Jump to content

Palm

Members
  • Posts

    2,687
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    9

Everything posted by Palm

  1. Name: Calia Species: Ga-Toa Faction: League of Six Kingdoms Description: Clad in blue and black armor, Calia is a little shorter than the average Toa, with small features. She might seem meek, were it not for the long scar that stretches across her mask and face. One eye permanently shattered and removed by the same weapon once drawn across her face. Despite this, her natural expression is soft and welcoming. She wears a blue Kanohi Rode. Equipment: Calia's Toa tool is a long black trident, although she doesn't often use it. She also carries with her a small blade with the symbol of the League inscribed onto the handle. She also carries with her a small iStone, password protected of course. Background: Calia joined the League of Six Kingdoms after they began to occupy her home-island somewhere near the southern continent. Initially against the occupation, she confronted some League officers who took her eye in self-defense. Eventually, Calia grew to respect the officer who she attacked. Telling her tales of the League and unification of the Matoran Universe, sharing with her his exploits. Eventually, Calia joined the League under his command. On their first mission together, Calia was deafened by a delinquent De-Toa, affecting her life forever. She took up the language of the hand in an effort to communicate and stay with the League, and was allowed to remain. The officer's posting changed, and the pair lost contact with one another, but Calia continued on various missions. Eventually, with her Rode she found herself doing interrogation work, happy to lessen the need for torture in information procurement. Powers: Control over the element of Water, and the ability to tell whether or not somebody is telling the truth with her Kanohi Rode. The Rode also allows her to see through disguises and illusions. Flaws: While Calia is a capable fighter with her trident, she is not a great hand-to-hand combatant, and her size puts her at a strength disadvantage.
  2. OOC: Jam between Vezok's Friend and myself. IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro "We can stop by the healers, get your wrist treated properly and then find someplace nicer. What do you think?" Tuara glanced at Jaller again, but as quickly as their eyes met, Tuara turned away. This shame was not one she would soon forget. "Yeah." She sniffed. "That sounds good." As she stood up, she stopped at the door. Still not quite ready to look at Jaller again. "Thanks." "You're welcome. Talk again soon, alright?" "Yes, sir." * * * * * * I followed her to the door. Jaller and I exchanged another look, then he took a step back and Tuara and I left the cell. We didn’t speak as we made our way down the corridors to the infirmary, though I had plenty of questions. Dorian had taken off while I’d been at the morgue, I hadn’t seen Merror since before returning to the Koro, Joske has been absent even longer and I felt very much out of the loop in general. But I didn’t say anything. Everything I wanted to ask felt like it would be opening up too much, too fast all at once. Right here right now was way more important. Questions could wait. Tuara still knew the place like the back of her hand and a few minutes later we got to the infirmary. The healer on duty was an old Turaga I remembered even from my Matoran days in the guard. The old torch eyed us quizzically, immediately drawn to the scarf-turned-sling. We went through the usual pleasantries and for her medical report I improvised a story about some unruly inmate crushing her wrist with a table - which wasn’t even a lie. Guess it was good enough for her too–the old healer took it at face value, then asked Tuara to take a seat. She gently took of the sling and examined her wrist, harrumphing as she went about her work. Then she used her mask of healing to fix the worst of the break and made a splint for the rest, secured in place in tight wrapping. I watched, leaning against a table. As the Turaga put the wrapping on, I finally broke the silence again. “Will you be fine if we go back to your place?” I knew she and Dor had lived together for some time. She must’ve had a lot of memories in that place. But if that was the right thing right now, I couldn’t tell. “If not I’m still at the barracks. Would be no trouble finding you an extra spot there. Or we can skip town altogether. Go to...I dunno. Wherever is good for you.” Tuara looked on with a blank stare as the doctor made the final preparations for her splint, securing the wrapping with a small pin so it would stay in place. She gave Tuara a half-hearted wave, mumbling some message. Likely to not look for anymore fights in the near future. Tuara didn't feel much like answering, she had been lost in thought at Agni's question. The doctor waited for a response at first, but before too long she let out one last huff, turned around, and began cleaning her hands in a nearby basin instead. With a deep sigh, Tuara finally spoke. "I -" but she trailed off as slowly as she began. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the other side of the table, carefully choosing her next words. With a sharp intake she started again, taking each word like a slow step, "I used to think that somehow, coming home to Ta-Koro was going to help me. I spent years mourning in Le-Koro, thinking that eventually I'd move on and finally come home. But when that day never came, I thought I could just force the issue, that I could just... change the scenery." Tuara finally looked back up at Agni, watching her carefully, listening intently. "Then after the Rahkshi attack, I told Dor that Ta-Koro was going to kill me too." She shook her head, biting down on her lip. "But I think what I'm finally starting to realize, is that no matter where I go, I've still got me: This... -" Her face twisted, and with her hand she gestured some wicked half-open fist, fingers warped and curled. "- this husk of a person. This corpse. I thought I could prop it up in some village somewhere, make it play house, or give it a job." She calmed down again, her posture softening once more, laying her hand on the table gently. "But it's dragging me through the filth and the #####, trying to choke me in it." "I don't think it matters where I go, Agni." Her eyes became suddenly very focused, her crown stern. "But if you'll let me, I'd like to go to the house. There's something I want to do." “Yeah. I mean yeah of course.” I replied. The words came a little slower as something clicked in my brain. The way she talked about herself- if someone else had done all that to her I sure would want to burn them to ashes... I was starting to get the picture. At least a glimpse of it. I nodded. “We done here?” I asked the healer. The Turaga nodded. “Yes, but take it easy, alright?” “That’s the plan.” * * * * * * Tuara was back on her feet and we left the infirmary and soon after the headquarters, stepping into Ta-Koro’s streets. “Don’t think I ever saw your place from the inside. Always too busy to visit.” That was my attempt at conversation. As the pair stepped out into the hot open air, Tuara took a deep breath and looked around. Matoran at work, travelers in the market, and the ever-watchful eye of the Guard watching over them all. However, something was different now. News among some of the guard had surely spread now, since the usual nods or half-smiles were now accompanied by tighter lips and sterner eyes. "We should have invited you." She turned her face to his as they walked, giving him a soft smile. "Never seemed to be a good time, I guess. Sorry this isn't any better." "It's alright." I returned a glare coming our way with one of my own. I wasn't in the mood for rumors. We soon reached the residential areas and not long after the house. In my mind I was still debating if this was the best thing to do right now. But she'd wanted to come here and that meant it was worth doing, even if it might be painful. I tried to suppress my uncertainty but some probably showed through. "Well then...here we are." Tuara paused for a moment, staring at the wooden door. "Here we are." She repeated coldly. With a shaky breath out, she reached forward and gripped the knob, twisting it in her hand before giving it a shove open. They stepped through the door-way inside. The hot air seemed much stiller in here than usual, and Tuara moved to the living room to open the shutters and let in some air-flow. Behind her was Dorian's piano, keys torn apart from his fight weeks earlier. Just beyond the grand was the couch, a pillow and blanket lazily pushed into the corner: Kitea's sleeping arrangements. To the right of the entrance was the kitchen, an open bottle of rum from that very morning on the counter, some other bottles shoved against the wall behind it from days before. Tuara looked back at Agni, putting her hands together and picking at her fingertips. He was still in the doorway. She could tell by his expression that he wasn't totally convinced it was the right call to come here. He was a little tense and unsure. Avoiding the subject she awkwardly entered host mode, stammering a little as she asked, "Are you hungry? Can I get you something to drink?" "Just water, thanks." I said. One of the stupid things about doing this job for so long was that it was really hard to switch off the detective mode. I'd immediately taken note of the cot in the corner and the state and details in the room, as if looking at a crime scene. Technically it was, considering we'd just put her brother in the slammer. But I really didn't want to deal with that case any more today than needed. So I made a mental note for later and ignored as much as possible, making sure not to disturb the place too much. "But please, don't let me get in the way. I can find a glass. You do what you have to. I'll be right here if you need me." Tuara stepped past the piano and into the kitchen anyways, pulling a glass from the cupboard and filling it. She handed it to him before turning her own attention to the counter-top. She picked up the empty rum bottle, staring at it intently. Her hand started to shake. "Do you believe I can change, Agni?" I was quiet for a few seconds. Scenes started playing before my mind's eye. A certain fateful attempt at making pancakes together with some other young and unruly Toa that had undergone their own transformations since, and a very strong exit by Tuara. Her question hit as hard as the elbows she'd thrown that day. I doubted the word softball was in her vocabulary. #####. The smile forced its way onto my face as inevitably as the