13844 replies to this topic

[Dallas Winston]

IC: Reordin (Wanderer's Company Boat, Ko-Wahi)

Neither of the Matoran spoke after that, because to talk would be to dispel the solitary quiet of the moment that had fallen over the two. Finally, Reordin's mouth bounced upwards in a smirk.

"Fine. But not too much faith. Someone has to be the party pooper on this team."

-Tyler

Edited by Tyler Durden, Nov 25 2012 - 03:35 PM.

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

"Alright, LT," Leah said, pokin Reordin in the side with her elbow, "then that's your new assignment for this trip from now on."

She chuckled. "But consider the having a little faith a standing order."

[Dallas Winston]

IC: Reordin (Wanderer's Company Boat, Ko-Wahi)

Reordin took the comment like the joke it was, but there was a pensive light in his cornflower blue eyes that seemed to chew over Leah's words a bit, trying them on for size. He could feel Leah watching him curiously, drawing her elbow away from his side, and when he finally turned to look at her again, his eyes were burdened with truth. It was a look much the same as the one Stannis carried, but where Stannis seemed to enjoy the feeling of prophecy in reverie, Reordin's eyes were brimming with facts, calculations that whizzed through his head at the speeds of bullets to try and piece together the truth of the world.

"I'll give it a shot, then," he replied with a wink, his wit returning to him after a second. "But only because you asked so nicely."

-Tyler

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

"Don't I always?" Leah replied with a sly smile.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: The matoran boat motored into the fjord indicated by Stannis, a slow put-put-put-put into the narrow inlet, passing drifting blocks of ice that floated by, debris from the little glacier that carved in, a pencil remaining from what was once the huge mass that made the fjord long ago. Before them, illuminated by grey skies and white reflections on the frigid water, was the little village Stannis spoke of. It was tiny, a mere eight shacks of blackened wood in a disorganized arrangement with a small stone square, likely just the communal fish scaling area and a single pier with two fishing trawlers. It all seemed so desolate and austere, which was in fact not far from the truth at all. The settlement seemed to be just an outpost of rugged fishermen who wanted to be away from it all, and while not unused to company they still weren't going to be enthusiastic about it.

The welcome the Wanderer's Company received was brusque. The matoran there, a team of five fishermen, greeted them with solemnity and silence. They helped them dock the boat on the sliver of the pier left and gave them a plank to use for safe debarking, but when they took them to the one larger shed that was used for storage Stannis concluded they were helping because they felt compelled to by the weather and the virtue of Unity, not because they felt like being nice.

The shed was big enough to house a boat in the open floor, but tools and equipment lined the walls in neat piles and sorted stacks. There were no beds, but they were allowed to take from the straw used for insulation in the other shed which would do fine. Flurries outside reminded everyone of the cold night approaching.

Nightfall was fast approaching, and as it did so Stannis stood outside the building, watching the darkness spread overhead towards the west. He could not shake the idea that a danger loomed close by, the same feeling he had before Aurax and Takua were killed. Something was close and even with his imperviousness to the chill of the weather he folded his arms to guard his core fro shivering. He had to find a balance between his needs and the needs to protect the team. That was going to be a night he would sharpen his knife and wax his pikes.

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

Leah had taken to making them relatively comfortable bedding from the straw they were allowed to use, since she had some skill in making and repairing nests. This wasn't a nest, of course, but the techniques still came in handy. She and the others carried the straw from it's storage-place and over to the shed. Leah then took it on herself to prepare the beds for herlsef and the others. She worked quickly and efficiently, since the straw did not need to look pretty, they just needed to be able to properly sleep on it. When she had finished, the Le-Matoran picked out the one she had made last and placed her things on it and sat down on the edge.

But after sitting on a boat for the better part of the day, she was not the least bit tired and found it hard to find some rest. So she decided to step outside again, where she found Stannis, staring out over the fjord so darkly, Leah almost decided to turn back around. However, she walked up the wanderer quietly and said: "I was going to ask you about the watch-schedule for the night before I saw that look on your face...what is bothering you, Stannis?"

Edited by Vezok's Friend, Nov 25 2012 - 07:18 PM.

[Toa Of Virtues]

IC (Mambo):

A fire!

Mambo desperatley sprinted towards a burning flame out in the distance, not stopping to wonder why there was a fire in the middle of a blizzard.

A few days ago, Mambo had gotton himself lost in the icy drifts of Ko-Wahi. In that time, he had eaten wild rahi, and managed to stay alive. It wasn't long before his fingers started to blacken, and the rest of his mind leave. Whatever strands of sanity he had left in his brain had frozen away, leaving only the basic functions of life, and strange, violent thoughts to satisfy his needs. He now roamed the frozen landscape like a savage beast chasing his tail.

Mambo finally reached the flame. It looked like a campfire that had just been set up, all ready for him. Without hesitation, he jumped in. He wanted the fire to warm him as fast as possible, even if it meant his death. He closed his eyes, and waited for the hot flames to engulf him in heat. He felt nothing. For a moment, he dared to open an eye to see if had put out the flame. He did not, the fire was as bright as ever. However, it gave off no heat. He then got to his feet, keeping his eyes on the heatless fire. Just then, it vanished, and he had forgotton about it in a moment's notice.

Mambo wore the mask of illusion, which had generated a seperate mind of it's own in Mambo's madness. The mask didn't really have a seperate mind, but the part of Mambo's brain that controlled it did. It was now casting illusions of warmth and food onto the landscape, fooling even Mambo.

