Bzprpg - Ko-Wahi

[Krayzikk]

IC:Eyes fixed on the dragons perched on top of the buildings, few people noticed the angel on the ground.At least not at first. As he walked away from the scene, Atrin didn't bother trying to hid his wings. They lay folded against his back, drawing stares from the people around him. He either didn't notice or care, as he merely kept walking. What the citizens thought of him wasn't important. What was important was that there was an imbalance on this island, one he needed to fix.

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Valria)

 

"I've done things no one should. I chased him down...I did things to him, I was angry! I wanted him to suffer...and I took it too far. Mef would still be alive if wasn't for me. Kuyre wouldn't have caught that disease if it wasn't for me. Mef could being spending time on a Ga-Koro beach with a beautiful Toa. Instead he's dead and I'm the reason! He wouldn't have followed me, Kuyre could have moved on." She couldn't hold it back any longer. LoJak could hear her muffled sobs, feel the wet tears against his armor. She looked up to the Toa.

 

"I'm not a Toa, a Toa doesn't torture man because he wronged her. Even if she was forced to be his slave along with others. Oh god, the screams I can still hear their screams." She heard Selaria's fights with one of Telric's men. At first she fought and struggled, shouted curses at him. Then it was there, the change in Toa, the pleading. Please, please, please. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. No, no no! Stop! Stop! STOP! Then came the muffled cries, the screams, the broken wails of a female Toa of Fire.

 

"He needed to suffer for that! For what he did to her! What he did to me, what he did to us...I-I lost everything. Selaria...she didn't live long after what happened. She died within the next year...I think because they broke her, completely. I shouldn't be on this team. I shouldn't even be alive. She should be here, not me." The Toa fidgeted, trying to pull away. Finally she spoke softly, defeated.

 

"LoJak...have you seen these scars? I'm not beautiful. I'm not strong...I'm weak. I wouldn't break down like this if I was strong. If I was strong then maybe I wouldn't have lost everything. The team, if they knew all this. I wouldn't have a place on it. Kaiapo and Sur, I know how they'd look at me. Sickened by me. Karz, you probably think I'm a monster, don't you? I wouldn't blame you, if you did. I do." She figured that she was going to be found out sooner or later. She was just hoping for later, but it was usually never what she hoped.

 

OOC: Recommend listening to "A Message" by Charlie Clouser, it's on the Death Sentence soundtrack.

Edited March 4, 2013 by Solaire of Astora

[Toa Fanixe]

IC: LoJak

 

LoJak didn't know the people Valria was talking about, but he didn't have to. He could tell from her tears and sobbing voice that they had all been good friends of hers, men and women that upheld the virtues of Toa. LoJak also knew that these people were just like the friends he had lost that day in Kini-Nui, and the family that had perished in Makuta's attacks on Ta-Koro. Valria's words began to rip open scars from LoJak's past that had long since healed, and he hugged Valria tighter, as much for her comfort as for his.

 

"We've all done things we aren't proud of, Valria" LoJak whispered, even though no one else was near the pair of Toa. "We've all struggled with the Toa Code, and most of us have failed a few times. It's nothing to be ashamed of. I nearly lost everything when I began drinking, I nearly failed my destiny. The Toa Mata failed their's. But the difference between us and them is that we're still here. We can still pick up the pieces and make everything right.

 

"Being a Toa isn't about doing the right thing all the time. It's about doing the wrong thing, realizing your failings and then doing it right. To be kicked down again again, but to always rise back up. That's what your friends would want. They wouldn't want their deaths to be in vain. Mef, Kurye, Selaria...they would want you to stop feeling sorry for them and make a difference! Prove that through their sacrifice, you will help free this island!

 

"And Valria, you are beautiful. Maybe you don't see it, not yet, but I do. You're the most beautiful Toa I've ever seen. The scars are a part of who you are, a sign of what you've gone through. They bring out your beauty, not hide it. And you are strong. Anyone can go through what you have and become apathetic, lose all emotion and interest in the world. But not you. You still feel, and that's what makes you better than all of us. You're the reason we fight, why we're happy to risk it all. You're the best of us, and the strongest. I'm sure Kaiapo and Sur and the others would say the same.

 

"Valria, I could never think you're a monster. You're too extraordinary to be a monster. If anything, you're an angel."

 

Still embracing the emerald-eyed Toa, LoJak moved his head back a bit and took a look at Valria. She still seemed a little depressed, her emotions raw from the outpouring.

 

"You hear me Valria? A beautiful, strong angel."

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Valria)

 

"I suppose so. It just hurts so much and every day I'm wondering why it wasn't me. Why I survived and they didn't. Kuyre is still alive, but something changed in him, like something changed in me. I'm not the girl from Onu-Koro anymore. I'm not the Valria I once was." She sighed, pressing her head against LoJak's shoulder. Holding onto his chest, as the Toa of Fire held her. She could feel his grip tighten for a second, something she must have dredged up, a pang of guilt striking her. Though also a feeling of closeness to the Toa of Fire. She listened to him and it seemed soothing, healing in its own way. She felt stronger now with each and every word. More stable, more together. Until those last few words blindsided the Valria.

 

An angel?

 

The lavender-coloured Toa found her cheeks growing warm, and this time not from tears, her cheeks turning scarlet on her.

 

"Um, I'm sure I'm not that beautiful." She saw the slight narrowing of her LoJak's eyes. Frustration at how little credit the smaller Toa would give herself. She resigned herself to accept what he said. "I hear you, LoJak. Thank you for being my angel as well." A few more minutes were spent in the warm embrace of the Toa of Fire. Then it became slightly awkward and the Toa of Gravity pulled away, holding herself a little higher than before. An embarrassed smile curved on her lips as she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

 

"We should get going to that outpost and then on our way into Ko-Koro." She started walking, before turning back to the obsidian-armoured Toa. "LoJak. Thank you, for everything." Thank you for giving me hope.

[Shadow_of_Angmor]

IC: Korato

 

Suddenly, it hit Korato why this light was so interesting. He saw it all the way from Kini-Nui? Now I know why it's such an anomaly.

 

"Thanks for the information." he said, then walked back down the road towards his house.

 

While walking, he pushed thoughts of the strange light to the back of his mind. As he stepped into his house, he was welcomed by the familiar smell of... nothing. Inside Korato's house was a chest with a fake bottom to store items, a bed, and a small chair, leaving his home mostly bare. Walking over and opening the chest, he looked inside to see it was empty excluding a small, blue stone and a map of the island. Putting both of them in his satchel, he removed the fake bottom and pulled out a small pouch of money. I need a vacation to get my mind off such petty things as a funny bright light. Ga-Koro would be a nice place to stay to relax.

 

Replacing the fake bottom and closing the chest, Korato took one last survey of the well-kept dwelling then headed out the door.

 

OOC: Korato to Ga-Wahi

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

LoJak's eyes were still fixed on the Toa of Gravity's form as she walked onward, wondering to himself how it was possible that such a lovely woman could lack so much confidence, when finally she turned to him and spoke.

 

"LoJak. Thank you, for everything."

 

He could tell from the look in Valria's eyes that there was more to that statement than the simple truth. The two of them had just bared their souls to each other, one more than the other perhaps, but it had still been a profound moment, full of raw emotion.

LoJak beamed at Valria, happy that he had found someone that accepted him and all his past, and he was certain Valria felt the same way. He didn't need to ask, he just knew.

 

He also knew that it was about time they'd had some fun on this journey.

 

LoJak ran forwards, bursting into a sprint. He no longer had a Kakama, but he was still fast when he needed to be. Passing by Valria, he shouted "Race you!" and dashed ahead on the western path to Ko-Koro.

Edited March 5, 2013 by Toa Fanixe

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Valria)

 

Valria just smiled and shook her head. There was no way she would be able to keep with the Toa of Fire after their sparring match and especially after that talk. It left the Toa of Gravity more than a little drained, but not so weakened that she couldn't enjoy a little contest between teammates. She start jogging and burst into a sprint after the Toa of Fire, feeling a glee she had not felt in months.

 

"You're on!" The lavender Toa giggled. Her eyes narrowing and her arms swinging out in the way a sprinter's would. It became clear that LoJak was going to the winner of their little race to the outpost after a few minutes into the race.. That was until a snarling growl escaped the Toa of Gravity's throat as her eyes lit with a green fire and she charged forward with the speed of an enraged Muaka. The emerald-eyed Toa rocketed straight up to LoJak, now keeping pace with her compatriot and now friend. She smirked evilly but unfortunately for both her and LoJak, the two of them had stepped onto a batch of slick ice, setting them both off balance.

 

Valria felt herself immediately losing the footing she once had and struggled to keep her self upright as she slid across the icy path. She would have gulped if she could have kept her head up for more than a millisecond as patch of ice was frightening large and was leading straight in the direction of the guard outpost. The Toa of Gravity found herself wrestling with her own momentum as she careened across the icy landscape. "I.....haaattteee..........Koooooooo-Wahhhhhhiiiii." The Toa of gravity whined, leaning in all directions to desperately maintain her balance. She couldn't even afford to look at her teammate as she did her best to right herself.

[BenLuke]

[Clipped]

 

IC:

 

The Toa of Ice took a seat across from the architect, hold his his gaze as the flames licking at the stone of the hearth crackled o the background, the the warm atmosphere it created at odds with the dire thoughts running though Kethrye's head. A duel of minds had began, and Kethrye was, in all honesty, completely outmatched; his only shot at victory was convincing his opponent to underestimated him, seem to be even more out of his league then he actually was.

 

Best option's to ask for something we'll actually use, but not be used to guess what we're actually doing. Ships are right out them, need something else. Straight cash'd be a waste of opportunity, and information is a weapon I'd doubt he'd give willingly to his enemies. . .

 

Kethrye grinned, an idea finally springing to mind.

 

"You wouldn't happen to have any of those element dampening fields laying aorund, would you?"

