Six Kingdoms: Escapement - Gameplay

[Vezok's Friend]

IC [Zataka, Coliseum - Dume’s Office]:

My success? Wait...she actually bought that. Well...let’s hope the league does too. 

“Nobody here wants this.” she replied. There was still an edge in her tone, but it was clear more fighting was not what she had in mind. 

The titan glanced towards Knichou, who had seemed to be the most receptive to Dume’s ideas. :Right?: she mentally asked the young Toa.

She continued the audible conversation: "It is merely an option. We need those. And there are other uses for the disks besides a suicide trip. Now relax and we'll talk. Or we can find out if the Vahki have accepted their new ruler already."

 

OOC: @BULiK @Nato the Traveler

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: The Barraki | Metru-Nui, various

Kalmah growled at the broadcast. He’d seen Zataka before, heard of her prowess in war, and never fought her. He became intrigued. Ta-Metru lost his interest. He didn’t really need the resources and the sport was poor. His troops could handle Ta-Metru without him. Kalmah began the journey to the Coliseum. He’d test his chains against her armor.

 

Ehlek’s rousing success turned to a sudden worry as his forces began to cower at the sight of Zataka. Dume being dead was great and all, but Ehlek’s army had fought the Southern warlords before and lost pitifully. Without Carapar’s assistance, the battle would have turned to a route, and from there an inevitable massacre. Ehlek looked to Zaliyah, his fresh victory suddenly tainted by broadcast. “We must prepare to defend this Metru from any attacks. We have won this land. It is ours. Do you understand? Take troops and prepare them for an aerial invasion. She will send them that way. The chutes are broken and on foot is too slow.”

 

Pridak’s attack missed Matrak as the announcement of Dume’s demise caught him off guard. How’d Zataka get to the island so quickly without the barraki’s spies catching wind, and how did she get to the Coliseum before them? The only answer was Dume invited her, sponsored her, and now she took his place. How cunning. Behind him he heard his troops beginning to waver. 

“Now’s not really a good time,” Pridak said to Matrak as his attention returned. “I hate to say this but I’m going to need you to die now.”

 

The puddle known as Carapar sank into the desert sands. Carapar’s army abandoned their task, seeking shelter in the canyons and valleys. Without a leader, many of them were unsure of what to do. Others looked to Amartakonen for advice, fear in their eyes.

 

There were no working broadcasting screens on level three of the Archives within view of Mantax and his soldiers as Arkius declared his intentions to duel mano a mano. The eyes of the giant barraki narrowed at the toa of earth, and then he spoke in his language. The interpreter with the spit bucket urn relayed;

“Lord Mantax says you dishonor his warriors by calling them weak. You shame soldiers you were too cowardly to lock eyes with, spill blood with. He will face you, so as to teach you some humility. But he will face you without powers, without tricks of the mask. He will show you what strength looks like. I gotta warn you I have seen thirty duels and he’s never lost. Know you’ll at least be another scar somewhere on him.” The skakdi spit in the ancient urn. It made a dull echo in the antiquities hallway.

Mantax rose to his full height, towering over Arkius. It didn’t faze the axe-wielding toa. He’d seen worse. But he’d always had his mask of kinetics, or the knowledge of an easy escape. Mantax took a strong, grounded stance with his spear, then began to circle Arkius, looking for the perfect place to strike...

 

“Oh no, “Takadox said at the television screen in the crab buffet. His voice was high-pitched, whining, and mocking. “Oh no Zataka. I’m shaking in my boots. Oh, wait. No. I don’t have boots. She better not sit in Dume’s chair. No, where are you going? Come back I liked that melted butter with the sage in it.” Takadox beckoned the consoled and calm Ga-Matoran back to his table and she ladled a healthy portion over the seafood feast he’d ordered. He thought about wearing the bib, but then where was the fun in manners during a celebration? Several soldiers lounged about, their red-ringed eyes continuing to subdue any matoran who woke up from their stupor. In a way, peace had already occurred in Ga-Metru and everything was business as usual. The unexpected broadcast from a warlord they’d scuffled with before, however, shook the courage from more than a few of Takadox’s underlings. Then his phone rang. He motioned for a waiter while he finished his bite of crab. It felt good to know only four Barraki remained besides him. He was on top of the world!

“Oh, Roistan, can you just, would you kindly just lift that up for me? My fingers are just too greasy right now from the butter. Oh, thank you, you’re such a doll. I promise not to murder your family for fun this weekend. Oh would you kindly slide the little green bar? Oh yes thank you. Perfect. Leo-- Who-are-you?”

