BZPRPG - Ta-Wahi

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (Ta-Koro)

 

Elysi was met in the door by white cloaked figure, who upon bumping into her immediately launched into a tirade of apologies.

"Terribly sorry, dear, I didn't mean to be in your way. Beauty before age or whatever it is you youngsters say nowadays" she said as she stepped back with a bow.

 

Underneath the shadow cast by her hood, her face twisted sinisterly, it would be interesting to see the crimson-armored Toa's reaction. Zelvin enjoyed gauging people like that, and this encounter had provided a golden opportunity.

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi

 

"wat"

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (The Drunken Murderess)

 

Perplexed, blunt and inconsiderate of the effect her poor language skills had on people with functioning linguistic skills. Zelvin filed it under "Crimson Toa" as she took a real look at her.

 

The first thing that caught her eyes was the unusual color combination, crimson and vermillion with peach and light blue, leaving her element an educated guess at best. Zelvin remembered how Takua had looked, though, and decided Elysi was probably a fire elemental in the same vein.

 

It was then the semi-retired bounty hunter moved on to the rest of Elysi, taking in her various weapons and sleek, well-built form; this was someone who more than likely made a living using those weapons, if Zelvin had to guess she'd assume this elementally androgynous Toa was some sort of hired hand, like herself.

 

"I just meant to say I'm sorry for bumping into you just now, Mama Clench apologizes"

 

There, she'd revealed her identity, she wondered how well her reputation had survived since her semi-retirement.

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi

 

Mama Clench?!

 

Elysi had been in many bounty hunter circles. She knew of many famous (or infamous) figures in her line of work. Quite a number of them were dead, retired, or so ridiculous that being in the same field with them was basically a guarantee that you would have to live off instant noodles until you found somebody who would actually hire you. Mama Clench embodied the last two, as well as the first, if some rumours were to be believed (although Elysi really doubted she was an undead alien from the moon). If she was now active again ... well.

 

It was at times like these when Elysi was thankful that most of her jobs didn't usually fall into the older bounty hunter's sphere of influence. She hated instant noodles.

 

"Word on the street was that you'd decided to live a comfy life," remarked the Toa of Lightning. "So you've decided to hop right back in again?"

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (The Drunken Murderess)

 

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear, and you may never know just who might be listening" Zelvin replied cryptically as she removed her hood.

 

"I suppose 'comfy life' is one way to describe it, but I'm not retired just yet, I simply take to bounties that interest me nowadays rather than taking whichever pays the most out of necessity"

 

"But please, 'Mama Clench' is far too formal, the name is Zelvin" she said, offering her hand to Elysi.

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi

 

"Elysi," she replied, taking the older hunter's hand.

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (The Drunken Murderess)

 

"A pleasure to meet a member of the new generation," Zelvin said, "it warms my heart to see that our profession still draws up and coming youth with vigor and passion. New blood is always welcome"

 

"How about a drink?"

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi

 

"I would appreciate that."

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (The Drunken Murderess)

 

"Wonderful" Zelvin beamed as she ushered Elysi inside.

 

The place looked very new, the smell of newly refurbished locales hitting their nostrils with a tempting stroke. Zelvin smiled as she looked about the place; gritty, plucky and a bit of a dry atmosphere (which was usually a bad sign for a place where people drank), but warm, with decent space and an extra fragrance of saccharine in the air; ultimately enough good qualities to let her offer the place the benefit of the doubt.

 

Up to the counter they went, where the inn's proprietor turned out to be a Vo-Matoran.

 

"Good evening, Miss" she said.

 

OOC: That's for you Drakmanka

[Snelly]

IC: Helios (Ta-Koro Tavern)

 

"Right-o" I mumbled as I put my hat back on, sparing a wink at the other Bo-Toa in the group, she was pretty cute.

 

IC: Savina

 

Savina subconsciously inched her seat closer to Tehlin as she noticed one of the Toa nearby not-so-subtle wink at her. She looked well away from him and hugged Tehlin's arm. Hopefully that would send him the message that she was taken.

 

As for the adventure itself, Savina wasn't particularly happy at being left in the dark about what exactly this treasure was. Neither Zauk or Tehlin had bothered to tell her on their way here from Ko-koro. It was somewhat frustrating being dragged across the island without even knowing why.

 

"Tehlin..." Savina began in a harsh whisper into his ear. "Why. Am. I. Here." If she didn't get a satisfying answer she'd probably do something drastic.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Yoko Littner

[Hitoshura]

IC: Ryzen

 

I decided to head to the koro. They should have some inns, or somewhere to hang around to keep me occupied. I snorted slightly at that last thought. As if keeping myself busy was something that hard. At least a simple chat with someone wouldn't hurt. I headed in the direction of Ta-koro with an unexplainable smirk on my face.

