Bzprpg - Ga-Wahi

[25K Now!]

IC: [Hubertus]"Well then, all we can do is wait now."

[sunflower]

IC: Sahrea"As if there's anything else to do," I said to the Vortixx.

[25K Now!]

IC: [Hubertus]"Yep."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC: Tillian (Casa Juturna, Ga-Wahi)"Hey, babe!" the Hamartia called out to Emotia happily, waving at her and winking at Praggos when she next turned away. "I just came out here to see what was up with Praggos, and he didn't even treat me like me...said I was some sort of ancient supernatural being."Circling his index finger around his temple, he held up one hand to the left side of his mouth and added in a stage whisper, "He's a bit kooky since he lost the Mark, I guess."-Teezy

[Franco]

OOC:

OOC: True, it was based on a POTC scene in style, but the exact movements and stuff were original.IC: "That is very inconvenient." Sorapak activated his mask, flipped, and stabbed down at the Parakuka. He had heard of those things in bars many times. If he stabbed it, he could cause intense pain.Bahokosar sailed the ship full speed ahead, diverting some of his attention to Wrath so he could bring a cannon up on deck on the stairs, position it, control the striker, and fire at him point blank from the side, so as not to hit Sorapak or Jianzha.

...Constructman hasn't responded yet. So I suppose I can assume all those attacks are after he succeeds or fails in slicing.On the Parakuka: Wrath's been wearing a cloak so that people don't see it. Otherwise, the Parakuka would be shown to the village, and he wouldn't be trusted. As well, I'm pretty sure the general populace only has vague knowledge of them right now thanks to the turaga's performance at the Hive Assault, so I'm afraid info like that is out.IC: The berserker sensed two incoming attacks. Kicking aside the vortixx and sheathing his sword following his finished attacks, he sprinted away from the stab before it could do more than cut his cloak. His furious gaze fell upon the cannon moving onto the deck now.Wrath grabbed it as an afterthought. One millisecond was enough to spin the cannon around while its striker was still in the process of setting it off. Aiming it at the area of the deck the vortixx and Ve-Toa were on, he continued on towards the Fe-Toa with barely any time lost. A punch to the solar plexus and knee to the groin struck out at Bahokosar.

[Axilus Prime]

IC: Sorapak shoved Jianzha out of the way, flipping over the shot at the same time with his Calix. "WATCH IT!" He made vines grow from Wrath's back and start to choke him, while noticing the cannon rolling on its mount of seemingly its own accord again.A cannonball re-formed in the cannon and suddenly fired point blank at Wrath just as his attacks on Bahokosar connected. It would take quite the speed to dodge the cannonball even partially, and be nigh impossible to dodge altogether. The only saving grace was that it wouldn't have time to gather momentum enough to tear Wrath in half.The rather angry first mate flew off the deck. "Aaggh!" His neck pulsed with pain, and he was not sure whether or not a blood vessel popped. Five seconds. He was still alive, evidently it had not. He climbed back on deck, using all his Pakari-enhanced strength to bear the pain and keep his neck rigid. "Scurvy bloated cur...how he be doin' that swelling up trick, I wish I knew."

[Constructelf]

IC JianzhaGetting two Parakuka enhanced slashes to the back must hurt. Getting kicked off of the boat, even more. Shrieking with rage, she struggled to hobble into the kitchen. Grabbing a jar of madu oil and a durian, she hurled the, at Wrath. She then went into the pantry and continued to throw as much food as her injured arm allowed. Most of the projectiles were stuff that actually hurt, like pineapples and watermelons

IC (Ketan)

IC: Siris"Real Toa?" he asked incredulously while walking up to Ketan. "By failing to eliminate the problem entirely, you've just endangered the Koro. They could be making a theatrical style escape at this very moment!" He pointed to the docks as he vented his concerns. Edited October 14, 2012 by Constructman

[Axilus Prime]

OOC: I think my penchant for overly flashy plans in RPGs has just reached its zenith. XDI mean really, just ask Wotz. I usually find a way to make a true spectacle out of anything I do with my favorite chars.IC: "Throwing food?! Mata Nui, you really are drunk." Sorapak drew his blade.

