Hanako Herupa

IC: (Valria) Valria listened to the last of what LoJak had said, nodding her head in acknowledgement. A small part of her was glad it was only LoJak that decided to come along. Lot easier to speak to the obsidian-armoured Toa of Fire. Finally she turned to him as the two Toa kept pace with each other. "Well it's not just the fact that I'm able to keep warm because of you. You didn't baby me in our sparring. Not a lot of Toa I've run into have done that for me." The lavender Toa smiled a bit more. "I'm glad you decided to join us, it's nice to have someone as resourceful and amiable as you around." Their walk continued on for a few more minutes, even with the directions that Iulius described it was going to take the Toa a bit longer to reach Ko-Koro. There was also the objective Iulius had given the two of them. To stop by the Sanctum outpost and check in on them. After about two minutes of silence Val turned her head back to LoJak. "If you don't mind me asking, what were you doing before you joined our group?" The emerald-eyed Toa asked.

IC: (Valria) The warmth entered her and the frigid weather had suddenly become more bearable. LoJak had given Valria the ability to keep warm. She couldn't thank the Toa of Fire enough for this kindness and smiled slightly as LoJak decided to join her on the walk. "Sure. I'm ready, thanks to you." She replied, a warmer tone belaying Valria's relief. The two Toa had started on their trek westward. With LoJak she strode a little more confident as they moved through the frozen tundra. After about five minutes into their walk, Valria spoke up. "I wanted to thank you, LoJak." Her eyes remained forward and she did her best to keep pace with the taller Toa. A thousand thoughts flooded her mind as she walked with LoJak. First on her mind was LoJak unsurprisingly, but she was also frustrated. Frustrated by how incompetent she must have seemed in the eyes of the others. In how she needed their help often it seemed. It reminded her of how she felt with people like Kuyre or Mef. That she had been nothing but dead weight, and all she did was drag them down. She didn't even want to acknowledge the irony of that thought, being a Toa of Gravity and all. She pushed those thoughts away and awaited LoJak's reponse. It seemed anytime she spent thinking, doubt and frustration came back to strike at her. So it was best to not spend time thinking for the moment, least she raise concern.

OOC: Disregard my above post as Valria. This one makes more sense. IC: (Valria) Valria's dark green eyes followed Iulius directions towards the ridge. The Toa of Gravity audibly gasped at the sheerness of it. Valria rubbed her lavender-coloured skin, doing her best to keep warm in. She was already missing Kaiapo's makeshift cave. Stifling any grumbling of the cold she listened to the teal Toa's next path to take. Unsure Valria contemplated the two paths forward. The sharp, treacherous incline of the ridge seemed more daunting than before. The Toa of Gravity wore a defeated expression on her face, looking down at the snow to hide it. She looked up, forcing a smile as she spoke. "I guess I should taken the western path. Is anyone else going that way?"

IC: (Hari) Hari kept her crossbow aimed at Stendhal as Kale approached the trespasser. She would have to talk to Rynekk after this. She had been meaning to talk to him after that incident with the other pirates earlier. He had wanted to talk to her about something and she forgot after everything that had happened. Right now she needed to focus, Stendhal was still a possible threat and she needed to maintain focus, otherwise somebody would get hurt. "Private Simul, I need you to alert Leiutenant Naona and Krayn that we have a stowaway aboard the ship. First Mate Ironshaper and I will be taking him to the brig." Hari said to the Toa of Fire, not looking back. Finger hovering above the crossbow's trigger in case their interloper made any sudden movements to attack and/or escape.

IC: (Hari) "I think we'll pass for now. Quit with your stalling and answer his question. Why are you here?" Hari growled, though coming from her it probably wasn't as nearly as menacing as she hoped it would be. Maybe a few of the others would come along, at least she hoped they would. Right now they need to know this Toa's purpose aboard their ship, then they could detain him for the time being.

