A/N - Hi! I'm baaaaack! Yahoo!
Okay, I'm going to get right to it and give you guys a big warning. There is going to be some emotional stress in this chapter, and even what could be considered bullying. I'm not going to spoil it for you guys, but I felt that a heads up would be a good idea. And I bet we can all guess who the poor victim is going to be… :(
Just to remind you guys, I'm trying to update this on a weekly basis. I believe that I already told you readers that, but if not, well, now I have. (So - hopefully - seven days in the future I'll update again)
Anyways, onto the - rather long - chapter! (It's almost twice as long as the previous chapter!)
Disclaimer: I don't own Bionicle. Only my OC and the current plot.
When she saw the massive fortress rising before her, Emma was fairly sure her jaw hit the ground. "Whoa…"
Beside her, Takua chuckled, grinning up at her. "I told you it was big."
The thirteen year old nodded dumbly, absolutely thunderstruck. When the girl had left Le-Koro that morning with her Ta-Matoran friend, she had asked about what Ta-Koro was like. He only smirked in return, saying that it was now a massive fortress.
He hadn't been kidding.
Takua laughed, and he and Pewku took off across the stone bridge. "Slowpoke!" He called back teasingly.
Emma blinked, before quickly shaking her head, and with a small, mock cry of anger took off after him. "Oh no you don't!" She laughed.
The two friends raced the rest of the way to the village, smiling and laughing.
The girl whooped as she passed Takua, beating him to the large stone entrance. "Ha! Now who's the slowpoke?" She did a small happy dance in victory.
The Ta-Matoran made a sound of disappointment, but his eyes were filled with mirth. "Oh well." He shrugged, biting back a grin. "At least I'm not doing a stupid dance."
Emma froze with one foot in the air, before she glared and made a face at her friend. She opened her mouth to say something back, but another voice interrupted them.
"It seems as though you are feeling much better now, little sister." The familiar form of Turaga Vakama hobbled up to the two, a small smile on his mask. "Though your footwork could use some practice." He grinned.
The girl flushed bright red in embarrassment, setting her foot down and rubbing the back of her head. "Uh… hi?" Her face only turned redder as the elder laughed.
Hobbling up, Vakama placed a hand on her arm. "Welcome home, Toa Emma."
She smiled down at her brother as he guided her into the village, waving Takua goodbye as he and Pewku diverted off for the Matoran's own hut. As the girl walked through the village, several Matoran cried out in greeting. Emma smiled, waving and calling back a greeting to them.
"So much has changed." She said softly, taking in the medieval theme of Ta-Koro. "Everything seems so…" She trailed off.
"Different?" Vakama finished, glancing up at her with knowing eyes. "Yes, much has changed since you were last here."
"I'll say." Emma could still remember the massive stone island, covered in make-shift tents and half-built huts. To see the Village of Fire complete, in real life and not on a movie screen, was quite breathtaking. Everything had this warm, orange glow to it from the lava lake that surrounded and protected the village. It was rather nice here, even if she did have to roll up her track pants into makeshift capris because of the heat.
But hey, who else could say that they lived on a stone island situated in the middle of a lava lake at the base of a massive volcano?
The Fire Turaga led her over to a larger stone hut, where he had to push the wooden door open. Emma followed in after her brother, ducking her head as she did. The girl had to blink her eyes to adjust to the dimmer lighting, and she could see that the hut was a decent size. There was a fireplace towards the rear, with shelves built on either side of it. The shelves had a mixture of stone tablets, scrolls, and Kanoka disks sitting on them, along with a few nicknacks and that. Off against the right wall was a desk area, which had more scrolls, ink, and other materials, as well as a few copper coloured masks and tools. On the left side of the hut was a cot, with a few blankets folded beside it. A decent sized mat lay on the floor, along with a few tools and more disks. All in all, the hut was a very well lived in and welcoming place.
Vakama started up a small fire in the fireplace, which gave the room a warm glow. "I do apologize for the mess. I have been preparing for the upcoming lava-surfing competition and have not yet had a chance to tidy up."
Emma smiled, settling down near the cot. "It's fine brother. Trust me, my room back home tends to look like a mini-tornado blew through it most of the time." She chuckled sheepishly.
The Turaga laughed, scooping up and setting some of the scattered tools on his desk. "Knowing you, I am not very surprised."
