Corpus Rahkshi

IC: Drift - Hallways, Library

Passing many rooms, I still couldn't find the Refectory. Peeking into the nearest one, I realized it was a library - and Rahkshi were fighting. I backed out of the room, hoping no-one had seen me. Fighting wasn't the first thing I wanted to do.

IC: Jayar / Empty Dorm Wing

The fear was gone from Jayar, replaced with relief. Hoto had not forgiven him, she'd declared it outright unnecessary. Just as he always did. It was a strange and ironic reversal, though Hoto ended it with an unnecessary apology of her own. "It's okay." Jayar held Hoto closer. He had spent most of the words he had in his confession, and too few remained for any lengthy response. The most he could manage were four, but they were whispered to Hoto with confidence and sincerity. "I still love you."

IC: Era - Gym.

"See you around," I said to Zelnos, heading to the gym. Hoto and Jayar needed their alone time, so I was back to fending for myself. I walked in through the doors, stepping over and unconscious Rahkshi and wandering over to a corner on the far side of the room.

I summoned up a cluster of targets, and started striking out at them with Rattler.

OOC: Era open for interaction. 

OOC: It seems as much. Short likes sparring, and every time she goes to the Refectory, she ends up meeting one of your characters and challenging them to a duel. =P

Short / Refectory, Talking to Shark IC:

Short smiled and sat down as she waited for Shark.

IC: Zelnos | Hallways

After saying goodbye to Era, Zelnos headed off to the Infirmary.

IC: Shark / Refectory-->Hallway

Shark finished his gruel and left the tray on the table for the Porters to deal with, then stood. At full height Short was even more impossibly... short.

"Come on then," he said, starting for the door, making no concessions for the tiny Rahkshi in the length or speed of his strides. On his way he bumped more or less accidentally into a glowy golden cape-wearer who had been standing up just then, though he didn't really care. If he allowed himself a moment of emotion, he might have decided he was looking forward to a good spar.

IC: Vlad / Refectory

As Vlad stood up someone bumped into him from behind, nearly knocking him over. Vlad whirled around, about to shout or something, but gave up on that when he saw the immense stature of the Rahkshi who was responsible.

"Vell, you could at least apologize." he muttered to himself. Ivan squeaked indignantly on his companion's behalf.

IC Shatter:

Shatter walked into the Gym, and glanced at the unconcious Rahkshi."Uhhhh....." he muttered, stepping over it. 

IC: Hoto - Empty Dorm Wing

She nestled closer, grinning widely. "I still love you too," she repeated sincerely. It would take a lot more than a bit of jealousy to come between them.

She didn't want to speak. The moment was too perfect, just the two of them, alone and in silence, in each other's arms. But she had to let him know. "We... we could do it, if... if you wanted to. We could make another Kaita. I... I know what it's like now. As long as we don't... get too close to anyone... it would be fine."

Even if it wasn't, she deserved it for leaving him out.

IC: Era - Gym.

I felt.... different. Stronger, more confident. As I spun and weaved my way between the targets, slicing at them with Rattler with Zivon looking on from above, I tried to think of what had changed. 

It wasn't one thing. Making friends with Hoto, helping translate during the assignment, forming Dekako.... my confidence had grown each time, until.... and then it hit me: I'd stopped saying my mantra.

Blindness is not weakness.

I didn't need to try to convince myself anymore. I knew it was true. 

IC: Drift - Library, Hallways, Refectory

Exiting out of the library, I continued my search for the refectory. Spotting a contrasting pair of Rahkshi - one tall, one short - I walked up to them, luminescent designs warming in greeting.

"Excuse me, do you know where the refectory is?"

OOC: That's Shark and Short.

IC: Jayar / Empty Dorm Wing

Jayar considered Hoto's offer. It was appealing. But he wanted to be sure that he wasn't pressuring Hoto into it. "Well... I suppose it would be worth a try. As long as you're sure you'd be okay." After the first Kaita she had fled Era and Kat, anguished. Envisioning that image with himself in Kat's place, Hoto turning away from him, was horrific.

IC: "Yes, I could keep an eye on things, do the tallying, make sure everyone only votes once," Suvak agreed, "Now, you work on getting the courtyard set up and I'll get the Porters to advertise it for you."

