BZPRPG - Po-Wahi

[25K Now!]

IC: Prei

 

"I will have to arrest you for disturbing the peace."

[Click]

IC: Uitad

 

Uitad thanked the Matoran and walked into the city, his eyes already searching for his quarry. Surprisingly, the Matoran was not out on a day like this.

 

Then, his audio receptors were assaulted by a blast of what could scarcely be called music with someone screaming unintelligible words into a mic on a bladed tripod.

 

For a split second, he considered flinging some crystalline darts at the annoyance, but then a calmer state of mind took over, realizing that the Po-Koro guards would probably be hunting him down if he did such a thing. So he simply decided to hurry to the inn, which he found with no problem, and check in for a well deserved rest.

 

 

OOC: Ogeka still in Akiri's lobby. Just FYI.

Edited June 9, 2013 by Click

[The Lorax]

IC (Manuka): Manuka slowly fingered his axe, thinking how easy it would be to shoot a draining spinner at the toa while he was distracted by his own warbling tones and immense ego. One shot was all it would take to stop the music... but no, that would probably cause more trouble than it was worth. He could put up with the noise while Prei tried talking. He stayed silent, slowly tapping one rhotuka launcher.

[Geardirector]

IC: Korru (Po-Koro)

 

"Glad that's finally overwith"

 

As the Sentinel, once again drawing looks due to his improbable size, stomped through the streets of Po-Koro, he felt his annoyance at the De-Toa he'd dealt with before whisk away, and a smile crept across his face.

 

OOC: Korru is open for interaction

[- JL -]

IC

'What? Why!? Singing isn't disturbing the peace! It promotes peace! It encourages Total-Massive-ldiots to actually make a change! How on earth would it disturb the peace!?!?'

Edited June 9, 2013 by JL v2

[otter]

OOC: Click, I would recommend you try and PM Lloyd, instead of constantly telling us, in OOC, that Ogeka is over there

 

IC-Beosach:

 

"I'd like three roast Mahi all to myself, four baguettes, and a bowl full of the au jus," that very same soon-to-be-client replied, smiling. When Komae turned to him with an expression of incredulity, the Matoran at the counter doing the exact same thing, he chuckled.

 

"Or, in actuality, could I have three lean-cut sandwiches with cheddar, and a cup of the au jus, assuming it's not too much trouble?" Now, Beosach smiled inwardly. His order would be exactly nine full widgets, and nine teeth.

 

Just under ten. Komae couldn't complain.

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

"She didn't really carry me, per se."

 

I chuckled at that and glanced at the Toa of iron from where I was sitting.

 

"Really? I thought that was how she'd gotten you to our meeting-point before we left the village."

 

Before Dorian could reply, I'd turned back to Joske, my elbows propped up on the table, my right hand curled into a fist and resting in the palm of my left.

 

"So kid, what are your plans after you've opened the last temple?"

[Ghosthands]

IC (Merror)

 

"Yes, good question," said Merror, after swallowing a mouthful of pancake. He wasn't normally the type that went in for that kind of indulgent food, but he had to admit...they were very good. "You said you wanted to tie up some loose ends, but you weren't very specific."

 

He cut off another piece of pancake and mopped up some syrup with it.

 

"Oh, and I want to make one thing clear," he said seriously, jabbing his fork for emphasis in the direction of Joske, Dorian and Stannis in turn. "These - "

 

You could see the trio bracing themselves for some sort of moral lecture as Merror paused for further emphasis, one eyebrow arched.

 

" - are very good pancakes."

[Friar Tuck]

IC

 

[stannis' house, Po-Koro - midday]

 

"Dor... it's not a disease." I said flatly, my face just as emotional. "You can't catch it, it's not a sickness; it's what is called a 'personality trait', and some are more desirable than others. We all have them, even you, and to be fair only after spending a few hours with you I can already pick out the good and the bad... but since we've just met I'll be polite and lay off until we get to know each other more before hammering each other silly over our imperfections. Agni here knows what I mean."

 

I raised my eyebrows at him, his only reaction a raising of his cup. After all, he had trained me, not to mention butted heads more than once over the finer points of proper behavior and social etiquette, not to mention personal worldview. Sometimes with painful results. "And thanks Tuara... I'll take that as a compliment."

 

I turned my head to focus on the older accompaniment of our group.. "Glad you like them Merror; old, secret family recipe. The only reason Angelus' waffles beat me out was because he pulled a fast one. Completely legit, I admit, but a fast one nonetheless. As to your question Agni-"

 

I paused. Simple question really... and I did have an answer. Still, I found myself hesitating because that course of action depended on the outcome of unlocking the temple. For me this was a personal test. If I felt ready, then I would move ahead. If after opening the temple, however, I found myself not prepared, I wouldn't take this predetermined course of action. So I felt that giving a definite answer here was unfounded, simply because if I did not find what I was looking for I might end up a liar... or at least indecisive.

 

To which I was neither.

