(A/N): Before we go any further in the story, I'd like to give special thanks to MakutaMutran, a fellow author on this very website who's gone through the painstaking task of compiling all the available Bionicle story material over the years (comics, novels, movies, games, etc.) and uploading them here in the form of complete fics. It's made the process of plotting out events and even pulling dialogue straight from the source material so much easier, and while I don't intend to plagiarize anything, I do like including little references to the works I'm borrowing from.
If you ever find yourself with a free afternoon and want to revisit some old nostalgia, or if you missed a few books in the original run, be sure to check out MakutaMutran's author page! I have them linked on my own profile, under "favorite authors" so you can find them there and re-experience the legend to your heart's content. (After you presumably have already read this chapter, of course!)
We're almost out of the exposition and character introduction phase, folks. Hang in a little longer!
The boat ride out of the open sea into the bay was exceptionally smooth, and Ruby spent every minute of the voyage bombarding the fisherwoman piloting their craft with questions. Hahli tried to answer as much as she could, and while not all of it was perfectly understandable, it at least gave the silver-eyed Huntress an idea of what to expect going forward. Gali was still in the water, far more enamored with the joy and beauty of the ocean, sometimes leaping out of the water and doing mid-air flips before splashing back down. Between her swim earlier and the splashing of waves, Ruby was thoroughly drenched, yet in the warm tropical air she felt comfortable and content.
Besides, she was far more intrigued by the whole new world she'd fallen into.
She learned that the island was populated by a race of biomechanical workers called Matoran, all of whom hailed from six different villages depending on which element they were attuned to. Hahli herself came from the coastal settlement of Ga-Koro - thus, she was called a "Ga-Matoran" by herself and others. Each village was led by a local elder called a Turaga, a chieftain of sorts that kept the local legends and guided their Matoran in their day-to-day affairs. Hahli's village was under the watchful eye of Turaga Nokama, whose wisdom and gentleness navigated a path for her all-female people through raging rain and savage storms.
Most other forms of life on the island of Mata Nui struck a similar balance of both organic and mechanical, some being mostly flesh and blood while others were almost entirely machine-like. While this place didn't have the Grimm or Salem to worry about, it still had its dangers - namely, in the form of an all-encompassing evil that turned the peaceful Rahi creatures against the Matoran. While they fought the beasts as best they could, the people of the island all patiently waited for saviors to come from the sky to deliver them. It was Hahli's hope that one of those saviors was the blue figure that had saved Ruby from drowning; the one who was currently swimming with the pair alongside the boat even as it raced at top speed.
Eventually, the distant landmass on the horizon suddenly jumped so much closer, and the village of Ga-Koro came into view. It was then that Ruby realized she'd misunderstood something very important.
The village wasn't by the sea.
It was on the sea.
Ruby gasped as she saw massive green lily pads dot the surface of the still water, keeping the domed huts of dried seaweed afloat on the bay. Curved pathways formed roads and walkways between the various floating platforms, and sturdy rods of bamboo served as poles and tresses that supported multi-tiered scaffolding. At least two dozen long-armed, short-statured Ga-Matoran were hard at work, with some hanging metallic fish to dry in the sun while others fed long grass into a loom and pulled out thin white string. Still others were combing over one of several new huts under construction, spreading some kind of tar over blankets of seaweed as the leafy greens were laid over wooden frames.
"That's how we waterproof our huts. See?" Hahli pointed to one such structure as they passed by. "We combine flax with mud and sand from the East Garden, and coat the insides of the seaweed with the resulting salve as we set it down. Once the sun dries it out, it makes a seal that's light and porous enough to let air through, but still sturdy enough to keep the waves and rain out. The seal is so strong that the huts can even go underwater for short periods of time - and the smaller ones are buoyant enough to pop right back up!"
"Whoa…that's incredible!" Ruby grinned as she spotted one of the Ga-Matoran waving at Hahli, who shyly returned it as they sailed past. "And what about the boats? How do they work?"
"You'll have to pick Marka's brain about that," said Hahli with a laugh. "She's our ship maker, and she knows them inside and out. But I'm sure you'll get a chance to ask her soon enough…hang on to something, we're gonna dock now."
Ruby wasn't sure why Hahli had given her a warning - but she found out a few seconds later when a strong magnet hidden under a floating wooden pier locked into the side of the hull. She nearly toppled over the edge and fell into the sea again, but she caught herself just in time. With a soft embarrassed chuckle she climbed out and took a careful step on the lily pad, making nervous noises as she felt the platform shift slightly under her weight.
Hahli stepped out a moment later, and turned to address the half-circle of Ga-Matoran who were slowly coming over. Some of them tilted their heads in fascination, while others gasped in shock at the sight of Ruby. All of the villagers eventually turned to look at their fellow sister expectantly, while she seemed to shrivel up like a flower thrown in the trash.
Don't tell me she's afraid of public speaking, Ruby mentally groaned.
Unfortunately for the little rose, it seemed like Hahli was indeed paralyzed with fear at the prospect of addressing a crowd. She sighed and stepped forward, clearing her throat and toying with the edge of her cape.
"Um, hi. I'm Ruby Rose. I'm a Huntress, the leader of Team RWBY, and slayer of giant monsters. Yep, that's me. Ruby Rose. Ruuuuuby Rose."
She rocked awkwardly on the balls of her feet, waiting for a response. None came, except one of the Ga-Matoran towards the back coughed loudly.
"So anyways," said the little Huntress as she tried to push through the awkwardness, "I was wondering if you've seen anyone else like me? Well, not exactly like me - one of my friends has big long yellow hair, and the other one has like these cute little kitty ears on top of her head? But uh…you know. If you see any other humans, just um…let me know? Thanks!"
The gathered Ga-Matoran all looked at her as though she came from the dark side of the moon.
Well, I guess I can add "flubbed first contact with an all-new species" to my list of failures.
One of the villagers cleared her throat. "Hahli, I've seen many a strange fish in my lifetime, but this is by far the strangest. What kinda bait did ya use out there, and where can I get some?"
Ruby felt her face grow red. "I'm not a fish! I'm a person! And besides, I'm not even the most interesting thing she found out there! Wait till you see - !"
FWOOSH.
The gathered villagers all collectively gasped as their Toa of Water leapt out of the bay, flipping in mid-air and spraying seafoam everywhere before gently touching down in front of Ruby and Hahli. Her wise yellow eyes glowed from beneath her visor, scanning the assembled Matoran and watching as they murmured softly among each other.
"...her," Ruby finished with a smirk. "Nice entrance, Gali."
"Thank you, little one." Gali smiled gently beneath her mask, kneeling to meet the Matoran at approximately eye level. "I was told that you were waiting for me. Well…here I am."
"Indeed you are, Toa Gali."
The sea of Ga-Matoran parted to allow a figure with an oval-shaped mask and calm, gentle eyes to step forward, her embroidered sapphire gown hanging from a frail-looking frame. Judging by the wisdom in her voice and the trident she used as a walking aid, Ruby knew that this had to be Turaga Nokama. She stepped forward and reached up to Gali, who respectfully bowed her head and allowed the elder to lay a hand on her mask.
"I apologize if I kept you waiting for far too long," intoned the Toa of Water. "I hope you did not suffer in my absence."
