BZPRPG - Ga-Wahi

[Void Emissary]

IC: Daijuno & Zyla | Aboard the Ruki, along the Hura-Mafa

"Let's," Daijuno replied, stubbing her cigar out on the heel of her boot and returning it to the inner pocket of her coat. "With any luck, she'll have been the last of any well-wishers we run into along the way."

OOC: @Vezok's Friend @Mel

-Void

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (Ga-Koro)

Bidding the Dasaka party farewell, Zelvin headed towards Ga-Koro. She spent a moment to head down towards the harbor district, and she stood there being not too suspicious taking a good look at the great Dasakan Submarine that lay docked, now serving as the nexus of a large number of smaller boats that had congregated around it to accomodate the refugee population's landfall. Zelvin was interested in getting more involved, but she could set that aside while she focused on something else, like finding a spot of tea to take a seat with.

She found a good spot soon enough. Up a winding stair and through a door to a low second story of one of the great huts of Ga-Koro. A tea house! Perfect.

She approached the staff and made an order, and then she began to look for a place to sit down. Someone was bound to provide an interesting conversation...

OOC: @oncertainty

[Vezok's Friend]

IC: [Ayiwah - aboard the Ruki, heading up the Hura-Mafa]

There were many qualities Daijuno had that had made her eligible for the expedition to Mata Nui in the first place - but it still surprised her from time to time just how nonchalant she could be.

Definitely having that talk with her when we get a minute...

Then Koso spoke up. “Would it be safe to assume that for anything that exists, there’s a Toa who can control it?”

“Not an unreasonable assumption.” Ayiwah agreed.

The journey continued uneventfully for the next few hours. Eventually, the soft thrum of the engine began to fade into the general background noise of the Hura-Mafa’s flow, the rustling of wind through the leaves and the constant buzzing of insects. So constant, it took some time before it became notable that part of that buzzing was steadily getting louder…
 

OOC: @Void Emissary @Mel

[Mel]

[Aboard the Ruki (Yukie)]

It was the Plangori delegation’s turn to come to attention—they had heard about the massive insects that haunted the jungles of Mata Nui.   They had nothing exactly like this in the jungles of Oki, but they had the training to react to similar threats.

One of the Plangori Saihoko had already drawn a crystal machete, while the other gestured for silence from the rest of the crew.   They would try to avoid conflict if they could.

Meanwhile, Yukie reached out tentatively with his mind, carefully searching for the impressions of animal consciousnesses without directly confronting them.   If the dark touch that had corrupted the rahi of Kentoku was anything to go by, he needed to avoid probing too deep.

[Void Emissary]

IC: Daijuno & Zyla | Aboard the Ruki, along the Hura-Mafa

Both Daijuno and Zyla's hands drifted to the blades at their hips, all the while shuffling towards the centre of the boat, their eyes drawn up to the sky.

OOC: @Vezok's Friend @Mel

-Void

[Vezok's Friend]

IC: [Ayiwah - aboard the Ruki]

The Toroshu made contact around the same time the source of noise came into view up ahead on their left. There weren’t as many of them as the noise had implied - only half a dozen perhaps. But they were bigger than the ones the Matoran had mostly described. Almost double in fact with twice the number of limbs and wings - which created the deep buzzing the Dasaka even felt in their bones as it drew closer.

Ayiwah for her part followed the signal from the Plangori. When she spotted the insects she noticed their path would intersect with the river soon enough. The commodore let out a deep breath in preparation, her mind's eye focused on the familiar shape the energy would take if it came down to it.

But noticing the Toroshu’s body language, if it did would depend on him and how deep he was willing to probe now that the contact was there. The way the connection formed had been familiar enough, but the minds on the other end were utterly foreign.

 

OOC: @Mel @Void Emissary
 

[Void Emissary]

IC: Daijuno & Zyla | Aboard the Ruki, along the Hura-Mafa

It was a lucky thing that Daijuno happened to be looking at her assistant in just that moment -- or else she would've missed the way that Zyla's mouth gaped and her throat clenched into the opening notes of a scream. Daijuno didn't even remember moving, didn't remember the movements she took between clocking what was about to happen and finding herself holding Zyla like a dog-catcher seizes a wild Hapaka, one hand clamped over her mouth to muffle the sound of abject horror clawing up out of her.