IC: Before the Naming Day attack the Matoran of Phantom-on-the-Water had largely depended on their village being small and out the way to avoid any major incursions. After Naming Day though? Well as Illusive and Vaalku had discovered the Matoran ahd very quickly dispelled themselves of that attitude.

When Sidonas and the rest of his team attacked, the Ghosts of Phantom did fall back...so they could go grab the heavy weaponry they'd been stockpiling. More of those choking Zamors, a few Cordak and even some more of the Skyblasters of the kind Dodge had once carried around. They started massing, using directed lightstone beams to try and light up the darkness, stop the Rahks from hiding and mess with their vision. They spotted Sidonas first, and a couple of cordak rockets were blasted in his direction

IC: "Did you listen?" Phantom roared, anger suddenly boiling over. His flesh almost seemed to bubble with anger. "When my people were being preyed on, did you listen? Did you do anything to try and stop the senseless slaughter of my kin? You brought this!"

He swung his sword down on Revenge, who used his newfound freedom to roll out the way.

"Upon!"

Another swing, hissing sideways this time. Revenge threw himself backwards and missed it taking his throat out by a few millibio.

"Yourselves!" A thrust this time, aimed right at Revenge's gut to impale him as raptor had been...

IC: Shark / Hallway

Shark turned and pointed the random other glowy Rahk (that made two in 30 seconds he had encountered who glowed) towards the Refectory doors.

OOC: If Drift wants to encounter Vlad in there, he can do so, especially since they both glow, one way or another.

IC: Hoto - Empty Dorm Wing

"I've done it before," she stated, but she immediately felt guilty about it. "I... I mean, it... was easier the second time." She winced, knowing she was only making it worse.

"Look, we... did a practice run. Up here, to just... get used to how it feels. I... I wasn't ready... for the whole 'mind-sharing'. Now, I... know what it's like. As long as we don't get close to anyone, we'll be fine."

IC: Drift - Hallways, Refectory

"Thanks." I nodded appreciatively and walked into the room I'd been directed to. I got myself some food and sat down some distance away from a bright Rahkshi with a bat. I dug into my food, but with the first gulp it became clear this stuff wasn't edible.

IC: Sidonas - Outside P-O-t-W

Sidonas had drawn their attention! It had worked! It worked!

Then he saw the Cordak being fired straight at him.

Karz, Sidonas thought, Better avoid those and lure the Matoran away from the village, out into the woods somewhere. At that Sidonas quickly threw himself out of the way, as to avoid the deadly rockets of death coming towards him. Sidonas got up and called to Alpha, "Sister," he spoke in Rahkshi. "Draw them away from me so that I may confuse them with an illusion, then we should work on luring them away and disarming them." At that Sido drew Hook and started to sprint into the darkness, hoping to his Makuta that his fellow Rahk could distract the Matoran.

IC: Jayar / Empty Dorm Wing

Jayar felt Hoto wince. "Don't worry about it," he whispered, then let her continue her explanation and said, "Well, I guess I'm up for it if you are. And Era, too, I suppose. For the moment, though..." This time, when Jayar trailed off, it was with a smile, not brooding or inner turmoil. He was reluctant to end the embrace that was still so perfect, easily compensating for any miniscule hurt Hoto's awkward talk of the Kaita had done. Surely Hoto would understand.

IC: Revenge-Captive

This isn't working, Revenge thought as he dodged Phantom's attacks.  What can I do?  Than he remembered something.  I always knew that if I were to meet a Toa we would have to fight.  Well he may not be a Toa, but he is acting as a hero, just like I want to.  I guess I have no choice.  Revenge densed up and the sword glanced off of his body, sliding off to the side, barely harming Revenge. "Am I deaf, if there was nothing for me to hear!?"  Revenge stepped forward and swung his fist as hard as he could at Phantom's face.

IC: Hoto - Empty Dorm Wing

"Yeah, sounds good..." she said. No one would miss them for a little while.

It seemed like they had decided Era would be there. It only made sense. She hadn't seen Kat for a while, and Kat was probably hurt worse after... Dekako than Era was. Maybe it was because Hoto had told her that she trusted her. But they needed someone else who knew what they were doing, and Era just fit. They would have to find her... after they finished up here, that is.

IC: Drift - Refectory

I forced a few more bites (?) down my throat and, trying not to gag, moved closer to the Rahkshi with the bat.