 

I took in a long sigh, leaning back on my chair until I was balancing on two legs, ringers laced together against the back of my head. I stared at the ceiling for a moment, formulating the best answer I could. For someone who enjoyed a more simpler existence I found myself in complicated situations.

 

"The reason I decided to come out of seclusion was because I felt the need to complete some unfinished business. Yet, the Temple of Creation is one of those, but it is not the only one. There are actually several things that I feel the need to go back and either cut off or mend, depending on how things have changed and how they go when I get there; during our brief jaunt across the island looking fro the charms I may have made some friends, but I sure as karz made some enemies and left a lot of waves in my wake... waves I would not mind smoothing out if I had the chance. As much as this temple quest is to finally finish it, it is also a personal test - depending what I find in there will determine whether or not I'm ready for the rest. Particularly what I am planning to do right after the temple should everything go as I hope it will."

 

"That being... ?" Agni said quietly.

 

I continued to look at the ceiling as I spoke, a curious smile on my face. "Oh, nothing much, just seeing if I can finally free Utu from Echelon's control; in other words, Round 3 with the big, over-sized popsicle himself. Third time's the charm they say."

 

I blinked in surprise. "Ok, THAT joke was unintentional, I swear."

[Ghosthands]

IC (Merror)

 

Merror froze, fork half-way to his mouth. He slowly lowered it, placing it firmly on his plate.

 

"Echelon," he said. "You've met him?"

 

The cheerful atmosphere had dropped a notch. Joske found himself with Merror's gaze boring into him for answers. To say that there was bad blood between him and the Necromancer was an understatement; the number of times that Merror had tried to stop him only for the Dark Toa to slip through his fingers and harm more innocents was one of his greatest burdens.

 

And if Joske knew something, then he needed to find out what it was. Any advantage, any lead, any hint, could be one step closer to catching Echelon.

[BBBBalta]

IC: Lekua finally spoke up. "Um," he said. "Who is this 'Echelon'?"

[Palm]

IC: Tuara Drigton - Po-Koro - Stannis' HomeTuara almost coughed up her food, "What," those at the table turned to her, "Hold on. Let's just assume for a minute that I don't really really hate that plan; regardless of the fact that you planned to do this without knowing Dor or I (who have both had experience with that Toa) would be here. Not to mention the implications of both tracking down and fighting Echelon and Utu," she looked Joske dead in the eye, "Now let's pretend for a moment that I do think that's one of the worst ideas you might possibly have so I can point out everything wrong about it," Tuara's face with tucked and stern, her voice commanding presence at the table, "You want to "free" a known killer, psychopath, and notoriously difficult to track tracker who was both responsible for almost everything that occurred during the Mark Bearer fiasco, the disappearance of those at the Mark Bearer temple, the eradication of an entire village with no survivors, as well as the constant destruction that followed him across the island with the use of a mark of terrible power on his arm."She paused, "And you plan to free this Toa by going up against him in addition to another Toa of similar reputation all because..." Tuara trailed off and gestured questioningly with her hands.

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

I was quite for a few seconds, letting Merror's question and Tuara's reaction hang in the air. My right hand absent-mindedly rose to my chin as I started down at my breakfast. After a moment, I looked up at the other Toa of fire.

 

"Well Tuara...we did bring along a known convict to find the Turaga's killers, so sucha line of thinking is not that far out there." I said, apropos of nothing, though Dorian was still sitting with us at the table. But that was just stating the facts and so I continued right along:

 

"We last saw Echelon at the battle for Kini-Nui. He was beaten - quite handily, in fact - but retreated with Utu and others. We couldn't pursue them back then and they have laid low ever since. The Makuta's followers lost a lot of people that day, so we assumed they were mending their wounds. I am sure they're still out there and up to something, but finding them will not be easy."

[Friar Tuck]

IC

[stannis' house, Po-Koro - midday]

 

My gut reaction was to say "YES!", slam my fists on the table, stand up, and make a passionate speech in my defense. I could see it play out in my head, a flood of emotion and verbal fire.

 

But I held off. I bit my tongue.

 

Even after hearing several of those gathered speak, it STILL felt was like a Le-Toa had sucked all the air out of the room, the collective stares of each and every individual hitting me square in the face. It would seem as though Utu's popularity was larger than I gave him credit for, everyone's eyes boring into mine with an intensity I didn't think existed, let alone able to express. I licked my dry lips nervously; due to the hot desert or the sudden change in room pressure I wasn't sure.

 

Agni's patient work to help me learn the virtue paid off as the unexpected happened-

 

Dorian.

Edited June 9, 2013 by Friar Tuck

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"I'll believe you just this once about the joke thing and just skip right to the point: you do not want Utu as badly as you think you do."

 

"Considering I've survived two encounters with him, BOTH times his sole intent was to kill me, and the second time I DID help him break free of Echelon's control, though now it seems only temporary... yes, I do. It's what I do Dor."

 

"I do the impossible."

You gotta be kidding me. He's gotta be kidding me, right?