next sunrise. "Yeah. I do." I said. And I meant it. "Who knows. You might have already started." I held out a hand, inclining my head slightly to signal her to pass me the bottle. "Don't need to tell you it's not gonna be easy. In fact, it's probably gonna suck. But that's when you dig in and keep moving, right?" I tried to look encouraging, but that last bit...my hand and the smile dropped somewhat. "Sorry...that was about as useful as those motivational posters Jaller plastered all over the office." I sighed, frustrated at the blanks I kept drawing when it came to actually being helpful. Tuara looked at outstretched hand grimly, then back up at Agni's eyes. He wasn't the easiest read in the Guard - or on the island even - but the years they had spent together had given her enough experience to know he was being earnest. "You're right." She nodded as if to herself and handed him the bottle. "It's going to be heII." "But I'm glad you're here with me Agni." She crouched down, kneeling in front of the liquor cabinet, gingerly pulling it open. Her hand curled into a fist as she looked at the contents, reaching for the nearest bottle of bourbon. "I don't think I could do this if you weren't." She stared at the drink, swishing the liquid inside around, watching it splash into itself. Tuara felt her heart rise up into her throat, and the shaking got worse. Just when Agni seemed about to speak, she acted. Tuara stood up, brought the bottle up to her head and threw it across the kitchen into the stone wall. It shattered, glass and liquor flying everywhere. Her shoulders shuddered as she choked back something, but she quickly bent down to find another one. She spoke through grit teeth, her voice soft but hoarse. “I survived the Mark Bearers.” With another great swing, the next bottle crashed against the same wall. “I survived torture.” Tuara made a noise and despite her teary eyes she sent it flying too. “I survived the Rahkshi!” Glass rained down, the smell of alcohol filled the room, and she continued. She indiscriminately was reaching for the swill now, grabbing the closest one and sending it to a wasteful fate one at a time. A few short violent moments later, and all that could be heard was the sound of liquid running down her wall into the sink, and her heavy labored breathing. She held the final bottle, the shaking in her hand getting stronger and stronger. Her shoulders were hunched over, and in her chest her heart yearned to escape, thoom-thooming off her rib-cage. She was spinning, something inside of her swirling, her head pounding harder than her heart. "I'll. Survive. Me. Too!" Tuara wound up again, and with a sudden burst of fire and fury she put it to the floor. Shards flew to the kitchen walls, vodka splashed against her feet and legs, Agni covered his eyes as not to be hurt by the flying debris, but Tuara watched, eyes wide open. Every drop was gone, and she was still there. A husk in a mess, but there nonetheless. Maybe my being here helped, but this push - that had all been her. I ached thinking about how long she'd been carrying the weight of her struggles on her shoulders. And it had been just her. Sure we were all friends or more. I knew Dor had tried, but the baggage he carried probably outweighed most of ours combined. Joske on some spirit-given scavenger hunt all over the island, expected to take on whatever prime henchman was leading the bad guys at the moment. Cael one step behind, picking up after him and willing to take on death itself. Me, Merror and Jaller, three duty-bound grumpy old men playing by a rule book I wasn't sure was even in print anymore. All our other friends - between destiny-ordained quests and our own troubles, how much had we lost sight of each other? "You've been fighting your battles alone for a long time now. I'm sorry I -we- weren't there for you sooner." When first bottle shattered. I watched the carnage unfold with relief. The tension that had built up somewhere around my diaphragm dissolved, as if witnessing the end of a tense Kolhii match with your team making the winning score in the last second. Except this felt much better. It wasn't just the bottles breaking, something else had finally given way as well for her. That's the spirit - was the spirits? I thought, looking at the liquid splattered across the kitchen wall. I grabbed a drying rag from the counter for her to clean her hands and stepped up beside her, placing my right across her shoulders. "I'm proud of you." Tuara took the rag and wiped her hands with it, still shaking. "I never knew to ask for help." She shook her head, looking down at her feet. After a moment of breathing, Tuara looked over to the wall and the floor and stepped over to clean it up. "I don't know I would have if I did." "Well...all I'm saying is: Maybe we could all do with a little change for the better." I commented, moving up to help with the cleanup. "Broom?" I asked. She nodded, indicating a closet. I found the broom and got to work. We spent the next couple of minutes quietly, with just the rattle of broken glass as we swept up her efforts. In the end we had amassed a sizable pile of the stuff. I twirled the broom in my hand and harrumphed. "What?" Tuara asked. "What a waste..." I said. Her eyes widened at that, as if I was lamenting the liquid that had seeped into the floor. "Not the