BZPRPG - Le-Wahi

[Ghosthands]

IC (Merror)

 

Merror nodded.

 

"Thank you, Guardsman," he said. "I'd better get up to the village and - "

 

He stumbled back a little as something green seemed to appear out of nowhere and wrap itself around him.

 

"Merror! I knew you'd make it!"

 

"Skyra!?" he half-yelped, half-laughed, and, after a moment, returned the hug. "I can tell you, I didn't!"

 

He stepped back.

 

"In fact," he added, "I wouldn't have, were it not for Aerus here."

 

He gestured to his Matoran companion, who was standing a little awkwardly a few feet away.

 

"Not the saviour I'd have expected, but I probably owe him my life."

[Geardirector]

IC: Kidona

 

Kidons looked at the chute and visibly paled a bit and merely shook her head

"Yeah... There is far too much to much risk in those and i would rather not risk my life just to get somewhere a bit quicker."

 

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

 

"Hear hear" Colx agreed, gesturing with his pipe.

 

"Have you been around the island, by any chance?"

[Snelly]

IC: Skyra

 

"Oh?" I looked at Aerus, who did indeed seem like the awkward sort, I gave him a smile. Knowing Merror was not dead was a really good mood lifter.

 

"Hi there! I'm Skyra. Thanks for saving Merror, it means more than you know."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

On the ninth day, the soft of bacon wafted softly into Tillian's nose, and he woke with a groan.

 

Four uneaten breakfasts, varying in cuisine, proximity and temperature, had made camp in his room at the Inn, with the fourth and final meal resting on the pillow ride beside him; the one-time commander of the Po-Koro Guard had scrambled egg on his cheek and had nearly drowned himself in a packet of pancake syrup the size of a thumbnail. Whoops.

 

"Sky-raaaaa."

 

-Tyler

[Snelly]

IC: Skyra

 

I got the sudden feeling I should check on Tillian. It was a strange feeling, almost like a sixth sense...more like it was because I'd told Tillian I'd be back hours ago...

 

"Oh! I almost forgot, I left Tillian back at the Inn...I should probably go see how he's doing." Leaving him unattended for so long was rather irresponsible I figured.

 

We all were heading up to Le-koro, as it was, we took the elevator pod together. "So...I figure you'll probably want to rest, or report your aliveness to the others, or both..." The elevator came to a halt as we reached the top.

 

I looked at Merror as we stepped out. "I'm going to head to the Bright-Star Inn and check on Tillian...once I get him awake enough I'll come find you again...or come with me...either way!" I didn't mean to cut our reunion so short, but I really had these feeling I needed to fetch Tillian...it was either that or blame it on weird girl hormones.

Edited December 23, 2013 by Yoko Littner

[a goose]

IC: Aerus (Foot of Le-Koro)

 

Stay tense. Look at the ground. Arms, folded behind your back.

#####.

Right arm behind your back, loosely holding your left. One foot slightly in front of the other. Slump shoulders. You've been addressed. Smile awkwardly.

 

Squeeze arm. No response. Examine for injuries -- silver scratch visible from escape attempt. Calm yourself. There's a puddle of water on the floor. There's a puddle of water on the floor. Deep breaths. There's a puddle of water on the floor. You exist. You are in control.

 

Follow the others into the elevator. The conversation is inconsequential. Continue the front. Shy, just saved Merror's life. No questions are headed your way any time soon.

 

I look up, examining the other Toa as the elevator comes to a stop. She said her name was Skyra. Seems to be a friend of Merror's -- and a close one. Immensely grateful for his continued existence.

Her foolish sentimentality will bring her nothing but pain. Everyone dies, in time. I relax my posture, smiling lightly. I'm in. Not only was Echelon's arch-nemesis quick to accept me, his friends are too. Offering kindness to someone they barely know for a simple deed, the motivation for which they don't understand. Is it any real wonder that all the heroes of this world endure such pain when they expend trust so thoughtlessly?

Or when we betray it so callously.

I see you've found your indignance once again. And you were so cooperative when we woke up.

You can't subdue me forever.

I already have.

Edited December 23, 2013 by ~Tom Milsom~

[Voxumo]

IC: Kidona

 

Kidona heard this and merely offered a gentle smile

"Well i have actually been traveling for quite sometime.. I have never felt comfortable staying in one place for long though my funds are starting to run short so i feel it is time to actually start a job.. Though may i ask why you asked?"

[Geardirector]

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

 

"Yes, well, you see I've got a few friends who's also out there doing the travelling thing. We stay in touch via mail, but I always like to hear from someone who might've run into them"

[Voxumo]

IC: Kidona

 

Kidona nods slowly as she hears this. Slowly she holsters Oborui at her hip before looking back to Colx

"Well i may have met them but i can't guarantee anything."

[Geardirector]

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

 

"If not, then you can keep an eye out for 'em if you ever do run into them. First there's Helios; Ba-Toa, black and gold, really big warhammer, and then there's Melna: Ba-Lesterin, black and copper, good looks and an impossibly big smile"

[Voxumo]

IC: Kidona

 

Kidona brought a hand to idly tap at her chin

"Hmm.. the names don't sound familiar but i will certainly keep an eye out.. Though i hope i will be staying in Le-koro for awhile."

[Geardirector]

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

 

"Sounds like a deal" Colx mumbled, bemused.

 

"Have a good one" he said with a wave"

[Voxumo]

IC: Kidona

 

Kidona nodded slowly

"You take care as well.."

 

She had just begun to walk before she seemed to remember something and turned to call out to Colx

"Hey Colx! Where is this Bright-Star inn you talked about?"

[Geardirector]

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

 

"Just take the first branch to the left and keep walking, pass the next Chute Station and take the third right" Colx said as he got up.

 

"I gotta get back, too. Safe trip"

 

Colx then turned on his heel and went back to his gym.

[Voxumo]

IC: Kidona

 

Kidona merely smiled as she heard this and waved to Colx

"Thanks and take care."

 

And with that she followed his directions and proceeded to head toward the Bright-star inn..

 

Short walk later

 

The Violet and Emerald armored Vortixx pushed open the doorway to the Bright-star inn and seemed to consider the inn as she stood there, Neon green eyes roaming over the location

 

OOC: Kidona open for interaction

[25K Now!]

IC: Naona

 

Le-koro was a place of mixed feelings for Naona. While she had spent quite a lot of time in the village back during her rookie days, it was also where she suffered one of her greatest betrayals. Even though she had begun to put those feelings to rest, it was still a bit uncomfortable sitting on a tree branch, watching her protege train. It reminded her too much of what he used to do, although the positions had been switched, with her teaching Hari instead.

 

That being said, the jungle was one of the best places to teach the rookie guard. Naona wasn't exactly too knowledgeable about the process of plant-control, as her powers worked on a completely different wavelength to Hari's. All the plants around them would probably help though - a Toa of the Green possessed an affinity with nature, and she was pretty sure that her protege might be able to come up with something creative.

 

She looked up at the setting sun. It was starting to get late. Had it really been that long since they had started training?

 

"Want to call it day?" she called, turning back to face Hari.

[The Dark Chronicler]

IC: Drome

 

Poor Kadon, incapable of understanding even something so simple. It was a wonder he was still alive right now, with his inability to figure out the meaning of rather obvious phrasing. Of curse, I knew why he was still alive. It was all my fau... er, thanks to me. Without me around, Kadon would have killed himself a hundred times over. Probably stuck his head in a fire to learn what makes the 'pretty light' or something.

 

"Doesn't matter, a village is a village. The weather's just different in between."

[Cadias]

IC: Kadon

 

I rolled my eyes. Drome always loved to pull out the, 'Look at how tough I am!' act, and every single time he overdid it. "Alright, then, how about you go and spend a year living in an inn in Ko-Koro? I bet you'll love the cold after that." More seriously, I added, "Let's drop by Le-Koro, I guess. We need supplies."

 

I didn't list my other reason for wanting to go to Le-Koro: I was bored. For months, I'd been sitting around, doing absolutely nothing. I mean, yeah, I'd been traveling and stuff, but that didn't matter. I wanted to do something big, something that would be remembered forever.... and I was still kicking myself for not helping with defeating Makuta somehow. Talk about missing your chance.

 

See, I'd always figured that there had to be a reason I became a Toa. Some people scoff at the idea of destiny, but I know I have one. Why else was I given this power? Mata-Nui gave it to me, and I wanted to make a difference with it.

 

There's just one issue with all of that: People.

 

I guess part of the problem is me. I'm a bit of a Toa of Ice at heart... well, more than a bit, but you get the idea. People are just so.... annoying. Especially Drome. We fight all of the time, which leads me to wonder why we've been traveling with each other for months. We probably care for each other and relate to one another deep down or something... oh, whatever. Point is, he's lost without me, so I guess I feel obligated to make sure he doesn't go and get himself killed. I suppose you could sum up my feelings about helping the island that way, too.

 

I arrived at our makeshift camp, gathered my few possessions and then headed toward Le-Koro, ignoring whatever Drome had to say about going there. He'd tag along.