No. He wasn't. There it was, again; Joske's mad, romantic, insurmountable obsession with the concept of hope and redemption, the same concept that had won me over in his eyes, had shown itself again with typical aplomb. Except this was exactly the wrong time for it to go off. It was the kind of longing for goodwill and sentient decency that you found once in a lifetime, and most of the time you let the person slip by after a few minutes and missed out. Leave it to me to be the guy who doesn't. Leave it to me, alone, jaded, a little bit out of touch from abuse to my body, mind, and moral compass over the last few years, to get stuck with Joske, riding shotgun on his rough-and-tumble road trip towards Hugtopia.

But it was working. Even now, I felt a little bit like a dick for the previous snipes I'd made about Joske's sense of humor - he couldn't help it if he liked puns, just like I couldn't help wanting to shoot something every time I heard one after spending so long with only Grokk for conversation - and the small, wriggling first seeds of curiosity were being cultivated and cared for in my mind. This was the magic Tuara had bemoaned about to me, Joske's irresistible zeal to make things work out for as many people as he could before he finally puckered out into nothingness. It was just another one of the qualities about him that you just had to fall in love with.

"One problem. Utu is me, if you add a good bit of height, about a hundred and twenty pounds of muscle, and then subtract the morals and the motives. He--did you say Echelon?"

"One and only. Know him, too?"

"Yeah, considering I chopped his head off last year, with your sword."

"He's a monster. Probably the most dangerous Dark Toa on the island," Merror said grimly, and all eyes turned to him. The Toa of Fire had encountered Echelon more times than the rest of them combined, and he alone knew what the Necromancer was truly capable of. "He pursues whatever twisted goals he seeks by any means necessary, leaving a trail of destruction and suffering in his wake. I've fought him before, tried to stop him before…but he always escaped. He was always one step ahead. Tamaru, Hafu…those are just two names in the long list of people who've suffered and died at his hand. I warn you, all of you, do not underestimate him."

"Cool story, except he's dead. I punted his decapitated head like a Kolhii ball into a wall myself."

I sighed exasperatedly and leaned back in the chair, biting my lip and thinking it over. Clearly he wasn't dead if he was controlling Utu, but that still left no explanation as to how people randomly grew back heads and got back in Makuta's good graces. There hadn't been enough time between Heuani's fall and that of his master's for Echelon to weasel his way back to a middle management position and it was doubtful at best that Makuta had brought him back for some reason, but here he was, somehow. Controlling Utu. Utu. The only cannon loose enough to come anywhere near me in terms of looseness. How did he get his hands on Utu? Some Mark Bearer screwery?

"Alright, so let's say he's not dead. He's got Utu. We free Utu. Utu will not stop hating you, or me, or Tuara, or anyone else. In fact he will probably be angrier because he's spent the last couple months a shell inside his own body. He will make rivers run red with blood, locusts will swarm the island, blah blah blah, and at the end nothing will have changed beyond the fact that we all got a good show out of it and feel a little bet better about ourselves for giving it a shot."

I rolled up chocolate chips, confectioner's sugar, and cream into a pancake burrito and took a bite, chewing it over before meeting Joske's eyes - man, they were blue, like actual crayon blue - accidentally. The stare held there for a second tenuously, its weight and meaning suspended above us like an elephant on fishing wire, and in those eyes I saw him ask me to help. Actually ask me without words to find it in my heart to do for someone else what he'd done for me. To take the first leap down the rabbit hole, and let my body fall where it may. Despite myself something welled up at the stare before it broke, and instantly I regretted its ending. But its meaning was still being imparted on me. Joske was doing more than telling me the lowdown; to me, it felt like he was offering a hand of friendship.

In my entire life, I've only ever had one friend, and in the last three months the only times I've talked to Grokk were when--

"And you plan to free this Toa by going up against him in addition to another Toa of similar reputation all because..."

"Because it's the right thing to do," I finished for Tuara quietly before taking another solemn bite of pancake burrito. Joske looked up at me again and I blinked at him innocently with wide azure eyes before taking another big bite of pancake burrito and swallowing it nearly whole before grinning.

"Sur-priiiiise."

-Tyler

[GSR]

IC: Komae

Komae did the math in his head. Nine widgets and nine teeth. Well, he couldn't blame his soon-to-be-customer (though he had by now long since realized that it was more likely for Pohatu to pop his head out of the ground than for him to actually walk away with a sale today) - if their positions had been reversed, he'd have considered doing the same.

 

Still -

 

He tutted at the weaponsmith. "Taking that much advantage of someone's generosity? That's not very kind of you, Beosach. Dont'cha know that the best way to do business is for both parties to walk away happy?"

 

After all, he'd only have considered it.

 

The Matoran behind the counter slid their meals across to them, and Komae clunked his payment down onto the counter in return. He offered Beosach his plate with a smile. "So! Shall we grab a table around here, or look for something a little more scenic?"

 

(He thought he heard muffled rock music playing in the distance, but ignored it. Probably just his ears playing tricks on him.)

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

There was silence at the table once again...silence which was broken by me. I couldn't help it and started laughing, softly at first, until it was hearty chuckle. It was because of that old familiar feeling I got. Déjà vu - here we go again.

