Corpus Rahkshi

IC (As Zubarahk):

IC: Snap

She flipped the page as if reading out of the book, the new page titled something about "sensory capabilities", then she tossed the spoon she was holding into his hands, before pulling another one,

"I've been collecting these all week," she said with a smile, "Refectory spoons."

IC: Nymph (Library)
 
Chapter 2: Burial
 
I begin the next chapter.
 
IC: Malady (Hallways)
 
"What the ##### are you doing with your hands?"

IC: Subject

Looks like she didn't. I shook my head at her. I pointed to my mouth, and shook my head. Hopefully that should get my point across.

IC: Malady (Hallways)
 
"What, can't talk?" I laugh, quickly cutting it off when I notice once again this Rahkshi's enormous bulk.

IC: Lucid / Halls

"No, he didn't. I'm not even sure he noticed," Lucid told the steaming Surahk. "I'm glad at least someone did, though."

* * *

IC: Jayar / Refectory

Jayar gave a resigned nod. He wouldn't pry, lest that make things worse than they already were. "Okay... but if you ever do, you know I'll listen."

His one arm remained steadfastly around her.

IC: Glaciem Ignis - Hallways.

We continued on our way, still seething from our encounter with the rude moron.

_____________________________________________________________________

IC: Xara - Beach.

"I guess.... we've got to do something...."

_____________________________________________________________________

IC: Matoran - Cave.

Where am I? He got up on shaky legs and looked around the cave, wondering in the back of his mind how many more rahkshi might be lurking unseen in the shadows.... "Hello?"

IC Kat:

It was a long walk back to the cauldron.

I hoped the others would have left by now, but I had to be sure. Plus, I needed a new satchel. My current one was nice, but very clearly Kat.

As I stepped through the water fall, I heard voices, and froze, slowly removing my bag, and drawing the Warhammer.

I stepped into the light of the Cauldron, and spoke in my lowered voice.

"What's all this, then?"

IC: Burst

Yes... Almost... NO! Burst hissed as Draco pushed his hand away from his neck, causing Burst to backhand himself in the face. Stunned, he wasn't able to react in time when, a second later, the cyclone rahk reached around, and grabbed what remained of one of Burst's crushed spines. Instantly, the Kurahk went numb throughout his whole body, causing him to lose his grip on Draco, allowing the much bulkier combatant to pull him off of his back. After being held aloft for a second, Burst was dropped to the ground. It was over. He had lost. This fight had been for nothing. But if he was going to die, he sure as Karz wasn't gonna let Draco have the honors. He tried to reach the blade he had thrown earlier, now resting on the blood covered floor, but he was too weak. With one final hiss, the defeated Kurahk slipped into unconsciousness...

IC: Shock

"Well... Are ya ready Rahks?" Shock asked, grinning. He willed a stone boat to come up. "NAVAL BATTLE!" He screeched, reloading his Zamor launcher with spheres.

IC: Vitesse

With that group gone, Vitesse sighed, and decided to check out the library.

OOC: open for interaction

IC: Mortsia

Mortsia did not know what to do, when he heard the matoran's voice. Great. He was awake. He sighed once again.

IC: Draco

Well then. Draco smiled at his victory. Oh, this one was fun. He really hoped Tridax would not kill him. Probably not, anyways, as he wasn't really a traitor, just an interloper. He hefted the Kurahk over his shoulder, and had one hand on the Kraata that was Haken, then started for Tridax's office.

IC: Subject

I growled, before nodding. 

IC: Sidonas - Cauldron

Karz, she's speeding at me. Time dodge. Again.

This time, however, Sidonas' attempts to dodge would be in vain, as he felt Sliver's hand hit his body before he could even find a way to avoid the loyalist combatant. He quickly grew sickly, and had few thoughts when fading into unconsciousness.

Well, guess my luck ran out this time..

Sidonas collapsed and fell to the ground, falling into deep sleep.

IC: Sliver - Cauldron.

"About karzing time," I bent to remove the kraata from its armour, then turned to the rubberrahk, "It's been a pleasure doing business with you," I said with a wink, "I'll see you around." I started off towards the exit. 

IC: Lucid / Halls

"Did it?" Lucid replied, carefree as ever. "I kinda thought it might be a metaphor for the daily struggles of the Xian proletariat."

* * *

IC: Vlad / Halls

Claws clenching and unclenching, jaw braced grimly, Vlad was not having a good time. The shadowed hallways hurt. "Can ve please hurry?" he asked Fang with quiet urgency. "Unt stop in a place vith a vindow?"

He didn't say why just yet... in his experience, 'the darkness burns' was one of the best things you could say among Rahkshi to be utterly ostracized. Though the inevitable question of why was sure to soon arise...

* * *

IC: Jayar / Refectory

Once more oppressive silence encroached upon the small group. With no good words to defeat it, Jayar sat silently eating his slop.