Daijuno, for her own part, stared at the things with a detached horror, only able to think: They look just like props in a play. 

OOC: @Mel @Vezok's Friend

-Void

[Mel]

[Aboard the Ruki (Yukie)]

Yukie hesitated—he wasn’t a Vilda; he hadn’t been trained to negotiate with rahi minds.   He could detect the presence of other minds normally, but it was clear that the rules on Mata Nui were different.

Well, it wasn’t like they could hide, with the size of those eyes.  He extended himself, probing deeper, a curtain of petals gently falling to test the wind.

OOC: @Void Emissary @Vezok's Friend

[oncertainty]

IC: Aeragot - Ga-Koro, Tea House

One thing that had long proved useful to Aeragot, in work and other pursuits, was a carefully cultivated memory. It was a skill, however much people didn't act like it. And a skill that every good prospector practiced. No matter how good your maps were, there would come a moment when you needed to know what you hadn't written down.

But when utility had come and gone, his memory still offered up things uncalled-for. He would remember what it was like being a Matoran for the rest of his days. A Toa still remained something of a surprise, though Aeragot had been one himself for long enough now. When another Toa entered the dimly-lit tea house, it was Aeragot who couldn't help but stare. A Ga-Toa maybe, though something told him he couldn't be sure. Wiry, taller than him. She looked like she had seen some action.

Still, maybe this was what he was looking for. A Toa always had a story. At least one. And that was something Aeragot could never resist. Holding his gaze, he raised up his own cup as if to toast. Forward, maybe. But that's how you found things out.

OOC: @Geardirector

[Vezok's Friend]

IC: [Ayiwah - aboard the Ruki]

Yukie’s petals were caught in a stiff breeze, a sudden gust of wind. The Nui-Kopen, previously on a steady heading, paused and began to swirl overhead. Like mosquitos over a puddle at dusk - except hundreds of times bigger.

One of the Rahi drifted lower. With their multifaceted eyes there was no way to tell but Yukie felt he was getting studied in turn. The mental connection was difficult to navigate. The petals danced chaotically in the turbulence. There was uncertain agitation there. But the petals still danced - if there was a storm coming it wasn’t here yet. The Nui-Kopen closed in, low enough to spray the Dasaka with a fine mist from hovering so close to the water.

It also allowed them a clear view in turn: The segmented chitinous body, clawed limbs, oversized stinger and the proboscis sitting between the masks over the eyes.

OOC: Finally returning to writing after a very busy period. Since it's been a while I leave the choice up to y'all if those masks are spotless or if they've gotten a bit rusty...either way, let's get moving again 😃

@Mel@Void Emissary
 

[Void Emissary]

IC: Daijuno & Zyla | Aboard the Ruki, along the Hura-Mafa

It was the eyes that most struck Daijuno -- those massive diamond eyes, each the size of her own head, that seemed to both stare down at her and remain blind at once. The sound of its wings was like a roar of wind and she could its razor talons clack-clack-clacking together; and the stinger (if that was the right word) jutting from its impossible face caught the afternoon light and glinted like a speartip. But it was the eyes that most frightened Daijuno, and what she could not look away from, even as her dagger fell to the deck and her muscles burned to keep Zyla from scrambling overboard or whatever other foolish thing she might be thinking of doing -- the eyes that betrayed no heart, no soul, no mind at all. The flat blue colour of a stagnant sea.

"Commodore," she whispered, or thought she whispered. "Toroshu, anyone. What do we do?"

OOC: @Vezok's Friend @Mel Woof, it's been a while since I've posted! Sorry for the wait. I described the masks as infected, but happy to retcon if @Mel would prefer!

-Void

Edited April 26, 2025 by Void Emissary
Removed the infection from the Rahi.

[Alex Mason]

On 11/2/2024 at 7:23 PM, Krayzikk said:

IC:

"Fools have their uses, too. From what I've seen, I doubt this village would have pressed charges if he'd been completely ineffective." Kiyaku rubbed lightly at her chin. "He might be an effective tool, given some guidance. Or he may just be useless. I can think of an easy way to find out."

IC: Ela Latos - Hmm.

“I question what uses you have in mind.” Ela remarked, though not in the air of disobedience. Already following a lead. “I will handle him if he becomes a problem, then.

OOC: @Krayzikk