Friar Tuck

Rene, have I ever told how much of a fan I am of your work? I always enjoyed a good manhunt. Alright kiddies, grab the popcorn and dim the lights! This ought to be entertaining.

Trust me, there are PLENTY of charries with decent to rather nice/wonderful/at least decent... they just tend to fly below the radar at least. Because apparently only the most tragic of characters can be the best and most influential characters in the game, let alone storytelling, so the less tragic characters don't get as much screentime as the rest. Which is a travesty. Strangely reminds me of real life in a way Don't worry, they exist. And contrary to popular belief it's pretty fun to write one

IC [Po-Wahi Desert - Morning] "Agreed." Everyone's head swiveled as one as I spoke. For someone who was obnoxiously optimistic, hyperactive, and as I have been told by some rather close friends, a mouth that runs as fast and often as me, for me to be silent for any length of time was seen as a minor miracle - and somehow I had managed not to say a single word throughout this entire conversation. Until now. I thus proved I COULD fly below the radar. Albeit difficult. I least I got a smile out of it. Meh. Back to work. "Merror, I am making you de-facto ringleader on this one. You're the closest thing we have to an 'expert' on this mission, so I want you to take point. Please note that this status can be revoked by me at any time, and probably at a whim, so enjoy it while you can. Well, ok, probably not on a whim, but you know what I mean. The sooner we can find Echelon the better, so I suggest we buckle down and get to work. It took us less than two weeks to gather all the Temple Crystals, no small feat, and I would like at all possible to replicate such a success here." By now I was standing, as and I planted my hands on my hips I looked around the group. "Agni, I'm putting you on a Supply Coordinator and Moral Compass; Cael, you get to be our Chaperone; Turara, I'm putting you on Intimidation Detail lest normal means of persuasion fail as we track him down. Stannis, I need you to stop talking so much and be our solid core, the rock of the group, lest we find ourselves on shifting sands. And Dor... " I walked on over, threw an arm over his shoulders, poked him in the chest, and give him my patented wink. "I'm putting us on probation, the troublemakers we are. Of course, this also means that if we're not kept an eye on at all times who knows what will happen?" Bluntly honest? I didn't want to know. That sounded like a bad day just WAITING to happen. Bad for everyone else that is. I would probably wake up with no recollection of what had happened... sounded like my old Kohlii days. It's amazing how much one person can change you- And cue Cael burning a hole in the back of my head. Time to move on. "Alright gang, to Le-Koro!" OOC: ok Ghosthands, at this point I'm relying on you to bring these two groups together... and as timely as possible. I know that was the plan but I'm saying it again. Lead us on out!

For attendees opening ceremonies starts Thursday night. It's only open to the public Saturday and Sunday... I think I grabbed some ibuprofen and earmuffs somewhere.

Greetings from Brickfair 2013! Rest assured I am alive and kicking, and in fact have been working with Nuju lately on some of the projects that will be coming up later this year. Not sure if I'll get any actual posting done while here, the off-the-screen work with Adrian and Aaron have been tremendous, and only after one day even. In any case I will soon pick up the story of not only Joske but the intrepid explorers in Ta-Koro. Grokk has been more than useful

IC [Temple of Creation, Motara Desert - dawn] One of the few graces of sand was that it was quiet. The first light of day was just beginning to peek over the horizon as we stole into camp. We were covered with sand from head to toe, shoulders sporting a few bruises that popped up overnight, and our collective faces looking like we had just stolen from the Ta-Koro Vaults. Oh wait - been there, done that. Well, one of us at least. Thankfully, no-one was awake to see our guilty looks as we came back, that sheepish smirk of triumph that screamed we got away with more than should be possible. It had been a night to remember, except for the part I didn't remember, which was falling asleep. Funny how that happens, unconsciousness. At least everyone else was... ah, apparently not. As we made our way silently through the camp we noticed that two distinct members of our group were missing - and the faint sound of distant laughter meant that we weren't the only ones up. Cael simply shrugged. I nodded. Sitting under our shelter she broke out some supplies, and we ate a cold breakfast together in silence, sharing knowing smiles and the occasional jab as we ate, deciding to enjoy this moment of quiet and still warming of the desert. It was a pleasant experience, something I could reflect on- Shoot! Almost forgot. Gulping down the rest of it I shifted slightly in the sand to get more comfortable, my sitting body facing east. With a deep breath I closed my eyes, settling myself into my daily meditation ritual. If there was one thing I was going to do every day it was meditate at sunrise. Initially it had been a simple exercise prescribed by the Massif Protector himself, but over time it had developed into something more. This wasn't as much as a ritual as a necessity at this point, surpassing obligatory to adherent dedication. This small act was very important to me and my well-being, so much so I don't think even Cael fully understood how deep down this was essential. Let's just say it had to do with my inner doubts and demons. In the back of my mind my brain registered Cael laying down next to me, from the sound of it resting her head in her hands as she most likely watched the sunrise with me. Not to say I was looking at it per say, but the idea was there. Enjoy these moments while we can. For now we start searching for Utu.

Perhaps, but that is a location in a past life of this game that has little to no relevance to current matters, and I have already seen too many times a topic like this can easily degrade into something worse. Seeing the direction of this thread and knowing several members of the current playing body I would rather not take that chance. Plus I have the power to make post disappear, so if I say this topic is off-topic then please respect my wishes and opinion. You are completely free to continue if you wish, but no promises that the post will still be there when you log back in I'd just greatly appreciate it. Thanks

PLEASE stay on topic. Thank you.

"Cael, love, there is something I've always wanted to ask you. Something near and dear to my heart, something I've always wanted to do but never got the chance. Something we might never ever get the chance to do again. Cael, darling... ...will you go Kikanalo-tipping with me?"

