BZPRPG: Le-Wahi

IC:

Go figure; I finally find something I can do to go and fix some of the wrongs I commited, and it's taken from me within minutes. There's something poetic in that, I think; I had stolen so much from people before who were attempting to do good that for my attempt to good to be taken is almost some sort of justice. Certainly doesn't make me happy about it, though.

So after being told that Utu was dead, I rather quickly made my way to the hospital. I needed to see this for myself, to be sure of it; but he'd already been moved by the time I'd gotten there. No matter; off to the morgue I would go. I strolled through the halls towards that specific portion of the hospital, thinking over what I would do now. Go back to my usual manner of doctoring? Possibly. I might travel the island. More than that, though, I wondered just why it was that Mata-Nui, Destiny, Providence, the Great Beings, why they all seemed to love making former criminals suffer similar things to the crimes they had commited.

Pushing open the door to the morgue, I saw that a couple others were in there as well. A Toa of Fire - might be one I knew of or simply knew, I wasn't sure, it'd been a while since I'd spoken to any other than Tuara - and another Toa beside him, and then a Toa of Water...and all of them seemed to be focused on the very same body I came to see. My brow furrowed; neither of the Toa closer to the door looked like doctors, and I knew that Toa of Water certainly didn't work at this hospital, I'd have seen her before; why were they so interested in Utu?

After a moment, I saw why myself. The man's chest rose and fell - barely, but it did. Small puffs of vapor up near the nose and lips. The man was alive. And, as always, that cursed mark pulsed at his shoulder, pumping him full of poisons and who-knew-what-else, like some parasite that was slowly taking complete control. Likely that was what kept him alive. A mercy, one might say...though another might say that his earlier death had been a mercy, as well. And both a curse at the same time. A double-edged sword, if you will.

I frowned, stepping around the two Toa who were closer to the door, up to the other side of Utu from where that Toa of Water was standing. After a moment examining Utu, I looked up to her.

"It seems that this man has evaded death a second time now. Or, perhaps, death has evaded him; anyways, hello, I'm Praggos, a former associate of his and currently one of his doctors. How are you?"

IC: Skyra - Le-koro -

"Eep!" I woke up with a startle, quickly rising from where I had been drooling upon the bench.

Wait...when did I fall asleep? Last thing I remembered I'd been sitting on the bench, watching the strange Toa over by Matau's hut and then...

...well, I must have decided to close my eyes for a second or two.

Judging by the position of the sun I figured I'd only been out for no more than an hour. Not wanting to cause future back pain I decided to get off the bench and headed toward the elevator. If Merror had not returned yet, then that's where I'd find him when he came back. There was no way he'd kicked the bucket, he was far too stubborn to die.

The guard by the elevator pod gave me a nod as I passed, I returned a nod myself as I entered the pod. The elevator seemed to go painfully slow as I tapped my foot impatiently. Finally it hit the bottom and came to a halt.

I walked out, my movements rather sluggish as I did so. I really didn't have the energy to go look for Merror. He was probably already on his way. I mean he was even talking to that guard over there.

Wait...

"Merror!" I found a sudden burst of energy within me as I rushed over to my dear friends side. Before he could really process what was happening I surprised him with a hug.

"I knew you'd make it!" I was so glad I didn't have to bury yet another friend.

IC: Alfon

"Arjun called you guys rebels."

IC: Matrixa

 

"I'm a vo-toa, but..."

 

 

She looked down on the ground

 

"... It backfires, the energy. Don't count on it."

OOC:

Very sorry about such slow replies. I really need to start working on that...

IC: NPC Gukko Forcemen - Gukko Force Recruitment Center

The Forceman nodded for a moment while he wrote things down, "Do you wish to be part of the Gukko Force as a Wind-rider, or work as an inner-village Forcewoman?"

IC: Matrixa

"I can fly on a bird, but I would prefer not to. Inner-village Forcewomen please."

IC: NPC Gukko Forcemen - Gukko Force Recruitment Center

The Forceman nodded and handed Matrixa a slip of paper, "Your training will begin tomorrow. Take this slip to a Wind-rider at the training pads when you go for initiation."

IC: Forceman - Village Elevator

The Forceman nodded, "All of his companions other than yourself made it home not 4 hours ago," he frowned, "I thought there was a party out looking for you. Did you encounter them? If not I will have to notify Sergeant Boreas. His team brought back most of the others."

IC: Kunitu

"Just try not to do it again next time."

IC: Matrixa

I grabbed the piece of paper gingerly. I regarded it for a moment, and then quickly slipped it into a side pouch, so that it wouldn't get crumpled up. I looked up giving the Forceman an nice smile. "Thank you."

With brisk long strides I exited the area. I shielded my eyes from the sun for a moment, looking at the platforms below. I carefully trotted down the steps to a nearby platform. There were a few shops, but mostly residential building. I walked down the platform, admiring the houses, and staring into the foliage. Music played in the background.

