[PP-F2] Truth and Reconciliation (Opal)

[Grave 0]

I leaned against the stone wall, the eerie cavern lurking beside me as I huffed heavily. What was I doing? What was I thinking? Mack had quite clearly told us not to have anything to do with Opal, so why had I decided to do this?

Because she was my friend. She was one of the people who were closest to me in my life, so I had to know why. Why did she do what she did? Why had she fooled us? Why had she fooled me? I raised my fist and brought it down beside me, causing a purple shower to erupt from the rock wall, followed by the <<Immortal Object>> popup. I was pissed, I had to admit... but confusion and uncertainty overruled that. A thousand thoughts whizzed around my brain like electrons around a nucleus, but with no direction or purpose. Finally, I swiped open my menu and entered my friends list.

Good. She had not removed me.

With a simper, I popped a message box open and began typing away, heart racing faster and faster as I approached completion, until I sent it to the woman with bated breath. 

Spoiler

Message To: Opal
You and I need to talk. You know exactly where to find me.

The final step was to wait, and I did so with my crimson palms against my eyes, on the brink of breaking down.

[Opal 0]

The emerald blades of grass rolled. This place again. This would be their third meeting, but Opal was not Opal this time around. She had killed a player and was no longer his Vice Commander. Thick black lips curled into a smile; both inticive and smug. Her sword Masamune X in her hand and unsheathed. Grave was the type to get physical and emotional, the katana in her hand was a precaution for him to stay at length where he was. 

"I'm here at your less than courteous request, Grave. I'm a busy woman these days, so if you have something to say you need to say it. And don't think you can call on me anytime you wish or feel like it." she raised her sword and pointed it at him; she was indeed a changed woman. The soft spoken Opal he once knew before the training, the hardened warrior that she catapulted herself as Vice Commander of the Blood Oath; and now this version. She was a woman with many faces, but this one...this one unnerved people the most. Deadly good lucks, a killer body, and a killer in its most primal of forms. She was not Opal he knew, did he ever really know the true Opal? 

[Grave 0]

"Lower the bloody sword." I growled, eyes hatefully trained on her blade. "And I am also very busy; busy trying to get on the front lines to help people out when their two top players are not around." I hissed, my tone uncharacteristically venomous. "Now, I am sure I am certainly not the first and will never be the last to ask this; why?" I asked, peeling my shoulders from the wall to better look upon the killer. "You took out one of the players striving to beat this game, and with one of the highest chances to as well, while you puppeted another player into murdering the hero of the people. Yes, his plan got people killed, and yes, one of them was of high importance, but two wrongs do not make a right, especially when you take away the person who gives the terrified people in this game hope. With the recent player killings, now these people are scared and losing hope, some offing themselves because they cannot deal with their fear." I elaborated, crossing my arms defensively. "Do you think Azide would have wanted you to avenge him like this? No, you know him well enough to know that is not what he would have wanted. You know just as well enough as I do how painful it is for someone to lose a friend..." I sighed, looking away. "Lindow would frown upon what you have done." I muttered, barely loud enough for Opal to hear.

[Opal 0]

The woman laughed and lowered her weapon, "Throwing names around like you knew the person. You wanna know what Azide called the people of this world? A waste of life.He said they were degenerates! Hahaha." She laughed once more, holstering the weapon she pointed at Grave over on top of her shoulder and glared at him with a half smile. "As for Lindow. He could be rolling around in his grave for all I care. He was a part of my life for a moment in time, just like you, Grave. Just like everyone else. When you are no longer needed..." 

The woman took a step forward and her blade slashed the air causing the wind to catapult towards Grave and ruffling his silver hair. "Just like that..." The woman took a step back from her poised position and shook her head, flicking the violet fringe of hair from her eyes, "I'll tell you the reason I told everyone else. It just needed to happen. I had a job to do and I did it. Simple as that. Did I enjoy it? Meh. It could have been better, could have been worse. But players being dead, it's nothing on my conscious. Now that you asked the question, I believe we are done here?" 