OOC: Sorry 'bout the delay Team Joske, but the following Tuck/Eyru jam was terribly important and a long time in the planning. Enjoy IC [Motara Desert, Po-Wahi - somewhere] Her outline wasn't that hard to spot among the rocks and dunes.Now, granted, it was dark, and her own colors aided in the camouflage, but on a moonlit night under a full compliment of stars a casually-walking feminine figure wasn't that hard to pick out, especially if you were looking for it. The only thing wrong with the whole scene was the temperature; once the sun went down, it dropped like a rock. Not surprising considering this place was entirely made UP of rock. And sand.Did I mention sand?With a slight nudge I hefted myself over the boulder I was perched on and slid up next to her. A slight noise – Cael turned her head, but it was nothing to be afraid of. Only Joske, who slid up to her almost as though he were made of shadow. The light of the moon and stars was only enough to give her a vague vision of his face (though she liked to think she knew it well enough by now), but his wide grin was easy enough to see.“You'd better have a good excuse for dragging a lady out into the middle of the desert,” she teased. "Lady? All I see is a washed-up Toa of Water."And so our little running joke continued, the ball once again squarely in her court. I didn't give her the option of an immediate reply however as I wrapped myself around her, giving her a warm kiss, letting my hands caress her for a moment. Even as I finished I didn't pull away, letting my fingers dance on her hips as I stared into those golden orbs for a spell. In all the excitement of adventure I had temporarily forgotten that we had spent so much and so long in near absolute-privacy, that now I was beginning to pang for us to be alone again. Still, I knew we would need to wean ourselves of that dependency, and the earlier the better. I smirked as my figers continued their exploration."Apparently not. I gave you a vauge and open-ended comment and you came out here anyway. You're pretty trusting." “It's a flaw of mine,” she replied, draping her arms over his shoulders. “I just felt so sorry for this burnt-out Toa of Fire – I couldn't turn him down.” "Mmmm... another one of your charity cases?" I cocked my head to one side as we swayed slightly in the starlight. "I've been told I'm generous to a fault." "Well in that case this might work out well." I commented, thinking out loud. My eyes quickly refocused back on her. "So on the way in I spotted something... something that I think would be very entertaining, if not for the fact it's one of the few things I've never done. Willing to go out on an impromptu date?" "I'm already here," she said, smiling. "Why not?" "Excellent."I grabbed her firmly and twisted myself next to her, having her in a hold by now she knew very well; it was what I did when I was about half-carry, half-escort her when using my mask. The Kakama wasn't exactly designed to carry passengers, but with some practice and a willing accomplice it was possible. My mask began to glow as I turned to look at her, that mischevious boy-troublemaker grin plastered across my face."Ready?" "Ready." There was a mildly dizzying sensation, and immediately I felt the two of us pull forward as the world streaked into a fuzzy blur as we shot across the desert. The trip didn't take more than a few seconds, but in that time we traveled nearly half as far as the trek to the temple itself. Coming to a halt we found ourselves at the bottom of a small rock wall, and as our senses adjusted to normal-time there was some curious, seemingly-animal sounds coming from the other side. With a grin I began to climb the rock face, motioning Cael to do the same. The dark world turned to watercolors, stars blurring into white streaks overhead as Joske activated his mask, sending the two Toa flying across the sands.They came to stop scarce seconds later before a low rock wall. Cael waited a moment to let the dizzying sensation of Kakama travel pass, then followed Joske in climbing up the diminutive cliff, keeping quiet despite her desire to ask just what the heck the Toa of Fire had planned. Though not the most physically perfect specimen of a Toa, the wall was low enough that the healer was easily able to pull herself up on top. I easily reached the top before her, and as I gazed out over the top of the cliff I nodded affirmatively. This was definitely the place. Reaching a hand down I helped pull her up the last bio or so, and as she hopped up to my position she could finally see what I could.Below us was a large sand plain that streatched for almost as far as the eye could see. That wasn't unusual. What was residing IN the field was what got out immediate attention: Kikanalo. A whole herd of them, and mostly asleep by the lack of motion by the majority. We were at one of the most outlying herd ranges for Po-Koro, in the dim distance a slight column of smoke signaled the encampment of the herders. It was a rather serene scene; a quiet night, large majestic animal sleeping, very little sound... and two young toa with not a lot to do and the world at their fingertips.Perfect.Leaning in close I tightened my grip on her hand, never letting go after helping her up. My voice was low and somber as I spoke directly into her eyes. "Cael, love, there is something I've always wanted to ask you. Something near and dear to my heart, something I've always wanted to do but never got the chance. Something we might never ever get the chance to do again. Cael, darling... will you go Kikanalo-tipping with me?" The healer laughed and pushed Joske, threatening to topple him off the low wall. “I swear, you're going to make a delinquent out of me yet!”Staring at the grinning Toa, she couldn't help but smile. Only Joske would think of something like this. Something she never would've dreamed of doing in a hundred years. Crazy came naturally to him, and it felt like he was pulling her closer to the edge every day.She didn't half mind it, really.“Let's go.”Pulling her other leg over, the Toa of Water hopped off the wall. Landing almost noiselessly, she turned and looked back up, a mischievous smile on her face.“Coming?” I cackled gleefully. "If you put it that way... "With a single leap I was over the wall, the soft sanding cushioning my fall and making it nearly noiseless. Grabbing her by the hand we began jogging towards the closest one as I spoke in hushed tones, gesturing with my free arm."Alright, the key here is teamwork; if we don't hit at the precisely same instant there won't be enough momentum to shove these massive beasts over, not to mention hurt ourselves in the process. It has to be a perfect transfer of energy for this to work, so you go and I'll keep up with you. Any questions?" Cael looked up at the hulking beast, sleeping peacefully in the moonlight. For a brief second, she was struck by the absolute absurdity of this situation: what on earth were they doing?Simple. We're Kikanolo-tipping.“Sure you can keep up with me?”With a wink, she was gone, jogging up to the nearest snoring Rahi. Seconds from impact, she braced herself, and threw all her weight against its side. The timing was perfect.I lagged behind for about a half a second, gauging her stride before shooting forward, weakly tapping into my mask's energies. The moment she hit was the same moment I did, two toa hitting the slumbering beast at almost a dead run. We practically bounced off the muscular side, stumbling back a few bios, half-stunned, and for a split second it seemed as though nothing happened.It just took a moment.The Kikanolo woke up with a start, a clear look of confusion on its face when it felt the sudden impact. I mean, if YOU were asleep and you suddenly got slapped what would your first reaction be? But the creature didn't even get that far, for by the time it's groggy mind figured out something had just run into it, it's eyes registered a distinct slant in the earth. No, not slant, falling-MmmmrrrrAAAAAAWWWWWWWWW!!!