Note: This story is written by Omicron and Fatala, we hope you like it. This is also part of the writing challenge Omicron issued.

In Matoran Care

Chapter Ten:

To the dark and fire

The world around Aster both slowed, and flashed by at the same time. She was suspended in a thick layer of...of... It wasn't exactly like gel or like water, but she was still sinking through it. In front of her things from storage and shipping containers flashed by at was looked like brake neck speed.

Then, all at once she was through the 'gell' layer of the transport chute and into what felt like free flowing water. Thanks to being still firmly tangled with the Matoran that had used Aster as a crash mat there was a few moment of flailing before the other green Matoran sorted out what was wrong and disentangled himself from his safety straps, got the straps off of Aster and, holding firm her hand, latched onto the nearest container that was going at their speed. Moving though the rushing 'current' with all the manors of one who did this far too many times, the Le-Matoran plopped Aster onto the container with him, the ridging making perfect grips. He actually coughed out the air in his lunges, thumping his chest to get the rest out before beaming at Aster breathing almost as easily as air.

This stuff deafeningly wasn't water.

Aster held on to the ridged with a vice-like grip. Her breathing was heavy as she tried to calm down. It took her a bit before she looked over to the green Matoran, still winded and disoriented.

He grinned at her again, making an hand motion that meant 'all is well,' something Vakama had done a few times. Though they could breath, the two couldn't exactly talk in the Chute. The Le-Matoran twisted around to see where they were going, letting go with all but one hand to push them away from a bigger container.

Though he gave the motion that everything was alright, she wasn't so sure about it. Her hold never wavered as the container they were hanging onto shot through the chute. With each passing minute she knew that she was getting farther away from Ta-Metru and a most likely very worried Vakama.

Or very panicky Vakama.

The Le-Matoran suddenly grasped Aster's wrists, pressing a presser point that had her finger giving a little spasm that let him pull the 'Ga-Matoran' free and back into the current, aiming to the side wall again and what looked like an air lock further along.

Her hand released immediately much to her dismay. But thankfully the Le-Matoran had a steady hold on her. At first she was confused but then she saw where he was headed. Maybe it was a way out.

The Le-Matoran caught the edge of the airlock, and with the help of a bigger black colored Matoran that appeared, was able to push Aster in, and then get pulled in himself. The lock closed on the chute side and drained so the three had to cough up the fluid.

"Mata Nui Matau!" The Onu-Matoran tech towered over the other two as he put fists to hips and gave 'Matau' a look, "Dragging poor girls into the chutes without warning!"

"Hey! It wasn't my fault!"

Aster coughed up the strange liquid. She leaned against the side of the airlock huffing now that she finally had some time to get her bearings. Oh, she wanted to yell 'What the hell?' at the Le-Matoran that got her to . . wherever she was now. But she would have to catch her breath first if she wanted to.

"So what happened with that transport?" The Onu-Matoran asked as he moved to Aster, the big Matoran, bigger than those carvers, but his hands were gentle as he lifted aster up into his arms. "We were worried, and are you alright miss?"

"Something was wrongbad in the engine," Matau said shrugging, "It was a hardowe landing against the side of the fireflame Kini or into the softwet chutes."

"I-I think so." she said rubbing her mask with her hand. "Where am I now?" Aster asked. In the time of being slammed and dragged into the chute she had no clue where the Le-Matoran had taken her to.

"Low-central Le-Metru," the Onu-Matoran said, "You were in an express chute tube."

Aster's eyes went wide. "I gotta get back to Ta-Metru." she said though not adding that she had to get back to Vakama. But that was the reason she had to get back. She had never been alone in the Metrus, let alone been to Le-Metru at all. Saying she was in low-central Le-Metru didn't help her at all direction wise.

"Don't get your element in a twist," The tech said, glancing back to be sure Matau was staggering after as he moved to a control room with a few Matoran there. More green colored then black. "Here, sit down and calm down for a few clicks, your heartlight is pulsing like mad."

She knew that it probably was. Then again after what happened it had every reason to be pulsing faster than normal. Aster sat down even though she didn't want to, but she had to calm down.

