Bzprpg - Po-Wahi

[AuRon the champion]

IC:

 

Beynii and their Mystix companion followed behind Trieze.

[25K Now!]

IC: [Treize]

 

"You got the bag on your head, Batman? Because it's sunny. Like, really sunny."

[AuRon the champion]

IC:

 

"Do not remind me," Halnos growled from beneath the sack.

[25K Now!]

IC: [Treize]

 

"Good, because it'd suck if you were burning."

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Hari)

 

"The more time we spend here the longer they have to start their next attack." Hari chirped. She thought on what was occurring for five seconds before continuing. "I trust Lohkar and I believe he can find these ships. I also believe one of us should go with them to aid though. Would you be okay with that Captain?" The sea green Toa asked, with a slight smile. The Toa of Green was skating thin ice. It wasn't that she didn't trust the Captain, it was that it didn't felt right not having someone there.

[Simulacrum]

IC: Maioro - Empty Street

 

Araedrex's rebuke was slightly unnerving though it made Maioro chastise himself for such a hasty choice of words. He decided to ignore the questions thrown at him, not quite fond of being spoken to again as if he was a child. If anything of interest was to happen, the cards had to be played right and currently there was too little to go on. It still didn't change the fact that he felt as nothing good was going to come out of this any more, apart from satisfying his curiosity.

 

"Then what do you seek? What purpose do you serve?"

 

-IC: Araedrex Tenebras-

 

"Purpose?"

Araedrex's infuriatingly apathetic gaze remained unchanged, simply hovering on Maioro.

"I have no reason for existance, no determining goal, no desire for change." Openly contradicting the words he said mere minutes ago, Araedrex spoke with an invisible shrug, an unseen, yet no less exasperating sense of lethargy. "I consider myself a futilitarian. Even if I decided to engage in a mad spree of murder and destruction, what would it really change? I would be killed, and rebuilding would commence. If one burns a dictatorship to the ground, then a totalitaristic society will arise from its ashes, like an accursed phoenix." "I seek not to raze or ravage, but to futilely cleanse. But cleansing is so subjective, isn't it?" Araedrex's lethargy seemed to increase. In fact, he seemed an entirely different being, a sharp contrast to the crimson specter that murdered three citizens and started an inferno of screams. "One man's cleansing is another's genocide. One man's righteous crusade is another's zealous murder spree."

"Purpose hardly matters in a world such as this." Araedrex seemed completely unexcited at the stating of such an opinion, staring at Maioro with his extremely annoying nonchalance.

[Wade.]

IC: Maioro - Empty Street

 

"How inconvenient."

 

Maioro couldn't disagree more. "Without purpose, life is but a bleak and empty existence, devoid of importance in its extensive course." he began, his lazy smile somewhat fading as his voice bore some hint of disappointment. "Without purpose, big or small, you cannot hope to accomplish anything of meaning, to leave your mark on the world, to change it."

 

Now the Toa's face was like stone, devoid of emotion save for a small frown beginning to form. "You say you seek to futilely cleanse but key word right there: futile. Try and try again, only for your efforts to be in vain just as you said. The world will merrily roll along at its own pace, disregarding the significance of your actions."

 

"Absolutely pointless." With that, the earth beneath their feet seemed to stir ever so slightly. "Yet you continue, knowing it's for naught. To live without reason, seeking only futility in a world where too little matters...that's insane."

 

"So why don't you just lay down and die?"

[sunflower]

OOC: See how clever I am, shoving Dehkaz in a room alone where I'm not required to reply to any posts for him. :3

 

IC: Dehkaz

 

The past flashed before the Toa of Magnetism's deep violet eyes, blinding him to what was around him. His breath with shallow, and the gunmetal-armored guard moved little. Sunlight streaming in from the open window painted golden swaths of color across his Kanohi. His elbows were braced up against the polished surface of a Le-Koroan desk, his forehead in his hands. Dehkaz didn't blink.

 

Muffled voices drifted into his cabin, but he barely heard them.

 

He was somewhere else, somewhere distant.

[Silvan Haven]

Kale Ironshaper- Po-wahi coast- Fowadi

 

IC: A thought passed through Kale's mind, and a quick use of his mask allowed him to check on it and get back to the rest of the crew in a couple of seconds.

