Lady Takanuva

IC: Keitara ( Outside the Sans' Hut Convention Center) Kei looked her friend in the eyes. She wanted to say yes, wanted to breezily pass off what had happened here. But... but if she truly did care about Irna, then starting off their friendship lying would be a poor groundwork. "Not exactly." She responded, honestly. "But... I think I'm going to be." She cast her eyes to the side. "I'm sorry I messed things up earlier. I... well, I'm hoping that if I find out more about my past then maybe next time I can help out in a way that doesn't put anyone in danger." She smiled faintly, an echo of the Kei who had first bubbily greeted the warrior that morn. "We could use some people willing to fight. Knichou has an airship. I... I'd be honored if you could join us. You've been level-headed throughout all of this and, let's be honest, any plan involving me needs all the level heads it can get." Then she added, more quietly, "We...we don't have to talk about earlier if you don't want to. I may have been... a-a bit hasty." The Av-Toa placed her hand gently atop the one Irna was resting on her shoulder. "I'm sorry that I put you on the spot like that." (OOC: @Conway)

IC: Keitara ( Outside the Sans' Hut Convention Center) Keitara began running through her internal rolodex. Skyra and Rose were the first to come to mind, but they were already involved with an assasination plan on Pridak. Waveahk was... well, Waveahk. Tekmo had vanished after Skorm. Skorm... Kei felt a slight pang of worry, but shook herself. She had to hope Skorm wouldn't do anything too impulsive. That left.... Keitara looked back at Irna. Ah, yes. Well, time to face the awkward music and fallout from her impulsive confession. (OOC: Kei is open for interaction!)

IC: Keitara ( Pulling herself together) Kei nodded at the Fe-Toa. "I'll be there, and I'll see if I can scare anybody else up. Where can I find your ship, and what traits should I be looking for in friends to bring along?" (OOC: @BULiK)

IC: Keitara It felt like wading through a sea of quicksand or mire. The being who had once been Keitara, who had once known the toa standing before her, slowly fought her way free. She fought, tooth and nail, to pull herself out of her dissociation and back into the here and now. Knichou's arrival may have rocked her world to its very core, but it had also given her another thing to fight for. She'd made new friends that day, just in the short time she could recall. More than that, she was a Ghost, one of the greatest craftsbeings to ever exist (at least that was what her scattered and lost memories told her.) She was at a crossroads. She could take time to recover herself, nobody would blame her for it she was sure. Or... Knichou had said she had been his pupil. He had called them friends, even. Something fluttered within her. Determination. Knichou had taught her, said she died defending Nynrah. Something within her wanted to make her teacher, her friend, proud. It might be inane to think that after just meeting, but... Kei was scared, most of all by how she had handled the day's events. She kept breaking down at every bad turn, every mistake. She couldn't afford that, not when the situation was so dire. She needed to dig deep inside herself. She had simply accepted the title of Toa, without fully considering its connotations. She was sure that all of her fellows were in just as desperate a situation, maybe even worse. She could not help them if she wasn't able to help herself. Tears still in her eyes, she looked up at Knichou's concerned face. Her resolve hardened. She felt like she needed something right now, some small thing to anchor her drifting self to while she built up her streingth, her new foundations. Someone or something had given her new life. She'd not waste it. She stood to her feet, holding herself steady against the small sobs still shaking her. Kei was uncomfortably aware of all the eyes around and upon her, but she fought against the renewed wave of anxiety. Once again, she met Knichou's eyes. Setting her jaw, she asked "I guess you know my strengths better than I do, sir. How can I be of assistance?" (OOC: @BULiK)

IC: Keitara (the fetal position) Keitara latched spasmodically onto Knichou's hand. Something, anything. Any small port in this raging storm. (OOC: @BULiK)