IC: Doubt did not need to turn to know that Tridax was there. The Makuta radiated a kind of...not darkness exactly, but a sort of calculated indifference. Something vast in its iciness, a glacier of apathy. 

"The Rahkshi you were attempting to defend was a traitor, plotting a rebellion. His dreams were but a feeble drizzle, easily broken and ignored. For entertaining such notions, however, he has been executed. You may recognise him on your superior's shoulder there. We can avoid giving him a matching set if you'd just open your mind and tell us the truth."

IC: Fang - Hallways

"...what? I..." His attempts to understand were interrupted by the other's complaints. Though he didn't understand why, the need to hurry was plain. Fang took one last look around before waving his hand again. "Come along then."

A few more turns, and the small group found themselves back at the entrance to the Courtyard. Few Rahkshi ever came out here to enjoy the scenery. They should not be interrupted.

After taking a few steps into the open air, Fang turned to his fellows. Only two had actually followed. All the better. These two had shown themselves to at least be Matoran sympathizers, if not rebellion material. "If you have any further doubts about my trustworthiness, let it be known that I personally escorted the Matoran back to his home. I did what I could to keep him from harm, though the others were not so generous. I would like to help the remaining two as much as you."

IC: Malattia

Out of the darkness came a small Rahkshi, barely moving. This little one landed, stumbled, and then fell near the entrance to the school. Groaning, they reached for their bag, where they took out a case of medications. Slowly opening it, the Rahkshi took one of the pills and swallowed it. The effect was near instantaneous. Getting up, the Rahk looked at the school. Great! They had gotten here alive! But what to do... Let's see... Well, the pill case was rather low on pills, so might want to restock... But where? Malattia entered the school, and looked for someone to ask where the infirmary was.

OOC: "Captain Rahkmerica" Malattia open for interaction.

IC: Vlad / Courtyard

It was a relief to be outside, even if the sunlight was abated by cloud cover lingering in the aftermath of the unnatural storm. Vlad visibly relaxed as dim beams of sunlight struck his shadow-ravaged carapace.

Fang's assurances of trustworthyness did little to really convince him, though. "How can I know zat you did vhat you say?" he replied skeptically. "Not to be overly critical, but zese are thinks vhich reqvuire certainty. How do I know zat you didn't just kill zer Matoran for some sadistic reason? Or just drop him into zer sea?"

* * *

IC: Lucid / Halls

Lucid shook her head. "If he's lying, he's not going to come out and tell you, silly. But his palm..." She snatched up the Surahk's hand, and began to examine it, "will speak the truth."

Despite the Vorahk's muttered protests that this made very little sense at all, Lucid traced over Fang's hand, muttering every now and then something like, "good gardant line..." or "traces of majolica...?" At last, she relinquished her grip on his hand, and straightened to give her decree. "We can trust him on this," she told Vlad.

* * *

IC: Vlad / Courtyard

That didn't even make any sense...! "But..." he began. He didn't even know what how to begin arguing with that.

IC: Fang - Courtyard

Fang resisted the urge to yank his hand out of Lucid's grip and let her finish. As she withdrew with her verdict, he absently rubbed at the hand as if she had hurt him. "I suppose you have no reason to trust me. I do not recognize you from the other assignments, and even then, I... I was different. Not even these wounds..." he waved down at the many scratches and dents that covered his new paint, "...prove that I did what I could to keep the Matoran safe. But you must trust me... for the same reason I've entrusted you."

IC: Vlad / Courtyard

Well, he kind of had a point.

"Okay. I... I vill trust you," Vlad agreed hesitantly. "But cautiously," he added.

IC: Fang - Courtyard

Fang nodded slowly. "That's all I can expect.

"I was in fact at the previous assignment, though I'd prefer to keep that... unknown. I would be willing to help you find those that were not there and might have captured the Matoran. We cannot have this happening again."

IC: Vlad / Courtyard

Secretive, wasn't he? But Vlad was far from Shark, hardly likely to wonder about that sort of thing. "Zat vould be much appreciated," Vlad told Fang. "So... who vas there? Can you give me a list?"

IC: Fang - Courtyard

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with everyone in the school, and even then, I only received a very... one-sided view of things. I can tell you what names I know, but for more, we may have to survey the school. And I'm afraid I might be a little short on time."

IC: Vlad / Courtyard

Vlad nodded, though he was growing a little intrigued in this Surahk's perpetual maintenance of mystery. "Ve'll have to," he agreed. "Myself alone if your time runs out... But first ve might as vell get zer first part out of zer vay... vhat names do you know?"

IC: Fang - Courtyard

Fang shifted a small amount in nervousness. Someone could trace him back just based on a list of his acquaintances. He could only hope this Rahkshi was all he said he was. "Well... I saw Exxan, Kat, Fang, Era, Sliver, Caoutchouc, Shadow, Stronghold, Punch, Sidonas, and Recoil. I'm... sure there are others."

