A/N – Heyo! So, yeah I'm updating! Even though I have several assignments due, and finals coming up, but yet you are getting an update!

Now, I want to give a message to you all:

'I get it, it's Christmas time and normally — note how I say NORMALLY — we get together with family and share happy times together. But I think everyone should remember that these are NOT normal times. We're in a PANDEMIC, and while I understand wanting to see family and loved ones… I'd like us all to LIVE for many, MANY future events.

Sadly, this society — and don't try to deny it — is very short sighted and has a culture about wanting things NOW. But I grew up with my mother — heaven bless her angelic soul — teaching my siblings and I about delayed gratification. And let me tell you; waiting to get what I want is not only EXTREMELY satisfying, more so than getting it right away, but also gives me time to think; do I REALLY need it, or do I just impulsively want it? Though given our consumer driven society…

Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that even though it's understandable the want to see our loved ones NOW, COVID is not just going to vanish. And with it having the ability to be asymptomatic in many, the risk of spreading it to the elderly and to the vulnerable is too high. Also, I recently saw on the news that a BABY got COVID and DIED. A BABY. Is this what we want? To be so selfish and driven to get what we want NOW, that it puts our loved ones in DANGER? That it ensures that we NEVER get to celebrate another holiday or birthday with them again? God, my heart goes out to the parents of that little one. They have to be so DEVASTED, losing the infant they made together to a virus that's now claimed over a MILLION worldwide. And that number is just GROWING every day, with over 60 million worldwide having been infected… a quarter in the UN-United States.

C'mon people, THINK! We are an EVOLVED species, so use your brains and THINK. Would you rather get what you want NOW, only to never see those loved ones again… or HAVE FUCKING PATIENCE and have MANY more visits with them?! Honestly…!

*Ahem* Now that I've got my opinion out, I also want to congratulate Joe Biden on his Victory. FINALLY! A component man is taking the presidency! Please, let him be able to repair the damage done to the States, both with COVID… and the racism. Honest to god, inside we're all the same on the inside… and the only true monsters are the ones so focused on what they see OUTSIDE than what is INSIDE. We are ALL the same human species… it's just like how cats have different breeds, but are all still cats. Black, Asian, Indigenous, Caucasian… we are ALL humans. We evolved from the same species, we ALL started in Africa (from what we know so far), and we ALL share the same ancestors. I beg of anyone who reads this; please, just please, stop the racism. Stop the hate. All it will bring is more death and pain… over what? A difference in skin colour? The only difference I see… are the ones who are cruel and horrid, and those who are victims. Please… enough is ENOUGH. Let this end…

Think of it like the Matoran. Each have a different element… but at the end of the day they are ALL children of Mata Nui. And despite their differences, they work together and in the end, they WIN. TOGETHER. So please… just stop. The racism and hate MUST end… please.

And this is all coming from, guess what? A EUROPEAN DESCENDANT. Yes, my family is from Europe… and I HATE what my ancestors have done. I beg anyone reading this; let the hate and racism end.

Please…'

-TFAN

Disclaimer: I don't own Bionicle, only my OC Emma and little portions of the plot. Credit to MakutaMutran for letting me use his novelizations of the overall canon as basis for my plot, along with the movie 'Legends of Metru Nui'.

Emma was silent as they walked, thinking about everything. Despite this probably being the wet dream of any serious Bionicle fan, walking alongside the Toa Metru in their time, the girl felt a little differently. More like a nightmare. She thought to herself, pulling her dirtied jacket tighter around her for comfort. I've heard of the comics… I guess this all happened during them. And they were probably never shown in the movie for time's sake. Great. I'm short on knowledge, and if I screw something up - well, besides freaking BEING here - even something minor, I could seriously screw up the future. And I don't like that Kingdom storyline. Unlike others, I think the Glatorian are cool, and the history of Spherus/Bara Magna gives context to, well, EVERYTHING in the Matoran universe! Damn it… when I get home I'm reading everything I can get my hands on!

She then sighed sadly. If I ever go home that is. I don't even know how I got here, other than being, well, dropped here! Emma was so wrapped up in her thoughts she never noticed Vakama suddenly getting a far off look in his eyes. And it's scarier than ever! I mean, when you want to write a story about it, it's one thing. But actually living it?! Next time I see another story on FanFic about how epic it is to join the Toa as a self-insert, I'm gonna-!

"NO!"

Emma nearly jumped out of her skin at Vakama's shout, spinning to look at the now upset Toa of Fire.

Ahead, Nokama stopped walking, turning in surprise to her brother. She glanced back at Matau who immediately began looking around for Vahki in the quiet area of Ta-Metru. "Vakama, what is it?" She asked worried. "Another vision?"

"Hmph…" Matau muttered, reaching his limit with these signs of delusion, but refrained from saying something. Emma glared at the Toa of Air, before focusing on poor Vakama. What could he have seen to give him such a fright…?

"More like a night-terror… I hope not a prophecy." The Toa of Fire answered, rubbing his head. He looked around, confused. "Where are we?"

Nokama's concern increased. "You don't remember?" She asked worriedly, gently touching his arm in concern.

Vakama just shook his head, looking extremely confused.

Even Matau was surprised at that, not making a joke, but eyed Vakama with suspicion.

Emma gently touched the Fire Toa's arm. "Vakama, you, me, Matau and Nokama escaped the airship before the Dark Hunters could capture us." She recounted gently. "We're back in Ta-Metru now, still on the run."

"Yes." Nokama agreed softly. "But we have to find the others, and Toa Lhikan."

"And rapid-quick," Matau added, finally coming over, "the Vahki are sure to be look-searching for us, thanks to Turaga Dume."

Vakama's shoulders slumped at that. "Yes, of course..." he said softly, trying to mentally return himself. "Dume… the Vahki… Toa Lhikan. We have to… wait." The ground rumbled and vibrated beneath their feet. "Do you feel that?"

They certainly did, as the oscillations increased in size. Nokama pointed a shaking hand. "It's coming from the ruins of the Great Furnace. It couldn't be the Morbuzakh back again, could it?"

