BZPRPG - Po-Wahi

[Geardirector]

OOC: Irony is, you speak in blue text.

 

IC Daltrahk

 

Time to play the smarts game, either faking smarts or using real ones was Daltrahk's to know. "Either one who is insanely desperate for a job, or one who knows that might makes right. And in a world where deceit, treachery and murder are considered values by some, one must require all the help they can get. At any cost."

 

He finished it off with a shrug. "Or maybe I'm just crazy. Who knows."

 

IC: Zelvin (Backalley)

 

"I suppose" Zelvin replied, brushing off some dust that had settled on her cloak in  the dusty alley.

 

"Desperation makes one do strange things, though, doesn't it?"

[Shadowhawk]

IC:

The eyes of the Axe are cold green, and silent. There is nothing in them, but behind them the grit and dust of Po-Koro have ground his nerves raw and set his teeth on killing edge. His eyes betray nothing of this... his eyes are many things, but treacherous is not one of them.

She is speaking, commenting idly on the lack of moisture in these parts, musing aloud over the sun's fury and the driving heat of the molten copper sky. The heat that he knows she does fear, but relishes.

Only he is not listening to her words, and this she does not know. Never has she known this, that when she speaks as she does now, spinning smalltalk as a weaver spins her silken line, that he is not listening. Not to her words. Her words mean nothing to him. But her tone, the subtle cast and timbre of her voice, means everything and more.

For in her voice (though she knows it not) she speaks intimately to him of her life and her joy in it and her fears and her pain, and all these things are of vital importance. He has made his life a shield, a single polished tool dedicated to the cause of a single heart, and the Axe does not sacrifice of himself lightly.

And he is troubled. For in her voice, light and at ease though it seems, his hunter's intuition feels the riptide of despair, the numbing chill that gnaws at all she is.
 
The river of darkness, black as venom and thrice as lethal, weaves and grips and sends its tentacles plunging through unseen mist into the volcanic core below. Sparks dance there, hot and livid in the restless wind, and driven spray makes a hiss on the white heat of embattled steel.
 
Within the steel, a heart lies chained, shackled in the blinding torment of its past and charred in the acrid intensity of its present. Its perception of future is only ash, dull and grey and dead within an empty shell and an everbright world it once held dear.
 
Life is sensation.
 
Sensation is often pain.
 
When it happened, he does not know. He does not see all, but he suspects much. He knows little of her past, but enough... oh gods, more than enough. He knows more of her identity than she perhaps realizes.
 
Where there is much life, there is much sensation.
 
And where much sensation is... the pain of it can be unbearable.
 
He watches her now through his silent eyes, and he sees the subtle gauntness of her features. The marks of torment that have come slowly, creeping shadow beneath her mask over the course of days and weeks, steady and cold as the biting frost. The pale skin, a shade whiter than is usual, stretched taut across her cheekbones. The restless tension in the way she moves her head, the way her fingers clench at rest.
 
The way fear stalks the emerald jungle of her gaze.
 
The Axe is a hunter.
 
He knows the hunted when he sees her. And he knows there is nothing he can do, for this is not his hunt to command. He cannot save her from herself. He cannot be the shield in her spirit, cannot heal her haunted soul.
 
He can only be her bodyguard. And sometimes that is not enough.
 
But he will be there. To the last and dying breath.

 

Always.
 
For her.

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"You know what? ###### with Stannis, let's get out of here. First we're doing this. Get her ###### legs Ciph!"

 

"Dorian I swear you son of a--" Skyra got out, before I grabbed hold of her neck tightly and Cipher, grumbling but unwilling to pass this chance up, swept her legs and started swinging Skyra like a classical battering ram. 

 

"HEAVE!"

 

"No!"

 

"HEAVE!"

 

"You won't do it!"

 

"HEAAAAAAAAAVE!" we bellowed, hurling Skyra through the air at the remains of Stannis' door...and holy ######, did it feel sweet. Just the sheer relief of watching the commander flail through the air and activate her Hau desperately as she slammed against Stannis' wall - and then right through it! - felt like a weight off my shoulders and the crippling headache that waiting in the desert had given me. Was it nearly two hours yet? God, it felt like it had been. I could--

 

--and then Skyra started to stir.

 

...

 

"We should go."

 

"Yyyyearp."