Edited March 7, 2013 by Javert

[Light]

IC: Arani swooped down, landing next to Atrin and furling her wings. The valkyr walked next to him in silence.IC: Kaithas"Well, that's just the question, isn't it? Where do we- WOAH" The ground shook under my feet, a rent opening. I fell, my fingers scrabbling for a hold on the edge. Roots grew from my fingertips to the ground, but they wouldn't hold me for long...

Edited March 8, 2013 by Elvis

[NorikSigma]

IC: Kiron and Sulkua-Ambages' House.Kiron had taken a spare sleeping bag from Ambages' house and was taking a nap outside.Sulkua contemplated his life. A hunter, became a Toa, joined a team, team died, recluse, found Kiron again, hunted down Makuta worshippers, teleported home, Pala-Koro, Le-Koro,then now."Ishould record my life story,"Sulkua realised. He took out a slab of stone and started writing.

[Constructelf]

IC MerlaSnatching up the staff and the shield, Merla frantically looked around, scanning the environment for any sign of a toa of earth or something.

[Krayzikk]

IC:Atrin didn't turn around, he had heard Arani land the instant she did. He continued to walk in silence for several minutes, before finally speaking the question that he had pondered since she appeared."Who are you, and when did you arrive in this realm?"

[Light]

IC: "I'm known as Arani." She crossed her arms as she walked, her wings flexing once. "I just got here."

[Flex Lord Splash]

IC: Arani swooped down, landing next to Atrin and furling her wings. The valkyr walked next to him in silence.IC: Kaithas"Well, that's just the question, isn't it? Where do we- WOAH" The ground shook under my feet, a rent opening. I fell, my fingers scrabbling for a hold on the edge. Roots grew from my fingertips to the ground, but they wouldn't hold me for long...

 

IC: Lathon

 

The Le-Toa heard the ground open up and Kaithas begin to fall inside the rent. "No!" he yelled as he flew towards his comrade on a current of air; his hand stretching forward to grasp his leaders.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic:

The Toa of Ice took a seat across from the architect, hold his his gaze as the flames licking at the stone of the hearth crackled o the background, the the warm atmosphere it created at odds with the dire thoughts running though Kethrye's head. A duel of minds had began, and Kethrye was, in all honesty, completely outmatched; his only shot at victory was convincing his opponent to underestimated him, seem to be even more out of his league then he actually was. Kethrye grinned, an idea finally springing to mind. "You wouldn't happen to have any of those element dampening fields laying around, would you?"

 

"The nullifiers," Ambages corrected Kethrye. The architect reached and pulled a proverbial file from a cabinet in his mind. Like many things, he had already predetermined this situation and worked on a scripted answer to it, and like everything else he already wrapped this loose end into a knot. "And the answer is, unsurprisingly: No. The technologies for those machines were entirely worked on by a team of Vortixx."

 

"The same Vortixx who..." Kethrye started.

 

"... Perished in the battle. Exactly," Ambages finished for him. "Because of the danger those machines posed if they were given to the wrong hands, they were specifically invented to be unreproducible outside of the handiwork of those few beings. Not even I knew how they worked. There was much research done for them and it's all gone now."

 

It was all true. Mostly, anyway. There was one more such machine in existence: In the hold of the MNS Intrepid Tapir, effectively shrouding the ship in an elemental nullifying field. But even so, Ambages had no idea where the ship was exactly. Last he knew, it was being piloted north along the western coastline of Mata Nui by Brykon, but the colonel's activities since the assassination of the turaga was anyone's guess at that point. And while it would be possible to reverse-engineer the generator, the creators of the mechanism did die in a fiery mishap in Pala-Koro, just as Huascar promised to do. The Tapir had to be found to prevent the loss of the generator from Peer hands, and Ambages would see to it that it was done, but it would be best left to Puroruk or Caerus at that point.

 

He thought of all this without appearing distracted, still rapt in attentiveness to Kethrye. "I'm sorry. But is there anything else you can think of?"

[Jean Valjean]

OOC: I apologize for how long this took me, as well as for how long this post is, but it's basically all extended scenes between my own characters. This has constantly been on my mind, but due to college, I haven't had much time for, well, anything lately. It's good to get this off my chest, and I wa sick and tired of being in this situation, so I decided to end it all right here. EmperorWhenua is going to have problems with it and call it bad RPing, but I don't care. Here it is:

 

