Authors Note: I own neither Bionicle nor Avatar: The Last Airbender, although I ask why nobody has thought of this crossover idea before, and if somebody had, why they didn't put it on . :P
The Shattered Line
By Ozy the Talking Haystack
Prologue
The ink was almost gone. He needed a little more, and then he'd be done. The three scrolls had been written out in his own tongue, because he knew that down there there'd be a translator. These next few crucial words, however, would be wrought in their own language.
Fire, he marked on one scroll, squinting as his spectacles had long since vanished. Water. His hands were shaking as he glanced at the guide that he had found deep in the section of the ancients. Earth. He put the brush down on the dragon-shaped ink stand, and pulled another scroll forward, his heart pounding. Sweat was beading on his brow. The three scrolls marked him as a chronicler, but the fourth branded him a thief.
Read last. The inkwell was dry now. He picked up the scrolls and placed three of them into his satchel. He unrolled Earth and winced as one end clattered to the floor. Clenched in his ink-stained fist was a single, short black feather. It did not affect him as he had been there too long for that. However, if someone "Out There" touched it, well…
He placed the gift above his own story in the scroll and rolled it back up again. He was tired, very tired. Being outside the boundaries of time tended to do that to a person, especially a human. After a while it had taken its toll on him. Though still young in face and feature, his hair had turned white.
"Malachi." He called out. There was a skittering of paws on tile, and a knowledge seeker came running into his private study.
"Take this," he handed the satchel over, "to the Planetarium. I will follow shortly." The knowledge seeker nodded and in acknowledgement, then turned and fled. The figure stooped down and picked up a piece of parchment that had fluttered to the floor. On it was written a single date.
He stepped lightly out of the room and into the main hub, where his friend slept soundly. His friend was what kept the place together. His friend would never approve of what he was about to do. It would be worth it though. They were worth it.
He slowed his breath to the point where he could barely hear it and slipped past the giant hulking form, hoping all the while that his friend would not wake up. It was eerie. There were no sounds in the room other than the beast's deep breathing. He inched all the way across the room and bolted silently into the corridors that lead to the Planetarium. He only stopped long enough to get some water in a jug from one of the adjoining rooms.
Go go go go GO.
He was in. The models of the sun, moon and stars hovered above him. Malachi, his favorite knowledge seeker, was waiting for him at the discus in the centre of the room. The time had finally come.
One thing that the Avatar did not discover on his journey here was that the Planetarium, being outside the boundaries of time, could go both to the past or the future. He pulled out the parchment, and then spun the dials to the date inscribed. There was a sharp scrape of stone on stone, and he reached over and pulled the lever. The roof began to shift.
He motioned Malachi to his side. The fox obeyed without hesitation, the satchel still looped around its neck. The moon and stars became still.
He leaned forward and touched the cool stone surface of the yin and yang symbol that marked the centre of the discus. His fingers crept under the stone in certain spots, and he pulled it off (with difficulty, as it was very heavy) and set it aside. Underneath was a hollow, into which he poured the water. As it stilled, an image reflected onto the surface. The scholar frowned and adjusted one of the dials slightly. The water rippled and fell still. He smiled.
"Malachi, don't let anybody see you." With that, he picked up the scrawny creature, satchel and all, and dumped it into the centre of the discus. With a yelp, Malachi descended through the water and vanished. The scholar sighed and settled next to the discus, awaiting Malachi's swift return.
He waited. And waited and waited and waited.
"Zei!"
His eyes snapped open. He must have fallen asleep.
"Zei, where are you?"
"Oh no." He leapt to his feet, adrenaline looping through his veins. Malachi! Where was Malachi? He looked around wildly and nearly panicked as he saw that the fox had not returned yet.
"Zei!"
"I'm in here!" He called out. He knew it would not take his friend long to get here. His eyes darted from the door to the pool to the yin and yang stone. These people were depending on him. So was Malachi. If he was discovered now…
A surge of strength rushed through him, and he picked up the cover.
"I'm sorry Malachi. I'll come back for you later."
He hid the secret just moments later Won Shi Tong came in.