Larry Berry

Man sometimes life gets busy lol. I gotta get back into things!

thanks for the offer! Hmmmm I'll think about it. I admit, part of the fun of all this is I've learned how to use studio and enjoy making little Bionicles like I was a kid again lmao. So I'll maybe goof around with the program and see if some kind of Psionics Toa character comes to fruition. I'll definitely hit you all up and ask for more help if I get as far as like, actually walking around Kentonku and wanting to be lore accurate. And in the meantime, if you or anybody wants to come up with some fun RP stories this year, feel free to DM I plan to try to be around so I can help be a backboard to bounce storytelling off of

IC: Bofen - Rama Hive Bofen nodded back to Luji, then continued through the brush, keeping one eye on the Rahi as he worked his way inside the Rama Hive. He'd never seen anything like this, even in its abandoned state. The Nui-Rama hadn't returned, best as he could tell, but the Bo-Toa remained on guard. The air itself felt different, here. "I wonder if they miss me yet," Bofen wondered, thinking of home. It had been some time since he left Le-Koro and he was still adjusting to life in the wild. Maybe roughing it in the elements came more naturally to Toa of Plant life, compared to life in the city, at least, but Bofen was never the rugged outdoorsman type. He was still learning how to be an adventurer. Several minutes passed, and Bofen's arm was getting tired from swinging his Great Machete. He stretched his sword arm out from him, admiring the glint of the sun off the surface of his Toa Tool. Thoughts about the Toa Maru and the fighting in the Koro's came to him. "I wonder what they're up to, now." He gripped his Great Machete in both palms. "I hope they're safe and strong, wherever they are. I wonder if it's a good or bad sign that I've never seen them before." Bofen smiled. It may be most adventurous to be a hero of legend, but one doesn't become a famed hero without overcoming life-and-death situations. If nothing else, the Bog Toa's humdrum previous life was safe, away from the front lines in the fight against Makuta. Until now. Bofen heard the distant yelp of a recoiling Muaka; the beast must've woken up. "Luji?" Bofen tried to weigh the possibilities. Not many Rahi would provoke a Muaka, but if a hungry enough predator caught one unawares, maybe it would try its chance of having sleeping Muaka for dinner. "Another Rahi would have to make it through the same thick brush Luji and I did, though. Surely it would've been heard. That brings me back to Luji, but no signal was sent." Bofen looked up at the sky, pierced by Nui-Rama constructs and a young canopy. "She's survived out here long enough, she can hold her own. Maybe this place is too dangerous, though. Maybe my curiosity should've been ignored this time." Bofen turned his blade over, then slowly inched towards the Rahi's sounds. "I should at least try to take a look. If Luji is in danger, I need to help." The blue-and-green Toa crept towards a hole in the wall and gazed out at the jungle. He didn't see Luji, in danger or otherwise, nor signs of the Muaka. "It's not for nothing that such a powerful Rahi would run off somewhere. Maybe there's another Muaka here, and they're fighting for territory?" Bofen wasn't a Rahi expert; he had never even had any pets. For the first time since setting out, he felt inadequate. "I can't lose my nerve out here. I won't make it if I give in to fear." He turned back into the Rama Hive and began working his way into the darker inner tunnels once more. His hands gripped his Toa Tool tightly. "I'll just cut through the middle then circle back arou-" THWACK Bofen's thoughts were silenced with a mighty smack to the back of the head. He went down. Hard. His eyes tightly closed and he drew his weapon in towards his chest. Instinct took over, and he used his powers to grow the grass beneath him, surrounding his body and lifting himself off the ground by several feet. As time unfroze and his flow of consciousness returned, his fears abated, leaving a sense of determination. "Okay. Roll off. Stand on my feet. Get ready to swing." Bofen relaxed his powers, loosening the grass's grip on his armor, and rolled off to a side. His back to the wall and Great Machete pointed out, ready to take on the foe who struck him. "No one...?" Bofen took in the hallway, yet saw no foe. He stood a moment, then side-eyed the hole in the wall several paces back that was letting in the sunlight. "Did they run away...?" Adrenaline pumped through him. "Don't lose focus. Look down. No tracks. Look up. Nothing in the air." He glanced down the hall where the light was less. "In, or out?" The walls felt like they were closing in. "Luji's got outside. I'll go in." Bofen reasoned it couldn't have been the Muaka; he would've been in its jaws or under its claws by now. No, something else struck him: and he knew it would strike again. He kept his back to the wall and blade extended as he shuffled a few paces down the hall. He neither got far nor had the chance to swing