Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)

IC: Joskander (Ko-Koro Gates) Joskander stared after Dahkapa, mug gripped tight in his twitching hands. Moments turned to months in his mind as he agonized over his decision... ...and then his mask flared to life. A moment later, the mug was gone, safely returned to the soup kitchen, and he was marching off after Dahkapa. "All right, all right, heck with it. Never got around to sightseeing before. Might as well do it now. Bleh." OOC: @Daniel the Finlander oh my god I am SO SORRY this took so long I have no idea what came over me D=

Sorry to keep you waiting on a post btw, Daniel. I've been having trouble deciding what I want Joskander to do xD

IC: Joskander (Ko-Koro gates) Joskander frowned bitterly down into his mug, watching bits of meat and tubers swirl slowly in the broth. He stole a quick glance at the guards beside the two Toa; if they'd been listening, they were doing a good job of looking like they hadn't. Not that he would have expected anything else of them, of course. After a long moment, he grunted, drained the rest of his mug in a single swig, and put a hand on Dahkapa's shoulder. "Brother. Promise me you're not gonna do anything stupid. Okay? I just..." The Toa of Air grit his teeth and tried his best to keep his voice low. Some part of him wanted to yell for the guards, to shout loud enough for the whole Koro to hear- but he wasn't willing to betray Dahkapa again just yet. "You talked about your- your conversion, or whatever, like it was a necessary evil. And I feel really, really uncomfortable with anything that could make you believe something like that could be justifiable. I'm worried, man. I'm really worried." OOC: @Daniel the Finlander

IC: Joskander (Ko-Koro gates) Joskander grimaced. "Buddy, if it's something you can't talk about in public, I'm not particularly sure if it's a good idea." OOC: @Daniel the Finlander

IC: Joskander (Ko-Koro gates) "Sanctum?" Sip. "What for?" OOC: @Daniel the Finlander

IC: Joskander (Ko-Koro gates) "Oh, yeah, everyone's getting settled in pretty quick. Found this-" Joskander tapped the side of his mug- "at some cafeteria just a little ways over thataway." He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "No name on it or anything. Think it might've started out as some sort of public service soup kitchen thing back when people were just starting to clean up around here, and the owners just decided to run with it. Good stuff." He took another swig and let the broth sit in his mouth for a moment before swallowing, savoring the taste. OOC: @Daniel the Finlander

IC: Joskander (Ko-Koro Gates) Oh, that's right, they did run into each other along the way, didn't they? Joskander took a long swig of soup. He'd somehow forgotten that part of his conversation with Enforcer... if not what it had led to. Bury that thought for now. That's a fuse just waiting to blow. "Ah, don't worry about the food," he said, taking care not to shrug this time. "I always eat on my feet, and I'm in the mood for pacing anyways. Of course, if you want a table, I don't mind looking." OOC: @Daniel the Finlander

IC: Joskander (Ko-Koro Gates) "Eeeh, sorta kinda." Joskander started to shrug, then winced when a little bit of soup splashed over the side of his mug. He tried to ignore the comment about Ak'rei'an. "That Toa of Sonics was definitely just some random guy that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I ended up taking him to Ko with me. We split up after we got inside, but I figure he's still somewhere around here." He sipped at his soup, then smirked and added, "Also, y'know how I mentioned the guys who ran the place were gone? Believe it or not, one of their leaders showed up again a little after you left- apparently, he was getting the gang started back up again. Go figure." OOC: @Daniel the Finlander

IC: Joskander (Ko-Koro Gates) "...wha? Oh, dang, um, ah-" There was a clamor of wildly uncoordinated shuffling from behind Dahkapa, and suddenly Joskander was sliding up to his side, one arm frantically waving for balance, the other clutching a mug of steaming Mahi broth. A mildly perturbed guard grabbed his arm, and he steadied himself with a sheepish grin. "Oof. Thanks." He turned to Dahkapa, small rivulets of soup and turnip bits dripping over his fingers. "Heyo, brother. Had a feeling you'd show up the moment I stepped away." OOC: @Daniel the Finlander

I was actually thinking Mar would've already gone off on his own by that point.

So am I! He told me he's still hoping to eventually pick up where he left off with Mako in Ga-Koro, for the record.

I actually gave him a poke about Mar not too long ago! He advised me to have Joskander move on without him, since he's busy IRL for now. (I'm currently having trouble drafting a post I'm happy with, though, so feel free to have Dahkapa meet him at the Ko-Koro gates if you want.)

