BZPRPG - Ta-Wahi

[25K Now!]

IC: Ril

 

"Thank you, kind sir," said Ril bemusedly, strolling into the restaurant with a sense of confidence. Even so, instincts honed from years on the streets and in the guards and that time some jerk's pet nearly clawed him to death made him take in everything with a cool gaze. There was that old Le-Matoran biting into a steak with relish (wasn't he that guy who started singing in the street randomly?) sitting with a Ko-Matoran who didn't appear to be taking the heat very well (never seen her before; maybe a refugee), the battle-scarred Vortixx who was obviously a gangster (not racism man, I threw him in jail once) impatiently tapping a fork against a stone table, and also a Skakdi and female Iron Toa near the back (hah, female Fe-Toa; I am such a riot - but eh she's probably a six).

[silo]

IC: (Karaihe/Guard House)

 

Paperwork. Paperwork. Bloody, bloody paperwork.

"Let's hope there ain't too much paperwork, eh?"

[Mr. Lightning Bolt]

OOC: y'all ready fo' dis?

 

IC: Torana

 

She held her arm out.

 

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the main event!"

 

She could feel the static tingling over he armour, the rippling electricity in the air.

 

Her arm dropped and thunder roared.

 

"Begin!"

 

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

 

IC: Raaka

 

The Skakdi followed his friend, massaging his jaw and trying not to fall over. His injured leg was pretty painful to stand on.

 

"Dunno. You said you needed a new weapon, right?"

 

IC: Konaro

 

"Well," the Toa of Ice replied, "I don't exactly NEED a new weapon. I could definitely use one but I think getting you some medical attention is a bigger issue." 

 The Toa wrapped his arm around the Skakdi's back and put the Skakdi's arm over his shoulder to support him. 

 "I'd say we could use a meal too. But first, some hospice."

[Toatapio Nuva]

IC Hile

(Ta-Wahi, Mangai volcano):

 

Hile looked around and tapped a foot repeatedly on the ground, waiting for the others to finish whatever they were doing.

[silo]

IC: (Venemi/Mangai tunnels)

 

Venemi continued at the front of the group.

[Timageness]

IC: Septima was surprised at first that Natharius had dedcided to sit next to her, but she realised that his tactic had worked after another quick scan of the room.

"Thanks," she said, practically whispering as she noticed two other new arrivals, one appearing to be a Ta-Toa with a Kualsi (no shortage of them here; they were in Ta-Koro, after all) and the other resembling a Fe-Toa with a Pakari, walk through the door.

She didn't know why, but she found everything about the Toa of Fire unsettling for a moment, and she knew better than to begin working while her gut was telling her otherwise.

"Let's wait until those two leave before we do anything," she said quietly. "I've got a bad feeling about this. In the meantime, we should probably order something so that we don't look suspicious."

Edited December 9, 2014 by timageness411

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

There was the strike she'd been prepared for. The duo had danced this dance before, and she knew that if he had evaded, there was a blow inbound. She had pushed off with the balls of her feet forcefully the instant the realization hit, her Kadin activating seamlessly to provide a momentary boost and fine tuning to her trajectory, before cutting off.

 

She landed, fractions of a second after pushing off, on her left foot and transitioned into a spinning heel kick directed towards her opponent. There was a good chance he had begun to move during her brief air-time, but he was not likely to have lined up an attack. At the very least the range of her kick would keep him on the back foot. She needed to push him on the defensive, just for a moment, to let her take control of the bout.

 

Her mask was at the ready. Erzu wasn't a pushover. She couldn't afford to give up the edge.

[Nato G]

IC: Natharius.

 

"Like I said, there are guards everywhere," Natharius whispered, picking up the menu and giving it a cursory glance. "Whoa, the owners of this place are bigger thieves than you are." 

[Razgriz]

IC: What went through his mind in those fleeting moments was something akin to this.

Missed.

Dodge?

Yeah. Spin.

!

He backstepped, partially pushed along by the force of her kick colliding into his sternum. Exhaling so the wind wasn't driven out of his lungs (migitated by his own movement though the blow was), he regrouped, planted, and his blade lunged forward in a thrust, utilizing the full extent of his range advantage while she was still airborne.