*THUD*Once the sand cloud settled, we could see the beast laying on its side, half-stunned, half-twitching in utter confusion at it tried to figure out what the karz just happened. I looked at Cael...... and completely lost it."Again?" I asked when I could speak through the fits of laughter.The two Toa dissolved into laughter, the risk of prematurely awakening the other beasts quickly forgotten. Cael laughed so hard she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks as the Kikanolo snorted and pawed at the ground, groggily trying to regain its footing.“If we can find another one,” she gasped in response to Joske's question. But all around them, the other Rahi were beginning to wake up, shaking away sleep as they registered the fact that one of their own had been taken down. It didn't take long for the herd to draw a bead on the only bipedal creatures in the field.“Or... maybe we should make a strategic retreat,” she said, struggling to rein in her giggles. "O-one more." I stuttered through the tears, trying to pierce through the blur. "Gotta make this worth while; can't go back saying we tipped only ONE over-"In what I can only subscrube to as a minor miracle I spotted a small, lone Kilianolo at the edge of the heard, all by itself, and from the looks of it still for the most part asleep. I pointed in it's direction... which was through the now-waking herd."Race you over there!"With that I bolted, sprinting (non-mask enhanced, mind you!) through the heard of Rahi, dodging massive bodies in an attempt to snag one last thrill. Mata-Nui, this was insane. Eat THAT Dorian."Hurry up; they're waking!" Cael ran after Joske, legs pumping furiously as she attempted to keep up with the fastest Toa on the island. If the Toa of Fire had chosen to use his mask, she would've been left in the dusk; as it was, she couldn't even stay abreast.But Kikanolo tipping was an exercise in teamwork, so Joske matched his pace to hers; they had to collide with the last Rahi simultaneously to get enough push behind their shove. Said last Rahi was just beginning to wake up. Its eyes fluttered blearily, but by the time they focused, it was too late. Its confused bellow echoing through the desert night, Kikanolo met sand with an earth-shaking crash. As the cloud settled two victorious toa stood, covered from head to toe in a thin layer of sand and sweat. They were slightly hunched, breathing in heavily, their collective gasps in rhythmic unison, towering above their hapless victim, quite spent. Yet for the briefest of moments the high was unsurpassed - we had by ourselves, together, with nothing more than our own bodies and momentum toppled two of the largest Rahi on the island. We were unstoppable. We were invincible. We were-RRROOOOAAAAAWWWWWWWWWW!!!We were being stared down by over two dozen exceedingly massive and now angry Rahi. Several began to dig with their massive claws, the sonic wave from their bellows already chattering our teeth. I looked sheepishly at Cael was we both subconsciously began to step back, feeling the pressure of the herd as they began to close in. Only now did I realize too late our way out was THROUGH them, even as the Matoran herders behind us had woken up amongst the commotion and began shouting as they began to stumble in our direction."Soooo... I could go for that strategic retreat right 'bout now. You?"Despite the situation I was grinning like a madman. “I'm a pacifist,” she grinned, heart beating a million miles a minute. “Can't fight my way out, can I?” "For once, love, I completely agree with you." I took her hand, squeezing it tight even as both sides closed in for the kill. I looked into her beaming golden orbs, watching the emotion as it rolled over her like the waves of the ocean. "I guess the only thing we can do is attempt to run for it one last time. We might not make it out alive. Up for it?" The healer looked back into his eyes, those eyes that were bluer than the sky, as the Kikanolo thundered down upon them, and the shouts of the herders sounded around.“If we don't make it out...”She leaned in, their faces scarce inches apart. They were the eye of the storm.“Then you're not the fastest.” I gripped her tight, doing my best not to crush her where my hands had decided to latch on to her. The thundering hooves of the Kikanolos. The shouts of the herders. The roars of the Rahi. The swirling mass of dust and sand. Even as it all whipped around us, our bodies getting sandblasted and soundboarded at the same time the tiny space between us was a reservoir of calm, a pool of still glass. My eyes narrowed as my chin dropped ever so slightly. "Challenge... "It all came to a thunderous, stampeding pinnacle-"... accepted."My mask glowed as everything collided. * * * I gasped, clean air filling my lungs as a plume of dust and sand flew behind us, our legs coming to a furious stop in the deep dunes. Somewhere between the sheer exhaustion and laughter I doubled over on the dune, belting my heart out as Cael collapsed next to me. I chanced a look over to see how well she fared. The Toa of Water collapsed to the sand, breathless and dizzy. The shouts and roars of the chaos had dissolved in a whirlwind of chaos as the two Toa made their egress. The din could still be heard, but it was far behind them now.Shaking the sand from her mask, Cael looked up and met Joske's gaze. She smiled; she was alright.“I knew you could do it.” I opened my mouth to speak, intending so say something along the lines of "Of course I could!" or in some other macho and heroic way. Instead what came out was a muffled incoherent babble as a mouthful of sand spat out and landed squarely on her mask. I stared at her for a second, shocked and surprised."Heh heh... sorry." I said apologetically. I think I blushed there too... The healer sputtered and frantically wiped the sand away. When her eyes had been cleared of grit, she focused on Joske. She smiled.The Toa of Fire was suddenly engulfed in a deluge of water that left him dripping, breathless, and squeaky-clean.“It's fine,” she chirped. “No harm done.” I couldn't hold it back any longer.Granted, I had been laughing most of the way, but thus far it had been intermingled with running and rather strenuous physical exercise. Now in the ebb of adrenaline and the safety of anonymity, I let it all out. I giggled so hard I cried, letting all the pent-up crazy out, feeling the end and then the crash of the high. That had been so stupendous, so insane, so incedibly stupid of us we shouldn't be alive, let alone getting away scott-free.Then again, if all things were equal, we shouldn't be a couple, at least ONE of us dead. But under the starlit night, that didn't matter... not all the way out here in the middle of nowhere. Grabbing her by the shoulder I pulled her close, letting her roll on over me as I took a deep breath."Wanna top off the night?"Cael let the Toa of Fire pull her close. Despite his lack of fire, he was still warm compared to the chill of the desert night – not that either of them were particularly cold after their midnight escapades. Kikanolo-tipping... she chuckled. What on earth had they been thinking?The stars gleamed overhead, bathing the sand in dim silver light. The two Toa lay on the sand, quiet save for their breathing. Otherwise, the night was peaceful.Cael had always thought she was happy before. She had been content with her life. But the happiness she'd felt before meeting Joske compared to what she felt now... it was no contest. Even doing stupid things like Rahi tipping, things she couldn't have dreamed up on her own, she was happy as long as she was doing them with Joske.It was an odd thing, how your life changed when you met someone you cared for. She couldn't have guessed it would turn out this way, and she couldn't explain it; she'd always been more prepared to deal with things in a scientific manner, and love wasn't something you could easily explain. Rationalizing romance by way of biology was boring. But, even if she had been a poet, or an artist, Cael didn't think she could have put the way she felt into words or paint.It was cliche and silly, she knew, but, right now, that didn't seem to matter. She would rather look silly loving Joske than anything else in the world.