[Grave 0]

I shut my eyes and sighed as Opal revealed what Azide said, and I muttered quietly, again barely loud enough for Opal; "That does not mean he would have a player kill someone else to avenge him." He may have called them such things, but I know that if he was the Knights of the Blood Oath second-in-command before Opal... he would not have wished for death, whether it be in cold blood or as revenge. My eyes were torn back open as the wind rushed across my face. Not because the woman had slashed at me; no, that was the very least of my concerns. It was because Opal insulted Lindow, the person who had meant the most to her in the world - had. "What... what have you done with Opal?" I growled, almost childishly, but my real question pooling below the surface like bubbling acid. "You are nothing but a demon. Opal would never say such a thing." I hissed, glaring at the white-haired woman. "At least that is what I was led to believe." I sighed, shutting my eyes once more.

Opal asked if I was done here after explaining her reason, and I slipped my hands into my pockets, sighing gently as I strode forward, past the woman, stopping barely a meter behind her. "Let me ask you this; if you were given the same job in the real world... would you have done it?" I asked, eyes still shut as the breeze teased my collar. "Because it is the same thing; you took a real person's life, and puppeted another player into doing the same." I muttered, opening my eyes once more, beginning to slowly walk away. "We are not all dead men yet, Opal." I turned over my shoulder to glance at her, before my gaze dropped to the grass. "But... it is people like you who will send us spiraling down that path. Think on that... 'Sug'." I taunted, hoping that at least some tiny pinprick of light from the old Opal would react.

But how could I be sure that the 'old Opal' was the real one?

[Opal 0]

Her blade, the Masamune X, tapped against the metal shoulderings of her armor as he spoke. Who was he to suggest who and who she was not? "Your words, Grave. Are as childish and immature as ever. When did you get to decide who I was? When did you get to decide what sort of person I would become here? Hmm? You are nothing but a baby grasping at the sun searching for the light in my soul. Let me tell you something...." It was a meter that he stood. She turned on her foot, a rush of air once more hurling around her as the blade shot forward right at his neck. Three feet of the lengthy katana, "...All I have to do is activate a sword art from a step into the pose and you will be annihilated. But you are right about one thing, I am a demon. I am a hungry demon waiting to devour the world if I must. My hunger never sated, and let me tell you something else. I am not the only demon here. Mack, he is as bloodlust driven as I am. He would go to the ends of the earth to hunt someone like me down because he cries Freedom and Justice! He might be a Soldier of War, but he is just another political figure looking for the attention of Aincrad. At least while I was with the Knights, I kept order. And now you are all breaking apart one after another. That's a weakness I will exploit..." 

The woman held her violet drenched blade at his neck and did not move, his back was turned, he was so cocky like she would never kill him. Scoffing mentally, the woman responded to his last line of questioning, "That information would be irrelevant. Until this land disappears or the light from my eyes is extinguished; this castle we are stuck in; this is the real world. This is what we are living in now. Your fancies of escaping...so gullible. So childish. And you don't need to hope. Just last week I had given the order to slay 8 level 15 players in the field. The Brothers handled the job well...That's eight more player's name scratched off in the Monument of Life. The purge has started, sweetheart; and soon will begin the purification." 

Releasing the blade from his neck, the quickness to which it reverted back to her was seen through her mastering of the Katana. Her eyes held no hate for the player, but she knew it all too well much like the others, "We are opposites now, Grave. Do you know what that means? It means from this point on...we are enemies." 

[Grave 0]

I simply listened to Opal; a child? Hardly. She was the childish one for thinking that all hope was lost, like a toddler who does not get their way and goes to bury their face in a pillow. The wind rushed around behind me and the cold steel of Opal's katana barely made contact with my neck, and yet I still did not flinch; my boiling anger steeled my nerves. Yes, she could annihilate me, and I did not doubt she would if I provoked her; because this Opal was not the one I thought I knew. But I continued to show no fear; this woman was driven by fear. "Why would you wish to devour the world?" I asked quietly, turning to look over my shoulder, the edge leaving a small cross-hatched mark on my neck as I turned.

