BZPRPG - Po-Wahi

[Palm]

IC: Tuara Drigton - Po-WahiTuara's eyes opened to see the much darker interior of their covered camp. Her fire had burnt out, and all that were left were the still smoldering embers, light smoke rising slowly from its grave. She lazily rolled her head from one side to leave the rock wall and to the dead fire. From the ashes, another fire grew warmly, giving off much needed heat and lighting up the camp a little.She turned her head back to the wall and breathed out as she called up her arms to wrap around herself. Despite the heat her body was giving off, Tuara felt colder. She checked her surroundings again. Most everybody was sleeping it seemed. She couldn't really tell, for the light of her fire was low, and brightening it up might mean waking up people needlessly. Instead, she craned her neck, checking for Dorian. She couldn't see him, and quickly began to feel panicked, realizing the implications of not being around people left to his own devices. This trips was supposed to be about getting better, and although she trusted him, she knew he didn't trust himself. That was going to be cause for plenty of problems should it continue.She stood up quietly, making sure not to make any sound. She lifted off her hood, bringing it down to her back to get a better look at the travelers around her. Stepping over to each sleeping figure, she indentified them one by one; each time they weren't Dorian she would move on to the next. She sighed, displeased with her discovery.

Where is he."Dead--Wait. Nope. Okay, yup, dead."I put one foot on the chest of the latest iron construct and pulled hard, yanking the butterfly knife from its diaphragm as hard as I could; my muscles had been at this now for nine hours, with only my introductory chat with Stannis acting as my interlude. The tattoos on my arms were covered by a thin smattering of iron dust that shook and fell to the ground like the desert's second-rate version of snow, depending on how I moved. My chest heaved gently with heartlight thumps and low, exhausted breaths that came close to pants. Buried in the sand was an empty canteen, held in place by another knife that kept the string pinned like a stake does a leash.I had decided, long after everyone else needed to sleep, that someone needed to be awake, both to keep watch for Joske and Cael and to make sure that people who weren't the happy couple didn't come up on the camp in the middle of the night. I was supposed to awaken Agni or Merror or Stannis or Tuara hours ago for them to take watch, but it was one of those nights. The ones where even when I was awake the world was a bit sketchy, off-kilter, better off observed with open eyes instead of sleep filled ones. The final construct began to fragment and disintegrate from the knife wound and then spread outwards, finally leaving a head that plunked against the ground and shriveled away into a mini anthill of iron dust atop the sand dune.As I flipped the butterfly knife closed, my hand twitched quickly and the tip of the blade dragged for a second across my knuckle, slicing the top layer of skin. I made an "aah" sound that led into a low curse as I brought my index finger to my mouth, sucking on the cut for a second before dropping the weapon into the warm sands--warm sands?Dawn. Awwwwww, son of a. The desert was about to get all deserty again."You know, you're really bad at this whole trading off watch duties when you're supposed to thing," Tuara walked towards Dorian, arms swinging absentmindedly. He turned to see her and she gave a small sad smile. She walked closely up to him, examining his chest and shoulders, "Something on your mind huh," she brushed off Dorian's shoulders, freeing them of dust as she spoke before looking up to him, the morning in her eyes."If I told you no, you wouldn't believe me, huh?" I sighed, hands on Tuara's hips as I gave her a good morning hug, forgoing the typical "just let me die, it's six in the morning" smirk for the "hey, look at you, up by six in the morning" half-smile."Not for a second Shaddix.""I took it on myself to stay up for Joske. I'm kinda smitten."Tuara made a small "ooh" shape with her mouth as her brow furrowed, "Ouch," Tuara looked him over, speaking alongside her check ups, "You always fell for the wrong people didn't you.""Come on, don't be like that. You're a dime and a half."I hefted Tuara up and then spun around slowly on one heel, observing the terrain around us; aside from camp there was nothing, just rolling expanses of sand that swept on past anything the eye could see.This was not what I'd had in mind when I went on my extensive circus analogy."A dime?" Her hand curled up into a little fist as she jokingly hit Dorian's chest as they spun. She laughed a little, "and a half?" They spun down, both still moving with the momentum in the swirling dust, before they stopped, Tuara stepped forwards, and swept Dorian into her arms, lifting him up amidst the floating sand, "I'd like to think I'm at least /two/ dimes.""It's an idiom, you philistine!" I protested, squirming in Tuara's grip as she held me over the desert floor and my feet kicked through empty air. I snickered, then chuckled, then full out laughed as I tried to kick free, but Tuara's new Pakari gave her strength - way too much strength - enough that she could hold me still."You're lucky I don't have a Mark anymore or this would be radically different!"Tuara smiled brightly, looking into Dorian's eyes for a while before looking over him onto the ground, "C'mon Dor.""What?""You know you can talk to me about anything right."I smirked and hugged Tuara again as I slowly slipped back to the ground, rocking my weight onto one foot, then onto the other, then back onto the other as we swayed in the windless, more and more arid desert. For a Toa of Fire she was surprisingly cool in my arms, which no longer shook as they had minutes before; she had regained her heat slowly in my embrace and I had regained composure, finally staving off the lack fo sleep and slow, broiling impatience that had been creeping through me for hours.No one else in the camp stirred; there were no telltale footsteps or vomit-inducing, creeping adorable feeling that scrabbled down my spine, which meant Joske and Cael hadn't returned. It was just Tuara and I, which suited me just fine after how the last time we'd had a moment to ourselves Joske had stormed in and ruined it with typical Joske aplomb, forgetting that if I had done the same to him he would have flipped out, had a hero tantrum, and then sulked for hours until I was coaxed to apologize by someone else on the team. But nooo, just because I was the killer, I didn't /get/ to have private moments with the girl of my dreams. That was a Joske perk. Not a Dor perk....Come to think of it, that sounded kind of like a hero tantrum followed by sulking.Gulp."I gave up a kingdom for you, you know," I drawled, vaguely hinting at my days as the prodigal child of the Four