his sword. Shhhinnng Another blow. This one struck his shoulder, but glanced off his armor and smashed into the wall. Bofen looked at the metal pole that tried to maim him and followed it to the source. The opposite wall seemed as if it was moving- the wall seemed alive. The Bog Toa didn't stop to think about this one. He simply jabbed his Great Machete at the thing he didn't understand- and his foe revealed itself. The "living wall" shifted and swirled and its colors changed and a form took shape. The Bo-Toa's eyes switched from narrow and survivalist to wide and horrified. "Rahkshi!" The apparent Rahkshi's face was an alarming red as bright and bold as fresh blood. Its eyes knew nothing but wild devastation and sinister intent. Its mouth gaped and behind its armor, the revolting Kraata could be seen wriggling within. The hands that gripped the staff, though, shone a dull, weathered gold. "Mata-Nui..." Bofen wasn't an expert on Rahkshi, either, but he at least had some experience with them from the war against Makuta and the assault on Le-Koro. His foe lept back. "Camouflage. Chameleon. Something like that." He could be sure this Rahkshi was some kind of stealth user. It started circling around him, daring to press the attack. Bofen thought about his options. He could try to signal for Luji, but then again, he wouldn't always have help, out in the wild. Maybe he needed this chance encounter. Maybe he needed to test his battle prowess. After all, he set out to fight evil across the island. Well, here was the evil. The Rahkshi was side-stepping, so he turned to keep facing it. It could strike at any time with its staff- maybe the next blow wouldn't glance off so easily. He couldn't run, so that left one option. Bofen strode forward and swung at the Rahkshi's head as if it were a Kohli ball. The Rahkshi ducked and swung back at him. Bofen jumped to the side, but the Rahkshi swung again, and again, and again, with Bofen jumping back and to the side and back once more. There wasn't much room to run inside the decrepit hallway of the Hive, and Bofen couldn't dodge forever. He swung his blade to meet his foe's staff. "Maybe Luji will hear this battle..." The Bog Toa needed tactics. He drew his Great Machete back to swing at the Rahkshi once more, though when it ducked as he expected, he let go of his Toa Tool with one hand and called out to the flora around them. Inside the Hive, there were mainly just weeds, or wildflowers, depending on perspective, but they would work. Thin stalks whipped up and knocked a leg out from under the Rahkshi as it moved to strike Bofen again. It fell to one knee, but this battle was just starting. It activated its powers and its legs seemed to transform into weeds themselves. "Not real." He gripped his weapon with both hands again and sliced downward through the air as hard as possible. His blade found its mark, embedding itself in the Rahkshi's red back. "HIIISSSssssSSsssssSSss...!" Injured, but not outdone, the Rahkshi used the opening to swing its staff once more. It, too, found its mark, and slammed into Bofen's side so hard that he himself was knocked over. "Get up." He reflexively looked up, panicking. But a finishing blow didn't come. "Don't lose sight." He looked where the Rahkshi was, and in its place, saw a figure half-formed of branches and leaves slinking back into the shadows of the Hive. "Don't lose sight." Bofen couldn't think of some clever battle plan, but knew if the Rakshi were allowed to slink back into the darkness then he'd never catch sight of it again- until the Rahkshi made another stealthy strike aimed at his head. He reached out, feeling the jungle all around him. Outside, the weeds were thicker, the brush was thicker, and the resources he needed were ready for him. All at once, he conjured a mighty portion of his powers and sent a wave of green crashing through the walls. "HAAaaASSSsss...!" The plants smashed the Toa and the Rahkshi both into the far wall, but the Bog Toa wasn't done. With one hand squeezing his Toa Tool and the other squeezing itself into a tight fist, he wrapped himself and his foe and whatever rubble was large enough with the summoned green tide before surging everything back. He and the Rahkshi were thrown from the hall and into the open air. Bofen rolled without grace, landing on his back. He looked out and saw the Rahkshi already standing back up. "Not enough." Bofen rolled over and began rising in time to block the Rahkshi as it lunged towards him. He wasn;t fast enough to block the Rahkshi's attacks with just his Great Machete. The evil beast alternated which end of its staff it swiped at Bofen with, and for every few blows Bofen managed to block, there was one that penetrated his defenses. A scrape on the arm here, a bash on the knee there, a sting on one side, a bruise on another- Bofen was losing this fight. He activated his powers once more, and around his left arm some fungus grew and hardened into a leathery glove. Then he punched the Rahkshi in the face, and the fury of blows stopped for a moment. But a moment was all Bofen