only to attack, but to evade her opponent’s movements upon her.

Mai turned to face her opponent. Gemini’s health was about half while Shay’s was still mostly intact. “Take it back… ,” Shay said, “Take back what you said about me being a joke.”

 

27234

BD: 10   +2 CRIT    Mai hits Gemini for +4 DMG

MD: 0   (2-2 EVA)     MISSED

Mayuri   17/19

Gemini   10/19

 

[Mayuri 0]

Gemini’s teal eyes furled as the young woman glared at Mayuri.  “I won’t take it back. I meant what I said. You’re a weak pathetic little girl, and you’ll fall to me under your own crappy starter blade.” Gemini began to laugh as she held Mai’s starter weapon in her hands. “I mean look at this thing… its short and the blade is too light to do serious damage. You might as well have picked a dagger for all the good your Hwando has done for you.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Gemini attacked Mai again. The steel blades crashed and rung out as they scraped against each other, both young women pressed into the other trying to defend themselves from attack.

“My Hwando was amazing. We took down boars and a Nepent, and while it isn’t as strong as my Anneal blade, it served me well.  You should treat my weapon with respect.”

 Gemini moved to throw her elbow into Mai’s side, but the quick young woman spun free and bounced back several steps as she turned her blade up and out, ready to make her next move. It was obvious that Gemini was just trying to make her angry. She knew if she lost her temper, it’d be the end of her, so Shay did everything in her power to keep calm. She took a deep breath and focused only on her enemy’s movements. Gemini could say all she liked about Mai, her skills, and her weapon; she was not going to fall for any of this nonsense.

 

27235

BD: 4   (3+1 ACC)     MISSED

MD 3   (5-2 ACC)     MISSED

 

Mayuri   17/19

Gemini   10/19

[Mayuri 0]

Gemini could not handle that Shay was remaining so calm. The other Mai growled like an animal and again rushed at the Mai in pink. Their blades crossed again. The girls struggled to push one another off, but their strength was evenly matched.

“You mad, bro?” Shay said and laughed and continued, “I know what you want out of me, but you’re not going to get it. I know your secret…  I know your tricks… and I’m going to be the one to walk out on this jungle with a material and a new ability while you’re going to end up pixel dust until you respawn and lose to someone else.”

At this, Gemini kicked Mayuri in the shin. The girl in pink yelped out of instinct and hopped away again. The Gemini doubled over in laughter, the high pitch of Mai’s own giggle pierced her ears and she cringed at the maniacal way other Mai laughed. “I have killed dozens and dozens of players just like yourself. Do not under estimate my abilities, I rarely lose. You would have noticed that too had you bothered to look at my stats before agreeing to fight.”

“I wouldn’t be so cocky my dear. You’ve won nothing yet.” Gemini spat at her.

 

27236

BD: 5   (4+1 ACC)      MISSED

MD: 2    (4-2 EVA)     MISSED

 

 

Mayuri   17/19

 

Gemini   10/19

 

Edited August 11, 2015 by Mayuri

[Mayuri 0]

Mai grit her teeth together.

 “Dozens… and dozens?”  Mai trailed off. The overwhelming urge to cry crept up on the young woman as tears begin to well up in the corners of her large doll-like eyes and soon spilled over and ran down her soft pale cheeks.

“You mad?” Gemini smirked, echoing her own words.  

Mai found she could only silently stare at the figure across from her, a grave dislike for the Gemini boiling up inside of her.

 “Monster…” Shay said as she wiped her face upon the belled sleeve of Sakura Sunset.

“Ha, ha…” Gemini giggled, “Look at you crying for the pathetic dead! They were all losers .Some even had better equipment than yourself, and all of them dropped like flies. I’ve killed beginner players and higher ups… You’re nothing compared to some of these others. You’ll die too… look at you in tears! You’re weak!”