Nokama shook her head. "We always knew the ocean would deliver you to our shores one day. We are simply glad that you have finally arrived. Tell me, Gali. What do you remember?"
Gali hesitated, then sighed. "Only bits and pieces. My name, my power…but little else."
"I feared as much," intoned the Turaga. "Many things can be lost in the deep sleep, purpose and duty often among the first. I will tell you all that I can, and answer your questions to the best of my abilities. We have long hoped this day would come - to see it with my own eyes is a blessing in and of itself."
Ruby cleared her throat as she awkwardly rocked on the balls of her feet once more. "Yeah, she probably would have gotten here sooner, if she didn't…you know…have to go out of her way to save me from…drowning. N-not that I'm ungrateful! Just, um…sorry I distracted her, I guess…"
Another way you've failed, she mentally berated herself. Can't even swim to save your own life.
Nokama looked at the silver-eyed Huntress no differently than she had at the Toa of Water. She walked over to her next. "Ruby Rose, you said?"
She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Y-yeah. That's me."
The Turaga leaned in to examine her, scanning as if she were looking for defects. Ruby winced and did her best not to crumble into a nervous little pile of rose petals, and was rewarded with the clear sight of Nokama smiling under her mask.
"This world is not your own," she finally said, "but you are welcome to seek respite in it all the same. Come. I will tell you both a tale, one that aims to shine a light into the past…and one that may hopefully illuminate your futures."
Doing her best to quell the growing unease in her heart, Ruby followed Nokama with Gali by her side as the sun began to drift towards the horizon. The waters around Ga-Koro may have been calm, but a storm of regret and anguish was building inside the little rose, and Ruby wasn't sure if she was strong enough to survive those waves.
"Do...a gal...a favor...and never do that again…"
Emerald sucked down deep breaths of hot, sticky jungle air as she tried to calm herself down from her latest heart attack, this one borne of a triple-midair-flip that had almost knocked her loose and sent her flying to the forest floor five hundred feet below. Lewa perched himself on a sturdy tree branch that overlooked the jungle canopy, giving him and his new human "friend" a view for miles around. He didn't have much reaction to her near-death experience other than amusement and smug self-satisfaction, clearly grinning under his mask at her plight. She dug her hands into the green armor of the biomechanical being, shifting to avoid the large gear on his back and keeping her fingers clear of the intricate mechanisms of his shoulder joints.
"What's wrong, sprout-leaf?" chided Lewa, "You're not afraid of being so far uptree, are you?"
She shook her head. "No, no. Heights, I can handle. Hell, even falling isn't the worst thing in the world. But you know what they say, it's not the fall that kills you - it's the sudden stop at the end. That's what I can't handle."
Lewa laughed. "Well, you'd best quick-learn to catch yourself, sprout-leaf! The winds may answer my heed-call, but there's little they can do for one as heavy-dense as you."
Emerald scoffed. "Oh, gee thanks. And here I thought all the years of living in perpetual poverty would help me shed my winter weight."
The green-armored being shrugged, casting glowing lime-green eyes over the miles and miles of treetops that stretched out before them. "No offense-harm meant, of course. Besides…I think a view-sight like this is worth a few terror-scares, wouldn't you agree?"
It was only now that Emerald felt comfortable enough to truly examine the expanse of trees, watching as they swayed and danced with the winds above and the creatures below. Birds of all shapes, sizes, and colors seemed to spring from the distant leafy blankets, darting across the clear blue sky in streaks of red and purple and gold. And the constant cries and howls and chirps of the jungle, which sounded like meaningless noise on the ground floor, seemed to blend together into a symphony of sound here on high.
"I guess it is a nice view," she eventually admitted, after taking a moment to drink it all in. Then she hummed as a new sound reached her ears, one that was rhythmic and deep. "Do you hear that, though?"
Lewa raised an eyebrow beneath his mask. "Hear what? I don't hear any strange noise-sound."
"Give it a minute," said Emerald, cupping her ear. "You sure you don't hear that constant thumping sound? The one that goes, 'da dum dum dum, da dum dum dum, da dum dum dum?'"
Now the stranger was tilting his head. "Yes...I believe I do hear something odd, sprout-leaf. But what is it?"
"I don't know…" she murmured. "It almost sounds like...drums."
Lewa's eyes lit up, even more so than usual. "Drums, you say?!"
Emerald nodded tentatively. "Sure sounds like it. Why? You know what drums are?"
"Of course-sure I do!" said the green-armored giant. "Drum-sound means song-music! Song-music means people-kin! And people-kin mean answer-truths! We should follow the drum-sounds, sprout-leaf! Let's go!"
She sucked in a breath as she felt him shift underneath her. "W-wait! Lewa! Don't you dare just jump off without warni - ohgodsnotagaaaaaaaiiiin!"
The rest of Emerald's complaint was lost in a long, loud scream as Lewa tipped forward with her in tow, plummeting off the tree branch and into the jungle canopy. His hand found a vine and snagged it as they fell, the momentum of the dive translating into a swing that carried the pair over a bubbling bog far below. Lewa released the vine at the apex of its arc, bidding a gust of wind to carry the two of them as he pulsed his mask power. Emerald held on even tighter when she felt the field of levitating energy circle around them, which combined with the updraft gave the green-armored giant a massive boost in height as he reached for another vine.
Despite the sheer terror that was pounding in her heart, she had to admit that Lewa moved with incredible speed, agility, and natural reflexes. Anytime he could kick off the trunk of a sturdy tree to keep his momentum going, he did it. Any chance he could slide across a mossy branch to cross vineless patches of jungle, he took it. At one point he even hooked the underside of his ax onto a sturdy branch and spun around it one, two, three times before launching himself across the sky, the winds billowing from behind and propelling him forward across a stretch of treeless land. Emerald may have spent the entire time focusing on not letting go (and on not losing her lunch), but she could still respect the near-artful way that her new "friend" navigated the jungle. It reminded her of those old movies where a man was raised by apes in the jungles of Mistral - except instead of a handsome-looking actor with a chiseled jaw doing stunts against a greenscreen, here it was a massive ten-foot-tall half-robot swinging and sliding and soaring like he was born in the trees.
Tartan the Ape-Man couldn't hold a candle compared to this guy was one of the few concrete thoughts she had that weren't laced with panicked profanity.
The drums she'd heard from a distance quickly grew louder, perfectly audible even over her continued screaming and Lewa's triumphant cackling. After just a few minutes of near-flying across the jungle, she caught sight of a very large, absurdly thick tree that towered above all others, one that had many branches stretching upwards and numerous roots plunging down into a still, shallow lake. The closer they got, the more Emerald could see platforms carved into the wood of the massive branches, all connected to a huge central pillar that sat as part of the great tree's trunk. Domed huts made of bark, plank, and moss dotted the tops of some platforms or hung from branches, while the tree's main body had doors and windows leading to little hollows that were dug into the side like squirrel's nests. And on the central pillar she could see at least two dozen tiny little figures in various shades of green, all of them pounding in unison on wood-carved drums that circled the edges.
Lewa was right, this isn't just a bunch of people beating drums up a tree, she realized. This is a village!
