Author's Note: This is a gift for my friend Dragon Claw92, based on events of a role play, and yes it is Humanized. It's also inspired by a certain scene in the movie Howl's Moving Castle. Hlahlu and Kelvar belong to Dragon Claw92. Bionicle is not mine.
Whenever the Mekiki fruits came into season, everyone knew the best place to purchase them was from the Le-Metru markets.
This fact combined with the very daily phenomenon of a Le-Matoran traffic jam in all the main streets of the Air District would spell out chaos for anyone venturing in for the special fruit. Especially if they didn't frequent Le-Metru, even on a calmer day.
A petite, young Ga-Matoran woman stood on the platform of a chute station, having just arrived in Le-Metru and proceeded to dust herself off from the speedy ride. She wore an outfit consisting of a navy blue skirt, sturdy boots, and a simple brown corset overlaying a teal colored blouse. She slipped a slender white-petaled flower back into place, tucking it behind her ear and into long, flowing dark red hair before adjusting her glasses to peer down at the busy streets below the platform.
"There's no way I'll get through that anytime soon," Hlahlu determined aloud, and shifted her shoulder bag into a more comfortable position. The young woman frowned as she watched the mess of people move about in the street, some walking, some running, and every single person seemed to be talking at once. Hlahlu's roaming eyes landed on a somewhat empty bit of sidewalk near an opening between buildings. She brightened and hurried down the platform steps, stepping from side to side and murmuring excuses as she maneuvered past other hastily moving Matoran citizens.
The moment Hlahlu left the hustle and bustle of the streets for the quiet space of the alley, she quickly noticed how much darker it was, as many cables hung overhead, far more than when one was out in the open areas of the District of Air. Hlahlu sighed and pulled out a hastily drawn map of Le-Metru. She had visited the District of Air many times before, but always with her brother Kelvar, and he was always the one who took over the responsibility of navigating the crazy Metru. Now Hlahlu stared at her crude map, and her heart dropped. There was nothing on it that looked familiar, or even hinted at the alleyways. She glanced behind herself at the groups of people passing by out in the street. Perhaps if she stayed as close to the street as was possible while traveling in the alleyways, she would reach her destination without trouble.
And anyhow, one couldn't come to Le-Metru and not expect a little adventure now and then.
Resolved with her idea, Hlahlu smiled and started walking. Her plan worked... for a few minutes. She made a turn, believing to be near the street still, only the sounds of the crowds of Matoran soon grew further and further away. The Ga-Matoran sped down another alleyway, thinking it would head in the right direction. But she did not find the street.
Hlahlu soon found herself standing in a small intersection of alleyways, hopelessly looking from one path to the next. She let her bag fall to the ground and shifted her weight, letting out a sigh and placing her hands on her hips before catching sight of a shadow down one path, moving beyond some cables.
"Excuse me!" Hlahlu sprang forward, hefting her bag over her shoulder once again and darted after whoever had cast the shadow. She hopped over a particularly fat black cable on the ground, and for a split second she wondered what kind of cable it was, what it could possibly power.
She shook her head from the distraction and called out, "I'm lost! Can you show me the way to the main streets please?"
The shadow returned just ahead of her, and Hlahlu came to a stop. Fleetingly, she thought she registered an odd swooping sound from somewhere above. Then a Le-Matoran stepped into view ahead of her from behind a mass of cables hanging close to the ground. His greedy expression immediately signaled he was most likely one of the more unsavory kinds of people the Great City had to offer, and when his stare landed on her, Hlahlu shivered.
"Um, I-I'm sorry," she started again, voice squeaking. She frowned and put on her best face of confidence. "I don't m-mean any trouble, but I... I can't find my way out of here. Can you help me?... P-Please?"
The Le-Matoran tipped his head, sizing her up. Hlahlu suddenly wished she wasn't one of the shortest Ga-Matoran in the city when he stepped forward, towering past her mere height of five feet. "Well, missy, depends," the man said huskily, smirking. "I'll get'cha to the streets, sure. Iffen you just hand over that purse-bag of yours."
Hlahlu's eyes widened. "I – w-what, no!" Hlahlu inched backwards, gripping her shoulder strap tightly, her face draining of color. "N-No way! I don't even have anything valuable. J-Just a portable w-welding tool, my wrench and some mechanical parts. I've just brought it to carry my stuff in, honest!"
"Lame-bad excuse," the man rolled his eyes with a sneer before scurrying closer. "Now hand it over, missy, or I might just pull-tear out that red hair of yours."
His hands darted out and grabbed her bag, pulling harshly while Hlahlu shrieked and found herself in a quick, dangerous game of tug of war, which was abruptly ended when her attacker shoved her backward violently. Her glasses nearly fell off the bridge of her nose as she hit the ground, yelping as her right palm scraped.
Hlahlu hastily scrambled to her feet, breathing heavily, frozen to the spot as she watched the Le-Matoran rummage through her bag without a care in the world, his face twisting into a scowl. "What is this anyway? Where's the cash-money?"
Hlahlu frantically tried to summon a scream for help when that same swooping sound happened, only much closer, and then a figure landed from out of thin air beside her.
A pair of silvery green wings fanned out behind Hlahlu and the newcomer, causing a draft of wind to blow forward into the thief, knocking him off his feet. Trembling and shying away out of reflex, Hlahlu stared up at the person next to her and found herself looking at the side profile of a young man, his dark forest green hair a little overgrown and messy, a pair of worn aviator goggles perched on his head while cherry red eyes glared from a defined set of facial features. He wore a green tank top and dark pants. His shoulder closest to her was bare, except for the tattoo of a Kanohi Mahiki.
Hlahlu's mouth fell open. So far she had only ever glimpsed the Toa Metru from a distance. Now one of them was standing at her side, his tattoo bearing arm lightly held out in front of her in a protective stance. He had black finger-less gloves on his hands, seeming well worn.
The Toa of Air's red eyes narrowed, mouth twisted in a disgusted frown as he demanded, "You trying to steal-harm from a lady in my town?"
The Matoran's features twitched nervously and he backed away. "No. Not-never, Toa Matau. She was just overreacting is all, I only was gonna help-aid..."
"I'm the one who'll do the aid-helping around here." Matau pointed an accusing finger at the other man. "You're the one who's grip-holding her purse-bag, moron."
The bag was immediately ejected from the Matoran's hands and he sprinted off into a nearby alleyway, cables clunking as he brushed by. A snort left the Toa as he strode forward and picked up the bag. "Some dirty-sneak people... Gotta make sure the Vahki know about him." He turned, wings folding gently against his back as his face, now the picture of light-hearted concern looked over Hlahlu quickly. "Are you okay-fine, miss?"
Hlahlu blinked, her hands trembling faintly as she pushed her glasses back up her nose. "Y-Yes, thank you Toa M-M...um..." She knew his name! Why was it so hard to say it suddenly?
The Toa of Air grinned, cherry red eyes gleaming brightly and he straightened. "Toa-Hero Matau at your service! Good thing I got here just in time. Heard of bad stuff going on in the alleys these past few days..." Matau frowned a little before re-focusing onto her again. "Here's your bag. Better make sure he didn't sneak-steal anything."
"Good idea." Hlahlu hurried forward and took her bag, holding it open. She smiled and murmured happily as she shifted her hand through her belongings, finding they were all accounted for. A bit of a shadow fell over her.
She glanced up to see a very confused expression on Matau's face. "Is that a... tool-wrench?"
Hlahlu blinked. "Well, yes. I guess it's not really what you'd expect a lady to be carrying around in her purse is it?" She smiled awkwardly, shuffling her feet with a blush. Her eyebrows shot up when the Toa dug a hand into the bag and held up a little box-like mechanism with a switch on it. He looked from it to Hlahlu, eyes glowing with curiosity.
The red haired Ga-Matoran explained, "It's a prototype sensory device for a friend of mine. She's blind, so it's supposed to help her navigate around stuff when she's on her own in town..." She shrugged, the corners of her mouth quirking up.
Toa Matau beamed. "And you invent-made it yourself? That's smart-cool."
He placed the device back in her bag and stepped back, still smiling. "So, what's your name, eh? You probably already know who I am, obviously." His wings ruffled with pride.
She swung her bag over her shoulder again, offering a timid smile."I-I'm Hlahlu."
"Hlahlu. I like it." Matau winked. "Where do you need to go, Hlahlu? Just state-name it and I'll take you there ever-safely."
Hlahlu's eyes went round and she gripped her shoulder strap, babbling quickly "Y-You don't need to bother, Toa, I'm sure you've got your more important Toa-Hero duties to take care of. Just, um, point me where I need to go and I'll be fine."
Matau shook his head, a silly sort of half-smile claiming his face. "Nah, it's my 'Toa-Hero duty' to escort pretty ladies to their destination, ever-safe. We take care of the city and the Matoran, remember? Which makes you an important duty to take care of." Not taking no for an answer, the Toa of Air stepped forward, the very tips of his wings dragging slightly on the ground; they were incredibly large and powerful viewed up close. He offered Hlahlu a dazzling smile and held out his arm.
Hlahlu hesitated, wondering if she was really about to be escorted by a Toa. Her face shone brightly and she took his arm.