 

"Yearp. Welcome to the team Sola!"

 

"Wait, is she okay!?"

 

"######, I ain't finding out," I muttered, bolting in a dead run as far away from any non-Fla cops as I could muster and triggering a massive Calix-influenced leap through the air towards Po-Koro. Time to find Rhea and get to the Temple. I'd help myself if Stannis couldn't.

 

Oh, yeah, and...

 

"GO BACK TO WORK SKYRAAAAA" I boomed as I turned in mid-air and mockingly saluted the pile of rubble the Toa of Air laid back in. 

 

Did I mention that felt sweet?

 

-Tyler

Edited April 29, 2015 by Aikuro Mikisugi

[Geardirector]

IC: Mar (Po-Koro)

 

After going through the veritable torture of asking strangers for directions, I'd been making my way towards Stannis' home. Karv followed dutifully nearby and kept up the appearance of "not to be messed with" with his threatening growls.

 

But then...

 

"GO BACK TO WORK SKYRAAAAA"

...right.

 

Stifling the sudden urge to put an arrow in Dorian's back ("last time I saw him he was being chased by a flock of Kavinika, look, here's their prints") I instead opted to return the favor by projecting my voice so it sounded unsettlingly close.

 

"Getting rid of dead weight?"

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Ahh, yep!" I crowed, landing on my feet and brushing sand as much as I could off the leather. "Always. Seen the others?"

 

-Tyler

Edited April 29, 2015 by Aikuro Mikisugi

[Geardirector]

IC: Mar (Po-Koro)

 

"I think I caught a glimpse of the old Kru-Toa and the Vo-Toa somewhere near the markets, haven't seen Rhea or Nero, though" I replied. Before turning towards the Su-Toa accompanying Dorian and Cipher.

 

"Who's this, another member?"

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Yep. Sola, meet Mar and Karv, war dog and dog dog," I introduced. "Mar, don't worry, Cipher recruited her, not me. You said no Rhea? Rhea! Hey, beautiful, where you at? I've got no new intel and three grand in fines, let's go raid us a temple!"

 

-Tyler

[Shadowhawk]

IC:

Rhea Heartsflame sipped quietly at her glass of iced tea, watching the cheerful hustle and bustle of the Po-Koro bazaar ebb and flow about her table. A lot of bright colors, a lot of noise... the open-air coffee shop was right in the middle of it, embracing the chaos.

Her bodyguard sat across from her, eyes half-closed, his chair shifted at a slight angle so that his back was more or less against the wall. He was being quieter than usual this afternoon, and she might have wondered why, only right now she felt very tired and sort of feverish and found it hard to pretend she cared.
 
She supposed that ###### fool Shaddix boy would be finished bothering Stannis Maru by now. Probably he was looking for her right this moment. Well, he could just keep looking, the narcissistic little prick. She wasn't going anywhere.
 
Her fingers clenched viciously against the chilled crystal.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Shadowhawk

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Skorm deactivated his mask. Several pieces of rubble dropped to the ground around him, the effects of antigravity ceasing. The massive Ba-Toa offered a hand to Skyra.

 

"Interesting company you keep."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

I looked for two minutes.

 

"Oh, well, good knowin' her. Ciph! Where you at? I'm running out of people on the team to hurl, and I've wasted enough time on dead ends in this town."

 

-Tyler

[Geardirector]

IC: Mar (Po-Koro)

 

"Give me a moment and I'll find her" I replied. I turned around and walked back inside the village. My Akaku activated to peer through layers of rock, brick and clay, past family safes and illicit stashes and old memorabilia. Through faces and mask of every color and shape. Looking for the right one.

 

There.

 

"She's around the bazaar"

[The Drink]

IC: (One and a half minutes ago):

So, that happened. I dusted my hands off even as Dor leapt away and turned to the confused (poor thing) Sola.

"Is this normal for you guys?"

"Kind of. See why I didn't want you to join up?"

"...Kinda."

"Anyways," I turned, hearing the rubble shift behind us as the Commander processed what had just happened. "We'd better bounce."

"Uh, Ci--"

As if her words were the gunshot of a track meet, I sprinted forward after Dorian, legs eating up ground faster than a starved Skakdi sailor on shore leave. Clearing the telltale clanks, rustles, and other sonic minutiae of one Vo-Toa trying to catch up, I poured it on a little more, before barking reassurances back at her.

