BZPRPG: Ga-Wahi

IC Viima

(Ga-Wahi):

Viima kept staring at the Ghekula, though he answered Tivanu: "It's a mervellous creature, isn't it? I have to say that the Ghekula fascinates me. Did you know that harming one is considered bad luck? As a hunter that's something that naturally interests me. I have never hunted down a Ghekula in my life."

Viima now turned at Tivanu. "It's got a lot to do with the moment. We're here and the Ghekula is there."

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu nodded slowly as he heard this and he looked closer at the ghekula

"Well.. yeah i had heard it was bad luck.. but i mean wouldn't seeing one be like good luck as well?"

IC Viima

(Ga-Wahi):

"Perhaps", Viima replied. "But befriending one is even better."

Viima started slowly walking towards the large amphibian Rahi.

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu considered this and shook his head

"First off how do you propose on befriending it.. second off i am pretty sure kive-phu would be all over eating it,"

IC Viima

(Ga-Wahi):

"Which is why I'm glad we don't have her around at this specific moment", Viima said, his voice barely a whisper. "With all the misfortune I've been facing lately, it's only right to try and get some luck for a change."

Viima, in fact, did not know much about Ghekula as a species and how to approach one. The Rahi didn't budge until Viima was close enough to touch it, but as he tried, it kicked him straight in the mask, knocking it off. Then, with a peculiar growl, it ran to a nearby lake and plunged in it.

"Oww...", Viima groaned. "I think fate hates me..."

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu reached down and grabbed viima's mask and handed it to him

"Got to be more careful.. biggest weakness with your whole species is the mask bit.. us skakdi don't have that issue.. We just have these ever present grins. Maybe if we got our teeth punched out it would weaken us?"

He said with a smirk

IC Viima

(Ga-Wahi):

Viima groaned again.

"The masks are also our biggest strength. Especially if you become a Toa. Your species can never have that priviledge."

Viima got up and brushed the dirt off himself.

"Besides, if there were none of my kind around, you wouldn't have all these nice villages to live in."

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu smirked a bit

"Well i will admit that the villages are nice i am sure us skakdi could make something just as nice.

IC Viima

(Ga-Wahi):

"I've never seen a Skakdi creating anything. Just destroying things we make", Viima said pointedly. "Anyway, we should keep moving. I got a bit distracted by that Rahi."

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu nodded slowly as he followed Viima

"You know I just realized i have never even met with any of the akiri or even seen them for that purpose."

IC Viima

(Ga-Wahi):

"You haven't had a reason", Viima said. "It's not surprising, really. Mercenaries don't often get to deal with them. I met Hahli during Surina's trial, of course, so I know her. She will definitely listen to us."

OOC: Now, there's actually a problem with interaction with Hahli. Tyler has been inactive from the game so I doubt we'll be able to do interaction... should we skip the meeting and assume that it happened?

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu seemed to consider this for some time and nodded

"I hope she does."

OOC: Well he was on about three hours ago.. so perhaps send him a message?

IC: Suran

He chuckled. "There are submarine tunnels."

OOC: He's been online, but has ignored interaction requests. That's why I was wondering. :/

IC Viima

(Ga-Koro):

Soon the village of Ga-Koro was visible to Viima and Tivanu, as they came through the Old Husa path.

"As beautiful as before", Viima said. "Have you been to Ga-Koro before?

IC: Helios (Marine HQ)

"Sounds impressive" Helios admitted, and turned to the guard members.

"I'm ready to go" he said, the Cru-Toa nodded and the two fell into step in front of him and behind him and led him to an entrance to said tunnels.

And so Helios was guided down under the sea.

IC: Suran

"Best of luck."

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu shook his head

"No i have never actually been to Ga-koro.."

OOC: True though his recent post in the News and discussion page explains it

OOC: Ah, I see. We'll just have to wait till he's ready, then.

