Bzprpg - Onu-Wahi

[25K Now!]

IC: [uyism]

 

Uysim cocked her head to the side. "Greetings?"

[Nuju Metru]

IC:

"There's a difference between keeping the law and outright intimidation," Nuparu said, even shocking himself a little with his boldness. "My fellow Onu-Koronians and I know which one you do."

 

He decided it was wise to let that sit a while before he continued. There was a pregnant pause, and Kyju looked on expectantly; but when Nuparu picked up his thread again, it was with similar forwardness. "Onu-Koro never asked for a politician," Nuparu said, stating fact. "And it resents having one, especially an outsider. You speak of a 'we' to which you don't belong... These are the widely-held sentiments, which I'm sure your informants have told you. I don't mean to offend; this is how things are seen." He shrugged, both purposefully exuding and secretly devouring a little nonchalance. "You can't hold any delusions of the loyalty of the people. We respect our Turaga for his wisdom and kindness... In the public eye, at least, you seem to have the opposite attributes. Anyone, even an engineer like me, could end your regime with the right words in the right places."

 

Nuparu studied what he noticed in Kyju's body language; it was guarded, as always. Nuparu tried to dissect the little incongruities he had picked up on as he kept talking. "Po-Koro and Ga-Koro have been plagued with assaults from outside forces, and their people have suffered at the hands of indifferent cruelty. The last thing I want to see is such conflict break out in this Koro; most share my desire for peace, and I assume that's probably the only reason you're still here, rather than in a far deeper hole; we don't want to waste blood throwing you down one. I've lost friends, we all have; in Onu-Koro, we always assumed we'd be safer because we're not in the sun. Now we see that the enemies that attack in sunlight are much easier to combat than those who inhabit the dark like we do."

 

He had been too upfront. Nuparu spent another moment recollecting himself, remembering his purpose. When he spoke again, it was levelly, returning again to reason. "If you continue to try and bend my and my peoples' Koro into something it isn't, violence is inevitable. It's because I would rather not see violence that I am here to give advice. If you want to presume to rule us for a time without a revolution, I'd suggest you do a better job at working for our benefit, rather than trying to crush us into subservience. Direct Onu-Koro on its natural path of advancement, and you may encounter enough reluctant cooperation to hold onto your title."

[Geardirector]

IC: Whorok

 

Another shift in the mines had passed, and Whorok was once again loafing around in his hut. The hunched over Onu-Toa was thinking, hard as it may be.

 

What was happening to his city, what was happening to its people?

 

A surface dweller had taken control after Turaga Whenua went missing, and he was steering the city in the completely wrong direction, as far as Whorok could tell. The Onu-Koronans were miners and engineers by nature, not warriors.

 

Who did this blasted surface dweller think he was. Turaga Whenua? Most certainly not.

 

Whorok knew Onu-Matoran, more than he often cared to admit. His time as a mining captain and now a protector against the many hazards the miners encountered on a day-to-day basis had given him much insight.

 

He turned around on his stool, his massive hands resting on his knees as he peered through a small window out onto the busy streets.

 

Whorok loved Onu-Koro, it was his life, his identity, and he would not let it fall into a darkness imposed by some nobody who thought he was somebody.

 

Something had to be done, and fast, but what?

 

Whorok's head had begun to hurt from all the thinking, he needed answer, but he had no idea where to find it.

 

Whorok slumped over to his bed, drifting off to an unruly sleep.

[Relapse]

IC. Kyju's Home."I do believe you ignored the question, Nuparu." There was no condescendence. It was simply a statement. Though there wasn't much warmth Kyju had displayed earlier, there wasn't an overwhelming amount of cold either. "It is evident to me that you believe you could better serve Onu-Koro than myself, so I request again: shall you be my partner, or shall our differences create the animosity you seek to prevent?"

[otter]

IC: "Yez," Came the familiar sound of Aexias' mumur in reply. "Ant you?"

