Cadias

OOC: Ah, sorry about not being more specific.

IC: Cadias

The Toa of Plasma shrugged. "Not sure myself. The guards stopped us at the gates to make sure we weren't involved, and that's where my friend and I found out," he said, with a nod to Vrana, the strange-looking Toa standing beside Cadias.

"It's sad, though. Only three months after Makuta's defeat and the Koros are already drifting apart. I can't help but wonder if another Koro was involved or not."

IC: Cadias

Cadias waited until the other Toa got closer, so that it was easier to talk. "If you're heading to the village, you should probably know that someone just tried to assassinate the Akiri."

IC: Cadias

"The reason it's exciting," Cadias began, hearing the boredom in Vrana's voice, "Is because of the technology behind it. If, in three months, we can invent that kind of technology, imagine what we could have three months from now!"

Spotting something on the beach, he squinted. "Hey, a Toa. We'd better him or her about the assassination attempt, and the guards at the entrance of the village.."

Cupping his hands around his mouth, Cadias yelled at the Toa (Seria). "Hello!"

IC: Cadias

The guards, apparently deciding that the claws weren't enough reason to detain the two Toa, handed Vrana's coat back to him. "You're free to go."

"Excellent. Now, back to chutes. I hear that they're big tubes that you jump into, that whisk you away to a different part of the Koro."

OOC: I thought they were already out of the village, so this should work just as well.

IC: Cadias

"Oh, good. You've just never gone into detail about the kinds of things you eat, so-"

"Halt!"

Cadias turned around, perplexed. It was a couple of Marines. "What's the problem?"

"You left the village without checking in with the guards."

"Oh, I see." He turned to Vrana. "They just want to make sure that we're not up to no good." Taking off his coat, he handed it to one guard for inspection, and then handed his sword, still sheathed, to the other. "Why didn't you stop us at the entrance?"

"We've been busy. There was an assassination attempt. Akiri Hahli was the target."

"Really? That's no good." The Marine handed him back both his coat and weapon; both had passed inspection.

IC: Cadias

Cadias decided to tell Vrana the rumors he'd heard about chutes later.

"You know what I mean. Did you...." He paused, and looked around. Nobody was within earshot. "..... You know.... eat them?"

OOC: I don't recall seeing anything about it in the description of the village, so I think we're OK.

IC: Cadias

"You don't know what the chutes are, do you?" Cadias smiled, amused. "Neither do I, really. What I've heard about them is almost too incredible to believe."

He shuddered. "I'd never be able to live in a place with bodies laying around." Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Wait a second.... you didn't try to.... did you?" The thought was a horrible one. But surely. even Vrana wouldn't eat dead Matoran.

Would he?

IC: Cadias

"Sounds good!" They reached the village gates. "I heard that they've put a series of chutes in Le-Koro for transportation. I've always wondered how they work."

He paused for a moment, both to let Vrana reply and get more further away from the village. "So, what did you do in all those months when we were seperated?"

IC: Cadias

"Oh, of course." Cadias exited the shop and began walking toward the village gates.

"So, where do you want to go?"

IC: Cadias

Cadias admired his new coat for a moment in a mirror. It was dark grey in color, and went quite well with the dark colors of his armor. He handed the shopkeeper another 50 widgets, woefully noting that his supply of money was rapidly disappearing. "Alright, take your pick."

He put his sunglasses in one of the pockets. "Hmm, these pockets might be useful."

Not even Nuju? Also he said he wouldn't get in our way if we tried to kill an Akiri. Does this apply to Nuparu?

Go ahead and try it. Nuparu's the head of the most advanced village- I'm sure he's got some nasty traps ready for would-be assassins.

IC: Cadias

Cadias, noticing the encouraging response from the villagers, felt his confidence in his sense of fashion return. "Well, I like it. Excuse me! Shopkeeper! What do you call this coat, and how much does it cost?"

"It's called a trenchcoat, and it's 50 widgets."

Cadias, resisting the urge to yell about how outrageous that was, handed over the money. "You sure you don't want something? If we end up in Ko-Wahi, you're going to get cold."

IC: Cadias

Cadias frowned, then looked down at the coat again. "You really think so?"

IC: Cadias

"Fair enough." After glancing around, he decided on a random store and went inside. "Hey, look, coats. You don't see those very often." He looked at one that caught his eye in particular, then put it on. The Toa of Plasma took out his sunglasses and put those on too, then turned to Vrana and grinned. "What do you think?"