As Mambo walked on, his mind shifted from focusing on the cold, to his hunger.

OOC: NOT open for interaction, yet.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: "Oh. Hello, Leah," Stannis said, knocked out of his zen state and greeting Leah like she was a stranger on a street. He toyed with his thick knife before slipping it back into the scabbard on his back.

It was a moment more of thinking before he replied to Leah, saying, "One thing I know to be true is that instincts, at least mine, have always been right. I can feel things happen around me, sense the twist of nature and events. It's a gift I've always had but I only unlocked it when I led the previous matoran team. Recently, it..." He sighed deeply, almost sadly, before he continued. "It has given me a sense of foresight of dangers and has given me guidance in all that I do. Often I can't share what I know or feel, mostly because there are those, like yourself, who are guards and fact-finders. There is no dishonour in that profession or its philosophy, but it often prevents your kind from understanding what I feel. It's not easy, being a prophet...

"I felt the pulls of fate before Aurax, my friend, and Takua, my spiritual predecessor, perished. I could sense the danger when I led my team in the valley of Kini Nui and we were ambushed by Rahi, Before anything deadly happens, I often feel a sense of dread. Leah, I feel that now." His eyes remained grey, mere holes in his skull without pupils, just masses of grey that could stare through anything and see the soul within, it seemed. But it was in moments such as that that his eyes burned not with fervor of an ardent warrior of light but with the delicacy of a sage who understood the perils of a fight.

"I brought us here because here, of all places, we could defend ourselves against the darkness, here in the home of my people, in the turf of Reordin." He took another deep breath of cold air and exhaled, his breath blooming in a thick cloud of condensation that disappeared a second later. "I hope my guidance is right," he admitted. "The unknown is a dangerous thing."

Edited by EmperorWhenua, Nov 25 2012 - 08:06 PM.

[Dallas Winston]

IC: Reordin (Safe House, Ko-Wahi)

"Alright, Oreius, Lepidran, I want you two to try and discern a route that's both quick and safe from Takua's map," Reordin said from inside the shed while Leah and Stannis conversed outside. "Once you've done that, I'll come over and give my opinion on it. Meanwhile, it's my turn on dinner duty, so...Sulov! Up and at 'em, big guy!"

The Onu-Matoran lumbered over quietly and sat beside Reordin as the two started cooking together. Finally, Reordin could feel the hazel stare of his Ussalryman teammate boring into him, and he turned.

"Alright, out with it. What's on your mind?"

-Tyler

[Mr. Peanuts]

IC: Reordin knows what I want for the meal, and he gets it pretty quickly. I start cutting up the meat and he starts making the rolls. I think about what to say and let him start off the chat.

"Alright, out with it. What's on your mind?"

"You and Leah are really good friends," I reply.

"Yeah."

"Do you like her?"

[Dallas Winston]

IC: Reordin (Shed, Ko-Wahi)

As fate would have it, Reordin had been taking a sip of Bula juice to help wet his throat when Sulov spoke, so he caught a sip of liquid down the wrong tube and began to cough and splutter; the Chosen Matoran was dying right before Sulov's eyes, so the Onu-Matoran took his elbow and smoked him in the vertebrae, hard, causing Reordin to cough, which in turn meant he was inhaling and exhaling again.

"Do I...wha?"

-Tyler

[Mr. Peanuts]

IC: "Do you like her?," I say again. I've seen how they talk to each other. Thinking about it now, maybe I can help Reordin figure out what he feels.

I'm not the best for this. I'm not very good with words. And it hurts, a little, because Leah kinda reminds me of Daylah. But I'll do what I can for everyone the same. That means talking to Reordin and remembering Daylah.

[Dallas Winston]

IC: Reordin (Shed, Ko-Wahi)

"I dunno!" rasped the Ko-Matoran, still trying to recover from his Sulov-induced near death experience and taking another drink - this time, just spring water - to east his throat. "I dunno. Why should I know?"

-Tyler

[Kaitholas Cage]

IC: I grinned. "Now, shall we be off? Merla, make sure to bring plenty of water." I started to walk toward the scorching desert of Po-Wahi.

OOC: Maasi to Po, as long as it's cool.

[Constructman: Black Knight]

IC Merla
"Hold up, do we have any clue whatsoever what to do when we get there? I mean we have no clues whatsoever!" Despite this, I still followed.

OOC Merla to Po.

[The Giant Space Butterfly]

IC: Slannak

Slannak broke out into a grin. "Alright! Let's go on an adventure!" She sprinted off after Kaithas, probably overtaking him somewhere along the line.

IC: Nidiak

"Ya know, running headfirst into a probably dangerous situation is what got us arrested the last two times!" Nidiak shouted after the group. He followed it up with "Kaithas, you're a cretin!" Then he saw Slannak run after Kaithas. Nidiak sighed and followed.

[Mr. Peanuts]

IC: "You're her friend. You've talked to her," I say. "Are you that kinda good friends with her that you wanna go out?"

Edited by Norman Efiks, Nov 25 2012 - 10:33 PM.

[Half a Cup of EW]

IC (Oreius)

Oreius took the map from Reordin and spread it out on a nearby bench, dusty and stained with the blood and juices of countless gutted fish. He frowned in concentration, lightly tracing a path from one mark to another.

