3-7 Ominous Cliff

Keywords: Reminiscing, Scavenging, Drifting, Oceanic, Dubious

Lv Area = 25

Gathering List: Water, Salt, Ballus Buds, Seaweed, Clams <Net Fishing>, Shrimp <Net Fishing>, Coconuts, #Feathers, Gradius, Floatwood, Blue Herbs, Fish, Green Seeds, Atamago, #Mithrite, Copper, Jewels, and Zinc.

Other notes:
R2 for blue herbs
E7 for Atamago
Feathers obtained fighting Birdawird x3
To get Mithrite you must fight Mithrite Blaster


Stamina usage +50%
Drop Rate +1

The large cliff is made more beautiful by the moonlight touching the ocean and reflecting light... The small amount of life in this area makes the area feel like an unreal realm...

I lay in a grassy field... It feels like I awoke from a long slumber and found my happy place... The moon is really pretty... Sigh... Hmm?

~I see a silhouette slowly approach my location~

Who is that approaching me? I stand and look to see who it is...

sl

"... I... Impossible... This is a dream..."

"Onee-san~ W-Wow! You look so pretty~!"

"M-Mariko... Mariko-chan!!!"

I stare and look her in the eye as she approaches me... This is what happened to Reiko... Isn't it?
She isn't real... I... My soul is playing tricks on me...

"Onee-san~ Why won't you play with me!"

I cringe while looking at her...

"Is... This an illusion?"

"Shizue..."

"Onee-chan..."

I can't hold back! I run up and give her a hug... Only to fade through her and fall to the ground...

"Ungrateful..."

"W-What...?"

"Why didn't you save me Onee-san~? Why didn't you rescue me from the flames?"

I stare at her with tears... I did leave her... In the fireball that was a plane crash... No... A plane sabotage...

"I... I was injured! I lost too much blood and collapsed!"

"Lies... You are an ungrateful sister..."

"M... Mariko..."

"It hurt so much... All the blood... Pain... Tears... Agony... I went through hell..."


I collapse on my knees and bow to her... She isn't lying...

"I... I apologize!!!"

"I can't be surprised though onee-chan~... You rebel... Always causing chaos at home... Getting into fights and trouble..."

"I... Used to get into fights?"

She nods and stares me in the eyes... I can't believe it... W-Was I evil my whole life? Did I not even know? ... I'm crying... Why am I crying?!?

Komali steps through the portal after Shizue and is immediately caught off guard. The area is gorgeous and dimly lit which suits Komali's cat eyes just fine. She looks around somewhat excitedly, forgetting the list in her paw when she she's Shizue talking to another girl and Shizue is radiating distress. 
Paw on her bow, Komali slinks forward.
"Shizue?" she calls softly, "Are you alright?"

She steps out of the portal into the new area, but when she noticed Shizue was not next to the portal, she realizes what kind of place this might be...

Shit...it's another struggle...It's pretty dark out too...I'll have to search around to get to her.

"Shizue! Where are you?"

She starts to run, looking to catch up with her with her guns ready.

Averia steps through the area, looking at the area in a bit of awe as well before bumping into Komali, looking over at Shizue. She stares for a moment between Shizue and the girl, unsure of what is going on, not sure what to do or say.

"O.. Onee-chan..."

"Silence... You will refer to me as Onee-sama..."

"Onee-sama! Yurushite kudasai!!!"

"Shut up..."

"!!!"

It's no good... My body... Feels weak...

"You sold your beliefs and joined those who murdered us... Mother and Father... They're sitting in heaven waiting for you to fall into hell..."

"I-I was tortured! Beaten! Raped!"

"So? You deserve every bit of it too~"

"!!!"

"You were whipped? Raped? Beaten? What about those you killed? They would take a beating over death..."


It's no good... It's going dark...

"117..."

"Huh?"

"You stole 117 lives..."

I can't stop the tears... Is... That Komali next to me...? I can't see well... My tears... Are too strong...

"You were weak... You killed yourself instead of facing judgement... You deserve the cruel life you got!"

"S-STOP IT!!!"

I scream so loudly it can be heard across the whole cliff side...

Komali snarled at the other girl, immediately getting between Shizue and the girl all her fur standing on end and her ears pressed flat against her skull while white teeth sparkled in the dim light. 
She wasn't sure what to say, most of the conversation was lost on her, but Komali was more than capable of getting the general understanding and she knew it was not good so she decided that words wouldn't mean much without actions. If Shizue could feel Komali's strength and presence... maybe that would be enough.

I ran over and finally spotted Shizue after catching a bit of the conversation, I started to piece things together...

Onee Sama? That other figure by her is her sister...? I hear the scream and cover my ears...argh!

"Shizue!" I run over to her and grab her by the shoulder...

"... You... You aren't my little sister... I'll kill you!"

"What would that do? Tell me what would happen?"

"..."

Mariko looks at Reiko with wide eyes

"Arara~? Is this Reiko? How dishonorable for our family... Falling in love with a woman? Let alone this bitch?"

"S-She isn't..."

"She doesn't need you... She's strong unlike you~"

"... N-No! I... I'm important to her!!!"

"... Then why does your soul hold doubt?"

I try to reach for my knives but can't move...

"What if I... Sliced her up and killed her?"

"!!!"

"Admit it! You only want Reiko to yourself! You selfish skank! You could care less about anyone else! She saved you from darkness? HA! You love her because she gives you something to lean on!"

I... It's going dark... Dark...

"Are you supposed to be my replacement? Shizue... You replaced me with this... House cat? Ahahaha~ How pathetic~"

I... I feel horrible... I want it to fade away... I want to disappear... I want to fade to black... I...

"Come with me onee-san~"

"... What do you mean..."

"I'll take you to death~ Just hug me~ We can live with mother and father~ ... And be happy..."

