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[Friar Tuck]

IC

 

[Ta-Koro streets; mid-morning]

 

"Do you have any idea how much trouble I would be in if I just up and gave you access to that stuff?!"

 

To her utter dismay the response she got was me smiling like a madman. And I knew how to pull that look, guaranteed.

 

"Yup!"

 

Clearly, she was NOT expecting that one either.

 

"So here's the plan: I'm going to go on over there and scout out the place, preparing to make my move, meantime giving you a chance to come up with some sort of plan. If you don't show in say, I dunno, five minutes, I'll sneak in myself and ummm, shall we say, 'borrow' some supplies for my little adventure, and you can just stay here and hope Utu shows up to be sentenced for his crimes. If you DO however show up and make an entrance for me, or even better yet, allow me to walk in untouched, you win the grand prize of joining me on a suicide mission of pretty-much certain death with the chance of taking Utu down with us. Your choice. Ta-ta!"

 

Well, three time's the charm! Gotta split.

 

I couldn't even attempt a description of her face. Two priceless faces in a single conversation. New record! Without even waiting for a reply I activated my Kakama, a gust of wind the only indication I was there. As I raced down the streets and up a few flights of stairs I turned over the palmed object in my hand; her shoulder insignia. They were pretty easy to take off if you knew what you were doing... or had a lot of experience putting them on your armor and uniform. Fortunately, I had both. A little insurance policy that she would think of something and help me, because otherwise, well, she'd get in trouble anyway.

 

Once on the rooftops I slowed down, not wanting to screw this up. I would have to free-run this perfectly. I smiled.

 

The thrill of a good challenge.

 

Bending down to one knee I took a runner's stance, and after a series of breaths to calm my body. I could feel it protesting already, the strain of this heavy movement after just being healed, and not fully either. But my version of free-running - 'parkour' I liked to call it - depended on fast redistribution of body weight, the use of momentum to perform seemingly difficult or impossible physical maneuvers at great speed. The most important facets of this are good jumping and landing techniques; the roll, used to limit impact after a drop and to carry one's momentum onward, I found to be the important technique to learn out of them all. Therefore, absorption and redistribution of energy is also a contributing, if not essential factor, such as body rolls when landing (which reduce the impact forces on the legs and spine), allowing me to jump from greater heights than those usually considered sensible in other forms of acrobatics and gymnastics, even military training.

 

Or in other words despite looks, if done properly, I could cross vast obstacled distances quickly and efficiently, without much additional strain on the body. Good thing I was an athlete or this would be reeealy difficult.

 

Go.

 

Over the next half minute I let my body flow, moving across the rooftops and chimneys with relative ease. A jump, a grab, a launch, a roll, a push, a leap... it was more a choreographed dance that was planned three seconds ahead of time than just simply leaping from place to place. Why all the effort? I dunno, because I found it fun... and also because the path I took conveniently shielded my movements from the eyes of scouts and sentries in the towers at just the right times and just the right angles. As if I had done this before.

 

In less than a minute I traversed the length of the Koro without as much as a single alarm raised. I might as well have been invisible.

 

Taking deep, long breaths I leaned into the ledge from my vantage point, giving myself a chance to recuperate. Just across the street was the armory. No windows, doors, or any other visible means inside... several guards on the outside... one barred and chained gate... yup, standard security, not counting the nasty surprises that were sure to be within... grabbing my shoulder I rotated it several times, wincing at the pain.

 

Now to see if Tuara shows up...

Edited by Friar Tuck, Dec 11 2012 - 12:30 AM.

[snoip lion]

IC: Tuara - Ta-Koro

Tuara walked angrily through the streets, fuming.

He's going to eat that dumb grin of his.

I told you to hit him.

Tuara rolled her eyes, letting her physical restraint go when it came to talking with Dren. It was usually kept entirely internal.

Who the karz does he think he is? Trying to get me all wound up like-

 

Correction old friend, he did get you all wound up.

Yes, fine he did get me all wound up. But that's not the point. He's just so... Gah!

Tuara wasn't quite stomping, but her usual authoritative walk had become much more exaggerated and determined than before. Her pace quickened up a couple notches from her usual walking speed; which was already pretty quick considering.

Walking through the streets, her two blades and her throwing disc clinking on her back, a member of the Guard gave her a strange look before speaking, "Ma'am, your insignia is-" he trailed off, motioning to his own shoulder. Tuara stopped, turning her arm to see what the Guardsmen was talking about.

Her isigna was gone. Her identification, and her ability to access many different off-limit areas and closed buildings was gone.

Oh he is a dead man.

Tuara started running. She couldn't have Joske tossing her badge around; probably keeping it in case the moron got himself caught in the act of breaking into Ta-Koro's vaults. She weaved in an out of the traders in the street, those that saw their beloved Deputy of the Guard moved out of her way, giving her easier passage.

Towards the center of the village she continued, running along. This is not what she was wanting to put up with today.

She came to the vaults, heavily guarded as always, breathing heavily. She scanned around, making sure Joske hadn't already attempted to get in.

[Friar Tuck]

IC

 

[Ta-Koro streets; mid-morning]

 

Riiiight on schedule.

 

Time to put Operation: Toy Store into action.

 

When Tuara approached the vaults, it was a noticeable act. But when Tuara, Deputy of the Guard came running up, it was cause for a commotion. A commotion I could capitalize on. Now, the problem wasn't getting what I wanted; it was getting what I wanted without getting noticed. Doesn't matter how fast you're moving, there WILL be tell-tale signs you passed by, and with all the eyes peeled I wouldn't get that far. Cue Tuara, whose dramatic entrance from stage right drew not only their attention, but several from their posts to see what was wrong and how they could assist. Not ALL of them, mind you, just a few. No troop would be so stupid to have their entire number vacate their post at the approach of an officer.

 

A few moving was all I needed.

 

Tuara's movements, and those of the other Guard, slowed to a blurry crawl as I activated my mask, racing off the rooftop and onto the street below. Moving as nimbly as I could I mingled with the nearly-stopped throng of Guardsmen, looking for the specific item needed to pull this off: a key. Not just any key, but a key to an out-of-the-way entrance that was lightly guarded due to the difficulty of getting there. A key that would change hands on different days.

 

There you are you pretty piece of metal.

 

Grabbing it I sped off into a corner of town, the noise of their footstep covering my own, and their movement creating enough wind to disguise my slight gust, the sound of clanking metal negating the feel and audio cue of my taking the key. I didn't slow down until I came to an under-vent entrance, popping the lid with a heave, slipping into the underground below. Many people didn't know that there were a series of access vent tunnels under the city; it was these that provided not only the heat and steam to the Koro, but therefore provided the power to things like the Gate and Bridge. Under normal conditions it was almost impossible to navigate them due to the extreme heat, and unlike common perception Ta-Toa were only heat-resistant, not fireproof. Which sucked.

 

Time to put my heat-absorption abilities and mask to the test.

 

Once again activating my Kakama I sped through the tight tunnels as fast as I would dare, trying not to get lost in the maze, whenever I had to slow down I absorbed heat to keep myself from frying. Granted, the whole experience could not have lasted more than ten seconds, but it was an absolute ETERNITY when you're trying to find one specific vent in a maze under a city. To my luck and skill I found it, and with a swift action the lock was undone and I kicked in the grate.

 

A blast of steam blew out behind me just as I landed inside, thanking Mata-Nui I wasn't still down there when it happened. I was drenched, covered in sweat and steam, my usually red body now several shades brighter. Yeah, a few more moments down there and there could have been some permanent damage.

 

Wait, I forgot, I'm in a secure vault. Guards?

 

Again, my luck was holding out - none were inside the deepest part of this building, at least for the moment. Wasting no time I scoured the merchandise, grabbing a bag and stuffing it with the select items off my shopping list. Errand complete I replaced the "borrowed" items with those that I had taken from my house - of course leaving behind Tuara's insignia - I proceeded back to the grate. After counting to six (and watching the next regulated blast of steam fly by) I dove back into the vest, retracing my steps to the edge of the Koro, coming out of the grate very hot, very exhausted, but very satisfied. Not something I would recommend unless you had lived most if not all of your life here and knew how things worked.

 

Hopefully I would never have to do that again.