I knew eyes were turning to me then, but I just kept going for a few more seconds, then leaned back in the chair.

 

"And here we are again. Joske Nimil, showing up after being away and inviting us along on some crazy adventure."

 

I looked at him with a grin. "Well kid, count me in. At least for now. I'll help as much as I can, but Echelon is not the only dangerous being out there...I've got some more people to bring to justice."

[Friar Tuck]

IC

[stannis' house, Po-Koro - midday]

 

"And you plan to free this Toa by going up against him in addition to another Toa of similar reputation all because..."

"Because it's the right thing to do," Dor amazingly finished for Tuara, speaking quietly before taking another solemn bite of a pancake burrito. I could not help but look at him with a shocked face as he blinked innocently with his wide azure eyes before taking another big bite of that pancake burrito and swallowing it nearly whole before grinning.

"Sur-priiiiise."

Perhaps... perhaps I was wrong about him?

"Wait... what? And what does he mean by 'your sword'? I thought he did that with-"

 

"Yes," I said quietly, finally speaking, looking right at Tuara, interrupting her in the process. "Dorian's right. When I faced both Utu and Echelon by myself I saw something in Utu that apparently the rest of you either did not not or cannot due to your past experiences with him. I saw something in him worth fighting for, something in him that makes me think he CAN be saved, CAN be redeemed. With my help he fought off Echelon's control over him, and in the end it was Utu, not me, that took that Toa of Magnetism down. You may not think so but I think he can be saved, or at least one more shot should be made, considering what happened last time. To say that someone is completely unredeemable is to doom them forever, and last I checked it was our job as Toa to not only defend the Matoran, but to aid those that need it. You say it's impossible, but I LIVE the impossible. I DO the impossible on a regular basis. You don't believe me, ask HIM!"

 

With that I pulled out the crystal flamberge, Heuani's sword, the weapon I had been hiding this entire time, and slammed it into the center of the table.

 

You could have heard a grain of sand drop.

 

"I do it because it's the right thing to do Tuara. What we're SUPPOSED to do as Toa. And while I admit I may not have extended quite as much clemency to Heuani as I should have, I STILL gave him the chance. The choice. Maybe it not so many words, but in actions. If you don't want to come alone fine, I didn't invite you; still, that's what I'm going to do, provided I find what I need in that temple."

 

I looked around the room at the assorted collection of Toa.

 

"Though now I think I may have already found it." I looked at Agni, who was once again smiling at me... to which I returned the favor.

 

"You're welcome, old friend. And thank you."

 

Even I said that Heuani's old weapon glistened brilliantly, embedded in Stannis' table for all to see.

[otter]

IC-Beosach:

 

"Yeah, well, that place overcharges," Beosach muttered to Komae, ushering himself and his friend out the door. Hopefully the man at the counter hadn't heard. "Regardless, if it means so much to you, I'll buy lunch next time." He stood for a moment, looking around, before walking over to a small table in the middle of a small town square.

 

Once Komae had walked over and they'd both eaten a slight bit, Beosach sat back, gesturing to the artisan in front of him.

 

"Alright, I said I'd look things over," the weaponsmith said, sighing almost theatrically. "Show me your wares before I finish eating and decide to run off."

[GSR]

IC: Komae

 

"How about I just begrudge you the cost of a lunch for the rest of time and we call it even?" he said, with a grin on his face. "But if it's my wares you want..."

 

He pulled the bag slung over his shoulder off and plopped it onto the table. One by one, he began pulling out all manner of carved trinkets and tricks - Kanohi pins, decorative tiling, a few stone knives sharpened for use in precise woodworking or carving, hammers, the occasional particularly nice rock - the list went on.

 

Of course, there was one rather large hole in the carver's business strategy, and it was why he was fairly certain he wasn't likely to make a sale today: you could turn Po-Koro upside down and not find a single native who didn't have every single one of the above, perhaps save the knives. There was a reason he'd liked his occasional cross-Koro trips before the Akiri had gotten all paranoid - people are so much more wiling to buy things when they don't actually own some version of them already.

 

"Well, anything catch your eye?" He picked up one of the knives and offered it up to Beosach. "I'm rather a fan of these, myself. Nothing more frustrating than having to make some little etching or adjustment and finding you haven't got anything on hand save a big ol' chisel, right?"

[otter]

IC-Beosach:

 

"Hmm..." Beosach grabbed the knife, testing its balance in his hand; after a moment he tossed it behind him, almost as though one might throw trash. He grinned at Komae, who likely would feel both angry and disappointed, before pointing behind his head; there the knife was, stuck in the wood of a door behind the Matoran.

 

"Not gonna lie; that's the best I've ever done with knife I ddn't make," the weaponsmith said, still grinning, before picking up one of the other stones Komae had set out. He picked it up, tapping it a few times with a finger, and turning it over in his hand.

 

"Tell me, Komae, how often do you test the stones you find for any unusual developments?" he asked, absent-mindedly. "Because I think this might be a geode got brought over from Ta-Wahi that some trader never bothered to tell anybody about."