IC: Cadias

"Right." He left the restaurant with Vrana.

"Now, we need to find a shop.... Any look likely to you?"

IC: Cadias

Guess I can't say I didn't see it coming.

Cadias took what remained of the pie and finished it off, talking in between bites. "Now, we drop by a shop," he said, pausing for another bite, "and make sure we have everything we need." Another pause. "Then, we leave!" He set the fork down on the empty plate. Leaving a few widgets on the table for payment, he stood up. "Shall we?"

IC: Cadias

Huh. Cadias had half expected that Vrana would refuse to eat the pie.

He watched as Vrana took a bite. "Well?"

IC: Cadias

Cadias shrugged. "Fair enough. There's a lot of different types of food out there, though."

He looked down at the uneaten slice of Bula Berry pie. "Like pie, for example. You going to try it?"

IC: Cadias

Cadias watched as Vrana simply grabbed the meat and started chewing on it with a ferocity that betrayed both his hunger and his past. Looks like I'll have to teach Vrana manners...

Silently, he pushed a napkin toward Vrana. "Well?"

IC: Cadias

"Hmm. We'll have to make some preparations, but that shouldn't take too long. Like old times, eh?"

The waitress returned, carrying the food. Cadias pushed a plate of the roast and the slice of pie toward Vrana. "Eat."

Cadias watched Vrana intently while chewing his food. He fully expected Vrana to refuse, but he had a suspicion that Vrana's hunger would win out over his stubbornness. If what Vrana had told him was any indicator, then Vrana hadn't been eating well.

IC: Cadias

Cadias simply grinned and shook his head at Vrana. "You've never liked cooked food, true. But I remember when you hated plants, too. So, one of two things is happening: One, you're just too stubborn to try new things and miss out on them, or two, your tastes changed with the rest of you."

He turned and smiled at the waitress, who appeared unhappy about being ignored by Vrana. "You'll have to excuse my friend. I don't think he quite grasps the concept of a menu. Make that two servings of the roast, and one slice of Bula berry pie." The waitress nodded and walked off, and Cadias turned to face Vrana again.

"Perhaps, if we stay in Ga-Koro. Personally, I'd like to see the rest of the island without Makuta looming over it all." Cadias had decided to tell Vrana of the rapidly deteriorating relationships between the Koros later.

IC: Cadias

"That's probably because you burnt it," Cadias said with a smile. "We'll get you some proper food, cooked right." A waitress walked over, placing two menus on the table. Cadias glanced at his. "I'll have a serving of the Kane-Ra roast, please. Water to drink."

"Fruits are delicious, yes. And Matoran have discovered many ways to combine fruit with other delicious things. Like pie, for example." He grinned, although his grin faded somewhat when Vrana asked the question.

"It makes me feel uncomfortable, yes. But I'm more worried about someone causing a disturbance and the Marines getting called in. You see, a group of Toa came in here a few months ago and nearly took over the place. It's changed the locals. They're less trusting, especially when it comes to Toa."

Alright! Now I'll have to go make that greedy, shady businessman I've been thinking about.

And, it'll be good to see Cap'n Lohkar still himself.

IC: Cadias

Cadias walked into the inn and sat down at one of the tables. He sighed in relief. He didn't like the attention, or the distrust that was caused by his simply being a Toa. His darkly colored armor didn't help much, either. He frowned thoughtfully.

"I'm not sure. There are many mysteries of the body. It must be very unsettling. Has your opinion of cooked food changed at all?"

OOC: Couldn't think of a good reason for Cadias to know a lot about the digestive system and so on, so I'm afraid that Vrana will never know for sure. XD

IC: Cadias

"Yes, it does make you feel powerful." He summoned a wisp of plasma, watching as it weaved in and out amongst his fingers. "The power to burn, to kill, to destroy, in the palm of your hand." His voice took on a distant quality, like he was becoming lost in thought. Then he shook his head, and the wisp vanished.

He couldn't help but laugh at Vrana's suggestion. "You could try, but I doubt you'd succeed. Based on what you've said, you probably haven't exhausted your elemental energy for the first time yet. It's a rather humbling experience."

Looking around, he realized that he and Vrana were beginning to attract some stares from the villagers. Two strange-looking Toa talking with each other didn't sit well with them. "Maybe we should... uh, get dinner. I'm starved! My treat. Come on, there's an inn that way."

Walking toward the inn, Cadias lowered his voice. "Some things happened in this village while we were away, things that made the villagers very suspicious. It'd be a good idea to be careful."