Toa Fanixe

IC: Soraph nodded at Akimoto and followed after her. She didn't like having to hurry from one place to another, but orders were orders. The commodore wanted the Dasaka to stick together, so that's what Soraph was going to have to do. But that didn't mean she couldn't bring along friends. "C'mon!" the Vilda MEnti shouted at Casanuva and the rest of his team. "We've got to go find the Commodore!"

IC: "All right" Soraph said, agreeing with Akimoto, "you're right. Might as well bring these two to the Commodore as soon as possible." She walked with the others back towards the village place, whatever name the natives here for it. Koro, she thought as the name came to her. The Vilda Menti had nearly forgotten how much she'd learned about this island from Willhammering Casanuva and Vakua. Suddenly the two Toa were talking again, hurriedly. "Wait, what!? How are they here?" "Who?" asked Soraph. For the first time, Soraph hated not being on the same telepathic channel as others.

IC: There was a look of sadness and regret in Roberta's face as she looked at the Dashi saying her piece. It broke the Vilda's heart that anyone could think such things about her sister. Relisai was a such a sweet woman, she wouldn't- no, couldn't, hurt a fly! It was in the clan's very nature to adore all life and preserve it wherever possible. Whatever had happened that had led to her sister's imprisonment had been one big misunderstanding, Robalta was sure of that. But now, people were fighting and trying to kill each other. If Zuto-Nui would grant the elderly Dastue one wish, it would be for everyone to put down their weapons and to go home. "Child, I don't know who you are and I think you for the respect you're showing under these circumstances, but that's my sister out there. My dear, little sister. I know people are saying horrible things about her, but I assure you it isn't true. I just want to bring my sister back to Oki where we can tend to the wildlife while all this business of politics and clan fighting burns out. "Please, won't you let a family pick up it's broken pieces?" she said, almost pleading. She didn't want to have to hurt anyone.

IC: "Janu got your tongue?" Soraph asked, her voice as lyrical and beautiful as always. "It's usually polite to answer a question when a woman asks, you know."

IC: Soraph was about to say something when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head, still keeping her hand against Casanuva's face, and looked at the newcomer. It wasn't Vakua or a Dasaka. "Who are you?" she asked pleasantly. :And here I thought we might have some time alone: she Willhammered into Casanuva's mind.

IC: Soraph's frown evaporated as quickly as Casanuva's grin appeared. "Pleasant music, I hope. And speaking of dancing, you will be taking me out sometime for that. And don't say you don't know how, I was just in your head, remember? I know everything you can and can't do." The Vilda tilted her head, admiring Casanuva's face. Whatever else can be said of the Toa, he was very handsome. "It's too bad you have to leave again so soon."

IC: Robalta peered downwards, moving only her eyes while the rest of her body was motionless as most of her concentration was focused on keeping together the Willhammer energies. She saw the storm drains Raiyo was pointing at. It might be a tight fit, but Robalta knew her sister would fit. The Datsue smiled. "My dear Raiyo, you're an angel! Do you think you can ran out there onto the street and lead Relisai and her friend by hand into the drains? I'll work to keep the guards busy."

IC: Soraph frowned. She reached out a hand below Casanuva's chin and gently lifted up his head. If he just looked straight he'd be staring right at Soraph's own eyes. "Is something wrong? I hope I didn't hurt you, I tried to be gentle" the Vilda said, her voice riddled with concern. She lowered her voice. "You know I did, don't you?" she whispered.