needed. "Press it." He threw another punch, and as expected, the Rahkshi blocked with its staff, which gave Bofen a chance to lunge his blade's point into the Rahkshi's chest. It swung at him again, but Bofen parried the staff with his boxing hand, giving him another chance at a stab. The Rahkshi jumped back, and looked to pounce again. "Now." Bofen reached out once more to the surrounding plant life and called the branches of the young trees forward, wrapping around the Rahkshi's waist. It activated its powers to obfuscate where the Son of Makuta ended and where the jungle of Le-Wahi began, but this didn't save it. While the Rahkshi was distracted and put off its timing, Bofen leapt forward, raising his Great Machete overhead before crashing it down with all his might. SPLATTTTT Goo and slime exploded out of the red shell of the Rahkshi, and its body went limp. The evil glare inside its eyes faded, and Bofen relaxed his powers. The Rahkshi's lifeless body fell, and Bofen yanked his Toa Tool out of its armor. The fungus around his hand retreated back into his armor, and the surrounding plants lossened, leaving a strange, mangled shaped to the area. If someone were to come across the scene, they would surely wonder what caused the trees and bushes to take such a strange, unnatural form. But Bofen didn't care. Bofen didn't think. He walked a few paces, then stumbled a bit. "It's over, relax." He looked down at his hands and stretched his fingers out. Then saw the scratches on his armor. His knee wobbled, and the growing bruise made itself known to Bofen. The blue-and-green Toa went down to one knee, rubbing the soreness in his abrasion. His breathe deepened, and the adrenaline started wearing off, leaving the pain of battle. "I got lucky." His chest heaved, and Bofen allowed himself to fall back on his rear. "That wasn't a real battle. It almost got away. I panicked, and got lucky." He looked back at the Rahkshi corpse behind him. "That was an easy one. It missed its chance in the first strike." He rubbed the back of his head, and the pain throughout his body left him as he realized how badly his head hurt. A pounding started clouding his thoughts. "What if that Rahkshi had real battle powers? What then?" Bofen felt a certain helplessness creep up inside him. "I got lucky. Yet..." Within the growing doubt, an even deeper sense of hope was kindled. "I survived. I won. And that's one less Rahkshi in the world." Bofen smiled the kind of weary smile only a victorious warrior can. He sat there, for some time. Legs sprawled before him, Great Machete on the ground to his side, both hands behind him and leaning back. Bofen relaxed, and rubbed his head every so often. He hurt, but wasn't injured. He was bruised, but not broken. He knew he'd be okay. He allowed his thoughts to drift, and old faces to fill his mind. "If only they could see me now..." A certain rustling in the jungle brought him back to the here and now. "Could there be more Rahkshi?" A flash of panic ran through his limbs, but he reassured himself. "No. I remember how they turned on one another. It would be rare for them to form packs." This time, he was right. Not a Rahkshi, but the Muaka from earlier appeared. It cautiously slid towards the Rahkshi corpse. "And nature takes its course. What a disgusting dinner, heh." Bofen stood and backed away slowly as the Muaka watched him. It apparently was making sure it could eat in peace, because it started its feast. As Bofen safely vacated the scene, he noticed the Muaka's Kanohi. "Infected." He looked back towards the Rama Hive. "I think I've had my fill of that place." He started heading back towards the Obelisk. "I hope Luji's just had a boring time." He laughed to himself as he thought of what Luji might say. He made it back to the Obelisk, but Luji wasn't there. He waited a bit more, but still, nothing. He used this opportunity to sneak a closer peak at the obelisk, but still didn't dare get close enough to even risk touching the object. Still, Luji wasn't there. Bofen waited twice as long as he expected to wait, yet still his companion was nowhere to be found. He grew a bit worried, and circled around the Rama Hive. He spent all afternoon and well into the evening looking, but there wasn't a trace of the Toa of Plasma. There were no signs of a struggle, though, and nothing left behind, so Bofen knew she at least was alive somewhere, even if missing to him. As the light dimmed and day turned to night, Bofen journeyed back into the jungle a ways to build a shelter for the night. He didn't want to risk that Muaka sneaking up in the night, though he was confident it wouldn't be hungry tonight after having its fill of Rahkshi. "What a day," he thought. "And this is just the beginning. It has to be." The night grew, and the sounds of Le-Wahi at night clamored all around the horizon. Bofen was a bit roughed up, and slightly shaken, yet all the same he went to sleep with a smile this night. He was a survivor. A winner. A champion and a hero. Bofen was a Toa, and he knew tomorrow would begin the next day of his adventure.