Takadox took in the scene much as Skyra and Rose took in his scene. Both parties were confused momentarily, then Takadox’s sneering smile broke across his face as his eyes locked with Skyra’s through the video call. His hypnotism was entrancing, world-renowned, fully and utterly mastered and at the pinnacle of his craft, and he’d just been prank-called by a sorority party who thought his boyfriend made a good pinata. 

“Oh, hello, would you kindly bring Leonn to Ga-Metru for me? While you’re at it would you kindly pick up a box of chocolate donuts? The one’s with all the cream filling? After all this crab I need something sweet.”

 

OOC: Pridak's Profile

Name: Barraki Pridak

Species: Takean

Gender: He/Him

Faction: League of Six Kingdoms 

Description: White and gold mech suit (“warsuit) with a red tabard displaying the flag of his homeland. Blue eyes, cut facial features, long limbs, body built like an inverted pyramid, missed leg day, golden mask on his face. Seen at all times except in war with a wine glass of chocolate milk.

Flaws: pride, lust, passion, and easily tempted with divinations. Once sold a house to a traveling diviner who said the cards told her the house was cursed.

Powers/Equipment: large warsuit made of protosteel, designed for heavy impact trauma. Shark-tooth blade sharp enough to cut through protosteel when wielded with full force, mask of Creation. Pridak’s inner rage and pride in his own self image are formidable in social situations.

[Azibo]

IC: Mata-Nui, Cortex

"Can you trust me?  Well, let Me ask you this: who do you trust now?  Who sent you here, with the Krom Sphere?  Do you trust them?  Do you trust them more than Me?  Do they trust you?  I trust you.  I know you believe in Me.  I know you don't want Our world to suffer anymore.  I know you want to stop the endless wars.  I trust you.  Do you trust me?  Trust Me with the Krom Sphere.  You've brought it here, to Me, and you didn't even know why.  Your purpose was to bring it to Me.  Now is the time: hand it over."

OOC: @Smudge8

[Nato G]

IC: Sidra - Dume's Office

34 minutes ago, Onaku said:

IC: Okuo - Coliseum

"Dume may have been our turaga but do you really think us so blindly loyal to him that we'd mindlessly follow through on such a radical plan with zero regard for the consequences?!"

"Considering you dived in front of a rhotuka for him, and he gave up the last of his power to give you yours... yes."

Of course he assumed it was all about him. Toa were so self-important, heroes of their own stories, telling themselves they were chosen by their god... Sidra didn't trust people like that with power of time. Karz, she didn't trust anyone with that kind of power. Even if these Toa didn't want to use it, someone else more powerful would just take it from them, and misuse it.

The mightiest of Toa had failed to hold back the march of the League of Six Kingdoms throughout the rest of the universe. This misguided pair of newborns couldn't hold the city, and they certainly couldn't be relied upon to keep the Time Disk safe.  

28 minutes ago, Vezok's Friend said:

IC [Zataka, Coliseum - Dume’s Office]:

She continued the audible conversation: "It is merely an option. We need those. And there are other uses for the disks besides a suicide trip. Now relax and we'll talk. Or we can find out if the Vahki have accepted their new ruler already."

"There is no we," Sidra snapped, "I murdered their boss, and you stole his job. Any alliance between us is going to be short-lived, and we all know it." 

Sidra's every instinct was screaming at her to leave. She could have teleported out long before this; her mask had had ample opportunity to recharge. But something kept her there, an obligation, a sense of... purpose? This went beyond a contract, beyond the Dark Hunters, beyond the Barraki. 

The Great Disks, power over time itself, that was something that could change or break the universe forever. 

This time, this moment, was important, too important to simply run away from. 

"What about you?" She asked over her shoulder, to the Ga-Toa in the mirror, "What's your stake in all of this?"

@Unreliable Narrator @Vezok's Friend @Onaku

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Dume's office

Knichou was pleasantly surprised that his hastily made 'plan' actually worked as predicted. Perhaps there was more to the 'brute force' tactic than Knichou normally gave it credit. Although he might just be still riding off the high of becoming a Toa. He'd have to practice more later, if there was a later.

Knichou stopped his run right after he sent Sidra reeling into the wall, and took a few steps back to make sure Sidra wasn't within striking distance of him. When the battle shifted to words - and even the unspoken whispers of Zataka in his mind - Knichou let out a chuckle, drawing the attention of those still in the office.

"You think I want to follow Dume's suicidal plan? Dume started with the right ideas but came to the wrong conclusions. Even though he failed to see the bigger picture, what he's done in commissioning this device and collecting these disks... it was necessary."

Knichou took a moment to collect his thoughts and continued.