As I passed onto the next platform it occurred to me, I was going to have to sleep here for the night, somewhere. Looking over a few of the lower levels showed no inns that I would call habitable. I walked further. Eventually, I found a nice looking place. It had a sign entitling it "Bright Star Inn," and the outside seemed to look nice.

I walked inside.

"Hello?"

OOC: Hopefully I will not end up raiding your stuff this time .

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

"Alright" Colx mumbled off-handedly.

IC: Kunitu

"So what has got you so distracted?"

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

"Mail," the Skakdi replied, "friends keeping me informed on how their travels are going"

IC: Kunitu

"Okay."

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

Colx had moved to the outskirts of Le-Koro to avoid running into someone else while he finished Helios' letter. Now, however, he was sitting at a bench near one of the lifts up to the Koro, smoking his pipe with a surprisingly thoughtful expression.

He perked up as he saw an unusually colored Vortixx ascend to the treetop canopy of Le-Koro. He figured he might as well say hello.

"Hail and sing-song from uptree Koro, new-face visitor-person" he greeted, making a half-hearted attempt at treespeak.

IC: Kidona

Kidona turned at the voice and she nearly went pale

Oh good mata-nui... it is a skakdi..

However she took a deep breath and a even deeper gulp as she spoke

"U..Uh.. hello.. pleasant weather?"

She says this with a awkward shrug

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

"Can't complain," Colx agreed, "or I guess I technically could find something to complain about, but I'd rather just sit here and speak bad treespeak"

"New in town?"

IC: Kidona

Kidona stared right where she was and dared not approach colx even one bit, for in her mind a million warning signals were going off

It's a Trap.. He is luring you in. Run run!

No no.. Stay where you are and stand your ground.. Maybe it is like a rahi. Perhaps if you stand your ground it will grow bored and leave to go prey on some other defenseless creature.

No play dead!

While as helpful as these thoughts had been Kidona went with the one thing her mouth could do.. simple conversation

"Um.. yes i am..." she said hesitantly

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

"Geez, lady, do you have a pole stuck up rear or something?" Colx asked, blowing a puff of smoke from his large mouth.

"Anyway, lemme give you the lowdown on Le-Koro. Decent enough place to live, as long as you avoid accidentally plummeting to your death, and Mata Nui help you if you stumble on the dance music scene here, that place is insane"

"And be sure to avoid the Bright-Star Inn if you find the likes of me unsettling. I'm usually one of the more welcoming regulars to that place"

IC: Kidona

Kidona frowned as she heard this and instead she approached him looking a bit angry

"And geez is that how you speak to women? No i do not have something stuck up my rear.. that would be highly uncomfortable.."

She took a deep breath

"And for your information i just have a hard time with new folks..

She rolled her eyes and crosses her arms under her chest and kind of stood thier irked for quite sometime.. Eventually she calmed down and looked over her shoulder at colx

"So what is your name?"

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

"I don't generally talk to women like that, all that'd earn me is a whole lotta slaps to the face." Colx admitted.

"Anyway, the name's Colx"

IC: Kidona

Kidona nodded as she heard this and turned to face Colx fully

"Nice to meet ya.. I am Kidona Vorske.."

She extended a hand and along with that hand came a smile

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

Colx met the handshake with a grip somewhat like a vice, with a hint of softness thrown in.

"Feeling's mutual I suppose. So, what brings you round these parts?"

OOC: Hopefully I will not end up raiding your stuff this time .

OOC: You'd better not try and raid the Bright-Star inn.

(Nobody ever gets the name right, uggh.)

IC:

Oh man. More people.

"What can I do for you?" Unari asked the woman who had just walked in, from where he was behind the bar, cleaning some glasses.

IC: Matrixa

I stared at the le-toa for a moment.

"Do you happen to have any vacancies?"

IC:

"Do you happen to have the money to pay for a room?" Unari shot back.

Meanwhile, as Unari was conversing with the new woman to walk in, Hasil and Atea - and now Alfon and Arjun - were heading for a booth near the door. Upon Arjun and Alfon speaking up, Hasil quickly replied:

"Down with Akiri Kongu, the man who supplies my paycheck." The sarcasm was highly evident.

IC: Kidona

Kidona took a second to consider how much she should reveal to this Colx person.. She knew not what he did or even who he aligned himself to.. So instead she played it safe

"I am actually here hoping to find some form of employment."

IC:

Beosach groggily awoke, as sunlight glared upon him through the small crack between the edge of the oilcloth tarp and the inner part of the ship's hull, trying in vain to burn the skin underneath his mask. Upon waking - and becoming cognizant, again, of the situation he was in - the Po-Matoran cast side the oilcloth tarp almost as one cast's aside a blanket, and stood, looking about. Thankfully, the boat wasn't harmed badly, and to finish the good news, they were still floating in the open ocean.

