BZPRPG - Kentoku Archipelago

[Mel]

[imperial Palace, Dragon Room]

 

I chuckled. “Oh come on, Arsix, that was weak.”

 

Despite the Dastana’s noble opinion, I am not in fact stupid, or the least bit unobservant, and yes I did see that little glance that she snuck in her cocky brother’s direction. For a moment, I wondered if my malicious suggestion had also been closer to the mark than I first realized. The Dastana first son was clearly gunning for the Princess now, though I don’t imagine he would have any more luck with her than Kuno, whatever his advantages when it came to sweet talking. If there’s one thing Fursics and Umbralines share, it’s mutual disrespect for anyone who’s blood isn’t noble enough to forge weapons out of.

 

“Still,” I said, “the Rora’s will has little consideration for--”

 

It hit me like a sledgehammer, so much hate, and pain--I suddenly was being stuck by blows I know I never felt. When it passed, I found myself blinking back tears. I knew what it was--it was something I had done many times myself. Mother dear called them my “tantrums,” but they were more than that...it was something that only a willhammer could release.

 

I looked around, but my head was ringing so much from the vision that I couldn’t pinpoint the person it was coming from. But I knew mother and probably at least two of my sisters would. The weren’t as sensitive to psychic energy as I was, but they were better at stuffing their own emotions down so they could hone in on their prey like vultures. My clan is famously paranoid, and they don’t like people anywhere around their stupid dye, or the minds of the people who happened to tend to that dye.

Someone was in going to be in trouble.

[Palm]

[imperial Palace, Dragon Room]

 

IC: Dastana Arsix - The Dragon Room

 

Arsix might have chuckled with the Daijuna over the Rora but she - like Shuuan - felt the same pain. There was a short and sharp burst of fire and iron to her temples. She flinched and tilted her head slightly. Arsix's repressed fears over the danger of her outfit suddenly filled out onto her face. She cursed silently, thinking herself stupid to think that the sudden strike of pain was meant to harm her specifically. Arsix's expression quickly snapped back to her rehearsed state. She straightened up, not quite as sensitive to the mental plane as Shuuan. But still there was lingering power, leaving a hard dull hurt behind her forehead. It reflected in the famous blue of her eyes.

 

Arsix looked around the room hoping to see the disturber but without any success. She saw only Dasaka recovering from the pain, "Daijuna Shuuan, there is some good news," Arsix said, looking to the Daijuna, speaking with clear contempt for the Willhammer that fired off such a loud noise, "There has to be at least one person here who is infinitely dumber than you."

[Relapse]

IC: (Lhurai)

 

I dropped my glass. Shards of the crystalline object exploded across the floor at the same velocity which the psychoauditory scream had hit me. Glass was all over the ground. Worse, wine had spilled onto my cloak, reddish-purple stains dotting the euchre fabric. My head throbbed. I rubbed my temples, hoping to wish away the pain in my head. Whoever had done this, I decided, would pay, swiftly and severely. As I examined the nearby area, I realized that I was not the only one to feel this disturbance- many others were experiencing similar effects. I released a mental "scan" rather aggressively, a tweak of Ideatalk. I psychoanalyzed various sources until I located the epicenter of the blast. "You'll have to excuse me," I told Higashi, "I have business to attend to." With that, I started towards the source. This led my out of the ballroom, away from the party, which kind of made me want to let it go.

 

And then I saw him. A broken man with a broken ego. I felt sorry for the big guy. With this thought, I threw my ruined cloak off and into the dirt, returning to the party.

 

(Rano)

 

Somewhere near this, the Eiyu Dasaka had finished her fishing trip, returning to the island of Sado, where the ball had continued. There was little to do on the island that most would consider fun. And so, dusting herself off, she was whisked away by the Sado marketplace.

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

Desdemona's eyes shone.

 

In the space of a few moments, a Dastana had disappeared and a Plangori had taken his place; the princess marked this mentally with her typical diligence. The Dastana had made a beeline for her sister, Des registered mentally, and in turn the Plangori was making a beeline for her (She'd been talking to Yumi -- was she seeking patronage or just casual conversation?) when the mental screech rang out. Soraya, Arsix Dastana, First Sons and Toroshu and waiters alike, doubled over in agony, but in Desdemona's head, a hurricane roared up to defend her mind's sanctity. So fierce was Des' psionic ability that her barrier touched a few minds closest to her - Soraya, a couple waiters who had been trying all night to foist the wine on her now that her sister was no longer buying, the Menti from the rooftops (whom she understood had been the topic of one of Yumi's little victory asides to the Plangori if her web was doing their job) - so that they were spared the worst of the shriek.

