BZPRPG: Le-Wahi

OOC: Alfon and Trava skipping to the morning

IC: Alfon

It took me a minute to figure out why there was a girl sleeping next to me in my bed.

That wasn’t to say it didn’t happen often (I’m so alone), but the morning always dragged my brain’s A game to a solid C-, so it’s only after a bit of digging that I remembered the night before. I almost laughed to myself but I settled for an unkempt grin, careful not wake her up. I was feeling an odd mix of amusement and personal satisfaction. Too bad I didn’t own a journal, because none of this would ever worm its way into the history books or better yet, the Wall of History. Probably for the best.

Couldn’t just lie in bed forever though, much as I’d love to. Gently, I slipped out of the sheets and put something on before making my way to the kitchen. Not waking up alone was a pleasant surprise, so I figured I’d return the gesture with a good breakfast.

I hoped she liked steak and eggs.

OOC: Sorry for the late response, I was busy and just came back from Kung Fu Lessons.

 

IC (As Fulmen): "Toa of fire, we are considering your offer. Soon, we will come to an agreement." The Vo-Matoran stepped down and turned to the Po-Matoran. "You can decide if you want to take her with us."

OOC: No problem; it's really not that late.

IC:

I noted the disagreement between the two companions; the first speaker seemed slightly more ready to accept my offer, but the second appeared to be far more adverse to my company. Silently, I extinguished the fireball in my hand, not wanting to expend more energy than was necessary for such pointlessly long deliberations as these. After all, it was a simple choice; either they trusted me not to harm them along the way, or they did not.

"My offer does not stand indefinitely," I added, my voice as filled with ennui as ever. "Consider quickly."

-Void

IC: Trava (Alfon's Hut)

When Trava woke up, she was also pretty surprised to find herself lying in a bed (at all), after blinking at the sunlight peering through the window for a few moments, the memories of last night came to her, just as the smell of breakfast reached her experienced nostrils from somewhere in another part of the hut.

She flashed a smile of satisfaction that wouldn't look out of place on a mad Skakdi (and she'd seen a few of those in her time).

She got out of bed and followed the smell, which was easier said than done, so much furniture in the way. Eventually she reached Alfon where he was making breakfast, after considerable trial and error.

She hugged him from behind, resting her head on his shoulder "Mornin'"

IC:

"Eh, y'know," he began, in spite of not really knowing himself. "Just tryin' to get some life experience and all under my belt too. I figure it's smart to have a good idea of who I am before I go listening to everyone else's stories. And hey, I won't lie."

A smirk.

"Traveling the island's also pretty fun, when you stumble into things like this." he gestured with an arm, hand sweeping in a wide arc about the party surrounding them.

IC Lain

"You were sayin' something about yer older brother out in Ta, aye? Last time I made my way out that way, a little township of sorts was starting out there where tha Mangai meets the plains a Ga-Wahi. Banding together a some of the farmer an hunter types out there. It's quite tha prepossessin' region. Real pretty."

He trailed off for a little, purpose seemingly forgotten.

"Ah, and I was about ta say, it's awfully dry out there. In several senses."

IC: Alfon

I could never manage to flip the egg without breaking the yolk. That's not to say I'm a bad cook, I would actually argue the opposite but this one thing is above and beyond my skills. At the moment, I was staring at pile of yellow goop that strangely resembled...y'know what, let's not talk about what it resembled. All that mattered was that I couldn't mess up on the steak that bad.

Doesn't mean I didn't mess up.

I considered scrapping everything entirely and going out for breakfast instead, though a head on my shoulder and arms wrapped around my torso indicated I was a little too late to clean up the culinary crime scene.

"Morning." I said, planting a kiss on her temple. "Nice shirt. You get that from my closet?"

IC Lain

"You were sayin' something about yer older brother out in Ta, aye? Last time I made my way out that way, a little township of sorts was starting out there where tha Mangai meets the plains a Ga-Wahi. Banding together a some of the farmer an hunter types out there. It's quite tha prepossessin' region. Real pretty."

 

He trailed off for a little, purpose seemingly forgotten.