IC Viima

(Ga-Koro):

"Then this is a new experience for you", Viima said happily and walked through the front gate of the village. Nearby, the Naho falls began to fill the bay with water through the carved Kaukau. All around the village, Ga-Matoran were busy doing their various chores. Advancement of technology was also apparent with special devices stationed here and there.

"Welcome to Ga-Koro."

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu seemed to consider something as his eyes roamed over the various buildings and then he noted the lillypads

"Really.. i am surprised the village can be held up by those lillypads.."

IC Viima

(Ga-Koro):

"They are very sturdy", Viima explained. "Sometimes they get weakened as they grow old, though. That's why the Ga-Matoran sometimes build pump devices that hold those weak lilypads on the surface."

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu merely followed behind Viima as he let's his eyes wander taking in the whole village

"well as long as one does not suddenly collapse under me i may be able to like this place."

IC Viima

(Ga-Koro, Hahli's doorstep):

"I think you will learn to like it", Viima said. "Ok, we made it."

Indeed the big hut that served as home to Akiri Hahli stood before them. The door was shut for understandable reasons. Even before, but especially after Surina's attempt to assassinate Hahli, security measures had been heightened.

Viima approached the Marines guarding the place, requesting to see the Akiri.

IC Kavala

(Ga-Koro, Prison):

Kavala was furious, though he kept it to himself. Despite his many requests, Hahli had not addressed the Toa of Earth's wishes. This could not do.

There was another fact that made Kavala all the more impatient about getting out of this prison he didn't deserve. According to rumors all around, another way into Makuta's vault had been found. Naturally, since Kavala was Makuta's chosen one to discover the vault's secret (or so Kavala himself thought). it was of great concern for him to leave this unjustified capitivity and enter into a chat with The Abettor, the rumored guardian of the other entrance.

Had Kavala's mask not been removed, he would have tried escaping - that was how impatient he was. As things stood, he would have to approach things differently.

Kavala requested to meet Hahli once again.

IC:

"I'm sure you can understand the Akiri's position," said one of the Marines standing guard on the city block where Hahli's hut was situation, after Viima requested entry. "Willingly or otherwise, lucid or brainwashed, you were known to be involved with a plot to assassinate Akiri Hahli and usurp control of Ga-Koro for the known convict Surina. You will have to be processed briefly by a Marine superior before entering - and, in any event, she's had a messenger, and asks not to be disturbed," she added, clearly with a bit more of a personal touch. "I'm sorry. If you'll follow Corporal Naavi across the street, she should take you somewhere for said processing and then, if the Akiri's meeting has concluded, you and your associate can see her."

-Tyler

IC Viima

(Ga-Koro):

Viima was disappointed by the reception. Obviously his help with capturing Surina (no matter how meaningless his contribution had been) didn't count for much.

"Hopefully she won't be dead by the time my 'processing' is done", he said in a firm but polite tone. "Surina is back and might be targeting the Akiri even now."

Still, Viima made no move to resist the procedure.

IC:

The guards paused, and one looked as though she may wince, but they stood still and at attention, shining examples of the excellence expected by and delivered upon the Ga-Koro Marines. The one who had been talking stopped with her hand halfway raised to give an order, and then turned firmly towards Viima, then his companion, then Viima once again. Her eyes betrayed nothing except a firm dedication to duty. If he was deceiving her, or if she saw even a hint of falsity, he would pay for it. Threats on an Akiri, implied or otherwise, were serious business, especially where Surina was involved. She had not been summarily executed, and though the few and the dingy liked to make their gossip to pass the time in certain taverns Akiri Hahli had shown a firm distaste for the death penalty in the stereotypical sense, instead moving Surina out with supplies, transportation, and the bleak but existent chance to find a new life elsewhere. She had chosen, instead, to return to Mata Nui, and if Viima were to be believed...

"Do you have proof of these statements?" she asked briskly, before turning to the Marines - good men and women and true, each of them - and signaling for them to stand steady.