OOC: Alright I don't think first person is doing it for writing Valria. Back to third person. IC: (Valria) Destiny. She wasn't sure if she wanted to believe in it or not. Was it destiny that decided all the things that happened to her friends and her? No, no, no, I don't want to think about that now. Every time I think about this, I go back to that same place. I don't want to go back there. I don't want to. I don't...I just need to ignore it and it'll go away. Valria smiled back at LoJak and followed the black armored Toa out of the makeshift cave. Despite their earlier activity Valria already felt her skin growing cold from the icy temperatures. Mainly due to the time they spent talking and resting in Kaiapo's temporary cave. She rubbed her shoulders, maybe when they finally got to the village she could look into work to get some armor. Given that the rest of her possessions had been lost in the fire back in Ta-Koro, not even the cloak that offered the impoverished Toa some protection from the elements had survived. Yes, she had armor, but it was the armor Telric had "given" her and he had clearly not given his slaves armor to protect anything. She wished she was rid of it already, but it was really the only possession she had now. The only bit of armor or clothing she had. She was stuck with it. Yes work, that would be a good idea, then she wouldn't have to ask her allies for help. They wouldn't have to worry about her. She wanted to be counted on by them, to be there, to be helpful, and dependable. Neither of which she had felt so far when compared to the others. Kaiapo was caring and capable of leading. He always seemed to put you at ease while he was around. If anything he was obviously the second-in-command of their little group. Iulius was the leader. He seem smart and self-assured. Perfect person to be in charge. Sur, Sur was a healer, she had healed Valria's wounds and likely many others. She was so friendly and charitable. She was already a great Toa like the others. Quada, new and rather quiet so far, he still seemed capable and he had gotten the group up to speed in Ga-Koro. Then there was LoJak, a Toa of Fire that was not only such a warm person to their group, but was also resourceful. He had been nice to Val, helped her keep warm in their trek through this Wahi. When she sparred with LoJak he didn't baby her, like others had before. She didn't want to be the one others had to carry anymore and he seemed to understand that. Something few really did. Overall what did a useless Toa of Gravity have to offer beyond a one time heroic act? She didn't know. Valria did her best to shrug off those thoughts. She didn't want to spend as much time thinking as the scholars in Ko-Koro did, staring at the stars instead of focusing on the now. The snow was deep, and cold, reaching as far as the Toa of Gravity's knees. Valria could swear she saw some of her lavender skin turning to a blue hue. Wind carried a bit of loose snow and blew it straight into Valria's path, caking the unfortunate Toa of Gravity in snow. Valria's teeth chattered and she rubbed her shoulders again as well as doing her best to brush off the snow. Somehow hoping that would keep her warm. It didn't.

IC: (Hari) "Help with what?" Hari asked, Rynekk was right to call attention to Kale's absence, especially since he didn't return above deck with Rynekk. It had been a while, so someone should go check, might as well be her. "No matter, I'll go check on him." The Toa of Plant Life replied cheerily before bounding off. The door leading below decks closing with an unintentional slam. A few minutes were spent below decks looking for the ship's First Mate, Kale Ironshaper. The wood on the ship creaked beneath her footsteps. The sea green Toa, looked around and could swear she saw feet, moving down the ladder she dropped down to see what was going on. Two Toa, one of the Toa was First Mate Ironshaper and the other, the other was a Toa in a robe, standing and talking. She pulled her standard issue knife from its sheath, the blade hadn't seen use yet. Hari seriously hoped it would not come to that. Her other hand pulled the loaded crossbow from it's holster. The blade was pointed down, that arm holding her other one steady as she crept up. "Sir, Rynekk told me you might be down here. Do you need any help?" She said, getting closer. "And who are you?" Nodding her head towards Stendhal. Last time a Toa came onto ship unannounced he attacked Naona. So the young guard was a little nervous. She fidgeted a bit, correcting her footing.