"What motivation do you have? Mass murder? What is in it for you?" I asked, before she began to speak out against Mack. "You are right; he does have a surprising bloodlust. But his is justified; he would never murder in cold blood, unlike I know you would." I retorted to the white haired female. "And for your information, my dear, Mack rebuilt us once you left us; the powerful figure he represents boosts the Knights' and the players of Aincrad's morale. So what if he wants power? Is that not exactly what you want too? So you cannot speak out against him without hypocrisy on every one of your words." I told her, before sighing. "I will not be biased here; I do disagree with quite a few of his methods. He told me to focus on supporting the Knights in the raid, and told all of us not to assist you. As much as I hate you with a burning passion right now..." I shut my eyes and exhaled sharply. "I would rather not follow that order." I admitted, showing that I bore no ill wishes against Opal. "But if we were to risk more killings because a potential Orange Player lived, I would have no other choice."

I smiled when Opal called our hopes of escaping childish and gullible. "No, Opal, now that is childish. Giving up just because of some small hindrance, some wayward path from the original plan. If you think that we will never escape, you never learned that perseverance is the only way to go. Now that is immature." I retorted, finally turning all the way around. "And why are you so freely giving the order to murder? What do ANY of you gain from it? And this 'purge'; what do you even aim to do with it?" I asked, tilting my head; the more she spoke, the more questions arose, such was the life of a used-to-be friend of a player killer.

I chuckled when she told me we were opposites, and now enemies. I never wished to label us as enemies, no matter how angry I was at her. "To be honest, I would rather not be enemies with a bloodthirsty, cold-hearted killer." I told her; now was the time to put on the 'nervous' act. "Because A. I risk getting killed and B. I guess I could try to get to know the new Opal." I simpered at the killer. "The KoB has ordered we cut ties with you, but I would rather we stay... at least some part acquaintances. I am not going to ask you to promise me anything, as I know full well you would hate to. I will simply trust you not to take my life or attack me." I requested, heart thumping faster; this was the deciding climax on the relationship between me and this woman. "What do you say? Non-enemies?"

[Opal 0]

A cold glare from the woman. Words he choked on, words her ears devoured. She shook her head, "You sicken me." she said at the player, "You are a plague in this world that needs to be purged from as well. You think so highly that our past has anything to do with the present right now? My plans are my own, and perhaps you are right. I am a hypocrite. But if you call me such a thing you might as well label yourself that as well. Everyone is filled with hypocrisy at one point or another. So don't you dare rub my face in the [censored] until you have rubbed yourself in it first. Now get this; what I do is my own damn business! You are still so naive, you can't see the threat around you, Grave! Open you god damn eyes!"

With that the blade swept across the air in defiance to his earlier comments as if to cut them from the air, "Enough of this!" The woman raised her hand and brought up her menu and signaled for a Full lose duel. She would show him exactly how stupid and foolish he was to meet her here. Those words he spoke, he would never learn to shut the hell up and she would make sure he never spoke words like that to her again. With a simple flick, the message was sent away to him. She would challenge him here and now and be done with this frivolity. 

"You have two choices to make, Grave. You accept this duel and you die. Or you run like a dog with your tail between your legs and never, ever talk to me again. If you do, I will break everyone you love and hold dear to you if it means ruining your pathetic, sorry excuse for a life! I will not have some inferior corpse speak to me in such a way and believe to call me what they wish! Now make your decision...before my patience for you runs out and the Monument of Life crosses your name off! I will show you exactly what kind of person I am now despite what you may think I may be!" 

=
Notes: Opal sends Grave a Full Lose Duel Request with an ultimatum 

[Grave 0]

I shut my eyes and sighed. "'The guild will need you now more than ever'. That is what the old Opal had said, and I can see why now. As such, I cannot die yet. I will admit; I am scared of dying, as is natural. But not for my own sake; I have people who rely on me, and people I want to protect." I responded quietly, staying as calm as possible. "I cannot die, at least not yet, not until I have helped those I love see the end of this hellhole." I told the woman, sweeping my hand across the red 'Deny' button on the interface, turning around to walk away, back towards Urbus. "I tried to reconcile with you, Opal... I truly did want to try and find good terms between us." I explained, sweeping my hand through my hair in a quite disappointed manner. "But I guess we really are enemies now... and heed this; if you touch even one strand of hair on the head of anyone close to me... I will hunt you down and break your neck." I threatened, continuing back to the city. "I guess this is goodbye."

