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Friar Tuck

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  1. IC Toa Joske Location: Ta-Koro, Guard residential district Chapter One: Crystals, Temples, Secrets... oh my. I had never heard a sniper rifle fire before, the sheer shock of the loud bang enough to make me flinch and twitch, which probably saved my hand as from behind me another pair of laser beams shot past wide, almost hitting yet still missing Dor as well. The shouting behind me increased as there was another bang from the gun, followed by even more shouting. I was ignoring them behind me, but it seemed as though Natharius was having problems staying down... Skyra had been beating on him for a while now, and I fully expected the next shot would kill him - there's only so much a person can take, both in the terms of physical punishment on one end and verbal abuse from misguided viewpoints. I just hoped Miss Daring had enough wisdom to handle the situation properly. A Toa can only take so much. This fact I was well aware of. Even as this was going on behind me, it took a backseat to the brawl before me. Dor and Grokk continued to beat each other mercilessly, the only thing I could really do at this point was stand back and watch, playing crowd control... which ironically a small group had begun to gather, wondering what all the commotion was about. I silently waved them back, and to my credit they stayed a good distance away, making use of building corners as cover. It was only a matter of time before the Guard began swarming. And it was here that I finally made the connection with Grokk and his name: one of the killers of the Turaga. It had been bugging me for a while, one of the many things tugging at the back of my head. Now I remembered, and it helped explain their relationship and why Dor was so committed to apparently... oh. They were playing for keeps now. A part of me wanted to jump in, stop Dorian from doing what he wanted to do. He was a criminal, yes, but there were codes and ethics involved here... but then the other part interjected. The logic. They were already tried. Convicted. Known. The Turaga killer were wanted dead or alive, quite a hefty sum for them as well; and I knew for a fact if they were dragged back to their respective Koro's alive their execution would come swiftly thereafter. It was one of the few times where permission was already granted, their fates already sealed. Not only that but over the past year and a half I had plenty time to really think about morality, good and evil, light and dark. And while my views overall hadn't changed, there were some slight shifts. I had come to terms that there would be times I would need to kill, to do what needed to be done... but it needed to be done right, and for the right reasons only. It was a viewpoint more complicated than I cared for, considering my pretty simple worldview, but in the end I found it to be more reasonable, if not more in line with reality and how Mata-Nui expected Toa to act. It wasn't as... palatable as I would have liked, but in the end I found myself agreeing with it. Which is why right here, right now, I did nothing to intervene. With either battle. These needed to be resolved by their respective parties... I was only here to protect and to contain. Besides, another issue was at the forefront of my head: that Rahkshi. And Skyra's big mouth. At first I didn't think anything of it, but now the realization came screaming across my consciousness - she had just told, or more importantly, screamed - not only my identity, vocation, and those I was associated with, but pointed out the real Dorian as well. I was really hoping that thing wasn't close enough to hear that, but I highly doubted my luck would hold out like that... even WITH my mask. So even as watched Grokk and Dor, I was also scanning to see if I could pinpoint out the beast. I was trying everything I could to bring my mask to bear, but In the end I had no idea how effective it or my attempts would be to alter events in my favor. The probability was low... but maybe, just maybe I would get lucky again. It was the only power I really had at the moment: chance.
  2. Yes, it's happened before... but VERY rarely Now I may be wrong (would the other staff please correct me if I am?), but from what I have seen played, in canon, and common sense (as needed to be RPed here) both players would need to agree IC, and need to be standing withing arm-lengths, or somewheres in that closeness of proximity. One Skakdi cannot simply use another Skakdi nearby and "use" them to activate your elemental powers; that goes against the: Now if both player/characters agree on such a course of action, from what I have seen both need to be pretty close... not touching mind you, but I would say at least spitting distance And no, you don't combine powers necessarily (though I guess it's completely possible; two Skakdi making lava is a scary concept indeed), but what usually happens is that both can use their individual respective elements as they see fit as long as they continue to work together. That's how I/we perceived it in canon, and I don't see a reason to really change it here. That's pretty much what happened when the Piraka created that staircase in front of the Vault in Kini-Nui. So Nato, to answer your question directly, you would need to somehow get TO Grokk (or have Grokk come to you), of which if I'm envisioning properly there are at least two, if not three people between you and that objective (depending on where Dorian is standing), and then both of you would have to hash it out IC (or agree/plan via PM and then say as such in OOC on the next post) before activating your combined elemental powers, and then stay in close proximity.
  3. IC Toa Joske Location: Ta-Koro, Guard residential district Chapter One: Crystals, Temples, Secrets... oh my. So this is what happens when a bunch of crazies decide to duke it out. And here I am standing in the middle of it like a ringmaster of a three-ring circus. WHY did I come here again? The minutes ticked by, all I could do was stand there and watch in morbid fascination as the scene unfolded before me like a second-rate movie from a third-run theater. Dorian and the Skakdi called "Grokk" were really hashing it out behind me, beating the snot out of each other mercilessly physically as well as verbally, both types of assaults going below the belt, and I meant that in every aspect of the word, seeing the injuries they were accumulating. Meanwhile in front of me Skyra pounded the other Skakdi - apparently called "Natharius" - into submission, to the point where he apparently gave up, grabbing his things and for all looks and purposes ready to leave. Except that at the last possible moment he reached inside and- A blast of air rushed past me as a streamer fluttered in front of my face, followed by bright pieces of... of... By the Great Spirit, a confetti cannon!? If everything wasn't so serious I would have lost it right then and there, the ludicrousness of the situation absolutely overwhelming. Clearly either this guy was more insane than even Dorian, or he was a newcomer the the world of combat. Any chance of a chuckle however was cut short when Skyra opened her mouth, leveling Dorian's sniper rifle at Natharius' head, and proceeded to verbally curbstomp him and tell him exactly who was what and the current situation. Even I was impressed with the credentials she gave all of us, even if it WAS all true. By the time she was done my mouth was slightly agape, silently thanking that I was not him at this moment. Note to self: DO NOT get Skyra mad. Note to self: hire her as personal PR manager. Note to self: stop making notes to self. Clearly, she had him under wraps. Dorian and Grokk had stopped fighting momentarily, so I turned and walked toward them, speaking to Natharius behind me. "I'd listen to her buddy; she's pretty serious this time, not to mention more than generous thus far." Focusing my attention on the main attraction I slung my launcher, this time gripping my flamberge with both hands as I approached Grokk from the side, about a hundred and thirty degrees from where Dorian stood. As I heard the Toa of Iron mentioned something about hedging bets and hiding under a rock, I leveled my sword at the Skakdi, keeping the same distance from him as Dorian as I spoke up, my voice calm and quiet. "No, I say he stays here and we wait for the Guard." I chanced a glace sideways before returning my attention to the wounded Skakdi. "Call it gut instinct, but I think they would be very interested in this pair." I had already played wingman today, saving Dor from that spear that now appeared to be remade in his hands, and I was prepared to help directly if this character tried anything sudden. I didn't know the relationship between the two, but clearly there was a lot of bad blood between them. He was going to help me, I'll help him here. Least I could do. Really, though, I owed him one... from back in Le-Koro over a year ago.