 

"Ah, and I was about ta say, it's awfully dry out there. In several senses."

IC:

New settlement 'round Ta? Man, that was weird; I'd just gotten out of there a few days ago and I hadn't heard anything about that one. Was I losing my touch when it came to picking up whispers? Had traveling with Visalk and Halyx distracted from everything else going on in that Wahi?

"Really? I've heard zilch 'bout that," I commented, crossing my arms and raising one eyebrow, confused as all git-out by this piece o' news.

-Void

IC: Trava (Alfon's Hut)

"I've been exploring this new jungle called 'domestic living'" Trava replied as she reciprocated Alfon's kiss on his cheek.

"That down there looks like a whole different jungle, though" she remarked at the sight of the half-destroyed breakfast"

IC: Alfon

"Glad to hear it. I know you hunters like your food straight from the wild." I replied, putting food on the plates. "And right now, that's as close as it's going to get."

"You want a fork or no? 'Cause if you're all about that jungle dining, I'm cool with the whole hands and teeth only thing." I teased.

IC: Trava (Alfon's Hut)

"I think I already showed you what I'm cool with" Trava replied with a wink as she picked up the steak with her hands and began chewing hungrily

IC: Alfon

I didn't have any words for that one. I just laughed and started eating. 

"At least it tastes good." I remarked, slightly surprised. "Though I'd be lying if I told you I knew what kind of meat it is. I'm going to guess Kane-Ra."

IC: Trava (Alfon's Hut)

"Hmm..." Trava muttered as she took another bite, chewing it more deliberately.

"familiar smell, strong taste..." another bite, "texture not unlike a Muaka..."

"You're right, it is a Kane-Ra" she determined as she finished her meal.

"A classic"

IC Lain

The Bo-Toa shrugged off the cynicism.

"Were ya lookin' or listenin' for such a thing? Or just charging recklessly through tha countryside?"

IC: Alfon

I gave her the benefit of the doubt that she was foodie and not a food snob. 

There's a difference.

"A classic, eh? Maybe I should buy mystery meat more often." I shrugged, finishing my steak. "And let it show on the records that I died a happy man with a full stomach from salmonella poisoning."

IC: Trava (Alfon's Hut)

"Don't count on me giving your eulogy, though I'd be happy to keep anyone from dancing on your grave after the fact" Trava replied as she finished with a helping of water and looked out the window to admire the late sunrise. Her maskless face was folded into a contented smile as she stretched to get the last bit of feeling back into her limbs.

"Provided, of course, you die at all. I think you can survive some malicious food if you wanted to"

IC: Alfon

"Already have. I ate a random flower on a dare one time and I started throwing up for days."

"Got eighty widgets out of it."

IC: Trava (Alfon's Hut)

"Sounds painful" I remarked as I got up.

"So... is this the part where we... shake hands? I haven't really done this kind of thing very often"

"Haven't really shook hands a lot either"

OOC: Sorry for the late response, I was busy and just came back from Kung Fu Lessons.

 

IC (As Fulmen): Fulmen untied himself suddenly and spoke in a louder voice than he would normally use. "Doseki. Pass me a climbing hook. I will assist you in battle should negotiation fail. I don't want you to think I am always acting like a helpless rahi and besides, I can't always act like a scared insect, look where that got us." He said to the matoran of stone. "I would like to think that the toa will leave us alone, but at the same time, I know that she plans to harm us if she is greeting us with a fireball and refusing to reveal her name. I'm not confident that we can face her should we need to fight, but can we really run away if she attacks us?" The matoran of lightning boldly stepped forward. "Toa of fire, we are considering your offer. Soon, we will come to an agreement." The Vo-Matoran stepped down and turned to the Po-Matoran. "You can decide if you want to take her with us."

OOC: No problem; it's really not that late.

 

IC:

 

I noted the disagreement between the two companions; the first speaker seemed slightly more ready to accept my offer, but the second appeared to be far more adverse to my company. Silently, I extinguished the fireball in my hand, not wanting to expend more energy than was necessary for such pointlessly long deliberations as these. After all, it was a simple choice; either they trusted me not to harm them along the way, or they did not.

