Hanako Herupa

IC: (Vera Polzin) A knock, Vera's head turned towards the foyer, ensuring that she looked presentable, clothes straightened with no wrinkles, her mind as sharp as ever. Vera briskly walked to the front door, opening it, a small smile on her face upon seeing the Vortixx who stood at her door. She was tall and physically fit, wearing a coat as black as the deepest mine of Onu-Wahi. In a quick scan by her posture, by her dark green eyes, it was enough to tell her that the calm she portrayed quite expertly wasn't how she actually. The Vortixx was nervous. Vera left it alone though, not her place to comment, no reason to drive away a potential employee. "Hello, my name is Vera Polzin, and you must be Jin. It's a pleasure to meet you." Vera opened the door the rest of the way and stood to the side. "Feel free to grab a seat, and relax in the living room, there are refreshments there if you are hungry and/or thirsty. It look as though your journey here has been an exhausting one. One of the others is around, but he has yet to join us."

IC: (Hari) I giggled when Dorian made the chattering noise, and pushed the burger sticker that Skyra had given him. Wait, Skyra has a sticker collection? HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS? "That's adorable Dorian," I continued to giggle. "Skyra, and Naona might be a little nervous when someone mentions the word "dress" but that's not the only thing we'll be getting. Let me see...there's swimsuits, skirts, blouses, shorts, jeans, and I guess suits...but that's mostly Naona. You should see the bikini Tillian got her Dorian, it's looks really good on her, but I think it's time we got her a new one," I chuckled.

IC: (Braen) "It's warm in here though." I smiled, wrapping my arm around Lana's waist, as I stood beside her. "Is something troubling you, snow seems to be picking up, but that's Ko-Wahi." I chuckled. Ah Lana, I had found in the wreckage of a ship, I won't go into detail, but suffice to say the woman had endured Karazahni. It took me nearly a solid year to nurse the woman back to full health, to be a shoulder to lean on. She didn't want to leave, and it wasn't exactly my intention but she feel for me, her orange eyes are like a fire blazing out of control, but when I look into them, she relaxes, and I can say the same about how I feel her. She still thinks about what happened, I can see it in her eyes, and that kind of trauma, you can't forget it so easily. Luckily I wouldn't be leaving her side any time soon, and she wouldn't be leaving mine.

IC: (Llwellyn Manor, Outside Ko-Koro) Ah Ko-Wahi, some would wonder why my family had build our home in a such a place. It always snowed in Ko-Wahi, the entire place was any icy wasteland, and yet it held its own charms. It was peaceful, when the snow and ice storms settled down. Our house was designed by the best architects of Ko-Koro and Po-Koro, furnished by natives of Le and Ga. Suffice to say my father's work had ensured we could live the most comfortable of lives, even in this dangerous Wahi. See the thing is though every Wahi is dangerous, just like very person is capable of being dangerous, you just have to look behind their face, and see how truly dangerous even the smallest matoran can be. I could have been anything, that's what father told me, an engineer but instead I choose something that irritated him. The study of the mind, and working to treat it, it irritated him because to he was very technical in nature, he cared little for talk of things that had no true practical value in his eyes. To say the least such behavior was irritating for me, he did not understand the power one held in my position, people came to me seeking help for the horrors that ailed them, and I did what any good therapist did. I listened, I helped them understand that being bound up all in fear, hatred, and resentment was just obscuring the true them, and I helped them along. Considering all the problems these people endured, I think it was good that they finally had someone they could talk to, in total confidence. When my parents had died, I inherited their wealth despite father's disappointment in my choice of career, at least I used money, instead of sitting on it though. Only occasionally helping the Cultured Gentry and the people when he truly felt like it. Oh that was a spot I also inherited, his seat in the Cultured Gentry. A position that did have it uses. Smiling, I raised my cup of tea to my face, sipping on it as I looked at the fireplace, watching as the flames danced around. I Braen Llwellyn would change things, how though? How could one man truly change things...well that required some legwork to say the least. Well those talks would begin soon, for now though things were calm, there was no storm yet, but peace never lasted for long on Mata Nui.