TW: TRAUMA/PTSD IC: Keitara The Av-toa was reeling. "What? I... you're... I was a Ghost? You... augh!" The vague scrambled half-memories roiling inside of Keitara's head crashed down on her like an avalanche. Kei broke under their assault. She was aware that she was crouching down, curling into a ball, as a wave of half-recalled terrors and nameless, formless panic gripped her. Knichou's words, his reactions, his very presence had triggered this. If she could give some form, some context to the roiling emotions within her then maybe she could drag herself free. As it was, there was nothing she could do as the maelstrom of emotion crushed her into a small, huddled mass on the ground. (OOC: @BULiK @Conway)

IC: Keitara The Toa of Light drew a shaky breath. Contrary to all logic the lights seemed to be getting brighter even as the sun set. Keitara tried to be happy. She really did. She'd net someone from her past. A friend! She could finally be close to the answers she'd been hoping for! But his reaction had sobered her. The thing was... The thing about her memory... The fact of the matter was, she had memories, of a kind. She remembered how to walk, talk, her name, that she was a Toa. All of those couldn't be explained if her mind had been wiped like a data crystal. The more intuitive memories, things she'd presumably done repeatedly, came through the clearest. But beyond those... It was as if someone or something were actively resisting her. When her mind sought back for a memory it was either hastily deflected or, worse still, she'd find one of those memories which were shiny and didn't... quite fit. They felt faked. She doubted every clear recollection she was having at this point. Her ego was adrift in a sea of confusion. She could feel the effects of this, see them in her stilted and unpredictable reactions. It wasn't the situation itself that scared her the most, though Great Beings knew it was plenty terrifying. It was how alien her own thoughts, feelings, ans actions felt. She had no idea who she was, on either a literal or psychological level. And it terrified her. "Please, Knichou." She pleaded. "Please. I... I-I don't know what to believe, I don't remember anything. Oh Karzahni, I don't remember a ####### THING properly! Please, you're the only link I have to my past. Please..." Her voice was trailing off, the fear and doubt that was eating her alive dragging her down. "...please don't leave me like this." (OOC: @BULiK @Conway)

IC: Keitara Kei winced slightly. It did, oh how it sent little pinpricks cascading through her mind. That name had been important, hadn't it. Knichou. She'd known him, surely? A bitter sob began to rise in her throat. "No... I'm sorry. I'm so, s-so sorry. I can't remember. I want to remember, I'm trying to remember, but- augh!" Kei growled in frustration at her own inability to recal this so, so familiar individual. "I'm sorry. My... my mind. There's... something wrong with my mind- gah!" In the nonstop trainwreck of realizations, revalations, and bombshells that this day had held Keitara had nearly forgotten the presence of her little, luminous hitchhiker. They seemed to desire making their presence known, however. For the first time. Kei felt the being wriggle against her, pressing against and, oh Great Beings, was that into her flesh? She had no idea. Up until this point the kraata had been a simple, yet odd, fact. But it was just now dawning on the poor Av-Toa that there was, indeed, a living and self-willed entity fused to her back. It was not the kind of revalation she needed at a time like this. (OOC: @BULiK @Conway)

IC: Keitara (Life-altering realization hours) Kei forced herself to calm down, or at least slow her breathing. Her body was still numb with shock at this revelation. Dead? There was no way. This stranger had to be mistaken. Still, some fundamental part of her that made her Kei told her that there, in front of her, was somebody who was distressed. Worse still, they were distressed because of her. And there was something... faint echos, memories of a blasted field of once-green grass, the smell of hot metal and hydraulic fluid. A sharp pain in her back... Then it was gone. Again. Infuriatingly close. yet unreachably far. Shaking her head slightly, the Av-Toa reached out, placing a hand gently on the distraught Toa's shoulders. "Hey, hey. It's okay. You thought I was dead, or at least you think it was me. But I'm here now." Her smile just failed to reach her eyes. "That's good, isn't it?" Kei turned to look at Irna, desperate for some scrap of normalcy in the face of this existential nightmare. (OOC: @BULiK @Conway)