"... Happy..."

The color slowly fades from my eyes as I stand up and approach her... Merely 20 feet away... Until I can go home... and forget... Everything...

Shit...she's getting provoked into it...? What do I do...? I can't do anything about it if she just...I can't let her get away with this... I need to say something quick--!

She grabs Shizue's paw and grips it tightly, pulling her back.

"Hey-- Don't leave!
Shizue. It doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter if you're weak or strong -- what matters is that you're here and you're in this with all of us. It doesn't take being strong to know that what you think -- what you feel is right if it means that you'll be happier in the end. What does being strong even mean? All that matters is you can decide for yourself. In this world, we've been given a chance to do what we were never able to do before and make up for all kinds of things... so... why would you throw it away? Yeah, you might've done some bad things in the past, and there were things out of your hand -- but what choice did you have? We all make mistakes. Each and every one of us. We're not all the smartest people, we're not all the most capable, we're not all superheroes, gods, or anything like that. We're not all brave or know everything we need to, but in the end, what does that even mean? What does the end result even entail...?
If you give up and go, where does it lead? It means all the time you've spent struggling is for an end where you go to nowhere...and that's not what anyone wants to fight for. So...why go...?
I don't care if you lean on me. I'm there for you if you need me, and if you do need me, so what? I know you're capable of what you need on your own. You just need to stop doubting yourself..."

She clenches her teeth, holding her grip...

Komali keeps moving between Shizue and the figure, refusing to give ground and let them touch. She looks over her shoulder at Shizue and hisses, "Listen to Reiko! She's right!"

I collapse and cry...

"... R-Reiko? K-Komali...? It's so dark... I don't like it... I.. Can hear your voices..."

"... She does show strength to resist... Kyahaha~ Wonderful! I'll take all of you with me!


Mariko starts rapidly transforming into a large upset... and finally takes full form!



"I am the embodiment of guilt... I am 'Ouroboros'..."

Ouroboros
HP ???/???
ATK ???
Element: ???
Ability: ???

Komali snarled and grabbed her bow, glancing back at Shizue occasionally. 
"Get up! We need you!"

"Shizue...this is it. I'll let you take the charge and we can take it down...trust me, Komali, and everyone else who's stuck with you so far, and you can take out in one shot. You know she's not real, so take that knife and shove it up her ass! TOGETHER!"

*She loads a couple rounds of [Hollow Point] and points her guns at the enemy...*

........ I can't give up..........

........ I've gained too much.........

..... I won't give up........

..... I WILL WRITE MY OWN DESTINY AND LAY MY OWN JUDGEMENT!!!....

"Let me go alone... And watch me bloom!"



... With a flurry of god speed like strikes Shizue dashes all over the place layering slash after
slash after slash... The pace is so fast the monster is defenseless and takes the barrage of
attacks from the nearly invisible Shizue!

"One hundred and seventeen deaths?!? EAT ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEEN VITAL STRIKES!!!"

The member 'Shizue Aihara' has done the following action : Roll Die

#1 'Attack Dice (+5)' : 15, 8, 9, 20, 15, 15, 8, 11, 7

--------------------------------

#2 'Attack Dice (+2)' : 6, 13, 10

The beast collapses and fades to nothingness....

Shizue falls on her knees smiling...

"... yes..."

She rushes over and kneels next to Shizue, hugging her right away.

"Shizu chan... I knew you could do it. Thank you for staying with us..."

She didn't want to do anything else but hold her there happily, guns dropped onto the ground by her sides and smiling warmly, proud of her.

Komali didn't leave an aggressive stance until she knew the monster was dead and THAT was when she went to check on Shizue. 
"Don't ever think of leaving again!" she snapped, tears in her eyes.

... I'm really happy...

"I love you guys... I'll carve my own future... and lay waste to the past..."

This is my life now... I don't need Mariko... Why would I? When I have a beautiful lover and sister
right in front of me...

I am Shizue Aihara... This is my life...

"I love you too."

She closed her eyes and nuzzled her, not wanting to let go...

Komali awkwardly backs away and gives them privacy.

"Myuuuuuuun~"

She looks at the night sky and smiles hugging Reiko...

"Let's head back... It's really c-cold out here..."

Komali jumped in and waited for the others.

Illiums hops through the portal behind Komali

Averia jumps through the portal behind the other two, waiting.

He cartwheels into the area after her

Komali nommed on her sandwich and twirled her pick before snagging 16 Zinc.

The member 'Komali' has done the following action : Roll Die

'Encounter-Sense' : 6

He walks over and gathers 30 Copper with a pick

The member 'Treelite Hotaru' has done the following action : Roll Die

'Encounter-Sense' : 3

Illium gathers 2 Zinc with an Adamantium Pick.

The member 'Illium Grimm' has done the following action : Roll Die

'Encounter' : 5

Averia takes and attempt to search for a Diamon in the water puddles around.

The member 'Averia Thinil' has done the following action : Roll Die

#1 'Metallurgy Diamonds' : 8

--------------------------------

#2 'Encounter' : 5

Illium turns to head out of the area.

Komali lopes through the portal and skids to a stop.

He somersaults in after her

Illium jumps through right behind her, jumping over her at her sudden stop.

Averia walks through, reading her tome the entire time.

Komali picked up a stick and waved it around before throwing it at Illium and trying for a diamond.

The member 'Komali' has done the following action : Roll Die

#1 'Encounter-Sense' : 6

--------------------------------

#2 'Metallurgy Diamonds' : 3

Illium settles down next to Komali and tries to get a diamond.

The member 'Illium Grimm' has done the following action : Roll Die

#1 'Encounter' : 4

--------------------------------

#2 'Metallurgy Diamonds' : 8

He looks around for Diamonds casually