[otter]

IC-Praggos:"What? Tillian, I have no idea at all what you're talking about," Praggos said, squinting his eyes in mock confusion. "I would have sworn the Flying Spaghetti Monster was in your place just a few moments ago. I was treating it like the ancient supernatural being, not you. You should get your ears checked."

[Taka Nuvia]

OOC: No problem. (and don't worry, that's just my 'scheming' emote)IC: Myka & NikarraNikarra looked thoughtfully at Myka for a few moments, and then smiled slightly. "Picture me, but considerably smaller."Myka's eyes widened. "Nikarra? What are you doing here?""I could ask you the same thing," Nikarra pointed out. "I'm here because I was headed to Onu-Koro to find my brother, and his friend."

IC: ZyronZyron tilted his head. How come everyone was heading for Onu-Koro these days?There was still something about that Toa that made him nervous, but he wasn't sure about it."Excuse me, since you two seem to know each other... someone mind telling me what this all really is about?"

[AuRon the champion]

IC: Auron:"I know where to get a map... I'm just looking for the best maps."

[Franco]

OOC: ...He managed to take hits to the solar plexus and groin with that much power and still stand?Welp.There's always ruptured livers and broken ribs.IC: Wrath made absolutely no movement. He only breathed. In, out...In, out...In, out. The vines grew rampantly over his back to attack his neck.His peripheral vision had already caught the cannon's movement. But it seemed as though the toa had become resigned to his fate. The plants cocooned his neck and upper torso, the cannon spun; still he did nothing. His eyes closed.And then, just as the gun's striker descended, he made a movement. His back shifted slightly to the right and down so the cannon was aimed at his left trapezius.BOOMThe iron sphere flew faster than the eye could see at his back. It drilled through the air with barely any passage of time. Its first solid resistance was Wrath's cloak, which it blasted through in microseconds. Yet before reaching his armor, the deadly projectile had to contend with something else: The vines that had been growing on the berserker's back. Sorapak had focused a lot of concentration into these vines. They had sprouted on the berserker's back like a tumor, toughened and regenerative in order to survive any slices of the sword. They had already formed into layers of hard plant life devoted solely to squeezing the life out of his enemy. Similarly, Bahokosar had put much thought into usage of the cannon in order to blast Wrath into oblivion. He had set his gun up so that the attacker had little chance of dodging his projectile. But each had neglected to account for what happened when their attacks met. And without a coordinated plan of assault, all the defense their foe needed was the lack of teamwork on the opposing side.So when the cannonball pierced the cloak, it slammed into the vines and ground them to pieces. It ripped through each one, only gradually rebuffed and weakened by their tough regenerative defense. Both attacks became hobbled in their interaction. When the piece of iron hit Wrath's armor at last, it shattered the metal, but was incapable of penetrating his body in its durable height and only rebounded from his tensed trapezius muscle. The vines fell limp without support on one side. The assault had failed.Wrath's armor had shattered. His cloak was in shreds. Yet he was mad as ever. So as soon as he felt a projectile bounce off his back, even before a bruise could form, he flashed to right in front of the Fe-Toa. One hand was moving to fling off what remained of the vines and flung fruit. The other punched for the nose in an attempt to KO.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Hero Creation Kit

[a goose]

IC: Myka (Tunnel to Onu-Koro)"Oh, sorry Zyron." Myka turned to look at the other Matoran. "Nikarra is one of the friends I mentioned to you, remember? Except, now, she's a Toa, apparently."

[AuRon the champion]

IC: Aurel:"Iegasa. Where are we going?"

[Taka Nuvia]

IC: Zyron"Ah, I see", Zyron replied, nodding. He thought for a moment, then turned to look at Nikarra."So... is there any special reason why you're going to meet your brother and his friend there?"