IC: Peace. That's what people liked to believe, that on Mata Nui peace was achieved. It wasn't, but people told that lie to themselves anyway. People didn't ask questions anymore, they didn't wonder who was behind the killing of the Turaga, or the destruction of the Turaga. No, they forgot it, because it was comfortable to forget pain, that's what people did. Things were too in time with each other, the Turaga Assassinations were executed almost simultaneously and yet there was no hunt, no real investigation. Then a certain Toa of Iron broke down, shouted names, people who had apparently were the killers. Another Toa of Iron, sat in her library in her manor, just outside Ga, down it's own gravel covered path, the mansion was large, and it's front garden was well tended to, the manor itself constructed of wood and stone, created by the hands of hardworking builders and a man's vision of perfection. Toa Alarick Polzin had done quite a bit of business and soon brought himself up from a beggar to a man who very nearly ruled private shipping across the island, that was until his death, the old Ba-Toa had grown weak, and his adopted daughter, one of his three adopted children took the reigns. That Toa of Iron who sat in the study, her skin a dull grey, wearing a navy blue vest, with a snow white blouse, and a long golden skirt, that stretched about five inches below the knee. Her mask was an Akaku, the Great Mask of Vision, its edges were sharp, high cheekbones that looked almost if someone could cut their palm on them, if they had to the gall to slap her. Behind it her lilac eyes were like those of a hawk, harsh and judging. She sent out three letters to three people of particular skills and disposition (one of them was already working for her), four people who if things were bad as she truly believed, were needed. One of them might even give her a little information about these shadows hiding in the background, just out of sight. She had to await the arrival of her guests before she went about her business, assured that they would come. Why? Vera offered them something other people could not, or would not offer. Vera wasn't an Akiri, a politician who had to care what the public thought. She was a wealthy individual, a baroness, and current owner of the family company, the Polzin Shipping Company. A business whose primary focus was the transportation of goods, mostly private across the island, most of them went by ship, and then by cart. Although Vera was considering brokering a deal to ship things by air, such a thing would cut down massively on time, much more efficient and Vera was all about efficiency. That's the thing peace was efficient, things ran smoothly, the people were happy, and society advanced. However peace now was uneasy, maybe not as precarious as it was before, but there were people who stood in the shadows, making moves, playing the world like it was some kind of game, Vera didn't like that, she liked order, she hated disorder. However she understood that the Koro could only go so far, they could only follow protocol, and such a thing was limiting. If things were going to be done efficiently she'd prefer not answering to anyone but herself, trials, explanations, those could come later. Now though she would wait, Tea freshly prepared along with fruits and pastries. When all parties arrived, the discussion would start.

IC: (Thok, Piraka Beach Party Clubhouse) So I'm late to the party, but honestly this party is duller than the Hakann's soliloquies, he has an awful habit of repeating how he's sadism incarnate, Hakann the Crimson, same thing over and over again. Yeah, yeah Hakann, we've heard this ###### a thousand times before, you really think it impressed anyone of us the first time. I understand he enjoys getting his hands dirty, mostly in the entrails of his victims, but I like to think I'm a little above that, why take a butcher's knife to someone's throat when some other chump can do the work for you. I would have let the others continue with this idiotic scuffle, cause to be honest it didn't even merit the effort of any really effort. These were gnats, something any of us could easily toss aside. Groaning, I lazily pulled myself to my feet and made my way outside, grabbing one of the apples that I stole back when I was in Ta. Taking a bite, I tore right through it's skin, chewing on the tart apple as I made my way to the fight, languidly I looked around, chewing on my apple as I watched my allies do my work for me, however they were slow, and I bore easily. "Alright...listen up, I was getting the rest I awfully need till you ########### decided to attack our vacation spot, really? How rude, tell you what if you leave right now. Turn around and never come back. Never tell anyone about this place and you'll be fine. Or you can stay...and die. To be frank, killing any of you is more effort than I'm willing to put in, but I can make an exception if you keep this ###### up." I growled. IC: (Kino Iho) I leaned forward on Angelus' desk, it was rather adorable how naive he was to how things worked. I looked over into those light blue eyes, with my grey ones, my dark green skin, with the form-fitting black armor I normally wore around. "Tell you what hot stuff, you swing by my place around dusk tonight, I have been in Ta long enough to where the best eats are, there's this steakhouse rumored to have the best Kane-Ra Steaks on Mata Nui." I chuckled. "I'd recommend you buff that armor a bit, although I'm sure they won't mind having Captain Angelus at their establishment. So what do you say, hot stuff?" It was also a good chance to talk with him, the man seemed to hide himself away, like something was nipping at the edges of his mind. Well I could try and get his mind off it, and maybe I'd get my mind off of the mistakes I've made. Bad decisions that I've made. I couldn't but lean further on the desk, eagerly anticipating his response.