The girl immaturely stuck her tongue out at him, but she couldn't hold back her grin. She missed being able to tease with him.
The thirteen year old offered to help him clean up, but the elder declined. It wasn't long before the hut was tidied up any ways, and the fire had now grown much larger, filling the room with more light and warmth. Emma noticed Vakama pull something off of the desk, and when he walked over to her with it she could not hold back a gasp. "My crystal…"
Sure enough, it was the very crystal Nuju had given her back when they had been on the massive airships, so long ago. It now hung from a chain of silver protodermis much like her Translation Stone did, but instead of the bright blue colour it once had, it was now an ash grey.
"Yes," the Fire Turaga said, holding it out, "though for reasons unknown, it lost its colour not long after you left."
Emma reached out, her fingers hovering over the crystal. "Like it's connected to me in some way…" she muttered. After a moment, she picked it up out of her brother's hand.
What happened next was quite a shock. The second her fingers had grasped it, the crystal flashed with a brilliant white light. Both Turaga and girl were forced to shield their eyes from the blinding glow. It lasted for only a few seconds, but when it faded and they could see again, the two were stunned.
The crystal, which had been blue when first found, then grey after she left, was now shining with a brilliant yellow-gold colour.
"Whoa…" Emma breathed, examining it.
Vakama could only nod in shocked silence.
After a moment, the girl placed the crystal around her neck, where it sat next to her ever-present Translation Stone. It seemed to glow as she did so, but if it did then the glow had quickly faded.
Now with the crystal in its proper place, the girl leaned over and hugged her brother. "Thank you big brother, for keeping it safe."
The Turaga hugged her back. "You are welcome little sister."
Emma spent the rest of the late afternoon with her brother, enjoying catching up with him. The two swapped stories back and forth, with the girl learning that Alkar, as well as other older Matoran she had known had also sadly passed on while she had been away. The girl bowed her head in silent mourning, and Vakama squeezed her hand in comfort.
After that, they continued to swap tales, until a knock came at the door.
The two stood up, and the Turaga hobbled over to it. Opening it, Emma grinned at the sight of a familiar gold-masked Matoran. "Jaller!"
The Ta-Matoran grinned and waved at her in greeting, before turning his attention to the smiling Turaga. "It is almost time for tonight's meal and story sharing, Turaga." He informed.
The girl raised a brow at this, intrigued. "'Story sharing'?" She echoed.
Vakama glanced back at her, before nodding in thanks to the Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard. "Thank you for the reminder, Captain Jaller."
The Matoran saluted and left, leaving the Turaga to close the door. When he turned back, Emma had now crossed her arms over her chest. "And when did you become such a storyteller?" She grinned.
"Hush you." Vakama scoffed, hobbling past her, reaching for a few scrolls.
The girl laughed, leaning over and carefully scooping up the papers before he could. "Awe… my big brother is finally telling stories to others."
The Turaga scowled at her, holding out his hand. "Emma, give those back."
She grinned teasingly down at him. "But if you're a storyteller, why do you need scrolls? I didn't think you were that old."
With surprising agility and speed, Vakama tackled his younger sister to the ground. The girl yelped, before bursting out laughing as he tickled her. "N-Nohohoho f-f-fair-air-air! Hahaha!" She squealed, dropping the scrolls as he hit a sensitive spot on her upper back. "B-B-Broth-th-th-ther! Hehehehehe!"
The Turaga chuckled, still tickling her with one hand while he used his staff to pull over the scrolls. "Not so 'old' now, am I?" He smirked.
Emma snorted and squeaked, trying to wiggle away from him without knocking anything over. "I-I-I give-ve-ve! Hehehe! S-S-Sorry-he-he-he!"
Vakama grinned, pulling back. The girl heaved in air, letting out a few remaining sniggers. Chuckling, he helped her up after she had gotten her breath back, and the two sat next to each other.
"You…" Emma panted out, a grin on her face from laughing, "stink."
He laughed. "If you say so…"
The two shared a look, before bursting out laughing. It was nice to be able to act like this with each other again.
That night, Emma sat next to Vakama, legs half-crossed. The two sat at the head of a large circle, with a crowd of Ta-Matoran sitting in front of them. Situated in front of them was a large fire, which illuminated the area with warm, flickering orange-yellow light. Above their heads the sky darkened as night fell, with Bota rising on the horizon.