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: Stannis listened and observed everything from his vantage point on the couch. Despite Stannis' position in Po-Koro and rare trips out of the village -- he felt a tether to Po-Koro, likely a phantasm of the psyche of Pohatu he used -- he still remained keenly aware of what happened outside. Stories about Echelon's persistence lingered, and Stannis knew what that meant; with even a single dark toa out there, the potential for a resurgent group of Makuta followers would exist. And the demise of their god at his hands would not only make them angry but angry at him and the other Maru. Perhaps in another life Stannis would feel a greater drive to save Utu than to stop Echelon, but he was never a saviour, he was a protector, and while he didn't say it he felt a higher calling than exorcizing demons from slaves.

 

"I can support the fight against Echelon, too," he chimed in, "but only when you need me." He didn't really feel like regurgitating a tired saying of his, but the company was more diverse and strange to him this time. "There's a storm coming. Something is rising from the depths and it needs to be found, and that is where I will direct myself. But if you need some extra might behind you, Joske... I'd like to help a team I'm not leading for once."

 

Cliche, of course: Call me if you need me. But between figuring out what Stannis felt was a looming danger and ending Echelon's fungal growth, it was the most he could do to meet Joske in the middle of the road.

 

Stannis rose from his seat and stepped over to the table, eyes on the flamberge. He gripped its handle and tugged slightly. The keen blade slid from its slot like a ripe fruit picked from the orchard, leaving a small slit in the table where Joske plunged it quite unceremoniously. "It seems this is a convention of Heuani's opponents. I fought him too, you know," he said as he inspected the weapon. "This sword collided with my halberd several times in the Mangaia. He was a terrible and tragic man, and i don't care how prim he looked he was as putrid and despicable in the heart as his wretched creator, pure darkness and shadow." He handed the weapon back to its new owner.

 

"... It's surprising to me that there is no trace of that energy in this sword."

[Relapse]

IC(Your Two Favorite Titans-Legacy Caves)The massive Toa of Gravity turned his head to regard the two newcomers silently, his deep, malice-filled eyes burning from underneath his Kanohi, their bloodred gaze contrasting sharply with the smile that played across his lips. Yes, things were going exactly as planned. It wouldn't take long for the rest of those who had responded to the call to come, then they could begin.Excellent, He said to no one in particular, his voice drowning out the hissing of various dark creatures that lingered within the cavern, before beginning again, this time addressing those around. The cave has been extended, and the tunnels leading further back are suitable for occupation."That would be quite satisfactory." The voice rang out through the cave, and everyone froze, silent. Those who recognized it felt with it the chill that accompanied the reptilian creature. Kyju Xo'Rexin had entered the cave, not without donning a dapper tophat, monocle and all. All eyes turned towards the Akrainid as he stood for a second, psychoanalyzing the gathered company. "I see we have some new friends, Echelon.""Or rather...an old one," he smiled cruelly, a truly chilling sight, "Onuzek. It's been awhile."The mammoth Toa turned towards the Akrainid, his face otherwise impassive under a cool smile. "Indeed, Kyju," The Ba-Toa replied, nodding once with a slow, deliberate movement."So," he said, noting the infected mask which indicated his change of allegiance, "what led you here?""I chanced upon it four months ago," The gigantic brute started casually, "And have been preparing it for an event such as this ever since."Anyone who had been paying attention to this point ceased to do so. "Why, that's incredibly useful. You have a hidden lair for our entire group?""Yes, as I stated before, the cavern has been extended, and connected with the maze of tunnels that run under this area. It is very suitable for our current needs." He didn't mention the Kraata and Parakuka that had saw fit to inhabit the caves as a result of the darkness that permeated the area, their calls were already apparent to those within the cavern's shadowy depth."Now, I hate to be presumptious, but I'm guessing you don't happen to have a room outfitted for an Akrainid? Anything connected to underground bodies of water?" He had indeed noticed the Kraata, and was prepared to slaughter as many of them as he could. Surely one of the underlings wouldn't mind sleeping on a pile of slug corpses that night."If you so feel the need for one, there is an underground lake at the end of one of the main tunnels. Though, a warning, Troller worms do seem to gather around some of the tunnels.""Why, that's wonderful! Is there a way to connect my room to part of the lake? Troller worms do make such a great snack.""I'm sure there is. If you need them, mining tools are available.""That would be very nice," he said, almost excitedly, "are the caves furnished at all?""Basic things," He said, "Nothing much.""Well, that's okay. I'll have some immaculate furnishings by the end of the week," he cracked his neck, "it's been a pleasure, Onuzek. I look forward to feeling the rush of a kill by your side the near future. And who knows- maybe we can go a few rounds ourselves."With that, Kyju nodded and walked off, ready for Echelon's speech.

