Maiple

Maiple is the femslash ship between Mai Tsurugi and Maple from the Your Turn To Die fandom.

Canon
The real Mai died before she could meet Maple. However, an AI was uploaded into a doll version of her for the Murderer Sub-game. Mai and Maple do not meet until later on during the Final Chapter, Part One.

The two first meet when Mai and the others storm into the Discussion Room to aid Sara and Ranmaru in their effort to calm Maple down after taking the letter that was given to her by Midori. Mai offers to read the letter, which turns out to actually be Maple's instruction manual. The group learns that Maple is a lonely girl who is in need of sympathy and companionship, and that understanding her emotions and being her friend is the key to peace, and Mai points out the friendship meter on Maple's stomach. If Anzu is dead, Mai requests that Sara be the one to reconcile with Maple when the time is right. After sharing the info from the instruction manual, Mai does not partake in the battle against her. After Maple pierces Kurumada through the torso, the group realizes that she is too hostile to continue interacting with, and quickly leave the room. Q-taro becomes injured on the way out, and Mai stays behind to protect him from Maple.

The two take refuge in the cemetery, where they eventually meet up with Keiji. The three encounter an exhausted Maple in the Art Gallery, but she says not to come near because she'll end up hurting them. They help her up onto one of the armchairs anyway, and Maple weakly states that she did terrible things to all of them. Mai responds, understanding that it was because they took Midori's ID card from her, before asking her if she really likes Midori that much. Maple explains that she does, but only because Midori configured her to love him to in order to protect him from being killed by Maple, which is Maple's true purpose. Maple also tells them that if somehow they can bypass this love, she could be their greatest weapon, which is her gimmick. Mai is horrified that Maple's feelings were so carelessly altered with to Midori's own benefit, and that her feelings are being treated like a game mechanic.

Maple then tells the group to go inspect one of the lockers in the Locker Room, and gives them the password they need to open it. Mai encourages Keiji and Q-taro to go, trusting Maple that they'll find something. After retrieving a lantern from inside the locker, Mai says that they should go ask Maple what it's for, but when they return to the Art Gallery, Maple can no longer communicate with them, and only mutters the word "Hiyori" to herself. Mai expresses concern for Maple's condition, asking if she is broken. Investigating her again only elicits worried silence from Mai. The three later return to the Locker Room, and uncover a secret passageway. Mai says that they should enter it, as she wants to know what Maple was trying to tell them.

Inside, they find Midori's head, and if Keiji opts for leaving it where it is, Mai suggests they bring it to Maple. Mai gives it to Maple, making her happy, and she thanks them. Maple then explains to Mai how she can survive the upcoming "Banquet" without killing her partner, and Mai asks if they will still be recharged after they run out of power. Maple answers that she doesn't know, as Hiyori may not think of either of them as anything more than gimmicks. This scares Mai, but Maple comforts her by saying there is a possibility that she will be brought back, since her body will still remain. Mai is still frightened, but Q-taro assures her that they will bring her back, and Maple also tells her not to worry, because she has allies. Using her last bit of strength, Maple expresses happiness in seeing the three of them together, before finally shutting down, causing Mai to cry.

Keiji and Mai later return to the Art Gallery to retrieve Midori's head for Safalin. Feeling guilty, Mai asks if they should really be doing this, and Keiji says that Midori is an evil man, and isn't a good fit for Maple, which convinces her.

Later on, after Mai and Q-taro reunite with Sara and the others, the group encounters Midori, who introduces them to the newly reborn Maple, whose body has been grotesquely modified to accommodate four AIs, one of which was of her own, labeled "Sorrowful AI." In this form, Maple has no control over her actions, and is unable to fight her programming. Mai tells Maple to be strong, and that she doesn't really want to do this, but Maple suddenly attacks her, and Mai just barely manages to avoid her attack, appearing heartbroken. Maple attacks Mai again and absorbs her energy.

Mai Dies
If the player does not manage to win the fight, Maple, against her own will, kills Mai by penetrating her through the chest with her tendrils. Midori congratulates Maple on doing her job right, and then asks what she would like as a reward. Maple angrily replies that she doesn't need one, and begins to unleash a full-out attack on Midori. It is possible that Mai's death contributed to Maple's rampage.

Mai Lives
If the player manages to win the fight, Midori complains that Maple really was useless after all, calling her a "piece of junk" and preparing to scrap her. Mai tells Midori that Maple loved him, and is appalled by his cruelty to her. Maple then suddenly awakens, and thanks the others before attacking Midori by exploding into flames, but she fails to harm him. Afterwards, Mai sits next to Maple's burnt out corpse while the group prepares for the Banquet.

Fanon
While a rare pairing, Maiple is a popular ship in the western fandom for both Maple and Mai. Most people just want Maple to be happy, and with Mai being a sweet lady who has expressed her concern and sympathy for Maple, some think that Mai would be perfect for her. It's often preferred as an alternative to Mapledori, as it is viewed as much healthier. Additionally, Mai and Maple interact when they are both dolls, which is part of why some like them together. However, for their relationship in canon, some find it sad or creepy that Mai would still have Midori's hands, especially considering Maple's love for Midori. Some think that in the fight with Maple 2.0, Maple attacks Mai due to conflicting feelings between her and Midori, or because Midori altered Maple's programming that way, due to noticing a bond between the two.

Maiple is also liked for the two being aesthetically pleasing together, with their food themes and similar clothing. They both wear hats modeled after food; Maple wears a pancake hat and Mai wears a bread hat. They both wear a dark red and white outfit with a similar skirt form and length. In one of Maple's CGs, her skirt hem is mistakenly adorned with lace instead of her usual syrup, making her look even more like Mai.

Maiple rivals the aforementioned Mapledori, as well as Safamaple and Qmai.

Fandom
FAN FICTION

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Trivia

 * During the fight against Maple 2.0., if the player chooses Mai to use her Knife Throw against the Sorrowful AI, the AI appears to recognize Mai, referring to her by name, and pleading with her not to attack them. After Mai destroys the monitor, she sorrowfully apologizes to Maple.