  4. But of course! it's right here... Right... here... No way. No freaking way. I don't see it. How did THAT fall through the cracks? Staff Avengers, Assemble! I do believe and update of the rules is required... somewhere in the somewhat-recent past the mention of Nova Blasts and Kaita's has dropped from the rulebook... if only to make sure we have our ducks in the row when the influx of new members swarm this site when Bionicle gets up and running again. Don't worry kiddies, Friar Tuck is on the job! But yes, Nova's and Kaita's are not allowed, and unless you have been given special permission or due to unusual circumstance only one mask. We'll get this fixed.
  5. OOC: sorry Nato, that's what happens when my charrie shows up. Stuff happens. Whether good or bad the jury's still out! IC Toa Joske Location: Ta-Koro, Guard residential district Chapter One: Crystals, Temples, Secrets... oh my. And as usual everything fell apart not five minutes after I made contact with Dor. Except that this time it was a little more on the literal side... eeehhhhh. First, that brown Skakdi shot past me like a Kraata out of karzahni, nearly bowling me over as he savagely attacked Dor, tackling him to the ground and attempting to bash his head in with the sniper rifle. As I spun around, I noticed Skyra come bolting after him, a freaking blunderbuss in her hand. At the last possible second however she holstered it and raised a hand, a huge blast of air rippling out from her body. Like a skittish cat I leaped backwards, barely able to move out of the way of the attack that this time I at least saw coming. Landing on one knee I jammed my fist into the ash-covered ground, skitting to a stop several feet away. Glancing up I saw that Dor had managed to shake his attacker, chucking his sniper rifle at Skyra and saying something... ! Doesn't he know I already have a significant other? I was about to follow Dor's instructions, rising to my feet, but that's when the other Skakdi decided to throw his hand into the mix. He came around the corner, a small distance away from Skyra, and with too-perfect accuracy managed to shoot out of the sky both bullets Dor had shot, at the same time pulling out his sword (which magically somehow turned into a spear) and- Oh no you don't! I leaped forward, using my free hand to pull out my crystal flamberge. With a single, smooth, practiced stroke upwards my blueish-clear blade sliced the spear in two, the halves falling harmlessly on either side of Dorian's running form. I completed the maneuver with a full spin, placing myself between Dor's exposed back and the other Skakdi, sword out perpendicular from me while my launcher was leveled at his chest. "Yeah, well, I can't exactly draw it out if I'm busy saving your sorry butt!" I shouted, focusing on Mr. Laser-eyes as I pulled the trigger. He'd probably shoot this out of air as well, it moved slower than a bullet, but it would distract him enough that Skyra, who was the closest of us to him, could easily dispatch him, allowing me to return to the more important task at hand. C'mon sky, use this distraction...
  6. IC Toa Joske Location: Ta-Koro, Guard residential district Chapter One: Crystals, Temples, Secrets... oh my. I took a deep breath. One... I clenched and unclenched my fists. Two... I closed my eyes and exhaled through my nose. Three... I pursed my lips as the rest of the air escaped my lungs, opening my eyes halfway. Release. In that moment I let it go. It wasn't worth it. There were much bigger things at stake than my own comfort zone. Besides, this was typical Dor, I had to remember that. Without a second thought he was willing to help me, and that meant something. Though the fact Skyra was holding back a laugh- Let it go. Right. I turned to her, raising an eyebrow and I bounced on my toes, pulling out my disk launcher. As I reloaded I rolled my eyes, turning at the same time and casually following the assassin I had starting calling a friend. This was either one of my most brilliant plans to date or it was going to end terribly. What really got me was that fact that he had a sniper rifle just sitting on the loveseat... out in the open... apparently loaded. Suddenly I felt a little better that he liked me rather than disliked me. Then I remembered the smooch. Only a little. "Coming?" I asked to Skyra, glancing behind me quickly as I did, Dor ahead of me and to the left. With a much concentration that I could muster, I activated my mask. We need to kill this thing before it can report back to Zaktan. I saw it glow, then fade away. I frowned, wondering if that was all that was required. This mask was such an enigma... it seemed to work when I wasn't thinking, yet whenever I tried to use it directly things didn't quite work out how I imagined it (Reo's karate practice coming predominately to mind) or not at all. I guess we'll find out, won't we?
  7. IC Toa Joske Location: Ta-Koro, Guard residential district Chapter One: Crystals, Temples, Secrets... oh my. I gritted me teeth, trying to think of something, anything, to counter what the karzahni just happened as I attempted to slow my breathing. Nope. Nothing. "Is it getting hot in here or is that just Ta-koro?" Or is that my cheeks burning? When I thought "awkward" this was not on my list... I released my grip on Dorian, taking a step back as I was not taking large yet controlled breaths. I turned to look left at Skyra, a death glance on my face. I looked right at the Skakdi, who had a face of confusion yet cackled delight at the turn of events. I reverted my eyes back to Dorian, the heaving of my chest much more regulated, to the point where I could speak normally. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire... " I muttered. I pointed a finger in his direction and speaking in low tones. "How... how good are you with that thing? Stupid question, I know, but we need to lay a trap for a Rahkshi of Chameleon that followed me from Kini-Nui. I sprinted here, so he's not that far behind. Think you can help me do that, as well as spot and drop a camouflaged Son of Makuta?" I was purposefully ignoring everything else in the room. This took precedence as I couldn't really do anything else until my little problem was taken care of. I would... deal with them and their shenanigans later. I can't believe he kissed me...