Peers' plot to destroy Mata Nui and drop a chamber pot over organized society and the Great Spirit. "Of course I know we can talk."Tuara looked off at the horizon, the side of her head against Doran's shoulder beside his head as they held together, "If you need a break, if you don't think you can do it: I'm strong enough to carry you if you're tired," the sun broke over the flat grounds of Po-Wahi, warming where it contacted quickly, "You know that too.""Yeah, I--HOLD UP, THAT REMINDS ME."I looked up quickly and broke the hug, hands slipping from Tuara's sides back over to my bag in the sand. I could feel her confused gaze as I rifled through it and grinned more widely by the second; finally I latched onto what I was looking for and held it behind my back, spinning on my heel so her view was obscured."Guess what I had made while I was looking for Jos yesterday. Guess.""A new scarf.""No! God, I hate you...well, I mean...in a sense, I did. But check these."From behind my back, with a flourish, I produced two miniature plushies; the one in my right hand was a deep blue-eyed Toa of Iron with defined, gorgeous features, dressed in leather and silk with a cashmere scarf hanging around his neck, a little wooden revolver hanging from his waist, and a slightly open-mouthed smile on his face. The one on the left was a Toa of Fire, maybe a couple centimeters smaller, with red eyes, a perfect frame, and a slightly frumpy face like she was throwing a tantrum at the other plushie for doing something stupid. She was wearing a little silver star badge, and the rounded stumps that represented her hands were covered in little leather caps that represented gloves; a wooden warhammer hung around her back, reaching down towards the end of her leg to the tip of her shoulder."Plushies of us!""How are you even real.""You like 'em?" I asked excitedly, handing her the Dor plushie as I tried not to bounce on the balls of my feet. "I remember someone telling me Cael got a vial of Protodermis that never dried up when Jos promised her his love, but that sounds boring to me. That doesn't sound like things fun people do. So here, you take the Dor plushie. I'll keep the Tuara plushie. And then, in some way, shape or form, a part of us will always be with the other! It's literally foolproof!"Tuara squeezed the Dorian plush in her fist a couple times as she smiled dumbly before looking up at the Toa of Iron, "How come mine looks so angry huh?" She raised an eyebrow and smirked."I dunno," I replied innocently, making the Tuara plush shrug for me with a little pull of its shoulders. "Maybe she lost an armwrestling match. Maybe she figured out her boyfriend hid his clothes again so she had to track them down to wear them around the house. Maybe she's just upset that her so-called artist of a boyfriend can't find any way to express that he loves her and wants to be with her forever than to specially design and order two hand-stitched plush dolls.""I've said it once I'll say it again Shaddix," she looked up from the Dorian plushie to the real Dorian, "You're a funny one," She reached around to her pack, she put the plush into the pockets, ensuring it was packed tightly and safely, "Stuffed versions of ourselves aside; how are you holding up now.""I'm doing alright. The change from hot and musty to hot and arid was good for me," I replied dryly. Tuara rolled her eyes but I placed my hands on her face and held her features gently, face relatively straight, corners of my mouth pushing forward and to the sides contemplatively instead of smirking and flippant. "Really. I'm doing okay. That's not important, though: how do you feel?""A little unsure about going after Echelon let alone Joske's plan with what to do with Utu afterwards though," she blinked a couple times, "I'm better."Her eyes became sort of stern, "And please don't devalidate your own well being or problems for me please. Or for anybody for that matter.""Tuara Drigton, believe me when I tell you that my problems and I have survived much worse than you in just the last two years," I assured her with a gentle kiss on the forehead as we embraced consolingly. "I'm far more worried about you surviving me."Tuara smiled in between Dorian's hands, "I'll pull through," she winked, "You aren't exactly the most difficult to live with. And if I'm wrong about that, well, I'm tough. I can handle it.""You are tough, Deputy Dimeandahalf."I continued by squeezing her by the waist again and rocking back and forth between my feet more heavily in the sand. My head burrowed into her neck to hide my face, my grin pressed up nice and close against her jugular."Ughhhh," I groaned, "I just don't wanna lose youuuuu. S'all.""Hey, I'm not the one who keeps dying on me. We'll be fine. Even if it takes years, we'll get their eventually.""I want to buy another beach house."Tuara raised an eyebrow, Dorian's voice muffled in her upper chest and neck, "Didn't your mother teach you that spending money didn't make you happy.""I wouldn't spend the money if I still had my old beach house," I replied, the implied duh! on the edge of my sentence. "I got rooted out of Ga-Koro after the Daedra took power. Picked a fight with the Valkyr."Come on, Dor. Try not to laugh."Didn't your mother teach you not to pick fights with demons either.""She threw a fake apple at my head.""She did what? Where is she I'll tear her limb from limb.""I think a birdwatcher got her, in the end. That's not important right now."She pulled back a bit, holding onto Dorian's shoulders, "Well whatever. It's your money," Tuara looked up at the sun, singing across the cold sand, "Are you ready.""Ready for what?""The others are gonna be waking up soon. Joske and Cael should be back shortly after as well from wherever they ran off to. I'd imagine we'll be leaving soon," she smiled, "Day two.""If we're not back in an actual city in the next forty eight hours, I want you to take the scarf of mine that you stole for your own use and I want you to strangle us both with it."Tuara adjusted Dorian's scarf as she talked, "I wouldn't be caught dead in that thing," she looked back to him, a lip-biting smile and a wink and she turned away, walking back in the camp's direction. She turned around, still smiling at the stationary Dorian, "You coming or what?"...Tuara went down like someone who'd been hit in the head with a bullet, tackled down into the sand by a seamless blur of jet blacks and brooding greys. She hit the ground with a puff as dust poofed up around her and I rolled around on top of her before she rolled back on top, trying desperately to hit me."SHADDIX DO YOU WANT TO BE MURDERED."Couldn't respond to death threats. Already dying laughing.Tuara took hold of Dorian's wrists and held them down on the sand as he laughed, his chest heaving up and down, "You done?" Dorian continued to snicker under her hold, but the laughing was finally slowing down. He looked back up into her eyes and her in his. She smiled brightly.