She could feel Lewa smiling under his mask, and braced herself for the final leg of the journey. The green-armored giant leapt off the vine he was swinging on, descending nearly thirty feet in total freefall towards the tree village. Emerald shut her eyes and clung tightly to Lewa, trying to fight the forces that wanted to pull them apart. Lewa, by contrast, was as calm as the breeze even as it buffeted the sweeping curves of his frame, and only when he was a few feet away from the main platform did he finally activate his mask power and let the wind carry him upwards. The result was a nearly angelic glide to the center of the crowd with arms outstretched, landing softly with a bow just as the drumming concluded.
A moment of pure silence washed over Lewa, Emerald, and the villagers.
"Hello, little sprout-leaves!" said the green-armored giant in an effort to break the tension. "I am Lewa, mystery-king of know-nothingness and spirit of air! Sorry to quick-drop like this, but I heard your drum-song from a distant tree-perch, and could not help but to wind-fly my way here!"
No response.
"Way to go in raw, big guy," grunted Emerald. "I'm sure they'll appreciate someone as intimidating as you dropping right into their band practice." With one more quelling of her uneasy stomach, she climbed over Lewa's shoulder to get a better look at their new audience.
The first thing that Emerald noticed about the villagers was just how tiny they all were. True, they looked smaller since she was still perched on a ten-foot-tall giant's back, but even if she was standing on her own she figured they'd barely come up to her waist, and she wasn't exactly the tallest person she knew. The second thing she noticed was just how intricate and detailed their masks were - some of them looked identical to Lewa's (albeit in different colors), while others were square and angular, or curved and soft. Lastly, their long arms and stocky legs were every shade of green imaginable, from cool turquoise to the color of lush leaves to the electric yellow-green of a lemon-lime popsicle. All of them stared up at Lewa, and at her, with piercing yellow eyes, tilting their heads in wonder and murmuring to themselves softly.
Their stunned silence lasted for all of ten seconds before the entire village erupting into a wild, howling cheer.
"It's Toa Lewa, the air-spirit! He said so himself!"
"Oh, happy days! Oh great-glory! Oh wonderful day-bright!"
"Mata Nui be praised! Our Toa-Hero has finally arrived!"
"Strike up the band-chorus! Bring out the Takara-dancers! We must celebrate today in Le-Koro!"
Emerald's brow furrowed as annoyance flared up. Oh…good. They all talk like Lewa. I swear, this better just be some kind of regional dialect, cause I don't know what I'd do if everyone talked like that across the whole island.
Before she or Lewa could even make a move, the people of Le-Koro (as she assumed it was called) were quickly scrambling around, pulling out wood-carved instruments of all shapes and sizes - none of which the mint-haired thief recognized. The villagers pressed their masks into twisted flutes and long tuba-like devices, blowing into them and filling the air with sweet, lively music. Another line of figures emerged with what looked to be grass skirts, hopping and dancing in place in a way that Emerald couldn't decide was silly, sincere, or something else. All the while peals of laughter rang out from the people, some of them dancing together while others came to inspect the duo as they stood and watched.
"Hah…seems they're rather like-fond of me!" said Lewa to a very-green-looking Emerald on his back, watching as some of the figures stared so far up their heads were nearly parallel to the platform floor.
"Yeah…or they're preparing to strip you for parts and boil what's left alive," groaned the nauseous thief. "You can never tell with these native types. Watch, I'll bet any moment they'll turn on us and - eep!"
Any more of Emerald's words were lost in yet another scream, as a pair of villagers yanked her off Lewa's back and onto an upper platform. She felt a vine wrap itself around her ankle and leave her suspended upside-down, while the two villagers landed on opposite sides of her on a nearby branch, regarding her with odd curiosity.
"What a strange Rahi-beast," mused the first, stroking the corners of his mask with one hand as his other held the vine taut. "Such long arms and legs, yet so little metal-skin…perhaps this is some new kind of Brakas-monkey?"
"No, no, Makani," said the other in a female voice. "Look at the color of its skin, like bark shimmering with dew in the early light-dawn. This is obviously a walking tree."
Makani scoffed. "Radka, we've been over this a thousand tell-times before. The trees do not walk-step! They do not even think-talk!"
"But they do!" Radka protested, clearly pouting behind her somewhat clear teal mask. "I heard them think-talk the other day, when I was wandering the root-floor!"
"...that was Tamaru, paralyzed by fear-fright at being so far uptree," deadpanned Makani.
"Aww…"
Emerald gulped, feeling blood rush to her head and face as she swayed back and forth slightly. "You know…I hate to break up this enlightening conversation, but do you think you could maybe - oh I dunno - put me the hell down?!"
"But we haven't even out-found what you are yet!" protested Makani, poking a metallic finger into her exposed belly. "What strange material…what sort of armor-coat is this?"
"Whatever it is, it's very silk-soft," said Radka as she ran her hands over Emerald's pouting cheeks, sending shivers down the Huntress's spine. "Delicate, yet firm…like the skin-peel of a Bula berry."
The mint-haired thief swallowed hard and blushed. Dammit, Em, stop being a useless lesbian for once in your life! It doesn't matter how cute her voice is, it's not worth the humiliation! …wait, did I just call her voice 'cute?' Oh no.
"Sprout-leaf? Are you alright up there?" Lewa said, looking up. "Do you need an assist-help again?"
Emerald shuddered as she felt Radka's hands trail up to her neck and over her bare shoulders while Makani poked and prodded at her lower torso. "No no, I think I got this one under - hehe, please, no, I'm ticklish there - under control! Don't you worry about - hands above the waist you creep!"
She lashed out with a kick to Makani's face - or mask, as it were - sending him toppling out of the tree. Unfortunately, since he was the one holding the other end of the vine that kept her suspended, she ended up dropping right back down to the main platform. Makani was lucky enough to catch himself on a nearby branch on the way down. Emerald was not.
"OOF!"
The mint-haired thief landed with a solid thud right in front of a villager with a teal body and green legs, looking up at his egg-shaped mask as she rolled back onto her side. The villager stood paralyzed for one solid second, before he ran away screaming his poor mask off.
Ah. That must be Tamaru.
Emerald just laughed softly and sat back up, peering over at Lewa as he entertained the masses. Some villagers clung to his lime-green arm as he flexed dramatically, giggling as they were hoisted into the air by his strength. Others climbed over him to sit on his shoulders, with one particularly lucky dancer getting a chance to try and balance on top of his head. She had to admit, the green-armored giant was certainly as energetic as the villagers that fawned over him, and when he did a double-backflip that ended with a handstand and a gust of air, even she couldn't help but smile a little at the way the crowd went "ooh" and "ahh."
Of course, like all the best parties, a noise complaint was inevitable.
"Hey! What's with all the racket-noise at this day-hour?! Are you trying to attract the Rama-swarm?! What could possibly be going on that you would - oh."
Her eyes snapped over to see another figure emerging from a large wooden hut in the back, one that was taller than the villagers but still only would have come up to her chest were she standing up. He had ornate green thread woven into the robes that dangled from his hunched frame, and he hobbled over with a dark green staff that was capped off with a wicked-looking buzzsaw. His mask was the color of an unripe melon, almost human-like in its appearance but with creases and wrinkles that resembled circuit board channels crisscrossing his face. The voice was gruff and loud, like someone feeding oak scraps into a woodchipper, but his glowing lime-green eyes still held a sort of mirth and merriness to them, one that Emerald couldn't quite place.
