BZPRPG - Ta-Wahi

[Geardirector]

IC: Helios (Ta-Koro)

 

"Sounds like a plan," I replied, already stroking my belly, "I am pretty hungry"

 

"I guess I'll have to leave it to you to lead the way" I said with a smile as I stepped aside.

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"Again," I added pointedly, giving him a sly grin as I started walking to the centre of town.

 

...

 

When I saw the hollowed out wreckage of the inn, my blood froze.

 

-Void

[Geardirector]

IC: Helios (Ta-Koro, Lavapool Ruins)

 

Holy s###

 

What happened while we were gone?

 

Plagia had turned to stone, but I hadn't. I spotted a guardsman nearby and walked up to him.

 

"'Scuse me, do you know what happened to the Lavapool Inn?"

 

"Blown to pieces by a bunch of insane Skakdi, along with a good few other things" The guard replied stoically.

 

I don't know why, but I sighed. Stepping back and taking in the ruins of the Lavapool, only one thought passed through my mind.

 

"I guess Colx really is the exception!"

[silo]

IC: (Venemi/Mangai tunnels)

No poison, but--

 --what the Karzahni was that thing?!

"It's not a spine slug, that's for sure." she said, stepping forwards to inspect the strange fleshy mass.

 

IC: (Mura/Near Jaller's office)

Just to be on the safe side, Mura dumped all his current and work-in-progress inventions outside, warning the secretary not to damage them.

[Moku]

IC: Moku

 

Moku decided to find a place to sit down, so he went over towards a nearby bench and sat down.  He closed his eyes calmly and started to daydream, forgetting for a moment that he was in public.  When he was reminded of it by unintelligible dialogue far away, he quickly opened his eyes and got up, further into Ta-Koro, a blank expression on his face.

 

OOC: still open for interaction.

[Perp]

IC: Torana

The Vo-Toa noticed the stick still in Erzu's hand. She leaned over.

"If you want, I can go check the place out quickly and discreetly," she whispered, tapping her Kakama.

[Timageness]

IC: Septima - Ta-Koro Guard HQ

The Fe-Toa's eyes wandered while they waited, her mind replaying the events that had brought her here the last time around.

Septima couldn't remember exactly how long she had gone without food, but to anyone who has ever had to go hungry, it had certainly been long enough. She was desperate, and obviously wasn't thinking clearly when she had made her move, which, as expected, soon alerted the guards to her actions. Her body ached as she led them on a chase throughout the Koro's numerous streets and back alleys, eventually running into a dead end and taking refuge beneath a wooden cart.

Unfortunately for her, the group in pursuit of her had a De-Toa amongst its members, and he picked up on her breathing. Soon afterwards, she found herself cuffed to a chair and was told that she was going to be relocated to Xa-Koro after they had deduced that she had been responsible for a string of robberies, thefts, and lootings as well.

All because of one measly loaf of bread.

As could be expected, she wasn't exactly comfortable here either. She knew, however, that if there was a chance of getting Natharius out of the city as a free Skakdi, they had to at least try.

And if that wasn't an option, then she'd just have to smuggle him out inside a cart full of vegetables or something; she wasn't too picky as long as it worked.

[Nato G]

IC: Natharius - Ta-Koro Guard HQ.

 

"Excuse me," he rapped his knuckles on the wood of the front desk, trying to get the attention of the receptionist, "is there anyone here that I can talk to? It's important." 

Edited January 12, 2015 by Roman Torchwick

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

The Airi surveyed the motley group that had entered his office stoically. His hands were clasped in front of him, his gaze piercing as it passed above them. Papers covered his desk so densely as to almost entirely obscure the stone from view, the information upon them written in a dense, comprehensive hand and detailing matters so specific it was difficult for one to divine their purpose. An empty mug was perched precariously on the edge of his desk, a pen situated to his right. 

 

Jaller waited until they had all filed into the room to speak.

 

"What can I do for you?"