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

Déja vu, here we go again.

 

I couldn't remember whether I'd finished my last drink or not -- past experience said "yes", though -- but whether or not I did was rendered a moot point when a Skakdi carrying a tray of shots just plunked it down in front the Adventurers. Uncultured neanderthal as I may be, a cursory psychoanalysis of the action pretty much advertised, neon-sign style, that this little escapade being cooked up was the place to be for the occupants of dives like this. Dig a little deeper, and one might also be able to see that beneath the gracious and goading offer was the subconscious STOP that hollered "The only way anyone would agree to do something this mind-numbingly dangerous would be to get they completely and utterly plastered."

 

I was over at that table before you could blink. "Plagia; sign me up."

 

Now, before I can get into my next point, I have to lead through to it by addressing my absolute inability to step back and think, Jeez, maybe I shouldn't get involved in same hair-brained scheme that'll probably get me killed/scarred/stuck burying more friends. Karz, this is only the tip of the iceberg; the last one started with "ILS" and ended with the atrophied, alcohol-barren, witless corpse of a ghost town on the shores of Lake Pala. Me, Alfon, Kethrye ... when the rest of your friends leave for more exciting lives elsewhere, you know that you made a swell choice joining 'em in the first place.

 

But speaking of Mr. Glorious-Leader-Number-Two ... see how I segued right from one topic to another? Man, I oughta write a book.

 

"Keth, you can join us, but you sure as Karz aren't getting any of this here liquor," I said, downing of a shot of said there liquor. "Saving it for the people who don't look like they're about to keel over from alcohol poisoning..."

 

Déja vu, and , I'm smiling.

 

-Void

[Vezok's Friend]

IC (Kohra)

 

The fugitive Vortixx made her way through the busy streets of the village of fire, hidden under a crimson cloak, crudely fashioned from a piece of cloth she had swiped while passing through the markets. In addition, she had also stolen some linen and wrapped it tightly around her left arm to hide the dark deformation. It was a simple disguise, but it held up well enough for time being. The trick was hiding in plain sight, something she would not have been able to do just a few hours prior. But since the injection and subsequent escape from the Ta-Koro stockade, Kohra reveled in her regained power, her sharpened focus and clear mind. It took more effort to not give into the emotional high A d let her sinister smile show through than it took to act casually.

 

Still, getting out of prison was only the first step. She needed to get out of the village and soon. Time was not her ally. She knew the guards at the entrances immediately were informed of any breakout attempts after the numerous escapes of the past and her own attack on the cablecar. But if she moved fast, she could probably make it before detailed descriptions of her were handed out. Easier said than done; Ta-Koro itself could almost be called a prison itself, considering how it was built. She briefly had considered just playing it cool and strolling up to and out of the front gates, if the guards bought the sweet and innocent act from the poor foreign Vortixx. But the guards were not stupid and so she had decided to look for a way out of the village that would let her stay out of sight.

 

That was the other reason why she had come to the markets. She had spent the last hour or so looking around for a merchant cart heading out of the Koro. There were many carts, but not that many on the move. Finally, she spotted one heading west towards the exit. It was moving at walking speed and so She followed it until it turned the next corner. Pretending to casually cross the street behind the wagon, she took a quick dive under it, grabbing onto the wooden frame. She lifted her legs up as well, resting the back of her feet on the axle. To anybody looking from the outside, she was completely obscured from view.

 

A few minutes later, the merchant reached the gate. Kohra tensed up, lowering her breathing and keeping as still as possible as the Matoran exchanged the usual customs questions. One of the guardsmen decided to take a look at the goods the merchant was bringing along with him but he didn't bother to inspect the bottom of the cart. And so, Kohra escaped the villa of fire as a stowaway without further incident.

 

She waited until the cart had been pulled around the first bend by it's Mukau steed, before she gently lowered herself onto the ash- covered ground. She let her heels drag for a second, then let go and let the cart pass. Once it had moved far enough along, she turned around and stood up. Ta-Koro was out of sight. At last, the Vortixx allowed herself a little grin. Then, she she quickly left the road, heading into the charred forest. She needed to find whoever had supplied her the syringe. It was a reasonable assumption that whoever had done that was still nearby. And. The forest made for a good hiding place. Kohra was eager to meet her unknown beneficiary.

 

Ooc: no formatting or spellchecking due to writing on mobile at 2 am.