Mai’s face was soaked with large drops of lacrimal fluid as she cried. She couldn’t believe there were so many senseless deaths from just one figure in the game. The game creators were cruel for making a vicious, murderous character.  Shay exhaled deeply as her tears still fell from her eyes and onto the ground. The girl plowed at her opponent, her Anneal blade ready to tear into the Gemini and make it fall just to stop it from killing other players even for a little while. Gemini raised her blade, but Mai was too quick and she brought down her Hwando upon Gemini’s shoulder and drove the weapon deeply into the figure’s flesh.  More of Gemini’s life was lost and it’s health fell below half.

 

27237

BD:  9   (8+1 ACC)      Mai hits Gemini for +2 DMG

MD: 5     (7-2 EVA)     MISSED

 

Mayuri   17/19

Gemini   8/19

 

Edited August 11, 2015 by Mayuri

[Mayuri 0]

“I’m stronger than you!” Mai shouted back defiantly. “I’ve only got one skill… which means that’s all you have! But I’ve Sakura Sunset and the Anneal Blade, and you have my starter clothes and Hwando. That makes you weak against me! I told you monster, I know your secret, and I’ll tell everyone I can! And then everyone will know just how easy it is to destroy you.”

 

Gemini’s face grew red and she began to shake violently as she let out a horrible scream at Shay. The mob was more than just a little pissed off at the young woman, but Mayuri did not care. Right now she hated the thing in front of her, even if all it was only coding and pixels, Mayuri hated that something so horrible existed in Aincrad. Little did the girl know there were many more things far worse than Gemini waiting for her in this wild world of Sword Art Online. Gemini ran at Mai, but Sakura Sunset’s abilities kicked in and Shay easily avoided the blade that came swinging down upon her head. Several of her raven hairs were cut from her head, but she remained largely unscathed.

 

“You’re going to have to do better than that!” Mai said as she eyed Gemini.

 

 

27238

BD: 1       Mai Fails

MD: 5   (7-2 EVA)      Gemini Misses

 

 

Mayuri   17/19

Gemini   8/19

[Mayuri 0]

Gemini was starting to get serious. The other Mai stayed on top of  Shay, trying to box the girl in, but Shay was wise enough to circle her opponent to get on the inside so she would never be pinned in and against anything. Blade crossed and steel crashed again and again in quick succession. Both girl spun and bounced and thrust their weapons upon the other but neither could connect. Other Mai weaved her attacks back and forth giving Mai one hell of a fight. Mayuri’s Anneal blade plunked against other Mai’s starter Hwando as she drove it back, but she just could not force Gemini off.

 

The Gemini leaped at Shay and tried to come down upon Mai with her Hwando, both hands tightly gripping the blade. It wasn’t hard to see the mob meant business. Mayuri ducked another flying attack and twirled into her opponent like a top. Her right hand grabbed onto her opponent’s bodice, and she used her arm as a guide, quickly trusting her blade straight into the ribcage of Gemini. She cut her enemy and more life points fell away.

 

“You’re down to a third now…” Mai smiled, “When exactly are you going to teach me that I’m weak?”

 

 

27239

BD: 8    (7+1 ACC)     Mai his Gemini for +2 DMG

MD: 1   (3-2 EVA)     MISSED

 

Mayuri   17/19

Gemini   6/19

[Mayuri 0]

Mayuri knew that Gemini was not going down without a real fight, and Mai was doing her damnedest to give it to the NPC. There were no more words between the two opposing forces. Each of them just jumped and twirled and spun their bodies and weapons upon the other with great effort and resolve. The pair looked like dancing butterflies from a distance; one pink and the other blue and white. The sounds of the jungle had all but died down. The only sounds that came from the jungle path were the growls of both girls and their steel crashing into one another causing a rather deafening din deep within the jungle.

 

 

27240

BD: 5   (4+1 ACC)     MISSED

MD: 3   (5-2 EVA)     MISSED

 

Mayuri   17/19

Gemini   6/19

[Mayuri 0]

The fighters were unrelenting and Mai was growing tired. Sweat dripped from her forehead and she was starting to breathe rather laboriously. Her chest rose and fell sharply, but she could not give up; it’d mean her death if she did. Gemini seemed not at all worse for the wear, being an NPC had great advantage over living flesh players. Mai soon understood how it was that so many players had lost to the Gemini: the NPC would wear them down, and eventually it would kill them all.

