Discalimer: I don't own Bionicle.

The Thief of Ga-Metru

Vakama was walking slowly through the city, looking at the buildings silently.

At first he had thought that the Matoran had actually made it and rebuilt the city, but as he looked closer, he realized that most houses were just lumps of rocks or ice. Only the temple of Ga-Metru and the tower at the center of the city had been truly rebuilt.

The more he looked around, the more questions popped in his head. Where did these Matoran come from? Why were the Vahki still working? And especially, why was Lhikan still alive?

To these worries he had to add the fact that the Toa had disappeared to Miko Nui.

The Death Island he thought with a shudder. There were many legends about that island, and about it's inhabitants, the Ihar.

"Worried, Vakama?" came Nokama's voice from behind him. He turned around to face her.

"Yes, all this..." he started.

"I know what you mean," she said. "But there's something you should know. I met the thief, she was in my class."

"What?" he asked. "But then, you must know who..."

"No, she said her name was Xanya, but that means as much as No-Name. She lied."

Vakama sighed. "I wish I knew this thief, to know what to do with her..."

XXXXX

Kal stared down at Gali's figure, her stiff body and the slight glower of the Ilsao told her that Gali's mind was already in the past. Whatever was going to happen now, she was completely vulnerable to it.

"I'll protect you, Gali. I'm not going to lose you too" Kal growled in her Ihar language. Gali was the only one she had left. True, Nairof was her cousin, but they had never really thought of each other like a member of the same family.

The fog was still thick, but the Ihar's ears and nose made up for the lack of seeing. She could hear everything, from Thau's snores to the sound of rocks rolling down the mountainside. Then, she started hearing something else too, the ghostly sound of Matoran voices.

Gali wasn't completely right about why they shouldn't talk. True, they could be heard in both times, but unless they started screaming like they were being murdered, only fine Ihar ears or someone with a high sense for supernatural would have heard them.

Suddenly, another sound caught her attention, the sound of footsteps. Heavy feet were walking up the mountain, crumbling rocks as they went. As Kal listened more carefully, she heard five other sets of feet, and in the air was now a new smell. The smell of of a murderer.

Kal's eyes thinned and filled with hate. She let out a single, low bark to wake the others. Then she sent them a message through telepathy, she didn't dare more, they musn't know they were awake.

The sound became louder, and a silent growl filled Kal's throat. I'm not letting you have Gali, you're not going to kill her she thought. Is it the last thing I do.

XXXXX

"GALI? You...mmph" Tahu's yell was stopped by Kopaka, who promptly put a hand on his mouth. The thief jumped slightly and looked around.

"Tahu? Is it you?" she asked.

Tahu's eyes widened in surprise as he heard the thief, Gali, call his name, for it was definitly Gali.

The thief was wearing a dark blue Kaukau mask, beneath which shone two bright yellow eyes, now looking for the source of the noise. Something dangled around her neck.

In front of them, the thief shrugged and went to something that looked like a Toa Suva, only that this had seven symbols around it rather than six. Then, she started pushing the symbols, so that the Suva started glowing.

"Going somewhere, Gali?" asked a voice, coming from the fog. A muffled scream came from Tahu. That was the same voice of the Ta-Matoran of his dream, his, voice.

The thief jumped and spun around to stare at a figure in the fog, "Tahu! I thought I had heard you!"

The figure walked nearer to the thief, shortly followed by a young Thau.

"What have I told you about coming here?" he asked. The thief's eyes filled with anger.

"I don't care that you take command of this small group," she growled. "You are the right one to do it. But this is my business. So LEAVE ME ALONE!" with that, she turned around and stared at the masks, trying to remember which ones she had already pushed.

"Gali, I'm worried about you," snapped the past Tahu. "You're always here, working at this Tikohl thing. What's up?"

The past Gali sighed, then she shook her head sadly.

"It's Takua, isn't it?"

Takua jumped as he heard his name. The past Gali nodded without looking at Tahu, "Yes,"

"He'll be alright," said the past Tahu softly.

"I- I just want to see him one more time," said the past Gali, still not looking at Tahu. "To tell him I'm sorry, for what happened," she sounded on the verge of tears.

"That was not your fault, Gali. Forget about it."

"It WAS my fault," screamed the thief, now turning around to face the past Tahu. "I should have warned the others myself, not sent him! It's my fault if he was caught!"

"You know perfectly well they wouldn't have listened if..." started the past Tahu angrily.

"They would! I was just afraid of Vahki! He got caught because I was too scared to..."

