[Center][b] Flaws by Design[/b][/center]
As soon as the ramp hit the deck with a loud [i]thunk[/i] Naho began to walk down it, inadvertently pushing some poor Matoran out of her way in her rush. Kanae, who was only a few steps behind her, caught the unlucky Matoran before he could fall. After making sure he was alright, he disembarked as well.
Naho stood in front of him with her arms crossed, one blue armored foot tapping impatiently. "C'mon," she urged, "The faster we find this architect, the faster we can get back to Metru Nui."
"Patience, sister," Kanae urged, putting a hand on her arm, "There is plenty of time. We're in no rush. Certainly there's no need to push others out of our way." He gestured to the Matoran she had pushed, who was heading off the dock rapidly.
"Yeah, sure," she said, rolling her eyes, "Can we go now?" Kanae nodded and, with a sweep of his arm, gestured his companion on ahead. She nodded contemptuously and walked. He fell into step behind her. "I'm not even sure why Dume insisted we use an outside contractor. What's wrong with our carvers?"
"Nothing, sister, nothing at all," he informed her, "But this Matoran in particular is renowned all over the universe for his magnificent work in the field of sculpting. Have you ever heard of the famous Shrine of Kordet?" Naho shook her head. "Well, it's an exquisite piece of work, depicting the great Toa Kordet in battle with…"
Kanae stopped in mid-sentence when he realized that Naho was no longer walking beside him. He looked around for her frantically. They had entered the Steltian Market now, one of Stelt's (Actually its only) most famous landmarks. Here, it was said, one could find anything from exotic fruits to deadly and ancient weapons.
Naho was, at times, incredibly difficult. Impulsive, reckless, and impatient, Naho was well and truly a loose cannon, as different from the stereotypical Toa of Water as could be. The other Toa admitted that she could be a little hard to work with, and she especially got on Kanae's nerves. Calm, reserved and patient, his personality was almost a complete one-eighty from his companion. He tried his hardest to be patient with her, but sometimes it was just so very frustrating.
It hadn't helped matters at all that, during a battle in Ta-Metru against a trio of Dark Hunters during the war, Naho had, as was her nature, acted recklessly and charged the hunters, regardless of the consequences. The attack was ill-advised, of course, and she was knocked to the ground almost immediately. Kanae had had to save her, fending off all three of the hunters singlehandedly until another Toa arrived to help. Naho had sustained an injury to her right arm then. Kanae had hoped it might make her more careful in the future, but as of yet it seemed that was not to be.
He finally spotted her through the crowd, standing in front of a wooden stall covered in trinkets and knick-knacks, obviously very cheaply made, but bright, recognizable, and low-cost. She was holding one in her hand, a small statue of a Toa of Gravity holding a spear and striking a heroic pose. He moved to her quickly and examined it alongside her.
"Is this that shrine thing?" she asked, holding it up. Kanae just shook his head and guided her wrist down gently, until the statuette was on the stall's counter.
"No, I'm afraid not, my friend."
"That's actually a more recent one," a silky voice said from behind the stall. Kanae looked to see a tall, black armored Vortixx standing behind the counter, "One of Tresque's latest. It's of Toa Danoe, a Toa of gravity that lives on an island to the west of here that recently made a big stir when he singlehandedly repelled a Brotherhood of Makuta invasion attempt. Tresque is very anti-Brotherhood, and most of his artwork speaks to that effect"
"Anti-Brotherhood?" Naho said incredulously, "That must make it hard to get circulation. I'm surprised he hasn't been taken out already." The Vortixx chuckled slightly.
"Quite. Tresque is, as a result, a very private being. As far as I know, I'm the only one who has seen him in nearly three years."
"Naho, my dear, all of this was covered in Toa Lhikan's briefing," Kanae explained, "Weren't you listening?" Naho grinned sheepishly and developed a sudden interest in the ground of the marketplace.
"Ah, I take it that the two of you are the representatives of Turaga Dume that Tresque was expecting?" The vendor asked. Kanae nodded. "I see. Very well, please come with me." She slipped out from behind the stall and tapped a few buttons on a small trinket that looked like some kind of miniature cannon. It blinked and whirred, proving itself to be a genuine defensive implement rather than just a statue. "To discourage thieves." With that, she beckoned with a talon for the Toa to follow her.