-Tyler

IC Viima

(Ga-Koro):

"Well...", Viima began a bit sheepishly. After all, he did not have concrete evidence, just a strong hunch. "My Skakdi companion here is Tivanu. It was his hawk who seemed to recognize Surina by smell. Also, she attacked me in Ta-Koro for no apparent reason. She looked different, but I don't know anyone else who would assault me so swiftly and without prior explanation. She fled quickly though, as if I was only a secondary target."

Viima's next words were deadly serious. "Hahli is the primary one."

IC:

The guards exchanged looks at the story, but it wasn't clear whether they were skeptical or not; they showed only resolution and grit of steel before turning to Viima and Tivanu with steel eyes and wooden postures.

"If what you say is true, Ga-Koro owes you both its apology and its thanks," she began, "but there's also little and less cause to truly fear. The Marines are trained and true sentinels and warriors; Akiri Hahli has gone through our training regimen long before either of us, more than once, and she knows how to defend herself even in the worst conditions. When Turaga Nokama, our blessed Mother, was struck down, Hahli escaped the clutches of the Toa Daedra when they sought to do her ill and lived on her own in the jungle for months, until finally emerging again to help expel the wicked Toa from the area. She was voted in as Akiri almost unanimously; she is well-loved and no matter the foul gossip in one or two taverns she is our sister, our friend, and our Akiri. We will not fail her. Even so, if you wish to be of help...you mentioned a hawk, one that caught Surina's scent. You declared yourself a hunter when you were first taken into custody; if you were to hunt her now and return her before her conspiracy unfolds, you would not find Ga-Koro or the Akiri ungrateful."

-Tyler

IC Viima

(Ga-Koro):

Viima smiled and nodded at the Marines. He then looked at Tivanu.

"Looks like we're being offered a job by the government itself", Viima said. "What do you say... friend?"

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu had remained silent during this whole time merely letting his gaze fall on the marines.. Even though he was a skakdi he was taller than the normal one and he merely brought his arms over his chest as he considered

"Yes if we use Kive-phu my lava hawk i am sure we could track her down.. But in order for that to work i need an item of Surina's.. something that may hold her scent."

He looked down at the Marina specifically now and when he spoke it held a sense of professionalism

"Do you have anything you confiscated from surina that may have her scent on it? Something my hawk can use to track with?"

OOC: Also are the marine's matoran or toa? or a mixture of both and if so is the one specifically talking a toa or matoran?

IC: Helios (Ga-Koro Greenhouses)

"Tsk, tsk," Helios protested, "this won't do"

What he was particularly referring to was the sorry state of some of the wooden stands supporting the irrigated plants. When was the last time they'd run maintenance again?

No matter, it was his job to fix them, and he would get it done.

On the way to the greenhouses Helios had been handed a toolbox for his work, and he immediately set about doing just that.

It was easy enough, and refreshingly varied. Fix rickety stands, patch up a crack in the glass wall, move the pots, whistle innociously whilst doing so, it was a blast.

And so Helios continued.

IC:

The letter was prepared with utmost care, unfettered and unruffled by the long voyage from Ko-Koro to Ga-Koro; the seal on the back was white wax, the seal of Ko-Koro's Akiri, and so expertly done that it was almost a crime to break it; the words were penned with care, perhaps to try and soften the punch in the gut that Hahli was expecting the minute she had laid eyes on the messenger. But the message, for all its aesthetic courtesies, was writ in blood, and the parchment stank of ink and death the minute her eyes touched it.

Her heart went out to the man who had brought death to Ga-Koro, sealed in wax; she thought briefly of Leah's Toa-brother in Ko-Wahi and the night he must be having, but there was nothing that she could do for him now. Matoro had built himself a court, a marvelous grouping of minds, arguably the best on Mata Nui; now Matoro was dead, and the court swayed headless, a giant's corpse over all the Wahi, and the Akiri was too shrewd by half, shrewd enough to know it would not last without support. These letters had no doubt been sent to each Koro in turn, searching for some crutch, at least temporarily. How would Jaller react? Kongu, Nuparu - Hewkii? Was one of them behind it? They had all been at the summit with Matoro, not weeks ago...they'd all been so happy...they'd walked away friends, a team again...and Matoro...

