{no mercy} Topaz/Opal

Lulu
Retired Staff

[M:2982250]

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{no mercy} Topaz/Opal Sept 25, 2013 16:24:42 GMT -5

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Post by Lulu on Sept 25, 2013 16:24:42 GMT -5

.:.:.:.:.:.:.
if heaven's wind brings hell's rain
then i'd trade all my tomorrows for
just one yesterday
.:.:.:.:.:.:.

The end of another Hunger Games. And yet another success for Topaz Ross. It was almost surreal, watching as Opal Shore landed the killing blow on her opponent, winning the 64th Hunger Games. Her tribute. Only two years after Peridot had succeeded as well. But something felt different this time; she could feel much more of a connection to this Career female on the television screen in front of her. Though she stood on the roots of a massive banyan tree rather than beside a pillar in a circle of flames, Topaz felt so much like she was there, in Opal's shoes, back in her own arena. Takeba lie bleeding on the ground beside her. A locket played an ominous, somber tune. The air filled with smoke. A sleeping bag was clutched in her arms. And strangely, it felt so familiar. Welcome. Topaz tried desperately to push away the feeling of desire to be back, back in their place where the game of life was so clear: kill or be killed.

Fast forward a few days, and the redheaded mentor found herself deep in the bowels of the Capitol's hospital, preparing to see her tribute—her victor—for the first time since she'd emerged, exhausted, terrified, and legless. No doubt that whenever she'd been conscious, Opal had spent the past few days wondering where she was and, most importantly, what happened next? Had they managed to put the princess back together again? As she stood outside the sliding wall of the hospital room waiting for the doctor's permission to go inside, it opened just a crack and Kaiser slid out. Topaz shot him a questioning glance, knowing full well that he knew exactly what she wanted to know. How is she? As bad as I was? Or holding it together? In answer, he gave his first victor a small nod and a quick hand squeeze before disappearing down the corridor. As she slid through the wall, the seasoned victor could almost fool herself into smelling old traces of pumpkin soup.

"Opal." Topaz tentatively made her way over to the champion's bedside; she appeared to be stable and in a sitting position, though clearly still suffering the aftermath of what she'd been through. She wasn't ready to face the world yet, which was all too understandable. "How do you feel?" the older victor asked, pulling over a chair and crossing her arms. Rejuvenated? Refreshed? Ready to do it all again? Tope considered adding some levity to the situation but them decided against it, hearing Kaiser's voice in her head telling her how insensitive that was when really it was something she could easily imagine him saying. "Better, at least?" she added, cautiously attempting to gauge Opal's mental state before she decided in which direction to take the conversation.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.
i want to teach you a lesson in the worst kind of way
still i'd trade all my tomorrows
for just one yesterday
.:.:.:.:.:.:.

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cass
Retired Staff

4,822 POSTS

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{no mercy} Topaz/Opal Sept 25, 2013 18:56:13 GMT -5

Quote

Post by cass on Sept 25, 2013 18:56:13 GMT -5

I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything
You held me down, but I got up
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground

The hospital room was boring white and far too clean. Those were the first things she noticed as she climbed out of her unconscious state. The pain that she knew should be there wasn’t and instead there was a dull, uncomfortable throb in her leg–

She gasped, fingers shaking endlessly, as they touched her leg, or where her leg had been. Instead the grasped at thin air, fingers trailing up nothing but the soft bed sheets she lay on. They moved upwards shaking uncontrollably as the realisation there was nothing there took over. Instead her delicate long fingers stopped, the feel of scarred skin making an appearance. In all honesty she had not known what to expect. Some part of her – as she had been dragged into that hovercraft, had believed that the doctors in the Capitol could have fixed the damage done to her body. But as her shaky fingers ran over the scarred, tough skin of the end of her leg she realised she had been completely wrong. Anxious to see what it looked like she tore the blanket off of her, dragging her unstable limbs into a sitting position. Biting her lip she bit back a gasp of horror, instead she clenched her hands, a tentative finger once more sticking outwards to poke the useless flesh. The few other times she had gained consciousness had been a hazy few minutes where there had been fear and uncertainty. But the drugs had quickly subdued her, foretelling the building panic in her chest and therefore dragging her back under and into the blissful peace of unconsciousness.