[Palm]

OOC:
Suggested listening

IC: Tuara Drigton - Le-Koro Hospital Cafeteria

Her red and black legs carried her across the cafeteria floor with the grace of a butterfly and the strength of a n oxen. She looked tired, like a wrung out towel. Technically she wasn't even supposed to be out and about. She was sure that if she had informed the doctors of her wound she'd probably be stuck in a bed for the next few days.

She sighed as she caught sight of Dorian Shaddix, standing off to the side. Her eyes narrowed to see the Toa of Iron balancing on his toes, flipping Joske's sword about. Slowing to a stop, she planted herself halfway across the room to watch him.

It seemed odd to her coming to the sudden realization she'd had. But despite the fact that the pair weren't exactly "distant souls" during the past few months, she never really observed him. Tuara Drigton took a couple steps over and half-leaned half-sat against a lunch table. With crossed arms she took a moment to relax.

Dorian's skill with a blade wasn't exactly the worst she'd seen. But that wasn't what she was watching for. Tuara was looking at Dorian's face, the profile almost silhouetting from the pale light of the sun outside. His eyes gazed past the plain of vision that held the blade, and past even the window-wall of the hospital.

She frowned.

"Are you checking me out?"

He was limber, incredibly limber; Dorian leaned over backwards and looked up at Tuara with two large blue eyes and then spun around on his heel gracefully, forward thrusting with his flamberge into the gullet of the empty air. His passado was effortless, a natural movement of a natural swordsman. His smile came just as easily, and it cut just as sharply. He didn't look like he was brooding, or even upset. His shoulders, knotted twenty minutes before by the stress of murder and fate, looked as relaxed and strapping as they ever had.

"All you have to do is ask. We are dating."

Tuara smiled a little, "I'm just watching."

"Have you ever thought about just building a yacht and sailing off to break new ground?" he asked, effortlessly weaving under a thrust unseen and thwacking the assailant in the center of the back with the keen edge of his new blade. "We could leave it all. No vices to tempt us. Just the waves to fix our reflections, and seagulls to shoot out of the sky when we get bored. Tell me you've never thought about just obliterating a seagull in mid flight. The winged ###### machines don't look quite so majestic when a third of their feathers are burning and they're doing a tailspin into the shoreline."

His practice continued.

"We could do it, you know."

She sort of stopped, "I'd like that," she pushed up off the table she was leaning on and began slow strides towards Dorian, "I really would."

"Is there a but coming?" Dorian asked, turning on his heel and holding his sword in a reverse grip, pointing towards the ceiling behind his back.

Tuara gave a little frown, "Joske started something. And Stannis wants us to finish it," she crossed her arms, "But he didn't exactly tell me what that something was. And with Utu gone, well, we don't exactly have any clues."

"He didn't tell me, either. And with Utu gone none of our lives are in danger from trying to force clues out of him - and you know it as much as I do, our lives were in danger. That, plus suffering, is equal to..."

"I'm not gonna argue with you about Utu," Tuara's face suddenly became hardened, "But don't try to justify what happened any more than you've already done."

My eyes weren't open... and with that realization everything went black.

 

The blank canvas was covered in darkness, removing myself of the opportunity to paint it myself. I internally frowned. I could however, hear very clearly the hustle and bustle of the people around me. Both medical stuff that had come in and the hushed voices of people that sounded oddly familiar. I could feel a pair of hands on my head, "Sir can you hear me?" No response from me. I would've if I could've.

"Fine."

 

Tuara sighed, softening up. She dropped her arms and let them swing, walking towards Dorian again. The Toa of fire stopped just outide Dorian's reach to avoid a rather unfortunate accident with the blade, "Can I talk to you?" Dorian looked to read her face.

"I'll sidestep the obvious fact that we're talking right now, and say yeah, of course you can."

Dorian rolled the sword in his hand and slung it over a makeshift sheath at his hip. One thumb brushed against the edges of Tuara's lips and tried to make her smile at naturally as she could. She was warm beneath his touch.

"Speak."

"Sir, can you hear me?"

Red and blue eyes met somewhere in the middle and with that colorful spark Tuara ignited. She took Dorian's hand, "Actions speak louder than words," she turned and gave Dorian a little tug before walking away from the window, bringing him along with her.

"Oh, this is going to be that kind of talk, then?"

"Shut up Dor."

 

* * * * *

 

I felt the hands leave my face as another voice was raised, "...I'm Praggos, a former associate of his and currently one of his doctors. How are you?"

Associate?

I've never had an associate.

I had a doctor?

Where was I?

What happened?

"Brain damage ... likely ... responsive ... handler? ... legally Ta-Koro's under Le-Koro's juris ... call in ... Sir you've just had an accident, you're going to be alright ... can we? ... her? ... go see ... Your heart stopped beating 20 minutes ago for a short while, you have likely experienced brain damage during that time ..."

I couldn't remember.

I didn't even know that Dorian had put me down. I didn't remember Praggos as an associate either. I didn't even remember Praggos. Come to think of it, I couldn't remember Dorian, Joske (as anything other than a kohlii player), Tuara, Cael, or even Echelon.

There was so much missing.

 

* * * * *

 

Tuara rolled over, landing next to Dorian on the soft downy. Long ribbons of fabric interlaced around her legs and feet. For a moment she just sort of stared up at the ceiling, listening to Dorian's breathing and how it juxtaposed with her own rhythmically. An atonal cacophony of sounds, playing to their own beat. But as the quiet grew unsettling, the Toa of fire started, "Does death frighten you?" she asked.

"Not my death," he admitted. "It's everyone else I'm worried about. You?"

"I dunno," she said, hardly able to hear her own words from the soft quiet quality they held, "I used to. I used to think about all the people I'd leave behind, or my home. How they'd weep or be angry, then what they'd have to do to my house and possessions."

She blinked a couple times to herself, "I used to think about all the terrible things that would follow me, like it really was gonna cause more problems."

"What now?" asked Dorian Shaddix, looking at this girl he loved and holding her chin up with a finger. "Now what do you think about?"

"Freedom," She turned to look at him, a somewhat uneasiness about her eyes set in.

Dor smiled at her, "Who knows more about freedom than me?"

'Pick up the pieces Kotore,' I told myself, 'What do you last remember?' I mulled over this question for what seemed to be an eternity as the voices continued to rush around me like a flock of birds, 'I remember my mother in front of me... in two parts'. Yes, that was it. I was there standing over my mother. I had done what I had promised Hakam I would do. I tore my mother in two with the power of a mysterious rune on my arm that glowed. Yes, I had done that right after I ripped out my father’s lungs.

My hands and arms were bloodstained when I looked down at them.

I was smiling, the corners of my lips flickering.

"I dunno Dor," she raised an eyebrow, "Technically you're property of the Ta-Koro Guard and Agni could pull the plug on this whole thing if he wanted to," she looked back up at the ceiling, "If the brass back home knew what's been going on over here they'd ship you right into your cell across from Tank again before Jaller could fake not-blowing-his-lid."

"No, they could send me back to the Ta-Koro gates and then I could move back into our loft, which is a better set of digs than any cop in the Koro has going for them. You have the Captain; I have the Akiri, and a couple other friends in high places besides. Tuara, look at me. Hey. Look. Trust me. We're going to be free, sooner rather than later."

"I'm not talking about that kind of freedom Dor."

"What kind, then?"

Nobody could hold tease me like my brother once did. He was dead. Nobody could hurt me like my father once did. He was dead too. And finally, nobody could hold me down. My mother was dead. I killed them. I did that. I rose above something greater than all of us and destroyed the people that could never love me. I had no more obligations. I had no more past. My past was on my arms and chest, warm and dark, but it was dripping away, I was shedding my past self like snake sheds its skin.

"I walk around the world with a weight on my shoulders, ever since Iris figured out a way into my head," she said, looking at Dorian oddly calmly, "The only person I really owed any real obligation to was Angelus. For a while I used to think that this pain I felt could go away if I decided to leave forever; and I don't mean the city or the island."

She paused for a moment.

That was the trick wasn't it? That was all I had searched for my entire life. I had found it. I could be whoever I wanted however I wanted. I had unlocked my life through death: The death of the demons that once plagued my mind, sweetly screaming into my ears.

"I thought about leaving. I have been for a while. It wasn't until this morning that I realized that death isn't always freedom. No matter how hard I want it to be," her eyes were moist and her voice raw with thick emotion, "I told somebody once that everybody dies eventually. I guess I didn't realize until today that it happens no matter what they think it means."

This girl he loved was about to shed tears, and Dor reached up with a finger and gently wiped her eyes clean, kissed her forehead, kissed her, held her close to him. Something welled up in him as she talked about death - not quite regret, but some sort of foundation for it.

"If you poop out on me and die, I'm totally breaking up with you."

"Yeah right."

"What, you don't think I have the stones?"

"Something along those lines, yeah."

"Watch me. As soon as you die, your plushie is going to beat up my plushie, and then my plushie is going to walk away as fast as his little stitched legs can carry him and seek a career as a stuffed model, like Momma always told him he should be."

"You do know, you're all I have left Dorian. Sometimes I don't think I'd make it if something happened to you."

My smile quickly grew larger and wider. I was free.

"I can handle that," he swore solemnly, wrapping himself around Tuara's shoulders and grinning at her with another kiss.