[BenLuke]

"Keth, you can join us, but you sure as Karz aren't getting any of this here liquor," I said, downing of a shot of said there liquor. "Saving it for the people who don't look like they're about to keel over from alcohol poisoning..."

 

IC: Kethrye

 

Plagia.

 

Kethyre could not help but grin at meeting one of the the old gang again. "And that does not include you, Plagia my dear?" he said, tone sarcastically formal. He slid over beside her and downed his own beverage, then slammed the empty glass it down on the bar. "Frankly, I don't think there's many here that aren't about to keel over, either."

 

He shrugged, in part to hide a slight, alcohol induced stumble, in part to seem his normal, stoic but blithe self. "So what's old Plagia been up to, besides getting as wasted as I am in this dive. More then I have, I'd hope, although that might be a little to much to ask. Respect for our own time isn't really either of our virtues."

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Kino Iho)

 

"You weren't the only one to grow up in a jungle, granted mine was made of stone and concrete," I smirked, still keeping the blanket wrapped around me. Not sure why though, Ta was freaking hot, and that meant usually slept without the blanket, trust me if I lived in Ko, or it was an chilly night in Ga, I'd be wearing more layers. However, when your town is the middle of volcano, where there is forges everywhere billowing out heat. Lighter armor and clothing means I'm more comfortable, that and I also like the look on my co-workers' faces. After a second though I was just getting way too hot. The gesture was a nice one and I smirked more as I slid back off my shoulders. "Ah, I don't really need the blanket, gets hot enough in Ta, if it go any hotter, you would have probably see me answering that door in just a towel, it's the only one thing I don't like about this place. Besides that, it's alright, work is good, people are mostly nice, and it feels good to be here," I chuckled and winked. "Thanks for the produce by the way, I was actually running low, was going to have make a pass by the market soon." Angelus seemed pained, like always, but he was one of those guys, he didn't talked about Tuara just up and left. I heard rumors of there was something between him and her, and then she just left with Dorian Shaddix. It would break my heart if I was just left like that. Then there was the fact he ascended to Captain of the Guard, so there were those stresses too. Poor thing was carrying the weight of Ta-Koro on his back, he needed to relax.

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"It's just a little gift for a friend. Don't worry about it," the Captain assured her, waving his hand lazily. "I hit the market for fun anyway. Killed two Rahkshi with a single stone."

 

Kino smirked and let the blanket fall in bunches onto the sliver of couch between them; Angelus idly curled a corner around his finger and then uncurled, curled and uncurled. Kino Iho put her head back and smirked at him again, and this time he had no choice but to look at her with an amused half-grin of his own and sigh.

 

"What?" he asked, with a little more good-nature. "What's that smirk for? If anything I should be the one smirking. I was promised the best steaks on all of Mata Nui and instead here you are in workout clothes. Unless 'steak' is some awful Kino-speak euphemism I'm missing out on?"

 

-Tyler

[Ghosthands]

IC (Echelon)

 

From between scorched trunks stepped out a deeper blackness, the crunch of charcoal underfoot alerting Kohra to this new presence. The Vortixx turned, and was met with the sight of a Dark Toa that, while certainly recognisable, differed from the memory forged during their single previous meeting.

 

Where once there had been streaks of lime, now was only black upon black. A green gem had forsaken its old, three-tined perch in favour of a ferruled metal rod. Eyes of a new and poisonous green burned colder than ever above a smile of greeting.

[Hitoshura]

IC: Ryzen

 

I walked through the gates just over a hour ago, with the blazing heat surrounding me, still unsure where exactly to go. Never mind, an inn or a bar or somewhere to stay. I walked into the nearest one, and hoped to find something, even something small.

[sunflower]

IC: Tehlin

 

Savina latched onto my arm, pulling me down enough for her to whisper harshly in my ear. I turned my head to give her an apologetic look.

 

"Sorry, sorry," I replied, "I'm going to go with Zauk on his little adventure, there are supposedly items there, ones that I could use to, well get back at someone. Look, you don't have to go if you don't want to."

 

OOC: time skip powers

 

 

gooooooooooooooooooooo~

 

(this is just me getting things moving, no one has to time skip with me if they need to do other things)

 

IC: Zauk [Next Day, Ta-Koro Gate]

 

The Toa of Lightning stood by the imposing structure that separated the outside world from the blistering Koro of Fire, though his gaze was fixed inward on the pathway leading into the stone-built village. Waiting to see who would actually follow through with going on the Quest. He had arrived there much earlier that morning, Tehlin was still out getting supplies, and simply waited. He was already prepared for what was to come.

