Palm

heck yeah we innit excited for the next arc coming up

IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Guard HQ Tuara waited for Dorian to step outside before slinking back into her chair. She waited. Thinking. She had been willing to break Kitea's arm in a bid to escape as if he was a hostage. Had it not been for the man who just wished him a prosperous life, she might have escaped. Here she was instead. There was no way the two of them would be in the same room until the Guard could extract exactly what had gone on. She would fall for a murder, and Kitea would be detained until his own trail to see if he was complicit - if he didn't admit to his affiliations. She looked up at the Guardsman standing watch, who she recognized from her own time as Captain. There would be at least two more outside - three if Jaller was really concerned. No telling where Merror, Agni, or the others would be in the HQ. Same issue with her weapons and mask. Even if she could fight her way out now, Tuara wouldn't escape. This was her conclusion. "Yama." Tuara said, the Guard giving a brief look of surprise - probably because she knew his name. "Can I speak with Jaller?" IC: Kitea Drigton - Ta-Koro Guard HQ Kitea scoffed at this. "You think I was involved?" However, despite this response, he remained leaned over the metal table. "I haven't seen my sister in hundreds of years. I come home and she snaps!" He pointed a finger at the wall as if pointing at her - though wholly unsure of where his sister was. He half laughed in his words. "Look, I have absolutely no ###### clue what is going on. What made her snap on me, why she was trying to leave the city, or where she was planning on going. You know a lot more about all this than I do, clearly!" He looked at the guard behind Agni, "Can anybody explain anything to me?"

IC: Pae - Ko-Koro "Oreius Maru is fighting down there," Nika had said. The pair locked eyes. "We have options. Who is he fighting?"

IC: Kitea Drigton - Ta-Koro Interrogation Kitea paused for a moment, a somewhat suspicious look on his face. He scoffed. "Where we were going? #####, I have no idea. I figured you would have tracked us down and stopped her."

Sorry my posts are taking so long. I have suddenly become very busy. I'll try to get everything done this Wednesday!

IC: Kitea Drigton - Ta-Koro Interrogation Room Kitea laughed. "I haven't got a clue what she thinks she's doing." He waited a moment, but once Kitea got a proper read on their faces, he said, "I thought you were going to, like, fill me in."

IC: Kitea Drigton - Ta-Koro Interrogation Room Kitea looked up from the table, still shook - after all he was high on pain-killers and still reeling from the fact his sister snapped his shoulder in a bid for escape. A lot of good that did them. Now here they were, and he was right. Kitea told Tuara they weren't gonna make it, and now they were both sitting in separate rooms, getting grilled by Ta-Koro's police-force. There wasn't a lot of satisfaction in being right. "Kitea Drigton," he said with a great weariness, hardly conscious. Kitea continued, feigned vindication on his tongue, "Tuara didn't want to tell you, did she."

IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Interrogation Room In the dimly lit interrogation room, Tuara sat quietly waiting. She was calm, quiet, and seemingly relaxed. There was a comfort Tuara felt, being here in a familiar room - despite being on the other side of the table. Even when the door opened, and Dorian Shaddix stepped inside, she was unmoved. The toa if iron in front of her did not waver the steeling Tuara had done while walking to the Guard's HQ and to this room. Of course, inwardly she wanted to reach out to him. He had been an island in a life of tumultuous waves in the past, but even so. There was something that she wanted to say since their standoff at the gates. As the door shut behind him, nobody else following, Tuara finally spoke, "Did you forget?" "If I could forget every ###### up thing that's ever happened between me and the people I love, we'd be doing body shots on the beach in Ga-Koro on top of a mountain of widgets. I never forget, babe," Dor said, sitting down in the chair slowly instead of his normal lazy slump. To add a sense of normalcy to his entrance he kicked up both of his feet onto the edge of the table like usual, "What do you think I forgot?" Tuara only now looked away. "When I was... imprisoned. In my mind, with Iris..." She paused, briefly reliving that time. She shook her head to remove the images from her mind. "Day in, day out, I saw and experienced every ###### that Iris had witnessed. Lifetimes of pain, fear, anger, everything. Including yours, Dorian." She looked back up across the table. "When did you forget that?" It was rhetorical, because before Dorian could conjure up an answer, Tuara continued onwards, her voice now more weary than before. "I won't blame you for this." She gestured to the room - to her new prison. "But that trust in you that I have had - that you always were... trying to change this world for the better - that trust few others had given you? That trust I gave you when I pleaded for you to understand?" The edge in her voice which was rising before, dropped off suddenly. Tuara seemed so calm in this room now. There was not a glimmer of anger on her face or in her eyes when she finished by saying, "You forgot." "This isn't an interrogation, Tuara. I needed to see you." Dorian's eyes were avoiding her, gazing at the worn leather boots that rocked on the table. "Joske's dead." Tuara stopped. She leaned back in her chair, and said absolutely nothing. The silence seemed especially quiet now, in the muffled room. She looked away, then back again, softly saying, "Nobody lives forever." "Most people aren't murdered," Dorian replied. "And Utu? Is he just another name on the big cosmic casualty list?" Tuara wanted to turn away at the mention of murder and of Utu, but she continued looking at him, steadfast. "I didn't say nobody mattered." "And Kitea?" Dor continued as if he hadn't heard her. "How was he murdered? Do you remember?" "How dare you use the death of my brother like that?" She asked, calmly, but not without some sense of vindication. Dorian's chest rose and fell once, mouth tightening. "O-kay. Where were you and your wingman headed?" "You said this wasn't an interrogation." "You said once that neither of us were going to make it, too. Did you forget that?" Dorian asked quietly. "What do you know about Ko-Koro?" "Of course I remember." She shook her head. "I'm not sure why you think I'd forgotten. Dor." Silence. "I know Echelon has a new inner circle, and they've taken hostages." Tuara would have crossed her arms if her wrists weren't cuffed to the table. "I've heard they're working with the Piraka at the vault too." "Everyone knows that." Dor's fist had tightened in a ball, but his legs were still crossed at the ankle calmly. "Do you know what Joske was trying to do?" "The last time I saw him was the last time I saw you." "So you have nothing, or won't say anything, that could help me." "I wish I did." Tuara looked away. "I'm sorry" "Me too. I have to go. Change this world for the better. Whatever you're into, if you won't tell me anything..." Dor trailed off momentarily, then shrugged, kicking his feet off the table and standing casually. "I won't make it my problem." Tuara looked up Dorian one last time. "One day, Dor." she paused, "Just... don't do anything stupid. I know how that sounds, but, you're important. Not just to me."