 

IC:

 

"That depends on what it is you wish to speak about." The secretary answered Natharius patiently, looking up from his filing. The Skakdi was not unknown to her, not after the high profile of the events he had been involved in. 

 

"Depending on that I can tell you if someone's available to talk."

[Razgriz]

IC: "And split up? No, I've never read a story where that ends well. We're a team, we're sticking together, that's final."

A healthy dose of caution saves lives, people.


------------------------------------------------

IC: Rest in peace my brother

If I didn't smash that bottle I'd pour one out

The hole sufficiently dug, Teide reverently grabbed the body and laid it to rest.

[silo]

IC: (Mura/Jaller's Office)

Mura shufled his feet nervously, waiting for one of the Kalta to explain.

 

IC: (Karaihe/Guard House)

After finally "graduating" in the physical exercise training, Karaihe took to the streets on his rounds, asking Brontes to come with him.

[Nato G]

IC:

 

"That depends on what it is you wish to speak about." The secretary answered Natharius patiently, looking up from his filing. The Skakdi was not unknown to her, not after the high profile of the events he had been involved in. 

 

"Depending on that I can tell you if someone's available to talk."

 

 

IC: Natharius - Ta-Koro Guard HQ.

 

"I was told to return here after a few days to find out what my punishment was supposed to be," Natharius explained quickly, "since I'd really like to get out of this village now, that's why I'm here. I just want to get this over with and leave." 

[Keeper of Kraata]

OOC: You know I'm hearing Jaller's voice as Andrew Francis from MoL, right?

 

IC: Seeing the others look to her, Kalyss stepped forward, taking a deep breath. "We have come to discuss something urgent." No use beating around the bush, really. "It's about Ko-Koro."

[Perp]

IC: Torana

Team? Well... I guess it's official now.

 

"You know I can run, like, super-fast there and back, right?"

[Vezok's Friend]

OOC: Dangnabbit, I swear Vox, this time they will keep moving!

 

IC (Mariko):

 

As it turned out, Draeverian's guessed and auditory observations had been quite accurate: The two Toa had left the Ta-Koro supposed 'high-security' prison cell some time ago. The lack of prisoners and two prison-cell doors made the name rather silly though. The duo's first stop had been the kitchen of the guard headquarters. If the Matoran had delivered food, it had come from here.

 

There had been no traces in the kitchen itself though. However, the other Matoran reported one of their colleagues missing without explanation and checking up on him at his home address, it didn't look like he was home. That had raised several flags for Mariko: The timeframe of the disappearance was more than suspect and the dark Toa would have taken the Matoran for a collaborator, were it not for his companion's words. Draeverian had said the Matoran's steps seemed hesitant. Without another word he'd tapped the blind Toa, signaling him to follow and walked outside.

 

They headed for the house the other kitchen workers had mentioned and without much ceremony, Mariko had broken down the door. Inside, the two were immediately met with an intense smell of decay.

 

"No wonder he didn't come into work." the Aitua mumbled.

[Voxumo]

IC: Drae

 

DJ didn't need to inhale deeply to be made aware of the all too familiar stench of death. It was one he had come to known on several occasions. 

"I suppose my hesitation theory was not too far fetched." As he knelt down next to the body he released a minor pulse, in hopes that his honed 'echolocation' would assist him in identifying the cause of death, if it was something obvious "I would bet you my left hand that he was blackmailed into doing it. What the assailant had on him that would drive him to releasing a criminal is anyone's guess."

[Ghosthands]

IC

 

As Teide laboured to dig the grave, Loraan managed to move the body into a position in which the foreign object on its neck could be better examined. Those members of the group with strong stomachs gathered around it to take a closer look under the light of the detective's Lightstone. She prodded it tentatively with a knife. It didn't move. She made a small incision. It still didn't move.

 

There was silence for a while as they racked their brains. Then, suddenly, Drararius spoke up.

 

"It's a plant," he said.

 

Loraan quickly looked up at him.

 

"How do you know?"

