(A/N): Here we go, the very first chapter I actually wrote as a "concept piece", just to see if the story would work. While it's another exposition dump, I like to think I wrote it in such a way that it's still engaging, and furthers the characters' journeys and their understanding of the world. Plus, I loved coming up with unique ways for the different Turaga to tell the legend of Mata Nui using elements from their own home villages - I like to imagine that Onewa's version of the tale is the one we most often see with the stone figures and the sand, while Vakama and the rest have regional variants they tell to the Matoran back home. I tried to make it as cinematic as possible, and I hope I succeeded!
In any case, enjoy! And apologies for how short this one is compared to the others.
In Yang's opinion, Ta-Koro was less of a village and more of a fortress.
The entire settlement sat on the cliff of an island in the middle of a lava lake, with a massive wall formed out of crimson cobblestone bricks. A system of winches and gears was connected to a boulder bridge that literally rose out of the magma to give entry to the village itself, which could quickly be lowered again to deny an enemy access to the fortified gates…or even to drop them right into the fiery inferno! Yang was almost sorry for a moment that Ironwood hadn't fallen into Mata Nui with them - the general of Atlas would have loved to see the defenses of Ta-Koro for himself. And then he'd have started pointing out possible ways to improve said defenses.
Inside the walls of volcanic stone, however, was a different story. While a good number of Ta-Matoran patrolled the walls and moved through barracks in orderly formation, most others lived their normal lives inside the main courtyard that pulled double duty as the village square. Domed huts made out of fired clay and stone sat in organized rows along the inner walls, much like how tents were arranged by traveling armies. A regiment of Matoran were posted along a massive tunnel entrance along the back, greeting those who were emerging out of the darkness and wishing those who disappeared into the shadows a safe journey. Red-armored villagers were doing everything from hauling buckets of lava across the courtyard to fashioning disks out of glass-like obsidian, with one poor soul tasked with polishing some kind of shrine that was under constant fire from ash and soot.
Most of the little buildings didn't seem very ornate or well-decorated, boasting very utilitarian interiors and only marked by fading letters Yang couldn't read. Vakama's hut was the exception: the Turaga's personal dwellings boasted a massive bonfire in the center of the room, masks mounted along the wall in various states of disrepair, and a row of clay pots along the back that were meticulously painted with various scenes and vignettes. Ta-Koro may have reminded her of Atlas, but Vakama's home reminded the blonde brawler quite a bit of Ozpin's private office back at Beacon.
It was here, in that homey little hut, that she now found herself alongside new, old, and ambiguous friends.
Yang took a seat in front of the roaring inferno, watching the village elder make his way between the two with a pouch that sagged under the weight of volcanic stones. She felt Penny's hand squeeze hers while the Turaga uncovered a small pool of lava in the middle of the floor, filling the room with even more heat and light as the golden-red magma burned and sloshed within its chamber. While she and her newly-human friend were sweating their pants off (and not burning alive, thanks to Aura), the small-statured Takua and the towering Tahu showed no signs of discomfort; either they were more tolerant of the blazing flames, or they were just better at hiding it. Whatever the case, she could already feel beads of sweat trail down her skin, wiping her orange scarf on her forehead just to cool off a bit.
Still, she wasn't about to complain about the lack of air-conditioning in Ta-Koro.
Not when she was finally about to get some answers on what was going on.
Vakama turned toward the fire for a long moment as he collected himself, basking in the glow of both the roaring flames and the bubbling lava. Then he took a deep breath and slowly faced his guests, a smile shaping his words as he spoke in a dramatic voice.
"Gathered friends…" he intoned, fiery passion in his eyes, "...listen again to our legend of the Bionicle."
Despite the staggering heat around her, Yang still felt a shiver run down her spine, for reasons she couldn't quite articulate. Penny gave a small "ooh" as she nuzzled closer to her friends, while Takua leaned forward slightly with childlike wonder in his eyes. Tahu, on the other hand, curled up one eyebrow as the village elder pulled out a stone as smooth and white as ivory, one with a face crudely carved into the surface near the top.