  8. OOC: from Kini-Nui, evoking the power of BZ Time! IC Toa Joske Location: Ta-Koro, Guard residential district Chapter One: Crystals, Temples, Secrets... oh my. I was not used to running like this. I passed through the gates of Ta-Koro winded. Granted I was no where near out of gas, but after using my Kakama for so long it was a difficult shift to get used to running without it, though my years of athletic training helped stem the worst of it. Still, I was tired and slightly achy from my jog from the interior of the island, cursing the fact that I couldn't lose my tail. I had to keep it nearby if this was going to work, and using my Kakama to leave it in the dust would defeat the purpose. Eventually it would find me again, and this time without my knowledge and when I least expected it, and probably when I was those closest to me. I had to deal with this right away lest Zaktan learn of my true identity and abilities, let alone knowledge. Why did things have to be so complicated? So far though my plan seemed to be working. As I passed the boundary between the jungles of Le-Wahi to the barren ash-wasteland of Ta-Wahi I got another ever-so-brief glimpse of a shifting object out of the corner of my eye as the drastic change in scenery made it difficult to seamlessly blend it. I hadn't noticed it since and made no obvious effort to locate it as well... though now I had another problem: his apartment. Getting in was surprisingly easy. I had every expectation to be stopped, seeing a lot of damage to the Koro, yet nobody lifted a finger to me. It was as if all the guards were oblivious to my presence, every time one of them turned to look at me something seemed to get in their way, or at least distracted them. It was as if there was another force at work making it easier for me to get in... that, or they were overworked as usual and my colors lended me some credibility, looking for more obvious troublemakers. Either way I wasn't complaining. Still, here I was in the Guard housing district, not having a clue where to go from here. I was right down the street from the Lavapool Inn, in the area Tuara described to me where her apartment was back when we all traveled together locating the Temple Crystals. Of course that was almost two years ago, some details had been lost over that time, and she never actually gave me a house number. For all I knew he moved long ago and was no longer with her, or they completely changed locales in my absence- I was drawn out of my introspecting by the sound of shots. Six shots to be precise. Shots that sounded unmistakeably like that revolver-gun-weapon Dor was so fond of... and which held six rounds. Without another lead I bolted into the housing district towards that sound, scrambling to pinpoint the source of the shots. What I didn't notice was that my mask was glowing. I sprinted down the street taking a wide corner, hearing the sounds of juvenile arguing wafting in the air. Gotta be him. Reaching deep into my reserves I hit the afterburners, streaking down an alleyway and nearly missing what appeared to be an obvious clue: a door hanging on its last hinges, tilted cock-eyed, a huge gaping hole in the center of it. Not exactly a bullet hole, but clearly a sign of trouble. Dorian-style trouble. And as for the two-story apartment... it matched Tuara's description. Didn't mean it was the right one though. Geez I hope I'm right or this is going to get very awkward very fast... With all I han I lowered my shoulder and like a Guard raid I broke down the door. Upon impact everything seemed to slow down for me as I took stock of the situation. Directly before me stood Dor, wearing a pink shirt, looking very agitated with his revolver resting in his hand, looking angrily at a Skakdi inside a containment bubble, behind them a destroyed grand piano. To my left I could see some individuals that I had never met before, several liquor stains on the walls, and just as I broke through I could see Skyra and a companion standing next to the Toa of Iro- Wait. Skyra? What's she doing here!? PINK SHIRT!?!? No time. Even with his Calix the sheer surprise of my entry - not to mention the argument he seemed to be in with that awful-looking creature - he didn't react fast enough, for in one two three steps I was right in front of him, one hand on the hilt of my sword and the other grabbing his shoulder in a vice-like grip as I skitted to a stop. "Zaktan. Skakdi. Anitdermis. Ambages. Echelon. Alliance. Tech. Vault. Followed. Chameleon-Rahkshi. Help?" I was so winded from my sprint here that I could no longer speak in coherent sentences, but only in single-word statements, saying each word between gasps. If the words I spoke didn't get his attention, the deathly-serious look on my face should. I know we had met earlier not on the greatest of terms, but right now I needed his sharpshooter's eye and steady hand if I was to get rid of this thing. I knew he looked terribly busy, but I hoped he was willing to clear time in his apparently busy schedule for a favor. And if he wasn't I was probably going to get a bullet between the eyes. Just the typical day in my life. Extremes.
  9. "Lord Jasik, First Son of Clan Dastana, I find you... Not Guilty on all charges." Alright guys, plot point has moved in Kentoku! May the speculation begin!
  10. IC I took in a long breath, my massive lungs nearly sucking all the air that remained in the room. A pin could have dropped and deafened everyone in the room, Jasik standing defiantly before me, gazing at his sister with an adoration and affection that I could only partially understand. Here once again I saw the darker side of my mask. People often commented how wonderful it must be to see through any illusion. How great and fantastic it might be to instantly know when someone was lying or otherwise hiding the Truth. To cut through any deception, all things revealed before my eyes, no half-truth surviving my steady glare. It was, in fact, the opposite. More often than not things were revealed to me that I cared not to know. Every use of the mask told me the real story of the world, and not the fabrication of what our society projects. Such as right now. The Rode was not a mask of mind-reading. It did not tell me what the subject was thinking nor his intentions. But what I could infer from the amount of truth told, especially if the subject was not lying, could be substantial. It way be skewed, from an individual's point of view, but it did not make the statements any less truthful. The eyes are the gateway to the mind and soul, and through them I could see how the person thought then they spoke, what their words meant to them. Through practice I had learned to see the world through their eyes as they were forced to speak truth, see things how they perceived them, either good or bad. I had learned to simply take what I could and use that to help society as best I could... but this... What he said cut me to the core, for the first time getting a street-level glimpse of what life was like for outsiders. To be a Saihoko, a type of outcast, a throwaway to our way of life. My mask dissected his truth from lies, but I was not prepared for his story. Granted, it was from his own point of view, as is every explanation, which lent itself to certain abuses, but that did not in any way lessen the impact it had on me. He was snarky, he was prideful, I could tell that he was a type of brat, but that was to be expected of anyone of his age and rank, and all things considered I could not bring myself to chastise him for it. The darker side of the caste system was bared before me in his soul, his experiences bleeding into my conciseness as I picked up his thoughts on the mental plane. The picture he painted for me... I could not look away. My mask would not let me. As much as he could do nothing but bare himself to me, I could do nothing but watch and listen. Listen to his every word as my Rode judged it blindly on the great scale, revealing to me the hidden truths in those words. When he finally stopped and looked at his sister I could do nothing for a moment. What I had seen... I thought I'd seen it all as the Royal Executioner. Understood in greater detail how our society worked more than the overage high-ranking socialite. Yet despite ALL his faults (in which there were many - too many to count) he had managed to shatter many of my pre-conceived notions. My mask was a double-edged sword. It revealed Truth, ultimate Truth, whether I wanted to hear it or not. Whether I wanted to believe it or not. Whether I would accept it or not. A lesser being would have been driven mad by it long ago. The suspense of my pause would have killed lesser beings than those currently in this room. "Lord Jasik, First Son of Clan Dastana, I find you... Not Guilty on all charges." The air in the room rushed back as several present gave surprise glances. I exhaled, creating a small breeze, pointing to my assistant. "Let it... be known that I, the Royal Executioner... absolve Jasik of any wrongdoing... in this matter. He... is to be treated with the... utmost respect from my office... as well as those within the Clan. Inform... the populous that the... murderer is still at large." Slowly I turned back to Jasik, my mask now off. He stood defiantly, sweat beading across his brow. I looked at him with great sadness in my eyes, his revelation and the effects of this false accusation weighing heavily on me. "I... am truly sorry." I said finally. I turned and took a step towards Arsix, giving her a half-bow in respect. "Toroshu... thank you for giving us this... opportunity to find truth. I am... grieved at how much this has... harmed all of us. Others have accused you and your.... brother wrongly. If there is... anything I or my staff can do to... help you, please ask." I stared at her abstractedly for a long while, mulling over what I had learned. "Someone... has framed you both. And you have shown me... truth. Truth that is not... easy to cope with." My eyes focused once more as I reverted my attention to her. "This... was manufactured. Who... do you know... would want this? Who has... the skill to fake another Soulsword?"