"YOU HAD ALL THE RIGHT TO BE SCARED!" yelled Tahu. The thief winced slightly, and for some time, nobody said anything.

While this happened, memories began to seep in the Matoran's mind, and Gali suddenly knew what it was she had done to Takua, what had tormented her for all that time...

"Where are the others?" asked the thief. When the past Tahu didn't answer, she said, "They're here, aren't they?"

No answer came, so she turned to the fog and shouted, "Okay, just come out, will you?"

One by one, four different Matoran walked into view, shortly followed by five Ihar. Past-Gali stared at them angrily. "Can't I be alone for some time? Do you always have to follow me?"

"Maybe it would help if you stopped trying to run away from Miko Nui!" answered the Onu-Matoran, whom Pohatu recognized from his vision, it was Onua.

"I don't want to run..." she stopped, for the thing around her neck was glowing of a pale blue light, together with one of the symbols on the suva. Past-Gali yelped and threw it on the ground.

"You let it fall..." whispered Past-Tahu.

"What? Oh, yeah, right..." muttered Past-Gali.

"You never let an Ilsao fall, Gali!" said Past-Onua. He looked first at the Suva, then at the Ilsao. "Gali, what was going to happen? What is an Ilsao really?"

The thief sighed, then she bent down and picked up the Shilara. "It's a special kind of Toa Stone and... yeah, you can guess it yourself."

"What?" shouted five voices.

"Why is it special?" asked Past-Pohatu.

"Because of its powers, and because only those who can control it are Toa," answered Past-Gali.

Silence followed those words. The Ko-Matoran, obviously Kopaka, as he was the only one with a shield, was the first to brake the silence. "And we can control them..."

"That's why you wanted to quickleave Metru-Nui!" whispered a younger Lewa. "You didn't want the others to discoverfind the truth!"

"Yes, that's one reason," answered Past-Gali. "I don't want to be a Toa, I'd hate it!"

"Why not? It must be a lot of joyfun!" smiled Past-Lewa.

"Yeah, but I'm a thief!" insisted Past-Gali. "Becoming a Toa would mean follow certain rules, get orders from Turaga... and I'm not sure I'd like that."

"I don't think we have much choice," murmured Past-Onua, "I mean, we were chosen, kind of."

"Whoa! Stop! This isn't serious, right?" interrupted Past-Pohatu. "It's just talk, we aren't really thinking of becoming Toa, are we?"

When nobody answered, he started laughing. "I always knew that you were crazy, but come on! Toa? I mean, we're a group of nutters!"

"We..." started Past-Onua, but Past-Pohatu cut him off.

"Look, just because these things never blew up a building or turned us into a two-headed swamp lizard it doesn't mean we can control them!"

"Then how do you explain that Gali can actually shoot jet of waters with it?" asked Past-Tahu.

Past-Pohatu shrugged. "Gali is special, we all know she has a sixth sense, if not even a seventh..."

"I don't have a..."

"That's not important! We can't be Toa! Look, our group is formed by a female thief who has freak 'parallel' visions, a librarian who can repair anything except books, a hot-headed junkyard guard..."

"I didn't guard a junkyard!" protested Past-Tahu.

"A spy who can't sit still for a minute," continued Past-Pohatu, ingoring Tahu's comment. "A cold guy who is only here because he is flirting with the thief, and me. Don't you think it's more likely we put everyone into even more danger then they are now?"

"I'm not flirting with Gali!" snapped Past-Kopaka.

"The point is we are not Toa!" insisted Past-Pohatu. "I say we stay here, have a nice time, and sent these things to someone else!"

"Like us?" asked an icy voice. Everyone turned around to see Akapok striding towards the Suva. All six young Ihar growled.

"What are you doing here?" asked Past-Tahu.

"Why, we are the protectors of Miko Nui!" said Uhat, now too coming out of the fog, with a grin. Then he turned to Thaukon. "A bit more respect, pup!"

For a moment, Gali didn't understand why Uhat was snapping at Thaukon. Then she realized that for some reason they couldn't hear telepathy. Still, it was easy to guess what Thau was now shouting at the Toa Leehar for being called 'pup'.

"Hey! Cool it! Pups shouldn't say such things!" grinned Uhat.

Thau looked as if he was ready to jump at Uhat's throat, but Past-Tahu already had an arm around his collar.

"Why are you here?" snapped the Ta-Matoran of the past.

"Oh, just a message from Turaga Lhikan," said Auno, now coming out from behind the Suva.