 

As she wasn't affected, Desde had no real idea of when the Willhammer barrage had ended; slowly, reluctantly, she let her guard down by inches and found none of the dull, throbbing pain that was leftover from those who had been stranded on the mental plane. She took a deep breath to calm her heartbeat, made a fist and unclenched it, and then grabbed a flute of wine to calm her nerves. Nothing. It was nothing, Des. Yumi's fine, the guests are fine, it wasn't you you didn't do it...

 

By the time she'd stopped thinking, the flute was dry.

 

-Tyler

Edited June 11, 2014 by Plank Sinatra

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: Jiyu's psionic scream affected me just as much, if not more, as it did any other Dasaka worth a pinch of salt. "You hear that?" I asked Jasik with a sort of laisser aller nonchalance—what was done was done. "That is what forgiveness sounds like: Screaming and then silence."

 

My goddess, my words flow freely tonight. I cut a piece of steak off and chewed it while staring at Kuno's distant, bobbling head and pretended I was masticating it.

[Constructelf]

IC Seiryu

"... If you would excuse me, I have some accounting to attend to. Fare thee well, Toroshu-WHAT THE ?!"

 

Mental assaults were Seiryu's greatest fear. He lived in terror and in hatred of masterful Willhammers for their ability to breach one's mental defenses and sway others to their will. So when the psionic scream shook the room, Seiryu immediately went into combat mode, gripping his briefcase like a ball and chain while struggling to grab the nearest utensil. This particular Willhammer wasn't very subtle, but the sheer volume of this attack was overwhelming. "Guh... CEASE AND DESIST AT ONCE!!!" he yelled both out loud and over Ideatalk.

 

But it was already done. The scream had ended. The presence in his mind had subsided, and Seiryu's composure returned. But Seiryu's suspicions did not susbside. "Could this have been only a diversion? Is this a preview of something worse to come? Was this an accident or an intentional, malicious act? Who. Did. It?" Slowly, he picked up the crystal chopstick he had been reaching for, and departed from the Toroshus' company. "I'm going hunting."

Edited June 12, 2014 by Last Son Amakusa

[Nuju Metru]

IC:

The evening had gone, so far, about as well as Nihi had expected it to go: poorly.

 

Admittedly, there’d been many mutters upon Nihi’s entrance. Her Markets infamy was, for the most part, disguised beneath her plumed mask, so Nihi was forced to conclude that it was her dress that attracted the attention. The garment was a work of superior craft, and Nihi was glad she wasn’t the only one who though so; she’d stared in awe at her own reflection for minutes before she’d left for the party, and watching other eyes do the same relieved a little of her private embarrassment. But aside from murmured remarks at her descent, and not-so-subtle pointer fingers as she meandered about the Dragon Hall, Nihi went more or less ignored.

 

She found that, once she’d descended into the party, nobody considered her important enough to talk to. Though she was dressed like them – better than many, she noted with both satisfaction and shame – and carried a flute of wine – untouched, Nihi didn’t dare drink – like them, Nihi was treated to as many remarks as the Dashi Shadows that waited on the guests. None of the extravagantly outfitted nobles whose elbows she brushed as she made her way aimlessly around the hall approached her; nobody called out her name. She could (and did) stand silently at the fringe of conversational circles and not be addressed once. Nihi wondered what betrayed her. What gave her away as of inferior class? Was it the way she stood?

 

The Dragon Hall’s ornate decoration, elaborate and intricate though it was, could only interest her for so long, and that time had long since passed. Conversation being nonviable, Nihi resigned herself to standing in a corner and watching the other guests, making a boring game of trying to read their status and clan by their body language and costumes. It would have been more fun if she’d had someone to speculate with, and not for the first time that evening, Nihi longed for Nachi’s company, as it’d once been. She tried her best to quell the impossible hope as soon as it arose.

 

While surveying the crowd, Nihi found two figures she recognized across the room: Kuno and his servant. Nihi was surprised that she hadn’t spotted the Fursic first son earlier: even she knew that his black garment was controversial in this setting. The servant wore pink-orange, and as Nihi squinted from afar at the detail of the subtle mask, the servant twisted her head and looked directly back at Nihi. They held eye contact for a few moments; then the servant turned haughtily away. Nihi had gotten the distinct impression when they’d first met that the servant didn’t like her; the cool glare Nihi had just received only solidified her impression. The servant bent into her master and spoke in his ear, and Kuno nodded, looking up. Nihi was sure to avert her eyes this time.

