Wotz

IC: Stendhal There was a long, still silence, that reverberated in the air, penetrated only by the breath of the two Toa facing each other. Then, at last, Stendhal smiled. "Would you like something to eat?" It was unnerving to here him say something so... Normal. He sat down on a nearby box, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small stick of bread. Breaking it in half, he took a bite out of one and held the other out in offering to Kale. Swallowing hard, his throat dry from lack of use, Stendhal spoke again. "If we're going to wait for a bomb to go off or someone to be harmed, we can wait around as long as you like. Besides, the only way out of this room is the one you're standing in front of. It could be the perfect prison."

BASK Also, bourbons. Y'know, I'm straight and all, but dude. Did not call that.

IC: Zaruthan It's always puzzled me how the sun always seemed brightest when there was little of it left. It was as if the light was clinging to what life it had left, trying to squeeze in as much as it could in the time remaining before it was gone. My time. My death. How inspired it made me feel. My body was not going to live on. The sad truth about my struggle for life was that no matter how hard I fought against the decay of my physical form, it was always going to come. I was not made for this, it wasn't my life I was living. My soul was being torn away from the unfitting vessel that carried it. My entire existence was being rendered pointless: I was an outcast, every attempt at power I had made had failed, in all the known universe only one person had ever shown any hint of caring about me. I was looking then, at the sun, and I saw this. So I changed it. Like how the sun presses on through, like how it shines its light until it can shine it no more, I realised that if there was one thing to do before I died, it was something good. I turned to my left, and saw her. Aru, the only Mystix that had really ever shown true spirit. And now I knew why. I saw in her my epiphany, I saw the realisation she made long ago. She could help me. She could do this. She could... "Aru," I spoke at last, breaking the long silence that had been between us. She turned and looked back. "I think I've realised something. I never thought I'd say this quite so truthfully, but... It's time I did this world a favour. A real favour. Not me as its king or any of that. Something raw and honest and good." I took a deep breath and looked back out over the jungle. "You're not like the others. I know you would help me." It felt weird, not being cocky, not lying. Being real. Thinking rationally. So much of you changes when you realise you're about to die.

IC: Stendhal Stendhal raised an eyebrow. "Do you intend to kill me, Toa?" he asked. "Interrogate me, starve me, imprison me, in fact?" he began to pace back and forth slowly, his robe dragged along behind him as he took short, sure steps up and down the hold. "I assure you, I can make this as difficult or as easy as you like. Stand aside, so we can both get on with our lives. Have I wronged you or your crew in any way? No. Have I stolen anything, harmed anyone, interfered in any endeavours You can search me and your shipmates all you like, I assure you I have not. So, noble one, tell me why my being aboard this ship is a crime. Prove to me that your rules have some reason behind them. If you can do this, I shall come quietly and this whole affair will be over in no time, as I would owe it to you. If not, then I'm afraid I have better things to do, and will leave this ship by any means necessary." His words were piercing, spoken confidently, correctly and cruelly, like he had been trained to behave and talk in a certain manner. He ceased his pacing and stopped in the middle, where he had began. "What will it be?"

OOC: What mask does Kale wear? His profile mentions pinpoint accuracy so I assume it's a Sanok? IC: Stendhal Stendhal smirked slightly, his eyes darting from his discoverer to the chest he had stowed away and back again. He didn't need to speak to tell Kale how he had allowed himself to be taken aboard by its own crew, how they needed a thorough improvement in their security, how there was an inside man - Rynekk. All of that told in one simple eye movement. Using and reading body language, Stendhal thought, was a lost art. His fingers caressed the butt of one of his swords, as he eyed the handle of Kale's. Looking up, he caught the eye of the Toa of iron and stood perfectly still, still with the edge of his lips perked up slightly. Patience is a virtue.

veef srsly i cant stop lovin you

IC: Stendhal "Follow the map," Stendhal said as his final words before stepping out of the door and dashing into the shadows around the corner with the help of his mask. He could only gamble that the Toa approaching Rynekk's room hadn't seen him. From here he continued to quietly move through the bowels of the ship until he reached the chest he had stowed away in in the first place. Inside was a set of navy blue armour, which he donned, then wore his robe over the top. If necessary, it was possible he was going to have to fight his way off when the time came.

That red with that font is looking very attractive. Almost like the red and font for Krell in fact. Hint hint.

Hey, I like Proditor. In fact, I feel a little sorry that he has to live in the shadow of the living beauty that is Pirok because that guy is just so amazingly awesome he just dominates everything ever and what was I talking about again.

IC: Stendhal The Toa of gravity turned to face him once more. "The map. You didn't follow the map. But you must, if you wish to avert the consequences that are banging on your door." Stendhal bent down and picked up Rynekk's spear, weighing it up in his hands a little. "Return to Ga-Wahi. Travel to the points shown on the map, and you will know what to do," he pressed the weapon into the Toa of fire's hands. "This is your second chance. My master is a forgiving one, when he wants to be. Fail us this time, and the consequences will be more severe."