Alright guys, busting out the Epics Rules and Guidelines here: Not to pick on anyone, but example(s) include: Generic comments, including those from the writer itself, are highly discouraged and considered spam, and generally are removed. I understand wanting to give praise for someone's work, but it must be more meaningful and noteworthy than a one or two sentence comment - praise and criticism MUST BE WORTHWHILE, otherwise please don't post it at all. Please observe the spam rules put in place. Thank you everyone and TN... continue writing -FT

IC [Temple of Creation, Motara Desert - evening] "Alright kids, break it up." Somehow I was not surprised to see them doing that as Stannis and myself strode out of the Temple... it's something I would do, and from the brief time I'd been introduced to Dorian we had a remarkably similar streak - albeit differing sensibilities. Still, there was something between them, something that wasn't there between Angelus and Tuara; a spark of passion and possible actual romance, not the cheap-momentary-you're-pretty-let's-go-out flirt. Maybe. We'll see. The suddenness of our exit coupled with my mild command was enough to slightly startle them, enough so that Tuara was dropped the half-inch to the ground. I snickered quietly as I strode past them, giving Dorian a wink. "Oops, sorry... were you two in the middle of something?" My voice betrayed innocent absentmindedness, the kind that hinted that I had genuinely accidentally done that. Which of course was a lie, I did that COMPLETELY on purpose, but hey... what were friends for? Without even a pause I continued past them, taking a perch on a nearby rock, surveying the desert. "Considering how long it took us to get here, we'll won't make it back before nightfall, and while I have every confident on our survival prowess I would rather not risk the unexpected, especially at night. Particularly in the sandy wastelands we affectionately call the Motara Desert." As if to punctuate my musings the sun was beginning to set in the distance, a spectacular array of reds, oranges, and even dashes of purple beginning to stretch across the horizon. "I say we spend the night here under the cover of the temple and head back at first light. Unless there are any objections?" Granted, one of us had a Kulasi, another had a Kakama, but that wasn't enough to go around, let alone try to find and remember a way home via trial-and-error, and Stannis' small nod was enough support for me an my suggestion. Without any further prompting our little party began to set up a small camp at the mouth of the temple, pooling what supplies we had. I don't think we planned on an over-nighter, but with my supplies I had bought earlier that day - and Agni's seemingly magical sense of being able to predict the next three days and the resources needed - we had more than enough to be comfortable for the night. That's the one thing he never taught me: his sixth-sense of prediction. Greedy Toa, keeping all the good knowledge form himself. One day I'll squeeze it out of him. One day. As we set up, the group getting more comfortable with each other and making small talk, I sauntered by Cael, my arms full with canvas, but wasn't enough to require the use of my fingers - to which I put to good use, giving her a slight poke as she was bending over taking stock of out water and food supplies. To her credit she didn't flinch; somewhere between my gentleness of the action and the fact she was used to things like that. But that didn't prevent her from after a moment standing up straight in a very womanly way and, while not moving her head, sliding her eyes over in my direction, a dangerous playfulness in them. "I hope you have a very good reason for doing that." "Kinda." I said quietly so that only she could hear, "On the trek in I spotted something not to far from here, something I think you and me should check out. If you're not busy tonight... and want to have a little fun... meet me on the other side of this small mountain tonight after the stars have come out in full. That is, unless you're too afraid to go out at night." My blue eyes danced, and from Cael's experience I knew she could read them perfectly. Not to say my plan for this evening was anything wrong per say, but it was one of those ideas that if went horribly wrong or got caught, it would mean a heap of trouble for the two of us. But that was the fun part of an adventure, right? Before she could reply or do anything I walked away, helping Merror finish setting up a temporary shelter as we began to settle in for the night.