 

"My offer does not stand indefinitely," I added, my voice as filled with ennui as ever. "Consider quickly."

 

-Void

== Le-Wahi - Lost - Maybe somewhere near Lake Pala? - Up a tree of all places ==

OOC: Po-Matoran Doseki

IC: Doseki was taken back from Fulmen's sudden outburst of confidence. He listened very intently at what the Vo-Matoran had to say. He was reluctant to hand over a weapon to the high strung Matoran for fear he may go ballistic and get himself hurt. Still he pulled one of his Climbing claws from the trunk of the tree and handed it to Fulmen. "Now a weapon does not a warrior make Fulmen." When Fulmen mentioned Toa it caused Doseki to look down to the forest floor where he say the fire go out in the Toa's hand causing her form to go dark. How did he know she was a Toa? Could he see that far? "If you really think she intends to harm us then I don't think it would be a good idea to give her the option."

Doseki could hear the distain in the Toa's voice as she waited for an answer. Toa or not Doseki was not going to be talked down to like that. He looked over at Fulmen, "Stay here." Then he grabbed his other Climbing Claw and holstered it nad his Kolhii Stick on his back before jumping head first out of the tree. Running down the trunk of the tree Doseki watched as the forest floor quickly came into view. Deploying his claw he dug it into the trunk of the tree to slow his descent until he was a safe distance from the ground. Dislodging the claw he repelled off the trunk of the tree flipped over the Toa of Fire and landed behind her with his Kolhii stick in hand. Spinning the weapon in his hand as he rose to his feet and turned to face her; Mask to waist.

"Listen here Toa. I do not appreciate your tone or your condescending attitude." Doseki was showing he was not afraid of her just because of being a Toa. "Now we are just trying to travel from Ta-Koro to Le-Koro and are not out for trouble. Now you have upset my traveling companion and refuse to identify yourself. So if you cannot be cordial then be on your way. We do not need your kind of help." Doseki hoped his point was well received. He had no intent on traveling with somebody they could not trust and this Toa refused to even give them a name as a show of faith. "Now are we done here?"

 

 

IC (Sisk):

 

The Matoran nodded to the Toa, then moved towards Skyscratcher. The bird lowered it's head slightly, allowing Sisk to seize one of the straps that formed the riding harness, allowing him to pull himself into the saddle. He nodded towards Lathon, indicating he do the same thing and take the seat behind him as second.

 

IC:

 

Lathon nodded as well before lifting himself into the seat with his powers over air. He got comfortable and waited for the great bird to take off.

 

"Ready when you are." Lathon said to Sisk.

 

OOC: Terribly sorry for the weeks of delays, things just got busy and I only had time to post as a few other characters. 

IC (Sisk):

With a grin, Sisk pulled on the reigns and squeezed Skyscratcher's flanks, the signal for the bird to take off. The next moment he spread his impressive wings to their full span, lifted them, and with one massive downward thrust that caused hundreds of leaves to be whirled into the air, the two took off. They rose vertically for a little while, until they had cleared the majority of treetops, before Sisk pulled on the reigns again and the Kahu started to pick up speed. Due to the bird's size, it's flaps were gentle and steady right now, almost as if the wings were moving in slow motion thanks to the massive amount of air they could move at once.

Each of their movements was accompanied by a whooshing sound, but soon other noises could be heard over it: Drums in the distance, beating an exciting rhythm. Sisk glanced back over his shoulder to Lathon. It was time they joined the festivities.

IC (Rewera):

Meanwhile, in Pala-Koro, the Toa Aitua felt on edge. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something about her whole situation made her feel like she should be somewhere else, doing something more important than hanging around a barely populated makeshift village in the middle of the jungle. While she had not voiced these feelings to Esao or any of the others that were in the area, her demeanor easily betrayed her unease: She kept checking her gear multiple times an hour and each bird call made her head turn sharply and her eyes narrow like a Muaka on the prowl. 