"You saw the Hau go up! She's fine! We won't be if we're late!"

I'm always on top of things like this. Dor'd probably be dead without me. Such was the role of a good number two. It wouldn't happen without Dor, but it wouldn't succeed without me.

"Ciph!"

"C'mon, kid, we'd better hustle! You can't get heroism experience if you're late to the party, right?"

Y'know, truth be told, a good old dungeon crawl seems like it'd actually be right up her alley. Maybe she--

"C I P H E R"

Okay, that's just rude.

"What?"

"YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!"

...



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

IC: (Now):

Looking up from her enthusiastic and ear-scratch-tastic introduction to Karv, the Vo-Toa frowned.

"He was right behind me a second ago... "

Where would I have lost him?

He was literally right--

"Reporting in!"

...that was the opposite direction we came from

wh-wha

"Quit lookin' at me funny. Makes me self-conscious when girls do that."

I looked up to Dorian, pleading for an explanation.

"Just roll with it."
 

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Look," I explained, deciding for the first time in months to err on the side of rational thought and leadership experience, "Mar. If I chase after her once, eventually she'll make me chase after her again. And again. And again. I'm in charge here. I hired you. She wants to be a leader someday? She should learn how to follow one simple meet in two hours instead of kicking her feet up at the bazaar. You wanna wake the princess up and tell her I said that? Go ahead. I'm gonna do what I came here for."

 

Hey, Ciph, my wordless greeting nod said.

 

-Tyler

[Geardirector]

IC: Mar (Po-Koro)

 

"Heh, sure, I'd be more than happy to"

 

"She might kill me if I did that, but I know someone who might survive it"

 

"I'll get the others and send them after you" I said before turning towards town again, "which direction is the temple in?"

Edited April 29, 2015 by Geardirector

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"When you walk out of the village, keep walking until you'd rather be dead, then take the first right," I said sardonically, Ciph and Sola in tow behind me. "Cipher can leave a trail."

 

-Tyler

[Geardirector]

IC: Mar (Po-Koro)

 

"What did I do to deserve to be caught between two of the biggest egos on the island?"

 

"Urgh"

 

"Alright, boy," I said to Karv, gesturing for him to follow me, "we need to find the others"

[Wade.]

IC: Avier

 

Avier mock saluted Mar as he passed right by him.

 

Apparently him and Kubrick had been standing there the entire time.

 

And they heard everything.

 

Things were getting edgy.

 

"You want me to wait here or...?"

[Voxumo]

IC: Syvra

 

While syvra and company waited for Venixa to return from her scouting, he began to ponder. Would this mission be successful? He doubted they would run into many members, since from the sounds of it most Brotherhood of Ak'rei'an members were in Ko-koro. Though whether they would be staying there or not is a different story. Even if they don't stay they certainly won't have blackrock to return to. 

 

I will finish what I started. I'll bring this sad excuse for a fortress to the ground. 

 

Just then, he noticed Venixa in the distance and he eagerly awaited to hear what news she would bring.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Voxumo

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi

 

I should check out the warehouse.

[Ghidora131]

IC Daltrahk

 

"In certain situations."

 

The air was becoming very crisp suddenly, slightly altering Daltrahk's breathing. He was just questioning when this would end or if she had another point to make.

 

Because like it or not, she had a Daltrahk. For quite a while.

[Shadowhawk]

IC:

Most village marketplaces were equipped with one or more large timepieces, prominently displayed for the benefit of the general public. And the bazaar of Po-Koro was no exception.

Rhea checked the time. Approximately one hour and forty-six minutes had elapsed since Dorian Shaddix had made his 'two hours, then regroup' spiel. She knew how to get to Stannis Maru's residence; she estimated it would take her and Nero about five minutes, perhaps four, to reach it.

She was many things. But unpunctual was not one of them.

Ice rattled in her glass as she grimly drained the last of its contents and tried to prepare her mind for the inevitable social torment interaction she knew would be coming within the next twenty minutes.

OOC:

Hey, nice try! You guys had me startled for a moment there... and then I remembered that no one except me had actually checked the time.

[The Drink]

IC: "I think we leave about one important person behind if we go now. The fourth of us."

"Who? There's you guys, Flay, me... that's about all Dor seems to care for in the group..."