IC [Temple of Creation, Motara Desert - late afternoon] So here we were. After several hours of trekking through the featureless desert we were finally here. And not a moment too soon; as much as I appreciated having an actual civil conversation with Tuara, it was also ending up being very awkward. Maybe it the lack of our combined social skills, or maybe the fact that - as she so aptly stated - we didn't see eye-to-eye very well. In any case shortly after the lull in the conversation Stannis had paused, turning to the group, myself in particular. "We have arrived." he said, looking at my bag of charms with what appeared to be anticipation. His earlier comments had suggested that he always had wanted to get inside this temple especially, and now that we were on the threshold of that event even the stoic Toa Maru of Stone seemed a little... Naw, couldn't be. The guy was emotionless like the rock he represented. With a quick intake of breath I scrambled to the door, setting the bag down next to me as I busied myself brushing away the sands that had partially covered the entrance, the rock carved in the likeness of a maskless Matoran head. Surprisingly Stannis got down on his knees to help, and after a few minutes we had exposed the rest of the door, including the riddles. Rubbing my fingers on the ancient etchings I felt the grains fall away from the cracks even as I spoke them out loud. "The Map to Victory, Pride of the Sculptors, One For All, Strategy's Designs." As usual there were four key slots, one next to each riddle, perfectly sized for the charms in my bag. There was a moment as no-one spoke, each mulling over the riddles in their mind. "Well, I think we can apply past experiences to solve a few of them, then use process of elimination from there. Any takers?" My smile was facing the group, aimed for directly at Cael and Agni who had traveled with me before to the other five. Cael was the first to speak. "One For All... and all for one; obviously it refers to the Virtue of Unity." she quipped, a grin on her face. If anyone where knew a thing or two about THAT Virtue, it was her. Agni apparently agreed, nodding sagely even as his lips tugged at a smile. "And The Map to Victory must refer to the Principle of Strategy... for without a plan, one cannot guide himself to any goal, let alone victory." I nodded, noting Agni's expertise in that that field, made evident in his brilliant defense of Kini-Nui despite being outgunned and outnumbered. Surprisingly Stannis was the next to speak. "Pride of the Sculptors refers to the Principle of Creation; at times though I wish they wouldn't put so much of it into their creations." The last part was muttered, though after a moment of thought it wasn't so surprising that he had insight to that riddle, over-abundance of statues in his honor and all that. Suddenly I found myself rubbing the back of my head... "Strategy's Designs? What does THAT mean?" Lekua piped up. The resounding silence was answer enough as I could hear out collective gears churning. This one was a little more difficult to figu- "Destiny." All heads turned as one to the voice that had spoken. It was Merror, stroking his chin in thought. "It refers to Destiny. As Agni correctly stated you cannot get anywhere on purpose without a plan, and Mata-Nui has a plan for each one of us - a strategy for our lives so to speak. While we may not know exactly what it may be, he DOES have a design for each of our lives, and it's our job to find out what our Destiny is... no matter how murky the future is." He might as well been talking to me. Slowly I pulled out the four charms, and one by one placed them into the suggested slots. Merror was right; as much as we may not know what out future may hold, it's still our Duty to pursue our Destiny, or at least make every attempt to find out what our lives have to offer. This does not mean cast off everything else, but to live our lives to the fullest, always looking ahead. I have been spending so much time looking back at what happened that I forgot to look ahead... like I used to. Create my own future. I was letting my own past hold me back. Figures. No sooner had I inserted the last charm did deep within the stone barrier did we hear the faint sounds of clicking locks and grinding gears, a moment later a slight rumble as the massive door began to rise, a cascade of sand and small rocks falling in its wake. It would seem as though we had been correct. The yawning, black tunnel beckoned. I turned to Stannis. "Shall we?"

IC [stannis' house, Po-Koro - midday] "So it's not just me." I watched as Stannis carefully inspected the blade, respectful of the weapon as he was curious before handing it back. "For the longest time I though maybe it was hiding some sort of dark power, or even worse, secretly working it in me without my direct knowledge. It would seem as though my fears are truly unfounded... and that it's just a blade. A tool. A very... strange tool." Stannis's sharp eyes moved directly to me. "What do you mean?" "Well... it's just that I've never used a sword before. Ever. Even Agni here will tell you that when we were training I used a hammer of all things. Not until I picked up that blade did I ever handle a bladed weapon, spare a knife. Yet the moment I held it I felt like it was perfect, as if it was made for me - an extension of my arm so to say. Without any training or previous experience I picked up that weapon and instinctively knew how to use it. I've had some practice since then obviously but for all practical purposes from my point of view it bestowed upon me the gift of swordsmanship. I... can't explain it. It's not evil. It's not good. It's just that... a blade." A very unique blade I thought silently.

IC [stannis' house, Po-Koro - midday] "And you plan to free this Toa by going up against him in addition to another Toa of similar reputation all because..." "Because it's the right thing to do," Dor amazingly finished for Tuara, speaking quietly before taking another solemn bite of a pancake burrito. I could not help but look at him with a shocked face as he blinked innocently with his wide azure eyes before taking another big bite of that pancake burrito and swallowing it nearly whole before grinning. "Sur-priiiiise." Perhaps... perhaps I was wrong about him? "Wait... what? And what does he mean by 'your sword'? I thought he did that with-" "Yes," I said quietly, finally speaking, looking right at Tuara, interrupting her in the process. "Dorian's right. When I faced both Utu and Echelon by myself I saw something in Utu that apparently the rest of you either did not not or cannot due to your past experiences with him. I saw something in him worth fighting for, something in him that makes me think he CAN be saved, CAN be redeemed. With my help he fought off Echelon's control over him, and in the end it was Utu, not me, that took that Toa of Magnetism down. You may not think so but I think he can be saved, or at least one more shot should be made, considering what happened last time. To say that someone is completely unredeemable is to doom them forever, and last I checked it was our job as Toa to not only defend the Matoran, but to aid those that need it. You say it's impossible, but I LIVE the impossible. I DO the impossible on a regular basis. You don't believe me, ask HIM!" With that I pulled out the crystal flamberge, Heuani's sword, the weapon I had been hiding this entire time, and slammed it into the center of the table. You could have heard a grain of sand drop. "I do it because it's the right thing to do Tuara. What we're SUPPOSED to do as Toa. And while I admit I may not have extended quite as much clemency to Heuani as I should have, I STILL gave him the chance. The choice. Maybe it not so many words, but in actions. If you don't want to come alone fine, I didn't invite you; still, that's what I'm going to do, provided I find what I need in that temple." I looked around the room at the assorted collection of Toa. "Though now I think I may have already found it." I looked at Agni, who was once again smiling at me... to which I returned the favor. "You're welcome, old friend. And thank you." Even I said that Heuani's old weapon glistened brilliantly, embedded in Stannis' table for all to see.

IC [stannis' house, Po-Koro - midday] My gut reaction was to say "YES!", slam my fists on the table, stand up, and make a passionate speech in my defense. I could see it play out in my head, a flood of emotion and verbal fire. But I held off. I bit my tongue. Even after hearing several of those gathered speak, it STILL felt was like a Le-Toa had sucked all the air out of the room, the collective stares of each and every individual hitting me square in the face. It would seem as though Utu's popularity was larger than I gave him credit for, everyone's eyes boring into mine with an intensity I didn't think existed, let alone able to express. I licked my dry lips nervously; due to the hot desert or the sudden change in room pressure I wasn't sure. Agni's patient work to help me learn the virtue paid off as the unexpected happened- Dorian.