Vakama set the piece carefully into the pool of magma without so much as flinching, only pulling back his hand when he was certain that the stone floated gently on its own in the lava. The surface tension of the molten rock sagged slightly, but the piece was porous enough to stay afloat even as the base of the figure began to glow a dull orange - which made its eyes light up in a dramatic display as heat piped through the stone.
"In the time before time," continued the Turaga, "the Great Spirit descended from the heavens…"
"...carrying we - the ones called the Matoran - to this paradise."
Ruby watched with rapt attention as Nokama gently placed a large egg-shaped stone on a small leaf, carefully setting it out on the basin of water that lay in front of her. Next to her, Gali's yellow eyes focused beneath her visor, hands resting on her ankles as she crossed her legs. The other Ga-Matoran were all sitting in a circle around the village leader as she told her tale, watching with eyes like hawks despite likely being told the story a thousand times already.
The elderly Turaga began piling smaller pebbles onto more floating leaves, setting them in circles around the first as she continued her tale. "We were separate and without purpose, so the Great Spirit illuminated us with the Three Virtues: Unity...Duty...and Destiny."
"Unity, Duty, Destiny," echoed the Ga-Matoran in attendance, like they were finishing a sacred prayer.
Nokama nodded in response. "We embraced these gifts, and in gratitude we named our island home Mata Nui…"
"...after the Great Spirit himself."
Emerald sat on her haunches lazily as Matau placed a set of small wooden figures around one large branch, watching as the simple objects cast massive shadows along a wooden wall. Lewa seemed far more entertained by the little puppet show than her, which didn't surprise the thieving teenager - she suspected that a rogue butterfly could capture the energetic green titan's attention for hours. Le-Matoran hung from trees, sat in vine hammocks, or just lay on the platforms as the tale unfolded, some watching the pieces while others chose to watch the magnified shadowplay. The Turaga, to his credit, did a good job at making both equally engaging.
Not that Emerald would admit that she was enjoying the show, of course.
"Alas, our happy-joy was not to last," said Matau ominously as he laid down another figure, this one painted black as coal. "For Mata Nui's Spirit-brother, the Makuta, was jealous of these honors and betrayed him. He cast a dark spell over our beloved Great Spirit, who fell into an endless slumber-sleep."
The green-haired thief had to bite back a snort as she watched Matau flick the "Makuta" piece with enough force to knock over the Mata Nui branch, like he was an overly aggressive chess player capturing an opponent's queen. She could tell it was meant to be serious, however, judging by the sharp gasps from the gathered audience - including Lewa.
The air was filled only with the sound of crackling embers, and when Matau spoke again, it was in a harsh, grave whisper. "The Makuta was free to unleash his shadow-monsters…"
"...and unleash them, he did."
Blake felt her ears fold back against her head as Whenua's deep voice flooded the hut, gazing in dread at the Mata Nui piece laying motionless in the pile of silt. In contrast to the smooth, polished round stones that represented the Great Spirit and the Matoran in the Turaga's tale, the ones that stood for the ominous Makuta and his fierce Rahi were jet-black and covered in rough edges. Without even seeing his influence herself, she could feel that the shadowy usurper's name carried fear and weight behind it, to the point that not even the storyteller himself could suppress a shudder.
Onua, by contrast, was as calm as the cavern floor itself, staring down patiently with glowing green eyes as he waited for the village elder to collect himself. After a moment's pause, Whenua reached into his robe and pulled out a half-dozen new figures, which turned out to be an assortment of glittering gems and rare metals. Blake's eyes widened as she caught sight of a ruby sitting with a matching sapphire and emerald, along with a pitch-black onyx, a chunk of silver, and a piece of polished copper. All of them were carved, cut, and polished to perfection, and seemed to shine with their own inner light as the elder revealed them.