"TSUKI!"

The chance of her evading it was admittedly good, but he could rechamber and strike again quickly, and if nothing else it'd keep her off of him.

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

As she felt her foot make contact with her opponent's chest, Saeva's already fiendish grin stretched further across her face. The next few moments, to her blazing blue eyes, seemed to pass much more slowly. Her leg completed its arc and returned to the ground just as her foe shot his blade forward in a swift, clean thrust. She hadn't quite settled into a stance, but with her Kanohi she could still evade the striking shinai. To do so, however, would be to let up her assault. 

 

That moment would be all she needed, in his place, to get her bearings and dominate the flow once more. Erzu would need even less. She couldn't let him have that time. Her body obeyed her choice before she even realized she'd reached it, activating her mask and shoving off from the ground again. The combined action carried her--

 

Forward. 

 

Saeva Sareta shot forward, feet first, to deliver a literal flying kick towards her opponent's sternum. The angle of her flight sent the tip of the shinai grinding against the right hand side of her ribs, sending jolts of pain flying towards her brain like lightning bolts. The collision would leave a large bruise, potentially a scrape even through her attire, but the Ta-Toa's grin didn't fade. 

 

She knew for a fact that the Toa of Plant-Life could re-chamber his blade quicker than her heart could beat, but it didn't matter. She was already too close for him to retaliate with it, her collision course lined up with the center line of his body. The time was there for him to evade, if only partially, but he would have had to expect it.

 

And no one could ever accuse Saeva of being predictable.

Edited December 10, 2014 by Ninth Krayzikk

[Razgriz]

IC: His eyes were something he prided himself on. Sharp, alert, and practically overclocked, they were even fast enough to catch what Saeva was doing before she completed the move.

Oh that crazy ######--

"Guaahrk!"

But not enough to react in time. His chest exploded a dull, throbbing pain, and if he didn't know better, he'd wonder if it had caved in.

He stumbled back and fell, this time fully winded and certainly bruised. She'd landed the biggest blow so far. Not good. Not good at all.

Slashing out in a defensive, space-denying pattern, he scrambled back to his feet and gave ground, breath laboring as he forced himself to move.

New plan, find a better plan and fight your guts out until you do.

Good plan, Salvajemono.

Thanks.

Edited December 10, 2014 by Uncle Chael P. Sonnen

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

The defensive slash, whether by design or happy accident, managed to graze the same region previously struck. The Ta-Toa had twisted to avoid it, but even with the new ground between them, she was just a little too close.  A hiss of air through gritted teeth accompanied it, the sole concession (and acknowledgement of) her previous injury. Admittedly, it could affect her movement a bit.

 

But she could deal with that.

 

Erzu had bought himself a few extra seconds, enough to scramble to his feet and put a little distance between them, but the flow had changed and Saeva wasn't going to let him take that back. She darted forward, weaving side to side with each step, beginning what looked like a jab with her left the instant she was in range... But transitioned from that feint to a right uppercut, given that if Erzu chose to evade it would be easiest to move right.

 

With his Kanohi, and his experience, there was a good chance he could catch on to what she was up to. She was banking on the chance that the surprise of the previous blow, and the forced change to a hurried defensive, had put him off his game.

[Razgriz]

IC: She's coming in--

Meet her.

"MEN!"

The sword streaked downwards again as he planted his feet and swung, aiming to intercept the Ta-Toa with a strike of his own and smack her head into the dirt.

Her fist dug into his jaw. His head snapped upwards and the world began to churn.

Had he accomplished the same to her? There had to be a good chance.

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

The wooden blade smacked into her head with a solid crack, timing lining up exactly with the moment that her own fist slammed into the underside of Erzu's chin. Despite her first instinct, she didn't fight the collision. Trying to push back against it would only have increased the damage that it could deal, and the risk wasn't worth it. Saeva dropped like a rock, managing to catch herself on her hands before she completely face-faulted.

 

There was a brief moment when the world swam before her eyes completely. Spirit stars shot forth across her vision, while she felt every throb through her skull. No concussion, at least she didn't think so, but it had hurt. The moment passed and she used her new position (and the fact that her opponent had no doubt suffered a similar moment) to use her hands as the focal point to swing her legs in an attempt to sweep his.