IC: (Kato, the drifts) Out in the wilderness, along the cold, barren peaks of the mountain, two Toa hiked along, alone. For them, their trip was uphill, while the blistering wind blew at them from the side. To their right was a small rock ridge, where jagged stone jutted out from the stone, but the barrier was low and they could still see the world beyond, where the stony teeth gave way to a long, long drop. There was no ignoring the height. This was the top of the world. One of the Toa led the other. She was white and almost invisible against the snow. Though the blizzard around them cut like a knife, she felt no chill. The wind, however, was a pain. Combined with the crystal shards of frozen water, it was having her face rubbed in sandpaper for hours on end. At least her armor protected her from the worst of it, as well as her mask. She carried her shield over her back and carried on, using her elemental powers to help herself swim through the waste-deep snow and ice. Her name was Kato, leader of the Defenders. If only she had more company now. She needed rations, and all she had was the snow to keep her hydrated. In any case, she would endure. It was only a day's walk to Ko-Koro. Behind her, looming like a tower, was Monosmith. Unlike her, he did feel the cold, although his face was filled with intense concentration. He seemed almost angry, like he was having a battle of the wills against nature itself. By some meditation, he was allowing himself to endure the storm. The wind didn't break through the leather of his jacket, and his transparent mask covered his eyes. Still, even though he wore a long scarf that wrapped around his neck and lower face and fell down to his ankles, the wind broke through it like a doily. His jaw was clenched, and his posture was strained, but some primal force allowed him to endure. Monosmith stumbled, and then slipped down the steep slope. His momentum carried him a long ways until it dies down. Kato removed the shield from her back and used it as a sled, falling back to meet him. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back up, but he didn't help himself up at all. "Come with me," she said. Somehow, her voice didn't have to strain in order to be heard over the cry of the wind. "I must go back," said Monosmith. "We must go up where they will never find you!" said Kato. "No, I can't let them keep my flashlight!" said Monosmith. "I've lost too many things over my lifetime. This has gone on too long, and if I can't learn to put my foot down here, who's to say I'm going to put my foot down when it really counts? That tool is mine and it doesn't belong in the hands of someone else." "Monosmith, you're being too stubborn!" she said. "How is going back stubborn compared to following you here? In this no-man's-land? Look around you. We are overlooking mountains!" "You're the toughest person I know," said Kato. "You are made of a firmer rock than this mountain." "I'm not backing out because I'm afraid," said Monosmith. "I'm going back because I want to hold my ground." "I know you will return," said Kato. Monosmith turned his back to her and walked down the slope. "Of course I will. When haven't I?" As he walked away, he whispered into the wind, unsure if it was possible for her to hear him, "But thank you for always having faith in me." Kato watched his figure get more and more distant. The thick field of snowflakes in the air would have obscured him and obliterated all, save for her Akaku, which penetrated the white menagerie. He walked on without her, down from the rooftop of the world, and into a valley of snow. Her watchful gaze never left him, and it wasn't until an hour later that she stopped looking down in his direction. She took up her shield once more and walked along the rocky teeth at the edge of the plateau, where the ground was firmer and the view...extraordinary. And she continued walking up, to a destination only meant for the coldest of Toa. IC: (Monosmith) An old woman talked with me yesterday morning. She was too old, and coming to the end of her days. She said "I'm ready to give up, because I can't stand any more of this." Monosmith kept these thoughts to himself. When he saw her again, he would tell Kato about it. He wanted to tell her then, but he had withheld. He knew he could trust her with anything, but at that time, he didn't know how to express himself. It meant having to say it out loud, confessing it to himself. For now, these thoughts were just thoughts. It was the saddest thing I heard in years. It might even be sadder than the child who died not by fighting in this war, but by some accident. I knew she was old. I just never saw her so weak. I thought she would hold on, or find peace in spite of her suffering. But she was asking for everything to be over. She was defeated. I have never seen her that way. It was morning again. He had slept during part of his way down, and it had been a good sleep. He had fallen into the despicable habit of staying up until the early hours, but the blasting winds and dry snow exhausted him into an early retirement, and the frigid temperatures lulled him into a deeper slumber than usual. The snow actually made for a good blanket when he fell into it and stayed in the hole he made for himself, even after the snow covered him up. Now he was awake, and the hour was early. If fact, if was the same time of day he usually finally had his sleep. The sun wasn't up. Everything was dark. The wind, as harsh as it was, seemed to have no sound. He felt alone, but in a good way. He had time to himself. It was right that he should have an early morning walk. He had almost forgotten their special place in his life, albeit them being in the company of more pleasant sprites of nature. The last time he had gone of one of these was when he woke up accepting his destiny, which he later confessed later that day. If ever he needed the time for an early morning walk, it was now. Now, when he was disturbed by the feigning life of an old Turaga. If he did not have this time, surely he would be consumed by fear, but now he could be at peace. He was still afraid. In fact, he was more afraid than if he hadn't returned to his classic sleeping schedule, since he had more time to anticipate where he was going, but in this instance, being at peace and feeling fear weren't mutually exclusive. It might be another hour before he got back to the camp he had recently fled from. Last he counted, the gang consisted of seventeen Piraka. Since there was only one of him, he didn't like the odds there. He didn't plan on confronting them. Most of them would be asleep, so he could just take his things and go. If they did wake up, then he was sure he could outrun them. In any case, they weren't going to beat him and have their way with them. He wasn't going to back down. He didn't like losing, and he especially didn't like seeing villains get away with villainy. And right now, a silent determination wound up in him like a hunting bow drawing out an arrow. Fear mingled with sadness. Passion mingled with a sense of meaning and purpose that he couldn't place, but felt that it was known by Mata Nui, and that the Great Spirit was on his side. There were several large, rigid, black rocks along the snowy path below now, looking like Makuta stones, except sprinkled with snow and less menacing. He could see figured moving about them. He was at a level now where it was safe to set up camp. Down below, among the rocks, he thought he could make out seventeen figured doing exactly that. Most of them were asleep, save for three. They were unmistakably the brutish Skakdi thugs who had attacked him earlier and chased him and Ashley up the mountain. It looked like they were still there, waiting for them to come down. To their credit, there were quite far up. It looked like Kato really did need to go to the very top in order to shake them off. Monosmith got on his belly and slid the rest of the way down, stopping behind a rock. The three Skakdi standing guard didn't notice him. He held his breath and made his way around them. The other Skakdi were in sleeping bags surrounding a fire. Next to one of them was a sack, set on top of a circular shield. He crouched down next to it and loosened the strings that tied it shut. With some clinking, he shuffled through its contents. There were several Kanohi, some of them clearly belonging to Toa while others seemed to be bronze masks owned by Matoran. There was nothing else. Disappointed, but wanting to make the best out of this find, he took the back and hoisted the shield. As he did so, be made a crunching noise against the snow. One of the guards noticed, and the next thing he knew his own light was being shown upon him. It was blinding, which was part of the intention behind creating it in the first place. He covered his eyes, and turned his head to the side. "Waxyum!" shouted another guard. "Wake up! It's him, that Toa of Stone, Stannis!" They apparently still believed the fake name he had given them. That didn't really matter. All of the other Skakdi were waking up now. Their weapons were all next to their sleeping bags and readily available, and they were all quick on the draw. Only the one was unarmed, and it was the one whose shield Monosmith now had for himself. He wondered if it would help at all. He was surrounded. "Stannis, it looks like you came back," said their leader, Waxyum, who meanwhile rubbed his sleepy eyes. "Real good to finally get a look at you." "I've come to take what was never yours and leave," said Monosmith in a matter-of-fact tone. "Really? I could have sworn you were just a masochist," said Waxyum. "You don't understand the principle, here. You come to my place, to my group, and you have no right to sound so sure of yourself. Here, I'm God. You're just a punk. Pretending you're something otherwise is blasphemy." "If you're God, then I'm an atheist," said Monosmith. "I really don't have time for this. Goodbye, 'God'. Go back to sleep. Isn't that what Makuta decreed?" He turned away from Wazyum, but was blocked by the other Skakdi. One of them wielded a giant hammer and swung it at Monosmith's head. He ducked and backed away, back into the center of the circle of Skakdi. They all began laughing, taking their time, and enjoying the moment. They wanted to draw this out, play with him just a little bit and belittling him just before they broke him and killed him. Monosmith pirouetted around and around, looking out at all angles as the Skakdi closed in closer, desperate but not yet in despair, and still certain that there was a way out of this. The Skakdi struck out when Monosmith's back was turned, hittin him between the shoulders. His back cracked, and he fell to the ground, holding out his hands. He tried bringing himself back up, but the Skakdi to Waxyum's right took a spade and used it to hit Monosmith over the head. Monosmith collapsed, spitting up blood. He had bit his tongue hard. Still he, tried to get up, but Waxyum grabbed him by his scarf and tightened it. Monosmith tensed his neck muscles and held held his hands up to his throat. "I don't know if you thought that by coming here with pretensions of nobility or purity would convince me to fight fair, but whatever you thought, I mock it," said Waxyum. Monosmith glared town at Waxyum. "You're shorter than I expected." That did it. Waxyum pulled at the scarf even tighter. Monosmith felt the hammer hit him across the back once again. Waxyum reached out and pulled off his mask. Monosmith felt something akin to a stroke come upon him at the initial shock of masklessness. Waxyum laughed, then let go. Monosmith hit the ground. He dropped the shield and the bag of kanohi. Waxyum took it back and added Monosmith's Mask of Psychometry to his collection. "Ceremony. The sentiment," said Waxyum, walking away. "Finish him." One of his comrades picked Monosmith up and dragged him to a rock. He was stripped of his coat and tied to the rock, his back facing outward. One of the Skakdi took a whip and lashed it across his back. Monosmith clenched his teeth. He felt the splitting pain meet him again. Then again. To chaos with it. He wasn't going to be the tough guy and go quietly. When next he felt the whip, he screamed. As loud and as hard as he could. For what it was worth, he tried to make it sound more like a battle cry. It helped him confront the pain. It helped him take out his tension. "Now I'm being a hypocrite," pondered Waxyum. Monosmith couldn't see him, but he could hear thoughtfulness as depicted by a stage actor in his voice. "Look at you, a slave to sentiment. But what am I? I sit here lazily, mocking you and dehumanizing you as I have you slowly whipped to death, determined to make your ending as miserable as possible. As much satisfaction as it brings me to see you taken to the edge of suffering where your will dangles in the balance, where my modus operandi is to watch as innocent, supposedly innocent people give up their will to live, isn't that sentiment all the same? Why don't I kill you right now?" A pause. "Jurginn, hand me your spare spear," said Waxyum. Monosmith held his breath, and a second later he was pierced from behind. The tip went straight through and buried itself in the black rock in front of him. Instead of screaming, he hissed through his teeth. "It is strange, you creatures, and particularly you, Stannis," continued Waxyum. He leaned in to talk straight into Monosmith's ear. "You are exalted as heroes, with bravery and strength of mind. Yet, your bravery is foolishness, and the power of your minds is a lie. You can evade the detection of all but the most powerful mind-reading Kraata? So what? You come in here stupidly, and you die stupidly. You should have lived while you have the chance. And now, as you feel the pain going away, during these last moments, I want you to want to live, Stannis. Desire life like you never have before, even though a minute ago you were secretly begging for it. Desire it now, when it is too late, and death is too fast for you to outrun. Goodbye." Monosmith no longer felt Waxyum's breath against this side of his face. "Let's go. Forget about the other one. This one is dead. That's all I really wanted." They packed up their things and left. Yet Monosmith was not really dead. The spear was aimed at his heart, but it missed. While it punctured his lung, the injury was not lethal. Still painful, though. The pain was so real. He didn't have some sort of superpowered immunity to it. He couldn't ignore it, so instead he focused on it, trying to make it the only thing he knew. It would be better that way. I might die if I stay here too long, he thought. And these shall be my last moments, a wreck tied to a rock, alone, having abandoned my friends. it would be so good, if it wasn't for the obligations I still have. I can't believe how selfish I'm being. I can't believe... His eyes got hot, but he didn't cry. He closed his eyes and held his tears back. Nobody had died yet. He hadn't died yet. Part of him really wanted to, but that was essentially suicide. It was one thing to accept death peacefully, but quite another to curse life. In any case, the thugs were gone. He could break out now without them noticing. His brow furrowed, he summoned what elemental energy he had left among his drained resources. The rock shook, and then vibrated, and finally crumbled to dust. In one fluid movement, it fell like a pile of grains upon the ground. The robes, no longer tied around anything, went limp. Monosmith easily untangled himself out of them, and then grabbed the front of the spear. I'm going to make it for you. I'm going to make it for those who are weak, for those who lived that I might live better, and for those who I wish to live for that they might live even better still. He broke the tip of the spear off and pulled it out. he felt dizzy at the sight of his own blood, and let the shaft slip out of his hand. He looked out in the distance, in the direction that Waxyum and his group had gone. He could not sneak up on them again and expect the same result. He would need help. Yet, he cold not walk all the way back up the mountain to get Kato, nor would she be enough. it would take a Toa team of significant size to round up these thugs, these Piraka. Perhaps what he needed was a Matoran, or a Toa with a Mask of Stealth. It would be better than nothing, or so he thought, unless someone died along the way. As he walked, he swayed. They had taken his coat with them, and he had to lean sideways into the wind in order to find balance. Soon, he was limping, and after a mile of walking, he collapsed. IC: (Kato) Kato surveyed the mountain and stayed at the summit for three days. After a while, she felt that the Skakdi had moved on to other prey. They were more determined than most villains, but since they had nothing personal against her, she guessed that they would not keep there perimeter for too long. Using her shield, she slipped her way down the drifts without stopping, going through the various ice paths until she passed through dunes she recognized as signs of Ko-Koro. Her momentum took her off the edge of a small drop-off that led her straight into town, and she landed on her feet. The first place she visited was the hospital, where she ate and rested. Then she slept through the day, at peace. Her first full day at Ko-Koro consisted mostly of writing letters, keeping in contact with the rest of her team. She would tie the letters to the legs of trained birds and let them fly off to find their recipients. She wished she could meet them in person, but for the time being she would stay here. She recognized Kethrye of the ILF visiting Matoro and spied on them from a distance using her Akaku. It was a bit of a violation of privacy, but she figured that the business of other Toa was her business as well. After all, every Toa had the shared duty of protecting the island. While she couldn't hear them, she saw a bright green Toa of Air who looked similar to her own Le-Toa teammate with him, who was later sent off. Kethrye, Matoro, and Kethrye's team, then departed for Ambages's house. She took careful note. When she later revisited the hospital, she found a familiar face there. Monosmith, with bandages around his ribs, rested like a creaking ship on a bed. Underneath his transparent mask, she saw several cuts on his face. "Mono!" she said, rushing to his side. "Are you alright?" "Yes," said Monosmith. He said it with a lot of pain. She helped him up, and he grunted. His breath was rough and raspy. He wasn't fooling anyone. "Get some sleep," she said. "You need time to rest and recuperate. What happened out there?" "I got my stuff back, and the masks of the others. It just took the help of a brave Matoran. They think I'm dead, you know," he said. "That's not too far off," said Kato. "Monosmith, I'm going to do the humane thing and order you to stay here." He looked her straight in the eye. "You can break that order," she said. She knew he wouldn't. He knew he had the spirit. "I don't know how long this will take," he said. "I might be here for another week. Will you visit me every day?" "Yes, for however long this takes." She brought him back down to the bed and knelt at the bedside. "I hope you get better as soon as possible." "How are the others?" "Good." "That's good." "That's - that's particularly unelegant," she said. Monosmith laughed through his nostrils, his face still stony with pain. "You're right. I'm usually more fluid tan this. Permit me to me myself - I expect to be out of here within exactly a week, but no more. Should I be called upon sooner than that and my services be made necessary, my duty obliges me to ignore personal comfort and to engage in said duty. It is therefore your duty to me not to be sentimental in how you define humane leadership. It is humane that you can give me comfort when you cannot afford it, but I cannot allow you to invest in this via deficit spending, that is to say when you cannot afford it. In order to truly be humane, you must promise me that you will not hold from me my duty. Do not feel guilty if you call upon me when you are in need." "Yes, Monosmith. I promise." "And you must know that even with a punctured lung and a missing mask, I could reclaim my possessions from Waxyum, as well of the masks of the Toa he transgressed. You know I have the strength." "I know," she said, and she patted him on the shoulder. "If I stick around, you're going to talk all day. I love you, brother, now get some rest." "Ywis," said Monosmith. He closed his eyes, and Kato left, though the stalled at the door and looked back at him for a minute. Outside, she saw a Matoran running through the Koro, looking as if he had bad news. She intercepted him. "What is it?" "I'm coming from the bank. A rogue Toa of Air just broke in and locked us out. We need someone's assistance!" "I'll do what I can," she answered calmly. "I know where it is. What sort of Toa is he?" "A Toa of Air, mask power unknown." "Unknown mask power? That might be some trouble. I'll get to the scene of the crime, but don't stop with me. Get more reinforcements to be sure." "We should get a Toa of Stone to break down the front door without destroying it," said the banker. "Yes, indeed..." she said. "Too bad there aren't any Toa of Stone presently in Ko-Koro." IC: (Laryn, Ko-Koro Bank) He paced back and forth, back and forth. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that there really was no way that he was going to find a clean way out of this. He could simply leave the bank and fight his way out, but the mission would be left unaccomplished. What was more, Ambages would get a heads up and realize that the Toa were searching him where he just might have something to hide and he would know to cover his tracks. The Toa would also be disgraced on top of their failure, with no evidence to justify their raids. Laryn would have to be on the run from the law in the worst-case scenario. Well, there was one last thing he could think of, but it was almost completely beyond consideration. Still, perhaps he had similar means. Laryn opened the door to the bank, just for a moment. The bankers were still outside, minus one, and they turned in surprise as they talked amongs themselves. "What the - " Before they could react, he used his Garai to pull the head banker, the one he stole the key from, through the door, wich he then promptly shut again using a sideways gravity sweep. "Where are they!" shouted Laryn in a low, gravely voice. "I'm - I'm sorry, but what?" asked the banker. "Whereizz yarblee meant!!" he uttered in a hoarse growl. "I'm not understanding a single word you're saying," said the banker. "Are you just making up jibberish words?" "You wanted me. Here I am," said Laryn. "Actually, no, I did not want you." "You're garbage who banks for money," said Laryn. "Please, enough! It sounds like you're coughing up sandpaper!" said the banker. Laryn lifted up the banker and pressed their faces close together. A moment of eye contact later, Laryn broke out smiling and laughing. He dropped the banker to the floor and held him in place with gravity. "You're right, it was pretty stupid, but totally worth it. I always wanted to go ape like that. Really, though, that's just not sophisticated enough for me. The Turaga I had growing up said that I should have been a dancer. Good idea, except I never went with it. Turning into a Toa was so much cooler." He increased the gravity just a little. "You feel that? That's the gravity around you turning up to eight times its normal pull. This? This is far cleaner, and I'm in so much more control. There's nothing more painful than getting crushed to death by your own body. Do you want me to explain?" "Liberate me with your knowledge, O wise one," said the banker. Laryn began pacing around the helpless Matoran. "It starts with the sensations in your bones, but then your internal organs begin to shift. It's like when you fall and feel your stomach in your throat, except it's a hundred times worse, and it's in your knees. Soon, as your heartrate increased, your body becomes hypersensitive to pain, and as blood squeezes out your pores, it is like the living Makuta himself is forcing his way into your body." "You are pure chaotic evil," said the banker. "I have one rule," said Laryn suavely. "The only sensible way to live in this world is without rules, and tonight you're going to break your one rule." "I'm considering it," said Laryn. "Killing is a choice," said the banker. Laryn paces faster. "I've made the choice before. Now tell me where the vault is with Ambages's information. You don't tell me what I am and what I am not willing to sacrifice to see this justice done." He increased the gravitational pull on the banker to eleven. The banker looked up at him with blood vessels popped in his eyes. "I'm not buying into this game of poker. You'r not serious about this. I know unfettered people and you're not one of them." Laryn stopped pacing and spend some time in front of the banker, with his face held gloomily to the floor. He didn't make a sound. "You're right," he said. He let go of the gravitational pull on the banker, then inverted it, causing the banker to hover in a gravity bubble several feet off the ground. Laryn sat down and leaned against the wall. "I can't believe I just did that." "I can't believe I won that game of chicken," said the banker. "But for the record, just because you have your morals, doesn't make you a good person. Even Makuta has standards. You are a sick and twisted person, and I am disgusted with you." "I'm fine with that," said Laryn. "By the way, did you say that tonight I'm going to break my one rule?" "Yes. So?" "But it's daytime." "Oh, true. I don't know where that came from." Laryn moaned toward the ceiling and rested his head against the wall. "I have no idea what to do. Give me ideas." "No." "Why not?" "Because - because you know exactly why!" "Oh, kaboozle on you, thy fefnicute," cursed Laryn. "So you do make up words!" "Oi, I'm a regular Quiverlance," said Laryn. "What is that supposed to mean?" "It's just some fictional playwrite. That I made up. Just now," said Laryn. "I hate you," said the banker. "I love you and find it a shame that we're getting off on the wrong foot," said Laryn. "Seriously, I feel bad that I even faked torturing you." "Get over it, punk." Laryn did not get over it. it was a big deal for him. He knew it would come back to haunt him later, too, since at the moment he could not dedicate himself full to the guilt he bore, being also occupied with his worries and doubts of this job. At this point, the only way out of this that he saw was some sort of miraculous deus ex machina. IC: Kato (Ko-Koro Bank) "Several minutes ago, the Toa dragged out head banker in," said one of the bankers. "It looked to be via Kanohi Garai." "Well, at least we know what his mask power is," she said. She used her Akaku to look past the stone door. She was surprised to see that it was the same Toa of Air she had seen earlier with Kethrye. What was he doing here? She raised her eyebrows. The wall became solid one again as she forgot to activate her mask, and she returned to her focus. The Toa of Air had the head banker hovering in the middle of the air - definitely a Garai user - while he himself leaned against the wall in what appeared to be despair. "If he's a Garai user...Excuse me, I'm not going to be much use just standing here. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I'm going to get members of my team here right away and gather a few other Toa." "Are members of your team nearby," said one of the bankers. "No. That's why I corrected myself in the middle of that statement and added 'a few other Toa,'" said Kato. "As I said, I will be right back." She climbed up the latter and ran to the Sanctum, where she pulled aside one of Matoro's assistants. "Kethrye was here earlier. What did he have to say?" "I don't know. I wasn't listening." "Surely someone else was." "Kekiri told me. It was not a secret that Kethrye was looking for evidence to incriminate Ambages the Architect. A new Toa of Air was with him and was sent to the bank. That is all I have to say on the matter." "That should be enough," said Kato. "Thank you." The Sanctum member said nothing. Kato ran back to the bank, but then stopped halfway there. She knew what the main vault looked like behind the door. it was a giant imperial hallway, relatively narrow with walls that reached up for about a hundred feet. It would be underneath the ice leading up to the cliff. She used her Akaku to locate it and stood above the pocket. She looked around. She was alone. No one was watching. Channeling her elemental powers into her shield, she struck it against the ground. It caused a crack to form in the ice, just large enough for her to squeeze through. Wherever the crevice was too narrow, her powers caused her to easily chisel her way through the ice without really slowing down. It went down deep enough that she came out from the top of the vault ceiling. She hung from the crevice. "You, down there!" she said. Her voice echoed against the walls of the vault. The Toa of Air looked up and saw her. He jumped up and pulled out his knives, striking a defensive position. "I'm not going to kill you, but I'm not afraid to fight you!" he said. "No, I think we just have to talk. Are you with Kethrye?" "Yes," said the Toa of Air. "My name is Kato." "I'm Laryn." "Laryn, you have a Garai, if I am correct. Can you help me down?" "Oh, sure." Kato let go and felt herself hover down too the ground with surprising lightness. It was a sanguine feeling. When her feet touched the ground, she felt her regular weight come back to her. She kept her posture straight, and addressed Laryn. "I have a question to ask you. Why are you robbing this bank? I'm under the impression that it's not for nefarious purposes." "Kethrye sent me," said Laryn. "Ambages is suspect of conspiring against the entire island. The bankers - bless them - are loyal to the privacy of their clients, but trust me when I say that this must be done if - " "If there is to be any resolution on this issue," finished Kato. "I understand." She was silent for a moment. They both were. "I trust you," she said. "Really?" said Laryn. "I trust that your intentions are good. Your sloppiness is undeniable, but your heart is in the right place. Banker, I commend you for your duty and Mata Nui's blessing go with you, but I am afraid that I will give my brother the benefit of the doubt as far as I can." "I refuse to believe this!" cursed the head banker. "Is that an Akaku?" said Laryn. "Maybe," she said. "Can you help me?" "I never said anything of helping you. I only wanted full clarity of the situation before I came rushing in, so I desired to talk to you in person. Robbing a bank? I'm not going to do that. The only thing I'm going to do in your favor it to help you get out of here and back to Kethrye." "But please," said Laryn. "You have to trust me. This it gargantanic! Surely, think of this as espionage. That's what it is! it's spy work in the defense of the island, and there's nothing wrong with that. Seriously sister, I am a moral absolutist who refuses to compromise with traditional Toa values and even I see this." "Do you or do you not want out?" said Kato. She was, however, stalling. The news about Ambages was...interesting. A lot had happened recently, including the destruction of Xa-Koro and the deaths of the Turaga. These were no ordinary times. If there was a suspect for one of the conspirators who had made these things happen, then this was serious. She discretely used her Akaku to scan the safes along the walls, tuning in to anything that looked suspicious. Most things were papers and other such objects that required close observation, but there were a few objects. Then she noticed the mask. It was a brown, noble Komau, just like the one Onewa used to wear. It was never found on his person. It elicited almost certain suspicious from her, but she knew that if she took this to Monosmith, then its background could be proven. "Wait, you are an Akaku user!" said Laryn. Apparently, once her attention had been fully held, she could not be discrete enough. "Laryn, do you see that safe up there?" she asked. "Yes," he said. "Well, no. Yes and know. I see it, but I also see several other safes in the same general location that you're looking. I'm not sure which one I'm supposed to be focusing on specifically." "Just lift me up. I changed my mind - I'm going to help you." "Just like that?" "Just like that." "Okay," said Laryn. Kato rose off the floor and in the general direction of the safe she had spied. "A little to the left," she said. "No, further to the left. Laryn, it's the very last one and it's near the very top." She was then hovering right in front of the vault. The sheet of ice covering it had recently been chiseled off due to recent use. She signalled to Laryn that she was were she wanted to be and then examined the combination lock with her Akaku. A moment later, she had it unlocked, and removed the mask. She held it in front of her with her hands, delicately. It was like when she was in the hospital with Monosmith, where all she quite knew was to set her hands on it with affection. Except Monosmith was alive, and this was the mask of a man who was now truly, most sincerely dead, someone she could do nothing for. Nothing. Except, as it happened, carry out his will, and do something he would have been proud to see by helping save the people he cared about. She looked at the other things in the safe and took them out as well, using her shield as a tray to put them all on. "You may bring me down," she said. Laryn lowered her and ran to meet her and look upon her findings himself. "What is this?" he said. "Are you familiar with Turaga Onewa?" she said. "Po-Turaga, right?" "The Turaga of Po-Koro. This is his mask," she said, lifting it up. "It's almost impossible not to recognize. It is the only functioning Komau on the island. If I put this thing on and I can use it, then it's beyond dispute..." she looked over at the banker. "You! Kesputin! Yes, I know your name. I've banked here before. Now Kesputin, you tell me: why did you take this thing and not even contemplate even for a moment how fishy that is? Are you really going to defend a man who is smuggling around the masks of Turaga? You have no excuse!" Kesputin, still dangling in midair (except now he was upside down), threw futile punches. "I've had enough with you pompous, judgmental Toa! I'm a good banker and I do my job, which involves not questioning my clients! What part of the significance of that don't people seem to understand?" "This isn't a joke, Kesputin. This is the fate of the island!" said Kato. "I didn't even see contents, I swear!" said Kesputin. "A manservant of Ambages' came and said that it was important that he put something in the vault himself. Normally we regulate everything that goes in and out, just in case someone stores something dangerous, but it was a servant of Ambages, and we trust him! How were we to suspect it was the mask of a dead Turaga?" "Drop him," said Kato. "Ar you sure?" asked Laryn. "Do it." Kesputin fell to the floor. Kato walked over to him and knelt down by his side. "Kesputin, this is what you are going to do. You are going to testify for us that you saw this in his vault. Yes, we broke in to find the evidence, but we need people to know where we found it so we know where the trail leads. Do you understand?" He was silent for a minute. "Yes, I suppose that makes sense." "Good. Laryn, I'm going to open a hole in the ceiling up there and fix it up when I'm out. You are going to use your knives to climb up the ice sheets covering the walls. When you get to the top, you are going to use your Garai to lift me, Kesputin, and the supplies out of here. Then we will head to the hospital to confirm everything we can suspect beyond the slightest doubt." IC: (Monosmith) He ran his finger up and down the contours of the mask. These past several days, it seemed everything he did was related to lost Kanohi and keeping his honor with their rightful owners. "The Komau is an overrated mask, in all actuality," he said. "The power to control minds is incredible if it goes unchecked, but this mask cannot cause someone to go beyond his or her morals." "What does it say?" asked Kato. "Right, the fons et origo," he said, getting back on track. Monosmith closed his eyes and focused. Then it seemed that his eyes were opened again, except they weren't. He still felt his lids closed, but he saw now through the eyes of another, and he heard things through ears not his own. Scenes of Po-Koro greeted him, taking place in a hut very familiar to him. In his right hand, he saw a sand-colored hammer. His vision shifted uncontrollably from one moment in time to the next. There was a flash of death, an assassination, and then the motion of time slowed down to a normal pace. Until then, he could not take in all of the information, since it was so jumbled, and only got general impressions. Beyond what he could visually register, the identity of the mask revealed itself to him, and in that moment he felt he had true, intimate knowledge of what it was. He knew is was Onewa's Komau, and he couldn't just sense its power, but he knew it's power. This much was beyond dispute. It had also been found in the bank safe of a certain individual Kato had refused to name so as not to bias him. "Hmm..." he said, and he focused on the mask's penultimate history. Continuing from its perspective, he saw a De-Matoran with earmuffs holding it in a respectable home. He shut off the hot water and rang the bell for his attendant. While he waited, he put the Komau in a box and sealed it. "Yes mass'r?" the manservant said. "Take this box and have it stored in my bank's safe. Allow nobody to see the contents," he ordered. "Yes, mass'r," the servant said. "Is that all?" "I think so, for now," he said. "Oh, and if you see a shiny Toa with a Huna come to the house, don't worry; I'm expecting company." "Very good," the servant said and left the room, leaving his master alone in his halls. Monosmith repeated this scene to his contemporaries. Kato's head was lowered the whole time. The Toa of Air looked at him intently, interested in all of this more than he was disturbed. Kesputin...was looking pouty the entire time. "And just...Just to prove that I'm not making this up, I am going...to use this mask," said Monosmith. He removed his own and replaced it with the Komau. "I am reluctant, due to the ethical questions surrounding the inherent use of this mask as well as​ unceremoniously and perhaps undeservedly using a relic so intimately connected to a noble leader from my region, but I am sure that Onewa wouldn't mind...Kesputin, stop it." Kesputin, in spite of himself, stopped pouting. "Wow, that basically proves it," said the Toa of Air. "That is the single most unlikely thing that could have happened, and you made it happen. Way to go." Monosmith took the mask off and observed it one more time before setting it down and looking at Kato (while Kesputin returned to pouting). "Are you familiar with the description of this individual?" Kato lifted and turned her head and nodded. "That is Ambages. I would ask you to come with me to his house for you to identify him, but it is enough evidence for any rational prosecutor. No one shares quite the same description as the one you gave. Keep safe." "Are you saying that someone might come and assassinate me?" said Monosmith. "I didn't mean it in that way," said Kato. "I doubt it," said Monosmith. "Many ludicrous individuals have attempted, but the result of their endeavors is, well, obvious. I have given much thought to death, and I have made myself for all intents and purposes invincible against certain forms, and I am almost certain that when I die it will be when I am taking the fight to evil and not the other way around." "You're not the only person on this island who wears a Mask of Psychometry. When I present this to Kato, he can always check your analysis with another wearer, and any Toa or Turaga can prove that it's at least the real deal by putting it on. Thank you." "You are the wind beneath my wings," said Monosmith. IC: (Laryn, Ambages's Home) Kato knocked on the door, almost let herself in, but then decided against it. Laryn just stood next to her for a while, feeling unimportant. "His name's Monosmith?" he asked, realizing something. "Sort of. He has another, but he hasn't used it since the Beginning," she said. "It's not that it's strange. I come across different names all the time. It's just that I swear I've heard it before," he said. The door opened, and he ran out of time to continue the conversation. Kato introduced herself, and told the servant that she had to relay important information with Kethrye on ILF business. Specifically, she requested that Kethrye meet her outside. Laryn, meanwhile, realized where he heard the name "Monosmith" before, during his adventures with Buzzy. he would have to ask her about that later, in case she knew him. It just might give new meaning to his arrival on the island. And it would also be nice of Kato gave him some credit for his efforts in finding the evidence, because a guilty part of him wanted recognition from the ILF, which in his mind would make up for the embarrassment he felt with himself at what he felt was a personal shortcoming at the bank. Right. That. He would be dwelling on that one.