"Yet even in the darkness, not all was lost," spoke the Turaga after a pause. He began to set down the new pieces around Makuta as hope rose in his voice. "Legends foretell that salvation will one day come in the form of six mighty Toa…"
"...wielding the elements as they confront Makuta in his dark lair," translated Matoro as Nuju laid down fragments of colored quartz around a thick piece of charcoal standing upright in the snow. Weiss knelt and watched the whistling elder's spirits rise as the tale neared its end, sparing a glance at Kopaka's impassive face before returning her attention.
Matoro's audible smile as he translated suggested that this was his favorite part of the legend. "With their wisdom and valor they will illuminate the darkness…"
"...liberate the Rahi-beasts," chanted Matau as he planted six beautifully painted sticks around the Makuta, "set them free from his evil influence…"
"...and awaken the Great Spirit Mata Nui," finished Nokama as the leaf that held up Makuta's dark stone sank under the additional weight of six dyed shells, "so that we may flourish under his watchful gaze once more..."
"...we pray, always, that this day fast approaches."
The flames crackled and the lava hissed as the dark stone representing Makuta fell forward dramatically into the magma, under the unyielding stare of six floating candles that burned in different colors. Yang watched carefully as the Turaga dipped a pair of tongs into the pool, retrieving the pieces and shaking them dry before returning them to the bag. He then blew on the candles and snuffed them out, filling the air with a sweet smoky scent that lingered even after the flames died down.
"So…" said Yang slowly, breaking the silence that flooded into the hut, "I'm guessing that Big Red here is one of those - what'd you call them? Toa?"
"He must be," said Vakama with a sage nod as he resealed the lava pool. "And if he has come, then surely the others are here as well."
Tahu stared into the fire, his mind swimming with silent questions. The blonde brawler saw an opportunity for a joke to diffuse the tension, and took it with a smirk.
"Alright," she said glibly, "So what happens if the Toa fail to defeat this Makuta guy? Do the guys upstairs have to send down the Foota and the Legga next?"
Silence. Human, Toa, Matoran, and Turaga alike all looked at her without so much as a smile.
"...okay, so that's the tone we're going with, alright." Yang sighed. "In all seriousness, it's a nice story, and I really appreciated the visual aid. It definitely helped with explaining what this place is, how you got here, and what the Toa are supposed to do when they arrive. But that still doesn't answer the question of what we're doing here." She pointed to herself and Penny. "Or how we can get back. Do you have a legend that explains any of that?"
Vakama's gaze softened as he looked down and shook his head. "Sadly, I do not. The prophecies and the stars spoke only of the arrival of the Toa; they said nothing of the coming of you and your friends."
Great. Just great. So the Turaga, the guy who was supposed to be one of the wisest people on the island, had nothing for them. How extremely encouraging. The blonde brawler could already feel her annoyance and frustration begin to simmer like a great big pot of angry soup. Penny gave her hand another comforting squeeze, then looked back at the Turaga.
"When we used the Staff of Creation to create a network of portals between the spaces of Remnant, the being within gave us a warning,'' she recalled. "He told us not to fall, but he never clarified what would happen if we did. Maybe he knew it would lead to this world?"
"You would know more about that than I, Penny," Vakama intoned. "Perhaps you found one of the paths between worlds the Great Beings used in the time before time. Or it was the will of Mata Nui himself that brought you here when you faced erasure in your home realm. I cannot say."
Penny gave a disappointed hum, which prompted Takua to lay a hand on her leg. Another flare of frustration sprang up within Yang, which the Turaga seemed to notice as he shifted tactics.
"Regardless of how it happened, the fact remains that you are here now," he continued. "You arrived at the same time as the Toa, and you found Tahu shortly after appearing on our shores. I have seen enough of Mata Nui's plans at work to know that these cannot be mere coincidences. I suspect that your other friends have already found the other Toa, and it would not surprise me if they have already formed alliances."
"Knowing Ruby and how friendly she and her team members are, I find that very likely as well," agreed Penny. Then she frowned. "Although Weiss can be quite grumpy sometimes."
