BULiK

IC: Nichou [Po-Wahi, Desert Trail] "Last time I talked with him was right after he fought at Ko-Koro," Nichou responded. "Needless to say, those three questions weren't on his mind," the tradesman continued before a momentary pause. "At least - he never brought up anything of the sort." "We mostly talked about you being dead and how he never found your grave afterwards. He also mentioned some kind of 'Keeping Place'-" Nichou made quotes in the air with his fingers for effect "-underneath Kini-Nui where he likes to meditate. Apparently it's a big secret and even the other Maru don't go there - he didn't go into much detail about where it was or what it was 'keeping' - maybe they trapped Makuta in there?" OOC: @BBBBalta Lekua might recognize some key words from here

IC: Nichou [Po-Wahi, Desert Trail] "The 'why' will only take you so far." He paused for a moment, looking down from the cloudless sky to look member of the group in the optics. On reflection, it was a very un-Nichou-like thing to say, so he took the time to explain it. Perhaps as much to explain it to himself as to them. "I've had a lot of time to think about the 'why' while you were dead - or, wherever you were," the Onu-Matoran continued. It was tempting to get sidetracked with how little they knew about what happened do Aurax, but Nichou maintained course. "Why some of us in the Companions were 'chosen'. Why you were the one who died. Why Lepidran didn't become a Toa, and why Stannis did." "It's not worth it. Too... abstract. Does Mata Nui need to give a reason? If he did, would we even be able to understand it?" Nichou paused, simultaneously for effect and to form his words. It was the same as if he took a chisel to a slab of marble in Po-Koro: visualizing the carve he needed to make to reveal the statue it would become. Measure twice, speak once. He had slowed down for a moment physically as well. He put his hand on Aurax's shoulder and looked him in the optics. "I've always wanted to understand why these things happen - that urge is why I joined up back in the day - but it took me years to accept that I didn't need to understand the 'why' to appreciate the 'now'. You don't need to understand your reincarnation to take advantage of it." Nichou let go and continued to walk, readjusting his pack on his shoulders by pulling the straps. The pace picked up again. "We should also consider that Makuta's return might make as little sense to him or his forces as your return does to us. That new lands opening up is neither good nor bad, but what we make of it. Regardless of why it's happening now. That's not to say we shouldn't be searching - if we can understand more of the 'how', it could help the heroes who will be doing the fighting."

IC: Nichou [Po-Wahi, Desert Trail] "Certainly*," Nichou shot back with a different, slyer intonation. "*provided enough widgets are involved, of course." Joking aside, he brought the tone back down to earth. "Perhaps it's a little early to start checking real estate trends. Not to mention - you don't strike me as someone who's going to settle down somewhere any time soon." Nichou kicked a slight outcropping of sand, the dust scattering as it fell. Their footprints would be swept away just as easily by the whims of nature. "Then again, stranger things have happened; supposedly Lepidran is still cataloguing bugs somewhere in the jungle. Atiel must have settled down at some point, too - I never caught wind of what he or Dece did after we split up. They could be anywhere. Now that travel between and outside of the Koros is less dangerous, the island feels so much bigger than back during The War." "Maybe that's just because I've seen more of it now. Enough to understand how much I don't understand."

IC: Kihr [Burning Steppes, Outskirts] Kihr hadn't turned to watch Rezena approach. From his perch on the berm, he puffed his cigar while the Kaiakan introduced herself to the other team members. His mechanical breathing continued along at its undisturbed rhythm.

IC: Nichou [Forsi] The Onu-Matoran was glad he had tinted lenses for his Kanohi - even with them protecting his optics the light was on the edge of unbearable. His gaze had been at the sandy dirt underfoot. Nichou still wasn't quite sure what to think of this whole 'resurrection' business. He had been quiet for some time until now "After the Turaga were killed, Makuta was defeated, and the Akiri had stepped up to lead, things got tense for a bit. Lot of damage to repair. Po-Koro turned inwards to heal and rebuild - made itself hard to find. There were some strange attacks going on all over the island, even with Makuta gone. Was getting scary - but the bigshots eventually put aside their differences and things cooled down." "And then... well... Matoro was killed and Ko got taken over by cultists and scoundrels. Last major gee-oh-pol-iti-kal thing that happened was when the Maru liberated the city. Not everyone made it though..." Refocus. It's all about perspective. Nichou thought back to the bitter-sweetness of sunset. "Quite the mess to clean up. So my point is - that's how I wound up getting into architecture."