"Allow me to explain - if someone has the power over time, not only can they change the past, they can see the future. And though I'll be the first to admit no mortal knows the exact mechanics of this, my theory is that they can see not just the future, but the futures. I'm just as worried as anyone about the unforeseen consequences of manipulating the past - but my hope is that this power will allow me to foresee the unforeseen. We cannot simply let an opportunity like this pass us by, if not for us, than for all those who have already fallen to this war. Do I like the idea of giving a mortal the powers of a god? I don't see any other way to end this without so much more bloodshed, let alone stopping whatever those undead monsters are doing in the crypt below."

Edited March 24, 2020 by BULiK

[Tarn]

IC: The Swordsman - Ta-Metru

I'm on my knees in a darkened room, a single lightstone hanging from the ceiling to illuminate my grim features. I have made a mistake, and I am about to make another one.

I look at my arm, and it's still there, and in a flash I see a stump and hear screaming--my own, this time--in the back of my head. I can still bend the flames to my will. I am still Datrox Karvan, second-in-command of the Toa Rode. If this works, however, all of this will change. Another flash. Nale's face is contorted into anger as I confess my crimes, and the heart I still have shrinks and dies.

A light forms around me, stronger than the lightstone. Something is happening. The lightstone shatters as an overwhelming power is released into room, and then I am sitting in the dark and feel like someone has taken away half of me.

The next day my missing arm has been wrapped in bandages, and when I snap my fingers to create a spark, nothing happens.

***

I awoke gasping for air, immediately recognizing I was still alive, and my pain had left me. Not only that, I was not alone. A woman was by my side, and based upon her visage, perhaps I was dead. I looked down at my arm quickly, and saw it was still a prosthetic. I clenched my fist. Another broken memory...

"Ah, come on then," I said with a groan, attempting to sit up. "Are you some kind of angel? Does He send angels, even?"

I looked around.

"Still in...Ta-Metru. I see, I see..." I said, and now, getting a better look at this woman, I could tell she must have been a Toa. "Who...are you?"

No rest for the wicked, then.

@Onaku

[Snelly]

IC: Skyra Daring - Po-Metru -

"Sure thing! We'll bring him right over! One question about the donuts though...what kind of cream filling? I think there's at least a couple different kinds of filling. Also, do they have to be chocolate donuts? I mean they're alright but...powdered donuts are where it's at man, come on! Also is it going on your credit? Cause I'm a bit low on money right now...they haven't paid me in a while..."

She kept going on and on, in fact it was hard to say if she'd ever stop.

@Tarn@Dane@Unreliable Narrator

[Onaku]

IC: Raz - Coliseum

Raz sighed and rolled his eyes. "Right, well, I'm out. Sidra, we're either heading out now or you're on your own. It's up to you."

@Nato the Traveler

 

IC: Okuo - Coliseum

Okuo's head slowly turned to Knichou with a concerned expression on his face.

 

IC: Iradra - Ta-Metru

Iradra blushed underneath her mask. "O-oh, no, I'm not an angel, at least... not that I know of. I am Iradra, Toa of Light." The radiant toa offered the Swordsman a hand to help him back to his feet.

@Tarn

Edited March 24, 2020 by Onaku

[Tarn]

IC: Rose - Po-Metru

"Uh...Sky? Are you okay?"

The Le-Toa was getting oddly chatty with Leonn's contact, and Rose realized something was definitely...wrong. She had heard the blue man giving orders which Skyra was now apparently following, and as the implications of what was happening formed in Rose's mind, gears turning, a proverbial lightstone appeared above her Hau.

"Sorry to do this, hun," she said to Skyra as she gently placed Leonn on the ground and drew the war horn, swinging it towards the back of the Le-Toa's head to bonk her.

@Snelly@Dane

IC: The Swordsman - Ta-Metru

"A Toa of...Light. You're a rare breed," I said, taking her hand and getting to my feet, before retrieving my sword and returning it to its sheath. "You lot might as well be angels with an element like that. My name..." I paused, not sure what to say. The memories I'd been faced with had reminded me of all the thing's I'd been running from.

"...my name is Datrox," I replied.

@Onaku

Edited March 24, 2020 by Tarn

[Snelly]

IC: Skyra Daring - Po-Metru-

Skyra fell over onto the ground with a thud, the iStone went flying and hit the ground screen first. 

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Thom - Onu-Metru Archives 

"...Ah could shoot 'im." 

He murmured to Nale, quietly. "Reckon that'd save ya a lot of heartache."

@Onaku @pokemonlover360

IC: Leonn - Po-Metru 

"...nnnghh...."

The Skakdi rolled onto his side, still asleep but on the verge of stirring.

OOC: @Tarn @Snelly @Unreliable Narrator

[Tarn]

IC: Rose - Po-Metru

Rose was now saddled with two unconscious beings. Unsure what to do, she called Triage over just in case she'd done any damage, and sat down beside Skyra and nudged her.