drinks." I said, pointing at the pile. "The glass." I picked up the shard she was now eyeing and took it in my hand, careful not to cut myself on the sharp edges. Then, I began to heat it up, gradually, until the clear material began to melt, glowing orange hot. The temperature wasn't an issue for the likes of us. As the shard became soft, I started to flex my fingers, shaping the previously rigid material into a lump. I looked at Tuara, then pointed my chin at the pile. "How about it?" Tuara looked back at the lump in Agni's hand carefully. She reached for it and took it herself, feeling the hot putty in her palm. She began to add her own heat, using her own fingertips to flatten it out. It took considerable force at first, but as the temperature continued to rise it became much more malleable. She rounded out the thinner edges carefully, kneading the flat edge turning it into a small disc, no bigger than a widget. As she began to absorb the heat, the pair watched as it cooled, a smooth sheen returning to its surface. She held it out, in her bruised palm, the light blue glass reflected off the lights of the room. I nodding approvingly, watching the reflected light dance across the room. Now she had a reminder, something to mark the occasion. "Good." We watched the reflections a little longer, then I gently cupped her hands in mine and pushed them close around the disk. "You hang on to that." Tuara hoped that she could. “Listen, why don’t you leave the rest of the cleaning to me, hm? It’s been one of a day. Go get some rest.” There was a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. “No worries, I’ll stick around. I’m not going anywhere.” * * * * * *
  3. Hey buddy I just wanna say after all these years I'm sorry Kinvex bit it there my bad
  4. yeah this map actually looks so sick
  5. looking forward to the next one too! welcome to the game!
  6. just wanna give a huge thanks to all the staff for all the work you all are putting in to finally move this beast into the next life. only even more fitting to see it done in such engaging and well-written posts that we've come to know over the years i didn't cry yet but like, no promises
  7. IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Guard HQ Tuara was uncharacteristically resigned. She moved over in her chair and held up her arm for Agni to wrap it. She looked at both her friends. First to Agni, gingerly placing her wrist in the sling, then to Jaller, sitting across from her stoically. With her other arm she wiped the tears away from her face. "I can't do this anymore. If I keep going I-" She shook her head, biting down on her lip, fighting off further tears. "I need help."
  8. IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Guard HQ As the cuffs were removed from her wrists, Tuara slowly lowered herself into her seat. "I'm sorry."
  9. IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Guard HQ Good people. Tuara was still for a long moment, listening to her own labored breathing and the flickering torches on the wall. With tear-stained cheeks she looked up at Jaller once more, resigned to his words and to Agni's embrace. There was a cold calmness emanating from her person now - the shock of a snapped wrist finally settling in. Tuara spoke in a small voice, one neither men in the room were particularly familiar with. "What can I do?" She looked about ready to crumple, and she felt herself reach up to Agni's forearms and return the hug as best as the cuffs and the pain would allow. Her face began to break again, as the tears started once more. Tuara asked a second time, "What can I do?" Good people.
  10. IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Guard HQ Tuara felt Agni wrap his arms around her, squeezing firmly. At first, she struggled against him, yelling incomprehensibly, kicking her legs and twisting her shoulders. But de-masked, even someone as strong as Tuara could not free herself. However, as helpless as she was, Tuara continued to struggle throughout Jaller's speech. It wasn't until the end that she finally stopped, breathing heavily, completely exhausted by her outburst. The pain from her broken wrist was slowly setting in. "We're all trying to help you. Why won't you let us?" Tuara hung her head low, watching the last of her tears fall. "Maybe I don't want your help." She looked up at Jaller. "Maybe I'm not worth it. Maybe I was supposed to be buried with my family. Maybe I should have died when the Rahkshi attacked, or when the Mark Bearers..." she trailed off, unable to say it. "And I know I'm wrong. I know I'm supposed to throw myself into your arms. I know I'm supposed to get better. I know I'm supposed to stop drinking." Tuara looked away in shame, "But I also knew I should have stayed with Joske and Angel on their mission. I knew I should have stayed in the Guard. I knew I should have never left Dorian alone. And I knew I should have never tried to leave Ta-Koro with Kitea." She grit her teeth, "But we all know what I did instead, don't we?" Tuara felt her fists clench again. Her voice began to raise, and she felt Agni gently tighten his hold. "It doesn't seem to matter what I know! Look at me!" She looked down at her hands, covered in blood and tears. "I'd rather destroy myself." "So unless you want to get caught in the way too, maybe it's best you all forget me."