[Simulacrum]

IC: Tawara (Ga-Koro Streets)Tawara risked a glance behind her. Raion was out of sight. Perhaps she stood a chance of making it after all.The Matoran cut short her antics and ventured down an alleyway, where she deposited her cloak and quiver behind a rubbish bin. Hopefully, anyone whose attention she had attracted would find her difficult to recognize without the grey cowl and bow. She felt regretful about abandoning her hunting tools, but survival was more important. If she survived this ordeal, she might be able to go back and fetch them.Tawara emerged from another alleyway and quietly moved along the street, keeping to the side of the road. She could probably survive if she made it out of the Koro. It would be difficult without her arrows, but a few pebbles would work nearly as well.The beings in the street were already returning to their conversations. It was funny to think that, from their perspective, nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Tall, reptilian Vortixx haggled with Ga-Matoran rope-weavers. Fruit merchants from Le-Koro and Po-Matoran carvers hawked their wares. A young Toa couple walked along the side of the road, one with green armor and the other with dark blue.No. It couldn’t be. He was dead. But it was.Alongside Kitsune stood Jikal, alive, well, and bare of any mark. He was smiling, laughing, and Kitsune smiled back.Tawara didn’t know what to do. What if she approached them and they revealed that they had been lying this entire time? That really, they too were evil and would gladly help Raion kill her? Then again, a Toa’s aid might be her only chance. If Raion found her, he could surely outrun her.Tawara emerged from the shadows. “Nice to see you’re alive, Jikal.”

IC: Kitsune, Ga-Koro"I just wanted to know what you felt like eating, so I could oppose it." Kitsune joked, finishing her sentence with one of her small laughs. Before the laugh was finished, Tawara appeared out of an alley, without her trademark cloak or quiver. "Tawara?" Kitsune asked in concern, just before the Matoran spoke.IC: Raion, Ga-KoroThe Toa of Earth was perched atop one of the larger buildings of the Koro, searching for Tawara in a beastal, predatory fashion, flipping from his perch onto a roof below, before taking off and repeating the feat, apparently having found something to follow.

[a goose]

IC: NikarraNikarra shrugged. "Nearly died. Reminded me that however much I hate him, he's still my brother. I figured he'd probably be in Onu-Koro because nearly any time I've seen him recently he's been there."Why are you two headed there? Because, last time I checked, Onu-Koro wasn't considered a romantic destination, so I think that's out of the question."

[Death of the Endless]

IC: Tawara (Ga-Koro Streets)The Matoran raised her knife and took a few steps away. "Kitsune, your brother is trying to kill me."

Edited October 14, 2012 by Toa Alaka

[Krayzikk]

IC: Jikal"Tawara. Calm down. Please."Jikal took a step toward the Matoran, hands raised, to show he wasn't armed. Well, he had a massive sword on his back, but he didn't have any weapons in his hands. "Just come over and talk to us."

[Kakaru]

Ic: Kakarublflblrblrlghthglblph. As a former matoran of Air, Kakaru carried an ingrained hatred of water, something he thought he had conquered by living in Ga-Wahi for nearly a year. But now, floating quietly in the endless blue depths, slowly moving his arms back and forth, Kakaru remembered why his kind hated the ocean.There was no frickin' air.Kakaru mmphglg-ed and grsphblph-ed and generally just panicked and died a little before breaking the surface of the water again. He stood up, the water lapping around his elbows. That Po-Matoran had to have gained some ground on him by now. He dove under again and scanned the water near the surface.There. There he was, just floating over the deeper water, looking back as though taunting Kakaru to take chase.Kakaru paddled towards him with considerable effort.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Kakaru

[Taka Nuvia]

IC: ZyronThe matoran nodded thoughtfully. In a way that made sense..."We are heading for Onu-Koro because we havew some... things to do there." he said, still not sure whether he could trust that Toa. Of course, Myka knew her, but for Zyron that wasn't enough. Also, if his companion were of the opinion that Nikarra could be trusted, she'd probably elaborate on their plans, anyway...

[Death of the Endless]

IC: Tawara (Ga-Koro Streets)"How am I supposed to calm down when there's a nine-foot Earth Toa after me! And how do I know I can trust you?"