 

OOC: To recap, there's a team of Piraka on the loose that I might bring up later; a character named Monosmith in the hospital; my character named Laryn has gone through the classic "How strictly do I adhere to the Toa Code?" question since everyone else seems to be doing it; incriminating evidence of Ambages's guilt has been brought forth; a collection of bankers who - with the exception of their head banker named Kesputin - is unaware that their robber has made his way out of the bank; and a character named Kato is now about to interact with Kethrye.

 

Whew!

 

24601

Edited March 15, 2013 by Jean Valjean

[Constructelf]

IC GennoSighing, Genno sat down on a rock. This business was really taking a long time (OOC cough cough hint hint nudge nudge) and was boring Genno out of his wits. Still, whatever they were doing must have been important, so he could wait. Throwing his hood back over his head, he took out a match from his pocket. Gazing at it for a few seconds, he lit the match, watching the flame dance on its head. Eventually, Genno blew out the flame with a single breath.Man, he missed starting fires with his mind.

[BenLuke]

IC: "You mean do tell you didn't keep any sort of blueprints or instructions at all?" Kethrye said, raising an eyebrow but otherwise remaining unmoved. Wasn't as if claiming one of nullifiers was all that important, even if getting hands on one might have proven useful. Perhaps he actually is innocent, the ILF Leader thought. If he lacked the foresight to keep a hold on how the create more of such a powerfully device how could he handle any kid of conspiracy? Assuming this isn't just another deception, I guess. "What about-" his sentence was disturbed by a commotion from the other side of the apartment. A voice Kethrye didn't recognized began a hurried conversation with the architect's butler that he was too far out of earshot to catch, but he did recognized the letters "ILF" his own name being used. "One moment," Kethrye said, directing a shrug at Ambages and, rising from where he had been seated, striding to investigate just what the karz it was this time. "Excuse me? I was just in the middle of something so this better be important. . ."

Edited March 16, 2013 by Javert

[Jean Valjean]

IC: (Kato, Ambages's Home)

 

"Kethrye, is it?" said Kato. "Sorry, I do not believe we have ever formally met. I am Kato of the Defenders. You are acquainted with Laryn. We ran into each other at the bank and managed to uncover evidence, as per your request."