 

"Captain Dehkaz is currently occupied with others matters. As First Mate I will be taking his place until he feels like joining us again." The silver Toa shouted.

 

"All crew, set sail!"

[25K Now!]

IC: [The Fourth]

 

The Fourth blinked from her spot near the edge of the boat. "That was rather sudden."

[Silvan Haven]

Kale Ironshaper- Po-wahi coast- Fowadi

 

IC: kale shrugged, "Waiting longer will help nobody. The ships can sail close to each other until all the details have been ironed out."

 

With that, the silver Toa walked off the start on the sails.

[Simulacrum]

-IC: Araedrex Tenebras-

 

"Why stand up and live?" Araedrex's posture slowly seemed to be straightening, his slouch disappearing, replaced with a stance of readiness, an instant response to the squirmming of the earth. "I will ignore your insane comment, such discussions never seem to end, but I do have a question; What is this so little that matters?"

Edited February 19, 2013 by Giant of Lannister

[Ghosthands]

IC (Lohkar)

 

"Wiv ya on that one, mate," said Lohkar, unhitching his Grapnel Gun. "Gentlemen, I take my leave of ya."

 

With a click and a whoosh, he was gone, zooming back to his ship. Even as the Lesterin thudded onto the deck he was barking orders.

 

"Ready ta make way, lads," he shouted. "All 'ands ta stations!'

[Cadias]

IC: Tellus

 

Tellus nodded. "Aye aye, Cap'n!" With that, he began the task of getting the ship underway.

[ARROW404]

IC: The ClockmakerAfter a few minutes, the quirky Fe-Toa was dropped off on land near a path leading towards the village of stone. Waving the ship away, he turned about and set down the long road, eventually having to sling his coat over his shoulder in the heat. He arrived at the village at length and slipped into a restaurant to buy something to cool his throat. And some nuts for the bird.

Edited February 20, 2013 by Draezeth

[Void Emissary]

IC: Rynekk - The Fowadi

 

Not sure if anyone knows this, but I've never worked on a boat before.

 

Not a big boat, anyway; I've traveled by sailboat a few times (don't like to remember those events now), but on a ship like this, I probably wouldn't know my sail from my oar. By the way, do these things even use oars? I haven't seen any, so I can't imagine so.

 

Kale was busy setting up the Fowadi for departure, and since I figured I'd be worse than useless to him in doing so, I headed off to my cabin to think.

 

I'm a Private; as a rule, we don't get very good quarters. However, given how few people seemed to be employed on this ship, I had managed to snag a not-half-bad room to sleep in. It was small, with an object which could only be called a bed by the most generous of people dominating most of the available space, but it was still better than I deserved.

 

My duster shed and tossed into the corner and my spear tumbling to the ground behind me, I sat down on the sorta-kinda-bed, and closed my eyes, opening up my other four senses to the world. While my vision was shrouded in darkness, my ears strained to hear the sounds of waves lapping up against the wooden hull of the ship, my nose and and tongue took in the scent of dust and mildew which hung around like bad dinner guests, and my fingers glided through the dry, salty air.

 

The world around me went on, but I saw only darkness.

 

What a bloody perfect analogy that was, wasn't it?

 

-Void

Edited February 20, 2013 by Emissary to the Void

[Wotz]

IC: Stendhal

 

Total darkness, drummed softly on by sound and feeling and scent. This was Rynekk's little world now, as he sat on a clump of solidity, an island above a diseased sea. Unfortunately, now, something entered his domain that was not welcome. The distinctive sound of metal on wood. A steady rhythm. Footsteps.

 

They seemed to operate just out of sync with the world around them, stepping just a fraction of a second faster (or was it slower...?) than they ought to. It had been a long time since Rynekk had heard anyone walk in such an unusual manner, and a bizarre experience like the one he recalled them from was not easily forgotten. His mysterious visitor could see the unwilling recognition in his face, bringing an unseen smile to their own.

 

"Open your eyes, Rynekk," said a horribly familiar voice. "Stendhal has come again."

[~Xemnas~]

OOC: Well, I've had this post sitting around on my files for a while. I finally got around to posting it today. I tried to make a long-ish post, and I kinda failed and made a medium-ish post instead. Welp, here's a little char dev for a character I'm going to RP more next season...