[a goose]

IC: Nikarra & Myka"Plans?" Nikarra looked from Zyron to Myka.Myka tilted her head thoughtfully and looked at Nikarra, as though trying to figure out if she could trust her. Seemingly satisfied, she nodded and made a little 'mhm' sound. "Nikarra, you remember Elax, right?""...""Jalna's boyfriend.""Oh, right. Elax. Tall-ish guy, dark blue, Kakama, emotional issues?"Myka nodded. "That's the one.""What about him?" Nikarra asked, genuinely interested."Well, Zyron and I spotted a poster in Ga-Koro, saying he was wanted for murder. And the person it said to contact was Jalna's brother."Nikarra looked solemnly at Myka. "Where did it say to find him?""Someplace in Onu-Koro called 'The Unfortunate Fikou'."Nikarra smiled a little. "Funnily enough, that's where I'm headed. If you want, I can lead you there, but that's all. I have to find my brother, preferably not face-down in a river.""I understand," Myka said, "And I don't think either of us has been there before, so it'd be great if you led the way.""No problem." Nikarra began walking, quite quickly, down the tunnel, Myka in tow.

[25K Now!]

IC: [iegasa]"To the tea convention," he replied. "Hmm, it seems as if Ga-Koro is rather tense these days."

[AuRon the champion]

IC: Aurel:"My guess is that they're still dealing with those Mark-Bearer things."

[25K Now!]

IC: [iegasa]"Interesting."

[Krayzikk]

IC: JikalJikal cocked his head. "You don't. In fact, I'm the guy who used to have a split personality that nearly killed you, and has frightened you beyond reason several times.""But he's gone. And I have a lot I have to make up for. So if there is anyone on this island you can trust, it's me."

[They]

IC: the DOGHafja died by the time Ishi emerged from his swim, the headband lost as the orange stripe running the length of his body returned. Next time I'll make that dye waterproof, but how? He swam with strong and powerful strokes, his native fear of water crushed from Nakumir's lessons, leaving only the muscular po-matoran body to pull its weight across the surface of the bay. He passed behind one of the large anchoring stalks of the lilypads. This should do it! He flailed for a moment, arms stretching and scrabbling for a hold on the slippery trunk. Finally, through sheer force, Ishi jabbed his fingers straight into the stalk itself, using them as sharp points from which to climb. Each punch of his fingers came with a groan as pain sloshed through his palms and into his forearms. How out of shape am I? He could hear the splashing of the puppy-paddling toa behind him; it was a powerful motivator to keep moving.Ishi dragged himself upwards along the underside of a bamboo bridge, his backpack pulling painfully across the shoulders from the weight. After his months in hiding, the sudden bursts of physicality were taking their toll. He cursed as a droplet landed in his brilliant blue eye. Any more and I might've loosened my grip. At the end of the bridge he reached a hand over, letting his body dangle in the air from one point, then, in a mighty push-up, Ishi pulled himself up and over onto the right side of the surface. Surprisingly he garnered no more suspicion than a couple of worried glances from the native ladies. Always time for a bit of fun -- who'm I kidding? I don't have time for that... With a surge he flexed his legs and stood while letting the backpack slip off its perch into his hand. He peered through the slits of the bridge, catching a glimpse of his pursuer attempting to shinny upwards along the stalk as well. Karz! The guy seriously is good... Ishi spirited forwards, muscles screaming for rest. His breath was now barely alive; Ishi moved on pure thought, his mouth thick with the dry ache of exhaustion. I honestly need to get back in shape. He reached the rows of matoran huts and dove through the window of the first, the blind flapping behind him like a revolving door. A porcelain vase toppled towards the floor, but he managed to grab the vessel in mid-flight while executing his roll. No one's home. Okay, whew, safe for now. With a shrug he tore the clasp of his backpack, letting the contents spill out on the small bed. Let's get to work kakaru turned the corner of the huts, his body drenched and thighs coated lightly in a dusting of lily pad slime. His eyes roamed carefully, each corner of every round hut was inspected with the greatest clarity. "You're not bad. I'm Ishi, information dealer. You are?"The toa glanced downwards to see the matoran from earlier, but much changed. An orange stripe rose across the left front of his body, crossing over a brilliant blue eye, a red dyed coat with black trim lounging across his shoulders and ending at the ankles, a small collar clamped around his neck with a strange tag attached, a black rectangular bag strapped across his back.