  11. IC Toa Joske Location: Kini-Nui Temple complex; interior Chapter One: Crystals, Temples, Secrets... oh my. I went stumbling down the hallway, my figure disappearing into the tunnel's all-encompassing darkness. I wouldn't exactly call it a clean getaway, but at least the Maru hadn't blown my cover, my plan intact... though I would need to have a talk with Reo once all this was sorted out. Talk about taking one for the team. As I predicted Leah simply rolled with it, giving me the put-down and asking for help in the same breath from this sudden newcomer. Whether she recognized me or not it wasn't clear by her facial features, but I had a hard time believing she hadn't put two and two together. She played her part perfectly, seeing this new "ally" coming at the right possible moment. Then Reo reacted... When he skitted over the dry half-smile was clear evidence enough that he did not appreciate the fact that I was "hitting" on Leah. I was not expecting that - I didn't realize there was more than the standard professional relationship between the two, let alone this suave stranger, which produced a grin on my part. But before I could contemplate this new revelation further, I saw the flicker in his eyes as he finally put together my identity- And immediately did a low swing with his leg, using the distraction to strike me in the face with his fist... hard. I reeled backwards with an audible complaint, more realistic than acting with that blow. Clearly the relationship between the two must be more progressed than I thought if he was being this pointed. I backed away, away...and then I made sure to take an extra step further away as if to completely regain my balance, though I knew he knew I did not require it. A risk, but I needed him to know I was just acting... His face barely flickered, but I saw it in his mask: things suddenly clicking. Thank Mata-Nui he understands! And then it was his turn to smile... which was far more savage than I cared to accept. Easy Reo... He pounced forward, fist flying forward as it connected with my stomach. I doubled over, all air from my lungs forcibly ejected as his other armed pulled back, the blunt end of his axe giving me the backhanded slap as the follow up. I went flying backwards, ears ringing as I landed and rolled away, stumbling back to my feet as I staggered down the smooth corridor. To his credit Reo merely clipped me with his weapon, but it was hard enough to make my head spin for a moment and make a small dong as metal came into contact with metal. Once the stars passed I found myself quite a distance down the passage, the fight a long ways away as the Toa Maru of Ice rejoined combat. I had helped and hindered both sides... kind of... and now found myself away from the fight with my real identity still in question and my vocation still for the most part merc-ish. I was now free to enact the second part of my plan, though I had far more injuries than I was banking on. I thought back to his face as he clobbered me the second time. Thanks a lot Reo... brotherly love my butt. One day I will be more than happy to return that favor... ouch. Taking a breath I forced myself away from the fight, limping down the tunnel as I walked off the injury. I hated to leave them behind, especially considering how much I knew about who and what they were fighting, but I couldn't afford to. Not now. I needed to remove Zaktan's eye on me before I met with them as a friend, and for that I needed help. Professional help. And I happen to know a professional... a Toa of Iron I happen to be masquerading as. I needed the guy I was playing. Oh, the irony- Iron. Toa of Iron. Irony... As I burst out into sunlight after what felt like an eternity I nearly slapped myself. Ok, these bad jokes need to stop Joske. Yeah right. I knew he had an apartment in my old hometown. Maybe I'll get lucky and find him there... or at least a lead to his whereabouts. OOC: Joske to Ta-Koro
  12. Guys, guys, don't be mean to the guys who can only excel at mini-golf.
  13. ^see above^ Thank you Kray in being a little more detailed than myself; glad to see we are on the same page at least I definitely support that explanation.
  14. I think the part lost in this discussion is HOW MUCH you are using the mask and WHEN. According to Canon, as by the description on BS01, the user of a Kakama CAN break the sound barrier evidenced by Pohatu's run. That does not mean that a Toa can do it all the time or has the skill to do it. Joske doesn't have any elemental powers, hasn't for quite some time, so to compensate he's practiced solely with his mask and thus became the most competent user of it. In cases of extreme competence AND simply doing a relatively straight run from point A to point B, I see no issues with a Kakama user breaking the sound barrier as a means of only transportation. This speed DRASTICALLY slows down however when you are dealing with it on very short distances, such as fighting in a small room. On that level someone could not physically go that fast due to the demands on the concentration because of the battle. It has been described best by a veteran member as your body no longer has a delay in reaction. The moment the mind thinks/sees it, the body moves. This does not make you tougher or give you the ability to dodge attacks that you cannot see, but simply gives you high reaction times. Simply, yes, I would expect sonic booms from Kakama users when traveling long straight distances with few obstacles. Anything more complicated than that and I would call into question some things as well as your playing style Still, a Kulasi is faster when traveling great distances, as proven by Agni! Beat Joske to Ta-Koro he did...
  15. IC Toa Joske Location: Kini-Nui Temple complex; interior Chapter One: Crystals, Temples, Secrets... oh my. It only took a moment to pass the Abettor unopposed, though I had to stop once I reached where the hole downwards... because there was no hole. Just a pool of blackness. Wonderful. Juuuust peachy... Apparently that Rahkshi of Darkness was up here, using it's power at the top of the stairs. Why, I didn't know - I couldn't see. But I could still hear, but between the din of combat and the terrible acoustics of echoes bouncing off the walls it was hard to tell who was down there and what was going on. What made it even more strange was the distinct lack of talking; I figured there would be at least shouting between people, but so far I hadn't heard any distinct voices besides the other Skakdi and the hisses of the Rahkshi directly in front of me. In other words I had no relevant tactical information on the battle below, giving me no insight on how to help or hinder either side. The lack of verbal commands was what disturbed me the most. Either these guys were getting stomped, or this was a team that knew how to work together... this was going to be really good or really bad. No way for me to know until I dove in. I hesitated one more second before I charged into the darkness; my tail. Whatever I did I needed to remain as inconspicuous as possible. I couldn't reveal my true identity, nor did I dare lead Zaktan's spy to anyone personally close to me - not until I could either permanently shake it or destroy it. Which limited my options both right now and where I could go, let alone do. Curse you Zaktan... The only current option would to keep playing Dor... Dorian. A thought streaked across my head like a bolt of lightning. An idea. Drawing my disk launcher I took a quick breath and charged in. Instantly the world went black as I entered the area of darkness, but I was prepared for that. I could feel myself pass between two Rahkshi, my shoulder plates barely scraping their waists as I ran low, one arm outstretched before me. One, two, three steps and I was at the edge of the staircase, in that instant the chamber bursting into my field of vision as I passed through the field of darkness. And came face-to-face with Ahkmou. What saved both of us was my outstretched hand. Instinctively I reacted, simultaneously grabbing and tackling him with an audible "Oof!" as we both flew off the staircase and into open space. As I spun I finally got a good look at the battle below, unable to believe my eyes. It was Sulov, Reo, and Leah engaged with battle with the Skakdi called Hakann and his swarm of flying minions, along with the Lesterin Arvun I had met not an hour ago. Sheer numbers dictated my friends were on the losing side, though as my eyes darted about it was currently too close to tell... except for that Rahkshi of Fear currently laying into Reo and Leah. As much as I wanted to directly help I remembered my tail, so I still needed to act in character as much as I could to hide my real identity. And hope the Maru were smart enough to pick up on the act. Cue the Calvary to the feisty Ga-Toa. Twisting to face the ceiling I fired my launcher, the disk with the rope still loaded inside. With a solid thwack it embedded itself into the ceiling, as the line pulled taught making sue I had a solid grip on both the Matoran AND the weapon. "Meet me in Ta-Koro." I whispered into Ahkmou's ear. Like a swashbuckler out of some old fairytale I came swinging down from the ceiling, a Matoran in one hand and a battle yell in my throat. With a shove I tossed Ahkmou away, his landing more gentle than it looked as he rolled away safely from the battle and out of harm's way. The moment my feet hit ground I cut the cord and started to slide across the floor in debonair fashion, reloading my launcher and twisting to face up and at the Rahkshi of Feat that was trying to lock down the couple. With a sassy smirk I fired, even if the disk not hitting the closeness of the proximity of the shot would break the concentration of the vile creature. With practiced ease I slid up and between Leah and Reo, coming to my full height right behind the Toa of Water. With a pose I started to reload, clicking my teeth and winking at her, making sure to play up the fact that I had just "saved" her from this wretched beast. "Watcha name, princess? I'm Dorian Shaddix, best merc this side of the Endless Sea. Got any plans after this scrape, or can I heroically take you back to my place? It's just as wonderful as I look." I wonder how she was going to react once it processed that I was hitting on her... OOC: just remember guys he's wearing that new mask so he looks a little different...