"Here," Matau pulled out a small bag from subspace filled with sweet berries and offered it to the Ga-Matoran, "I'm sorry I splathit you, really. but...was kind of crashing and burning..."

Aster looked up at the Le-Matoran. Her heartlight had calmed down a bit as she settled down. She nodded to Matau but she didn't take the offered bag. "Thanks but no thanks. I'll be ok in a bit." Though she still had no clue how to get back to Vakama.

"Yeah, yeah, she's a prettywonderful girl!" Matau said after a moment and looking around, "You seen Ga-Matoran before! Shoo!"

Aster wasn't surprised that being a Ga-Matoran would call attention to her; it had last time. Vakama had told her that most Ga-Matoran got such reactions. Though because she was a new face it should be expected for her to attract even more attention than most.

"Feeling better?" The Onu-Matoran tech asked, kneeling down beside Aster with a friendly smile ignoring what was going on behind him in one used to things like Matau being pouncing on by another Le-Matoran were apparently perfectly normal.

"Yes." She nodded no longer panicky and much calmer. Or at least as calm as she could be knowing that she was by herself in a different Metru.

"I'm Tahiro," the Tech smiled, "Matau is the one that ran you over, don't mind them right now." he tilted his head back meaning the slap-fight behind him.

"I'm Sati." she introduced herself with a small smile. Aster could see the slap-fight behind Tahiro. She couldn't help but wonder if that was normal among Le-Matoran. Maybe it was by the way Tahiro was taking it in stride.

"Its nice to meet you Sati! I can arrange a more comfortable ride back to Ga-Metru for you." Tahiro said as he stood and reached for the computer set up behind and to one side of Aster.

"That's very kind but I need to go back to Ta-Metru." Aster corrected the Onu-Matoran tech. She could just guess that her request might seem strange. During the couple times she had been out she didn't see many other Ga-Matoran outside of Ga-Metru.

"Where at in Ta-Metru?" The Onu-Matoran asked, glancing over.

She told him where she had been went Matau had ran into her. Hopefully Tahiro would know a way to get her back. At least if she got back to the fire temple it wouldn't be hard to get back to Vakama's forge.

"The Ta-Kini?" The tech frowned and pulled up a map for Aster to see, "...doesn't look like there's any passenger chutes near it. And I don't think you want to hop cargo tubes like the messengers do Sati." He chuckled.

A small bit of hope dimmed. "Where would the nearest passenger chute take me?" she could see several on the map but none were particularly close to the Ta-Kini or Vakama's forge.

Tahiro tapped the bottom left edge of his purple Kanohi mask, his blue and green eyes were notable brighter then Ta- or Le-Matoran's gazes. After a thoughtful moment the tech tapped a few things and the map was dimmed and the transport chutes and tubes were displayed. A criss-crossing network of green, red and purple lines. "Looks like there's one in an older sections of the archives under Ta-Metru proper."

Aster had to suppress a shiver at hearing the word archives. Following that particular chute it was easy to tell that it probably wasn't accessible from here.

The Onu-Matoran tilted his head, reaching out to touch Aster's shoulder, "Are you alright Sati?"

"I'm alright." she said. Obviously she hadn't stopped the entire shudder from coming out.

"Don't worry, it's perfectly safe down there and the way is marked clearly on the floor." The tech pointed down and to their right where there was helpful green Matoran text on the grating by the doorway.

She looked over to where he was pointing. "Thank you Tahiro." Aster turned back to thank the tech. Hopefully she'd be able to get back to Vakama soon.

"It's no problem." Tahiro smiled and pulled a new data pad off a rack at kneel level, "I'll copy the maps for you. Hey! Tamaru! Come 'ere!"

That would definitely help, that way she wouldn't have to worry about getting lost. With the help she felt more confident about the situation she was in and her ability to move around the Metrus on her own. Well she wasn't exactly that confident but more than she was before.

"Ya'?" A blue and green form popped up, pretty much out of nowhere it seemed.

"Can you take Sati over to station 45b?" The Onu-Matoran asked offering a hand to Aster to help her up as he held the data pad for her in the other hand, "She's going to the Ta- station 822, the sub Onu-section."

Aster took the hand as she stood up. "Thank you again." she said taking the offered data pad before following Tamaru.

