PP/NK - F11 Discussions and Revelations (Opal and Laughing Coffin)

[Calrex 0]

Spoiler

To: Opal

Hey, if it's alright with you I'd like to meet up and discuss some thing. If you are available meet me on the eleventh floor. There's a bar on the second floor of one of the buildings there. You're free to bring your guildmates as well. I have no ill intentions, and would merely like to get some facts straight.

That was the message he had sent after Opal was carried off by Laughing Coffin's higher-ups during the floor raid meeting. Of course, he did not have the other members as part of his contacts list, so the only person within the organization he could communicate with was the former Vice Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath.

That being said, he wanted to see if the now white-haired woman would still be feeling up for meeting. It had been some time since the bluenette had last spoke with her on non-meeting terms, and if he could he wanted to get some of the things he had thought he had known about her cleared up.

Sitting in the corner seat of the bar he had sent in his message Calrex downed one of the glasses the bartender he had prepared for him of their current night special. Using the same trick he had learned from Azrael back many months ago, the contents vanished down his throat in moments before he set the glass back down, "Now the question if she'll show up, and if she does will she bring those other individuals along with her."

[Opal 0]

Ping! "Mmm?" The woman shifted in her cozy little bed on floor seven of an inn when the alert had popped up. Normally she turned off her mail alerts during the night, she didn't enjoy the distractions whether it be she was sleeping or out in the field doing God knows what. As she rolled over to read the message, she squinted at the sender, "Calrex? Oh...God..." Opal immediately felt that he was sending her a private message to claim her head after the ruckus she made at the meeting. Maybe is she just deleted it and feigned ignorance, she wouldn't have to deal with him right now.

However, she was a catty woman and a curious one as well. Despite her better judgement, the woman ended up poking her screen to see what this was all about. Reading the contents, she let out an audible sigh of relief, it was a request for them to get together for a little chat it seemed.  And it would be in a safe zone, so there didn't seem to be too much trouble about going in and seeing what he wanted. Giving a yawn and stretch, the nearly naked female roused her display and got dressed in something casual. Just a pair of black pants and off the shoulder t-shirt seemed to be simple enough to go to for a nighttime meeting. She felt it was not necessary to go all out in full armor since this was a meeting at a bar. Clearing her throat and taking a good look at herself in the mirror, tugged on her long ponytail and allowed all that hair to whip back and forth freely from her body. It spilled out from all over as it was kept in a strong tie, her violet bangs now mixed with the rest of the snow white hair as she brought her hand over and swept it over into the mix and placing a small little clip to keep the hair out of her eyes. Feeling confident with how she looked, the woman began her travels to floor eleven. 

It did not take too much time to find the location of this bar. He heels clanked against the wooden stairs of the second floor of this bar. She stood at the threshold as her eyes examined the nearly empty room. Remembering his message, he also brought up the others who were at that meeting. Sensui only made a few public appearances and Volcano, well...he wasn't the sort of person who did well in safe zones. So it was just her and that other woman whom she knew nothing about. She was questionable, just randomly showing up at Sensui's side. No doubt one of his many lovers. The woman rejected the thought from her mind and moved towards the bar, getting a cold beer as she moved towards the back finding Calrex sitting there. 

Her long legs slid underneath the table as she sat opposite of the Frontliner Tank. With beer in hand and giving a quick taste, the woman narrowed her eyes slightly, black lips and all smiling as she looked at him, "What did you want to talk about?" Her foot mischievously moved under the table as it rubbed against his shin, her eyes giving a rather brazen look with a very tempting smile. "Some kind of booty call? Wouldn't your wife be upset with you with us meeting like this?" 

 

[Calrex 0]

Calrex's eyes panned over as he saw the person he had asked to meet appear through the door of the bar, going over to the bartender and grabbing a mug of beer before taking a seat across him. Opal had changed her attire from before, sporting more casual clothing, likely because this area was in a safe zone, so she had nothing to fear in terms of being attacks by others. Nonetheless, the clashing white hair certainly made her still stand out in a crowd. However, the bluenette also did make note of the fact that none of the other members of Laughing Coffin, who had revealed themselves at the floor raid, had decided to show up. Sensui, one of the people he had hoped to speak to as well, appeared to have neglected the offer, as well as the man titled Volcano, but he was reminded of the fact that the hulking mass of muscle was an orange crystal, and thus couldn't enter the safe zone in the first place.

His thoughts were distracted by Opal's subtle advance, as well as the feeling of a foot against his shin. However, the tactic unphased him as he gave a small sigh, "Well, first of all no, sorry to disappoint."

Giving a joking smile he adjusted his sitting position a little further back, a little more out of reach of the woman's playful strategy beneath the table, "It has been a while since we last spoke outside of floor raid or guild-related matters, so I wondered, if you felt for it, if you could bring me up to speed with what's been going on on your end. I understand the whole Laughing Coffin guild, as well as killing Ssendom and the other points I was present for, but I wanted to get my facts straight, because it seems out of character from your outlook before."

Downing the rest of his drink Calrex gave a small exhale before continuing, "The last time we spoke, back when we were training and encountered that ghost, you were originally training as a kunoichi under a man you referred to as Master Myoga, because you wanted to take your vengeance against Sensui, the very man who from what I saw at the floor raid, appears now to be your superior, as well as guild leader. I know many others, especially those of the Knights of the Blood Oath, thought of these actions as an act of treachery, but I would like to think there's more to the story than that."

[Opal 0]

Opal felt his leg move away from him, was he so uncomfortable? She let out a small smile, "Your lose." Bringing the frothy cup to her lips, she listened to him explain what he was so confused about. The woman let out a small sigh and brushed her hair with her fingers, "Do you understand?" she asked him when he said that and trailed off with his knowledge of who she was. The woman folded her arms over the table and leaned in, "Exactly at what point during our meetings did you ever happen to realize or figure out who I am? You are not to judge someone you don't know and say my actions are out of character." The woman insisted on being quiet to him, not using any sort of anger or otherwise provoked state of tone that would be directed as being hostile or aggressive. 

She leaned back in her seat, bringing her legs together comfortably. "I broke my character, you say. And yet, do you even know who I am? I remember telling you such things, yes. But this goes beyond the first time I met you and beyond the time I met Myoga. Sensui initiated contact with me before I was even part of the Crimson Blades. I wormed my way through everything using deceptive tricks and stories...Mostly, stories." she said with a bit of a grimace in her tone. It was the past however, and one she would not make light to this meeting.

"Yes, Sensui is the leader of Laughing Coffin, for the time being that is. As you could tell he had brought a few of his service dogs with him. I was to go to the meeting to see if I could offer help to the frontlines. While I might be in a PK associated guild, I also want a chance at demonics as well. Numbers equate to everything in this world. Now I have a question for you." 

The woman sipped her drink and placed her manicured nail down onto the table, "Who did I kill and what was he?" 

[Calrex 0]

While Opal gave her reply Calrex kept a calm face, listening attentively. The woman's words didn't give any emotion behind them, although the way they were worded may have been designed to try and get some kind of response out of him. However, he had learned from past times about such psychological attacks, and as such he may have also been one of the people that could be at both times the most and least susceptible to such tricks. Now was one of those times of the latter. No emotions were given away from his face as he merely gave a nod, "You are correct in saying that I am not one to judge, and of course if I were I probably wouldn't have asked you to come here today. Out of character may have not been the best choice of words for my query, more that from what I initially knew, from the interactions we have had in the past, the motives didn't seem to line up. Of course, I may also be able to attribute that to the fact that we do have not spoken after such a long time. Significant changes in character, whether masked or otherwise, can happen in such a long period of time."