IC: (Hari) "It's good to see you again!" I resisted the urge to bear hug Dorian, I could see how tired those eyes looked, how exhausted he felt every day. Inwardly I frowned a bit, and so I tried to explain. "Skyra and I are supposed to go shopping, I kinda crashed into Tillian and her earlier...hehee," I giggled sheepishly, the incident earlier wasn't exactly an old memory.

IC: (Hari) "Alright I'll keep this in mind, maybe this time she'll actually go with me," I smirked, and moved out of the way turning to Krayn. "I'm fine Krayn, if you want to, you can come along with us! Or perhaps you and Tillian could hang out with each other for a bit, while we girls are busy." I replied to him, giddy with the idea of shopping with Naona and Skyra, again I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Unfortunately, this meant I would still be living up to being the ditz of the Sentinels as I bumped into a figure sitting down at his table, with his menu up. Knocking the poor man flat, I landed right on top of him. "Sorry, sorry!" I apologized profusely stopping when I noticed those eyes, those deep azure eyes naturally flirty. I looked downward at his Calix, a face like an angel, with an annoyed pout. No mistake I had landed right on top of Dorian Shaddix. Reasonably he looked rather grumpy, good thing I knew the cure for that! Boop! I tapped him on the mask. "Hello Dorian!" I smiled, before helping the Toa of Iron to his feet. "You remember me right?"

IC: (Hari) Wait! What? "Oh my god, she's ADORABLE!" I squeed so hard that nearly all the customers of the Bright Star Inn groaned. "That's Naona, never thought I'd see her in a skirt. She looks so cute! So you think, you think she'll do it?"

IC: (Hari) "Because Naona hates the idea of shopping and Skyra is still getting used to herself I think. I just wanted to hang out, to have fun together. I'm being too pushy though, that's all I'm ever good for." I said and brushed past her. I didn't feel like talking. If Skyra and Naona didn't want to hang out, fine. They didn't have to hang out. I could do this on my own.

IC: (Hari) "Yeah, Naona is hiding under the bed, Skyra is probably lying on the ground by the sound of it, Tillian is probably trying to smooth things out and Krayn is avoiding this mess." I sighed. "That is how it usually goes and yes I'm her protege."

IC: (Hari) "Yeah, I guess I'm fine. It's just Naona and Skyra, neither of them really want to hang out it seems. Like I'm annoying them. Anyways sorry, this isn't your problem, I shouldn't be bugging you." I sighed and went to move past her.

IC: (Valria) "Yeah, I guess!" I smirked. "So what brings you to Le-Koro?" She seemed very distant, maybe even a little frustrated, but it wasn't something to dwell on. I could dwell and feel frustrated or I could do something. Right now talking sounded good. Maybe I'd go see what Utu was like myself, maybe talk to Cael. That and I wanted to go get some clothes, and weapons, a new mask. Listen if I'm going to start over and get all this out of my life, might as well go all the way. IC: (Hari) "Come on Naona, please!" I begged, I had wanted to do this for the longest time, but there was a point I guess. Where I was becoming too pushy. Perhaps I was being that way now? There it was, she just backed Skyra into a corner. "Fine! I get it!" I huffed, dropping her leg and turning on my heel brushing past Krayn. "Well I can go alone, if you hate it that much." Clearly I was too pushy, I was too annoying. Fine, be like that. I'll just disappear. And disappear I did, by the time Krayn or the others reached the Inn floor I was already out of sight.