IC: Soraph drifted through Casanuva's memories, regarding them with interest as they passed by. The last one had been intriguing, and almost unimaginable - Casanuva had been a Dashi! They'd all been Dashi, everyone that was on his team, the Toa Kalta they called themselves. Soraph wondered if that was normal here on Mata-Nui, for Dashi to transform into Menti. It was definitely something the Commodore would like to know. Then there were other memories, thoughts interspersed with images, sounds. Some were real, others imagined. On the mental plane Soraph blushed. At least, as much as anyone could when they existed as sheer consciousness and will. The Vilda Menticould see the thoughts Casanuva had had of herself, even ones he was thinking this very moment... As she probed deeper into the Toa's identity, Soraph discovered something else. It appeared she wasn't the only one Casanuva had his eyes on. No, there were others, many others. Each was accompanied by feelings of admiration, desire and eagerness. Soraph's burnt brighter than the others, but the rest were not insignificant. The Vilda knew now with certainty that Mako's advice had been correct, as had her own intuition. This Toa did remind of her a Menti back home - her very own cousin Kulrik. Soraph hadn't often talked with him, but she had heard the many, many stories about him. And from what she saw he and Casanuva were two peas in a pod. Both had hearts that were a little too open. Well, Soraph thought to herself, I can think of something to fix that. With a spirit of mischief on her mind Soraph began using her Willhammer skills more artfully. She found a particular feeling in Casanuva's head and began to feed it, willing the flame to grow stronger and brighter. Like all Vilda, nurturing came naturally to the princess. It was a slow process but in the realm of the mind, hours could pass while only seconds did in the real world. Soraph also spun a single command in the Toa's heart, one that complemented the feeling she'd tended and could now see blossoming. Rather than create anew she'd just augmented something that was already there. :Love me: Soraph opened her eyes, releasing the Willhammer energies she'd been holding on to examine Casanuva's mind. Both she and Casanuva were still seated, closer together than she'd been with Vakua, and their faces only inches apart. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" she said with a wide grin.

IC: Robalta continued the forceful but inconspicuous push into the Sighteye's mind. Small thoughts that didn't try to force her outright to change her behaviour, but divert it gently from one task to another. :There there. Isn't this tiring? See to the safety of the Dashi: She heard Raiyo speak, and another Dashi arrive. "What is it, Raiyo? What have you found?" she said. Relisai growled. She hated all this. ​"Don't you have somewhere better to be?" she asked the Empire's pets.

IC: Soraph, still seated on the stone, waved Casanuva over when he entered the clearing. She motioned to the log Takua had been sitting on just minutes earlier. Once the Toa was seated opposite herself, Soraph raised her hands and put them on either side of his head, around his temples. She moved forward, bringing her face much closer to his than it had been to the Sound-controlling Toa. :I hope you haven't missed me too much while entertaining my friends. Now like I told Vakua, you have to relax your mind and let me enter. It'll hurt less that way.: she projected in hit mind him while on the mental plane, she began to approach the magnetic consciousness that burned beside her.

ooc: From what's been explained to me, a Menti using Willhammer can only be detected by another Willhammer actively looking for a disturbance on the mental plane. I don't think Yukie wold be able to do so while physically trying to restrain Relisai and not being killed. Also, I thought Datsue retain their Menti Discipline strength? Could staff clear this up? IC: "Actually, I'm the one that's been manhandled, and I'll say right now I haven't appreciated it" Relisai said, still angry that her senses were being replaced by some idiotic Sighteye." She reached out again with her Mindarm, creating a quick pulling force on Yukie's ankle to bring him to the floor. For a moment. :This is too tiring. The others can take of everything. Go find the Dastana: Robalta continued to silently Willhammer into Hanabe's mind. "Find something sharp to defend, if it comes to that" she said to Raiyo.