 

Her movements weren't nearly as graceful as they had been, and for the moment her Kanohi was completely inaccessible, but she didn't have any trouble with speed or power.

[Razgriz]

IC: This time, he didn't stumble so much as stagger, on noodley supports but still standing.

That is, until Saeva whacked them out from under him. Normally, a sweep like that would be met with little more than disdain, and anyone with a solid stance would be a tough order to uproot like that. 

However, Erzu's stance wasn't solid. His trailing leg, the one that was still closer to Saeva, his left, was unceremoniously smacked aside as her heel checked his, and he fell even as he cleared the cobwebs from his head.

In a completely non-kendo, non-swordsman, non-anything-besides him move, he planted the stick's tip into the dirt and used it like a third leg, catching his fall and giving him room to swing his legs back under him.

Breathing deeply, shakily, he ripped it back into the proper guarding position, his stance restored, if still fighting off sea-legs.

Edited December 10, 2014 by Uncle Chael P. Sonnen

[Timageness]

IC: "I know, right?" Septima said as she peered over at the Skakdi's menu. "I could take the widgets that I'd end up spending on three meals here and use them to feed myself for three days. The fact that we're the ones with the bad reputation continues to astound me."

[Nato G]

IC: Natharius. 

 

"So I guess we need to make sure we can make up for any money that we spend on food here," Natharius sighed. 

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

As much as Saeva enjoyed fighting, she needed to end this quick.

 

The Ta-Toa used the few extra seconds she had bought, more accurately deprived Erzu of, to stand and shake off most of her unsteadiness. Her mind sharpened, focusing, it not to the razor sharp degree it had been. Her mask was accessible to her, though not as fine tuned as it should be... With a slightly shaking hand, she placed her palm on her shoulder. It immediately heated up rapidly, beyond what most people would encounter without injury, to just a high enough temperature to cause her mild pain.

 

After only a moment she let go again, bringing her hands into their guard. She felt sharper; the pain, slight though it was, had helped sharpen her up just a little more. She'd need it. Erzu, by this point, was in his own ready stance. He wasn't as confident now, not as much as he had been earlier. He didn't attack directly, he didn't dare. Maybe he realized that striking first was unwise, now that they were both roughed up.

 

She still had her flow.

 

Activating her mask at a low-level, slight forward propulsion, she began ducking and weaving to advance, crossing the distance in a few moments to unleash a powerful right cross. Her mask was still active, with the intent to use it for rapid evasion if- no, when- he counterattacked.

[Timageness]

IC: "Either that or just order something simple," Septima replied. "I'd be okay with just a coffee."

[Nato G]

IC: Natharius.

 

"In this Koro, I think the last thing I need is a warm drink. I'll just have water." 

[Razgriz]

IC: Repeated cries of "TSUKI! TSUKI! TSUKI!" had rang out across the battlefield, and he'd stayed true to his word: thrusting, thrusting, thrusting. However, Saeva's head movement was on point, and each lance-like strike missed it's mark as she closed the distance into punching range and threw a shot of her own.

A cross-- leading with the rear hand. An interesting move on her part, one that undoubtedly had a lot of power behind it. He had to time this right...

She threw, and Erzu fairly disappeared.

What had actually happened was a maneuver that took precise speed, timing, and confidence. One that under such duress, he wasn't sure he could have achieved, but only hope to try. Thankfully, he and Saeva had this nasty habit of learning and growing a lot from all the bouts they had with eachother.

It was called the sankaku-tobi, or triangle leap.

As Saeva came in throwing the punch, his motion of evasion was both lateral and inwards, ducking under, left, and behind the shot as it surged forward-- and almost completely behind Saeva.

Pivoting back into his stance at this deadly new angle, he immediately surged into a strike of his own, a punishing slash for her right side--

Which happened to house the liver.

"DOU!"

OOC: In case the technique mentioned wasn't described well enough for anyone to get a good idea of it, here are a few images showing the basic concept in action.

Additionally, the original writing where I learned about it. If you want to learn a few things about fisticuffs and maybe stand a chance against me (if you listen to Tyler anyway), be sure to check this and Slack's other work out. Really informative stuff.