@Snelly@Dane

IC: Nale Vella - Archives

"Don't," she whispered back. Nale peeked around the corner. "Just...give it a moment."

@Dane@Onaku@pokemonlover360

Edited March 24, 2020 by Tarn

[Eyru]

IC: Oreius | The Great Temple

The Toa of Fire hung back for the first few seconds of the fight. Uncharacteristic, perhaps, but he knew that this battle would be long and hard-fought. The Barraki's siege might go on for weeks, and he needed to stay in fighting shape until the bitter end. He couldn't afford to spend everything like he had done on the last island. So he waited, concentrating on this odd Toa's weaknesses, taking every advantage he could get. 

The Toa of Light and Shadow (it was now obvious that's what he was) was similar to the Toa of Fire, in a way. He preferred to get in close, to move first and hit hard, as extended combat quickly took a toll on his strength. Oreius supposed this was partly due to the self-contradictory nature of the Toa's powers: every blast of shadow weakened the next burst of light. Skorm was a man constantly at war with himself, and Oreius sensed that this was a weakness too, although he had little idea of how to exploit it. Doubt was certainly a flaw, but it wasn't something you could really take advantage of in a fight.

Then the Toa split into two, and everything got a little more complicated. The Toa was literally two beings, one of Shadow and one of Light, and yet his mask informed him of no new weaknesses or strengths. As far as his Kanohi was concerned, these beings were no different fused together than they were apart. 

Gripping his sword, Oreius approached Sko. "Stand down, Toa. I will destroy you before I let you harm my people."

OOC: @Keeper of Kraata

 

 

[Snelly]

IC: Skyra Daring - Po-Metru-

Skyra groaned a bit, as her eyes started to open. Thankfully the first thing she saw was Rose looking down at her with concern. "Oh hey Rose~" Skyra began, trying to remember how she ended up on the ground like this. "My head kind of hurts."

Tarn@Dane@Unreliable Narrator

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Leonn - Po-Metru 

His vision was fuzzy. The Ta-Toa hit hard, as was apparent by the awful headache that was causing him to be unable to think properly.

In a weak groan, the spy pushed himself onto his back, skull throbbing.

"I...hate...Toa..." Leonn managed.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Dane

[Eyru]

IC: Taja | Airship to Ko-Metru

The newly minted Toa of Sonics looked doubtful at Turaga Sans's suggestion. Was it really a good idea to tell three rookie Toa to just start blasting when they were hundreds of bio in the air? The hull of the airship, which had appeared sturdy and reliable only moments before, suddenly seemed paper-thin, like a sneeze would tear it open and send them all hurtling to their doom.

Taja frowned and tucked away these morbid thoughts. The Turaga was right: they needed at least some practice before they threw themselves into open battle. And knowing the consequences of a misfire made it all the more necessary to learn control now. Extending a hand, she closed her eyes and looked inside for the well of elemental energy that Sans had described. The only problem was, she didn't really know what she was looking for. Was it supposed to feel like a warmth? A buzzing like an electrical line? What did energy feel like? Her body felt the same as it had before, just bigger, stronger, and more unwieldy. She didn't feel any new "essence." She was the same Taja she'd always been.

She clenched her fists and resisted the urge to kick something. She was already nervous, and this failure to locate her own elemental power wasn't helping. She hated feeling helpless. They were minutes away from confronting Pridak's forces and she couldn't even muster a shout. What was going to happen when they touched down and all she had was a fancy disk launcher and two big feet to trip over? Some help she would be.

She had to keep trying. Her power had to be there somewhere. If she just tried hard enough, surely she'd find it.

...right?

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Skorm (Ga-Metru)

Orm growled as Ardoku turned the clash into a thrust, which hit the Shadow being in the shoulder. He stifled a scream, but truthfully, it barely hurt at the moment, the thrill of combat was so intense. As the Su-Toa sunk his blade into his shoulder, Orm smiled. With his right arm he thrust an armblade at a joint in Ardoku's chest armor, while his left went for a draw cut along the wrist of his opponent's sword arm.

Sko looked at the Ta-Toa. "I fight for the sake of all. I can't abandon my-" He was interrupted as Tekmo's mass of writhing vines hit him and entangled the Light being. As they grappled him, he could feel himself getting lifted off his feet. Sko began charging light energy in his fists, focusing a beam of light between them.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Keeper of Kraata

[Nato G]

2 hours ago, Unreliable Narrator said:

IC: The Barraki | Metru-Nui, various

Ehlek looked to Zaliyah, his fresh victory suddenly tainted by broadcast. “We must prepare to defend this Metru from any attacks. We have won this land. It is ours. Do you understand? Take troops and prepare them for an aerial invasion. She will send them that way. The chutes are broken and on foot is too slow.”