Already counting yourself, huh? You must feel more at home than any normal person ought to.

Huh. Quick learner, not a bad trait to have.

"Avier. You'd be number 5."

She cocked her head not too unlike the dog she was just playing with a moment ago in confusion. No worries. I explain things well.

"Part of the group we found with Rhea. Just a word of warning here: He'll hit on you, shamelessly enough to make prettyboy himself over there blush. Don't give him an inch."

She nodded her understanding after a moment.

"Other than that, we like the cut of his jib. Only one we've picked up I'd really miss, honestly. Dor seems fed up with everyone that's not us in general, but who knows? Maybe he forgot." I hazarded, turning probing eyes into Dor's. "What's the verdict from the man in charge? We scoop him up on our way out?"

Edited April 30, 2015 by Tsumugu Kinagise

[Snelly]

IC: Skyra

 

...

 

Wow, the actually did it. This was my thought for about five minutes, it shouldn't have surprised me really. It had become clear I was nothing but dead weight to Dorian, an emotional, flimsical nuisance.

 

You know, the hints were kind of there for a while now.

 

Shut up.

 

Someone was offering me a hand, but I didn't really notice whoever it was, nor Stannis. I stood up on my own, looking toward where Dorian and friends had dashed off. I didn't give chase, I just stood there, on the remains of what once was a door.

 

"YOU COULDN'T JUST ASK ME TO LEAVE!? YOU !" In my rage pieces of the door went in all directions as the air around me turned violent. I bit my tongue, letting my anger simmer...

 

...then I didn't feel so angry anymore. Now that I thought about it, now instead of hanging out with Dick I could go find my actual friends. I walked out of Stannis' home and looked North, Onu-koro wasn't too terrible of a trip from here, a days walk I reckoned. That's where Naona was, according to Prei. I left without another word.

 

OOC: Skyra to Onu-Wahi

Edited April 30, 2015 by Lara Croft

[25K Now!]

IC: Prei

 

"I am afraid that you will have to pay recompense for the damages," I say, torn between going after Ms. Daring and staying here to ensure that order was kept. "No matter what grievances you may have; this is absolutely unacceptable."

 

It's hard to keep annoyance from seeping into my tone as I turn to face the assembled group, my expression radiating stoic disapproval. Minor vandalism I could overlook; this ridiculous display ... definitely not.

 

And he would be charged for it, his current, ambiguously legal state be .

[Shadowhawk]

OOC:

So in regard to my last post and a few OOC eyebrows it raised, I'd like to make a brief but frank apology. At the time I posted it, I was letting myself become way too emotionally involved with my characters, and because of that I let some very minor things bother me that shouldn't have... namely; Rhea is an arrogant little ##### at times, but she does take plans and schedules very seriously. So I was thinking that it didn't make sense she'd be late, and it annoyed me that everyone was assuming she was late.
 
But then I proceeded to retaliate in a pretty much immature and not-cool manner; namely, instead of manning up and putting my concerns on the table openly and OOC, I resorted to some underhanded exploitation of BZPtime. Which came across as a half-baked, face-saving attempt at a one-up.
 
There were some misunderstandings (mostly on my part) and definitely someone taking things too seriously (me). And some feathers were ruffled as a result. It was 100% my fault it happened; I really really don't want any bad blood or hard feelings to result because of it. I'll try hard to keep a clearer head next time around.

IC:

Finally there was no evading it any longer, and she took a breath and caught Nero's eye. "I suppose... I suppose we'd best be... going."
 
The Toa of Air made a short, guttural noise of agreement and twisted to his feet, plainly eager to be, as she said, going.
 
They went, moving quietly side by side through the bustling streets.

Edited April 30, 2015 by Shadowhawk

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Andrex:

 

The colossal fire Toa stepped into a shaded veranda, a brief reprieve from the unrelenting sun.

 

Though he could withstand heat, dehydration was something he wasn't keen on experiencing twice.

 

OOC: open for interaction.

[Silvan Haven]

Lenat- Po-koro- Engineering Department

 

IC: With one last swirl of the pen Lenat finished the final piece of paperwork that covered his desk. The work had piled up while he was gone on his trip to Ta-koro and it had taken days to catch up.

 

With a sigh the lanky Vortixx leaned back in his chair as he looked over his plans again. It looked like this would not be the only time he would need to play catchup on his official duties. Nevertheless, what he was doing was for the good of the island and was needed now more than ever.