Edited June 10, 2013 by Shuhei Hisagi

[BBBBalta]

IC: Lekua was feeling more and more out of the loop with every passing moment. Echelon? Utu? Heuani? These names meant nothing to him. If only he'd gotten here earlier, maybe he could've gotten some information from Stannis. Or if me and Nichou hadn't failed so miserably back in Onu... He sighed. He was no leader; never had been. All he could do was follow. For a while, he'd followed Stannis. Now... The Ta-Toa called Joske seemed more or less in charge here. And he had a plan - something Lekua certainly didn't. Had it been a coincidence that he'd come to visit Stannis at the same time Lekua had? Maybe. And maybe it was a coincidence that I met Stannis here a year ago. Po-Koro wasn't exactly the most assuming place for the start of an adventure, but it had worked before.

[GSR]

IC: Komae

 

It didn't much surprise him when the weaponsmith tossed the blade away; Komae was but a simple carver, and even though his knives were made for craft and not combat he had little doubt that Beosach could make a blade of stone that well surpassed his efforts if he cared enough to do so. (Actually, he would've welcomed it - he always felt a sort of joy at seeing a craftsman reaching their full potential. Plus it was easier to sell good stuff.)

 

Then the conversation turned to the stone. Komae thought for a moment in response to the question. "I have to admit, I've not got much of an eye for rocks beyond what any Po-Matoran can do. All I recall of that one is that it had a certain heft and texture to it that made me think it might have a bit more to it than met the eye." He reached out and tapped it a few times himself. "Interested?"

 

It was poor salesmanship, he knew - never let your customer tell you how much something's worth. But the comment about a Ta-Wahi trader had him thinking. Were there any trade groups from Ta-Wahi passing through these days? It had been a long time since he had traveled - not since before the Makuta's fall. Perhaps he'd strike up a business proposition with the next one that came through.

[otter]

IC-Beosach:

 

"Actually, I have a better idea," Beosach said, smiling. He grabbed one of the hammers that Komae had on hand, testing it for heft, and a chisel. The next moment, he'd already split open the small geode, revealing the crystals within. Reaching out, he lifted up one half of the geode, smiling still.

 

"Citrine. That was a good one. Alright, so how about, now that we know what it's truly worth, I pay you about eighty widgets for the geode, and another forty for the knife?"

[Snelly]

IC: Novan - Po-Wahi - Meeting Place -

 

Loud, erratic steps echoed through the meeting place, a faint maddening chuckle could barely be made out as the steps got louder and louder.

 

The silhouette of a Toa with what appeared to be a long thick lab coat became just barely visible, then the being stumbled into the light, revealing the Toa of Ice's white body and blood stained lab coat. He stopped in his tracks, looking at each of the beings gathered with an impassive stare, the scope on his Matatu adjusting as he looked at each being in sequence.

 

"I'd say I'm sorry if I'm late, except I'm not." He stated. "Kane-Ra have the most interesting brains." He threw a bag into the center of the room, it made a squishy and gurgly sound as it landed.

 

Novan's attention then turned to the map that Karemo and Kitano had created. His mouth made an 'O' shape. "A map! How thoughtful! It's good to know I'm not working with complete imbeciles."

 

Novan finally turned his head to Echelon, "Well hello Echelon, I haven't seen you since you tasked me to acquire that Toa of Air's body for you, a pity she remains among the living though, your old fiery friend made sure of that. I had to suffer through the ramblings of jailbaits for weeks!"

Edited June 10, 2013 by A billion cats

[Friar Tuck]

IC

[stannis' house, Po-Koro - midday]

 

"So it's not just me."

 

I watched as Stannis carefully inspected the blade, respectful of the weapon as he was curious before handing it back. "For the longest time I though maybe it was hiding some sort of dark power, or even worse, secretly working it in me without my direct knowledge. It would seem as though my fears are truly unfounded... and that it's just a blade. A tool. A very... strange tool."

 

Stannis's sharp eyes moved directly to me. "What do you mean?"

 

"Well... it's just that I've never used a sword before. Ever. Even Agni here will tell you that when we were training I used a hammer of all things. Not until I picked up that blade did I ever handle a bladed weapon, spare a knife. Yet the moment I held it I felt like it was perfect, as if it was made for me - an extension of my arm so to say. Without any training or previous experience I picked up that weapon and instinctively knew how to use it. I've had some practice since then obviously but for all practical purposes from my point of view it bestowed upon me the gift of swordsmanship. I... can't explain it. It's not evil. It's not good. It's just that... a blade."

 

A very unique blade I thought silently.

[GSR]

IC: Komae

 

The carver looked down at the geode with interest. Ah, shiny things, the source of all wealth. At this point he was in about the worst possible position a salesman could be short of having a knife pressed to his neck - his customer had not only shown him inventory he didn't even know he had, he'd named a price. The smart thing to do, he knew, would be to take the geode and go get it looked at by someone whose job it was to look at shiny things and determine how many other shiny things they were worth.

 

But where was the fun in being so paranoid all the time? He always did like to operate a business of honesty. It was the Imprisoned's Quandary, plain and simple - mutual trust is best for all. And if the weaponsmith had decided to lowball him for some unfathomable reason, well, he could deal with that.