The elder was spinning a tale about a lava surfer named "Lhii" - who the girl strongly suspected was based on Toa Lhikan - riding down the Tren Krom Break, trying to be fast enough to warn his village of the impending eruption. The Turaga moved his hands about as he told the tale, drawing them into the story.
The girl listened with rapt attention, absently chewing on the meat that had been handed out as dinner. She silently admitted that Vakama had gotten good with his story telling over the years she had been gone.
"-however, just as the rider made it to the end of the Break, a loud rumble echoed throughout the ground. Stumbling, Lhii ran as fast as he could, crying out a warning to the nearby Matoran. 'The Volcano is going to erupt!' He cried, waving his arms frantically. But before the Matoran could do anything-"
Emma jumped with everyone else as the fire suddenly flared, for a brief moment looking like an exploding volcano.
"-the Volcano erupted with an explosive force, sending shockwaves throughout the entire island." The Turaga continued, biting back his mischievous smile as he made the fire flare again, causing everyone to jump a second time. "Lhii, realizing he had been too late in warning the village, began to help with the evacuation as best he could."
Emma leaned forwards in anticipation, listening as Vakama went on with how "Lhii" bravely decided to head back up the slope. The surfer had seen some loose rock on the way down, and he figured that if he could dislodge them, he could divert the impending lava flow. As she silently wondered where her brother got the idea for this story, she felt like someone was staring at her.
Turning her head, the girl met eyes with the Toa Nuva of Fire. Tahu sat a good distance back, close enough to hear the tale but far enough back to seem uninterested. After a long moment of simply staring at each other, Emma turned her head away. She chose to ignore the eight foot tall form, but even as she tried to focus on her brother's story, she could still feel the piercing gaze on her back
What's his problem? The girl thought to herself, taking a rather savage bite of her meat in frustration. I've done nothing to deserve this treatment. At least, I hope not…
Swallowing, she glanced back at Tahu again. His red-orange eyes were narrowed at her, and instead of just looking, she glared back with equal intensity, going as far as to bear her teeth. It seemed to take him by surprise, as the Toa's eyes widened. After a long moment of glaring at the Fire Toa, she let out an inaudible snort, turning away and focusing back on her brother's story.
Vakama hid his sigh as he continued his tale, watching his little sister out of the corner of his eye. He had a feeling that the Toa of Fire and human girl were not going to get along, and this only confirmed it.
I do not need a vision to know that conflict is going to be inevitable. The Turaga thought to himself. I can only pray that they learn to get along before something terrible happens.
He could only hope.
The days passed, and Emma adjusted quickly to life in the busy village. She often pitched in when she could, whether it was carrying tools, moving objects, even helping to transport solidified magma. The girl enjoyed watching as the Ta-Matoran would craft their tools and masks from imported metal and kanoka disks. Of course, she would occasionally get bored and wander off, but the Matoran had no qualms with that. Sometimes she would also join the Ta-Koro Guard in training, though she would not stay long. More often than not, she would hang out with Takua or Jaller, depending on whether Vakama was busy or not. With the upcoming lava-surfing competition, her brother usually was.
At this moment, the girl was helping a couple of Ta-Matoran set up for that very event. The three were hauling up the different boards to the Tren Krom Break, where below she could see the large lava lake sitting within the seemingly endless crack. Further up were a series of stands, where the viewing Matoran could sit and watch. Along with the stands were some small benches set closer to the molten beach, and the girl could see the Matoran surfers getting ready by them.
"I still can't believe that you guys do this for fun." Emma grunted, hefting up the boards in her arms.
"Hey, it's actually a lot of fun." The red and black Ta-Matoran beside her said, luging his own boards.
The girl snorted. "If you consider falling into molten rock and being melted alive 'fun'." She scoffed.
The Matoran rolled his eyes, but made no retort. This was an argument the girl had made with many Ta-Matoran, if only because she was concerned for their safety.
"We'll be fine." The other Matoran placated, struggling to hold up the two boards in his arms. "We've done this before, and we've had very little incidents with this."
"If you say so…" Emma sighed, adjusting the boards in her arms and quickly helping to keep the red and bronze form from loosing his footing. "Watch your step Fualt. Don't need you falling in before the contest."