 

Gathering everything he might need in his satchel, Lenat placed his report to Hewkii in the outgoing message pile before once again leaving the village in a MNTE owned cart.

 

OOC: Lenat to Ko-wahi.

Edited April 30, 2015 by Silvan Haven

[Perp]

IC: Jokaro

After inspecting the interior of Farzan's empty workshop for the better part of half an hour, the Po-Matoran was getting antsy.

Might just come back tomorrow.

He exited the shop and began wandering the streets of Po-Koro once again. Couldn't hurt to familiarize himself with his new place of work.

OOC: Open for interaction.
 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

 

IC: Gatanka

The Lesterin of Fire turned to the Crystal Toa, Talinka.

"You. You said you wanted to build a... city... of some sort?"

[Geardirector]

IC: Avier

 

Avier mock saluted Mar as he passed right by him.

 

Apparently him and Kubrick had been standing there the entire time.

 

And they heard everything.

 

Things were getting edgy.

 

"You want me to wait here or...?"

 

IC: Mar (Po-Koro)

 

"Just get going, I'll find the others" I replied.

 

That didn't turn out to be strictly necessary, though.

 

IC: Zelvin (Po-Koro)

 

Zelvin waved curtly as she, with Elysi in tow, arrived with the others.

 

"Ready and able, or whatever it is they say these days

[Ghidora131]

IC Daltrahk

 

It would appear that there is a group forming. Now was the one time Daltrahk wished he was tiny so he wouldn't be immediately noticed.

 

Reluctantly, he strode up, following Zelvin.

[Shadowhawk]

IC:

Rhea and Nero joined the assembly without a word or fanfare, just moments behind Zelvin, Elysi, and Daltrahk, and from the opposite direction. The Su-Toa's gaze flicked quickly from one face to another, mentally checking off each one and noting the presence of any newcomers.

Everyone and then some accounted for, looks like...

And then a subtle double-take as she realized the fuller scope of the situation, which quite prominently featured an irate Po-Koro Sentinel.

...including the cops. Ye gods. What the ###### has Shaddix done now?

Edited May 2, 2015 by Shadowhawk

[shadow pridak money gang]

Temple IC:

 

The sounds of Dorian Shaddix and Cipher Compassrose nearly coming to blows echoed over the Motara Desert.

 

"You ruined my jacket!"

 

"You nearly set fire to a desert. There is no water for hours and hours in any direction, Dor--"

 

"--Xa-Koro, custom make--"

 

"Are you even listening?"

 

"--never gonna get the ###### arson stench out--"

 

"Your priorities have never amazed me as much they do in this very instant, Shaddix. Look, I get that you've got the whole dark and impulsive thing going, and that your grip on reality has never been the toughest, but you should be thanking me for the mess I just got us out of."

 

"Maybe if you hadn't tried to stop me, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

 

"When you're marching towards a sacred temple with five gallons of Madu oil in one hand and a burning Mata Nui Weekly in the other, there isn't exactly an A, B, C, or D for what you're gonna do, you maniac! How do you think that would have gone!?"

 

 

"Alright, alright! Listen." Dorian grasped the sides of Cipher's head and stared hard into his wingman's eyes. "This isn't helping any of us."

 

"No."

 

"We can't let this ###### temple beat us."

 

"Nah," agreed Cipher. "We've taken down worse things than a wall."

 

"And hey, we've even torn down tons of walls!"

 

"Like Stannis'."

 

"And the docks," Dor recalled.

 

"And the Mark Bearer Temple walls."

 

"Yeah, yeaaaaah.. And even the barriers against alternate sexualities on Mata Nui."

 

"W-What? No, dude, I think that one was all you."

 

"Riiiight, riiiight, you right. Point is you stood there and watched steadfastly for all that ######."

 

"No, dude, I actually helped with every one of those walls except the sexuality one. That one, again, is literally all you. Maniac."

 

"So!" Dorian let go of Cipher and pivoted on his heel, staring at the temple wall in sullen thought. "We can't blow it up, thanks to you--"

 

"You should be thanking me."

 

"What have I done?" Sola moaned.

 

"--we can't blow it up, and we've already lost Skyra. The fake Charms idea was a bust, too."