IC [stannis' house, Po-Koro - midday] "Dor... it's not a disease." I said flatly, my face just as emotional. "You can't catch it, it's not a sickness; it's what is called a 'personality trait', and some are more desirable than others. We all have them, even you, and to be fair only after spending a few hours with you I can already pick out the good and the bad... but since we've just met I'll be polite and lay off until we get to know each other more before hammering each other silly over our imperfections. Agni here knows what I mean." I raised my eyebrows at him, his only reaction a raising of his cup. After all, he had trained me, not to mention butted heads more than once over the finer points of proper behavior and social etiquette, not to mention personal worldview. Sometimes with painful results. "And thanks Tuara... I'll take that as a compliment." I turned my head to focus on the older accompaniment of our group.. "Glad you like them Merror; old, secret family recipe. The only reason Angelus' waffles beat me out was because he pulled a fast one. Completely legit, I admit, but a fast one nonetheless. As to your question Agni-" I paused. Simple question really... and I did have an answer. Still, I found myself hesitating because that course of action depended on the outcome of unlocking the temple. For me this was a personal test. If I felt ready, then I would move ahead. If after opening the temple, however, I found myself not prepared, I wouldn't take this predetermined course of action. So I felt that giving a definite answer here was unfounded, simply because if I did not find what I was looking for I might end up a liar... or at least indecisive. To which I was neither. I took in a long sigh, leaning back on my chair until I was balancing on two legs, ringers laced together against the back of my head. I stared at the ceiling for a moment, formulating the best answer I could. For someone who enjoyed a more simpler existence I found myself in complicated situations. "The reason I decided to come out of seclusion was because I felt the need to complete some unfinished business. Yet, the Temple of Creation is one of those, but it is not the only one. There are actually several things that I feel the need to go back and either cut off or mend, depending on how things have changed and how they go when I get there; during our brief jaunt across the island looking fro the charms I may have made some friends, but I sure as karz made some enemies and left a lot of waves in my wake... waves I would not mind smoothing out if I had the chance. As much as this temple quest is to finally finish it, it is also a personal test - depending what I find in there will determine whether or not I'm ready for the rest. Particularly what I am planning to do right after the temple should everything go as I hope it will." "That being... ?" Agni said quietly. I continued to look at the ceiling as I spoke, a curious smile on my face. "Oh, nothing much, just seeing if I can finally free Utu from Echelon's control; in other words, Round 3 with the big, over-sized popsicle himself. Third time's the charm they say." I blinked in surprise. "Ok, THAT joke was unintentional, I swear."

Last I checked we weren't allowed to do that. As I recall, Aaron hated it. I concur. He said himself that he didn't approve. This is actually incorrect. Well, partially. Nuju DOES hate it, always hated the sub-powers. However, they are as legit as the powers themselves because they are a natural extension of the power, not an unnatural one. It would be like saying a Toa of Magnetism cannot detect metal in a magnetic field, or that Toa of Iron cannot "feel" his element nearby. A Ta-Toa can detect heat sources. I've always allowed it, I've DONE it, and as much as Nuju may complain about it, he has allowed it as well. THAT SAID... don't overdo it. Just because you can detect a heat source does not mean you gain detailed information about the person or object. As always be reasonable with your powers, else like the Mask of Illusion sub-powers will be taken away by Nuju and I will not try to stop him.

Challenge accepted. Check the tags. I saved you 111 words. It doesn't look much smaller, though. But it is technically smaller. Thankyou. I'll include that, but probably with some bits added back in - a sort of combination between your version and mine. Ummm... no. The use of spoiler tags is JUST for the: Spoilers Only. It should not be used to lessen or otherwise shorten large amounts of text. According to BZPower Rules and Guidlines - Reference Desk: Now if you plan on using that information, or other information as spoilers in your game, aka information that would give away some of the plot or other major function early on the the players should they choose to click it, then that's perfectly fine. But to shorten text is not the purpose of it, as convenient as it may be. Please refrain from using it in this way. I would encourage ALL players to observe this general BZPower rule. Thank you.

IC [stannis' house, Po-Koro - late morning] "Well in that case... I'll eat your share." I immediately sat down, piling my plate with food before handing Cael a plate, who had taken a seat across from me. This tome around I was much more civil with my eating, though it disappeared just as quickly. Those that WERE hungry however sat down shortly thereafter, and as group we quickly devoured what had been so carefully prepared. Taking a napkin to my lips I turned to Stannis. "Look, not to bring up bad memories, but I appreciate you offering to take us. As far as I'm concerned once we finish eating and clean up you take take us out whenever you're ready. You're the guide here; we'll follow." I could not help but have a shadow of a smile. Even on his day off it would seem as though the Toa Maru of Stone was destined to lead a group of Toa to a destined destination. I just hoped today didn't leave THAT big of a scar on his psyche. Wait a minute... this was Stannis here. Nothing fazed him. Not even ME. "I have a question." My head whipped around to look at Dor, who, while not addressing me directly, was clearly speaking to me. "Is that table the notion thing a one time thing, or are you one of those schmucks who laughs at his own jokes?" "First of all, I'm not a schmuck; I'm a chump, though Cael might argue that point with you. Second... yes, actually, I do. I try to keep it at a minimum, but it comes out whether I intend to or not. Sorry Dor, but I have my quirks. Be thankful I don't go around lighting random fires or something similarly destructive instead." I shot a smile over to Agni, who winced, remembering the early days of training and myself being a brand-new Toa... to which almost every time I got emotional there was nearly always a small explosion of fire. Practically lit the dock up the first day. Ah yes, good times, good times... Not really.