 

"I study plants, they're my passion" the Matoran replied. "Look at where you cut it. The layering of the flesh—that's plant matter, not animal. And the texture reminds me of some species of vine that grow in the Fau Swamp."

 

"He's right," Venemi concurred.

 

"Ok..." Loraan nodded pensively. "Is it dead?"

 

"I think so," Drararius replied.

 

"You think?"

 

He shrugged. "No way to be sure. I've never seen something like this before."

 

"Well then...I'm going to take a risk here."

 

Loraan slowly slid the blade of the knife under each of the tentacle-like protrusions in turn, prising them off the dead Matoran's skin. They seemed to have left bruises like those of a squid's suction cup. Once they were all detached, she pried up the main 'body' of the thing, and with a sickening squelch, it came free and fell to the floor. Five thin, thorn-like spiked could now be seen on its underside, and five matching holes in the Matoran's neck. It looked as though the went all the way down to the spine.

 

Loraan stared in revulsion at the dead plant-thing where it lay, then pulled her eyes away and nodded to Teide.

 

"All right."

 

It wasn't proper Guard procedure—technically, the body ought to be taken back to Ta-Koro for autopsy—but this wasn't a standard Guard operation, and clearly the civilians wanted to lay the poor soul to rest. The detective could sympathise with that, and honestly, it was probably safer this way.

 

Teide lowered the deceased into the rocky grave, then slowly covered him with the rocks and stones that had been dug out to make it.

 

Loraan remained silent. If any of the group wanted to say a few words, now was their chance.

 

OOC:

 

OOC: You know I'm hearing Jaller's voice as Andrew Francis from MoL, right?

 

 

[Specter Knight]

IC-Tavari

 

Tavari Looked at the plant, and her voice broke the silence. "If hardly anything grows around these parts, especially as something slimy as that... how did this get here?"

 

OOC

Time to shake things up!

[Not Quite Dead]

IC: (Mura/Jaller's Office)

Mura shufled his feet nervously, waiting for one of the Kalta to explain.

 

IC: (Karaihe/Guard House)

After finally "graduating" in the physical exercise training, Karaihe took to the streets on his rounds, asking Brontes to come with him.

 

IC Brontes

 

At was mid day, the sun beating down overhead and the streets crowded with business. It was awfully hard to make out potential criminals through all this...

 

"What's our route today?"

[Not Quite Dead]

IC Miya

 

The young girl was still examining the plant-squid-sucker-thing. It was sad the man had died down here alone, but she hadn't even known him and wouldn't have heard about his death had she not came here. So why let hserself get too sad about it? It would be dangerous to let negative emotions surface down here...

 

"Don't some plants and animals act as parasites, like, lay eggs in a host? Maybe it was laying eggs in him."

 

OOC: I meant to edit this into the post above, sorry

Edited January 15, 2015 by Tiragath

[Razgriz]

IC: "No."

---------------------------------------

IC: Oh that's a good point

X-Ray vision was a-go-go as he withheld the first batch of dirt to cover the body.

[Perp]

IC: Torana

The Vo-Toa hrmph-ed, scowling and kicking at the dry ground as the group continued walking.

"You're no fun."

[Tea-rex]

Ic: Alsorate (Mangai tunnels)

Something seemed... Off to Alsorate about this. If the plant wanted to do something with the body, wouldn't it have taken it somewhere else? Unless...

"Uh, guys, quick theory, probably wrong, but I've seen Muaka do similar things to wild Rahkshi - they lay out a trap and then kill the Rahkshi. What if that matoran was bait? And is the "vine" still where we left it...?

Suddenly, realizing his own conclusion, Alsorate jumped away from the wall and into the group.

[silo]

IC: (Venemi/Mangai tunnels)

The spikes...the holes...

"Did it inject something into the matoran?" she asked, stepping forwards once again to inspect the strange plant...