 

Y'know, I really overthink these things.

 

"Sounds like we have a deal, my good man," he said with a smile, and slid the sparkling geode across the table. "And the knife's yours if you can pry it out of the wall there before a Sentinel shows up and arrests us for throwing sharp objects around at will."

 

He began to pack the other objects back into his satchel. "Say, speaking of Ta-Wahi traders, I don't suppose you've seen any lately? Or any traveling traders at all? Seems like most of the traffic we get these days has that look about them that says, 'out of my way, Matoran, I have destiny to do!'"

[otter]

IC-Beosach:

 

"Not in a while," Beosach replied to the question, sitting back in his chair and moving on to his third sandwich. "Of course, we could always do the reverse."

[- JL -]

IC

 

I look around. I don't know what for, but I did......of course, it didn't really matter to me. I left Prei, and in seconds I was back to

- as he misguidedly called it - "Disrupting the peace."

Prick.

I slightly adjusted my headphones and it's attachment to my mask, squeezing it to secure it and also to refresh the air that

circulated the cushioning. Holding out my weapon, I tapped on the iStone, playing the next song.

And soon, I was too captivated in the expression of a soul's passion to even care how loud I was.

OOC: Exa, Open for Interaction!

Edited June 10, 2013 by JL v2

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: The prophet eagerly allowed the weapon to slide back to Joske's hand. It was a very nice weapon, very nice, but to Stannis it would have made a pretty mantlepiece. He did not feel a radiating power from its grip, however, and he gave Joske a knowing look as the Gatekeeper accepted his tool -- the sword had a purpose and it was with Joske. There were stories of weapons bonded to their users, toa tools that seemed like companions to their owners like Inu was to Oreius. It was said the First Toa held such weapons, but until said otherwise they were just that: Stories.

 

Stannis looked at the table. Everybody had finished eating their midday meal and Stannis gave a gesture for people to start their cleanup. In an instant they collectively rose and started bussing the plates to the sink, washing them with water and wiping the table and counter down. It took a while, but with refreshed spirits and active metabolisms the group of toa (plus Lekua) got the job done.

 

As the work was winding down Stannis stepped up the ladder into his room to fetch his items. He slung his halberd and Telerahk staff onto his back in their typical X and grabbed a satchel, in which he poured several letters and the contract he partially wrote the night before. As an afterthought, he also slipped some widgets into the bag before slinging it over his shoulder -- even a Toa Maru had to pay for his things. He paused in the door jamb and looked at his desk. He was sure his time with Joske would not extend any longer than finding and solving the Temple of Creation's riddles, but his time away from Po-Koro would be much longer. Stannis loved mysteries as much as they loved to plague him. After all, mystery and adventure were the reasons he left the Massif. Now was the start of a new chapter in his wanderings; there were new challenges to sort out across the land.

 

He shut the door of his room and descended back into the living room and kitchen. The cleanup had been completed in his absence, leaving nothing but the drying dishes and the slit in the table to deal with, which he stepped up to inspect. Thankfully it was thin and well cut, so Stannis merely concealed it with an oil lamp on the hole and called it good. "The day is high and hot, but I would rather we leave to the sands now," he said. He shifted his weight and looked at the others in the room individually.

 

Agni, Merror, Tuara, Dorian, Cael, Joske... "Lekua, we have not been able to speak here, unfortunately, but I welcome you to accompany me for this trip. We can talk as we go." The Le-Matoran, perhaps due to the extraneous relationship they had or his timidness, Lekua only nodded in agreement. Stannis welcomed the opportunity to chat with him. Lekua was a late addition to the Companions, he recalled, and he was also one of the most outspoken. He hadn't had a chance to become truly engaged in the team and fought to stay caught up, and when Stannis announced that he was dissolving the group and taking Aurax and Lepidran with him... it was Lekua who took it with most difficulty. In Stannis' heart there was still an issue that needed solving, an episode he hadn't handled as well as he needed to. In Lekua's eyes it must have seemed almost an insult, latching with someone just to discover he was not destined for the greatness the secret-keeping wanderer was. This was Stannis' chance.

 

"Joske, ready?"

 

"Ready," the intrepid hero said.

 

"Then let's Wander." He opened the front door and led the way out into the hot afternoon sun.

 

The team of eight stepped out into the village in a miniature parade of muscle and mixed emotions. Stannis, as he had become so accustomed, had taken lead of the procession and remained the curt one of the group, ceremonially stepping to clear the way. A few awed bystanders gawked, but the column was gone very quickly -- Stannis didn't dote and nobody planned to, either. With a wave of his hand the doors to the koro parted and allowed them to depart, sixteen feet in all kicking up dust in their tracks. Just as the doors were closing, though, another pair galloped out to hook up with the team as Cyclone the Kahu fled the village to rejoin Lekua's side.

