Disclaimer: I don't own Bionicle. (If I owned it, the website would be updated much faster, grrrrrr) But I own the Ihar, the Toa Leehar and the Ilsao. Without counting Miko Nui.
Friends or Foes?
Silence followed those words. Nobody said anything, everyone just stared at Thaukon, who stood there, staring back. The only thing to be heard was the roaring of the river to their right.
"Makuta is dead!" shouted Pohatu. Uhat laughed.
"Dead? No! Defeated, weak, but not dead," he said. "It isn't that easy to kill the Master of Shadows."
The seven Matoran looked at each other. They had hoped Makuta would be dead! That everything was going to settle now! They had been wrong, their work still wasn't over.
"What about the Ilsao?" asked Lewa.
"Don't you realize? With their powers, Makuta could regain strenght," said Uhat.
"And what about Kida?" Takua wanted to know. He couldn't believe that the Ihar worked for Makuta.
"She's the one that sent you here," answered Ilag. "She programmed the Tikohl to send you here, and..." she paused. "You know how the transporters work, don't you?"
They shook their heads. They hadn't bothered to ask, thinking that it had been some sort of accident.
"Yeah, well, you have to touch it to activate it, then give in two codes," explained Auno. "The code of the island you want to get to and the code of the transporter you want to be transported to. Then touch it again, and you're zapped to the place, clear?"
They all nodded. Tahu looked nervously at Thau to make sure he didn't attack, but the Ta-Ihar just stood there and listened.
"Anyway," continued Ilag. "We think she gave in the code for Miko Nui while we were unconcious, but since she didn't have enough time to write the code for a transporter - or didn't want to - she waited for us to get out, and then use her powers to close the door and hit the Tikohl with a rock. Then you were transported to this island, but not to a particular transporter."
Nobody said something. Onua looked around to see how the others reacted, and his eyes stopped on Gali. The Ga-Matoran was standing there, arms crossed, wearing an expression that Onua couldn't identify, and he was sure that he had never seen it in those eyes. But before he could think about it, Tahu started shouting at Thaukon.
"I knew it!" he yelled. "I knew there was something wrong in you! I knew it from the first moment I saw you!"
-No, you don't understand...-
"Shut up! All those talks about having to get the Ilsao, and then not even explaining us how to use them! You wanted them for yourself! FOR MAKUTA!"
-NO! We don't have anything to do with Maku...-
"I told you to SHUT UP! You didn't rescue Gali because you didn't want to! Not because..."
"Tahu..." interrupted Gali.
"SHUT UP! This is something between me and..."
"TAHU! It was my fault if that happened, not his!" snapped Gali. Tahu stared at her.
"I came out near to the crater, I could have climbed out the whole time. I just didn't," she said.
"What? Why?"
"That's my business. Anyway, if I had stayed there he would have found me, I saw him run there when I reached the ground,"
For a couple of seconds, Tahu didn't say anything, he just stared at Gali. Then...
"ARE YOU CRAZY?" he yelled. "You can't stand heat and you have a walk inside a volcano? What has gone into you?"
Gali didn't answer, she just stared at the ground, ignoring the looks that everyone was sending at her.
-What's going on here?- came Hoti's voice. He and the other Ihar were coming down from the top of the slope.
Thau let out a whine and stared at his companions. Hoti's cat mouth opened slightly, then he jumped towards Pohatu.
"No you're not!" yelled Utahop. He snatched the Ihar out of the air and pinned him to the ground with one of his climbing claw. Hoti hissed at him and slashed the air with his claws.
"You see?" asked the Toa. "As he saw they had been discovered, he attacked you."
Pohatu backed away from the Ihar, who meowed and tried to free himself, all the time staring at Pohatu.
"You other Ihar," snapped Auno. "If you even try to attack... what are you doing?"
All the other Ihar were now standing next to Thau, forming a group. Once together, Nairof shot a pleading glance at Onua. Utahop laughed.