[Opal 0]

"Hunt me down and break my neck, he says..." the woman laughed as she saw her pop up for the duel become rejected. "In other words, 'I'll fight you when I can over power you. 'Which will be never. The longer you go without grinding out hours of experience, the more powerful I become in the end. Unlike you, I have dedicated myself to power and ambition. Because those are the ideas that fuel who I am. You are so pathetic, Grave. You have any idea how hard it was choke back the laughter in my throat when you talked to me, or how much you loved me. You ought to get laid, maybe you'll finally grow the balls to face me and be a real man without hiding behind the 'I'll get you back later when I am powerful,' spiel." the woman laughed and shook her head. 

"Yeah, go on and bark back to your Vice Commander of the Blood Oaths, and tell them all of your failure today so that I may have another reason to laugh at you tonight. Trust me when I say Aincrad will know of your weakness and they will laugh when they hear the name Grave; the coward of Aincrad." The woman would rub salt on the wound the longer he stayed but her words, she knew very well they could be peircing into heart right now.

"Wait! Grave!" 

The woman rushed over back to him and slid in front of him, broken blades of grass trampled beneath her feet. The woman sighed and tossed her Masamune onto the ground, "I don't want to fight you, and I don't want to kill you. The things I am doing now, they are for a good reason and for a good cause. When I told you the Guild will need you now more than ever, is because that is the truth of the matter. One day you will need to make a decision like the one I made when I killed that player and became part of the Laughing Coffin. You will be faced with a decision that can hurl the bolt of zeus into people's lives. And when you do, it will change everything around you. I know I am a cruel woman who has said many things to you as of now..." she cleared her throat and brought up her small message box. 

To: Grave
From: Opal
Body: Act casual as you read this letter. We are being watched by others from LC. I had to put on a show for them so they would not grow suspicious of me. We'll need to talk about what really happened at another time. I miss you and the guild...but trust me when I say, this is for the good of Aincrad. What I am doing is much bigger than anyone would think of. Please...don't give up on me....-soft smiley face- Now...Act angry as if I just killed your dog or something!

The message was quick and simple, "Check your message box Grave," the woman said lifting up her sword and nearly pointing it at his throat in the same fluid motion.

[Grave 0]

The words Opal launched at me only fueled my resolve. She was the one who told me I had potential. She was the one that trusted me to protect those close to me. I mused to myself; she was either lying now, or had lied just to break me down later. However, I could only believe it was the former. I bit back a laugh when she told me I 'ought to get laid' so I could grow some balls to face her. "What is the point in facing you now? I will not stand a chance. Would you not rather a challenge? Or maybe... you are scared that I could one day surpass you?" I questioned, a sly smirk on my lips. I chuckled once more when she said I would be going to bark to Mack. "No one knows I came out to see you. You could have taken my life and no one would know, you know." I explained, shrugging my shoulders nonchalantly. "And yes... maybe I am a coward. But I would rather be labeled a coward and be there for those close to me than dead and unable to do [censored] to protect them."

I continued walking off for hopefully the final time, but that was short-lived when Opal called my name and told me to wait. That was odd; why was she suddenly needing me to wait up? Just so she could throw more [censored] in my face? "What the hell do you w-" I began to ask, but she quickly told me she did not want to kill me, and that there was truth behind her words from her Vice Commander days. What was this? Why was she telling me this? Was she trying to break me into tiny pieces? "Oh, [censored] off, I do not need to hear any more of your li-" I began to say, until she tapped what seemed to be a message and told me to check it. Furrowing my brow, I flicked through my inventory and read the message she had sent.

I was glad I stuck around. I fought so hard to keep a smile from creeping onto my lips, and for Opals sake I won out. I kept a false frown as I read through the message twice more, each time looking much more 'angry' as she had told me to. It did kind of help that she had her blade to my throat, but I knew she was acting at this point; I knew she was hiding something.