  16. IC Toa Joske Location: Kini-Nui Temple complex; interior Chapter One: Crystals, Temples, Secrets... oh my. He let me live. I felt like a fish after being caught on a hook and then released. The moment I made the last statement in my rant I realized I'd finally slipped, unable to take back the words that were tumbling out of my mouth. The scar. I had to mention the scar. I had no such scar, my lightweight not covering much of my abdominal section to my disdain and imbecilic forgetfulness. It was a terrifying moment as I saw his eyes dart down the instant I mentioned it... with no reaction. Five minutes later I was walking up the stairs, a new mask in my hand as payment, a free man. This... this simply did not make sense. Clearly he caught me lying, and I was sure I had slipped other places and just didn't notice it, me and my big mouth. Clearly he had me dead to rights, if he so chose. Yet here I am, walking away. This individual was not to be trifled with, suspicious to the point of paranoia, with the ability to handedly control a situation, asking all the right questions. Not to mention an army of Rahkshi. Why let me live? Why let a liar live... a liar... ... unless the liar had managed to successfully lie about some things. Yes. That was the only thing that made sense A new strain of thoughts entered my mind, a deduction that slowly twisted itself into full form. If he thought I was a complete bag of trash, my every word absolutely worthless, he would have dropped me on the spot. I would be a waste of his time and really not worth the effort. On the other hand, if he thought I was the one who actually knew how the device worked, there would be no reason for me to leave. He would keep me there, or at least under his watchful gaze, until I told all, probably via torture or using that Antidermis for even more nefarious means. The only reason he would be letting me go was thought he actually thought I was the middleman - the guy who was simply doing a job on behalf of another. Much like Ahkmou he must want more information, to learn the Vault's secrets... and that I would somehow lead that to him via my departure. Somehow, somewhere in that charade I convinced him that I didn't know what that did. A lie that saved my life. I guess if I did anything right today... As I crested the stairs I stared at the mask between my hands, my reward for my "efforts". It was a tough choice there in the end, but the overall usefulness of this one in the end outweighed the immediate benefits the other offered. Besides, there was something about this mask... like it called to me in some way. Or at least a feeling. I couldn't explain it, but it was as if it was a match for my personality, my persona. As I crossed the border between Vault proper and the secret entrance passage I decided to try it on for size, quickly swapping out my Kakama for the new one. Yeah, but something STILL doesn't add up, I thought to myself glumly, feeling the new features on my face. If he thought I didn't know, but whoever sent me did, then he's letting me go in hopes of me crawling back to reveal what happened - like a little fish leading to the big one. But he's not Makuta; he can't see anywhere and everywhere he wants. And as powerful as those Rahkshi are, my Kakama would leave them in a trail of dust; they'd never catch me, let alone catch up. And it's not as if he's following me either... arrg, I just don't get it! What's he playing at letting me loose? I gave a frustrated sigh as I approached the Abettor from behind, deciding to turn around and look behind me to prove my point. See? Nobody there. I'll walk out of here with no apparent strings attached. What does he think he's doing! If there is anything he had demonstrated to me, it's his intelligence. As if in response to my demand, my mask glowed. I blinked. Whaaa... For the briefest of moments I saw something. It was a mass coming from the end of the hallway, out of the doorway where the downward stairs started. It wasn't anything defined, nothing particularly solid, no definite shape. It didn't walk, it just simply... floated near the ceiling, cruising at a slow pace. It was as though something shifted, an object morphing or altering its projection as it went from the bright light and complicated patterns of the Vault room to the rugged, uneven, darker stone hallway, as if it was matching itself to what was behind it and attempting to do it as seamlessly as possible. Like a complicated ripple on a glassy surface before becoming glassy again. No sooner had it past the threshold into the dark hallway did it vanish from view, as if nothing happened or it never existed. It couldn't of been more than two, three seconds, but it was enough. I saw something there, but what? My eyes never moved to follow, my face still, contemplating this event. What was that? What could possibly be around here that could or would attempt to hide itself from observers? Particularly something that came from the Vault - but the only thing in there was Zaktan and his four Rahkshi... My mind in response to these queries dredged up some information long buried, stuff stored away for use at a later date. Reports of the Makuta's creatures when he ruled the island. The Maru's accounts of his lair when they entered. The cataloging of the Rahkshi bodies that attacked the Koro's while the Maru stormed his castle. The hunts taken by Toa and others to find and eliminate these beasts that happened before Stannis sent me away, even things I picked up in Legend... the gears of my head cranked furiously as I rapidly came to a conclusion: that bright yellow one. Rahkshi of Chameleon. He sent it to follow me. In an instant everything made sense. His sudden change in demeanor after the discovery of my identity falsehood; his candor when dealing with me afterwards; letting me leave with a new toy apparently on good graces... that was a farce. He wanted to know who I supposedly worked for, who I was possibly associated with... learn my secrets. Of course. That was his plan. The string attached. But even as one riddle was solved, another presented itself: how did I manage to see it? Had I not turned around at that very moment, I would have missed the transition. Even looking I still could have completely missed it had I not been staring directly at the door and at the angle I was at, the light perfectly reflecting out of the room to provide interference with changing patterns. The chance of that happening was simply... I mean, the probability of that happening was quite... ... probability of... ... Duh. The Kanohi Angitu, the Mask of Probability. I lazily turned around towards the Abettor, sweeping my eyes briefly across the space. Nothing. As irritated as I was, it made sense. The mask had granted me a starting gift, a chance to figure out what was going on. Yet even though I knew it was here, I couldn't see it, despite throwing my will against this mask to make it visible again, give me another chance to spot it and possibly take it out now before it became a bigger problem later. The hallway was too dark, and unless I could somehow flood the room with light I would never see it, it's chameleon powers perfectly blending itself with the surroundings. In fact I would probably never see it down here, considering how minimal the lighting was, and once I got to the surface I had no doubt it was going to keep a good distance away, again making it nearly impossible to spot. Besides, how long had I been wearing this mask? Thirty seconds? There was no way I understood all the little nuances of the Angitu. Sure, I knew it allows its user to alter the probability of a situation, used to increase the chance of a certain event happening, or lessen the likelihood of something else occurring, but that didn't mean I understood how that worked or why it worked. It had taken me months of training with Agni to harness the full power of my Kakama, and another year and a half to be a master of it to the point of being able to dodge a shot at point-blank range. Two years. Verses a minute. It... would take time. Maybe once I figured out how it ticked I might be able to pull what I wanted to happen right now, but currently that was not about to happen. The mask gave me a tip I was being followed, but I would be unable to do anything about it for the moment. Which sucked. I fumed a little bit as I stalked towards the machine guardian.