 

IC, Marohi: On a beach in Po-Wahi, not very far from the village of Po-Koro, Marohi Kamaka sat, cross-legged, trekking pole lying on the ground next to him. The Po-Matoran slowly breathed in, and out. In, and out. It was an exercise meant to clear one’s mind. Unfortunately, this wasn’t working really well…

 

Marohi slowly opened his eyes and gazed out across the crystal clear waters. That’s when his mind began to wander…

 

The former Po-Koro Guardsman thought back to just a few days ago, when the Turaga was killed. He thought about his fellow Guardsmen who had also died. They didn’t deserve to die. None of them did. But they had, and that was something that Marohi couldn’t change.

 

One question remained on the Matoran’s mind- why hadn’t he died? He should be dead, like his comrades, but no, here he was, still kicking. A lower dose of poison, the doctor had said. Well, now that lower dose left Marohi with the fact that he had failed to protect the Turaga. He hadn’t even been able to protect the others…

 

I failed.

 

Marohi's fists clenched as he remembered the sight of the dead Guardsmen who were with him. Marohi squeezed his eyes shut and tried to fight back the guilt and hurt in his soul

 

I failed.

 

Marohi sobbed. And sobbed. And sobbed.

 

I failed.

 

And then the typhoon came. A pouring waterfall of tears fell out of the Matoran's tearducts. After a while, Marohi finally stopped crying. Not because he felt better, but because he ran out of tears...

 

Marohi stared out over the ocean, at the setting sun. He thought back to before the Turaga had been killed, to back a long, long time ago...

 

***

It was a bright and sunny day. Marohi walked out of Hewkii’s hut after finishing a conversation with the leader of the Guard. He looked to his left and saw Kuruk Pofuerta, a good friend of his, running towards him. The stoutly Po-Matoran huffed as he tried to catch his breath.

 

“Oi, Marohi! What’s going on? Why did Hewkii want to see you? Shouldn’t you be getting ready to go off like the rest of the guys?”

 

Recently, there had been multiple sightings of a pair of Nui-Jaga dangerously close to the village. A small team of Guards was going to be sent out to investigate, including Kuruk and Marohi. However, that very mission was actually what Marohi had just been talking to Hewkii about.

 

Marohi smiled a bit sadly. “I’m not going, Kuruk,” he replied to the other Matoran’s disbelief. “Hewkii’s changed my assignment- he decided I was of better value at home than out in hunting Rahi. He’d rather have me protect the village if something goes wrong and the Nui-Jaga somehow find their way here while you're out hunting..”

 

Kuruk was obviously disheartened by this. “Aw man, we were all gonna go together and beat some bugs…” the Matoran said sadly.

 

Marohi put a hand on his fellow Guardsman’s shoulder. “It’s alright- I’ll still be here when you get back. Then you can tell me all about your little adventure, friend.”

 

Kuruk looked up, mischief in his eye. “Don’t you mean, I’ll tell you about all the fun you missed?” he said with a chuckle.

 

Marohi stepped forward and embraced his friend. “Stay safe, stay strong, and come back in one piece.” Kuruk stepped away and saluted his friend. “I’ll see you soon, friend,”

 

***

I survived. I'm still here.

 

Marohi’s eyes watered, and a small tear fell on the rough Po-Wahi sand. Sadly, it was the last time any of them saw each other. Kuruk and the rest of the small team died that day, although the Nui-Jaga had also been killed. Marohi was the one who had been sent to look for them. Unfortunately, he succeeded. It was an awful sight- the Po-Matoran shuddered at the image. Surely, he would have died as well if he had gone with them…

 

Then, something clicked inside the Po-Matoran’s soul. A sudden realization happened. As Marohi looked at the setting sun, he realized that he had not escaped death not once, but twice. Escaping death once is not very odd, but twice was not just a coincidence. Marohi began to think…

 

Mata-Nui, what is it you want me to do? Thought Marohi. Deeply religious, Marohi believed that Mata-Nui had a destiny planned for all beings on the island. Everything happens for a reason. Escaping death twice made Marohi wonder if the Great Spirit was trying to tell him something. Perhaps He was saving the ex-Guardsman in order for Marohi to do something. But what? That was the question Marohi wanted an answer for. That’s why he decided on becoming an exile instead of staying in his home village. He wanted to find his destiny, and this new thought made him more eager…

 

A newly invigorated Marohi stood up, trekking pole in hand. He looked at the sunset one more time. It was getting late. The Po-Matoran started off south, towards the jungle part of Ga-Wahi to find shelter, as Ga-Wahi, in his opinion, was better for hiding and making shelter than Po-Wahi. Tomorrow would be a new day, and a new day for him to search for destiny…

 

OOC: Great, just what we need- a crazy Matoran who thinks Mata-Nui saved him for a cool purpose. A complete lie, of course- I just love this kind of development though. Honestly, I'm very excited for next year and I can't wait to RP Marohi even more.