"[censored]... you..." I growled, struggling to keep my mock angry tone from failing me. I grasped the blade of her katana and shoved it aside, the edge slashing my palm open, dealing  extremely minimal damage to me. I turned and stormed off, back towards Urbus, a chuckle rising in my throat, but I could not break form yet; once I reached my shop I would laugh all I liked. But for now, I opened a reply to her and typed;

Quote

To: Opal
From: Grave
Body: That convincing enough? :) You are lucky I did not leave earlier. Anyway, your secret is safe with me; the Knights will not know of this encounter, let alone the message.

 

[Opal 0]

The edge of her blade, the Masamune was not some dull object to be contested with. His palm slipped from the edge, no doubt he'd cut himself from the exposed blade and pushed it aside. Opal's eyes looking surprised at his reaction. She had noticed he read the message, but he was doing a good job hiding whatever he read to himself. The stern and angry look in his eyes were fueled by a mock rage that Opal had inquired for. Good, he was playing along for her. Her violet eyes espied around, her detect skills ringing out shadows into the light as she spied on her fellow spies. There was at least four she could decloak, however, there could be many others. 

"Where do you think you are going? Walking away like that?" He had headed back to Urbus and it was quite fortunate they were going back in such a late manner. The day that was ripe with sun was now quickly fading past the horizon and giving way to stars and moon. The day cycle finally ending. Opal followed the pugilist, continued to yell at him from a distance to slow down. Bringing up an item in her inventory, the woman materialized a shroud of sorts. Bursting through the crowd quickly with a shot of speed, the woman raised her arms and swiped Grave with the shroud over his head, a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet and pulled him into the dark alleyway. She had slammed him up against the wall, a narrow part of the city where no one could peek in. She slowly raised the hood of the shroud off his face. As she had done so, her hand was placed over his mouth to keep him quiet, "Shhh!" her body was pressed hard into him, her breathing hard made her ample bosom rise and fall as her violet eyes squinted to make sure they were not being spied on. Finally she let go of his mouth so he could breath again and took a few steps back. 

"We're in the clear for now. But we can't stay here. I know a few places where we can go to hide; I know how to disappear but I am sure you don't have any stealth skills. Go to Nimbus on floor seven and look for a shroud figure in black. That will be me, when I spot you, you will follow me from a distance and we can talk in private...talk as friends." 

With a simple smile, she pressed a hand to his cheek then altogether, her body soon faded to shadows and she was stealthed in the darkness of the world.   

[Grave 0]

I kept my hands in my pockets, making my way through the city, and could hear Opal yelling at me from further back. Why was she following me? Would she not give herself away? To keep her in the green, I chose not to respond, but slowed my pace slightly for her to catch up. I could hear her rushed footsteps quickly approaching, and something materializing. What did she plan on-

"Mrf!" I attempted to speak, but Opal's hand denied me that freedom. What, was the message a lie too?! Was she taking me prisoner? The air was knocked from my lungs as I was slammed to a wall, unable to see where I was. It was then that Opal swept the material from my head and my eyes took a moment to adjust to the dark alleyway, the bustling crowd just beyond the narrow exit; this woman was smart. I made sure not to make too much noise as Opal's hand left my mouth, taking slow, deep breaths.

"No, I am not the best at hiding... if anything I am much better at making my presence known." I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. She told me to head to floor seven so we could talk as friends. I gave the woman a simper before she left. "Got it. See you soon." I said, watching her body seemingly evaporate into nothingness. "Nimbus... I seem to be going there a fair bit lately." I muttered, looking up at the buildings beside me. I just had to wait for nightfall, I decided, and I should be able to escape across the rooftops under the cover of darkness.

My hands clawed at the tiled roof above, and I nimbly hauled myself up, crouching on top of the store or house, whatever it was. I crept along the roof, keeping an eye on the teleporter platform in the center of the town as I moved along, jumping to nearby rooftops. A large, open alleyway came into view, and I hung from the rooftop, dropping into the shadowy area below, leaving and entering the crowd inconspicuously. My boots clicked on the stone steps up to the teleporter platform, and I whispered; "Teleport: Nimbus." The blue haze engulfed my body and carried me up towards the Seventh Floor.

