BZPRPG: Onu-Wahi

IC: Leli

Leli nodded slowly, though her face was still buried. She shuddered slightly, as if taking a ragged breath, but otherwise didn't move. It was quite clear that she was trying hard, very hard, not to break down completely. Unfortunately, that was rather difficult. Matau was dead. Leli hadn't been there. She hadn't...

She couldn't...

Leli shut her eyes tightly, and didn't dare to move.

IC:

Leli was gently pulled into a hug, and Tarnok patted her on the back. "Don't bottle it up. You're not in your village, you have no reputation to uphold here."

"It's a horrible event. And keeping it buried isn't going to help."

OOC: Draezeth, sometimes when people want to have something alone, leave them alone.

It's common courtesy.

That saying does not apply to everything.

IC: [uyism]

Uyism was deep underground and digging.

OOC: I know. That was humor.

IC: Aar

And Aar kept on searching.

IC: Leli

The Le-Koroan wrapped her arms around Tarnok, clinging tightly to the Onu-Matoran as if he were a lifeline. Leli buried her head into his shoulder. She was shaking. Matau had been like a father, a friend, to her. To everyone in Le-Koro. The Turaga of Air had been the physical embodiment of the spirit Le-Koro itself. So many had looked up to him, relied on him. And now, he was gone. Gone forever, never going to come back. She had been angry when her Turaga had been kidnapped, but at least she had known that there was a chance that he was still alive. Not now, not anymore.

She didn't even get to see him. Before he...

Before he...

It was then, that Leli quietly began to cry, holding Tarnok all the while.

IC: Lux - Tunnels

If there was anything worse than being forced to traverse through these dank, musty tunnels for Lux, it was certainly being forced to do so without a single clue where he was going. A little ironic, perhaps, given that he had spent his formative years underground, but on the other hand, those had been in a simpler, better-lit cavern, without all these twisting, tangled corridors of rock to confound him.

Hm, everyone was right. Karz really is underground.

The Po-Matoran allowed himself a chuckle at the observation, but since Onu-Wahi was Delta's hometown, he tried to stifle any raucous laughter. Didn't want to offend her, even if she was a long ways away by now.

So, Lux just kept walking in the dark, silently praying that the next corner he turned might yield something to break the monotony. An entrance to the world of sunlight and breezes, a lightstone mine - even a random pool of lava would be enough.

He was really going to regret that wish.

Up ahead, his already-strained eyes spotted the outlines of a sloping wall, made of rough stone and loose dirt arranged in an almost non-euclidian alignment. In other words, there had been a cave-in here, which managed to block the entire tunnel from there onwards.

Not exactly the sort of the thing a Po-Matoran who'd just hiked all day wanted to see.

To say that Lux took this slight like a man would be an... overstatement. Normally that annoyingly optimistic guy everyone tries to avoid at parties, he was far too tired and frustrated to even try and take this new misfortune in stride.

"You," he growled, as if to the very stones themselves, "Have got to be kidding me."

It was, admittedly, hopeless to try and dig his way through the new wall, but it would take days to find a new route, and there was no way Lux's already-addled mind was willing to go back. So, with the determination of a zealot, the Po-Matoran dove at the caved-in section of the tunnel, furiously tossing stones aside left and right, trying to build himself a way out of this underground labyrinth.

Of course, had he known that his old buddy Readra was stuck amongst those rocks, he may have been a bit more careful...

-Void

IC:Tarnok rested a hand on her back quietly, supporting her while she cried. Ironically, only in grief was the Le-Matoran quiet. And despite the constant stream of conversation, he found he preferred her that way. This behavior wasn't natural, and it saddened him to see his friend so grief-stricken, even if his expression never changed.There were no words of assurance to be said, nor was there anything that could be done to make it right. All he could do was try and comfort her."I know. There's nothing you could have done."

IC: Aar

Through a break in the crowd, the miner finally spotted Tarnok again. As he approached, however, he saw his current position and decided it would be best to hang back. Sitting on a stone bench, he sighed and thought about their situation again. Kyju was definitely not an enemy they could be rid of easily. He gritted his teeth as he thought once again of the idiocy of most of the village in going along with him so readily.

An outsider had no business ruling his town.