 

“Come on Shay,” She encouraged herself. “Just a little longer.”

 

It was then that Gemini did a backspin, causing Mai to duck, but as she did, she was met with her Hwando that now slashed her across her cheek. Shay squealed as she quickly threw herself back to avoid being attacked further. She placed her hand upon her cheek as she watched her life points get taken down a notch. This only made the young woman angry and she launched herself at her opponent and she slashed the NPC across the face in the same manner she had just been injured.

 

27242

BD: 9   (8+1 ACC)     Mai hit Gemini for +2 DMG

MD: 7   (9-2 EVA)   +1 CRIT     Gemini hits Mai for +2 DMG  (3 DMG- 1 MIT = 2 DMG)  

 

Mayuri   15/19

Gemini   4/19

[Mayuri 0]

Mai was having trouble keeping up; she continued to wear down. Her swings were getting slower and she barely managed to keep the Gemini from pummeling her. Their movements were near equal and her Hwando was becoming heavier by the moment. Mai was worn, and the Gemini’s fighting spirit was still going strong. Their blades clashed and crossed once more and Mai was having trouble pushing the other girl off. Realizing this, Gemini sucker punched Mai in the stomach causing the girl to stumble back.  She stood there, mouth agape wanting to insult the Gemini with profanities, but Mai would not; she was a lady and ladies did no such thing. For this, Shay would make her other self pay.

 

27243

BD: 4 (3+1 ACC)     MISS

MD: 4 (6-2 EVA)    MISS

 

 

Mayuri   15/19

Gemini   4/19

[Mayuri 0]

Mai grew angry. She was done and had enough of the Gemini’s antics. He was a horrible NPC and he needed to be wiped from the system permanently. Too bad she couldn’t figure out a way to make that a reality. Instead she was just going to have to kill the NPC and hope that his spawn time took forever and a day. The raven haired girl ran at her opponent and took her Hwando back up between both her hands. She turned the blade out and then swung it upward slashing up diagonally across other Mai’s body. Red shards flew and the Gemini’s health points plummeted until there was only one tiny tick left. “So much for finishing me off... guess you weren’t as strong as you thought, hmmm?” Mai raised her Hwando once more into her ready position and stared at her other self with a slight smile upon her lips.

 

 

27244

BD: 9   +1 CRIT

MD: 1

 

Mayuri   15/19

Gemini   1/19

 

Edited August 12, 2015 by Mayuri

[Mayuri 0]

Things were tense. The opponents both stood at the ready, facing off. Each Hwando turned out and pointed high overhead, sets teal eyes both scanning the other for any signs of movement. Mai stared into herself, into the eyes that weren’t truly hers, searching for something, but there was nothing to read. They were cold eyes, ones not really reflecting anything because they couldn’t; they were not eyes of anything that embodied a life force. The AI in game was absolutely brilliant, but it still did not come close to the real thing. Knowing this, it made Mayuri feel better about what she was about to do; she was going to kill the Gemini.

 

Instantaneously both girls moved, their blades at the ready, and they both swung at the same time. Other Mai’s attack came first, the Hwando, was swung too wide and it didn’t even come close to grazing the young woman’s body. Mai moved and hacked straight through the side of her opponent knocking the last bit of health from other Mai. Gemini grinned as he fell to the ground and before Mai could move, the NPC shattered into pixels and disappeared. A screen popped up and said “Congratulations!” Mayuri clicked on it and read.

 

Congratulations!

You have defeated the Gemini. For your efforts, you have earned 3 skill points and the ability Concentration.

 

“Concentration, huh?” Mai said as she pursed her lips together.