  11. IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Guard HQ Tuara had been staring at the wall for what felt like days. She knew it had only been hours. She thought it could have been a few hours. It could have been minutes. However long it was, it was long enough for her thoughts to fully set in. She was a stew of emotions in a stone room, brewing hotter and hotter. She looked down at her sweaty glistening palms and curled them up into fists. These hands were the force of the law once. The very hands which struck down villains. The same hands to fill her glass. The same hands to pull Dorian close. To push him away. To push everyone away. To strike the piano in anger. To slam the door hard enough it would be torn from its hinges. To smash the bottles against the wall. To- Tuara slammed her fists against the table. Here she was, once the deputy of Ta-Koro's guard, sitting with hand-cuffs and a stone mask in an interrogation room. Right now, Agni was probably at the scene of the crime, Jaller off speaking sadly with any number of officials or old friends, and Dorian was... gone. 'You earned a long, happy life, Tuara Drigton. Live it right, every single day that you can. Cause you really blow at trying to live mine.' She should be out there with him right now, off doing... whatever he was doing now. it. It didn't matter. He could be descending into karzahni right now. Tuara slammed her fists against the table again, her vision beginning to blur, obscured by sober tears. She reached her hands up to strike the table once more, but the chains kept her wrists anchored. She struggled against them, letting out a choking sound as she began to cry. She struck the table again. And again. 'You earned a long, happy life, Tuara Drigton...' Again. '...Live it right, every single day that you can...' Again. '...Cause you really blow at trying to live mine...' This time the blood from the handcuffs splattered across the table. Tuara stood up, and brought her fists up and down. She pulled against the cuffs, tearing away at more skin, the tears fully flowing, completely obscuring her vision. She couldn't contain it any longer. The heat of the room had risen dramatically, and the wellspring of fury and pain and shame began to overflow. An entire lifetime of hurt and grief came to the forefront, a dark and angry molten core bubbling to the surface, tearing the ground asunder, about to burst. Tuara exploded. A fury she had never known before was unleashed on this table. If only she could break it in two, run after Dorian, tell him not to go. Make him stay. Beg him to let her go with her. She could fix it all. If only she could break these chains. Tuara placed a foot against the table and pushed hard. The poor table creaked, trying to keep her hands in place. Tuara could feel the table about to give way, to release her. But just as the force was at its apex, something else gave. She let out a howl of pain as her wrist snapped. It was hardly a moment before she began the punishment again. IC: Kitea Drigton - Ta-Koro Guard HQ Kitea made no betrayal of his inner thoughts at Agni's entrance. He stated calmly, "So be it."
  12. you gormless worms i'm happy to be back. these old bones still have some life in them yet. a few posts, perhaps.
  13. IC: Agrona - Ko-Koro Warehouse As Korero appeared, I felt myself clutch at Oreius' mask underneath my cloak. He must have known that the Toa's visage was missing if he did not realize it when rushing from the crowd. I needed to get the mask to safety, but I could not abandon Eisen. One Maru was formidable enough, but two would have no problem dispatching my ally. Not to mention, with Korero's ability to teleport I would not get far. I stepped out from the shadows and into view, dual kukri blades drawn. "You are as welcome as the plague, Stannis Maru," I hissed, "You're no guest. Neither of you are." I looked at Stannis' wound, dripping blood on the floor. He should be our first target if he was already wounded. But with Korero here to protect him, that would not be so easy. If I could keep him away from Eisen, perhaps he could make an opening. I shifted my gaze to the wiry Toa of air, my voice becoming much more song-like. "Back so soon? Oreius' death must have been very swift for you to abandon him so quickly." The insects underneath my cloak buzzed angrily and I readied my blades. "Come to me, child. I will send you to him shortly."
  14. IC: Kitea - Ta-Koro Guard Kitea let out a frustrated sigh, placing his face into his hands. "I've been avoiding Ta-Koro." He paused. "I didn't want to upset Tuara when I was finally able to return, and the longer I took the worse it got." Kitea put his cuffed hands onto the table again. "I built up the courage to... reveal myself. I came into town two days ago, and have been staying with her. She spent her time drinking." "I guess she never adjusted well after our parents died, did she." Kitea's tone was hardly questioning. He paused for a moment, then continued after a short breath. "This morning she said she had some business to attend to, then came back in a big huff. I thought she was drunk, but she seemed sober when she started dragging me across town." He looked up. "You know the rest."