 

IC-Dendron:

 

Ah, zhere zhe vas. I'd been wondering if she disappeared on me, while I sat there, playing somewhere over the rainbow on my 'ukulele. And yes, that is the correct spelling, thank you-the ' denotes a glottal stop. And then it goes oo, not yoo, for the first "u."

 

So. '-oo-koo-ley-ley. Sounds better that way.

 

"Not bad," I replied, the pause in conversation nothing more than normal. "Though I do have a bit of a question for you."

Edited December 25, 2012 by The Otter

[Nuju Metru]

IC:

Nuparu looked a little taken aback. He actually hadn't caught that offer, earlier. "...Alright," Nuparu finally said. He could hardly believe his luck; perhaps the Great Spirit had a hand in this, seeing how smoothly things had advanced. On the other hand, it could very easily be a trap. Nuparu decided he had already taken plenty of risks today; one more wouldn't hurt. "If you want my help in leading, I would be glad to give it."

[BULiK]

 

 

 

 

IC: Sideways:

 

"Maybe this new government can give us a job," Rook mused, the three of them sitting in a small cafe.

 

IC:

 

"I'm sure our assistance would be gladly appreciated," Quoribay replied. Th Fe-Matoran took a sip of his coffee and glanced at the patrols circulating through the nearby streets. "We could also raid travelers and assist any rebellions that arrive, perhaps?" He added. "Although it wouldn't be nice to get on the bad side of a Koro..." He shrugged. "Well, I suppose we could offer our services to these guys - For a price, of course".

[Krayzikk]

IC: Tarnok

 

"Ah, Leli, this is Ulyism, one of my squadmates. Ulyism, this is Leli, a friend of mine." Tarnok said, gesturing from one to the other.

[Franco]

IC: "Ask as you vish," Aexias replied softly.

[otter]

IC-Dendron:

 

Ah, now, I have to figure out how to word this question. This might be a little awkward-okay, actually, very awkward, but it needs to be answered. And I fear I might already know the correct answer.

 

"Your point for keeping me happy, even though, in all respects, I'm still a prisoner," I growled, my tone a bit odd even for me. "Locking me in a cell, and yet letting me have pretty much everything I want, getting me the best food, good instruments..." I stopped for a moment, listening closely, now, for any hint that what I was going to say next was true.

 

"You were just ordered to be accomodating, weren't you? To make my stay pleasurable, make it so that I would start to feel that I wasn't really a prisoner?"

[Franco]

IC: Aexias hesitated. This was a dangerous subject of conversation, one she knew to tread carefully around lest she reveal anything her master did not like to be made public. But at the same time, that master did not wish her to lie. So she retreated to the line she had already memorized in the eventuality her hospitality was questioned.

 

"No. I vasn't ortert to accomotate, I vas ortert to keep you alife." This was true; her primary directive was to allow Dendron's life inside the boundaries of his cell and the small cluster of tunnels it was held in. "I am not trying to make you feel as zough you are not prisoner." The statement was also verity. Her apparent armaments underlined the fact that she was still warden of a jail and the boundaries to his living space clearly delineated him as one incarcerated.

 

She paused organically before the last truth, so as to make her speech organic. "Howefer, I do not know vhy I vas ortert to do zis."

Edited December 25, 2012 by Norman Efiks

[otter]

IC-Dendron:

 

"I see, I see," I said, and I truly did see what she meant. There was one more thing that needed answered, though. And it was important.

 

"But I could just as easily be kept alive by being left in my cell and provided food and water-I have no method to kill myself, and I know that if I tried to starve myself, I would be force fed." That was the truth, as well, and Aexias knew that. I was important enough to be held prisoner, and she had already said that she was supposed to keep me alive.

 

"So why the show of friendship? Why the letting me out almost whenever I ask, but not past a certain point? Why am I allowed to have these instruments in here when I could just as easily make a weapon out of one and fight my way out? Why am I trusted, and yet not trusted? Why am I held, and yet granted so many priviledges I wouldn't even have in a normal life?"