"Hey, do they serve anything else here? Besides this... stuff?" I motioned towards the gruel.

OOC: That's Vlad.

IC Kat:

As we followed the trail, I noticed we were getting pretty far away from the village. Maybe we hadn't needed a distraction team after all.

I idly hoped the others weren't getting themselves blown up for the sake of distracting the Matoran.

I looked at Toxin, "I need you to find the others. Get them out, they've done their job, and I don't want them hanging around too long."

IC Vaalku

Bam.

For half a second, Vaalku was out. He had a black eye really bad, and the knife was sticking in Deadeye's hand. He couldn't remember how this had happened, but seeing the knife was in there good...

Zap.

Powerful zap.

As he did so, he felt his stomach churn.

IC Blest:

Blest was lost. A pair of grim, silent Rahkshi had escorted her to the academy, resisting all attempts at small talk. She was left at the entrance with nothing more than her personal effects and a map, a map that had clearly failed at its intended purpose. She spun around in place, marveling. Though the architecture greatly resembled Icarax's fortress, drab and spartan (Except replace the grey with tan), the place felt so very different from her former home. She was not sure why. Not that it particularly mattered at the moment - Blest broke out of her reverie, crumpling the map out of frustration. Why was this place so confusing!?

Nothing else for her to do, but to ask help. She dramatically opened the nearest door, walked in, and asked, "'Ey! Can anyone help me find the dorms?"

OOC: Blest up for interaction, this is schrodinger's door, which opens to many mysterious places

IC: Alpha/Forest on Nynrah

"No. We have to lose them in the forest and run back to the Causeway. Use your illusions to help us get there without us getting shot."

But I nodded and shed the metal armor anyways. In the shadows of the forest it looked like a Rahkshi was standing there. Sido would go one way I would go the other. This would at least slow the Matoran for a few seconds, before the statue fell apart or it got blown up.

IC: Bullseye/Causeway

The last part of the plan...

We were supposed to get into and out of the forest and end up on the school's end of the Causeway and fend off anyone there. But everyone else seemed like they got lost. Maybe it was a bad idea to have everyone run off alone.

IC: Stronghold and Punch/Counterpunch's Forest on Nynrah

I was running along side Counterpunch. We didn't know what to expect.

OOC: BTW, Ultimo and Tirigath, you have temporary permission to bunny Toxin.

IC: Toxin/Forest on Nynrah

"No."

Man....I was staring to sound like my brothers.

"I can't leave Rider. And what if Claws gets injured on the way."

But then again, either way, there is that risk.

"I can't do that."

I continued walking.

IC Kat:

I grabbed for his shoulder to spin him around, "We don't have time for this, if they get hurt, it's on me. On us. This is more important than finding one Rahkshi. You wanna see your brothers in the ground? Like Omega?"

I looked him dead in the eye.

"We can handle this, right now, I need you to get the others out. You can follow back here once that's done."

IC: Toxin and Counterpunch/Forest on Nynrah >>> Causeway
I growled, but I had to relent. First order of business was to check the other shoulder, where Claws, who was sleeping hadn't moved. I wanted to have Cao protect it...but that was an extremely bad choice, but I did so anyways and stormed off.

I eventually found Counterpunch who had recently split with Stronghold who would lure them away. Apparently the group was to lose the pursuers into the forest and make it back to the causeway. I began to make my march there.

IC: Jayar / Empty Dorm Wing

There was nothing in the future to fear, nothing in the past to hide, nothing in the present to distract Jayar from his arms around Hoto, and hers around him. The moment was perfect.

Like all moments, it would come to an end, this time not cut off as by an interrupting Porter but fulfilled, satisfyingly, in due time and not before. Jayar stepped back slowly, gently disentangling his arms from Hoto until his hand came to rest in hers. "So, should we see if we can find Era?"

IC: Vlad / Refectory

"How I vish zey did," said Vlad sadly, before noticing the newcomer had luminescent paint all over him. "I notice your armor is glowink. Do you have un affinity for zer light?"

IC: Hoto - Empty Dorm Wing

"Yeah," she sighed. "I guess so."

She grasped his hand as she started walking away at a pace he could manage. He didn't understand the energy that had come with level three, but hopefully, he soon will.

"Well... we kind of left her in the halls," she uncomfortably admitted. "Where should we start?"