Next thing I knew, I was lying down on a metal bed, and somebody was talking into my ear, telling me my heart had stopped.

Now what did I ever do to get here? Why wasn't I free? Even in death I was never free.

"I found out about Le-Koro's watch on me," Dorian pulled back just slightly. Tuara scanned Dorian's face, giving a said soft smile, just with her lips, "I took it right to Kongu. He said he couldn't tell me why, but that you had asked for me to be protected."

 

Greed was a constant. A given. It was inherent that with a large enough population, you would have an environment where the greedy preyed upon those that didn’t share an affinity for self-improvement. The only way to destroy greed was to destroy anything that lives. But that would remove the opportunity for goodness and kindness. Men and women could no longer create. A world without creation was not a world worth saving.

Kongu looked up from his desk. Letters going out and coming in sat on his desk, idly waiting for him to either revise or send away, or to read and respond. He had, since being elected as Le-Koro’s leader become quite the writer. He was Le-Koro’s author.

“You were not pulling my leg when you said you were writing the future again,” Karata said, with a tone of wonder in her voice, “I did not think you were being so literal though,” she finished with a more joking voice.

Kongu smirked, “Very funny my old friend,” he stood up, “Mostly meager paperwork,” Karata leaned back in her chair, putting her feet on Kongu’s desk, “How does your new unit fare?” the Akiri asks, still keeping his eyes down on the papers below, “I trust they are doing well?”

“Excelling in fact,” Karata said with a pip in her tone, “They grasped the concept much faster than I had anticipated.”

“It seems good faith has shined upon you and your team.”

“Or good luck.”

Kongu looked up with a bemused smile, a little eyebrow raise, “Luck? My dear friend, very little in this world is left up to luck. It was your intuition that allowed us to advance as we have as quickly as we have. Hasil might have been employed himself before long, but the speed at which we have moved was your doing.”

“And yours.”

“Bah,” Kongu waved the idea away returning to his paper-work, “I merely encouraged the players to step onto the stage. They would have made it there eventually,” Kongu began to busy himself with the final letters in his hand, flipping each one into the respective chutes.

“Does that make what we do here an act?”

Kongu flipped the final letter away to look at Karata as she asked quizzically, “Have you explored philosophy in your time away Karata?”

“Nah. I just want to know what you think.”

“I think, dear friend,” Kongu started as he began to remove the Akiri’s robe, “That life as we know it will not last forever, and that it is up to us to be prepared for what changes the sunrise brings,” he lay the robe on his desk, revealing the numerous, complex, tribal tattoos that covered his chest and arms, “I think that whatever we do on the stage will only entertain an audience for so long until the novelty is gone. Or until they tell themselves the novelty is gone,” he sighed, “Peace is not an act. But to some it can become an act, if they lie to themselves. Either way, the play must go on.”

He stepped past Karata to the door, she got up to follow, “Where are you to go today?”

Kongu breathed in deeply, taking in the sweet air of Le-Koro, “Wherever the wind chooses to take me, Karata,” Karata smiled as she closed the door behind her, Ka fluttering down to land gracefully in front of Kongu, “Thank you for coming and speaking with me this morning. I cannot say I have always felt at ease in light of new revelations within this village, but I certainly can say that you have made me feel at least a little better.”

Karata skipped past Kongu and Ka, “I will take care of the unit,” her own Nui-Rama buzzed off to the side. Completely indifferent to her return, “Rest easy.”

“I will be out in the jungle. I need some time alone, and away from the stuffiness of a small office to grieve."

"Sure thing Kongu. I will talk with you later."

Kongu smiled mournfully as he climbed onto Ka's back, clicking twice, and launching into the air.

[Voxumo]

IC: Kidona (Bright-Star Inn)

 

kidona moved towards the bar and as she looked around she seemed to notice the bartender Unari to whom which she motioned to perhaps hoping for help in acquiring a drink.

 

Ooc: Kidona open for interaction at the bright-star inn

[otter]

IC:

 

"I don't speak sign language, miss," Unari said to Kidona. "If you wish to order a drink or something, you'll have to speak with words, or I'll have to call in an interpreter."

[Voxumo]

IC: Kidona

 

Kidona did not seem amused by this and merely sighed.. The one time she tried to approach a person despite her hesitation and it came to shoot her in the backside though she merely laughed

"Ah yes.. I suppose you wouldn't.. But none the less i was wondering what you had to drink that wasn't alcoholic? Would rather keep my wits about me.."

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Valria)

 

"Sorry." I whispered as I walked along with Agni. Of course I had to go and be a problem for him. I don't think the others cared much, not that they should have. Wasn't really good for much. Because if I was actually a good person, I wanted to go to Agni because I missed him, because he was there for me, but I was never there for him. I was needy and useless but I could try to be better, and maybe one day I'd actually be. I don't know but Agni and these people, they deserve something better than deadweight. I stopped Agni, and hugged him, tighter than I ever had before we reached the morgue. "I'm sorry Agni. I shouldn't have broken down like that on you. I'm going to be better, I promise." I smirked, and let go so we could continue on our way. I didn't know if he wanted to talk, frankly we were too busy to talk about well...anything. It was one hundred miles a minute, and I hadn't been helping in the slightest. It was time to be better than that, the question was how?

 

IC: (Hari)

 

"Sure thing!" Hari replied, her torquoise eyes turning to her mentor, all around Naona's protege flower petals spun around before settling on the ground at her feet. She whistled like a person would for their god and a vine unfurled and wrapped around Hari's arm and pulled her upwards so she was eye level with Naona, giggling she spoke again. "I love Le-Wahi Naona, it's so full of life! I was thinking of swinging back into Le on these, what about you? I can get them to behave if you want." She beamed, Hari's grin was wide and friendly, and despite all the grief that had plagued this island she remained positive and optimistic. It was really no wonder why she made friends so easily, especially here in Le-Koro. More than a couple of Le-Koro natives had tried to convince her to move, and honestly it was very tempting. The idea of being closer to her Krayn, as well being surrounded by all this plant life and energy. It was the kind of place she was meant to be, but she also loved Po, it was home to many of her friends and co-workers. Either way training with Naona was working out well than it had been before. Although Naona scolded her her to Karzahni and back for her display at the destroyed Juturna estate, swearing she'd kill her protege if she died on her. Hari of course met it with those happy eyes and that infectious giggle. No one could stay mad at Hari for long.

[25K Now!]

IC: Naona

 

Hari's smiles were infectious. The cheer that radiated off her protege was making her smile as well. Not to the other Toa's extent of course - Naona didn't believe that she was actually capable of grinning so widely. A stray thought floated into her brain: something about weaponising Hari's smiles and how they could be used to bring world peace. She ignored it. It sounded like something from one of those books that Tera liked to read.

 

"Vine-swinging huh ..."

 

Her face took upon a nostalgic expression. It had been a long time since she had tried vine-swinging, but the Toa of Stone knew that she was still familiar with how to do so.

 

"Sure," she replied.

[Ghosthands]

IC (Merror)

 

"Yeah, I'll go and find the other, let them know I'm not dead!" Merror replied, waving to Skyra, before turning and adding under his breath, "Like they'll have noticed..."

 

On his best hunch, he made his way to the hospital. Chances were that Joske and his fellows would have needed some degree of medical attention after the fight with Echelon - and he could use a little himself...

[Snelly]

IC: Skyra - Bright-Star Inn -

 

As soon as Merror headed off toward the hospital and we said a quick goodbye, I wasted no time heading back to Tillian's room.

 

When I entered I noticed two things, for one thing all the food was gone, and secondly...Tillian was awake! Sorta.

 

A wide grin spread across my face as I made eye contact with the drowsy Toa. Before he realized what was happening I leaped at him, tackling him back onto the bed.

 

"Hahahahahahaha....I got you." I felt very proud of myself.

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

I turned and looked down at the Toa in the white lab coat who'd suddenly spoken up from behind me. Another Toa of ice judging by the white armor. Then my eyes were drawn to the hulking figure of Utu on the bed, chest now heaving with breath again. The sight was oddly comforting, even though there wasn't much point in attempting to talk with him right now. In any case, by now the circle of former associates that had somehow gotten involved or were otherwise responsible for the current state of affairs was getting decidedly too large for my liking. The math wasn't hard to do though, this was basically the mark-bearer reunion. I turned back to Praggos and now took a moment to look him up and down.

 

"You know him?" I asked, foregoing any pleasantries. I was already thinking about other things. "Then you know what he's capable off."

 

Praggos nodded. I mirrored the motion, a bit stiffer. "Good. In that case I hope you don't mind keeping an eye on him. I don't want anybody coming to harm. Including him."

 

I started to walk towards the door, waiting for Valria to start moving as well. As we reached it I looked back over my shoulder. "That means no unattended visits from anybody. Especially not Dorian. We'll be back soon."

 

With that, we left the room and moved down the hallway. I needed to find Dorian. Parameter's had shifted and that meant getting everybody focused again. Joske and Stannis said Dorian was supposedly going to lead us from here on out. But at this point I was convinced all he was going to lead us to right now was the next-best bar with the occasional ghost from his past showing up on the way getting there. Not on my watch. Not while I had a mission and others to keep safe.