[Ghosthands]

IC (Zadron)

 

Above the sounds of lovers' laughter drifting from the two couples in the group, a lone pair of ears listened in. A dull, crinkled tan shape lay flattened against the rock formation that housed the Temple of Creation. To the beings below, it was nothing more than part of the sandstone. Had any of them climbed up to inspect it, however, they would have discovered it to be a cloak of sand-coloured fabric hiding an uninvited guest.

 

The eavesdropper was long and lean; wiry like a raptor and with all its sharp predatorial features. The orange eyes of a hunter stared through the gap between cloak and rock, keeping a watchful eye on the small camp below.

 

Zadron had locked onto the group in Po-Koro. His employer had known of their presence there, and sent him to discover what they were up to. A gathering of such famous faces was unlikely to be anything trivial, and given his employer's history with many of them, it was hardly surprising he wanted them followed. The Vortixx had almost turned the job down; tracking a group containing a Toa Maru, the 'fastest Toa on Mata Nui', two elite guardsmen, the Toa Astha's leader, and the Shaddix was a risk. But the pay was (as usual) excellent, the work was just surveillance, and besides - he hadn't accepted a job from that particular employer for a while and it was best to stay in his good books.

 

Following them through the desert wasn't difficult. The shimmering of his cloaking device was perfectly concealed by the heat haze, and whenever the five-minute timer ran out, there was a rock large enough to conceal him as it recharged. The group had moved to the Temple of Creation, and gone inside, then come out again and made camp. He'd had ample time to find himself a vantage point on the rocks above. But the most interesting part was the subject of their conversation afterwards.

 

He would have a lot to report.

 

Content that he had what he needed, he quickly scanned the area around his perch. The so-called sentry was off with his lady friend, and the eastern side of the rock formation was out of the line of sight of any who might awaken in the camp.

 

Zadron pressed a button on the device strapped to his upper arm, which glowed momentarily as it activated. The eavesdropper, cloak and all, seemed to fade into thin air. Invisible, he made his way carefully and silently across the outcrop, dropping down into the shadows of the eastern side. His feet barely making a sound as they impacted the soft and warm sands, he stole away into the night.

[Friar Tuck]

IC

 

[Temple of Creation, Motara Desert - dawn]

 

One of the few graces of sand was that it was quiet.

 

The first light of day was just beginning to peek over the horizon as we stole into camp. We were covered with sand from head to toe, shoulders sporting a few bruises that popped up overnight, and our collective faces looking like we had just stolen from the Ta-Koro Vaults.

 

Oh wait - been there, done that. Well, one of us at least.

 

Thankfully, no-one was awake to see our guilty looks as we came back, that sheepish smirk of triumph that screamed we got away with more than should be possible. It had been a night to remember, except for the part I didn't remember, which was falling asleep. Funny how that happens, unconsciousness. At least everyone else was... ah, apparently not. As we made our way silently through the camp we noticed that two distinct members of our group were missing - and the faint sound of distant laughter meant that we weren't the only ones up.

 

Cael simply shrugged. I nodded.

 

Sitting under our shelter she broke out some supplies, and we ate a cold breakfast together in silence, sharing knowing smiles and the occasional jab as we ate, deciding to enjoy this moment of quiet and still warming of the desert. It was a pleasant experience, something I could reflect on-

 

Shoot! Almost forgot.

 

Gulping down the rest of it I shifted slightly in the sand to get more comfortable, my sitting body facing east. With a deep breath I closed my eyes, settling myself into my daily meditation ritual. If there was one thing I was going to do every day it was meditate at sunrise. Initially it had been a simple exercise prescribed by the Massif Protector himself, but over time it had developed into something more. This wasn't as much as a ritual as a necessity at this point, surpassing obligatory to adherent dedication. This small act was very important to me and my well-being, so much so I don't think even Cael fully understood how deep down this was essential.

 

Let's just say it had to do with my inner doubts and demons.

 

In the back of my mind my brain registered Cael laying down next to me, from the sound of it resting her head in her hands as she most likely watched the sunrise with me. Not to say I was looking at it per say, but the idea was there. Enjoy these moments while we can.

 

For now we start searching for Utu.

[NorikSigma]

IC: KironWe stumble out of the tunnel, leading tl the middle of the desert."This doesn't like right."The heat here was bad, but different form Ta Wahi. There, the heat rose from the ground, and the heat seemed to be around you.Here, it was pressing down on you. Of course, it was the air and ground getting heated up by the sun, but it still felt like the heat was turning against us on pur-Hang on. I am a Toa of Fire. How the Karz can I feel heat?Then I realised it was the dryness I felt. I took a swig of Fruit-flavoured water. This mouthful tasted like Madu. Erk.We trdged along until we reached a radio outpost. The metal box crackled madly. Jarkale, a native, had learned basic radio etiquette and started to use the radio. The operator, somewhere in Po-Koro, answered us. He soon arranged for several Ussal crabs, a carriage and a driver.We waited in a nearby cave for about two hours, an hour longer than the operator promised us. The driver seemed a little miffed that he was told to pick up a Po-Matoran but had to fetch a Toa of Fire, and worse a Toa of Lightning, not evening native. He seemed to be very uptight about this whole 'secret-reclusive-village' business. During the journey he kept giving Jl and I suspicious glances.Oh, Mata Nui, have the Po-Matoran changed this much? Not really, I realised as we entered the city. Generally, they still stayed jovial exception for this driver. Makes you wonder why he even wanted to risk fetching 'outsiders' although he probably had no choice but to take this job.We pooled our widgets to pay him, but were still short of a bit. With a bit of pursuation, JL handed lever his last packet of Mega Snacks, which the Matoran immediately started eating after he drove off.We headed for the bazzar, where there was some shelter.OOC: Any one who was accepted for the Riddle Quest as advertised in the GD, please meet us at the bazzar, where we characters are now. Thanks.