The band instantly stopped as they saw the newcomer enter the plaza, to the point where there may as well have been a record needle scratching. The dancers froze mid-step, and the villagers Lewa was entertaining immediately snapped their gazes over in his direction as he took large strides. One of them, who wore a teal copy of Lewa's own mask, ran to the front and bowed before the figure. Based on the new arrival's appearance and the way everyone seemed to hang off his every word, Emerald could only guess that this was the village elder.
Her theory was confirmed a moment later. "Turaga Matau," said the teal-masked villager, "please forgive the rude-waking. We did not wish to end your sleep-nap so early, but you see - "
"I do see now, Kongu," intoned Matau, far more gently than he had been a moment earlier. Then he raised his frail-looking arms, cheer spreading into his voice. "I see that Lewa, our great Toa-Hero, has finally arrived on the shores of Mata Nui! The Le-Matoran are certainly well within their right to celebrate such a joyous day-bright - who am I to storm-rain on such a parade? Am I known as Turaga Matau, ruiner of party-cheer? Or am I known as Turaga Matau…bringer of party-cheer?!"
The Le-Matoran all cheered and whooped and hollered at their elders' words, and though he wore a mask like everyone else, Emerald could tell he was smiling as well.
"I thought-knew as much! Continue the play-song!"
The band didn't need telling twice, continuing where they left off as the dancers resumed their merry jig. Emerald got to her feet and rejoined Lewa's side as Matau approached, looking up at the "Toa-Hero" who had confusion written all over his mask.
"You say that I am many things, and break into song-cheer and dance-step with my arrival alone," said Lewa with disbelief in his voice. "Yet…I do not know why."
The Turaga chuckled and put a hand on Lewa's massive gauntlet.
"You will," he said with an audible smile. "Your memory-thoughts are lost, scattered, clouded in dark-shadows. But I will guide you, Toa Lewa - soon, you will know what your Duty-job is…and why we have spent so long wait-hoping for you."
Lewa nodded in understanding, then laid his other hand on Emerald, who fought the urge to pull away. "I hope you do not mind if my sprout-leaf joins the celebration," he said. "I would not have found this lovely-good village without her aid-help."
The thieving huntress almost balked at the Toa for assuming she wanted any part in the party.
Almost.
Matau smiled under his mask. "Any friend of a Toa-Hero is welcome in sing-song Le-Koro," he said happily. "I will share-tell all I know, but for now…let us celebrate."
With one more pat on Lewa's glove, the village elder turned and walked away, his last words an ominous whisper that were almost lost in the music and merriment.
"After all…you will soon know why we sing so little in this darktime."
"So what do you call all that stuff coming out the back of your head?
Penny smiled in response to Takua's question as the pair sat on the side of an ash-gray plain, taking a break from their uphill hike. The sun started to hang low in the distance, tinting the edge of the sky red and setting fire to the horizon. Not that the vista needed the sun to help paint it - smoke rising from the distant volcano did the job well enough, light and heat smoldering and shimmering even this far away from the source.
"That is my hair," she finally said as she ran a hand through burnt-orange locks. "It protects my neck from the sun and rain, and keeps me warm when it gets cold. It also looks very pretty!"
"Right, okay." Takua hummed. "And what do you call that big lump at the front of your face?"
She chuckled as she pointed. "Oh, that is my nose. It helps me smell."
"Alright. And what about all the spots on your face?"
"My freckles? They…" Penny paused mid-sentence. "I do not actually know what they do. But Ruby says that they are very cute!"
"Sure, sure. What about those gross, uh…things on the front of your feet? What's that all about?"
The freckled girl giggled as she lifted her legs and wiggled her feet. "Those are my toes! And they are not gross! See?"
Takua gagged and flinched and covered his eyes, shaking his head as if he had just seen something horrifying he was trying to forget. "Ack! No! No nononono! Get them away from me! Good grief, those things are disgusting! How can you even live with them just…being there?!"
Penny laughed at her new friend's reaction as she lowered her legs again. "I think they are neat! Besides, why are you so repulsed by my toes? You have them on your feet too!"
"Yeah, but mine are mechanical. See?" The Matoran lifted up one of his dull-yellow legs, showing the underside of his two-toed foot. Sure enough, the entire wedge-shaped structure was plated in alloyed metal, with a pair of servos connecting the digits and a larger one in the back to adjust the heel. Penny recognized a lot of the inner workings almost instantly - her old robot body had feet that operated under a similar principle, though obviously smaller and more detailed than what she saw now.
"Ooh," she cooed. "That is also very neat!"
"Aren't they?" Takua grinned under his mask. "It feels like they're ruggedized and weather-proof, made for scaling difficult terrain without slowing me down." The pride vanished as disgust rose back into his voice. "Yours, on the other hand, are tiny and organic and writhing and…eugh! It's like an entire nest of worms living on the tip of your body! Can't you cover them up or something?"
She hummed thoughtfully, then shook her head. "I am sorry they make you uncomfortable, but no, I will not. I have spent many years being unable to feel the ground beneath my feet. I wish to feel everything now."
Takua tilted his head as he put his foot back down. "...what do you mean you weren't able to feel anything? Is that normal for humans?"
The former Maiden frowned. "Oh. Um...it is complicated. You see, I used to be - "
"Penny? Penny!"
A distant yet familiar voice rang out in the silence, one that made Penny's heart skip a beat. She knew that voice. She loved that voice. That voice belonged to a friend!
Bright green eyes grew even brighter. "Yang? Yang!"
She stood up and whirled around on the spot, nearly knocking Takua off his seat with the business end of her hair as it whipped behind her. Sure enough, she saw a blonde brawler in the distance, up on a tall cliff decorated by blackened trees. Her friend was distant and far away, and a canyon that flowed into a rocky craig separated them, but she was there. She could tell it was Yang Xiao Long even without the hyperscanning capabilities of her old robot body.
Although…it looked like she had lost the very nice coat Papa bought her.
"Yang!" she called out, waving eagerly. The yellow shape waved back, then took off at a sprint down the hill, running to the right while pursued by red shapes that clearly could not keep up with her. She disappeared behind the terrain between them, but the freckled girl did not worry. Penny bounced happily and excitedly, nearly vibrating in place.
"Yang?" echoed Takua as he regained his balance. "What's a Yang?"
"A friend!" Penny cheered excitedly. "My friend! I must go meet her!"
Takua's eyes widened in understanding, then he nodded. "Okay, then let's go meet her together and -"
She didn't even wait for him to finish talking before she took off running.
"W-wait! Penny, hey, wait up! My legs are shorter than yours, remember? I can't run as fast!"
The words of her new Matoran friend grew more distant as Penny sprinted at full tilt, her feet soaring over the ash-gray sand with each step as she followed broken stony walls and the slope of the hill. For a moment, she almost wished she still had the magic of the Winter Maiden - it would be far more trivial if she could just fly. But without the power she was just an ordinary human girl with an Aura, and yet even being that felt wonderful. Tears of joy pooled into her eyes, laugher escaped her lips, her heart pounded in her chest as she ran -
And then her heart stopped completely.
Penny's eyes widened as she suddenly collapsed, her arms and legs and feet suddenly feeling very numb and very stiff. Her lungs seemed to deflate the second she hit the ground, and no matter how much she willed herself to breathe again, her chest refused to rise. Panic set into her mind. No. No. No…no this could not be happening. It was not fair. She was alive just a second ago. Why was she dying again?