 

She looked around, then whispered, "Ambages's safe contained Onewa's Komau." She dug it out of the bag she had bought prior to visiting Monosmith at the hospital. "My Toa of Stone bears a Mask of Psychometry and has verified it as being Onewa's and being handled by Ambages personally. I have not had time to examine everything else that we found. Meanwhile, I wish this evidence to be as safe as possible and as well-known as possible in case it is somehow sabotaged."

 

24601

Edited March 15, 2013 by Jean Valjean

[Toa Fanixe]

IC: (Valria)

 

IC:

 

LoJak glanced to his side to see Valria matching his speed, the two of them rushing down the slight incline towards the Guard outpost, a small building that was the sole source of color in the otherwise pristine snow covered ground.

 

He hadn't had a chance to play or have fun in a long time, nor had he been expecting on having any fun at any point in the forseeable future. Yet here he was, racing a Toa with some of the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen and whom he had the privelage of being in the same Toa team with. LoJak was doubly happy that Valria was even able to help provide the release of pent-up energy for the two of them, despite the drain their bout had had on her. She was obviously much more capable than she gave herself credit for.

 

Then Valria began to actually pass him, an incredulous look beginning to appear on LoJak's face.

 

What? How's she doing that?!? I know she'd normally be faster than me, but my body is fresher. No way she's gonna beat me, not tod-

 

LoJak's thought was cut short when he noticed Valria wobble slightly. He was about to ask if she was alright when it felt like he'd walked off a cliff, and the two of them fell onto an enormous patch of ice, heading straight towards the Guard outpost.

 

 

"I.....haaattteee..........Koooooooo-Wahhhhhhiiiii."

 

Spinning completely out of control, LoJak was in no position to answer. He unleased a small explosion of fire near his feet hoping to slow himself down, but succeeded only in making him hurtle even faster towards a painful experience. He was ahead of Valria, although he decided right then that he wouldn't mind if Valria won their race.

 

His mind raced. He had only a few more seconds before he'd crash into a wall, followed shortly by Valria. An idea popped into his head. Not having the time to pray it worked, he simply released a burst of heat, far more powerful than the explosion he'd made earlier and expending a good chunk of his elemental energy.

 

The next thing he knew, LoJak was in extreme pain. He was also very wet. His head still unsteady, he blinked away the water from his eyes. He was in a small pool of water, surrounded on all sides by the ice of Ko-Wahi. Steam rose furiously from the newly made crater, and LoJak's skin felt like it was on fire. He might be a Toa of Fire, but even he hadn't been prepared for the rapid temperature change.

 

He waited for Valria, whom he knew would plop into the steam bath in just a few more seconds.

[BenLuke]

IC:

 

Kethyre stared into the new Toa of Ice's face, seeking signs of deception. He closed his eyes for a moment, then clenched his jaw as he opened them again.

 

"And how did you come by this pieces of information?"

Edited March 16, 2013 by Javert

[Jean Valjean]

IC: (Laryn, Ambages's Home)

 

Laryn picked up for Kato. "I broke into the bank. She... have no idea what she was doing there."

 

"I was initially security," said Kato. "Then I recognized him as one of yours and decided not to turn him in."

 

"And since she has an Akaku, she noticed the Komau in one of the safes. Kesputin later confessed that it was Ambages's safe and that he had no idea that it was in there," said Laryn. "I'm sorry, I wasn't as efficient as I could have been. Nothing good would have come of it if it wasn't for her."

 

24601

Edited March 15, 2013 by Jean Valjean

[BenLuke]

OOC: Ignore.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Javert

[Visaru]

IC - Ko-Koro

 

A white matoran sat on a circular rock, looking up at the vast mountains around him and thinking. He did it a lot. Thinking. Like all Ko-Matoran, really. He spent a lot of time doing it. Even when he was not in the sanctum (For the sanctum was now closed for meditation) he liked to meditate on the world around him. Like the mountain, for instance. It made him think. Think of-

“Hurry to the guard! Tell them there’s a bank robbery going on!”

The matoran turned his head, started by the frantic tone. He had been hearing that tone increasingly, and it irritated him to no end. Ko-Koro was a place of peace, of meditation, not-

“Please, go! They need to be warned!”

The matoran was sure it could wait. There was little that was so urgent that it required this sort of frantic behavior. If that polished, black and red Toa took time to relax, he would see that it was not as urgent as he thought it was. That was the problem with non-ice types. So full of angst. Especially the fire ones, like the one before him.

It was odd that a fire type should be in Ko-Koro, but that was the way things were. Odd things happened, more and more. The matoran slowly looked at the fire Toa once again, trying to decide if he knew the Toa. But the Toa was gone. What a fool. Moving much too fast.

The matoran turned his eyes to meditate on the mountain, but the Toa’s curses, mutterings about his precious money, kept busying the matoran’s mind. The white matoran found himself wishing he could impart the own peace he felt on others. Silly, silly. Some people just couldn’t relax. If they could just do so. They could see there was no reason to worry.

No reason at all.

OOC

To be clear, the red and black Toa is actually the hero of this post, and his name is Alyo.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Visaru

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Valria)

 

Despite the slender Toa's best attempts all it did was delay the inevitable. Which in the case of this particular Toa of Gravity was falling backwards on the ice. She finally lost her balance, landing on her back and spinning like a top as she careened across the ice. As she spun on the ice the world around her became a blur, like a painting smeared and ruined. Oh Mata Nui, what is happening? I can't even see straight! The violaceous Toa of Gravity closed her eyes, finding that there world around her was turning far too fast for her to manage. The Toa seemed to have rotten luck as she felt herself stop sliding across the icy wastes of Ko-Wahi and instead getting air.

 

Valria's heart couldn't have sunken further in her stomach. Before she could fret over all the possible bad things that were happening her body slammed into something softer than she expected, if anything she believed she would have hit a wall.. She hadn't heard the sharp exhaled when she plowed straight into this object. She also felt a dampness surrounding her, and it was rather hot when compared to cold temperatures surrounding this pocket of warm liquid. The Toa opened her eyelids cautiously and then those emeralds shot open in surprise. Now she understood her soft landing, because the Toa had ended up straight in lap of LoJak. Shades of scarlet tinted purple cheeks and Valria immediately pushed herself off of the rather unfortunate Toa. Who had unfortunately been used as a way to slow down. Valria got up only to stumble backwards and into a sitting position back in the water. Immediately her hands went to cover her face, incredibly embarrassed by the course of events. Perhaps it was the water but her face had never felt this hot before. It was going to get slightly worse.

 

"What in the name of Kopak-oh...." A voice said, partly surprised....and confused. Valria looked over her hands to see a Ko-Matoran staring at them. He had come out of the outpost, now only a short few strides away. The matoran rolled his eyes, sighing, and walked back inside the outpost, muttering the words "Toa these days" beneath his breath.

 

It was in this moment Valria decided that if she could manage, she would never come to Ko-Wahi again.

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

Time slowed as LoJak watched the violet Toa began to appear at the edge of the crater he'd created.

 

She wasn't falling to LoJak's left or right like he'd expected. No, Valria was heading straight... for him.

 

The next thing he knew LoJak felt Valria barrel into him, eliciting a shark intake of air, finally settling onto his lap. He wasn't quite sure what to say. He was still a little dizzy from his latest accidental attempt at skating, and the elemental outburst had left him feeling weak. Also, he didn't quite seem to mind the scarred Toa resting on him, her form rather comfortable in the warm water....

 

He looked into her emerald-eyes. Finally the reality of the situation sunk in and his cheeks burned even hotter than the water around, something he'd thought impossible. Valria scramled off of him, covering her face and eyes. LoJak couldn't help but thank Mata-Nui that she couldn't see his face, which he knew would be startingly crimson even more than his naturally red skin.

 

"What in the name of Kopak-oh....Toa these days."

 

LoJak's heart sunk. He'd come to Ko-Wahi to impress the people who called it home, inspire to be the best he could be. Yet here he was, apparently frolicking in a steambath with a female Toa. Whether or not he'd enjoyed didn't matter - it was neither the time or place for that sort of action.

 

He jumped out of the pool.

 

"Wait!" LoJak called out to the Guard. "We have important news!"

 

The Guard stopped, sighed and turned back to LoJak.

 

"Alright, one chance. What have you got to say?"

 

"Just one minute..." LoJak gulped. He didn't want to ruin anything right now. He bent down and reached for Valria, extending a hand to help her out of the crater he'd made. She was still hiding behind her hands.

 

"C'mon Valria" LoJak whispered. "It's alright, but we've got work to do."

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Valria)

 

Mata Nui that couldn't have been possibly more embarrassing. Valria hadn't heard LoJak leave the water-filled crater until he called her name. The Toa spent a few seconds to gather her composure as she took the Toa's hand and stepped out of an impromptu bath. Valria could feel the water dripping off of her skin. Her eyes looked up...er...down to the matoran and she spoke up.

 

"There was a flash earlier, we're not sure ourselves where exactly it originated from. Whatever it was we thought you should be aware of it."

 

"Hmm, well thank you for the information. I'll bring this to my superiors and we'll see where it goes from there. So...uh, thank you again." The Sanctum Guard responded, he wore what he felt right on his face. He had heard some of the other Guards talking about a flash of light, if a pair of Toa had noticed as well, it was likely something the Guard would need to look into. "Anyways I should probably let you two lovebirds get back to whatever you were doing." He quipped before walking back into the outpost.

 

Valria was half tempted to bury her head in the snow and scream. This whole situation had been mortifying and frankly it seemed like some sort of joke out of a Le-Koro farce. Not really want to subject herself to the cold that way, the Toa kept her eyes firmly on the ground, her only slightly less hotter than earlier. These last few minutes if only she had a Mask of Time and could reverse this she would.

 

"I...umm....we should probably be getting to Ko-Koro now. I think it's only a short walk and we'll be there soon." The Toa of Gravity said quietly, her gaze never lifting.