"Unity is not going to save you," he said. Lewa stared at him, there was something that didn't fit, but what was it?
-You don't even know what that word means- cried Hoti, a note of desperation in his voice. In that moment, Lewa understood what was really going on. But how could he tell the others?
"Mata Nui!" whispered Takua. It looked as if he had got it too.
"What?" asked Akapok, apparently without much interest. Takua jumped slightly and looked around for help. His eyes met Lewa's, who was trying desperately to find a way to gain time.
"What- what was that you said?" asked the green Matoran.
"That doesn't mind," said Utahop, smiling. But his eyes showed how nervous he really was.
"You said that unity isn't going to save them," whispered Gali. "But Makuta's followers don't know what unity means."
For a some time, there was silence, as everyone started to understand the meaning of those words and of Hoti's desperate shout.
"It's you!" Tahu blurted out. Uhat turned to the others and sighed, then he turned to Tahu again.
"No, Tahu," he said. "It isn't us, we are Toa, we all are." his voice was quiet, but there was a menacing tone in his voice.
-Don't listen to him- shouted Thau. -They look like Toa, but inside, they are as cold and empty as...- he didn't get any further. Utahop gave him a hard kick, and he fell on his side with a whine.
"Thau!" cried Tahu, running towards the falled Ihar, but Utahop put himself in the way.
"He's just a tool of Makuta, like the Bohrok," said Akapok.
"You are the tool of Makuta!" shouted Takua. "YOU! They didn't do anything to you! They are just Rahi!"
Uhat eyes flashed at Takua, and then the Toa started walking slowly towards him. "Yes, they are only Rahi, and we are creatures of the Makuta."
Takua backed away, staring at Uhat's tools, that were joining to become the tool of Turahk.
"Why Takua? Why?" asked Uhat shaking his head. "Why did you have to ruin it all? We could have been friends, helped to "save" the island together."
"I'll never be a friend of someone that has something to do with Makuta!" yelled Takua, still backing away, suddenly, one of his feet sank into cold water.
"No? Why not? Turaga Lhikan doesn't seem to care," said Uhat quietly. But now in his eyes was an evil glower as he stepped towards Takua.
"We will tell him who you are! Then we'll see!" screamed Takua. He kept retreating in the water, that now reached his waist, and the current got stronger with every step.
"I expected that," sneered Uhat. "That's why we aren't letting you live."
And with that, he raised his staff. Takua gasped and turned around... to face rushing waters. A trap! He was standing in the river! Panicking, he picked a casual direction. As he did this, he lost his footing on the slippery stones, the current seized him and carried him downstream.
"Takua!" cried Pohatu, seeing the Ta-Matoran being dragged away by the current.
-Get near the other Ihar- came Kida's voice in that moment. -The Toa Leehar still didn't realize I'm not there.-
It was true, Kida was not with the other Ihar, who were still standing there under the control of Awel and Ilag.
"But..." started Tahu.
-Forget about Takua- hissed Sirkul. Tahu stared at him. -And don't look at me like that-
Lewa looked at the remaining Toa Leehar, who were controlling them. But Sirkul was right, now that Uhat was busy with Takua, they had to give it a try. But how could they distract Utahop, Akapok and Auno? He looked around for help.
-Listen, once Kal gives me the signal, there'll be a lot of chaos here, so you have to be ready to jump on one of us. Okay?-
Fine, but how could they sneak to the Ihar? Suddenly, he had an idea. It was crazy, and if it didn't work, he and Gali were not going to get another chance. But he had to try it. Now the problem was telling Gali his idea without that the Toa Leehar realized what was going on.
He looked around for Gali, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Where did she...oh, great, he thought. Then let's quickplot a new smartplan... his eyes fell on Utahop. He and Gali were rivals from the very first day they had met. What would he say if he realized that Gali wasn't there?
He'd blow up the pl... Hang on! he smiled, then he took a deep breath and started what was probably the craziest plan he had ever had.