"Penny! Penny!"
Takua's words sounded distant and muted, like they were being said underwater. Darkness grew at the corner of her vision, her bright green eyes returned to a duller shade, and her hand weakly grasped at her throat -
She felt Takua lay a hand on her, and she was finally able to take a deep, violent breath.
Penny immediately rolled over and began coughing on her own spit, feeling tears stream down her face as she curled up into a ball. Takua kept his hand on her side, not leaving or saying anything until her breathing (and his) returned to normal. Only then did he finally speak, confusion and worry in his voice.
"Are you okay?"
She coughed again. "I…I do not know…Takua, that…that was scary…I felt like I was dying again. But…I was not wounded that time. I was not hurt, I was not bleeding. I was…fine. Until…I suddenly was not fine…"
Penny buried her face into her hands with an anguished cry. "What is wrong with me?"
A pair of metal hands cradled one of hers, rubbing gently. "I don't know," said Takua softly. "But I promise you we're going to find out. Until then, I think we should stay by each other's side. No more running off without me, okay?"
The freckled girl wiped her face on her sleeve, then nodded stiffly.
"Good," said Takua, rising to his feet. "Then why don't we go and say hi to your friend together?"
Despite her most recent brush with death, it did not take long for Penny's smile to come back as she took off in an eager sprint once again. She gripped Takua's hand tightly in her own as she ran, barely even slowing down as she pulled him right off the ground. He let out a yell as he trailed behind her in mid-air, tiny little legs kicking uselessly as he dangled and flopped around like a lead kite. Penny paid it no mind - she just kept running to meet her friend with a brand new one in tow, the joy from before surging back into her chest.
"Penny? Penny!" wailed the unfortunate Matoran who was taking an unscheduled flight on the Polendina Airlines, "Penny, this isn't quite what I had in miiiiiiiiiind!"
"This way, please…mind your heads…apologies for the roundabout paths, these tunnels were dug in better days…and here we are."
Blake followed Onepu through the small gap in the wall and found herself standing in a massive underground chamber, easily large enough to house the Beacon courtyard. Glowing stones lined the walls and ceiling, providing enough light to see while still keeping a dark ambiance over the area like a comfortable blanket of shadow. Domed huts sculpted out of clay and stone dotted the area and emitted light through square doorways, a subterranean river ran through the center and forked into two babbling brooks, and Matoran clad in earth-toned armor hurried along paths lined with soft gravel.
Everyone was working or doing something. Some of the Matoran were working on expanding the walls, their pickaxes clanging against the stone and filling the air with a rhythmic chorus. Others were transporting carts of minerals and gems, while still others rode on what Blake could only describe as armored half-mechanical crabs. Then there were other Matoran of every color imaginable standing behind wooden stalls, with various wares laid out in front of them.
It wasn't just a settlement - it was a home.
"Whoa…" she breathed. "It's...beautiful…"
Onua, who practically had to crawl through the opening, joined her in admiring the area in stunned silence before nodding slowly.
Onepu grinned beneath his mask. "Isn't it? Welcome to the village of Onu-Koro - named in your honor, oh mighty Toa."
The ebony-armored figure seemed puzzled. "My honor? But...I have not done anything to deserve such praise yet."
"Perhaps not in your eyes," said the purple-masked Matoran with a small laugh. "But the mere promise of your arrival is enough for us to christen our village in your name. Now then…allow me to guide you through our humble domain. As I said, Turaga Whenua will be delighted to see you."
Blake nodded in unison with her new friend, then stayed close to Onua as they followed their shorter guide. With each hut they passed, Matoran peered out their doorways, often pausing in their work to stare slack-jawed at the new arrivals. Ordinarily, she would feel self-conscious and threatened with so many eyes on her, but she suspected that few earth-dwelling villagers were looking at her. No, their attention was clearly on the Toa she walked alongside, watching as Onua looked around with wide-eyed wonder.
"Looks like your reputation precedes you," she said with a faint smile as a trio of miners bowed when they passed by.
"So it would seem…" mused Onua, returning the gesture in kind. "Though I would very much like to remember what that reputation is."
The Faunus nodded in understanding. "Well, I suppose we'll find out sooner or later. At the very least, it looks like you have a positive one."
Onua simply nodded, then went back to admiring the scenery as they followed Onepu through the village. The back half of Onu-Koro was home to a wider variety of Matoran selling their wares, with armor colors ranging from red to blue to brown and sandy gray. While they too wore masks in different colors, Blake noticed that many of the patterns repeated even across the other figures. Based on the goods they were hawking to anyone who would listen, she had to assume that they weren't native to Onu-Koro - they must have come from their own villages for bartering, though she wasn't quite sure what they were trading for.
"Statuettes! Souvenirs! Excellent Po-Matoran craftsmanship!" called a brown and tan Matoran, gesturing to the collection of stone carvings behind him.
"Fresh fish! Imported from Ga-Koro!" cried another merchant, her blue frame struggling under the weight of what could only be described as a large steel tuna. "Get your fresh fish here!"
A third Matoran, this one red from mask to toe, waved a burning sconce high above his head. "Torches! Don't be left in the dark! Ta-Koronan made!"
I wonder if I should pick up something for Ruby and Yang to give when I find them, mused Blake idly. Although… I don't think the merchants here accept Lien.
Onua seemed far more fascinated by the shape of the cavern than the people using it for trade. "An entire village, underground…" he said softly. "This must have taken decades to carve."
"The Onu-Matoran have always found comfort in the earth's embrace," explained Onepu proudly. "While many others choose to build above the surface of Mata Nui, we elected instead to burrow under it. The darkness of tunnels and untapped ravines do not daunt us, and by studying the vibrations and rumbles of the stone itself, we gain awareness of all the stories on the island as they unfold."
He looked back at Onua with a grin beneath his mask. "I would not be surprised if the other Toa were already here."
"Others?" The Toa of Earth tilted his head. "There are more?"
"According to legend, yes. But I believe that's Whenua's tale to tell, not mine."
Onepu stopped the group at the entrance to the largest hut tucked away in the corner of the Market District. Blake could see Onua's eyes widen once again as he saw a clay replica of his own mask hanging above the doorway, with a pair of drills crossed beneath it. She didn't know if it was possible for Toa or Matoran to cry, but she suspected that if it was, her taller friend was coming close to doing so.
"And this is where I take my leave of you, friends," said Onepu as he bowed reverently. "The Ussalry shall need guidance in the coming days, especially if the Kofo-Jaga make another advance. Turaga Whenua awaits you, Onua and Blake. Welcome to our island."
The feline Faunus gave a quick bow of her own, one that Onua mirrored. Then once the purple-masked Matoran scrambled away, the pair entered the hut with hope in their minds.
Stepping inside Turaga Whenua's domain was like setting foot inside of a treasure chest. The walls were lined with precious gems and refined metals, all cut and polished until they shone like mirrors. Flickering torches of red and gold lined a shrine at the back of the hut, their pale light scattering off every reflective surface and filling the room with a dazzling display. And much to Onua's shock, an even larger version of his mask sat as a cornerstone of the shrine, though this one seemed shaped out of a dark steel that had more torches behind its eyes.