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

"I...umm....we should probably be getting to Ko-Koro now. I think it's only a short walk and we'll be there soon."

 

LoJak's stomach still felt knotted from the Guard's wisecracking and the sheer embaressment of the situation. He couldn't believe that a Guard of Ko-Wahi had found him the way he had. For a Toa hoping to be a role model for the Matoran of Mata-Nui, it seemed like he still had a ways to go.

 

He took a look at Valria. She seemed even worse off than him. She was staring intently at the ground, her voice barely over a whisper, and LoJak thought he saw a great patch of red at the top of her cheeks. LoJak knew she didn't have the most self confidence in the world, and the recent incident wouldn't have helped. LoJak was better equipped mentally to deal with embaressment - a mercanary didn't survive long wondering what other people thought of him - but Valria was not.

 

He tried to think of what to say. He was no longer a mercanary but a Toa, and now more than ever he had to start learning how to speak and act with others. He'd already nearly made a complete fool of himself in front of the guard - he wouldn't let the same thing happen with any other Toa. Especially not Valria.

 

"You're right" he said simply. "We should be able to make it there around the same time as the others if we hurry."

 

He walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She raised her head instantly to look at LoJak, and he saw an expression on her face he couldn't quite recognize. Without saying anything else, LoJak used a little more elemental energy and dried their water-logged clothes.

 

"Let's go." With that, the two Toa continued their journery to the Village of Ice.

 

Along the way, LoJak's mind tossed and turned trying to figure out the look on Valria's face from before. He thought he had an idea. His stomach began to feel knotted again. He glanced at her. His stomach constricted even more. He tried to speak, but his mouth stayed firmly shut against his will. He resolved instead to ask her about it later.

 

Everything has its time and its place.

 

He glanced at her again.

 

I just wish I knew when and where they were.

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Valria)

 

Valria wasn't sure how to react anymore. It was like the whole universe existed to humiliate or break her, or both. She did her best to wash away those thoughts, but it wasn't working. She felt like such a moron, and the matoran's jokes had felt more like jabs, punching at the Toa's fragile sense of self-confidence. Maybe when they either got started with helping or found some place to stay she could banish the thoughts. They stuck like burrs clinging to clothing. She felt like less of a Toa and more like some kid of joke and she wanted it to stop. The lavender Toa took a few deep breaths as she walked with LoJak.

 

LoJak was nice and frankly much like everyone else in their little group he had treated Valria well. Compared to their sparring, her emotional dam breaking apart and this whole situation. Valria felt less in the eyes of others, karz, she felt this way already and such unfortunate turn of events had only made such feelings in her worse. A few more breaths, getting her mind off of it and it would all pass.

 

Her eyes looked up this time to see the entrance to Ko-Koro, and they widened in surprise, a sigh of relief escaping from her previously sealed lips.

 

"Well, we should probably go check and see if the others are in the village already." She smiled slightly and walked a little faster. Running, running could wait a bit longer. The last thing she needed was a repeat of that incident inside Ko-Koro. The Toa shook her head to loosen the thoughts and continued her pace, hoping to be inside the walls soon.

[Eyru]

IC

 

 

Life has a strange way of popping up in the most unexpected of places.

 

Whether it find itself in the icy drifts of Ko-Wahi or the smoking lava beds of the Mangai Volcano, life adapts and survives. Often, it flickers and fades, perhaps leaves for awhile, but it never gives up. And, eventually, it will hit the evolutionary jackpot, and put down roots.

 

And where there is life, there are eyes. Where there are eyes, there is knowledge. And where there is knowledge, the spider will drink his fill.

 

And so it was that the attempted bank robbery did not go unseen. Life, in all its tenacity, had put down roots in Ko-Koro, and kept its well-paid eyes on the rare prize that Ambages had sought to hide.

 

No, the heist did not go unnoticed. Little birds saw, as they had seen many things before. They saw and remembered.

 

And they left to tell their tale elsewhere.

 

Roses are red

Violets are blue

The spider is keeping

A close eye on you

 

Sitting quite comfy

He lounges in bed

And waits for a fly

To bring him his bread

 

Good luck!

You've been caught in his web

[otter]

IC:

 

Snow.

 

He hated snow. Sure, coming to the top of Mount Ihu, he'd expected it, but he still hated snow.

 

All it did was land on you, melt, and then refreeze on your armour, or in your joints. Clogging everything up, making just moving halfway impossible, let alone the fact that, left too long in the snow, you could freeze to death. How bad a death would that be?

 

He could imagine it now.

 

Leader of the organization known as NEX, Raxa, found dead upon top of Mount Ihu. Cause of death: Hypothermia.

 

That's one thing nobody would ever read, ever, because Raxa wouldn't allow it to happen. Because he hated snow, and as soon as he had the chance, he would get out of it.

 

Still, though, he'd come to the top of Mount Ihu for a reason. From the highest point in all of Mata Nui, one could see the entire island, just by turning their head a bit. To his right, Le-Wahi, Ta-Wahi, and Ga-Wahi; to his left, Onu-Wahi and Po-Wahi, behind him: Ko-Wahi.

 

Where he really didn't want to stay, because he hated snow. Wait. Le-Koro, people seemed to be going crazy. The same situation in Ga-Koro and Ta-Koro. Po-Koro was too far away for him to make anything out, Onu-Koro was underground, and Ko-Koro was obscured by the drifts. Full of snow.

 

Now, he could do the safe thing, and climb down Mount Ihu and go to Ta-Koro. But he'd have to deal with the snow.

 

Or he could do the smart yet dangerous thing, and climb down the face of Mount Ihu to get to Ta-Wahi faster.

 

Tomahawks, check. Pakari, check. Strong armour, check. Hatred of snow, check.

 

Smaller cliffs and trees and what-not below to help break his fall?

 

Check.

 

Time to hope this works.

 

After a moment, Raxa's mask began to glow. A moment after that, he started running.

 

And just after that, he jumped over the edge.

 

5...4...3...2...1...

 

Landed on another cliff. Good, with his Pakari activated, his legs could take the jumps, and his armour wasn't going to crack. Still, though, this might take a while.

 

Time to jump again.

 

OOC: Raxa (rather slowly) off to Ta-Wahi.

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

The two Toa finally reached Ko-Koro and walked through the threshold seperating it from the wilderness outside. Not that there was much of a difference.

 

The devestation was vast, the damage done from explosions and avalanches much greater than LoJak had thought. His gaze moved from left to right, making sure to take in as much as possible. Yes, he thought, he and the others would have their work cut out for them.

 

Most of the major arteries in the Village had been cleared, but nearly all the smaller streets and alleys were, for all practical purposes, unpassable. They were filled with snow and ice, as well as debris from the various buildings the avalanches had damaged. There were likely scores of families forced from their homes into those of their friends that lived on the side of town that hadn't been as badly hit. Those matoran that chose to stay in the rickety homes would be freezing, even with their innate resistance to the cold.

 

And the homes were rickety indeed. Those that hadn't been crushed under the weight of snow bore gaping holes, entire sides missing from boulders of ice that had crashed into them from the avalanche. Some had been partially patched up with the sturdier snow, becoming almost like igloos, but still not very effective. They would need professional work and new stone to properly rebuild them.

 

A glint in the snow near the town centre caught LoJak's eye. He told Valria to come with him, and the two hurried as much to fend off the cold as to be efficient. Once they were closer LoJak realized what he had seen. Toppled over and trapped beneath a mixture of snow and ice was an enormous statue of Kopaka, former protector of the Village of Ice. It was made of a type of granite LoJak knew well, one that had been imported all the way from Ta-Wahi. It was also extremely heavy, which made its appearance in Ko-Wahi startling. It would take three companies of healthy Guards just to raise it, let alone bring it from one Wahi to another.

 

When it had stood, the statue had probably been largely ignored - it was a constant reminder of the failure of the Toa Mata. But now... Now it could be a sign of a better future. The people of Ko-Koro had sunk quite low, and now it was time for them to rise again. LoJak was certain that he and the rest of his new Toa team would be able to restore hope to these people and reignite the flame of Ko-Koro's spirit. Starting with the statue of its destined defender.

 

"Valria," LoJak began, "what did you say your element was again?"

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Valria)

 

"Gravity? Why do you ask?" Valria said, turning her head towards LoJak, his eyes had remained on the statue. Valria's eyes rested on the statue as well and then she looked back to LoJak upon the realization of what he was asking her to do. There was no way in karz she was that capable with her element. For a while there it seemed to have left her as well, and whenever it did show up it was so inconsistent she couldn't count on it. "LoJak...I'm not sure I can do that. What if I use my powers and my concentration fails? What if it lands on house? What if it crushes someone?" Valria's mind already went to all the worst possibilities that could possibly happen. Despite the Toa's best attempts, failures and mess-ups always seemed to plague her life.

 

Each success could be measured by a thousand times she failed. A thousand times she wasn't good enough. A thousand times she was wondering why she had been chosen. Failure, weakness, fear, self-hatred, all these were familiar things to Valria. Damaging as they were, the Toa had been more accustomed to failure than she had been to success. She relapsed constantly, afraid of what the world would do to her if she hoped to much. If she tried to be strong again. Even with her solid fight against LoJak, it wasn't enough to convince the Toa of her better qualities.

 

"I'm not strong enough, perhaps we should just wait for the others."

[Constructelf]

IC SurCrunch crunch crunch crunch...That was the sound that Sur's feet made from stepping on the snow underfoot. Like a zombie walking towards its next meal, Sur's mind wasn't fully there. No, her body's movements were automatic and mechanical, devoid of the grace and character of the mind that inhabited it.Trudging along mechanically, Sur gazed straight ahead. Even a thousand yards away, all she could see was snow. Snow, snow, snow, snow, and more snow. Sur disliked the cold (she didn't hate it, but then ahain she didn't hate anything), and her body reflected this. Shivering like crazy, she lumbered forwards, numb all over, her mind the most numb of all. Creating vines every now and then to support herself, she continued on, trudging along, not even caring if she was headed in the right direction. Fortunately, she was, and soon came to the gates of Ko-Koro.Passing into the Koro, Sur continued to walk along. Sur only had one gal in mind: find a heat source. She didn't care what it would be; even if it was a chain smoker's matchbook she'd still use it. Wearily walking on, she failed to notice the sights of the city. Sur paid no mind to the damage done to the homes, the snow filling the alleyways, and the damage done to the rest of the city. She gave no mind to the sufferigs of the matoran who had lived through such chaos (which was very uncharacteristic of her). No; that could come later. For now: heat.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Constructman

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

"Valria, you are strong enough" LoJak said comfortingly. He knew that she generally lacked confidence in her abilities, but as long as she wallowed in her own weakness she would never grow to be as strong as she wanted. Valria would have to break pschological habits built over several years if she wanted to achieve her destiny, LoJak thought.