"It could take us a day's journey to get to Kopaka's Stone and back," he said to Lepidran, who also leaned over the map, looking thoughtful. "Ko-Wahi isn't nearly as easy terrain as Le, from what I've heard." He shrugged, and smiled wryly. "I haven't exactly seen much of the island up to now, so I could be wrong."

He paused for a moment, then continued. "But you've been all over the island, with Stannis, right? What route do you think we should take? We it be faster to go from here-" he pointed at the "-directly to Pohatu's Stone, or should we make the trip back and take the boat?"

[EmperorWhenua]

Ooc: Hiemalis and the scholar Peer from Le-Wahi.

Ic: The lord of winter easily climbed the snowy ridges of his home turf with the grace of a mountain goat, the body slumped over his shoulder swaying like a sack of beans. The Peer had not said a word since being apprehended and simply let Hiemalis drag him to the frigid north, in part because he did not want to hear the feared toa's voice growl in return. Instead he just watched the scenery melt away as he was taken to the white and grey reaches of Ko-Wahi. The crunch of Hiemalis' footsteps and the rumbles of avalanches left in his wake was a distinct reminder of the chaos small steps can bring, and it was one reason he was afraid of Hiemalis, a man with powers of chaos as great as his own. Aparangi was chaotic, but... not like this.

The ice toa opened a hatch to his cave and entered. Coryza was not in his cot, but Hiemalis didn't give it to his prisoner. Instead, he threw the aged and weak matoran to the ground by it and opened the window to the sky. The Peer was greeted by a wash of cold air and a glimpse at the fate which awaited him: A long chain, dangling from a ledge high in the sky.

"Fgrrlok uthtek murrrl." The words chilled the Peer's heart more than anything. "Uth lok'r." He closed his eyes but found no solace. This is where he would die, in the company of the shield his friends had striven to control. But failed. Just like he had.

[Vezok's Friend]

C:

Talking to Stannis, the Le-Matoran had learned, was always an interesting experience. On the one hand, his wisdom and knowledge were admirable and reliable, but on the other, it was very understandable where Reordin had trouble trusting completely in the wanderer's methods. And from the tone of his voice when he greeted her, the two of them might as well have just met for the first time. His mind seemed to be always focused on larger things; the big picture. And as much as he cared for them, for the task and the Island and it's people as a whole, he often sounded like he was in a different plain of existance. And so his reasoning for doing things the way they did, the blind faith in the prophecy, it all was a bit hard to understand from time to time. She was sure he knew what he was doing, but explaining the why behind his motives was where he lost them.But that was Stannis.

Leah was silent for a moment, but then she smiled at the Pa-Matoran encouragingly. "You have not led us astray so far." she said. "But you are right. It is hard for me to just trust blindly in something that is intagible. But that is what me and Reordin need to be good at what we do. And you, you need to have your mind filled with prophecy to be good at what you do. And for what it's worth, I may not have the ability to feel when something is approaching to bring us closer to our destiny, but I know that you do. And I suspect that Reordin feels the same, even if it doesn't show at all times. You were chosen to lead us and we were chosen to assist you. Such choices are not made by accident. It may not be my area of expertise, but I know there are more forces at work in the world than the forces of evil. And to me, that is a comforting thought. So, while we may not have the direct faith that you do, we do have faith in you."

She let out a deep breath. "Now, with that said...that feeling of yours...how close is this danger you dread?"

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: "It's close enough to give me chills," Stannis said with another heavy exhale. "Tonight, tomorrow, maybe the next day... but whatever it is is near."

He then shifted gears to the issue they had discussed. "... We are dubbed the 'Wanderer's Company' because I am the Wanderer, but I do not feel as if my leadership is... taken. Previously, in the team who dubbed themselves my 'Companions,' I was appreciated in a different light, but with the death of Aurax seemed to die an appreciation for my work. I'm not a vain man, Leah -- far from it. I was taught to be a servant leader who acted instead of ordered. But when the team who's name is my own doesn't... doesn't listen... I can't help but feel rejected. I have done everything the way I was tutored, but it seems to fall to hard minds if they are at least heard."

Stannis hummed to himself as he thought of something else to add. "I can only wonder how say that I believe in the steadfast adhering to the Three Virtues. Unity keeps us as a team, Duty gives us purpose, and Destiny is something we all must hold dear. If we cannot have trust in our beliefs and faith in our Great Spirit who we defend, then why do we declare ourselves the 'Chosen Ones,' Leah? What divine right to we call on to name ourselves such?" He shook his head. "I know my take. What's yours?"

[Half a Cup of EW]

IC (Oreius)

"No, wait..." Oreius bit his lip in concentration. "Stannis said we should travel over land, which means leaving the boat here, and crossing Ko twice."

The plan bothered Oreius; being a former Guard, he had been trained for years to take the most cost-effective route. Not only that, but leaving the boat here would only provide more opportunity for someone to notice their presence in Ko-Wahi. And in this situation, where he already quietly dreaded the idea of braving the icy wastes of Ko-Wahi, his instincts and experience told him that the Wanderer would lead them wrong.

That was where he put his foot down. Metaphorically.

The Wanderer had not led them wrong, not once. Every step had taken them closer to their inescapable destiny, even steps that seemed to walk in the wrong direction. Stannis listened to a voice none of the others could hear, which automatically gave Oreius reason to doubt, but the results of heeding this voice were very tangible. The Ta-Matoran couldn't ignore the Wanderer's direction without consciously ignoring the very thing that had brought them this far.