[Opal 0]

Opal kept her violet eyes on the portal plaza, a half burned cigarette now flicked from her body as she wrapped her head in an inconspicuous shroud. Her dulls eyes on the player as Grave finally appeared from the portal. She would wait for a moment watching him and when he finally noticed, she began walking into the crowd. She would walk slow through the crowd of players, despite it being dark, there seemed to be a lot of business going about in the later evening. She peeked over her shoulders to make sure he was following, "Good." she said to herself after looking back. Her figure lead them towards the outskirts of the city now, continuing to move through the darkness of the night. She stopped when Grave was about few yards away. She looked around herself and sighed, as her pursuers did not give chase to them. Unveiling the robe, she moved back towards Grave and smiled, giving his a rather tight hug where she squeezed his shoulders and nuzzled her head into his chest, "You have no idea how difficult my mission has been..." her arms wouldn't let him go and she gripped him tighter as she spoke, "The things I have done are never going to be rectified. I will always be a murderer, a player killer...and that is something I will have to live with through my mortal life. But it was a necessary rode for me to do this, I had to do it. I had to get my revenge..." she said finally moving away from him, rolling a finger over her right as if moving away a tear. 

[Grave 0]

I carefully kept my distance behind the shrouded figure I hoped to the gods was Opal and not a Laughing Coffin lackey, set as some kind of sick trap. My silver eyes flickered around, making sure I did not seem too suspicious, and hoping I could get lucky enough to spot any spies, if there were any. Finally the figure halted at the edge of the city, under the cover of shadows, and she seemed quite sure that we had not been trailed. Reason being, she unwrapped her shroud and gave me one of the biggest, tightest hugs she had ever given me. My heart skipped a beat; had I really managed to find the Opal I knew and pull her out of the Laughing Coffin Opal's mask?

"It... must have been really hard... no, it must still be really hard. I cannot imagine what it is that requires you to take this path... but I only hope that good comes of it." I sighed as she squeezed me, then moved away. Even though she was showing so much affection after holding it behind her facade... I still had to make sure I could trust her. "Opal, I... I hope you understand, but I am still not completely sure that I am not just being tricked again, that you are not just trying to lull me into a false sense of security." I reasoned, rubbing the back of my neck as I sighed. "But... I want to be able to trust you, so if you can show me that I can do that... that would make me so happy. Because I miss you." I told her with a simper, hoping she could prove herself to me.

[Opal 0]

"No." She stated to the Pugilist, "You should never trust me and you should continue not to trust me ever again, Grave. I have to lie, I have to cheat, I have to kill. These are things that are necessary now more than ever. I am so deep in my mission that if I moved now, it would be a catastrophe for everyone. I was ordered...and ordered player's to kill others out in the field not too long ago. My words, my orders, to slay innocent people. That is something or someone you can't trust. I've become a Monster to many people..." 

The woman stepped away, brushing hair from face as she turned her back to Grave, "You are the only one I have told so far. Right now you are a liability as well as a potential mark to be killed. People don't seem to understand that when they talk to me they are endangering themselves; I have made it very clear that people need to stay away for specific reasons. The Knights above all else. But they can not know of my plan. Or else...I'd...I'd have to kill every single one of you. The blood of the few for the blood of the many...This is why I left. I was tired of sitting back and watching people die...And now, I have to kill to kill the killers of this world and anyone who steps in my burning path."

She looked blankly over her shoulder, "Even you, Grave." Giving out a sigh, she looked upwards and pressed her hands behind her back, "I wish I could go back...but wishing is for children. We need to make our dreams a reality. Soon, things will be calm again and I will find peace in my own death." 

[Grave 0]

I listened to Opal as she attempted to persuade me not to trust her; she wanted me to stay away, not to involve myself with her. I was now a target for Laughing Coffin, with a big red 'stab me' upon my back; as soon as I had talked to Opal that day, death's cruel hand had painted a sign on me. I was the only one who knew; the only one who was more of a target than the rest of the Knights, if any info should slip. I knew I could not tell them; I would be endangering them too, and doing the exact thing Opal wished not to do. I could not trust her, that is what she told me... but even so...