Following the second part of Opal's speech Calrex kept close attention. This was the information he was looking for, the parts of the puzzle that were missing from his image of the woman before him in his mind. Lies and manipulation were capable of doing such things. The fact was simple, that anything could always have the chance of being a farce. He was well aware himself of such things, as it was what he used to do in the past, putting on faces in order to get along socially with others without provoking malevolence. What Opal was speaking of wasn't far off of the mark from what he himself had done before. 

The final question, which was left to his reply, was the last thing out of her mouth before waiting patiently for his reply. Calrex already knew and could tell what may have been the plan for this question. Opal may have been expecting some answer in favor of Ssendom, portraying him in a better light, which she would immediately try to turn on its head, with some truth she believe or may have gained. The fact of the matter was still, Dom was a complicated individual, just like everyone else trapped within SAO. With the bluenette's own realization of the influence of unique skills on the user's mind, he felt he got a better picture of what the people who bore them before him may have gone through. Giving a small sigh he replied.

"After being a member of the frontlines for more than a handful of raids, I'm sure you're already well aware of Ssendom, as well as the Azure Brigades previous reputation, carried. While I personally saw Dom to some level as a comrade in arms, and a friend, I'm aware of the stigmas he carried, both as the bearer of the Berserker unique skill, as well as a high-ranking member of the Brigade during its heyday. If you wanted to boil it down, he was both respected and despised at the exact same time. However..."

Looking over as the bartender sent him another drink the bluenette gave a small sigh before taking a sip, "There may be more to that perspective than just my own. What is your take on what happened, and man that you have slain?" 

[Opal 0]

"You know what happened. I killed him," she said flat out. There was a no beating around the bush for the answer. True enough, Dom showed some kind of competence in the boss raids, she was even directed under his command in one of them and did as she was told while he took charge. Yet the fact that remained, "He was an orange player. Meaning he took the life of someone once as well. The system judged him as a murderer. Now, I don't know what he did to be as such, it could very well be out of self defense. Or it could have been for pure pleasure. And yet, no one really seemed to care that a murderer was going to these raid meetings and being accepted. There was a person behind the death of the player, perhaps he or she had a family, a wife, a child..so on and so forth. They were family, it was bad enough for one of their own to be stuck in this hell, but he played judged, jury and executioner to that player and killed them."

The woman set both her arms down on the table, her eyes downcast at the player as she now began to speak, "We do things we are not proud to do. Whether we take the life of a player, or take the life of a murderer to exact their revenge. Lowenthal, as well as Zelrius..were both player killers. They took lives in either sheer joy of it, or for the sake of themselves. People kill and take away others. And once more, there are even more players sprouting all over Aincrad that bear the sign of Murderer. Hikoru, Mari a long time player killer, though she has not been seen for such a time. But when I killed Dom, and revealed I was part of Laughing Coffin...the eyes turned on me. Everything I did for everyone went straight down the toilet. My reputation, my respect it all came crashing down. I was labeled a traitor, murderer..."

She brought her hands up around her shoulders and hugged her body for a brief moment, "Even your wife, Calrex. Tearye is an orange player. A murderer. Were her actions justified in your eyes? The players she killed, were they really a threat to her and her life? We can blame it on the uniques and how they twist a person...but is that really ok? You have stood by her side even now. She murdered two players...and yet you...WHY AM I ANY DIFFERENT THAN THEM!?" Opal slammed her hands down on the table, her drink almost bounced off the table spilling the contents all over, yet the frantic look in her gaze succumbed as she fell back down in her seat.

"I killed one player...a possible murderer who may have been a threat to more people when it came down to it. And yet, I am the Pariah. How do you think I feel when I am shunned to such an extent? I am in Laughing Coffin, but my motives..." the woman's nails dug into her palm as she clenched her fist, "I will continue being the Pariah if that is what Aincrad wants. But my Crusade is far from being over. Eventually I will come for Tearye, Lowenthal, Hikoru, Mari...Oikawa. And the other Orange Players. They have taken life, theirs can not be spared. I will not allow it....And when that is done, I will end Sensui and Volcano and myself. Because that is justice. That is MY justice."  

[Calrex 0]

It seemed that either he had struck a nerve, or this may have been some other ploy, a secondary form of defense to prevent him from being able to dig deeper. The woman in front of him had become irritated, and even reflected this physically by slamming her hands on the table. Luckily enough they were the only two in this bar, which was part of the reason that Calrex had chosen this place. It was one that he had stumbled across in the past, and once spend a night of carousing with Ssendom and Jomei within. It was perfect for having such a discussion as this one, as it was out of the eyes of the public, and at the least the bluenette could tell if someone may have been eavesdropping. The bartender was an NPC, meaning that he didn't store any of the information he would recieve during the night from other players, merely play off of a script he was programmed with.

That being said, it was time for his reply, which he took a moment, giving a small laugh before continuing, "You know Opal, there may have been a time where I may have thought on the same lines as you, trying to rid Aincrad of the scourge that is orange players by becoming one myself, specifically choosing them as their targets. Now I will also agree with you, on the fact that no matter what reasoning behind a person's actions, a murder by no justified means should be allowed. Killing is killing, even if it is in self-defense. Lowenthal, Zelrius, Hikoru, Mari, Ssendom, Teayre, and Oikawa. They have all committed the act of murder, the taking of another's life. However, let me gives a few things that I know from my end, of the mechanics of this world and the twisted game that Kayaba Akihiko plays."

Walking over to a nearby dispenser he grabbed a couple of napkins, setting their drinks on top of them to keep the glasses stable before continuing, "As you know, the way a player's crystal turns from green to orange is generally believed to be because they killed another player. However, there is more to this. I've learned, with a few close encounters, that a player's green can also turn orange should they take certain actions within a select number of quests. So let me reiterate: Certain quests can turn you orange as well. I am, and was, acquainted with everyone you have mentioned. Hikoru, to my knowledge, may be young, and may be rash at times, but striking someone down in cold blood is not something that he has in him, so I can only guess that he got his orange mark potentially from a quest. You know of the Iron Guardian, I'm assuming. At the end, the NPC that you were originally working for actually attacks you, and from what I've gathered in rumors, if you strike first, as the mechanics of player-killing goes, you can turn orange from killing that very NPC."

With a calming breath he addressed the next person he should speak about, as it was the one closest to him, "As for Teayre, there is a lot going on with her, and at times I'm not sure if she is fully aware of who she is, or what the opinion of her has become. Like you said, striking down Dom resulted people turning their eyes on you. I would go so far as to say that such a thing could potentially happen for her. However, I'm already doing what I can to resolve that."

Crossing his hands in front of him Calrex rested his chin on his thumbs, his eyes meeting Opal's face, "So, let's say for a second, that we remove the fact that you killed another player out of the equation, what else may have attributed to the drop in your reputation. I'm sure you should be aware of this fact Opal, but it is this: In the end, it doesn't matter what we think of ourselves, but what others think of us. That is what what can have two people with the exact same status be viewed differently. Why both you and Oikawa, who have both killed contributing members to the frontlines, are viewed in such different lights. So, you are correct. In terms of your actions, you are no different than anyone else. But I believe there is a saying, how that those with the most potential to rise also have the same amount of potential to fall."

Lowering his hands the bluenette took another sip of his drink, resting it once again on the now dampened napkin, "This is the world we have been placed into Opal, and in some ways the societal and political aspects have not changed from the real one. The only difference, is that the delusion, that might makes right, is reinforced by the mechanics of the system. That if you are strong enough, you can get away with anything. However, because of that we need our moral and ethics even moreso than before. You say that your crusade is to eliminate all of the orange players, and then proceed to dismantle Laughing Coffin yourself by killing Sensui and Volcano..."