Even trying to derive a safe path from the Wanderer's plans was pointless. Stannis would not lead them astray; if he did, then destiny had planned it so. The Ta-Matoran ground his teeth at this; he was beginning to hate the idea of destiny and prophecy. Though he believed destiny would guide them to the place they were meant to be, he had long since realized that the place they were meant to be might very well be a place they didn't want to go. Aurax's death had proved that much. Destiny had been accomplished there, just like it was supposed to. They couldn't have stopped his death, because it was meant to happen. When prophecy called, you had to answer, whether you wanted to or not.

That call would either protect them or destroy them as they crossed Ko, but it didn't matter, because what would happen would be what was meant to be. They might as well trust in destiny, because they couldn't prepare for it. Guarding against destiny was futile; all you could do was hope that the foretold ending would be kind to you.

Abruptly, Oreius rolled up the map. He smiled quickly at Lepidran. "I guess that's it, then. Stannis will know the way."

[Strong Arm BioBeast]

OOC:
Really don't have time to RP right now, so I'm just gonna put Kai into inactivity, and actually get rid of Icarin. This was taking too long...

IC:Icarin
The toa of Ice was about to respond, but then he fell to the ground. Dead. Thanks to an assassin that had thrown an axe at him from very far away, using a Kanohi Sanok to make sure his attack hit.

Kai

The Vortixx was promptly taken to jail by Den(that was his name, right?) and imprisoned with a life sentence.

[Bane of No Isles]

Ooc: Hiemalis and the scholar Peer from Le-Wahi.

Ic: The lord of winter easily climbed the snowy ridges of his home turf with the grace of a mountain goat, the body slumped over his shoulder swaying like a sack of beans. The Peer had not said a word since being apprehended and simply let Hiemalis drag him to the frigid north, in part because he did not want to hear the feared toa's voice growl in return. Instead he just watched the scenery melt away as he was taken to the white and grey reaches of Ko-Wahi. The crunch of Hiemalis' footsteps and the rumbles of avalanches left in his wake was a distinct reminder of the chaos small steps can bring, and it was one reason he was afraid of Hiemalis, a man with powers of chaos as great as his own. Aparangi was chaotic, but... not like this.

The ice toa opened a hatch to his cave and entered. Coryza was not in his cot, but Hiemalis didn't give it to his prisoner. Instead, he threw the aged and weak matoran to the ground by it and opened the window to the sky. The Peer was greeted by a wash of cold air and a glimpse at the fate which awaited him: A long chain, dangling from a ledge high in the sky.

"Fgrrlok uthtek murrrl." The words chilled the Peer's heart more than anything. "Uth lok'r." He closed his eyes but found no solace. This is where he would die, in the company of the shield his friends had striven to control. But failed. Just like he had.

OOC: He's probably a Turaga or something, but since I'm not sure ill refer to him as a Matoran.

IC.

Hiemalis was back, a bag of potatoes over his shoulder. No? No. It was alive, though he couldn't truly make out its form until his was sat down by his bed. His bed. He walked over and plopped down on the cot, as if to say "stay away." That's when he could truly steal a glance at the newcomer. Or, rather, new abductee.

A new pet.

That's what it was. Another Matoran, probably. His replacement? A quick glance told him that wasn't it. Much too old. He would never do as a servant. Really, he wouldn't do as a pet. Some kind of prisoner, he was sure. To the chain for him, the Onu-Matoran was willing to bet. Taking another glance, he pitied him. What he had done, Coryza couldn't comprehend.

"Wha's yer story?" he asked, turning to lay his legs off the side, onto the cold stone.

The old man was kind of confused. He likely had not expected another Matoran. Coryza shook his head wistfully, as if telling a story to a friend, something mundane.

"I rem'ber my firs' nigh' on tha hook. 'Orrible, take my word fer it."

The Peer seemed continuously confused. Maybe it was too much at one time. Coryza swung his legs back over, getting comfortable.

"Jus' know," he assured, "yer gunna die. Don' worry abou' that'." With a final thumbs-up, he closed his eyes.

[Friar Tuck]

IC

SNARL

*THWACK*

ROAR

FWOOSH!

SWIPE

"Aaaaaarrg!"

The sound of the crash of my back on a wind-sculpted ice wall was only mitigated by the tinkling of icicles as they fell from the concave indentation I found myself in. I clutched my chest with a free hand, noticing the large clouds of freezing water vapor from my mouth as I panted. I wasn't the only one breathing heavily, as my Muaka cat opponent stood hunched over on all fours, still reeling from that one-two punch of a hammer to the face followed by a blast of heat and fire. Problem was, I wasn't faring much better either, my fingers examining the nice trio of claw gashes in my armor. Not to mention nightfall was fast approaching, and the temperature as dropping like Pohatu in a lake.

Brilliant work Joske, picking a fight with a Muaka right as the sun sets in the cold, unforgiving slopes of Mount Ihu. At least I'll have an amazing backdrop to my probable death.

Nah, not yet. Besides, I'm too pretty to die.

I glanced back up, water dripping down my mask as the nearby ice melted at my mere presence, only to re-freeze moments later. The Muaka got up on it's hind legs and roared, preparing it's strike to finish me off, rage and frustration ringing in it's voice.

Not today.

