Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online - Episode 12
Well today’s all over the fucking place. Let’s get this done and play some Smash. It’s Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, episode 12! Here we GO!
-Opening!
-Episode 12! “Applause”
-We begin right where we left off, with Pito and LLENN staring each other down. Pito’s thrilled, giddy, riding a wild high of a match with life and death on the line. LLENN tries to get real answers out of Pito, to hear her version of the story…And you know, death games are stupid bullshit, right? LLENN won’t even touch fantasy games after the SAO Incident from that super fucking garbage game ruining their whole reputation!
-So Pito cracks AND LLENN IS ON HER LIKE SONIC ON A FURRY SITE! SLASH TO THE THIGH, REVERSE, STRIKE TO THE NECK!
-Pito’s photon sword hits the water before she can even do more than snap it on, and she just PUNCHES LLENN right in the jaw, knocking the rabbit flying across the water! Pito’s down to 20% in that single exchange, and she’s pissed at herself…Then, she grabs P-chan the second, still having some life in it. Is this the end…?!
-No! Look, LLENN! Look close! No Bullet Line…P-chan’s firing mechanism is broken. Indeed, when Pito tries to fire, P-chan explodes in her hands, as she gives herself to save LLENN! The honor of the gun…We will remember you, P-chan!
-LLENN moves in on sheer instinct, Pito blinded by the flash and flame, and goes for the final strike…Only for Pito to catch her on sheer instincts, and knock her back! P-chan shatters, as Pito hauls LLENN up into the air, and even catches LLENN’s desperation play of a thrown knife…But Pito doesn’t want it. She calls M over, who’s managed to catch and bind Fukaziroh, and wants to borrow a gun to do this right…
-He tosses her his typical pistol, which she first aims at them…And fires twice, into M’s cheeks?! She knew he was a traitor. He played her, trying to put her in a position where she’d lose to LLENN…Any last words, M?
-He loves you. He has from the start. She knew. But love has no place on a battlefield. And she fires, right between the eyes. You are so fucked up, Pito! As a geyser erupts, she sings in German, and Pito gets her attention…Just long enough for Fukaziroh to to free herself with her hair knife! She charges in fast, Pito desperately putting LLENN in the way…
-JUST DO IT, FUKA! CUT AND KICK!
-Fuka cuts without hesitation! LLENN’s hands come off in a flash, and a boot sends her flying into Pito, where she bites down onto Pito’s throat with all the force of a crocodile! She bites, and rages, and tears into Pito’s flesh, seeking nothing less than her total end! But no, you won’t die…This is a game you stupid idiot! This is for FUN! So lose. Survive. And honor the promise they made, to meet in real life, you jackass. …You got it. And then she bites down again, taking that last hit point, as everyone just stares at the feed…
-And finally, the death flag pops up. Pito’s down. It’s over—
-A HAIL OF GUNFIRE RAGES, and T-S blasts LLENN and Fukaziroh to the ground, ending them before a single reaction can happen. …The audience reaction is not nearly as positive as it was the last time a Squad Jam ended.
-In the aftermath, Karen treats the gymnastics club to sweets and tea to thank them so thoroughly for their hard work and help. And they knew it was her birthday, so they got her something, too!
-A simple, but beautiful necklace, a representation of their connection. They will always be friends, both in this world and GGO, Karen.
-Of course, then there’s the issue of Pito…Cut to Karen and Miyu arriving at the airport, and joined by Goushi. Who Miyu is down with. She can make this sugar daddy thing work with you IRL too! Sadly, he solely loves the woman behind Pito. …Dammit.
-But, okay, into the car, time to drive to meet Pito. So what’s she like in real life? …You’ll see when you meet her. Though he can tell how things started. It might help. So he passes over his phone, which has an old selfie…He used to be chunky, real chunky. He’d always been big, and lacked self-confidence…When he met Pito, he fell in love immediately. And he wanted to be good enough for her. Wanted to be worthy of her.
-He was just another follower. When she confronted him…He ended up bound, tied, and blackmailed. It started with her essentially enslaving him…But in there, he found himself. Found a way to strive to be better for her.
-Karen quietly realizes that the M in his screen name comes from BDSM. Our boy’s a masochist.
-So that was life. And in time, it became happiness…Until the SAO Incident. When Pito’s obsession tipped to the edge.
-And they get to…Elsa Kanzaki’s secret concert at a local club! Pito owns this club. She helped forge Elsa’s fame. And Miyu is so very giddy, as they step on in. All is black and dark…And there, on the stage, is Elsa, clinging to an acoustic guitar. She sings, and plays, and pours out her heart…I mean, I think she does, we don’t got no song subs. I’m assuming this is a good and heartfelt song, though! I bet it contains lots of important story beats!
-Yeah, I can only imagine what we’d be learning about Elsa if we could understand a word she’s saying.
-It would change the world.
-Yep.
-Oh hey I get to understand the story again. As we meet one Satou Rei…And Karen steps right past to praise Elsa, who’s nervously in the corner. Because Karen’s realized the gambit they’re playing. Rei isn’t Pito…Elsa is. …Explain how you figured it out!
-One, Goushi got them here right before your performance. So close they had to come in via the side and not even find seats. If it had been even a few minutes before, they could have sat with Rei, if she was the real Pito. And then they came to your dressing room, not Rei’s office. Which meant it was for a reason. And the simplest one, was so you could see the situation and watch how they reacted.
-And then the second…Was how Goushi found her. How could he have put it together? …Her fan letter. The first time she connected Karen to LLENN for anyone except Miyu, and the only time once you rule out SHINC. The only person who would have known, would have been Elsa…Or, well, possibly Goushi, considering how famous you are.
-If Rei had been your manager, well, that might’ve actually worked. But a club owner wouldn’t have reason to have all the dots to connect. And Rei’s off to continue her actual work, letting them have their moment.
-When Karen hugs Elsa immediately, holding her tight. And she finally lets out all the tears, all the worry and fear and despair she felt about the possibility of losing a precious friend. Which Elsa responds to be kissing her. She might just keep you, too. Maybe she’ll come to your place and they can play, she could stay overnight…Karen has a panic.
-Credits!
-Aftercredits! Pito and LLENN are hanging out in the battlefield, and Pito wants to hang out in real life. No! You have a concert coming up! Goushi was upset that you were playing games instead of practicing, you know! You need to take better care of him, to say nothing of your job! How cruel, LLENN. …But the game is fun, isn’t it? It is. And Pito’s managed to overcome her shit, in the time since their meeting. She’s gotten help, she’s seen the value of life again. Even if she’s still pretty brutal in battle. …Maybe. But she never expected to see someone be even more ferocious than her.
-Really? Who?
-…Are you fucking serious you little murder bunny. Oh shit the trap went off TIME FOR A BLOODBATH MOVE MOVE MOVE!
Well, that’s about what I expected for the twist. Though the parts where Elsa and Goushi have a BDSM relationship so rough it could be hastily edited and published as a separate property was certainly a surprise.
And overall, a good show! I won’t lie, I’m curious if there’s more material, or if this was anime-original with no light novel or whatever to adapt…Or, I suppose, if it was a limited run that the anime covered the entirety of, but that sounds impossible.
So, what’s next? You know what, after all the games and fun, I think it’s time we did something a little more…Educational, what do you say? Wait for it!