The first Ta-Matoran snorted. "He could trip over a pebble the size of a- Ack!"
Fualt and Emma bit back their laughter as the black and red form tripped, dropping his boards and mask-planting the ash covered ground.
"What was that about tripping Teahi?" She snickered out, crouching next to him.
The Matoran grumbled something into the ground, before pushing himself to his feet. His two companions had to bite their tongues when they saw how the front of him was completely black except for his orange eyes. He coughed, sending up a small cloud of ash, and moved to dust himself off. The red and black Matoran was thankfully a good sport, and only rolled his eyes as the two finally laughed. "Ha ha. Laugh at the guy who trips. How funny." He reached over to pick up his dropped boards, and was surprised when the girl held them up to him.
"Dropped these?" Emma asked, holding back her amusement.
Teahi scoffed, taking the boards and hefting them up. He continued on without a word, trying to ignore the snickers from behind him.
"W-We'd best follow him." Fualt said, struggling to re-contain his laughter. "We still need to deliver these."
The girl nodded, and the two quickly raced to catch up to their companion. They easily caught up to him, and spent the next minute of their trip chattering away with each other.
Emma leaned the boards she had been carrying against a rock, before glancing back at the two Ta-Matoran. "Is this it?" She asked.
Fualt nodded. "Yep! That was the last haul." He then made a sound of disappointment when his stack of boards toppled over.
Teahi rolled his eyes, shaking his head in exasperated amusement. Patting the girl's arm, he said, "You'd better check in with Jaller. He's looking for you. I'll handle the mess here."
Nodding, Emma stood up and strode away, biting back a laugh as she heard a loud smack followed by a yelp. She nimbly ducked under a rocky outcropping, her arctic blue eyes scanning the ash covered plain for the gold-masked Matoran. The number of Matoran - mainly Ta, with a few others - had increased significantly since she had come up with her last load of boards.
After asking a Matoran where the Captain of the Guard was, she began to cross the plain. The girl agilely made her way through the growing crowd, saying a few greetings and a quick apology as she stepped over someone. By the time she had made her way to the other side of the plain, a voice called out to her in greeting.
"Toa Emma!" Jaller called out, a grin on his face as he spotted the human from his perch on an old wall.
She grinned back, quickening her pace now that she didn't have to watch out for any 'moving pylons'. "Hey Jaller."
The Captain of the Ta-Koro smiled down as his friend scrambled up the rock to sit beside him. Once Emma was comfortably situated besides him, she glanced down at him. "I heard you were looking for me."
Jaller nodded with a small hum, reaching back and pulling something very long out of his subspace. He chuckled at the stunned look on the girl's face. "Just wanted to give you something that we had crafted just for you."
Emma gingerly took the long, staff-like object from the Ta-Matoran. "You… you guys made me a new weapon?" She asked in shock, lightly running her thumb against the blunt side of the blade tied to one end.
The Captain grinned. "Since you came here without one, it needed to be rectified." He then held out a looped strap with a tube attached to part of it.
Emma took the makeshift holster - since she had no subspace unlike her Bionicle friends - and slid it over her right shoulder. Once it was situated with the tube sitting on her back and the strap running diagonally across her, she slid the newly crafted spear into its holster. Then, the girl leaned down and hugged her friend. "Thank you, Jaller."
The Ta-Matoran hugged her back, gently patting her arm. "We missed you, you know?"
The girl chuckled as she pulled back. "I gathered."
A loud horn suddenly went off, startling the two. They tumbled off the wall with surprised yelps, and Emma was quick to twist so that her back took the brunt of the fall. "You okay?" She wheezed, glancing at the stunned form now sprawled on her torso.
Jaller blinked blearily, before shaking his head. "Y-Yeah. I'm good."
"Great… now can you please get off? You're crushing my ribs."
"Sorry!" He yelped, rolling off her chest.
The girl grunted, forcing herself into a sitting position. "It's… alright." She said, rubbing her chest. "Though I will want to have a word with the Matoran who blew that horn."
Despite himself, Jaller let out a laugh. "I'm sure you will."
Emma snorted, lightly shoving her friend. "C'mon you. The only reason that blasted horn blew was because the completion is going to start soon." Grinning, she swiped her hand across the top of his head before standing up. "And last I checked, you're one of the top surfers."