Seizing the opportunity I activated my mask, the world freezing then stretching past me as I moved at the speed of thought, snapping back to real-time as I stood under the exposed belly of the beast. It was not prepared for the strike that followed, the full force of my warhammer slamming into the underbelly of the large cat, further enhanced with my wonderfully hot and potent fire. I could feel the blast of flame engulf the area and encase me, flowing around my body and chasing the cold away, the warmth welcomed in the stupidly-cold and Mata-Nui forsaken land. I smiled, knowing this Muaka was as good as done, unable to fathom what had literally hit it. That's when I felt the snow shift.

The blast had an apparent negative side effect: it was enough the melt enough snow to cause the slope to become unstable. I could hear the low rumble of huge cracks and chunks begin to give way, the whole slope moving as one.

An avalanche. Funtastic. Instead of being eaten alive or freezing to death, fate has chosen instead to bury and crush my remains. This day keeps getting better and better.

Ditching the cat I activated my mask, trying to outrun the moving wall of snow that was forming behind me. It was ironically slow-going, as I could not get a decent footing, the slope falling to pieces as I moved. I jumped, sidestepped, sprinted, tumbled, jumped again... finally a clean break in the snow and I booked it, a v-shaped trail behind me as I did so, only to disappear in the advancing avalanche. Sensing this I tapped my mask to the max, willing myself away from this rolling white ball of death-

"WHOA!"

I barely had enough time to stop, my body skidding across the ice, my movement finally halting not a half-inch away from a ledge of a cliff. Heartlight thumping in my audio receptors and breathing ragged I looked down, noting the jagged rocks far below. Yet another way to die... how many times had I cheated death today?

The roaring rumble interrupted my thoughts, and with a quick glance back I noted the avalanche was quickly closing the gap I had made. I desperately looked back down, hoping to find a way out. Below me was a fjord, nothing but lethal rocks ahead and right, created by the glacier that surrounded it. To the left however on the river was a little village. It was tiny community, a mere eight shacks of blackened wood in a disorganized arrangement with what looked like from this distance a small stone square, likely just the communal fish scaling area, complete with a single pier and two fishing trawlers. No wait, there was a third ship...

The avalanche reminded me I really didn't have much time to decide, let alone sight-see. There, down below, looked like a shed-

I could feel the cold and the snow on my back, not to mention the jaw-rattling vibrations. Now or never.

With all my might and a loud, suicidal war cry I leaped off the cliff as the avalanche rushed behind me, plowing over the spot I had just been and harmlessly falling into the ocean below. I however found myself falling rather quickly, much to fast for my comfort, rapidly approaching the ground and that building I had spotted from high above. I an move of desperation I jutted my hands forward and summoned all the elemental energy I had within me, creating a jet of flame and heat in a vain attempt to slow my decent. My body shuddered at the change in speed, pain shooting up my arms and into my chest... my jets sputtered as my previous theatrics and the sheer cold sapped my power, then stop completely as my reserves ran out... I was still falling to fast, the roof was right there...

Exhale. Grab legs. Tuck body. Protect head. Roll-

While partially melted, the show on the roof cushioned my fall somewhat, but not enough to stall my body from crashing through the roof. Both however did have enough effect on my momentum that the large pile of straw was able to absorb the impact.

Well, most of it. Don't worry, the floor got the rest.

"OOooooouuuuuch... "

When I stopped seeing stars I sat up slowly, feeling my back pop and crack as I did. It must have been quite a scene, a handsome Ta-Toa rising out of a hay pile, covered in snow, ice, sweat, and hay, with a dash of blood and hydraulic fluid. But I was alive. Alive and in once piece!

I was going to feel that fall in the morning.

Glancing down, I marveled at the fact that there was a bed of hay right where I landed... I mean the chance of that was... bed. Bed of hay. I sighed. It was now destroyed, but by the shape of it someone had taken the time to create a nice nest-like sleeping pile. Oops.

I really, really hoped the owner was not around, let alone notice the mess. A snowflake landed on the bridge of my mask. Ah yes, the hole in the roof.

Fat chance.

OOC: sorry for destroying your hay bed Vezok, just trying to prevent my character's death ya know...

[Mr. Peanuts]

IC: kra-KLANG

Behind me. Cold. Muffled groan. Metal clacks on wood.

Dung, dung, dung, dung, dung, dung, dung, dung, dung.

I spin around. Hand drops knife and grabs pistol. Spread feet, stabilize stance. Aim at the sound.

Ta-Toa. Kakama. Negotiate Y/N-Y. Negotiate.

"Name, race, kanohi, status, rank," I say. "Don't move."

Edited by Norman Efiks, Nov 27 2012 - 11:49 PM.

[Vezok's Friend]

OOC: Holy cow Tucky! How'd Joske get in such a pickle? Last I checked, he and Agni were still in Ga-Koro. What happened? =D

IC:

Leah once again was silent for a few moments. She wasn't at a loss for words, but at the same time, she had not really thought about what they were doing from the point of view Stannis was showing her just now. After a few seconds, she shrugged slightly and said: "You know, I never thought about it this way before. But I agree that we must trust in the three virtues to achieve our task. And it is more important these days than it was before. Just look at all that has happened: Destroyed villages, attacks on Matoran, plagues we thought gone. And after each, I feel like the people around me grow a little more quiet, a little more distant and hopeless. Maybe that's Makuta's plan...take away any faith in Mata Nui and then replace it with his own religion."