Looking forward Calrex paused, gathering his thoughts, then proceeding, "By the way, I'm not sure if you heard during the time you were drugged, but I had an opportunity to do some sparring with him a while back, along with a bunch of his wannabe ninja corp. I'm surprised you ever had trouble dealing with them, heh. In any case, back to the topic, you say your justice is that endgame: eliminating this world of those who would loosely and easily take the life of another. Then let me ask you this then: You said that Dom's kill may have had survivors, people that cared about him. Do you believe that Teayre, Lowenthal, Hikoru, Mari, Oikawa, and all of the other orange players here, have no one that cares about them? Wouldn't your justice only cause more violence and animosity to arise, even though it would be only connected to you?"

"I've seen this strategy before, it's a self-sacrificial one. I don't know if it is a ploy, but I'll need to play along and see where it goes."

"My guess is that you plan to make yourself a martyr for a better Aincrad, by eliminating those that threaten the populous, and then in the end, with all of the roaming orange players and Laughing Coffin eliminated, you will welcome someone striking you down. It's certainly a well-through out strategy, one that may achieve the goal you seek. However, from what I have gathered, there's two things that will fall short in this idea: 1. The cycle of vengeance cannot be ended by attempting to funnel the 'evil' into one individual. 2. You cannot combat hatred with more hatred, because it will only justify and spread that feeling, and the idea that a target of your hatred should be eliminated. I don't believe that to be the world you wish to see in the end, is it?"

[Opal 0]

There was a blank look in her face as she listened to Calrex. He was attempting to make logical stand points of her action and those around them. Even if quests do make a player orange for killing a mechanic in the game, does Calrex know for certain that is what happened? Or is he so optimistic of these players that he ignores everything else. He is with Tearye...he is not that great of a judge of character. There was truth to what he said, and she knew of these mechanics all the same. 

"Its unfortunate for them then, they decided to play the role of a villain because it might be cool to be orange. But they do not understand the responsibility it comes with nor do they see the eyes that watch them. You have a right to your opinion, Cal. I won't take that away from you, but everything you have said shows no mere facts on anything. The truth is, which is fact, that some of these players did take the life of another. I killed Dom, I killed a player's brother, son, husband, family member. I will take that with me to the end of time as well as all the souls that are slain under me. If its just me that is doing it, I am fine with the hate. I have wanted to come back from this so many times. Grave, Jomei, people who cared for me."

She did not have complete control of her body it seemed. She felt shaky, remorse, dissatisfied. These feelings in the pit of her stomach that made her inside churn, the thoughts that she could be redeemed surfacing with his optimistic outlook on everything. Her actions however and her continued downfall into a dark and inescapable abyss seemed to continue on. She moaned lightly, her head thumping against the leather of the seat behind her as she stared into the ceiling, "I can't go back to that world, Calrex. I can't look into the eyes of my family and say I am alright. Atrocities I have committed, there is no going back to being pure. We are not even a quarter through with the game, and anything can happen at a moment's notice. If I lie to myself now for everything I have done, what does that make me? " the woman shifted and slouched in her seat, taking the beer from off the napkin and taking a long drink of the contents. Using her tongue, she swept the bitter taste from her black lips and placed the beverage back down on the table. Her eyes shifting as she seemed to lay on the table with both her hands folding. She was in such a state, foul mood, anxious, confused. 

"Even if you are right, I've come so far now to go back. I might end up being a hypocrite, I might end up being so wrong. But I have stained myself in this world. I am bound to its fate until I draw my last breath. This is what I am going to do with my life. I might not be the perfect murdering machine in Laughing Coffin, but I will not relent. I still believe my brand of Justice is justifiable. Perhaps I am just another [censored] up in this world, like everyone else..." her arms stretched out and she ended up propping herself up, laying a hand on her menu and searching her inventory, "[censored]..." she let out an audible grunt with her directed curse; out of cigarettes. Couldn't be helped it seemed, she was doomed to be without one for now. Sweeping her hand to dismiss the display, the woman brought the beverage once more to her lips swallowing the rest of the contents, "You still believe these people who are Orange can be redeemed? When your wife keeps killing people; when will you finally step in and say enough is enough?" 

[Calrex 0]

From what the bluenette could gather from his companion's reactions and such, Opal was certainly letting loose emotions and feeling that she may have been supressing during her time in Laughing Coffin. He knew that between the time of the Crimson Blades and the Knights of the Blood Oath, the woman seemed to be for the most part a loner. Of course she had her interactions with Myoga, her master at the time, but it was rare for him to see her in a crowd of people. If you wanted to go by professional terms, she may have been considered an introvert. Of course there was more to that, but from the interactions with Opal it did appear that she didn't really tend to frequent people she was unfamiliar with.

But, the fact of the matter was that it didn't matter what type of person she was, it was the words, and the meaning behind them that mattered. With a small sigh the bluenette had already expected that this was going to be a discussion. She had set the path for herself, and there may very well be no way to open her eyes to what else there was. He wasn't going to try and change her, or force his opinion on her. But, even if it was just a service to Lindow, he would at least say what he could, and try to at least give her enough information to come to these realizations on her own, whether they be for or against her goals.

He listened attentively, as he had done for the entire conversation to this point. As with her past responses, they had their validity, as well as their points the Ultramarine Knight may or may not be able to agree upon. But that was the way the world was: Not everyone was going to agree with you 100% of the time, and part of growing up and becoming and adult was accepting these facts and still being able to converse and forge relationships with those of different outlooks. "You are correct Opal, you cannot return to the world as it was, but that is normal. There is no way to wind back the past, and that would be the only way to go back to what you believe it to be. The world that you as a apprentice to Myoga, a Vice Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath, those days may very well be gone. I'm not going to tell you that your goal is right, wrong, or otherwise. But know that there are more possibilities than the path you have chosen for yourself, and that there will always be crossroads that can change it. I must also commend you, because you feel remorse for what has happened, regret and guilt. Those are instinctual things within the human psyche that may help determine when right from wrong. A person that feels no remorse for taking another human life is one to be careful of, because it is someone that to some level has lost their humanity. So you are correct, it is wrong to lie to yourself, and deluding yourself into thinking that a despicable action in pursuit of an honorable goal is justified."

Giving an exhale the bluenette downed the rest of his drink, setting it back on the now drenched napkin from the condensation on the glass, continuing, "We are in fact not even a quarter of a way to the end of this game, and if I were being honest with myself I can see the possibility of having to strike someone down, becoming an orange player myself. Even if I did so out of spite, defense, aggression, or otherwise, I will still remember the fact I took a human life, one that someone else may have cared for. But in the end, that is not something that I can justify or not. It will in the end be my peers that will determine what happens."

Hearing Opal's last statement he gave a small sigh, as it was true, and if he had reflected on his last response there was the possibility that he may have instinctually dodged the question regarding Teayre, thinking deeply about it before responding, "There in itself may be the dangerous flaw in a lax justice system, and to some level potentially my way of thinking. If you are too strict, almost everyone may be guilty. Too loose, and truly dangerous people may roam free. There is no perfect method to eliminating the threat of orange players. Understand that I am not blind. I have my contacts and am aware of the unnecessary lives Teayre had taken, and maybe to some extent it may be my own feelings for her that is keeping me from doing what is logically reasonable, striking her down. There is the idea that family and friends may be more forgiving to one another, than a stranger or acquaintance. However, I believe I am also to blame for that. As you may or may not have seen before, I used to take a more standoff approach to the floor raids, merely playing along with whatever strategy the other players had come up with. But, you have also seen the results of that: Good people, meaningful people like Azide, had fallen due to flawed strategies, strategies born out of pride and greed. I was there when I saw Teayre strike down Manta and Ebony. Sad to say, but I think that point was when I realized that I could no longer play a passive role in the frontlines, or in the community. However, I am only one person, but as one person I will, and am, doing what I can to nip this problem in the bud. If it is true, that people being being orange is some form of being cool, then such a flawed sense of thinking can be shut down. If they have deluded themselves into being a villain, then it is not a difficult step to play hero."