"Toa from Metru Nui," Ackrann observed from behind his stall. Ackrann was a tall red and black armored Steltor.
"What do you think they want with Tresque's stall, do you suppose?" asked Sareis, a Ga-Matoran that helped Ackrann run the stall, which mostly sold imitations of fine gems. She was a sharp and intelligent businessbeing, and Ackrann didn't know how we would have gotten this far in life without her.
"Not sure," he admitted, leaning back against the wall, "But whatever it is, it must be important. Far as I know, Tresque hasn't met with anyone but that Vortixx for years. Too afraid the Brotherhood will find him and, heh, put his career to an end."
"You know, Makuta Tritoc [i]is[/i] on the island for the month, to oversee the Grand Tournament," Sareis said in a scheming tone of voice, "And I'm sure he'd give a big award for whoever gave him the infamous Tresque. Maybe even an island somewhere."
"Do you think?" Ackrann queried. Sareis was devious, that was for sure, and without that deviousness he would never have done such a brisk business. The Ga-Matoran had a scheme for everything, including ways to eliminate competition. She was truly his greatest asset.
"Certainly, friend," she assured him, grinning deviously behind her Noble Miru, "The Makuta are quite eager to be rid of Tresque's annoyance. Plus, think of the value his work would have if he were too become a martyr. Why, I've no doubt that it would absolutely skyrocket. And, it would be our duty as good neighbors to clean up his shop after his death." Ackrann chuckled. He loved the way his companion's mind worked.
Sareis stood and offered her arm to him. "Shall we go for a walk?"
Ackrann stood and took her arm in one off his large hands. "We shall."
Kanae and Naho followed close behind the Vortixx, who had given her name as Korra, out of the marketplace and into a residential district, and obviously not a high-class one. The dwellings here mostly consisted of tents, and dirty looking ones at that. Beings of various species, mostly Matoran, sat on the side of the road, covered in grime, dirt, and filth. Kanae noticed Naho looking uncomfortably at the scene.
"This is awful!" she exclaimed, "No being should have to live like this!"
"This is the harsh reality of Stelt, my friend," Korra explained, sighing, "The divide between the high and low class is impossibly wide. Tresque does what he can to help, with the money he makes with his artwork. It's the only reason he agreed to the reproduction deal with Xia. He hates his artwork being imitated, but he hates poverty even more." Naho was silent after that, keeping her head down to avoid seeing the squalor around her. Kanae put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
They stopped a few bio later at the mouth of an alleyway, empty except for disregarded bits of trash. Korra looked around very carefully, sweeping the area several times to ensure that no one had followed them. After she was assured that no one was around to see them, she entered the alley.
She headed cautiously to a small, broken piece of what had once been a wooden box, leaning against the back wall of the alley. Taking another look to be as sure as possible that no one had followed them, she grabbed it and lifted, revealing a small, depressed stairway that led to a door just big enough for her to fit through.
Korra closed the door behind them, plunging the group into darkness. There was a sharp crack of flint striking, and suddenly a small flame burned, revealing a long tunnel, probably several bios. There was another door at the end of the hall, this one locked. Korra retrieved the key and with a [i]click[/i] unlocked it. She then grabbed the handle, and hesitated. She turned to the Toa.
"Now, before I open this door, you must swear that you will allow no harm to come to Tresque while he is in your care," she said, a deadly serious look in her eyes, "He is very important to this community, and his artwork says things that need to be said. But, most of all, he is my friend, and I could not bear the thought of him coming to harm."
"You have our word," Kanae assured her, and Naho nodded.
"Very well then." With a small click she turned the knob and opened the door. Taking a deep breath, she went into the room, the Toa following behind her.
The room was brightly lit, several lightstones providing ambience. There were several furniture items about, including a desk littered with tablets and sculpting tools, as well as a small statuette of a Toa wearing a Kanohi Mahiki. Dominating interest in the room was a large pedestal, empty now but obviously where Tresque did the majority of his work.
"Where [i]is[/i] Tresque?" Naho inquired, looking about the room. There was a click of a door opening, and Tresque emerged from a door at the other side of the room.
He was a Le-Matoran, which shocked Kanae somewhat. He had been expecting a Po-Matoran, as all the carvers in Metru Nui were Matoran of stone. He wore a Great Hau, colored the same dark green as the rest of his armor.