Her expression changed then. It was no longer that of the friendly Le-Matoran woman next door as the soldier in her took over. She looked confident and strong, even after hearing of Stannis' fear. She looked him in the eyes. "But remember, wanderer, we did not declare ourselves as 'Chosen Ones'. I most certainly didn't and though I wasn't there, I can tell you did not chose this path because you wanted to. We did not go and claim any title. It was thrust upon us. We were chosen to carry a torch that was passed on from the Mata to Takua and now to us. In my line of work, this is an order coming down the chain of command. And it is our job to carry out that order and succeed, even if it is a periless quest."

"So yes, we may have be "chosen ones", but it is not a title. Not yet. Not until we earn it. That is our task. To overcome whatever obstacle in our way, to justify this trust placed in us and maybe achieve greatness in the process. Since none of us are created great. We just become great. Heroes don't just fall from the sky."

At that moment, a loud scream ripped through the air above. They both looked up and followed the trail of flames left as a Toa of fire plummeted towards the shack from somewhere above and crashed through the roof rather unceremoniously. Leah stood there with her moth slightly open, not sure of what she had just seen; then she looked at Stannis once more.

"That doesn't count."

Edited by Vezok's Friend, Nov 27 2012 - 05:51 PM.

[Dallas Winston]

IC: Reordin (Ko-Wahi)

After taking a second to digest the fact that, yes, a Toa had just fallen through the roof of their safe house, Leah noticed that a Ko-Matoran shaped figure, eyes glowing blue in deep agitation and something else that she couldn't place, was making his way determinedly towards the group. In his right hand, Reordin carried a small list in his hand, crumpled up inside his tight grip, and his left was soaked with the remains of his Bula juice.

As he stopped, dueling distance away from the two Matoran, he unfurled the list, and Stannis recognized it instantly: it was the list of Chosen.

"We should talk. Now."

-Tyler

Edited by Tyler Durden, Nov 27 2012 - 07:15 PM.

[Half a Cup of EW]

IC (Oreius)

Abruptly, Oreius rolled up the map. He smiled quickly at Lepidran. "I guess that's it, then. Stannis will know the wa-”

The Ta-Matoran's sentence was interrupted by the sound of a spectacular crash. Oreius whirled around, already unceremoniously stuffing the map in his bag with one hand and drawing one of his swords with other, to see a red and gold figure emerging, dazed, from a pile of hay. Snow drifted from a hole torn through the roof.

Sulov was as quick, if not quicker, on the draw than his red companion. The Onu-Matoran had already drawn his pistol and enquired as to the Toa's (for it was a Toa) name, mask, rank, etc. The Toa had yet to answer, though that may have been more to the bewildered expression on his face than any particular intent.

Still, the Toa could be aggressive, and the Kakama he wore meant that this standoff would be over in an instant if he chose to use it. Sulov wouldn't be able to get a shot off before he was out the door and gone, or, worse, cutting them down in the blink of any eye.

Picking up his Guard staff from where he had leaned it against the table, Oreius remained silent, every one of his senses on fire and on edge for either party to move.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!"

Boom.

Crash.

"That doesn't count..." Leah said. The rumble of an avalanche surging down a slope could be heard as it missed the village.

A soft moan from inside as that toa recovered from his fall.

The noise of the soldiers inside evaluating the situation and drawing their weapons. Sulov, always the quick and dedicated one.

Stannis saw and heard all this and pulled a pike from his back and held it in a slant, bottom on his foot for best lobbing just in case. Danger felt close already and with this toa's mysterious meteor into their house his fears did not subside in the slightest, whoich could have meant anything.

Instead of a hostile toa, Reordin appeared with the list of Chosen on it, which Stannis could not tell if it was better or worse than a hostile toa; Reordin could be hostile too. "We should talk. Now."

"Then let's talk," Stannis said simply, not easing his stance.

[Lord of Adders Black]

IC: This was...an unexpected turn of events. Firstly, Toa had fallen from the sky, which was probably an omen or something. It was how the Toa Mata had arrived on the island wasn't it? There was enough symbolism in there that the more faithful of the party could read into it.
Which brought things to the second matter. There was enough tension flaring from Reordin and Stannis right now that Lepidran could feel it. It was pretty much the only heat in this bitterly frigid place. He wasn't entirely what this was about or how it would end, but he really hoped both of them would be standing at the end of it. Or if they weren't it was just because they'd shared so much booze they'd collapsed. He may not have been very firm in matters of Faith, but Lepidran could do hope very well indeed.
The Toa seemed the more obvious thing to deal with. They had no idea who he was or what his intentions were. He might well be the sort to just kill them all for fun. He took up a stance that he sincerely hoped was defensive, since it shifted his weight to give him better balance on the branches of Le-Wahi, some distance behind Sulov and held his trusty butterfly net like a quarterstaff. Next to the more professional Sulov, with his knife and pistol, Lepidran felt he probably looked ridiculous but what else could he do?

[Mef Man]

OOC: Jade open for interaction!

IC
(Jade)

(Outskirts of Ko-Koro)

Jade wipes the blood from her lips with her right hand; lifting her Mask of Shielding with her left.

"Karz, I still can't get this gunk off of me..." Jade mumbles to herself. She looks at the ruby colored substance on her fingers; the memories of the yesterday flooding back into her mind. Screaming, violence, death-all of these verbs she remembered well. Her "partners" were easily deceived and slaughtered; slaughtered like the Piraka they were. Jade would have pitied their stupidity had she been another being, but all she needed to worry about now was getting into Ko-Koro.