Edited December 25, 2012 by The Otter

[Relapse]

IC. Kyju's Home."Then on behalf of my regime, and the council of thirty..." He dumped the schematics into his wastebin, "I vow to make Onu-Koro a place of the Matoran. I may not be known for my kindness; and to that I can only apologize for my nature, but I will never again make the mistakes I have made."He kind of ushered Nuparu out of his door, standing and opening the door. "Come to the council meeting tomorrow, and we will discuss the future of our Koro with the rest of the council." He patted Nuparu on the shoulder, "We will truly do good, now that we are working together. Would you like a cup of tea for the road?"

[AuRon the champion]

IC: Sideways:

 

"Yes... This new regime will have to be watched carefully. Perhaps it is best that we help both sides, under disguise of course," Rook mused, Sideways himself using to appear as if he suddenly disappeared.

 

"Would you like a change of armor before we commence? I have a feeling that you could stick out in a crowd sometimes."

[BULiK]

IC:

 

"Good point, but first, I'd prefer to exchange this old Volitak for something else," Quoribay replied. It would be nice to have something more... physical in case Sideways was too busy with his Mahiki. He rubbed the cheek of his mask, feeling the smooth grooves and notches in the pitch black Volitak. When he was being chased by a few amateur bounty hunters a while back, he had bought a cheap disguise. Now the mask was all that was left of the Ko-Matoran masquerade. It shouldn't be too hard to find a powerless matoran mask; Only the ones with powers were really worth anything. "I'll be back soon," The Fe-Matoran stated, getting up and walking away.

 

A store for various trinkets had some powerless Kanohi in stock. His previous mask and a handful of widgets he had pick-pocketed earlier were enough to trade for a powerless Gunmetal Pehkui. Within a few minutes he was back at the Cafe with a less out-of place mask color.

 

"Okay, I'm back; Work your Mahiki Magic!"

[Franco]

IC: "I vas also ortert to keep you imprisont," Aexias responded, "But only until a certaint man comes here. Zat is vhy you are kept." That was true, as she had been given specific orders to relinquish her warden's authority as soon as a specific person.

 

"Ze lack of restriczhuns is because I belief you can't really life if you aren't happy," She continued earnestly. "I am incarcerating, not tormenting, and zo I vill let you haf vhat you vant as long as it does not conflict viz my ozer order to keep you in zis plaz."

[25K Now!]

IC: [uyism]

 

"Apology for hole."

[otter]

IC-Dendron:

 

"Well," I muttered. She was, at least, doing it out of some sort of compassion. "I see." Her answer was good enough for me, now. I leaned back against the wall in my cell, my fingers slowly playing out "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" as I sat, thinking. So. She had some sort of human compassion, but even then, it was all an act. And it was only temporary.

 

"Aexias, I want you to promise me something."

[sunflower]

IC: Leli

 

"You've got four arms, miss," Leli pointed out, making her way over to the Iroiit in her walking/floating/sliding fashion. "Awesome."

[25K Now!]

IC: [uyism]

 

"Yes."

[Krayzikk]

IC: Tarnok

 

"Don't worry about it Ulyism, I've been needing to expand the closet anyway." Tarnok sighed, and slipped out of his suit coat, hanging it up on the coat rack along with his hat.

 

"If you two would follow me, we have a lot to discuss. And, no offense Ulyism, it would be appreciated if you could dust off your hands and feet."

[Simulacrum]

OOC: Bunnying ahead, hopefully nothing too major.

 

IC: Hound and Hajia, Onu-Koro

 

Hajia, a few hours later, exited Hound's room, her face a mask of uncomprehension, no tears pouring from her eyes, but her eyebrows raised in a quizzical countenance. As she walked down the hallway, her arms wrapped around herself, and her free leg attempting to make up for the one contained in a cast, she looked almost philosophical at moments, and then thoroughly annoyed, her browing furrowing in deep, unsastisfied thought.