 

I jettisoned the excess heat, grateful to be rid of it. My internal clock said that since I grabbed the key about two minutes had passed, and it was about time I returned it. I cleared the Koro in a second or so, returning to my rooftop vantage point to enjoy the scene. With a casual gesture I tossed the key onto the street, by the time it hit Tuara on the head I was long gone, already across town and making myself comfortable on a roof near the Koro gate. With my chores done I could finally get some well-deserved rest, nap myself to recovery while I waited for Agni and Cael to arrive. It would be about mid-afternoon or later before they showed up, giving me plenty of time to rest and Tuara to sort out the little mess she found herself in.

 

And just in case, I did disguise my sleeping spot; no need to be rudely awakened, particularly by angry Guard members. Assured that I would not be disturbed until my companions arrived I instantly fell unconscious, my mind drifting into a deep, dreamless sleep...

 

OOC: *puts out sign* Do Not Disturb

 

So whenever Angi and Cael show up we can get this party started... woot!

Edited by Friar Tuck, Dec 11 2012 - 01:37 AM.

[snoip lion]

IC: Tuara - Ta-Koro Vaults - Outside

Tuara felt something hit the back of her head, she turned around as the sound of the key to the vaults struck the ground. All the guards turned their attention to the fallen piece of metal. They all sort of just stared at it for a while, turning back from the key to Tuara. The only reasonable explanation for the key's sudden appearance would be a certain Toa of fire, one who had an affinity to make some of the worst nick-names Tuara had ever heard.

Tuara was no longer fuming.

Now she was boiling.

Tuara breathed in and out deeply, stooping down to pick up the precious metals on the hot ground, suddenly getting hotter in Tuara's hand, a couple closest of the Guards took a step back, giving each other nervous glances. She wrapped her fingers around the keys. She sighed, the key hand on her hip, the other on her forehead. She was trying incredibly hard not to lose whatever cool she had left at this point.

"Commander?"

"Yes Trayek."

"Should I go check the vault?"

Tuara nodded and promptly tossed the keys to Traye. Her voice was on the verge of shaking, but still held together, "Yes."

The Matoran nodded turning around before jogging towards the gates, leaving Tuara to pace furiously, awaiting Trayek to come back with news Tuara already knew about. A couple minutes passed, and Trayek came back into the street. Tuara looked up, taking her knuckle out of her biting teeth. Trayek just kind of nodded sadly, "It's gone, and," the Matoran hesitated sort of, half lifting up Tuara's ensign, "this is yours."

Tuara nodded back, "Okay. Okay, great, that's awesome, because Joske Nimil just broke into his own Guard's weapons vault, and left behind my badge just to-" she breathed out, her cheeks sort of ballooning, running her hand over her head. She stepped closer to Trayek, reaching forward and picking out her shoulder insignia. They all saw her run up before the vault was broken into, there wasn't much to say against her, but of course, Joske left it to bother her. Of all the people that knew how to get Tuara mad, Joske was the king. Pulling little strings here and there to bother her one way or another. Every conversation was a stupid mind-game of one-upmanship, and one-way sexual tension/hitting on/whatever the karz Joske thought he was doing.

Tuara couldn't help but feel a fond sickness for the back-and-forth. Emphasis on the sickness part. It was at this point that Dren's initial suggestion to hit him seemed a lot nicer than it did at first. She reconsidered following his advice more often.

Tuara turned on her heel, walking away angrily, "Close up whatever it is that fool used to get inside, and make sure that Joske doesn't leave this village without going through me first."

[Dallas Winston]

IC: Angelus (Ta-Koro)

 

"You look riled."

 

Tuara halted her advance through Ta-Koro and looked up instinctively at the voice as Angel slid down from the roof and landed lightly on his feet. There was no ghost of a smile, not even the regular glimmer of affection in her deep red eyes - deeper than usual; man, was she PO'd - as she looked upon the Toa of Fire, and he instantly fell in step alongside her.

 

"And where were yo--?" his girlfriend started angrily, smoke practically barreling out of every orifice. For a second, Angelus was reminded of a toy locomotive, and it took every ounce of composure not to smirk.

 

"I was packing up what was left of my stuff in Le-Koro. What happened here?"

 

-Tyler

[snoip lion]

IC: Tuara - Ta-Koro Streets

Tuara almost growled, but avoided it. Blowing up on Angelus wouldn't be fair. She took a deep breath before continuing, "Joske's back in Ta-Koro now, and he decided to take the time out of his return to break into the Guard's weapons vault, steal something very important, and plant my insignia in there to spite me," she gestured hard with her hand, palm up, "And the prick has the nerve to try and entice me into his stupid little suicide mission, by baiting me with Utu's involvement," she shook her head, dropping her hand as the pair continued down the streets. She didn't mention Joske's insistent pattern of hitting on her, or her new nickname. One angry Ta-Toa was enough.

"And the worst part is, it's working."

[Half a Cup of EW]

OOC: Cael and Agni from Ga-Wahi.

 

IC (Cael)

 

Over the course of the next few hours, the lush, green terrain of Ga-Wahi gradually melted away.

 

The sky was first to show change. The village of Ga-Koro had floated peacefully beneath a cloudless expanse of azure, and the weather had largely held for the first hour of the trek. But as the two Toa walked, bits of grey cloud began to appear, small at first, but gradually linking together in vast lengths, blocking out the sky bit by bit.

 

As the sky changed, so did the temperature. The low-lying clouds kept the heat from escaping into the sky, instead reflecting it back down onto the earth. While Agni was most likely insensitive to this change due to his high tolerance for heat, Cael felt it immediately.

 

The flora and fauna, too, began to morph and even disappear as the two journeyed on. Though the change wasn't noticeable at first, after awhile, Cael noticed that the sound of birdsong had vanished as the sky had been blanketed with clouds. The sun was gone; there was nothing above them save an immense, low-lying sea of dark grey clouds, and the birds had remained behind in the sunny tropics while the warrior and the healer had continued.

 

The trees gradually shifted in appearance as the soil grew thinner and less fertile. They shrunk, becoming wizened and twisted; their lush, emerald foliage disappeared, leaving naked limbs and branches. With no sunlight for them to feed on, and little nutrients in the rocky soil, most vegetation in Ta-Wahi appeared to be either dead or dying, barely scrounging enough from the harsh environment to stay alive. It appeared as though, somewhere between Ga-Koro and Ta-Wahi, the two had taken a wrong turn and ended up walking down to Karzahni itself.

 

The air gradually grew warmer and more dry until it was like breathing in the air from an oven, each breath almost paining the lungs. The humidity that the Toa of Water was so used to disappeared, the air becoming dry and harsh.

 

The sky itself began to glow scarlet as the two approached the volcano at the centre of the Wahi, under whose shadow the Ta-Korans made their home. The light of the red magma reflected off the clouds as the heat did, bestowing a more hellish appearance upon the otherwise benign grey sky.

 

The road underfoot, which had started out as sand and shifted to forest soil in Ga-Wahi, was now composed of scanty dirt, rocks, and ash. The entire landscape was much the same: everything was haggard and twisted and barely alive, blanketed with a thin layer of ash. The few trees that sill survived were gaunt and skeletal and black, their bark charred from countless fires, their leaves long since fallen away, never to return.

 

Cael was sweating now, as the heat grew ever fiercer the closer they drew to Ta-Koro, which they could now see less than kio away, an ember nestled against the volcano that spewed the grey clouds and hot air and crimson light. The very source of so much death in this Wahi was what the Ta-Koran's had chosen to make their home beneath, which was something Cael found difficult to comprehend. In Ga-Wahi, the sea was the source of life; it made sense for the Ga-Korans to build their home upon it. But living next to a volcano?

 

It made little sense in her mind, but as they approached, she let her thoughts briefly fall away in favour of quiet awe as she beheld the walls and the gate of the island's most protected Koro, which had flourished through Turaga Vakama's leadership and the Ta-Korans' bravery despite the hellish waste in which they had chosen to dwell.

 

Before long, the two Toa were walking through the gates of the village of fire.

[Dual Matrix]

IC Mayhaka 

 

"And now Toa you're gonna be locked up forever!!" He said while he started binding Raika's feet to his hands with stonen handcuffs. "Ok can someone get the guard down here to inprison this little Toa". He took the kanohi of Raika out of the hands Butra and replaced it with his own, he then used the powers of the mask to keep Raika from moving while he started carrying her telekineticly to the surface.