ooc: Sorry about that last post, and for the lateness of this one, but thanks for providing feedback and explaining the intricacies of the Menti disciplines. Truthfully, that last Hanabe post with the illusion was a little hard for me to conceptualize. I hope this one is better. By the way, Tyler St. Francis, Relisai Willhammered Higashi previously. Not sure if you've taken that into account? IC: Relisai blinked, trying to make sense of everything. She really hated Sighteyes. She knew what was likely to happen next, an attack from one of those fools that blindly served their Empress whom they knew nothing of. What sad, pitiful creatures they were. Relisai unsteadily assumed a defensive stance, trying to listen over the incessant whirring noise for footsteps that signalled an incoming attacker. The Vilda Toroshu heard a noise. Someone running? Before she could properly move of the way she felt a Menti grab her arm and pull her to the side, following by a loud clink of crystal on stone. Relisai growled. These crazed fanatics were trying to kill her! She wrenched herself from the apprehending Menti's grasp and slammed forward with telekinetic force to push Yukie away. "Oh dear" Robalta whispered to Raiyo. "I was afraid all this would happen" she told the maidservant. The pair had caught up to Ashka and Kavina and were now watching the battle for Vilda leader's freedom from behind the corner of an alleyway. All this pointless fighting sickened the Datsue -why couldn't they all just get along? Roberta's heart dropped when she saw Relisai and Ashka stumble in the middle of the street, frozen. It didn't make sense, why weren't they moving. Then there was a lot of movement , and Relisai was still glaring around like a blind woman. Like a blind woman... "Be ready to help get the two of us out of here." Seeing the distraught looked on Raiyo's face, Robalta placed a reassuring hand on her arm and squeezed lightly. "Don't worry, we''l be fine." Taking a deep breath, Robalta reached out with her mind. She'd noticed one consciousness that stood out. The Vilda elder begin slinking subliminal thoughts into Hanabe's mind. :Stand down. Conserve your strength. Sighteye is overkill here, Relisai is taken care of, see to the safety of others here.

IC: "Relisai, look out!" The Vilda Toroshu hadn't needed the warning. Like any well trained Menti, she knew that a darned Sighteye illusion like the one that had been cast on them held but two purposes: to slow down the victim and to open them to attack. All the warning achieved was irk her even more than that incessant high pitched whistle. Relisai swore she would flog the first Sighteye back home that ever dared do the same to her during a sparring session. Before Ashka had called out Relisai had already been readying herself for their next move. There were few ways to combat a Sighteye illusion, but Relisai didn't care for any of them now - they were too time consuming. No, Relisai would simply run away. She closed her eyes, envisioning the street as it had been seconds before. Long and narrow, before splitting into a fork in the distance. With a mighty surge of her Mindarm powers, she hurled both herself and the Mashtet sellsword beside her forward and into the air, over the heads of a curious onlooker or two. As she left the ground Relisai heard the clink of metal on stone - Ashka had been right, the Huna user from before had been about to strike. That didn't matter now. They were a distance a ways from her, and the worst of the Sighteye illusion. Like all Menti disciplines, Sighteye had a range to it - psychic energies could only be controlled from so far away. The greater the distance, the weaker the discipline. They landed, Relisai nearly stumbling but managing to stay on her feet. She knelt to the ground, panting. Throwing herself and Ashka such a distance, had been taxing. Still, it had been worth it. The whining was a only a quiet whurr now, the inversion of directions greatly reduced. The sky was normal though it held the mostly faded image of the street, and vice versa, while there was a similar effect on her left and right. She raised herself, fierce determination on her face as she stared at Ashka. She still breathed deeply. "Lead on" she said. Relisai followed after Ashka towards the Docks.