And there, standing only slightly taller than a Matoran with robes as gray as dust, was the one Blake could only assume was the village elder himself.
Whenua turned to face the duo with a warm smile beneath his mask, which was small and square with big angled slots for green eyes to shine through. A trio of other coal-black Matoran were in attendance, but with a wave of the elder's hand they were dismissed. His other hand held tightly to a rod capped with a drill, which he used like a cane as he moved towards Blake and Onua even as they themselves approached.
"Toa Onua," he said slowly in a voice so low and soft it could have been mistaken for cavern echoes. "The earth itself sings of your arrival on our shores, and it is a song that is greatly needed in these dark times. Were the island less dangerous, we would have ventured into the sunlight to greet you ourselves...though we are glad you found your way here regardless."
"The earth called to me," said Onua simply with a reverent nod. "As, I suspect, it does for you. I apologize, but I do not remember very much."
"That is quite alright," said Whenua. The Turaga turned to Blake, gazing over her with eyes like glowing emeralds. "I suspect that you would both appreciate some answers to help guide you."
The feline Faunus nodded as she gave a grateful laugh. "That's an understatement."
Whenua smiled once more under his mask. "Then let me tell you both a tale from the time before time, one of the island, the darkness that befell it...and the hope that the six Toa bring to its shores…"
If there was one word Weiss could use to describe Ko-Koro, it was bright.
That really was the first thing that leapt out at her about the village of snow. It sat within a valley formed by two glacial walls, constructed entirely out of the frozen white powder that coated the mountain. The sun shone down and reflected off the pearl blanket of frost, which was nearly blinding until the Huntress's eyes finally adjusted. Kopaka behind her and Matoro ahead of her seemed to have no issue with the sudden brightness as their group headed through an ivory gate made of snow bricks, greeted by a pair of Matoran with slate-gray masks and frozen spears. Beyond the circular entrance in a wall that spanned for miles, more snow-sculpted buildings awaited them, from domed huts and simple watchtowers to massive bridges and fortresses. And at the center of everything was a huge snow mound with regal-looking stairs cut into the side, which led to what could only be described as a castle of ice.
"Whoa," she gasped, her breath appearing as icy mist in front of her face. It was still cold in the village itself, but the natural barriers made by the glacial walls kept the wind from biting into her clothes, keeping the worst of the bitter chill away. The Matoran that were wandering around didn't seem to mind too much - some were tending to blue-leaved berry bushes and snow-covered evergreens, while others were sitting with fishing rods over holes cut into an icy pond. They all gazed at Weiss and Kopaka as Matoro led them through the village, but said nothing. No cheering, no awed whispering, nothing.
Weiss frowned and leaned down to whisper to their guide. "Is it just me, or do they not seem very happy to see us?"
Matoro shook his head with a soft laugh. "Don't take it personally. Silence has always been the way of the Ko-Matoran, both in times of good and ill. Many often go for days without speaking; some have not said a word in years."
The heiress tilted her head. "Then...how do you understand each other? How do you communicate?"
"Body language, hand gestures, subtle facial cues behind the masks...we have our ways of saying much with very little." Matoro sighed. "It works for us, but it causes friction with Matoran from the other villages, especially those who can talk for hours and still say nothing."
"I knew a few folks like that back home," groaned Weiss, thinking back to her father's "press conferences" for SDC with a shiver. Then she looked at Kopaka. "A whole village where nobody talks… it must be a dream come true for you, isn't it?"
Kopaka gave a noncommittal grunt, which only proved Weiss's point.
The trio moved to the castle that looked down on the rest of the village, climbing sturdy snow stairs that felt a lot firmer than their material would suggest. Entering the castle itself revealed that it was quite hollow and spacious on the inside, with entire walls of blue frost that had rows and rows of circular letters carved into the glossy material. Every footstep exploded into echoes that reverberated throughout the entire building, joined by the humming of Ko-Matoran who sat with their bulky legs crossed and their glowing eyes closed. It reminded Weiss of old Atlas tales where elderly Huntsmen would meditate on the mountaintops of Solitas - except instead of old warriors with overflowing beards, it was a collection of white and gray robot people that barely came up to her waist in height.
One of the meditating Ko-Matoran opened a glowing blue eye. "Matoro. There you are."
The sharp female voice felt as cold and piercing as falling icicles, and Weiss could swear that Matoro suppressed a shiver - one that she doubted came from the chill of the mountain. Her guide shuffled his feet nervously as the gray-masked Matoran rose to her own, marching over with barely-contained frustration in every step. She seemed to cool off by the time she finally stood in front of Matoro, at which point the pair clasped hands together and leaned their heads forward to rest the brows of their masks against the other. They held this position for a few moments before drawing back, the anger seemingly fading altogether.
"Hello, Sonya," said Matoro with a quiet sigh. "I'm sorry that I had to go hunting again, we were running low on Muaka teeth and I found tracks that suggested smaller specimens were nearby. I never meant to be gone for quite that long."
"I understand," groaned Sonya. "That being said, please make sure that nothing important is slated to happen on the Wall of Prophecies before you go out in the Drifts. Turaga Nuju has been whistling at us all morning, and no one knows what he actually wants. Plus, you know that I can't feel you when you're so far from the village. It scares me."
Matoro took one hand in both of his. "Apologies for worrying you, but…considering who I found out there, perhaps I was meant to be out there."
"So I see…" Sonya looked up at Weiss, then craned her neck to stare at Kopaka. "And you believe this is the one?"
"He must be. He nearly froze me himself."
Sonya sighed. "Do you enjoy putting yourself in danger on a regular basis, Matoro? I swear, your recklessness is going to lead to your death some day."
"When it does, I want only the finest ice statue of myself," retorted Matoro wryly. "Then you can pair-bond with that, and it'll be like you never lost me at all."
The female Ko-Matoran huffed in displeasure, rolling her eyes as she looked at Weiss. "And what about this one? Why is it here?"
"That's what I'd like to know, too," said Weiss after she cleared her throat. "Your Turaga Nuju - may we see him?"
The answer came not from either of the Matoran in front of her, but from a loud shrill clicking sound at the back.
"Kleek leeck woock. Clack click zweet zwoot."
Everyone turned to see a figure in white robes standing in a doorway of pure ice, seemingly towering over the Matoran despite only being about a head taller. He held an ivory-white icepick with a very long handle in one hand, and he wore a wide angular mask that was the same shade of gray as a clouded sky in winter. Piercing blue eyes stared across the room, the gaze plunging everyone into silence; Weiss could tell that this was Turaga Nuju speaking. Only…he wasn't exactly speaking, he was whistling and chirping and slashing at the air with his fist. If he was talking to them, it wasn't a language she could understand.
Matoro evidently understood, as he stepped forward and bowed.
"Forgive my absence, Turaga," he said with a raised voice, his words echoing off the icy walls. "But I assure you, my delayed return was not without reason. The Toa of Ice has arrived, at long last…and he brings what appears to be a visitor from among the stars."
Nuju stared at Kopaka, then at Weiss, then examined them both a second time. The Huntress shuffled and looked down at her feet, while the supposed Toa of Ice gave no reaction. After a long uncomfortable silence, the Turaga finally gave a few more clicks, then gestured beyond the doorway, disappearing out of sight as he turned and walked back.