Edited February 20, 2013 by Toa Xemnas of Crystal

[- JL -]

IC: Floria

 

For now ignoring the fact that she was on board, Floria also began to...work.

 

Wow. That sounded soooo stupid to her, work.

 

"Aye aye, cap'n!"

[Void Emissary]

IC: Rynekk - The Fowadi

 

It was the harsh sound of his voice that clued me in. A grating whisper, which seemed to rise out of his mouth like half-melted iron from a forge, with only a hint of morbid satisfaction entwined within to reveal any semblance of proper emotion.

 

Stendhal.

 

I kept my eyes closed, as if refusing to accept that this being was here, on this ship, in my domain. It was a ridiculous hope, but it was better than allowing this intruder to strip away at the last shreds of my contentedness.

 

Slowly, I forced a smirk onto my face, albeit one with hard edges and wolfish glint, "I don't remember you being this... dramatic, Stendhal. Everything okay?"

 

-Void

[Wotz]

IC: Stendhal

 

The wood creaked slightly and the soft things on top tilted a little to the left, signifying Stenhal taking a seat next to Rynekk as if they were old friends. There was a slight rustling - at first it wasn't clear what he was doing, then the crinkling of paper being unfolded faded into audibility. The was a brief silence. Reading?

 

"You don't?" Stendhal murmured in the same tone, seemingly distracted by something else, likely the paper. "Do you remember our last meeting? What I gave and said to you?"

[Void Emissary]

IC: Rynekk - The Fowadi

 

Finally, I could take no more, and I opened my eyes and accepted the fact that my newfound enemy was seated next to me, seemingly taking a moment to read something he'd brought with him.

 

Not wanting to look at him, I kept my gaze planted firmly on the planks in below my feet, half-heartedly wishig they might collapse and drag either one of us away.

 

"I remember perfectly well," I said, in a voice almost devoid of emotion, "You gave me a map, and told me about some sort of prophecy which would lead to the island's destruction..."

 

... and mine...

 

-Void

[Wotz]

IC: Stendhal

 

If Rynekk were to look up, he would see that Stendhal was not clad in the navy blue armour he wore last time they met, but instead wore completely black robes, with a hood over the top of his mask. He read on with his paper, which was written on in a foreign language, with strange triangular diagrams which matched those on the map.

 

"Did you keep the map?" he asked, still not looking up or paying much interest to Rynekk. It seemed almost like he was talking to the paper, and wasn't even aware of the Toa's presence. "Did you make any attempt to follow it?"

[ARROW404]

IC: The ClockmakerWith a bellyfull of cool Bula Juice and refilled energy, the Clockmaker returned to the streets of the Koro. He glanced at the setting suns for a moment, admiring the horizon, before strutting about, looking for a place to stay the night.

[Void Emissary]

IC: Rynekk - The Fowadi

 

My gaze flicked over to the crumpled duster lying in the corner of the room; the shell which contained Stendhal's map. My smirk wavered momentarily, and I forced my eyes away from the object, although I knew i had already shown my new companion where his prize lay.

 

"I still have it," I said, keeping my voice perfectly even, lest I reveal anymore clues to my opponent, "But I never bothered following it, however. Sorry if I've disappointed you."

 

-Void

[Wotz]

IC: Stendhal

 

Stendhal narrowed his eyes at his paper as he continued to gaze at it. His silence was all that was needed to confirm that he certainly was disappointed. He folded the paper back up and rose to his feet, deliberately walking in front of Rynekk so that he could be seen. "Where do you think Tadris is right now?"

 

There was something in his tone, a serpent beneath the flowers, that seemed threatening, almost. His blank face somehow seemed to say that Tadris was not where Rynekk assumed.