 

IC: (Karaihe/Ta-Koro)

"Er...we gotta go round through Broad Way, then down Forgery Lane, then turn at the Lhii Junction onto Redbrick Road, walk down it and..." Karaihe explained, staring intently at the street map, frowning with the concentration of reading...reading wasn't really his forte, and neither was most words loner than "disembowel"; disemboweling, on the other hand, was where he really stood out.

"Um...go ta Swordsmith's Crescent and into Hotrock Pathstreet and the..." The next word was too complicated. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." he concluded.

[Ghosthands]

X-Ray vision was a-go-go as he withheld the first batch of dirt to cover the body.

"Uh, guys, quick theory, probably wrong, but I've seen Muaka do similar things to wild Rahkshi - they lay out a trap and then kill the Rahkshi. What if that matoran was bait? And is the "vine" still where we left it...?

IC: (Venemi/Mangai tunnels)

The spikes...the holes...

"Did it inject something into the matoran?" she asked, stepping forwards once again to inspect the strange plant...

 

IC

 

Teide was treated to a comprehensive view of the dead Matoran's innards, but he couldn't see anything that looked like eggs. As far as he could tell, there was nothing abnormal about the body.

 

Alsorate was relieved to see that the plant-parasite-thing was still lying exactly where they'd left it, just as still and dead-looking as before.

 

Venemi took a closer look at the five spikes on the thing's underside. They still reminded her of long thin thorns, but she couldn't see any signs of a hole (like that of a syringe needle) on them. Unless it was able to secrete something through the spikes' surface, it didn't seem to have injected the Matoran with anything.

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

The Ta-Matoran made no efforts to hide the grimace that crossed his face. With a single hand he gestured at his desk, or rather, the mass of papers scattered across it. "Of course it is. You and everyone else in the whole village. I've had reports, I've had messages, and I've had more people traipsing in and out of that door than I care to count."
 

"But you didn't answer the question. What can I do for you lot specifically?"

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Kalyss narrowed her eyes. She had underestimated Jaller; she was expecting a politician. She was fortunate to have found a leader.

 

"Unlike the others, we plan to do something about it," the Su-Toa stated. She gave a quick glance to Vakua, who softly nodded. No eavesdroppers that he could tell.

 

"From what I can tell, the only reason there isn't some crusade going on to liberate the Koro is because the forces in control are holding hostages. We want to fix that. I thought it would be wise to appraise you of our actions, see if we're not disrupting anything, if you could lend us any support, or vice-versa. Most of us are outsiders, so I suspect we can enter the city without raising suspicions. It also means we are doing this as a courtesy. We are not beholden to you, or any other Akiri."

[Nato G]

IC: Wisp.

 

"Just to amend that last part..." Wisp cut in, "...Mirra and I are citizens of Ta-Koro, just in case that changes anything." 

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Kalyss smiled. "Well, when I say 'we', I mean the Kalta. Casanuva, Vakua, and I." She gestured to the individuals, indicating who was whom. "Mirra and Wisp are residents, as is Mura, our su-matoran friend. Vesun is an amnesiac. He's in the same boat as us, an outsider."

[Moku]

IC: Moku, Savok

 

As Moku walked through Ta-Koro and all the sights surrounding it, he felt a strange sensation of curiosity take over him.

 

I wish I could save these images permanently into my head... Moku thought to himself.

 

Meanwhile, a Toa of Plasma known as Savok was also walking through Ta-Koro, returning from his travels throughout Mata Nui.  He looked relatively strong for a Toa, having a broad body with strong proportions all covered by his orange and white armor.  He carried a large battleaxe in one hand; his weapon as a Toa, and he wore an orange Kanohi Kakama, the Mask of Speed, yet even with all of this he was simply walking through Ta-Koro.

 

He spotted an uncomfortable looking Ta-Matoran walking through Ta-Koro.  The matoran was apparently sightseeing, though he still looked out of place as if he was in a dark and evil cave.  Savok decided to approach him.  "Hey, are you okay?"

 

"Um-um yeah, I'm fine!  Why do you ask?"