 

They trekked for several hours with only Stannis' memory and sense of direction to guide them to the Temple of Creation. It was a pilgrimage for more than Joske; the temple was the first major place Stannis' Companions inspected back in the day, though to no avail. It was the starting point of their journey, Stannis' in particular. It was a revisit of his roots as much as it was a closure for Joske. And Stannis' infamous "wandering" had not failed them. Just as the sun began to descend from its climax the stony head, half buried in the dunes, jutted out into view. The Temple of Creation had been reached. He looked at Joske's bag of charms with anticipation. He always wanted to get inside that temple especially.

Edited June 10, 2013 by EmperorWhenua

[Eyru]

IC (Jin)

 

Brykon didn't answer, which wasn't really surprising. I didn't have any real right to ask (I'm just a curious gal is all), so I buried my nose in the scroll and started absorbing information as quickly as I could.

 

There was a decent amount of dirt on the ILF, so the scroll made for some interesting reading. By the time I was done, the noise of the sandstorm had dropped off. I peeked out the door to check, and saw I was right. The wind was gone, and the sand was back where it belonged: on the ground.

 

Well, no time like the present. I turned back and grabbed a waterskin and a map before quickly saluting Bry, who still sat on his chair, smoking the last inch of his cigar.

 

“I'll see you in Le, then. Good luck.”

 

He nodded, and I was gone.

 

 

OOC Jin to Le-Wahi.

[GSR]

IC: Komae

 

He speared one of the drying pieces of meat on his plate with a fork. "The reverse, you say?" He lifted the fork to his mouth and chewed slowly. Doesn't take a Toa to figure out what that means.

 

In the distance he heard some sort of commotion, and the gates of the city opening and closing. Somehow the sound seemed amplified, and there was a buzzing in his gut that he knew had nothing to do with the food he'd been eating. The sounds of some other group setting out on their own travels was setting something in the back of his mind alight.

 

Calm down, Komae. You've spent a few too many days pawning trinkets, is all. It's not like you to get so worked up over a few passing possibilities.

 

He felt a twitch, and glanced down at his left hand. The scar stared back up at him. Right. You know how things turned out last time you started getting worked up over a change in routine.

 

He swallowed, and the moment passed. "I take it you're suggesting we become the visiting traders instead?"

[25K Now!]

IC: Prei

 

It is at times like these when I wonder what Tera would do.

 

Probably punch the man in the face.

 

That isn't a good idea.

 

So I fall back to wondering what Naona would do.

 

Kick the man in the face.

 

Even worse idea.

 

In fact, most of the guards I know would probably attack this loudmouth.

 

Wait ...

 

"Manuka," I say, giving the mercenary a nod. "You can punch him in the face."

[The Lorax]

IC (Manuka): "Thankyou, sir" he said calmy and curtly to the Sentinel who sat opposite him at the table. The Vortixx got up and walked over to where the toa of sonics was quietly bopping to the music that only he could hear, and delivered a strong punch towards his face. Apparently the time for trying to reason with the self-proclaimed king was drawing to a close.

[- JL -]

IC

 

"After kicking up the feeling that has been running in circles

we'll go to the next frontier before you, Ah-"

 

I look up, or rather, opened my eyes, and looked at the fist that had appeared in my mouth.

 

I licked.

[The Lorax]

IC (Manuka): Manuka felt his punch connect with the mask as the force of impact was transmitted through to the flesh beneath. It wasn't quite as satisfying as he thought it might have been, but it did the job. Then he felt something else - was the toa trying to lick..? Not important - he dismissed the thought. Manuka brought back his fist and, while the toa was still relling from the shock of being unexpectedly punched in the face, he fired a rhotuka right into his body (the power-draining variety). Sure, he hadn't had explicit instructions to do so, but it would always be easier to deal with a (deluded fool at best / criminal at worst) who wasn't on top of their game.

Edited June 10, 2013 by The Lorax

[25K Now!]

IC: Prei

 

I groaned.

 

Really?

 

"I said 'punch'. Not break all his bones."

[- JL -]

IC

 

Have I told you how fired up singing makes you become?

 

Especially singing about Fire?

 

You wanna know, don't you?

 

Well, its simple. While at first I'd been confused why the copman decided to put his fist inside my mouth, I quickly realized what this was - Assault.

 

Again.

 

'ASSAULT!' I yelled, as he spun up his Rhotuka and launched it at me.

 

 

I don't know what he was thinking, but he probably missed the fact that my mic was also my weapon. And nobody, and I mean NOBODY, sings without a mic.

 

'NO DONUT CAN FIX THIS!' I shouted, my sonic powers amplifying it through my mic as a sonic wave with high amounts of energy, impacting the energy of the Rhotuka. I think there might've been a flash of some sort, but even I, future king of Mata Nui, didn't really care for the physics of things. (Yet?) In any case, I could tell that the Rhotuka didn't impact me, only the energy wave, although what consequences could come from that, I don't know.

 

 

'DOOOOOOORYAAAAAAAA!!' I didn't care either, and I was already ready to launch yet another attack against my relentless aggressors who seemed to have no taste in any type of passion.

 

Free speech, guys. I'd allow it as king.

Edited June 10, 2013 by JL v2