IC: Keitara (¿QUÉ?) "How do you know my..." Keitara felt something whither within her. The excitement drained away, but it wasn't replaced by anything. She felt empty, hollow. Dead? What was this person talking about? "You must be wrong." She said. "No, that's... that is impossible. I'm here, I'm alive, Karz" she said, a small worrying giggle escaping her throat, "I almost died today. Dead beings can't die again, can they?" Scrabbling in her satchel she withdrew the remnants of her late Toa tool. "Look at this. Could a dead being have done something like this?" She held out her hand, conjuring a small orb of blue-gold phosphorescence in the dying light. "Could a corpse do this?" There was genuine panic in her voice now. Whatever memories she had believed were locked away from her, this could not be it. But still, she'd... hurt when she'd awoken. She hadn't fully felt herself until that Aspect being had healed her. "...who are you?" asked Kei, her frustration and desparation crafting themselves into that single, short inquiry. (OOC: @BULiK)

IC: Keitara ( A stranger approaches! Pokemon encounter music plays) Kei was about to answer Irna's question , the pieces of the idea falling together in her mind like a puzzle, when she heard a voice from behind her. "Excuse me miss, where did you get that armor?" That voice. Did she know it? Her mind was still racing. Turning around, she saw that she was being addressed by what appesred to be a Toa of Iron with a highly distinctive Kanohi Kakama. She let out a dry laugh. "I certainly wish I could tell you. To be honest, I just remember waking up in it this morning. Not much before that, scarily enough." Suddenly, the implications of what was being asked sank in through Kei's excitement. "Why do you ask? Do you recognize it? Do... did I know you?" (OOC: @BULiK)

IC: Keitara (A pressing need to save the world) Sensing a gap in the conversation, Kei piped up. "I'm not saying it's impossible, but... well, this mask sounds powerful, like Great Kanohi powerful. My mask... it's hard to explain. It's like I can feel its power, like ants on my skin. Oh, we find a skilled Toa of Iron and a nice diagram we could probably make a duplicate. But even a Matoran can sense the power in a mask, though they are incapable of tapping it." She turned to Irna. "It's a good idea, but the hard part would be sell..." She trailed off. A small glimmer had formed in her mind, the faint glow of an idea. Kei turned to the other, purpose now in her voice. "Forgive my memory, it's a bit fragmwnted, but would I be mistaken in thinking that there is such a thing as a Toa of Psionics?" Kei's heartlight was racing. Irna's idea was simple. It could so easily go wrong, but tyen again none of them were in any position to be picky. Lives were at stake. (OOC: @Conway @Smudge8)

IC: Keitara (Sans' Hut) Things were happening very quickly now, it seemed. Keitara had no sooner registered the insinuation that Sans was hiding the legendary Mask of Creation from one of the League's warlords, and furthermore was more willing to let their settlement burn than part with it, when a green blur shot in through the door. In a flurry of activity including what if Kei was not msistaken was the intent of assasinating said warlord, Skyra had collected her wife and the two soldiers had blazed a trail back out into the afternoon light. The Av-Toa pursed her mouth. While she was not ever truly in favor of death as an option part of her wished Skyra and Rose well. The Le-Toa had had a point: she and Rose were soldiers before they were Toa. Perhaps they were in the wrong, but Kei had decided she had no right to judge. With the way Sans seemed to be avoiding reason like a plague of kinloka rats would flee a tidal surge she had to admit that this could be one of the only ways to peace. She hoped with every spark of light within her that it was not, but if death itself were indeed to walk among them tonight then on the whole she'd feel a lot better if it walked alongside Skyra Daring and her formidible yet reliable wife. Allowing her attention to drift back to the conversation at hand, Kei suddenly became acutely aware of a figure nearly as imposing as Rose. She gulped. Oh good. Irna. She'd told Irna that she loved her. Then, like a true hero, she'd fled. She'd been gripped so tightly by panic she swore she'd begun hearing voices. Yes, it was true that her feelings for both Irna and Skorm had grown greatly in the time they had spent together. Perhaps love was indeed the final step on that trail. But what good was noon sun without the beauty of dawn? What good was a tool whose smith had cut corners in the name of speed? Such things lost their value when robbed of their journey. So too, perhaps, did love. Though none of that musing did anything to make the next bit easier. Well, she'd soon be facing an army of determined warriors, a horde of merciless raiders, or potentially both simultaneously. Best to practice with the small battles first. Keitara stepped forward, stopping at Irna's side and squashing down the rapidly growing urge to flee for the ocean. It was then that another detail occured to her: the being Irna was speaking to was the one who had mentioned the mask of creation. Now intrigued, Keitara stepped fully forward, listening in to the conversation while trying to intrude as little as possible. (OOC: @Smudge8 @Conway)