IC: Bofen - Obelisk/Rama Hive "Hmmm.. maybe we should err on the side of caution here..." The blue-and-green Toa scratched his chin, then took out his Great Machete. "There's no need to wake the beast up, I reckon. But I'd feel silly if we walked all this way just to turn right around and leave." He nodded towards some of the larger ruined structures, remnants of an older era and spliced with new jungle growth. "I think I'll circle around and do as wide a sweep of the area I can. Just to say I've seen it all, if for no reason other than not needing a reason to ever come back here, ha ha." Bofen sliced a few young saplings and began to step away. "How do you feel about looking around as well? Two sets of eyes looking around independently might lend itself to a greater chance someone sees something worthwhile out here. And if something happens, either of us can let out a loud call or blast up into the sky like an emergency flare. We can try to meet back up here in half an hour, or maybe an hour depending on how long it takes to cut through the brush?" Bofen sliced through another step of pathway. "I'd keep that dagger-sword of yours in hand. I don't know if it's the obelisk or the Rahi but I've got the shivers down my legs right now." @ARROW404

that all sounds really cool! hope you liked Japan! The Dasaka plot stuff is cool to learn too because I don't follow any of it haha. Originally I wanted to make a Toa of Psionics but saw it wasn't allowed because the Dasaka are kinda like that (i think?) lol Yeah, I'll probably end up making a few characters to write different stories with other characters. I just have the one right now which I kinda want to just solo-write stuff for mostly, but it's been fun interacting and if I can help others get more into the game then I want to!

IC: Bofen - Rama Hive "Awakening?" Bofen wondered what Luji meant by that. It sounded more important to her than some Ga-Koro priestess studies. Inquiries would have to wait for another time, though. The pair of Toa had arrived. "So this is the Obelisk..." A certain air of esoteric mystery blanketed the scene. Island-shaping events transpired here at one time. Now, it was just another spot in the wild where the jungle was creeping back towards lost territory. The Rama Hive didn't seem full of new-Nui-Rama, thankfully, but there did seem to be some signs of activity. Cut branches, trampled bushes, small paths walking around the larger foliage- this place may be many things, but undisturbed was not one of them. "You hear about something in stories for so long, but then to actually see it... strange." While Bofen looked upon the dark beacon for the first time, he noticed some prone figure on the opposite side of the obelisk, though he couldn't quite make it out. "Over there," he pointed. "Luji, do you see that? Should we look closer? Something's like, laying down on the other side of the obelisk. You know these wilds better than I, what do you think? Is it even safe to get close to the obelisk?" @ARROW404

I thought I was really cooking but I was wrong as wrong can be hahahaha. That's a cool mask though. If they weren't some big deal Toa Maru main character, I would hope the PC would use their Kanohi power to just make the day-to-day easier. Never lose your phone again... think about it... what a great mask power... Sorry I missed your Elda-using character lol there's a lot of characters it's a big task to try and keep track of everything! As 2025 now rolls out, I'd love to try and learn more about people's characters and what they've done in-game; I intend to write my own lil Bionicle adventure within the larger BZPRPG world, and along the way I'm sure I'll get to be a part of a lot of other people's stories too. I'm sure there's like, a "main plot" unfolding but I doubt I'll ever interact with it lol. I don't know if I'll ever understand any of the Dasaka stuff, for instance. How has your character Fanai's game experience been? Have they played a part in the Dasaka storyline stuff? (If this is more DM territory feel free to DM me or whatever I'm also not trying to like FORCE you to write out an entire history lol). Gotcha, gotcha. I'll have to keep workshopping my funny character idea I guess. I've tried to come up with an informal list of which powers seem to be more popular. I think elemental powers are fairly evenly spread, and as for Kanohi, Speed, Strength, Stealth, Fate, and Healing seem to be the top choices. Understandable, since writing fun Bionicle fights is like... half the fun lol. I think you're right in that the Elda seems a bit more "reactive," so to speak. It might just be the sad truth that Great Mask powers aren't really fit for the office setting... Hope everyone has a happy new year! For me, 2025 is the year where I have this secret slice of life where I type out fun little Bionicle stories I hope many others use this space as a fun creative outlet as well! If anyone ever feels like they have some fun story idea they want to get out, but they need help from others to get a bit of collaborative storytelling going on, feel free to reach out to me. I can't make any guarantees for how great of a writing partner I'd be, but I do want to do what I can if it means even just a little effort on my part helps others really take off in game! Since it's the New Years, we could all try to post some informal goals we have for BZPRPG. For instance, for me, I want to complete Bofen the Toa of Plantlife's story by this time next year! If I could achieve a single year of consistent writing (I'm trying to improve my writing so this is like a Bionicle-themed gym basically) then that's a win in my book. What about anyone else here? Anyone else have any 2025 BZPRPG goals they feel hopeful about and also feel like sharing?

