WARNING: Bionicle and Polandball SHARE a common universe, just so you're not confused.

Also: 1 year to us (humans) is 365 MONTHS to the Country-balls.

And please don't be turned off by LONG pieces of dialogue, as there are a few in this Chapter.

You have been warned.


OP: "Rewrite" (tv-size) by Asian Kung-Fu Generation (Fullmetal Alchemist OP 4)

ED: "Hero" by All Insane Kids


September 1905, Undisclosed Location...

[We open up to a black screen, with an unknown, male voice speaking]

? (voiceover): I have been sleeping for long…

[the screen cuts to the site of a meteorite impact in the middle of a forest, except that said meteorite has survived. From the smoldering center, we see a cylinder that is about 4.5 meters tall, about 1.75 meters in diameter, and is laying on its side.]

? (voiceover): I've had many dreams… Dark ones.

[one end of the cylinder inexplicably ejects with a deafening *BANG*, simultaneously spitting out contents of robotic parts on the ground, between the now open-ended cylinder and the 'lid'. We then cut to a close-up of a 'head', which is identical to Orkum's bare head (which we saw last episode). But in this case, it is disconnected to the rest of its body, and is inert.]

? (voiceover): And, there's been a word that keeps floating in my mind: "Kopaka".

[The eyes of the head Light up, glowing Ice blue.]

? (voiceover): But now, I am AWAKE.

[cue a 7 second montage of the robot putting himself together, ending with him putting on Akaku, the mask of X-ray vision. The robot was primarily white, with Light-Grey arms and legs (bar the feet, which were also white). He looks STRONGLY like a Matoran (especially since he's wearing a Kanohi), except that it was visibly taller, and that Hydraulic pistons are visible at the sides of his mid-section. A further similarity is that Organic tissue can CLEARLY be seen on his shoulder/waist joints, ankles and wrists. On his chest, right between where a human's collar bones would be, was a circular yellow light that was pulsating at a stable pace]

? (voiceover): And I am ready…

[he notices that 2 weapons were in the cylinder with him. He picks up a sword in his right hand, & a shield in the left.]

? (voiceover)… For whatever lies ahead of me.


[Music cue: OP. Lyrics below by myself; NuclearAlchmist, based on the English translation by: kaveh.]

*Introduction instrumental*

The reason I want to scream out far and near
Is that there's no other proof that I belong here
Our future that I should have managed to grasp
Is taken from me, with all I thought I had

*brief instrumental*

The reason we want this old image erased
Is that I see our limits, and we're out of place
In the window of my own self-consciousness
I saw next year's calendar, with no dates on it

(chorus)

Now I,

I Rewrite

All these worth-full visions,

and I'll be unforgettable

Come to life

and Rewrite

All these new Ideas

I will find our destinies before your eyes

*oh-eh-oh*

*oh-eh-oh*

*woah-woah, yeah-yeah yeah*


October, 1905, Somewhere in the Siberian Tundra…

[We cut to the robot walking alongside a Rural road, made by the peasants living in the area. When the robot was attracted to a village near the crash site, the inhabiting Country-balls (who are about the size of the Union Messenger boy from the prologue, except they have the Russian flag instead of the American) asked if he was a Matoran, which he asked them what a Matoran was. Once they did, they told him directions to the nearest Matoran Village; Ko-Koro. When the villager peasants asked his name, he told them 'Kopaka', the word that had been repeating in his head. Shortly after he began going in the directions he was given, he decided that would be what he'll refer to himself as.]

Kopaka: "Just keep walking down this road, and you'll eventually end up in Ko-Koro", they said. Well, I don't see it anywhere close by-

[his thoughts are cut short by a scream in the distance, followed by the *shriek* of an unknown animal. He immediately looks to his left and right, before checking behind himself.]

Kopaka: …I think I should just follow where the noise came from… Then I can return to… (stares at the poorly paved road) …this.


[we then cut to the source of the noise. We see that a group of 5 Ko-Matoran, Ehrye among them, along with Maho, were holding down a Nui Rama. The creature is best described as a giant, mechanical dragonfly, with Kanohi masks of night-vision for eyes.