[Void Emissary]

IC: Rynekk - The Fowadi

 

There it was. The moment of truth, the event horizon, the point of no return. If there was any doubt in my mind that Stendhal was here and ready to make my life Karz, it evaporated as the word "Tadris" met the open air.

 

Tadris. I had tried my best to forget him; he had been declared MIA after the Commander's wedding, and no one had any idea what could've happened to him. Remembering him still stung - for a repentant murderer, I sure am soft.

 

And if Stendhal was implying that he had something to do with Tadris' disappearance...

 

A dark, boiling rage simmered underneath my calm exterior, like a super-volcano waiting for something to ignite it and allow it to blow everything around it to smithereens, but I fought to suppress it. I couldn't allow myself to be compromised - not when my friend's life may be at stake.

 

"Why don't you just tell me, so we can move on more quickly?" I replied, though I very much doubted my shadowy opponent would follow my request.

 

-Void

[Wotz]

IC: Stendhal

 

Rynekk's doubts were confirmed by Stendhal's unfazed expression and body language. He was frozen in the exact same, irritatingly still position, staring into Rynekk with his blazing eyes, lips poised to smirk. "You didn't follow the map, Rynekk. Now someone else is paying for your crimes."

 

He turned from the barely contained volcano and lightly tossed to folded paper so it landed on top of the duster. None of it was legible, save perhaps the diagrams. Not to Rynekk, at least. "I doubt, though," Stendhal spoke again, still facing the corner, "that this feeling is completely new to you."

[Wade.]

IC: Maioro - Empty Street

 

"Personal opinion. Disregard it, such discussions never seem to end." Maioro answered evenly, remnants of his smile slowly coming back to life. The earth ceased to stir, stilling itself just as its wielder silenced himself, pondering the outcome of this matter. It really all depended on Araedrex, what with his enigmatic and unpredictable persona.

 

"You speak as if your fate's bound failure. To futility." Again, there it was. "I say defy that. I can't imagine why you wouldn't want meaningful success in this so-called righteous crusade."

 

OOC: Sorry, really busy and I kind of had to pump out this iffy/mediocre post on the go. Didn't want to leave you hanging for too long.

[Void Emissary]

IC: Rynekk - The Fowadi

 

I thought I would be angry. I figured I'd explode and try to beat Stendhal to within an inch of his life just for implying such things. But instead I was just... crushed. Crushed because my best friend was most likely dead, crushed because I could've stopped all of this, crushed because I was powerless to fight back, crushed because this was my fault.

 

It was sheer luck that I had strength enough to stand up and keep my voice steady, but I managed it. "Why are you here, Stendhal?"

 

There was no malice or bravado in my voice now; only a tone of utter hopelessness.

 

-Void

[Simulacrum]

-IC: Araedrex Tenebras-

 

"The righteous crusade was a purely hypothetical example." Araedrex frowned, slowly relaxing to his previous slouch, his countenance as reserved and impassive as ever. "I have no such idiocy-fueled quest of self-justification."

 

For a moment, Araedrex stood still, his crystalline visage statuesque, majestic in its dispassion. The night wind blew down the street, the whispers of the wind lingering long after coat tails had ceased flickering.

 

"You seem to have a dislike in my futilitarian beliefs." Araedrex's frown slowly mellowed into a straight line. "You believe that we should seek success. You believe we should make an impact."

 

Kneeling, Araedrex gathered a handful of sand, clasping it tightly as a secondary gust of wind fought to tear it from his grip.

"Yet any impact we care to make is insubstantial. Our achievements are the sandcastles of children. I see no reason to dedicate your life to making a sandcastle, finishing it as the wave looms over your head. Your last view is that of entropy's shadow."

Opening his hand, Araedrex watched the sand grains flutter in the moonlit street, carried down the desolate avenue by the murmuring, nocturnal wind.

As Araedrex Tenebras stood, his gaze drifted from the sand to Maioro, his tranquil impassivity unchanged, remaining as phlegmatic, composed, and collected as always.

"Tell me, Toa of Earth: Do you still wish to join such a nihilistic being? Do you still think that my company is something to be desired?"

Edited February 21, 2013 by Giant of Lannister

[Wade.]

IC: Maioro - Empty Street

 

Intriguing as Araedrex's ideals were, they simply refused to correspond with Maioro's. It was all too evident now that both men were polar opposites of each other. One's ambition rivalled the other's apathy, their beliefs on life a stark contrast from one another.