Hey everybody, I've been goofing around with studio and thinking that maybe I'll end up making some more characters so I can help others write some fun stories and adventures in 2025. I'd love to share several of my character ideas so far, but I wanted to make this post purely to get some community feedback on this one: So I was looking through the character profiles page, and I think no one as made a character with the Elda, Mask of Detection. So I was thinking about what uses such a mask would even have. This got me thinking, and now here's what I'm imagining: do you think the Elda could work like the more familiarity you have with an object, the more you are "allowed" to use the Elda to find it? I don't even know if the Ignika exists in BZPRPG, so scratch that off the list. Then you could detect Iden users in their spirit form, pretty niche but okay. You can see people using a Huna, so that's more likely to come up probably. But that's where the wiki ends, so what else can the Elda do? It seems reasonable it could detect someone using a Mask of Stealth, but maybe not. And what about someone using a Mask of Illusion to change their appearance? Maybe the Elda could detect the "real" person, but the Elda wearer would still see the illusion, so there would be some mental disconnect between seeing and perceiving? All of that isn't even the fun part though. Detecting other beings is a bit of a grey spot for the Elda, but here's what I'm really imagining and wanted others' to give insight on: can the Elda be the "Mask of Remembering Where You Put Your Phone?" Imagine some kind of hard-working Toa, like a secretary or businessperson or accountant or carpenter or whatever some busy profession. They're constantly working, typing stuff up, writing things, and using lots of different tools and supplies and whatever. They're a true busy bee, buzz buzz. If the Elda works like "the more familiar you are with an object, the more you can use the Elda to detect it," then this mask becomes perfect for the workaholic Toa! Walk out of your room without your phone? Bam! Mask-on and you find it immediately. Need a specific tool? Now you can easily find it. Cooking a big meal? Spend no time at all looking through the cupboards to get the right ingredients. And then I'm even imagining one step further. What if you could use the Elda for computer-navigation? The more familiar you are with a computer and your files, the more you can activate your mask power and know which directories to go to. Where did you save that file? The Kanohi let's you immediately follow the correct 12 folder pathway to retrieve it. Where was that email you received? Boom! Right there. And what about commuting to-and-from work? Or after work dinner? Live in a city long enough, and could you use the Elda to almost go on auto-pilot for getting to your favorite spots? Or what if your work involves finding stuff, like an archaeologist with an Elda could have a slightly better idea of where to start digging, or a firefighter Elda user could know the quickest route to get in and save somebody from a burning building. To me, the Elda shouldn't be able to find anything, because then it's just like the "Mask of Open World Quest Markers" lol. I think it makes the most sense for it to be able to find stuff that the wearer is familiar with. And civilian application seems way more imaginative to me than actual plot development hahaha. "Workaholic Civilian-Elda User" sounds like such a fun writing prompt to me lol. Could be some fun flavor to add to a civilian character. So, I don't know what the official limits for the Elda would be as far as player interaction or combat or puzzle-solving or anything like that. But to me, using the Elda to navigate one's personal belongings and world sounds fun, and would lend itself to a very active civilian character. No longer lose your phone, or struggle to find that thing you saved on your computer, or get lost on your way to dinner. The Elda, to me, could be renamed to "the Mask of Finding My Stuff (seriously I JUST had it in my hand where did I put it??)." Thoughts everybody? Am I just going off the rails with this one? Or does this sound funny but also fun? Realistic approach to the Elda? Or am I getting too crazy with it?