IC: (Ripple) "Well I'll keep that in mind, if I cross them again. Yeah, I'm still sorta one of those gals." Ripple chuckled, SHIELD wasn't pulling it's punches anymore, she wasn't completely surprised, she was sure this day would eventually, but now it seemed so sudden. She bought herself and Daken a few more sandwiches. He seemed to be enjoying himself she observed as much with her baby blue eyes. Daken took a bit longer, but soon he was finished and then they were back on the road. With a destination in mind, travel seemed to go a lot quicker, although it took most of the day for her to reach Houston, so by the time they got there it was already nightfall. The drive was pleasant enough, especially with a passenger like Daken, attractive, clever, someone who just had this aura about him. ----- It was nightfall in Houston and Ripple's Ducati rolled to a stop at a red light. Her voice was soft and her eyes were warm as she looked back to Daken. "So where might this bar be?" She smirked from beneath the helmet.

I would be posting as Thok soon, but I would like to know who exactly is attacking our Piraka hideout, basically the whole fight at the Piraka hideout is making very little sense to me, and I'm currently trying to sort through that mess.

IC: (Valria) "You should probably go and find him." I smiled, sometimes it's good to keep up an act, even if it hurts. I wanted to go talk, to try and be a more active member of this team. Truth was, at the moment I'd just get in the way. Agni knew that, I knew that, so I sat down at one of the chairs and waved him off. He needed to clear the air with Dorian, Dorian barely knew me, Tuara, and Cael. Merror as well. If anything I was just a piece of Agni's past, not really much of a help. More of a reminder if anything. I looked to my left and saw a woman, a Toa like me, she looked to be a Toa of Earth, he armor as black as a starless night. She looked as though she had been waiting, waiting a long time, for who I did not know yet. She wore black sunglasses across her eyes, so I couldn't see her eye to eye. I was bored, what else was I to do? "Hello! You look like you're waiting for someone. I am as well. He's gotta resolve some things, and I guess I'll be seeing the rest of them later," I smirked. IC: (Hari) "Actually I swung into your room by accident! Swung a little too fast on the vines, didn't want where I was going and then bam you're on the floor and I'm on Tillian, and Naona and Krayn are at the door." I giggle, so many of my friends here! How positively exciting! However I heard the word "shop" and an almost devilish chuckle escaped from my lips. I saw Naona dart underneath the bed, her feet still sticking out as she tried to hide from me. "Aww, Naona you have to go! It wouldn't be the same without you!" I reached for her legs and started pulling. Like it or not, Naona was coming with me as was Skyra and probably the guys as well. We could have so much fun today! Perhaps even go get a bite to eat together!

IC: (Hari) I realized just now that I was straddling Tillian's chest and that Naona was fuming, and that Skyra was still recovering and I was lying on top of my Commander. I turned to see Krayn standing there as well and I quickly tried to get off of Tillian, falling backwards as I stumbled, twisting about and landing on the ground, all tied up in blankets and sheets. "That is what it looked like!" I bemoaned, I swear this happens far too often, and it's soooooo embarassing! I mean can't a girl catch a break, everyone is always there to witness my shortcomings. I was never going to stop looking like the total ditz everyone thought I was.