 

"Desirable? Far from it." he replied, eyes continuously fixed just as his voice kept its light-hearted tone. "Two very different people banding together...educational? Without a doubt. Enlightening? Possibly so."

 

Good or bad, something was bound to come out of it. One could never stop growing as a person after all.

 

Entertaining? Definitely.

[Wotz]

IC: Stendhal

 

The Toa of gravity turned to face him once more. "The map. You didn't follow the map. But you must, if you wish to avert the consequences that are banging on your door."

 

Stendhal bent down and picked up Rynekk's spear, weighing it up in his hands a little. "Return to Ga-Wahi. Travel to the points shown on the map, and you will know what to do," he pressed the weapon into the Toa of fire's hands. "This is your second chance. My master is a forgiving one, when he wants to be. Fail us this time, and the consequences will be more severe."

[Silvan Haven]

Kale Ironshaper- Po-wahi- Fowadi

 

IC: As Stendhal finished his dramatic ultimatum, the steady thudding sound of metal feet on a wooden floor came from the hallway leading to Rynekk's room.

Kale had decided that if the formerly corrupted Toa was going to be on the ship for any length of time, he might as well learn how to help sail it. They were already understaffed without people ditching work.

[Simulacrum]

-IC: Araedrex Tenebras-

 

"I doubt I can enlight or educate such an opinionated being." Araedrex's ruby lips twisted into an amused smirk as he stood, squaring his shoulders and correcting his posture. "But if you want to join me, for your entertainment, or what ever purpose you care to name, I have no right stopping you."

 

With that said, Araedrex set off down the street, his greatcoat fluttering in the frigid night wind.

[ARROW404]

IC: The ClockmakerUnused to the island and its... Customs, the Clockmaker paid almost no mind to the explosion of light over Kini Nui beyond looking. Afterwards, he returned to his task of finding a place to sleep. He found an inn, but he didn't carry money. Fortunately, he bought his room in exchange for an expertly made clock. Missing his ship, he laid back and closed his eyes.

[Void Emissary]

IC: Rynekk - The Fowadi

 

With a gaze weighed down by dark hatred and crushing despair, I rose up to my full height, glaring at Stendhal with a rage rarely seen on my face. "I promise you, Stendhal, that when this is all over, I will find you. And I will kill you."

 

There. Footsteps in the corridor - someone was coming.

 

I couldn't let them stop me now.

 

"Leave. Now," I growled at the Toa of gravity, already readying my spirit for the coming ordeals.

 

-Void

[Wotz]

IC: Stendhal

 

"Follow the map," Stendhal said as his final words before stepping out of the door and dashing into the shadows around the corner with the help of his mask. He could only gamble that the Toa approaching Rynekk's room hadn't seen him.

 

From here he continued to quietly move through the bowels of the ship until he reached the chest he had stowed away in in the first place. Inside was a set of navy blue armour, which he donned, then wore his robe over the top. If necessary, it was possible he was going to have to fight his way off when the time came.

[Silvan Haven]

Kale Ironshaper- Po-wahi coast- Fowadi

 

IC: Kale rounded the corner just in time to catch a half-glimpse of a bright yellow form turning the corner. He paused for a second, trying to decide if it had just been a trick of the light or if somebody had been there.

Shaking his head , Kale made his way to Rynekk's room and knocking on the door.

[Void Emissary]

IC: Rynekk - The Fowadi

 

Part of me was immediately concerned that Stendhal was just leaving to wreak havoc elsewhere on the ship, possibly in the hopes of ensuring my participation in his little "game". But I quickly realized that such actions weren't in my shadowy opponent's wheelhouse, and that he would most likely just escape into the night, like usual.

 

Besides, more pressing concerns were knocking at my door right now. Literally.

 

A plan of attack began forming in my mind, one which (hopefully) would allow me to escape the Fowadi with as little trouble as possible, while ensuring that none of the former Aggressors would try and follow me on my mission.

 

With the dignified grace of a man headed for the gallows, I strapped my spear onto my back, before fitting my duster over. After checking that both of Stendhal's papers were safely tucked into its pockets, I opened the door, revealing a pair of dark green eyes - Kale Ironshaper.

 

"Can I help you?" I asked casually, as if the brief conversation with my personal sociopath hadn't occurred.

 

-Void