 

Edited December 10, 2014 by Uncle Chael P. Sonnen

[Let's Henshin!]

IC: Malik

 

As I followed after Ril into the bar, I nigh-reflexively scanned the area. Don't mistake my intent, it wasn't a visible scan, anyone watching me would fail to notice anything out of the order. To be honest, it was basically a bad habit of mine. For as long as I can remember, entering public places, especially when Dor was with me, would mean keeping an eye for suspicious folks who inevitably end up attacking the two of us. What can I say, the two of us made a sport out of making enemies. Honestly I probably made more than Dor back then, but the ones Dor made were worth ten of my enemies. Regardless, my scanning pointed a few targets of interest, a nasty looking scarred Vortixx, a Toa with an arrogant grin at the bar, and there was another Toa and Skakdi in one of the booths. 

 

Still, I was with a guardsmen, which meant only the worst of the lot would try picking a fight. Not necessarily sure how reassuring that thought was, but hey it couldn't be any worse than the fights in my past. To be honest, for as hellish my life has been lately, at least there hasn't been nearly as much fighting. Nothing like the scuffles Dor and I used to get in. It was disheartening really, back then I used to feel alive, used to feel the blood flowing through my views. Now I felt little more than a dreadful exhaustion.

 

"Hey," I asked Ril, "Is this place wait to be seated kind of place or do we just go the bar, order food and then find a place to sit?" I was banking on the later, but it was never a bad idea to double check. 

[25K Now!]

IC: Ril

 

"It's the latter," replied the Fire Toa.

[Timageness]

IC: "You're right," Septima said after some thought. "I'll have to see if they have any ice."

 

Verulas slid open the door to the cable car as it came to a stop, stepping outside into the hot, dry air. It was a sharp contrast from the outpost, and to be honest, he actually preferred the cold to the heat, but at least he would have an easier time getting around due to the lack of snow.

"It looks like there's still some distance between us and the city," he said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Come on, let's get moving."

[Let's Henshin!]

IC: Malik

 

"Alright, so any suggestions on what to eat? They're bound to have some sort of specialty."
 

[Nato G]

IC: Natharius.

 

"Thanks," he said gratefully. Why the karz had he chosen to settle in Ta-Koro of all places?

 

IC: Veteran.

 

"Follow me, mate," Veteran started down the path towards Ta-Koro. 

[25K Now!]

IC: Ril

 

"I've always liked Kane-Ra."

[Timageness]

IC: Verulas began to follow the Skakdi, mentally taking note of the path they were taking as he hadn't used it on his way to or from Ko-Koro due to the fact that he had assumed that the cable car was still under maintenance.

He'd really have to thank them at some point for reducing his travel time between the two villages.

The Bo-Toa readjusted the straps on his backpack, reminding himself that he still had business of his own to take care of here as they continued onward. Obviously, finding a doctor was higher up on the priority list at the moment, but afterwards he was going to strike a very important something off of his to-do list.

 

Septima nodded at the Skakdi's gratitude.

"I think that the Ta-Toa said something about customers having to place their orders at the bar," she said.

[Nato G]

IC: Veteran.

 

"And 'ere we are." Veteran said, as they crested a rise and the village of Ta-Koro came into view. "You gonna congratulate me for ma navigational skills, or what?"

 

IC: Natharius.

 

"I have a bad reputation with the local guards," Natharius reminded Septima, shuffling to his feet to let her out, "you go order. I'll do my best not to attract unwanted attention in the meantime." 

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

He's gone.

 

The thought registered fractions of a second before, had it been successful, her punch would have hit. A myriad of possibilities shot through her mind, but they all pointed to the same instinctual conclusion; if she stayed still she was doomed. Her right cross had already generated significant forward momentum, transferring her weight from her rear to forward leg even more so, so rather than try to pull it back she just let it go unhindered.