[They]

IC: Krii

It pried her eyes open, forcing light ever deeper like a sharp knife. Dust floated like small insects about the empty tap room, the warmth of a desert morning already stifling. Krii yawned, her arms stretching up the wall behind her. She stood up and took a look around. Barstools were orderly placed, seventeen polished wooden pieces ready for the sore rear of a thirsty patron. Tables and benches were arranged on the wooden deck where she stood. Stepping off, Krii heard the telltale crunch of sand under her foot where the bar was left unfinished to sop up spills. Must help, having all this sand around free of charge; Krii thought, leaning over the bar for a closer look.

“Hello?” No one replied, so Krii hopped the counter and looked for something to drink. Behind the bottles of sweet smelling spirits lived a large clay jug, and Krii quickly downed half the water, belching at the end to mark her happiness. Thirst quenched, the silvery blue toa of metal pushed open the double swinging doors and entered the sandy streets of Po-Koro. Sticking her hands behind her head she set off at an aimless walk through the sparse crowds.

ooc: Krii open for interaction in Po-Koro.

[Palm]

IC: Utu Kotore - Po-Wahi - Meeting PlaceI remember looking into my mot͗ͬher's eyes as little as possible. They swallowed up the room that they occupied, like it was some sickly sweet deep blue black hole, reaching for anything it could hold onto. Light and attention were pretty notable I guess. First of all, when she walked in, she somehow managed to both light up and darken a room simultaneously. It was a strange paradox that I often found myself contemplating, and factored a lot into how I valued my mother both growing up and upon maturing into the man I became.I have the same eyes as my mother. But when I looked into the mirror, I didn't see power. I didn't see the dominance over fear that she had such guttural control over or the power in the linings. I saw a reminder of the woman I hated more than anything I had ever encountered and anything I had encountered since then. I hate the person my eyes remind me of.That witch did things even I think are unspeakable. And that as we all know, is apparently saying a lot. I might have regretted a lot of things in my life, but tearing her apart at the end of her story was the most perfect and just ending I could possibly imagine for the De̷̢vil. I always used to tell myself internally that the things she did to me were m̴y͘͜ fault, like I somehow had something to do with her dark twisted psyche that she took out on me at times we aren't going to revisit. It isn't those sections of my life that I plan on returning to, if it means feeling the same things I felt then again.I can still feel her hands on my shoulders, dragging me down into dark passages; calling me home. I don't want to be home. Despite the situation I'm in now of course. That's not exactly my choice to make.I have no home. All that's left is frozen bricks and bodies, seeds for scary stories. And that's all I really amounted up to. Fairy-tales that weren't true anymore. I used to have a reputation that I upheld. But in this body I didn't get that choice, it, like all my other choices were taken away from me and tossed out. Looking at me, sure my body was still big, and the screaming scars made things a little more formidable looking, but they all didn't satisfy when it came to the reality of the situation. I was powerless. Like I was powerless in her eyes.

Edited June 27, 2013 by snoip lion

[Ghosthands]

IC (Echelon)

 

The sound of a staff repeatedly striking the stone floor echoed through the vaulted cave, ending the murmured conversations between the gathered beings.

 

Echelon strode out from between two of the pillars and into the torchlight, followed by what looked like a silver, shimmering, glittering cloud: Karemo's metal shards, suspended in the air by Echelon's magnetism and ready for the use he had planned for them.

 

"Gentlemen," said the Dark Toa. "Brothers. People of the dark. I have called you here today for reasons that I am sure are clear to you."

 

He ran a finger along the surface of the map, the metal point coming to rest on the small crystal that represented Mangaia.

 

"Our Lord and Master is gone," he pronounced, "vanquished by the Toa Maru, and leaving nothing but the Vault of Mangaia - and us."

 

He looked around at them, these assorted servants of darkness, and as his eyes rested on each of them they showed approval.

 

"We are his heirs. We are his scions. We, my friends and brothers, we are Makuta's Legacy and we will not sit idle, we will not cower in the depths and do nothing as they - " here he waved a hand at the cavern's walls, as if to gesture his disdain for the people of the island, " - grow in their strength and prosperity and fool's happiness."

 

He bent over the map, resting his staff on its rim and raising a fist, its forearm parallel to the floor and the metal shards swirling around it as if in orbit. His red eyes blazed level with cunning, as he spoke in that passionate yet clipped tone to rouse a dark confidence in his men. He would have to inspire loyalty if his plans were to work.

 

"Already the seeds of our rise have been sown. The people of Mata Nui grow uneasy. Tensions are building. And their source?"

 

One or two heads nodded. They knew what Echelon meant. And he nodded back.

 

"The Vault."

 

He straightened up.

 

"Even I do not know what it contains. But I do know that it has begun the work that we must continue - the ties of unity between our enemies are crumbling. If we can remain unseen - never giving them a solid threat; that would only unite them against us - if we can stay in the shadows, but shape events to suit our will, we can widen the rifts between the Koro. And the fruit of our labours?"

 

Six shards broke away from the rest, to hover momentarily above the map - then dropped like daggers plunging towards the six Koro, stopping just as they touched the glowing stones.

 

"War. Village fighting village, brother fighting brother. A war to weaken every Koro; a war that none will ever win. And when the villages have defeated themselves and lie, gasping in the dust, we will arise."

Edited June 27, 2013 by Ghosthands

[Snelly]

IC: Novan

 

*Clap* *Clap* *Clap* *Clap* Novan made them long and dramatic as Echelon finished the first part of his speech. "Well, I must say you certainly haven't lost your touch." He grin devilishly.