IC: Alfon

I would be lying to myself if I said that the naïve romantic in me wasn't a little disappointed. I knew this morning would probably mark the end of the road for us but hey, nothing wrong with a bit of hope. 

Now I just had to be a good sport about it.

"Me neither." I said as I got up, composure intact. "But nah, no handshakes. Too formal. Anything past that and I'd be charging you seventy widgets for last night. I mean, drinks, bed and breakfast and this?" I gestured to myself, a cocky grin on my face.

She shoved me for that. 

"But seriously, it's all good. If you're ever around town, you're always welcome here." I chuckled. "Though if you're going to keep my shirt..."

I tapped my cheek with my index.

IC: Kythera

"Jumpy much, Rewera?"

The voice came from not too far off, Kythera inclining her head towards the dark-armored toa.  She had noticed a few sharp movements out of the corner of her eye, the first of which nearly caused her to draw her own weapon.

"I wouldn't worry about getting attacked, we're not all that popular anymore with the baddies.  Not yet, anyway."

IC: Alfon

 

I would be lying to myself if I said that the naïve romantic in me wasn't a little disappointed. I knew this morning would probably mark the end of the road for us but hey, nothing wrong with a bit of hope. 

 

Now I just had to be a good sport about it.

 

"Me neither." I said as I got up, composure intact. "But nah, no handshakes. Too formal. Anything past that and I'd be charging you seventy widgets for last night. I mean, drinks, bed and breakfast and this?" I gestured to myself, a cocky grin on my face.

 

She shoved me for that. 

 

"But seriously, it's all good. If you're ever around town, you're always welcome here." I chuckled. "Though if you're going to keep my shirt..."

 

I tapped my cheek with my index.

IC: Trava (Alfon's Hut)

"I'm not," she replied and pulled it off, "but I haven't said properly goodbye yet, either"

She leaned in and pecked his cheek, handed him his shirt and started picking up her things.

IC (As Fulmen): The matoran of lightning grabbed the climbing claw from Doseki and watched him climb down the tree. *Sorry to disobey you, Doseki, but I won't let you face the toa alone, even if I am not skilled in combat.* the Vo-Matoran went prone and dropped a long length of rope. He tried to reach around the branch, but he couldn't grab the rope. The matoran of lightning walked a few centimeters forward before trying again. This time, he succeeded and he could tie a knot on the branch. *Perfect, now I have a way of climbing back up after jumping down should we need to get to higher ground.* Fulmen pulled up the dangling cord and tied the end around his waist, jumping down after a few seconds. With a dull thud, his feet touched the ground and the Vo-Matoran untied himself.

"Let's hear your answer, toa of fire." Announced Fulmen as he walked forward and stood next to Doseki. "Forgive me for my disobedience, but I just want to help out in any way I can." The Vo-matoran said to him.

IC Lain

"You were sayin' something about yer older brother out in Ta, aye? Last time I made my way out that way, a little township of sorts was starting out there where tha Mangai meets the plains a Ga-Wahi. Banding together a some of the farmer an hunter types out there. It's quite tha prepossessin' region. Real pretty."

 

He trailed off for a little, purpose seemingly forgotten.

 

"Ah, and I was about ta say, it's awfully dry out there. In several senses."

IC:

"That right?" Up went the intrigued eyebrow, arms folding as well. All but deaf to Lumira's skepticism, he nodded his approval of, if nothing else, the idea. "I headed through that area a while ago myself, just when I'd left the nest back home in Ta, actually. Wasn't any real settlements yet, but karz if it ain't a good spot for one. Plains look something out of some famous painting, and the sky's all blue..."

His eyes took on a wistful gleam, as he looked back to those first few days out of the walls and ash and into the world beyond. Despite how it might've felt, it wasn't actually all that long ago.

"Well, now I know where I wanna go after this. Either'a you interested in checking it out?"

"Or, well, I guess in your case it'd be more checkin' up, Lain, but the point's the same." he added after a moment to remember Lain had already been over there and seen it at some point.

Mata Nui gave you a brain, Ash. You better be able to use it, even if there's a little buzz.