"I am here, friend," he announced, a slight, unplaceable accent coloring his speech. "You must be the Toa from Metru Nui."
"And doubtless you are Tresque," Kanae said, nodding his head in greeting, "We have heard much about you, my friend."
"All good, I hope," Tresque teased.
"That would depend on who you asked, I believe." Tresque laughed a hearty, Le-Matoran kind of laugh.
"True, friend, true," the artist agreed, "You obviously must know me, but I'm afraid I've not made your acquaintances."
"I am Kanae."
"Naho," the Toa of water said, "I must say, Tresque. I find what you do for the poor of this island very amiable."
"It gives me great pride to hear a noble Toa such as yourself say such things of a humble artist like me," Tresque sat, and motioned for the others to do so as well, "I'm afraid some of my work has made me not so popular with the Brotherhood of Makuta."
"Why do you target the Brotherhood in your artwork?" Naho asked, "They may make some questionable decisions, but they seem fair enough."
"I do believe 'seem' is the operative word in that statement, my dear," Tresque replied, "Though they may put up a benevolent front, I assure you that it is nothing but a farce, intended to keep the Toa in line. A friend of mine, a Toa of Earth named Onyo, was once one of Makuta Bitil's Hagah, special Toa selected to be bodyguards for the Makuta. One night, he accidently overheard Bitil speaking to a representative from Makuta Gorast, ruler of the Tren Krom Peninsula. Apparently, they were discussing the destruction of a village of Matoran that refused to do slave work for the Brotherhood. Onyo left then, to pass on this information to his brother and sister Toa, but before he could make it he was stopped by the Makuta's Rahkshi and forced to flee. He came to me not long after that, begging for shelter. I acquiesced of course, what else could I do, but it was not long until the Brotherhood found him. Fortunately I was able to escape, but… He was killed." He looked sadly at the statue on the desk, which Kanae supposed depicted Onyo.
"His death inspired me to do art that spoke out against the Brotherhood, depicting the heroes that faced them bravely," Tresque paused then, looking at the floor of his home. There was a long, awkward pause then.
"Why do this sculpture, then?" Naho asked, "The war with the Dark Hunters had nothing to do with the Brotherhood."
"No, but it does pertain to something equally as important to me," the artist said, "Heroes. Heroes that laid their lives down, as Onyo did for me. [I]That[/i] is why I am willing to risk my life to travel to Metru Nui and do this sculpture."
"I assure you, Tresque," Naho said, her voice hard and determined, "We will let no harm come to you."
The Ruler's Chamber of the Stelt Arena was truly a sight to behold. Adorned with golden accoutrements, fine statues of the most famed fighters of the arena, and luxurious lounge chairs, it looked like a room taken straight from paradise.
If Sareis felt as diminished in the room as Ackrann did, she was not showing it. She simply stood before Makuta Tritoc, who today was wearing a lean but resilient armored form, spikes a predominant theme in its design, and explained to him the situation. He looked on in interest as she did.
"We have found the lair of the legendary and elusive Tresque, Lord Tritoc," she explained, "Today a pair of Toa arrived from Metru Nui, apparently looking for him. In their foolishness, they lead us right to him. We know that his poor excuses for artwork have brought much grief to the great Brotherhood, and are simply doing our duty as citizens of a Brotherhood associated island by reporting him."
"Surely you mean to collect some reward from this," Tritoc asked, "your kind always does."
"If our lord should see fit, my companion and I would be most pleased to receive such a gift," Sareis said, "But, really, we only wish to do our duty as…"
"Yes, yes," the Makuta interrupted, "You said that. Name your price. I assure you, if it is too high, I will refuse. Perhaps forcefully."
"I suppose we would only require a small reward," the Ga-Matoran, "Perhaps… Two thousand widgets?" Tritoc's eyes narrowed slightly, and Ackrann could hear Sareis's gulp. "One thousand, my lord."
"That is fair," Tritoc relented, "I will send you a team of Rahkshi to assist in the apprehension. And, keep in mind that if this information is inaccurate, or by some miracle Tresque escapes, I will hold the two of you personally responsible. And trust me, that is not something that you would want me to do."
Sareis bowed, but Ackrann swore he heard her gulp again.