Giving a calming breath to refocus Calrex closed his eyes for a moment before continuing, "So, do I believe a player-killer can redeem themselves? Yes, that is the very reason why the Redemption quest exists. However, I don't believe in it being something arbitrary. Everyone has their reasons and boundaries that prevent or allow them to take a life, and those need to be taken into account as well. A person that kills meaninglessly, claiming unnecessary and innocent lives, very well doesn't deserve a second chance. But a person that kills out of defense for their own live, or the lives of the people they care about, that is a more gray area than simply condemning them for taking a life. In this world, all of us are capable of playing judge, jury, and executioner, but that doesn't mean that we are free to abuse that power."

[Opal 0]

He was right. Friend and family, much like he was with his wife Tearye would be obscured by their actions. She takes a life, it's ok...because she has problems or is a special case. She takes another life, again; its fine, she made a mistake. Still easily forgiven. Another, then another, and another...More people die because of his passive nature which he claims to have broken out of. "People have died because of people like you who sit and do nothing. I had to make a point when I killed Dom, when I forced Oikawa's rage on Zelrius. It was not until after that when I thought things were done. But no, orange players still sprouted up. They became enriched through another's actions. If someone can get away with it, then so could another. That is why Laughing Coffin was born...Because of people like you who allow it to take root and shape." the woman said begrudgingly. 

The woman swept her hand across the table, feeling the moisture of the wet napkin due to the sweat of her glass previously. She raked her hair with her fingers, there was no use to this conversation. She had already said more than she wanted, but she continued none the less. If there was one person to know, it would be Calrex. Even if she found him to be a little dense and a little too passive for her tastes. He had all that power but did nothing with it, if she had that kind of power...believing she was some kind of God, would she also play the role of a passive naive character? Her eyes traveled down from her glass to Calrex who was looking at her dead on. The woman widened her eyes slightly and then narrowed them to hide any sort of fear or intimidated sense of being, "You say you finally stopped being a Passive person and yet there is a world outside that you do not understand. People are dying as we speak, there might be a player killer scenario going on right now. Instead, we sit here. We drink, we have a conversation and we do nothing about it. Someone needs to play God, Calrex. We might not have that right, but we do nothing and we won't be able to save anything or protect anyone." 

The woman shifted in her seat and turned her body, she gave a quick snap of her fingers and rose her hand showing '2' and pointed over at her table ordering another round of drinks for both players. She wanted him to do what he should be doing and that is fighting and helping her, "You should help me, Calrex. Help play God of this world. If you don't someone else will take that place for you. It might not be my hand that does in your wife, or a friend like Oikawa. But someone out there has the same feelings as I do and I won't stop a person like that from doing what I think is right. You either help me or you sit back and play the game like a kid and watch humanity fall and tremble to more player killers. Soon the green will be a minority all that will be left is a sea of orange. But of course, I won't allow something like that to happen. Even if I have to slay a thousand more players in order to save a million. It's a disgusting life, but I have the power to do so."  

Two more beers set down in front of the players, the napkins barely holding together from the fresh brew set before them. The woman took a quick drink, she ran out of her smokes, a bad situation for her which meant she had to drown out the craving with alcohol which could lead to a rather pitiful site later. Sweeping her tongue across her lips once more, the woman brought her hands down over the glass, "I will hunt and kill more players." She said looking into his eyes and attempting to steel her nerves, "If you find my Justice to be wrong. You will need to hammer the final nail in my coffin yourself. At this point, there might only be a few people who can take me down. But of those few people, only certain ones will want to do it for the sake of others. Is it alright if I kill orange players that you don't know of? Do you care about people, Calrex? Do you like to live in a world of murderers? That's what it will come down to if people like ME don't stop them. Since I won't be turning Orange because I kill Orange Players. The next time we might have a conversation, I might have taken many more people from this world and you will never know. So you have a choice, don't you?" 

[Calrex 0]

As the woman continued, it only affirmed what he had suspected was a possibility. There was no swaying Opal, or making her open her eyes to what else may be going on. She was driven to continue down the path she believe was right, a path he had seen and thought of. It was a flawed path, one that may see an end to the player killings, but may also see the birth of some other malevolence worse than that. "I won't disagree with you Opal. You are correct in the fact that up till now I've played a passive role, and I recognize that my actions may have served to merely exasperate the situation until now. Sadly, you may also be right that Laughing Coffin may have been formed as a result of my inaction. It has been said before, that not making a choice is also a choice in itself."

Looking as two beers appeared in front of the two he kept a calm breath, albeit a cautious one. He knew that Opal was an alchemist, and he had seen before the effects of being under one. It was one of the other things he had a problem with, the fact that even though their emotions were for the most part untouched, a single profession had the ability to toy with a person's thoughts and emotions, under the guise that the effects were temporary. The fizzing liquid sat in front of him, but for now he merely refrained from taking a sip. Oikawa had warned him about Opal's manipulation of the potion she gave him, and the bluenette took it seriously.

"There are people that talk, those that act, and those that shift between. The very fact we are standing here may breed the possibility that more people will lose their lives. However, remember Opal, as much as we wish for the tragedies to end, we are still human. I've gone for days before without rest, something that should make sense in Aincrad since we don't require sleep. But the sensations we have from the real world still apply. Going for days without sleep left me drained, delirious to some extent. Can you justify sacrificing your own health in pursuit of your goal. Delirium can twist one's sense of thinking, so maybe the person you thought was a killer needing to be struck down may suddenly seem more innocent than you believe. You say that I should make more use of my strength, and actually take the role of some form of god over this world, the one that gives the final say in anything, including one's life."

As Calrex continued to look forward, he saw that the woman was steeling herself, as if to try and remove any sense of fear or doubt within her mind. That in itself is something dangerous, because deluding yourself, losing yourself in your ideals, while drowning out any outside input, is borderline fanaticism. However, he remained calm, focused. He was merely accomplishing what he had come to do, and even though it appeared that he was on a "losing" side of the conversation, he was establishing a victory in his mind. He had come to understand Opal's train of thought, and that was being accomplished. "As much as I wish I could believe in your mindset Opal, I cannot. Even if I have the power to be a god in this false world, I cannot believe myself as so. A god is omnipresent and omnipotent, neither of which I am. A god in the end is more of a concept than a reality. As much as many people delude themselves into thinking, I still am capable of being taken down. If enough people turn against me, I can still be killed. I bear the Achilles skill, and the game title of Invincible Warrior, but a warrior that is invincible will in the end stand alone atop a field of bodies of allies and enemies alike. That is not someone that people can look up to, merely abhor. It is not the duty of those with strength to force obedience on those not as strong. That is the beginning of a dictatorship. So, even if I wished to be the final decider, the most I could ever be is an arbiter, not a god."

Listening to Opal's resolve in her ideals Calrex gave a small sigh, hearing that she would kill a few to save the many, a thousand lives for the good of a million. Interlocking his fingers once again he rested his chin on his thumbs once again, "You propose an interest concept Opal, that the needs of the many outdo the needs of the few, so let me propose this. Say that a population is of 300 people, and of that 300, 100 of those people were killers. So unanimously those 100 people were killed, and 200 people were saved. Then how about this, what of that remaining population, another 100 were killers once again. So they were killed. In the end 100 of that 300 remained. So in the end, was it really the needs of the many that were met? Would such a result really be desired?" 

Reaching over he calmly grasped the handle of the mug, bringing it closer to himself, "Once again I must commend you for being stalwart in what you believe Opal, even though it may not be something I can get on board with. That being said, the choice I have is not simply kill or let kill. I will continue as I have, and try to right this world in the way that I believe is right. Whether that falls in line with your goals or not will have to wait to be seen. Nonetheless, there is more to me than simply strength. There is loyalty, trust, understanding, and to some level a belief that maybe I can save this world without more lives being taken. But, I will merely say this: Don't mistake my silence for ignorance, my calmness for acceptance. But most of all, don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I am a kind person to everyone I meet, but the moment that someone is unkind to me, weak will be the last thing a person will remember about me."

