BZPRPG - Ta-Wahi

[Drakmanka]

IC:

 

Lana had, by now, made her way inside the Koro. Not one to allow herself to be distracted by things that weren't her business, she kept her head down and stayed to the side of the street, generally watching interactions around her and hoping to get a clue as to who was in charge around here. The last thing she needed was to get in trouble with the law her first five minutes in town.

[AuRon the champion]

IC:

 

"Well I am strolling as well. Walking with you will help to pass the time until I'm called in for an assignment."

[Snelly]

IC: Mekana

 

"Oh...well that's cool." Mekana mentally cursed, she'd have to play along with the guard until she found a way to ditch her. There was no way she could look for customers with the guard around.

 

"How do you feel about iStones?"

[AuRon the champion]

IC:

 

"I can't say that I've ever used one before... But the prospect sounds... Interesting," Laqriel mused. The almost-baby-steps she was taking had begun to irritate her, but this particular citizen looked lonely, and in need of a conversation.

 

And the duly-appointed enforcer of the Ta-Koro edicts was not one to shirk in her duty to aid the citizenry in any way possible.

[Drakmanka]

IC:

 

After having spent a few minutes studying those around her, Lana decided that the huge toa nearby would be as good a person as any to get information about the area from.

Hoping she wouldn't get squished by the larger being, she began to make her way over.

"Excuse me," She began, "I'm a bit lost, maybe you could give me directions?"

[Makuta of Time]

IC: Flaredrick

Work in the forge was good. His pay was ok, but making weapons was the benefit of it. As he hammered down on a blade that was still hot, he noticed a small dent in the blade. He stopped hammering it, and was deciding the best way to remove it.

[Ghosthands]

OOC: This post brought to you in conjunction with Krayzikk, and introducing a mysterious new character of his

 

IC (NPC Matoran)

 

My arms shake just a little as I stir the big pot of soup. The batch should be done in a couple of minutes, ready for the prisoners' evening meal. It may be simple, and the ingredients cheap, but never let it be said that Ta-Koro's jail doesn't feed its inmates well. I always put my best into the food I make, even if it's for criminals and murderers. I take pride in my work, and I enjoy it.

 

But today is different. Today I can't be cheerful, because I'm scared. I hide it well enough that my colleagues don't notice, but I'm so scared - scared for my family, and scared of what I'm about to do, and scared of the man in my house.

 

I'd walked home for my lunchtime break. Opened the door to the house, called to Laya and the kids. There was no answer. As I went inside, I wondered why they didn't reply, because they ought to be in at that time of day. They were always there, ready and waiting to come running to the door to greet me. It was odd...

 

I walked into the main room - and there he was.

 

"Do not sound the alarm, do not make a sound."

 

The voice, when it came, was smooth, educated, and in any other circumstance, almost appealing. In this case, however, it seemed to carry the barest hint of malice. The speaker sat comfortably on the couch near the center of the room, arms crossed contemplatively. His eyes behind the Huna were clear and sharp, two bright points of color against the surrounding gray and black. Aside from his voice, the entire home was as quiet as the grave.

 

"I've been waiting for you; You took much longer arriving home than usual. You stopped by the bakery on the way home, if I've heard correctly." A pause. "You're wondering where your family is, aren't you?"

 

That feeling...like a stone thudding into my stomach.

 

"What have you done with them?" I asked, my voice coming small as fear tied its invisible noose around my neck.

 

"Nothing, yet."

 

The figure paused long enough for that to sink in, before leaning forward in his seat, steepling his fingers. "They're fine. I might even go so far as to say that they're being treated quite well."

 

"My associates have taken them to ensure your compliance. Assuming you cooperate, they will be returned. Now, I am sure your next question is exactly what we want your compliance for. You see, there's an inmate in maximum security. As it stands, she is a distinct liability. My associates and I, we want to remove this liability."

 

The figure smiled, almost comfortingly. "It's really quite simple. You follow our instructions, and your family comes back."

 

As I finish stirring I slip a hand into my belt-pouch, feeling the cold metal of the object brush against my fingers. A lump is tight in my throat.

 

I pull myself together and fetch a ladle, beginning to dole out the prisoners’ supper into ceramic bowls on trays laid out on a long table. As I reach the last one, I look over my shoulder just in time to see Dokel (the only other cook in this part of the kitchen) go out for his usual cigarette break. Now’s the only chance I’m going to get.

 

I pull the thing out of my pocket. It’s a syringe of some kind, made of glass and metal. There’s something inside it: a green-black substance that seems to move on its own. Something about it looks...wrong.

 

The dark-armored Toa reached into a pocket on his person, removing a small item that he set down on the table. It was a small syringe, not at all dissimilar to what one might find in a hospital. It was already filled, with a green-black mixture that seemed almost toxic in its malevolence.