 

"Well, you do look nervous.  Are you scared of anything around here?"

 

"Wha- No!  I'm not scared.  Well, maybe a bit, b-but what kind of person walks up to someone and asks them a bunch of questions??  Speaking of which, who are you?"

 

"I'm Savok, a Su-Toa.  And I was only asking because you looked uncomfortable.  Are you sure you're alright?"

 

Moku closed his eyes for a moment, imagining a possible scenario involving him confiding to this stranger.  

 

Can I trust him...?  Well, he is a Toa, and Toa are supposed to be heroes, so...

 

"Okay, I'm not fine.  I'm really uncomfortable around others.  It's as if I become paralyzed when they talk to me." Moku said to Savok.  Moku wasn't looking him in the eyes, and though that's usually a sign of being disrespectful or untrustworthy, in Moku's case it was simply because he was scared of others.

 

"Well gee, I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like that.  I just wanted to make sure you were alright." Savok said to Moku, who looked a bit more comfortable now that he had told him of his true thoughts.

 

"Well, that's very kind of you, sir.  My name's Moku." Moku's expression turned from a scared look to a more comfortable face.  It wasn't quite a smile, but it wasn't a flat face either.

 

"That's nice, are you from Ta-Koro?"

 

"Yes, how did you know?"

 

"What a coincidence; I'm from Ta-Koro too!  Maybe we just never saw each other?"

 

"Yeah, I bet that's what it is... I don't talk to people often at all."

 

"That's a shame... But you must feel horrible when put on the spot."

 

"Yeah...  Look, I'm just sightseeing here, but when I'm done, would you like to come over to my home?"  Moku had never invited anyone over, so it genuinely must have surprised Savok, even if they had just met.

 

"Sure, that sounds nice!"

 

Moku and Savok started to walk all the way to the former's house.  True, Moku hadn't walked far, but it was still quite a distance.  As they left the cluttered streets of Ta-Koro and into the rural area, Moku sighed a sigh of relief.  He was almost home to his comfort zone.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Moku

[Void Emissary]

IC: Helios (Ta-Koro, Lavapool Ruins)

 

IC:

 

"Where are they?"

 

"They, ah, escaped into the Dark Walk. Brought the tunnel down with 'em--"

 

"You lost them."

 

"We didn't lose 'em. You haven' seen anything like 'em! You know what they did to the bleedin' Kini? They butchered the guards! They tortured one of them to death! Even the Maru couldn't stop 'em!"

 

Plagia showed no emotion. She couldn't tell if she felt any.

 

"How many dead?"

 

"... I ... we don't know. At least a dozen. Probably more. Hard to tell, what with the refugees."

 

"Refugees?"

 

"From Ko. Haven't you heard? Echelon led an army of Kuta-skulls into Ko, invaded the Spirit- thing--"

 

Plagia's hand whipped up and in front of the Guard's face, silencing him. It was a precise motion. Carefully measured. Cold. Functional.

 

"I need a drink."

 

Plagia turned and walked away. She never once looked back.

 

-Void

[Geardirector]

IC: Helios (Ta-Koro)

 

I...

 

what?

 

Did someone say something? Plagia?

 

What happened, I'm just kinda hearing everything from far away, like it doesn't really exist and doesn't belong.

 

This isn't real.

 

Somewhere here I stepped into a world that doesn't make sense, one where... the bad guys won?

 

No.

 

Just... no.

 

I remember when I was there, in Ko-Koro. The place looked so magnificent, like a spire reaching to the heavens in worship to Mata Nui, and now...

 

It would do the opposite.

 

I felt something in my stomach, like a lump that just kinda grew and grew until I didn't know where it ended and I began. Something hurt, but I didn't know what. Finally I realized what I needed to do.

 

Something. Just... something.

 

"Plagia, wait!" I called after her where she'd taken off.

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"Don't try and stop me," Plagia said. Her gait never changed. Neither did her tone.

