BZPRPG: Le-Wahi

IC: Reordin (Pala-Koro)"Uh...don't be," said Reordin tightly, blinking several times and trying to lift his cigarette to his mouth: first, he lifted it against his cheek, and then slid it down to around his jaw, and then finally, after a sixth blink, succeeding in bringing it into his mouth. "It's, um...it's not worth being sorry over."-Teezy

IC: My question was cut off by the sudden arrival of a pair of Ko-Matoran, evidently Reordin's superiors. I watched the exchange silently for a few moments before shaking my head and continuing on to Pala-Koro's center. "Ice," I muttered under my breath.

IC: Madrihk"Yes, I think we all can agree those things will have to go," Madrihk commented to Vompran. "Removing them is going to be tricky, though. They have latched on firmly; I can see fangs or something poking into the Turaga. If we just start cutting we might seriously injure them."He turned to the crowd that was gathering just then and raised his voice a bit so they all could hear."Ah, you're here. Good. There is a lot that probably should be said right now, but I'll try to be brief. First, I want to thank you all, and to congratulate us on this victory. We have successfully done what we set out to do: destroy the Nui-Rama hive. With its fall we also lost several good warriors, and many have received wounds that may or may not heal; however, they paved the way for the rest of us, and we have pulled through. We stand here today, a step closer to this island's freedom. I thank every Toa, every Matoran, every Skakdi, Vortixx and even Gukko and Ussal that aided us. For those who lost their life, I am sure you agree that we should hold a memorial... but I will unfortunately have to get back to that later."The Toa of Ice gestured towards the cage behind him."During the attack we found the missing Turaga, or perhaps I should say they were handed over to us by that Toa of Shadow. This is no time to relax or rejoice, however, for Makuta has done something to them. What appears to be parasitic slugs have attached themselves to their backs, and our village elders did not seem to be in control of themselves anymore when they attacked us. I'm not sure if Makuta intended to give us despair by forcing us to slay them, but I can assure you that we will not do that if we can help it! If anyone knows what these things are, I urge you to speak up! The best would be to remove them at once, but we cannot do that without being certain of their nature. The Turaga have yet to wake, but their transformation has reversed, so it is impossible to say what could happen once they do."

IC: Skrihen"Your job, one that you've had for a long time I'd bd willing to bet, was taken from you. You lost many friends in a large scale assault,btw right before your eyes. And an entire platoon is dead, for which they're blaming you." Skrihen surmised. "It probably seems like your whole world has been turned upside down, and smashed over your head. I'd say that is something worthy of sympathy."

IC: Reordin (Pala-Koro)At this, Reordin looked almost shell-shocked; as he looked up to meet Skrihen's glowing eyes, he found it ironic that everyone around her could be so happy and he so broken, so battered, how everyone could be so cheerful when so many others had nothing.Like Trakuda."Where do I go from here, Skrihen?" he asked in a near-whisper. "Who would even bother to take me in at this point?"-Teezy

IC: SkrihenSkrihen's eyes dimmed, her proximity to Reirdin's sadness starting to counteract her Mark. "I can't answer that, Reordin. If I did, it would be the blind trying to lead the blind." She paused a moment. "And don't be so hard on yourself. Most people in this world may be cold, unsympathetic people, but you'll find most have a soft spot for heros."

IC: Reordin (Pala-Koro)"Heroes like me."He couldn't help but laugh."I always used to tell the people under my command...if you try not to get anybody killed, you end up getting everybody killed. And now...everybody's dead anyway."His eyes found Skrihen's (he still couldn't believe they were actually at eye level with each other) and his bitter grin turned into more of a straight smirk."What kind of a hero is that?"-Teezy

IC: Bane looked up from the sleeping paraturaga. "They're too dangerous to personally hold them. We could have the matoran of each koro take care of them, and post an ILS protector there to make sure the turaga don't escape. But I think there's still a chance of being able to talk to them. I was already thinking of setting up an ILS post in every koro, anyway." he turned, looking straight into Madrihk's eyes. "If we can't reason with them, we straight-jacket them."-Bane

IC: Skrihen"One that has seen more than their fair share of evil." Skrihen responded. "One that has earned the title."

IC: AlfonAlfon stared down from his perch as he momentarily lost Madrihk in his small speech, his face still impassive but his eyes betraying the fact that he was genuinely touched. Alfon slid down his branch and kicked off with his feet, doing a flip in mid-air before landing firmly on his feet, a feat appearing completely basic even for Calix users with a broken arm. The young man approached Kohu and promptly snatched the letter out of his hand before attempting to read it closely.Suddenly, his lips curved to form a smile accompanied by a silent chuckle, never taking his eyes off the list."Well, I never knew one's handwriting could be so poor." Alfon began in a steady voice. A few seconds of silence followed until he sniffled, just a few tears streaming down his face which he wiped away, clearly emotional. It took him a moment to steady himself and finally conclude such a rare scene with the bob of his Adam's apple."Thank you."