Now for the bad news: They were floating in the open ocean.

By that, I mean to say that for the two Matoran in the boat, the island that they called home was not, currently, in sight. Open sea, open sky, sun up in the air...they couldn't have been blown too far by the storm and the currents, that much was obvious, but the issue remained that they weren't quite able to see their home island. Climbing upon the (rather small) mast, Beosach looked out, grabbing a spyglass - standard equipment for any seaman - to look in the direction where he was sure the island would be. Sure enough, he could see something, a well-sized bit of land...had to be home. There was nothing else it could be.

But they were currently floating in the open ocean. And there was no wind at all. No current carrying them back, either. But at least they had oars.

And Beosach had no breakfast. He climbed back down, shaking Komae awake.

"Good morning, Komae!" he said, his voice sounding out quite cheery, conveying a mood he didn't actually feel. "Are you ready to work? Because we're going to have to row our way back home!"

IC: Komae

The merchant blinked, once, twice, and pushed himself up. Beosach was looking at him with that familiar look of "I'm going to kill you if you start acting all chipper, Komae".

Komae smiled and waved back at his partner. "Morning, Beosach," he said, bright and chipper as could be. "Glad to see you didn't die. Or me, for that matter. Like I said, I wasn't really looking forward to it."

Well, the resulting look of sheer murder in Beosach's eyes meant his business partner was still in fine shape, at least, so that was good. Komae craned his neck a bit and tilted up his mask to pour the last of the rainwater out of it, taking the opportunity to glance out over the side of the boat as he did. It was open ocean far as the eye could see.

He gave a sigh. Open desert he was used to. Open ocean? He wasn't much of a fan. "Rowing, then?" He reached over and tugged on one of the battered, still-sopping-wet oars that were now lodged halfway through the deck. It came loose after a moment, and he handed it off to Beosach as he pried the other out. "Well, like I always say, you've just got to go with the flow."

Oar in hand and humming to himself, he hopped up towards the railing to join the other Po-Matoran. "So, how was your unconsciousness? Any fun dreams?"

IC: Kidona

 

"I am actually here hoping to find some form of employment."

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

Colx's gaze shifted to Kidona's weapons, curiosity evident within his gaze.

"Military work by any chance?" he asked.

IC: Kidona

Kidona noticed Colx's look but she still had to ask

"What makes you think that though your not far off."

She adjusted her stance a bit popping one hip out and placing her hand on the opposite side

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

"Well, it looks like you're packing some pretty serious hardware. I mean, there's a lot of armed people running around here, but usualy people with your kind of armanents are the type to make a living using them, if you catch my drift"

"I'm sure the Gukko Force would be more than happy to gie ya a shot" He continued as he deposited a pot of ash from his pipe over the edge of the wooden platform, floating into the forest below.

"The second reason why I'm asking is because I run a gym here in Le-Koro. One that's more than suited for accomodating guard members should they ever need it, I gotta keep an eye out for potential customers"

IC: Kidona

Kidona smiled as she heard this.. with a swift movement she draws oborui, A black pistol with vine design around the barrel, from the holster at her right side and swirls it idly around her finger

"If your suggesting i am a mercenary i can assure you i am not.. I was actually looking at the gukko force though i am not sure i could stand riding on the back of a bird or flying if i had to.."

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

"Well, that's not the only thing the Gukko Force does. There are ground patrols, for example"

IC: Kidona

Kidona smiles as she hears this while looking at Oborui closely seeming to be cleaning off some dirt

"Well i am actually glad to hear that.. i figured i would be best put to use serving the better of mata-nui.."

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

"You seem strangely law-abiding for a Vortixx" Colx remarked as he blew another puff of smoke.

"Not that I'm complaining, mind you"

IC: Kidona

Kidona stopped suddenly and shot Colx a 'Whatcha talkin about' look

"Wait so are many vortixx not law-abiding?"

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

"Not so much that as much as the fact that I knew a lot of Vortixx back in my mercenary days"

IC: Kidona

Kidona seems a bit surprised to hear this

"You were a mercenary.. well i must say you have my respect.. Where do you suggest i go to speak with a representative of the gukko force?"

IC: Colx (Le-Koro)

"The Gukko Force HQ is a short trip west from the center of the Koro. From here you'll need to take the second left, go right across the bazaar, and take the second right, you'll know where it is once you see the sign that says "Gukko Force HQ"

"Alternatively, you could take the Chute right over there if that's your thing, personally I never got those things"

IC: Kidona

Kidons looked at the chute and visibly paled a bit and merely shook her head

"Yeah... There is far too much to much risk in those and i would rather not risk my life just to get somewhere a bit quicker."