That almost got a smile out of Yang. Almost.
"I do not doubt you, Penny," said Vakama with a nod. "It is this Unity that only further solidifies my belief that your Duties and Destinies are similar as well. Yang, I believe that your journey is now intertwined with Tahu's, just as his is now intertwined with yours. If fortune smiles on you and your friends, the way back to your world may lie in the completion of his sacred task."
Yang cast a wary glance towards the Toa in the room, her uncertainty about the fiery being adding fuel to her own anger. Tahu seemed to think the same thing, given the way the brow of his mask furrowed.
"And just what is my task, Turaga?" he asked in an impatient growl.
The elder gestured to the rack of masks on the back, pointing at the different shapes on display. "Before you and the other Toa are ready to face Makuta, you each must first collect a full set of Great Kanohi masks of power," explained Vakama. "You already wear the Kanohi Hau, the Great Mask of Shielding - there are five more for you to find that shall grant you additional abilities. With these masks, you shall become stronger and faster than any living thing, able to float on the air and breathe in the water, and peer into the very depths of the world around you. Unfortunately, Makuta also knows this, and so he has commanded his Rahi to seize the masks and scatter them across the island...meaning you must seek them out and brave the dangers to retrieve them yourself."
That…sounded long, hard, and complicated. If there were six Toa, with five masks to find apiece, then that would mean that the only way Yang and her friends might be able to go home was if the Toa collectively found thirty masks. And that was just finding the masks - if they really were guarded by monsters, that would make things even longer and harder. Not to mention whatever defeating Makuta entailed - if this shadowy demon was anything like Salem, it wasn't gonna be as easy as running up and punching him in the face. (Or mask, as the case might be.)
The frustration rose a few degrees higher, and not even Penny's hand on hers was enough to keep it from bubbling over anymore.
Tahu's eyes narrowed again, but he didn't seem deterred. "If that is my duty, I shall see it done. So long as the loud one stays out of my way." He shot a glare at Yang as he finished.
That was enough to make her blow her top.
"Hey, I didn't exactly ask to team up with you, shorty!" snapped Yang, who glared first at Tahu then at Vakama. "So lemme get this straight. We get booted out of our world only to fall into this one, where no one's ever seen a human before and everyone's all tiny and weird and helpless. All our friends back home are left wondering if we're dead when we didn't pop into Vacuo with them, while they're stranded in the middle of the desert with a few hundred terrified refugees and a couple thousand Grimm on all sides. And you're telling me the only advice you have is that me and a hot-headed robot with a hair-trigger temper should do a glorified scavenger hunt to defeat some nebulous evil, which might give us a way back home?"
Vakama lowered his head in shame. "I wish I could do more for you, truly," he intoned gently.
Yang scoffed and stood up. "Yeah. I wish you could do more, too. Thanks for nothing, I guess. Come on Penny - we're leaving."
The ginger-haired girl let out a yelp as her hand was dragged away with the rest of her. "W-wait! Yang!"
"I know you wanna help them out, but we've got people waiting for us back home," Yang said without looking back as she marched out of Vakama's hut. "We can't just waste time that they don't have running errands for the local village people. It's not our problem."
"But...I…I…"
"Don't worry about it." Violet eyes began to fade to red. "If we can spend our whole lives under Salem's thumb, they can spend a little longer fighting this 'Makuta'. And if they can't help us, then we'll find Ruby and the others ourselves, and get back home before you can even say - "
"PENNY!"
Yang looked back at the Matoran standing in the doorway of Vakama's hut, staring at them from across the courtyard of Ta-Koro. Gods, why wouldn't these things just leave her alone? She flashed her hair in warning, which made Takua stop in his tracks about twenty feet away.
"Don't come any closer," growled the blonde brawler, "and don't follow us. We don't need you to get home, and you don't need our…"
It was only now that Yang noticed that Penny was having trouble breathing.
In fact, it looked like she wasn't breathing at all.
"...help…" rasped the freckled girl, before sinking to her knees with a deafening thud.