 

As she rounded the corner, a familiar Ba-Toa was sitting on one of the many benches lining the largest corridor. Smiling slightly, she sat down next to him, leaning onto him slightly, resting her head on his shoulders as she sighed softly. "Oh, Hound..." She whispered softly, her words only barely audible to Gravity. "God, could you be more vague? More riddles and analogies then I've had the displeasure of hearing in my life..."

[25K Now!]

OOC: U-Y-I-S-M

 

IC: [uyism]

 

Uyism nodded, and ducked down into the hole once more. Several seconds later, she popped out of a hole right outside of Tarnok's hut, before dusting herself off and entering through the door.

[sunflower]

OOC: Post > Bunnying.

 

In other words, don't mind.

 

IC: Gravity

I was alone with my thoughts for a bit, something that was both a blessing and a curse. I tried not to be a lone that much anymore, not when I didn't know when I would pass out from a surfacing memory, but now... I needed some time just to think, to take in everything. As I said before, it wasn't all good. Thinking just brought more pain than I was willing to admit, and not just physical. You couldn't run from mental pain. There was no excape. So I sat there and pushed through. It was a distraction to me, nothing more. I wouldn't let it control me. Suddenly, I felt a comforting weight on my shoulder, and I glanced to the side to see a familar Toa of Water there, resting her head on me.

I smiled a bit, Hajia being one to brighten my day a bit. "Tell me about it," I replied, wrapping my arm around her and pulling the blue-armored Toa close. "I can't shake the feeling that the only one in there that made sense of it was either you or Raxa. I was absolutely clueless. Seemed important, though."

My tone made it clear I wasn't one hundred percent serious, but still. This mood was all too low. I needed to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, my elemental powers didn't work on situations. Didn't keep me from trying.

 

IC: Leli

 

The Matoran looked from the hole, to the door, to the hole, and back at the door. "Huh," she said, tilting her head to the side, "Neat."

 

Shrugging, Leli moved to follow Tarnok, quite interested in what he had to say, especially considering his strange mood. Yeah, something really wasn't right.

[Krayzikk]

IC: Tarnok

 

Wordlessly, Tarnok led them through his oddly spartan hut toward a hallway. There were no excess pieces of furniture, no paintings on the wall. Even his kitchen, as they passed it in the hall, was strangely barren.

 

At the end of the hall, he opened the last door and stepped inside. It was his library, the place he lavished most of his salary. Books covered the walls, and a single table sat in the center of the room, with several chairs.

 

'Have a seat. Or stand. Whichever you prefer."

[Franco]

IC: "Yes...?," Aexias said, devoid of hesitation.

Edited December 26, 2012 by Norman Efiks

[otter]

IC-Dendron:

 

Right, now for the big message. This ought to be grand.

 

"Right," I began, my throat unnaturally dry, my voice...raw. "I've been thinking, and I've realized something: These days here, in this cell, they were the best I've ever experienced. Being imprisoned, living in a cell, has been the best part of my life." I paused for a moment, to let the meaning of that statement sink in.

 

"That's right. I really don't have much of a life. I hardly ever speak with my one brother who is left, and still my brother...and my nephew and I don't even interact. I used to run a music and surf shop, but being one lonely Toa, I never got much business. I was driven out rather quickly. No, I truly, most definitely, do not have much of a life." I paused, again.

 

Had I thought this over enough? Was I careful, analytical, when I made my decision? Yes. Was I going to go back on it? No. Was this the time to tell her?

 

Yes.

 

"Aexias, once this business is done with, once I'm out of here, I want you to kill me."

[sunflower]

IC: Leli

 

The green-armored Matoran glanced at the chairs, before taking a seat on the table itself. Predictably. "So..." she said, swinging her legs, and glancing up at Tarnok. "What's this about?"