IC: (Alrin) The idea of destroying the morgue rolled around in my mind. My first words were going to be "Absolutely not!" However, how in Karz was I going to cover up Kai's faked death? If I left the place like it was, they would catch onto us. I didn't want to put my people through another problem either, which would be the rebuild of this place. It was also shatter that fragile sense of security again. Everyday it seemed like Ko-Koro had just barely built itself back up, only to be struck down again. I also knew that we'd be dealing with much larger threats than just a few well-placed explosions. If all these awful events were happening, then it seemed like someone was planning something big. The Guard would just slow me down. I rubbed my eyes in frustration and annoyance. Time was short however and I needed to make a decision. "Alright." I whispered. "You and are going to get a few Madu Cabolo along some of the oils we confiscated in storage, today's basically a skeleton crew except for me and a few others. Let's do this fast and get out of here. I moved to the doorway, and gently pushed the door outwards. Looking around in the hallway it was good to see the coast was clear. I motioned for Kai to follow. IC: (Valria) I had been standing there awaiting my answer from Iulius when all of a sudden my eyes were blasted by a brilliant golden light. It took me a few minutes to recover from...whatever that strange occurrence was. When finally my vision seemed to be returning to me, I looked to LoJak and spoke to the obsidian armored Toa of Fire. "Might have been, but what was that?" I asked, moving closer to the entrance. I shrugged, slightly frustrated that blast of light disappeared as quickly as it came. A shame really, because there seemed to a warm, comforting glow. I stood waiting for the rest of my team, I was getting a little antsy, maybe because the more I stood, the more I would reflect. Reflecting, that would open up a whole host of problems I wasn't yet willing to deal with.

IC: (Mehlnai) The Toa of Water nodded. He already created carved out his own home. The primal Toa of Water heaved all the packs of meat and the Muaka had she had managed to skin. She would clean it up and later prepare the hide to create leather armor. Something that would be much easier than moving around in her current metal armor and more quiet as well. Mehlnai didn't say anything instead she started moving, giving the fellow Toa a knowing, friendly nod before continuing on her way.

IC: (Hari) "Hello Rynekk!" A familiar voice called to the Guardsmen. Of course it was Hari, the ever energetic and ever hopeful Toa of Plant Life. While he seemed well, he had disappeared earlier. Hari already chalked that up to a need for rest and recuperate, especially after the death of the Turaga. "How are you holding up?"

IC: (Valria) I smiled back. If the matoran needed rebuilding then we would. I got up from my place on the ground, standing up as straight as I could comfortably, yawning a bit as I stretched out. I couldn't help but smile at the mission I received. I had been granted a purpose, a duty.. Which in the end, wasn't that what I was looking for? Helping the matoran was a part of being a Toa. It was part of our duty to Mata Nui and to ourselves. To help those in need. Maybe too I could actually start accomplishing something and helping people. Instead of being dead weight, like I had been for so long. I looked to the rest of the group from the gunmetal Toa of Magnetism known as Quada to the healer, Sur. There was also Kaiapo, the kind Toa of Earth who had gathered all of us. Finally there was the most recent addition to our group. LoJak, the Toa of Fire who had been helpful, he also gave me something, something probably didn't realize yet. I was already thanking him, silently of course. Then my eyes shifted back to Iulius, who like Kaiapo had this leader-like quality and a pleasant glint in his eyes. "When do we leave for Ko-Koro?" I asked the teal Toa of Sonics.