This time, however, when she felt that familiar panic she was left to fight it down alone. Taking in a deep breathe she closed her eyes, hands retracting and away from the stump for a leg. She knew the best way to stop the panic from building up too much in her chest, was to not think about it all. And that was so very hard, as soon as her mind slid away from the leg she found herself refocusing on the last things she could remember clearly, those being just as horrifying as the ones before. Within moments she was being thrusted into that unbelievable pain, a flash of light, the glare of heat from a burning fire and cries of anguish and agony, not coming from her own lips, but from others. No, she was not going to do this. Looking at that god-forsaken stump was better than those memories. It was only then that she felt the presence of another person in her room. Looking up sharply she found her eyes meeting the warm ones of Kaiser, her stylist. He smiles in return, an anxious, worried expression glued to his face. Shrugging lightly she tried her best to keep her face natural, not wanting him to see her pain and fear.

He only lingered for a few more seconds before disappearing out the door, leaving her alone once more. Opal instantly felt the need to call for him to come back, the idea of spending this short amount of time alone unnerving. At least if she had someone here with her she would not linger on more dark thoughts.

”Opal.” The words were quickly followed by the strong, bright figure of Topaz Ross. Before Opal could stop herself an inordinate amount of relief washed over her, her bright eyes looked over at Topaz, a small amount of worry and fear alleviated itself. Topaz was strong, charming and very much alive. The girl barely seemed to ever show much of the horrors she had faced in her games and the way she looked at Opal was comforting. The uneasy knot in her stomach loosened and she leaned back against the stack of pillows, relaxed and comforted by the older girls presence. “How do you feel?” Topaz grabbed a chair, before sitting herself down and crossing her arms. “Better, at least?” Looking away, Opal found herself unsure of how to answer. Yeah, she felt way better then she had – what? A few days ago? A week, she wasn’t sure how long it had been. Clean fingers grasped the edge of her white blankets, and she drew it up, before pushing it down once more. Turning her brown eyes back and over to Topaz she said, ”nothing hurts anymore-“ she averted her eyes, nothing hurt on the outside anymore, it was just her heart and her head, but that was to be expected, right? “I mean I sure did get a shock when I realised that my leg was gone for good.” She responded, her usual cheerful-self bursting past her momentary misery, she laughed lightly, sparkling eyes looking right at Topaz.

You held me down, but I got up
Get ready cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now
I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar

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Last Edit: Sept 26, 2013 3:51:11 GMT -5 by cass

Lulu
Retired Staff

[M:2982250]

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{no mercy} Topaz/Opal Sept 26, 2013 9:14:43 GMT -5

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Post by Lulu on Sept 26, 2013 9:14:43 GMT -5

.:.:.:.:.:.:.
letting people down is my thing baby
find yourself a new gig this town ain't
big enough for two
.:.:.:.:.:.:.

It had occurred to Topaz a few times how strange it would be to add a victor to their ranks who did not, to put it bluntly, hate life. Opal Shore was not a brooding, self-pitying, moody girl. She could not picture her sitting at a bar, hands clenched around a perpetually empty tumbler, lamenting her problems, a scene in which Arbor, Topaz, and a handful of the other recent victors were found all too often. Though she'd been through so much the past two weeks, strangely Opal seemed like she still had the potential to be… happy. Happy. The world felt so foreign in Topaz's head, causing her to scowl inwardly. When was the last time she had been happy, truly happy? Eight years ago. Pillars. Nash. Angrily she pushed the memory from her head; it wasn't welcome here. Opal had the potential to actually make the most of her victory, with her cheerful personality… and Tope could think of no one else quite like that. Cricket, maybe. But Cricket was so different from Opal it was impossible to compare them. Sometimes Lethe had a positive outlook, maybe? The rest of them were endless doom and gloom.