IC: Vlad / Courtyard

"Good, ve can eliminate zem." Vlad paused a moment, and continued drearily, "Though I don't think ve vould have suspected zem anyvays." He sighed. "I don't know who to suspect... or even everyvun zere is to suspect. Who vould do such a think? Vhy?" He was feeling rather inadequate.

IC: Fang - Courtyard

"I don't know," Fang sighed. "There are many I have seen that show little care for others. I've watched murderers wait over their victims for the time to strike. This school is full of the bloodthirsty, but it had never extended beyond these walls. I wish I knew who would dare to drag the Matoran into this after they have suffered through so much already."

IC: Liar - Cauldron

"Hey, not so fast!" the Rahkshi of Magnetism stated as he stepped out in front of Sliver. "I called winner. Now it's my turn."

Raising his fists up in front of his face, he threw a few warm-up punches as he prepared himself for battle.

IC: Venom - Causeway

As the ceremony was now over, Venom had no reason not to head back inside the school.

So she did just that.

IC Kat:

I shot a quizzical look at Cao.

IC: Draco

Draco approached the door of the office, and knocked. "My lord, I have retrieved the traitor, and the one who took him."

IC: Vlad / Courtyard

Vlad mulled this over for a moment.

"But... it couldn't have been bloodlust," he declared tentatively. "Or at least... not for zer Matoran's blood. Or zer culprit vould have just... killed zer Matoran immediately, instead of goink to zer trouble of bringink zem here. Zey must have vanted... somethink else. Maybe just... to see vhat vould happen..."

He paused a moment, and then his eyes widened. "Vait... Could Tridax have arranged it? An unannounced assignment?"

* * *

IC: Lucid / Courtyard

It didn't look like Lucid was paying attention anymore. She was kneeling beside one of the flowerbeds, apparently drawing little runes in the dirt.

IC: Fang - Courtyard

Fang shook his head weakly. "He couldn't have," he replied, though he didn't sound convinced. "Tridax was on Visorak with Suvak. He couldn't have arranged all of this... and why would he go to all the trouble to interrogate the Matoran in front of everyone?"

IC:

Where to start?

He held up his hand, Shield still unconscious but safe in it. "This is Shield. The black and white rahkshi you may have spotted coming in was after him and Sidonas, near killed them. I protected Shield but Sidonas got captured... Serves him right, idiot could've ran away half a dozen times..." He cursed and kicked a rock absentmindedly, sending it spinning away. "She took him, left his suit." The rock impacted the empty suit, causing a high pitched *ping* to echo through the cavern.

"Let me guess, Tridax is hot on your tail and we'll need to start running?"

IC: Sliver - Cauldron.

"I don't have time for this," I scowled, using my cyclone power to accelerate my speed and dart around the interfering rahk. "If you have an issue with that, take it up with Makuta Tridax!" I stepped through the waterfall, and out into the open. 

IC Kat:

"Not yet."

I looked to the tunnel behind me.

Karz.

"Might be sooner than I'd hoped, though. You mind at least helping me carry him back?" I asked, gesturing at Shield.

I grabbed a brown leather carry-all and slung it as I asked.

IC:

"Carrying him back where? To Corpus? That's suicidal."

IC Kat:

I shook my head.

"Only temporarily. We're leaving today. But we aren't passing by the Cauldron again, and I'd rather he not just be left here. Besides, as far as anyone knows, we're just bringing back a Rahk who was dumb enough to try going to Phantom."

I hefted the unconscious Shield over my arm, "Strictly speaking, I could do this on my own, but a little help carrying him would be nice."

IC:

"Tsch, fine." He grumbled. "Actually, give me about three minutes."

In those three minutes, he camouflaged himself. Not as elaborate as the others, but his previous splotchy desert-esque colors had been quite noticeable. Now he was the bright sunflower yellow of a Heat Vision rahkshi. Bereft of any identifying weapons, he ought to blend in well enough. He took Sidonas' suit and hid it with rocks and brush, it'd be safe until he came back.

He would be reunited with it.

"Alright, let's go."

IC: Vlad / Courtyard

Vlad shrugged. "I don't know..." The steamy Surahk had apparently been at the trial, though, so he would surely know better than Vlad, assuming everything he said wasn't part of some elaborate plan.

And so they had reached dead end. Time to backtrack. "But if it zer culprit vas a Rahkshi not acting out of pure barbarianism... vhat vere zey doink it for?" If they could discern some motive, that might help... maybe...?

IC: Nightmare

Nightmare Summoned up his own Boat, allowing him to Land, "wait, do either of us even know how to use a Boat?" He asked Shock

IC: Fang - Courtyard

Fang shrugged. "There could be all kinds of twisted hobbies around here. Someone could have done it for sport."