 

While Novan rarely seemed to take things seriously, he found himself quite intrigued with Echelon's plan, at least so far. Novan for one prefered striking from the shadows as opposed to being a solid threat. After all, why risk retaliation? He could easily jeopardize his experiments! But in the shadows, he could get away with so many deliciously terrible things it almost made him want to squeal with delight, or listen to his test subjects squeal at any rate.

 

And war was always good for Novan. War had casualties, which typically left bodies lying on the battlefield, which Novan could collect and use for his own purposes. Yes Novan was really liking this plan, but of course Echelon still had to tell them how they were going to execute this plan, Novan just hoped it involved minimal risk to himself.

 

IC: Rekirar - Po-koro -

 

Rekirar wasn't pleased. The runaway Toa had escaped his grasp, he'd returned home in defeat. Rekirar knew it wasn't anything to be ashamed off, the Toa had gone the coward's way out and fled the battle, shamelessly using that cursed mask to teleport out of harm's way.

 

Rekirar would simply have to change his tactics when dealing with Toa. Before anything else, remove their masks. It was a rather simple, yet overlooked tactic. It was arguably the greatest weakness of any Toa. Without their masks their power was weakened greatly. It disoriented them, made every movement an effort, made them pathetic.

 

Yes, if Rekirar came across that Toa again, things would go differently.

Edited June 27, 2013 by A billion cats

[Eyru]

IC (Greed)

 

Greed said nothing. He stood back in the shadows of the room, watching, waiting, his eyes crawling over everyone there to assess their abilities and usefulness. After Echelon's speech, he still said nothing. He had nothing to say.

 

Once, he had had much to say. He had been much like Echelon, using powerful words to draw others to his cause. But powerful words, in the end, were nothing more than words. Their power came from being fulfilled by action. A stirring speech was useless if action didn't follow. He knew this. He knew it well.

 

So he waited, and remained silent.

[BBBBalta]

IC: Demas leaned against the wall of the cave, his gaze floating lazily over the assembled beings. There were... eleven here, it looked like, counting himself and not counting Echelon's pair of undead servants. A few he recognized; others he had never seen before. Either way, though, he was certain of one thing about the beings here: he didn't trust a single one of them. He was fairly confident they didn't trust him, either - or anyone else, for that matter. It kind of came with the territory.Demas' eyes settled on Echelon as the other Fa-Toa finished his speech. This was their leader - rightfully so, it seemed; Echelon had been among their master's most useful and efficient servants. But the Makuta was gone, and none among his former servants lacked ambition; like their master, they were cunning, ruthless schemers. How long would it be before Echelon's leadership was questioned? He smirked at the thought. They stood in direct opposition to the Matoran's so-called "Virtues," and yet he knew that without Unity the Legacy would crumble.He vocalized none of this, of course. Hopefully the others were competent enough to realize it on their own. If they weren't, he doubted their little club would last long enough for it to matter.

[Light]

IC: Tera stared at the report in her hand, then looked around the room again, making sure it hadn't just been misplaced.Nope, radio 13 was gone. Empty shelf where it was supposed to sit. No one had checked it out, to her knowledge.And you weren't allowed in the radio room without Hewkii's, hers or one of the Commander's permission.So, given what this report said...Someone had stolen it, with a Sentinel's assistance. And used it catastrophically.Tera turned and walked away swiftly, looking for two particular people.

[25K Now!]

IC: Prei A baton seems to be my best bet. Although it might work better as a sidearm. Hmm ..."Maxiam, are there any polearms in the armoury?"I'll stick with my old weapons, thanks.

[Light]

IC: Tera found the pair she wanted, on patrol. "Ta, Decaia. We need to talk. Preferably where there isn't anyone around."

[Wade.]

IC: Maioro

 

Atop the imposingly large building, a young man sat in calm, peaceful solitude, away from the never-ending bazaar of activity centred at the heart of Po-Koro. Apart from the village's faint buzz, silence prevailed, complementing his overwatch nicely. He had a thing for heights, having the sharpest set of eyes to spot the tiniest of details from above and afar and even from below, their energetic yellow gaze was piercing.

 

The Toa's long legs hung loosely over the roof's edge, his figure bathing in the harsh sunlight. Just as beads of sweat began to form on his brow, another Toa he recognized all too well approached the fortress and in a moment, he was inside, at home in its dark and sinister confines. Only hours later did he emerge back into the sunlight, immersing himself in the village once more.

 

So Maioro followed, dropping from the rooftop to the lower levels, cloaked in the power of his Volitak as he tailed the being, practically guided by the eerie feeling the wraith emanated when he was nearby. Only when both were lost amidst the sea of villagers did he deactivate his Kanohi, tapping the unusual Toa on the shoulder.

 

"Busy man, aren't you, Tenebras?"

 

OOC: Sorry about the wait. I'm rusty...

Edited June 27, 2013 by TX Wade

[Athmos]

IC(Maxiam Kilanewb):

 

Maxiam shrugged a little. "Whoever was in charge of the armory left it in such a mess, I have no clue what's in there. We could have a weapon that could wipe out half the island, and we wouldn't know about it."

 

 

OOC: Will be bringing another character in Po, later. Not feeling like making an opening post today.

[Relapse]

IC(Kyju-Legacy Cave)

 

Up until the speech, the Akrainid had been taking in his opponents- analyzing his comrades. He spotted Ketan doing the same, and recognized him as the former leader of the Daedra. Their line of work had been similar to his- an insurgency. He had a feeling he'd be great friends with "Greed." When their eyes inevitably met, Kyju grinned a nodded (interestingly, Echelon mistook the nod to be aimed at himself, for he nodded back). Kyju had planned to remain silent, but he felt an opportunity slipping away, and took it before it had the chance to.

 

"And you intend to lead us by yourself? Without assistance? When you alone have power over us, you could lead us to ruin with one mistake."