 

"What you need to do is simple. Take this syringe, and when you prepare the prisoners' evening meal, conceal this in the prisoner's food. Make sure it is done during the evening meal, mind you, and that you conceal it in the right prisoner's meal."

 

"Why?" I blurted. "What is it? Why do you want me to give it to her?"

 

I tried to sound defiant and unfazed, but it didn't work. The fear - of losing my family, and of what this man might do to me in turn - was painfully obvious in my voice.

 

"Why?" The man echoed musingly, quiet for a moment. He didn't seem surprised or bothered by the query in the slightest, if anything, he seemed to enjoy it.

 

"I don't like loose ends, and neither do my associates."

 

Even with my heartbeat loud and fast in my ears, I could put two and two together well enough.

 

"It'll kill her?"

 

"I prefer to say that it will remove a liability. But phrase it how you will."

 

I drop the syringe into the bowl, and it disappears into the soup just as Dokel comes back in. I give him a short smile; it’s all I can muster and I doubt it’s very convincing, but he doesn’t seem to notice anything.

 

We load the trays onto our trolleys (I’m careful to make sure the one with the syringe goes on the bottom of mine) and roll them out into the corridor. With every stop, every delivery through every cell door, the trepidation tightening my chest grows. What am I about to do? What will happen to Laya, to my children, if I don’t?

 

I close my eyes and breathe deeply as I wheel the trolley along. I’m going to get it right, it’s going to be fine. I’m going to see them again soon. It’ll be fine.

 

And in what seems like no time at all, I’m in the lower levels, passing the guards and delivering my humble soup to the high-security cells. And then I’m outside her cell.

 

I try not to look at the Vortixx behind the bars. I just lift the slat at the bottom of the door and slide the tray through, complete with its hidden payload. I return to my trolley quickly and wheel it back, out of high-security, out of the corridors, back to the kitchen, all the time gripping it so tightly my hands start to ache.

 

I run out of the door, my shift finally over, the deed done, desperate to get home. To see my family safe and well. Soon it would all be ok.

 

It would all be ok.

 

Wouldn’t it?

Edited February 23, 2014 by GhosthandsOfChristmasPast

[Ghosthands]

IC (Stralix)

 

Stralix nodded.

 

"Heard about that," he said. "Should be interesting. Got a few things to show off myself, actually..."

 

He saluted the Akiri (casually, by Guard standards, but Stralix was a special case) and headed back to his workshop.

 

***

 

After a few minutes' packing, Stralix loaded a few crated contraptions into his Ussal cart and set out.

 

OOC: Stralix to Po-Wahi. Short post, but tbh, there's not much to say

Edited February 25, 2014 by GhosthandsOfChristmasPast

[Snelly]

IC: Mekana

 

Mekana wondered if it was a good idea to continue the conversation, she did so anyway.

 

"Wanna buy one? I'm selling....a few."

[AuRon the champion]

IC:

 

"How much do they cost?"

[Palm]

Ic: Modera's hand was swept aside by the flat of the katana and smacked down onto the table. She yelped quickly in surprise before withdrawing her hand and wiping her the spit off her finger with a napkin. "Wowwww, okay, so it does bother you. Geez, I gotcha. Guess it was too much for you to just say so. I mean gawd..." Motini was clearly one constantly on edge, always quick to act and pounce on threats, real or perceived, which Modera found to be... endearing and cute to say the least. She liked someone feisty, just to see how far she could go with them, maybe even push them someplace fun.

 

So she tossed her wet napkin at Motini.

 

IC: Motini - Ta-Koro

 

Motini made a loud "ECH" sound as she ducked off to the side, slamming her hand on the table involuntarily in the process. She came back up grinning slyly, only to notice that the wet napkin had positioned itself on her shoulder. She freezes, her back remained hunched in the half-ducked position.

 

Her eyes slowly wander towards Modera, "Take, it, off."

[Drakmanka]

Lana sighed softly as her question went unheard as the two beings before her continued to converse, and decided to follow them, looking for an opening to pop her question into the conversation.

[- JL -]

IC:

 

Hmmm.

 

I guess I should say I feel conflicted right about now, but I actually feel a lot less conflicted than I do feel something else. Because the thought that keeps on going through my head, over and over is:

This sucks.

 

Okay, so let me explain it a bit better. A few months ago, some bad people (I'd put them on my target list, but I only thought of the list while in my current train of thought, and I also have no idea who these people are) thought it'd be funny to blow up a street in the middle of Ta-Koro for something or the other because they were physically incapable of killing Turaga Vakama (Great guy, by the way, but he sucks too) without a display of blood and gore splattering the streets of my village. My family were kinda smack dab in the center of the explosion, and I can only hope that their ashes turn into diamonds. But grieving os for some other time.