 

I didn't notice the stompy pace I was walking was, until I felt Valria tug at my arm. I halted to look at her. "Sorry." she whispered, looking me in the eyes, before pulling me into another tight embrace. I was surprised enough that I didn't quite sure what to do, so I just stood there. "I'm sorry Agni. I shouldn't have broken down like that on you. I'm going to be better, I promise." she said, before letting go again and stepping back. I mentally kicked myself and reached out, gentle but firmly placing my hands on her upper arms. "No Valria. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dragged you into this mess so quickly. We shouldn't have gone after Echelon the way we did in the first place. Things got too hectic ever for me and I lost focus." I paused, looking at her, seeing the struggle to keep herself together behind the smirk she'd put on. "I - I messed up." I said after a few seconds. "I promise it won't happen again. I know there's a lot to do right now, but I'll make it up to you as soon as I can."

 

I moved my arms, pulling her closer. Her eyes lingered on mine and the distance between them was continuously decreasing. But before anything more happened, the door at the end of the hallway opened and there, backlit against the doorway, stood Merror. Valria and I exchanged a glance that seemed to say a regretful Oh well, what can you do? before letting go of each other and walking over to Merror. I smiled at the other veteran, clasping his shoulder. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you again, brother."

 

 

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

 

"I'll stand." Aparangi replied, cooly. The Toa sitting in front of him behind the low table shrugged. "Suit yourself. Whatever you prefer."

 

The dark Toa took a decided step forward, kicking the table with various small items aside. The silence in the room was suddenly shattered, alone with the table, breaking into splinters against the wall.

 

"Stop playing games!" Aparangi snapped. "You know exactly why I'm here."

 

"Because of the ILF...because of Ko-Koro." the other Toa sighed.

 

"Because you SCREWED UP!" the Aitua yelled, raising a fist. His hand curled into a trembling fist. Suddenly, the skin started shifting, moving. The organic bits grew and expanded, creeping over the metal and armor, encasing the arm up to the elbow in a black carapace that grew nasty-looking spikes.

 

"I did what I thought was right." the other said, resigned. Aparangi snored. "So do I." he snarled, feeling the energy for his strike building up in his shoulder.

[otter]

IC:

 

No unattended visits from anybody? Ha. As though that needed to be said. He didn't know me, though, so I suppose it was forgivable. As it stood, though...I wasn't letting Utu out of my sight, and I wasn't letting anybody touch him without my permission. I looked down on the still-breathing Utu, thinking. He was alive, yes; if he was awake or asleep I couldn't currently tell, though I was willing to bet on the former. And he had no control over his body, I doubt his mind was fully intact.

 

"Oh, Utu, what are we to do with you?" I asked, quietly - talking mainly to myself, though I wouldn't be surprised if any of the others heard it. I wouldn't be surprised if Utu himself heard it, really, though it was quite obvious that I wouldn't see any reaction. And - I hate to admit it - the question was an honest one. I wasn't entirely sure what would need to be done to work on him. It was back to square one...no, square zero. Square one was just a little while ago, when he could still do something with his body.

 

Now he was more helpless than a baby. Aside from the thing that both saved his life and slowly killed him, of course.

 

The mark.

 

"If only getting rid of that bloody thing was as simple as removing your arm."

[Ghosthands]

IC (Merror)

 

Merror returned the gesture of companionship, with a weary smile.

 

"And I you," he said. "The guards said everyone made it back ok - I could hardly..."

 

He stopped dead when he saw Agni's expression.

 

"Agni," he said, a tense levelness in his voice, "everyone did made it back, right?"

[Wade.]

OOC: And here we have ourselves a random, spontaneous jam between Dr. O and I.

 

IC:

 

Actually, I didn’t quite sit at the booth with the others. Since I’ve settled in Le-Koro, I’ve made it a point to work myself into better shape now that I’m actual military material and so, the gym awaited me. Pumping iron, working on cardio and doing sit-ups on a full stomach? Don’t think so.

“Sorry guys, I know this is a little spontaneous and all,” As always. “but I gotta hit the gym. Ciao.”

With that said, I exited the Bright-Star Inn and proceeded to make my way to the Le-Koro Fitness Center, a place where blood, sweat and tears are shed. Even the blood. While some may fear the facility and its sadistic, torturous trainers, I for one enjoy the strenuous physical activity. Why, you may ask? Well, I do get stronger with every visit, that’s for sure, though being as delusionally vain as I am, you should know by now that I don’t make my muscles scream for that reason alone. No, I do it for the handsome devil in the mirror, the one with the abs of steel, the chest of a god, the rock solid biceps, the lats of a martial arts legend. See, I’m like a tank, just a skinny one, relatively speaking.

Thing is, I also kind of want to make an impression. On the ladies, y’know? For some reason, I can never score with a single chick. Even the ugly ones. I don’t know why. I’ve got a pretty face, good personality (debatable), a well-paying job and I can crack some serious stand up comedy when I want to. What more do you want? A mansion? A pet Kane-Ra? Skintight supersuit?

Meh.

Once I’m inside, I go straight to work. Bench press, bicep curls, push-ups with plates, sit-ups with plates, you name it.

---

“And that’s the last to tell from my exploits, let me know how things are.

Love, Helios.”

Colx put the letter away, a puff of smoke drifting from his large mouth as he cracked a rare grin. Helios had been reduced to menial labor, had he? Might be a very well-earned wake-up-call on the kid’s part.

Colx was sitting in his office, the one with a window to the gym’s open area. It wasn’t particularly crowded, but a few people were here, in particular Colx found his attention drawn to a limber Vo-Toa who was doing something Colx couldn’t quite pin down. It sure as karz couldn’t be exercise, since when do you hold the dumbbell like that? Colx kept studying the Toa for a while, imagining his reason for being here. There was something about the way he handled himself that just really irked him.

A minute’s pondering solved Colx’s dilemma. This Toa was nothing more than a vain frat boy trying to make an impression with the ladies. Or maybe the guys, Colx could believe either, actually. Well, Colx wasn’t really one to argue with that as a goal in and of itself, he knew all too well the satisfaction of wooing ladies (though not guys, but he could imagine) purely based on your physical prominence. But this Toa was going about it all wrong. Shallow seduction, like anything else, required at least a minimal amount of effort.

So he wedged his crooked pipe between his large teeth, and stepped out of his office to approach the Vo-Toa while he was busy doing situps, which didn’t go up high enough at that. Alfon’s first clue that he was no longer alone was the sudden sensation of a clawed foot laying its full weight on his chest.

“This isn’t a resort, kid. Put your back into it” Colx muttered, his eyes glowing slightly as he met Alfon’s gaze.

Yep, still not in any way, shape or form convinced that this Toa actually had a legit reason for being here.

As I looked up, I came face to face with an ugly ape of a man who just so happened to be missing a fair bit of his chin. Had it not been for sorely unappreciated foot on my chest and the condescending snark, I might have actually complemented the guy on his big ol’ brutish physique, despite his old age. Unfortunately, I was too busy suppressing the urge to electrocute the guy into a frothing coma.

“Foot. Off.”

“If you’re trying to sound threatening, I’ll have you know I was more intimidated by the contents of my handkerchief the last time I blew my nose.”

Colx’s tone was evidently sarcastic, but still not carrying any sort of regret about that fact. He removed his foot anyway, he was supposed to be teaching this guy an actual lesson, not getting himself in the hospital.

“You’re going about it all wrong, if you really want to get those abs into shape, you’ll need to go higher.” Colx explained as he affixed his pipe in his teeth, freeing his hands to for sinister purposes.

“I’m going to go ahead and assume that’s what you want, right?”

In response, I merely glared daggers in his direction, clearly annoyed. Yes, the very literal weight off my chest was a relief but I was none too happy that he felt the need to stick around and supervise my training. If I wanted a personal trainer, I would have hired one, though considering their infamy for cruelty, as previously stated, that wasn’t ever going to happen.

Still, being stubborn for the sake of terrible first impressions was stupid, and this guy obviously knew what he was doing, so grudgingly, I accepted his advice. Rather than say anything, I began my sit-ups anew, reaching higher as instructed. The already mild burning sensation nestled at my core flared again, only with greater intensity this time. From the get go, my abdominal muscles wept for me to give up, however I endured it and kept on pushing, fueled by the desire to show this Skakdi I wasn’t a scrub.

Begrudgingly, Colx nodded in approval as Alfon continued his exercise. But inwardly he took note of the Vo-Toa’s unpleasant glare. He might just have to consider knocking him down a couple of notches. It would certainly help pass the time.

Colx kept one lazy eye on Alfon as he surveyed the rest of the gym with his gaze. A couple of Le-Matoran were busy at the shooting range (Yes, Colx’s gym had a shooting range), and another Skakdi had taken a go at the punching bags. But more importantly, a really cute Ga-Toa (Colx assumed, he wasn’t very familiar with Toa standards of attractiveness, with the notable exception of Vrina) was a little ways off in the middle of her own training routine. She was completely focused on it, paying no heed to the outside world, but who’s to say Alfon would know.

“Hey, I think that Ga-Toa over there’s checking you out.” Colx lied.