IC [stannis' house, Po-Koro - late morning] "Aaaand we're one big happy family once again!" My voice once again cut right through the din as all heads swiveled in my direction. I was balancing a rather large plate of pancakes in one hand, and a platter of assorted meats in the other. With fluid grace I slid past the crowd of assorted Toa and placed both on the central table. "Stannis is nearly done with the sauce and condiments while Dor is moments away from the skinned fruit selection. If you're hungry I suggest you chow down, the day's only getting started." I crossed my arms and started to address the group's members individually, a contented smile on my face. Panic. Disorder. Chaos. My work here was done, mwahaha. "Stannis, thank you for opening your abode to us, though it has become more of a madhouse than anything. We'll be out of your mask sooner than you think and then you can go back to your boring, stony solitude. Amazon long-legs, it's nice to see you too. Glad to have you back regardless of what happened all those months ago." I gave a playful wink in her direction, now more of an inside joke than anything else. "Merror, it would seem as though to have weathered the 'trial by fire' rather well, so I would like to officially welcome you to the team... pun intended. Congrats on making it this far, but don't expect it to get much better - gotta learn to roll with it, smile plastered on your face. And Agni-" I could see it in his eyes. The way he had been observing the scene, judging the words and reaction of everyone, his critical eye focusing right on me. I knew he wanted to say a few choice words, somewhere between my unchanged antics and my apparent lack of letter-writing. We both grinned menacingly at each other, but I decided to nip it in the bud right here and now as I raised a single finger. "Not a word." My head snapped back to the group, my boyish smile returning. "So anyway, I don't know the exact reasons for this overdue reunion, but I am pleased to announce... tada!" With a flourish I slapped my two newest charms on the table. "I now have the complete set! That's right ladies and gentleman, every charm from across the island is now gathered and accounted for. So I table the notion *snicker* that once we eat we set out for the Temple of Creation so I can officially finish my quest and move on to other items of business. Stannis has more than graciously agreed to guide us there, and I'm sure at this point that's looking more and more appealing as I'm sure he would like these shenanigans out of his home. Any questions?"

IC [stannis' House, Po-Koro - late morning] "Hey Dor... why are you waving your hands in the air?" It was one of those surreal moments when reality itself was drawn into question, as though the query itself was as ridiculous as wondering if the sun was actually black, all made the more bizarre when you realize it actually was. For as Dor looked at me with the strangest of complexions, he lowered his hands - only to find them empty. Empty. What he thought had been a clever and absolutely astounding performance of ninja and athletic ability turned out to be nothing more than a misguided attempt to separate me from my food... for in my own hands bobbing up and down in the air was the two-pound package of bacon. "My bacon." Eyes narrowed. Voice several octaves lower tot he point of growling. Defensive stance. Then sudden relaxation and a brilliant smile. "Next time ask; unlike most kids my age I have no problem sharing if asked politely, and now that I have food in my stomach I'm much more amiable if not forgiving. Plus the fact that since I have a whole pantry at my disposal, I'll look over this little transgression and be generous. Here ya go!" With that I tossed the mass of meat onto the closest counters, the package landing somewhere between Dor and myself. He stood there, mouth agape, shoulders slightly slumped, trying to figure out what just happened. My face beamed. Silly Dor; tricks are Joske. Apparently the lesson I gave him earlier today in terms of slight of hand he didn't fully grasp. Granted, he got the jump on me; he got the jump on me hard. I didn't hear him coming, didn't see him coming, and I didn't know he was even in the house until he screamed some unintelligible nonsense nonsense and proceeded to ninja-swipe my bacon. To say I was startled would be an understatement, for in that moment I learned just how sneaky the Toa of Iron was - duly noted. But even as he passed by me, prize in hand, I simply reached out and oh-so-gently swiped back the meat in such a way that he didn't feel it due to the rush of adrenaline and just how quickly and gingerly I did it. Not to say that I was a now a master thief, but in my seclusion I had determined that a person wearing a Kakama can perform some rather decent feats of legerdemain if enough practice and the right circumstances presented themselves. Such as cards out of sleeves. Making charms appear and disappear. And stealing bacon back. Same difference. "Say! Why don't I split the difference with you and make breakfast! Well, technically, it's lunchtime, but I take it for us it's the first meal of the day. Hey, hey, stop looking horrified - I'm a decent cook, just ask Angelus! We even had a mighty-manly pancake-verses-waffle cook-off contest, and that's just the tip of the culinary iceberg. Being single for the longest of times teaches you many things, including how to prepare a decent dish, though I think we'll stick to poached eggs, fried bacon... Stannis, you DO have batter mix! Pancakes it is! It'll be like Ko-Koro all over again except it's not a competition and there isn't Tuara tied to a chair wishing me dead. TO THE KITCHEN!" Without another word I had already grabbed all the ingredients, threw on a "Kiss the Cook" apron that had been hiding in some closet, and turned Stannis' kitchen into my own personal culinary nerve center. With a flick of the wrist I activated the stove, a slight burst of flame emanating from it as I was simultaneously whipping up some eggs. "Yo, Dor, grab the milk from the icebox, will ya?"