IC: (Hari) Hi! My name is Hari Korari, Corporal in the Po-Koro Sentinels, currently swinging through the Le-Wahi forest with Lieutenant Naona, my mentor and one of my best friends ever, right up there with Skyra, whose is such a cutie now that she's a girl! She desperately avoids me at times though. I think it has something to do with the word "shop". I don't know why, what's so scary about shops? Oh sorry about that, I go on tagents....like a lot. Anyways I was there swinging through the trees at an ever increasing speed, quickly making my way back towards Le-Koro. I love Le-Koro, it's so fun, you have such a variety of people, I mean you get in that in any village, but Le is just so swingin' so lively! Two of the coolest people ever and my handsome boyfriend live in Le. The Commander, Tillian left Po-Koro when Hewkii took power and started being a total meany and ######-face, he went with Skyra who is a girl now, and his girlfriend. Those two are so adorable, but Tillian has been sleepy of late, Skyra complains about tons. Oh oh, looks like I've become too distracted! I was sailing towards a house that looked awfully, familiar and I let go of the vine as I went sailing forward, flying through the air and tucking myself to make myself smaller as I sailed right through the window and into someone, knocking them flat. After gaining my bearings I looked down, sitting right on top of my older Commander, Tillian Juturna, and one of my best friends (he's also kinda cute, but don't tell anyone that). "Tillian! Oh I'm sooo sorry!" I said, getting off of him, and pulling the poor Toa of Gravity to his feet. IC: (Valria) "Hello Merror. Everyone is fine, although Utu is currently under medical watch, Cael is with him, and so is another doctor. Dorian and Tuara are here in Le, but we don't know what they're doing. Considering all that has happened they're probably taking the time to cool off." I paused for a second, frowning, but Agni had been really helpful in catching me up on all that had happened. Considering what he had been through, it was best to leave some things out, mainly so Merror didn't stalk off and give Dorian a tongue lashing for temporarily killing Utu or chasing down Stannis wherever he may be. I sighed, taking a breath after giving Merror the short version of all that had happened while he was gone. "Anyways let's get you healed up as much as we can here, we're going to need to sit down and talk later, about what happened and where we go from here." Agni was exhausted, a man that be dealing with a lot, suffering a lot, and you know what, this wasn't about me, and my problems, I might have barely met this people, barely got to know them, but they are my friends in a way, Agni is something...more to me. So at least once I could take the reigns, make things less difficult for him, taking some of the weight off that poor man's shoulders, and maybe, maybe I'd get to see him really smile at some point, when he wasn't surrounded by so much trial and tragedy. I'm not the old Valria who sits on her hands while people suffer, I'm not going to be weak, I am strong, I am a Toa, and I am Valria. I was broken once, but not anymore. I can't be broken, and I refuse to be. It was time to stop letting things happen to me and start making things happen. First thing, was ensuring this team stayed whole and healthy. Our work wasn't finished.

IC: (Hanako) "You are not friendless Desdemona. If you would have me Desdemona, I would like to help you," Hanako sighed, and then smiled. Desde was biologically Yumiwa's little sister, but to Hanako she felt like a younger sibling. She didn't really like how the Royal Family kept the poor girl cooped up in the palace, her elder sister treating her as some kind of monster. It reminded her of her elder brother, who always seemed to be bitter around her, it was not something she was comfortable with, and while she loved visiting her family when she could, especially her mother, her brother had a gaze like ice, it chilled her to the bone. "Whatever you need me for, Desdemona, I am yours."

IC: (Valria) "Sorry." I whispered as I walked along with Agni. Of course I had to go and be a problem for him. I don't think the others cared much, not that they should have. Wasn't really good for much. Because if I was actually a good person, I wanted to go to Agni because I missed him, because he was there for me, but I was never there for him. I was needy and useless but I could try to be better, and maybe one day I'd actually be. I don't know but Agni and these people, they deserve something better than deadweight. I stopped Agni, and hugged him, tighter than I ever had before we reached the morgue. "I'm sorry Agni. I shouldn't have broken down like that on you. I'm going to be better, I promise." I smirked, and let go so we could continue on our way. I didn't know if he wanted to talk, frankly we were too busy to talk about well...anything. It was one hundred miles a minute, and I hadn't been helping in the slightest. It was time to be better than that, the question was how? IC: (Hari) "Sure thing!" Hari replied, her torquoise eyes turning to her mentor, all around Naona's protege flower petals spun around before settling on the ground at her feet. She whistled like a person would for their god and a vine unfurled and wrapped around Hari's arm and pulled her upwards so she was eye level with Naona, giggling she spoke again. "I love Le-Wahi Naona, it's so full of life! I was thinking of swinging back into Le on these, what about you? I can get them to behave if you want." She beamed, Hari's grin was wide and friendly, and despite all the grief that had plagued this island she remained positive and optimistic. It was really no wonder why she made friends so easily, especially here in Le-Koro. More than a couple of Le-Koro natives had tried to convince her to move, and honestly it was very tempting. The idea of being closer to her Krayn, as well being surrounded by all this plant life and energy. It was the kind of place she was meant to be, but she also loved Po, it was home to many of her friends and co-workers. Either way training with Naona was working out well than it had been before. Although Naona scolded her her to Karzahni and back for her display at the destroyed Juturna estate, swearing she'd kill her protege if she died on her. Hari of course met it with those happy eyes and that infectious giggle. No one could stay mad at Hari for long.