Emma shivered at that. "I hope not! Considering that we dropped a building on its remains…" she wrapped her arms around her torso, vividly remembering what it had been like.

Vakama considered Nokama's words, with all they had seen. He already suspected that the Morbuzakh wasn't what it seemed, but now… Are Dume and the Morbuzakh somehow connected? He wondered, concerned.

But the tremors continued to grow, until the explosive sounds of protodermis pipes breaking emanated from beneath the surface. "I have a feeling it is something bad-worse." Matau whimpered.

Emma hid behind the Toa as the ground continued to tremble, getting worse and worse, until several bio in front of the assembled Toa, the ground of Ta-Metru erupted, downing two cone-shaped dwellings into the newly created chasm. From it, even as the buildings were collapsing, to the group's horror and terror, some kind of massive rahi was rising, climbing out of the pit with long, muscular and reptilian legs and shorter, clawed arms. Its main body was in two primary shades of green and curved in a steep C-shape, making it look like the beast was in a sitting or slouching position. From its back were spiny silver fins, and five iconic silver spikes, giving its roaring and red-eyed head a notion of lethality. Its long legs were mostly brown, with small hues of silver and black. The beast's light-green arms ended in smaller claws, but "smaller" was relative; they were still large enough to gather up two or three Toa in one grip. To complete the nine bio tall rahi, a long, spearheaded tail swayed, maintaining balance and destruction as it climbed out.

The three Toa and the girl were scared and alarmed by the rahi's sudden and startling emergence, but what happened next was the real topper.

"Who disturbs the slumber of the Tahtorak?!" The beast roared in a booming, deep and guttural, yet understandable voice.

Nokama turned quickly to Matau. "Something 'bad-worse.' Figures, Matau, the one time you're right about something…" she glared at him, obviously not happy.

Matau shrugged, craning his neck to look up at the massive creature. "Don't blame me. I didn't wake him from his deep-sleep."

"Oh, yes, you did… or rather we did," Vakama said quickly, recognizing the strange creature, this 'Tahtorak'. "Remember? The massive creature we saw beneath the maintenance tunnels in Onu-Metru? It was large, and dark-colored - especially below - but I recognize those silver fins on its head. Our battle with the Krahka must have awakened him."

"Woke up cranky, didn't he?" Matau noticed, drawing his swords.

"Wait…" Emma turned a nice white shade as realization set in, "are you saying that whatever fight you got into in Onu-Metru woke this thing?!"

All three Toa grimaced, before Nokama said, "We'll explain later… just stay behind us okay?"

Emma nodded, and the Toa focused on slowly backing up and getting their weapons ready, just in case.

The Tahtorak spun in a circle, as if scanning its surroundings, looking for something. As it did so, its tail smashed through another row of buildings. Then it turned back to the group, yelling, "Tell me the answer, or I will crush this place to rubble!"

"The answer?" Matau repeated. "I don't even guess-know the question!" Calling on his power of air and wind, he jumped into the sky.

Nokama pulled out one of her hydroblades, turning its cable from flexible to rigid. Spinning it in front of her, it deflected or shredded the pieces of rubble coming at her, Vakama and Emma, who was busy searching for the right disk. "Be careful, Matau!" she said.

"That was my thought-plan, sister." Matau replied, before speeding up to the Tahtorak.

Once he was in front of it he began flying around it in circles, confusing and distracting it. The beast let out a roaring growl, making several attempts to catch Matau in its claws.

Emma had to cover her eyes, terrified for the Toa of Air as he whizzed about, scared that he would be swatted out of the sky, but still she peeked through her fingers. At one point Matau was able to evade one claw, but almost found his flight short-lived when he flew straight into the other. Only quick thinking and an acrobatic mid-air twist allowed his body to slip through the claws of the Tahtorak before they closed on him. "Anytime you want to quick-launch that disk would be fine, Vakama!" The Air Toa yelled, in both irritation and panic.

The Tahtorak had another idea, though. "Bothersome gnat…" it grumbled, its quiet voice still sending noticeable rumbles through the ground. Reaching toward a factory smoke stack, it casually tore it off in its grasp, as though it were picking a flower. The rahi then hurled it, lengthwise, toward the Toa of Air like a javelin. "Fly no more!" It roared in triumph.

Matau saw it coming but there was no time to turn. Instead, he angled to face it head-on, retracting his wings into a power dive. His aim was true, and without touching any of the scorching hot inner walls of the smoke stack, Matau shot out of the other end mostly unscathed, though a little smoked. He re-opened his wings and veered into a sharp turn to gain some distance. "Too close!" The Air Toa said to himself, just as the smoke stack decimated another facility in the distance. Oops.

Vakama had finally found what he was looking for. An Onu-Metru disk, coded 667. "Let's see if this helps..." he said, aiming the launcher upward at the Tahtorak with one hand.

Nokama turned from the Rahi, looking down another street as she kept Emma behind her. Her mask paled a bit as she saw something she'd rather not see. "Hope so, because we have company, Vakama." She pointed down the street.

Vakama looked over. A formation of six bodies was flying down from the sky to their position. "Nuurakh!" He confirmed, biting back a curse. "And it's anyone's guess if they're here to fight that thing or us." Turning back to the Rahi, he quickly fired. He fully expected the high-power shrink disk to have the most helpful effect on the Rahi, but instead, it simply bounced off the armored hide of the beast with a tink. Thankfully, the Onu-Metru properties brought the disk back to Vakama, where he caught the projectile with a sweeping motion of his arm without it activating.

The Tahtorak turned back to the three, alerted by the small impact of the disk. "You think to stop me with toys?!" The beast thundered, possibly in anger, possibly in its normal voice.

"Have you wondered how it is this beast speaks Matoran?" Vakama asked, backing up towards the two females.

"Yes, but I doubt we will get a chance to ask him for an explanation, brother." Nokama answered, gesturing toward the street again, where the Vahki were racing up to make short work of the beast.

Does it really matter to know why it speaks or not?! Emma thought disbelief, terrified. A giant monster and Vahki?! This was getting out of control!