[Taka Nuvia]

IC: Myka (Ta-Koro)

 

Repeating what she'd done earlier, Myka stood very close to Zyron, gazing into his eyes, but instead of turning away, she moved closer again, and leaned in towards him...

~

 

IC: Zyron (Ta-Koro)

 

As Zyron realized what was just about to happen, a small voice in the back of his head told him that he should pull back, should not do what he was about to do, for this was neither the right time nor the right place, they had a mission to fulfill, and he probably wouldn't want to go through another relationship, or actually admit his feelings. Is this what I want?

 

But no matter what the voice brought up, it occurred to Zyron that the only possible answer was was yes. He gently cupped Myka's face with his hands... and then he kissed her.

Edited by Taka Nuvia ~ Demon Jester, Dec 11 2012 - 12:40 PM.

[Indigo Individual]

OOC: *cheering crowds of NPCs*

 

IC: Myka (Ta-Koro)

 

Myka closed her eyes, putting her hands on Zyron's back, and returning the kiss.

After what felt like several minutes (although likely wasn't that long), Myka finally pulled away, slowly, smiling at Zyron.

[Taka Nuvia]

IC: Zyron (Ta-Koro)

 

Zyron almost didn't want to let go of Myka, but of course, he had to, so he did. He too was smiling.

So now we at least both know what's going on. At least he hoped he did...

[Friar Tuck]

IC

 

[Ta-Koro; mid-afternoon]

 

Consciousness was greeted with a world of dark grey, splashed with dull orange illumination and the occasional spurt of glowing embers as they floated lazily in the sky. The rejuvenatory, if not oppressive, atmosphere matched my mood.

 

A bit overcast.

 

I inhaled stiffly, feeling my body refuse to follow my mental commands. I ached, sore down to the very core of my being, despite feeling refreshed after a several-hour uninterrupted nap. I probably shouldn't of pulled that stunt. Karz, I shouldn't be running around the island let alone trying to beat the clock in my condition. I wasn't fully recovered, and my constant action was slowing my natural healing; didn't need to be a doctor to figure that much out. But I couldn't fail those matoran. I just couldn't.

 

Even if it killed me.

 

Willing my body upright I felt a groan escape my lips as everything protested, feeling like rigamortis settling into a long-dead body. I arched my back, head to the sky as I pounded the warm stone a few times, trying to beat the pain out of my system. It worked... slightly. Sighing heavily I rolled over, calling on my extensive knowledge of athletic training and began to massage and stretch every important muscle group. Absorbing the overabundance of local heat and diverting it into my fingers as I worked sped up the process significantly, but it was still a game of pick-up-sticks; I had to do them in a certain order lest I cramp or worse. I shut my eyes hard as I worked on a particularly tight muscle, wincing at the sensation.

 

Pain is weakness leaving the body... pain... pain is weakness... leaving the body...

 

Satisfied that I could at least function again I slowly stood, taking time to stretch as I did so. It still felt like my body was on fire, but at least it was dulled and something I could handle. Grabbing my new bag I slug it over my shoulder and hopped off the roof, landing heavily, the metal in my bag clanking against each other and further punctuating my arrival. The noise was enough to garner the attention of the new arrivals, a well-built Ta-Toa has his lithe Ga-Toa companion. They turned to me in unison, mildly surprised to see me literally drop in. I opened my mouth to greet them, except that I noticed another pair coming this way down the other side of the street.

 

My mask began to tingle. It was Tuara... and by the color scheme Angelus was with her. And ONE of them looked ready to take the head off an Ash Bear.

 

Yeah, not sticking around.

 

Before anything could be said or done I was already in front of Cael, turning her around and leading her right back out of the Koro she had just entered. "Hey! Welcome to Ta-Koro! I'd love to show you around, tour the sights, taste the wonderful cuisine, but not only are we on a terrible time crunch, but I assure you, the native sights are coming to us." I hazarded a look back, noting the increased step and stomping action in Tuara's movement, arms swinging, death glare written all across her mask.

 

Mata-Nui!

 

By the Spirit I'd been spotted! Swallowing hard I shoved Cael's stiff and slightly resistant body faster, moving right past a surprised gate Guard member, all the while keeping that can-do and positive attitude I was known for. Agni was close behind, no doubt putting together in his head what I had done, or something similar. "Yup, the native sights are definitely coming for us, and fast. Why don't we visit the Temple of Courage first, considering in about oh, I dunno, thirty seconds I'm going to need as much of it as I can."

 

I had just enough head start to cross the bridge and take a left turn, moving the group down a set of old lava-cooled stairs and into a small basin, a huge blackened stone face rising before us. It was as old as the island itself, yet for some reason it was no use for wear, as if kept in good condition by forces outside our understanding. Sharp jagged rocks surrounded a lone staircase that led into the mouth, and the whole area rumbled with the constant force of the nearby lava flow. As promised, the easiest of them all to find, considering it could be seen from the bridge, and to an extent, the Gatehouse.

 

The Temple of Courage in all it's glory.

 

Unfortunately the splendor of the moment was lost with heavy footsteps and a sudden increase in heat. I winced as I turned around, finding myself face to face with a VERY irate Deputy of the Guard. I waved and smiled meekly, trying to put together some sort of charmed defense. I gestured to the only non-fire Toa in the group.

 

"Hi Tuara? Have you happened to have met Cael yet?"

 

Somehow I knew that wasn't going to work.

Edited by Friar Tuck, Dec 11 2012 - 01:44 PM.

[Indigo Individual]

IC: Myka (Ta-Koro)

There was silence for a few seconds, as Myka and Zyron simply stood still and smiled at each other. Despite the heat of Ta-Koro, Myka seemed to be shivering slightly, and this was confirmed when she finally spoke, her voice shaky. "So... do you want to... head back to the inn?"

[Voutok S'Tythe (Ray)]

[OOC: I'm a bit late for this...oh well.]

IC: Voutok [Ta-Koro]

Voutok could have sworn that a few minutes ago he heard the sound of footsteps (that might as well have been crashing boulders due to his De-Matoran hearing) coming from above him, seeming to slam into the roofs as the sounds grew louder then dimmed to the point that even he couldn't hear them. He shrugged off the noise, thinking it was probably just a rockslide outside the Koro. Ta-Koro IS, after all, practically inside a volcano. Speaking of which, the heat of the volcanic Wahi was starting to get to him now. It was even hotter than it was in Po-Wahi, and the last time he was there he almost had a heat stroke. To make matters worse, Voutok pretty much had no idea how to get through the Koro. He knew he had to look for some kind of main gate that would take him outside the Koro and onto a heavily-used path by a charred forest and into a nearby beach--according to the map of the island in the encyclopedia--but first he had to navigate the rather large city while coping with the extreme temperatures. He already felt sweat building up under his mask, a rather awkward feeling considering taking off his ear muffs--let alone the mask--would expose him to the full volume of the erupting Wahi, so he essentially had no way of wipping the sweat from his face.

Voutok eventually decided to sit down on an outcrop of rock jutting from the base of a building, tired of walking in the heat knowing he would likely just get even more lost. He opened the encyclopedia he got from Onu-Koro in his lap and started flipping through the pages, hoping to find something that could be of aid. A map of Ta-Koro, information on any groups or stores or services that could be of help...anything. He continued to flip the pages, getting more annoyed every time he found something that had the word "Rahi" in it instead of what he was looking for.

[OOC: Voutok open for interaction...still/again *shot*]

Edited by Voutok S'Tythe (Ray), Dec 11 2012 - 01:42 PM.

[Dallas Winston]

IC: Angelus (Ta-Koro)

 

The jungle-bred Toa of Fire couldn't help himself: despite his surprisingly stony poker face, a small exhale that was very clearly about a hop, skip, and a jump away from being a laugh at Joske's antics. 

 

-Tyler

Edited by Tyler Durden, Dec 11 2012 - 01:45 PM.

[Taka Nuvia]

IC: Zyron (Ta-Koro)

 

"... and do what exactly?" Zyron asked jokingly, one eyebrow raised.

"I'd rather walk around for another bit... enjoy the evening, or what's left of it... something like that."

[Indigo Individual]

IC: Myka (Ta-Koro)

 

Myka smiled. "Okay then. You can take the lead."