same T_T

IC: Charek (Dark Walk) "Hey, what are you- hey, hey, settle down-" So this was apparently happening. Charek was quite certain he'd never had to deal with herding crowds of Matoran before, even back when he'd actually been a proper Toa rather than just a hired gun, and he was quickly finding the experience to be distinctly unenjoyable. The terrified guards barely seemed to notice him as they pushed past, and occupied as he was with his light and whatever in Mata Nui's name was going on in the chamber, he wasn't much of an obstacle for them. "Hey, uh, should someone-" "-oh. Ah. Yes, sir." Slamming his ball of starlight into the wall beside him, the Toa of Plasma reached out with one arm and fished a battered Ko-Matoran out of the throng; this Guardswoman had evidently not been part of the crowd of her own free will, and seemed quite thoroughly trampled. "Right, you're safe now-" Charek swore violently and recoiled as a shower of burning debris erupted in front of him. He instinctively heaved the Matoran he'd caught behind him with one arm and covered his face with the other; around the edges of his hand, he saw a pair of hulking monsters emerge from the new hole in the ceiling to land between him and the rest of the Toa in his team, the colors of their armor shifting rapidly. Ambush. Rahkshi. Gritting his teeth, the Toa looked behind him. The other Matoran were already flooding back into the Dark Walk, where- oh no oh no oh no- the Turaga in the mech suit was evidently fending off a Muaka and another Rahkshi all at once. Something in him itched to pull out his blaster and leap into the fray (to Karzahni with Skri and her warnings!), but he had a job to do, and that job didn't look like it'd be getting any easier in the near future. He turned back to the Matoran he'd grabbed, grabbed her by the waist, hissed a warning to stay at his side at all times should he happen to let her go, and sprinted out into the passageway. As his Kakama flared to life, his awareness and reflexes grew with his speed. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted hands of earth pulling the group's lone Ta-Matoran out of reach of the two Rahkshi at the entrance, his mask scarred and smoking from the ambush; around him, sections of metal ripped themselves from the walls to bind a pair of fleeing Matoran to the ground. The other Toa at work, undoubtedly; he had a feeling that Rahkshi were far smarter about their priorities than trapping fleeing Matoran. Good. Charek was fast, but his element wasn't well-suited for being gentle, and he certainly couldn't carry a dozen Matoran all on his own. Any help would be welcome at this point. Help confirmed. Excellent. "Change of plans," Charek told the Matoran he was holding, skidding to a halt. He spun and reared back for a throw. "Ronan!" he called. "Catch!" Throwing Matoran like bamboo disks was also a first for him. Hopefully his fellow Toa had a bit more experience catching. OOC: @Goose @Visaru @Perp @Light IC: Joskander (Ko-Koro gates) Ko-Koro. At long last. Joskander looked up at the battered gates and ground his teeth- more from the cold than out of trepidation, admittedly, but it was hardly a place he had fond memories of. The first time he'd stood before these walls, they had been burning. Even now, he could still smell a trace of soot on the wind. He remembered that, just a few days before leaving for Ta-Koro, he'd asked Bhuko if she'd wanted to visit her old home. She'd refused. He hadn't pressed the matter; he had a feeling he knew her reasoning already. After everything Ko-Koro had been through, was it truly her home anymore? Would it ever be? The Toa of Air turned to his companion, still trudging his way through the snowdrifts, his faithful pet at his side. "Mar," Joskander said. "Welcome back to Ko." OOC: @Geardirector @Daniel the Finlander

IC: Cephala (Tidalpool Inn) Cephala eased back into her chair, one hand itching towards her notebook. She'd spent a solid chunk of time grilling a pair of foreign old coots for information, and only now that someone else was gearing up to do that very thing did she feel self-conscious about it. Go figure. In any case, it wasn't her show right now, and she let the hand at her notebook fall. Probably best to sit back and let her friends do the talking; it wouldn't do to beat them to their own story, after all. OOC: @Mel @Geardirector @Toatapio Nuva

IC: Cephala (Tidalpool Inn) ...oh dear. Cephala sighed bitterly. "Well," she said, doing her best to keep her tone chipper, "not too long ago it wound up violently occupied by a bunch of cultists- mostly Makuta worshippers, with a couple other assorted crazies and undesirables here and there. They all got cleared out a couple months back, but it was pretty awful while it lasted." Her voice faltered a little as not-nearly-old-enough memories began to stir. "I have this friend," she muttered. "Toa of Air, all smiles and cheers and crazy flailing, the goofiest guy you'd ever meet. He wound up stumbling into Ko while it was falling. Next time I saw him..." She closed her eyes as she remembered that first night- Joskander standing quietly in her living room, arms limp, legs shaking, armor cracked and scorched, body silhouetted by the lightning outside. When she had asked him about the blood on his hands, he had told her, in a voice that creaked like a crumbling snowdrift, the names of every single person he had buried in the Ihu-Koro cemetery over the prior two weeks. He never ate. He never slept. He just stood there, staring into nothing, until his knees finally gave out after nine hours and he collapsed into her arms. No. Stop that. Breathe. This isn't what they need to hear right now. Breathe, darn you. She breathed. "...doesn't matter right now." The words felt like a lie as she said them, but she could apologize to Joskander later. "If your friend didn't go to Ko during the occupation, I wouldn't be too worried about her getting tortured by a bunch of death worshippers or something-" why did I say that "-but the Wastes can still be pretty dangerous if you're new to the area. Freak snowstorms, avalanches, disguised cliffs, exposure to the elements, enormous Rahi predators, just plain getting lost... We've got traveler-friendly roads and stuff, sure, but Ko-Wahi's definitely one of the most hostile environments on the island. Here's hoping she had a decent guide." OOC: @Geardirector @Mel

IC: Cephala (Tidalpool Inn) "To Ko-Wahi?" Cephala grimaced. "Hopefully this wasn't too long ago. Ko's been through a lot these past few years." OOC: @Mel @Geardirector

IC: Joskander (Obsidian Outpost) Joskander took one last look at Gak's grave and whispered a quick prayer he'd learned in Ihu- he wasn't particularly religious, but it was the least he could offer to the dead. Then he turned back to Mar. "Ready." He waved his hand, and a gust of wind tore up the cold slopes to Ko-Koro, carving a path through the snow. OOC: @Geardirector I don't actually know how to write intra-Wahi travel :P Do we just say our characters are at the gates or something?

IC: Cephala (Tidalpool Inn) "Mm." Cephala lurched over the table to scoop up her story stones. "Pleasure was mine, friend," she said as she refilled her bag. "Feel free to stop by my hut whenever you feel like another chat! Eastern docks, right next to the Gardens, little sand circle out in front- you can't miss it." A thought struck her. She paused, hand closed around the Makuta stone. "Actually, wait- would it be all right if I came with you two? For a little while, at least? I daresay I'd have an easier time learning about my new neighbors in your company..." OOC: @Geardirector @Mel

IC: Joskander (Obsidian Outpost) "Sounds like a plan, then." Joskander nodded curtly. "Ko first, though, if that's all right with ye." OOC: @Geardirector

IC: Joskander (Obsidian Outpost) "Well, if you want off, I suppose the cable car's right there..." Joskander gestured at the outpost. "Alternatively, I'm thinking about popping on over to Ga-Koro after I see Dahkapa again. Got a buddy that lives there..." OOC: @Geardirector

IC: Cephala (Tidalpool Inn) "Oh, I'm sure she'll be happy to accommodate you if you catch her when she's not busy. Of course, with all these new arrivals..." Cephala shrugged. "And don't worry about the drinking thing, that was a joke. I don't drink to drown my sorrows, I drink because I like the tingle." OOC: @Mel @Geardirector

IC: Joskander (Obsidian Outpost) ...?! "Sure," Joskander said, and now he was smiling too. "How far?"

IC: Cephala (Tidalpool Inn) Cephala looked at Mako with a sad smile. "Ah... I was waiting for an excuse to do this." She closed her eyes. "Gathered friends, listen once again..." It was not a long performance, but for a Turaga's meager powers it was an ordeal nonetheless. The tiredness when she opened her eyes again, however, was more than just physical. "The First Toa did indeed come to this island, just as the village prophecies foretold. A hundred years ago, they washed up in canisters hurled from the heavens, turned away armies of Makuta's corrupted Rahi that had plagued the Matoran here for a millennium, and made their way beneath the Great Temple to Makuta's lair deep beneath. None of them returned." Cephala flicked her fingers, and as one, the six stones representing the First Toa fell. "Around the time I came to the island- just a couple years back, in fact- a bunch of Matoran went on a quest and got themselves turned into replacements for the First Toa. They went down into Makuta Land themselves, and apparently they actually won that round." She shrugged. "I say 'apparently', of course, because he's clearly back now. Oh, nobody talks about it out loud, but we all feel it- we've been feeling it for months now. It's like there's a pair of eyes directly behind you every moment of your life, like there's a set of intangible strings always tugging at your body, like the entire universe tilted a couple degrees when you weren't looking and now everyone's about to fall off a cliff that was never there. When Makuta's about, everything's just a little bit wrong, and you're just aware of it for it to hurt you." The Po-Turaga frowned, pursed her lips, sighed. "Got a little carried away there. Sorry, Been holding a lot of that in for a while. Dunno if I should thank you two or the drinks for helping me get it all out... eh, heck with it, I'll thank you all." She chuckled bitterly. "Long story short- Maru are special Toa. Fought Makuta or something, actually lived to tell the tale. I'm pretty sure Ga-Koro's patron Maru is actually in town right now- her name's Leah, by the by- but she's probably busy with the fleet that apparently turned up on her doorstep when she wasn't looking. When I wasn't looking. She was probably looking. Whatever. Boy, I sure do miss not remembering that I'm drunk." OOC: @Geardirector @Mel

IC: Joskander (Obsidian Outpost) "Promised Dahkapa I'd meet up with him at Ko-Koro. After that..." Mind-shapers in Ga...? ...no. That's not my decision to make. And yet Enforcer's words lingered nonetheless. Joskander grimaced. He supposed he should have expected just how draining it would be, interacting with a broken brother. Not that it would have changed anything- not that it would have kept him from his guilt- but he never would have been emotionally equipped for this. As much as he wanted to help Dahkapa, was there truly anything he could do at this point? Did Dahkapa even need him? And, more than anything else, he just wanted to go and see Cephala. To talk to a friend again. It would lift his spirits, if nothing else. "...after that, maybe do some running around here and there. It's what I'm good at." OOC: @Geardirector Ach, I'm torn. I wanna toss Joskander into Ga so I can write him as a walking meme again, but I don't think he'd want to leave his impromptu interrogation unfinished (he's deffo at least a little bit suspicious still) and the whole Dahkapa thing still lives rent-free in his head...