The Tahtorak noticed the new buzzers flying around now, too. Another swing of its tail brought down yet another factory, causing more smoke stacks to bow to the ground before breaking apart. The leader of the squad looked up too late. The group of all six Vahki were taken down underneath the falling rocks and metal.

Everyone fell silent with terror and shock, before Vakama was able to sum up the situation they were now in. "It's up to us, then, to deal with this creature."

"But the other Toa, and Lhikan-!" Nokama began, but her Fire Brother rested a hand on her shoulder.

"They will have to wait." Vakama answered gravely. "We can't risk letting this creature rampage unchecked. Our city may have turned against us, but we cannot turn against our city. And I think I have an idea."

Not far from the rubble and broken Vahki heads, staffs, and feet that protruded from under it, the Tahtorak turned this way and that, still searching. "Give… me… the answer!" It demanded.

Matau came to land near the two Toa and the girl, his own question of 'What are we doing?' in his eyes. Vakama pulled out three more Kanoka, handing his brother and sister one each. "I have three weakness disks left."

"That's not enough to end this fight." Nokama said, disagreeing with him.

Matau, however, smiled, taking the disk as he caught onto an idea. "Not if we are aiming at it." He said.

Vakama nodded, and looked at Emma...

The girl sighed. "I know I know, run and hide." She said, getting a little fed up with always being told to run, even though she understood why. The Toa smiled at her, before Matau grabbed Nokama's arm and took to the sky again as Vakama placed his disk launcher in place to fly as well.

The girl watched them go, before sighing and running off to the side. She knew that she couldn't do anything here anyways… but the fact that she was so… so useless bothered her like never before.

It's like when I was little… when I failed to save… save Tay… tears trickled down Emma's face as she tried to wipe them away, hiding behind some rubble. She had to be strong… she had to be...

High above her, the three Toa reached a peak before Nokama and Matau prepared to hurl their Kanoka.

"This may not be the answer, but it's the only one we have." Vakama said. He cut off his rocket pack function, spinning in the air to load and launch his disk at the target. "Now!" He called.

Matau threw his disk from one hand, while Nokama, hanging onto him, did the same with hers. The three disks clanged together on the ground, striking just a few feet from where the Tahtorak was standing. The beast was incredibly powerful…and incredibly heavy. With the disks' power added to the damage it had already done….

The Tahtorak took one more step, feeling its foot sink into the constructed protodermis like sand, before its entire leg sank. "What madness-?!" It started, before the entire ground opened up, weakened and destroyed by the disks, the Rahi's destruction, and its weight. The rest of its form followed its leg into the chasm, sending it tumbling head first into the hole. "Tell me the answer!" The beast roared, while plunging downward. "TELL ME THE ANSWER!" Its tail smashed back and forth against the walls of the vertical tunnel until it was lost from view, trailing debris behind it.

The three Toa came to the edge to see, and Matau listened hard. Years of working in the testing area helped develop his hearing for the smallest of sounds, as even the smallest off sound from a vehicle could spell disaster. "He is still long-falling, through level after level." The Air Toa said after a moment, before looking up at the other two. "Is he gone for good?"

"He's gone for now." Vakama replied, peering over the edge and into the darkness. "That'll have to do."

Nokama put away her tools. "Come on, brothers. It's time we were gone too, before more Vahki show up." Matau started walking to retrieve their organic friend, and she followed, before realizing that Vakama was still peering down into the hole. "Come on, Vakama." She encouraged softly. "It's time to go."

Vakama started. "Hm? Oh, sorry, Nokama. I was just thinking…" He walked a quick pace to catch up with the Toa of Water. "The Tahtorak wanted an answer to a question we cannot know. It's efforts brought only destruction… and destruction was all it found."

Matau took to hovering off the ground as the trio walked into the midst of protodermis factories once again, the Air Toa looking for their youngest member. Here, the flames and shadows seemed to gather around Nokama and Vakama. "You know, it's a funny thing about looking for answers, Nokama…" the red Toa said softly.

The Water Toa looked at the Toa of Fire, wondering sometimes what he had to go through. Vakama, meanwhile, could not get the image of the dark reflection of Nuju's ice mirror from his earlier vision out of his mind. All he could think about was the mangled picture of his mask, complete with hate, destruction, rage, and a sharp-toothed mouth, destined to lead these very friends to failure, staring right back at him.

"Sometimes you are far better off not finding them…" Vakama finished softly, mostly to himself, but Nokama heard him.

She rested a hand on his shoulder. "Vakama, maybe it's best we focus on what's ahead." She suggested softly. "Besides… who knows how long that rahi had been down there. It could have gone mad in that time..."

Vakama wasn't so sure, but shrugged and nodded. That's when Matau came up to them, looking worried. "Uh… I can't seek-find Emma…"

Nokama snapped her head up so fast it was a miracle she didn't get whiplash. "What?!"

Matau pulled back, he and Vakama a little startled at the outburst, before managing to say, "I've looked everywhere, Nokama-sister! But I can't seek-find Emma-friend anywhere!"

Now the group was getting worried, and agreed to split up to try and find her faster. Surely she was just hiding really well around here somewhere!

Emma was really regretting getting out of bed that morning. But given that she was being held captive by a couple of Nuurakh…

Of all the stupid places to hide… the girl grumbled to herself, wincing as she was poked with a staff, urged along with the silent threat of being hit and made into a puppet. And now I'm being taken to Onu-Metru to be put in a tube and turned into a freaking living statue to be studied and poked at… oh the irony...

As she was forced along, Emma thought both of the ways humans were portrayed to treat aliens, including the infamous Area 51… and of where she hid. Hiding near the remains of the previous Vahki Squad… why didn't I think that there would be more sent to check out what happened to that squad? I think Whenua said something about them having a 'hive mind'... oh just my luck! And where were the Toa? Inspecting that damn hole! I mean, I get it that they were making sure it was gone… but now I'm being taken to be turned into an exhibit!

