BZPRPG: Kini-Nui

IC Flabbergaster

His eyes seemingly glowed more than before, looking the figure over curiously, waiting for a sign of emotional strain.

Nothing... Yet.

The odd smell of meat sizzling hit him then, attempting to make him reel in surprise. However, the unsheathing of a knife was sure to cause suspicion in their guest of the actual intention of the collective shenanigan. Notwithstanding, he cracked his neck and took his seat again, pretending to be engrossed in the smell of the meat.

IC:

Using a clean, flat stone as an improvised spatula, I begin flipping the steaks.

IC: Yenroot

The short walk into the woods went longer than he expected, or wanted, but it did let him mull over his thoughts a bit more.

On the plus side, he was able check for Rahkshi. He didn't see any, but he wasn't sure if that proved or denied the story of the hunters back at the camp. Risks had to be taken.

He wandered back into the edge of the clearing, bow strapped to his back, and had to suppress a moan of delight from the smell of the steaks.

Evil they may be, but that had nothing to do with their cooking skills.

IC: Trava (Crowded Campground)

Trava's eyes visibly lit up when she felt the smell of juicy meat waft against her nostrils. Her now-maskless face contorted into a relaxed smile as she cracked her neck a little.

"feels more homely than I've had it in a good long while" she admitted, only to herself though.

"Alright guys, dig in"

IC Flabbergaster

"..."

He was unfamiliar with this "dig in", but it must be some kind of street slang. Better let someone else make the first move.

IC

The hermit lumbered over to the group and stopped, remaining standing just outside the ring the other formed around the fire. He, too, failed to understand the term 'dig in'.

IC: Trava (Crowded Campground)

After a couple of moments of head swiveling between Flabbergaster and the Hermit, Trava threw Hammerlock a brief, quizzical expression, before she deciced to lead by example and helf herself to a portion of one of the steaks.

IC:

I grin at Trava and follow her lead. Being a tidy sort of fellow, I take the flat rock I've been using as a spatula and convert it into an improvised plate. Out comes my knife again, this time serving as an eating utensil.

"Don't be shy, y'all. Grab a seat and join us. There's plenty here, and I can always roast a few potatoes if it comes to that."

I take a careful bite. I chew thoughtfully.

"Not bad. More salt, perhaps?"

IC Flabbergaster

Well, okay then.

Flabbergaster dusted off a piece of bark to use as a makeshift plate before taking one of his knives out to-

Oh. This still had blood on it.

Sighing, he wiped the blood off with his hand and formed it into a tiny disc before tossing it behind him, then helped himself to a portion of the steak.

IC: Trava (Crowded Campground)

Trava caught Flabbergaster tossing the blood away, and was instantly curious.

"What's that you did, there, with the blood on the steak?"

IC: Trava (Crowded Campground)

 

"What's that you did, there, with the blood on the steak?"

IC:

I immediately prick up my ears, metaphorically speaking.

IC: Celphrithia, Dravennica, and Shredder - Mangaia (Tunnels)

"Forgive my intrusion, but am I correct in assuming that you've had more success at navigating through this maze than we have?" the Ko-Toa asked Kavala. "Our entrance wasn't exactly what you'd call... subtle, which is why we decided to hole ourselves up in here and hopefully get some rest."

Celphrithia said nothing as she continued to glare at the others.

IC Kavala

(Mangaia, Tunnels):

Kavala stood silent for a while before replying, "If you mean the Vault, I know how to get there, yes."

IC:

"That's uh," Disturbing. "a good thing that you did that."

"Where is Grecko anyway?"

IC

The recluse followed the others' examples and reached for a steak. He didn't have to step closer, as his elasticity mask power combined with the vines worked into his arm armor had more than enough reach to pluck up one of the steaks. Slowly and deliberately, he drew it back to his mouth, then took a bite. He closed his eyes and nodded slowly. Mm. It was good.

OOC: Timeskip because I'd like to get moving

IC: Trava (Crowded Campground)

The campfire was on its last logs, and the food was all but gone, save for a small collection of bones stacked in a small pile under the shadow of a nearby tree root.