IC: Zaliyah - Le-Metru

"You heard the Barraki, get ready for an attack from above!" She barked, snatching the staff of a fallen Vorzakh; any extra ranged weaponry would be of use now. "Split into small groups and spread out to avoid area-of-effect attacks. Move to rooftops, balconies, and other elevated positions... but make sure to use inhabited buildings."

The Toa - for there would most assuredly be Toa - would be far less likely to use their most devastating tactics with civilians in the firing line. Zaliyah knew how they fought, knew how they thought, knew how to exploit their restraint and compassion; it was those traits that had earned her a place of leadership in Pridak's ranks, and the time had clearly come for her to prove her worth to another of the Barraki. 

"Any airship that enters the airspace of this Metru is to be blown out of the sky! Aim for the engines and the cockpit. Those of you without ranged weaponry, wait in the streets and alleyways to finish off anyone who survives the fall." 

[Tarn]

IC: Jutori - Airship

After Atamai had finished speaking, Jutori wanted to say something to the former Fe-Matoran-now-Toa after the time they'd spent together on the disk hunt, since he'd been the first person the Ba-Toa had met on this quest, but he spent so much time thinking of a goodbye, once he had anything to say Atamai had parted ways with the two and Jutori was on an airship with Stannis and the others. He started to settle in. The vessel was no Taku, he thought, but would do fine getting them to their location. Near him, Vashni sat by Stannis and spoke with the old Toa. The Po-Matoran with them--Jabali, was it?--had headed down into the ship's hold, looking for something.

Jutori sighed and sat in the floor, holding his sledgehammer and studying it.

@EmperorWhenua@Snelly@That Matoran with a Vahi

IC: Rose and Triage - Po-Metru

"Hey, Sky. Uh, yeah, we'll talk about that later. Don't touch that iStone right now, okay?"

Triage came over and knelt by Skyra. Rose looked over her shoulder at Leonn and smirked at his groaning, before looking back to the Le-Toa. "Next time, just send a text."

@Snelly@Dane

Edited March 24, 2020 by Tarn

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Leonn - Po-Metru

Text.

Rose's mention of the IStone text jogged Leonn's memory immediately. Takadox.

Head buzzing, the Skakdi's eyes traced to a tiny shine near the station. Groaning as he went upright, he stumbled a few steps forward in an attempt to make a grab for his IStone.

OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Tarn @Snelly

[Snelly]

IC: Skyra Daring - Po-Metru -

"Yeah...I think you're ri-HEY!" Skyra reached out with a hand and sent a sudden blast of air at Leonn and his iStone, they couldn't let him have it! 

Tarn@Dane@Unreliable Narrator

[EmperorWhenua]

IC Korruhn & Leklo | Airship A, the Huhu

"I want each of you to practice using your element.  You'll find it easier to make large blasts, which is fine when we're surrounded by Pridak's forces, but control must be maintained all the same.  Each of you, pick a crate, and try your best to blast it with a controlled force.  Please don't blow through the hull; while crashing this airship into a knowledge tower would certainly work wonders for stalling Pridak's advance, the clean-up afterwords- and since we will be winning this fight, there will be a clean-up- would be super tedious, and I enjoy making messes more than cleaning them, huhuhuhu.  So each of you, focus, take a moment to feel the well of elemental energy building inside you, extend your arms, imagine how it feels to extend your essence towards the target, and unleash a small, controlled blast at the crate of your choosing.  Any practice is good practice, huhuhuhu."

Leklo was hoisted on to his feet by Korruhn with near effortlessness, listing him as easily as if he were a stick. At first Leklo was amazed by his friend's impressive newfound strength but then Korruhn's gravelly chuckle gave away his secret. 

"Does that count as practice?" he asked Sans, the dispassionate form of his stoic mask betrayed by the warmth of his voice. 

"Neat trick," Leklo said, noting the lack of gravity he had until Korruhn put him down. "Maybe with your powers you might have a chance in a climbing race." It was good for him to still be with the former Cartographer. Their bond was brief in tenure yet it had grown stronger than either could have expected. And the feeling was clearly mutual—Korruhn seemed truly glad to share the battle to come with the former Alpinist, like two loners with very peculiar interests who finally met someone else with the same fandom and hobby, and so they naturally latched out of yearning and need for that connection. Besides, Leklo thought, who better to go with into uncharted land than a cartographer?

Huhu.

"Come on, let's do as the old man says," Korruhn said, pointed his hand at a crate, then clenched his fist. The crate quickly crumpled like a house of cards, sucked into itself until it was nothing but a metal ball. Power, like anger and righteousness, flowed easily through Korruhn, perhaps as a symptom of whatever it was that troubled his dark arm; the Pa-Toa did not know.