"HEY!" he yelled. "Where's Gali? She was standing right here just..."
Then next second, many things happened at once. The Toa Leehar all started looking around for Gali. Kida shouted, -NOW-, and all the Ihar shot to their Matoran, snatching them and throwing them on their backs before running away. Then, Utahop fell to the ground, Kida on his chest, trying to get his throat. Everybody froze.
-Run! I don't know for how much time I'll be able to ho...- Kida never got any further. Utahop grabbed her neck with his remaining claw and threw her against the slope. Then he retrieved his other claw and turned them into his Rahkshi staff. Kida got back on her feet and prepared herself for another attack.
-Kida! NO!- But Kal's warning came too late. Kida threw herself on Utahop, who swung his staff. There was the dull sound of an impact, and Kida fell to the ground without a sound. Utahop kicked her aside and walked back to the other Toa Leehar.
Silently, Kal walked over to her Kida, nudging her softly with her snout.
-Is she...- started Thau, but his voice trailed off. Kal nudged Kida again, whining pitifully. It was then, that Tahu spotted the heartlight on her chest. He could have slapped himself. Lewa and Takua had been right, the Ihar did not work for Makuta. Sadly, he watched as the heartlight flackered on turned off, but the spot on her head was still glowing dimly. Kal started licking Kida's face, trying desperately to wake her up, but her efforts didn't help. Finally, Kal stepped away from her sister's body, threw her head back and howled. For a long time, nobody moved.
-Kal...- started Kishro, after the Ga-Ihar stopped howling. Kal ignored him. -Kal, we have to move...-
But Kal wasn't listening. She turned to Utahop, eyes full of hatred.
-YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED MY SISTER- screamed Kal.
"I know" he said calmly. At this, Kal lost it completely, she threw herself on Utahop, yelling things that none of them had ever heard.
-Kal, NO!- cried Nairof. But Kal was deaf to everything except Utahop's shouts of pain. Auno grabbed her and pulled her away from Utahop, holding her so tightly that she couldn't breath.
The Ihar forgot there was someone on their back. Nairof clawed Auno's leg and used the power of strength to pull him down. Then Sirkul used telekinesis to pull Kal away.
-Let go of me! I want him dead! I want that kreno dead! Let go of me-
Hoti sighed and used mind-control to calm Kal. The Ihar stopped snapping at the air and followed the other Ihar obediently.
-Let's go- said Thaukon, Tahu noticed that he was trembling slightly. The other Ihar nodded, and they all crossed the river and ran off in the jungle.
The Toa Leehar stared after them as they disappeared in the green, there was no need to follow them, for now they knew, where they were going to.
I can't believe it took me so long! But you won't have to wait so much for the next chapter. It used to be a part of this, but then I split it up. Also, there's a mistake in Pohatu's vision (last chapter) see if you can find it. In the next chapter you'll finally find out who the thief is. You've got one try to find the mistake and three guesses for the thief. Another thing. Does anybody know where I can read Bionicle comics on the web?
fred: as you see it's the Toa Leehar. I don't quite get what you mean with isso's, but you're right.
Regrem Erutaerc: Thanks. It's a good idea, I'll keep it in mind. Which brings me to a question. What happened to Dume in the real story?.?
ceestar: Thanks, but it's quite normal that some chapter/endings are better than others. I have the story quite planned, so I already know what will happen in some chapters, but I needed others to connect them, which aren't so good. (and which made this story really looooooooooong!)
ToaMaster: ooooooooh, nasty. I know that, I used to get it too (i still get it). I normally let my fantasy play a bit, when it's out, it's out. Or see if you can get some of those ideas in your story. I hope you get back to TG before writing TG2 though.
HazeNuva: Whaddaya mean you can't write anymore fics? I wanna know how Do you know? ends! I'll die if I don't!
(Tahu: hooray! No more CA! Me: It was just acting. Tahu: Awwww)