"Nothing hurts anymore. I mean I sure did get a shock that my leg was gone for good." As Opal spoke, her mentor stared guiltily at her perfectly intact limbs. Many victors emerged from the arena with something missing: a hand, an eye, an ear, fingers, an arm, and even in Opal's case, a leg. Topaz, however, had remained in one piece—physically, at least. She had not been hurt badly in the arena; her victory had been an easy one, compared to others. She hadn't suffered excruciating wounds. She'd only had her heart torn away, and that was painful enough. "The prosthetics these days are incredible," said Topaz softly, with a small grin to match Opal's light laugh. "You'll get used to it quickly. Sometimes it's better—sometimes you'll realize that you don't want the memories that the leg would bring."

Tope closed her eyes and sighed for a minute, remembering what it had felt like to lie in this same bed eight years before, precisely Opal's age. "I'm glad you won. And not just for the obvious reasons. Because… well, because I was hoping I'd get the chance to apologize." The words felt strange on her tongue. An apology? To a tribute? Usually they were all dead in the ground by this point. "For being a shit mentor. I know I didn't give you or Xanthus the attention you deserve, and I'm not going to make excuses for myself." In the years immediately following her Games, Topaz never would've apologized for this. Not to York, Ana, Allen, Soyala, Mike, even her own sister, Sapphire. But she'd grown up since then. "It's just… it's so hard, you know? Watching them die every year. Trying to deal with your own downward spiral of a life at the same time." The redhead clenched her hands and let out a deep breath. "No, you don't know yet. But you will. Soon. And that's another thing I'm sorry for."

.:.:.:.:.:.:.
i don't have the right name
or the right looks
but i have twice the heart
.:.:.:.:.:.:.

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Last Edit: Sept 26, 2013 9:33:19 GMT -5 by Lulu

{lulu's cast}

cass
Retired Staff

4,822 POSTS

last seen Oct 24, 2021 18:11:43 GMT -5

{no mercy} Topaz/Opal Sept 27, 2013 2:37:38 GMT -5

Quote

Post by cass on Sept 27, 2013 2:37:38 GMT -5

I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything
You held me down, but I got up
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground

”The prosthetics these days are incredible," Opal nodded, she had seen them, they didn’t replace a leg, but they were damned near close enough. Hell she was sure with enough time and effort she would be able to run again. Gymnastics was an entirely different, problem, though. "You'll get used to it quickly. Sometimes it's better—sometimes you'll realize that you don't want the memories that the leg would bring." The small grin that followed was enough to make Opal’s smile broaden. She was in complete awe of the older girl and even though she could hold her own and not become a flustered mumbling mess, she respected Topaz for the fighter she was. More so she was bright and there was something about her that just made you want to be friends with her. Sighing heavily Topaz leaned back in her chair, eyes closing briefly. "I'm glad you won. And not just for the obvious reasons. Because… well, because I was hoping I'd get the chance to apologize." Opal’s eyes widened, an immediate reaction to what she was hearing, her surprise was quickly covered, however, and she instead looked at Topaz with open curiosity, unsure of where this was heading. It did please Opal, to no end, that Topaz had wanted her to win, it was a welcome relief from the looks and the harsh, cruel words she’d receive when she got home. Opal could already envision that most would be as vicious as they would be painful (Pyrite would probably end up telling her that she was better off dead. Maybe even try and kill her herself. The girl was nuts).