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

The Vortixx' eyes narrowed under the hood of her makeshift ragged cloak. Her purple glare met the newcomers green one as they sized each other up. They had only once before, but even with the changed appearance, Kohra recongized the posture, the air of superiority and the malevolence that was as present as the dark aura surrounding him, almost sucking in what little light fell through the trees onto him.

 

"Echelon."

 

She slightly relaxed, her expression changing from tense to something that almost looked like she was pleasantly surprised by his appearance. She tilted her head slightly back and pulled the hood back with her right.

 

"Looks like I missed out on quite a few changes while I was gone."

[NorikSigma]

IC: [Vygel]-[Ta-Koro Gates]-[Ready to go]

 

The Toa of Gravity had packed up and was ready and raring to go. He saw an athletic looking, grey-armoured Toa from the previous day waiting at the gates of the village.

 

"Good morning, you must be here for that quest, am I right? I'm Vygel, Toa of Gravity at your service, he said, shifting his backpack ever so slightly while sticking his hand out for a shake.

Edited April 9, 2014 by Just Norik

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

"Then you'd likely fit best with the main Guard force." The secretary commented, scrawling several more notes on the paperwork. "Now, Ms. Kidona, if you'll follow me, we can get this process finalized."

[Voxumo]

IC: Kidona

 

Kidona nodded as she stood up and moved to follow the matoran while speaking up

"Technically it would me Ms. Vorske.."

[sunflower]

IC: Zauk

 

The Toa of Lightning's blank gaze fixed itself upon the purple and black-armored Ba-Toa that approached him, before moving down to stare at the offered hand as if Vgel had made some obscene gesture towards him. It was a moment before Zauk replied in kind, seeming as if he was forcing himself not to completely frown. Sociable was not one of his strong suits, though it looked like he was at least trying.

 

"Zauk," He stated simply, shaking Vygel's hand. "Yes, I will be leading the quest."

 

He release his grip on the Vygel's hand, and there was a decidedly unnaturally silent pause between them, before he spoke again.

 

"Did you see anyone else?"

[Simulacrum]

-IC: Araedrex-

 

The street vanishes beneath my feet, details lost in a obnubilation of fire and stone. The trajectory of my Kakama-enhanced leap continues as planned, my movement curving pluperfectly from the place of leap into the deisgnated landing position on the rooftop below. Ground rumbles beneath the force of my fall, impressions of pain slithering through the nerves of my legs, knees buckling and shoulders diving into smooth, errorless roll. I rise and continue in the same moment, a perpetual tempest of energy and motion, velocity given form. The gates of Ta-Koro are mere meters away; I stride to my destination, my movements incorporeal, my form anchoritic in its perfection, and stare down at the endless tide of people below, trudging through their meaningless lives as they waste energy on purposeless thoughts. Truly, more contented swine have never marched to their slaughter. I take the liberty of reposing on the roof to watch them scramble in the flat morning air, waiting for my fellow travellers.

 

As the sun rises to reasonable height, the entrepreneurial Vo-Toa arrives, alone and phlegmatic. I decide to make my presence known, and calmly exit the building via stairwell, arriving in the street shortly after another interested person. I nod at them, and lean against the building gate, observing the view provided by such low ground.

[Geardirector]

IC: Helios (Ta-Koro Gates)

 

With a big grin, the sun rose on a characteristically bustling Village of Fire, orange and yellow stripes spreading across the Brimstone Bastion with warm morning promises, and with images of riches, adventure and romance swirling in my head, the next big step was about to be taken.

 

I got up as soon as time allowed, feeling my limbs stir with growing excitement as I planted my hat on top of my mask, tapping my foot absentmindedly as I got dressed.

 

My backpack rustled lively as I hoisted it onto my back, and my cloak flapped vividly as I stepped out of my room with slow, resolute steps, face secluded by the straw hat, a glint of polished metal occasionally sparking to life before fading away.

 

“As we set out on the quest, my sixth sense gave me this grim feeling that all was not what it truly seemed. I sensed danger was afoot… someone was out there waiting to throw a monkey wrench into our machinery, I could feel it just as much as I felt my own breath”

 

Ha, dramatic storytelling always seems to spice things up.

 

Passing by the few other awake tenants like a stylish phantom (read: nice hat), I quickly found myself on a bouncy march towards Ta-Koro’s gates, where the rendezvous for the treasure hunt was going to be happening very soon. As I navigated past the crowd milling about, I was reminded of an old Le-Koronan proverb in relation to my current situation.