IC: Alfon

I took the shirt and held onto it, watching her pick up her things. When she was ready to go, I looked at her one last time and gave her a quick smile before opening the door.

"Bye Trava."

IC: Trava (Le-Koro)

Trava walked to the edge, watching the leaf crown of Le-Koro's jungle stretch out before her. She took a deap breath, and nodded once.

She turned towards Alfon in the dorway, and gave him a mock salute.

"Bye, Alfon. See you around"

And with that she disappeared into the canopy, the leaves rustling only a little louder than before.

IC Lain

"I reckon it'd be a fair usage of our time, yeah." He spared a pair of glances towards the skeptic and the mendicant. The question of, how about you? left unspoken.

IC: The nonverbal query was asked in chorus, because Ash found himself looking expectantly at the two as well. Their combined gazes would prove a formidable foe indeed, especially coming from two different, yet complimentary sources such as he and Lain. It could almost be akin to a sort of yin-yang effect, if you thought about it.

Or, you could have actually just been thinking entirely too much about it, when you should have just settled for saying he joined in on the activity of waiting to see what the conversation's other members had to say about the idea.

You know, like someone normal.

IC (As Faraki): The word 'profitable' captured the black skakdi's interest. "Profitable, you say?" The gunmetal-clad creature said, forming a small grin. "Well, I like the sound of this alchemy business, when shall you teach me, Akhulii?" Faraki asked excitedly, smiling and finally revealing his fanged teeth. *If he won't teach me, then I'll simply have to hold the turaga for ransom.* The black skakdi thought to himself.

IC: Komae [Le-Koro]

"But you know," came a voice from behind the group, "Alchemy doesn't much fall into a Skakdi's wheelhouse, does it? Nor a Matoran's, if we're being honest, but Skakdi - that's a heck of a thing.  'Specially a mask-wearing one.  Strange for one to go looking to profit off alchemy, anyway.  Crafting's much more honest, in my book." The Matoran shrugged and brushed a bit of dirt off the front of his - frankly, quite filthy - tunic with the back of what appeared to be a rock-hewn knife of some sort.

"But then again," he said with a smile to match the Skakdi's, "what do I know? Not how to find the Bright-Star Inn, apparently.  I don't suppose any of you do?"

IC: Praxis

Praxis just smiled stupidly.

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu watched as Viima practically made a 180 turn demeanor wise. This was the viima he knew, instead of the pathetic, self-wallowing le-matoran he had saved from the chasm. With a lopsided smirk and a devious glint to his eyes he tipped his chin to Viima

"That depends. Do we want to go after those who were going to free surina from prison if I hadn't warned the akiri, or do we want to try and seek out some other trouble? I can't say going to Ko-wahi would be smart right now since we are but two fighters, and we would be up against a whole koro's worth of enemies."

IC: Akhulii

Akhulii just started stammering as he fell backwards off the rock. He quickly popped back up from behind it, adjusting his mask, confused.

"T-t-teach you!" Akhulii paused for a moment, then decided the skakdi must've been joking, and burst out laughing.

"Oh! Good one you silly 'ol skakdi! Alchemy is far too advanced for someone of... er, nevermind. Anyways, I've been training for years and years and even so I find myself learning a new technique every so often that speeds things up. Alchemy is not just something you learn... it's something you have to breathe!"

Akhulii got his bearings back together as he crawled back onto the rock he had been sitting on, satisfied with his choice of words. "Yes, yes... One must commit to this skill. It's capabilities stretch too far to be enjoyable as a simple hobby. Besides, I'm not much of a teacher..." He chuckled as he remembered a memory of a matoran he had been teaching getting a miniature mushroom cloud explosion to the face when he had accidentally mixed the ingredients at just the wrong consistency. Not much of a teacher indeed!

IC Viima

(Le-Wahi):

"Maybe we could...", Viima began, then paused abruptly. "Wait, someone wanted to break Surina out? Has her sentence been... executed yet?"

OOC: I feel honored, a forum leader chose to interact with me.