[Taka Nuvia]

IC: Zyron (Ta-Koro)

 

Zyron laughed and nodded. "Alright, if you say so."

[Indigo Individual]

IC: Myka (Ta-Koro)

 

"Okay." Myka took Zyron's hand, still shivering slightly.

[Taka Nuvia]

IC: Zyron (Ta-Koro)

 

"Hey, are you okay?" Zyron asked softly, and poked Myka with his free hand, a concerned look on his face.

[Indigo Individual]

IC: Myka (Ta-Koro)

 

"I'm fine," Myka assured Zyron.

[Replicant]

IC(Tajeh):

 

 Tajeh's eyes widen as the door opened, but didn't say anything. Per the rules.

 

IC(Noiatz Livic):

 

 Noiatz was slightly stunned by the blunt question, but regained her voice. "I'm Noiatz Livic. And you are?"

 

* * *

 

IC: Naehi and Tirus, Tirus's Forge

 

"Naehi. The Assistant to the Regional Manager of this forge." The Toa of Plantlife said, staring at Noiatz without visible interest or care.

 

Tirus carefully put Noiatz on one of the forge's benches, grimacing at the fact he had nothing more comfortable than a wooden bench that she could sit on.

 

Turning to Naehi, he coughed once, and, when she did not respond, he spoke. "Medical Kit, please." The words were rough, his expression one of annoyance.

 

In a singular, smooth motion, Naehi grabbed the handle of the medical supply kit leaning against her chair, and threw it to Tirus. However, she amplified the movement with her Pakari, and when Tirus grabbed the kit flying at him more than a few dozen miles per hours, he grunted, and almost fell backwards, the sheer force of catching the object causing him to skid several inches across the stone floor.

 

Rolling his eyes, Tirus handed the kit to Noiatz. As he did so, Naehi, her face hidden by her book, smirked slightly, her eyes sparkling cruely. 

[snoip lion]

IC: Tuara - Ta-Koro - Outside the Gates - Temple of Courage

"Hi Tuara? Have you happened to have met Cael yet?"

Tuara gave a fake little smile to Cael, turning back to the speedster, preparing to mentally pounce on him. She turned her attention back to Cael, wholly prepared to reference her as Joske's lover before realizing it wouldn't be fair to her. They had only just met, and to degrade Joske in this way would only do the same to her too. She'd have to settle, "No, but I've heard plenty about her."

Tuara looked around at the current set of people, catching a look from Angelus. The Deputy of the Guard looked back to Joske, that stupid grin still on his face looking as breakable as ever; had Cael not been directly next to him she would've busted his mask in, stripped him of his rank, and taken back what he stole. Again, she'd have to settle with less. She held out her hand, palm up, "You're going to hand me what you just stole from your own Koro's armory, or you're going to be a private again, and there will be no Guard assistance for you on this mission. Which I know you need," she tilted her head a little to accent her point, "If not now, later."

The look in her eye was a mixture of seriousness, but a challenging look. One that challenged him to put that mouth of his to good use. He had already gotten off easy. She could arrest him now. But if he could give her a reason to let him keep it, she considered working something out.

Edited by We Are Legion, Dec 11 2012 - 06:50 PM.

[thebeggerpie]

* * *

 
IC: Naehi and Tirus, Tirus's Forge
 
"Naehi. The Assistant to the Regional Manager of this forge." The Toa of Plantlife said, staring at Noiatz without visible interest or care.
 
Tirus carefully put Noiatz on one of the forge's benches, grimacing at the fact he had nothing more comfortable than a wooden bench that she could sit on.
 
Turning to Naehi, he coughed once, and, when she did not respond, he spoke. "Medical Kit, please." The words were rough, his expression one of annoyance.
 
In a singular, smooth motion, Naehi grabbed the handle of the medical supply kit leaning against her chair, and threw it to Tirus. However, she amplified the movement with her Pakari, and when Tirus grabbed the kit flying at him more than a few dozen miles per hours, he grunted, and almost fell backwards, the sheer force of catching the object causing him to skid several inches across the stone floor.
 
Rolling his eyes, Tirus handed the kit to Noiatz. As he did so, Naehi, her face hidden by her book, smirked slightly, her eyes sparkling cruely. [/quote]

**************************************
**************************************

OOC: I want them to fix the quoting.

IC(Tajeh):

Tajeh let out a loud guffaw at the sight of Tirus being knocked back. He slapped his hand over his mouth and turned beet red.

IC(Noiatz Livic):

"Are you at odds with that girl?" Noiatz said quietly to Tirus, after watching the scene play out. She opened the kit and pulled out a roll of bandages for her ankle.

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

"You're going to hand me what you just stole from your own Koro's armory, or you're going to be a private again, and there will be no Guard assistance for you on this mission. Which I know you need," she tilted her head a little to accent her point, "If not now, later."

 

Okay, that's enough of that. Agni thought to himself and stepped in-between Tuara and Joske, before she burned out a circuit. Of course she was right and he agreed with her on everything she had just said. Unfortunately though, Joske had chosen the right time to act a fool in front of his superiors. Or rather the right time had chosen him. Agni had quickly realized which direction the young Toa of fire had ushered Cael in. It wasn't that hard to figure out, especially on his home-turf. He held up his hands in a defensive position, like a referee in a sparring-match. He looked from Tuara to Joske, whom he shot a look that rivaled one of Jaller's own.

 

"Sorry to interrupt Tuara, but that's a nay on not giving our hotheaded friend here support from the guard. Not while I'm here. I don't know how much Joske has told you of our plans. He's always been fast in thought and action, but as of late, his new abilities have made the latter far quicker than the former. Once I find a leash that can't be burned or melted through, that problem will be solved, but until them, bear with him. As unfortunate as it is, the disciplinary action will have to wait. There are a handful of Matoran out there right now on an even far more important quest than ours and their sucess depends on our young friend here living to see it through. And despite his best effort to get himself killed in the meantime, I will help him with that, officially or not."

 

The Toa of fire sighed and shrugged slightly, looking at Tuara, a slightly apologetic smile on his face as if to say 'What can I do?'

 

"And besides...we really could use your help on this one."

Edited by Vezok's Friend, Dec 11 2012 - 08:38 PM.

[snoip lion]

IC: Tuara - Ta-Koro - Outside the Gates - Temple of Courage

"Fine."

Tuara turned away, still visibly upset, but much more restrained than before. She pointed accusingly at Joske, "I'll help. But as soon as this is over, I want what you stole back where you found it, understood?" Tuara finished turning away from Joske and Cael, walking towards the edge, passing Angelus she spoke to him, not looking at him but simply turning her head towards her boyfriend, "Thanks."

She stopped at the edge of the platform, her arms crossed, watching the others.

[Master of Masks]

IC.

"I could do that." Kuyre agreed. Though he hadn't trained anyone in a long time- wait...had he ever trained anyone? Eh...couldn't be hard -he was sure he would be able to train Valria. Things always came easier with her. With a smile, for once genuine, he followed her back to the mystery man from earlier.

 

OOC: I apologize for my extended absence, schoolwork, finals, and generally life has made me busy.

 

IC: (Valria)

 

Valria walked back into the building with Kuyre alongside her. She smiled and spoke to both Kaiapo and Sur when she turned.

 

"Sorry about that, this is Kuyre, we go back for a while." Valria smiled, her hand on the Toa's back, pushing him a bit forward to met the Toa of Earth and Plant Life."Kuyre, this is Sur and Kaiapo. Sur...saved my life, I had been horribly burned. Kaiapo helped me get here. Thank you two again, for being so nice." Valria smiled, motioning to the two of them, hoping for them to get along.

[Friar Tuck]

OOC: forgive the length but A LOT needs to be covered
 
IC
 
For probably the first time in my life, I made a truly smart, tactical decision, at least one that was NOT sports related.
 
I kept my mouth shut.
 
Oh, how much I wanted to snarkly say to Tuara... I mean, at this very moment I had every advantage, the combination of the Temple behind me, Cael next to me, Agni in front of me, and her boyfriend behind her... I was untouchable, as Agni politely pointed out. Mostly. There were a few technicalities involved here that she could slam on me if I spoke.
 
OR I could take this momentum that I had just gained, capitalize on it, and then smear it in her face. Just for kicks.
 
Just to prove how good I was.
 