The darkness beyond the sub-way like train car was deep, up until a few lights started to flicker on outside the chute, as the car eased to a stop. There was a slight shutter as the docking clamps grasped the car and pulled it to an airlock. A few strange sounds where heard and then the doors swished open, revealing the quite station beyond as more than four lights struggled to come on. There air that came in had an aged feel and smell to it, but not stale air.

Slowly Aster came out from the car. No one was around as she hopped out. Looking around few lights illuminated the station like area. The smell of the air reminded her of where she was found though it was different; not as old. A few more lights flickered ahead illuminating the exit. Without waiting she ran towards it, hoping to get to the surface soon.

The trouble would be, the faster Aster ran, the harder it was for these older lights and heat sensors to properly come on in time. It would make the girl go slower, or wander around in the dark.

Learning about the lights she had to slow for the lights to turn on at the right time. Wandering in the darkness of the Metru Nui underground would not be a pleasant experience for her. Still the longer it took, the more she wanted to see the light of day. A door to the left was the one she needed to navigate to the nearest entrance/exit to the surface. There were lights on beyond the door, and it would take a minute to realize that these lights were heat and motion triggered as well...

Stopping a moment Aster took a look at the maps that Tahiro had copied for her. Once the lights brightened to the proper level she got a better look at it. It indicated that she would have to take a door coming up ahead of her left. Smiling Aster was happy at the idea of getting out soon.

The lights were still on in the next passage, and the air was a little more 'stirred up' in a way, as well as having a lingering scent like an unknown but still slightly familiar spice.

The Ga-Matoran didn't know why but she felt the 'disturbance' in the air. It was strange, as if something had moved through recently, but no other Matoran had come down here; had they?

No... not likely since Tahiro and Tamaru had both said that this station wasn't used very much, if at all anymore. Other than for mataince or the random person like Aster.

Despite her wariness she continued towards the exit. Approaching it she smelt something; a linger sent. It was something like a spice, familiar but from where she wasn't quite sure.

It was kind of like when she and Vakama had been with Lhikan, back when Aster had been shrunk to the size of a Matoran child. When She and Vakama had been pretty much in the Toa's lap as he told of stories. That spice was like, or apart of Lhikan's scent.

Aster was close to the door that would lead her out but the smell seemed even stronger as if someone or something was ahead. But who or what could it be?

Something...snorted, or huffed up again around the corner, followed by the sound of something non-Matoran and more animal like sniffing.

Hearing that she froze. Whatever it was definitely wasn't a Matoran. Slowly Aster started to back away. The exit was so close but to get there she'd have to get past whatever was lurking around the corner. Maybe it would be safer to go back and find a different chute.

But then again, there were several large, tamed Rahi, Vakama had told Aster about them.

Remembering that Aster weighed her options. Maybe it was one of those Rahi. Noticing several lights that flickered on and off as if partially broken she moved over to them. Though she couldn't get a perfect angle from that position she'd be able to see a bit around the corner. Perhaps she could see what was there.

The first thing, was a long tail, it was twitching at the tip and attached to the hind quarters of a four legged animal that was hunkered down and half in a hole in the floor. It was only after noticing the mottled gold and tan hide that it would sink in that this...creature, was organic.

Seeing this Aster was intrigued; there was another organic being on Metru Nui. This one obviously wasn't human more like a Rahi though none that Vakama had described. Being so intrigued Aster didn't notice that she had moved closer towards this Rahi.

The tail twitched and shifted, used for counter balance as the creature muttered and grumbling nonsense sounds in its chest and throat. The hide looked surprisingly soft, and the mottling was blended together in soft edges, no true line.

The Ga-Matoran watched the creature for a long moment. At least this confirmed at not every creature or Rahi on Metru Nui wasn't biomechanical. But her thoughts suddenly stopped as she now realized that she was no longer safety in the shadows.

The Rahi, if it was a Rahi backed up and sat up, in doing so Aster could see the distinct, dragon like look to it as the Rahi gave itself a shake before spotting the Matoran formed human. It blinked.

Aster's blue-green eyes stared at the creature in front of her. She was conflicted whether she could run or not; not sure if this creature would hurt her or not.