 

So the fault lies on Turaga Vakama for being targeted - obviously - by these people, these people who targeted Turaga Vakama and killed my family as some side attraction (Pricks), and Jaller, since he's an utter failure of a captain he still hasn't managed to bring these people to justice, and is generally doing nothing. He's also the leader of the village now since Vakama, y'know, died....so I guess he inherited my hate as well.

 

If I'm sounding very snarky, sarcastic, or something of the like, it's probably because I don't want to break down in tears or something like that, because, because, well....

 

Gah.

 

Moving on, some time prior, I came back to this village after spending some not-exactly-fun-but-kind-of-is-fun times around the village. I tripped off ice in Ko-Wahi, ate nice cuisine in Le-Wahi, looked at stuff in Onu-Wahi, had donuts (And flipped over some guards [That was fun]) in Po-Wahi, and swam in Ga-Wahi. But now I'm back in my hometown, and for some reason or the other some Onu-Matoran (I think) asked me to 'join the guard but report to her'.

 

And now that I think about it, I forgot her name AGAIN! Jeez. I'm a great reporter.

 

So yeah, I'm here now, somehow in the Ta-Koro guard, doing nothing. But the problem was, my original intent had been to, like, see if I could sneakily come in, kill Jaller, and then walk off with a list of people who had been responsible for killing my family and then for me to kill them too. If Mata Nui thinks this is bad, and his definition of good was a bunch of people putting a bomb in the middle of the street, then yeah, Mata Nui sucks too. Back on topic, I'm now genuinely conflicted - I'm working for the guy I want to kill, but I'm also wrapped up in something else.

 

I wish there was something I could do to pull my mind out of this.

 

Gah, this sucks.

 

OOC: Open for interaction. For these purposes, lets say Exa's just roaming the streets right now.

[25K Now!]

OOC: Taking you up on that offer.

 

IC: Zomma

 

So I'm just chilling (hah! as if) in this bloody village and trying not to boil to death when some moron walks into me. Who the does he think he is? What gives him the bloody right to walk into me and disrespect me? People in this honest-to-god volcano are so careless! I should have stayed in Ko. It was freezing, but at least didn't have buggers like this guy.

 

"Oi," I growl. "Watch where you're walking."

[- JL -]

IC:

 

"Oi," were the words I heard when I smashed my head into something hard yet soft at the same time. It felt weird. "Watch where you're walking."

 

I frowned - I didn't really like that tone. Naturally, my response had to be a bit harsher.

 

"No," I muttered without thinking as I stared upwards at the Vortixx's eyes, "You watch where YOU'RE going. Tallie." The last word came out of my mouth a bit garbled, because the moment it did I realized exactly how stupid it sounded. I mean, I admit it. That last 'insult' sounded a lot better in my head. And made a lot of sense too. But I guess that's just me.

 

Edited March 4, 2014 by -JL-

[Onaku]

IC: Ankarya & Dia

 

It was an unfamiliar sight, but a skakdi walked through the streets of Ta-Koro, carrying a matoran on her back. They were Ankarya & Dia, the Darksteel duo, if you will.

 

They started official business only a few days ago, and were now heading back to Onu-Koro's mines for more material. Getting material on their own was cheaper, but hard work, labor that Ankarya took care of personally, while Dia "supervised". Then, when they had gathered enough quality materials, they would re-surface and work the materials into tools, disks and weaponry, and on some occasions, armor.

 

Ankaya had to carry Dia on her back, since Dia couldn't use her legs. "It isn't really any trouble", Ankaya would say, "Dia is probably one of the lightest matoran around, and I'm far stronger than the average skakdi". Of course, Dia didn't want to be a burden, but Ankaya really didn't mind.

 

Last mining trip had been quite rewarding, so the duo had their hopes up for this one, perhaps overly optimistic, perhaps not, but they wouldn't return from the mines until they had a decent amount of ore to smelt.

 

OOC: These two are free for interaction

Edited March 4, 2014 by Toa Onaku

[25K Now!]

IC: Zomma

 

"Tallie?" I sneer. "Are you some sort of snot-nosed kid or something?"

 

This kid seriously had an attitude problem. Bloody moron. Insults are complete too.

[- JL -]

IC:

"Uh huh, and are you some sort of...snot-nosed Vortixx? Hmmm?"

 

This guy got on my nerves, and fast. Somewhere deep in my subconscious the notion that I needed some more original insults appeared. Unfortunately, the other bits of my subconscious, namely annoyance and anger gently brushed it aside and cluttered up my mind.

[25K Now!]

IC: Zomma

 

"I don't even have a nose you moron," I snap back. Was he blind as well?