The girl yelped as she tripped over scrap and sent flat onto her face, pain suddenly shooting through her forehead. She groaned in pain, dazed, hearing the Vahki hiss at her…

Then, shouts, clangs, and screeches. Feet appeared in Emma's vision, and she blearily wondered why Matau's feet looked so funny...

Then, darkness.

"Hey, it's waking u-!" Clank!

"Shh! Don't startle her!"

"How do you know it's a 'her'?"

"Look at her figure stone-head! She's slim!"

"So are-!" Clank! Thunk!

"I said, shh!"

Emma groaned, cracking her eyes open hearing voices. A damp cloth patted her head, and she whined as it stung a little.

"Easy, you got a nasty cut on your forehead young one. Thankfully, it's shallow, so it shouldn't leave a mark…" a female voice said softly.

The girl groaned again, dazed. The voice seemed familiar, but she couldn't place it...

"That's what it gets for going around without armour…" a male voice grumbled, only for another thunk! to sound out, followed by a whine of pain. "Hush!"

Emma grimaced, before trying to look around. But everything was so dark and blurry…

A hand stroked her head. "Easy, don't try to open your eyes just yet." Another male voice said softly, and Emma realized that he sounded elderly… and familiar as well for some reason.

"Hmph. Not like there's great-much to see…" another male grumbled, only to be hushed.

Emma let her eyes close, before trying to croak out, "Where…?" She tried to ask where she was, but her throat seized up painfully.

Something was held up to her mouth, and Emma felt cool water touch her lips. "Don't try to speak young one." The female voice, also aged, said softly. "Drink this. It has medicine in it and it should help."

Emma listened and drank slowly, grimacing at the slightly bitter taste. "I know it tastes bad, but it will help you heal." The elderly sounding female soothed her gently, carefully stroking her head, before the empty thing, a bowl most likely from the feel, was pulled away as the girl finished the medicine laced water. The cool cloth was then returned to her forehead, dabbing at the cut and making Emma wince in pain.

Then, she felt the urge to sleep weigh heavily on her, and even though her eyes were closed, she felt them close more. A hand gently stroked her head as something was put over the cut. "Rest child… you'll feel better when you wake."

If Emma wanted to protest, she couldn't, as sleep settled over her and she dozed off.

"There…" the hunched blue figure said softly, finishing covering the shallow cut with the special hardening paste that protected the wound, "all done. Now all it needs to do is finish healing and she'll be alright."

"That is good to hear sister." The red one said softly, resting an aged hand on her shoulder. "Now, we must find a way to return her to where she belongs. With the Toa."

The brown figure scoffed. "How? They have an important mission, yet are being hunted as fugitives because of their own Turaga." He thumped his staff against the floor. "And we cannot show ourselves to help!" He then bowed his head. "We cannot do anything… again…"

A purple and black armoured hand rested on his shoulder. "I know brother. It's hard, and I doubt none of us will ever forget that dark day." The dark coloured form said with a deep but soft voice. "But we still live… and that's what matters. And one day… we will succeed."

The brown form sighed but nodded, while the other four forms clenched their fists at the reminder. The day they failed to stop the greatest hidden threat to their entire universe...

"Let us focus on the now brothers." The red form said softly, his warm red-yellow eyes looking at each of them in turn, before settling on the resting organic child. "We need to return her to the Toa. She belongs with them…"

Panic was the only thing the three Toa were thinking as they searched the area for their young organic friend. Emma had been missing for well over an hour now, maybe longer, but no matter how hard they searched they couldn't find her. Anywhere.

Nokama was beginning to panic badly, and feared that the girl may have accidentally been too close and fallen down the hole with the Tahtorak. If she had…

"You don't think she ended up…?" The Water Toa couldn't finish, her voice choking up.

Vakama rested a hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing it. "I doubt it sister… I believe we would know…"

"But what if she is?! Oh Vakama, she's just a child! We never should have brought her with us!" The Toa of Water almost started crying, distressed and panicking.

The Fire Toa grabbed her shoulders, getting the hysterical female to look at him. "Nokama! Right now the safest place is with us!" He then hugged her close. "I know it's a terrifying possibility, but we need to focus. Panicking won't do anything to help…" tears filled his own eyes. If they lost her, then… they failed as Toa…

"Brother! Sister!" Both looked up at Matau's shout. "Over here!"

The Toa of Water and Fire rushed over, and saw Matau kneeling near the remains of two Vahki Nuurakh. The Toa of Air looked up at his Toa siblings as they ran over… and he held up a familiar blue and white cloth helmet. It was Emma's...

Nokama buried her face into Vakama's shoulder, starting to cry. The Fire Toa held her close, sharing a grim look with Matau. The remains of the two Nuurakh told enough…

Emma had been captured by the two Vahki, who probably were alerted to the loss of the previous squad, and found the girl alone. They probably took her and alerted others, choosing to take one and have more go after them…

But then something overpowered the two Vahki, a feat in itself… Now what could have their young organic friend?

Emma woke up sometime later, hearing the faint elderly voices speaking.

"You found them?"

"Yes. They're still in Ta-Metru thankfully. But…"

"What is it brother?"

"They… found the remains of the Vahki and something of the youngling's. Now, they're searching in a panic…"

A deep sigh. "I feared they would… we'll have to try and get her back to them without being seen… not yet…"

"Alright…"

Emma blinked tiredly, curious. What were they talking about? Her friends? "Mmm…"

There was movement, before a hand rested on her forehead. "Easy young one…" it was the elderly female again… "you're still wounded. You need to rest…"

"My… friends…" Emma croaked out. Now that she could somewhat think, they had to be so worried… no she knew that they were. From what she'd heard, they were…

The elderly female's — was she a Turaga? But that wouldn't make any sense… — hand gently stroked her forehead. "We'll get you reunited with them, promise. Just relax…"

Emma whined, trying to look at her…. but all she could see in the darkness through her blurry vision were two kind golden orange eyes. And why did she seem so familiar…?

