OOC: Okay, I am getting the Aitua back into the action (and they are sorely needed, as I see), so, I try to get everything right but please excuse me if I don't address all details that happened. Unless you want a post that's as long as the 6 pages I just read up on.
IC:
One would think that Toa coloured darker than night would stand out more in the village of ice, but as the people of Ko-Koro that had come to mourn the death of their Turaga rose from their seats and started to file out of the sanctum, together with guests from all over the island that happened to be present, the group did not draw attention to themselves. Combined with their hundreds of years of experience, the Aitua went virtually unnoticed among the crowd. As they stood up to trickle out with the rest of the common people, Draeverian excused himsefl quietly and quickly slipped away, moving through the crowd with unexpected skill and disappearing out of the door. Aparangi looked after him disapprovingly, but Tupua placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head slowly. The message was obvious. Leave him be.
In the meantime, Kehua was more focused on Ravage. He had quickly come to accept the beast-like Toa as a friend and comrade on their travels together so far; and so he noticed that he wasn't looking like usual. There was something in his expression, somewhere between indifference and...what? he would have to ask him later. But right now there was just too much going on around them to deal with personal issues.
Aparangi gruffly shrugged, making his brother let go of his arm, but he didn't say anything. Instead he nodded towards the door, signaling the team to leave the sanctuary along with the crowd, but as he did, Rewera nudged him with her elbow. Aparangi looked to her and she gave the briefest glance to the front of the room. Aparangi nodded slightly, waited a second and then looked as well. "Well, look who's here..." Mariko said, barely audible to the others. Matoro was standing at the front of the room and in front of him, appearing as if to pay their respects, were Kethrye and others from the ILF.
Aparangi's eyebrows rose slightly. News did indeed travel fast when it came to the well-being of the Turaga. Or their deaths. He looked back at Rewera. She nodded at the door now. "I got this." she said. The rest of the Aitua fell in line with the departing Matoran, while Rewera stayed on a little. using her impeccable sense of hearing she concentrated on Matoro and Kethrye and listened:
"Greetings, name's Kethrye, leader of the Island Liberation Front. I'm sorry if I seam overly terse, but time is not counted among our allies. Our purpose here is twofold; One, we're here t- we're here to join you in mourning the fair Turaga's death," his voice stuttered over the words before almost instantly returning to his stoic, focused self."And to inquire onto the exact circumstances surrounding this tragedy, if that's at all possible. We hope to aid the hunt for those responsible in any way we can.
"Second, we are here on the hunt for one Ambages the Architect, who we suspect to have betrayed us, the Matoran of Mata Nui and the Great Spirit himself, and request leave to search his house for any evidence that could aid us. If the piraka is in fact at home, then we also ask for the right to detain him for questioning. A compliment of any of the Sanctum Guard that can be mustered would also be most obliged."
Matoro looked taken back, but quickly caught himself, before replying.
“What you ask is no small request. The Cultured Gentry have a lot of political power in this village and they will not like one of their own being searched without good cause. Follow me to the Sanctum Guard HQ, and we can exchange for information there”
Rewera had heard enough for the moment and with the last mourning Matoran, left the sanctum as well. The others were waiting nearby (except for Draeverian) and Rewera quickly updated them on the situation. Tupua was the first to speak for a change. "We should split up. This move by the ILF is rushed and we need to keep an eye on them, but we also need to cover the remaining villages. And we still need to rescue Taipo."
Aparangi harrumphed. "I don't like it." he finally said. Tupua looked at him. "Do you have a better idea?" he asked. The leader of the Aitua looked at the tip of his feet angrily, but in the end he sighed and shook his head. "No..." Tupua looked at the others as well nodded slowly. "Then it is decided."
"Who should stay and who should go?" Mariko asked. Aparangi thought for a moment, then looked at Rewera. "You and Ravage can track the fastest cross-country, you should go on and try to find Taipo." Rewera nodded. Kehua spoke up then, saying: "I'll go with them." he said. "You said he disappeared near Kini-Nui, Tupua. I spent some time there and know the area a little."
Aparangi nodded. "Good. I will go after Kethrye and the ILF, to see what they are up to." "And I am coming with you." Tupua said, which Aparangi accepted without protest. "That leaves you, Mariko."
The shortest of the Aitua nodded. "Well, we are missing Drae right now...I will go with him to Onu-Wahi when he comes back."
"Very well." Aparangi said. "We all have our assigned tasks...let's get to it. I do not like to part ways so soon after reuniting our team, but we must cover more ground. May the great spirit watch over your travels."
Kehua nodded. "Over yours as well, brother."
And with that, the group split into smaller teams, walking in different directions, except for Mariko, who remained in the square in front of the sanctum, waiting for Draeverian to return.
-----------------------------------------------------------
As they departed and walked through the quiet streets of Ko-Koro, following Rewera's lead, Kehua couldn't keep it to himself any longer and turned to Ravage. "Alright, be out with it...what's bothering you?" he asked him.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Aparangi and Tupua in the meantime headed for the headuqarter of the sanctum guard. But they had only gone halfway, when they saw Matoro and the ILF again, walking back from the headquarter and through the village. Despite the difficulty of blending in, the two of them followed the group through the village without notice, until they reached a rather costly-looking estate, obviously the home of Ambages. The two Aitua quickly left the path and ascended the slope nearby, using the snowdrifts atop as cover, from which they had a good overview of the front-side of the building. Lying on their stomachs, peeking over the edge, the Toa quietly watched the group below knock at the door of the mansion, where they were greeted by a Matoran that Tupua thought he had seen at the funeral of Nuju. He was obviously, a butler. A few moments later, the group went inside; and Aparangi and Tupua exchanged a glance, before quietly continuing to watch the house...
This topic is locked
As you can tell, Echelon and the others aren't there yet. Here's why. Echelon was in the village proper before and saw that the Aitua were without the front door, so they went back out and around to the back entrance. That took half an hour (as stated in Echelon's post). However, Kethrye and the other ILF members could not have been in Ambages' house for longer than ten minutes (five for the questioning and five for the search, as you stated before). In other words, thanks to BZPRPG Time, Echelon and his team won't be at the back door for another twenty minutes.
!