 

Unexpectedly, Nihi felt her mind immediately assaulted by something awful, a high-pitched scream. Vainly, she clapped hands over her ears; but, oddly, the mental shriek diminished to nothing at the same instant. Experimentally, Nihi lifted one of her hands, and found – as she’d expected – that it hadn’t been her hands that had blocked out the noise; and yet, before her eyes, other partiers winced and bent double, as if still afflicted by the sound. That was strange indeed. Nihi looked about for the source of her salvation, and while this wasn’t readily apparent to her, she did notice another familiar face quite nearby: Soraya, the garment-maker. Just like Nihi, and unlike the pained-looking guests in the distance, Soraya seemed curiously unaffected by the mental caterwauling.

 

Nihi, both curious about what had just happened and relieved to see a friendly face, followed Soraya as she rapidly approached a purple-wearing Dasaka who Nihi didn’t know.

[EmperorWhenua]

IC:

Nobody was expecting her to make an appearance. As far as everyone was aware there were only going to be two imperials present at the party, the gracious Chōjo Yumiwa and Princess Desdemona, so when her name was called out the surprise was extremely visible.

 

The musical performance was suddenly interrupted and stopped as cacophony of trumpets heralded her approach and a company of the empire's great warriors filed in ahead. The announcer paused to collect her voice before bellowing out to the audience a title she hadn't anticipated making that night. "Her Imperial Majesty the Rora, Yusanora!" Instantly all eyes flew to the entrance archways and the comparatively diminutive but glamorously adorned empress. She had no costume, but nobody mentioned it—the soverign had no need for pretending.

 

Yusanora beamed as she surveyed the dozens of nobles, many of which she had personally worked on projects or met behind closed doors with, and stepped deeper into the crowd. With a single hand gesture she alleviated the need for reverence, adding, "It's a soiree, everyone—revel in it!"

 

...

 

Honestly, not even I thought Mom would be stopping by. She knew of the affair, of course, but in our brief psionic conversation concerning it she said she would be very busy that day, something about meeting with a committee and working some deets out with a team of Roku architects. This tarriance was a pleasant surprise, especially for me.

 

It was extremely fortunate that Zafin had taken to nursing me to sobriety when she did. Dumping carbs into my stomach did wonders to restore my levelheadedness, and though I was still clumsier and number to my surroundings I was nevertheless capable of standing on my own and speaking with a good degree of dignity. I felt this was sufficient to present myself to my mom as she strode into the Dragon Hall's floor and I descended the many steps in the side passage to greet her.

 

Particularly bootlicking nobles with no shame in their sepia noses descended like a pack of dogs to meet the rora, though all they did was greatly prolong her amble as we were drawn together like magnets. Most people stepped aside for me, though, so I was decisively quicker in my approach (despite almost tripping over nothing in one instance) and I felt like I was floating towards Mom, though whether this was a product of my elation at seeing her or the inebriation I yet suffered I can't be fore sure. It didn't matter, though: Mom was there and I was happy.

 

...

 

The Rora performed as an empress for a moment, greeting and mixing with the various toroshu and underlings who clamored for her attention for a moment, yet at the sight of her daughter's advent the guise dropped and she instantly reverted to Yusanora, a mother. "Yumiwa!" she jubilantly blurted, broadly smiling to mirror her heir's expression as they joined and embraced.

 

The princess had to kneel to give the hug but, as it always was for Yumiwa, the surroundings had no effect on the display of affection with her august parent. "Mother! Thank you for finding the time to come!"

 

"Did you doubt me?" she asked, coyly smirking as she turned her hear to a slight angle. "I heard there would be fireworks. You know I can't miss a solid pyrotechnic display!"

 

"Yup! You arrived at a perfect time; it should be happening within the next ten minutes or so."

 

"I know, and I eagerly anticipate them. And, speaking of perfect, you look utterly resplendent tonight," she crooned, approving the homage of the dress with a wink. "My little dragon.

 

"Awh, thank you!" Yumiwa said, blossoming.

 

"Now go back and host your party. I'm just a guest, Yumi, leave me to socialize among the others."