IC: The knife spun quickly, heading directly for the Reaper's head. He made no notice of it coming, even as it reached his head and he... Disappeared?! The knife embedded in the dirt, a testament to it's sharp blade. The true Reaper stepped out from behind a nearby rock, turning to Sovos' position. "Nice try. Now, I suggest you tell me where your cargo is." The Fe-Toa's eyes flashed, making clear this wasn't a suggestion.OOC:: I talked with Visaru about this, and the Reaper has been intended to be an illusion from the escape from the inn. Any complaints should be directed to my inbox.

IC: Leli

Once again, Leli slowly nodded. There was nothing holding her grief at bay, and tears ran freely. She continued to shake, but otherwise remained silent in her sadness. Finally, Leli looked up at Tarnok. She was a wreck. Her yellow eyes were red from crying under her emerald Huna, while her Kanohi itself seemed to be shifted at a slight angle. “Was there?” she asked helplessly. She wanted to believe that there was something she could have done to prevent it from happening, anything.

But...

He was right. She couldn't have done anything to stop it.

It didn't help much.

IC:"You know there wasn't." Tarnok replied, looking back down at the Le-Matoran. "Even if you were there. Even if you were there, there was nothing one Matoran could have done to stop a sniper. Not without prior knowledge of the event.""I know it doesn't make it any better. Or make the pain any less. But it's true."

IC: Leli

A quiet "I know," was her only reply. She seemed to have calmed down a bit, enough so that she was no longer shuddering from ragged breaths. Although, her eyes were still wet with tears. But this wasn't just something someone got over. Leli didn't understand how Tarnok did it, how he managed to go ouside and simply walk. She didn't get it. Leli didn't release the Onu-Matoran from the hug just yet. Not yet.

She couldn't bury her thoughts away. She couldn't just stop thinking about Matau.

IC:Tarnok was quiet for a long moment, staring at the ground in front of him. There was nothing he could say to try and alleviate her pain, no matter how hard he tried to think of something. All he could do was try and help her through it."Is there anything I can do?" The Onu-Matoran asked finally. "Anything I can do to help?"

IC: Leli

Leli was silent again for a moment, one that was heavy with her sadness and loss. She seemed defeated, completely defeated. Unable to do anything. Eventually, she spoke. "You've done enough..."

With that, Leli closed her eyes, and wished this... all of this... away. Gone. She didn't want to feel like this, she didn't want it to be like this. Why were things so bad? Why did they have to happen?

IC:"No. I haven't." The Onu-Matoran replied quietly, patting her on the back once more. "Because you're still sad. Unfortunately, I know that there is nothing I can do to fix that."

IC: Leli

At that moment, Leli was incredibly greatful to have Tarnok as a friend. The Onu-Matoran seemed to be tireless, never giving up on any task that he took to. As steady as the earth itself, it took a lot to shake him. Even now, with his own Turaga murdered, he was trying to help her.

"How do you do it?" Leli asked, glancing back up at Tarnok, "Distance yourself from... all this?"

IC:For the first time in several minutes, Tarnok fell silent. Though she did not know it, Leli has just asked a question that was very difficult to answer. Not because the answer wasn't known, but because the answer itself was difficult to relate, without the stories that came with it."Years ago, I was a miner." The Onu-Matoran began. He was no longer really looking at Leli. Instead, his eyes were distant, as if he was staring at something no one else could see. "Pretty standard group, our's was. A few people there because they enjoyed the job, a few just looking to punch in and punch out.""And of course, we had our prankster. Helios. He seemed to spend every moment he wasn't working planning or putting into action some kind of joke. His humor was horrendous, though it always drew a few laughs. Despite that, he was one of the most dependable people you could ever meet.""We were assigned to work a new shaft, deeper than most of the other ones. We didn't think anything of it, and set to work." His eyes stared, unseeing, into the distant, lost in remembrance of the past. "About mid day, we heard a rumbling. Moments later, one side of the tunnel burst outward, showering us all in rock and soil. Two massive claws. Two claws, that's all I ever truly saw. Of the fifteen or so of us, five were dead in moments. Another four caught when the tried to run. By the time the dust cleared enough for me to see what was going on, all of them were gone.""It saw me. I was huddled against the wall, trying to hide. I was being a coward. I would have spent my last moments a coward, were it not for him. Helios hadn't run when he'd had the chance. He hit it with his pickaxe, as hard as he could. He didn't do any real damage, but he got its attention.""That was the last I ever saw of either of them. It grabbed him, and vanished as quickly as it had arrived.""It took me a long time to figure out why. Why he didn't run when he had the chance. He could have saved himself, of that I'm certain. He was the one working furthest from the thing. But instead he stayed. He stayed because, in his eyes, it was his duty. To his teammates, and to his village."For the first time in quite a while, he blinked slowly. "I can distance myself from it because it's my duty. It's my duty to keep this village safe. I exist to act as a shield, to defend the people on this island, and I cannot perform my duty if personal emotions get in the way.""I can distance myself from it because my duty comes first, and my own emotions second."

