soularin

IC: Lannon watched her disappear. Something tells me it's going to be a while before I get used to that. A soft tickle of a smile lingered on his lips. He pulled back the neatly made bed covers, and placed her Sanok gently against the pillow. It seemed odd to tuck in a mask as if it were a small child, but he wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. He tip-toed over to the chair and plopped down with a breathy sigh. The rain was finally beginning to let up outside. From his position by the window, he easily spotted the waning moon as it peered down at him through the clouds. He didn't resist the enclosing darkness as sleep overcame him.

IC: "Mata Nui is the name of the Great Spirit. Many believe that he created this world, and all of us who inhabit it." He continued to study the nondescript ceiling. His eyes remained oddly focused, but his tone revealed that he was uninterested in the existence of such a spiritual entity. "The elders who discovered this place named it in his honor, I guess. I'm not exactly what you would call a believer, but I think it helps some people to believe in Him so that the horrors and burdens of this world are easier to deal with." He glanced at her briefly. "You've landed on a pretty diverse island though. People here tend to believe in a lot of different things."

IC: "Well it's quite the sight to behold. Maybe we can go sometime." His voice trailed off to a murmur. He leaned backwards and laid his head in his hands. The ceiling was made up of plain wooden planking, but there was more to him in the swirling grain patterns. He saw churning waves and the gentle sway of a sailboat adrift in dark waters.

IC: "Uh, yeah I'm good," he answered. "Just thinking about Ga-Koro. I've been away from home for a while now, it seems." He sighed and plopped down onto the bed, which was indeed unexpectedly soft and comfortable for an inn mattress. He wanted to ask Luten about the things she had experienced over the course of her first day alive, but guessed it was probably too soon for her to talk about. He wasn't intent on making her cry again, that much was for sure, but he couldn't help but be curious. "Have you seen the ocean yet?"

IC: His gaze remained on the floorboards, focused and unwavering. In many ways, he missed those simple days in Ga-Koro. He missed the boisterous laughter of the fishermen, and the way their sails fluttered in the early morning breeze, perfectly in tune with the morning rays that speckled the waves with iridescent light. It seemed like a time long past, and the memories themselves seemed almost alien, as if they were those of another person entirely. He observed Luten's form flicker out of existence, only to reappear a second later. The movement pulled him sharply from his daze, but he shook his head a little for good measure to rid himself of any remaining reminiscent thoughts. "I see.." he replied blandly. There clearly wasn't a whole lot that she did know about herself. He almost felt sorry that she had been tossed into such an unfair place of existence, marooned on an island with a swarming population of belligerent, elemental-wielding freaks. It seemed as though all one had to do was walk twenty paces to find oneself in some kind of predicament.

IC (Lannon): "Ga-Wahi, actually." he replied quickly, blushing slightly at the "mister" part she had decided to add in. He scratched the back of his head and cast his eyes anywhere but towards her. "At least that's where I washed up. Everything before that is a little fuzzy." He missed the ocean. The white sands of Naho Bay, the crystalline sky, the fresh salty breeze against his face... It was the only place he knew as home. "What about you?" he asked Luten. "Do you remember anything before you were uh... born this morning?"

IC: I was still sitting there with a handful of bula berries, only now I was also slack-jawed in astonishment. All I could say was "That's one ###### of a piece you got there." In actuality however, I was more awestruck by the fact that Mr. Time Machine had fixed the guy's rifle so fast. It had been a mere matter of seconds. Clearly I was a bit out of the loop here. He was certainly a more esteemed handyman than I had previously suspected... That's when a sudden realization hit me. This Matoran had to be none other than Farzan, arguably the most well-known inventor and tech extraordinaire on the face of Mata Nui. Most people, especially those in my line of work, had heard of this kid. He was most famous for inventing the diskette launcher itself, along with the wrist-mounted Volo Lutu. In other words, if there was anyone on this ###### island that could help me get my hands on a new firearm, it was Farzan. It had been several months since my erm... incident... and well, I was feeling more than a bit naked without my signature fire stick on my hip. I have a feeling that I'll be sticking around here for longer than I thought.

IC: A look of bewilderment took ahold of his features, and an awkward pause ensued. "Huh..? .... Oh! I'm sorry, my head wasn't in the right place." He knelt down and opened up his palm as if he were about to shake someone's hand. "This is a way people greet each other sometimes, especially when you're meeting someone for the first time. I only held out my finger to you because your hand is a bit.. uhm.. small." He tentatively took her dainty little hand between his thumb and forefinger. "See? Like this." He shook it carefully, but firmly.

