Kino: I know it's been a while since I've written anything, but I've got pretty sweet ideas. Empires will be making a come back and The Project will be going again around Halloween. Disclaimer: I do not own Bionicle, nor do I own the original Romeo and Juliet. This idea is based off Gonzo Animation's Romeo x Juliet.
Summary: Deep from within my tearful eyes, your unchanging self is reflected. How far does this world extend? When will the tales of this age come to an end? Even on cold, stormy nights, I search for you endlessly. Tell me, oh wind, which traverses the sea. Our prayers will cross through time. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; whole misadventured piteous overthrows do with their death bury their parents' strife.
Forever Star-crossed
By Kino Lady of the Divine
Chapter 1
Destino
"Mother!" the sixteen year old girl shrieked reaching for her mother who was being held off by the Vahki.
"Give me back my daughter!" The girl's mother reached for her but was shoved back by the robotic soldiers.
"I'm not her! I'm not that Capulet girl!" the girl pleaded with the Tahunga leading the squad of Vahki. "You've got the wrong girl! I'm not her!"
"Shut it." the Tahunga said, obviously bored.
"What has she done that deserves this!" the mother said, trying to reach for her daughter once again.
"Leave her alone!" one man from the gathered crowd said.
"What horrible punishment!" a woman said, clinging to her young daughter.
"Shut the hell up!" the Tahunga said, waving his sword at the crowd. "This girl is suspected to be the sole survivor of the Capulet family." The girl let out a sob, letting her tears gently kiss her cheeks. "I have the testimony of a Matoran who turned her in!"
"A lie! A lie! It's a lie!" the mother wailed. The crowd grew louder with their protests of beheading the young woman.
"To put it bluntly," the Tahunga said, pointing his sword at the girl, "if you don't shut up she— " He was cut off by the testimony of the Matoran being pulled into the statue of the archduke by a dagger, merely a hairsbreadth away from his head.
"Let the girl go freely, Redunds!" a voice called. The crowd looked around for the speaker who threw the dagger. Redunds, the Tahunga, growled, already knowing who it was. Gasps rose from the crowd as they pointed to a single blue figure high atop a building across the city square.
"It's the Blue Typhoon!" someone squealed.
"Damn it all!" Redunds said, grinding his teeth together.
The Blue Typhoon leapt gracefully from the building and landed on his feet, like a Muaka. He cartwheeled and kicked one of the Vahki in their weak spot, their chest. Quick as lightening, he brandished his sword breaking the bonds that held the suspected girl captive.
"Thank you, Blue Typhoon!" she said before running to embrace her mother.
With sly fingers, the Blue Typhoon flicked the lip of his hat down before kicking another Vakhi in its chest.
"Seize him!" Redunds ordered the Vahki.
The Blue Typhoon made a dash for a nearby set of stairs. The Vahki followed him and were surprised to find that the lithe boy had made them weaponless in the blink of an eye.
A boy, making sure that the girl and her mother were both safe and unharmed pulled the hood of his cloak down before throwing smoke bombs to envelop the robotic soldiers. Smoothly as the Blue Typhoon, he leapt onto the stairs and followed him.
Matoran moved out of their way as they zigzagged through the market, the Vahki trailing after them.
"That went better than planned!" the boy said with excitement.
"Yeah, but they're still after us. Go left, I'll meet to back at Lhikan's!" the Blue Typhoon said, smirking at how much trouble they'd be in later.
"Right!"
The boy took a left and the Blue Typhoon took a right. He soon found someone on this street that he recognized.
"Vhisola!" he cried, grabbing her wrist.
"Again?" the Ga-Matoran asked.
"Come on!"
"Why do I always end up running, too?"
The two soon found their chase leading them up a flight of stairs and further into the Heart of Metru Nui.
Matau was pleasantly enjoying tea, finding his best friend not.
"What is wrong, Vakama?" he asked.
"Look! A chase!" Vakama said, leaping up from their table.
"Just a Matoran uproar," he said, closing his eyes, "nothing for you to be concerned about." He opened his eyes to find his friend mounting his Kewa. Matau sighed and followed his friend. Vakama was out to be a hero once again.
Meanwhile, the Blue Typhoon and Vhisola slammed themselves into Vahki. He pulled his friend out of the mess of limbs and torso, tugging her after him.
The Blue Typhoon stopped short. Vhisola bumped into him, sending them both toppling down to the city below.
"Grab my hand!" the Blue Typhoon heard over the rush of the wind. He maneuvered himself to face the one trying to help him. Their fingers brushed and finally the one riding the flying Kewa grabbed her wrist.
The Kewa slowed their progression to the stoned alleyway. They got a good look at each other. The Blue Typhoon's savior smiled, knowing he had helped someone.
"You have a smaller wrist than I realized." he joked, hauling the Blue Typhoon up onto the saddle.
"Let go!" the Blue Typhoon said, struggling to get free.
"I'm afraid I can not do that."
"Get back here!" Redunds cried from the ledge. He stopped seeing the two Kewa. A string of curses flew from his tongue so vulgar and colorful that he would later be ashamed of what he had said.
The Kewa landed slowly on the ground. The millisecond their talons touched the stone, the Blue Typhoon was off. He waited for Vhisola to slide off before beginning to walk away.
"Wait a second, please." the Blue Typhoon's savior said.
"What do you want?" he snapped, slightly annoyed.
"I saved your life, I think a 'thank you' is in order."
"You're so full of yourself, all of you nobles are."
"What do you mean?" His savior frowned.
"That girl should have been saved first, not me!"
"She was saved. But I still think a 'thank you' is in order."
Vhisola walked over to the Blue Typhoon as he turned around.
"Thanks." was all he said before walking off. She bowed at the two nobles before following her friend.
"What is with that guy?" the savior mumbled.
"Let us go, Vakama." Matau said; his Kewa was getting restless.
The Blue Typhoon watched the two fly off a few blocks away, rubbing his wrist.
"Come on, Aka." Vhisola said to him. "Huki is waiting for us."
Huki leapt gracefully off a crumbled flight of stairs
"Hey," Huki said, sweeping off his hood, "what's wrong?"
"My word!" Vhisola said, "He's been pushing his limit again." She brushed her sky blue bangs out of her circular face. She watched Aka remove his mask and hat.
"But they were going to kill that poor girl, Vhisola!" the Blue Typhoon, Aka, rather, exclaimed.
"And how many times have you been scolded by Dume by doing something reckless like that?"
Aka winced.
"Okay, okay, you win."
"Let's just go home. I still have supper to make."
"Here, Aka." Huki said, giving his friend his cloak. Aka wrapped it around himself, so as not to be recognized by the blue clothing he wore as the Blue Typhoon.
"Thanks." Aka mumbled.
"Those guys were nobles, right? They were so cool! Hey, Aka, what's wrong?"
"Humph."
"What do you mean 'humph?' Aren't you interested?"
"Eh, not really."
Vhisola led them through alleyways, and up and down stairs. The twists and turns of the hidden back ways of Metru Nui. She opened a door that led into a theater that had the new play their friend Lhikan had been working on, "Othello."
The audience in side could be counted on one hand. Sadly, Lhikan watched his play go on.
"Why doesn't anyone understand the brilliance on my plays?" he asked himself.
"Your plays are complicated, Lhikan." Aka said, popping up behind him.
"Yup yup!" Huki agreed.
"You understand my plays?" Lhikan asked Huki, who just had a Cheshire grin on his lips.
"Sorry about the intrusion, Lhikan." Vhisola said, waving shyly.
"I'll forgive you because you're so cute." Lhikan said to Aka. "You've become quite handsome, haven't you? Mama was right about keeping you hidden for so long! Huki had a long way to go, unfortunately."
"What's that supposed to mean, Lhikan?"
"There's rehearsal after the performance. Do be sure to show up."