IC: Keitara (Hard Truth Hours) There it was. The Elephant's Foot in the room. The back of Kei's throat felt dry as it had during her stint of radiological poisoning. Well, no point in drawing things out. No amount of damage from this admission now could be greater than the potential future fallout from an omission of this size. "Well... how shall I put this. The sickness you helped heal us from, it... well, it wasn't a disease. It was more like a poisoning. Not due to any minreal or pharmacoepial compound, but rather to an exotic form of energy. I... I acted out of desparation, thinking I was protecting my friends from a rahi attack. However..." Kei had to pause to collect herself, lest the tumultuous emotions from earlier pull her back into the sea of fear and sadness. "...it seems all I did was put everybody in more danger. The light I created was poisonous. Like a sunburn, only able to pass through flesh and armor. Doing damage to both with its passage. It... is likely not something I could survive producing again, nor would I desire to. It was the product of a lack of elemental control." She forced herself to hold eye contact with Sala, even though it was not her usual preference during conversation. "It seems my actions damaged not just my friends, but perhaps the land there itself. That is why I must return. And, more importantly, that is why I feel it vital to have whatever is keeping me from my memories dealt with. I'd... I could never, ever forgive myself if something like that were to happen to Le-Metru Nuva." She paused to take a breath, maintaining her composure. "This... understandably is something I would prefer be kept somewhat private. As I said before, I owe you both greatly. And from what I have seen and heard from the two of you it seemed that the most valuable gift I had to trade is information." (OOC: @Sparticus147 @Tarn @Dane-gerous)

IC: Keitara (Wholesome Conversation Hours) "Le-Metru Nuva? An air village in the swamp, that sounds fantastic. I've some business in that area, come to that. Perhaps I could be of some assistance if the aid of a Toa is needed? Though..." Keitara trailed off for a moment. "...though perhaps it might be better that I get some aid regarding my missing memories first." Realizing how this might sound, the flustered Toa hurriedly added "Not to say my own needs are greater than those of your village! It's just that, well, it seems that the loss of my memories includes the loss of the training and control of my elemental powers. And also... well, I know there is more I could be doing to help. I can feel it in my bones, my hands. But... my mind cannot remember." Kei nearly hung her head in shame. But, she reminded her self. this is a crisis. And I am a Toa. Now more than ever the matoran need to be able to trust in us. "What I mean to say is," she said, once more meeting the Chronicler's gaze "If I can be of assistance to whatever plan you can negotiate with Turaga Sans or any of the others, it would be my pleasure." (OOC: @Sparticus147 @Tarn @Dane-gerous)

IC: Keitara (Making new friends at Sans') Keitara shook the proffered hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Chronicler. My name is Keitara-" Kei suddenly felt her thoughts derail. There was something else that was supposed to go there. It had been important, she knew from the ache in her chest. "...Toa of Light" she finished slightly melancholically. "Forgive me, I've had an accident of some kind. Aside from the one you healed me from, that is. My memory is... not what it used to be." She chuckled dryly. "But enough about myself. Chronicler, eh? No wonder your companion was so curious about us. Somebody like that could find no better traveling companion than a Chronicler!" Kei smiled with genuine warmth, awaiting Sala's response. (OOC: @Sparticus147 @Tarn @Dane-gerous)

IC: Keitara (Movin' with the people) As Mega and the others began to once more filter back into Sans' hut, Kei spotted Sala. Waving slightly, she made her way over to them. "Hello there" she said at the first polite interval. "I didn't realize you and your companion would be staying. Shame you couldn't have arrived at a better time. I still owe you both a massive thank you for basically saving all of our lives back there." (OOC: @Sparticus147)