"Where to, Hlahlu?"
Where to? She had been going somewhere, hadn't she? With a squeak, she suddenly recalled and blurted out, "M-Marketplace?"
"Easy-simple. And they always give me free samples, too." Matau whooped and they began walking at a steady pace, their footsteps echoing off the walls and hanging cables of the alleyway. Hlahlu giggled softly. She couldn't believe it; she had finally met one of Metru Nui's Toa! And to top it off, he was going the extra kio just to ensure her safety. Wait until Kelvar heard about her day.
They had only been walking a few minutes when Matau suddenly stated, "Act happy-natural, Hlahlu. I'm being followed."
Like a record suddenly being cut off from playing, Hlahlu's smile vanished as she went pale. "What?"
"Shh, happy-natural, remember? Don't look around. Might not be anything to worry-fear..." Matau bit his lip as he quickened their pace, Hlahlu holding onto the Toa's arm a little tighter.
A hiss-like sound from behind made her head whirl around. One of those odd fat cables was lifting from the ground, withering and hissing like a black nightmare, others like it sliding out of alleyways and from the cables overhead. Hlahlu's blue eyes widened, realizing they weren't cables at all, but vines."Matau!"
The Toa burst into a run, hauling the Ga-Matoran along beside him. "Darn evil-bad plants. Deep-sorry, but looks like you're in for more than you probably thought-bargained for. Hang on!"
A mass of the coiling vines erupted from a sewer ahead of them, reaching toward them, snapping and gripping the air. Hlahlu could only gasp and squeeze her eyes shut, but before the vines ever touched them she felt an overwhelming burst of air, and then the sensation of becoming weightless. Her feet no longer trotted against the ground, but hung limply. Hlahlu's eyelids flew open.
The Ga-Matoran instantly felt torn between screaming and gasping in delight. She was being supported by a pair of stable arms, one gripping her left hand and giving a squeeze of encouragement while the ground shrank beneath her feet, leaving the frightful, withering vines behind. The strong beat of wings could be heard as Matau carried them both higher into the sky, not yet clearing the surrounding Le-Metru towers. Hlahlu looked up, her lilly being torn from her hair in the process, to catch sight of the Toa's broad grin. "Don't worry-fear, I've got you. No sky-falling today while you're with this Toa-Hero!"
Hlahlu gasped, mouth falling open as she looked around while they soared further upward. A burst of fresh fear coursed through her. "W-We're going to hit the sky!"
A hearty laugh answered her."Can't smash-hit the sky, there's nothing there! We're in the sky, Hlahlu-friend. Don't be afraid, okay-fine?"
The Ga-Matoran clenched her jaw with a long whimper, still flabbergasted at the fact she was dangling hundreds of feet above the ground. Her gaze snapped forward and she yelped, pointing swiftly. "Bird!"
"ACK!"
They veered sharply and the smaller winged creature screeched in terror, molting as it flew off to find safety from the flying Toa. Hlahlu whimpered, trembling in Matau's grip. Maybe this really was a dream. A ridiculous, high-flying dream where a person could be saved by a Toa, attacked by crazy vines, and then dodge birds in the sky. In the sky! Slowly, Hlahlu blinked her eyes open.
Matau had switched to a smooth glide, and the taller buildings were now behind them. The breeze passed over Hlahlu, running through her hair as she took in the scenery below them – streets filled with colorful Matoran from all over the city, carts being pulled by Ussal crabs, some motor vehicles and bikes zipping by, chutes twisting overhead - all in all appearing very busy and noisy. Yet up here, there was just the sound of the wind and steadily flapping wings.
Cautiously, Hlahlu moved her legs as if trying to walk. Her boots moved gracefully in mid-air, giving her the impression she truly was walking through thin air. Her face split into a huge grin, sapphire eyes practically glowing behind her glasses as she let out a laugh, all previous terror melting away as she did her best to tilt back and look at Matau. "This is amazing, Toa Matau! And you get to do this everyday!"
Matau chuckled, pleased at the compliment as he swept them downward and past a gleaming airship. Hlahlu could see their faint outline in the shiny exterior of the aircraft as they flew by, and a Matoran inside the ship jumped, gesturing wildly as he realized what he was seeing.
"I have that effect on people," Matau's voice boasted teasingly. Hlahlu giggled.
Within moments they were gliding over a large open space within the Metru, banners streaming in the air to tell everyone what all the marketplace had to offer. People were strolling around and stopping to view items that vendors had on display. An outdoor cafe was set up in the center, drawing crowds in to the tantalizing smells. A gasp was heard behind Hlahlu."I can smell mekiki pie!" Matau exclaimed as if someone had told him he just won the lottery.