It was her firs time visiting the village on a ligther note. She had been to the village in the middle of the night to rob or kill with her old "gang." But, this time she was visiting the village to find transportation to Ga-Koro.

"Better get started," she says out loud as she makes her way toward the village of Ko-Koro.


-Mef Man

[Friar Tuck]

IC

Head spinning, mind in a daze, blurry vision, every gear and strut feeling like it was broken, complete with a Po-Koro heavy rock band going bonkers in my head - it was on these lovely feelings that I crawled out of the hay on my hands and knees-

"Name, race, kanohi, status, rank. Don't move."

I looked up, surprise no doubt written all over it. Not a bio from my face stood an Onu-Matoran in a very militaristic stance, a very wicked-looking pistol aimed at my forehead. I froze in mid-crawl, practically holding my breath, only daring to move my eyes. He was not alone. In fact, there were six others with him, a solid representative mix of the matoran on the island, and all looking very wary and holding some sort of weapon in my direction. By the expression on their faces it was clear they were just as surprised at my presence as I was of theirs.

Except they were armed to the teeth.

Ok Joske, stay calm, keep your cool... they are as wary of you as you are of them. I needed to say something, and soon, but with the pounding my head thinking was rather difficult at the moment. I glanced about again, hoping to find something, anything that would help-

Wait. The Ta-Matoran. He was... familiar. I knew him. A face. Vaguely... Oreo... Oreon... Ori... Oreius. Oreius! Another Guard member. Not that were all chums back home but we were aware of who served. My eyes stayed glued to that pistol as I spoke out of the side of my mouth.

"Oreius! It's me, Joske! Tell this guy to- "

What was I thinking?

First of all, it had been months since I had last seen him. Second, it was not common knowledge that I had been transformed into a Toa. Which means third, there was no way he would recognize me as such, particularly in this condition. Which left me with the only other alternative...

It was at this exact moment that two seemingly unrelated yet important events occurred. One, a beeping sound began to emit from a blue-glowing object in Reordin's satchel, oddly similar to that of a small datapad. Second... well, I don't remember the second very much. All I heard was a loud clank then darkness, followed by the sensation of waking up shortly thereafter.

See, Karma is a cruel mistress. I had dodged death no less than four times today, three of which happened within a five-minute time span. Truly I was highly favored by Mata-Nui and the luckiest man alive. Karma, however, must always balance her accounts, and well, when I jumped, I lost grip of my hammer. One that I didn't have when I landed.

Which meant that it had somehow fallen slower than I did and was behind me in the decent. And which only now did it decide to smack me in the back of the head.

Yeah, let's just say Karma and I had a Love-Hate relationship.

Edited by Friar Tuck, Nov 28 2012 - 10:08 AM.

[Half a Cup of EW]

IC (Oreius)

"Oreius! It's me, Joske! Tell this guy to- "

The Toa's sentence was cut off by a hammer falling from the sky and smacking him on the head, sending him toppling back into the hay, out cold.

Oreius blinked.

He slowly, carefully, lowered his guard and sheathed his sword, and approached the unconscious Toa, peering down at his face, spear still clutched in one hand. Sulov had not moved; his pistol still aimed for the intruder's forehead. With this backup guaranteed, Oreius allowed himself to focus briefly on the Toa's face.

He didn't know this Toa. So how had he known the Ta-Matoran's name?

The situation was still pregnant with peril. The Toa could be pretending (though, for some reason, Oreius doubted this), or, if he was really knocked out, he could awaken at any moment, and continue where they had left off. He was still a threat.

So the former Guard, his staff still at the ready, reached out and pulled the Toa's Kakama from his face. There was a pneumatic hiss as it left the Toa's body, then the golden Kanohi faded to a muted gray, hibernating until it was next worn.

Oreius stepped back, behind Sulov, and placed the mask on the old fish-gutting table. Only then did the two Matoran fully allow themselves to breathe, though neither of them were completely relaxed. The suddenness of the invasion had spooked both of them; who knew what else might pop in uninvited, with such little warning and such potential for disaster?

Edited by Eyru Bieber, Nov 28 2012 - 02:40 AM.

[Dallas Winston]

IC: Gust (Ko-Koro)

"Okay. That's gross. You are showering the instant you get home."

The voice came from a Toa of Air approaching Jade from the west, looking as cold as one possibly could without actually complaining; a grin was still on his face, as if it had literally frozen there, and his hands were shoved deep in his pockets, but otherwise, he looked as casual as he possibly could.

"Sup, girl."

OOC: Reordin IC coming this afternoon, WC members. I don't have time to make the one I want to make before I leave for class.

-Tyler

[The Snark Knight]

IC: Tarnok

Tarnok nodded, having shed his own excess gear on the ground a short ways behind him. In his left hand he held his saperka, in his right, a large knife.

The Onu-Matoran's eyes narrowed as he took stock of the situation, analyzing the best way to fight. Iulius was a Toa, and that meant that no matter how strong Tarnok was, his opponent had an edge. He wasn't going to win it in a contest of skill, either, for the De-Toa was at the very least his equal with his chosen weapon. Nor did he necessarily have the advantage of speed.

But there were some advantages he did have. The staff was not a weapon often effective for swift attacks, especially against an opponent of Tarnok's size. He only came up to the De-Toa's stomach at best, and therefore, Iulius was forced to use a more awkward stance than normal in order to fight him.