[Onaku]

IC: Ankarya and Dia

Ankarya, carrying Dia, was heading for the mines. Suddenly, a vortixx and toa arguing caught their attention. Ankarya decided to not bother them, it wasn't really any of her business, and she was carrying Dia around. Dia looked over to the two, and chuckled lightly at them.

Edited March 5, 2014 by Toa Onaku

[- JL -]

IC:

I grit my teeth. I wasn't a biologist.

 

"Well then.....you don't have a nose! Haha! How does that make you feel, you inferior, nose-less.....organism!"

[25K Now!]

IC: Zomma

 

"It's pretty good," I bite back, grinning widely. "After all, you probably smell like ."

[Onaku]

IC: Ankarya & Dia

Moving on from the arguing two, Ankarya and Dia finally made it to the entrance of the tunnel to Onu-Koro, and went on in.

 

OOC: Ankarya and Dia to Onu-Wahi

[- JL -]

IC:

 

"Ah. Except how do you know what ###### smells like? Because, you know....noseless. In fact, how do you know how everything smells like? Because there are some REALLY awesome things you can smell.....that you cant."

Slowly, I raised my hand, thumbs up, and lightly flicked the top of my own nose.

[25K Now!]

IC: Zomma

 

"Maybe my olfactory receptors are somewhere else," I reply. "And believe me, it's better to be incapable of smelling than to be blind ... like you."

[- JL -]

IC:

"Oh, no, thanks for your concern but I'm actually not blind. I'm just a little bit allergic to idiocy t'is all. Anyways, I believe it may be my duty to inform you that this road is for people who aren't....oversized. Wouldn't like it if some big fat wall sprouted up in a well-trodden road, would you?"

[25K Now!]

IC: Zomma

 

I snort. "Jealous that you're a skinny little prick?"

[- JL -]

IC:

 

I snorted back, if that made any sense. "Jealous that you're not a perfect mesomorph?"

While I vaguely brushed off the fact that I was nothing like a perfect mesomorph, the thought that I had snorted with my nose immediately brought confusion to me. I mean.......

 

This guy doesn't have a nose. How'd he snort?

 

I made a mental note to ask that, if I ever got the chance.

[25K Now!]

IC: Zomma

 

"Keep dreaming shorty."

[- JL -]

IC:

"Keep dreaming fatty."

[25K Now!]

IC: Zomma

 

"Too unoriginal to make up a comeback for yourself?"

[- JL -]

IC:

"No, it's just that I find everything you say to be....well, easy."

[Drakmanka]

IC:

 

Lana eventually grew tired of waiting for an answer and wandered off through the streets, looking for someone she could strike up a conversation with.

 

OOC: Totally open for any interaction. Have at it.

[- JL -]

OOC: Feel free to have Lana join in this.

 

IC:

"So anyways, what brings you, a snotty little arrogant fat Vortixx to come here spreading your stench of idiocy and stupidity around the village of fire? Looking for a way to cure being dumb?"

[Krayzikk]

NPC IC:

 

"Name and criminal history?" The secretary asked, filling out the forms in front of her with an ease and velocity hard to describe, as she easily balanced speaking, writing, and drinking from the mug on her desk. "Additionally, I am required by village law to inform you of the risks inherent in the career. Injury is a near certainty, with roughly thirty percent of our recruits suffering a serious wound before they retire from active service. On in ten guars will perish in the line of duty, events including Rahkshi attacks not included in that calculation."

 

"You are permitted to request assignment to one branch or another, if you have a preference. Your initial rank will be determined by a skill and psychological assessment later in the recruitment process."

[Voxumo]

IC: Kidona

 

"The name is Kidona Vorske, No criminal history as of yet nore do I intend on having one. And I am aware of the risk that comes with this job."

 

However at the second part she tapped her foot questionally

"What branchs are there?"

[25K Now!]

IC: Zomma

 

"Better being an uneducated Vortixx than a pathetic piece of like you."

[- JL -]

IC:

"Those too stupid to do so shouldn't go about creating assumptions about others."

[25K Now!]

IC: Zomma

 

"Bah. Do you not know the difference between an assumption and an insult?"

[Drakmanka]

IC:

 

As she wandered the streets, Lana came across a scene that genuinely amused her - an emotion she hadn't experienced in some time - the scene of a Toa arguing with another being who's species she wasn't familiar with.

Of course, Lana had never been the type to avoid confrontation.

 

"Girls girls, you're both pretty. And in the way. Can you let me through?" She said, smirking slightly as she was well aware that neither being was female. They were in her way, however, and if they didn't beat her up over the insult maybe she could get some directions from them.

 

And if not I'll get some excitement. She thought to herself.