Hlahlu giggled, swinging her legs in fun. "That's what I came to Le-Metru for in the first place – mekiki fruit!"
"You came to the right place. Okay-fine, we're coming in for a landing!"
His wings beat a little more, lifting them higher for a few seconds while Hlahlu grinned from ear to ear and stared down, lost in utter amazement at the incredible view she had. A few heads were already turned upward at the whimsical sight of the Toa and Ga-Matoran as they glided downward, Hlahlu dangling in Matau's secure hold. Matoran scattered quickly to make way as Matau aimed for the street, diving down. Hlahlu's feet glided inches from the ground for a quick few seconds before making contact. She gave a small squeal when she was set down, a draft of wind whipping through her hair and any Matoran nearby as the Toa soared upward, wings flapping as they carried him through the air until he twisted in a powerful loop-de-loop. He swooped back down, landing a few paces in front of Hlahlu with wings spread wide, eyes dancing, a grin stretching over his face as cheers erupted from the crowd.
Somewhere in the crowd, someone called out in good humor, "Toa-Hero show off!"
Matau turned as if he could spot the speaker, still smiling widely. "I'm from Le-Metru, aren't I?" He then turned, catching sight of Hlahlu and walked up to her, a handful of kids rushing up behind him with excited chatter. "How's that for a Toa-Hero escort?"
Hlahlu had to grin back at him, her giddiness plain as day on her features."Absolutely incredible! I used to be scared of both flying and heights, but I've never had so much fun before."
She paused before a thoughtful gleam entered her eyes. "Ooh, I wonder if I could create a set of wings? It could be done I bet. Protodermis might be too heavy, unless it's in a lighter form..." Her babbling was cut off when she noticed Matau lifting an eyebrow at her, his hand slowly retracting from his dark green head. In his fingers, was her hair flower.
A flush crept up Hlahlu's face. Matau's features lit up however, unfazed."I think-bet flowers look nicer in your hair, Hlahlu."
The Ga-Matoran giggled, moving to take her lilly back and ended up blinking, blushing all the brighter when Matau simply tucked it into her hair, gently. The Toa's eyes lingered over her face and he quirked another, comical grin. "Yup, that's better."
Hlahlu fumbled with her hands, suddenly wishing she had a tool and mechanical components to occupy them with."Um, um, th-thank you."
"Toa-Hero!" a little boy with lime-green hair rocketed forward, grabbing Matau by the leg and grinning a grin equal enough to challenge the Toa's. "You spoke-promised you were gonna play musical chairs!"
"What, noooow?" Matau cried, flashing a dramatic look heavenward in mock annoyance. He shook his leg with a growl. "Lewa, can't you see I'm busy talk-chatting with this nice-pretty lady?"
The boy, Lewa, sent a gleeful grin her way and piped, "Can I steal-borrow Toa-Hero Matau? He promised!"
Hlahlu giggled. "Is it your Toa-Hero duty to play with kids too?"
The Toa grinned sheepishly and nodded from side to side. "Eh, this Toa's duty, sometimes. But only when he's tricked into it!" He shook his leg more as he spoke, and the boy clinging to him burst into merry laughter.
With a fake sigh, a grin still plastered to his face, Toa Matau dipped in a clumsy version of what he probably intended to be a stunning bow, his wings stretching outward with a little poof sound. "Happy mekiki hunting, Hlahlu-friend! Take care of yourself, huh? And good-strong luck with your invention-works. Especially if ya' do make yourself a pair of fly-wings."
He straightened and offered the nearby crowd of Matoran around him a general salute before stomping off, followed by a parade of kids. Lewa beamed happily at Hlahlu, having not even budged from his position hanging onto Matau's leg as he walked.
Hlahlu remained where she stood in the middle of the street with a dazed little smile on her face. She yelped, realizing she was in plain sight of everyone that stood by. Cheeks turning scarlet, she hurried away before realizing the produce section was in another direction. She located a fruit stand, barely paying attention as she told the Le-Matoran vendor her order, her eyes skyward as if she could still see herself soaring above the world.
A thump pulled her back to reality and Hlahlu's eyebrows shot up, bewildered on seeing a large crate nearly bursting with pink-skinned mekikis. "Wait, what's this for?"
"You order-asked for it, remember?"
Hlahlu sheepishly mustered a little smile and picked up the crate. "I-I guess I did, huh?" She nodded at the vendor before toddling off, grunting quietly, "Act happy-natural, Hlahlu." It was just like herself to be so absorbed with her thoughts not to notice how much fruit she ordered.
An idea came to her head and she giggled. "Guess I can always make mekiki pies."