IC: Relisai felt a sudden urge to stop. Why? She had to think for a moment, even as a Menti jumped in front of her and Ashka's path. Oh right, her rescuers. They were in trouble. The Vilda Toroshu knew she had to help them a litttle more if she was to escape successfully. Still, the urge felt awfully strong, not at all in congruity with deep sense of self-preservation. Something felt wrong. But first she had to clear her path. Willhammer energies already summoned, Relisai began a barrage at the lone Menti blocking her and Ashka, except - there was nothing there. There was no mind to overcome and assault. There was only a profound emptiness. Relisai swore. She hated Sighteyes. "That's a bloody illusion" she spat, speaking to Ashka. "These self-righteous twats have become annoying self-righteous twats. We must hurry." Relisai looked Maripi, who was faring badly. Not good, the Mashtet sellsword still had a part to play. The Toroshu gathered her psychic powers again and attacked Higashi in earnest. Willhammer commands were driven into Higashi's mind with full strength, powered by Relisai's desperation to return home. :Leave them alone: was the first command, with reference to a picture of Maripi and Ashka. Relisai could have added herself to the duo, but doing so would have reduced Higashi's chances of following the order - honour had a habit of getting in the way of things. :Restrain them: was the second, this time with a picture of Kaide, Yukie and Hanabe. "I thought we were rescuing a Toroshu, not some helpless Dashi! Snap out of it!" Relisai glared at Ashka. How dare she - no, she was right. Relisai had to get out of here. She started a slow jog away from the battle behind her.

IC: :I just need few more minutes to check Casanuva's mind and make sure he's safe to be around us. If you want to start walking, I'll be just behind you.: Soraph searched the area up ahead, past the clearing and on the shore of the Falls, for the minds of her companions. She easily found Casanuva's, distinct and positively magnetic compared to others. With just a bit of force she Willhammered her thoughts into his mind. :Your turn, Casanuva. I hope you're ready:

IC: Relisai knew that there was strength in numbers, and that to abandon the two Mashtet now could leave them overpowered and those ridiculous Empire loyalists on her tail. The next few moments were critical, and her actions would decide her freedom. "All right" Relisai said, nodding at Ashka. "Let's move!" She started running with the Mashtet rescuer.

IC: "Justice? You speak to me of justice? I was imprisoned without trial, without jury because of what? The flutterings of a bird? An alleged action that is barely punishable? That is not what I'd call justice, no not at all. Nothing that has happened for quite some time is what any would consider justice. And Plangori Yukie, you forget that I am no mere Saihoko for you to berate and admonish, I am a Toroshu for goodness sake!" Relisai cleared her throat. "If you'd care'd to pay attention to the details, rather than start throwing allegations around, you'll see Arsix is in no way restrained. Now why are you interfering with these matters? Aren't there some clothes that need dyeing?"

IC: "Can't do that" Relisai said nonchalantly, not willing to give the source of the voice any pleasure in goading. "My cell no longer exists."

IC: Relisai sighed. It was true what the proverbial 'they' said. Stupidity really was wasted on the youth. If Jasik killed her that would only further incriminate him and his clan, trying to clean up after a botched rescue attempt. And if the Dastana First Son let Relisai be recaptured, she would claim being an innocent bystander and that all the blame rested solely on him and his sister. Relisai wondered if Jasik was as foolish as he was hot tempered. "You are Plangori, right. First Son Yukie, if memory serves. I confess, it surprises me that you would so willingly turn over a wronged Menti to an Empire that has so wronged you and your kind." She referred to Yukie's gender as much as the court rumours that had spread in the Empire. With a flick of her mind, telekinetic force grabbed at Arsix's foot to trip her. It wouldn't do to have her gone. She shoved a thought using her Willhammer powers at the female Dastana's mind. :Do not leave me behind because you botched this up. If I'm recaptured or killed, we both know what kind of consequences you'll face, if you're half as smart in politics as your clan is in business.: Now, where were those Mashtet?

IC: Soraph spent a few more moments rummaging through Vakua's mind, searching for any smallest bit of consciousness that could possibly threaten herself or the crew of the Ryuu. Satisfied that there was none, she artfully extricated herself from the Toa persons's mind, slowly returning her senses to the world of the forest around her. She thought she heard someone speak loudly. Was that Akimoto's voice? It was hard to tell. When a Willhammer is so focused and deeply entrenched in another's mind, they lose touch with the rest of the world. At least, that was Soraph's experience with the Discipline. :I've searched his mind and he's clean - there's nothing to worry about from him. I can vouch it's safe to keep him aboard the ship. I'd still like Willhammer Casanuva though: "Why don't you return to the others and ask Casanuva to come here so I can check him?" Soraph asked Vakua.