 

The sounds of Dor and Ciph thinking echoed over the Motara Desert.

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

"We shouldn't have thrown Skyra so early," Dor finally admitted.

 

"Waste of a battering ram," Ciph agreed with a sigh.

 

"Yeah, I was ###### at Stannis. If I hadn't had such a headache I would have known to use her here."

 

"Think she's woken up?"

 

"Yeah, she's got nothing in her head worth damaging. She's long gone."

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

The sounds of Dor and Ciph thinking echoed through the Motara Desert.

 

"I'm still the best Iron Toa in the world," Dor offered.

 

"Eeeeeh."

 

"What."

 

"You were a couple years ago," Ciph said, keeping a straight face to the best of his effort. "Back when you were with the Bearers and Bad Company. Why would the best Toa of Iron in the world be pouring bourbon neats in the Lavapool Inn?"

 

"Don't you do this Compassrose--"

 

"Maybe you've lost your touch."

 

"You SONUVA#####." Dor whirled and glared daggers at Cipher. "Don't you put that ###### jinx on me! You saw what I did to Grokk! I could do it to anything if I wanted!"

 

"You haven't done it to the wall."

 

"I'm not about to waste bullets on a wall!"

 

"Sounds like has-been talk to me."

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

The sounds of Dorian Shaddix stewing echoed over the Motara Desert.

 

"You are trying to appeal to my pride," Dorian said, "and it has worked like a charm. Stand back."

 

Finally grinning roguishly at Sola, Cipher motioned for the young Toa of Lightning to stand far behind Dorian and far to the right as the young, pouty Toa of Iron whirled on his foot again and drew his revolver with the kind of familiarity that came with being an accomplished gunslinger. Casually, expertly, he lined up the gun and fired six shots, evenly placed throughout a section of the wall about ten feet tall, ten feet wide. Holstering the empty weapon, he drew the sniper rifle from his back and emptied an entire magazine - twenty shots - into the same section of wall.

 

The shots echoed over the Motara Desert.

 

Dorian planted his feet in the sand and bit down on the corner of his lip as he eased back into the old rhythm of Elemental Transcendence; focusing on every little metal slug and drawing them together, drawing them towards him, he got into the old motions, slipping out of the unpredictable, talkative assassin's mould and becoming metal, cold and stalwart, unable to bend. He would not lose to some dumb hunk of sandstone, not when he was metal, not when he had resisted Heuani, fought off death a hundred times, survived on--

 

No. Dorian had done that. Dorian was in him, but only a jagged piece of a whole; he was metal.

 

Cold.

 

Stalwart.

 

He would never bend, and he would never lose to some dumb hun--

 

CRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRACK! echoed the sound of sandstone breaking, carrying over the Motara Desert.

 

COLD

 

STALWART

 

HE WOULD NEVER BEND

 

AND HE WOULD NEVER LOSE 

 

NOT TO HEUANI, WHO WAS DEAD AND GONE

 

NOT TO JOSKE, WHO WAS NO BETTER THAN HIM

 

NOT TO RHEA, WHO HE KNEW WAS PRACTICALLY HIM

 

AND THE METAL CURSED ITS OWN JAGGED FRAGMENTS AT LAST, CURSED THE GREATEST THREAT OF ALL AND NAMED IT DOR--

 

The large chunk of sandstone flew towards him, raining bullets as it soared; Dorian, quick as a cat, sidestepped it and watched it fly within two feet of him, watched it sail harmlessly past Sola and Cipher and over the nearest sand dune. For a second, it looked like another sun had joined the one already blazing in the sky. There's your ###### path, Rhea.

 

"What are you gonna tell me?" he asked casually, chest heaving with heavy breath while he punctuating the question with the click of his gun's reloaded cylinder.

 

"Don't be childish."

 

"C'mon." The request was punctuated with the sound of a new magazine clicking into his sniper rifle.

 

"Do you need to hear me say it?"

 

"Yeah."

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

"You're the best in the world, Dorian."

 

The sound of Dorian Shaddix glowing with pride echoed over the Motara Desert.

 

-Tyler

 

[Geardirector]

IC Daltrahk

 

It would appear that there is a group forming. Now was the one time Daltrahk wished he was tiny so he wouldn't be immediately noticed.

 

Reluctantly, he strode up, following Zelvin.