IC: Stendhal Rynekk's doubts were confirmed by Stendhal's unfazed expression and body language. He was frozen in the exact same, irritatingly still position, staring into Rynekk with his blazing eyes, lips poised to smirk. "You didn't follow the map, Rynekk. Now someone else is paying for your crimes." He turned from the barely contained volcano and lightly tossed to folded paper so it landed on top of the duster. None of it was legible, save perhaps the diagrams. Not to Rynekk, at least. "I doubt, though," Stendhal spoke again, still facing the corner, "that this feeling is completely new to you."

IC: Stendhal Stendhal narrowed his eyes at his paper as he continued to gaze at it. His silence was all that was needed to confirm that he certainly was disappointed. He folded the paper back up and rose to his feet, deliberately walking in front of Rynekk so that he could be seen. "Where do you think Tadris is right now?" There was something in his tone, a serpent beneath the flowers, that seemed threatening, almost. His blank face somehow seemed to say that Tadris was not where Rynekk assumed.

I like trains. Do you see any trains here? Didn't think so.

Metroplex. "OVER 2 FEET! BIGGEST EVER!" This guy is taller than Fortress Maximus. I seriously never thought I would see the day. Someone, somewhere, is extremely mad. And I am loving it. So, yeah, that happened.

IC: Stendhal If Rynekk were to look up, he would see that Stendhal was not clad in the navy blue armour he wore last time they met, but instead wore completely black robes, with a hood over the top of his mask. He read on with his paper, which was written on in a foreign language, with strange triangular diagrams which matched those on the map. "Did you keep the map?" he asked, still not looking up or paying much interest to Rynekk. It seemed almost like he was talking to the paper, and wasn't even aware of the Toa's presence. "Did you make any attempt to follow it?"

IC: Stendhal The wood creaked slightly and the soft things on top tilted a little to the left, signifying Stenhal taking a seat next to Rynekk as if they were old friends. There was a slight rustling - at first it wasn't clear what he was doing, then the crinkling of paper being unfolded faded into audibility. The was a brief silence. Reading? "You don't?" Stendhal murmured in the same tone, seemingly distracted by something else, likely the paper. "Do you remember our last meeting? What I gave and said to you?"

IC: Stendhal Total darkness, drummed softly on by sound and feeling and scent. This was Rynekk's little world now, as he sat on a clump of solidity, an island above a diseased sea. Unfortunately, now, something entered his domain that was not welcome. The distinctive sound of metal on wood. A steady rhythm. Footsteps. They seemed to operate just out of sync with the world around them, stepping just a fraction of a second faster (or was it slower...?) than they ought to. It had been a long time since Rynekk had heard anyone walk in such an unusual manner, and a bizarre experience like the one he recalled them from was not easily forgotten. His mysterious visitor could see the unwilling recognition in his face, bringing an unseen smile to their own. "Open your eyes, Rynekk," said a horribly familiar voice. "Stendhal has come again."

Yes. This guy knows. And then the Toa Maru are, without knowing it, repairing time in defeating Makuta, which is what was supposed to happen. Suddenly my silly Nuhvok comment actually seems almost plausible based on this pointlessly complicated theory I could swear I'm usually the one who says, "Who cares?" to stuff like this...

Oh yeah, the Mask of Time can be thrown in somewhere in my perfectly plausible theory as well. I also refuse to believe that time is made out of lines. It's made out of circles, guys. Seriously. That's why clocks are round. inb4bigballofwibblywobblytimeywimeystuffquote

Because the Master said it first, har har.

Time has been wounded ever since the Toa Mata disappeared. Over the course of that 100 year period it got worse and worse until a point was reached when days went by for some and hours for others, and some things were overwritten entirely. Whatever Makuta did to them, it had some drastic side effects. ...Is my somewhat tongue-in-cheek explanation for all the timey wimey shenanigans in this game. Alternatively: Ignore time.

I feel like someone is going to make a mega-Meteor-attack joke any second now...Enough is left to bring in a massive meteor shower! *ba dum tshh*

After all the shipping, I'm surprised Arkrak wasn't more reluctant to go, or more phased by Nikarra's death. Nikarra's a bit of a beast, here, too. Seems legit. I don't understand what this whole 'audible click' thing is about. Was it the pieces of the puzzle in his head clicking together or some metaphorical physics-trolling like that? Kanohi Ruru: The Great Mask of Default Camera Flash. I never thought I'd see the day when Arkrak is the more sensible one. And... What...? That was the entire army destroyed right there? No epic battle scene? That... Really hurts. It took me a moment to realise in the next section that that was the entire army destroyed right there in like, three sentences. Seriously, man. Almost as bad as the Marendar fight. Thankfully, the closing of the loop redeems this chapter, and then some. Speaking of closing loops, Reichenbach's death reminded me a lot of the movie Looper, in the bit where the guy loses parts of his body as they get cut off in the past and such. And- Pirok. Pirok. PIROK. PIROOOOOOOKKKKKKKK! :happydance: