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 Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 6:56 pm
He'd been up for almost twenty-four hours straight and yet Arorangi Te Ariki was not tired in the slightest.
Once he'd gotten woken up from the pod, it was like a surge of adrenaline had hit, rather than the dizziness and uncertainty that Stormy and Oliver had suggested might occur. It seemed to be the direct opposite, Arorangi practically bouncing off the walls as he moved back and forth from first the pods to his room, where he'd found his little bag of items had been dropped off (thankfully none of them broken in the process), and a neatly folded coat that lay on his neatly made bed. The coat, which bore the Mist Division emblem in gold on the back, was sleeveless, and it draped nearly down to his knees, but Arorangi found it completely within his style, and also very comfortable. There was a scarf too, a bright blue in color, which instead of wrapping around his neck, he tied around his waist instead, mostly to keep out of the way.
The little bag of his personal items contained only a few things, since there hadn't been much allowed to be brought over from his home anyway. A few spare teeshirts (most of them emblazoned with various band names, though a few had very large flowers printed across the chest, thanks to his Polynesian roots), some extra pants (mostly shorts, with the occasional khaki pants, and about two pairs of jeans that he almost never wore), and an extra pair of sandals, just in case the ones he was wearing broke (he never did like wearing shoes, but when forced into it, he might as well).
Also in the bag were two necklaces - Arorangi wasn't sure why he hadn't been wearing them when he'd woken up, but he was grateful that they hadn't been lost in the transition as it was. He had picked up one, rubbing a finger along the smooth material, and then tied both around his neck so that they fell in succession, one of them slightly below the other. There was no special meaning behind them, not really; one was a gift from his little sister when he'd graduated high school, while the other was one he'd picked up at a tourist shop on Rarotonga; but still, he found them somewhat sentimental anyway. Maybe it was just because they were his own personal effects, a reminder of the Polynesian blood that ran in his veins. He hadn't been back to Auckland since he was sixteen, but that didn't mean that he didn't miss it. He'd been born and raised there, after all, and perhaps one day, when he was a more experienced hunter with more leave time, he'd be able to go and visit it.
The bag of personal items had little else beside a few necessary undergarments, as well as some socks (though it appeared some had fallen out, and he would somehow need to acquire more; was there a shop on Deus?). Arorangi had taken everything out of the bag and hung the clothes up in the closet, stuck the shoes beside the door, put the necessities in the dresser, and put the now empty bag on the desk top, for lack of a better place to stick it. The division coat he'd slung gently over the back of his desk chair, since he didn't really see the need to wear it all the time if he was on the island.
After that, he'd gone to the Dark Cove and found his weapon. Ari was a fighting stick, a spear, and he was beautiful, at least in Arorangi's mind. It was a long, smooth spear made of a deep brown wood, a silver metal blade, and glowing blue runes at the tip, feathers decorating the place where the blade was inserted into the staff. He'd only summoned the weapon once, more experimentally than anything else, but it had felt light in his hands, easy to maneuver and easy to swing around.
Ari also very talkative, often going on and on inside of Arorangi's head until his mind was filled with nothing but whatever Ari was saying, but thankfully Arorangi didn't mind too much. It was better than having nothing at all inside of his head, and somehow this made up for all the times he might have felt lonely. Which to Arorangi, wasn't that many, since he tended to make the most out of everything, but still.
After he'd gotten unpacked (the dorm room still looked sadly sparse with its plain white walls and lack of decorations; he'd have to fix that soon, maybe with an All Blacks poster or flag hanging somewhere just to cheer up the gloominess), Arorangi had wandered around the Deus Ex Machina facilities, more out of a desire to familiarize himself with it than anything else. There were many confusing hallways and winding corridors that led to more hallways that ended in a dead end, and doors that led to more doors that led to nothing but doors (he somehow ended up in the infirmary on two separate occasions without actually trying), but he figured he'd learn where everything was eventually.
After that, he'd slept for a few hours - that had been almost twenty-four hours ago now, because Arorangi had woken up and gone straight down to the training fields to practice, and then had done some more exploring, enough that he'd lost track of time.