It’s to my great shame, ladies and gentlemen, that I wholeheartedly ate into Mr. Ape’s false lies, the on switch to my inflated ego now flicked. Instantly, I renewed my efforts with increased vigor, pumping out some serious nonstop motion, determined to finally show this girl who’s boss. Every fiber of my being willed me to stop though no amount of pain could deter me from my sad, sad goals that will never come to fruition. Like a fool, I continued to murder my own body without so much as taking a peep at the object of my craving, not until I felt like I might just pass out or Karz forbid, die.

She was a stunner alright, and I will admit, her beauty momentarily distracted me from crushing disappointment. Here’s the problem: she wasn’t even looking at me. In fact, she seemed so self-absorbed in her own training that I probably hadn’t crossed her mind in the slightest. A moment or so of shameless staring later, I slumped to the floor with a resounding thump, defeated. I just laid there motionless, a stark contrast to the machine I was just a few seconds ago.

That’s when I started laughing.

“You liar.”

“Ved Makutas Skjegg.” Colx said, switching to Skakdi while he delivered the swear. “You must be really desperate.” he said with a hearty chuckle, his pipe rocking back and forth between his large teeth.

It was then Alfon started laughing, and Colx himself could only grin in smug satisfaction upon noticing this. “Well, I aim to please myself” Colx replied.

“Piece of…” I began, voice trailing off through the intake of ragged breaths, bobs of my chest coming in quick succession. The excruciating sensation had now dulled to a powerful, consistent throb that refused to dissipate and all in all, I knew I’d wake up feeling like a pile of jell-o the next morning.

“Help me up?”

“Alright, I guess you’ve earned that much” Colx conceded, grabbing the Toa’s hand and pulling him to his feet in one motion.

“So tell me, how’s an up and strutting youngster like you having this much trouble with the ladies, you look well enough.”

Not the ideal person I had in mind to compliment my looks but hey, I’ll take it. “Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. Wouldn’t surprise me if I was cursed or something of the sort.”

Is my trouble with women that apparent?

“Alfon.” I say in introduction, holding out a hand. “Rama rider.”

“Colx, I run this place.” Colx replied, noticeably more informally as he gave Alfon a solid handshake.

“Just be happy you’re not a Skakdi. Trying to impress a female Skakdi with your masculinity is like trying to measure horns with a Kikanalo. It’s pointless, awkward, and just makes you depressed. To be honest I’ve grown to prefer other species in my older days. At least then I can keep up appearances.”

“And you’re doing a pretty job at that, for an old man.” No disrespect intended. “So you run this madhouse eh? That explains a lot. Tell me, where do you get your employees?”

“Oh you know, from wherever you get good help these days.” Colx replied off-handedly, before he suddenly got a very secretive look, he waved Alfon closer.

“Full disclosure; I actually got a little help with that, see, this place is endorsed by the Gukko Force, not officially, but I talked to Kongu about it. It definitely helps.”

Colx studied the Vo-Toa again taking special note of his lithe frame and the sunny aura of his eyes. For a second Colx was reminded of a certain other very happy person he knew.

“Can I get you a drink? You must be exhausted.”

“Of that, I can assure you. Got any protein shakes?”

“I’ve probably got something stowed away here somewhere.” Colx trailed off, waving absent-mindedly at a small area of the gym where a few armchairs and coffee tables were arranged.

“Make yourself comfortable, I’ll be back in a sec.”

Colx exited to his private quarters, getting a protein shake for Alfon and a scotch for himself. He went outside, slumping down next to Alfon.

“I don’t really do these myself,” he said as he handed the shake to Alfon, “but there’s still a few left from when Melna used to frequent this place, so here you go.”

“Thanks.” I said before taking a few large sips of the nutritious beverage. The stuff always tasted a little off, even when sweetened with chocolate or fruit, but it quenched my thirst nonetheless and something told me I’d be needing them if I was to pull off any more rigorous stunts.

“Who’s Melna?” I asked, suddenly interested.

Colx chuckled.

“One of the few good looking gals in this burg who actually enjoys my company. The only problem is that our relationship is purely platonic, she’s a friend, not a date.”

“Is that so?” I said, a mischievous smile playfully dancing across my lips.

“You’ll have to introduce me someday.”

“Watch it, buddy,” Colx retorted, “I’m not gonna be your wingman if you take a shot at Melna. And besides she’s busy touring the island.”

“What a shame, I would have loved to meet her. I’m sure we’d get along juuuuuust fine.” I flashed the same smile once more, though I quickly drop the topic as a whole before Colx gets the genius idea of sending me to the hospital. One final sip is all it takes to empty my cup of the shake and then, I set it down for good.

“Well gramps, I’d be lying if I said it was a pleasure to meet you but I guess I’m glad we crossed paths regardless. Who knows, maybe I’ll run into you more often since I’ll be hitting the gym more often.”

“And I’d be lying if said I was looking forward to it, so I guess that makes us even, pipsqueak” Colx replied.

“And by the way. If you ever happen to run into a black and golden Ba-Toa named Helios, or a black and copper Lesterin named Melna, tell them I said hi.”

“I’ll keep an eye out, especially for Melna.”

With a wink, I was up and out of there, already walking back home with the intention of sleeping the rest of the night off. Extra hours of rest were in order.

“She’s out of your league.” Colx called half-heartedly after Alfon as he left. Colx shook his head in annoyance as he emptied his scotch. He resigned himself to his own thoughts as he took hold of his pipe again.

“I’ll just tell Melna he did something awful.” Colx thought with a malicious snicker.

“Excuse me.”

Colx looked up, it was the Ga-Toa from earlier, panting heavily as she gestured to the chair beside Colx. Colx dropped the malicious snicker as he straightened his posture a little.

“Not at all, help yourself.” he offered.

“Thanks.” she replied, sitting her well-toned frame down beside him.

Colx smiled to himself.

“Check and mate, Alfon.”

[The Dark Chronicler]

IC: Drome

 

It was a very interesting point, I knew that the answer was obvious, but it was interesting all the same. On one hand, it could very well lead to unpleasant consequences somewhere along the road for me, though nothing that I couldn't handle. On the other hand, not doing it would be a crime against all sane inhabitants of the island. It was clear that I had to do it, it could simply not be placed aside.

 

I was such a genius.

 

As I followed that imbecile Kadon along through the jungle, I had taken up a small notepad that had a few masterful sketches of my previous acts of heroism, most of them involved Kadon leading us foolishly into trouble, but I had grown used to keeping him alive despite his own mistakes. Wait... why did I even let Kadon travel along with me when all he did was cause problems?

 

The fun of it, I suppose. Without a danger magnet around to attract trouble, where would the fun be in life? Getting attacked by Nui-Rama while some madman shoots wind at them, fighting a drunken Tarakava in a championship boxing match, and fighting over a book. Okay, maybe one of those was a slight exaggeration... we were the ones who attacked the Nui-Rama first.

 

That was what I started writing in the small notebook, the story of my adventures with my bumbling sidekick Kadon. Maybe I could turn our little hive assault into a book, one which has a much happier ending. Only the crazy person had died. Okay, maybe I hadn't actually seen them die, but this was a book, not reality. He was eaten alive by the giant bugs in my story, the poor fool.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Nocturne Auteur

[Palm]

OOC:

Suggested listening

 

IC: Akiri Kongu - Le-Wahi

 

Kongu caught a glimpse of the sun as he leapt across the length between two branches, landing with soft precision. The branch bowing slightly under his weight. He had left his Kahu only a couple treetops behind him to clean herself. She had found large leaves lower down; ones full of cool water. Ka preferred to clean herself by using the water found to trickle over her body.

 

In the earliest days of the Gukko Force, Ka as a young bird had done this with Kongu and Shu's water supply, cleaning and playing. The squad had been using the leaves to drink from. It had resulted in a rather frantic morning as the squad had to shift focus to find a new supply of water from the small camp the team had set up while allocating scouting members to coordinate proper protection. The misadventure had taken place during the conflict with Le-Wahi's major Rama hives. It certainly wasn't a bright point in the Force's history, but as far as Kongu was concerned, it allowed the team some time away from the actual fighting and left room for everybody to have fun with their flying. He could still remember Boreas' laughing face as Shu managed to plant himself headfirst into a knot in a tree as the three raced the lower levels of the jungle, skimming over the dark mystery of the jungle floor. Gave the medical team a scare, but it wasn't long until Kongu managed to get them laughing as he described the incident to them.

With his strong hands Kongu gripped small branches above him as he moved on his way down the length of the branch towards the tree's trunk, a smirk on his face as he recounted the event in his mind. Coming to the center of the massive tree, only slightly larger than most trees around, he took hold of a branch adjacent to him, slightly higher than his own. He pulled slightly, using his body like a small pendulum, falling into place on the next branch. It bobbed ever so slightly at the additional weight added to it. Kongu knew how to minimize the impact his body would have when performing such a move. Just as the rest of the Force did. It was fundamental concern of his people, during the war to remain hidden. They were the jungles angels. Always watching.

He took steps further away from the trunk, balancing perfectly in the cover of the tree's leaves. But through the leaves Kongu could see the border of Ko-Wahi and Le-Wahi. It was across from the Akiri that an unknown power was brewing. There was no doubt about who the enemy was now.