"Ahh..." A clear voice, a female voice, started and then strangely crouching low. Not in a way of about to pounce and attack, but in that way of a scared critter, the eyes glowed in that Bionicle way, the horizontal line of the a copper pupil on a back drop of dark gold.

From the creature's reaction is seems that it was more afraid of her than she was of it. Aster was not more curious than scared.

"Please don't scream," It said, in unhindered Matoran speech, adding softly, "I don't want to go back to storage."

"You were in the archives?" Aster had to stop herself from adding 'as well'. She moved to closer to get a better look at the creature. "Who are you?"

The big dragon-like creature shifted away a little, all the three towed feet tucking up under the mottled body and tail tip twitching, that shifted showed the ridging along the back and sides as well as an odd patch, "I'm called Avta." The name was a mix of the prefixes for 'light' and 'fire,' meaning that the name itself meant something like 'fire light.'

At Avta's slight retreat Aster stopped. "I'm A- Sati." she stopped herself before she could tell her true name.

Despite the gap between them, the creature slowly extended its long neck, sniffing at Aster before blinking and then frowned, "You...don't smell like a normal Matoran..."

Guess she couldn't hide that fact, even with her Ga-Matoran form. "I'm not." she admitted. Though she would deny it otherwise there was no one but her and Avta around.

Avta was slow, ever so slowly edging closer, but her paws where still tucked up under her body and remained low to the ground, "You...smell like the storage too." She said after a moment in surprise.

With that sense of smell Avta was looking past the thin veil that she used to hide who and what she really was. The disguised human probably didn't look as taken back as she should have. At hearing the word storage her eyes looked away. "I know."

"Why were you in there too?" The creature asked, "I was more history as I healed."

Though Vakama and Lhikan had a few ideas why neither were completely sure. "I don't know." Aster admitted. But something Avta said interested her. From what she said it sounded like she may have been injured before being put in the archives.

The creature hunkered down, relaxing a bit now, "I'm a Hordika, a living ancestor, what are you Sati?"

"I'm really a human." she confesses. "A Ta-Matoran named Vakama found me and made me this mask to hide who and what I am." It was a lot to tell to someone she had just met but Aster could help but feel a connection between her and Avta. Maybe it was because they had both been in the archive storage.

The organic Hordika hummed in response at first before shifting to used a forepaw, giving it a quick lick on the side and swiped it over her muzzle to get rid of some dust, "You're lucky then, to have a good pack mate to give you such a useful gift."

She didn't know what the term pack mate essentially meant but if it meant friend then yes, she was lucky to have a friend like him.

"What are you doing down here though?" Avta tilted her wedged shaped head to regard Aster with one eye, "You don't have to hide."

"I accidently ended up in Le-Metru. This chute line was the closest I could get to the forges. Why are you down here?" She had an idea why.

"Matoran don't remember their organic Hordika ancestors," Avta shook her head, muzzle barely brushing the ground in front of the Aster. "the only place I can lope on the surface is in Po-Metru, but I have to hunt down here so not to panic the little ones. I don't want to be put back in storage you understand."

Aster nodded. "I do." There was no way she wanted to be put back there either. She could easily sympathies.

Avta looked at the hole in the ground and then beyond, "The passage to the surface this way was blocked off by the Vaki, that's why I'm digging to the next level down and over." she warned.

It just seemed that everything was against her today. "Will there be a way out there?" she asked hoping.

"Oh yes," Avta nodded, showing she had many non-animal motions and actions. "I can give you a ride if you don't report me." A quick flash of smile that had fangs before she closed her mouth with a click, remembering Matoran, or Matoran-like being.

She didn't seem to mind the fanged smile, it was not a snarl like Lhikan had earlier. "I wouldn't want anyone to go back to the archives." Aster said reassuring to the Hordika.

The mottled Hordika shifted and edged closer agin to lightly touch Aster's arm in silent thanks with a tiny lick.

Aster smiled at her. She knew how it felt to have to hide, though not as much as Avta. The disguised human couldn't only guess how long the Hordika had been hiding from the Vahki and the Matoran.

Avta turned moving in the hall so her side was exposed to Aster now, and the odd patch between and over her shoulders, "Can you climb up? And hold onto the ridges on the spinner patch?"

Nodding Aster was able to get up on to her back. The 'spinner patch' as Avta calmed it has ridges that were just the right size for her to grip on to.

Twisting her neck around to look at the Ga-Matoran that wasn't Bionicle to be sure Aster was on before standing and walking a few paces. "Ready?"

"Ready." she nodded again. She held on with a firm grip just in case.

Avta peered down the whole, use a hind leg to move something before easing her way down it, "You said you want to go to the forges?"

"Yes. Vakama is a mask maker." Though she didn't know if he would be there or back at the Kini, it would be the best place to start. "I hope he's not too worried."

"I'll get you as close as passable, but the forges are easier to get to because of their sub-level doors." Avta nodded, taking the last hop to the floor of the room below. The Hordika promptly sneezed.

The floor below was far dustier than the one above, a testament to how long it had been empty and forgotten. It was hard for Aster to suppress a sneeze which failed miserably.

Avta sneezed again as well before her sides expanded as she held her breath, pacing over to a door and nosing the control panel, the hall outside was clearer. The Hordika sniffed again and turned to the right, swishing her tail out of the way of the closing door. "I can smell the great fire this way."

By the 'great fire' Aster knew it had to be the great furnace. She knew that it fueled all the small forges including Vakama's.

"Do you know the number of your Vakama's home?" The Hordika asked glancing back at Aster, "Do you have a key?"

Thankfully Vakama had made sure to be prepared. He had given her a key just in case. Even though it had started with a joke about how she attracted trouble it definitely came in handy now. Avta slowed, looking back expectantly, waiting for a hint of where she needed to go. She told Avta which number Vakama's home was. It was one of the closest to the great forge.

The Hordika hopped, and then was in a smooth lope down the hall, Avta was much easier to ride then say, a horse. The farther they went the hotter it was becoming, "The great fire is ahead," Avta announced, "I have to go over it to get to you pack mate, can you live through it?"

"I think so." Aster said. In her human form she probably wouldn't survive but hopefully her Matoran form could. She had grown use to the heat in Vakama's forge and Ta-Metru in general but the great furnace would be a different experience all together. The organic Hordika made a murmuring sound as she slowed, before they were on an large support beam. If one was to glance to either side you'd see the vast network of the Great Furnace, heat waves rolling and twisting all around, at some points looking like the air turned to water for how it shimmered and pulsed.

The heat from the Great Furnace was so much hotter than Vakama's forge. As the Hordika walked across she looked down seeing the molten Protodermis which streamed below. When they made it half way across, Avta stopped, holding perfectly still for a moment before a low snarl. Fangs exposed at something ahead of them on the support...it looked like stings and cords wrapped around the support several Toa-body lengths away, only the things were twitching and moving.

"W-what is that?" she asked. She didn't like the reaction Avta had to the strange 'roots' in front of them. Aster wasn't sure but something about their dark color and the way they moved disturbed her.

"The bad root," The Hordika hissed, humping her back and backing up, the folded fangs in the roof of Avta's mouth shifting. She wasn't sure if her venom would work on plant matter, though the 'bad root' as Avta called it was more than just a plant...it was still a plant.

Aster didn't argue against the move away from the root. Personally she wanted to avoid it as much as the Hordika. Avta turned, taking two steps and froze again, one paw up raised as she saw another tangle of slithering pale roots that were spreading out. Aster gasped a little seeing more roots coming towards them from the other direction. There was something dark and predatorily about this thing.

"Get off, or back," Avta said crouching in a mock bow like pose, "Just off my spinner patch."

She moved back, not wanting to get all the way off of Avta with the roots closing in. But with her shifted back the Hordika had access to her spinner patch. The patch or the center part between the shoulders started to hummed with energy, a little of the elemental crackled and arked from one ridge to another. Aster was glad to be safely back as elemental energy began to build. It seemed to be a defensive measure; one that she hoped would get rid of the roots in their way.

With a flex of muscles Avta fired a formed 'spinner,' a blast of elemental energy impacted at the roots, they spasm and then...grew... "Oh, may."

The Ga-Matoran yelped, clinging to Avta even more. "T-that's very bad." she nervously shuddered out. Oh she wished Toa Lhikan was there.