 

The choice transformed her motion into a pivot based upon her left foot, bringing her around (albeit slightly more unsteadily than normal) to face her rear, starting to bring herself back into a guard--

 

But she didn't have time. She saw the slash coming, and in the instant before it hit, knew she couldn't evade. Her pivot had changed the angle causing the wooden shinai to smash forcefully into her left side, thankfully avoiding further injury to her right. The collision caused her to stumble, and she knew it was going to bruise worse than her right side had, but she ignored the complaints of her body's nervous system in order to... Pin the blade to her side with her left arm. Her hand got a vice grip on the 'blade', her arm holding it in place against her side. It wouldn't be moving easily.

 

With a ragged breath she pulled her right arm back, using the now-forced close quarters to send a vicious right hook towards her opponent's face.

[TheMegazordman1]

IC - Asa / Ry / Kedamor / Otanna 

 

Ry looks around  tired. Guys we have been looking for Casanuva and his friends  for the last few days  he could be in Ta-Koro by now .

 

He is very  valid pointed in this  I suggest we  Walk back  to Ta-Koro and wait for them there .

 

Then lets head  back .

 

OOc- Asa , Ry , Kedamor, and Otana to Ta-Koro .

Edited December 10, 2014 by TheMegazordman1

[Razgriz]

IC: Acting on instinct, he tried to tug the shinai free, but only succeeded in pulling himself even harder into the hook. Or maybe pulling her into him?

He didn't know.

THUD.

Ow.

The world swam again as her knuckles crashed into his temple. Credit where it's due, she hit way harder than any other chick he'd known.

So like, three, but who cares?

He staggered, dropping to a knee and an arm for a moment, while other obstinately gripped his blade. Not taking me out that easy, Sareta. Glaring defiantly upward, he was pretty sure he saw three of her. 

Well, rule of thumb: Go for the one in the middle.

He sharply yanked down on the bamboo sword, still in her grip, and exploded upwards straight towards the middle Ta-Toa. Or was it the right one? No, had to be the middle.

Whatever the case, his skull was gonna hit something, whether they liked it or not.

[Timageness]

IC: "Congratulations," Verulas said as Ta-Koro entered his field of vision. "I'll be twice as impressed once you navigate us to a doctor."

 

Septima stood, working her way around Natharius. She assumed that the pair that had just walked in were ahead of her in line and patiently awaited her turn to approach the counter.

[Nato G]

IC: Veteran.

 

"I'm gonna assume that was sarcasm," Veteran rolled his eye at Verulas. "I think your codename should be really be Snark."

 

IC: Natharius.

 

Natharius waited nervously, tapping his metal claws on the tabletop. 

[Timageness]

IC: "I've been called worse," Verulas said as he shrugged. "I'll just go ahead and file that one away in my mental storage bin of nicknames; it should fit rather nicely next to Karz-head, Blunty, and Captain Magnificent."

[Nato G]

IC: Veteran.

 

The skakdi ignored Captain Snarkastic endless stream of witty remarks and continued down the path towards Ta-koro. "Oi, mate," he called over his shoulder to Verulas, "do yourself a favour and don't be too much of a smartarse with the guards." 

[Timageness]

IC: "Are you kidding? They love me! Well, as much as stiff, uptight jerks are capable of loving people who desperately avoid them like they're carrying some type of plague, but you get the idea," Verulas continued as they continued their way towards the city. "Besides, why would I want to tussle with them when no one's paying me to do so? That just seems stupid."

[Nato G]

IC: Veteran.

 

"Well mate, let's find out," Veteran pointed ahead of them. The mighty stone bridge into Ta-Koro stretched out before them, ending at the city gates. "Once we reach the gates, you can do the talkin'." 

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

Saeva had been forced into unsteadiness by the yank on his blade, though she mostly compensated with an adjustment to her footing and her Kanohi. The combination gave enough solidity to her stance that when Erzu's skull crashed into her she didn't fall, though she was forced to move her right foot back a step.The Ta-Toa inhaled sharply, involuntarily, at the pain of his collision with the already injured portion of her torso, doubling up with the same reluctance. Nevertheless, it gave her an opportunity. He was still mostly trapped, partly by her grip on his weapon and partly by his new position, but she still had a degree of movement.

 

Enough to drive her knee into his chest, in roughly the same region she had struck before. 

[Timageness]

IC: "No problem," Verulas snorted. "Just leave it to me."