Trava delivered a satisfied hum as she reclined against a tree, her eyes closed and her ears lazily keeping some track on her surroundings. Soon as the guests left, she and Hammerlock had business to attend to.

OOC: Peho from Ta-Wahi.

IC:

The valley of Kini-Nui was, despite a brutal and bloody past, one of the calmest and most idyllic spots on Mata Nui. Fields of grass swaying in the breeze, green out by the circle of dark jungle upon the outskirts of the place, a bright, shining red as one got closer to the temple for which the landscape was most famous. The sun shone down like the kindly eye of the old Great Spirit, a fiery orb up there in the heavens--

Wait a minute?

Was there another fiery object up there--

Oh God, it's getting bigger--

No, closer, oh god, oh god, run--

...

KER-RACK BOOF! was the sound that Peho Eniblad, the amnesiac titan, made as his impromptu dive-bomb ended up through the most outlying tree of the jungle and about half a bio into the earth just beyond it. Flames crackled across the shattered remnants of the brave, departed piece of flora, and enough dirt to fill the pots of a dozen botanical enthusiasts was knocked away as the would-be Rahkshi Hunter climbed out of the ground, shaking his head and eyeing the new terrain.

"VOOOOOOOLIIIIIIIIIIN," was his mighty bellow, in case his companion had missed his most inconspicuous of arrivals.

-Void

OOC:

Roger that, Geardirector. Timeskip's fine w' me.

IC:

I pick my teeth with a tarnished silver toothpick, and stare thoughtfully into the darkness beyond the campfire. Not into the campfire; even a bed of dying embers cripples night vision more than you'd expect.

After a minute or two (or three or five) of peaceful, general silence, there begins to be a certain feeling in the air. Like maybe it's time for the assembly to disperse and seek their respective resting places. And with that comes another feeling, one just for me, like I ought to say something. Seeing as how this was all sort of my idea.

And also they were my steaks.

"Well, everyone... My thanks for a most pleasant evening. I'm pleased to have met you all. And I'm glad you could join us for dinner."

I let that settle in the air a bit, nice and simple and comfortable. Then I smile faintly, almost humorously, and make a slight unconscious gesture with the toothpick that could mean anything at all, or nothing.

"Can't say we'll be here more'n a day or so, but we might be. Or might not. It all depends. But each of you is welcome to visit if you're so inclined. And if anyone wants to lend a hand with a bit of extremely dangerous tunnel recon tomorrow, you're more than welcome."

My eyes dance sudden electric blue as they dart quickly from face to face.

"As I said before, we're targeting Rahkshi and we're not doing it for the excitement. There's money, guaranteed. Enough of it to go around, even if it's split more than just two ways."

A slight pause. My eyes waltz up and down and around, and then slide sharply sideways and do a bit of a breathless little tango as they hit Trava. Who's got her eyes closed. Which might be just as well I suppose.

"...Just to clarify, my share is the one that gets split. I'm not speaking for Trava."

IC: Trava (Crowded Campground)

"I'm down with that, too, but there's a distinct possibility that I might be splitting a bit less off of my share."

One twinkling green eye open to regard Hammerlock briefly in a sort of reverse wink.

"After all, I'm only getting forty percent"

IC: Volin

It's not every day I wish I had a few pals to lend me a hand, but this was one of them. Didn't come off as much of a shocker when no one followed me to Kini, so I was cool with it for a while, enough that I actually had some time to enjoy the peace and quiet before I finally got here. When I heard that all too familiar screech in the distance, I knew I ###### up coming here alone.

"#### me." I muttered, tensing with every branch I stepped on. Apart from each crack and the sound of my footsteps, it was eerily quiet. I kept my eyes peeled at all times, craning my head back every once in a while to make sure I wasn't about to get my spine ripped out unexpectedly. I'd tell you I wasn't scared, but when you're elbow-deep in Rahkshi territory and you've seen what those things can do, I'd be a moron if I did.

KER-RACK BOOF!