"And that'd be?" asked Past-Lewa.

"He said he's really happy we defeated the Visohrak," answered Ilag, who had just appeared, followed by Awel.

"And that we are the best Toa-Heroes he's ever had!" continued Awel. "Sorry, waterthief. You've lost!"

"You mean..." started Past-Gali.

"Yeah," said a voice, which Gali recognized immediately as Utahop's. "We are now the Toa Leehar, protectors of Metru Nui."

The thief's eyes narrowed with hate, and she clenched her fists. Past-Pohatu nodded at Hoti, saying, "You're right, that's BIG trouble."

"How did you do that?" hissed Past-Gali.

"Oh, it was easy. We let the Toa Hordika sort their problems out and bust the Visorak out of the way. Then it was easy," answered Utahop, grinning. "We just shooed away the worst things, and then we were Toa Heroes!"

"How did you know where everyone was?" asked the thief.

"We didn't," he said. "But we met an explorer that was wandering around. So we told him the whole story, and he lead us straight to Turaga Lhikan."

"What are you going to do with them?" asked Past-Tahu.

"Nothing," answered Uhat. "Makuta's currently trying to get the Matoran on the island of Mata Nui to obey him. Top priority. Yes," added, seeing the look on the thief's face. "That's where your chronicler lives."

"The Toa will stop him!" shouted Tahu.

"Which Toa?" sneered Utahop. "Toa are only a legend! So don't worry too much, you did what you could, now it's up to us to restore the..." he didn't get any farther, the thief had kicked a load of earth in his face. Utahop roared and kicked the thief, sending her flying against the Suva.

"Don't forget, you tiny bit of filth, that I can still crush you!" he growled. Past-Gali answered with a set of insults that made Kopaka's mouth drop open.

"We have to quickspeed back," said Awel suddenly. "People will worry about where we are!"

With that, the Toa Leehar left, laughing loudly. Past-Gali somehow brought up the strength to stand up and shout some more insults at the Toa Leehar.

"Calm down Gali!" said Past-Lewa. "It's no use."

"The Toa Leehar are on Metru Nui," muttered the thief. "What's worse, they found out what we've done and are now the protectors of the island!" she said, voice raising. "Makuta is on Mata Nui, where nobody remembers a scrap about Metru Nui, or the Toa, Takua is in trouble, AND IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" with that, she ripped the Shilara off her neck and stomped towards the suva. Kal whined.

"Gali, now calm down!" said Past-Tahu, alarmed. "Don't do anything stupid! We can't just land on Mata Nui and tell them that Metru Nui is being protected by six madmans called..."

"I KNOW!" yelled the thief.

"Then what..." Past-Pohatu paused, eyes on the Shilara. "You aren't thinking of..."

"Yes, I am!" and with that, she turned to the Suva again.

"But, it's crazy Gali! You said it yourself, we can't..." started Past-Tahu.

"I KNOW WHAT I SAID!" snapped the thief. "But it was me who made this mess, and I have to sort this out!"

"But..."

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! I DON'T CARE!" screamed the thief. "If I can't stop Utahop as a Matoran... I'll have to do it as a Toa!"

Then she turned to Kal, and said quietly. "I'm sorry, Kal, I'm really sorry! I promise I'll come back, one day. But you have to swear something to me." she added. "You have to ask your parents to hide the Ilsao, so that nobody can find them." Kal nodded silently.

"And if anyone comes here with our names, even if you're sure it's us, you won't tell him anything, and if this Matoran, or Toa, or Turaga, can't control the Ilsao... he or she will have to sort this out himself." Kal's eyes widened. "Promise Kal?" For a minute, nobody moved, then, slowly, Kal nodded.

"Thanks," said Past-Gali, hugging Kal's neck. Then she walked up towards the Suva. Holding the Shilara with one hand, she reached out to touch one symbol with the other, but before she could do it, Past-Lewa grabbed her arm.

"Gali, it's crazy!" he said.

"I know, but..."

"You can't go alone! I'm coming with you!" he said with a smile. Then he stepped over to another symbol, and to everyone's surprise, Past-Tahu and Past-Onua did too.

"Did you really think I'd leave you two alone?" asked Past-Tahu.

"And I've never heard about a group made of three Toa!" added Past-Onua.

"And I haven't of four," added Past-Kopaka, now too stepping next to a symbol. Everyone turned to see what Past-Pohatu was doing.

"You are all crazy!" he said. "You really wanna go there? Did you forget what I said?"

"Nope," answered Past-Lewa. "I remember clearly, and I don't see much difference from the Toa Metru."