 

The Chōjo was tripping on ecstasy once she turned away and returned to the sea of faces and to her dais while Yusanora was once again surrounded by courtiers. As befitting a ruler with centuries of experience at charming and entertaining the nobility, she magnanimously regaled their eager ears with yarns and stories, all while wearing a wizened smile and humble eyes and balancing a glass of wine with the steadiness of a rocking bird's head.

 

Social events such as those were in her job description, and she whiled away the moments until the fireworks would be announced.

Edited June 11, 2014 by Crown Princess Yumiwa

[Relapse]

IC: (Lhurai)

 

I had resigned myself to enjoying the rest of a rather enjoyable event. This, however, quickly became an unrealistic hope, as I ran into a particularly well-dressed fellow guest (whose name I did not know was Nihi) and nearly trampled the poor girl. I guess my concentration was still effected for the worse after the scream. Either way, I had nearly just tackled a fellow guest.

 

"My apologies!" I said quickly, "really should watch where I'm going."

[GSR]

IC: Soraya [imperial Palace, Dragon Room]

 

Several things happened at once, or at least close enough that nobody was going to argue semantics about it.

 

She opened her mouth to call out to the Chōjo's sister-

 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nihi approaching-

 

A scream, throbbing in pain, split her mind in two-

 

The scream vanished, replaced by a quiet buzz that somehow reminded her of Yumiwa's intrusion-

 

She tripped over her own feet and sent herself sprawling across the floor.

 

"What the eff-"

 

It was probably for the best that Yusanora made her grand entrance at that moment, as it had the lucky side effect of distracting everyone from the stream of profanity that came flying out of the Plangori's mouth fast enough to make its own shock wave.

 

Still grumbling, she pulled herself to feet just in time to hear a crash; her head snapped around to see another guest frantically apologizing to Nihi. She flashed the Dasaka a weak smile that hopefully conveyed been that kind of night for you too, huh? but probably got drowned out by the underlying I am ten seconds away from committing some kind of murder if this keeps up.

 

Desdemona had already downed a flute of wine by the time Soraya got to her, looking more than a bit shaken herself, which was probably for the best - if she'd been wearing one of those patented imperial smug grins Soraya might have physically grabbed her by the collar. As it was-

 

"Hey!" she called over the din as she approached. "You! Desde! We gotta talk. About her." And maybe about what in Zuto Nui's name that scream was, but a bit more Willhammer craziness was not going to be enough to distract her from what she was there for - sorry, Mr. Screamer.

Edited June 11, 2014 by GSR

[25K Now!]

IC: Noshima

 

"Unexpected," stated Noshima, her mind still ringing.

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Hanako)

 

Standing at the epicenter of Jiyu explosive mental release had caused a pain I had never felt in my life, I crumpled to the ground as the mental current charged through my mind. As much I tried I couldn't help but let out a yelp of pain and surprise. A few minutes had passed and I felt numb, empty. I struggled to my feet uneasily, Jiyu's outburst had dulled my senses. "Brother I think it you should return home to rest. I wasn't the only person struck by your pain, some people might be angry about it."

 

It was time for my brother to leave, time for him to recover. I needed to recover too, there was a lot of grief, a lot of problems that needed to be dealt with. Besides Yumi being happy about her party going well, this party had been nothing but grief. I was glad to see my brother, but immensely frustrated to see him so hurt and broken and how casually Yumi had done it.

[AuRon the champion]

Ic:

 

"Home..." He said wearily, slowly rising to his feat as the giant stood once more. His gaze settled upon Oki, eyes narrowing as he turned back to utter, "thank you, for being here... Hanako."

 

And with that, he began to slowly stride back to the herupa compound.

[Relapse]

IC: (Rano)

 

Coincidentally, Rano saw Jiyu soon after she came ashore. The Eiyu Menti ran up to him, looking up to see his face.

 

"...did you party too hard or something?"

[AuRon the champion]

Ic:

 

"I wish."

[Relapse]

IC: (Rano)

 

"Do tell," she said, somewhat worried.

[AuRon the champion]

Ic:

 

"Nothing too major," he said, the angry sarcasm thick enough to cut with a soulsword, "just had my dream crushed."

Edited June 12, 2014 by First Son Jiyu

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Hanako)

 

I returned to the party, dipping another glass into the wine fountain, and did my best to try and not down the whole thing in one gulp. Another followed, I couldn't really focus or think straight anymore. Not after everything that happened, to be honest I just wanted to return to my chambers for the night. Yumi would know though, I didn't feel like mingling, or talking. I got another glass of wine, I felt a little more woozy after this one, it helped to numb my mind to all the bad things that had happened tonight.