 

“Adventure-quest is like life, never-not knowing what-which will sneak-come your way; you must expect to experience life-joy and life-strife”

 

A grand quest like the one I’d now joined out of the blue was bound to bring with it the highest highs and the lowest lows; just as much as joy and happiness struggle and strife were also part of life.

 

(Hehe that rhymed)

 

The sun was still grinning, and its rays gave the visible parts of my mask and extraordinary shine, amplified by the glowing rubies peering through its eyeholes to create a mysterious, almost dangerous look. And might I say it, pretty handsome if you were being a little generous.

 

I was on a roll, and I let it show, my pace was determined, revealing me to be on the way somewhere. I was a traveler on the intersection between exciting and dangerous, and where my steps would lead me only the fickle mistress called ‘time’ could tell.

 

Colx’s training and advice buzzed in my head in fragments, all the stances, all the little tricks, the harrowing exercises, the gravelly, harsh voice of an old ringmaster guiding me along as I slowly got a grasp on my skills, preparing me for what the outside world had in store.

 

This was the first test, the first great obstacle in my path, were I to call myself a Toa, I could do no less than face this challenge with all the gusto and skill I could muster, for Colx, for me, and for Melna.

 

Was it dangerous? I had my suspicions. Was it worth it? I’d have to find out. I dropped Mata Nui a silent prayer, then, hoping he’d decide to get up from his nap to give me a nudge or two in the right direction. Can’t exactly hurt my chances, can it?

 

I had defeated a fearsome Kuma-Nui and I had exposed a would-be terrorist, now it was time to unearth untold riches presumed from a time long forgotten.

 

There he was, by the gates of Ta-Koro, the brooding Vo-Toa from last night, already joined by two others. I walked up them, removing my hat as a gesture with a friendly nod.

 

“Howdy”

[Drakmanka]

IC: Lana

 

Lana perked up the moment the door swung open, a smirk spreading across her face.

"Evenin'." She grunted. "What'll it be for you two?" She asked, gesturing slightly to the menu and then to her new customers.

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (The Drunken Murderess)

 

"I'd like a Brandy, what about you, Elysi dear?" Zelvin asked and turned to the Crimson Lightning.

[Onaku]

IC: Aidrak & Saedrak

 

At the early break of dawn, Aidrak opened his eyes. Their room was a mess, they'd let themselves go yesterday night. Sheesh, is that Saedrak's... on the lamp... uggh. Aidrak got out of bed, shaking Saedrak to wake up. He couldn't indulge Saedrak's desire to sleep out, they had to get up and get out before the rest of the group got a chance to ditch them. "Wake up, Irnakk curse it! We could be late!"

 

But Saedrak kept sleeping, owing to him being one of the heaviest sleepers on the island, Karz, even the heaviest sleeper on the island. Aidrak cursed him half-silently, quickly moving on to pack their belongings.

 

...

 

*SPLASH*

 

Saedrak gasped for air as the warm water hit his face. He was wide awake now, and most certainly not happy about it. Aidrak, the culprit, stood over him with a metal bucket in his hands. "Rise and shine, earth-boy."

 

...

 

Arriving at the gates of Ta-koro, the two skakdi noticed others which had already arrived. "So! Everybody ready for a good treasure hunt?!" Aidrak smirked, and Saedrak rolled his eyes.

Edited April 10, 2014 by Toa Onaku

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi

 

"Just some whisky thanks," said the bounty hunter/mercenary nonchalantly.

[NorikSigma]

IC: Zauk

 

The Toa of Lightning's blank gaze fixed itself upon the purple and black-armored Ba-Toa that approached him, before moving down to stare at the offered hand as if Vgel had made some obscene gesture towards him. It was a moment before Zauk replied in kind, seeming as if he was forcing himself not to completely frown. Sociable was not one of his strong suits, though it looked like he was at least trying.

 

"Zauk," He stated simply, shaking Vygel's hand. "Yes, I will be leading the quest."

 

He release his grip on the Vygel's hand, and there was a decidedly unnaturally silent pause between them, before he spoke again.

 

"Did you see anyone else?"

IC: [Vygel]-[Ta-Koro Gates]

 

Vygel saw two members come over.

 

"Well there they are," he said.

 

To the Skakdi who had spoken, Vygel said, "I am. My name is Vygel and this is the quest leader Zauk," Vygel stuck out his hand again for a shake.

[Drakmanka]

IC: Lana

 

"Alrighty then." Lana nodded, turning to her stock for a few moments before returning with their drinks. "Four widgets each." She said as she set the glasses down.

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi

 

Said amount of widgets were passed across the counter to Lana.

 

"Thanks," replied the Toa of Lightning.