IC: (Kino Iho) I giggled a bit, and got up, walking over to him and placing both hands on his desk leaning forward with a smile. "Very funny but I know you've been in Ta longer than I. I figured we could talk, get to know each other better. I mean it seems we'll be working together for a while," I smirked. "Is there any cases I could take to less your workload Captain?"

IC: Honestly I’m not much of a writer, that’s my lady’s territory. Who is the lady I serve? Yumiwa the Chojo, Daughter of Yusanora Umbraline, and heir to the Dasaka Empire. Who am I then? I’m her handmaiden, her advisor, a guard, and I’m also her best friend and she is mine. I am Hanako the Blue Rose, daughter of Eshiwa Herupa, and Handmaiden to Yumiwa. It’s rather strange, I would have never expected myself to be in the company of royalty but here I am serving the Crown Princess of the Imperial Royal family. Zuto Nui has a plan for all of us, and mine was to be in service to Crown Princess Yumiwa. My Yumi is...she’s driven, beautiful, and caring...and...when the time comes she will be the best Rora the Kentoku Archipelago has ever seen. When I hear those words of dissent I wish to stomp on the throats of those who would dare speak against my Yumiwa. I get really worked up about that, my mother taught me to control my rage, to control my passion but it is taxing. It’s hard when you can feel the pressure building up underneath like a volcano ready to explode but I take a few deep breaths and focus. I read a book, I practice with my instruments, and sometimes when my lady feels up to it, I listen to her poems those always put me at ease. She has such a talent for their creation. They are such beautiful little things, a small arrangement of words tied together by Yumi’s pen and her tongue. At times Yumiwa has asked me to play for her, she enjoys music, in fact she enjoys all the arts. Though her talents lie in the spoken and written word, I be though if she put her mind to it she could be an accomplished musician. However a future Rora cannot spend too much time on the arts when she needs to learn how to run an empire. She’s my Chojo and I her handmaiden and I will serve Yumiwa to my last breath. I was approaching my coming of age when I had been chosen by her. My mother, Eshiwa had always been proud of me, something I believe my eldest sibling did not like. My eldest brother, Jiyu was more of a matter of pride in herself, for bringing another male into our world. I do not envy our males for despite their training, they are still trophies. Many of our kind wants a husband, but few will earn the right to have one. Anyways I digress, I had been chosen, not by some other minor clan, not by the Fursic, or even the Dastana! No! I was chosen by Yumiwa herself. Future Rora of the Dasaka people. My mother had been hoping of this day ever since she and the others of my clan saw the potential within me. They took my fiery passion and molded it, focusing it, for I was a Herupa and Herupa are always in control of themselves, for it is expected of us. I was taught to focus my energy in my training, finding my strength in hand to hand combat, in quick powerful strikes as well as my natural affinity with the Sighteye discipline. I was taught a berth of knowledge, mostly focused on politics and philosophy. I rose well above the standards of the average Herupa and my mother’s pride for me swelled. She had noticed my interesting in music. I remember the day she rewarded me with my own violin. It was one of the happiest days of my life. “How’s my little Hanako?” She chuckled, rubbing my head. “I’m not little!” I steamed, even though my mother was quite right. I was only about as tall as her waist at the time. “Right.” She laughed again, patting my head as she towered over me. My face grew even redder but she leaned down, taking a wrapped object from one of our servants with that cheery smirk she always had back then. “You’ve been doing very well, Hanako. I wanted to get my little girl a present for so much hardwork.” She handed me the case and I took it. “Go on, my daughter. Open it!” She said, clasping her hands to her face as I popped open the case and inside laid one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. A violin and a bow, both made of the finest wood my mother could afford. Normally we try to restrain our emotions in the Herupa clan, but a few times we could let our guard down and just be people, it was nice. It was so surreal, running my hands over the lacquered wood. “So you do like it?” She chuckled, squeezing me tight in a hug that surprised me. She already knew the answer. “I love it, thank you mother, thank you!” I replied, doing my best to hug her with equal force. I saw my eldest brother Jiyu hanging at the edge of the room, his eyes narrowed before he turned and left. “Good, good, think you can take more lessons alongside what you’re currently learning?” An inquisitive expression marking my mother’s face. “Of course mother, I’m a Herupa!” I shook myself out of the memory, and walked over to the chair, where a stand with a new book of music awaited me, a courtesy offered to me by Inokio. One of people I respected greatly. I opened the case, already knowing that my favored instrument awaited me inside. I lifted it up, placing it against my collarbone as I rest my chin on it, closing my eyes as I tuned the instruments, instinctively knowing how it needed to be. I opened my eyes and opened the book, My golden eyes looked over the notes and I set my fingers into position on the neck of the violin and then I drew the bow in front of the bridge and against the strings. I started playing. I would thank Inokio when he returned with Yumi. This was going to be a great day, I could feel it. OOC: Just for reference the song Hanako would be playing on the violin is “Now We Are Free” from Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrad for the Gladiator Soundtrack, although I see this as the cover done by Taylor Davis.