Now, somewhere past seven at night, he wandered around the beach, hands tucked into the pockets of his sweatpants, his hair tied up in a messy knot at the back of his head, dreads all piled together. It felt familiar to him, the beach; the smell of salt and sand, accompanied by a gentle breeze, was just like being back in Auckland, and for a few moments he almost felt like he was back in New Zealand, Arorangi closing his eyes and breathing in deep.
He sat down in the sand, dragged his feet up, wrapped his arms around his legs, and sat there, staring out at the ocean with a little smile on his face.
{ - It's pretty, isn't it? - }
Yes, mate! It is very pretty. It is very homey.
{ - I don't think very many people call Deus homey. - }
Maybe not, aroha, but that doesn't mean I can't. I like it here so far.
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Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 7:58 pm
Shiloh was on rounds duty, it being the only reason he ventured near the beach anymore. Between monsters and humans, he’d had more than enough heartbreak to last him a lifetime when it came to the beach, and he knew that the gently rolling sands that the island had to offer weren’t nearly so gentle at all. For the most part, pretty much all of the other hunters on the island had surmised the same thing, for one reason or another. So it surprised Shiloh to find a form sitting in the sand, appearing huddled against it. His first thought was Halloween, and he thumbed over Haruko’s charm as he stepped forward, quietly, for a closer inspection. He was dressed in his usual attire, unfortunately, and a blazing white coat accompanied by neon blue duck printed boots wasn’t exactly an outfit designed for stealth. Nonetheless, he drew forward anyway, and was relieved to see that the form appeared to be human. Then he worried. Why would someone just be sitting out in the sand? Were they okay? “Hey,” Shiloh called, pulling out a runic flashlight and shining it in the beachgoer’s direction. “Hey, are you alright?” Distracted, Shiloh forgot all about being stealthy, his boots sliding through the sand as he made his way over to the figure.
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 1:59 pm
Lost in thought, Arorangi almost didn't hear the approaching footsteps, still conversing merrily with Ari inside of his head. It was only when he felt the spray of sand across his arm and felt the ground rumbling a bit with the weight of whoever was nearing that he turned, catching sight of a pale haired young man with a friendly, open sort of face.
"Ah! Good evening, mate!" said Arorangi with a wide smile. The flashlight fell across his face, illuminating dark skin and hair, but an alert expression on his face. "I am fine! I thought I would sit and enjoy the weather and the beach! It is very nice here; the sound of the ocean is a soothing thing to hear, my friend!"
Arorangi pushed himself to his feet, brushing sand from his pants and stumbled across the damp sand towards the young man. He was barefoot, having kicked off his sandals already, and he extended a tattooed hand towards the other, grinning.
"I am Arorangi!" he said cheerfully. "Who are you?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 12:30 pm
Shiloh stood, stopped still in his tracks with a sort of dumbfounded expression on his face. Enjoy? Enjoy the beach? He could only surmise from that, and the fact that he didn’t recognize the hunter’s face, that he must be new. Shiloh didn’t know everyone on the island, it would of course be impossible to be able to, but as he shone the flashlight still at the figure, he could see now a trainee coat, the ornate markings of the Mist sigil curling around its edges. Still a little in shock as the man ambled over; it took a minute for Shiloh to process his grinning face and extended hand. He was new, he enjoyed the beach, and he was friendly. Shiloh had no idea what to make of it. Absolutely none. So he relaxed, and returned the grin, shaking Arorangi’s hand with a healthy vigor. “Pleasure to meet you, Arorangi,” he said, carefully trying to not butcher his name. “I’m Shiloh, and ah, well, I’m glad you’re okay! I was just doing rounds you know, and well, not many people choose to hang out on the beach anymore, so I was a bit worried.”
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Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 9:43 pm
Arorangi didn't really understand the thunderstruck expression on the other man's face, but he figured it was just because he was new and no one really knew him yet. Or maybe they had never seen a Maori before, or someone with a myriad of dreadlocks and tattoos. Either way, Arorangi just took to mean that he was surprised to see someone out here late at night, and he gave him a friendly sort of wave.
He shook the man's - Shiloh's - hand firmly before pulling his hand away, grinning. "Nice to meet you, Shiloh!"
He pushed a few stray dreads off of one of his broad shoulders. "I don't see why not!" said Arorangi, with a glance at the beach and the dark waters that pushed and pulled up along the shore. "The beach has always been a great place to gather my thoughts. It is very familiar here, and it smells like the ocean, which is where I always liked to be."