[In this case, INFECTED Kanohi masks of night-vision.

[The quadlet of Matoran were struggling to keep the Corrupted Nui-Rama down, and one of them, Talvi, had cracked their Protosteel Exoskeleton on their right arm.

[The strange thing was that this was SUPPOSED to teach Maho how to create Ice out of essentially nothing. She did learn how to do it, but in the current circumstances, she was clearly still too inexperienced to do much good against the flying beast]

Talvi: (screaming in pain) AAHHHHGGGH!

Ehrye: (yelling over the loud roars of the Nui Rama) KEEP HIM DOWN! I REPEAT, KEEP HIM DOWN! (muttering) So much for a SIMPLE 'practice lesson'…

[he turns to face Maho, who is on the face of the creature, attempting to remove the infected Kanohi's]

Ehrye: HOW'S IT GOING UP THERE!?

Maho: (using her legs to pry off the mask on its right-hand side, as her hands are what's holding her on top of the creature.) *grunts* Not very *grunt* well… [she manages to successfully pry off the kanohi on the right-hand side of the Nui Rama, which came off with a soft *clink*, before falling to the ground] …but I've got one of th- WOAH!

[She gets cut off as the big dragonfly starts bucking, nearly throwing her off. Luckily, she managed to create Ice 'handles' on the creature's skin prior to this, so she manages to hold on. However, she is no longer on the face of the beast, she was now on the neck of the Nui Rama.

[As Maho struggles to climb back up to the head, the Nui Rama is inexplicably encased in a prison of Ice.

[This is NOT of Maho's doing, though, as she too is entrapped in the Ice. The Matoran present are taken by surprise, and they hear footsteps approaching from behind them…

[It is Kopaka.

[We cut to him approaching, holding his right arm right in front of him with his sword, which is giving off a vibrant, white arura. He stops just feet away from the trapped Nui Rama, before he turns his attention towards the Matoran. He gazes like them with a cold stare (no pun intended), relentlessly inspecting them…]

Kopaka: (after a 10-second long suspenseful silence) … You must be those that call themselves Matoran, (pause) am I correct? [Ehrye silently nods in response] … I'll take that as a "yes".

Kantai: Uhm, excuse me, … sir, but you've got one of our group members in that cage. [She gestures to Maho, who is essentially unable to move, stuck in a pose trying to reach the head of the Nui Rama, whose infected Kanohi on its left-hand side has been safely removed by another Ko-Matoran in the group]

Kopaka: Oh, well, then excuse me for one moment… [Kopaka walks over to where Maho is stuck, and then proceeds to raise his left arm, shield in hand, before slamming it rim-first against the Ice, shattering enough of it so that Maho could safely get out & off the entrapped beast]

[Only now do we see the size difference between the two of them. Kopaka clearly towered over the Ko-Matoran at 169cm, over rather wimpy 135cm average height. Maho, however, at 163cm, was at least tall enough to make eye contact with the warrior of Ice without having to tilt her head up (well, at least not a noticeable amount). She stood in front of him, looking at him with an equally cold, yet less piercing gaze that said "If you do that again, I'm going to personally beat your ass." It stays like this for around 14 seconds, before...]

Ehrye: Uhm, I hate to interrupt your staring contest, but we should probably return to Ko-Koro.

Kopaka: (breaks his stare at Maho) Wait. *beat* does that mean you live there?

Talvi: *still wincing in pain due to his broken arm* Well… That's a retarded question… Of course we live there, it's the only Matoran settlement in… over 2,700 miles. *beat* …Why do you ask?

[Kopaka tells what has happened with him in the last 24 hours since he woke up on the ground (and in pieces), but this is not very important, so this is played Fast-Foward.]

Ehrye: … I see, … (pause) So you're like Nishizumi here? (Kopaka: What.) You came out of practically another dimension or some bullsh*t, have powers over Ice, and you have no idea WHATSOEVER about where you are. That's just like-

Maho: (abruptly cuts off the commander of the Ko-Koro Guard) May we please NOT talk about this? … (Ehrye: Huh?) … It's personal.

Talvi: *winces* Uhm, guys? I have a broken arm here.