 

-Void

[Geardirector]

IC: Helios (Ta-Koro)

 

For a moment, I debated doing just that, and probably risk breaking my own jaw, but that thought disappeared after she didn't budge in her tone or movement. There was no stopping her now.

 

"Where are you going?"

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"Magma Lounge," she said. "It has fries and pool tables and Spirit- hipsters who think they're cooler than most because they wear scarves modelled after those of a multiple-murderer. But most of all it has a liquor license which is very, very good because after realizing that I wasn't around for the bombing of one landmark and the sacking of another and the murder of ######-knows how many innocents maybe I need a ###### drink!"

 

...

 

I sighed and suddenly my head was in my hands.

 

"Spirit ... ###### ... Spirit-######-it...."

 

-Void

[Geardirector]

IC: Helios (Ta-Koro)

 

"Okay, more than a little ticked off. This is not the time for arguing, or anything else than not getting in her way, really."

 

"Then let's get you a drink quick-fast" I said, a tad panicked. Although I guess you could argue that it wasn't really unexpected of Plagia to act like this when she got properly ticked off, I still hadn't expected it, and was thinking very fast about how to end it. I didn't like seeing her that way.

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"Yeah," I said, "let's."

 

I blew out a long breath, exhaling the smoke that the Lavapool had probably been belching for the past couple of days. How long ago had the attack been? No smoke left, couple of days at least. Must have been the same day as ... no, Spirit don't let it be like that.

 

"Hey, actually," I said, turning around to face Helios. "Any idea when this ... this happened?"

 

-Void

Edited January 17, 2015 by Emissary

[Geardirector]

IC: Helios (Ta-Koro)

 

"I dunno" I said, not taking the question completely seriously. 

 

"There wasn't any smoke, so it was a while, at least, but the Lavapool was still here when we..."

 

...

 

"Melna will never believe this when I tell her about it"

 

"...yeah" I said, slowly, nodding once!

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

"You know if you're that big for your breeches we have a tailor downtown." The Akiri of Fire replied, singularly unimpressed as he tapped a finger against the table. "You're outsiders, so permit me to paint you a picture. You are currently standing in my office, at the very heart of the headquarters of the Guard force with the longest standing military tradition on the island. It doesn't matter if you're beholden to me. If I decide you're not going, you won't go."

"Because there will be Guards on you before you can even leave my office."

"What you're proposing to do is infiltrate Ko-Koro, a village that has stood against forces arrayed against it for hundreds of years before this day, get past a force strong enough to overwhelm the entire Sanctum Guard, and I've been told their numbers are only growing, to reach hostages that you neither know the location of nor the status of. And you don't know who, or how many whos, are guarding them. And if you fail, at least one of them dies. It doesn't matter if you are officially aligned with a village or not. You were against them, and Echelon will not hesitate to prove his resolve." The Ta-Matoran paused, tapping his fingers once more. "I applaud the sentiment. But your plan is doomed to fail."

 

IC:

 

Saeva burst into the clearing with all the enthusiasm of a newborn Kavinika, surveying the building before her.

 

"... Redhot, how much of this have you explored?"
 

[Nato G]

OOC: I think you missed this: http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/11187-bzprpg-ta-wahi/page-151?do=findComment&comment=833749

 

IC: Wisp and Mirra. 

 

Wisp's face fell. He'd been expecting something a little more... hopeful... than that. But Jaller was right; there was no way their small band could possibly stand a chance of infiltrating the city and rescuing the hostages. It was a suicide mission, and it would get the hostages killed as well.

 

"Someone has to do something," Mirra spoke up, "you could still send them into the city to gather intel. Find out where the hostages are, that sort of thing. If what you say about their numbers growing is true, then eventually they'll start attacking the other Koros." The knowledge that one village had already fallen to the worshippers of Makuta filled her with dread. The possibility of it happening again was just plain horrifying. "We need to do something before that happens." 

Edited January 18, 2015 by Roman Torchwick