"Oh ####." I spun around, hands suddenly glowing a dangerous orange. Nothing there, but something made that sound, and it was close. 

"VOOOOOOOLIIIIIIIIIIN,"

...what?

...

I really shouldn't do this.

"PEHO?!"

OOC:Arvas from Ta

IC:Arvas

Little did either of the other two Rahkshi Hunters know, Arvas had actually followed along. Just a little bit behind and without making much noise. Arvas didn't like making much noise, it was so much easier to kill someone if they didn't know where you were. Well, something exploded and he heard the indistinguishable voice of Peho, booming Volin's name like the villain of an adventure story. Volin's response was to shout back. Well, if people were shouting now, he may as well join in. He cleared his throat.

"PEEEEEEEHHOOOOOOOO!!" He boomed, before coughing once.

IC:

"VOLIN? ARVAS?"

They were close -- his friends were close! Peho could hardly contain his joy, so much so that the grass around his feet started spontaneously combusting from raw excitement. His grin already the approximate size and shape a watermelon slice, the giant Toa marched into the forest.

"WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?!"

-Void

IC: Volin

All this yelling was bound to attract a lot of unwanted attention if it kept up. I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from shouting back.

"There's gotta be a better way to do this..." I muttered, staring in the general direction of their voices. Couldn't see them, but I noticed that the forest wasn't too thick and neither was the canopy. An idea popped into my head, and while it might not have been the best one out there, it was better than shouting and stumbling in a forest that was likely to kill you.

"Okay," I glanced around real quick, then raised my hand skyward, finger gun style. A few hot bolts of plasma shot out into the open air, carefully aimed so they wouldn't light any trees on fire, and they glowed bright as flames but were gone in nearly an instant. 

Hopefully they saw that.

IC: Trava (Crowded Campground)

An unusual sound reached Trava's practiced ears, and she opened her eyes. Someone was firing an unusual kind of flares from somewhere else in the Kini-Nui jungle, short-lived, but hard to miss.

"Someone's gotten lost, or maybe they found something" Trava said as she got up, "I'm gonna go check it out. Anyone else coming along?"

She really was looking for a reason to get moving again, this timing was pretty much perfect.

IC:

No one would write treatises on Peho's intelligence, but even he knew that a bolt of plasma had to come from somewhere, and that that somewhere was probably worth looking for. A quick application of his Kadin -- his (sort of) mastery of it a fact since it became instrumental in a tangle with a heard of Kane-Ra -- and he was off, speeding through the dark undergrowth like a flash of light and life.

It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for. Or, rather, who he was--

"Volin!" he said, skidding to a stop mere feet in front of his friend. "There you are!"

-Void

IC: Volin

I waited patiently, looking in all directions for any sign of Peho or Arvas. Still couldn't see them but they stopped shouting, so maybe they saw it? It was either that or the local residents got rid of their rowdy guests before they could get to me, meaning I could've been next.

The airy swooshing sound didn't help eith-

Oh.

Oh no.

I spun around (again), almost a second too late as the gentle giant skidded to a zooming halt right before me, kicking up a bunch of dirt while he was at it. In the midst of my hammering heart, it took all my willpower to not gooify him on reflex. Cuss words though? Didn't have a valve for those.

"####ing ####!" I yelped, bringing my hands up but immediately putting them down. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

IC:Arvas

Arvas, meanwhile, hadn't been more than 30 meters away from Volin from the start of this, and Volin had apparently been unobservant enough to neither notice him by himself or when Arvas shouted. There was only one course of action.

Arvas approached, humming to himself. What were you expecting?

"Well. Looks like everyone else is either lagging behind really far or forgot to come."

IC:

"Oh, sorry, sorry!" Peho back-pedalled, holding his hands up if only to add to his apology while his eyes were already sliding over to spot the next arrival on the scene. "Arvas, careful! I think Volin's on edge!"

-Void

IC:

I tilt my head, listening intently. And it doesn't take me long to reach the 100% exact same conclusions as the resident huntress/ranger/hot outdoorsy chick.