IC: Thank Artakha she has a name. I couldn't even name a pokawi if my life was on the line. "I'm Lannon," he said, extending his index finger for her to shake. He smiled. "It's a bit serendipitous that we're both L's, huh?" Wow that also sounded really dumb. The entire situation was quite peculiar really. The day had definitely not turned out the way he'd expected, and he was still unused to her presence. She was like something out of a storybook that a mother might read to her child.

IC: The Fe-Toa couldn't help but chuckle at her obvious excitement over such a simple pleasure. It was easy to forget that this was her very first day alive. He took off his drenched jacket and hung it over the back of the chair to dry, grateful for the warmth of the room's interior. He watched as raindrops snaked their way across the window pane. Something suddenly dawned on him. "Say... What should I call you?"

IC: Lannon thought it safe to assume that dissipating meant reverting back to her original "mask" form. "Uh sure, go right ahead. That's very kind of you." He felt the weight of her suddenly disappear from his shoulder. The pleasant tingle of a bell resounded as he entered through the inn's front door. The innkeeper's eyes flicked up from the pages of a book. He was a Le-Matoran, with slightly plump features and round crystal spectacles. Lannon cleared his throat. "Hi I'd like a room for one please. Just for the night." "Sure thing," the man said. "That'll be 7 widgets." The Toa of Iron nodded and retrieved the amount from his wallet. He counted each piece out on his palm before handing them over. "Thank you sir. Room five, up the stairs and to the left. Breakfast is served at eight o' clock. I hope you enjoy your stay." He passed Lannon the key. "Thanks," the Fe-Toa replied with a quick smile. The room was easy to find. He had to jiggle the key in the lock a bit, but made it inside without too much trouble. He locked the door behind him. It was a quaint little space. The bed frame appeared to be hand-carved, along with the chair that sat in the corner. He set the mask down on the bed. "Well, I think the coast is clear."

IC: "Whoa there, boy!" I raised my hands defensively, a bit taken aback by his excitement. I had spent enough time in Onu-Koro to know where ussal crabs liked to be pet though. I tentatively ran my palm along his carapace, and gave him a friendly rub between the eyes, careful to avoid his pincers. Ussal weren't exactly known for being the most cuddly of rahi, but he certainly was cute in his own way, and he had the energy of a muaka cub. I put my cigarette out in the sand. By the way his claws were snapping about, it seemed he was trying to communicate with me. "Sorry buddy, I wish I had a Rau on hand." I gestured to my Omnus and made a sad face, hoping he would understand. I suddenly remembered something, and reached into my pocket to withdraw a small pouch. I untied it and pulled out a handful of bula berries. I wasn't exactly sure if he would like them, but I used to feed them to the ussal in Onu-Koro and figured it would be worth a shot. I myself was quite fond of them, and often carried them in order to keep my strength up while traveling. I displayed the berries in front of him gingerly, so as not to startle him. His hexagonal pupils regarded me curiously.

Welcome back Rorschach!

IC: "You could say that," I said, a slight smirk tickling my lips. I was already beginning to like the guy. There was a spark to his eye that burned with energy and creativity, and I could tell he was observant as well as astute by the way that yellow orb darted about. The ussal crab surprised me with its shrill chirps, and caused me to jump slightly and use Artakha's name in an inappropriate way. I honestly had no idea it had been lurking in the shade behind the doorframe until now. "Who's your little friend there?" I asked with a sheepish smile. I must still be on edge from when that kid tried to mug me this morning. Anyone who knows me knows how much I hate being snuck up on. Call it reflexes, PTSD, or whatever the you want, just don't ever do it.

IC: One day?! It was no wonder she seemed so childlike, because in fact she was one. Lannon couldn't imagine what it would be like to be born into a world and then immediately witness the first person you meet die. She was clearly confused, frightened... And in need of a friend. Friends were hard to come by these days. Lannon lifted her up to eye level. She was slightly plump, with subtle curves and a round face that somewhat resembled the Sanok that housed her essence. She gave off a glow not unlike a lightstone, but far more faint and subdued. The crystal that made up her body shimmered and danced with color, and became increasingly more beautiful in the lengthening darkness of night. "There's a lot I don't know too. You're the first Anxilia I've met before, so we'll have to seek out some answers if we want to figure out exactly what you are." He regarded her with gentle eyes. "You're people are scarce here on Mata Nui." He stood, and placed her upon his right shoulder. The sound of the rain was calming and invigorating all at once. He paused for a moment before stepping out from beneath the overhang to touch his mask. It was part of his identity somehow, with it's smooth edges and sharp contours. He didn't want to give it up, but at the same time he wanted to help her seek the answers she was looking for. He was the one who had found her, after all, so it was his responsibility to care for her for the time being. He cupped his right hand above her head to shield her from the elements, then stepped out into the torrent. The Sanok was tucked neatly beneath his left arm as he made his way towards the Inn.