As Agni finished speaking I began pulling out the gear I had lifted, not saying a word and completely ignoring her demands. The first thing that I pulled out was a thin metal stick, roughly one foot in length and an inch and a half in thickness. I spun this mini baton a few times between my fingers, letting the orange light shimmer off it, before pushing the hidden button. In less than a second flat the stick had extended into a full-length quarterstaff, the dark-grey metal unmistakable even in this light: tempered protosteel. Strong enough to be nearly indestructible, but flexible enough to bend slightly with force and movement, to which I demonstrated. And it was a pretty good demonstration for I had spent much time with a staff in the Kohli field, it my one of my few natural weapon skills. What made this staff unique though was the tempered part, a part I proved quite well when I poured my elemental energy into it, causing it to glow red-hot, and then proceeded to slice through a nearby rock like butter.
 
There was a click followed by a shhhhlick and it was a small stick again.
 
That however wasn't the prize. Bending down I reached inside and I pulled out a pair of bracers, the polished dark-grey glinting under the volcano's light. The bracers could also be considered gauntlets by the fact it completely encased my lower arm, with an extension over the wrist to cover the top of my hand, the end over the cover holding four rings at a ninety-degree angle. When slid on everything from my elbow to the knuckles was protected, save the tips of my fingers and my palm. There were enough joining pieces that it did not hamper movement in any way, yet supported the joint to allow more powerful punches. Also inside the bag was a set of matching shin guards than did the same thing for my feet, covering the top of my foot and toes, leaving only the heel and ball exposed to allow unhampered sensation and movement. Upon closer inspection however it could be observed that the knuckles and toes had a slightly lighter hue, as if something had been welded, or at least built, into the armor.
 
Now came the cool part.
 
Breaking my neutral face I grinned deviously, pounding my fists together as hard as I could. The sound of slamming protosteel is something to be admired, but that's NOT what drew this crowd's attention - no, it was the mass of sparks that erupted on contact. These were sparking gauntlets, originally commissioned for a Toa of Air many decades ago. His idea was to utilize his mastery over his element - Air - to help him in his melee fights. Once he struck his opponent spark would fly, and with just a fraction of his power he could turn those little embers into a brief flaming inferno, adding fire to his already muscle and wind-enhanced strike. Imagine the psychological aspect of this weapon on his opponents. This by no means gave him the ability to control fire, but it is well known that a Le-Toa can be a Ta-Toa's best friend... or worst foe. Well story goes he used this for may years very successfully before going a little too far, causing him to spend some time in the Ta-Koro jail, his stuff of course confiscated for the time being. Upon his release his items were not immediately returned, and unfortunately for him his body was found not two days later, no doubt some arch-foe getting some much-hungered revenge. And of course his stuff has been sitting in the vault ever since.
 
My question was, why didn't wasn't this given to a Toa who could ACTUALLY control flame?
 
Cue demonstration.
 
Reaching down I pulled out a Kohli ball and tossed it high into the air, timing the decent to strike it at an upward angle. Upon impact with my first there was shower of sparks, then a split second later the ball became a flaming ball of heat and metal as it flew rapidly through space only to bounce off the temple's face right back at the group. I was already in motion however, having jumped upward and sideways, spinning as I did. By the time my foot came into contact with the ball I was horizontal with the ground, performing a near-perfect kick that would have fazed any goalie. More spark exploded into the air, and the ball's flame grew doubly in size as it careened off several rocks, leaving circular scorch marks where it had impacted. Landing on my hands I pushed upwards, doing a backwards somersault kick that allowed my foot to re-direct that ball ninety degrees straight up. Landing like a cat I went to my knees, hammering my fists together in a champion sort of way, allowing the sparks to dance around my fingers. This sparks became a blazing inferno around my hands as I summoned a bit of my elemental energy, and from my outstretched arms a pillar of flame that melted that rising Kohli ball to slag, causing it to rain molten protosteel for several seconds. Slowly I stood and turned to Tuara, a satisfied smile on my face.
 
"To answer your first question, that." I answered firmly, pointing to the sky. "I may be skilled and lucky, but my elemental endurance is something to be desired. Enter these bad boys." I raised my arms and looked at my feet. "They create sparks upon impact with metal, allowing me to manipulate heat and fire that already exists, instead of trying to conjure up fire from nothing. Simply put I can now use less power to get the same - if not BETTER - results, giving me more options in battle. Not to mention they fit perfectly with my hit-and-run fighting style AND allow for unhindered, unfettered, uncompromised movement while still giving me decent protection should I choose to pull in defensively. THAT'S is why I need them. And unlike your other claims no, I don't think we will need further Guard assistance and no, I don't plan on giving these back any time soon. Why? Well, you see, I am simply taken what has already been stolen... by the Ta-Koro Guard itself."
 
I let that astounding if not brazen statement take effect before I reached down into the bag and threw a scroll at her, her deft hands catching it before it hit the ground. My smile now turned from grim satisfaction to sly triumph as I spoke the clincher.
 
"As those documents will show, these armor and weapons were not immediately and fully returned to their rightful owner upon his release from jail, as is standard regulations. No, these items were so unique that the powers that be wanted to study them further, no doubt with full intent on eventually returning it. The owner, however, died before his 'stolen' equipment could be returned. Furthermore, upon further investigation, you will note in those papers that the previous owner did indeed still owe money to the creator and builder of the said items. Legally the Guard either must have returned the goods back to the smith responsible for their creation, or paid in full the debt since they were now in possession of said items and wanted to keep them. As you can see neither was done, but instead the contraband quietly put in cold storage... and then forgotten. Much like these items here."
 
I tossed at her another heavy roll of scrolls, my devious smile dancing on the edge of evil. "These are copies of the evidence tags, paperwork, and forms of dozens of other seized contraband, weapons, and armor currently cataloged by the Guard in the vaults, all of it illegally stored and not returned to their rightful owners. Some of it no doubt legitimately taken for good reasons, some of it accidentally left behind like in the current example, and the rest I haven't the foggiest. Still, the fact remains that the Ta-Koro Guard has a vault full of items they stole, under the guise of safety and protection, or out of bureaucracy and neglect, goods for that very simple fact that will NEVER see the light of day again. Things that could be put to good use."
 
I stepped toward a shaking Tuara, knowing I had her beat, shaking my head as I did so, my long-planned venture finally falling into place. "No Tuara, you cannot do anything to me for stealing things that you and the Guard have so blatantly stolen. If you want to play this game then fine, go ahead, try. I will resign my post, blow the whistle, and release ALL my copies of these documents I've been collecting for years; a scroll here, a page here, all left out for anybody to read if they knew what they were looking for. I did nothing illegal to obtain them by the way. I know this is dirty, but I have ALWAYS had a problem with the Guard and its legalism, it's harsh adherence to every rule, its blinder-like focus; as much good you have done, you have screwed over just as many in your attempt to make the Koro and the island a safer place. At what point does extra security start intruding on personal freedom Tuara? You, Jaller, and the rest don't have an issue with it, but have you bothered to look where you're heading? There are larger threats and more important things going on than you think, yet you blindly trudge along this marked path you have carved for yourself. You could have brought Utu to justice a long time ago had you simply gone after him, but you didn't. You could be organizing an effective resistance to the Makuta and his minions, but you aren't. There is a whole team of matoran out there trying to recover the only chance we have of finally ending this nightmare and what are you doing? Threatening to lock me away forever because I'm taking some trinkets that will help us rid this island of the evil that had blanketed it for the past thousand years, arguing with me over rules and technicalities when its clear there is only a very short window to do this in!?"
 
My finger was pressing hard into her chest. "I follow the Toa Code. I follow the set of rules and laws that were originally set down by the Great Spirit himself: I will not kill my opponents unless I have no choice; to kill other intelligent beings is to stoop as low as those we fight against. I will not sneak when I can shine, I will not hide when I can fight, and I will do my best not to fight at night so that the matoran - the people we are sworn to defend - can see who we are, what we do, and the deeds we accomplish so that they will not become suspicious of us, distrust us and our intent. And finally I will not betray my opponent in combat, knowing that the honor I possess even if a handicap is truly my advantage. Anything outside of that is up for review, and I see the Guard hopelessly weighing down individuals with excess rules in an attempt to earn some sort of favor or righteousness. I will do what I need to, what the right thing is to do, regardless of your restrictions. If you can't handle that, then go back to Ta-Koro where you can rule your little kingdom and hope the Makuta doesn't send his full might against you. For if we fail, he wins, and there is nothing you can do to prepare yourselves from the terrible retributions he will throw at the island. Sometimes you have to bend the rules to know where they break."
 
When I was done the silence rung loudly in the little bowl we were in, my eyes hard and determined. Without another word I turned and walked toward the temple, leaving her and the others to mull over my opinion. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed something different: a while, flat, smooth stone among the charred black rock. Bending it down I picked it up, brushing off the ash that had collected on its surface. From the location and position of this disk it appeared to have been lodged in the face of the temple, my demonstration with the Kohli ball knocking it free...
 
Curious.
 
I flipped it over, and with surprise found that it was actually a caved piece of stone... a charm of some sort. In the very center was a large circle, and at equidistant positions around it where three smaller circles. It looked familiar, as if I had seen it before... and that symbol, I knew what it was... at least I thought - yes, it was.
 
It was the symbol for Strength. Huh.
 
Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew this was important.

Edited by Friar Tuck, Dec 12 2012 - 01:56 AM.

[snoip lion]

OOC:
Cue the Social Network's OST - Hand Covered Bruise

IC: Tuara - Ta-Koro - Outside the Gates - Temple of Courage

Tuara just looked on blankly as Joske berated her. Sure, it stung. But it was true. It didn't happen during Tuara's time in the Guard, but she still belonged to it. The past iterations of Ta-Koro's protection might not have been the best run, sure, the intentions were good, and it was meant to be a noble thing. But sometimes, there were prices to pay for security. Now, it wasn't that Tuara would agree, but that's the way things were, and until they knew how safe they really were from Makuta, they might have to keep running things the way they used to.

So far, Tuara silently agreed. Until one little line came rolling out of Joske's mouth, running over every ounce of respect Tuara currently held for Joske's ability to understand.

"You could have brought Utu to justice a long time ago had you simply gone after him, but you didn't."

'Help me Dren.'

Dren responded calmly, his tone reflecting one attempting to comfort a child with urgent care, 'He doesn't know Tuara. He wasn't there. He didn't feel what you had to feel. He didn't even have to watch what you had to feel. I'm sure even Angelus would agree with me on this one; don't blame him.'

 

Tuara couldn't help it. She had just gotten back on her feet, and already, Angelus was drifting away from her and Joske had dragged her into this crack-pot of a suicide mission, one that will very likely result in meeting the one Toa on Mata-Nui she never wanted to see again. Her life, as it stood, was a complete and utter mess. She couldn't say anything if she wanted to, not with Joske ranting like that. Not when she was broken again.

Having her mind broken apart previously allowed Tuara some liberties within the confines of her mind, namely, she was able to replay memories, or sections of memories with complete accuracy, as they were heard, and as they were seen.

"You could have brought Utu to justice a long time ago had you simply gone after him, but you didn't."

'Tuara,' Dren started, protesting the respawning of Joske's comment, 'Don't start playing that. That is the last thing you need.' Tuara didn't respond, not to Dren, not to Joske as he walked away, not to anybody. She turned around, no longer angry, but starting to catch glimpses of the same brokenness she felt while Iris held her fast in the prison of her own body. She ignored these signs and Dren's plea. All she could do was analyze the sentence.

"You could have brought Utu to justice a long time ago had you simply gone after him, but you didn't."

The simple implications of such a comment might not seem like anything short of the truth to anybody else. But to Tuara, it was an immense magnification of feelings that one is unable to accurately describe. Unless she could show Joske herself, he would never be able to fully understand what she had to go through. A tempting notion. She had all the resources; and alternate deity residing in her mind, an Iden, and slew of memories as fresh as they came. But it would probably result in Joske's mind and emotions literally being destroyed. Joske had a good life prior to becoming a Toa, whereas Tuara had much more to deal with, and to strengthen her. The onslaught of pain, anguish, and sorrow, completely decimated Tuara. To imagine what would happen to Joske would surely do worse things to him. Things that could never be fixed.

She had wanted death more than anything in the world. She had craved it chronically, obsessed with the simple alluring idea of no longer feeling pain. She didn't want to be 'fixed', as Arekule had put it upon 'releasing' her. It wasn't a matter of justice. Utu stopped being a priority when dying took it's place on the top of the list.

"You could have brought Utu to justice a long time ago had you simply gone after him, but you didn't."

Tuara suddenly couldn't remember why this hurt so much. No explanation for her inability to remember. She suddenly realized, Dren was blocking some sections of her mind off from her. Tuara felt compelled to prevent this, regardless the consequences. If she was going to get though, Dren was going to have to get knocked away. Literally swatted away by emotions. She quickly started flipping through the last year. Stopping at a moment in Ga-Wahi. Tarn had left her body to try and access Tank's memories briefly. Memories being viewed had the same effect on the viewer as they did when they first happened. Anything that was experienced, was felt.

This would do.

Tuara shook her head and gave Angelus a shove before her eyes widened, suddenly realizing what needed to happen.

'Don't you dare open this! I swear to Mata-Nui Tuara, if you-'

"I need you to kill me." Tuara was facing Angelus, standing stunned with a sword. The world spinning chaotically out of control. Yuru, having just killed Utu had assumed control of the Mark Bearers and decided to crash Tillian and Emotia's wedding to get their attention.

"I--what? I can't kill you."

"Iris needs to be stopped, and right now, the only reason he's doing this, is because I'm alive!"
 

They had started to run out of time, Iris was trying to access Tank's mind, and before he split again and took control of Tank, the tool he used had to be destroyed. The oracle he worked though had to be killed.

"If I'm dead, he can't continue. You need Iris gone; you need me gone."

The desperation had started to sink in, growing wild now, the craving of pain becoming nothing short of overwhelming, no longer about stopping Iris, but escaping the chronic torture she was forced to endure every moment of existence.

"Do it! Do it before he comes back!"

Angelus had thrust a sword forwards, about to grant the person he had loved the most the only thing she wanted.

Dren broke away, relinquishing his power to the flow of emotion Tuara had seemingly been blocked from. Dren was lucky. She could've forced him into Dorian's memories too. That was a favorite of Tarn's.

"You could have brought Utu to justice a long time ago had you simply gone after him, but you didn't."

Tuara looked up again, remembering how that made her feel. The anger came back again in waves. Crashing down, level after level, slowly starting to break the restrictions she had fought so hard to uphold upon her return. The dam broke, and the waters ran forth destroying every piece of defense she once had.

Tuara stood there, boiling with rage, her fists shaking, her breath half-stalling; it was jumpy, and her eyes burning with an intensity that would make Tahu himself jealous. Her jaw was slack, and shaking with her breath. To those around, they would only see a frighteningly angry Toa of fire, enraged in being wrong. Only Angelus would be able to understand what was really happening.

She just watched Joske continue on his way, never able to understand what really he had said.

Tuara was dangerously close to breaking again, the state of her mind barely holding on, Dren probably trying to boost that hold.

Edited by We Are Legion, Dec 12 2012 - 10:01 AM.

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

The 'Hrrrmmm' of Agni clearing his throat sounded behind Joske as he bent down to examine the small rock his impromptu demonstration of what his loot could do had apparently broken out of the wall of the temple of courage. Agni's expression remained otherwise unchanged, not showing too much of what he felt, despite the scene he had just witnessed. It would have almost been amusing , if the circumstances had not been so dire. He looked at Tuara again. She looked ready to unleash the whole volcano on the younger Toa. Which was not surprising. What Joske had just done had been incredibly rude and almost crossed the line of what even Agni would let him get away with.

That was one thing Agni did not get about him. Maybe it had been his fame as a Kolhii player, but Joske had a way about him that was downright offensive at times. And yet, he knew just how much he could get away with under the any given circumstances. It was impressive. But why Joske insisted on always pushing that skill to the limit was something he didn't understand.

 

At least that's what he caught from what had just happened and from Tuara's reaction. Agni had not been present during the events involving the mark-bearers. At the time he had been on a manhunt for a dangerous criminal that had hidden on the Kumu islets. To him, Utu was just a name. Sure, he had read the reports, but it had been as impersonal as reading over a simple theft-report or that of a burglary. He didn't know what kind of memories and feelings Joske's words stirred in the female Toa. Had he known, his reaction would have been quite different. But as it was, to him the mission still took priority at the moment and so he tried to at least keep Tuara from incinerating the young Toa.

 

"He excels at stepping on every foot he comes across, but he means well."

 

And the fact that I actually have to tell people that since they'd throw your behind in jail otherwise is absolutely ludicrous, Joske. he added in thought. Still, his pupils resourcefulness when it came to getting done what he thought needed to be done was commendable, even if that involved digging up dirt on the people he worked for, the Guard; and by extent also Agni himself. It was in breach of about two dozen Guard regulations, including the use of proper requisition forms and two copies of it no less; unauthorized acces to  the vaults; having the quartermaster present whenever the vaults were accessed ; improper handling of contraband, unauthorized removal of said contraband and so on and so forth. Somewhere inside, Agni knew that should cause a much more agressive response from him, enough to warrant a second reprimand mere hours after the last one and possibly disciplinary action, but somehow, he remained calm in spite of the fact.

 

Either I am getting used to his antics or I am just too focused on this quest. Probably a bit of both.

 

He stepped over to where Joske was studying the white, carved stone among the regular black and red variety. Standing beside him, Agni harrumphed, as he saw the look of confusion on the younger Toa's face. "Out of all the Toa on this Island, you of all people should know the charm of courage." the veteran simply stated. "Or did Keahi not teach you about that when you learned how to kick a Kolhi ball like you just did?"

He let the thought sink in for a second, before changing to a more serious tone. "Speaking of teaching you things...that little show of yours wasn't a smooth move."

 

He glanced to the side and caught Cael's expression. She did not look too happy either, a fact that was underlined by her discomfort in the hot climate as well. Agni was glad he wasn't in Joske's place right now. He patted the young Toa on the shoulder once, then stepped forward, examining the entrance to the temple of courage and leaving Joske to the mercy of Cael and Tuara.

[Half a Cup of EW]

IC (Cael)

 

As Joske stood holding his carved piece of stone, he felt a hand grab his shoulder, and pull him around to face Cael, whose disapproving look told him everything he needed to know.

 

The Ta-Toa opened his mouth to speak, but the Toa of Water cut him off.

 

“I'm not going to pretend I understand half of what's going on,” she said sharply. “But all I see right now is a Toa who's so determined to have the last word; so determined to be “the best”, that he's throwing away his friends and allies.”

 

Ta-Wahi was hot, but even the volcano's might couldn't match the disapproval in Cael's voice. The sparks that burst periodically into the grey sky mirrored the glint of anger in her eyes.

 

“If this were really about those Matoran, like you said, then you'd be trying to get all the help you could find. But right now it's all about your ego, isn't it?”

 

The healer's golden eyes flashed, daring Joske to contradict her, but the Toa of Fire said nothing. He'd learned by now that it was better to let her finish before replying; any interruption only made the tirade worse.

 

“If you really want to do everything you can for this island, then you'll turn around and fix what you've broken, even if that means letting go of your pride and your inflated self-image as a “mighty Toa-hero”. Or, if that's too difficult for you to understand, just grow. Up. And. Apologize.”

 

Each of these last four words was accompanied by a poke to the heartlight. Though a few inches shorter than Joske, Cael refused to let the height difference influence her intimidation factor. She stepped back and crossed her arms, still holding the Ta-Toa's eyes.

 

“I'll be waiting. For you to grow up, that is. And hurry up: we've got an island to save.”

[Half a Cup of EW]

IC: (Valria)

 

Valria walked back into the building with Kuyre alongside her. She smiled and spoke to both Kaiapo and Sur when she turned.

 

"Sorry about that, this is Kuyre, we go back for a while." Valria smiled, her hand on the Toa's back, pushing him a bit forward to met the Toa of Earth and Plant Life."Kuyre, this is Sur and Kaiapo. Sur...saved my life, I had been horribly burned. Kaiapo helped me get here. Thank you two again, for being so nice." Valria smiled, motioning to the two of them, hoping for them to get along.

 

- - -

 

IC (Kaiapo)

 

The Toa of Earth smiled and shook Kuyre's hand. 

 

"It's good to meet you," he said. "I wish we could stay longer, but Sur and I have travelled far today, and tomorrow holds the same. We need our rest."

 

He looked at Valria. "You said you needed a place to stay? I have enough for another room, should you need it."

 

 

 

OOC: Oops, double post. =P Meant to edit that on to my previous post. Happens to the best of us!

Edited by Eyru Bieber, Dec 12 2012 - 01:03 PM.

[Replicant]

IC: Tirus and Naehi, Tirus's Forge

"I really don't know." The Fe-Toa said, shrugging his shoulders and grinning, his smile coarse. "Hard to tell, to be honest."

Raising an eyebrow, Naehi turned ever so slightly, so that she was facing Tajeh directly. Every moment and hint of emotion displayed her anger, and perhaps a bit of amusement.

[thebeggerpie]

IC(Tajeh):

 

 Tajeh noticed Naehi looking at him and he turned from beet red to ice pale. The dramatic color shift was probably noticeable by everyone from ten Kio away.

 

IC(Noiatz Livic):

 

 Noiatz gave Tirus a puzzling look for a second but then looked down to properly wrap her ankle. "Left over right, or right over left? Or up and down? Kraz."

[Taka Nuvia]

IC: Myka (Ta-Koro)

 

"I'm fine," Myka assured Zyron.

~

 

IC: Zyron (Ta-Koro)

 

"Alright" Zyron replied and smiled. "Let's just... start walking then..."

[Indigo Individual]

IC: Myka (Ta-Koro)

 

"Okay then," Myka smiled, beginning to walk slowly, hand still in Zyron's.

[BenLuke]

I only take a few seconds to catch up with Feongulf. She seems quite impatient, which is a bit irritating, seeing as she's only here because of me.

 

Well, this is it. Ta-Koro. The first place I expect Tarrhus to be. If he's not here, Onu-Koro's the next stop. After that, I can safely assume that something (or someone) else has already killed him, saving me the trouble.

 

IC:

 

"Really need to sleep," Feongulf muttered as they stepped through the gates. "We can look for your old friend later."

[Dallas Winston]

IC: Angelus (Ta-Koro)

 

There was nothing - nothing - that Angelus would have loved more than to take Joske by the throat and then choke the life out of him for daring to presume what Tuara had been through with the Mark Bearers, but something - respect for Tuara, maybe, or perhaps just not wanting to sit around in prison while she went off and risked her life in this state - held him back; Angelus merely followed Joske's little team, careful not to move too fast so that Tuara couldn't keep up, and tucked a careful arm around her shoulders, drawing her into a semi-embrace as they walked.

 

-Tyler

[Friar Tuck]

OOC: here's another doozy...

 

IC

 

The stalemate ensued, my eyes locked with hers. Why the karz didn’t I just walk away to the temple, charm in hand, and open the door? We had better things to do than stand here staring at each other.  I won that spat fair and square, yet they were all over me like Muaka over a fresh kill. Tuara had it coming, that Rules Rahkshi, and she simply couldn’t stand it that I had outwitted and outmaneuvered her. Agni seemed to understand, why didn’t she? Or Cael for that matter? Why should I listen to her? She had no idea what went on inside that Koro, what the Guard life was like, what living under oppressive regime was like. Why could I give a spiritdam iota about her opinion? Really I don’t, and that’s the answer.

 

And why, if so, did her verbal slap hurt so much?

 

She stood there, arms crossed, leaning back, not giving an inch. For someone who knew of my capabilities to challenge me, knowing fully well what I could do, was gutsy. Despite my best attempts she probably knew me as well as I did, knowing not only how to push my buttons but how to pull me back from the brink. She had saved my life twice now, and was willing to stake life and reputation by accompanying me.

 

And that’s why her opinion DID matter to me.

 

I wrestled internally, trying to come up with an answer. Ok, so maybe she was right? Maybe I went too far, maybe I am bit childish, so what? I’ll go over and apologize, kiss and make up if I have to… no, that wouldn’t be good enough for her. She would want me to mean it. Ok, go on over there and mean it. It’s just an apology. Saying I’m sorry. Nothing major. I mean, it’s not like I did something bad… or being at fault… or admitting… admitting wrongdoing…  I’m… I…

 

I couldn’t bring myself to apologize.