IC (As Faraki): "You think I'm joking, Ahkulii?" Faraki growled as he leaned over the blue matoran. "You know some quick methods, you say? Well, why don't you teach me them?" The skakdi heard another matoran speak.

"Who's there?!" Shouted the black skakdi as he pulled his mask down, turning around quickly to see a matoran in a filthy tunic. "What's wrong with a skakdi learning how to perform a new job? Murdering and theft doesn't always make money, you know, plus, it gets boring after a while." The gunmetal armored skakdi spoke. "Alchemy could be pretty profitable, but if you think crafting pays out more, then teach me what you know about the job." Said Faraki as his hand reached for his knife after seeing Komae wipe his tunic with a knife. "Also, what would I know about Bright-Star Inn? I'm a skakdi, I'm not allowed to set foot in a single village or I'll have my spine ripped out of my head faster than you could say Kaukau."

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu nodded to Viima

"Aye, Rhea had talked about possibly breaking Surina out, though I did alert the Akiri to this plan. I would imagine they either increased security or expedited her sentencing. However I can not say if she was executed or not because I do not know."

OOC: I feel honored, a forum leader chose to interact with me.

 

IC (As Faraki): "You think I'm joking, Ahkulii?" Faraki growled as he leaned over the blue matoran. "You know some quick methods, you say? Well, why don't you teach me them?" The skakdi heard another matoran speak.

 

"Who's there?!" Shouted the black skakdi as he pulled his mask down, turning around quickly to see a matoran in a filthy tunic. "What's wrong with a skakdi learning how to perform a new job? Murdering and theft doesn't always make money, you know, plus, it gets boring after a while." The gunmetal armored skakdi spoke. "Alchemy could be pretty profitable, but if you think crafting pays out more, then teach me what you know about the job." Said Faraki as his hand reached for his knife after seeing Komae wipe his tunic with a knife. "Also, what would I know about Bright-Star Inn? I'm a skakdi, I'm not allowed to set foot in a single village or I'll have my spine ripped out of my head faster than you could say Kaukau."

[OOC: Pshaw, you should see some of Black Six's old RPG posts...]

IC: Komae [Le-Koro]

The Matoran grinned in exasperation and put his hands up in front of him.  "My, my.  Calm down, Mr. Fearsome Skakdi.  For someone who says he's not interested in theft and homicide, you're being quite violent.  I was just making a simple comment, is all.  Matoran run businesses, Toa save Matoran, Skakdi don't do much in the way of science.  That's the way it usually goes, is all I'm saying.  If you want to break out of that mold, well, nobody'll stop you. 

"As for crafting - I'm afraid you're talking to the wrong Matoran.  My work is... decent, not superb, and this," -  he tapped the scar on his palm with a finger - "limits me a bit.  I do my best, but I'm certainly no teacher; more a merchant than anything else these days.  Maybe you'd have a better chance with my business partner? Though it seems we got separated while I've been looking.  We've just come back from a bit of bug-bashing, actually, hence the knife."  Still smiling, he tucked the knife away and waved his other hand.  "Well, listen to me ramble.  My question goes for the rest of you - I don't suppose anyone knows where the inn is? Or any inn, really.  It's been a long couple of days."

IC:

Beosach came walking up behind Komae, his backpack full of widgets jingling as he did so. "Don't scare too many of the villagers, Komae, we want to get back home in one piece!" he jokingly called while walking, quickly joining the group.

"Hi."

IC: Komae [Le-Koro]

"Speak of the Makuta, and he shall appear.  Well, not literally, I hope.  Beosach, you aren't Makuta, correct? It occurs to me I've never checked."

IC:

"No, I'm his father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate. Which makes us nothing." Beosach grinned. "Which is exactly what he is right now!"

IC Viima

(Le-Wahi):

Viima's eyes narrowed. Thinking of Surina made his head hurt, perhaps more than usual.

"She returned from the dead once before", he said. "I don't doubt Hahli's ability to take care of the situation quickly, but you can never make assumptions with Surina. Perhaps we should ask the Ga-Koro marines about this?"

Viima's body unvoluntarily shuddered at the thought of entering a village after such a long time of isolation.