[Death of the Endless]

IC: Tawara (Ga-Koro Streets)"Iris is gone?" asked the Matoran, surprise in her eyes.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Toa Alaka

[Krayzikk]

IC: Jikal"Unless he's gotten really good at hiding, he's gone. He was bound to my Mark, and with it gone, I guess he wasn't going to be sticking around."

[Kakaru]

Ic: KakaruKakaru took in several deep breaths and spat the sheen of phlegm out of his throat. While underwater or in the sun he proved woefully inept, but oh, in the shade and in the trees... Here was where he could think, where he could move.A breeze rustled through the leaves, sending a chill over his wet skin. It occurred to Kakaru that he left his trenchcoat back in Onu-Wahi so many months ago. Strange that he would only think of it now. He looked down at the matoran. A bright orange stripe ran the length of his body. Ah, a disguise. Clearly he has reason to keep from being discovered."My name's Kakaru, the greater thief. I'm paid to open doors, observe quietly, and keep things from getting too messy. When I'm not working, however, I could not possibly care less."Ishi seemed unfazed. He smiled a little, though his lips were pressed tight. It was clear that neither of them were good at negotiation."You don't cover your tracks well either, for a spy," Kakaru went on. "You're strong enough to ambush a Kolhii player certainly, but judging by the way your hands are shaking, you're not quite in shape. You must have used some other means to subdue him, correct?"The Po-Matoran seemed to back away ever-so-slightly, talking a defensive stance. "An' what of it?" He sneered.Kakaru took his broadsword from his back. The sunlight pouring through the doorway glinted off the hilt."I'm here for a job, and I think you could learn something from me. For a price."

[Constructelf]

OOC: Mang, you completely ignored the madu oil, the durian, and the pinapples.IC: JianzhaJianzha continued to throw pineapples and durians at Wrath

[Simulacrum]

IC: Kitsune, Ga-KoroKitsune had been quiet for the past several seconds. She had processed the information in micro-seconds, and she wasn't in shock. She was worried. She wanted to tell Tawara that it wasn't true, but the words would have sounded hollow, for she knew otherwise. Raion was a madman. From the day their father died, Kitsune knew it was only a matter of time before he snapped."Tawara." She said suddenly, looking directly at the matoran. "What did he say to you?"

[They]