IC: Bofen - Le-Wahi The Bo-Toa scratched his chin while digesting everything Luji had said. "I don't know, I suppose there's truth in that. I think the hard part is knowing which part of the cycle you're supposed to be in, or where you are in your own destiny's path. I guess I feel like, after a certain point, there's no clear answers. That's why I'll leave the heavier thinking to the priestesses and astrologers." Bofen shrugged. "I think what matters most for ordinary folks like me is to just try to be a force for good in the world, even if it's on a small scale. Since we can't tell which way the wind is blowing, might as well do our best to help our neighbors." A memory flashed through Bofen's mind, and he couldn't help but chuckle out loud. "Heh, sorry, just randomly thought of this one time I was helping a friend move into a new apartment. We were carrying a couch up some stairs, but I dropped my end, and he was at the bottom side, and the thing ended up crashing all the way back down with him getting slammed into the wall. Ha ha ha, sounds stupid to say out loud right now, just a small, funny memory. Don't mean to laugh and interrupt you bein' serious." Bofen shook his head. "It was funny though, ha ha. Sometimes you try to help your neighbor but ya mess it up anyway, ha ha." "So you've been out here for years, huh? Do you miss the Koro's at all? Apartments, shops, temples, walls, yummy restaurants, all that good stuff?" @ARROW404

IC: Bofen - Le-Wahi "Pretty bird," Bofen smiled as his new friend pointed out a passing Gukko. He listened to her experiences, and tried to imagine her there in Ga-Koro. "Yeah, you made it farther than I would have with the priests, that's for sure. I've never been great at all the more formal stuff. I try to stay down to earth, focus on the more day-to-day stuff, ya know?" Bofen hopped over the log too. "Maybe it has a bit to do with what elements we are. Perspective, I mean. Water is more obviously nurturing, so it lends itself more towards the more spiritual, I think. Plants are more diverse, and situational, and harder to put into a single, broad category. Plasma, too, I imagine, is probably thought of more obviously as destructive than creative. I personally like to think of those cool lights made from plasma, but being the element of 'that really really hot stuff' probably helps you think more about stuff melting and what not." The two continued on, well on their way to soon be close to the Rama Hive. "I think you're right, about the cycle of life. I think a lot of the bad comes out of people trying to upset the harmony of it all. People trying to ignore the bad sides of life, or people trying to spread the bad parts of life. I think being out in Le-Wahi and living in Le-Koro has helped me a lot with Faith. I try to have faith in the good of others, and faith that things will all work out, even if the paths we take look different. I guess part of that comes from my Kanohi, ha ha." Bofen pointed as his Komau-shaped mask. "I wear a mask called Ahuru, the Mask of Empathy. I haven't seen another like it, but I doubt its rarity would make it highly sought after. Its power let's me feel how someone else is feeling, or I can have them feel how I feel. Now, maybe I just don't like Ko-Koro because the cold is opposed to plantlife, but I've always told myself that 'Peace' isn't as preferred as 'Harmony.' If we all could manage to accept what makes us different and learn to live in harmony, well, that'd be a step closer to the kind of life Mata Nui wants us all to have, I believe." "I don't usually get so into the details of this kind belief stuff. I guess you just bring it out in me, ha ha." Bofen smiled at Luji. "Do you spend a lot of time talking about this kinda stuff with people? You mentioned your sisters in the Temple of Gali; were you trying to become a formal priestess? Maybe you could take up studying again and end up becoming some kind of wandering preacher." @ARROW404