In contrast, Leklo struggled. He likewise aimed his hand at a crate... but nothing came forth. He could feel something stirring in him, like some deep well of water begging to be drilled, but he did not know how to tap into it. It was there, he knew that without needing a witcher, but the how evaded him. He clenched his fist as well, tightened his jaw, tried to force his power out like a stubborn ****, all while soothing himself to not unleashing an eruption. Control, control, control. But the thrill of it! he lamented. The energies that dwelled in him that begged to be used, the power he knew he had that could be used for such good! Leklo both wanted to prove that he could manifest them, and also did not. 

He sighed, frustrated, and dropped his hand to his side. A small comfort to his soul was Taja's similar experience. 

"How do we do it?" Leklo asked, of Sans mostly but also of Korruhn. A trickle of doubt was in his voice as Leklo suddenly seemed unsure of how he was going to be able to save anything at that rate.

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Leonn - Po-Metru

Still not fully limber, Leonn was surprised by the gust of air that knocked his device out of his claws.

The device clattered away again.

Growing increasingly irritated, he drew his boomerang from his holster. "Do...you...pride yourself on being just so utterly...infuriating?" He then threw the weapon in an arc headed for Skyra's face.

[Tarn]

IC: Rose - Po-Metru

She sighed and got to her feet at Skyra alarming her to the Skakdi being up again, then raised her riot shield to deflect the boomerang, before swinging an armored fist at Leonn's face. If this kept up, she'd just smash the iStone.

@Snelly@Dane

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Leonn - Po-Metru

The boomerang pinged off the shield, but Leonn just managed to clumsily duck under the punch, growling in utter frustration.

"Look, I am not of any use to you. The more time you expend trying to subdue me, the longer my boss and the other warlords in your city have to ransack Metru-Nui completely. And I promise you, you do not have a fraction of the time required to crack me open for whatever information you need." He tried to explain, amber eyes flicking between the two. 

[Snelly]

IC: Skyra Daring - Po-Metru -

"I don't think your BOYFRIEND would agree! He tried to mind control me, that's not cool!" 

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Leonn - Po-Metru

"What?!?"

[Snelly]

IC: Skyra Daring - Po-Metru -

"Yeah over a video call!"

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Leonn - Po-Metru

Leonn facepalmed, hard.

"Yes, that's what he does, you dolt! What, were you trying to bargain with him? He doesn't do bargains, Toa, he takes what he wants when he wants it. Including me, it sounds like!" He chuckled, incredulously.

His eyes traced Skyra's guns, and Rose's much larger frame and powersuit. He couldn't fight them both, and with Skyra's jetpack he wasn't sure he could run, either.

Leonn looked very tired, and irritated. He didn't want to surrender, but...

"What is it you wanted from Takadox? If...I sweettalk him I might be able to convince him." Leonn suggested, quietly.

[Onaku]

IC: Arkius - Archives

“Do not speak of honor as if you have any claim to it yourself. The atrocities you have committed today, and the retribution I have wrought in return, ensures that there is no honor to be found in this room.” Arkius threw his axe away, the large weapon clattering to the ground and skidding to a stop just outside the room. With deft movements, Arkius removed his battered and punctured chestplate, throwing it the same way, followed by him doing the same with his pauldrons. Arkius took a deep breath, smashing his fist into the palm of his hand and taking a battle ready stance. “So lets cut the pretense here and focus on the fact that only one of us is walking out alive.”

 

IC: Matrak - Ko-Metru

"Then come and get me, Pridak!" Matrak was already voidstepping toward him, appearing in the air behind him to make an attack for one of his shoulder mounted armaments.

 

IC: Iradra - Ta-Metru

"We need to take down whoever is in charge of this district's invasion. Do you know where they might be found?"

 

IC: Ardoku - Great Temple

Though the plasma swordsman was swift in pulling away, he was only quick enough that his mask protected him from his opponent's strike to his chest, while Orm's blade cut a gash across his wrist. Ardoku winced as he backed off, looking at the wound as tested his wrist, finally spinning his sword in his hand to display it was still functional, albeit painful. "You're good, but you're outnumbered here, and using that mask won't help as much as you might hope." He promptly went in for another strike with his sword, deftly ducking in for a slash aimed for the opponent's chest.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Onaku

[Snelly]

IC: Skyra Daring - Po-Metru -

"Oh." 

What they wanted was to kill his boyfriend, at least that's what the original plan was. But Skyra had a feeling that Leonn wouldn't be too happy to hear that. 

Hmmmmmmmm...

"Well what we'd like is for him to not take over Metru Nui. That would be real nice." 