 

OOC: Hanako open for interaction.

[Relapse]

IC: (Rano)

 

Rano deliberately stepped in front of him, looking him in the eye.

 

"What happened?"

[AuRon the champion]

Ic:

 

"I aspired to become toroshu. And I cannot."

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"Well, happens to the best of us, I suppose," I said. "But I suppose you're not too old to contemplate joining this expedition to 'Mata Nui', or so they call it. Chance of a lifetime, way I hear it."

 

-Void

[Relapse]

IC: (Rano)

 

"You're still the First Son. Besides, you can't expect them to instantly accept you as a Toroshu. It's never been done before."

[AuRon the champion]

Ic:

 

"True... But I was not answered with logical reasoning, but with dogma."

[Vezok's Friend]

IC (Commodore Ayiwah):

 

Despite the casual atmosphere and music that had dominated the party until a few minutes ago, Commodore Ayiwah now felt like she was back on the bridge of her ship again. From the dais that started to feel like a command post, she had a good overwatch of everything that was going on during and after the mental scream of agony - which had been unexpected and made her flinch, but nothing more; she was used to such mental outbursts by now - Zuto knew she had heard and lived through enough of them in the past.

 

Just like in a battle, her senses picked up on on all the details of the action around her: the few glasses that had slipped in surprise and shattered, somebody bumping into Nihi, Soraya stumbling over her own feet. Princess Desdemona with her empty flute of wine, Yumiwa still on her own special seat - and then came the Rora. That was something none of the attendants had expected. Ayiwah could count the number of times she had been in the presence of the ruler herself with barely more than the fingers on one hand.

 

What her fanfare and entrance did do though was to reset the mood. It was not often that she showed herself this public and by a Rora's standards, casually. So seeing her in an almost jolly mood did wonders to make those not immediately dealing with the mental shout forget about that nasty business, at least for the moment. It took the tension out of the situation while the eyes were on Yusanora. Ayiwah made a mental note to either find her during the course of the party and thank her personally for the naming suggestion for the submersible, or to write her a letter later.

 

It was then that the commodore noticed somebody else making their way through the crowd. The Menti was not in costume and had not been announced by the guards - what she did wear though, was a naval uniform. It was rather plain. Blue cloth, mostly crystal armor, very little metal and a midshipwoman's insignia. She skillfully navigated the crowd, sidestepping nobles left and right and making as little an impression as possible, until she had made her way upstairs. Ayiwah excused herself from the conversation between Morie and Inokio and walked to meet the officer at the top of the stairs.

 

The Menti bowed her head respectfully, but skipped the salute since the commodore was not in uniform.

 

"What is it?" Ayiwah asked.

 

"We've completed your assignment." the Menti said, reaching into her uniform and producing a few folded pages of parchment, handing her to the commodore. "We sent out recruiters to put an ear on the ground and to talk to suitable and willing Dasaka. As assigned, we compiled a list of dossiers for you to choose expedition members from." the Menti said, explaining the obvious, though in this case it served to confirm no mistake in the execution of the task had been made."

 

"How many did you gather?" the commodore demanded.

 

"Twenty-one."

 

"Very good. I shall take care of this immediately. Relax for I while, this won't take long.."

 

The Menti bowed again, and turned, making her way back into the crowd. In the meantime, Ayiwah returned to her seat on the dais. She poured herself another drink from the bottle on the table and started to go over the dossiers. It took her a little while to go over them all, but in the end, she had singled out eight names from the list. With a quick message sent via ideatalk, she summoned the officer back to her.

 

"Do you have a pen on you? I would have brought mine but there is no room on this outfit to put it anywhere it doesn't poke unpleasant places." Ayiwah asked, slightly less formal than usual. That was probably the drink talking as she started to feel a slight effect.

 

"Of course, ma'am." the Menti replied, producing a stylus from her pocket. Ayiwah quickly went through the list and circled the names she wanted along for the journey to Mata Nui.

 

"Ageru Dakte, Dastana Akimoto, Dastana Daijuno, Eiyu Gaia, Eiyu Rano, Fursic Ahrusa, Mamoru Moeru, Kyoshi Asa - contact them and inform them of the choice. I assume you will find some of them in this very hall already. Actually, confirm with the guards at the entrance who is in attendance and who is not and just contact those that are not currently present."