OOC: Thanks to #1 Hero Kit for helping with some of the memories! I really enjoyed digging into the lives of these characters. :)IC: Riaril"When did you move here?""Hmm... About three months?""Was that a question?""I don't really remember. Care to help?""Not if I have a choice."The divine chuckled, her mustard eyes lifting away from the crackling pages she laboriously inscribed upon, gaze merging with her toy. Riaril's eye blinked back, the golden orb becoming an attraction for the small fluorescent rahi as she dangled in the air. Dipping her pen --a slender shank of a common taboo material -- into the inkwell she let out a humorous chuckle at Riaril's malcontent. "Pity. I'm running low on ink too," She said after a few more etched symbols. Riaril was given a gentle flick to the forehead, sending her off on a pendulum's journey away from the toadstool writing desk. She held her utensil outwards like a miniature lance, letting Riaril needle herself on the return journey, the pen digging deep into the musculature of her shoulder. Riaril groaned as blood flowed slowly into the held up inkwell."What's your reason for doing this," Riaril said through her primal explications, the shine of her mask dimming as her wound sealed into a lump of scar tissue. The other toa simply shrugged, resuming her smug silence. The ocean breeze funneled in with a death viper's shriek, an omnipresent reminder of Riaril's proximity to freedom. The sea. If I could somehow get to the sea, she ruminated, mind developing yet another scheme to break the shackles denouncing her liberty. A disapproving click of the tongue jettisoned Riaril to present circumstances. Her captor was hunched over her work, pen furiously scribbling across the lineless page as if the matoran symbols needed but the indentation of pen on paper to pull forth a swell from hibernation and, like a tsunami, alter the surface into something unrecognizable."I would use tablets," she commented above the scratches of her pen, "but they weigh so much. I find the flax and other plant sheets the ga-matoran make to be much more economical.""I'm sorry?" Riaril said, confused as to the sudden starting of conversation, let alone its subject."And there's the shipping of special ordered tablets from onu-koro as well. What am I to do, ask for a mine's worth of slate to be deposited at the edge of a waterfall in Naho bay? I'd have to put up signage and create a delivery area and make sure they sent all my slate to the right fall. It'd completely ruin my privacy! Honestly. This world is just going to ruin itself." She dropped her pen against the fungal furniture piece and leaned back in her stool of the same spongy medium. She sighed, wrung her hands to expel the toil from her withered fingers, popped her neck with an alien flexibility. "No papyrus is much more economical for me. You hungry?""Can't decide if you're genius or insane," Riaril responded, shackles jangling and causing her to sway as she shook her head, "but I do know I can't feel my legs. If I'm to be bound, could it at least be with my head upright? This is very bad for circulation.""But it drains blood so wonderfully.""Yes, but that's not my point.""Hoho," the toa of water bantered, a playful finger wagging as she stood and leaned across the desk, its cap bending on the flexible stalk nature bestowed, "Look who's trying to be sneaky." She flashed a cayenne smile with her tattooed teeth. "Tell you what Doctor. I'll go find some lunch. In the meantime, why don't you try and do some ab crunches." She started to pull away, then thought better and leaned in for her sinful feast, leisurely enjoying the subtleties of her passions. Satisfied she sauntered off, her whispered words leaving Riaril fuming, her hips methodically swaying in a purposeful rhythm, body blending and melting into the shadows of a side tunnel. Must be a storage room of some sort... Her vision swung drunkenly, Riaril attempting to bring her body to a natural state of no motion, eventually just giving up and letting the force slowly work it's way out of her body one gentle sloping swing at a time. Her eye moved around the room, seeing the usual flora growing across the walls to give the entire grotto the feel of some lost suva. Suva it most definitely is not though. The beach was allusive, the only way she knew how to escape just out of the sight of her right eye. Minutes passed without sound of her tormentor's approach. How far does that tunnel go? boredom and hunger set in, two spirits fighting a battle of wills within the confines of the chained toa's body. Boredom won.Riaril glanced upwards --or was it down -- at the fungal desk. The pen sat there, a symbol of pain. If I get the chance I'll... Her eyes had kept moving, the symbols in her blood attracting the natural curiosity of one who has nothing better to do. The words written were her on another surface. That's disturbing. Letters formed into words, words began to make sense, and her eyes moved along the top of a page. what is this? Some corny novel? No, it can't be just that. Only psychos would write a novela in someone's blood. Riaril paused at the thought, realizing a sudden truth to the situation. The words, however, could not be ignored. Once again her eyes glanced to the page with her soul scribing another's thoughts...The sand felt warm, sparkling bits of rock interweaved into the fiery beach. Blue stretched outwards. With her eyes squinted, it seemed to blend in to the stripes on her armor, rushing upwards from the infinite to her shoulders. She laughed, her voice crystal."What is this?"He grinned in response. "The ocean," He said, looking at the marine expanse with golden eyes gleaming. "You can swim and dive in it and stuff, it's really chill...I'll show you."The toa was moving before she could react. His starting sprint was followed by a leap onto a high promontory of basalt columns jutting into the water. His feet pounded out an adventurous rhythm between the dark polygons as he ascended them -- his speed in climbing displayed a familiarity with the terrain. At long last he came to a tall column located at its very edge and stopped standing on it.Her eyes shifted after the rushing toa, curiosity flowing like rising tide. Gears churned and she leapt after him onto the jettison. The gray slab, granite was the word, was warm to the touch. It had a welcome scratch. She reached the final peak as he disappeared, flying outwards from the edge.A small ring of water erupted around he as he dove in. In the ensuing flurry of liquid droplets, all she could make out were his shining feet submerging. In the aftermath of the dive, the water was too furious to make out anything.For several seconds her gaze was directed to the futile task of finding the being, then:"C'mon!" His Miru had reappeared and was looking up at her with a grin from the waves. Light sparkled off the rivulets of water and gold designs on his armor, making his excited expression radiant. His eyes glowed playfully."Water's your element! Don't be a wuss and come in," His words teased.There was a second of pause, his arms waving her onwards joyfully. She bit the side of her cheek. Took a step back. Jumped.The moon. She remembered the waxing orb as she let herself fall,Trailing her voice behind in the rushing wind,Few feet to go before the waves,The plunge crisp across her skin,Jarring in its temperaments,Warm in its touch,Sweet air leaving her lungs in a trail of rainbow bubbles.Always the moon gazing down,To light the scene.With a rush she