"Please…" the thirteen year old asked softly, her head sore and achy, and she winced as a light was shone near her eyes. She probably had a concussion or something…

Something cool was placed on her head, above where the cut on her forehead had been patched. "Easy… it seems like you got a concussion from hitting your head…" the female soothed her gently, closing Emma's eyes carefully with her armoured fingers.

The girl let her, sighing softly. Darn it… she felt so useless…

Forgive me for worrying you guys...

The Toa combed the area desperately in a last ditch attempt to find their organic friend. They couldn't let her be… they couldn't even think about it. They split up in their search, praying to find her as fast as possible.

Matau lifted a piece of old debris, not for the first time in this past Mata Nui knows how long, reminded that this area was abandoned. The last thing they needed were panicking Matoran adding to all of this...

Suddenly, he heard a sound behind him, and the Toa of Air whipped around, drawing his Aero Slicers in case it was more Vahki. But he saw nothing, however he didn't drop his guard. Being labeled a fugitive and after everything so far had his guard seriously up.

Matau scanned where he had heard the sound, trying to focus with his sensitive ears to locate whatever had caused it…

"You're only going to find more rubble over there, Toa of Air." An elderly voice said from right behind him!

Matau spun around, and saw a cloaked figure standing in the shadows. Its shape reminded him of a Turaga…

"Who are you?!" The Air Toa demanded, pointing his weapon wary. This could be a trap…

"My name matters not, but your friend will need your sister." The hunched figure said, glowing red-yellow eyes visible from within his cloak.

Matau tensed. "What friend?" He asked, his heart threatening to stop beating. Could it be…?

The figure gestured to an abandoned apartment complex nearby. "She's resting inside. The youngling hit her head and has a small concussion, and outside of that and a shallow cut on her forehead is alright. But I believe that your sister would like to do some healing, correct?"

Matau's eyes widened, and he stood to his feet. He didn't know if this was a trap or not, so… "Quick-take me now."

If the unknown elder was surprised, he didn't show it. "Very well. Follow me." He turned and headed off, leaving Matau to scramble to follow.

The Toa of Air was led into the ruins of the building, were it was so dark he had to watch his step or-

"Ack!" He would trip and land on his mask. Matau groaned, and in the darkness could barely make out the feet of his 'guide'. "Apologies young Toa. I forgot that you cannot see in the darkness as well as I can!" The elder chuckled, and helped Matau up, easily ignoring the Toa's grumbles about not being that young and that yeah, he couldn't see in the dark like a rahi-bat.

The elder patted his arm, before continuing to guide the Toa, this time holding his arm so Matau wouldn't trip again and mask-plant. The Air Toa was silent as the figure guided him, wondering if he should have told the others in case this was a trap and they would have to worry about him being missing as well…

Matau barely ducked as he was guided into a room, his head just getting under the doorframe, before trying to look around. The room was semi-dark, and he could see at least two other hunched forms in the room, one near…

The green Toa jolted forwards, eyes widening seeing Emma laying on the ground in some dim light, and he quickly went over. The hunched forms let him, sticking to the shadows and darkness as Matau knelt next to the girl. "Emma-friend?" He asked softly, concerned seeing the treated injury on her head and the cold pack. The Toa rested a hand on the side of her face, and the girl stirred a little at his touch, weakly cracking her organic eyes open. "Ma...tau?" She asked, looking dazed and her eyes a little unfocused. The stranger was right when he said she had a concussion…

"I'm here Emma-friend. Let's quick-speed you to Nokama-sister…" Matau said softly, starting to pick the girl up, only for a hand to rest on his arm. "Wait." Another elderly form, a female, also cloaked but the blue armour showed of the Water Element. "Take this," she handed him a small pouch, "this herbal medicine will help with the concussion and the cut on her head."

The Toa of Air took it with wide eyes as he realized that these elders meant no harm, having had several chances already to attack. Yet all they did was save the young human... "Who are you?"

Another cloaked male stepped forward, the flame on the end of his staff signifying the Fire Element. "We are friends, who wish to do good. But this is not our fight, but yours." He tapped Matau's chest with his staff, just below the Toa's heartlight. "It is your destiny to do what must be done… now go, take the youngling and rejoin your brother and sister. But be wary young Toa…" the stranger's molten eyes bore into Matau's, "for there may be more danger than you can imagine in the future…"

Then, all but the female vanished into the shadows. "Come young Toa. I shall guide you out." She said softly, and after Matau picked Emma up carefully he followed.

"Forgive my brothers for their theatrics." The elderly female said as she led the Toa through the ruins. "It's been a long while since we've been around others…"

"It's… okay-fine." Matau said after a moment, letting her guide him around a rock so he didn't trip and drop the concussed girl in his arms. "But… what are Turaga-elders doing dark-hiding in ruins?" He asked, the thought nagging at him.

The female paused for only a second, before sighing. "Of course, young Toa are always so curious…" she murmured softly to herself, before saying, "It's a long tale for another time young Toa. And one I pray you never have to hear…"

Now Matau was extremely curious, but before he could ask he grunted as sunlight blinded him as he stepped outside.

"Take care young Toa. Metru Nui is going to need you now more than ever." The elderly female's voice said softly, and when Matau was able to see again without flashing aura saw… she was gone.

The Toa looked back at the ruins, trying to process what just happened, before hearing Emma make a pained sound in his arms. Matau held her close, before rushing off to find the others…

"I'm… sorry…"

Matau nearly tripped hearing Emma's weak voice, and looked down at her with startled orange eyes. "Emma-friend…?"

Tears fell down the girl's face, alarming him. "I was weak… couldn't stay safe… sorry… weak…made you… worry..."

The Toa gently held the girl closer, shaking his head softly. "No, don't be upset-sad Emma-friend… we worry-fear because we heart-care about you… and you're not weak." He stroked her cheek with a thumb. "Your heart is ever-strong! Please Emma-friend…"

"Matau?!"

"Oh Mata Nui, Emma!"

Vakama and Nokama rushed over, eyes wide as they saw their brother holding their young friend. Matau let his sister see the girl, and the red and the blue Toa were startled and a little bewildered as their brother explained what had happened.