They waited for some hours, until nightfall, to leave Tresque's underground hideaway. Tresque gathered up a few of his favorite tools into a bag before they left. Naho offered to carry it for him, but he refused. Kanae noticed then that Naho had gained some small reverence for the artist. Since the tale of Onyo, every time he had spoken she had looked absolutely entranced, hanging on his every word. Truth be told, it amused Kanae a fair bit.
They took the same back streets and shortcuts out to the hidden dock where the getaway boat was stashed, being careful and quiet all the while so as to not be seen. Only Naho, Kanae, and Tresque were making the journey, Korra having offered to stay behind.
Finally, after some time spent moving through the twisted back ways of the city, they reached to dock, a simple wooden construction jutting out into the Silver Sea. Tied to it was a medium sized boat, its sails currently tied down, but easy enough to set free. Checking to make sure that the coast was clear, Kanae stuck his head around the corner of the alley. When he found no evidence of anyone in the area, he nodded to the others that it was time to move.
They hurried quickly to the dock, Naho leading, Tresque behind her, and Kanae bringing up the rear.
They had almost reached the dock when the first Rahkshi appeared, seemingly out of thin air.
Naho, startled by the appearance of the son of Makuta, cried out and took a step back, bumping into Tresque, who fell to the ground, his pack bursting open and releasing tools all over the protodermic pavement.
Two more Rahkshi appeared then, jumping from the roof of a nearby building. They took up positions around the stalled party, surrounding them.
The one that had appeared from nothing was Red and Gold in color, obviously a Rahkshi of Chameleon. The two that had leapt from the rooftop were blue and red-silver. Kanae knew that the red and silver one was a Rahkshi with dodge powers, but he wasn't sure about what powers the blue one possessed.
"Someone followed us," Naho growled, drawing a pair of daggers, her choice weapons, "We weren't careful enough." It was obvious from her tone that she was disappointed with herself.
"That's right, Toa!" a mocking, feminine voice called. Kanae looked up to see a Ga-Matoran peering over the rooftop, a large Steltor standing beside her. "Give us the sculptor, and we might be inclined to let you live!"
"We'll never surrender Tresque to the likes of you!" Naho cried defiantly.
"Very well then," The Ga-Matoran said. "Kill the Toa and bring the Matoran!"
The blue Rahkshi screeched in answer and raised its staff, releasing a blast of energy from its tip, headed right at Kanae. He managed to duck out of the way to avoid it, but he saw that where the blast had struck the ground behind him, a large chunk of it was now simply gone. The blue Rahkshi's power was obviously disintegration, then.
Kanae barely had time to draw his weapons, twin sickles with wickedly sharp crescent blades, before he was beset by the Dodge Rahkshi. It swung its staff hard down at him, but he brought up one of his blades in time to block it. The Rahkshi pressed down, but Kanae pushed back with enough force to make the creature stumble back a few steps.
He took a step and swiped again, but the Rahkshi utilized its power to move quickly out of the way, blurring as it dodged to one side and struck at Kanae's side.
The Toa of Plant Life cried out and took a step back, shaking his head to clear it. He was just in time, too, because it was then he saw out of the corner of his eye that the blue Rahkshi had raised its staff to fire another disintegration blast. He ducked out of the way and charged at the Rahkshi, swinging his blade out in a wide horizontal arc.
His strike was not impeded, nor did the creature have the power to dodge the swipe like its brother did, so the blow struck true. Crying out in pain and fear, it staggered back. Kanae took advantage of the stumble quickly, using his power to cause small vines to grow up from below and entangle the creature's feet. It fell to the ground with a sharp clang, crying out in fear and alarm. Before the mouth plate had the chance to close, Kanae swiftly slammed his foot down into it, squishing the ruling Kraata controlling the beast like the slug it was. Making sure it was too injured to fight back, he reached down and pulled it out, tossing it to the side of the alley. The Rahkshi went still.
Kanae turned to see Naho battling her opponent. Well, he assumed she was. She stood against apparently thin air, making swipes and jabs with her weapons seemingly at random. It took a few seconds for Kanae to finally see his sister Toa's opponent. A few droplets of water hung in the air, pointing out where the monster was even while its power of chameleon was active.
Naho twisted and got the Rahkshi with a powerful kick, knocking it into visibility. The son of Makuta staggered to the side, turned to adjust itself so it was facing Naho head on, and screeched a challenge. A bad move, as it turned out. Naho turned to face it, reared back her right arm, and hurled a dagger. It flew straight and true, burying itself in the Kraata.