shot back towards the surface. The splash was small, but its effect lingered in the laughter she released to the night sky. "It's incredible," she managed to speak, the words coming on their own, borrowed from merchants overheard, yet true in its purpose.There was a chuckle. "Yeah," He said, kicking his body up so that he floated on the waves, miru gazing up at the starlit sky."The ocean's really cool. You can dive and swim 'n' all sorts 'o' stuff," The young toa continued.He flipped over. She saw him corkscrew once before coming back up, invigorated again and treading water. Another grin. "Your diving isn't bad. Wanna learn how to swim?" In the moonlight, his silver skin glittered behind the armor like a precious jewel. She blinked, dazzled by the spectacle. Not understanding his words, she simply nodded. Want to swim? The thought lapped around her skull, forcing its way into her vocabulary. The way the lips moved on the I's, the puckering on the first and third word. It was slowly growing on her. She was treading water fine; her body only chest deep in placid rollers."Okay. Now, a cool newb way to swim is the breast stroke..."Riaril blinked. Her body still lay suspended in the air, her mind splashing in the rollers of the Ta-wahi coast. Who was this woman who was torturing her? A writer? Or something more? The very aspect of her life being used to scribe such words held a perverse control over Riaril's mind. Intrigued, she pondered. Then, making a decision, began to swing her body forwards, letting the pendulum motion begin again. At the apex of her movement, she shook her head sideways, knocking the pages of the book forwards. Too far... The morning broke with a cradling arm. Her spine chilled at the thought. No. It was a possessive arm. The shallowness of the night could be seen bare in the glinting water through the whole in her single room. Her head beat, and a dent had begun to form on her temple; the fact of life's suffering. She could hear the breathing of the beast beside her. Deep and powerful feelings rushed through her veins, driving towards a frenzy of insecurity, devastating all morale. And so she lay there. "Morning tic."She snapped her eyelids shut, forcing herself to see a better image in her mind. The cot creaked as weight shifted. "I said Morning."She felt weightlessness, then the jolt of hitting the floor. Pushing onto hands and knees, she shook as if bathed in ice. He remained on the cot, already rolling a smoke from the materials strewn across her fragile nightstand. His leg rose and she cringed at the feeling of his moldy foot touching her back. The smoke made her closed eyes water. No they were not tears. The side of her mouth was starting to taste of acid from where she'd shaved bio-material with her teeth. Being a footstool was the least of her worries."So,' he dragged on the smoke, 'you haven't said 'good morning darling' yet tic." He crushed his toes into her side, bending superficial armor with a slight use of his strength. Wincing, her breath came in ragged gasps, the words hissing inaudibly through a clenched jaw. The cot creaked. He was in her face now, sitting squat in front like some gargoyle from karzhani. A wave of smoke sent her coughing. "Huh," he grumbled as his pointer finger rested on her shaking mask. With a jolt she was flung across the hut, slamming into the rubbery wall as arches of pain wracked her brain. He gripped her neck, pulling her closer. Helpless, she went limp as their lips met in wicked ritual. What went wrong? His hand flew through the air, sparking from the unbridled energy barely contained in his palm. "I'm sorry! I said good morning darling!" her words flew like the screech of a dying muaka. The hand halted. He stood up and walked back to the cot, bemused at her withdrawal from his life. Her gears turned wildly. She was gaunt, having fallen into his death pit months ago. Little sustenance had reached her, leaving a pile of corroded black armor in her place. The day passed without her movement. Throughout he would come jeer her in those sick words: 'I love you tic'. She lay slumped in her corner. Only water, it's rippling patterns like molten glass, comforted the aching toa. "Well this is the best I got." The voice of her captor broke the spell of the words, Riaril coming back to the present with a sick taste on her tongue. What was that? The toa moved forwards with arms full of strange roots, fungi, and a large, wriggling, worm-like rahi Riaril was glad she had no name for. The smoke of cooking food brought up Riaril's cough, her rasp making each breathe a small form of torture. She could follow the grotto's air with her eye: a long path leading up the lone stalactite and billowing across the ground towards the pool of water Riaril had washed ashore from who knows how long ago. As if to answer an unspoken question, the toa of water glanced from her work at her dangling captive and walked back to the desk. With her fingers, the tips frigid to the touch, she undid the intricate knots in the metal wires, letting Riaril fall to the floor in a heap, limbs splaying outwards in disarray. "It's been three days since you washed up Doctor. How you found this place I don't know, but I'm all the more appreciative for my presents to deliver themselves."Riaril glanced up, a grim reaper's glare flashing across her face. "It wasn't smart to let me go. I can take you on just like this.""Oh is that so," she said and walked off, leaving Riaril to realize how weak she really was. I haven't eaten in three days? Bad-mouthing won't get me anywhere right now. I'm self-cannibalizing what organic parts I have. I need proteins. I need carbs. Karz, I need whatever I can chew on. The sounds of chopping led Riaril crawling forwards on her hands and knees, each fall of the knife causing a concussive response in her head. I've been upside down far to long. How my legs haven't fallen off I don't -- Oh. My kanohi. Riaril paused. From the moment her body had broken from soil to taste free air once again a single question had floated through her mind: how am I alive? Her brain moved along its course, each neuron firing in accordance with the clues, the discovery flashing before her hallucinating eyes. How does my kanohi act on its own? Each silver scar across her body had healed from her mask, yet not once had she called upon its effect. The chopping stopped. "I think you're asking the right questions now," she called out from her work. The shriek of a worm losing a limb.Riaril heaved. Dinner had been a large let down. No rationale was able to stop her gorging; she now watched her mistake slip away under the sea. Under the sea? Could I really just dive in and be free? Her captor stood on her right, staring into the pool's reflection, admiring how the ripples moved from their sandy beach out in the darkness, the beach itself sloping under the water until it could not longer be seen. "You could just jump you know," She said, eyes still focused on the reflections, "You could jump, and I could kill you while you dove. So far neither have happened. Besides," Riaril watched the chipped kakama move away from focus only to feel its breath, "You are enjoying my memories are you not?" Her body froze. Even with the hot breath against the back of her neck, Riaril remained perfectly still, each muscle tense, her eye painfully jutting outwards. Pure shock. No way... "Those...""Are my memories," the toa finished for Riaril and slid away like a phantom, leaving her prey to heave again into the waters.