Kongu sat still, relaxed eyes focusing upon the mountain peaks of Ko-Wahi, lit by the sun as it fell across the horizon, lighting fire to the waters where it kissed the surface.

If Jaller knew about what Dorian had spoken of in Le-Koro, than so would Hahli, Hewkii, and probably Nuparu as well. Maybe even Matoro, which by extension would suggest that Ambages himself would have heard such things. It certainly complicated Mata-Nui, as complex as it was already before Matoro's life was taken.

Kongu had known that there was not to be lasting peace on the island. He knew that going into the Akiri Summit, and knew it coming out of the Akiri Summit. Peace and war were just as constant as the phases of the moon in the night sky. It revolved like a wheel. Kongu hadn't called the meeting to cull angers and fears that could not be culled.

He called the Summit to see his friends for one last time before darkness fell again.

Greed was lit here in Mata-Nui once more: And just as it had been before, it would be extinguished so long as there remained men and women on the island. It was the nature of things.

Nobody was safe.

Not even greed.

The sun would rise in the morning, and kiss aflame the other side of the water; and awaken those that slept on Mata-Nui. It was the nature of things.

And so Kongu evaluated, weighed, brokered, and wrote just as he always did. But now it was with a burning guarantee. The sun had kissed aflame Kongu's passions today just as it had done every morning since he discovered the beauty of the world. And it would light him again so long as he lived, and even after.

He stood up, using no branches for balance and began to walk the remaining length of his foothold to the edge. He broke through the leaves and stood proudly, chest up, his pectoral muscles and abdomen accentuated by the light of the setting sun and the dark of tattoos that covered his body. Kongu smiled as the warm breeze brushed his skin, nothing between him and the ground below than a single branch that he did not hold onto, suspending himself on the tip gracefully.

There was no way to tell how much Matoro knew. He had given Ambages the position to begin with sure. But it seemed highly unlikely that he had anticipated his own death, even if he was partially complicit in Ambages plans to begin with. Matoro wasn't daft at all. He might not have seemed as articulate as the other Akiri on the outside, but on the inside he knew what he was doing. There was no way to know for sure if Matoro was on Ambages side. Regardless, Kongu would mourn him, just as he would mourn any death; even the death of an enemy.

Even the death of a man or woman like Ambages.

So Kongu gave a three fingered salute in Ko-Koro's direction, laughing for Matoro, "May the winds fly in your favor," he said with a mournful smile that reached to his eyes that shone in the sun, wet with the blinked away tears, "and may the branches lead you safely home."

Edited December 31, 2013 by turntechGodhead

[EmperorWhenua]

Ooc: Jam with Vezok's Friend.

 

Ic:

The jungle was not Brykon's favourite place on Mata Nui, not by a longshot. The greenery was welcomed and even reminded him of when his ancestral domain was vibrant with foliage, too, but too wet and disgusting. He was used to grime, dirt and muck but the slimy marsh was offensive to the prince-patriarch. If the greenery brought back memories of the Forest then the ground only refreshed his betrayal of the Kumu Islets.

He hated it. It stained his pretty cloak and slid onto his regal armor without remorse. Even Brykon considered himself more proper than the mud. Still, he trudged through it. He had chosen a clandestine route to the Massif -- the mountains were too dangerous and the tunnels were too crowded. He was still a fugitive, he had still killed a turaga, and for that he would have to run all the days of his life. Only the truth could set him free.

Not too far away, another figure was making its way through the bog at the feet of the mighty trees growing all around him, though with an ease that at first glance should not have been possible for a man of his statue. Broad-shouldered, heavily armored and carrying a weapon that added another substantial amount of weight to his already heavy frame, Kehua moved through the muck without straining against the sludge at his feet at all.

That was one of the advantages of having a mask of intangibility while moving around. He continued to walk, passing through some thick undergrowth that would have otherwise taken him another five minutes to find a way around. He felt a slight tingle as the leaves and twigs passed through him, a sensation he was used to be now.

As he emerged on the other side though, the large Toa caught the rustling of leaves and footsteps among the noises of the jungle, not too far away. If his own form had made noise in this state, he probably would not have caught onto the sounds. Like this though, he could pinpoint the general direction from which they came. Of course, many travelers went through Le-Wahi's forests to get to where they wanted to be. But usually not this far from the known paths. If one moved through this part of the jungle, it probably meant they did not want to encounter others on their journey. Kehua would have paid it no mind, if it hadn't been for the fact that the other was going in the same direction he was headed. Now curious, he started to follow the silhouette he saw moving between the trees in the distance.

The colonel trudged onwards, onwards, onwards. He climbed over felled trees and walked as best he could on vines to avoid the marsh. Solid patches of earth were welcomed. But as much as he despised Le-Wahi's terrain the promise of kind salvation -- or so he wished -- just beyond the reaches of the viridian sauna urged him to not rest.

But wait.

He rested.

What was that?

He paused to listen. Something seemed... off. The sound of jungle was rhythmic and loud but there were some sounds still discernible above the ruckus. His trained, keen ears picked up something extra. So he waited.

The large figure stood motionless...inside a tree, his face barely looking out from behind the bark, watching. The other being had turned out to be a Toa as well. Kehua's first impression was that of a man who knew how to handle himself, no matter what. Not just a fighter, but a warrior, even though his posture had something about it that seemed 'worn'. He was not looking past his prime, exactly, but he'd definitely seen better days. There was a certain slouch to the shoulders, not really taking away from the impression of somebody well-trained, that hinted at him being a bit down on his luck. After hundreds of years of observing others, he was pretty sure of his assessment.

He was also pretty sure his presence had been noticed, since the other Toa was looking in his direction. With a casual smile, the Aitua emerged from his place of concealment and stepped into the small clearing, becoming solid again. "These are no lands to be crossed without caution." he said, apropo of nothing. "Then again, that is probably why you are traveling by this route in the first place.”

"That would be correct," Brykon said in reply as the other man came into solid focus. His eyes narrowed at the stranger as he instinctively regarded him carefully, mentally balancing possibilities and endgames, strengths and weaknesses. It was second-nature for the commander to do so, it was how he stayed alive in the first place.

"It would also likely be the reason you are taking the jungle path, too," he shot back carefully. "Yet you didn't have a problem approaching me about it. Why.”

Kehua rolled his shoulder slightly, which in turn made the chain of his weapon ching and slip into a more comfortable position. "I saw the way you move. There is purpose in your stride though what drives you is beyond my ability and concern. But it told me you were not some waylaying bandit."

He consciously made sure not to mention that the other did not set off his other sense. Whatever darkness this Toa carried within him, it was not the one Kehua was fighting.

"We travel in the same direction and since I am no bandit either, I thought it best to not appear a stalker to you.”

"That's congenial of you, I suppose," Brykon slowly said, but something did seem off or curious and he tilted his head side to side and let the thought of it roll likes waves within his mind. Still, he chose not to speak of it, instead believing there were other, more pressing things to think over.

He had half a mind to ask where the man was going, but he would have to say the same for himself and he didn't wish to disclose that lest he be found out as a fugitive. He had another half a mind to ask who the man was, though that would lead him to say his own name in turn and that was right out. If pressed he would say something else, though; he wasn't going to be evasive. This man was not an enemy. Yet.

"Small talk isn't my strong suit," he said simply after the pause as if to explain the silence. "But since we are going the same direction and neither of us are bandits -- even though that's what every bandit says -- safety in numbers?" he suggested.

A small smirk crept onto Kehua's chiseled features. "I was just thinking the exact same thing." he said, truthfully. The other Toa didn't say anything, following through on his warning about his skills in small talk. Kehua could understand why. Men that walked paths untrodden weren't keen on sharing personal information. But it did not bother him. He wasn't much of a conversationalist either, nor did his personal business concern this other traveler. He admitted, though, there remained a certain curiosity. If only to find out more about what kind of man he was dealing with here.

"I am not a man of many words myself, but since we are traveling together, may I ask what brings you out here?" he inquired, deliberately not asking for anything more than general motivation.

A curious, sidelong question to ask, Brkon surmised, but as polite a question as could be asked without being intrusive. He processed answers: Solace, a search for peace, would be off-putting; pilgrimage, in quest for salvation, would be too giving. His path was obviously not a pleasurable one and hinted at business, restricting his options, but he could haggle with facts. "A friend of mine lives in this way," he finally said. "It's time I payed him a visit.”

"Ah, I see. It would appear we both are en route to visit somebody then.”

"Who are you going to see?" Brykon asked.

"Friends as well." the dark Toa replied. "There is some unfinished business we need to take care of. Private matter.”

"Aren't all things in the jungle private matters?" Brykon mused. "That's how things start off being. The jungle tends to shroud things and hide the obvious." He gestured at himself then at the stranger. "We're large, we attract attention, we are obvious, and chances are the people we're going to see are not hermits or nymphs, but the jungle is our fog.

"Why are you using the jungle?" he pressed.

"Because it's like you said: it hides the obvious." Kehua replied. "There are things that grow here in the shadows without drawing attention to themselves. Things that thrive in the twilight. In my experience it's wiser to take a look at those from time to time.”