"You're crazy," said Past-Pohatu. "You all are!" But he went towards his symbol anyway.

"Besided," added Past-Gali. "In our group there's a serious, brave guy who will always remind us how crazy we are and who'll always get us out of trouble when we do something stupid."

"And who'd that be?" asked Past-Pohatu suspiciously.

"You,"

"When will I learn to keep my darn mouth shut?"

With a last look at each other, the six Matoran reached out their hand and touched their symbol. As soon as they did this, an electric bolt shot up their arms and all arund their bodies. There were screams from each of them as they grew.

Past-Tahu's sword grew to become the flame everyone knew, Past-Kopaka's sword grew too, as did his shield. Past-Onua's hands became sharper, turning into claws, Past- Pohatu didn't seem to change much. Past-Lewa's ax, which they noticed for the first time, became sharper and larger. Past-Gali's hands disappeared and turned into hooks. The last symbol was glowing of a golden light, searching for a seventh Matoran that wasn't there...

Then it was over, and the Ilsao fell to the ground with a clunk.

"Aargh!" shouted Toa Pohatu. "I knew this was a bad idea! Those things always do something that hurts!"

"Whoa!" was saying Toa Tahu. "I wonder what I can do with this..."

The only one who wasn't laughing or showing off was Gali. She was staring at her hooks, mouth open.

"Hey, Gali, what..." started Pohatu, but stopped as he saw her hooks.

"My hands..." she whispered. But the next second, the symbols around the Suva started to glow, there was a sudden flash of light, and the Toa were gone.

For a while, the Ihar stared at the scene. Then they grabbed each Ilsao, and left. Kal was the last to go. She whined something at the suva, then turned around and disappeared.

Now that there wasn't anyone left, the Toa-Matoran could start talking again.

"So," said Tahu quietly. "It looks like you're the thief Gali."

"Tahu, I'm sorry, really, I..." she started, pleadingly.

"How long have you known?"

"Ever since I heard the riddle,"

"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?" roared Tahu.

"I wasn't completely sure, and I was afraid of what you might say," said Gali sadly.

Tahu slamed his fist on the ground, doing his best to calm down. He hated thieves, and now it turned out that his own sister was one! No, she wasn't his sister, she was just a Matoran, a bit of filth... a thief!

"Brother..." started Gali.

"DON'T CALL ME BROTHER!" he roared at her. "YOU'RE NOT MY SISTER! I'VE GOT NO SISTER!"

Gali backed away, hurt. She tried to catch the other's eyes, but they avoided her, looking either at the ground or somewhere else. She tried hard not to burst into tears. Everybody thought she was some kind of monster, and that staying with her, they would have become monsters too.

"Listen," she started, voice cracked. "I..." but suddenly, she fell to the ground, trying hard to breath. It was as if something heavy was lying on her, squeezing the air out of her lungs. A feeling like...

"Gali?"

Like being crushed!


Aaah! The (mybe) longest chapter (and the most cunfusing) of the story is finished! I think I'll take a break now, re-write CA's eighth chapter... Oh yeah, since I didn't like Crazy Adventure's eighth chapter I'm rewriting it. Since it's the last chapter the Toa are on earth, if you leave a review they'll answer it. (look what my mind cooks up to get more reviews!) Now, back to HotP. If you're confused out of you minds after this chapter, just ask me in your reviews, as I'm not going to explain everything in this story. Now to my reviewers (that keep getting more and more, THANKS!)

Regrem Erutaerc: Ah-ha. Well, the real problem is WHERE it was launched off. I mean, if it was launched off from Silkinreako, a place in another dimension where nobody even knows how to spell the word rocket, we've got a problem.If it started from Technoland, an Island that's only half a mile from Mata Nui and where their technology is the one of the year 5000, then it's a bit obvious.

fred: In my story, it's because the Suva-Tikohl was being controlled by Makuta, who erased their minds when they were transported on Mata Nui. That's also how Makuta know the Toa got there in first place (as he doesn't have a crystal ball to look in)

ceestar: You're gonna get more Kopaka-action in the next chapters, and more action in general.

Star AJT 84: What do you mean with "low"?

Star101: Okay, thanks. But I don't think I will (I have the feeling my parents keep my e-mail under control, and they wouldn't like it)

ToaMaster: And now that the mystery is solved, it get's confusing again. I don't think I'll use Aaron, as I've been planning this story for a long time, and I really don't know where to put him! ''

Ardna: Thanks, and here is your update!