[Opal 0]

His words rang crystal clear in her head. Every action he took, his eyes unwavered from the look of her own. Once again, a downcast gaze reflected back towards her glass. His eyes scared the [censored] out of her and his calm demeanor ever more. When he spoke, he spoke with the confidence of the world, his tone clear and to the point. He didn't sugar coat his own ideals nor did he accuse of her of being a bitch and selfish, although in all his right had the right to do so for the way she acted upon her impulses and decisions. His story reflected one much of her own and she gave a slow nod intent on the rest of his story. The woman could not help but break the silence, "In the case of your scenario, it would be even more so to fulfill my line of reasoning. No matter the number, the situation remains. If I am left alone in this world, the last person alive. Then...I will truly know that none of us could ever be saved and we all should be hellbound." The woman lifted her beer, the cold liquid quenching her thirst as she sat it down on the flimsy napkin once more. She gave a low moan and sank in her seat, hands over her head as she wrapped her mind around his words.

"You can't save everyone, Calrex. There are those who do not deserve saving. But it seems we have come to a point where neither of us can sway the other. You may find yourself in a world of player killers when I meet my demise and I hope you will find that it was worth it in the end to live by your standards. I would rather people hate me than act so selfless and allow these people to continue to ruin another's life. I am sorry, but I just can't accept that fact. If you do not become the God this world needs. Then I will be. God is to be feared and fear breeds obedience to the weak. If you don't save the people that actually matter, well...You might as well be orange yourself." The woman took a more direct approach. She had been backed into a corner with his words, though they shared no malice or ill intent or vocally instilled danger in her, she felt the need to defend herself. If Calrex was going to play this role, then he was damning his friends to a life that might end up far worse than this world needed to be. 

His lack of action was disturbing, only to wait and see how things unfold, "But when each and everyone of your friends is killed or they turn on each other...What side do you chose then? Do you continue to support your passive role, or will you wait till the last minute when everything is gone that you actually do something about it? You say I should not mistake your kindness for weakness. Well, we all know how powerful you are and what you are capable of doing. But when I overpower you, and I will, I will dictate what happens in this world. I will become the God necessary, and I will act selflessly. Because it is necessary. And perhaps one day you will apologize and ask forgiveness for your own sins. You may seek redemption for your inability to do something about it when you had the chance. You have this chance now, do what must be done...Kill Tearye. Show this world that Player Killers are not necessary, show them that murderers are to be executed with extreme prejudice. Like I said, if you don't perhaps I or someone else will. What will it take to set you off until you are no longer calm, rational and intact." she said the last word tapping her head with her fingers. Once more she took a long drink of the amber liquid, this conversation was certainly something she was not expecting. But unfortunately, she knew what his answer would be; Calrex was weak despite his powerful stance. It was a shame...it truly was. 

[Calrex 0]

"An ultimatum. Always something that someone may try to pull. To save the world, or watch it perish. I believe there was a saying, to die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. That possibility may just be something as well."

As he continued to ponder his thoughts, the bluenette looked at the amber liquid in front of him. Of course, he was initially hesitant, since Opal herself had ordered them from the bartender. However, he also knew that there was a large impossibility that the woman had time to sneak a potion into the drink, and thus it helped to ease his alert senses. Gently raising the glass he took a sip, downing about a quarter of the drink, tasting the bitterness of the brew as it passed over his tongue. It was almost a reminder to himself, that life itself isn't going to be all sweet, sour, spicy, salty, or bitter. It was a myriad of all aspects, and that each emotions and experience gained was more than just an isolated incident. How one learns from each experience, and what lesson they gained, is just as important.

With that, the woman's words seemed to reach another point in the conversation the bluenette was expecting to happen soon enough, even though he had hoped to learn more. "I believe you may have misunderstood me Opal, and that may in part be of my own doing. Not once in this conversation has my goal been to sway you, or to change your mindset. There were merely two things that I hoped to accomplish tonight, although whether the second was achieved or not is completely on you. First of all, my aim was to clear up the misconceptions I had, and to understand what mindset you have, as well as the endgame you had in mind. I believe I have achieved and understood that."

"There are at times debates between monks, where they will argue two different sides, potentially going on for hours or days. In the end, whoever won the argument was believe to be the loser, as they learned nothing. The loser was the one that gleamed more knowledge, and could thus open their mind to more than just what they knew."

"The second was, and once again I am sorry if it came off as forcing my ideals upon you. I merely wished to give you another perspective, one outside of the one that you know, as a way of helping you to understand there may be more to this world, and to the people within it, than just what you have come to believe to be true. Our ideals and beliefs are what help ground us as we look out and interact with those around us, but rather than being hard and resilient like a fragile tree branch, I believe in the idea of bending like a reed in the wind, possibly bending to extreme lengths, but never breaking. However, if my words have fallen deaf upon your ear,s then that is your prerogative, and something that I will not force again upon you."

Taking another swig the bluenette gave a sigh, "I can only guess that you have experienced, or witness the pain wrought by those that have lost many lives, or maybe it is an attempt to empathize and embody the wishes of those whom have lost loved ones to PKers. Because of that you wish to eliminate the threat before it can get any worse. I merely see things at this point as symptoms of a larger problem, with the actual acts of player killings as a symptom rather than the source. However, I believe that there are few that share my outlook on this take. I am not a person to gamble with the lives of others, but your statement I will accept. If the way I live does in the end result the way you believe, then I have been in the wrong, and am as guilty as those who had taken so many lives. If by the end of it all of those I care about have become killers, or have turned on each other, then not only have I failed my duty as a human, but as a friend as well. If I am blind to such things, then I may as well be guilty for letting it happen. That is a responsibility I am willing to take up. There will not come a day where I will beg forgiveness for my actions, because such an act will also say that I wholeheartedly believe I was wrong. If the world sees me as a villain as a result of that, then so be it."

Releasing a small sigh he readied himself and continued, "That being said, however, a god that demand obedience in order to maintain peace, and the peace that is the result of that I cannot see as being true. It is a fragile state that will only last as long as the one on control remains powerful. The moment that such a person falls, I can see everything falling back into the chaos that was once there. I may see things for the most part as half full, but I also can see the many times that humans have disappointed each other. You say that my chance is right in front of me, and it may very well be. However, if I was a man that took every single clear secure chance that was in front of him, I wouldn't be where I am at today, and most certainly wouldn't be the currently highest level player in Aincrad."

With one last drink he finished off the mug's contents, setting it down on the napkin in front of him, "You are correct that I am one man, and I am certainly nowhere close to a god. So there may very well come a day where I won't be able to protect those I care about. There is the likely possibility that if I, as you say, don't kill Teayre then someone else will be ready and willing to take up the duty. I won't delude myself into thinking that I would be able to protect her, or even should things continue down the line maintain the amount of confidence in doing so, but as a husband and friend I will do so, all the while doing the best to make things right."

Giving one last inhale to finish his words the bluenette collected himself before speaking, "You ask what will it take to set me off, to release me from a calm, rational, intact state? Fearfully so, I don't believe I have yet to discover what may do so. However, there is the likely possibility that like the ocean there are great depths and darkness, with such things raging inside, while on the surface I remain unphased. That I am like a soda that is slowly being shaken faster and faster. I believe that should the moment come where I lose all sense of reason, that it would be like that soda finally bursting, or the monsters deep beneath the waves rushing to the surface. On that day, you may very well have to consider myself an enemy, and in some ways I fear for anyone that has called my animosity and rage forward should that be the case, because I myself would fear what I would have become, because it would be anywhere close to a god, angel, demon, or devil, but quite possibility the embodiment of malovence itself."