[Azibo]

IC: Sans, Airship Tutelage

"Impressive, Korruhn!  You'll fare well, no doubt!  You other two, don't fret.  I had the opposite problem when I first became a Toa- I couldn't stop leaking, huhuhuhu!" Sans approached Taja, and held her arm out straight as an arrow.  "It's a bit difficult to put into words, yet I still try, for love of chatter if for no other reason, huhuhuhu.  Imagine your entire body is composed of sound.  Which, in a way, it is.  Your whole body, vibrating, pulsing; the crate over there can be touched by you standing over here.  Using your powers is just extending your body.  In this case, you're extending your arm.  You want to reach out and vibrate the air between you and the crate, then feel the crate itself.  Your entire body is sound, now reach out and shift your body to extend beyond your physical form."  Sans let go of Taja's arm, and saw Leklo extending his own arm before Sans could touch him.  "Basically the same thing... but with plasma, it's more precise.  You aren't vibrating, you're rippling, if that makes sense.  Like if you shake your feet on a shag carpet before poking your buddy, huhuhuhu.  Imagine your body is almost like a pool of water.  As you reach out, your rippling arm should not merely extend, but pierce the air and world itself as you directly approach your target.  Your element has a flow to it, and also precision.  Pierce the crate, Leklo.  You can do this.  And both you you, don't worry, you won't do any damage to the ship that isn't insured, huhuhuhu!"

OOC: @Eyru @EmperorWhenua it may not be the best post, but this was very fun to write

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Reliable Narrator 

What Sans did not know, and could not know, was that the airships of the vahki's insurance policy did not include elemental attacks from friendly toa under the umbrella of damages covered. In fact, the insurance agency assured Sans later in a rather heated phone call, not even the secondary insurance agency's policies covered the damages done by lesser gods.

IC: Tuyet | Coliseum Office

“Not dead, very much alive again, been busy. Thanks for checking in,” Tuyet replied sarcastically at Zataka and Atamai’s initial shocked responses. Then Sidra made her attack. Tuyet’s eyes drifted from moment to moment in the scuffle, took in the tirades from both sides, and listened to Knichou’s plan. She didn’t move from her relaxed leaning position inside the mirror. After Knichou revealed his thinking she finally chimed in again.

“Oh yeah no we’re using the Great Disk of Time and we're using this machine the instant you fix it. I’m not letting our chance to make this world a better place for the matoran slip through our fingers. I don’t really care about the consequences to the me standing here. Not now. You get those disks fused firespitter and you all come here right this instant. You too, Ghosty. Well, maybe not you Hunter. You seem a little against this and I'm not really up for fighting right now. As for you, your highness, I take it you’re staying in the office?” She asked Zataka.

She tapped the glass of the mirror on the other side and the reflection rippled as the portal between both sides of the mirror opened. As far as the Metru-Nui matoran were concerned that particular trick was new.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Unreliable Narrator

[EmperorWhenua]

IC Stannis | Airship B, the Virgil, above Le-Metru

The Wanderer had hoped for things to be different. Too late, he realized he shouldn't have deluded himself, and that his incredible caution had rewarded him with little else than heartbreak and disappointment. Maybe the annoying Dark Hunter was right, maybe he had truly failed. It all felt for naught. Even his zealous defense of Turaga Dume proved to be fruitless as the elder proved to be corrupted and yet still perished. 

Stannis hoped for Dume to come clean and be faithful to Mata Nui, and Stannis considered the turaga essential to maintain cohesion to Matoran civilization and military structure. None could demand as much respect and command as much charisma as Dume, and his fiery determination and sunset speeches were as much a part of every matoran household as mealtimes and work functions. Even Zataka failed to measure up to his standing, choosing to introduce herself to the city as an angry dictator to be feared rather than a brilliant statesman to be adored. With Dume gone, Stannis feared the civilization he knew and loved would splinter even further and succumb to its own follies. 

He always understood that the real enemies were found within, a manifestation of distancing from the Three Virtues that allowed Shadow to slip in and fill the gaps—a villager hiring the Dark Hunters to take some vengeance against a neighbor; fearful turaga surrendering their populaces to the march of the Six Kings ostensibly to save them; a wayward toa murdering a brother in a fit of rage; a bureaucrat choosing self-service over public work. But sometimes it came in the form of obsession with something darker, a madness that drove people to do worse than ignorantly surrender their faith but instead deluded the person to commit atrocities in the name of a power other than the Great Spirit; Karzahni preying upon matoran sent to be helped; the Barraki splintering in the name of themselves to conquer the world. And now, Stannis lamented, he could add Dume's subversion to Destiny. How far the paragons fall from their pedestals, indeed.