"Wait, WHAT?!"

After that and some more explaining, Nokama got over her shock and combined her little remaining healing energy with Matau's to help Emma's concussion and head cut, before they hid in a nearby complex to rest while they could. However, they only managed to hide for not even an hour and a half before the squads of Nuurakh sent to investigate the damage from the fight got too close for comfort, and they were forced to flee. Emma stumbled along with their aid as they hid from building to building, the Toa trying to keep the girl safe and give her time to recover enough to run. Thankfully, after the healing energy and the medicine from their mysterious helpers, the Turaga-like elders who saved Emma from the Vahki and treated her for her injuries, the girl was feeling better. And though she'd still need more rest to recover from her concussion, she was at least mostly able enough to run.

Eventually, they had no choice but to flee Ta-Metru as the Nuurakh pursued them relentlessly, and the four managed to jump into another chute, this time leading to Ko-Metru. And it wasn't exactly a smooth ride either, as while Nokama was able to twisted her body to avoid slamming into cargo, and then used her Hydroblades to reright herself, Vakama and Matau did the best to do the same while trying to maintain their grip on items flying through the chutes. The Fire Toa had Emma holding onto his neck, sometimes letting smaller cargo bounce off the armour on his arms just to keep her safe. The girl felt nothing but guilt from that, not wanting to be protected but currently unable to properly protect herself.

Eventually, Nokama, who could easily take the form of a swimmer given her element, took the lead while the other three ended up simply riding along a piece of cargo. It was the height of the Metru Nui traffic rush and freight convoys were roaring by at alarming speeds. It was the one time when even the craziest Le-Matoran wouldn't dare to do any Chute Surfing, as this was also the time when most Matoran were taking the smaller chutes home for the coming night and there was a risk of hitting one of them by accident. In other words, it was both the riskiest time to ride the chutes, but also the best time, as it meant that they could hide amongst the immense chaos.

Still, even Nokama's Toa strength and agility made it a task she could handle. The real challenge was figuring out where in Metru Nui they could go that the Vahki could not follow. The uninhabited areas would be best, such as one of the remaining jungles in the south eastern area of the island between Ga-Metru and Le-Metru, or the expansive deserts of Po-Metru, or even the frozen mountain lands of Ko-Metru. At least in those uninhabited areas they could fight the Vahki without risk to innocent Matoran.

Suddenly, the Toa's journey came to an abrupt halt. All forward motion stopped in the chutes at once, leaving fugatives, Matoran, and freight sleds hanging suspended in the energy field. Vakama and Matau looked at each other and shrugged, while Emma poked her head over the Fire Toa's shoulder curious… and worried that she may be forgetting something important. But given she'd hit her head and got a concussion…

Then, with an ear-splitting roar, the flow of the chutes suddenly reversed itself. The Toa and girl tumbled backwards, out of control, smashing into the walls as the transport system picked up speed. There was nothing to grab on to, no way to gain traction. Even thinking was difficult with the constant collisions.

Nokama somersaulted end over end, catching a glimpse of a freight sled spinning madly and heading in her direction. At the last moment, she and the other Toa flattened themselves against the walls and took only glancing blows from the vehicle. Vakama did his best to shield Emma from all this, having her move from clinging to his back to clinging to his front. This protected the girl from the sled, though the Fire Toa hissed a little as his back was scraped, but it was just his armour and he'd rather get scraped than let Emma get hurt.

This can't go on.. Nokama thought, watching as cargo, Matoran and others fly back the wrong way along with them. It's only a matter of time before something strikes us… or worse, we end up back where we started, in the hands of the Vahki.

With that fate in mind, Nokama dug one of her twin Hydro Blades into one of the rings that stabilized the chute. Vakama and Emma were approaching fast, and Water threw her other blade out, shouting "Grab on!"

The Toa of Fire quickly reached out, and barely managed to grab onto Nokama's outstretched blade, before seeing Matau approaching fast. The Fire Toa then grabbed hold of his brother's ankle as he passed over, catching him before he could be lost down the chute. His motion stabilized, Matau freed his aero slicer and carved a hole in the bottom of the tube, knowing that they had to get out of the chute. Suddenly, the group heard a rumble, and they looked up to see another out-of-control freight sled bearing down on them. In the instant before it would have struck, the three Toa and the girl plunged through the hole and into freezing air.

Nokama and Vakama then acted at the same time: the Fire Toa let go of his sister's blade and moved his grip down to her ankle, and the Water Toa hooked both axes onto the ring, saving them from falling to the frosty ground far below.

"Is everyone alright?" The Water Toa called down above the roaring ice winds of Ko-Metru, straining a little from holding them all up.

Emma glanced up from where she was still clinging to Vakama's neck. "Define 'alright'?" She muttered, trying not to look down as her head and heart pounded. The sudden adrenaline was not helping her aching head… and of course being suspended several hundred bios in the air wasn't helping her fear of heights...

The dangling Toa of Air, however, grinned sarcastically. "Oh sure-fine! Just enjoying the view! Whoo-who-ho-hooo!"

Emma groaned even as she tightened her grip. "Seriously Matau?!" She hissed out, having not picked upon the sarcasm. Too high!

"Vakama? Vakama!" The girl looked up as she heard Nokama try to get said Toa's attention. The red Toa appeared to be spaced out, but suddenly shook his head as he snapped out of it.

"Another vision?" The blue Toa asked worried. The icy wind wasn't doing her grip any favours, and if Vakama had seen something worrying...

Before the Fire Toa could reply, Matau cut in, sounding panicked. "How about less vision-seeing, and more Toa-saving!"

The dangling group was suddenly jerked downwards as a container smashed into Nokama's axes. "We're slipping!" She yelped in realization.

Vakama looked around wildly through the blizzard. A dark shape was just visible in the near distance. "Can we make it to that tower?!" He shouted up.

Spotting what her brother saw, Nokama started using her free foot to swing. "We're going to have to!" She grunted. It was their only chance of getting down!