[Opal 0]

After Calrex had explained what it would or might take to push his self controlled state of being off the edge, the woman sat up straight in her seat and she looked at him dead in the eye and gave a small "Hm." With her right hand off the table and onto her menu, the woman could be seen writing out a message to one of her contacts. The woman sighed and pressed a hand over the forefront of her head and then dismissed the screen once the message was complete and sent out. Taking her glass of molten liquid, she downed the remaining bits of it and allowed the taste to linger in her mouth. The effects, if there had been any, did nothing to help calm her nerves. What she had sent was a small message to those two twin brothers she had met, more Laughing Coffin members but there was another party involved in this as well. She had to know if Calrex still spoke of this world of people being able to be redeemed or not. Should he make the wrong decision even now, the hope of the people of Aincrad could very well be lost forever. 

Her violet eyes dulled under the fake luminous lights of the bar, her eyes downcast as she sat her pale chin upon the palm of her hand and drummed her fingers along the edge as if she were waiting on something, possibly a reply from her message that she just recently sent. She did not make any other sounds or noises for the moment and she did not look at Calrex either for a few different reasons. He was by far one of the smarter players in this dungeon world, close to rivaling the intellect of Sensui possibly. But that man had as Calrex had said, depths of darkness that she had only seen in small doses. The otherwise calm body and soul were mostly seen in the eyes of their comrades. Within a few moments there was another alert in her PM box. She quickly opened her menu, it was a coded message and the woman needed to take some time to figure it out. But it seems like everything was well in order. The woman gave herself a mental nod and finally looked up to the Ultramarine Knight. The woman twisted in her seat, popping her back in the process as she slowly stood up. Her feet hit the hard ground as she stood taking a look at the bar before coming back at Calrex and she flipped the long white hair from off her shoulder.

"Calrex, I admire you as a person and your own ideals. But I must show you something..." The woman took the time to stretch her limbs, placing both her arms high up into the air and giving a low, squeaky yawn. With her hand accessing her menu once more, the woman summoned her Masamune katana into her hand. The weighty object falling into her grasp as she swung it down as the large weapon, in its sheath, struck the ground with the butt end of the saya, "Do you know since I trained with Myoga, I have named all my katanas the Masamune? Do you find it hard to believe for such a woman as myself to be in possession of such a famed item? Of course, Masamune was not the one who originally crafted this item. It was another player, however, the name is the embodiment of what this sword stands for and what I stand for. It is a blade that has been soaked and tainted with my vengeance upon these player killers. Perhaps I have no right to be armed with such a weapon, perhaps I have no right to live among the players of this world. Perhaps I am wrong and you are right." The woman shifted the weapon off the ground and over her shoulder, "Come Calrex, we have some unfinished business to settle."

The woman had finally looked the man in his eyes and she began for the door, of course he would be reluctant, he could quite possibly be walking into a trap. There was no way Opal could speak her way out of this without telling him of her plans. He would either have to trust a deceptive witch or he could just sit there and not follow her. But if he did not follow, what could this woman possibly do? Perhaps she had one of his friends hostage and she was gonna force him into a harrowing string of events, perhaps it was just a small drunker challenge she wished to get off her chest. Opal knew what was going to happen, but she did not want to spoil anything, he would possibly not come if she had told him of the plans. 

As she hit the door of the bar and flung it open, the cool and crisp air hit her as she felt the breeze blow through her hair and body. It was a chilly night for floor eleven, but she was well prepared for such nights. She felt snug in her turtleneck, yet she toted her weapon over her shoulder, she did not change into her armor set, leaving her mostly vulnerable. Hopefully that would give some indication that she was not attempting anything on his life. But the choice was his. The woman waited outside the bar for him to show, standing only a few feet from the door. 

[Calrex 0]

After he had given his response it appeared that the person sitting across from him had taken a shift in personality. Not so much as to be a change of heart, but a change in the dominant emotion at the time. He was initially a novice at this, deducing and forming assumptions of a person's inner thoughts merely by the expressions and micro-expressions their faces gave away. However, he had experienced enough interactions in SAO to at least hone that skill to some level. As Opal began to swipe away on her messages, it seemed there was one thing he was able to gleam. The woman was no longer disgusted, or willing to debate her morals with the Ultramarine Knight. Instead, she seemed to have been piqued by some kind of curiosity.

Of course, it was practically impossible to not tell when someone was doing something in their menu. The fact of the matter was, that a person's menu was for the most part visible at all times unless they did a completely obvious act of covering it up with an accessory or something else. The woman across from him was certainly doing something, and from what Calrex could tell, at least from the mirrored, lit up, and partially blurred appearance of her HUD, she was writing a message. A message that seemed to have received a prompt reply.

Opal seemed to partially kick herself to her feet while departing from her seat, standing upright before stretching. With a swipe she had summoned her weapon, which  to no surprise was named the Masamune. She had wielded swords in the past, one in particular that stood out in his mind being named the Masamune X. However, he did not know that the person that the woman had formally called her master was the one that seemed to have influenced her to name all of her subsequent weapons after the legendary swordsmith's name. With a small smirk the bluenette shook his head, "Honestly, the fact you have named your weapons after such a famed individual is no surprise at all. Many of the people within this game have the ability to choose what to call their weapons, and famous or legendary weapons are certainly not uncommon in trend. However, I believe there is a slight different in the background of that blade from the one you know. A sword tainted with blood and vengeance would be closer to the swords forged by the other legendary smith Muramasa. In fact, there was once a story that compared swords from both craftsmen, with the Muramasa being the one that showed an aggressive soul, cutting through whatever came into the path of its blade, while the Masamune coaxed all that came into its path to the side, sparing them."

"I had a discussion with Baldur about that story in the past. I wonder if she understands it differently."

Hearing that they had some unfinished business the bluenette took note as he quickly ran through thoughts in his mind, "Unfinished business? I wonder what she would mean. The thing I had hoped to gain has been accomplished, which could only mean she had something planned as well. However, going from what I've seen in the past, it isn't a stretch to say that Opal has thought ten steps ahead before. She's devised schemes in the past, like when she tried to rile up a crowd using members of Laughing Coffin at Oikawa's public announcement and confession for killing Zelrius. She's certainly someone that is capable of both playing a puppetmaster, as well as bing able to get her hands dirty. The question is, how should I proceed..."

With a small sigh the bluenette took mental note of what was in his inventory, as well as his own arsenal. Even though they were in the safe zone, he had made it a mental habit to keep his base battle gear equipped, meaning at the least he would still be able to tangle with the majority of threats with the smallest response time. As well, he still had the teleportation crystal he had obtained from Baldur almost a year ago, and his battle-ready inventory was certainly things that would keep him alive. For skills, he could still defend and recover from an initial ambush, and with his unique skilled passed down from Tristan, damage had yet to become a problem. Overall, should he choose to follow the white-haired woman, there was a minimum of threats that could be done, at least ones that could be prepared in such a short period of time.

Getting to his feet calmly he moved his hands to his pockets, looking over at the NPC bartender while giving a nod in thanks for both serving them drinks, as well as maintaining the bar for potentially his last two patrons of the night. "Unfinished business? Well, I guess the night is still young."

Following along, the bluenette exited, following Opal.

[Opal 0]

She knew the story well, it was in fact Myoga who had told her about it. It was indeed one of her lessons to which she would learn during her training. However, the time for telling stories had mostly come to an end. She stood outside the door of the bar waiting for him to see if he would eventually show up. He had and she was not kept waiting for too long. With her head, she gestured to him to follow. "We will be going out a bit into the field. For the moment, neither one of us are in danger of losing our lives. I merely wish you to show you something that I have been keeping to myself for a rather long time..." her words nothing more than that of being cryptic. She had yet to spoil anything to him, but he followed none the less.

Breaking from the safe zone, things could get ugly and dangerous for both party members. Not only were mobs a bit more aggressive, but the nocturnal beasts that prayed on the innocent were much more ravenous at night it seemed on this floor. But things had become calm and quiet in fact most of the mobs had been cleared out of the area, "I had sent a message ahead of time to have our area free of any mobs while we took care of business. As we speak my men are surrounding the area to make sure we are not disturbed..."