[Franco]

IC: Ta raised a questioning eyebrow. Because of his lowly rank of Private, he rarely saw beings of import in the Sentinels. And when he did, the being tended to be of his division, not of another place; rarer yet was the occasion on which he or she spoke with him for more than five minutes. A single look from Tera told him those conventions were to be broken this day. He set down his half-eaten donut and turned substantially more grim, inclining his massive helm.

 

"Of course."

 

Gesticulating for Decaia to follow, he urged his steed on as it clopped after the Captain of the Sentinels.

[- JL -]

IC

 

After Echelon's speech, Aurum glanced around. Some nods were given, some people talked, voiced their opinions, but for the moment most remained silent. Still, it only took seconds before one of the warriors gathered brought up what was probably on everyone's minds.

 

'And you intend to lead us by yourself?' Kyju questioned, 'Without assistance? When you alone have power over us, you could lead us to ruin with one mistake.'

 

Aurum himself awaited a response. However, he remained silent, not encouraging or discouraging an answer. Rather, he simply stared towards the 3D map that had been built and embedded with glowstones, analyzing the glowing dots and their locales. There were the Koros, there was Echelon's cavernous home....

[25K Now!]

IC: Iegasa

 

While he still lived in the beautiful fortress-town of Ta-koro, Iegasa had been the epitome of a perfect citizen. He regularly donated to charities, paid his taxes on time, and helped elderly Turaga cross the street. Even when he had left his native village for the expanses of Ko-wahi to set up his shrine, he did so in a perfectly legal manner. After all, there was no way the village of ice would be able to prevent him from practising his religion; he had signed all the necessary paperwork, and even paid more than required in order to acquire the land for his shrine.

 

To be frank, he was completely different to the chaotic troublemakers who made up most of Makuta's followers. In fact, he had never been arrested for any crimes, although having been a former, well-respected guardsman might have had something to do with it. He was a rare breed in these dark days; it was surprisingly difficult to be evil and a good person at the same time.

 

Besides, he had never meant to burn down the factory. No matter what others may say, it had been a complete accident.

 

Not that he regretted the action; he had been rather glad to see it burn to cinders. He heard that the village of fire had built an orphanage on top of its remains only weeks after its destruction.

 

But now, there were more important things to do than revel in old memories. Iegasa had heard rumours of a possible meeting for those who still continued to swear allegiance to the God of Destruction, and as a faithful priest of the religion, he had felt like seeing if the rumours were true or not. Of course, now that he was standing in front of the cavern entrance, with the sounds of people talking easily heard from within, the rumour had obviously been confirmed.

 

He took a deep breath. The followers were usually rather finicky people. One misstep and he would be sprayed against a rock wall. It would be an absolute mess to clean up, and he did not really plan on dying so soon. Hopefully nobody would attempt to kill him, but you'd never know.

 

"I hate to interrupt," said the Toa of Plasma, a note of playfulness present in his tone as he stepped into view of the assembled followers, "but would it not have been simpler to ask me for the use of my shrine? After all, it is much more cosy."

[a goose]

IC: Aerus (Legacy Cave)

 

The others are analysing our group. Wonderful. We aren't even an hour in and tensions have begun to rise.

Very exploitable.

 

Just as Echelon finishes his speech, and the more power-hungry among our companions begin asking their questions, I notice we have a new arrival -- a Toa, who I recognise as having been at the shrine.

"I hate to interrupt," he begins. No, I don't think he does -- his tone is much too light. He'd quite like to interrupt, actually, which is exactly why he's doing so. "but would it not have been simpler to ask me for the use of my shrine? After all, it is much more cosy."

It may have escaped your notice, but people know about your shrine. A large group of people shows up at a Makuta shrine and someone will begin getting a little bit suspicious. Caves in the desert are just a tad more inconspicuous.

I bite my tongue, rather than speaking up. Let them develop their own tensions, they'll certainly do a good enough job of it. The Legacy is a group of scheming, power-hungry, twisted fiends. It won't be long before one tries to take Echelon's head.

Unfortunately for them, Echelon isn't killed that easily. And I should know.

 

Kyju seems the most likely to try and take over. And why shouldn't he? All he wants, all he's ever wanted, is power, and that much is blatantly obvious. He will make an excellent ally in the coming days, just as many of the others may. They all want our good friend's position in the highest echelon, be it of society or just our little Legacy. They also all have their own ideas of how to go about this, and I have a feeling that not everyone will agree with Echelon's faceless organisation. The villains, more often than not, want a face, with a nice big target painted on it, so that people can know how powerful they are. But society's changing; we don't need the Echelons or the Heuanis, the powerful hounds to strike fear into Mata Nui's people. Because, the fact of the matter is, this is no longer a dictatorship. Makuta is gone. And if we're going to be his legacy, we need to survive.

This island needs a new kind of villain.

[Van Hohenheim]

OOC: From Onu-Wahi

 

IC: Cetrin.

 

stepping out into the sunshine, he let his eyes adjust gradually. it was hot, the heat being reflected off of the sand to intensify the feeling. it was blinding, too. "should have gotten something to cover my eyes" he said. his eyes were adjusted to the brightness, and he stepped out of the tunnel completely. Po-Koro was a mass of sandstone buildings, with matoran going about their business inside and around the town. he spotted a few toa here and there, too. walking into the city, the buzz of conversation around him, he wondered where he was supposed to go now.

[Simulacrum]

-IC: Araedrex Tenebras-

Araedrex replied with his usual impassivity, refraining from even turning as he spoke in his droning baritone. “Indeed, Maioro. I scurry to and fro without a destination in mind, a positively bustling example of urgency,” Araedrex murmured, blinking slowly as he paused. He was the exact likeness of a somnolent Muaka, filled with unbelievable power, and yet so lethargic, hiding his fatal nature behind a façade of torpidity. “Perhaps we can discuss the true meaning for my activity over lunch.”

[Athmos]

IC(Amreai Cano):Po-Koro. City of Stone.Amreai Cano had been in the village for three months now, looking, scanning, searching for what had become of General Vakama. The last word his order received from him was that he arrived in Po-Koro safely. That was eons ago.Now it was Amreai's job to find General Vakama, alive or dead and bring him back home.

****

Amreai moved swiftly through the dusty streets. He slid with ease in and out of the crowd. "Sinners." That's what they were. Relying on money and barter to feed themselves instead of their Gods.His massive black, hooded robe provided him enough protection from the wind and the sand, but the heat was unbearable. The closer he made it to the sinful, busy marketplace, the sun was damped by the taller stone builders, the various plants and the massive tents set up.He lifted up his head, and called out his god's name he used when hiding. "ROASE!" was his cry. Nobody would know what it meant, except General Vakama himself. And any followers he converted during his stay.

[25K Now!]

IC: Prei

 

I smile. "Then we shall reorganise the armoury ourselves."

[Athmos]

IC(Maxiam Kilanewb):

 

Maxiam removed his hat and scratched the top of his mask before replying, "Grab some clipboards and paper Doughnut Guy, we got weapons to count."

[25K Now!]

IC: Prei

 

People can never remember my name, can they?

 

"Of course," I say, grabbing the items off a nearby table. "Let us get going."

[Toatapio Nuva]

IC Jarkale

(Po-Koro):

 

Home. Jarkale could hardly believe how soon he had returned home again. Not that it really mattered, since he would need to leave it again soon...

 

Jarkale had busied himself with constantly writing and recording events of the journey as it proceeded. Even as Ignitus and his team of Toa stood in Ko-Wahi, Jarkale knew the other team might uncover great mysteries and maybe even help out the island somehow. It was a thought he embraced, not the least because of the monotony of his normal life. The change was welcome.

 

Jarkale took his job very seriously. He did not forget one detail when we wrote. He would make sure his friends and himself would become legends, one way or another.

[NorikSigma]

IC: KironI stood in the shade of a market stand when I saw a Matoran who looked confused. I walked up to him."Hello, are you lost?" I said.OOC: That's your character CETRIN, STRACK.

[- JL -]

IC

 

Soon enough they were out of the cave and into the sunlight. The 2 sentinels were, of course, weary, but eventually JL and the others convinced them that they were nice guys just trying to get to places quicker. As the sunlight filled their eyes, JL felt an internal sigh of relief as light bathed his body. Finally, out of the hole and into....

 

The Desert.

 

It wasn't a far walk towards the village, and soon, JL, Jarkale and Kiron were inside Po-Koro, village of sculptures, survivors of attacks. For some time, we stood in the shade, replenishing our supplies of water now that dehydration was much more of a danger, even in a well-populated area. He looked around for anything of interest, then, seeing as it was pretty normal, started to write down what had gone on in a small book before Kiron suddenly walked off. JL glanced up and noticed the scimitar wielding Toa of Fire reach out to a matoran who seemed lost and out of place. 'Hello, are you lost?' Kiron asked bluntly.

[They]

IC: Krii

 

 

What po-matoran considered a plaza was more of a clustered flea market with booths fighting over space to exhort widgets from sunburned customers. Krii walked in winding paths through the stalls, remaining incognito despite the occasional admiring of a sculptor’s works. She smiled and laughed at private jokes overheard in passing, never staying long in one place. There was no destination, like every other day, only the determination of finding a free lunch.

[Toa Of Virtues]

IC: Teravix

 

The Toa of Gravity walked into Po-Koro with his bag of watches, music boxes, and telescopes. He felt like he was boiling under his black and purple armor. After he cleaned the sand out of the telescopic lens on his mask, he pushed his way into the overcrowded Po-Koro market and began selling. Instantly, he found himself having much more success than when he was in Ta-Koro. If it weren't for the intense heat, he might want to open up a booth here.

[Sharkictus]

IC:Ghoti had finished all her community. She had cleans up the streets, expanded the water supply, and cleaned out almost the dust that peopel hadn't bothered to clean for year. Now she wanted go back home to Ga-koro. Unfortunately, she was stuck. She had no idea how to traverse Po-Wahi since they took the paths away since last time she left there were paths. She also was still in fear of being kidnapped, as she was still wanted by some Le-Koran gang. Hewkii had offered her protection in the village but she was not interested in living in Po-Koro. Ghoti walked into the Sentinel HQ, handed in her community service papers. While she waited she had an idea. I could be just ask them to give me a armed escort to at least out of Wahi, but preferably all the way into Ga-Koro... "Hey guys? Um...Hewkii said I could have sort of protection after my community service was over. Can I have some one escort me to Ga-Koro so I can be safe? I also have no idea how to get out of Po-wahi without the paths...So annoying.." OOC: Geardirector, up to you. IC:Now Sonuva had reached Po-Koro. It has taken him a while, with no paths, but he hooked up with a trade caravan on it's way there. At the gates he paid the hefty fee, and showed his papers of his previous Gukko force career to show that he was trustworthy to allow into the city. He heard rumours some may have figured out the Kini-Nui riddle, but he didn't care for that. He cared for adventure. So he had used rumours he heard in bars to track down these people into a Po-Koro bazaar. He hoped to approach them and join them. He saw the Toa. of Fire. Sonuva walked with confidently with large strides and a straightened back. "Are you Kiron?" said Sonuva. He stuck hand out to shake hands with Kiron.

[Athmos]

IC(Maxiam Kilanewb):

 

Maxiam picked up a small crate sitting on a nearby desk and turned to Doughnut Guy. "Just a warning, do NOT kick anything. I am unaware if the Akiri decided to put the explosives with the rest of the weapons or not. So if something looks like it can blow up, it'll probably blow up."