 

Leli was better at asking direct questions. Mostly because they got her quick direct answers. Most of the time.

[25K Now!]

IC: [uyism]

 

Uyism merely stood and watched.

[Nuju Metru]

IC:

"No, thank you," Nuparu replied. The Onu-Matoran left Kyju's residence, and didn't lose his composure until he was back in the safety of his own home.

[Krayzikk]

IC: Tarnok

 

Tarnok, almost unconsciously, began to pace a short distance from the table. Seven steps in one direction, pivot, seven steps in the other, pivot, and so on. The timing was precise, though whether it was a conscious effort or not was debatable.

 

"I arrived back in Onu-Koro roughly a week ago. My absence had been roughly two weeks. And in the time I was gone, a new player has stepped into the political scene, filling the vacuum of power."

 

"A Xo-Akrainid named Kyju. He has taken the council by storm, and by all accounts, has massed a considerable legion of followers amongst his fellow councilmen." He gestured toward a stack of papers, just behind Leli. "Those are some of his policies. All of them seem good, even great, in the short term."

 

"But the combined, long term effect is significantly worse. In essence, they will turn Onu-Koro into a military regime, ruled by this Kyju.""And, to top it off," He abruptly paused, turning to look at his friends. "I am certain we have seen Kyju before. You might remember him, Uyism. I am almost certain he was at the Hive battle. Fighting against the ILF."

[25K Now!]

IC: [uyism]

 

Uyism did not show any reaction on her face. "Big?"

[Relapse]

IC. Kyju's House, upper levels.The Matoran had left, but he had hardly noticed. He felt as though he were going to slip into a coma. The world around him began to grow brighter. Images became less sharp, to the point of blurriness. Heck, he was starting to see colors as grey. He picked up his pen and attempted to write. What in the world had he gotten himself into? Only time would tell. No, that wasn't right. Everything so far had gone according to plan, or close to it. Though he hasn't expected Nuparu, he had definitely expected someone like him. He had expected to make the offer one couldn't refuse. He had expected to carry out the sin he was planning as he was going to. From his second story window, looking out across the city that was be slowly crushed under his thumb, he watched it crumble. Towers fell away. Military establishments melted into a blur of color. Patrol officers dissipated into wisps of smoke. Soon, his home was the last tower left, and it was one of the smallest. The collective remains of his establishments flowed to the center of the Koro, and condensed. They kept coming together and minimizing until they were but a speck.And then they exploded.The explosion of light expanded to every crevice and every cave of the Koro. It was coming at him, but he didn't move. He sat there, all nerves numb and face frozen blank. The light hit him, washed over him, and burned him. He screamed, but no words came from his mouth. How do you kill something that can simply regenerate? How? The answer had always been there for him to think about, nightmare about: you leave nothing left. He feared that though his power was threefold, Nuparu and those like-minded would leave nothing left. What he had seen was not a vision. He was not blessed with that little gift from the Makuta. These were his predictions. To get to the end, he had to demolish what he had built. Draw a clean slate. Only then could he continue. In his head, these thoughts bubbled up and imploded, and he realized that his pen was stabbed firmly into his hand. He lifted it out, and watched it heal itself. It was like broken wires magnetically reconfiguring themselves. The skill glossed over as if it had been painted back on. This reminded him of Onu-Koro, and that thought made him want to stab it again. Was this the fate all Makuta's followers found themselves in? Was there a Makuta, or was the entire operation a product of a few people behind the scenes? The master schemers? It couldn't be an all-powerful force. If it was, it would've come up and helped them by now. Maybe Kyju could just stop. Maybe he could just go find Onuzek, or Naona, and just pick up where he left off. Could he do that? Niici's words rang in his head.“Are you sure you want to have a stake in this group of power beneficiaries?” Niici had asked, “Once you’re in, getting out can be… troublesome."That wasn't even the only case where the statement was true. How would he explain his defection to the FoM? He was twitching in anxiety, and he didn't even have anything to be afraid of. Well, then again, that wasn't really true. What if he was exposed? What if he was thrown out of Onu-Koro? What if the FoM decided to pick him off? The Master Planner was, for once, at a completely unsolvable dilemma. Where had this all started? Was it when he was a young Akrainid, so many hundred thousand years ago, with a simple life? Was it because he had chosen to define himself in his society, and outwit the rest of his species? He was missing a single fact: it didn't matter. What's done was done. It would continue to be done no matter how nicely you asked it not to be. In short, he had no choice but to continue down the path he was on, following a god who wasn't there, declaring a war on another god who didn't exist. The only other option...was death.