IC: (Mehlnai) From what she read from the Toa's eyes he had enjoyed the hunt. The edges of her mouth curved slightly before returning to her plain, flat expression she normally had. It was time to skin and gut the big cat. Only a few of its internal organs would serve as food. She plate those aside, wrapping them in the thick paper she had managed to trade for while in Le-Wahi. Her cuts were clean, professional. When she was done, a great deal of meat had been cut away and packaged, she would cook and prepare the rest of the food and clean the fur back at Lake Pala. She took off the infected masks, stepping on them and tossing shards into another bag, she would dispose of these, when she could get to them. The Toa of Water seemed to over-encumbered by the weight she was carrying. "I will be making camp not far from here. Upwind of the smell of the organs and blood she had left behind, some carnivore would wander and devour what she had left. It was best not be nearby when such scavengers appeared. She struggled with the words. "Would you...like to join? Can watch each others' backs during the night." She understood if her fellow hunter did not take her up on the offer. Currently she was weigh the advantages of working with Trizvan. She had respected the Toa and had seen his skill as a hunter for herself. Perhaps it would do her well to visit him often. The sun was setting, only a few more minutes before the jungle had became darker, and even more dangerous than it had during the daytime.

IC: (Atahu) "There is a grace that the night has, that the day lacks. The shadows' embrace is not nearly as cold as some would believe." Atahu smiled and continued on. He had noticed how she did not shrink from his grip, in fact Whira seemed to lean a little more against him. If only it were so easy to snare other women as easily as this he would done an act like this ages ago. Time to be a bolder still. "I do enjoy the park but I'm thinking of a change of scenery. My apartment isn't much farther from where we are. You and I could talk about our mutual interests over a drink or two." He smirked again It was his invitation to her. If she turned it down Atahu didn't seen it as much of a loss, but if she did accept. Then it was clear that she had fallen for him completely. OOC: Apologies, I have been so busy with school and other stuff I haven't had time to really respond to anyone.

IC: (Mehlnai) The Muaka might have been be able to handle one Toa, but these two Toa were like a pair of Kavinika, working together and striking at the great tiger's weaknesses. It was powerful and even quick, but it lacked the natural agility and being larger was a larger target. With its right foreleg stinging with pain, blood pouring from its neck. It was clear that if this fight continued on any longer it would have been unreasonably cruel. She would not allow that, she was a hunter, not a sadist. Her eyes narrowed as she watched it stumble, an opening. The Toa of Water was primed one minute and the next she had already her blade into the side of big cat. Her mask, a Kakama shaped like a Kaukau Nuva had activated, Another strike and the Muaka collapsed to the ground. It weakly swiped a paw at her, blood still pouring from its open wounds, its vision blurring from blood loss. The lacerations were ever deep and blood flowed freely like a river with no dams. She batted the paw away with another slice and climbed up. She said one word to the beast, nothing else. "Aio." Then she lifted her hunting blades high above her head and driving them deep into the tiger's chest. It dug through the fur, killing the great cat instantly. Its paws dropped and the its shoulders slumped. Mehlnai wrenched her hunting blades free, her arms covered in the scarlet blood of the beast. She took a deep breath, sweat dripping down her mask and over her muscled form. She would take a few minutes and get to work. She looked to her fellow hunter. He was clever, and resourceful. He attacked with no mercy as every hunter should. His attacks were quick and brutal, but he was restrained in some way, she could see it in his movements. To her ally she only said three words. "Thank you, Trizvan." The blood-stained Toa got up from the ground as she said this and start moving back towards the Muaka. If she was gone to skin and prepare the beast before night had fallen completely, she would have to work quickly and with the skill that came naturally to the Huntress. OOC: Hmm, I would have assumed that fight wouldn't have gone as quickly. Given however the two Toa attacked the Muaka and how much blood it was losing, it wouldn't have been able to fight competently against two experienced hunters. In case you were wondering Aio means "be calm" in Maori.