Flicking his gaze back to Shiloh, Arorangi said, "Is there some reason why nobody comes to the beach?"
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Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 3:06 pm
As far as appearances went, Arorangi was far from ordinary, what with his tattoos and massive volume of hair, but for Shiloh that was the sort of thing met with curiousity and a myriad of questions, which the poor hunter would likely be subject to once he composed himself. Which he was trying to do, as Arorangi solidly shook his hand, returning the pleasantries without so much as a hint of sarcasm. It was refreshing to say the least and Shiloh relaxed a bit, taking a moment to better study the hunter while he explained himself. He supposed being new to the island, Arorangi wouldn't understand his surprise, the beaches had been relatively quiet lately and the stories and rumours died down, so it was possible no one had warned him. Shiloh watched him as he described the ocean with a fondness that even Shiloh could pick up on. It was refreshing to meet someone so kind, so earnest. Shiloh wondered if he's met many other people on the island yet. "Well, for awhile there were some threatening tentacles," he answered, "And then the insanity titans crashed a couple beach parties... I guess you haven't been here very long, huh?" Shiloh had his own personal reasons, of course, for steering clear of the beach, but it was easy to distract himself from such thoughts when he was brimming with questions. He smiled at Arorangi, switching off the flashlight and latching it onto one of his belt loops. "The beach is nice, it's just not always the safest. Did you live by the ocean, before here I mean?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 3:55 pm
Shiloh and Arorangi probably looked as different as two people could be - Arorangi was tall and broad shouldered, with a barrel chest and tattoos lining all up and down his arms. His skin was dark, his hair darker still, and wound into a multitude of braids and dreadlocks that were currently twisted up into a messy, frizzy half-knot at the back of his head. Shiloh, on the other hand, was pale, with bright, pastel colored hair and much more slender, though still most definitely masculine. Arorangi flashed him a wide smile.
"Tentacles make things interesting, mate," he said with a laugh. "I would not expect things to be dull here! There is much to do and much to see, and even the ocean is filled with all manner of things to keep one interested. Now, I'm not sure what the tentacles are, or the insanity titans, but they sound good to me! And by good I mean interesting."
Arorangi patted the spot of sand next to him. "Come and join me, mate! And no, I have not been here long, only a few days! I woke up on Monday, and, well, here I am!"
His expression turned a mixture of amusement and pleasure. "I am from New Zealand," he explained, giving Shiloh a thumbs up. "From Auckland, the capital! It is a beautiful place, with lots of water everywhere, as New Zealand is an island! Everyone should visit it some day."
He wrapped his hands around his knees and said, "So where are you from, Shiloh, and how long have you been here?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 6:02 pm
“Interesting is, uh, one way to put it, I guess,” Shiloh said, “Though I guess, when I first came here, I thought that they were pretty cool too. They get considerably less cool when a giant ocean monster eats you, though.” His tone was light, though the incident hadn’t been, it was far easier to laugh about the craziness of it all and he found it strangely relaxing to be in the company of someone with whom he could. It was the sort of company not often found on the island, and he was still marvelling at it as Arorangi offered him a seat on the sand next to him. “I suppose I can take a little break, it’s pretty quiet out anyway,” he conceded to himself, shrugging his coat up over his shoulders so as not to get it dirty as he plopped himself into the damp sand. “You really are fresh out of the pod, huh?” he asked, turning his face from the ocean to glance at his new acquaintance. “You got your weapon then? What do you think, it’s pretty exciting, isn’t it?” It felt like it had been forever since he’d gotten here, since waking up and meeting Haruko. She was intrinsically a part of him now, and it was hard to remember a time when her presence hadn’t always been there. Like the ocean that surrounded them, she had become a daily part of his life. Shiloh, if it were possible, looked even more enthused as Arorangi explained where he was from. “New Zealand, wow, that’s across the world! No wonder you are used to deadly oceans,” he laughed, shaking his head. “I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 5:08 pm
Arorangi looked mildly interested in this.
"A sea monster tried to eat you?" he asked, eyes wide with curiosity. "Such a strange thing to be happening! I have wrestled with a few ocean creatures myself when I was spear fishing, but I don't think anything with tentacles ever tried to eat me. Still," he added, with a smile, "I'm glad to see that you are alive and well! Even if we have just met, I can tell you are a good person!"
He seemed very assured of this, Arorangi looking pleased as Shiloh sat beside him. The ocean lapped gently at the sand in front of their feet, and it was a reassuring sound, pleasant and soft, still the rush of water as imposing as ever. But to Arorangi, it was a familiar imposing, and he did not mind it.
"Yes," he answered, absently twisting one of his dreads. "I have found my weapon, he is a spear! His name is Ari," he added with a toothy grin. "He is very talkative, and at first it was strange, but I have gotten used to it! I think I like having someone to always talk to, especially when there is no one else around to talk to."
"New Zealand is very beautiful," said Arorangi affectionately. "I was born and raised there; I came to the States when I was a teenager, but I always wanted to go back to my home. Still, this is an island," he said with a laugh, "and I like it here so far!"
He rested his chin on his thick arms. "What sort of people are here on the island, mate?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 7:36 pm
“It was awful!” Shiloh said, his enthusiasm boiling over in an effort to make Arorangi fully understand the situation. “It was huge, massive, like a dinosaur or like, Godzilla or something. And their saliva was this blue gooey stuff that got all over and made you sick and stained all of your clothes. If I can give you any advice, it would be do your best to not get digested.” He’d leaned over a bit, and was staring straight at the other hunter, and all of a sudden he couldn’t help but laugh. “It sounds pretty crazy, doesn’t it? But thank you… You seem like a really good person too.” The waves rolled in front of them, noisy in general but quiet as far as Deus was concerned, and Shiloh was thankful for the distinct lack of ominous shadows against the horizon. His hand was on Haruko’s charm as Arorangi spoke about his weapon, a comfort in a setting where Shiloh wasn’t entirely comfortable. But Arorangi too, had a comfortable presence; his voice had a certain mellow quality to it, pleasant to listen to as he answered Shiloh’s questions. “Ah, that’s good! It’s definitely different but you can forge a really good partnership you know, it’s like, what’s that word, symbiotic?” He smiled brightly. “Well, I hope someday you can go back again. It’ll for sure be possible down the road, we get leave days and stuff, so we’re not completely stuck and you make a decent wage, so travel isn’t unheard off. As for people? There’s well… There’s a whole mix of people.”’ Running his fingers through his hair, Shiloh pushed his bangs back, trying to think how best to word his answer. “It’s sort of like high school, in a way. Or I guess maybe college… All sorts of people, from all walks of life. There’s a lot of nice people, and most are good to help you out if you need it, but there are always some too that are… Not so nice. Just keep an open eye out, is always a good policy and don’t piss off Caelius.”
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:13 pm
Arorangi gave a sage nod. "Like the time I was spearfishing and accidentally ran into a shark on Karekare in West Auckland. Usually they do not come so close to the shore, but occasionally one will swim up and you must either ignore it and wait for it to leave, or you must kill it." He gave a little shrug. "It was not a very big shark, so I let it go, but it is very surprising to be fishing and all of a sudden have to run away from a shark!"
He didn't really like the idea of giant monsters making him sick, though. If there was one thing that Arorangi found annoying, it was getting sick; and he had a habit of trying to stay active and moving even when he was sick, which was not a particularly good habit. Arorangi smiled.
"I am just me," he said lightly. "I am a kiwi!"
He was clearly very proud of this fact, Arorangi beaming at Shiloh, and he listened intently to everything he was saying. The idea of getting money for doing what they were doing, as well as traveling, was vastly interesting to him; perhaps one day he'd be able to go back to Auckland.
It was a very promising thought.
A laugh escaped his throat. "I never finished college," Arorangi admitted. "I was recruited first. But I liked it! And I will be sure to keep that in mind about Caelius, though I do not know who he is. What is your division?" he asked curiously, and then said proudly, "I have learned I am in Mist! I am quite happy to be a jack-of-all-trades, and they all seem very nice so far!"