[Franco]

IC: Aexias said nothing for a while. When she spoke, her voice was perfectly calm.

 

"As you vish."

Edited December 26, 2012 by Norman Efiks

[otter]

IC-Dendron:

 

I nodded, slightly, when she spoke. As well, I felt almost...relieved, in a way. Yes, I had literally just ordered her to kill me when I got out, and that should, normally, fill somebody with anxiety...but I felt like I'd made the right choice for me. Because there truly wasn't much else I could seriously ask for.

 

She said I may have been imprisoned, but with that request...I felt free. But, ah, one thing needed done first. My hands stopped on my 'ukulele, the reverberations quieting down quickly.

 

"Can I have a hug?"

[Franco]

IC: Aexias opened the door. She silently stepped in and embraced Dendron, arms sliding around his torso to cross his back.

[Simulacrum]

IC: Hajia, Onu-Koro

 

"He could have been discussing the best way to prepare berries for cooking in metaphorical terms, for all I know." Hajia said, her joking smirk turning into a smile tinted with sadness.

 

"So, what have you been doing while I conversed with everyone's favorite philosophical colossus? Planning where we're going next, I hope. I seem to remember something about food..." She said, draping her arm across his shoulder as she scooted closer.

[sunflower]

IC: Gravity

 

I shrugged, or shrugged the best I could with Hajia hanging on. "Just... Thinking really," I replied, not wanting to burden the Toa of Water with my problems. They were... my problems, I had to take care of them on my own. I could take care of them on my own. Hajia didn't need to know about what kept me up at night, staring distantly at the ceiling, falling into a troubled sleep. A sleep that I would wake from moments later in a cold sweat, my heartlight flashing irregularly and my eyes wide. No, she didn't need to know. She had enough on her mind to worry about me. I was fine.

 

Karz I'm a bad liar, even to myself. Well, it's not like I got a lot of practice. Probably better that way.

 

Besides, Hajia was here, now wasn't the time. "Well," I started quietly, looking into amazing grey-blue eyes as I leaned a bit towards the beautiful Ga-Toa they belonged to. "I spoke with the doctors, and I think that a nice walk on the beach isn't that far away."

 

"But before all that," I added, a grin spreading across my face, "Food."

[Simulacrum]

IC: Hajia, Ga-Koro

"I couldn't agree more," Hajia said, her attempt at a straight face as she stared back at Gravity ending with a charismatic smile. "So, anything particular in mind, or do you just want to walk around the Koro, trying every free sample offered, until we decide?"

Edited December 27, 2012 by Giant of Lannister

[sunflower]

IC: Gravity

"Hm... Well, free samples don't sound so bad," I replied. There was a moment's pause, before I continued. "Okay, I have no idea. Lets go walk around for a bit, explore this clausterphobia enducing place."

"Sound good?"

 

IC: Leli

The green-armored Matoran listened in silence, her legs having stopped swinging as she sat on the table. He head rptated to follow Tarnok as the Onu-Matora paced back and forth. Leli raised her hand before speaking. "Er, I don't know about you, but that sounds a bit iffy," she said, her normal cheerful personality gone for a bit. Yes, she could be serious, if she tried.