 

"Yes ma'am, understood."

 

"Good. I will handle the rest...personally. Dismissed." Ayiwah said. She watched the Menti depart before making her way back over to where Tazera was sitting.

 

"I did not think tonight would turn into a work-night. Guess even I'm wrong every now and then. I guess it is time we went down and did a little mingling of our own - unless you'd rather prefer staying here."

Edited June 12, 2014 by Smaug the Terrible

[Relapse]

IC: (Rano)

 

Interestingly enough, one of those very choices was just a ways outside the palace, talkibg with Jiyu.

 

"I understand this is disappointing for you. But I also know that for as long as I've traveled with you, you haven't given up. So I know you're not going to now."

[AuRon the champion]

Ic:

 

Jiyu said nothing, only turning away from Rano's eyes.

 

"I'm going home Rano. I hope you enjoy yourself this evening," he said as he started to head back to Oki.

[Relapse]

IC: (Rano)

 

Visibly annoyed, Rano stubbornly began walking in the opposite direction.

 

"Fine. But don't expect me to listen to you whine about this."

[AuRon the champion]

Ic:

 

Jiyu turned to cast a sad look at Rano, before lowering his head and walking back home...

 

When he finally returned home, he retired to his room and locked the door behind him, immediately discarding the clothes he'd been wearing and laying down to sleep. What else would there be for him to do..?

[25K Now!]

IC: Noshima

 

"The drummer is of talent."

[Mel]

[imperial Palace, Dragon Room]

 

As soon as the mental scream hit, Morie defended her mind with near automatic speed. In her mindscape, a storm of silver petals encircled her thoughts, cushioning and absorbing the blow. They trembled, and she calculated and analyzed the resonance. There.

 

The old toroshu activated her akaku, staring through the plethora of party goers, and she saw the prone figure of the menti in the daemon getup. I don’t remember Herupa Jiyu being a wilhammer. She frowned, but she did not mention her concern out loud. The first son was in no condition to be a threat as of yet, and she was not quite sure. She could deal with it tomorrow.

 

Then the Rora entered in fanfair, and she was distracted again. By the time she had collected her thoughts, Commander Ayiwah had already swept up to the balcony apparently on some sort of business, and she was left alone with Inokio.

 

“As I get older, it seems like everything moves faster and faster around me.” She took another sip of her barleywine. She’d meant to ask the captain about taking Soraya on the mission; the dashi was burned out, and if she knew her, stir crazy. Yet another thing that would have to be left to tomorrow.

 

“Forgive my wording, I did not intend to suggest that you take on Shuuan as a permanent student; I merely wanted your opinion. My clan values artistry, as you know.”

 

She smiled warmly.

“I would be delighted to have you evaluate her, if you have the time.”

Edited June 15, 2014 by Yukiko

[Voxumo]

IC: Celis (Dragon Room)

 

Celis had been silent and out of the way for most of this party, and that trend would not be changing for she stayed along the wall, watching everything around her with mild interest, going through the motions when appropiate such as the proper form of courtesy when needed. Now she just stood there idly drinking from her wine

 

OOC: Celis is open for interaction

[NorikSigma]

IC: Akone

The mental screech was helpful in clearing Akone's mind.

 

Unfortunately her head was still throbbing.

IC: Noshima

 

"The drummer is of talent."

"You're right, she is."

[25K Now!]

IC: Noshima

 

"Vigour has returned to you."

[NorikSigma]

IC: Akone

"I suppose so," she agreed.

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

When the mental scream tore through the mental plane, Nihonei visibly winced. The Toroshu gathered her willpower almost immediately to reassert the boundaries of her own mind; As she was not under personal attack, it was relatively easy to do. Not that the ease of dealing with it had made the sensation any more pleasant. The Eiyu had developed a splitting headache, and though it was rapidly fading, it was still far from comfortable. She took a long sip from her drink to dull the pain, before re-focusing on her companions.

 

"I apologize, Noshima, Akone; I'm afraid I've been a little out of it for a few moments."

 

IC:

 

On the dance floor, Sinshi's eyes suddenly widened when the screech of anguish cut through her mind like a knife, leaving pain in its wake. The Umbraline Menti was a very accomplished Soulsword, capable of dealing with all manner of combat on the physical plane. On the mental plane she was reasonably competent, given a degree of warning; But she was still a Soulsword, and she was weakest to such attacks. In the moment immediately following the screech's beginning, her expression turned to one of pain. The struggle to bring her consciousness to bear was an almost tangible one, a fight to put up some kind of defense. Though the mental assault was not specific to her, and only lasted a few moments, it seemed like an eternity.