IC: Keitara (Outside Sans' hut)) Keitara thought back for a moment. League, League... Of course she'd heart it mentioned today but that didn't explain the lead weight that dropped into her stomach at the name. Her back twinged slightly and for a second she found it hard to breathe. Disguising this episode as a cough, she took a couple more breaths to steady herself. Now, what had she heard... "As for who the League is... I'm honestly not entirely sure. All that I've managed to gather is that they are a large, organized fighting force. Or rather, organized enough at least to send out messengers rather than just attacking outright." She gestured to the imposing figure beaide her. "However, I am of the impression that Rose has more experience than I." She turned to look up at the Ta-Toa. "Rose, could you tell us a bit about the League?" (OOC: @Tarn @Dane-gerous. Whether or not you noticed Kei's trigger over her repressed memories regarding the League on Nynrah is up to you.)

IC: Keitara (HONK) "Excuse us." Keitara stepped toward the van, her ears still ringing slightly. "There was just a massive row, and I think everybody's still on edge. Please forgive us for ignoring you." She turned to Mega. "I'm... I'm truly sorry that you lost your home. I'd like to thank you for bringing us news of this frankly serious situation. I'm..." she paused a second to compose herself "I'm sorry we cannot do more to aid you. I... I hope that you can forgive us for our frankly abysmal behavior." As she said this Kei glanced meaningfully over her shoulder at Waveahk. "Now, is there anything we can do for you before you disembark? I'm still new here myself, but I'd be happy to help you locate what supplies you may need." (OOC: @ZippyWharrgarbl @Dane-gerous)

IC: Keitara (has finally had enough) "Would you excuse me for a moment? There's something I have to do." Not waiting for a reply, Kei backed slowly out of the Turaga's hut and hurriedly made her way to a secluded area between two matoran lean-tos. The afternoon sun was throwing beams of warm light through the gaps in the leftmost dwelling's overhanging roofing material. Perfect. Kei sat down in her new hidey-hole, legs crossed. She closed her eyes. Her mind was racing with the events of the day. Just *one* day! It felt like a lifetime. But that was just it. Her racing thoughts were carrying her mind all over the place. She was acting on presumption and impulse, first guesses rather than motives grounded in her past. Her tremulous memories were shifting and sliding like quicksand. Deep breath. Let it out. She was starting to think she wasn't good with crowds. At least, not for very long. The harder she would try to be assertive and confident the faster her thoughts and emotions would spiral into panic. If she was going to help defend the koro, she would have to keep a far, far more level head. Deep breath. Let it out. Her hands felt like they wanted to crawl off her body as she tried to hold them still. She needed to focus. She remembered back in the Muaka with Skorm, the spark plug she had been fidgeting with. Deep breath, let it out. Looking at the lazy sunbeam trailing across her leg, Keitara turned her palm up and slowly focused her mind. A thin ribbon of phosphorescence began to trail from the sunbeam to her hand as she gently, oh ever so gently, drew some of its light into her hand. No big explosions, no last-ditch suicide blasts. She needed control. Fine, simple control. Deep breath. Let it out. She continued this until a small gobbet of buttery light the size of a small fruit floated obediently above her palm. Satisfied, Keitara gently moved the light around her hand with slow finger motions, willing it to hold the shapes like clay. Deep breath. Let it out. Skorm and Irna. Why was she barreling into things with them? It, too, was impulsive. Worse, she risked damaging her burgeoning friendships if she continued to act in such a way. Again, what she needed was patience. Deep breath… Keitara felt the stress that had knotted her body since she awoke that morning slowly lessen. While the seething morass of memories was still there, she no longer felt as though she were drowning in them. They were something to be sorted through, analyzed. Not to be feared. She stayed like this for some time, slowly centering herself in a way that felt comfortingly familiar. Kei closed her fingers gently on the ball of light, willing the energy to pass into her hand. She felt warmth suffuse her arm, and the pounding ache in her head lessen. Slowly, she stood up. On the ground next to her was her shield, as well as a worn canvas satchel scavenged from the bed of the hauler in which she had placed the remains of her lance. The eyes that looked ahead were different than they had been before. The near panic was gone. Her stance was more relaxed, the near frantic energy of before had settled to something more manageable. Her mind clear, Toa Keitara began to walk back to the Turaga's hut and the situation she had left behind. She would listen, observe, and only offer help she felt qualified to give. And speaking of help, perhaps it was time that she began seeking it for herself. (OOC: @Unreliable Narrator and anybody else around Sans' hut, Kei is back and seeking the help of a Toa of Psionics.)