The dangling group started to swing back and forth, gaining momentum, until-

The Water Toa gave a yell, and her axes were pulled from the support. The group fell, yells mixed in, and flipped in the frigid air from the momentum. Then, Nokama's axes dug into the tower, halting their fall. The group swung back and forth as their remaining momentum tried to push them forwards, but the axes held firm.

Emma breathed a small sigh of relief, thankful for their safe landing even as her head pounded. Matau seemed to feel the same, and whistled in relief. "That was clo-ooooaaaah!" Vakama had lost his grip on the Toa of Air's ankle! "Matau!"

Emma watched in horror as Matau fell, her heart stopping in horror. The green Toa yelled as he saw the quickly approaching ground, his mind stalling from panic. "Uh oh!"

Then, "MATAU! USE YOUR WINGS!" Emma yelled down, not wanting her friend to forget about his most important tool.

Matau nearly smacked himself for forgetting, and quickly focused even as the ground approached fast. Then, his twin blades on his back glowed, before splitting open, creating the pair of circular wings. With a laugh, Matau soared through the blizzard, avoiding the ground. Oh, he so owed Emma for this-!

Matau, not watching where he was going, slammed face first into a large screen displaying Turaga Dume's noble Kanohi. High above on the chute support tower, the two Toa and Emma winced. That had to hurt...

As Matau slid down the screen, the city elder's face glared down from it, as if seeing the Toa. "All Matoran should be on the lookout for the false Toa and the alien rahi." The elder of Metru Nui ordered, the recorded message being broadcasted across the island for all to see.

Up above, Nokama felt her heart sink. Somehow, she did not think this was what Lhikan had in mind when he gave them the Toa Stones…

Emma closed her eyes, letting her forehead rest against the warm bronze armour on Vakama's chest as they made their way down. What now? She thought, saddened, as well as a bit irritated at being called a rahi… again. How can we find Toa Lhikan… when we're being hunted as fugitives? And why does it feel like I'm forgetting something? Something important…

The girl sighed, tightening her grip on the Toa of Fire as not to fall. She then pressed closer to him, shivering from the cold wind. She hated snow… cold and wet and it had ice, which was slippery and hard and cold…

And focusing on the thoughts of how much she hated snow kept her from thinking about how high up they were.

After making it safely to the ground, Nokama took a swift look around. No, there were no Vahki Keerakh in the area, or even any Matoran, for that matter. This seemed like a safe spot in Ko-Metru for the three Toa Metru and their organic youngling friend to pause and try to sort out what had just happened. Even better, the blizzard was finally ending, the evening sky clearing and ending the frigid winds.

Matau spent the time recovering from his "solo flight", and Nokama had made a point of not teasing him about it. Especially since the Toa of Air seemed to feel bad enough already, still feeling some guilt of not finding Emma before the Vahki had, and letting her get hurt beforehand. Vakama was off to the side, doing something with a pair of Great Disks, and Emma sat next to him, her head against her knees as she tried to starve off a pounding headache, and stay warm by huddling.

Well, we survived... whatever THAT was. Emma thought to herself, wishing her head wasn't pounding so badly… Ow… and thankful that they were in a sheltered area. So now what? Agh, why does it feel like I'm forgetting something?!

As the girl groaned over her headache from her concussion and adrenaline as well as bemoaning silently over the cold, and Nokama sat with Matau as the Air Toa had his masked face in his hands, Vakama focused on the three Great Disks he had. The Toa of Fire was still thinking of the Great Kanohi Turaga Dume had wanted made. The Mask of Time…

It made him wonder why… and what for. A Mask that could control time itself…. a powerful tool, but being a Great Kanohi could only be worn by a being like a Toa, not an elderly Turaga. So why? Why did he want that Mask crafted… and why did he seem so furious when he and the others had become Toa instead? Did it have to do with the Dark Hunters? Now that brought up another question; WHY were there Dark Hunters in Metru Nui at all?! They had all been banished after the Toa/Dark Hunter war two-thousand years ago, along with… Nidikki! Of course! That could be the connection! Why hadn't he realized it sooner?! Of course, the last time anyone had seen him had been two-thousand years ago… and he had been something entirely different than he was now…

The Fire Toa sighed and shook his head, trying to focus his thoughts. Turaga Dume wanted the legendary Kanohi of Time… a, a 'Vahi'... but WHY…?

Lost in deep thought, Vakama almost didn't notice that he'd brought his Metru's Great Disk close to the Ga-Metru Great Disk. That is, until he felt his hands start to be pulled. Looking down, his warm red-orange eyes widened seeing the two disks start to almost… soften at edges closest to each other, energy rolling between them and trying to… wait…

Vakama pulled the two disks away from each other, eyes wide. What was THAT? He thought in disbelief, before bringing them close together again. Once again, the two disks glowed, and before his very eyes he watched as the energies streamed between the two, pulling them closer together as their edges 'softened'... and then in a small white glow the disks merged into one.

"Remarkable…" the Toa of Fire breathed, before glancing at the Le-Metru Great disk. Could it be…?

Emma looked up at him, having caught the light out of the corner of her eye, and her jaw dropped as she watched with the Toa as the disks merged. "Whoa…"

Vakama didn't say anything in response, even when Emma shifted closer curiously, even poking the disk. The Toa was in sudden deep thought, a realization coming to him. Could this be it? The answer?

"Vakama? Emma?" Both Toa and girl jumped, turning to see Nokama as she came up behind the two. "C'mon…"

"What!" Vakama looked startled, confused even as he had just been ripped from his realization. "Just a moment-!"

"Vakama we've got to go." The Toa of Water insisted, resting a hand on his shoulder. They needed to keep moving...

"But the disks-!" The Fire Toa argued weakly, focused on his discovery. But even he knew they couldn't stay here...

Emma blinked as she watched the two, before glancing up to the sky. Her eyes widened seeing something flash, and she gasped. "Look!" The girl pointed up, towards a golden streak of light that raced across the darkening sky. "A shooting star!"