The Ta-Matoran swatted at her hand, letting out a half-groan half-laugh. "Hey! Alright, I'm going!"
"Just don't break a leg, okay?" She grinned cheekily down at him.
Jaller made a face at her, and smacked her leg as she laughed.
Emma whooped, cheering loudly as the competitors neared the finish line. "GO FOR IT JALLER! GO TAKUA!"
Vakama laughed from where he sat beside her. "Emma, you know that only one of them can win."
The girl rolled her eyes. "So? I can still cheer for them both." She then let out a loud cheer as Jaller got in the lead. "GO FOR IT!" She whooped.
A loud cheer went up as the Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard crossed the finish line first. Following close behind him was Takua and two other Ta-Matoran, with her blue masked friend coming in second. The riders all made their way over to the beach area, where an eager crowd greeted them.
Emma helped her brother to stand, leading him down to where the riders were waiting. But halfway there she froze mid-step, a tingling sensation rippling though her neck. Turning, her arctic blue gaze narrowed at the side of the Mangai Volcano.
The girl's actions did not go unnoticed, and Vakama turned to her. "Sister?"
Her right hand had moved up to her back, fingering the staff of her spear. "Something's off."
Footsteps came from behind her. "Is that so?" The familiar voice of Tahu asked sarcastically, and turning slightly the girl could see him standing with his arms cross.
"Yes." Emma answered a little sharply, looking back at the volcano. Wait… were those cracks on the face?
Bending her knees, she ignored the Fire Toa's scoff and pressed her left hand against the ground. Though she couldn't feel any vibrations like a Toa of Stone or Earth probably could, her Danger Sense only got stronger.
"The mountain face, it's going to collapse." Emma determined at last, standing up. "We need to clear everyone out of here, now."
"Oh really?" Tahu growled, glaring down at her. "And how would you know that?"
Before the girl could say anything, the ground rumbled. There was a loud cracking sound, and the volcanic face she had been staring at began to crumble.
"Landslide!" Someone screamed.
The Matoran began to panic, and mass fled away from the area. Emma managed to grab Vakama's hand during the chaos. "C'mon brother!" She pulled him with her as she ran for safety.
Everything happened so fast, and if anyone was to ask her, the girl would say that she could not recall. All she remembered was trying to get her brother to safety, then waking up on the ground.
Emma coughed, hacking dust out of her lungs. Blinking blearily, she looked around her. A thick layer of dust and ash filled the air, and all around her lay rocks of varying sizes. Groaning, she pushed herself up, only to discover that her left leg was caught. Turning, the girl saw that it was pinned under a couple of rocks. She yanked as hard as she could, but the rocks would not budge.
A shadow fell across her, and the girl looked up. Needless to say, she was surprised to see the Toa of Fire standing over her. "Tahu…"
The red form bent down, and in a single motion lifted the rocks from her leg. Emma blinked, pulling her now free leg towards her before standing up. "Uh… thanks. I guess…" She trailed off, watching as the Toa moved away.
The girl scowled at his back, before turning to survey the damage. She grimaced at all the rubble and dust around her. Then she remembered her brother.
"Vakama!" Emma cried out, looking around her in terror. She saw no sign of him, and she began to run around, screaming his name. "TA-ANI! VAKAMA!"
For what felt like hours the thirteen year old dug through the rubble as best she could. Emma managed to uncover several trapped Matoran, including Jaller and Takua, but she could not find her brother.
As the girl shifted some rubble, she came across an object that made her heart stop. "Oh no…" Vakama's Fire Staff lay abandoned on the ash covered ground. Picking it up, she was frozen for a long moment. Then panic set it. "No no no…!"
Emma threw the staff behind her, before frantically beginning to dig through the rocks. "Brother! Brother!" Emma grabbed a large rock, and strained with all her might to move it. But despite her best efforts, she could not get it to budge. "C'mon… please…!"
She finally collapsed on top of the rock, and began to sob. She failed. She couldn't save him! "No… no please…!" Tears began to trail down her face, and she clung to the rubble, crying. This couldn't happening.
Then, she heard a voice she thought, for a brief time, that she would never hear again. "Emma?"
The girl turned, and let out a small cry when she saw a familiar red and bronze form standing behind her. "V-Vakama!" She wailed, throwing herself at him.