IC: Leli

The Le-Koroan blinked. It was obvious that this was not the answer that she was expecting. No, she didn't expect that at all. Leli stared at Tarnok. At the moment, it made sense to her. A detached part of her consciousness reasoned with it. There was no way, in her current state, that she could preform as an acting memeber of the Gukko Force. In all her time of knowing Tarnok, she had never known that. Of course, there had been hints here ant there, subtle clues that she never payed attention to. But now she knew.

Leli stood there in silence, taking in what he had said.

IC: Tarnok fell silent. Under normal circumstances, he would have refused to reveal that much, or at least skirted around the subject. In fact, there were only a handful of people in the village who knew the full account of the story he'd just related. But it was necessary, in order to explain the point he was trying to relay."I can do what I have to, because my personal feelings are relegated to off duty hours." He finished, quietly.

IC: Leli

At which point, Leli hugged him once again. She didn't know why, but after all of this, she didn't care. Too much... evil had happened. They needed some good, any good. She was no longer crying, but the air of sadness wouldn't leave. And it most likely wouldn't leave. Not for a long time.

IC:

"Come on." The Onu-Matoran stood, still hugging Leli and lifting her with ease. "A street corner is no place to hang around. Not," He added, with a touch of attempted humor. "If you don't belong to certain professions.""We can go back to my hut. We might as well grieve in comfort."

IC: Aar

The Matoran gritted his teeth again. They were moving, but it still seemed like a personal moment.

Sighing, he got up and jogged towards Tarnok and the Le-Matoran.

"Tarnok, sir!" he called out, "Is now a bad time?"

IC: Leli

A small smile worked its way onto Leli's green Huna, although it seemed slightly forced, as if she was willing herself to find it funny. Find it funny, and forget everything else for a moment. Even just a second of peace would be more than welcome. And then, it faded. Reality returned.

"Alright," she replied quietly.

IC: [uyism]

OOC: Operation Downfall is A-OKAY!

Uyism dug up. It was a rather fun experience, or at least, the Iroiit equivalent of 'fun', which was more similar to 'simple and relaxing' than 'enjoyable'. It seemed like a good time to check on her colleagues once more, which was why she decided to head to the surface. As she felt the bottom of Onu-koro near, she burst out of the earth like a four-armed Sand Tarakava who had just learnt that her daughter had decided to marry a normal Tarakava, accidentally opening up a rather large hole underneath a certain Onu-Matoran named Aar.

IC:Tarnok sighed quietly as he walked, carrying Leli with surprising ease. His muscles barely strained with the burden of carrying another person, nor did his heart rate increase to a noticeable degree.

It took him only a few minutes to reach his hut, and push the door open, stepping inside, and gently setting Leli back down on her feet. "So. Would you like some tea? I have a rather large supply in the cupboard."

IC: Leli

"Um... okay," Leli replied, if only for the fact that it would serve as another distraction from what had happened. Now noticing that she was still hugging Tarnok, and had been the entire time that he had carried her to his hut, Leli unwrapped her arms from around the Onu-Matoran. Her eyes were still slightly red, but she was in much better shape than before. If anything, she didn't seem as... exposed. "Yeah, that'd be nice..."

IC: Aar

A single word went through his head as he dropped out of sight. It wasn't a nice one.

Coughing some dust out of his throat, he stumbled to his feet, momentarily forgetting about both Whorok and Tarnok. Glancing at the one who'd (hopefully) unwittingly averted a potentially important conversation, he recognized her as the Iroiit he'd seen around town a couple of times. He'd never learned her name, though. "Thanks," he said sarcastically, though his voice was not abrasive.

IC: [uyism]

"Apologies."

IC: The Onu-Matoran nodded, reaching up and pulling down two mugs and an equal number of tea bags, and walking down the hall toward his library. It was easily the most comfortable room in the building.He stepped inside, setting mugs down on a nearby table, and grabbing a matchbook. "Take a seat. I'll get the tea water going."