Ehrye: *beat* Yeah, we should probably get going now, we'll talk when we get home.

[everyone nods in agreement and start on their way back to Ko-Koro (bar Kopaka, who simply follows them)


EPISODE 2: COMING OF THE TOA


2.5 HOURS LATER, KO-KORO...

[We cut to inside Turaga Nuju's hut, where he is speaking to Kopaka.]

Nuju: ... You are a Toa, one who wields WINTER ITSELF. You aided 5 of our kind, plus one that is not of our own, without ANY thoughts for your own safety. These Tundra plains are your HOME. ... You can RIDE the Ice and Snow, ...unleash an AVALANCHE... FREEZE with just a touch...

Kopaka: (partly confused) ... Then what is my PURPOSE?

Nuju: ... It is best if I both tell and SHOW you... [he holds out a rock in his left hand] Our world, our people, the Matoran, were once PURE and STRONG as iron... Then Makuta came, [he literally punches the stone with his other hand, shattering it with a *KRUNCH* into about a dozen pieces] -and brought EVIL to this world. *beat* I'll have Matoro clean this up after a while... Now, your purpose, your DUTY, is to DEFEAT Makuta, and restore this land!

Kopaka: ... But that won't be ENOUGH, will it?

Nuju: ... ... No. To help you reach your goal, your DESTINY, you will need to find the Great Kanohi masks of power. They are scattered across this world, where no Matoran or Countryball can possibly reach! Either that or guarded by Nightmare creatures, but those are rare... *awkward silence* Anyways, for starters, you are wearing one right now, so you're off to a good start-

Kopaka: You mean this? (points to his Akaku)

Nuju: *beat* Yes, exactly. ...Now, your next Kanohi, the closest to here, is hidden in The Place of Far-Seeing. Just keep going south of here, across the Gobi Desert, into the mountainous hills of Tibet, and you'll be there.

[Kopaka looks on, confused]

Nuju: *sigh* Here's a map to help you, it has the locations of all the masks you need. Considering the SIZE of the world, I'll have [INSERT MATORAN'S NAME HERE] drive you most of the way there. I'll get it prepared in just a few moments...


1 HOUR LATER...

[we cut to see Nuju going to lay down, as well as Matoro cleaning up the stone fragments off the floor. Then, a knock is heard. Matoro immediately stops his task, and goes to the door, without the Turaga telling him to]

Matoro: Who is it, and why do you want to see the Turaga?

Maho: (from behind the door) It is Nishizumi Maho, and I want to talk to him. (Matoro: And why do you want-) -It's personal.

[The Ko-Matoran opens the door to let her in, almost immediately closing it once she is. Mako then walks to Nuju. Even though he is slightly annoyed that he has to speak right when he is supposed to rest his back, he decides to talk with her.]

Nuju: What brings you here at this hour? I was going to lay down.

Maho: I apologize, Turaga, but... there's something we need to talk about. In private. (Nuju promptly nods and signals Matoro to leave the room.) *sigh* In the past 2 days, I've been... trying to wrap my head around my current situation. *pause* Yesterday, I was inspecting my body underneath my uniform, * and... I came upon... (starts to breathe more heavily) ... something you should look at.

[Maho proceeds to partially undo the top of her uniform, and opens it enough for us to see... something that would be inappropriate for a kid's show, but simultaneously, shocking and disturbing...

[In the middle of her chest, specifically right between her collar bones, there was a circular yellow light.

[The same one on Kopaka's chest.

[It was also pulsating, but irregularly, actually lined up with her heartbeat.

[Nuju just stares in total disbelief at what he sees. After a moment, Maho redoes her uniform continuing to speak while doing so, in a calm, yet slightly frightened tone.]

Maho: ... I ... just don't know what to think of this... and... I don't know... how this happened ...I'm... (her breathing becomes heavier, and she starts to break down) starting to think... t-that I'm n-not even h-human... a-an-nymore. ...

[unbeknownst to her, something clicks inside of Nuju's brain circuit, as he rests his hand on her shoulder]

Nuju: (quietly, to comfort the nervous, confused adult girl) ... There, there. ... ... ... I might have an answer to this... (Maho looks up at him) In the days before Teridax overran Metru Nui, one of our philosophers, named Malga, predicted the arrival of the Toa, including Kopaka, and their destinies.