 

Concentrate... She thought, even though the very idea seemed impossible. One thought. Make a wall of your mind, a wall built of one... One thought. With great difficulty, Sinshi blocked out all other thoughts from her mind, focusing on one thing, and one thing only; Her goal. By giving her mind entirely to that one thought, her concentration was able to form a sort of barrier between her and the scream, to ward off its more negative effects. It was still there, but she was able to weather it, to bunker down within her own thoughts and guard herself against its pain.

 

That was not to say it was without effect, however.

 

On the physical plane, her hands had balled into fists, wisps of psychophysical energy drifting about them, as if in her moment of frantic defense, her body had reflexively begun to call upon her weapons; an instinctive defense. She felt slightly light-headed, and though she began to recover quickly, she didn't quite feel well.

 

"My apologies, Lady Xania..." She managed, forcing herself to maintain as stoic a demeanor as she could. She forced her hands to relax, forced the floating mists of energy to dispel from them, and take a controlled, slow step back towards the table she had been sitting at. Then another. In the back of her mind, she cursed herself for drinking; Sober, she could have dealt with this just fine. "I think I need to sit down for a minute."

 

If the other Umbraline responded, she didn't perceive the response. Her attention was focused on maintaining an unfazed demeanor, and moving likewise. The process was easier the more steps she took, and when she finally reached the table to sit down, she felt a little better. She noted that the Commodore and Lieutenant had departed, but truthfully, that was to be expected. They were busy people, and that they had spared so long at the table around her was nigh on miraculous. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but feel that she was-

 

...

 

The Battlemaster.

 

Her mind snapped to focus once again almost instantly, gaze panning to where the Plangori Toroshu and the Battlemaster were still conversing, thanking Zuto Nui that Inokio hadn't left yet. Granted, she'd likely exhausted her fortune for the day; it was almost certain that she would be receiving a lecture for having been brought to the dance floor by Lady Xania, but she could deal with that. If he had departed, things would have been much, much worse.

[They]

IC: Koga

:I never learned.: Koga admitted as they stepped smoothly across the floor, bodies close enough to hear the beating of each others’ hearts. :However, I like the think it reflects the power of ideas. Why didn’t she use a kadin, or will-hammer a bird like you taught me? Perhaps it was simply because the idea of her own wings came first?: He held his hand out and Soraph twirled about before returning to his arms. :In any case I’ve been well, though some things have changed since our last meeting at the Paero field.:

He smiled and looked into her eyes. :I’ll have to keep a few secret for now. And how have you fared? I see you visited a Plangori for your gown, no other seamstress could have made something to so well fit your figure.:

[25K Now!]

IC: Noshima

 

"It is of no matter."

[Krayzikk]

IC:

"Then I don't feel so badly about missing it." Nihonei quipped without missing a beat, restoring a smile to her face. "Well, I think this has been a lovely party so far. What do you two think?"

[25K Now!]

IC: Noshima

 

"A source of enjoyment has been derived."

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

Soraph feigned indignation.

 

"Are you saying it takes the skill of a Plangori to make me look good in a dress? Daikura Koga, I'd think your clan's teachings would include avoiding lying and calling a woman ugly" she teased.

 

Another twirl, another quick step back into the warmth of the First Sons's arms.

 

"You know your fashion though, I must admit. I got this dress from the talented Plangori Soraya; her shop isn't too far from the Paero field, and I actually ordered it after that postponed game of yours. I had the honour to meet the Chojo in her store - you know, she's actually really nice! For the second most important person in the Empire, the royal princess is really fun, and pretty. Not as beautiful as a Vilda, but still pretty. It's a shame that she'll be leaving for Mata-Nui so soon, I'd have liked to talked to talk to her again...it can't hurt to be friendly with those in power, now can it?" Soraph asked with a flash of a smile.

 

"Otherwise though, I can't say much has been going on. A good friend and Datsue of my clan is visiting, whom is a welcome sight. And my aunt Toroshu had a bit of a social faux pas here at the party not long ago..." The Vilda's tone became thoughtful as she contemplated the consequences of her aunt's actions on her own life.

 

"Now, what can I do to get you to reveal one of those little secrets?" Soraph whispered into Koga's ear.