Mikoto groaned as she came to. Whatever that thing was had one hell of a punch. "Are you alright?" Came a voice. Opening her eyes, Mikoto saw Vakama with a wet rag. "that's a nasty bump." He said placing the rag on her forehead.

She looked around to see Krayix slumped against a cabinet with bandages wrapped on his head and discarded masks strewn about around him. "Will he be alright?" Mikoto asked. Vakama looked over his shoulder at Krayix who stirred. "He has been through worse. Trust me." the Ta-matoran said. 'Worse?' Mikoto thought.

"Ow. Vakama you, ok?" Krayix said getting up. Vakama nodded as his human friend helped the Esper up. What happened." Mikoto asked.

"The dark hunters happened." Krayix said gaze hardening. "The who?" the Esper asked. "Mercenaries hired by Turaga Dume." Vakama said brushing his fingers against a shield.

"They took toa Lhikan." The matoran said mournfully. "We cannot dwell on the past Vakama. As a Ko-matoran would usually say 'look to the future' or something like that." Krayix said. Mikoto frowned.

"What did Lhikan give you?" she asked. Vakama did not answer. Instead, he went to a pile of masks and pulled out a small object. "What is it indeed." The two humans heard Vakama mutter.

To the trio's shock (and Mikoto's disappointment) the cloth unwrapped to reveal a red glowing stone. "He gave Vakama a stone." The Esper deadpanned. "That's no ordinary stone Ms. Misaka." Vakama said. "That's a toa stone." Krayix said breathlessly before looking at the cloth. "The great temple."

'Great temple?' Mikoto thought as Vakama glanced at the shield. "We should've done something." He said. Krayix was about to speak when another spoke up.

"Don't pity yourself Vakama." The voice said. "Turaga Dume." Krayix and Vakama said. this time Mikoto did not bother to hide. The Turaga took note of her presence. "It appears another of your kind has found its way to the city Krayix. Be sure to give her a tour." Dume said as the male gave a mock bow. "Of course, Turaga Dume." The Turaga then turned his attention to Vakama.

"I've come for the mask of time." Dume said. "Yes, but I'm sorry Turaga, but the mask isn't ready." The ta-matoran said as the Turaga frowned seeing the cloth covered stone before picking up a kanoka. "Perhaps you two are using inferior disks." He said side glancing at Krayix. "We use the best kanoka in all of Metru Nui sir… only Great disks are purer, but can only be retrieved by a toa." The male human said. "I see. Pity toa Lhikan is not here to help."

Dume tossed the disk to Mikoto whom yelped and caught it. The Turaga then looked to the fire duo. "Bring the completed mask to me before the great contest. The fate of Metru Nui rests in both of your hands." The Turaga said before departing. "That's what Lhikan said only he meant Vakama not me." Krayix muttered.

"He's a fun guy." Mikoto said sarcastically before turning to the two. "What now?" Vakama looked at the toa stone. "I'm going to the Great Temple." He said. "We're coming too Vakama." Krayix said slinging his pack over his shoulder. "I'm going because you're my friend and Mikoto because we're the only people she currently knows." Vakama sighed knowing he could not change his friend's mind.

LATER IN GA-METRU

"Wow," Mikoto said seeing the temple ahead of them. "Quite the sight eh Mikoto?" Krayix asked. "Yes, but please call me Misaka. My friends back home do." Misaka said frowning slightly. "Vakama will, but I won't Mikoto." Misaka scowled as she mentally facepalmed.

Misaka glanced around as they neared the toa Suva (1). "The architecture is beautiful." She said. Vakama glanced around before bumping into someone. "Watch were you're- Fire spitter? Did you wrong-turn?" a Le-matoran asked. "You tell us." The mask maker asked. "Us?" the Green clad matoran asked before looking behind Vakama to see Krayix and Mikoto. "Quick-stop, there's two organic matoran now?"

Misaka gained an uneasy look on her face with a raised eyebrow. "Organic matoran?" she asked looking at Krayix for answers. "He's talking about us. Don't take it personally. It's just how they describe humans." Her counterpart said as more matoran of various colors showed up.

"What's this supposed to mean. Matoran being summoned to the great temple." An Onu-matoran asked. "I mean we're just strangers." The Ko-matoran said the po-matoran chuckled. "Some stranger than others." He said elbowing Vakama. He yelped as electricity zapped him. Turning the rest saw electricity arcing around on Misaka's body. She wore an unamused expression on her face

Vakama mouthed a 'thank you' before the Ga-matoran spoke up. "Your slander pollutes this sanctuary builder." She scolded. "Save your preaching for your class teacher." Krayix shook his head in disappointment. "One would think they'd get along after the war." He said while the six matoran squabbled. "War?" Misaka asked. "The matoran of this city had a civil war that lasted 400 years. It was long over by the time I arrived. Vakama told me about it." Krayix said as a dim glow resonated from the Suva.

"Guys, the Suva's glowing." Misaka said looking at the shrine. Krayix followed her gaze as the six matoran began to approach the shrine. "Easy Vakama. We don't know what'll happen." He said as the ga-matoran placed her toa stone in its slot and a small beam of light shot up towards the sky as a distorted image appeared in it. The others followed suit.

The image soon became clearer. "Krayix, isn't that…?" Misaka began to say. "Lhikan." Her counterpart said as the six matoran muttered in surprise. Then the apparition began to speak.

"Faithful matoran, Metru nui is in danger. Shadows threaten its heart. Embrace your destiny as toa and fear not. For the great spirit will aid you in ways you cannot imagine." The apparition grew bright as seven arcs of elemental electricity shot from it. Six struck the matoran. The seventh headed straight for Misaka.

"Mikoto!" Krayix yelled shoving her aside getting in the electricity's path. "Krayix." The Esper said softly as he screamed in pain. Gaining a determined expression she sent her own electricity to try to divert the arc away from the only other human in the city. Unfortunately, that proved to be a mistake as the electricity then split off to her.

The arc stopped shocking Krayix and he fell to his knees exhausted and slightly singed while Misaka collapsed at the amount of electricity she had absorbed.

"Amazing." Vakama said looking at his new form before seeing his long-time friend on his knees. "Krayix!" he exclaimed catching the others attention. Vakama rushed to Krayix's side. "Are you ok?" he asked. "Forget me, how's Mikoto?" Krayix asked.

Vakama glanced towards the prone form of Misaka in which Nokama was kneeling over. The former ga-matoran glanced at Vakama and nodded. Vakama smiled. "She's unconscious but alive."

PRESENT DAY

"So, you had a crush on someone before me?" Blake asked, a hand resting on her slightly swollen abdomen. Turaga Krayix shook his head. "No, I believe it might have been the other way around."

"Before we continue, Blake I was considering making Mikoto our little girl's godmother." Blake raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think it'll be a girl?" she asked. "Call it a hunch." The toa vale of water chuckled.

"So, what happened after you, Misaka, and the toa Metru gained their powers?" Blake asked. "We set out to find the great masks. I stuck with Vakama while Mikoto went with Whenua. Once we were done… that's when, as yang would say, shit hit the fan." The Turaga of matter said with a dark tone.

A/N: So sorry for the long wait, been a lot of other things to do and I haven't been on schedule as much as I like, however this story isn't my current priority story. That would be Bad Batch: Operation Remnant. Rest assured, that once it's done I will either prioritize this story or prioritize READING RWBY CHRONICLES before this