IC [Po-Koro streets - late morning] First I was rolling my eyes at Dor in exasperation for his interpretation of the word "Dasaka"... if only for the fact that he kept mentioning FOOD and I hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon. Then, elation. There was Merror, standing in the street, and in star-aligned timing carrying a handful of FOOD... just for me. He mentioned something about shame and breakfast and charms, but I wasn't listening - my eyes were glued to that rolled masterpiece, a heavenly combination of pan-fried golden brown batter drenched in butter, a small trail of thick, sweet syrup following behind it as it gracefully arced through the air, the morning sun glistening off the droplets as my tongue hung out of my mouth, watering and slobbering. That is, until HE caught it. I found myself with an outstretched arm looking up at a face I knew all too well, although the mask was now a different color, as usual COMING OUT OF FREAKING NOWHERE to mess with my life. He had caught my breakfast without even looking up, an apropos of nothing as he looked at me with a stony mask and hard eyes. My eyes longingly diverted to the pancake wrap. "Three months." I looked at him. "Three months and not a single word." Back to the pancake. At this point the grin that he was apparently holding back broke through. "Joske, you got some 'splainin to do!" Back to him. Then ever-so-slowly back to the food. I licked my lips. "Joske... " "Only if you have, like, fifteen more of those." "What?!" The confused look on his face was priceless. I smiled madly, then shrugged suspiciously. "Nooooooo? Well, I guess I'm not gonna be esplain' anythin' then... old fart!" The only primal urge stronger than hunger and starvation was that of self-preservation, and that's what the two of us had respectively. So what followed next was a textbook example of a Kakama user verses a Kualsi wearer in mortal, deadly, and vicious hand-to-hand combat... which meant you didn't see anything. Well, maybe the occasional red and gold blur as we were the same color scheme. I mean, think about it: in one corner you have one guy who can travel instantaneously any visible distance, and in the other a guy who can move and react at near the speed of thought. In other words generally an even match. Oh yeah, almost forgot- The guy with the Kualsi? He trained me to be faster than him. Not to mention all those lessons got the "practical application" upon impact of Heuani. So needless to say about five seconds later - or an eternity later, depending on whose view you were looking at - the fight was over. I was straddling Agni between my legs, the mashed, syrupy prize in hand. We looked terrible, several new bruises and cuts where there weren't any earlier, and despite the combined fitness of both our bodies we each had difficulty catching our breath. Still, victory was mine, and with a single chomp the pancake wrap was gone. Sustenance! Victory! Vindica- *growl* And with that remark from my stomach my little power trip came to a sudden, crashing halt. I looked down at Agni, who was glaring at me from the ground. "Well, my former mentor, it would appear that-" "-I am right behind you." Somewhere in my half-completed sentence he had melted into the the sand beneath me, magically materializing behind me even as I stumbled at the loss of his body mass under me, somehow weaving it to look stupendous even as he finished my sentence for me. Inwardly I sighed as from the corner of my eye I saw his fist coming down. The guy still has class. Bummer. My Kakama pulsed, and I super-sped-crawled along the ground, leaving a trail in the sand even as Agni's fist smashed nothing but air. By the time I was on my feet again I was halfway down the block, running like a crazed lunatic to get away from the only living Toa who had a chance of catching up to me. "I'll be raiding Stannis' pantry if you need me!" I screamed behind me, waving hand as I booked down the streets. A few seconds later I was back at the Toa of Stone's abode, breezing through the door and past both him and his new visitor that apparently just showed up. By the time they turned to look at me and realize what was going on I was already stepping out of the pantry, arms overflowing with foodstuff as I devoured everything in sight. "Shorry *smack munch* buft I'm a shtad hungy *smack gulp*. Seen Cael?" I wasn't completely normal if I hadn't eaten in a while...

IC [Hewkii's office, Po-Koro - late morning] I bowed in respect to the Akiri. "Same to you Hewkii. If I happen to meet one of these beings I'll keep what you said in mind; perhaps I'll meet up with them one day... if they're still around. Thank you again for your time and generosity." With that I took my leave, letting the village leader to resume his daily duties. As I stepped into the lobby my eyes were immediately drawn to the single standing figure, a Toa that looked... "Impatient much?" I chuckled dryly as he whirled around to face me. I couldn't of been gone for more than five minutes, yet he already was acting like a little kid who was separated from his mother in the middle of the Bazaar. For being a Toa of Iron he had many Ta-Toa qualities, something that intrigued me. He intrigued me in general, a very complicated type of person with many layers hidden beneath a thick cloak wrapped tightly in a robe. I could already feel a type of connection with our personalities, but knew it would take some time to sort him out completely. It would seem as though the fates conspired against me for the one act of bringing Cael back. Kara was a cruel mistress. "Sooooooo... " I gave a sad face and held out an empty palm. I closed my fist, then opened it... only to have the Charm of Strategy between two fingers. In closed my fist again, and in continuation of my slight of hand when I opened it there were two charms, the second the Charm of Creation. He stared at me as I closed it one last time... and when I opened, they were gone once again; except that my sad face was now replaced with a suave grin. The Kakama was an amazing mask if I do say so myself. I figured Dor was smart enough to put two and two together, but that didn't matter. The best kind of magic trick is the kind that you know exactly what and how the magician is doing it, but you still can't spot him doing the trick. What I did was relatively simple, a mere slight of hand, one of the oldest tricks in the book. But what made it so spectacular was my ability to keep everything else perfectly still and when I moved my hand back, it was in the exact same spot when it left, making it look like it never moved at all. This is what happens when you devote a four months of you life perfecting the traits of a single ability... not to mention I was an astute if not gifted student, as Agni would attest. The few times I would venture out into the occupied areas of the Massif I would practice and entertain these simple tricks with the children there, and they simply ate it up. Being a street magician may be a bit mundane and possibly a waste of time to some people, but it had proven to me to be highly entertaining if not a delightful diversion to my constant depression. It had its uses. Like right now. Without another word I sauntered up to the standing Dor, my eyes closed, a satisfied half-smile playing on my lips. Even without looking I could feel his presence, for an attitude and ego like that was hard to ignore. With the lightest of touches I tapped him on the side of the face, as my fingers withdrew between them was my newest charm. For all intents and purposes it appeared that I had pulled it right out of his cheek, somewhere between where the mask and jawline met. My eyes never opened, but my smile grew wider, my spare hand resting casually on my hip, and with a snap of the fingers it vanished. Only now did my eyes open, and only halfway as I gazed at him. "Honestly I don't know who is unluckier with this pairing; you or me. In any case I got the charm, and from what I can tell I do believe I have the full set - I think I got Hewkii in a good mood." I turned to face the door, arms crossed. "I think it's time we bust this joint and make our way back to the party... after all, we have a Temple to locate and a door to unlock. Not to mention breakfast to eat. I'm famished! TO FOOD!" With that I pointed and marched out the door into the blazing sunlight... despite the fact it was closer to lunch than it was breakfast at this point. But my stomach didn't care was time it was; it hadn't eaten all day. It just wanted sustenance and I didn't practice cannibalism. I could really go for a pancake wrap right about now...

We could be lying. Wouldn't it be interesting if, for once, the "clue" was nothing more than a massive decoy? We haven't done it yet in ANY incarnation of the BZPRPG, but therefore stands to reason that such a move becomes more and more plausible with every passing arc. I would find it hilarious if not devious. Then again I could be lying about lying and the vault is quintessentially important, the answer to life and everything, and somehow NOT 42. You never know with staff... In any case, watching this topic come up every other week and seeing you all run around trying to figure it out makes me giddy. I enjoy the antics... hehe, you guys are so much fun to watch