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Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:08 pm
“A shark?” Shiloh asked, eyes wide. The closest he’d ever been to a shark was in an aquarium and while it seemed foolish for him to be so excited over such a humble predator considering what they dealt with at Deus, he couldn’t help but marvel. “And you just stood there? Did you keep fishing after? That’s so cool!” He smiled as Arorangi proclaimed himself a kiwi, the expression genuine. It was nice to sit on the sand and talk, and he’d almost forgotten the terrors of the beach, both work-related and personal. It was a good distraction and he appreciated it. “I never went to college,” Shiloh admitted, and he was laughing along with his new acquaintance. “I never really knew what I would be good at, so I just hung around home and worked a lot and then, well, that’s where they found me anyway. I was glad to get away… How about you? I mean, how do you feel about coming here? And I’m in Death, by the way! Caelius is my division lead, and he’s kind of… Indescribable? A villain maybe, but he’s capable even if I don’t approve of all of his methods.” Then, a little quieter, “And he’s scary as heck.”
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Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 10:36 pm
"I stood there and did not move; sharks are not too scary as long as you stay away from them and do not panic if you are near one!" said Arorangi, in a very matter-of-fact tone of voice. He wagged a finger towards Shiloh and grinned. "They like to keep to themselves, you see, and they do not attack unless they are provoked, but they are scary anyway! They are meant to be, so that they can do what they want without worry! After a few minutes, it left, and I continued fishing!"
He was smiling brightly, his eyes alight as he reminisced, clearly happy with his memories. Arorangi tilted his head to see Shiloh more clearly, brushing stray dreads out of his face as he considered the question. "I am glad to have come here," he said, after a moment. "I had a good life in the States and at home, but it was a little quiet after a while. I felt as though I had done everything there was to be done," Arorangi added, his expression relaxing into a more gentle one. "I did good while I was in the States, and now I will do good here."
It wasn't said with arrogance or pride, merely a quiet reassurance to himself. Arorangi lapsed into thought for a moment and then flicked his gaze back to Shiloh, looking deeply interested in what he had to say.
"I will keep an eye out for him!" he said, with a decisive nod. "I will make sure not to make him angry! I will just have to deal with...I think I have heard that his name is Lance? In the Mist Division! I look forward to working with them very much."
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:09 pm
Like Shiloh had said, he’d never met a shark, however, despite Arorangi’s assurances, he wasn’t sure he really wanted to, at least not without a wall of glass between them. It was much the way he felt about Caelius, if he were honest. They were so cool to look at but Shiloh figured dolphins would probably be more his speed when it came to meeting aquatic wildlife. Still, he was on the proverbial edge of his sit as he listened, leaning in Arorangi’s direction with rapt attention. “Wow, that’s so cool!” It was. “Have you ever seen dolphins? What about um, well, I guess kangaroos are Australia right? Do you guys have actual kiwis? What are they like?” Arorangi was lucky to get a word in edge-wise, but somehow he managed and Shiloh fell silent as he listened again, nodding along. It was good, he thought, that Arorangi had come from such a solid place. Maybe it meant that he could thrive here, that he would be strong enough to bear what the island threw at him. Shiloh had thought that he was strong when he’d first arrived, that he would do well here as well. But the truth was he’d arrived shaken and rattled and running away – he hadn’t had much hope from the start. “That’s good,” he said, echoing his thoughts. “Definitely keep your chin up! I can’t say I’ve dealt much with Lance but he seems like a good guy, much less scary than sharks.”
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:10 pm
"I have seen a few dolphins!" said Arorangi with a smile, but then he added, "Though not many; they are not as common where I was, but they are very beautiful to watch when they are at sea! I have not ever liked going to the zoo, because animals are much more beautiful when they are in their natural environment, and dolphins are much more lovely to watch in the ocean than in a pool."
There was a grin on his face, clearly amused by Shiloh's questions. "I have not ever seen a real kiwi bird, except in pictures," Arorangi answered, laughing. "They are not all that pretty, the kiwi bird, but they are fun little birds and I am proud to be named after them!"
It was good to hear that the Mist Division leader was not nearly as bad as the Death Division leader apparently was. Arorangi listened intently, absently tracing his fingers through the sand, and gave a nod every few seconds, careful to remember the warnings and the approvals.
"That is good to know," said Arorangi, and he beamed at Shiloh. "I am very glad to have met you, you are very helpful so far, mate!"
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