Brykon thought on what the man had said as he gingerly stepped through the muck, then stopped to scrape the swamp off his heels on a root. He said, "You fancy yourself a searcher of dark things?”

The other Toa walked besides him quietly for a few seconds, before speaking again. He wasn't quite sure where Brykon's line of inquiry was leading, but he had a good guess and played along with it. "You could put it that way. But then again, that depends on your definition of dark things..." he replied, leaving the unspoken question hanging in the air for Brykon.

"So what's yours?”

Kehua's brow furrowed as he glanced at the other Toa. A clever reply to toss the ball right back to him, but the Aitua did not feel particularly inclined to play games with words. "Suppose I don't want your answer colored by my description and you just tell me?”

"Tell you what?" Brykon shot back. "My definition of darkness? My version of shadow?" His old, blue eyes droned into Kehua's with intensity -- not at all like Stannis' silver gaze, rather being bold and jaded rather than faithful and assured. "We have different definitions of the word? -- that's fine. But your description would do nothing to change my own. So please, do tell me. I'm eager to find out what my enigmatic jungle companion views as a shade worth chasing. Or was I wrong in my observation?”

The large Toa held Brykon's gaze with ease, unfazed by his suddenly almost effervescent tone. "If you are eager to keep the conversation away from matters concerning yourself, to reveal as little as possible, so be it." he replied, his voice just as solid and deep as before. "As for shadows worth chasing...I am after those that would hide in living things if given the chance. You've probably seen some of them yourself. Maybe you have spoken to one as well, knowing or unknowingly."

He breathed in sharply, as if sniffing at the forest around them. "This island is infested by them, even now, after Makuta is gone. But his shadows still linger. Does that answer your question?”

“Knowing."

"And are they still alive?"

"Maybe," Brykon murmured. "I hope so so that I can change that.”

"I know the feeling." Kehua said, briefly establishing eye-contact again, before looking back ahead to keep his feet. "Judging by your tone I take it you have more reason than just a general dislike for the evil things in this universe?”

"Judging by your curiosity you have the same," Brykon returned. "You first."

He debated just how much he should tell this man now. Brykon was a creation of his times but he was not a man of faith like Stannis, he did not believe everything happened for a reason or that every path led to victory. He believed in luck and chance, in death and decay, in despair and rejection. He slept with the wild things, ate with the vile, saw what was wrong and hated it all; he was not an idealist. So to him, this stranger with him was something to be wary of. It wouldn't be the first time something was not as it seemed.

It occurred to him as he regarded his companion thus that Kehua likely felt the same way about him. Kehua's next few sentences would determine just how much Brykon would charge him. Would he trust him? No. Trust was easily lost and hardly won, but he could open himself a little, and maybe, just maybe, have an ally. Or an enemy. Time would tell.

Kehua fell silent again for a moment. He was not used to talking to strangers either. Especially not about his past or what he was doing. He and his brothers and sister, they valued anonymity, passing from place to place unseen, leaving as little an impression and as many dead servants of darkness as possible. To that end they walked paths seldomly trodden by what qualified as a truley heroic Toa...and they rarely involved others in their quest.

It took him a few moments to put an experience into words he had not needed to talk about with the others, since they had all lived through it. He chuckled slightly.

"It takes one to know one, I suppose." he said, a weak smiled crossing his face. "The shadows, as you very well know...they are deceitful. I fell for their lies, once...a long time ago. And I payed dearly for that mistake."

He sighed and a bitterness showed through his otherwise stoic expression.

"What has been lost can never be regained. But I can make sure others do not suffer a similar fate...and that justice is dealt out."

"My story is different. The shadows took what was mine but it isn't gone," Brykon said. "I can get it back." He glanced down on his armor, at the sigil on his chestplate, and felt a sense of pride well up in him at his show of genuine determination. "I never fell for their lies, see; I fell from their powers. I thought I was safe. I wasn't. I lived a lie of my own for two centuries and now I'm taking the fight back to them. But it's not easy to fight an enemy than can sink islands with its mechanization.”

"You are a luckier man than I am...what was mine was lost a millennium ago. I do hope it will not take you as long to come by that which is yours again." Kehua said slowly, before another silence fell between them, as if the dark memory had driven out the Aitua's will to continue speaking.

"So you were involved in whatever happened to the Kumu Islets...I heard about what happened." He finally said. "In fact, I spoke to a hand full of survivors. They told me about the destruction...and the sabotage to ensure no escape. A devious scheme... such forces can not be battled as long as they are allowed to determine the rules of engagement...but there are other ways; darker ways.”

Brykon was like a volcano bursting with energy but unwilling to part with its explosive force -- yes, yes, YES he was involved. Oh was he involved. He remembered that night in the bad overlooking the Xa-Koro harbor, how he pretended to be dead drunk to fool Liacada onto his side while he watched Jin, that crazy vixen, carry out his (HIS!) command to scuttle the boats at dock. He remembered being sheriff of the doomed town, the crooked lawman herding cattle to slaughtering houses. He remembered climbing to the top of the lighthouse to watch the islets be swallowed in that sea according to that spectacular plan, and how he broke the spine of his employer from within his own back on the top of the lighthouse to deprive the schemer of his magnum opus. He was a criminal and a villain, a heartless murderer and mass destroyer.

He was involved. Yes. Yes, he was. And how.

He hated it. It was awful. It was despicable. Unforgivable. Hundreds of lives perished by his hand that day. He could have saved them, could have warned them, or, and get this, he could have stopped it all from happening. But he didn't. He hated it. it was awful. He had tried to ensnare the enemy at its source but got ensnared himself. Oh what a wicked web was weaved when he tried to deceive...

"I know of these darker ways. I tried the darker ways," he said. "I wasn't a survivor." His tone was low, glowering and sad at his impotence at that time. "I was a shadow myself." He bared his teeth and expected the worst, preparing to be tackled or attacked by the stranger for his heresy.

Edited December 31, 2013 by EmperorWhenua

[Cadias]

IC: Kadon

 

Drome had said nothing, so I'd obviously won that little argument. No surprise there. Like I said before, the poor fool would be lost without me.

 

I struck out for Le-Koro, following the narrow, windy, rocky trail that had manged to keep us occupied for the last few days. It was old and poorly maintained, but, unless that Ta-Matoran had been lying to us, it led to Le-Koro.... eventually. I'd forgotten why we'd decided to take this route instead of the Onu-Koro highway... probably had something to do with us seeking adventure or something like that. I hoped that we arrived soon- this route was not only it slow, it was intensely boring as well. It was nothing but plants, mud, more plants, rocks, vines, and stagnant water... ugh. How on Mata Nui did I convince myself that coming back to Le-Wahi was a good idea, anyway?

 

Bored, I glanced back at Drome. He was scribbling in his notebook again. "What are you writing in that thing, anyway?"

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

"I know of these darker ways. I tried the darker ways," he said. "I wasn't a survivor." His tone was low, glowering and sad at his impotence at that time. "I was a shadow myself." He bared his teeth and expected the worst, preparing to be tackled or attacked by the stranger for his heresy.

 

 

None of the things Brykon thought likely to be expected happened. In fact, the other Toa walking beside him appeared calmer than before as he looked at him.

 

"You did what you had to at the time. And there is regret in your voice."

 

There was something in his eyes that the old warrior hadn't noticed before, because it had not been there: Understanding; even empathy, perhaps. Kehua knew the situation all too well. He tried to picture Brykon, watching the Kumu-Islands suffer their untimely destruction at his own hands, but all he could see was himself, standing on a boat with five others, a hand full of matoran and several dead, watching his own home break up and sink into a maelstrom. If they had not sacrificed their own light to stop the evil they had been after - were still after - perhaps there would have been time to stop it. But any such chance had long gone and was lost in the past now. It had been lost the moment they had chosen justice over compassion, down in some dark pit. He could still taste the bitterness of that day on his lips when he thought about it.

 

His coincidental travel companion still had the option to return to the light though. He could still turn back and from what he had told the Aitua so far, it looked like he was trying to do just that.

 

"Hold on to that feeling. Regretting your past actions means there still is a conscience, something to tell you right from wrong, even if you have to do the latter. And you still have something to lose and fight for." he said in his typical, direct manner.

 

"Maybe you were a shadow. But I still am one."

[Voxumo]

IC: Kidona

 

Kidona sighed as she waited for the bartender, unari, to respond though with that she began tapping her fingers against the bartop.. Surely he is just busy with some other customer.. yeah that must be it..

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: There were so many things he was still fighting for, or rather things worth fighting for. His biggest issue had become one of fatigue -- yes, Brykon Shaddix, Lord of the Forest, the brutal bard, champion in the underworld and colonel of the army could feel fatigue. His whole life since the doom had been based on fighting. Fighting in the ring, fighting in the world, fighting in the docks, fighting in the streets, fighting in palaces and in the valley of your mind... and he was tired of the fighting.