  17. IC Toa Joske Location: Kini-Nui Temple complex; interior Chapter One: Crystals, Temples, Secrets... oh my. Makutaspawn- The world staggered into slow-mo as I activated my mask the moment I saw him pull the trigger, the Zamor sphere slowly moving down the barrel towards my mask. Clearly this was checkmate move, a well-calculated and designed finishing blow to this battle of wills. The only question was, was this actually checkmate... or merely check? I quickly went through my options. One, take it. Like a man. Which was the dumbest idea. Ever. It would kill me in a VERY unpleasant way. Now there WAS always that possibility I could fight it off... but at what cost? Say I somehow managed to shrug off the Antidermis' effects... I would be so weakened by the effort I probably couldn't even move, let alone get away from Zaktan. Which again lead to my immediate, painful, and otherwise untimely death. Which meant two, dodge it. The Zamor sphere had left the barrel, which left me not much time to react. As I began to bend at the knees and twist my shoulder, my mind raced as to how I was going to explain THIS to him. Clearly he had all the angles covered, this being the perfect litmus test. Any attempt on my part to dodge or otherwise resist it would be an immediate sign of hero-goodness, while taking it would just prove that point in death. I was having a hard time seeing a way out of this one. It would seem as though my luck ran out. It wasn't as if you could castle out of check... Wait... could I? The Zamor sphere was so close to my shoulder I could feel phantom sensations of it touching as I rolled under it, pushing my mask to as far as I dared. What had Cael just told me earlier today? About redealing the cards until I had a hand I liked? Dorian has a knack for talking his way out of things... what would an old-school womanizing hit-man assassin think of this? What would Dorian do? The answer... was surprisingly simple. The sphere hit the wall behind me, a sickening splat accompanying the impact. I was bent over backwards and sideways as far as physically possible, rotating my way back up with a groan. The sadistic leer on Zaktan's face was unmistakable, no doubt thinking- "You idiot." And just like that his leering froze. My posture, my clenched fists, my gritted teeth... I was one P.O.'d Toa with a score to settle. "You egotistical nitwit! What the karzahni do you think you're doing!? I'M A MERCENARY!" He clearly didn't get it, and I as Dor was more than happy to explain it to him. "I don't serve Makuta. I don't serve evil. I don't serve good. I don't serve Chaos, or Order, or whatever cause you want to pin on me. I don't serve an Ideal, and I definitely don't serve anyone. There's only one thing, one god that I faithfully follow: money. I don't purposefully act evil, nor do I purposefully act good; I do what I want when I want it. I didn't come here to get lectured on how vile you can make me; that's not how I roll. One day I'm on your side, killing some chumps and doing your dirty deeds, the next I'm working along side some heroes protecting some church and helping some old ladies down the street. Don't care what side I'm on, as long as I get paid. Helps me sleep better at night if you MUST know, doing a good deed every once in a while... as long as there is something in it for me." I stared down this monstrosity with all the Dorian anger I could muster. "I don't need to be extra-evil. I don't do charity work. And I don't NEED more power or abilities; I have all that I need. When I hold that sniper rifle, scoping out someone at five hundred yards, knowing that YOU have the sole power of deciding if they live or die, having the power of god in your hand at that very moment... that's power. That's ultimate power, more than your gloating pomposity seems to understand. I don't need some dark voodoo juice pumping through my veins, I have enough of a drug cocktail in them already; adding anything else would probably kill me on the spot. I don't DO lackey. I don't DO minion. I am my own man and I will make my own god-###### decisions, not you. I make money. I live hard. Party hard. Then when I run out I go do it again. I'm a simple man with simple pleasures and simple tastes. Women, booze, drugs, fun, and money. And what you have there will take all that away from me in an instant. I don't want it, and so help me if you think you have ANY right to shove it down my throat. I wouldn't help Heuani, Makuta's second-in-command, when he wanted it, and that got me a near-death experience with a scar in my abdomen. I may be a cold-hearted, soulless merc, but even I have standards. Fear, poison, mind tricks, they don't work on me... only money. So if you want me to be an ally, then you're going to have to do it like every other ###### person on this island - you're going to have to pay me. That's where my loyalties lie." I pointed a finger accusingly at him. "You didn't pay me, so I'm not subject to your little whims. Now either pay up for the trouble you've caused me, not to mention physical and emotional trauma, or let me leave in a huff. ######."