[Onaku]

IC: Aidrak & Saedrak

The skakdi of air took Vygels hand and shook firmly "I'm Aidrak. This rockhead here is my partner Saedrak. The pleasure is yours, I'm sure." Aidrak enthusiastically looked at the other members of the group, with a silly little grin plastered on his face. "Seems like this is going to be fun after all"

 

Saedrak sighed as he looked down at the ground longingly.

[NorikSigma]

IC: Vygel

Vygel smiled and replied,"I'm sure it'll be."

 

Vygel could tell that Zauk was rather uncomfortable with talking and people, so he attempted to shift the nervous energy away.

 

"How many people signed up last evening?" He asked.

[Geardirector]

IC: Helios (Ta-Koro Gates)

 

"How many people signed up last evening?"

 

"At least twenty, if I got my numbers right" I remarked, tactfully refraining from showing annoyance at the fact that'd I'd been completely ignored up until now despite the previous swagger with which I'd entered. Right now, that thing about numbers was the focus, and I knew numbers, being a former businessman and all.

 

"Almost sounds a bit crowded if you ask me"

 

IC: Zelvin (The Drunken Murderess)

 

"Wonderful, thank you" she thanked the bartender as her and Elysi disappeared to a table by the eastern wall.

 

"So, Elysi, how's business in Ta-Koro been lately?"

[NorikSigma]

IC: Vygel

Vygel turned and saw To a.

 

"Hi, I didn't see you there. I'm Vygel. This is Aidrak, Saedrak and Zauk."

[Onaku]

IC: Ankarya & Dia

 

Ankarya looked out the window of their shop that faced the Ta-Koro gates, noticing a group of people slowly assembling there.

 

"Seems there's people gathering at the gate." The skakdi looked back to her matoran partner, who was at that very moment finishing a masterfully crafted sword.

 

"It's probably nothing to worry about, just some people getting ready for some kind of quest or something. Nothing we need to worry about." A second after finishing the last word, she made the final touch to the sword, putting it to the side with the other swords she had made.

 

Dia thought for a moment, then looked back to Ankarya. "Although... this might be an opportunity."

[sunflower]

IC: Vezok

Have you ever been locked up before? And I mean locked up. Really locked up. Not some wimpy "oh they threw me into a poorly constructed metal cage that fell apart after I sneezed too hard". No? Why, then it is my professional medical opinion that this horribly condition of your's be rectified as soon as possible.

If you have, well then, there's the small possibility, minuscule possibility, that you're not a simpleton completely lacking any number of brain cells devoted to higher level cogent thought processes. If you managed to exit said prison on your own oh so valuable time and without being escorted out in chains, then you've an even greater chance of actually being able to correctly use that wasted space between your audio receptors. Congratulations, you're now as intelligent as most respectable Rahi, please now continue on with your miserable lives and fool yourself into thinking that you can think.

But that means nothing if didn't go into that prison by your own free will.

It's one thing to be captured by the land's most elite guard, the "best of the best" which I've heard oh so many times since the beginning of my stay here, and then escape, but it's a complete other animal to fool them into giving you the premium tour of their most secure facilities at your leisure.

Yes, I probably could have overpowered the guards that brought me here. Yes, I could have easily broken the Matoran who shackled me's neck and made a run for it there. Yes, I could have done any number of things to make my stay here take up far less of my time.

But I didn't.

It's quite simple, really, though I suppose that's why so many claiming to be able to use their head for things other than looking ugly fail to grasp.

Thok may have been a planner, a plotter and a schemer. A master mastermind and "I don't have to lift a finger" manipulator. But even he'd be blindly grasping for answers. I'm not a plotter, I'm not Thok.

I'm a thinker. And I'm a doer.

I do not waste my time planning in the shadows, waiting for others to complete my goals for me, not when I could swing the sword far more effectively than they ever could.

You see, a prison is easily the most educational place you'll ever be granted the chance to see in your short, ephemeral lives. Know the prison, and you know the man who built it. From the walls to the furniture inside, all speak a story of him, if one is able to listen.

A prison tells you what his strengths are, where he deludes himself into thinking he's powerful. Where he bases his defenses on, what he relies on too keep himself standing. A prison sings of his hopes and dreams, his values and morals. As well as the fears he holds within the deepest part of his being. Though arguably most importantly to my narrative, a prison speaks of where he is weak, where he attempts to defend his weakness, and how exploit it.

And I've just about have Ta-Koro and his soulless, stone prison figured out.

It's not the first volcano-nation that I've been held captive by, so it's really nothing that new. Granted, this one has a much poorer taste in prisoner comfort and interior design. Seriously, these manacles are almost cutting into my wrists, and there's nothing here but stone and ash.