IC: "Hold on!" Kulrik shouted. "You still have the necklace - when are we going to meet up again?" He didn't bother asking why Shuuan was opting to go with Jiyu over his own handsome self. Judging by his strange jealousy over her, the world had proven to be insane today. :That's not entirely possible at the moment: Relisai replied via Willhammer to Maripi. :Some of her royal obnoxiousness' blind followers are intent on keeping myself and the Dastana Toroshu confined on the street. Hurry up and get here!: There was an urgency in her voice and thought's as she transmitted a picture of her location to the Mashtet. If she weren't in such a deplorable condition, Relisai would have met the 'helpful Menti' with suspicion. As it was, the Vilda Toroshu had few options and so had to trust the Mashtet on her word. The only bit of relief was that Relisai's conniving sister had been under watch of the Warden, one woman that Relisai DID trust. She refocused her Willhammer energies on replying to Arsix. :Before I was imprisoned I was able to send a message, which put into motion certain protocols. Some of these pertained to my rescue. One included petitioning your clan to aid in my release, either through political means or otherwise. Regardless of how it was accomplished, I didn't think you would so personally take a hand in these events, or with such a commotion. It changes some things, but not to worry - that's what backup plans are for. "My confinement no longer exists" Relisai said loudly to the Eiyu big-headed scholar. "M'lady no longer saw any use for it" she added with a nod of her head towards Arsix. "Now we'll be on our way, but thank you for your concern. It's so heartwarming to see the conditioning of our Empire's finest." Relisai spread her senses around her, searching for other minds on the mental plane. One assailant had already proven to carry a Huna, but that mattered little - the Kanohi might cast a shadow in the physical world, but the mind behind burned brightly in the world unseen. Relisai could feel it 'standing' resolute not far behind her. Relisai kept herself ready - at any moment, the battle might begin again.

IC: Kulrik shot the giant Herupa a wicked scowl. "No, there isn't. But maybe your should get your head checked out by the healers too. With all this fighting you've done, I think it's swelled to an even larger size than usual."

IC: :Your Kanohi. Why is that so important to your enemies?: Soraph started digging through Vakua's thoughts for an answer.

IC: Relisai felt the brush of another mind zip into the vicinity. The now-infamous Toroshu frowned. There were too many people converging here, all of whom had unknown motives. :Who are you, and what do you want?: she Willhammered into Maripi's mind. "Seigyo's not my lapdog for Zataka's sake!" Kulrik exclaimed. If anything, the way Shuuan spoke and her soft patting of his cheek infuriated him even more, and stoked the jealously that rumbled in the pit of his stomach. Kulrik tried desperately to calm himself, but he knew he was doing a bad job of it. "And I wasn't trying to tell you what to do, all right? It's just that...the necklace is around your neck so I don't like Jiyu trying to spirit you away from me and the quest. I like being alive, and since these Keys have the potential to stop that, I'm rather invested in ensuring they're kept safe and secure. I don't know if I can do that by myself, so I need your help. I need to make sure you're safe and secure, too." Turning away from Shuuan and Jiyu, but still looking petulant, Kulrik continued. "Can we just get this over with and go to the healers? We can get there more quickly if we cut through the Markets." Kulrik thought he might be able to buy a scarf along the way. If that's what it took to keep Shuuan with him, away from Jiyu, that's what he would do. "Hurry along now, little dove! We can't lose sight of them" Robalta told her maidservant. "Oh, I feel like I'm a young Menti again, running through the streets in a game of Sleeping Dragon. Trying to steal the 'jewel' at the centre of the yard from the 'Dragon' guards, then escaping the city. All while impressing the dawdling boys, my dear" she added with a wink. She pointed around a corner. "There! Ashka went that way!"