Vakama's eyes went wide, realizing what that was. "No! That's Toa Lhikan's Spirit Star!" He exclaimed, hope and excitement filling his voice. "Each Toa has a Star, so as long as it burns in the night sky Toa Lhikan remains alive!" The Fire Toa couldn't be happier at this. His friend and their only hope was alive! He had to be, as his Star still burned! Though the fact it was falling worried him…

Nokama watched it travel, before saying, "It is heading towards Po-Metru." The Metru of Stone, which lay northeast of Ko-Metru. If the falling star was trying to guide them, then that was where they had to go to have their best chance to find Lhikan.

Matau, having heard Vakama's exclamation, stood up and joined them. "But, what about our captured Toa-Brothers?" He asked, bringing up a valid point. Nuju, Onewa and Whenua were all still captured and held somewhere!

The red armoured Toa took a deep breath, even as he remained focused on the combined Kanoka in his hands. He had only one answer for Matau, the only one he could think of. "We need Toa Lhikan to stop Turaga Dume and free the other Toa." Vakama said, his voice serious.

The Toa of Air frowned, obviously not pleased with the answer. "And how do you propose we quick-catch a spirit star?" He demanded, unimpressed as he looked back up at the sky. And it wasn't like they could just take the chutes again...

However, it wasn't Vakama who answered him.

Nokama had been distracted by an odd, rumbling sound, and saw a Vahki transport vehicle moving slowly through the Metru passing close to where they were. The long vehicle was propelled by a series of insect-like legs, and made of a train of several vehicles linked together. Its cargo was a collection of large silver spheres, and only a single Vahki Bordakh was present, serving as driver at the front of the train. Best of all, it was heading North.

"Perhaps a way has been revealed, rider." The Water Toa said, smiling at their chance. "Now c'mon."

Emma blinked as she watched Nokama and Matau take off, having zoned out for a moment. Then, she heard Nokama shout from up ahead, before Vakama was moving, picking her up in the process. "Come on Emma!" He said, and the girl squeaked, grasping onto him startled.

The Fire Toa quickly caught up to his brother and sister, and they hid in wait until the last vehicle came into view; their best chance of hitching on unseen. The second it was next to them as it rumbled by, Nokama raced out, easily using her new Toa agility to jump up, grasping the edge at the back and pulling herself up. Matau was not far behind her, and once the two of them were up they turned. Vakama raced behind the transport, holding Emma in one arm before coiling his legs and jumping. The girl yelped at the jump, clinging tighter as the Fire Toa reached up. Nokama and Matau quickly grabbed his outreached hand, the two Toa pulling him and Emma up together and onto the back of the transport.

The three Toa panted a little, exhausted, but couldn't help but grin at each other from the brief rush that gave them. Emma just cuddled into Vakama, the Fire Toa warm compared to the cold they had just been in. The four sat for several clicks, just catching their breath — or in Emma's case, heat leaching — before they got themselves up and went inside the transport.

Once inside, Emma took notice of the large ball things stored inside hexagon-shaped cubbies. "What are these?" She questioned curiously, a bad feeling tingling along her spine before she poked one. A shock suddenly went through her, and she yipped, pulling her hand back from the shock. It was like static electricity! But… this gave her a bad feeling… and a pounding headache.

"Storage containers," Matau answered her, curiously looking at some higher up, "but most odd-looking." He couldn't help but wonder what they were for… or why he suddenly had a bad feeling.

Curious, Vakama laid a hand on one of the spheres, only to just stare off into space. When his mind returned from his vision, he panicked, stumbling back away from the pod before shaking his head. Then, he shoved past Matau, shouting, "The Matoran! They're in danger!"

The Air Toa yelped at the shove, before snapping, "Hey! You cross-wired?"

But his fire brother ignored him, throwing open a sphere to find… nothing. It was empty inside.

Nokama came up behind him, peering into the empty container over his shoulder. "What's wrong, brother? What do you see?" She asked softly.

The Toa of Fire stared hard at the darkness in the heart of the sphere, before letting out a deep, heavy sigh. "Nothing, sister. Nothing at all." He said softly, his voice dejected..

Nokama blinked, before looking at Matau, only to see the Air Toa spin his hand around, a not-so-subtle way of saying Vakama was crazy. She glared at him, going to reprimand, only for Matau to yelp and spin around, yanking up a leg.

Emma glared at the green armoured Toa, her arms crossed and ignoring the slight throbbing in her foot from the kick. The girl right now was tired, grumpy as hell, hungry, thirsty, cold, starting to feel the urge to go pee, and now with a headache the size of the United States thanks to the shouting. "Don't Matau. Just, don't." She growled, before stalking off deeper into the transport. She honest to God needed a nap right now just to deal with all this, especially since her aching head felt like it was going to explode.

The three Toa watched her stalk off, before Nokama smacked Matau in the back of the head and stalked off towards the interior as well, leaving the Air Toa to stare after her with a "Hey…"

Vakama just sighed, and headed to the back. He knew he wasn't crazy… but after what he just saw, he suddenly wished he was.

A/N - And that's where I'm going to end this segment! So, any comments on it? I expanded upon a few things, fixed a plot hole I noticed (anyone else see it?) and then added some more realism. Because we all know that not everyone likes the cold (especially me! Brr!). Also, MakutaMutran, to your comment for chapter 4, I want to remind you of the events in the Great Furnace. All I'm going to say is 'instincts'. Ring any bells? Heh. It's okay, it's usually the minor details that don't get picked up on the first read, even though they usually are the most important.

Heh, and can anyone guess who I had cameo? Hint; technically, it's canon! They just normally don't pop up so soon… oops, spoils!

And sorry about my long rant before. It's really early (or late, depending) and I'm tired and crabby. And seeing all that stuff in the news really pisses me off. Like seriously, are we an intelligent and evolved species, or dressed up primitives?! THINK people!

*Sigh* Anyways, in case I don't get the next chapter out before the holidays, "Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! And happy whatever other holiday I can't think of off the top of my head!"

Now, please excuse me. I have an early Zoom class and NEED to sleep. Night!

Next Chapter - The Canyon of Secrets