"I'll make sure they get here in time." Vhisola promised. She pushed in a brick hidden by velvet curtains, which triggered a secret door to open. She walked quickly up the stairs hidden behind the door. Aka and Huki trailed after her.
"See you later, Lhikan!" Huki said to him before the door closed.
They walked silently up the stairs, Aka frowning the whole way.
"I'm home!" Vhisola practically sang.
"Aka!" a gruff voice said sternly. "You snuck out again."
"Oh, hello, Jovan. Hi, Onewa, Nuju." He waved nervously at the group of men gathered around the kitchen table.
"You, too, Huki!"
The two winced, trying to shrink back into the shadows.
"Are you trying to cause trouble for Lhikan's mother who has hid you away all of these years?"
"You should have been there, Jovan!" Huki said. "Aka was so cool I— "
"Shush!" He turned his attention back to Aka, who had made his way to the stairs leading up to the bedrooms. "Get back here! I'm not done scolding you yet!"
Aka chuckled at the fact she was able to sneak away from Jovan so easily. He only breathed a sigh of relief when he had closed the door to Vhisola's room.
"Go and change." Vhisola said, tying her apron on. Aka walked up stairs that led to his room. "You always manage to give me goose bumps. It that man hadn't saved you…"
Aka swirled his cloak and Huki's cloak off, resting them on his slim arm. He looked back down at the wrist the noble had grabbed.
"What the hell was with him?" he mumbled, running up the stairs.
"Aka, what's wrong?"
He began to take off his gloves, tossing the things he had removed onto his bed and sat down on a stool in front of a vanity.
"I wish I could remember things. It's all so unclear!"
"When you turn sixteen you will understand thing much more clearly." Vhisola said. She reached and pulled gently at Aka's hair. Darker blue hair tumbled down.
"You always say that. My birthday's tomorrow, Vhisola."
Vhisola looked at Aka's reflection. Aka was not truly a young man, rather he, she, was a beautiful young woman.
"Indeed it is, Nokama."
Vakama rested his cheek on the palm of his hand, watching as the Kewa race progressed.
"Which horse did the archduke bid on?" a silky voice asked.
Out of the corner of his eye, Vakama saw his cousin Lariska and frowned.
Why is she here?
"Lariska?" the Archduke Teridax questioned. "Well, this is a surprise. Vakama, say hello to your cousin."
Vakama held out his hand and Lariska shook it once, squeezing his hand which caused the archduke's son to wince. A smirk appeared on her pretty face before she walked away to watch the race.
"My Lord?" one of the servant Matoran asked. "Hahli is here."
"Hello, my Lord." Hahli said sweetly as she curtsied. "Is today not a good day?"
She shyly looked over at Vakama, blushing.
"Hahli, would you like it if Vakama danced with you at the Iris Ball?" Teridax asked.
"Oh, yes very much. That is, if Sir Vakama does not object."
"Vakama is quite fond of you. I know he will not object, especially to a beauty such as yourself. Vakama, son, please escort her to her seat."
"Yes." Vakama offered her his hand. She took it, blushing. He smiled, Hahli's gloved hand reminded him of the strange Matoran he had saved earlier that day.
"Is there something strange about me?" Hahli asked, worried.
"No, no, you're perfect." He caught sight of the winner of the race on his Kewa.
How I long to fly!
"No good, no good!" Lhikan said. "You have to feel more passion. You two are lovers who can't be together!"
The two actors on stage were rather tired of having to do the same thing over and over again. The actress, Kotu, tapped her foot impatiently.
"Are we still going to do more?" Aka asked, bored.
"Mahi don't talk!"
"Hey, Lhikan," Kotu said, "make Aka my partner."
Her partner looked at her, stupefied.
"No!" Lhikan said, pouting.
Kotu looked at Aka hopefully.
"I'm good." Aka said.
"What are you saying? Don't you want to act out spectacular love story with me?"
"Love, huh?"
Kotu said the look on Aka's face and muttered something that sounded like 'never mind.'
"I'm calling it quits for today." Kotu announced.
"What!" Lhikan gasped, surprised. "We only have one week left before opening night!"
"Then finish writing the last act!"
Love, huh?
Kotu stomped off to her dressing room, leaving Lhikan in a fit. Her partner went to his changing room to take off the ridiculous clothes he had been forced to wear."Hey, Lhikan?" Aka asked once she was done taking off the sheep costume. "What is love?"
"Is there some reason you want to know? It is quite sudden, especially from you."
"I was just, uh…"
"'Love is something you never regret, even if you risk your life for it.'"
Vakama adjusted his collar, studying himself in the mirror.
"Are you ready yet?" Matau asked.
"Almost." Vakama said, fidgeting with his collar again.
"Is it Hahli?"
"No, she's cute… and really nice."
"Then what is it?"
"It's not… it's not…"
"It's not love?"
"Yeah."
"We'd better not keep Hahli waiting."
The two walked in silence down the hall. Matau saw his friend was brooding over something.
"What is it?" he asked.
"What do you think love is?"
"I'm not sure. But, I think it's facing everything just for one person. They are the air you need to breath, the food you need t eat."
"Have you ever experienced it?"
"That is a secret!"
"Kotu, what are you doing?" Aka asked when she opened the door.
"I'm getting ready for the Iris Ball. A noble friend of mine invited me. It's really just for nobles, but everyone will be wearing a mask, so they'll never know. I'm going to find my destined partner. Hey! Aka, why don't you come with me?"
The two talked as Kotu changed in a colorful gown that glittered in the light.
"Hey, are you going to et changed into a dress or what?" Kotu asked.
"What? Why?"
"Silly, if I go with a man, my destined partner will never walk up to me!"
"Then go by yourself."
"I'll be lonely. Don't worry, you're so handsome, you'll look wonderful in a dress!"
"I get it, I get it! I'll change."
Kotu waited patiently until Aka opened the door to reveal her true self, Nokama, in a deep azure dress.
"You're so pretty! I'm jealous!"
"Stop staring, it's embarrassing."
"Look in the mirror."
Kotu turned her friend around, allowing Nokama a good look at herself for the first time. Indeed, she was pretty. Her nearly translucent skin complimented her deep blue eyes. Her perfectly flawless skin just added to her beauty. Unlike Kotu, she didn't have dreamily long eyelashes, her were quite short but still she was beautiful.
"What's this? A pleased look?" Kotu said sneakily. "Our ride will be here soon. Oh no! My hat!"
She ran out the room to who knows where to get her hat, leaving Nokama to stare at herself.
Maybe for one night, I can be myself. Why do I disguise myself as a man, anyway?
Nokama glossed her lips and disguise her fair face with a silver mask. She hadn't expected Kotu's friend to open the door without knocking.
"Are you ready to go?" he asked. "Oh, my, you're so cute tonight! We'd better hurry or else we'll be late!"
Nokama listened to him babble on about something or another as the carriage carried them to the Metru Nui Coliseum. And when she could finally exit the carriage, she was bedazzled by the stunning beauty of the aristocratic world.
At the door, she was handed an iris, in honor of the Iris Ball. He blue eyes watched everything around her.
So… beautiful…
High above there stood a remarkably tall man on a balcony strung with irises.
"I'll go get us something to drink." Kotu's friend said.
I've been here before.
The man turned around, startling her.
Air! I need air!
She dropped her rose and mask, unknowingly, and she made we way out to the garden and found herself by a fountain.
Nokama gasped in breath. It was much cooler out here and much easier to breathe.
Her blue eyes wandered over to the fountain where flowers were floating. There were many irises, some roses and two or three hibiscuses. She scooped up a hibiscus and breathed in its scent.
"Are you alright?" someone from behind her asked.
She turned and found her breath taken away from her in a second.
Kino: This whole thing with Nokama, Aka, the Blue Typhoon… I'm getting confused myself. They'll all be referred to as feminine beings, though there are some characters who will still think that Nokama is male Aka. I'm sorry if that doesn't make sense.