IC: The Matoran weren't going to blindly follow Sidonas into the woods. Even if it wasn't an ambush, he had the obvious advantage. He could see in the dark and fly, it would be easy for him to pick them off, striking unseen from the air like an owl. They gathered on the edge of the wood, shining lights into it and firing off the occasional skyblaster round whenever they thought they saw something. Others were grabbing items of scrap from the village, forming crude piles that were clearly supposed to be barricades or cover should the Rahkshi come back with friends

IC: Revenge's blows staggered Phantom, and he took a few steps backwards. The Dark Hunter was tough, but he wasn't invincible, and Rahkshi strength was nothing to sneer at. He wiped something away from the corner of his mouth that could have been blood if it wasn't dark blue, and smiled a crooked smile. This one was putting up more of a fight. 

"Perhaps I should have picked you first. You're doing better than your friend." He swung the sword again, raising sparks when Revenge tried parrying it with a toughened-up arm. Phantom strength was nothing to sneer at either. "Thought as he was the smallest he might have something to prove. Guess he was just the runt of the litter."

The bonemetal blade hit Revenge again, shaving more slivers off his armour and sending juddering shocks down the length of his arm. 

"But you've got a bit more steel in your spine. Guess I'll just have to pull it out."

He aimed a kick at Revenge's gut, that one fleshy foot backed with power enough to make a wrecking ball jealous

IC: Trinity Brothers and Punch/Counter/Causeway

Toxin brought Punch to the Causeway where Bullseye, and the newly arrived Stronghold were. After dropping Counter off, he ran out to find Alpha and Sido.

IC: Alpha/Forest in Nynrah

I made my way to Sidonas the long way seeing as the Matoran were retreating and just waiting for us to come back.

"We're done. Let's go back."

I saw Toxin. What was he doing? Perhaps he was to escort us?

IC: Revenge-Captive

Revenge was never one for agility. He braced and moved backward, but the kick still sent him stumbling.  "Maybe it is because I have a reason to fight." Revenge charged Phantom, aiming a rock hard fist at his gut.  Phantom was powerful, and the only way Revenge could see himself winning was if he never gave Phantom a chance to use that power.  "Maybe it is because I have someone to fight for!"

IC: Jayar / Empty Dorm Wing

"I suppose we did. We could try the Gym, or the Refectory." Jayar followed Hoto closely, knowing she could move a lot faster if she wanted to, and thankful she was holding back for his sake.

IC - Forest

The rubberrahk picked up the ussal, looking into its eyes.

"Go scout ahead, okay? Then lead us to Rider. We've got a truce, okay? I won't eat you, I promise."

He put him down, still maintaining his attention. "If you find danger," he mimicked a single click. "Click once. Click twice if it's safe to move forward."

IC: Sidonas - Outside P-O-t-W

After the Matoran had retreated, Sidonas turned back the route he had come, only to see Alpha come to him and inform him that his job was done. As he spoke up, he saw Toxin coming towards them. "Looks like they have retreated. So much for trying to restore commerce with them now. We never got properly introduced, name's Sidonas, You?" Sidonas extended his hand out to Alpha.

IC: Hoto - Hallways

"She did mention going to the Gym," Hoto replied. "Let's try there."

IC: Jayar / Hallways

"Alright," said Jayar, walking alongside Hoto towards the Gym.

IC: Alpha and Toxin/Forest in Nynrah

"I'm Alpha, and yes, it is sad to see that it may not be possible that we can reopen commerce. Now Toxin, why are you here?"

Toxin scratched his head.

"Kat sent me to make sure you guys got back okay."

"Don't worry we can take care of ourselves. Let's go back Sido. And Toxin, you can go back and join them."

As Toxin ran toward Kat and Cao's approximate location, Alpha headed back to the Causeway.

"Let's go Sido."

IC: Drift - Refectory

I tilted my head, examining him more closely.

"I guess you can say that. Although..." there was obviously a big difference between my 'affinity' for light and his - while his was bright and almost searing, mine was so much calmer, gentler.

IC: Rail - Infirmary

"You may have a point there," Rail mused. "Maybe you'd have better luck if you could somehow convince the ones that listen to do the same. Strength in numbers and all."

IC: Sidonas - Outside P-O-t-W

"Alpha, let's go." Sido headed back to Corpus with Alpha, and when he arrived, went straight to Recoil's dorm and knocked on the door."