The Rahkshi couldn't even screech as it fell back, landing with a loud noise on the ground. Calmly Naho bent to retrieve her weapon. There was a gross sucking sound as she pulled it out, dripping with slimy green blood.
Grimacing, Kanae turned to where Tresque had fell on the ground when Naho had backed into him. As expected, he was gone, along with the silver Rahkshi.
"No!" Naho cried, rushing forward and falling to her knees on the spot Tresque had rested when she last saw him. Sobbing quietly, she buried her mask in her hands. Kanae went to her and put a hand on her shoulder. He barely heard her whisper, "No…"
"Yes," Tritoc chuckled, "So now I finally meet the famed Tresque. I must say, I certainly feel honored." Sareis and Ackrann stood to one side of the Ruler's Chamber, watching Tritoc pace slowly around the red and silver Rahkshi that held the squirming Le-Matoran in its hands.
"I wish I could say the same, Tritoc," Tresque replied, spitting the Makuta's name like a curse, "But all I feel in the presence of a Makuta is nauseous."
Tritoc laughed out loud, clearly enjoying this. "My, Tresque, I certainly would hate to negatively critique [i]your[/i] work. I'd imagine you'd have a strong reaction."
"The only thing I can react to in this situation is your foul stench," the artist countered, "Even all the nauseating perfumes in this room can't hide that!"
"You have certainly demonstrated an artist's spirit," the Makuta of Stelt chuckled, "I wonder if you'll show the same spirit when I put you in the arena and watch you get mauled by a Kane-Ra." The chuckling stopped as the Makuta ordered the Rahkshi to take Tresque to the cells for holding. After it had gone, Tritoc turned to Sareis and Ackrann. "Congratulations to the two of you. You have truly proven that even self-serving slime like yourselves can be truthful."
"Our reward, my lord?" Ackrann asked.
"Ah, yes, of course." Without looking, Tritoc grabbed a sack off the table behind him and tossed it to Sareis, who caught it gleefully and began to rummage through it, counting to see if all of the money was there. Looking satisfied, she closed the pack. "Spend it as you see fit, though I must wonder what there is worth buying on this forsaken island."
"Oh, plenty, m'lord," Sareis chuckled, "Plenty indeed."
The battered pair of Toa Mangai made their way slowly to Tresque's secret hideaway. They did not even reach the entrance before Korra came out of it, looking weary and dragging out the empty shell of a yellow and green Rahkshi. When the Vortixx saw them, or more accurately who was not with them, she hung her head in sad defeat.
"Korra, I… I'm sorry," Naho said, her voice barely a whisper, "We couldn't keep Tresque safe. The Rahkshi took him. We… we failed you, and him."
"Please," Korra urged, dropping the Rahkshi to the ground where it landed with a loud and hollow clang, "Do not blame yourselves. By the look of you two, it seems that you did not slack in trying to protect him. You were overcome, I understand."
"And don't worry, we're going to get him back," Naho said, her voice protosteel, "No matter what, we're going to get him back. I promise you."
"I believe I know where they took him,' Korra said, looking to the west.
"The coliseum," Naho confirmed, "All right, then, let's go."
"Naho, wait just a minute," Kanae chided, "We can't simply rush in blindly without a plan. We should take some time, perhaps an hour or two, to figure out our plan of action before…"
"Before what? Before he's killed!" Naho yelled in anger, "Before it's too late and he dies! Huh? Is we sit around and waste time planning some elaborate jailbreak while they execute one of the greatest visionaries in the universe? If that's what you want, Kanae, well then that's fine by me, but I am going after him. Immediately." With that, she turned on her heel and stalked off. Sighing, Kanae gave Korra a look of apology for his teammate's outburst, and ran forward to catch his sister.
"Naho… Naho, stop, please!" He reached out and grabbed her by the arm. Her right arm. Naho stopped instantly and turned to face him. 'I'm sorry. It isn't that I don't want us to save Tresque, but… I also don't want you to get hurt again." Naho took a look at her arm, the one he was grabbing, the one that had been injured the last time they had been partners. Fiercely, she yanked it out of his grasp.
"I appreciate that, Kanae, I really do," the Toa of water relented, "But I'm not a Mahi, and you aren't my herder, alright? I don't need your constant supervision."