 

It was as if Cael was holding up a mirror, and for the first time I could see it. Something so simple, something so easy to say, yet I stood here locked up tighter than the vaults, unable to perform this simple task. It was my ego. My pride. My view of myself. The thing that made me ME was apparently making me a monster, driving these people away. Suddenly I understood why many beings reacted the way they did around me, why I didn’t have a lot of friends, why I seemed to drive people away. I was completely unbearable.

 

But there was nothing I could do about it. So in my arrogant honesty I answered her question.

 

“Yes it is.”

 

My pride, my ego… it had a chokehold on my soul. It was the one thing I had no matter what else happened in the world. Friends came and went, but my accomplishments remained. Feelings were subjective, but one could not wave away skill and ability. It was the one thing that could keep me going… and it had saved my life more than once. More than Cael ever did. The only person I could ever in the end depend on was me and me alone. It had always been that way; why should it change now? My ego was the only thing I needed. I didn’t need them; they were just tagging along anyway, along for the ride. My mission, my destiny, my reward. If they couldn’t handle it, then they could leave and I will help those matoran myself. But why then do I still feel a twinge of guilt?

 

Fine.

 

Finally able to break away from Cael’s gaze I walked over in front of Tuara. With exaggerated gestures I took off my newly-acquired gear one by one, dropping them unceremoniously to the ash-ridden ground below. Bracers, guards, staff, disks… all of it. When the clanking ceases I dusted off my hands in front of her, washing my hands of this affair. If that’s what she wanted, fine, she can have her precious merchandise back, I don’t care. I have a job to do.

 

Without a word I calmly strode to the temple door, brushing past Agni who was already there, studying the monument closely. Bending down I began to explore the door, and quickly found what I was looking for: three key-like slots in the otherwise perfectly smooth surface. Tilting my head I carefully tested the charm I had found – yes, right size and fit. It would seem as though I would require two more to open the door. I stood, carefully turning over the charm. Yes, this was familiar… because I had seen it before.

 

Or others like it.

 

Activating my Kakama the world streaked around me, a blurry mass of dark grey and red. Quickly I retraced my steps and bounded up to the Koro ramparts, rushing along the walls until I came to a stop inside Jaller’s office. I completely expected him to be in there. To my complete surprise I arrived at a rare time he was not present… huh. Strange, but fortunate. Glancing around I spotted my prize, a small white disk sitting prominently on a shelf. Why did he keep it there? It’s not like it was important to him, just a trinket.  I shrugged to myself, swiped the object, and with a twitch was a running blur once more.

 

A few seconds later I was at the edge of town, staring at a long, blank wall that was carved into the volcano itself, tools littered about the construction site. This was the “Wall of History” project, started by Turaga Vakama but over the years fell into disrepair, and after his disappearance the project was abandoned completely. Glancing around I didn’t see what I was looking for; I could have sworn it was here. Did someone take it? Move it? Destroy it? My mind raced as I began to pick through old piles of stone debris, my mind conjuring up the worst-case scenarios. I needn’t worry, for after a few moments of digging I found what I was looking for: the third charm, buried under some fresh rubble. Snorting with satisfaction I blinked, and when I could see clearly I was back in front of the temple.

 

I could not help but feel cocky as I wiped centuries of ash away from the key holes, revealing sets of words carved into the stone above: Conquers Fear; Pride of Guards; and Might of Heart and Limb. Riddles. And not difficult ones at that. “Might of Heart and Limb” clearly referred to Strength, as Agni properly mentioned a part of Kohlii training. “Pride of the Guards” was also glaringly easy; the charm that had ‘Duty’ written all over it. Which meant that “Conquers Fear” was the Courage charm; again, obvious. With flair and flourish I placed the charms in their corresponding key slot, waiting for the magic to happen, expecting the massive stone door to roll away, revealing the Crystal of Courage in all of its brilliant glory.

 

Only that never happened. In fact, absolutely nothing happened.

 

I stared at the wall. Maybe I placed them in there wrong. Quickly I took them out and replaced them, taking a step back. Perhaps I was too close? Again, nothing. I could feel myself becoming frustrated as I activated my mask, trying every single permutation possible in mere seconds. The stone wall stood there defiant.

 

I took several steps back, unable to comprehend this setback. What was I missing!? I found the temple, got the key charms, solved the riddles, and inserted them into the correct slot. That… that should have been it.

 

“Open up you danged slab of useless rock!”

 

I could feel my voice echo back at me; it was as if I was talking to a stone wall. I could feel the desperation creep in, my air of confidence quickly evaporating.  I ran up to it and in a fit of anger punched it, doing nothing but releasing more soot and ash and possibly breaking a few fingers. I sank to my knees, frazzled. I had no idea what to do… I did everything right, it should have worked…

 

I looked up at where I had struck, only now noticing an indentation in the rock; there was no way my fist could have done that. I reached up with my spare hand, scraping away an even thicker layer of ash to reveal a new set of writing, another phrase that seemed to produce power as I read it.

 

Only those without wickedness can understand it

 

Understand? Understand… what?

 

Were they talking about courage? I understood everything about courage; I practically used it every day. I used it when fighting off the Tarakava and the Muaka. I used it when I held the line for the matoran to escape. Whenever I had to face Agni when I came back after curfew. Karz, I was even willing to take on the Guard and my companions over a set of armor; now that took some courage!

 

Then why can’t you look them in the eye?

 

The thought hit me like a bolt from the blue, the impact so shocking it struck me dumb. Of course I… couldn’t. I mean, I could always… walk away from them. It was so easy to… not apologize. I… no, oh, no, oh no no NO! This cannot… this cannot be happening. You mean to say that my inability to apologize was preventing this door from opening!? ARE YOU SERIOUS?!

 

What are you afraid of?

 

I’m not afraid. I’m freaking invincible. I’ve looked death in the eye and spat on its face. This is ludicrous. I’m not scared of anyone or anything-

 

How about admitting you were wrong?

 

I found myself on my hands and knees, trembling at the foot of the temple, a terrible conflict raging in my own mind. My pride, my ego that I was hanging on to so tightly was preventing me from doing the one thing that needed to be done: make amends. If I couldn't do that, then this door would never open, I would never get this crystal, and I would never get any of the others. This quest would be over before it even started.

 

I would have failed.

 

But to admit I was wrong... to suggest that I have been a complete and absolute... to grovel honestly before someone else... no, I was better than that... I was... I just... to admit I was wrong... I just...

 

... just...

 

... I... can't...

 

I can't.

 

I can't do it.

 

I just...

 

Can't.

 

I could feel a tear leave my mask, hearing the sizzle of it landing the hot ground. I... failed. It was that simple. I had too much pride.

 

And I couldn't tear it out.

 

OOC: come along little Joske, it's character development time... even if I have to drag you by your teeth kicking and screaming.

Edited by Friar Tuck, Dec 13 2012 - 01:10 AM.

[snoip lion]

IC: Tuara - Ta-Koro - Temple of Courage

Tuara watched the younger Toa place the disc-like objects into their slots.

He wasn't going to apologize to Tuara. Not without having to swallow his pride. Something she knew he would never be able to do, not on his own.

And at this point, she didn't even care. He had made an assumption based on something he knew little to nothing about. The full version of those reports were never quite released to anybody without special access. Any and all reports that were Guard "public" were shortened, and left out most everything that happened to Tuara during that time.

Jaller's Second in Command simply stood there, arms crossed, jaw jammed shut, watching Joske punch the wall.

The simple stubbornness reminded Tuara of a younger version of herself. She grimaced mentally, it was something that both made her feel uncomfortable, yet sorry for Joske. Really, he didn't understand. He was young, naive, and new to the business of being a Toa. As far as Tuara knew, all Joske had known was the spotlight. Although that might not be totally accurate, she was sure about one thing: He had no humility.

'He just doesn't understand.'

He had no idea what he was doing. Normally, Tuara would wait it out, but her patience was currently on a shorter fuse than her temper.

'I know.'

She turned around, starting to walk away. Leaving behind a confused group, Angelus going to move to her before deciding some time alone was what she needed. If Joske wanted to tread around in his inflated ego, and push away everybody he knew, Tuara wasn't going to have any part of it.

'You could show him.'

'He's going to have to make that decision for himself. When he's ready; karz, if he's ever ready, I'll show him,' Tuara started climbing the ladder back up, 'but for now, let the fool drown in his self-pity. I'm out.'