The woman said as flicks of shadows could be seen sweeping out the dregs in the area. Their stealth mastery rivaling that of her own, but soon came upon a hill where the moon was the brightest and fullest casting its gaze down at what appeared to be a man on his knees with a hood over his face and two laughing teens standing side by side as they joked and giggled. 

"Purge! Purify!" Shouted the woman's voice from the small distance. Hearing their names rattled their attention and their bright eyes gleamed as she came into view with her guest, "Oh man! It's Oppai-Sa---Umph!" the male who looked mostly like the other had elbowed him in the ribcage, "Its Opal-Sama you dolt! Not Oppai! We both know she has large breasts!" 

"Hahaha! Hello Opal! We have done as you asked! We got the others to clear the area for you. Are you...wait a minute, isn't that one of them frontliners?"

"No way, it's Calrex. Probably the strongest player in Aincrad right now. Oh hey! Can I get your autogra-Umph!"

"Don't ask him for his autograph! He's the enemy, duh!" 
"Don't you 'duh' me! I just want it for my collection!"

The seemingly twin brothers began to argue to themselves before Opal had stepped in.

"Silence both of you!" Her words sent a chill down their spines as they straightened up and backed away, talking amongst one another as to whom was the blame for this. They had continued to argue in the background as they stepped back to allow the two to get on with whatever they needed to do. Opal stood in front of the player on the ground who was more of less cowering. However, all of their crystals were orange save for Calrex's and Opal's. The woman unsheathed her Masamune, the sight of this certain individual had already began to boil her blood. With a swift kick to the rear of the player, he moaned as he whimpered with the cloth hood over his head.

"Calrex. This man is significant to both you and I. You understand that Lindow was hunting down a band of Player Killers who were targeting children on the fourth floor, yes? He couldn't live with himself knowing that these pack of rats were preying on children, they only killed children or even worse, made them slaves to do heinous things far worse than death. This sack of [censored] right here is one of those members, in fact, is the last person to have seen or had contact with Lindow before he died. Now I ask...a man such as this who has killed countless children and possibly even had a dealing hand in the death of Lindow. Is he one of those people that can be redeemed by your law? Are you so merciful to let this man live as well? It is people like him that continue to live and strive without fear of backlash because of people like you." She had pointed to this individual with her sword and then up at Calrex to make her point.

It was hard to believe she had kept this person alive for so long. Day in and day out she had contemplated whether or not he should live, "This player can not and should not be redeemed by any means. They have no right to live; mere children as playthings for this...thing and yet we do nothing about it. In a perfect world, we could all get a long and finish this game and end it. But we are all tainted by things in this world now. We have seen things we can't unseen. Take up your blade, Cal. And end this man's life. Lindow deserves justice! The children who died under this man, deserve justice!" 

There was a low wind, the brothers Purge and Purify looked at one another, even their goofball nature had quieted down as the omen of wind swept through the chilly air.

"Ugh should we tell Sensui what is going on?" One of the brother's whispered, "Maybe, Opal-sama is acting a little weird, huh?" 
"Agreed. Let's see what happens though." 

"I--I'm sorry! I don't know what is going on! I know I am not the purest of people in this world. I know my sick habits have got the best of me! But I--I am trying! I really am! I haven't touched a child in months! I swear! I'm just...a little sick! yes! I'm sick! I need help! Just don't kill me! I have a wife back home! A son! They are relying on me to get back! I--I'm sorry! Just forgive me! Please!" Opal gave a growl as she lunged her foot forward and kicked him in the ribs.

 "Shut up! Shut up! You don't get the right to beg for your life! How many have done the same under your cruel nature? Have they been spared of your malicious intent? Calrex, prove to me you know what is right or wrong! This man needs to be executed!" 

Once more the man who was bound and blinded by the hood whimpered underneath attempting to persuade both that he should live. Of course, Opal had made her decision long ago that people like this should not live. Orange Players were murderers, they did not have the right to beg for forgiveness. And if left unchecked, how many more would die because no one would do anything to stop them? 

[Calrex 0]

The field zones were certainly more quiet than before, something that Calrex had only experienced himself on even lower floors because of his extremely high level. Monsters tended to avoid him, even when they were bolder at night, like predators fearing a larger predator. The eleventh floor may have fallen into a fuzzy area in terms of the scripted logic that would determine if they would actively engage the bluenette or not, but with the fact that supposedly Laughing Coffin themselves were doing the woman's bidding, keeping the monsters at bay, signaled two things in his mind: 1. Laughing Coffin possessed members that were capable of fighting monsters that populated the eleventh floor at night, at the least. 2. He was potentially surrounded.

At a moment notice, it wouldn't be a stretch to find his exit path blocked off by members of the player-killer guild, and the potential fact he just may have to fight his way back to the safe zone, or make use of the teleportation crystal in his battle ready inventory. "If things go wrong, I'm relying on you to give me enough time to escape Achilles..."

As they approached what appeared to be their destination, the bluenette looked to see two young man, apparently twins named Purge and Purify restraining another orange-player, whose face was masked by a hood, "Purge and Purify, why not Pride and Prejudice, heh..."

He listened attentively once again, hearing what Opal was saying. Calrex had suspicions as to Lindow's fate, as the older man and former police officer had died off on his own. It would make sense if he was looking into some malevolent group of individuals, especially if they were committing, should what the woman's words be correct, a serious taboo. From what he understood of other cultures, no matter which one a person was a part of, touching a child, and the act of killing them, was looked down upon. The acts afterwards would only add to that, as such things could get you killed, whether you were in or out of incarceration.

"So this was her plan. In a way, it's an even stronger kind of ultimatum. I'm not completely sure what her goal is, but it does seem she wants me to either abandon my ideals, or strictly stick to them. Kill this man, or spare his life. It's a good play Opal, I must commend you."

He glanced over at the twins, who were still speaking amongst each other. Of course, he wasn't sure exactly how aware of Opal's endgame her handler was. Sensui certainly seemed to try and keep a tight noose around his guild members, going from the way he carried himself at the floor raid. It may be that the woman was putting herself at risk with this action.

Looking over at the white-haired player in front of him he gave a calming breath before walking forward. First of all he looked over at the two twins, giving a friendly smile and a nod, "I understand you believe I am your enemy, but nonetheless it is nice to meet the both of you. If I may."

Motioning over to the hood on the hand head the bluenette merely asked for permission to remove the hood. Removing it the bluenette looked at the man in front of him, inching back a short distance so that when he went down on one knee he could speak with him comfortably, "I extend the greeting to you as well. My name is Calrex, one of the frontliners here in Aincrad. Please don't yell at this point, as I don't wish to give the people that are currently allowing me to do this further trouble by attracting more monsters. You seem to be a fairly honest man, at least if your outburst is correct. However, please allow me to start fresh."

"I've said it before, that I will decide my fate, no one else. Even if I need to will that fate into existence. Every act I've done has been in my efforts to change this world for the better, and with that I will lay everything I am on the line."

"Opal, if you will allow, I would like a few minutes with this man. I will give you my answer once it is done."

Looking back over at him once again the bluenette kept a calm face, "First of all, may I have your name? I don't mean the name you created for SAO, but your real name. A first name only is perfectly fine."

[Opal 0]

The woman's eyes widened, "Whatever. I'll give you five minutes with this Trash." Opal gestured for Purge and Purify to follow to allow Calrex to deal with the situation at hand. The twin brothers followed her a few feet away from prying eyes and ears as they settled themselves down the hill. 

"So..ugh, Opal-sama, what exactly are you doing?"
"Forgive my brother, Opal-sama. But he brings a point, this is not something Sensui would be happy about."
"But then again, we don't really care what Sensui thinks, right?"
"Kinda...I mean, he does pay us pretty damn well."
"And its fun killing players too," the twins conversed with one another only giving Opal a massive headache.