I put a flower on his mask, Hahli remembered with a jolt, and kissed his cheek and called him brother, and the Akiri melted away, banished by the rush of tears to the eyes.

They vanished quickly, before one could blemish the parchment or the structure of her face. She blinked them away mercilessly, battened down the hatches, looked back up at the messenger with the resolve of a village Akiri, but the personal touch of a sister who had shared a particularly heavy loss. There would be time to mourn later, if she wanted to - if she wanted to, she could start to sob the second that the courtier's feet swept him away from the city. She could hold portraits of the six of them together and sob and sob and sob herself to sleep, to sleep in a bed for a change instead of a business chair, and she could mourn for Matoro in her own way on her own time until it was time to be Akiri again. But it had to wait; she had to wait, to get through one last meeting, and then Hahli would have time to mourn. For now, the Akiri had to wear her skin and wear it well. Ko-Koro was a house of cards and stoics, waiting to collapse; the cards wobbled tenuously but the stoics never did, and any sort of prolonged emotional display on her part may well lead to an adverse effect down the line.

"I'm sorry for Ko-Koro's loss, and and for the loss of the island, and for the loss of you and I. It says in this letter that Captain Korzaa holds the city with the Sanctum Guard, in Matoro's name," Hahli finally said, her deliberate and firm but still soft as she looked up at the poor courier. "Is that true?"

"Yes, Akiri," said the Ko-Matoran solemnly. "Captain Korzaa has instituted martial law until such time as an Akiri is rightfully chosen."

"And will one be chosen by the time you return?"

"I...I cannot say as to that, Akiri, but...the last that I heard before leaving Ko-Koro was that Vizier Ambages, who is Hand to the Akiri, is preparing for ascension."

"Yes, I would assume he is," Hahli said, "but has he been chosen by the same group of peers that Matoro was?"

"I...I cannot say as to that, Akiri," the other Matoran admitted, somewhat sheepishly.

"Then one will not be chosen by the time you return to Ko-Koro, then?"

"I...I cannot say as to that, Akiri...as you know, we are a stolid group..."

"I have spent my life around Ko-Matoran, Corporal. I have played Kolhii against them. I have negotiated with them. One of them was a brother to me, and he's dead now. He is dead, and now his proxy in negotiations demands his title while his Guard's Captain holds his city in his name. This time tomorrow, who knows who may have claimed the Seat of Kopaka? I'd say I'm disgusted that your court was scheming and warring before his body was cold, but seeing as you hail from an iceberg I'm not sure you'd understand the quirk of the joke."

The Ko-Matoran looked taken aback, but Hahli would not apologize for her critique of Ko-Koran politics in the wake of Matoro's death. She had gone too far to apologize, so she said instead, "If Ambages wishes to ascend to Akiridom, so be it, and I wish him nothing but the best in his tenure. As Matoro's friend, I will grieve for him; as Ga-Koro's Akiri I will take no part in this other than to assure you that I will not stand for any conflict that springs from this situation moving outside Ko-Wahi, and I will personally condemn any conflict that does migrate. The island is watching, Corporal - do not let us down."

The Guard bowed his head and moved to depart.

"Corporal," she called back, more softly now. "Rest here in Ga-Koro for the night. You are a guest of the city tonight, and have your pick of any inn or restaurant you choose to visit. You may leave at dawn. Thank you."

He bowed his head again and gave her his warmest, most cordial thanks - which, from a Sanctum Guard, was the utmost in diplomacy - and left her to her own thoughts and gifts. Kongu had given her fingerless riding gloves of the finest black leather, which she had hardly taken off since the summit; they helped provide her hands protection when she practiced with the bamboo bow she had the Marines fashion for her after Surina's sentencing, and they allowed her a firmer grip on the dagger Jaller had given her from the Ta-Koran armory, a Protosteel blade, edged in rena, with a hilt of the finest black Muaka bone. A bit plain, but from Jaller it had meant the world.