[Geardirector]

IC: Korru (Sentinel HQ)

 

After Ghoti had been made to wait for a while, a sentinel she might recognize was brought in. Big, tough, big, imposing... did I mention big?

 

"You said you needed an escort, well, here you go" Korru said and gestured to himself with his massive arms.

 

"Look, miss; I'm not that stoked about this either" the Lesterin admitted as he handed the Ga-Toa a sack with her belongings "but I still have a job to do, and no amount of witty remarks is going to stop me from doing it. And it seems that for the next couple of days my job is to protect you."

 

"If you can just keep your mouth in check for a few dozen hours, this might even get pleasant"

 

What Korru wouldn't admit was that he'd been itching for a little adventure recently, and that this was definitely the best opportunity he would get in a while. And being a former mercenary, he knew what to do when opportunities presented themselves.

[25K Now!]

IC: Prei

 

I am always careful. There is no chance for anything to blow up.

 

"Understood."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"I'm writing a novel. The working title is 'Things That Jos Sucks At.'"

 

"Chapter One: Real Social Skills and Social Sensitivity," Tuara piped up.

"Chapter Two: Cooking For a Group," I continued as Tuara and I walked arm in arm over a dune and towards the campsite, where the Toa of "Fire" and his girl were eating breakfast (cold, obviously) for themselves while everyone else "slept." The meditating Joske's eyes snapped open, Cael turned around with her upper body and head; they were not overly surprised to see us but perhaps surprised they hadn't heard us until I'd spoken. Psh. Everyone thinks they're a troublemaker these days. Try jumping out of a birthday cake, cutting the birthday boy's throat, and then diving off a nearby balcony like your man here. Then talk to me about getting away with crazy stuff.

Man, that non sequitur really made me want some cake. My stomach rumbled, and with a look that (hopefully) shot lasers in Captain Cutiepie's direction (followed, of course, by a playful, cheeky smirk) I took a couple foodstuffs out of a pack and began cooking something up for five people. The group: Tuara, the still sleeping elder two Toa of Fire, and Stannis. Something that would keep everyone else from collapsing dead of caloric starvation for at least a couple hours, instead of just indulging and congratulating ourselves on a night well spent not away from the rest of the team doing whatever, wherever, when who knows whether they could have been attacked, or lost, or, God forbid, turned on by someone. Something beneficial. Generous, even.

Because, hey. I'm just that kinda guy.

-Tyler

Edited June 30, 2013 by Dallas Winston

[NorikSigma]

IC: KironI turned away from.the Matoran and looked at the Toa."Yes, I... am," I shook the person's hand.OOC: Toatapio or JL, Toa of Virtues' character is part of the crew. Could you buy something from him and drop a conversation with him? The other one coould talk to Strack's character. Thanks guys.

Edited June 30, 2013 by Norik The Student

[- JL -]

OOC: OK!

 

Toa of Virtue, this is your get-in interaction

 

IC

 

JL looked around. This was a recruitment, right? Spotting a Toa of gravity selling watches, music boxes and telescopes, and all kinds and sorts of tinkers and objects that were at times exceptionally unoriginal yet captured attention no matter where it was, he walked over. For a second, he surveyed the objects, and held up a telescope, it's edges rimmed with a reflective gold colored metal. 'This looks....one of a kind. Where did you acquire this?' JL asked the merchant.

Edited June 30, 2013 by JL v2

[Toa Of Virtues]

IC: Teravix

 

"I made it myself" Replied the Toa of Gravity, pleased in his work. "I designed and crafted everything I sell, and the materials used to make them are collected from all over the island. The glass in that telescope, for instance, is made from the finest sand on the Ga-Koro bay, and cooked into glass in the furnaces of Ta-Koro. These lenses are crystal clear and in perfect focus. I even attached a smaller version of it on my own mask." Teravix said, tapping the telescopic lens on his Kanohi Calix. "What makes these lenses so special and different is that it can focus on different distances simply by looking into a different part of the the lens, instead of manually moving them, it's very convenient. The top half focuses on things very far away, and the bottom half focuses on things that are closer. I also have telescopes made more for studying the stars, and small, compact spyglasses, if that's what you're interested in."

Edited June 30, 2013 by Toa Of Virtues

[Ghosthands]

IC (Echelon)

 

The Necromancer turned, his crimson gaze coming to rest on the Akrainid. A cold smile tugged at the edge of his mouth.

 

"Ah yes," he said. "Kyju. Our reptilian friend, who before we have even discussed any plans of action, already sees fit to challenge my competence. You might do well to remember that it was I who led us to victory at Pala-Koro, and I who brokered the deal with the Architect that sealed it. I helped kill Hafu and Tamaru. I twice survived encounters with Heuani's wrath. I have a plan, I have resources, and I have information you can only guess at."

 

Echelon flexed his fingers slowly, the shards of metal that swirled about them glinting orange in the torchlight.

 

"And what is your great claim to fame, Kyju?" he asked.

 

"Well, my coup in Onu-Koro - "

 

"Your coup was a FAILURE!" Echelon cut in, suddenly raising his voice. "You nearly had the village in the palm of your hand, and what did you do? You slaughtered your puppets and ran. You wasted the power you had attained and destroyed your own image."

 

The cold smile was gone, replaced by a dark glare.

 

"Don't speak to me about 'mistakes', Kyju," he said, then turned away from the Akrainid. It was then that Iegasa made his flamboyant and deliberately careless entrance.

 

"I hate to interrupt," said the Toa of Plasma, with an overly honeyed tone, "but would it not have been simpler to ask me for the use of my shrine? After all, it is much more cosy."

 

"Iegasa," Echelon replied. "Your kind hospitality notwithstanding, this organisation must remain as secret and unseen as it can. Your shrine is hardly hidden."

 

He turned back to address the gathered followers as a whole. "If anyone here present thinks he has a better plan than I do, let him speak! Otherwise, I will continue to elaborate on mine."