And so he cried then, stoically but truly. Stannis mourned the loss of more than a formerly great leader of the Matoran people—he mourned for the people as a whole. He would fight because that was his mission, but he had no delusions of victory at that point. Only his sheer determination to move ever forwards as his Wandering led him to war kept his vigor up, but that did not mean he had any optimism—after all, positivity was not a Virtue. 

Stannis sighed, clearing his eyes anew, and looked around at his companions before addressing them. "Le-Metru is likely already fallen. When I looked at the city map I saw little resistance to Ehlek and I feel he has the district well in hand by now, so retaking it will not be easy. And yet, we must try, and hope others come in time as well. As for me," he said forlornly, sounding as ancient as he was, "I will give all I have to ensure success. I have faith, friends. I pray you do as well." 

He seemed fragile, thus, but it did not reveal weakness. He was old yet spry, withered but still determined, damaged but entirely whole, and Stannis was brittle but had never been stronger. His was the fragility experience and suffering exacted, like the winds and rains of season after season effected upon the granite of a monolith. Like such an ancient statue, Stannis would weather this next storm just like any other before it...

... or he would topple down at long last and find his rest on the ground trying.

 

IC Leklo | Huhu, Ko-Metru airspace

"Basically the same thing... but with plasma, it's more precise.  You aren't vibrating, you're rippling, if that makes sense.  Like if you shake your feet on a shag carpet before poking your buddy, huhuhuhu.  Imagine your body is almost like a pool of water.  As you reach out, your rippling arm should not merely extend, but pierce the air and world itself as you directly approach your target.  Your element has a flow to it, and also precision.  Pierce the crate, Leklo.  You can do this.  And both you you, don't worry, you won't do any damage to the ship that isn't insured, huhuhuhu!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"What's a 'shag carpet?'"

Edited March 24, 2020 by EmperorWhenua

[Onaku]

IC: Okuo - Coliseum

Okuo rubbed his temples in exasperation. This situation just kept on getting more and more straining. "Alright, hold on, indulge my curiosity here for a moment, Tuyet. Was it you who convinced Turaga Dume to go ahead with this plan or was it the other way around? And who else is in on this?" There was no curiosity or wonder to Okuo's voice, only frustration and fatigue.

[Eyru]

IC: Oreius | The Great Temple

Sko looked at the Ta-Toa. "I fight for the sake of all. I can't abandon my-" He was interrupted as Tekmo's mass of writhing vines hit him and entangled the Light being. As they grappled him, he could feel himself getting lifted off his feet. Sko began charging light energy in his fists, focusing a beam of light between them.

"Your masters are slaughtering innocents," the Toa of Fire replied. "And you are guilty by association. Matoran blood is on your hands."

Conjuring a fireball in his off hand, Oreius prepared to strike.

"If you do not surrender now, then your blood will be on mine."

[Azibo]

IC: Sans, Airship above Ko-Metru

"Huhuhuhuhu.  Focus, Leklo, we don't have much time."

[Tarn]

IC: Rose - Po-Metru

"I doubt you can 'sweet talk' him into leaving the city alone," Rose chimed in, staring down at Leonn. 

@Snelly@Dane

IC: The Swordsman - Ta-Metru

"It's Kalmah, and no. But I met one of his soldiers, real tough one to fight, I..."

I looked over and realized the Kekamaire was gone, but had left his appropriately-sized axe.

"...I think I won, though."

@Onaku

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Dume's office

Knichou picked up the great disk of Ta-Metru from Dume's desk, which had yet to be fused with the other five great disks. He needed control. Another failsafe. Knichou was in a room full of people he did not know the allegiance of - the number of people around him that Knichou had any scrap of trust for was dwindling, and building the superweapon that would decide the fate of all living and dead throughout all of time required a more... trustworthy work environment.

Would Knichou be alone again?

He plopped the great disk into his liquid metal backpack, adding a second trump card to his proverbial deck. Otherwise he was silent, waiting to hear from others in the room.

Edited March 24, 2020 by BULiK

[Nato G]

IC: Sidra - Dume's Office

Sidra was right beside the mirror. Her sword was already to hand, her finger gliding across the dial to restore it to a solid density.  

The machine needed to use the disks was on the other side of the mirror.

The way was open. Someone has to stop them... 

The decision made itself. 

She half-turned her head to look at Tuyet, and the workshop beyond her, before activating her mask. Sidra was swiftly swallowed up by her own shadow and plunged down into blackness, rising again an instant later elsewhere.

Assuming the nature of the portal didn't somehow rebuff her attempt to teleport, she would emerge from the patchy shadows cast by the equipment and spare parts next to the accursed disk machine, her sword already sweeping down to break it apart.

She wasn't going to stand by and let any of these Toa decide the path of her past, or future.  

My life is mine.

@Unreliable Narrator