IC: Bofen - Le-Wahi "You're right about the jungle. I kept up with the news reports, but never knew anyone personally involved with the ILF. As I understand it, the group disbanded now? Or at least, they moved out of Le-Wahi, right?" Bofen shrugged. "They did good work, at least. Maybe someday I'll have to check out their old village, or base, or whatever it should be called. Pala-Koro, yeah? I wonder where all the old members are now. I wonder if they think about one another, if they still remember it all. I hope they do. I hope they get the chance to come together again someday." The two Toa continued on for a time, with Bofen letting Luji lead the way. "I've spent some time in Ga-Koro, myself. Funny thing about being a Toa of Plantlife: different kind of plants 'feel' different. If pressed, I'm confident I could affect some baseline level of manipulation of any given type of plant, but it's an element more like Stone or Earth than say Fire or Air. The wind is the wind; any Toa of Air controls about the same gusts. Even more so with fire. Fire is fire; it's all heat, really." Bofen nodded towards Luji. "Now, Plasma, as I understand it at least, is more about the substance, the what that is on fire, whereas fire is the fire and heat itself. There's really only one kind of hot, if you understand what I'm getting at here." The blue-and-green Toa nonchalantly indicated some passing stones. "Stone, though, isn't all just 'stone.' Ask any Po-Toa and they'll tell you all about their favorite rocks. There's rocks that come from lava, some are brittle, some are smooth, some are heavier than others, and some still are tough to crack. The sand in Po-Wahi is technically stone, but a 'Toa of Sand,' as it were, is something of a rarity. I don't think I've ever met a Toa who specializes in sand, at least. The same goes for the Onu-Toa. As a Toa of Plants, I'm familiar enough with the concept of fertile soil, and how some ground isn't fit for growth, but our underground brothers and sisters go even further. There's some blurred lines between sand and loam and clay. Some earth is thick and chalky, others dry and dusty. You may buy earthenware goods at the market, but what 'earthenware' entails is entirely beyond me, though the Onu-Toa could spend all day on the topic." Bofen raised an arm to embellish a bit of the fungal growth crawling throughout his armor. "Plants are all different, like rocks and soils. For instance, these are technically fungus, which operate fairly different to say the flowers that the bees enjoy. They feel different, they're alive in a different way. But even more 'normal' plants all feel unique." The Bo-Toa spread his arms. "These trees around us, they feel sturdier than wildflowers. They're tall and strong and mighty. The moss that covers them is subtle and soft and even a bit creeping." Bofen stretched before returning to a more normal gait and rhythm. "But in Ga-Koro, the aquatic plants are practically their own category. As I said, I'm sure I could mess with them easy enough, but to truly master, say, the seaweed or the lilies or the algae or the grass that grows at the bottom of the bay- that's a different field of specialization." Bofen chuckled to himself, then slapped his stomach before continuing, "have you ever drank too much water, then ran or moved quickly and felt like you could feel the water sloshing around inside you? Or, have you ever tried to move fast across the room carrying a jug or a bucket that was nearly full of water? That's kind of what working with aquatic plants are like. The plants themselves are familiar enough, but there's more space inside of them filled with water. It feels like you're trying to bend the body full of water or move the jug with the sloshing taking place inside." A goofy smile curled across Bofen's face. "To tell the truth, it kind of tickles, heh heh. I guess I would describe Ga-Wahi as the most 'ticklish' of the Wahis." The two Toa continued on, steadily approaching their arbitrary destination. "Since I've already shared so much, I can imagine you might be wondering why I might've chosen to specialize in Bog-type plants and fungi and the like. I've always wondered if its a given Bo-Toa's personality that influences their natural gravitation towards certain kinds of flora, or if certain kinds of flora influence the personality and behavior of a Bo-Toa. Maybe a bit of both, in a sort of self-fulfilling cycle. For me, I guess I feel more drawn towards change. The nature of change itself, I mean. I think about it a lot. Life is always changing, and largely without our consent. Things grow old, groups form and fall apart, new life enters the void left when other life exits. Change can be sad, especially if its outside factors imposing destiny and fate and unfamiliar circumstances upon us, but it doesn't have to be." Bofen turned to look into Luji's eyes. "That's what the mushrooms represent to me. They're decomposers. And bogs, too, are a sort of biome dedicated to decomposition. They're dedicated to the breaking down of the old, to prepare for the new. Bogs may be stinky and squishy, but they play an important part for the greater ecosystem, and not just because of the many Rahi that call them home. They're a part of the greater cycle of everything, even if the beaches of Ta-Wahi are more pleasant." Bofen pointed out a fallen tree. "And without mushrooms, what would become of the dead and rotting plants? They'd just pile up, and this forest would be a graveyard of fallen habitats buried under layers of ash from endless wildfires. Things have to change, even if we wish they didn't, because new growth can't take place if things all stay the same." "That's how I feel, at least. I like the mushrooms and the bogs because they keep me mindful of the whole larger story of life that the Great Spirit has for us all. I've faced some changes that were hard, and maybe some things I still haven't really come to terms with. We all have, right? Everybody has problems. But I'm blessed enough, and thankful, that I can confront the changing world and be a part of it in a positive way." A sudden flash of embarrassment hit Bofen, stirring some regret as if he may have overshared. "Maybe that's all a bit too much, ha ha. At least being a Bo-Toa gives me the excuse to get out into nature. Imagine being a Fe-Toa and cooped up inside some city most of the time, or a Ko-Toa stuck on some snowy mountain all day, ha ha." "Maybe I've talked too much, and you wanna just be quiet for a bit as we come up on the old Rama Hive, which is fine. But I'd love to hear your thoughts, or just more about you. Anything you wanna say about all this? Or just in general? Is there something you've always wanted to share with a stranger, but the occasion never came up?" Bofen gave Luji a pat on the shoulder. "Maybe not so much a stranger, now. Maybe I'm just emotional, but I'd call you a friend now, Luji." @ARROW404 OOC: No worries, it's a busy time of year for all of us. Sorry if this is too long of a post haha.