To say the least, the first involved large wooden statues, tiki masks, lots of crazy; dermis turtle-worshiping; natives, and Avak in a coconut bikini. Yeah, I know, pretty sure that single event caused the mass extinction of any hope this world had of ever knowing handsomeness. As well as fatally scaring most of the natives.

There might have also been a little thing about sacrificing the "blue demon from the depths of Dermis Turtle karz" to the "giant smoking mountain gods" in order to appease the benevolently brutally murderous "gods of the big wet thing around island" to stop them from making the "gaint Dermis Turtle on the edge of the world" make a "big splash".

Which apparently would be a bad thing, as I found out from some angry natives.

But the prison they locked me up in, was that the place to be. Endless tables full of unnaturally colored fruit, some nice big pieces of tribal wear that I'm pretty sure were solid gold, a throne which I took full advantage of, a bunch of natives with no idea what wearing coverings meant and seemed pretty keen on making sure that I was prepared for my eventual horrifyingly gruesome fiery death, and other such nice things that this place just does not have.

Unfortunately, the rest of my companions "rescued" me from that amazing place far too earily for my liking, but I can't really blame them for it. Thinking ahead does require a-usable-head to do so.

But yes, Ta-Koro was a puzzle, one that fit together nicely.

I was held within a relatively small cell, of approximately the same length and width, though just tall enough for me to not touch the dull, grey ceiling with my arms extended. A single lightstone embedded in the wall just about the featureless stone door was the only course of light, as the cell itself has no windows to speak off. Obviously, considering the fact that I was underground, evident by the route which I was taken to get here, and the uncomfortably large amount of heat radiating from the walls themselves. My weapons had long since been confiscated, as well as my armor. That was not much of a worry, I knew where they were holding them.

Currently, my wrists were bound together by a set of roughly molded metal cuffs, which themselves were lashed to the center of the cell floor by a length of chain of about a bio in length. Surprisingly, they actually blindfolded me as well, a precaution I didn't expect them to take against me, even if my species was known for it's visual abilities. My lack of sight of course made the cell seem much smaller than it actually was, though it hadn't bothered me yet.

All in all, a well prepared cage for a dangerous captive. Not to mention the unpleasant fellow who was currently standing just outside the door, there to stop me should I decide to take a walk.

I wasn't the only one here, as there were a number of other cells lined up along the cramped hallway deep beneath the Koro's surface, and judging by the number of guards stationed here, they weren't just empty cells.

The prison's strengths were obvious, the cell was built solidly to prevent any easy means of getting out, the depth gave those who did manage to escape quite the hike to take to get to the surface, and then there was the heat. A heat that would undoubtedly wear down prisoners, sapping them of their will to rebel.

Now, to just turn the tables a bit, and knock the feet out from under this place.

I stopped for a moment in my musings, the neutral grin plastered across my face turning downward into a frown. There were... sounds... just outside my cell. And not the normal sounds that I'd attribute to this lovely place. I'm quite certain that torture wasn't a method used by most self-respecting Matoran, so shouts don't really fit in here.

I knelt down, pressing my head against the warm stone floor to hear more.

And generally, it does not seem like the place where cell doors would be torn away, and then chucked against the wall, but that's just me guessing here. The unmistakable impact of footsteps, though the hard, rapid footfalls of someone going somewhere in a hurry. Not at all the slow beat of a criminal being lead away. Oh yes, something was definitely happening.

 

I was getting tired of waiting here anyway. So why not?

 

I pushed myself off from the ground, the movement awkward from the fact that my hands were bound together.

 

Heat was Ta-Koro's strength. The entire village was built around the concept of fiery warmth, though this was the farthest thing from a surprise as one could get. They lived by it, hid behind it, fought with it, farmed it. It was this singular idea that laid the foundations of their way of life.

 

Which was great and all.

 

Because I just so happened to be able to use that.

 

Thus why I spent the last few minutes gathering the heat from the area surrounding me, consolidating the source of power that just came off in waves from the stone encasing me. I could not see, but I could feel it, and I could direct it. And I did, manipulating the burning power towards the metal bindings surrounding my wrists. I winced as the metal immediately shot up in temperature far faster than I expected, pity, I suppose heat resistance wasn't something I'd picked up from the Maru. No matter, pain was a temporary sensation.

 

It didn't take long for the iron to soften to the point where I could pull my wrists apart, bending the cuffs back. They fell to the floor with a clatter, the acrid stench of something burnt filled the air. I rubbed my hands together, before reaching up and removing the blindfold from around my eyes.