IC: (Kino Iho) A figure wearing red leather armor, moved gracefully through the village of fire, how it clung to the being's feminine figure already gave away her gender. Her arms were seemed to be red as well, cloth covering every inch of her skin, mostly due to the rather long gloves she wore. She continued on, straight into the village's busy marketplace. Sharp grey eyes scanning the surroundings from beneath her hood. Beings of all shapes, sizes, and color moved through the bazaar. Vendors arguing with customers, Guardsmen scanning for any signs of actual trouble. Vortixx demonstrating the skill of their craftsmanship to matoran onlookers. She had always loved Ta-Koro, it was brimming with activity and it was warm. For some uncomfortably so, but she had always found a way to appreciate each vista she traveled to. Given that it was midday, she found it slightly more difficult to maneuver through crowd. She had what she was looking for in mind, a mask vendor. The prices of course would be rather extortionate when compared to other villages. However, given that the finest crafters of masks, armor, and weapons lived and worked in Ta-Koro it was usually a fair deal. To those who could afford it. To the Toa of Air, money was of little consequence. She sighed as she noticed the vendor, an old Turaga was standing, explaining to a Ta-matoran child what each mask did if it was powered. Unfortunately it was on the other side of the marketplace. She stifled her own grumbling and continued her trek through the crowds. She would reach the vendor in a few minutes and there would be where her new identity would start.

IC: (Mehlnai) The beast was too far gone, even with the infected mask pulled off it would still be too dangerous, to much of a threat to the ecosystem to be left alive. Her footsteps seemed to be padded as she barely made a sound moving closer to the beast. It's mind was clouded with rage, confusion, and fear. She didn't need to remind herself to be careful. One well placed swipe from a Muaka on an unarmed matoran would gut them, Toa themselves wouldn't fare much better. Her form was low, her shoulders tensed. The mud-covered Toa of Water, unslung her shield silently. She waited for a few seconds, the beast hadn't seen her, it did not smell her and she was lucky for that. Such luck was not be squandered. She snapped her water shield into her two hunting blades and leapt as the Muaka, slashing the beast in its right foreleg, scarlet seeped from the open wound. The massive beast roared and Mehlnai jumped into a roll, out of the way of its sweeping left paw. She spun around, making sure to keep her back to the beast as little as possible. Mehlnai moved in a semi-circle as the Muaka did the same snarling, baring its yellow teeth. Two predators had engaged in their deadly dance. However there was still Trizvan and given that all its focus was on Mehlnai, he would be able to surprise the monster with his own attack. She did not count on it, counting on others, thinking about anything else other than the hunt. That, that would kill you. You had to rely on what you could control and take all the advantages you could. There was no honor in the jungle, just survival.

I'm laughing because Heuani thinks he has already won. Heuani's downfall will be his pride, his hubris. Poor, poor Heuani how incredibly naive of you. Mocking a Toa with nothing to lose is possibly the worst mistake you could ever make, especially when you're right up next to him. All this great roleplaying and tension makes me so giddy!

IC: (Hari) "The more time we spend here the longer they have to start their next attack." Hari chirped. She thought on what was occurring for five seconds before continuing. "I trust Lohkar and I believe he can find these ships. I also believe one of us should go with them to aid though. Would you be okay with that Captain?" The sea green Toa asked, with a slight smile. The Toa of Green was skating thin ice. It wasn't that she didn't trust the Captain, it was that it didn't felt right not having someone there.

IC: (Valria) I already spent a few minutes recovering after my workout with LoJak. Rolling my shoulders and neck I got up from the white ground and looked to Iulius with my arms crossed over each other. The Toa of Sonics was looking for a team of Toa and coincidentally Kaiapo had picked up one from each village? It was strangely coincidental, too coincidental. I awaited his answer to LoJak's question, wondering the same myself. IC: (Alrin) That of course was the issue. Switching around the tags would only throw them off for so long. When they did find out, find out that I had conspired with a known terrorist well...they would be searching all over this island for Kai and I. Still that was ultimately better than the Vortixx escaping on his own. I wouldn't be able to keep him under watch if I simply let him go. We'd both be wanted, but I honestly didn't care about being branded a criminal because I had a higher calling than law. The cold justice of Ko-Koro would strike down these conspirators, these criminals. "At best we can switch the tags. Eventually they'll be able to sort it out and when they do they'll come after us, hard. We're going to have at least be one step ahead of them during our hunt. Currently we don't have much to go on, so if you have any other ideas, they would be appreciated.