  15. IC: Agrona - Ko-Koro Stannis' voice boomed inside the warehouse hall. I felt as if stone itself was looking at us. It would have been so interesting to take a closer look at Oreius, had that Le-Toa not snatched him away from us like that. Depending on how this turned out, we may have another chance at a second mask. I let out a thoughtful 'hm' and the insect swarm nudged in unison at the sound of my voice. I considered for a moment, to put on my stolen Kanohi, but without knowing what it did, and at the cost of showing Stannis our hand, I abstained. Instead I began to hum softly, and my body crawled. I needed to be prepared for anything, ahead or behind us. After all, there was at least one Maru unaccounted for. I grit my teeth. This was going to be a long night.
  16. IC: Akiri Kongu - Le-Koro "We can, and will." Kongu conferred. He gave Sisk a warm smile, and a friendly squeeze on the shoulder. "Prep the Force." He glanced at Oreius as he was rushed away. "Oreius will be taken care of - and we must make haste." Kongu turned back to Korero, looking into his eyes. He assessed the eyes of the Maru quickly. His days as a leaf-runner taught him many times not to miscalculate the state of his allies, and in a situation as dire as this, there could be no mistakes in trust. Yet, Korero had kept a cool head, despite the condition of his friend. Kongu saw no reason to course-correct. "Tell me where we should fly." Kongu asked, reaching for his light-flare, handing it to Korero. "We will hold there, and await your signal. Unless you have another plan - you know more than I, after all."
  17. IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Guard HQ "Two days ago." Tuara started, wiping away years with her index finger. "I don't remember, but I'm sure the bartender could tell you when I was there. Dusk." She took a long tired breath. "I remember leaving, but I don't remember anything else, until I was in the alley." She paused, "With the knife in my hands and his body on the ground." She looked up at Jaller, writing. Tuara caught something in his eyes. She couldn't tell if it was disappointment or pain. But it wasn't anger. She'd seen anger from him before. This was something new. Tuara suddenly felt very aware of what she was doing by being here, and what it was doing to Jaller. Her "murder" was going to shake up a lot of things at the Guard, she knew, but already Tuara could tell it was affecting Jaller. She looked away, pushing this feeling down as deep as it would go. "I came back with some bags, and cleaned up. Kitea was home the next morning." Tuara, was now all business. "I went out again. Noon. I drank four bourbons and three whiskeys before I left. The bartender could tell you what else I had after that." Tuara began picking at one of her thumbs, a bit meekly. "You can ask Angel when I got to his office. He'll remember our talk better than I will." "I went home before dark. And you saw me the next morning."
  18. kick my head off

  19. IC: Agrona - Ko-Koro Streets I signed back to Toros. 'This mask: Important. Stay with me.' With that, I slipped into step next to my Nightfall comrades, signalling for Toros to follow me, with some distance. I looked on to the Sanctum ahead of us, and spoke hushed, though loud enough for Karnakie and Eisen to hear me. "How many Maru are inside?" I looked directly at Karnakie, "Before Korero returns, there could be all four left. We should know before we throw ourselves into their reach." I purred a bit, feeling the swarms of insect life skitter along over and underneath my armor at my voice. Some began buzzing around my neck, ready to take flight. "And if we could get any of them alone..." IC: Pae - Ko-Koro Without a word, Pae sped off. He didn't bother taking a perch. The last person he wanted to see him was Nightfall's sniper. And in a crisis, they would certainly be checking nearby rooftops. Instead, he chose to stand cloaked in the crowds, moving towards the Sanctum doors, though not following them. Making their way to the Sanctum steps was the flower-insect woman, the giant, a lieutenant of Echelon's, and of course the sniper. They were short two. Pae's shoulders relaxed when he realized Echelon was not among them. Any of these Nightfall would recognize him if he got too close, but Echelon would be the chiefest of dangers. His instinct was to look for an opening, and take down a straggler. With the sniper out of the picture, Nika would have little contest against their foes. His fingers brushed the hilts of his hammers, preparing to use them at a moments notice.