The dagger was sheathed on her thigh now, and the weight of it had never been heavier on her, nor had the touch of the blade ever seemed so cold until now. Matoro was dead.

The island was watching.

-Tyler

IC: (Mons Shajs)

"I'a ain't gotta nothin butta bleedin' leg," Shajs said. "I dun'ta knowa where ita came frum, though."

Shajs leg, however, wasn't bleeding, not one bit.

IC: Tyrus / Cin Residence

"With all due respect, captain, I believe that causes tend to be less important in our line of work than results. So, as long as everything gets patched up, there's no real reason to further explore this situation, is there?"

Tyrus grinned non-chalantly at the Skakdi, looking at him just long enough to emphasize his words before he turned to face the Le-Toa before him. His grin stayed where it was, but it changed subtly, growing wider and jauntier. He bowed his head slightly as she granted permission to enter, and made his way to the door, gesturing for Shajs to follow suit.

"His name is Mons Shajs," Tyrus explained, his voice lowered to prevent the Skakdi from overhearing, "And lamentably, I know little of his medical history prior to this moment. But of his current condition, I can say that he's suffering from those strange boils, as well as a series of ever-changing hallucinations. I suspect that this has been going on for some time; a week or two at the very least, given his absence from work."

Something strange flickered in the Lesterin's eyes.

"If you could, try and humour him. I see this getting very interesting otherwise."

-Void

IC:

"And just what is that offer?" Eutuchia asked, somewhat curious.

IC:

"Well, I'd like to sell you my plants, first of all. Ten thousand widgets for the dozen of them. Ga-Koro would be the only ones with access - the only other specimen is in my garden back in Le-Koro, although it's still alive without my care over the past month...." Malak'et let his words soften to barely a whisper. He had hoped to make a far larger sum, twenty five thousand widgets at least, but he knew the Koro wouldn't pay. The offer he asked for was less than he would have liked, making his future plans more difficult, but ten thousand could work.

The Toa started speaking again. "I'll show your gardeners know how to properly care for them. Make sure the plants are grown in the proper conditions in your greenhouses, with just the right amount of light and air flow. And of course, I'll teach your gardeners how to make use of the plants invigorating, soporific and pain-numbing qualities." Malak paused. "And, if you'd like, I would also offer my services in your greenhouses. I've been caring for plants for years, to the point where I've probably become the best herbologist in Le-Koro. If there's anyone that can grow a black orchid, it would be me. I'd increase your production output and the potency of your medicines. I ask for a hundred widgets a week, as well as accommodations. I could begin immediately, for the length of one year. Afterwards, I would return to my home in Le-Koro." Malak hoped desperately Ga-Koro would accept his offer - his plan had already been retarded a month when the Village of Water had last rejected him. If they agreed to his proposal now, he could at least begin to recoup the time lost - it was a setback, but the money would at least help him get back on track.

IC Viima

(Ga-Koro):

"I have something back in Le-Koro", Viima suddenly said, sounding as if he was ashaimed. "Something that Kive-phu can get Surina's scent from."

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu nodded to Viima

"Well that should work.. How about we pick up Kive-phu and Orderin in Ta-koro then make our way to le-wahi."

IC Viima

(Ga-Koro):

"Let's do that", Viima said with a nod. "Off to Ta-Koro...!"

As he turned around to walk, Viima tripped on his own feet. The marines simply stared, being disciplined enough not to burst out laughing.

"Oof", Viima said, getting up slowly. "Eh, I'm okay."

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu merely smirked as he watches Viima trip and looked back at him

"Of course.."

IC: Voulge

Voulge walked over toward Therris and sat down slowly

"So i will say there is nothing to really report about what we discovered in Ta-koro."

IC Viima

(Ga-Koro):

"We'll be going now."

OOC: Viima and Tivanu to Ta-Koro.