IC: Leli

Leli nodded, and did just that. The green-armored Matoran made herself comfortable on one of the chairs within the library. It was, rather unsurprisingly, the same one she had occupied before. It also happened to be one of the more... comfy ones in the immediate area. Leli pulled her legs up, and hugged her knees.

IC: Aar

Somehow he couldn't find it in himself to be angry. "I'm alright, Toa Whorok," he called upwards. He then pulled himself out, "Apology accepted. Nobody's hurt." He peered down at the Iroiit, offering a hand, "Why don't you work in the mines? I always seem to see you digging, so why not make a living off of it?"

IC:It took but a moment to get the fire lit, and the teapot suspended over it. That done, he took a seat in one of the other chairs across from Leli, watching her carefully. He needed to distract her. Dwelling on Matau's death wasn't going to do her any good."... So, what's your favorite memory from the Gukko Force?"

IC: [uyism]

"Ussalry member."

IC: Aar

"Ah."

IC: [uyism]

Uyism nodded.

OOC: Sorry for the late reply, I just haven't felt like posting until now. Luckily it doesn't seem like I missed anything too important

IC: Whorok

Unlike their previous encounter, Whorok did not flinch when he spotted the four-armed brute. Instead making sure Aar was right before he turned to the Iroiit.

"You're withTarnok, aren't you?" he asked.

IC- Sovos - Onu-Koro

From his position atop his hut, Sovos' eyes narrowed in anger. He had missed. All that preparation, all that work. His hunt had been building to that moment. His plans had dissipated with the fake Reaper. For a second, he felt something akin to fear.

Adapt, he told himself. You should have expected this.

Sovos let two of his normal blades slide into his hands, invisible and soundless to those watching. His muscles tensed, and he made no move. He couldn't give The Reaper time to use the metal that gave Sovos power.

"Nice try. Now, I suggest you tell me where your cargo is." The Fe-Toa's eyes flashed, making clear it wasn't a suggestion.

Sovos remained still, motionless, for a few moments, his only movements the shallow rising of his chest. He watched intently, mentally reaching out with his senses, imagining tendrils reaching out to alert him of the tiniest movement. He pushed himself into a hyperaware state, ready to move at the slightest provocation.

"They're gone. Your precious tools lie at the bottom of the Mangai." The Onu-Matoran lied.

IC (Zadron)

Zadron raised an eyebrow incredulously before dropping off the rooftop, his cloak rippling behind him. Sucogu had completely ignored the Radius Blade at his throat, and leapt blithely off the roof to confront Demothi.

Landing behind him, the Vortixx examined Sucogu's neck from a few metres away. The Toa didn't seem to have noticed the gash on his neck; the cut wasn't deep, but Zadron could see blood. Either this Toa was one hardcore son-of-a-kavinika, or he was so much of a blockhead he didn't even notice he'd sliced his own throat open.

Or both, of course. Zadron wasn't going to place any bets on which just yet.

Rather than engage the Toa of Lightning hand-to-hand, Zadron prepared a ranged approach. Mentally triggering his energy rifle, the weapon swung up and over his shoulder on its motorised joints, the targeting system locking onto Sucogu's back. A scope clicked out in front of Zadron's eye, and the assassin was presented briefly with a head-up display, highlighting a point between two of Sucogu's interlocking armour plates. The Vortixx's brain took only a handful of milliseconds to examine the target and fire. A brilliant bolt of red energy exited the rifle with a sizzling sound, heading straight for the small of Sucogu's back.

Fortunately for Sucogu, Zadron hadn't taken much time to charge the shot, meaning that it didn't have sufficient power to deal fatal damage; at high energies, the laser bolts could burn straight through armour and flesh; but the assassin intended only to deter or incapacitate the Toa, not kill him.

Yet.

IC: The Reaper's scythe appeared in his hand, the blade extending from what appeared to be a normal staff. The Fe-Toa sighed as a sardonic grin spread across the his face. "You shouldn't lie to me Keeper. You may have destroyed the others, but you wouldn't have destroyed the failsafe. Try again. Where is it?"

IC- Sovos - Onu-Koro

Sovos pressed his teeth together, upset. It took him a while to formulate a response, so absorbed was he in his surroundings.

"The failsafe is melted to slag. You say it is the only thing that can kill you- I think you are lying." Sovos was sure The Reaper would see right through the first lie, but he did believe the second sentence. Sovos knew that The Reaper was a Toa, and all Toa were mortal. Weren't they?