  20. IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Guard HQ Tuara gave pause at the change of tone. This was a voice that was rarely heard by anyone other than Jaller's close friends. It was one even she had heard so rarely. There was so much she wanted to say. To thank him for his friendship and trust. For his guidance and goodwill. That he was wrong about blaming himself. But there was only one way to save Kitea now. "I did it, Jaller." Tuara croaked. "The details are... fuzzy... because..." She turned her head to the side. "I-" she was choking up, "I was drunk." Tuara shuddered a bit as she began to cry. She lifted her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose, as if it would conceal the tears: Real tears. There was a great pain inside her - an intense shame. Tuara didn't kill the Guard, but she was an addict. Tuara couldn't go a day without drinking anymore, and her constant downward spirals resulted in rock-bottoms which would give way to deeper and deeper rock-bottoms. She was hardly living. Admitting this - even in a half-lie - was easy. "I remember seeing Angel in his office after." She shook her head, and tried to swallow the lump in her throat to no avail. "I told him my brother Kitea came home, alive, but I- I couldn't tell him about the Guard." "That's why I went to get him. I didn't want to leave him so soon." She turned in her seat so she could face Jaller. "He has no idea what I did." Tuara pleaded. "I know you can't let me go, but Kitea has nothing to do with this." She paused, looking straight into Jaller's eyes. "I can't lose him again."
  21. IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Guard HQ 'A cynic might say you were trying to get access to our resources again so you could make sure we didn't find him, but you told me where to go.' Tuara was quiet. That was why she was there. Until she slipped out what to look for. She let her teeth stop their grinding, before she took full control of herself again. There was no getting Kitea out now. Not with her by his side, anyways. 'You earned a long, happy life, Tuara Drigton. Live it right, every single day that you can. Cause you really blow at trying to live mine.' Dorian was right. But at this stage, it didn't matter. "I've always gone back on my decisions, haven't I?" She looked away. "I've walked away from just about everything since you made me Deputy." She turned and looked back at Jaller, her old boss - friend even - and said with a resigned voice. "I thought I was ready to turn myself in when I told you to go look." She lifted her cuffed hands up to her stone mask, and buried her face in her palms. "Guess I didn't have to guts to face the music."
  22. IC: Akiri Kongu - Le-Koro Kongu was about to enter his offices, when the flurry of Gukko wings captured his attention. He looked up to see Forcemen riding them, waving to him desperately. "Akiri Kongu!" The first one started, as he landed his bird, "Korero Maru needs you in the southern square!" Kongu wasted no time. He whistled, and Ka - his own mount - stepped towards him. "What's bad-wrong?" The Forceman continued, as Kongu and Ka kicked off the ground, making their own flight to the square. "Oreius Maru is injured!" Kongu gritted his teeth, and held on as Ka accelerated through the air, blurring by the people and huts below. The pair bobbed and weaved around the branches of the upper canopy, before spotting the small crowd below. Kongu let out a loud whistle to the people below, and they parted for him as Ka swooped down for the landing. He dismounted his Kahu, and calmly - but quickly - began making his way to Korero. There were murmurs and hushed voices as the Akiri moved to the circle. But one question stood out. "Where's his mask?" He looked at the Toa of fire ahead of him. There was Orieus, mask-less, in a slowly encroaching pool of blood. Kongu felt his jaw clench, as medics descended upon Oreius. Kongu rushed to Korero, looking on as the Forcemen moved to stop the bleeding. "What's happened, Korero?"
  23. IC: Agrona - Ko-Koro Streets "You'll have to wait a moment, Eisen." I had stopped over the Maru's corpse. I was a woman of science, and Eisen's injuries would never be as important as this: Oreius Maru was defeated, and with this, he could not reject my hands. I had swooped in, my cloak billowing at the rising winds - the blizzard nearly at full force - and my fingers clutched at his face, finding space in the slats between his jaw and mask. With the expertise of a surgeon - despite my intense excitement - I carefully removed the mysterious kanohi. The red mask was covered in blood, but without a moment of hesitation, I stuffed it into my cloak. Luckily for me as well, since just as I had done so, the winds whipped, nearly taking the audience off their feet. Just then, Eisen was tossed aside. I tried to retain my position, but I too felt the force of the Korero's winds and was swept to the ground. And in an instant, they were gone. I growled, to the others standing by as I regained my footing, "Do as Eisen says and check the hostages! He wasn't alone!" I kicked up ice, as I turned sharply on my heel - sliding to a stop at Eisen's side. OOC: The out-of-order timeline of Agrona stealing the mask has been OK'd by Krayz and by Eyru!
  24. IC: Pae - Ko-Koro - Abandoned Building "Should I move in?"
×
×
  • Create New...