[Franco]

OOC: @Kughz: Not bad. Not bad at all.IC: Wrath's left hand knocked back the durian and flasks of oil. Had he not been berserking, the toa might be injured, but his activation had sent his speed and toughness skyrocketing. He was an iron colossus, incapable of injury thanks to such futile assault. He only registered that one of the more heavily injured prey was struggling.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Hero Creation Kit

[Constructelf]

OOC: Do sailboats have working stoves? Anything to make a torch or a bomb?IC: JianzhaSeeing that her assault wasn't working, the vortixx ducked back into the hold of the ship. She looked around for something to make a bomb with. "Where's the cooking oil when you need it?" she thought as she searched the hold.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Constructman

[25K Now!]

IC: [The Fifth]The Fifth arrived soon with their food. "Here you go! That'll be a total of forty widgets!"

[Snelly]

IC: Emotia - Casa Juturna, Ga-Wahi -".......... spaghetti monster...rightttttt." Emotia said with sigh. "You should really think about getting some professional help."

[sunflower]

IC: SahreaI stopped tapping my clawed hand on the table as soon as the food had arrived, and sat up in my chair. "Right, um, here," I said, holding out the requested number of widget for The Fifth to take. The widgets were a small gift from Terop, he said something about not having to pay him back or something...Or atleast, I hoped he did.

[otter]

IC-Praggos:"Have you never heard of the Flying Spaghetti Monster?" Praggos asked, seeming surprise on his face. "Why, my dear, I must enlighten you-Assuming, of course, I can take thirty minutes of your time."