IC: (Kino Iho) "How about we start small, grab a bite to eat together, perhaps dinner? Talk for a bit and see where it goes from there?" I smiled, sitting up. "That's what most people do right?" I don't honestly remember the last time I seriously asked someone out, then again I was trying to create a cult for a while there, among other less than scrupulous things. There was something I noticed about Angelus, something that was tugging at the edge of his mind, I heard bits and pieces about him and the previous deputy, back when Joske was around. I think they were together and at some point, something happened. She met a Toa named Dorian and Angelus was left wandering like an unwanted pup. Maybe I just saw someone else who felt as hopelessly lonely as I did.

IC: (Valria) I'm getting the feeling I don't belong here, maybe I should have stayed in Ko. Maybe I should have died in Xa-Koro, had that anchor drag me into the depths and drown me, make me suffer along the way. Suffer for being so weak, not strong enough, never strong enough. Not strong to stop Echelon, he got away, he got away because of me. Just like Telric, Telric got away, killed Mef, my fault, always my fault. What the ###### is wrong with me? I should have been strong enough to fight him off, keep him away, keep him away. Friends dead, people lost because of me, because I wasn't strong enough. My friends...suffered because I was weak, I hear their screams you know? Every night I sleep I hear them screaming, begging, pleading. Some of them died, some of them lived, and the ones who lived, what happened to them...I don't want to think about it but I do. I heard their cries, the bargaining they made as they asked him to stop. And I sat there, huddled in a room crying as they endured so much pain, so much loss. And then I feel them, the hands on me, the dirty hands and I shudder and squirm, as if attacked by some unseen force. Agni looks at me, confused and worried. He doesn't hear what I'm hearing, feel what I'm feeling, good he doesn't know this icky feeling, this ugly feeling, like a stain I can't wash off. It makes me ugly, I'm ugly, that's obvious though, the scars, I'll be ugly forever. I pull away from Agni. Barely thinking, find janitor's closet, lock door, curl up and sob. Try to think of happier things but all I can see is his face, all I can hear is my screams, all I can feel is his hands. I'm not strong to fight, never was, never will be. Why can't I be strong like Tuara, like Cael, like Agni and Dorian? "Because you're inherently weak Valria." An angry voice spits at me, I know that voice, I know that tone, always there, reminding me why I shouldn't exist. Why I should suffer. Why should I suffer because... I'm weak. I'm weak. I'm weak. I'm weak. I'm scared.