 

IC: Zelvin

 

Before heading out to the temple:

 

"You," she said, turning to the Skakdi, "here"

 

After rummaging around in her cloak, a small pouch of widgets appeared that she handed to Daltrahk.

 

"A little something for putting up with me all day, you've earned it. Now, off you go. We're fully staffed for our next endeavor already"

 

Zelvin discreetly shushed the Skakdi off as the group left.

 

At the temple:

 

While Zelvin didn't have much to spare on Dorian's choice of conversational topic (she'd gotten her fill of that sort of thing during her own "foolish youth" stage), she could naught but appreciate the obvious mastery of his element the Toa possessed. He even had her beat.

 

Her mask of Sensory Aptitude was already primed to pick up on every nuance of the interior, she was ready as she was likely to get.

 

IC: Mar (Temple)

 

Looks like we're taking the scenic route in, very well.

 

Karv sniffed around nearby, looking for anything to warn us about.

 

Ready.

[Shadowhawk]

IC:

Rhea's brain hurt, but even on a bad day, there was nothing quite like the scent of dungeon dust. The sky would turn and darken, and stars would burn and die, and people would come and go and their troubles would come and go with them, but that dry, gritty tang of mold and rust and faded granite... that distinctive pulse-pounding musk of raw legend, that was forever. A song pure and harsh and incorruptible.

 

She breathed deep, drawing a last trickle of vitality from a deep internal reservoir she hadn't known she possessed, and tapped her fingers restlessly against the hilt of her right-hand blade.

 

Her bodyguard squinted into the newly-revealed blackness and unlimbered his combat machete. His axe was heavier, more powerful... but the machete was faster, a bit more nimble. Better for close quarters.

[The Drink]

IC:

..."You know you were gonna have to say it, right?"

"Just shut it and get in the hole, Fulminea."

"Heh. Lewd."

"I'll throw you over the nearest edge I see."

"Roger~!" came the jaunty and altogether unrepentant response, as one Vo-Toa grinned ear-to-ear.

Takes after him too much already. Lord forbid he has a kid.
 

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"I like her," I said, slipping through the giant entrance I had made in the side of the temple.

 

"Don't encourage this."

 

"Hey Sola! Am I encouraging you?"

 

-Tyler

[The Drink]

IC: "Nah, just reinforcing!"

"See? Not encouraging squat."

"fired"

"Hm?"

"y o u r e   F I R E D"

"Ah well, guess I'll just only be doing this because I want to help you guys save the world, then. Shame."

"You ain't paying her anyway. I'm the one payin' people."

The sounds of Cipher sputtering indignantly echoed within the temple.

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

She could be a Shaddix.

 

-Tyler

[Ghidora131]

IC Daltrahk

 

 

...Widgets? he would return them eventually. For now, though, things had escalated from stupid to suspicious.

 

Daltrahk watched the group until they were quite aways off, then followed at a slow pace. He placed the bag in a hollow part of Magma Gear. And this building thing they headed towards seemed especially suspicious...

 

 

Zelvin was in there. And he had made a promise.

[Shadowhawk]

IC:

Rhea drew her right-hand blade and moved carefully into the temple's black maw, maintaining a position several paces behind the point man, Dorian.
 
Any element of tactical silence they'd possessed, she noted darkly, had already been cast carelessly to the winds. The more time she spent with Shaddix and his crew, the more she questioned whether they were actually professionals (as they claimed to be) or just a bunch of half-crazed adrenaline junkies who liked to work their mouths more than their grey matter.
 
Shaddix could be very dangerous, she knew. She assumed his buddies could be as well, particularly that Cipher fellow.
 
But c'mon. They were bantering, cracking jokes, compromising the mission's security in a noted hostile zone. Attracting every predatory Rahi within earshot. Just about the first thing every fighting man and woman is taught not to do.

 

On the other hand, she didn't dare speak up. Shaddix would probably just laugh off her concerns in that infuriatingly superior way he had, like he was some invincible demigod or something. And in a choice between being laughed at, even just a little, or ambushed in a pitch-black underground tunnel by overwhelming numbers of huge hairy who-knows-what, she'd far rather choose the latter. She felt she'd been made to play the fool enough today, and she'd decided she didn't like it.

 

Didn't like it, at all.
 
Inwardly seething, she kept moving and kept her mouth shut.