"I know, sister, I know," he said gently, taking her hand once again, this time to comfort instead of halt her, "But, I just… I worry for you, sister. I worry that one day your recklessness will get you killed. I… I don't think that I could bear that. It's not that I don't think you can't handle yourself, I do."
"Is that the truth?"
"Absolutely." Naho smiled, looking at their intertwined hands for a moment and then looking up into his Kanohi Ruru. "Now, let's go rescue a visionary."
About twenty minutes later, the pair stood on the rocky Stelt shore, looking up at the massive draining pipe hanging above them, pushing the runoff water of the Stelt coliseum back into the ocean. It was there that the two of them would make their entrance into the coliseum to free Tresque.
"How did you even know about this?" Naho inquired.
"On the boat ride here I looked over some schematics I got from a knowledge tower," Kanae explained, "I took a small intuitive leap and deduced that perhaps removing a wanted fugitive from an island governed by the beings that wanted him dead might lead to having to perform a break out from the major prison facility on the island."
"That is so like you," Naho chuckled. "C'mon!" The Toa of water leapt up and grabbed the lip of the pipe, pulling herself up into it. She offered down her hand to Kanae, and he allowed her to help him up. The pair started down the tunnel immediately after they had gained their bearing.
The must have walked several kio before they reached the 'waterfall' caused by a sharp drop in the pipe. "I'm guessing that up there is our way into the coliseum," Kanae said. Gesturing upwards and extending his powers, he created a large green stalk, wide and sturdy enough to climb. The two climbed it and found themselves looking at another three or four kio stretch of pipe. There was a light faintly visible at the end of it.
Finally, they reached the interior of the coliseum. The pipe was about one-eighth of the way into a pool of water, various other small pipes all feeding into it. At the other end of the pool was a staircase leading out of the chamber.
"Well, now we swim."
Slowly and quietly as possible, Kanae opened the door out of the sewage chamber. Ducking his head out and glancing around to make sure that no one was about, he motioned for Naho to hurry.
The pair scurried down the hall, past several cells, most of them empty. The gladiators slated to fight in the arena obviously had their own quarters. Moving swiftly, but silently, the pair reached what seemed to be the prison's main foyer, a desk staffed by a bored looking Matoran in the middle of it, an intimidating blue and white armored Hultek, the servant and guard class of Stelt, standing by him. The Matoran looked to be unarmed, but the Hultek was gripping a nasty looking club in its hand.
Kanae nodded to Naho, who drew a knife and lined up her shot. Rearing back with her knife, she took careful aim and threw.
The dagger whistled through the air as quickly as a Nui-Kopen on the hunt, burying itself in the Hultek's shoulder. He tried to cry out in pain, and he dropped his club, but before a sound could be made, Kanae created and launched two lilipads from his hands, hitting both the Hultek and the Matoran in the face and muffling their screams. To mute the noise of the dropped club, he created a small patch of soft grass under it, muffling the noise.
While all of the was happening, Naho rushed forward and leaped at the Hultek, rearing back a fist and striking it full in the face. It grunted and fell backward, onto another patch of grass courtesy of Kanae.
Turning to the Matoran, Naho grabbed it by the arm and hauled it into the air, her other hand over its mouth. Kanae rushed forward to stand beside her.
"Scream, or attempt to call for help," Naho threatened, "And my friend will fill your mouth full of thorn bushes. Clear?" The Matoran nodded.
Naho removed her hand. "Where's the Le-Matoran that was just brought here?"
"Corridor C," The guard answered, indicating a hall to his right, "He's in there. It's where the prisoners who are going to be gladiators get put their first night. Far as I know, he's the only one in the entire prison right now that isn't already in the gladiator quarters."
"Anything else we ought to know?" The guard shook his head. "Alright." Naho put him down and drew her other dagger, pointing it at him menacingly. "Show us." The guard nodded and began to lead the way.
The group arrived sat Tresque's cell minutes later. The Le-Matoran sat on a stone bed, staring at the floor. "Tresque!" Naho called into the cell. Tresque looked up, a smile spreading beneath his Hau. He got up from the cot and ran to the bars.
"Toa Naho!" he cried out happily. "I knew you would come for me!"
"Of course, my friend," Naho turned to the Matoran guard, and the cheer dropped from her voice instantly, "Release him. Now." The guard took out his key belt and unlocked the door. Tresque swung it open and stepped out.