 

He wasn't done yet, not by a longshot, but he needed refuge and not the sort gotten from curling up in a fetal position at the base of a tree wishing the viridian canopy would completely shield you from the torrential downpour while huge rivulets cascaded down in a relentless stochastic rhythm and chilled you to the bone. No, he needed a respite where he could be in the company of another he could trust and find peace with, where he didn't have to snuggle with himself and whisper obscenities at god questioning his plight's merits, where he didn't have to be worrying about who or what would try to slay or smear him. Then, and only then, could he regain his footing and fight again.

 

It was saddening, to Brykon, that this odd acquaintance in the jungle was probably the best thing to a friend he had seen in months, maybe even years, simply because of the mutually empathetic feelings they had for one another. He had only known the man for a few moments and yet, even so, he felt at ease. He relaxed his stance and shied away from combat when he figured there would be none. Or maybe he was just... too exhausted to fight anymore. The shadow beside him was a friend indeed and if it was all a ruse and it opted to stab him in the back...

 

... Brykon would take it with a smile.

 

"Aha!" he would say in a sad but somehow content tone, one satisfied with naivete and bliss after a long brawl that left him too sickened by reality to embrace it any more. "Outwitted once again! They say there is no rest for heroes but I, at last, will have my sleep-- Nevermore shall I weep." It would be a victory for him. Death would not have its sting.

 

But there was no knife in his back and that meant he would live to see another day, and maybe another and another. Sure, Brykon was eager for rest and would take death without a second thought, but he still wanted to go down fighting. There were still things worth fighting for. He wanted to see his son one more time, explain what he did was for the betterment of all men, that he loved him and wanted to make it all right. He wanted Dorian to understand that the three lessons he gave before were all he could give to make sure the duelist was on a better path until the time was right.

 

"Right," Brykon said. He didn't have any wise counsel to give, no moral lessons to share, no poetic ramblings, just a simple acceptance that what he was was what he was and what the stranger was was the same as well. Things were. It was that simple.

 

"You want to fight the darkness that destroyed the islands?" he finally said with an edge of determination in his voice. "I can help. What do you know so far?"

[Geardirector]

OOC: Recommended listening

 

 

IC: Talema (Le-Koro)

 

The sunset was slowly descending over Le-Koro, where it lay nestled in the canopy above the Fau Swamp. The orange sunlight peering through the leafy branches like streamers of warmth, bringing the day to rest.

 

Through the windows of Le-Koro's citizens the streamers came, bidding a last goodbye for the day before the sun took its well-deserved rest. Doors were locked, windows covered, and cupboards closed, the village was quiet, or as quiet as the center of trade and entertainment on Mata Nui could be. There was probably a starry-eyed young couple somewhere enjoying the sunset, holding each other close as the black velvet was stretched over them.

 

The aura of soothing warmth soon washed over the table of one particular Le-Koronan, illuminating the figure as it was hunched over its desk, its hands moving quickly and precisely across the parchment laid on the table. The Matoran continued his work with no interruptions.

 

The orange light drew his figure in sharp features, highlighting the attentive eyes and the handsome face, before drawing one's attention to the limber frame and slender fingers. Fingers hard at work on the parchment before them.

 

Talema blinked a couple of times, squinting against the sunset flashing into the corner of his eyes before turning to look out the window, he smiled as he saw it.

 

He followed the sun's ray as it segued along the wicker floor, slowly inching away at it towards a small clump in the corner, eventually bathing it in golden rays.

 

Fehnriz perked up, the Hapaka had been sleeping till now, and lazily opened his eyes to see where the sudden light came from.

 

"Morning," Talema joked, "sleep well?"

 

Fehnriz grunted in response. It didn't take long before he dropped his head to the floor again as he went back to sleep, basking in the sudden warmth he'd been granted.

 

Talema, in the meantime, had returned to his parchment. Tongue-in-cheek, he carefully scratched his signature into the bottom corner, before sitting to his full height, nodding in satisfaction at the fruits of his labor.

 

He left his office chair, instead making for the comfy armchair by the fireplace, the roaring, swirling inferno within standing out in sharp contrast to the soft, almost divine aura of the sun's passing rays.

 

Talema sat down, and reached for a small box by the mantle, opening it to reveal his harmonica.

 

As he put it to his lips, he could almost feel, rather than see, the sun finally set upon Mata Nui, finally giving way to the moon and its accompanying carpet of pearls to be gently laid over the island. Talema felt a strong sense of calm build up within him as he let the music fill his hut, and slip through his windows onto the street outside and into the ears and hearts of those who happened to be passing by on this starry night in Le-Koro.

 

The sun had set on Le-Koro.

 

OOC: Talema is open for interaction

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Hari)

 

Hi! My name is Hari Korari, Corporal in the Po-Koro Sentinels, currently swinging through the Le-Wahi forest with Lieutenant Naona, my mentor and one of my best friends ever, right up there with Skyra, whose is such a cutie now that she's a girl! She desperately avoids me at times though. I think it has something to do with the word "shop". I don't know why, what's so scary about shops? Oh sorry about that, I go on tagents....like a lot. Anyways I was there swinging through the trees at an ever increasing speed, quickly making my way back towards Le-Koro. I love Le-Koro, it's so fun, you have such a variety of people, I mean you get in that in any village, but Le is just so swingin' so lively! Two of the coolest people ever and my handsome boyfriend live in Le. The Commander, Tillian left Po-Koro when Hewkii took power and started being a total meany and ######-face, he went with Skyra who is a girl now, and his girlfriend. Those two are so adorable, but Tillian has been sleepy of late, Skyra complains about tons.

 

Oh oh, looks like I've become too distracted! I was sailing towards a house that looked awfully, familiar and I let go of the vine as I went sailing forward, flying through the air and tucking myself to make myself smaller as I sailed right through the window and into someone, knocking them flat. After gaining my bearings I looked down, sitting right on top of my older Commander, Tillian Juturna, and one of my best friends (he's also kinda cute, but don't tell anyone that).

 

"Tillian! Oh I'm sooo sorry!" I said, getting off of him, and pulling the poor Toa of Gravity to his feet.

 

IC: (Valria)

 

"Hello Merror. Everyone is fine, although Utu is currently under medical watch, Cael is with him, and so is another doctor. Dorian and Tuara are here in Le, but we don't know what they're doing. Considering all that has happened they're probably taking the time to cool off." I paused for a second, frowning, but Agni had been really helpful in catching me up on all that had happened. Considering what he had been through, it was best to leave some things out, mainly so Merror didn't stalk off and give Dorian a tongue lashing for temporarily killing Utu or chasing down Stannis wherever he may be. I sighed, taking a breath after giving Merror the short version of all that had happened while he was gone. "Anyways let's get you healed up as much as we can here, we're going to need to sit down and talk later, about what happened and where we go from here."

 

Agni was exhausted, a man that be dealing with a lot, suffering a lot, and you know what, this wasn't about me, and my problems, I might have barely met this people, barely got to know them, but they are my friends in a way, Agni is something...more to me. So at least once I could take the reigns, make things less difficult for him, taking some of the weight off that poor man's shoulders, and maybe, maybe I'd get to see him really smile at some point, when he wasn't surrounded by so much trial and tragedy. I'm not the old Valria who sits on her hands while people suffer, I'm not going to be weak, I am strong, I am a Toa, and I am Valria. I was broken once, but not anymore. I can't be broken, and I refuse to be.

 

It was time to stop letting things happen to me and start making things happen. First thing, was ensuring this team stayed whole and healthy. Our work wasn't finished.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Nia Teppelin

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

Le-Koro.

 

To most people, it was a spectacular place. Barring Ga-Koro, it was the ultimate vacation land, and there were absolutely no contenders for its position as celebration capital of the island. Le-Koran parties were renowned and unrivaled, the village's cheer pervasive from every bar and pub, right up to its guards.

 

Most people would have loved to be there.

 

Lieutenant Krayn Inzaka could think of few places he wouldn't take over it.

 

Technically, he was still on vacation, and thus, he hadn't had to show up at the guard headquarters to report in. Thankfully. His relationship with the guard was rather strained to say the least, though if he was perfectly honest, some of it was his fault. When he had first left the village almost a year ago, he had been uptight, prickish, and overall, one of the most hated members of the force. Though in truth, that last one had been true even before he became as he had been. Ever since boot camp he'd been ridiculed, something that hadn't really slowed down when he became an officer. He had never really been able to put his finger on why, but really, it didn't matter. Such was reality.

 

And it was a reality that he was able to deal with, however grudgingly. He did his job, he followed orders, but there was no way he'd go to the more social functions of the Force. Not unless he didn't have a choice. However, that was part of the problem; Hari didn't know any of this. Nor did Naona. Tillian might know a little, depending on what Skyra had told him, and Skyrra definitely knew, but on the whole his friends were fairly oblivious. But it was doubtful that he'd be able to keep it that way.

 

Mata Nui forbid, what if Hari asked to see his office?

 

Shaking his head, he pushed those thoughts away to refocus. With his element, he'd been able to hear Hari and Naona returning to the village from the jungle. Truth be told, he was just arriving himself. He had lingered in Ga-Koro a while after they left, he'd had a few matters to take care of, and was only just arriving in the village today to meet up with them. His enhanced hearing detected that they weren't far ahead, probably in Tillian and Skyra's hut.

 

Speaking of huts, he hoped his own was still in decent shape...