”For being a shit mentor. I know I didn't give you or Xanthus the attention you deserve, and I'm not going to make excuses for myself." Shifting uncomfortable Opal looked away from Topaz. What she said was true to an extent, but Opal would never blame her or even think for a second that it deserved an apology. What was there to apologise for? One of Topaz’s tributes sat right in front of her, that was hardly an offence that deserved an apology. Besides, it was hardly Topaz in the wrong, Peridot had been just as absent in their training, and it was more or less his duty to watch out for them, being the newer victor. "It's just… it's so hard, you know? Watching them die every year. Trying to deal with your own downward spiral of a life at the same time. No, you don't know yet. But you will. Soon. And that's another thing I'm sorry for." Topaz was correct in the assumption that Opal did not know. She had no clue what Topaz went through year after year seeing child after child die. That was something Opal had not thought about, and she knew it was going to be hard to see it happening.

”You don’t need to be sorry, Topaz.” She offered a warm smile to the older victor, ”life is… difficult-“ it had always been a task for Opal to survive, not just in the arena, but at home as well ” -I guess that is the way it is meant to be, it is a merciless place, and besides you must have done something right? Otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting here right now.” Laughing once more she grinned briefly at Topaz, before looking down and at her hands, wound tightly in her lap. Shrugging slight, her voice soft, she said ”and that is another thing you don’t have to be sorry for. I chose this, if I hadn’t of wanted it Yaa would be here. So some part of me must have known that I was going to have to do your job one day. All I can do is try-“ her head snapped up, eyes flashing determinedly “-and I’ll try my best.”

You held me down, but I got up
Get ready cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now
I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar

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Lulu
Retired Staff

[M:2982250]

3,114 POSTS
last seen Nov 24, 2023 13:45:22 GMT -5

{no mercy} Topaz/Opal Sept 30, 2013 10:57:27 GMT -5

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Post by Lulu on Sept 30, 2013 10:57:27 GMT -5

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anything you say can and will
be held against you
.:.:.:.:.:.:.

Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that this girl was eight years her junior—the largest age difference yet of one of her tributes since she'd won—but regardless, Topaz felt an unfamiliar twinge of maternalistic feelings as she spoke to Opal. As if, now that she'd won, it was her duty to protect this sixteen-year-old child from the crushing weight of victory, the intrusive stares of the public, the rumors and lies—you know full well that most of those lies were truth, don't pretend—that would be printed and spread about her whenever she made a small misstep. She felt that she alone stood between Opal Shore and a fate far too similar to her own. While contemplating this, before she knew it she felt her hand instinctively slide to her stomach, and upon realizing what she'd done her eyes widened in shock. There was a child inside of her, a child no more than a month into development, a child who was far more hers than Opal Shore would ever be. A child who, in thirteen years, would be eligible for the same horror that its mother had faced. What the fuck.

But she had eight more months to worry about the being inside of her, eight more months before motherhood became a reality. Right now, Opal was her focus; for once, she was determined not to screw up this mentoring thing. Opal would be here in the Capitol for maybe a week more, and then she would return to District One to live in a house quite near the one Topaz and Maverick shared when they weren't living in the Capitol. It was Topaz's task to help her through the first startling year of victory, and be on hand to aid her at any point in the future. It was a daunting prospect, one she hadn't lived up to for Peridot. So now? Now the pressure was on.

"You don't need to be sorry, Topaz. Life is… difficult." Topaz couldn't help it; she snorted, amused by the truth of Opal's blunt statement. Life was like falling into a pit of nails and trying to claw your way out. Excruciating. "Besides, you must have done something right. Otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here right now." That was the thing about mentoring One kids, though. Most were already prepared to win. They didn't need Tope's guidance, however minimal it would be, so she could hardly take the credit. "You must have done something right. When you're in the arena, it's all you. No one else." The redhead had learned that the hard way, slashing a blade across the head of the one person she'd come to trust. "All I can do is try. And I'll try my best." Topaz nodded approvingly, trying to push away the nagging feeling that this wouldn't be as easy as Opal seemed to think it would be. After all, she was strong. She was better equipped to handle it. "Good. Keep trying. Don't end up like me—" she closed her eyes tightly for a moment. "or any of the rest of us. Because truth be told, most of us are pretty damn fucked up. You'll realize that fairly quickly."