All of this Tarnok considered in a single moment. His course chosen, he swung the saperka toward Iulius' ribs, fully expecting the attack to be blocked, and taking care to ensure that he would be able to withdraw the weapon with relative ease.

[Mef Man]

IC
(Jade)

(Outskirts of Ko-Koro)

Jade spins around on her heel; rapier in hand. She points the weapon toward the chest of the approaching Toa.

"State your business," the Toa barks. The Toa of Electricity wasn't used to company to say the least, and the arrival of this Toa wasn't any different.


-Mef Man

[Ilyusha Blokfase]

IC-Iulius:

Awkward stance. Sure.

Iulius held himself with his normal stance, with the staff barely tilted, such that low attacks, with the bottom end of the staff, would be quicker to get into. Then, when the saperka came towards him, he blocked it at the haft, before he did something likely unexpected. He drew back his staff, hooking it into the slight excess of where the saperka's blade attached to the haft, to hook it and remove it from Tarnok's grip.

[Dallas Winston]

IC: Reordin (Company Safehouse, Ko-Wahi)

 

"Seven Chosen, one already a Toa. Six Essence Stones. Any ideas?"

 

Reordin and Stannis had spent the last ten minutes away from the group, tossing around various interpretations of the prophecy, the roles of the Chosen Ones, and what Joske's transformation into a Toa before the rest of them, and without an essence stone, could mean, what his purpose was, and how it tied into their purpose. Was he to lead them? Were they to help pave the way for his goal? The two hadn't been able to properly define an answer yet, and Reordin repeated, for the tenth time in as many minutes, his "any ideas" line. Stannis merely shook his head.

 

"There is darkness in you, yet you fight against Makuta. Why?"

 

He had given some long, idealistic speech about black, white, and grey and what it meant to fight for each, but in the end, those words meant nothing, nor did the intentions behind them, if he couldn't put his head together with the leader of his team and then figure out one simple riddle. His head pounded, not from cold, like the other team members, but from frustration and pent-up tension from Joske's sudden arrival throbbing in his temples. Then, again, for the hundredth time, Takua's final words to him when he was recruited for the Wanderer's Company, all those months ago in the Le-Wahi jungle after the roughest day of Reordin's life, echoed back to him:

 

"I was worried, before, that I was wrong about you..."

 

"We'll work on it, I guess," Reordin said, simply, with a shrug. "Dinner's ready. Get it while it's hot. I don't know when we'll be able to chill for breakfast."

 

He moved to walk away with a small smile at Leah and a nod at Stannis: the prophet and the soldier's eyes met briefly, and something passed between them, long and solemn and a lot more telling of the Ko-Matoran's current indecision than he'd like to admit, before turning on his heel and walking back to the safe house. Oreius and Sulov were busy tending to the now-unconscious Joske, and Reordin stopped to survey the scene. Leah's bed was totally trashed, and it was by a small miracle that Takua's satchel hadn't been--Takua's satchel. What was that blinking?

 

Slowly, with a growing flutter in his chest that Reordin registered in the back of his head as anxiousness, the lieutenant bent down to the satchel and picked up Takua's journal...

 

-Tyler

Edited by Tyler Durden, Nov 29 2012 - 09:56 PM.

[Friar Tuck]

IC

 

Why did they always have to play the Po-Koro Rock Anthem so loud and obnoxiously?

 

Oh, wait, nevermind. That's just the pounding in my head.

 

Slowly, stiffly, and quite painfully I might add, I lifted myself up to a sitting position. First thing I noticed was that I was not bound or in any way restrained, still fully entangled in the remains to the hay bed. Second, it seemed Oreius (or whom I at least assumed was the matoran) had patched me up a bit... or at least made a half-hearted effort to do so. His buddy was sitting not to far away from me, drilling me with that stare, his pistol never once wavering from my chest. This guy was hardcore, I could feel it. If things weren't what they were I would have tried to make friends, or at least conversation with him, one professional to another. I went to rub my forehead due to this massive headache-

 

My heartlight skipped a beat. Or three.

 

Slowly my had lowered to my lap, the headache and feeling of severe weakness suddenly making sense. Oreius was looking at me out of the corner of his eye, and Mr. Hardcore stiffened slightly once he knew I knew. In fact, as I looked around, the other matoran seemed a little uncomfortable and on edge, spotting my mask on a create clear across the room... along with my hammer.

 

Might was well.

 

"Look, if I was going to harm you I would have already, or at least tried," I said bluntly, sighing and shoulders sagging a bit is a sign of resigned submission. "I may be a Toa, but I'm inexperienced at best, barely survived a suicidal fall from an avalanche after being attacked by a Muaka, am without both my weapon AND my mask, and in case you didn't notice, I'm a Ta-Toa; this cold in wrecking havoc on me. I'm more concerned about making through the night than fighting through six armed and spooked matoran." At that I gave a glare to Mr. Hardcore. "You have every advantage and I'm not about to play stupid; did enough of that today. Not to mention it would violate the Toa Code."

 

I mumbled that last part, but at that point I was already beginning to ramble, the cold clearly affecting me. I can't believe I was actually looking forward to crawling back to Agni, that tyrant. I stifled a sneeze, shaking my head. That stupid ringing noise, it wouldn't go away... that's when I noticed one of the matoran digging through a satchel for a blue-glowing object.

 

It took me a full second or two to register the sight and that sound.

 

"What the... what are you doing with Takua's satchel!? Is that his journal beeping? Why in the name of karzahni do you have them?"