  18. Heh heh heh... good thing I has PLAN! Already played an evil Joske once... not rushing to repeat the experience anytime soon. Alright, I'll try to explain without overloading you with too much details. Long story short the Old Bzprpg, that started back in 2001 (and I started playing in 2002) had a similar these to this current game: use cannon locations but at different times in the canon story as so that we don't mess with the official timeline and characters. Well, over the course of eleven years the game had become this big, massive beast of stories past all haphazardly connected in a zombie of a continuing ballad. Seeing as how we wanted to completely reboot the game and start from scratch, absolutely no backstory, I decided to have some fun and tip my hat to the days of old. So in the end instead of everyone dying in that crash (see below) I had Joske use all his magical powers (because at the time Xa-Kuta was a playable power and I had been playing original Joske straight for nine years) and essentially hit the "cosmic reset button" by going back and altering events that happened in 2003, the year we went to Metru-Nui. That meant there was no Smeagol, no Lightbringer/Darkbringer Wars, no Joske-then-matoran-mask-maker joining the Lightbringers, no nothing. The timeline got reverted "back" to canon story and everything we did as players essentially never happened. The only evidence that it happened was a picture that had in it all the historic and main characters though the years that Joske had known, like a bunch of people getting together for a high school reunion, and this picture ended up in the matoran Joske's shop, the only tangible reminder of his past life. So he lived out his life on Metru-Nui, got stasis with the rest and then re-awoken on Mata-Nui when the Toa Metru saved everyone, the only thing he remembers is that picture, which he passed on to Vakama when he died fighting in the Charred Forest. It's one of those things you really have to know the Old Bzprpg to fully understand that little tidbit (like you needed to be there for the majority of it ), but I hoped that helped? There WAS a planet below it, the place where the original materials came from... if I remember correctly in the mythos of if Seraphim and myself did mention that. A planet that the entire city at the end of the year was plummeting into, and instead of having everyone die or everyone teleport to yet ANOTHER world and screw THAT one up (which is what the game had devolved into ) I, the GM at the time, decided the best thing was to have the powerful character in the game at that time just absolutely reset everything (see above) and start afresh from scratch. Again, lots of details that have been lost or hidden away.
  19. IC Toa Joske Location: Kini-Nui Temple complex; interior Chapter One: Crystals, Temples, Secrets... oh my. This... guy... just... doesn't... QUIT! I was so close I could taste it. Whatever was going on outside was sucking up his minions, which left half of his current forces inside. Not that I had any happy thoughts of engaging in combat that is... just meant that worst-case scenario was now manageable. Barely. Still, as agitated as he was I was now in the home stretch. In this chess game it was down to the last few moves, and considering I started without a full set of pieces, the current situation was nothing short of a miracle. Whoever was outside I would have to thank them later... if we all survived this encounter, that is. I cocked my head sideways as if to comprehend his words. "You're killing me, pearly-whites. Look, you're making me sound like a broken record with only one song on the track. As I've said, I don't know exactly what it is or how it works, only how to turn it on and that it affects the whole island. I mean, think about it - it only makes sense that a megalomaniac deity such as his Royal Master of Shadowness the Makuta would have such an island-spanning contraption, buried so deep in the dark of his own palace that only a Ph.D. of colonoscopy with five-hundred years experience could even hope of finding it. Trust me, if I knew I'd be acting more coy than the fear you seem to be stringing me along with like a master violinist, not to mention charging an astronomically larger amount for my services." I leveled my own stare, like someone who was himself getting tired of the games. "As to your second demand, Mr. Paranoia, as to why you should believe this outrageous and completely ludicrous story... may I present to you Exhibit A: Your Rahkshi of Molecular Dismember-I mean Disruption. He's standing on it." This was the part I had been waiting for the entire time. The moment I had stepped inside this place I had been looking for the apparatus, not knowing exactly what I was looking fro but also knowing that I would know the moment I saw it. Even the way Zaktan kept forcing my gaze away was an advantage I used, every time scoping out a new section of the quartz hexagon. On the last pass I finally spotted what I was looking for - a semi-circular spot on the floor, half-buried by the pile of technology and the foot of the light-blue Rahkshi pressing atop of it. The section that I could see was actually composed of two circles, one slightly larger than the other, with a large central disk. It was this series of rings I was looking for... but even with my observations there was a snag. This entire room was covered with letters, in a seemingly random assortment, so from this distance even though I could make out the crystal-shapes rings, I could not make out which letter accompanied what ring. As complicated as this was it was barely visible, the edges as thin as a sheet of paper and matching seamlessly with the floor... not to mention the pile of stuff on top of it and the mass of glowing alphabets. But now that I had pointed it out I could see Zaktan's eyes narrow as he started to analyze this new piece of information. So I took the opportunity and made a leap of faith. With a flick of the wrist I pulled out the Crystal of Faith and gently chucked it in that direction. The sound of stone on stone caused everything else in the room to flinch slightly, as if a grenade was about to go off. I could feel the eyes of the Sons of Makuta staring me down, but they made no moves as Zaktan was too focused on the gem that was now rolling across the floor, it the only sound made in the vast chamber. Like a golf ball on the green it lazily approached the apparatus, slowing, slowing, slowing yet moving... arcing, as if attracted to the circles. It came to a crawl, made on last roll in the other direction- I held my breath as it landed inside a circle, the letter right above it glowing brighter than the rest. It was a perfect fit. The crystal dropped into a hole in the floor that was clearly NOT there just a moment before, a mysterious blue light source illuminating the pocket it now rested in. I could almost hear a hum, but it could just be my own blood rushing through my body. Taking a bold chance I turned to face the visible semicircle, waving my had casually. "Any more questions from the Inquisition, or shall I proceed with the ceremonies? I would really like to cut this ###### and bull-###### and just do my job. I already gave you permission to look over my shoulder and take a peek if you're that eager."
  20. IC Toa Joske Location: Kini-Nui Temple complex; interior Chapter One: Crystals, Temples, Secrets... oh my. C'mooooon Lady Luck, I'm A-LMOST THERE... Except now he's ARMED. And therefore even more exceedingly DANGEROUS. "E-easy there Guy Smiley, I've been nothing but a mostly-cooperative guest, which is far more than my usual fees dictate. I mean, that leery grin is not at all attractive, but those pearly whites!... all I gotta say is this: you guys must have an amazing dental plan." With that statement I turned to the Matoran. "Yeah, sure, like I'm going to talk you you again, You Royal Blabiness, motormouthing everything about me at the first available opportunity. Typical informant; can't keep his mouth shut on the inconsequential details yet forgets to tell about the really important stuff, like a full benefits package for joining up. And here I am a part-timer. Sheesh! Next thing I know if I talk to you again you'll reveal to Echelon my preferred female color, my favorite food, and what stuffed animal I sleep with at night." I waited a beat before leaning in on the little Matoran, voice barely above a whisper. "Breathe a word about Pookie, and you're a dead man." I didn't even have to look at him to sense it. If looks could kill, Zaktan's laser eyes would have fried me by now. If he had those. He might though... Wait, had that Zamor launcher twitched closer? Such is the high cost of playing Dor. "Heh heh... riiiiight." I did that smile again, the sides of my lips twitching, jazz-handing to show that I was unarmed and slowly reaching into my satchel, pulling out two gems, both perfectly round, one a deep red and other a golden-brown hue. "Behold, a woman's best friend... beside yours truly of course. These little bad boys are the Crystals that were once housed in those hard-to-reach temples, representing the Matoran's Virtues, Principles, yadda yadda yadda. The guy who got them out of their cages did all the heavy lifting for me, and then was stupid...ly generous with them. With a little ingenuity, some bourbon and a smile, I wormed my way into his heart of hearts and his silly little man purse. Hook, meet Line, meet Sinker. I also found an inscription with them - don't laugh informant, I may be a barbarian but I CAN read - and they detailed another use for them, down here. Apparently they activate a device that has island-wide applications, so as the gentleman and opportunist that I am I was more than happy to lend my services to do that, since I promptly destroyed the instruction manual after memorizing it, ensuring that I would survive the encounter. I got all six in here, so no worries." The look on Zaktan's face was not a happy one, as usual. I flared my eyebrows and rolled my eyes at the same time. "Hey, not my fault the inscription was a million years old and falling apart. The last few sentences were a bit hazy, or maybe that was because of the bourbon, not so sure anymore... but in any case I don't know exactly what will happen once it activates, so if it's going to backfire on anyone it'll hit me first and save you the trouble and the tremendous effort of pulling that hair trigger."