The Turaga of Fire stumbled back as his little sister wrapped her arms around him. He quickly caught his balance, and hugged her back fiercely. "Oh Emma…"
"I-I thought I l-lost you!" The girl hiccuped, burying her face into his shoulder. "W-When I c-couldn't f-find you…! B-Brother…!" She dissolved into helpless wails, clutching onto the older form with all her might.
Vakama comforted his younger sister as best he could, gently rubbing her back. "I'm so sorry I couldn't find you sooner little gi. But it's alright. I'm here now."
Emma took in a few deep, shuddering breaths, trying to calm down. When she was finally able to, she pulled her face from his shoulder and rested it against the Turaga's forehead. "I… I'm so…"
"Shush…" Vakama soothed, placing a hand on her cheek. "This was not your fault. You did the best you could, and I couldn't be more proud."
The two pulled away from each other, and the girl stood. "Now," the Turaga said, bending down and scooping up his staff, which lay nearby, "let us ensure that all the Matoran are safe."
Emma grunted as she managed to shove a boulder to the side, freeing some Matoran from where they had been trapped. "Go join the others." She instructed, pointing away from the disaster zone.
The girl watched as the group followed her finger, scrambling over the rubble to safety. Once she was sure that they would be okay, the thirteen year old stood and made her way opposite to that of those Matoran. She climbed through the rubble, calling out to anyone who could still be trapped.
Faint banging caught Emma's attention, drawing her over to a pile of debris. "Hey! Under here!"
"I'll get you out!" The girl said, and grabbed onto a large chunk. She yanked, pulled and even pushed it, but could not get the slab to budge. Grunting, she shoved as hard as she could, only to slip and face plant on the ground. The thirteen year old groaned as she pushed herself up, and blinked when a tall shadow fell over her.
"Move." Tahu grunted, before stepping over her and effortlessly shoving the rubble aside, freeing the trapped Matoran.
Emma stood up, brushing herself off. "Thanks. For the help."
"I wasn't helping you." The Toa glared down at her. "I was helping the Matoran that you couldn't free."
The girl winced at the jab, before scowling at him and crossing her arms. "At least I tried. I'm not as powerful as you are."
"Exactly." The red form said, turning and walking away.
He didn't get very far. Emma grabbed his arm, whipping him around. "And what's that supposed to mean?!" She snapped.
Tahu yanked his arm away from her, eyes narrowed. He then stuck a finger at her chest. "It means that the Matoran don't need you. They have myself and the actual Toa to protect them, not some stupid organic kid."
What happened next surprised everyone. Faster than the Toa could react, Emma's hand smacked the side of his mask, yelling angrily. "At least I'm not some stupid jerk who thinks he's above everyone else!"
The Toa of Fire blinked in shock, before he openly snarled down at the girl. "Oh really? You're nothing but some kid who just happens to miss the stuff the Matoran actually needed protection from!"
"You don't think I know that?!" The girl snapped at him, now holding her slightly stinging hand to her chest. "I didn't want to leave in the first place!"
Tahu scoffed. "Well, they don't need you any more, so why don't you just leave?!"
"If that's the case," she snarled, stomping her foot, "then why are you still around, you jerk?!"
The red Toa shoved her to the side. "Because I at least have a duty, and you have nothing! That's why!"
For a moment, Emma stared at Tahu's retreating back, eyes wide and brimming with tears. Then, she picked up a decent size rock, with a roar of pure anger threw it at the back of his head. "At least I'm not an unemotional FRAGGER!" She screamed, before turning and bolting towards the village, tears streaming down her face. Several Matoran called out to her, but she ignored them, and just kept running.
The Toa of Fire rubbed the back of his now sore head, staring after the girl in surprise. Out of all the reactions he had been expecting, this had not been one of them.
When Vakama returned to his hut later that day, he found his little sister kneeling inside, shoving some items - such as a lightstone - into a sack. "Emma?" He asked.
The girl looked up, revealing wet marks on her cheeks. "W-What?" She sniffed, wiping an arm under her nose.
The Turaga simply opened his arms in silent invitation. There was a choked wail, and he soon found himself with an armful of sobbing girl. "Shh… it's alright little one. It's okay…"
"W-Why?!" Emma sobbed out, gripping onto her brother's robe. "Why does he hate me?! I didn't want to leave, but-! But-!"