I quietly stepped up behind her, placing my hands gently on her shoulders, sighing gently. "Even though you say I cannot trust you... what you have told me just now is enough for me to know you will not stab me in the back, at least not without allowing me to fend for myself. That was all I needed, Opal." I said, unmoving as I held her there. "What... what do you say we go and clear a dungeon, together... for old times' sake?" I asked, releasing her and standing to her side, a wide, sympathetic smile on my lips.

[Opal 0]

The woman placed  her hand over his own and smiled back and shook her head, "No. I can't possibly be seen with you any longer than I have now. We both are on different paths of a road that will soon become blood stained with the many. At the very moment, Laughing Coffin is procuring many territories around Urbus creating a sort of shady market area within the western side of the district. You will have to find dungeons with the Knights, you all need to get stronger and help out in the front lines. It is a dangerous time now, but even so, you need to be protecting yourselves. There is still a lot of information I need to gather before I begin to put my plans into actions." The woman once more swept hair from her face as to brush away the violet, stubborn fly aways. 

She took a step forward, his hand now falling limp from her shoulder. She turned to him with a half smile, it was the best she could do for him, "But before we break to our separate ways. I need you to give something to Mack when you see him again. He had given me this item a long time ago in a deterrent to curve my flirtatious ways from other men. It was a gift I found to be something special, because I still look up to him. I hope he proves to be a wise Vice Commander, I know he can be hard on people. But I want you to return this Hoya Necklace to him and to tell him I won't forget his generosity for allowing me to join the Crimson Blades and that I will find out the truth behind Lindow's death. Can you do that for me, Grave?" 

The woman titled her head down as the screen of her menu appeared before her hand. She scrolled through her list of items and revealed the Hoya Necklace, to her it was a yellow diamond that hung right above the hollow part of her chest. The trinket item swung back and forth as it appeared in her hand and she placed it in Grave's hand. 

"I wish we could chat some more, but its already dangerous for the both of us. You keep Jevi safe. You are a Knight, a Protector. Continue doing just that." Her eyes slowly shifted towards the ground, "Good luck, Grave."

-Traded Over Mack's Hoya Necklace: Yellow Diamond-

Edited November 3, 2016 by Opal

[Grave 0]

I listened to Opal's explanation with closed eyes. I had just gotten her back... now I was going to lose her for the third time? It was too painful. First she had left for her own training, then she had 'betrayed' the Knights, and now she was going back to Laughing Coffin after I finally found the Opal I knew within her. She spoke up about a gift for Mack... or more so a gift from him that she was returning. "What is it...?" I asked, finally opening my eyes to look at the woman again. She materialized a yellow diamond necklace, and I held out my hand, letting her drop it into my palm, and I closed my fist tightly around it. "I... I can do that." I agreed with a reluctant nod. She told me to keep Jevi safe, to continue being a protector, and I choked, yet still nodded all the same. "I will." I choked out, and watched her beginning to leave...

"Opal!" I called to get her attention before she left. "At least... at least keep in contact with me every now and then. Let me know you are okay, and tell me if there is any news I should know." I made my final request in return, clutching the necklace until it dug into my virtual palms. "Do not let me lose you again."

[Opal 0]

The silver strands of hair caught the breeze as she lifted her hand to keep the rogues frays out of her eyes. She looked over her shoulder when her name was called out by the Pugilist. She gave off a warm smile and simply nodded at him before turning around, "Grave, you never lost me to begin with." She placed her hand over her heart and squinted with a low smile before moving away from him once more. She turned her head once more over her shoulder with a smile, a hand raised in the air waving him goodbye. There was a lot said about today's scene. Opal was definitely in a conflicted state of mind and there was a lot riding on her future. Yet she had to persevere if she wanted to accomplish her goals. 

Those goals were however dangerous paths that she would have to tread lightly on. Laughing Coffin was no laughing matter despite their chilling name. She had to be precise and she had to make sure whatever she was going to do it would not jeopardize everyone else. But she believed in the Knights, she believed in the purity of Aincrad. She had to believe in them, or else this fight was worth nothing and her betrayal would mean nothing. Of course, she would have to do what is needed. There was a bigger picture. People didn't realize this, and only saw the surface of her plights. They would not be wrong in judging her as she had judged others. That was how things were...that's how it will always be.