Which is to say, seems the land 'round these parts is gettin' downright crowded.

"By the Dark Lord," I growl, levering myself abruptly to a standing position, "this place is a freakin' tourist trap! ...You go right ahead, Trava; I'll circle a bit and flank 'em. Just in case."

IC: Volin

"And with good reason." I grumbled, pinching the bridge of my nose before looking at the two of 'em. "So what, you guys didn't stick with the group either?"

IC:Arvas

Arvas shrugged. "I thought the group was coming here, but apparently not. Maybe they wanted to find a spot to build that base or whatever first."

OOC: Oceanna from Ta-Wahi

IC:

Volin felt a tap on his shoulder from behind, followed by a voice he probably didn't want to hear. "Guess who~"

IC Flabbergaster

Just when I was about to voice my proposition...

Flabbergaster slowly stood, yawning and stretching, but he was really looking around sharply. "Well, in the meantime, while those two are investigating the source of those, I myself will fashion a small hammock of sorts." Two, three... Not sure exactly where, but there's quite a bit. I'd better follow, but slowly.

IC:

 

I tilt my head, listening intently. And it doesn't take me long to reach the 100% exact same conclusions as the resident huntress/ranger/hot outdoorsy chick.

 

Which is to say, seems the land 'round these parts is gettin' downright crowded.

 

"By the Dark Lord," I growl, levering myself abruptly to a standing position, "this place is a freakin' tourist trap! ...You go right ahead, Trava; I'll circle a bit and flank 'em. Just in case."

IC: Trava (Kini-Nui Jungle)

"Gotcha" she said in an easy tone, and disappeared up into the nearest tree. She took a moment to orient herself, but was quickly on the way towards the source of the 'flares' through the branches.

IC: Volin

I let my head fall back with a sigh. Of course she had to show up.

"You made it," I said simply, looking her up and down. "Alone, apparently. Like everyone else." Obviously, I didn't understand but neither did Arvas or Peho for that matter. If Guitar Girl came here alone, odds were she was in the same boat. Made me wonder if all of this was my fault.

Crack!

"That's the rest of 'em, I'm guessing." I said, looking out into the distance with my hands on my hips. Sure enough, someone walked into sight (alone!) and for a second, I just assumed it was Onamazu until I realized that Onamazu wasn't green and yellow all over. A quick glance to everyone else confirmed my suspicions. 

####.

Unstrapping the crossbow from my back, I loaded a bolt into it and aimed for the stranger in the distance. Might've killed any chance we had at a friendly greeting but out here, it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Stop where you are!" I shouted, my voice firm but not threatening. "Who are you?"

IC:Arvas

Somehow, despite having not seen Arvas until he made his presence known, who had been in relatively close proximity and not at all hidden, Volin had spotted someone in the woods. Good job. With a grumble, Arvas gripped the handle of his sword, drawing the rusty black blade and readying his shield before turning.

"Yeah, identify yourself or whatever they say."

OOC: Onamazu in from Ta-Wahi

IC Onamazu

Being slightly behind the main group, the Onu-Toa was able to spot the growing trouble from a safe distance. Good time to have a Pehkui... Her mask activated silently, diminishing her size greatly. Coupled with her darker colorations, it was quite easy to slip through the foliage and shrubery, taking up post several dozen meters behind the green and yellow stranger.

IC:

Peho whirled in tandem with Volin and Arvas, his fists set ablaze and a determined look in his eyes.

-Void

IC:

Oceanna quickly brandished her guitar like a weapon, sliding her fingers over the strings as she did so for effect.

OOC: Echelon and Kohra from Ko-Wahi.

IC (Echelon)

The pale blue light emanating from the flamberge slid along the walls of the Ko-Wahi Dark Walk, as Echelon and Kohra strode towards Mangaia.

Echelon broke the silence of their march.

"Tell me," he said, pausing for a moment to glance surreptitiously at his Vortixx companion's clawed and feathered left arm, "was it your idea to...how shall I put it...donate half of our treasury?"