"I know…" Vakama soothed, holding her close and rubbing her back. "You didn't deserve this. But you're here now, and I promise that I will never leave you again."
The girl just started to wail incoherently, burying her face into his shoulder. After a few minutes, the Turaga was able to guide her over to the cot, coaxing her to sit. Once she was, he pulled back, now more at an eye-level with her. His aged hands gently cupped her face, thumbs wiping away the tears.
"Oh sister…" he murmured softly, his voice having an almost rumbling edge to it.
Emma's forehead lightly rested against his bronze one, and she took a few deep, shuddering breaths. "I… I need to go." She said at last, her blue eyes meeting his red-orange ones. "I can't stay here. In the village."
For a long moment, Vakama remained at a loss for words. But as he gazed into his younger sister's eyes, he saw not only pain and hurt, but also the fierceness and determination that he knew meant one thing.
"You know that you do not need to prove yourself. Not to him, or to anyone." The Turaga said softly, almost pleadingly.
The girl's head ducked slightly, eyes glancing away briefly. "I know." She murmured, her voice almost a whisper. "But… I have to go Ta-ani. I need to see the island… my home, now that I'm back."
Vakama sighed, but even still a small smile formed on his face. "Very well. It would be wrong to keep you here, safe behind these walls…" He laughed as Emma shoved him slightly, letting out a whine of "Brother…", but there was a twinge of amusement in her voice.
"Will you at least stay the night?" The Turaga asked.
The girl gave him a weak smile, nodding. "I will." She then hugged him tightly. "Thank you, brother."
Vakama just hugged her back, rubbing the area between her shoulders soothingly. But despite knowing that she was feeling better, the Turaga could not shake the terrible feeling settling in his heart.
When morning came, Tahu watched silently, arms crossed against his broad silver chest. Below the bluff he stood on, he could see the young human saying farewell to the Matoran. Turaga Vakama then approached her, handing her a sack that she placed over her shoulder. The two then shared a brief hug, before the girl stood, turning and heading across the stone bridge.
For a moment, she stopped, looking back. The Toa stiffened as her eyes locked onto his own, her gaze narrowed, looking almost angry. But it lasted only for a second, before she turned and continued on her way, the bridge sinking protectively into the lava behind her.
For some reason or another, Tahu felt uneasy. But it wasn't just from the look, he could sense something. Something was off.
Very, very off.
Deep underground, in a shadowy lair…
"Do you know where she is heading?" Makuta asked, his massive form facing one of the green tubes.
"Yes, master." The servant said, bowing his head. "The organic is heading for Ga-Koro, and will most likely arrive the next day."
The monstrous formed made a rumbling sound, like a hum. "Is she traveling alone?"
"She is."
The rumbling turned into a dark chuckle.
The servant cocked his head. "Master?"
"We shall let her be for now. Let her allow her guard down." The Makuta turned, his crimson eyes gleaming. "But once it is…"
His claws scraped against the canister, making the worm-like form inside squirm.
"…we strike."
A/N - And done!
Now, the next set of chapters are going to chronicle Emma's journey around the island, with her visiting the different villages. But with danger lurking in the shadows, there will be times when she'll have to fight for her life. I cannot say anything else with spoilers, but I guess you could say there is going to be some 'character whump' for the next while.
I also learned that the lava-surfing competition is also called the Ignalu. I saw that on Bionicle Wiki.
In other news, when I post chapter 7 (as in the actual named chapter) I am going to close the poll I currently have open. Reason being is that 1) I already have a good idea about the outcome of it [you can still vote if you want to!], and 2) when chapter 8 comes out, I am going to post another question for you guys, and I would like your opinion on it. If my weekly update schedule goes as planned, then in… hang on… (at chapter 4, so in 1-5, 2-6, 3-7 - Aha!) in 3 weeks I will be posting the seventh chapter and the week after that I'll post my question. Well… if everything goes to plan. Anyways, I just thought that I would give you guys a heads up!
Also, while I may be doing geology, I'm still not completely sure what a landslide disaster scene looks like. So please, bear with me if I goofed on something.
Anyone want to take a guess about the significance of the crystal?
Next Chapter - Calm Before the Storm