IC: Reordin (Pala-Koro)Reordin laughed again, but this time, it was slightly softer, less bitter, more sad; he leaned his forehead softly on Skrihen's shoulder and sighed raggedly."You wanna know the worst part? I can't even cry."-Teezy

IC: SkrihenSkrihen put a hand on Reordin's shoulder, noting with slight amusement he was just barely short enough for her to do so. "And why is that?

IC: Kethrye -"In the meantime, I suggest we talk about subjects we can actually affect," Kethrye said, nodding toward Bane and raising his voice to address the crowding ILS members. "I mean none of us knows a thing about those. . . creatures, and until the Turaga awaken we probably can't find out more."Word of our victory will spread fast, Sulov's already left back towards Onu-Koro. I think we could capitalize on this and work towards increasing our numbers," as he said this this swung his gaze, meeting the eyes of several of his teammates. "Frankly, the only reason we succeed back there is because we're beneath Makuta unleashing his full strength. If we plan on finally toppling the Master of Shadows's reign, we're going to need help, lots of it."

IC: Reordin (Pala-Koro)"I ain't even mad, I guess," he muttered, lifting his head up slightly. "Or maybe that Mark of yours is just like...transferring joy."He lifted his head up all the way and met Skrihen's eyes, noting the dimming glow and feeling guilty for killing her high."Can it, um...do that? You know, find a way to transfer joy from one person to another? Is there like a secret handshake, or...?"-Teezy

OOC: Bane does. He's been hiring informants for the last three months (Before he was mine)IC: Bane looked at Kethrye, and acknowledged his statement. "Actually, I know a little. I had an informant, an assassin named Baneless, who had one of these... things. I never saw him use it, but he claimed that he could move faster and hit harder than anyone he knew. He called it a parakua. Apparently, these things aren't inherently evil. That's why I'm wondering if the turaga can be reasoned with." He looked toward Kethrye. "That's why I suggested getting a protector. In case of the Turaga attacking, and to spread the word about the ILS."-Bane

IC: Skrihen"Don't I wish. If it gets hungry, I have to find away to make joy." Skrihen smiled slightly. "Easier said than done."She smiled slightly. "Oh, the things this Mark has made me do."

IC: Reordin (Pala-Koro)"Like what?"Out of impulse, Reordin lowered the collar of his Sanctum Guard-issued jacket: the tight fabric was clinging to his neck, and suddenly, Le-Wahi seemed to have experienced a sudden surge in temperature...-Teezy

IC: Kohu and HarakoreKohu smiled a smile that was a blend of many emotions, some more pleasant than others. "It was my pleasure. I'll miss him, you know." he added, slightly too himself.Flute music began to play, courtesy of Harakore. The tune began sad in memory of those fallen, then developed into a more hopeful melody. Throughout it was slow and emotional.

IC: Skrihen"Giving every widget I had to a poor family, running through the streets in a clown outfit, juggling, singing and other things." Skrihrn grimaced. "A few less savory tasks, as well."

IC: Madrihk"I think it's better for us to keep the Turaga here until they are either cured or dead," Madrihk said. "They ripped Rahkshi apart with their bare hands. We can't afford to take any chances, so we'll keep them here. Besides, the Matoran population at large would not be too happy about seeing their elders like this."He looked at both Bane and Kethrye in turn."Many of our allies have returned to their home villages, carrying word of the hive's destruction and the Turaga's reappearance. If they want to check in on them, they know where to find them. In the meantime, we should do as you suggest - to use this victory as leverage in order to gain more support across the island."He looked over the crowd once more."The Gukko Force already trusts us, so we have them. The Captain of Ta-Koro will likely be pleased to know of our success as well, and the smae goes for the other villages. If we now can find a way to restore the Turaga, the ILS would likely be hailed as the greatest benefactors of this land since the Toa Mata. Unlike them, however, we will not be alone in our task."

IC: Reordin (Pala-Koro)Reordin smirked and closed the small gap of space between him and Skrihen before moving in and kissing her softly, trying not to smirk as he did so. When the two drew apart, his eyebrows were slightly raised and his eyes had lightened up a bit."Where did that fall on the list?"-Teezy

IC: Volin"SHADDAP!" I bellowed, my voice carrying over to the other end of the village. Honestly, there are people here actually trying to listen to what others have to say in this gathering, a pretty important one mind you. Of course, it's rather hard to concentrate when there's some freaking tune playing in the background, trying to sadden everyone's spirits and then cheer 'em up. First off, that does not work, second of all...wait, I'm rambling. Of all the times, eh? Some people, I tell ya. Anyway, I'm pretty sure my message was clear with one last lingering glare at the musician, one that would be shadowed by all my face gear but nonetheless, it was a glare. Boy's next lunch would be a knuckle sandwich if he continued."I say we leave 'em on. I'm assuming no one here has a clue what those slugs are and with that said, knowledge of their existence is rather scarce I'd say. So until we've got any proper information on how to pluck those suckers off or some brain who can, don't meddle with them. Can't risk losing the Turaga but if we had a guinea pig..." my voice trailed off."Scratch that, you'd have to be some suicidal whacko. But what if the villages decide to come get them? Y'know, angry mob who feel they should be the ones to take care of them out of territorial feelings. What if the Turaga awake to find themselves prisoners and wish to return to their own homes, regardless of the situation? There's the possibility that we'd become public enemies of the island if we were to hold its political leaders against their own will. Now I'm not saying it'll happen but it could."OOC: Sorry Wotz, assume Alfon's listening to the meeting.