IC: Pae - Ko-Koro Streets Pae took the bag in hand, slinging it onto one shoulder so he could easily drop it to fight. "Two story building appeared unoccupied." Pae nodded his head behind them. "But you're the sniper."

IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Gates Tuara looked down at Kitea. At the very least, he came off as a victim. Unfortunately of course, once questions about his identity would be asked by medical professionals... Tuara simply hoped Kitea already had a lexicon of identities to select from, and if not, to be thinking about that this very minute. She looked back up as the Guard surrounded her and came to Kitea's side. Over their heads Tuara said with a great sense of defeat and weariness to Agni, "You won't."

IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Gates The pillars began to fall. Tuara turned to make the jump, pulling Kitea along with her, knowing full well that anybody able would open fire or teleport to the bridge as it slowly collapsed. The first was nearly gone by now, about to sink into the magma. It was possible to make the jump with her Pakari, but she ran the risk of shattering her shins. Not to mention, making the jump with a full grown toa on her back would be difficult. They wouldn't make it. Tuara dug into the earth with her heels, kicking up rocks as she and Kitea skidded to a halt at the edge of the cliff. She stopped. For a moment she stared, feeling the hot winds rising from below wash over her. Kitea who had transitioned from wails to groans, was on his knees, breathing heavily and gripping his arm. Nobody said anything. The silence continued, even as Tuara turned around to face the others. Behind the tears ready to fall, her eyes burned on, hot fire roiling and roaring. She looked at Dorian one more time before looking to the others. Her face was ashen and red with anger. She said nothing as she tossed Kitea's knife to the ground alongside her hammer-staff before reaching her hands up to her mask. Tuara lifted it from her face, revealing the same sharp facial features beneath. She tossed the pakari at her feet, into the dirt and ash. "I surrender."

IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Gates "Not for even a second did I doubt you had your reasons."

IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Gates Tuara stepped back. There was nothing to say. Nothing to be angry about. He might have been hanging Echelon over her head, but it was another bargaining chip. It was the same thing she was doing with Kitea's ruined shoulder and a knife to his neck. As far as Jaller went however she turned her eyes to him. "Jaller's too important to let you kill him to keep me here, and if he does, that's his mistake to make." Her gaze turned to Dorian before intensifying. "And this is mine. Do you understand, Dorian?" Her eyes continued to burn, but now with cool flames instead. "I need you to understand." Her voice began to lose the calm composure it held just a moment before. "You have to trust me."

IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Gates "If I drop him, you lose too." I turned my head towards Agni, and said calmly, "I'm not the only one here bargaining." I nodded to my side before looking back up at Dorian, my eyes continuing to burn. "Move, Agni. Keep your distance. No mask."

IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Gates Tuara looked up the street as people ducked away from where the gunshot sounded. Some were shouting amidst the confusion. Dorian. Tuara grit her teeth harder. Things just got a lot more complicated. There were far more variables in play than there was meant to be. Dorian was always the wild-card, but with their synergy and thorough understanding of one another, Tuara understood this well. That was a warning shot, but it wasn't for fun. Tuara did her best to make Kitea and her the same shape relative to Dorian up the slope without sacrificing her line-of-sight on Agni and Loren. She hastened her steps but didn't take her eyes off Dorian. Through the opening in the crowds her eyes pierced the air between the two. He wasn't above incapacitating her like she was incapacitating Kitea. The intensity in her eyes as they matched gazes said to him that she understood this. She knew what she was doing. Tuara hissed into Kitea's ear. "Listen to me." Kitea responded in between his yelps of pain as if it was he she was talking to. " off!" It wasn't.

IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Gates Tuara wasted no time in responding to Agni's shout. Instead, she gripped Kitea's wrist, and wrenched it around his back and lifted. Hard. There was a sickening pop as his shoulder broke. He howled. If Agni's shout hadn't gotten the attention of people at the gates, that did. Tuara pulled Kitea backwards as she stepped towards the gates, using her other hand to pull out one of his knives. She pulled him very close so their bodies were in full contact and pressed the knife up against his neck. Kitea, likely not playing along in the slightest shouted, "She's ###### crazy!" Tuara grit her teeth, looking into Agni's eyes. "Not a single step or a hop with your masks. Not a single weapon aims towards me. If anybody so much as flinches, so will I." The pair was now underneath the archway. Kitea was still growling in pain. Tuara nodded to the guardsmen at her sides as she continued advancing. "Stay where you are!"

Tuara Drigton rip teeth i guess

OOC: Loren section provided by Silvan IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Streets Tuara hardly faltered. She had been preparing to be stopped. And of course, it was Loren with his mask of quick-travel. Commander of the Rapid Reactionary Forces sent directly by Jaller. Tuara didn't even waste time looking at Kitea to gauge a response. She knew what was going on, and Kitea previously being close to a nervous wreck certainly did too, even if he didn't know who Loren was. Which he probably did, considering he'd been apparently working as an information broker here in the city recently. The gates were right in front of her, Loren in between her and freedom. Every second she wasted was a second more that escaping become more and more unlikely. If Loren was involved, there was no way he was the only one. More would be on their way if they weren't already here in the streets. There would be no running from a man who could teleport. That was what they were dealing with now. Tuara's expression was completely unchanged as she continued towards Loren, "Commander, I don't believe we've formally met." She stopped and reached a hand out to shake his. "I spoke with Jaller this morning. Is everything OK?" Loren took the proffered hand, giving it a firm shake before he replied. There would be no running from a man who could teleport. "It's something of a followup to that actually. We found something that raised a few questions and were hoping that you could come in and clear them up for us." His gaze turned to the cowled figure beside her. "Who is your companion, if you don't mind me asking?" There would be no running from a man who could teleport. Tuara didn't answer Loren's question. Instead, the grip on his hand tightened hard and in the same instant that she yanked downwards with Pakari assisted strength, she sent her other palm upwards into his chin. Hopefully she could incapacitate him if not force his mask from his face.

IC: Tuara Drigton - Ta-Koro Streets There were only two blocks left to traverse, halfway to the gates. Tuara picked up the pace a bit. There was no getting around at least showing her face to the Guard at the gate. In terms of appearing suspicious, that wasn't going to matter soon, so long as the pair weren't crossing a line of suspicion. There was going to be a point when there would be a call for her. They needed to leave before that time arrived. The trust the Guard had in her would be an asset in getting out quickly, bypassing a proper look-over or run-down. She looked to Kitea as he too increased his walking speed. They rounded the corner, and down one of the longest streets in Ta-Koro, the gates came into view. Tuara reached up to her hood and pulled it off to increase recognizably. This was it. This was the test to see whether or not the word had been put out for her yet. She took a deep breath and suddenly felt herself focus. On the breath out, Tuara relaxed while keeping her pace. Already, she had constructed exactly what she would say.

IC: Pae - Ko-Koro Streets Pae nodded to Nika, faced his back against the wall and continued scanning about, keeping everybody but Nika in his view.

IC: Pae - Ko-Koro - Abandoned Home Pae gave Jin a blanker look than ever previously, before narrowing his eyes just slightly. He looked to Nika and adjusted his belt, removing both protosteel hammers from their holsters. "Ready."

IC: Pae - Ko-Koro - Abandoned Home "I will go with Nika," Pae said matter-of-fact-ly, "His blood-alcohol is higher than ours. I will make up for errors."

IC: Tuara - Ta-Koro Streets The Drigtons turned the corner as the crowd began to thin out. They were maybe halfway to the city gates. There was still time to turn back. Turn in Kitea and herself. Work out a deal. He was an enemy of the state afterall. Kitea, as if thinking simultaneously about her, placed his free hand on the one over his bicep. The pair looked to one another, and Kitea nodded. Tuara released her grip, and Kitea stayed right next to her, keeping pace. He had accepted her choice. She did too.

IC: Pae - Ko-Koro - Abandoned Home "You have consumed alcohol." Pae continued flatly, "One of us should stay to secure this home, while the two go."

IC: Pae - Ko-Koro - Abandoned Home Pae was unwavering in his demeanor and attentive posture. Though he made note not to let Nika take any targets near him in combat after sampling his flask. "You didn't oversleep."