IC: Bofen - Le-Wahi "Long enough ago that I'm surprised I haven't rusted to bits yet." Bofen shrugged his shoulders. "It's certainly been a lifetime. Funny thing is, as long as I've been a Toa, I've never really done any 'Toa-stuff.' I remember hearing about the Rama Hive incident, but big stuff like that always felt so far away, even if they were in my neck of the, well, the woods haha. As much as I've lived around the island, I've never really lived a life of adventure. But, after the Rahkshi attacks, I feel like something's changed. Tales of shadow Toa and island invaders are one thing, but when an army of destruction opens up a tunnel to your front door, you start seeing life in a new light." "I've seen enough of Le-Wahi to know it really is beautiful, maybe the most beautiful of all Wahis. I could be biased though, who knows. You're right about the danger, though. Lucky I bumped into someone with a Kanohi such as yours. I've never encountered a wild Muaka, but one time I got swoop-chased by a Gukko mom. I guess I was too close to her nest. Happens, I suppose." "Say, do you know how to get to the Rama Hive? If I had to bet, it's probably the opposite direction we're walking, but I don't mind spinning around. That might be a nice place to start looking for trouble." Bofen nodded at Luji's weapon. "They burned it down, or so I heard, way back when, but by now I'm sure the jungle's reclaimed a bit of it. That blade you're holding, however long or short it may be, might come in handy if my guess is true." @ARROW404

IC: Bofen - Le-Wahi "Oh, yeah, my mistake." Bofen raised his arms and conjured another twisted shack of limbs and vines and moss. "I suppose we met just in time too, eh?" He looked up at the sky as the occasional drop of rain accelerated into a more frequent couple drops of rain. "Course, if your camp needs attending to, that's fine. I'll see ya in the morning." And with that, the Bog-Toa retired for the night. ****** As the morning sun rose, so did Bofen. The ground was a bit damp with rainwater and Bofen wondered if it would've been better to be a Toa of Water than of Plants. He met up with his new friend, Luji, before embarking on another day of steady progress further into the wilderness. "I'll just leave those little makeshift huts up. Someone else might find use of them. Or maybe just a bear, who knows. At any rate, might as well get moving." "So how long have you been roughing it out here in Le-Wahi? Seen any cool spots? Have you visited other Wahis before? What about danger? Have you ever had to use those Toa Tools of yours?" @ARROW404

No prob, don't mean to rush, I just want to use the right way to ask questions. Thanks for your time.

IC: Bofen - Le-Wahi "Actually, I just left Le-Koro today. I don't expect I'll be back there for awhile. I think I'll generally have Ta-Koro in mind for the next city I visit, but it'll probably be some weeks before I get there. I'm not traveling as the Gukko flies." Bofen looked around him, gesturing towards the general surroundings. "I'm sure there's plenty enough bad stuff hidden in these trees as is. No doubt I'll have my hands full." Bofen sat in silence for a few minutes before rising from his seat. "It's been nice chatting, but now is probably as good a time as any to settle in for the night. I'll try and holler for ya in the morning if you end up wanting to walk with me for a time, but no pressure. If not, then maybe we'll go our separate ways for now, but who is to say we'll never meet again?" The Bo-Toa started heading to one of the raised shacks to turn in for the night. @ARROW404