Maho: ... Is that where you got all that you told him? About defeating Makata or whomever?

Nuju: That is a brilliant observation, Nishizumi. HOWEVER, I only told him HALF of the prophesy. Malga also foretold that the Toa would not come ALONE. She said that "With them would be six mysterious creatures, made of more organics than machine, would appear with them. These creatures would help the Toa reach their Destinies, and, in time, would become more like them." We left that part out because we Turaga thought that part was ridiculous back then; only Whenua believed it. Now that you, a creature of PURE organics, have shown me that part of you is now machine, I think that YOU are one of those "Mysterious creatures" he told about. *chuckles* Maybe Destiny DOES have something planned for you...


[We cut to Kopaka looking at the map he was given, which is a map of the world. He traces it south, until his finger is on top of a pinpoint labeled: "The Place of Far-Seeing."

[It is the location of Mt. Everest.

[We then zoom out to reveal that he is standing outside, beside Ehrye, who, although Kopaka doesn't notice, is looking at the map from behind him.]

Ehrye: You've been looking at that for a straight hour, you know?

Kopaka: (surprised, although he does not react like it. he turns around to see him) How long have you been standing there yourself?

Ehrye: About 2 minutes.

Kopaka: Whatever. If I am to get this mask and "Save the world from Makuta" or something, I'd best be moving.

[he starts walking towards the entrance of Ko-Koro, towards the car waiting to take him most of the way to the Himalayas, when suddenly...]

Maho: (in the distance) WAIT! (she runs over to him, and stops in front of him, panting) *breathing heavily, speaking in between breaths* Hold on...

[she looks right at him, with desperation showing in her Ice-blue irises]

Maho: I'm coming with you...

Kopaka: ... Why would you want to come along?

Maho: (recovers her posture, yet still hyperventilating, lying to the Toa of Ice) ... The Turaga forgot *paint* that each Toa *paint* had a special helper *exhales* that would go along with ... him or her on their journey. *pause*

Kopaka: ... And I suppose that YOU are MY "special helper"? (Maho silently nods. Kopaka just stands there for a few seconds) ...Well, I'm not exactly sure you can handle this... finding the Kanohi is dangerous enough as it is. Not to mention you are completely defenseless against nature and whatever else is in my pa-

[he stops mid-sentence when Maho summons a Katana of pure Ice in her right hand and points it right at him]

Kopaka: -oh.

Maho: ... Am I defenseless NOW?

Kopaka: ... (stunned silence) ... I stand corrected. (he resumes walking towards the entrance) Just don't be a waste of my time.

[Maho silently nods, before tossing the Ice Katana aside and following him]

Ko-Matoran: (notices Maho) -Hey, no passengers allowed!

Kopaka: Let her. Turaga Nuju has said that she apparently has to go with me...

Ko-Matoran: Well, fine then. Come along.

[We see Maho & Kopaka enter the 1900's-style vehicle, which then starts up and heads on its way through the road leading out of the Village.]


2 DAYS LATER...


December 1905, At the Base of Mt. Everest...

[We cut to see the "ice duo" (As we will refer to Kopaka and Maho as) standing in a snow field at the base of "The Place of Far-Seeing". They have been driven out of Russia-ball's clay**, through the Gobi Desert, and were dropped off at the outskirts of the mountainous region of Tibet (due to a lack of infrastructure from that point onwards), where the 2 walked from there to where they are now.]

Kopaka: (looking directly at the world's tallest mountain, which was right in front of him) ... (thinking) *So THIS is the 'Place of Far-Seeing' he talked about... I think I now see why they named it that* ... (he turns to Maho, who is standing behind and to the left-hand side of him, with the usual stern expression on her face) You ready?

Maho: ... Looks like we have a long climb ahead of us.


LATER...


[Music cue: "Stormkeeper" by Two Steps From Hell]

[we cut to see the duo climbing up the side of the mountain, albeit at a slow pace. They use some climbing gear given to them the previous day by a kind, bypassing Tibet-ball. Due to ... ...reasons, Kopaka was climbing ahead of Maho. However, He wasn't exactly taking safety into account for this treacherous voyage...