 

 

27245

BD: 6   (5+1 ACC)

MD:5   (7-2 EVA)

LD: 1   (CONCENTRATION SKILL GAINED)

 

Mayuri   15/19

Gemini   0/19     DEAD

 

Edited August 12, 2015 by Mayuri

[Mayuri 0]

Mai had no idea what concentration was so she opened her panel and read what her new ability could do. “That’s pretty cool,” she said and smiled a bit. Killing Gemini still didn’t sit right with the girl, so she was a bit apathetic over her victory. She closed her HUD and saw that Gemini had dropped something. She picked it up and added it to her inventory realizing it was something she could sue in her alchemy. With everything said and done, Mai realized one thing: she still had no idea where she was, or where town actually was. “Darn it! Gemini never told me!” Mai sighed and stamped her foot.  She was still lost and that really stunk!

 

 

Mai Collects +1 Material for Gemini Drop

[Mayuri 0]

Since Mai wasn’t needed anywhere and it was not yet all that late, she decided she would traverse a bit further into the jungle.  AS she walked along she decided that it would be a good time to look for materials for her alchemy. She’d run out the other day and yet to refill her supply. She walked along with her Hwando still in hand (as a matter of safety) and scoured over the ground and trough the trees for anything she might be able to use. Luckly, she spotted some weird looking flower that had a symbol over it. She plucked it up carefully and had success at picking it. It was of excellent quality, and she was sure that she could make good use of it.

 

Mayuri:   16/19

 

27307   LD: 19     Material Located

FOUND:  +1 MATERIAL

Edited August 12, 2015 by Mayuri

[Mayuri 0]

As Mai walked, she was having a hard time shaking what she’d done. She’d killed someone. It wasn’t a real someone, but it had a human form; her form, and the vision of herself falling away dead was burned so brightly into her mind she would see this image many times over the course of the next year in SAO. She took a deep breath and shook her head. “No, I did the right thing… it was me or Gemini, and Gemini wasn’t going to let me live,” she reminded herself.  The girl was so busy trying to soothe herself that she completely overlooked finding any materials.

 

Mayuri   17/19

 

27308   LD: 10     Nothing

[Mayuri 0]

Talking to herself was doing no good. She felt awful. The thought that someday she might have to kill another player did not sit well with Shay. The young woman wasn’t sure if she actually could kill even in self defense. If someone she cared about were being harmed, then she could; her thoughts turned to her younger brothers, and she felt very sure that she would kill to protect them from death. However, when it came to herself; she was not sure that her life was worth another’s, not even if they were trying to hurt her.

Mai knelt down and curled into a ball hugging her knees trying to comfort herself. She rested her head upon her knees and took a deep breath trying not to cry. “It’s okay…” Shay repeated as she rocked herself. Mai rolled her head to the side and saw another flower beside her. She reached for it and easily plucked it and put it in her inventory.  

 

Mai   18/19

 

27309   LD: 20     Material Located

FOUND:  +1 MATERIAL

[Mayuri 0]

Mai put her hands over her face and she began to cry. This really was too much. She shouldn’t have been so bothered, she’d taken on many mobs before, but none of them were humanoid NPC’s they were all just animals and monsters. It’d seemed the young girl found her line, and she was terribly upset over it. Mai sniffled and wiped her cheeks trying to get herself under control but it was hard to do when she was all alone feeling rather isolated in a terribly creepy jungle.

 

Mai   19/19

27310   LD: 7     Nothing

Edited August 12, 2015 by Mayuri

[Mayuri 0]

Mai used her sleeve to wipe her face feeling rather silly. Here she was, in the middle of a dense jungle, crying over a thing that wasn’t even real. It was only pixels and coding, not flesh and blood. Even though she’d tried to reason this during her fight, she was still finding issue with what had transpired only minutes before. “Just stop thinking about it… you need to find materials,” she told herself. Scanning the area around her, she spotted some pretty berries hanging from a vine above her that were marked, so she picked them. She was able to collect them and she added them to her inventory along with everything else she’d found thus far.

 

27311     LD: 15     Material Located

FOUND:  +1 MATERIAL