 

It wouldn't be easy, but LoJak was determined to help her. It was the only way the Toa group would be able to succeed.

 

He looked back at the statue. If he and Valria could raise it back to its former position, it would not only inspire the people of Ko-Koro but also rekindle Valria's faith in herself. LoJak needed to convince her to try.

 

"Valria, its not as hard as you think. You just have to let your concentration...flow out of you and into the pillar. You don't have to worry, you won't be on your own. I'll thaw it out of the ice first, and then I'll lift and direct it to where it has to go. I know you can do it. And deep down, you do too."

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Valria)

 

"You really think I'm strong enough?" Valria said, looking to LoJak. She saw a yes in the form of a smile. I'm not strong enough...but I'll try. If LoJak believes I can then I should at least try. Valria took a few deep breaths and focused on the statue. Her eyes narrowed as her vision centered on the statue, the whole world around seemed to grow darker in her eyes. Though her eyes seemed to be alit with a green fire.

 

Try as she might it didn't seem to lift and Valria's heart sunk further than it ever had before. She couldn't do it, she failed...again. It was like all those times before. No matter how hard she tried she always seemed to fail. No matter what she did, she was always wrong, she was always weak. Try as she did she started feeling like wallowing again. I'm a weak Toa. Though as those words echoed in her mind. Some bubbled, something powerful, fierce, something proud of itself, something confident. It was a voice, a voice similar to her own, a voice and tone she had years ago. A voice she had hear many times and so far it had helped her. She listened and it spoke.

 

Of all the things you are Valria, one of things you aren't, is weak. Tell me does your version of a weak Toa who lost everything struggle her way back to the mainland to find help, still having a glimmer of hope in her heart?

 

I guess not.

 

Does she go after the man who hurt her and so many others?

 

No.

 

Yeah, because a girl like that wouldn't sneak into his base with only a single ally at first and take him on. She would be too much a coward.

 

No, a girl like that wouldn't. She would have stayed far away from him.

 

A women like that would roll over, would have quit when she saw that building on fire. She would have stopped even before she started.

 

I didn't, I went inside.

 

What did you do?

 

I rescued people. I even rescued a child but nearly died in doing so.

 

When Death was there, ready to take you with it. Did you follow?

 

No.

 

What did you do?

 

I refused.

 

Refused what, death?

 

I refused to give in, to surrender, to roll over.

 

So are you going to roll over for some statue?

 

Valria's eyes narrowed again, a confident smile found its place on her lips. Her eyes alit again with that emerald fire, burning with determination. The voice in her head had it's answer. Valria did not turn her head as she focused once again, and this time she spoke.

 

"LoJak, I'm going to need you to melt the ice now. I'm not sure how long I can lessen the pull on the statue." She said, a fierceness that was absent from before. Every fiber of her being, every bit of focus, every ounce of her power when into it. She wouldn't fail. She refused to.

 

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

LoJak's eyes lit up. He had gotten through to her. He could tell by the tone Valria's voice and the look of sheer determination on her face that she had finally, for the first time in a long time, found confidence in herself.

 

"LoJak, I'm going to need you to melt the ice now. I'm not sure how long I can lessen the pull on the statue."

 

LoJak didn't waste any time. He ran over to the statue and began unleashing the elemental energies he still had in reserve. He was reckless, shooting flames in all direction and heating up ice so fast it exploded into millions of tiny shards, some even managing to scratch his face. He didn't care. Here was their chance for Valria to come into her own, and LoJak would not let her down.

 

A crowd began to form. They stopped their banal activities and walked over to take a look at the two Toa working to restore the statue of Kopaka. It was a strange sight. None of them had seen Toa like these in a long time. Toa that were willing to give entirely of themselves to help the Village. They gathered and began to murmur amongst themselves.

 

"Who are those Toa?"

 

"Why are they helping us?"

 

"Do you remember that flash of light from before? Do you think it was a sign of their coming?"

 

"Maybe they've been sent by Mata-Nui!"

 

"Nonsense! Mata-Nui sent the Toa Mata, and that's it. They're just regular Toa giving a helping hand."

 

"Toa actually helping the Villages? Now that's a rare sight, indeed."

 

"Mommy? Are those Toa heroes?"

 

 

Finally, gasping for air, LoJak had finished. He was quite near exhaustion, but he had done it. The statue was now free from it's cold prison, and was now resting peacefully on the ground. That mean't there was only one more thing to do. He looked at Valria while he caught his breathe and stretched for what needed to come next. The lavender Toa had her eyes shut closed in fierce concentration. Like LoJak, it seemed she wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer.

 

Best to hurry.

 

Taking a deep breath, LoJak bent down and ran his arms beneath the giant statue. Then he lifted. Even with Valria's elemental help it still took LoJak every last ounce of his strength to raise the statue. Slowly but surely he managed to lift it up.

 

That's a quarter of the way.

 

That's a half. C'mon, a little more.

 

Three quarters. Almost got it....

 

LoJak faultered. His arms began to buckle. He began to panic.

 

No, NO! NOT NOW!

 

His face moved around the crowd frantically, trying to figure out what to do. He couldn't let this happen. Not now! He was SO CLOSE... He saw Valria's face. Her eyes were beginning to widen in horror, afraid that she was going to be proven wrong. With all his being, LoJak refused for that take place.

 

Sensing the heat in the Matoran in crowd, he absorbed what he could from them to rejuvinate himself. The flock had grown in size, so LoJak's siphoning off the smallest bit from each person amounted to quite a bit. He felt his muscles relax and the pain in them disappear just a tad. It was enough. Heaving one last time, he pushed the statue up with the newfound energy.

 

After a struggle that had seemed like it had taken an hour, Kopaka's statue finally stood upright.

 

Someone clapped. Then another. Then everyone was.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Toa Fanixe

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Valria)

 

Valria had not accounted that it would still take her awhile to truly handle objects this massive. The clapping, the celebration, it seemed distant. Just as it took a lot out of LoJak, it had taken so much more out of Valria. All her remaining energy, all her focus, every bit of her she put into controlling the field around the statue had taken so much. All Valria could hear was her heart pumping. Everything else was background noise that she couldn't focus on.

 

Thump. Thump. Thump. Vision darkening as she tried to make a few steps towards LoJak, but her knees wobbled and she could barely maintain focus on LoJak. She could feel her vision slip in and out, LoJak in focus and then back out of focus.

 

"Toa, are you alright?" She heard a voice, probably a matoran. She ignored it, her heart thumped louder, her heartlight erratic. One second she was struggling to make her way to LoJak and then...nothing for Valria at least, everything had become black. Meanwhile for the crowd, they watched as the Toa buckled and landed face first in the snow. She was still breathing, but the Toa had overexerted herself and that left the Toa of Gravity without a lick of energy to keep herself awake.

 

One Ko-matoran walked over to Valria and turned her over, wiping off the white caking of snow. He leaned in close and could still feel warm breath on his ear. "She's still alive, but tired. She needs to be brought to a proper bed." He turned to LoJak, his azure eyes regarding the Toa with respect. "I can guide you to the nearest inn, it'll still need some work. Your friend needs her rest and probably some food, both of which the inn will have for her and for you."

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

"That would be most gracious of you" LoJak said, thanking the Ko-Matoran. But his mind and his eyes were on Valria.

 

Despite extreme exhaustion, LoJak had ran to her side when he'd seen her collapse. The din of the cheering crowd muted itself to LoJak's ears as his entire concentration focused on brace Toa of Gravity. He thanked Mata-Nui she was still alive - if something had happened to her....

 

The promise of a warm bed and the urgency of care for Valra gave him the strength to lift the unconcious Valria up into his arms. Without a word a word he followed the Ko-Matoran to a nearby inn, one that hadn't been too badly damaged in the recent attacks. He took her into the nearest room with a fireplace and deposited her slowly onto the bed, covering her gently with a warm fur blanket. Then LoJak brought a chair inside the room, set it down down facing Valria and sat in it. He was not going to let anything else happen to her. She'd been through enough, and more deserved for LoJak to guard her while she recovered from her monumental feat.

 

Then the fatigue set in and LoJak's eyes began to droop. He fought to stay awake but his body was worn out and his reserves depleted. Like wonderful Toa in bed in front of him, LoJak desperately needed to sleep.

 

He had one last coherent thought before darkness finally overtook him.

 

Valria and I are heroes here.

 

His eyes closed and a stupid grin appeared on face.

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Valria)

 

Roughly five hours later, The Toa of Gravity awoke to find herself in a warm blanket, lying on a bed. For the first few seconds she silently freaked out. Last I remember I was walking and...that's it. Her eyes traveled around the room to see the coals of a previously roaring fire. Her eyes traveled further still and settled on that familiar Toa of Fire, black armored and with ruby red skin. He had been watching over, waiting until she came out of it, part of her thought it strange, but another part. Another part found it endearing.

 

Thump.

 

There it was that familiar feeling in her chest. She wasn't sure how to react about it, instead just biting it down. Perhaps she should talk to LoJak, perhaps not. She wasn't sure what the best choice was at the time. She chuckled quietly at LoJak's goofy smile, before finally whispering his name. She'd rather not jolt a Toa of Fire out of his slumber, that would likely not end pretty. She considered leaving LoJak asleep, but if he was still tired, he could take her place and get more rest.

 

"LoJak?"