The blue-masked Matoran let out a long sigh. "Well…that could have gone worse, I suppose. Come. Nuju will speak with you now."
Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Is he actually gonna talk to us? Or is he just gonna whistle and chirp until our ears bleed?"
Matoro gave a wry smile under his mask as they walked. "A fair question. Nuju has spent hundreds of years speaking only in the Language of the Flyers - the sounds and calls of birds and ice bats and other such creatures. No one truly understands why, and he is not very keen on sharing. But don't worry, I will translate the Turaga's words for you. Rest assured, you will leave the Sanctum with more answers than you had before setting foot here."
Kopaka didn't seem all that reassured, glaring at Matoro. "You understand him?" he said coldly - the first words he'd spoken since setting foot in Ko-Koro.
"He's the only one who does," confirmed Sonya as she kept pace with the group. "He serves as Turaga Nuju's translator - which makes his ventures into the mountains especially frustrating."
"The moment Ko-Koro finds a Rahi Trapper who is just as good as me - if not better - I will gladly retire from that duty." Matoro sounded tired, as if he and Sonya had held this discussion a thousand times before. "But until then, I will do whatever I can for our village, just as the rest of us do."
"I know you will," admitted Sonya. "I just…worry about you, is all. I see your name so often on the Wall of Prophecies, and it fills me with dread every time I have to read what comes before or after."
"Such is the way of Destiny," said Matoro, though this time his voice was far more kind. "And whether or not I know what is ahead of me, I will face it all the same."
Weiss had to envy the little Matoran's confidence as she and the group entered the inner part of the Sanctum.
If the story of the Schnees ended here on this island, would she be able to say the same?
Penny had always loved hugs, but it was only recently that she was able to feel how warm they made her inside.
And as she and Yang lunged at each other with shimmering smiles and open arms, as she felt the blonde brawler scoop her off the ash-covered ground and spin her around with a delighted squeal, she had to conclude that she was feeling very warm indeed.
She nuzzled the tangled mass of golden hair affectionately, humming happily. "Salutations, Yang! It is so good to see you again! I am so glad that you are okay!"
"Heh, right back 'atcha, Penny!" laughed Yang as she slowly set her barefoot friend down. She raised an eyebrow as she looked up and down, scanning her over as if making sure she was real. "Don't get me wrong, it's great to see you, but…what are you doing here? This isn't exactly Remnant."
"Oh, I…"
Penny stopped herself. Yang was smiling and happy just a moment ago, blissfully greeting her as old, good friends should. She did not want to ruin that by sharing what really happened. Not quite yet, at least.
She just wanted to see Yang glow like the sun for a little while longer. That was not bad, was it?
"...I fell," she said simply. "We managed to drive Cinder off, but the platforms vanished not long after we won. We tried to get back through the portal to Vacuo before it closed, but we were unable to make the jump in time. Ruby, Blake, Weiss, Emerald…they all fell alongside me, and the next thing I knew I was here."
Hic.
She put a pair of hands to her lips in embarrassment. Oh no. It looked like Ambrosius had not removed the bug where she hiccupped every time she lied. Hopefully Yang would not notice.
Fortunately, the blonde brawler seemed far more distressed at the news that the rest of her team (and Emerald) were also on the island. Penny could see the struggle in Yang's eyes: on the one hand, she was grateful that her friends were here, but on the other hand, she was scared that they were trapped on the island just like them. That was to say nothing of the fact that Neo Politan, the silent assassin who had sworn vengeance on Ruby, also fell alongside the target of her revenge - which could be a problem if the two ever crossed paths.
Yang took a deep breath to mask the turmoil of emotions in her face, forced a smile, then slowly withdrew from Penny. "Well, don't worry. If the others are here, then I'm sure we'll run into them sooner or later. Then we can all go back home together!"
The freckled girl snapped a salute and grinned. "Yes! I would love to return to Remnant!"
Hic.
That was…odd. Penny didn't think she was lying about that. Why did she hiccup just now?
Her friend raised an eyebrow. "You alright there, Penny?"
She nodded a little too frantically. "I am fine! Just a minor - hic! - hiccup! It just happens randomly sometimes!"
Hic. Hic. Hic.
Yang laughed softly and rested her good hand on top of Penny's head, gently ruffling the mass of burnt-orange hair. "You're adorable, you know that?"
Penny giggled as she leaned into the headpat. "Oh, I am well aware! I am quite adorable!"
Thankfully, there was no hiccup that time.
After laughing at her friend's antics for a moment longer, Yang finally noticed that Penny had not come to meet her alone. She took a sudden interest in the little red, blue, and yellow figure that sat on the ground nearby, whose glowing eyes spinning in their sockets as their owner wavered and groaned.
"So what's his story?" she asked with a teasing smirk. "Don't tell me you made a new friend already?"
Grateful for the distraction, Penny grinned as she easily picked up the little Matoran, showing him to Yang like he was a teddy bear she had just won at a carnival.
"I certainly did!" she beamed proudly. "This is Takua! I found him on the beach when I arrived, and he has been very helpful since then! He does not remember much, but he is very funny!"
"Ugh…no more running or lifting or throwing me, please," groaned Takua as his head rolled from side to side. "I don't think I could handle it. And could someone straighten out my mask? I'd do it myself, but my arms really don't wanna work right now…"
Yang chuckled as she grabbed the blue wedge-shaped object on the Matoran's face with both hands, twisting and turning the askew facial feature until it was securely back in place. His eyes snapped back into focus with a yelp, and he immediately squirmed in Penny's grasp until he was back on the ground. He looked back and forth between the two girls, arms raised, before he let out a sigh of relief.
"Thanks," he said as he swiveled his shoulder. "You must be Yang, I presume?"
"Sure am! Nice to meet ya!" Yang reached down and patted Takua on the head twice with her own mechanical arm, much to the latter's displeasure. "Aw, you're a little cutie aren't ya? Hanging around with Penny like a lost little puppy dog."
"Please don't patronize me," groaned Takua. "And what's a puppy dog?"
Yang didn't answer, instead looking up at Penny with a grin. "Aren't these Matoran guys a riot? They're all so different from what we've seen back home, but they're still alive all the same. I saw one earlier in the forest moving suuuuuper slow, like Marrow was telling him to stay. Then I saw a bunch of them put this huge red guy with fire powers in a wooden cage, and even when he broke out, it looked like they were gonna try and fight him! I stepped in to protect them, of course - wasn't a hard fight, especially not for me."
"Really? Because I seem to remember it differently, loud one."
Penny gasped as she saw a crowd of orange, yellow, and red figures appear on the ridge of the hill behind Yang. Some of them looked similar to Takua, except with different colors and masks. One of them looked only slightly taller, with a mask that was orange like her freckles and hair. And a very tall figure - so tall he towered over everything else - dropped off the ledge and stood over the two girls, armor shimmering with ambient heat and fire radiating from glowing crimson eyes.
"Oh, is that right?" asked the blonde brawler with a wry smirk. "And what do you think happened back there, big guy?"
The newcomer narrowed his eyes. "As I recall, you were mere moments away from being burned to ashes, and it was only the arrival of Turaga Vakama that saved you from scattering in the wind."
Yang snorted, stepping next to Penny and putting an arm around her. "Sure, sure, keep telling yourself that, Big Red. Who knows? Maybe our next match will be a little closer."