"Will you two just shut up?" the woman folded her arms over her chest as she thrust her long blade into the earth, the brothers were not exactly mature in a sense that they would do as she said, but they also didn't want to make a scene right now. It was too damn late for something like that. Purge plopped down on the ground and stretched his legs, "I'm just saying, Opal...What you are doing is rather odd, what exactly are you hoping to achieve here?"

Opal didn't say a word, she just stared at the moon with her violet eyes. She had wondered if her words sank at all into Calrex. This world and everything in it was wrong, it was cruel and wrong. That was the best way she could surmise its existence. She swept a hand over her hair as it flowed with a gentle caress of a passing breeze. The Masamune in the light of the moon gave an eerie sheen as it swayed from the wind. Her eyes fell from the moon to the sword and then back up on top of the hill, her eyes narrowing. She didn't like surprises. 

--

With the hood coming off the man's head, his eyes shot around where he kneeled, "Oh God! God! Please grant me mercy," he cowered as he heard Calrex's words, yet whimpered none the less. A name? The man swallowed hard, "M-my name is G-Greg, please! You gotta help me!" his voice was full of fear and he was frantic, his heart pounding in his chest. Never in a million years did he ever think he would be caught like this. A peaceful death would have been nice, somewhere cozy and warm. But that woman and her torturing methods! His eyes shut tight, "Don't, don't let her touch me again! I-I I have a stash! A secret stash! I can make you rich! Just undo these binds from me and you'll never see me again! Not a word! Not a peep! God damn it!" the man thrust his head down into the ground apologizing over and over again. 

"I am sick! I have these urges and thoughts, their skin...so soft, ya know? Pure...and warm, supple. Ya know the first time you do it, it's almost euphoric in a sense. You get lost in that world They are just so tender and moist, then that feeling becomes addictive, so you search for more and peel the layers one after another discovering new and beautiful ways to go about it. Their screams, their moans. Hahahaha....it's...it's- No! Bad! Wrong! Horrible!" the man gulped feeling himself become absorbed in more fear than he could tolerate. 

"Just undo these binds...come on, fella. You look like a man with a good heart, yes? These people, they do things to others that put my work to shame. They are the real bad guys here. Not me!" 

[Calrex 0]

As Opal gave him the amount of time he had the bluenette gave a nod, returning his attention back to the man in front of him, who had given him the name Greg. It was a fairly simple and short name, potentially a shortened version of Gregory. But, it appeared as Calrex had suspected, the man was distraught from his current situation. Guilty or not, anyone that was treated less than human was going to have some effect on them psychologically. The way he apologized, burying his face into the ground as he raised it and lowered it again and again was an act he was familiar with. When someone wanted to truly apologize for something, especially where kneeling and bowing were common, placing one's face into the dirt was a form of shame, and also whole-hearted begging for forgiveness. It was an extreme action.

It was difficult to maintain the calm demanor on his face as he heard the man go on, describing the various acts he had performed on his victims, the children that Lindow had originally set out to save. Forcing the desire to gag to the side the continued to take the information in. Greg certainly had issues, personal issues that he may or may not have brought into SAO, and may have been set loose in the world they were trapped in. It wasn't exactly uncommon for people to assume alternate personas on the internet or in a simulated reality, because it was a way of starting anew. 

With a small sigh the bluenette collected his thoughts, taking a glance at Opal before responding to the man in front of him, "Greg, thank you for telling me what you have, but there are some things that I need to make clear with you, and as well some questions that I would like to ask you. As you may have heard, the woman you are referring to has, to some extent, given me the capability of passing final judgement on you, so declare whether you should die or be spared. Remember this fact, because as I ask you these questions, I want you to answer them honestly and to the best of your ability. You just may be right, I may have a good heart, but remember that people have committed horrible acts out of good intentions."

Shifting his position Calrex changed from sitting with one knee bent, to a forward leaning crouch, sitting on both balls of his feet, "Now, that being said, I want you to understand the situation, and how you have gotten to where you are. Even if I were to declare you innocent, I cannot guarantee your safety, and I cannot for certain say that you will not die this night. Understand, that no matter what personal reward it was for you, what you have committed is a terrible crime by any government or cultural law. It is one thing to have thoughts, but another to cross the line and actually act on your impulses. But, if there is some part of you that at least wants to make right, by the children you have harmed, and by the families of those children, maybe you can lend me your help."

Looking into the eyes of the man in front of him the bluenette continued, "As I understand, you are not the only one that was involved in these acts, and from what I can tell, it would be very difficult for you to have done so for so long while not being struck down. You worked collaboratively with these other player-killers this woman has mentioned. I want to find these people. So if you have any information on them, no matter how old or irrelevant you believe it to be, I would like to know. Remember, I want honest answers."

"Opal, you may have caught this man, but if what you have told me Lindow was doing was true, then simply killing him is too short-sighted. Yes, he may be someone that is not a necessity to society, but at the least, even if you have condemned him, give him once last chance to do right by the people he has harmed. Because what may bring justice for you, will not bring justice to the victims."

With a small sigh he gave one last utterance, "You say you have a wife and son that are looking for you to come home. There was once a man that was looking for the children you hurt, a man who also has a wife and child. However, many months ago his fate was sealed, that he would not be able to return to their embrace. He had a family just like you. Now let me ask you, would you be ok with someone laying their hands on your wife, on your son, just like you did those children?"

[Opal 0]

"I-Information? haha, y-you're kidding right? You actually think there are any of us left after what she did? Urbus was a nesting ground for such things. The west district which was the common place for what most would call illegal activity was the central area of our operations. But that no longer exists, the Black Panther...that Harpy you call Opal flushed out my comrades, took us down like a pack of animals. I suppose in the end, that is all what we are. But there is nothing left, and I don't mean to sound like a asshole here, but you don't get out much do you? I understand, you frontliners only see what is in front of your face, but man...hahaha, you don't know [censored] for the reality around you. There is a layer of darkness that stretches beyond other layers. Day in and day out there is death in this game, sometimes assassinations, other times it's for fun like those brothers. You are green, you can go to the Monument of Life, the brothers Purge and Purify...see how many they have scratched off the list. But that's only on the surface, black market trades, human trafficking, Forbidden Alchemy...it goes even steps further, there right now is a turf war against Titan's Hand and the Laughing Coffin, their territory stretches out several times over in all the cities of Aincrad. Friendly faces you see sometimes are not so friendly."

"What is the meaning of this?" Opal had stepped forward now along with both Purge and Purify behind her, "Enough telling stories; you have made your decision Calrex? I expect you to strike this fool down and end his pathetic existence. I will be the only one here to know what has happened, your reputation will not be soiled. So get on with it and kill this bastard. Justice demands an answer now, judgement must be made.Or will you allow Lindow's light to remain cast into darkness?"

The woman's words were demanding in her tone, she had reflected her thought out several times now to the player and yet he wanted to sit here and chat with the Orange Player. Her violet eyes took a quick scan of the area and the brothers behind her were engaging in some kind of rock, paper, scissors game that she had no time to argue against. 

"Oh come on! Best two out of three?"
"Nope! I won. You gotta deal with it, bro."
"Ugh! Fine. I get the next one then."
"If you can win that is."
"Hey! That's not what we agreed on!"

The brother chuckled at his lamenting sibling, Opal's sharp eyes finally pierced their veil as she looked towards them, her eyes telling them to shut the hell up. Seriously, it was sometimes like baby sitting some children in this guild. But their skills were useful and the fact they were brothers; it made it even easier for them to hone their skills and practice their tactics. The brothers quickly chuckled to themselves and then stood up straight like soldiers in a salute fashion as her eyes fell upon them, "Sorry Opaii--umph!"