IC: SkrihenSkrihen's eyes flared, both in color and surprise, as she smiled. "That was in a brand-new category."

IC: Dervian decided to show up for the meeting first, then go. He went to the center of Pala-Koro.

IC: Kethrye -The Deputy leader blinked, slightly surprised by Volin's outburst."There's nothing stopping us from giving the Turaga back, you know," Kethrye said in reply. "We could send teams along with them to help the Koros's militias and keep on eye on things, just in case any new problem crops up."

OOC: Why is everyone suggesting what I'm suggesting?IC: "Hey, cranky," Bane said, glaring at Violin. "We all lost friends and brothers here. Either think rationally, or go somewhere to cool off. We're trying to figure this out, and hot heads won't help any of us." he turned to Kethrye. "We seem to have the same idea, friend." he said. "As long as the turaga think rationally, we just have to watch them. Send in backup, and keep an eye on their condition. It doesn't have to be an awful thing."-Bane

IC: "What's the condition of the Turaga? I was a little bit too unconscious to notice earlier."

IC: Volin"Hey nitwit, I'm trying to figure this out just like the rest of you people and I'm pretty sure I'm thinking rationally if I'm doing so. Apparently all it takes for some karz for brains like you to turn on someone is to have a person try to help by keeping the atmosphere quiet during a rather important meeting, hmm? Yeesh, some people I tell ya." I spat back with venom. Looks like this guy was going to get the knuckle sandwich instead.I hate it when people don't know what they're talking about or don't think before they speak.OOC: Don't know what caused you to say he's thinking irrationally or he's angry enough to have his mind muddled. You're not doing yourself any favours by getting on his bad side.

IC: MadrihkMadrihk glared at Volin."Shut up," he stated plainly. "Please. We are just discussing the issue, nothing more. As I said just now, we are not going to just start cutting before we know how it will affect the Turaga, but neither are we sending them back to lead the villages in this condition. Judging by what we have seen, until we know better we must assume the effect is similar to infected Kanohi or something."

IC: [Ril]"You're pretty loud yourself you know," piped in Ril from behind Skrihen and Reordrin, addressing Volin.

IC: Reordin (Pala-Koro)"Well, at least I beat the juggling."He leaned in and kissed her again, this time allowing himself a small smirk.-Teezy

IC:"You know, instead of guessing what will happen to your Turaga, you could just ask the Hordika in The Cage" Skaarn said to Madhrik, Volin, Bane and the others. His tone reflected his extreme boredem at being pent up in an iron cage.

IC: SkrihenSkrihen's smile widened. "That you did." Then, after a pause, "You beat the rest of 'em, too."

IC: Reordin (Pala-Koro)"Glad to hear it."He leaned in to kiss her cheek, and as he did so, he smirked a bit."Y'know," he whispered, "I was actually rather worried that ponce Volin could get to you before I could."-Teezy

IC: Kethrye -". . . And you might know something about the "Parakuka", or whatever those things are?" Kethrye said, taking a few striding steps towards the cage in which the mutated Toa was imprisoned.

OOC: Sulov Koskium from Onu-Wahi.IC: Sulov trudged up and out from the tunnel he had just walked through. It was a long journey, and he experienced a slight pang at the thought of who he would typically be riding across this distance. His partner was gone.Muv...At least you won't be exposed to as much danger as before. Hope your new partner treats you nicely.Letting his subconscious wander into such reminiscing, the matoran continued his walk through the jungle. His eyes scanned the wahi for potential enemies and shelter.OOC: Open for interaction.

IC: Skrihen"Not likely. A little too arrogant for my tastes." Skrihen whispered back with a smile. "You had a better shot from the beginning."

OOC: From Onu-Wahi.IC-Mussiki:"Oi! Sulov!" Mussiki called, halting the Onu-Matoran in his tracks as the Toa of Sonics trudged up, nearly out of breath. He looked at Sulov, a questioning glint in his eye."What was all that talk about prophecy?" He asked, to start off the conversation.

IC: Reordin (Pala-Koro)"That is the hottest thing I've heard you say yet," he muttered with a smirk. "And I mean the hottest."-Teezy

IC: Sulov turned to face the toa. He put up a smiling mask, not wishing to let on that he was still grieving."I didn't think it was in the toa code to listen in on converrsations," He joked, buying a little time. "Apparrently, therre is a new prrophecy of how the next herroes will be matorran."