IC: Keitara (Outside Sans' hut) Keitara started slightly. She turned around, trying to figure out where the voice had come from. It had not sounded familiar to her. Which, she thought sourly, given her lack of memory did not mean much anymore. "Hello?" she hazarded. (OOC @Unreliable Narrator)

IC: Keitara (Sans' hut) Kei watched as Skorm stalked off to prepare for the upcoming assault. Her first, overpowering instinct was to follow him. Not just for her feelings. Something told her that the Twi-Toa would be their best bet at staging a defense for their beseiged city. But Kei was a being who trusted her heart, and so before she ran off there was one thing left to do. Kei turned back towards Irna, stepping closet so as to speak more privately with her. "Irna, I..." She took a deep breath. "S-skorm isn't the only one I'm s-scared of losing. I... I-I... I have feelings for you as well." Having crested this emotional hill the words now flooded forth from her "And I think Skorm might be one of our best bets of defending the city and I understand if you would not want to because frankly I couldn't blame you, most matoran never treated any of the zyglak fairly, but but," inhale "but if you do plan to stay and help defend the city I reslly really want to do it alongside you and Skorm!" Kei was panting, her normal blue aura now suffused with a slight, feverish red flush. She stared up defiantly at the proud, strong warrior before her and awaited her reply. (OOC: @Conway)

IC: Keitara (so far out to sea barnacles are collecting on her armor) "OKAY!" said Kei, "Oh. Kay. Here's a thought: why don't we all just stop trying to murder each other and allow the nice, probably deeply concerned, visitors to speak their piece." OOC: @Tarn @Keeper of Kraata @Azibo @TL01 NUVA@Snelly @Toru Nui @Sparticus147)

IC: Keitara "NO!" Keitara lept toward the two halves of Skorm, providing as much cover as her slight frame allowed.With her back facing the group, she was suddenly conscious of the large gap still left in her armor. Keitara shivered. She was afraid of saying the wrong thing again, of making things worse. "Skorm, no. Please. I… I-I don't want to lose you. As much as I agree that Sans made a mistake, and believe me when all this os over if I survive I will ensure he answers for it. But I can't- Karz, Skorm, I can't let you go back to the people who stole so much from you! And we have no guarantee the gambit will work, and if it fails we lose somebody who knows how the League think! If nothing else, Skorm, please consider your own value, t-to all of us!" Kei felt like a ship adrift at sea. All the comfort a few minutes ago was shattered, leaving the av-toa scrambling for stable emotional ground. Rational thinking was rapidly being subsumed by blind panic at a situation that was only getting worse. (OOC: @Tarn @Keeper of Kraata @Azibo @TL01 NUVA@Snelly @Toru Nui @Sparticus147)

IC: Keitara (Sans' hut) Skyra's words cut through the fog in Kei's head. She drew a shuddering breath. "I'm sorry, Skyra. You're right. I don't know what you've seen. I don't know what Skorm has seen. Karz, I don't even know what I've seen." She looked up toward the soldier's eyes, noting for the first time the slight hollowness behind them. "I'm... I'm sorry. I know we all want to keep the matoran safe. And as for what you were kind enough not to say... I acted rashly once today." She looked at Skorm, Irna, even Sans. "I'll try not to make the same mistake again. Now of all times what we need is Unity." (OOC: @Conway @Burnmad @Toru Nui @Tarn @Snelly @Keeper of Kraata @Kal the Guardian @Sparticus147 @Sparticus147)