"Thank you, great Toa, for coming to…" Tresque's eyes got wide and his sentence cut off abruptly, "Look out, behind you!"
Kanae whirled to see the Hultek rushing down the corridor, club in hand. Behind it followed the Dodge Rahkshi from earlier. "Naho, get the Hultek, I'll take care of the Rahkshi." Naho nodded and sped past him, jumping and catching the Hultek with a kick in the chest. He flew back and rolled several times. When the motion stopped he stood quickly, and angrily, and raise his club to defend himself from Naho's counterattack.
But Kanae stopped noticing that battle as the Rahkshi approached him, rearing back to strike full force with its staff. Kanae ducked under the attack and dived to the side, drawing his sickles. He ran forward and threw two quick swipes at the Rahkshi, but it simply used its power to dodge.
Kanae followed his opponent best as he could, twirling and slicing, but the Rahkshi dodged again, and before Kane could turn it had struck him in the side with its staff. He stumbled forward and dropped his sickles. He barely turned in time to see the Rahkshi charge again, staff outstretched. Kanae could do nothing as he found himself pinned to the far wall, being choked by the staff's shaft, which was blocking his windpipe.
He gasped for breath, cornered and seemingly beaten. He looked into the eye slits of the Rahkshi, and suddenly had an idea.
He activated his Kanohi, sending bright light piercing into the Rahkshi's eyes. It roared and backed away, hissing madly. It dropped its staff and clawed at its eyes, effectively blinded. Kanae took advantage and stepped forward to put weight behind his punch. It hit the creature in its faceplate, and it flew backwards and landed on the ground, screaming in agony, still clutching its useless eyes. Calmly the Toa of the green stepped forward, grabbed his sickle off the floor, and ended the Kraata's control the monstrosity.
He looked to see Tresque standing over the guard, unconscious on the floor. Then, just as he was about to check on Naho's progress with her opponent, a large blue and white armored form flew past him, propelled by a powerful jet of water. It slammed into the back wall at the same spot Kanae had been pressed to only moments before, and slumped to the floor, unconscious.
Naho jogged over to him and gestured towards the exit. "C'mon, there'll be more soon." Kanae nodded and, making sure Tresque was just behind Naho, followed her out.
An hour later, the trio were far away from Stelt, soon to be home once again in Metru Nui. Tresque lay sleeping softly while Kanae steered the boat and Naho sat beside him.
"I want to thank you, Kanae," she said, looking at him, "For watching out for me. If it weren't for you, I'd probably have charged into that coliseum full force and gotten myself killed. You were right, sometimes a little strategy goes a long way."
"And I thank you, Naho," Kanae said, "If it weren't for your passion, I probably would have sat around thinking about what to do for hours while Tresque was killed. Sometimes acting on instinct can lead you to the right path. While I will be the first to admit that there are flaws in our friendship, perhaps they were put there by Mata Nui when we were created. Flaws by design." After that, there was a small, comfortable silence.
Naho broke it. "It is too bad about one thing, though."
"What's that?"
"The beings who led the Rahkshi to us never got any comeuppance."
"Are you sure about that?" The brother and sister Toa looked at each other and shared a grin.
Ackrann followed closely after Sareis, despite the fact that he had a good bio on her, heigthwise. "Are you sure this is the right way to the place Tritoc said to meet his representative at?"
"It's around here somewhere, I'm sure," Sareis assured him, not turning back.
"And why would Tritoc even want us to meet him in this part of the city? I mean, it's the poorest part."
"Well, he said it was secret, didn't he? Which is good for us. Secret means we can charge more." Ackrann nodded. His partner's reasoning made good enough sense to him. Sareis stopped at the mouth of an alley. A very familiar alley. After a moment she turned to face Ackrann, puzzled. "This is where Tresque's hideaway is. Why would Tritoc send us…"
"Uh, I think I know why."
"Oh, really. Why?"
"Uh," Ackrann pointed dumbly back into the alley, where from behind large pieces of refuse emerged several Matoran with stone and crude weapons.
"Because this, my friends…" Said a voice from behind Ackrann. He whirled to see Korra, Tresque's Vortixx shop worker, standing with a metallic club in her hand, "This is a trap."
Ackrann barely had time to cry out in protest when he felt himself being jumped from behind by Matoran and beaten repeatedly.