User blog:Sakkeman/Something Different

So one of my ideas that got to the RoR2 discords Top-Feedback was of a Mirror Shard item, that gives you a 20% chance to repeat any ability you use. I though I'd write a mock-lore description to that item, just for fun.

She knew there was something wrong with this job. Not just a hunch. Anyone with half a brain could tell this bounty was not your avarage cakewalk. Bounties this high were usually for military-class missions, or political assassination. Not for lone bandits, even if they had cleared a dozen banks.

Her partner, however, was adamant. This was just a common thief, admittedly a skilled one, but a thief none the less. He'd be no match for two pro-hunters, especially when he didn't know they were after him. She had tried to argue the target knew he had a bounty and was definitely expecting to be targeted. Her partner had specified he didn't know they were after him. Your glass was always half full, wasn't it?

....

....

....

Well, this explains the bounty, she thought laying on her back. She turned her head, trying to ignore the pain in her gut, and called out to her partner. No response. The slug must have hit a vital organ. Damn. She tried to stand up, but the pain from the wound send her to her knees.

The bandit was, or more accurately, were standing a few yards from her, their back to the crimson setting sun. The silhouettes of those wide brimmed hats made it a rather comical display, though she didn't feel like laughing.

"This is the first time I've been shot by a holo-clone", she said.

He (no, they) laughed. Each sounded a little different. looked a little different as well. The two stading on the sides were a little faint. "This is no common parlour trick, although I'm guessing you knew that by now."

"Mind telling me then", she struggled to say, "what exactly is that. Some experimantal mili-tech? Or is it alien?"

"Good guesses, but no" now only the center one was talking, and the others faded away, fusing with him. He lifted a little hand-held mirror. "This, darling, is nothing more and nothing less than genuine Magic."

She stared at him, incredulously. He seemed amused with himself, and took a few steps towards her. The two clones faded into being once more, stepping a little to either side. "Of course, since you now know what this is, I can't let you live..."

She rolled over, holding her guts in with one hand and pulling her sidearm out with the other. She took aim, and shot the one holding the mirror. He shattered, just like the one her partner had sniped. Was that not the real one? The Bandit on her left kicked her gun away and wrestled her arm behing her back. The other picked up the mirror, and another Bandit faded into being once more.

"We are all real, darling", he laughed, "and none of us are."

How can anyone defeat something as unfair as this, she despaired. Unless...

She was forced on her feet, a Bandit on either side. The one with the mirror readied their shotgun, and took aim for her chest. Now or never! Supported by the Bandits holding her arms she kicked at the one in front of her, and hit him on the arm holding the mirror.

"NO!" they all shouted, as the mirror was sent flying in the air. Each Bandit leaped for it, but two tripped over each other. She fell on the ground, hoping the third would fumble. They didn't, and caught it neatly.

"Futile, utterly futile. You were born a hundred years..." he started, but she wasn't listening. She picked up her discarded side-arm and shot, this time at the mirror. The bullet bounced off.

"Oh, you fool, you think a mortal weapon could break something this ancient?" All three laughed outloud. Then the mirror cracked, and they fell silent.

"No" they whispered, as the cracks spread over the mirror. Then it shattered, exploding into tiny shards. "NOOOOOO..." the echoes of the terrified scream seemed to shatter as well, to a dosen, to a hundred, to a thousand distorted echoes.

She got to up, now alone. The Bandit was gone, so was the mirror. Wait, no, there was a single shard left. She picked it up. The eye in she saw was her own. Just a regular mirror now, huh?

Then the eye blinked.