.:.:.:.:.:.:.
so only say my name
it will be held against you
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cass
Retired Staff

4,822 POSTS

last seen Oct 24, 2021 18:11:43 GMT -5

{no mercy} Topaz/Opal Oct 2, 2013 1:38:35 GMT -5

Quote

Post by cass on Oct 2, 2013 1:38:35 GMT -5

I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything
You held me down, but I got up
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground

Opal, if truth be told, really had no clue when it came to politics and victorship. There was hardly a handbook she could pull out to check if what she was doing was a mistake. But then she was not as ignorant to know that it wasn’t going to be terribly hard. Part of her just tried to shut that out and push it away. It was better for her, mentally, to think along the lines that there wasn’t going to be tears, breakdowns and more pain, but of a different nature. In all honesty she was trying her damned best to pretend that right now was the part she had to focus on and the rest would be easier if she could get a grip of what was happening in the present. Surely she couldn’t stuff up that bad? She’d seen the other victors, having been forced to congratulate them within the cheering crowds back in district one. She’d stood there and sometimes she’d seen the victors get angry, other times they had stood there, silent and brooding, power leaking off of them in waves. It was hard to believe that people could be so cruel to the victors. She’d glimpsed numerous amounts of newspapers, some with scandal, others with cruel words directed at a mishap that had befallen a victor. Never before had she thought much about it, but with that kind of thing surely to come in her future it was hard not to think how unfair it was to people who had already suffered so much.

Because every single victor had suffered more than a person should. Some had more mental than physical scars, whereas others – like her – had more physical than mental scars. Opal didn’t really have as many issues with her winning, apart from the lake of limbs, and the occasional memories of that blistering, white hot agony. The sight of people dying around her was natural, in away. Opal saw it happen every single day; in her garden she had seen it with every flicker of her eyes. The world was a merciless place. She was grateful to no end that topaz was going to be there for her. She knew Peridot would hopefully be as well and that would help her through this first year and hopefully the years to come. She couldn’t even begin to guess how hard it must have been for Topaz with not a soul in sight to give her a hand. Opal watched as one of Topaz’s hands moved to her belly, long fingers gently touching the small rounded stomach, Topaz’s eyes widened and Opal would have given anything to know what she was thinking about. "Good. Keep trying. Don't end up like me or any of the rest of us. Because truth be told, most of us are pretty damn fucked up. You'll realize that fairly quickly." Opal nodded her head, eyes flickering briefly away from the older victor who had her eyes closed. Opal could hardly blame anyone who was fucked up, or messed up in any single way. Being in the arena and having done some of the things they had done it would be bloody weird if you didn’t come out with an issue or two. There was no way someone could go through all that and come out without problems. Opal wasn’t sure if Topaz meant weird in a different way, and she wasn’t willing to ask what exactly she meant by messed up. It was hardly unnoticeable that many of the victors had odd issues, but did Topaz mean there was more? Shaking her head she frowned slightly at Topaz.

”I don’t know much about any of you, but I feel like I can say that it would be an impossible thing to not be messed up after everything you have gone through.” Opal knew there were plenty of ways of handling being messed up; you didn’t have to turn to drinking, like many of the victors had done. So was that it? Was that what she’d meant? If that was it, then Opal was sure as hell going to try and keep herself away from it. “You know, I’m actually… I’m not sure that the ‘going home’ part of all this is going to be a good thing. I mean, I miss my garden so so so much –“ at the thought of her plants her eyes widen in excitement and she leans forward, closer to Topaz, ”—oh my god. When I get home you have to see my garden, with all my flowers. I have everything. I wonder if they missed me, do you think they could of? I mean they are my family, and I really did miss them so much. And I have this one plant that reminds me of you, it is the brightest one in my garden, the same colour as your hair, actually. I think you'd love it.” That was the strangest thing about Opal. When she thought of home she thought of her plants, when she thought of family everything other than her siblings and her parents popped into her mind.

You held me down, but I got up
Get ready cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now
I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar

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