 

The steady, unending light from the single lightstone shot daggers into my eyes before I was able to adjust to the sudden brightness of the world around. I blink once, my vision gradually returning to a more usable state.

 

No longer stuck in one place, I moved towards the solid, unmovable block that was the cell door, pressing my audioreceptor against it to try and get a feel for what was on the other side. I did not hear a thing, which was good enough for me.

 

I took a step back, looking the structure blocking my exit up and down. The hinges were locked on the other side, so I was unable to see them, but I had a good guess as to where they were. I raised a hand, and directed my newfound power towards the door.

 

No, I wasn't going to try to melt through solid stone, even though I probably could with the Maru's prodigious power, but the metal lock would give way under the rising temperature soon enough.

 

Not a minute later, and my efforts were rewarded as the door suddenly shifted slightly. I smiled, the movement causing my mouth to spread nearly across my entire face. Having no desire to burn myself, I drained the stone of excess thermal energy before giving the previously immovable door one good shove.

 

The stone block fell forward, hitting the ground with a wonderfully satisfying boom. Whoops. I stuck my head out and glanced left and then right. The guard stationed at my cell was nowhere to be seen, though the door to an adjacent cell currently lying against the wall explained why well enough. I stepped over the now ineffectively placed door into the corridor outside, dusting myself off.

 

And with that, I strolled down the hall to the surface, mildly surprised at the lack of resistance on my way out as I traced my steps to get here backwards. I rounded a corner, and came upon the body of what I assumed was the guard that attempted to stop the first escapee. The remains of his mask lay around him. I stepped around the body, the pieces of his Kanohi crunching beneath my clawed feet.

 

A few corners later, and I paused, the faint sound of footsteps echoing just up ahead. Careful footsteps. Not of the kind that guards would use to try and apprehend escaped captives. I could probably find my way our of this granite maze, but on a whim, I followed the footsteps through the winding corridors. They took me in a somewhat roundabout path, though as far as I could tell, I was approaching the exit to this prison.

 

Suddenly, a shout sounded behind me, the noise echoing through the halls. That's my cue. I quickened my pace from a light jog to a full on sprint down the corridor, managing to keep the guards behind me at least a reasonable distance from me.

 

I rounded one last corner, skidding a few inches before I dug my claws into the ground, and came upon another hallway with a single open door located at the end. There were shouts coming from there too, but they didn't seem to be directed towards me.

 

I didn't stop, and simply ran the last few bio towards it, skidding to a stop as I passed through it.

 

Huh.

 

Well.

 

Alright then.

 

Judging by the scenery laid out around me, I'd say this was the female lockers.

 

Forget what I said earlier about this place having bad interior design.

 

Too bad I didn't have time to take in and fully appreciate the view. Most of the guards who I assume were inside when the first escapee ran through here, judging by their dress, or lack of, were crowded around a shattered window, muttering something about not again. And didn't seem to have noticed me.

 

And so, I did the thing that any reasonably intelligent being would do, and ran towards them. One turned to the sound of footsteps, a look of surprise on her face when she realized I wasn't reinforcements. The first half of a word formed on her lips just before I vaulted over her, and the now open window behind her.

 

"Sorry ladies, can't stay," I apologized as I passed the unfortunate souls.

 

The ground rushed up to meet me with a none-too-comfortable embrace. Alright, who's bright idea was it to jump out of the third story window anyway. I acted without thinking, and shot a blast of flames before me that superheated the air, the resultant updraft just enough to cushion my fall.

 

I swore I heard something along the lines of "You've got to be kidding me," come from the window I'd just jumped out of as I landed. I didn't concern myself with that too much, and was already on the move as the alarms started to sound.

 

Time to get out of this place, they don't have any good tourist attractions anyway.

 

Besides, I had to go say hello to my friends.

 

OOC: gravvy can make long posts too look

 

am i kewl noaw?

[Hitoshura]

IC: Ryzen

 

I watched as two people walked in before me. I thought a bit before putting my hand on the door, about what I might do once I get inside of that building. Probably something stupid, as usual. I took a few steps away from the entrance, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from a pocket.

 

I usually don't smoke. It's not the best for my lungs, or for the passing people around me, thinking as I lit it. It helps me think. You find that funny, an ice Toa smoking? I do too. I breathed out the fumes, thinking why the heat in the air didn't light the cigarette in my hands, and why I had to do it myself. I shake my head, finishing it off and stubbing it out with my foot.

 

I usually don't drink, either. But it's the best shot I have at finding out things, which is better done over a shot. I walked to the door, pushing it open, and went inside.