  21. IC If ONLY I could glare... But of course, I couldn't. I wouldn't, I would not give her the satisfaction of that snarky remark. "Illusions... are tricky business." I rumbled slowly, shifting my gaze to the other one. "With them... anything is possible." Yet even as I looked at the female, it was clear: she was NOT lying. She was Arsix of Dastana, which meant that the one before me was Jasix. My gaze lingered on her for just a moment longer before I returned to the Dasaka before me. This... this was the moment the Empire has been waiting for. For once I did not know before hand if someone was innocent or guilty. "Jasix, Son of Yomiken, did you... " I found myself pausing, one of the rare times where the gravity if the situation and eventual answer had profound and impossibly-reaching implications " ... did you kill the former Rora, Yusanora of Umbraline?" While only those in the room could hear this conversation, it was as if the whole universe held its breath.
  22. IC I saw the deliberation in their eyes, the silent communication between them. Whether it was that fabled idea that twins shared a secret bond of thoughts, or whether simply by a private Ideatalk, it did not matter to me. I silently breathed a sigh of relief when eventually only one stood, and even with the cloak off I could not be absolutely sure it was him. I had to make sure. Taking in a long massive breath I mentally activated my Rode. Instantly I could feel the sensation of extra knowledge, the feeling of absolute. My mask began to glow as I concentrated, my eyes growing increasingly intense. This was yet another sad effect of my job - the unsettling aspect of my mask. I had been told it was one of the most wretched of experiences, explained by those who had undergone my scrutiny and come out innocent. It was as if you were stripped of everything, your soul laid bare as no lies or deceit could be made, no illusions to cloud vision, the sight of my eyes penetrating into your very soul. With this mask I could uncover every falsehood, every lie, every half-truth ever said, and it was terrifying to those who were under its gaze. And it only made sense. With a society surrounded by illusions, one who could cut through them like a Soulsword cuts stone... Which is why I only used it when all other avenues failed. And only as long as I needed it. As I stared down the Dasaka he did not squirm, like most did, and for that I gave him full marks. I had no doubt he was on the inside, but he showed no fear, or at least the fear that I had grown accustomed to seeing when those who had done something wrong were about to be found out. It was time. "Are you... Jasik, Son of Yomiken, First Son of Clan Dastana, brother of Toroshu Arsix?"
  23. IC For the longest time I sat, doing nothing. I was notorious for my slow pace, praised for my patience, yet scorned for my often resigned attitude. I never rushed to action unless absolutely necessary, as careful with my words as I was with my actions. Or at least that's what I tried to do. Zuto-Nui knows in a world where even the slightest miscalculation can result in honor duels this was difficult at best, almost impossible at worst. And yet here I was with another conundrum. I leaned back slightly and closed my eyes, elbows leaning on the ornate armrests, fingers laced as I deliberated my next action. Everyone knew I took my time before doing anything, and these twins would be no exception. I would make them wait until I could decide what to do with them. Such as how to make my job easier when they are determined to make it difficult. Or at least, that's how they made it seem. Looks can be deceiving. I live in such a world every waking moment of every day. Willhammers, Sighteyes, codes and conspiracies... rarely did one get the direct and full answer from everyone. This was a world where everything was relative, a world where the line between imagination and reality was blurred, where one person's illusion was another solid foundation. These twins were a prime example of it, choosing to play the confusion card, each being one and the same. As tempting as it was to think they were the same person split between two people I knew better, but I had to give it to them: they were really good at this. It wasn't hard to see how and why they developed such a close relationship, how they watched out and protected one another... it was similar to my relationship with my own sister. But they took it to a whole new level, taking the term "thinking and acting as one" to its apex. I have no doubt they weren't doing this in ill-intent, but rather out of a protective reflex for one another. They had after all just lost their mother, now the scorn and sacrificial tokens to the citizen's bloodlust. I know how that feels. Perhaps... that's how I'll approach it. "I came... to ask one question." I said, my deep baritone voice rumbling across the room. It was like a far away landslide, or distant earthquake, gravely but not unpleasant to listen to. "But now... I must ask two." I paused to let that sink in for a moment before I continued. "You are not the only ones who are... suffering." My voice became lower, something I did not do often because it sounded quite strange, even to me. "I lost... my sister. I spent... centuries working in the mines of Iki for my... simple act of protection. You wish... to protect yourselves. You are... afraid. I... understand." I even spoke slow. Not out of some speech impediment, but just due to the nature of my large frame as I often drawled out words longer than most people. I could not speak quickly lest I crackle, something that made my sister double over more often than once. Over time I had managed to eliminate most of the pauses, but it could be tedious to listen to me talk for any extended period of time. Which is why I often spoke simply. And directly. "And my niece... she grieves too. But I cannot... rest. I have... a duty. A duty... to the people. I... seek Truth. I... find innocence. And I... punish the guilty. People think I... seek to punish, but I... do not. I... do not enjoy my position. One... should not enjoy death. I wish... to find innocence. I rarely... believe, I never... pass judgements until I know. Yet your actions make it... difficult for me. I need to find... truth. Not games. So now... I must ask two." With that last sentence I finally opened my eyes, locking eyes with each one individually, before standing to my full height. There were times when my towering frame was good and useful for intimidating others, but now as I inadvertently lorded over their seated bodies I felt that it conveyed the wrong message. Even my calming demeanor could be overwhelmed by my massive frame if I was not careful. So without fanfare I reached across my chest and one by one unclipped the straps that held my mighty greatsword, turning around and resting it across the large chair. The weapon was so long it still managed to hang over the sides, which if the situation wasn't so serious it would have been comical. Standing tall I was a statue in the room, my hands as usual laced behind behind my back. I had relieved myself of my weapon as a gesture of good faith, wanting to convey both the importance and seriousness of what my visit implied. I hadn't once smiled, though it had softened as I had commented on my past. Looking down at the twins, I finally spoke again. "I request... the individual presence of the real Jasik in front... of these witnesses. May he stand... before me." I really hated the formalities of this job.
  24. If Dor EVER finds out about this... Just when you think things can't get any more interesting folks! Tribute to everyone's favorite hit man.
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