IC: Long Dihunai [Ga-Koro, The Yukanna] Though Dihunai held the right to speak, she knew this was not the time. With great restraint, she avoided pointing out what Yumiwa had neglected to mention. Dihunai didn't offer the correction that there were free Dasaka on mount Koshiki, who did not submit to imperial law. Dihunai didn't point out that her fellow monks were the first that the monsters began to purge, nor that these aliens had begun corrupting the dragons. Corrupted by an evil force unleashed by... the foreign 'Dashi' and Yumiwa's uncle? (What???) This Toa's “I’m sorry,” didn't cut it for Dihunai. The warrior said nothing, but the swirling red and violet aura around her spoke volumes to Leah's Ruhaku.

^ yeah this isn't a question for BZPower, that lego universe server is just an unofficial thing that I posted on this forum a while ago. Any support should go in that topic or its associated discord server where support is more rapid. Thanks @Valendale for pointing them in the right direction

OOC: I was hoping that becoming BZPRPG staff would not teach me the habit of perpetually postponing so many posts... and yet... IC: Skrall [Trail, Roxtus ->Bone Hunter Stronghold, Lead Cart] Skrall had been content to let the nosy Skrall do all the talking. The story, far from the blunder Skrall had presumed,it would be, actually wound up having useful information for his new fate. He tried his best to not show it, but he was listening throughout. IC: Atakus [Trail, Roxtus ->Bone Hunter Stronghold, Lead Cart] "Skrall are not invulnerable," the chariot-driving agori shouted above the rattling wheels. "It is possible to have a lapse in judgement, such as spending more time trading in rumor than in minding your station." "I had expected our navigator of these wastes to point out that we are nearing our first destination." He pointed at a mesa to their east, and with a few whips of the Spikit, motivated them to increase their pace as he guided them towards the Bone hunter stronghold. The dunes grew in size further from the sandy riverbed. As if they had entered churning tidewaters instead of a calm lake. OOC: The important thing is: we're so back. I love all these posts, but let's actually have worlds collide here soon.

IC: Skrall [Trail, Roxtus ->Bone Hunter Stronghold, Lead Cart] "Quickly. Slashed all over - some more than others. Only Skrall blood was spilled - and the ambushers left none of their weaponry behind."

IC: Skrall [Trail, Roxtus ->Bone Hunter Stronghold] "My honor and life are forfeit. Your beliefs are not my concern."

IC: Skrall [Trail, Roxtus ->Bone Hunter Stronghold] "If these details were known, perhaps I would not have to suffer this interrogation," Skrall retorted. "Alas..."

IC: Skrall [Trail, Roxtus ->Bone Hunter Stronghold] "They did not listen, and neither will you," Skrall repeated, somehow bored of the only conversation that had broken the monotony of the bumpy excursion.

IC: Skrall [Trail, Roxtus ->Bone Hunter Stronghold] "Silent death," Skrall muttered. He squinted at the sky. Was that a cloud or - no, a moon. He spoke out of boredom, rather matter-of-fact for what may have been his most traumatizing memory. "Long range rearguard patrol. No enemy for days upon days. Go a ways away to take a #### while Skrall sets up camp. Hear commotion. Run back. Everyone dead."

IC: Skrall [Trail, Roxtus ->Bone Hunter Stronghold] Skrall scoffed, not giving the captor the satisfaction of looking him in the eye. He was focused on the cloudless blue above them. "There is no 'why' - they did not listen, and neither will you. There is no act you speak of, no choice was made. I have no answer."

IC: Skrall [Roxtus, Stables] Skrall didn't win battles by not fighting them, and he didn't lose campaigns by the result of a single skirmish. He resigned himself to another day, with his last act of defiance being spitting on the ground as he was lifted to his knees. Straining against the shackles, Skrall lifted himself into the cart. It was a nontrivial task, given he had been deprived of his full free range of motion. The sooner they got underway, the sooner opportunities would present themselves, and he could begin the next phase.