"Unlikely," he growled. Then he looked at the freckled girl with a fiery gaze. "This is your friend? The one you spotted from the Charred Forest's edge, and insisted we take a detour to meet?"
Penny couldn't place it exactly, but there was an anger in the being's eyes that reminded her a little too much of Cinder. The golden-haired Huntress seemed to sense that, because she squeezed her waist just a little bit tighter.
"She sure is!" she said cheerfully, though there was an undercurrent of promised violence in her voice. "Tahu, meet Penny. Penny, Tahu."
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Penny extended a hand. "Salutations, Tahu! It is a pleasure to meet you! Any friend of Yang is a friend of mine!"
Tahu stared at her hand for all of four seconds, before he narrowed his eyes and glared at Yang. "Amazing. She's somehow even more unsightly than you are."
"Hey, Remnant girls don't get much better-looking than us!" laughed Yang, giving Tahu a gesture that Penny believed was colloquially called "finger guns." The red-armored giant seemed unamused, but whatever he was about to say was cut off by another shout.
"You!"
Takua let out a yelp as one of the yellow-masked figures suddenly leapt off the ridge, tackling him and pinning him to the ground. Penny's eyes went wide as the other Matoran drew a sharpened disk off his back, holding it menacingly over his head.
"Takua!" she cried, trying to run and aid him even as Yang pulled her back.
"Augh!" cried her friend. "Me? Me what?"
"You've got a lot of nerve to show up here after what you did!" The Matoran narrowed his eyes. "Don't even try to play dumb!"
"I'm not playing dumb!" protested Takua. "Honest!"
"So you admit that you're just stupid, then?"
"Yes!" After realizing what he'd just said, Takua shook his head fervently. "Wait, no! I'm not dumb! Well, I mean - I don't - who are you people?!"
"Nice try, but you're not getting off the hook that easily," growled the Matoran. "If you don't remember, then let me give you a reminder of why you were banished from - "
The taller figure with the orange mask cleared his throat as he hobbled down the hill. "Captain of the Guard? Let him go."
Takua's attacker turned back with widened eyes. "Seriously? But Vakama, you remember too! He's the one who - "
"Release him now, Jaller! Your Turaga demands it!"
Everyone seemed to shrink in the face of Vakama raising his voice; even Tahu's annoyed glare seemed to wither slightly. With a sigh, Jaller stowed his disk and climbed off Takua, stepping back as the elderly figure approached. Penny took her chances and darted to her friend's side, helping him out of the dirt and standing him back up. After he nodded to show that he was okay, she still stood between him and the approaching figure, rising up to her full height as the Turaga raised an eyebrow.
"I do not know what Takua did, but I promise you he does not remember it!" she said protectively. "His memory is…missing, broken, incomplete. But he is still a good person. Please, you must believe me!"
Vakama tilted his head, staring at Takua for a long moment even as the little Matoran looked right back at him. Eventually, he nodded.
"...I believe you, Penny," he said slowly. "While I see the same pair of curious eyes that have stared at me for many centuries, I do not see any recognition of myself or the others within them. Even so, I find it telling that despite having no memory of who you were or what you have done, you still found your way back here after all. Perhaps the decision to banish you from Ta-Koro was one done in haste…though I suppose that matters little now."
Penny watched as Takua blinked and slowly emerged from behind her legs. "I was…banished? But why? What did I do?"
"That is not for me to say," said the Turaga with a shake of his head. "If Mata Nui set you upon this quest, then knowing how it began may deter you from continuing it. However, that does not mean you should remain uninformed about Mata Nui, nor will I let you blindly wander into the dangers that await. I will share with you the same knowledge of our island and history that I will impart to Tahu and our otherworldly visitors, and nothing more. Everything else, you must discover for yourself. Will that suffice?"
The memory-impaired Matoran hummed for a moment, then nodded.
"Very well then," said Vakama. "You will find temporary shelter in Ta-Koro with us if you wish, but be careful. As Jaller has demonstrated, there are still some who remember you, and the temper of the Ta-Matoran boils as swiftly as the great Mangai in whose shadow we live." He smiled under his mask. "But in this, our first hour of hope, you may find the villagers' patience to be greater than usual. We have the mighty Toa to thank for that."
Tahu let out a derisive snort while Yang rolled her eyes, but neither of them denied the Turaga's statement. Jaller took the front of the group and led the various figures across the plains of ash-gray sand, heading deeper into the volcano.
As they walked, Penny stayed close to Takua. "Are you alright?" she asked her friend quietly.
Takua hesitated, then nodded, then shook his head, then shrugged. "I don't know," he finally admitted with a frustrated sigh.
The freckled girl bit her lower lip, then reached down and held his hand as they walked.
"I know that this is frustrating," said Penny with a soft smile. "But you will figure it out eventually. And I will be there to help you. We will find the truth together."
Though he wore a mask, Penny could tell that Takua was smiling right back.
Yang looked back at the pair with a smirk. "So when we find Ruby, should I tell her about her new competition for the 'best friend' role now?"
For reasons Penny didn't completely understand, her face grew quite hot.
(A/N): Alright, so I'm sure that my depiction of the Matoran is gonna raise a few eyebrows for Bionicle fans, so lemme lay out some "house rules" that I'll be using in the story going forward. I'll try to stay as canon as possible, but if it makes the story more interesting, then I'm fine with making a few tweaks. (Feel free to skip if you don't know Bionicle lore, or don't care all that much.)
First off, I'm opening the door to allow male and female Matoran in all the villages. No more of this "only one gender per element" thing. There's no physical difference between the sexes, of course, cause like Greg Farshtey himself, I'm not interested in writing about the sex lives of plastic toys. It's mostly a social construct like how gender is in our society - while the vast majority of Matoran in a village will choose to identify as male or female depending on the element, there's going to be some who want to be the opposite, and they can easily do so. It's 2022 my dudes; if a Le-Matoran or a Ko-Matoran wants to call themselves a girl, then by golly they are gonna be a girl.
Second, while there may not be reproductive-focused romance among the Matoran, there is going to be a phenomenon known as "pair-bonding," which I'll admit is a concept I'm borrowing from Lindsay Ellis's excellent "Axiom's End" novel. Basically, it's a way that two Matoran can form a connection that's analogous to a romantic relationship, but without the kissing and stuff. You saw above that Matoro and Sonya were pair-bonded; this is also gonna be the explanation for how Hewkii and Macku's relationship works when they get introduced. (Also, full disclosure: I'm not shipping any of the RWBY characters with Bionicle characters. That is a can of worms that I am not gonna be the one to open up. There is gonna be White Rose and Bumblebee in the future, though, so look forward to that!)
Finally, I'm going to be using the post-Naming Day names whenever possible in the story, despite the fact that in canon it only applies after the Bohrok invasion. This is because the names were changed in the face of the Maori lawsuit, a decision that I will respect here in the story. So instead of Jala, he'll be called Jaller, instead of Puku she'll be Pewku, etc. I'm doing this because the new names are more widely known among the fandom, and because I wish to pay respect to the culture that nonetheless inspired one of my favorite toy lines ever. So…yeah. That's my stance, and I'm sticking with it.
Anyways! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it, and tune in next time where the chapter will be (much) shorter!