[He was climbing at a rather fast pace, leaving Maho dragging behind. This was not helped by the fact that she was starting to have trouble breathing. he notices this, and decides to stop at a flat area about 1/3 of the way up.]

Kopaka: I am puzzled as to why you aren't keeping up... (Maho drags herself over the edge of the cliff face) I told you NOT to be a waste of time.

Maho: (Mildly gasping for air,) I... Can't... Get... Enough... Oxygen... To breathe... (collapses on the snow-covered, rocky ground. She pauses for a short moment) ... I don't know about you... but I, and my kind... cannot exactly ... breathe well at this altitude...

Kopaka: (surprised, speaking annoyed) ... Then why didn't you tell me prior to this-

[he stops mid-sentence, as they hear a low, rumbling noise behind them. As it got steadily louder, kopek simply pulls out his sword off his back. after a short moment, the sound was considerably loud. Then, suddenly Kopaka swiftly turned around, pointing his sword in front of him.

[The noise stopped. Maho, having recovered enough energy, stood up and faced the way the Toa was facing. She was awestruck at what she saw...

[An avalanche was stopped in time, just mere FEET in front of them.

[The large amount of snow was suspended, as if something was holding it back. She just couldn't believe what she was seeing: Kopaka had just stopped an AVALANCE with just a wave of his sword.

[Then something else got her attention in the middle of the suspended mass of snow & Ice, something glimmered.]

Maho: Wait… hold on… [she approached the source of the reflection, which was about 45 feet away]

[When she got up close, she noticed that it looked… metallic, and grey. Once Maho got up next to it, that's when it clicked in her head.

[This was a Kanohi mask, what they'd came here for. She grabbed it and removed it from the suspended avalanche. Seconds later, said avalanche simply drops due to gravity, having lost all its angular momentum.

Maho: (walks up to Kopaka, and holds out the mask.) … I think THIS is yours.

Kopaka: (Takes the mask, then reads a message on the side that's supposed to attach to his 'face'. It is written in Matoraneese) … According to this, what I am holding is Hau, the mask of shielding…

[His own mask, Akaku, disappears, leaving his true, skull-resembling face. Maho is slightly freaked out by this, but she doesn't show it. Kopaka then puts on the Hau. When it attaches to the 'mouth', the Mask immediately changes in color from a reflective, metallic grey, to white, now matching his color scheme.]

Kopaka: … (thinking) *Interesting… the mask of shielding is sending some sort of power through me. I can now use it at will; however, …*

[the Hau suddenly seems to fade OUT of existence, while simultaneously, the Akaku seems to fade INTO existence, in Hau's place]

Kopaka: *… I can still use the mask of x-ray vision at my own discretion. *

[He then notices that Maho had been staring at him the whole time, responding by giving her a look that said "What?" on it.]

[Then, something happened that caught them both off guard…

?1: [inexplicably 'materializes' in an instant, disappearing and reappearing around the two in a matter of seconds, while talking RIEDICULOUSLY fast] SorryaboutthatIdidn'tmeantocausethatavalancheonyouisthereanythingIcandotomakeupforit?

[Exactly here, the background music "Stormkeeper" abruptly stops]

[The Ice duo probably almost had a seizure at that moment, due to this happening out of absolutely NOWHERE.

[The 'blur' that had been speaking finally came to a halt right in front of them, allowing them to have a GOOD look at it, or rather, him.

[He looked almost EXACTLY like Kopaka, with some notable differences; 1: Instead of being white & light grey, he was brown & yellow-tan. 2: instead of wearing Akaku, he wore Kakama, the mask of speed. 3: he had NO weapons. 4: he was smaller than both of them, standing at around 159 cm]

Maho: (stunned, complete silence, and her façade has been replaced with an expression that is CLEARLY surprised) … … … (speaks flatly) … What. … … … Just, what.

[Suddenly, a voice could be heard from up the mountain]

?2: Hey, don't freak them out! You're giving them a bad impression!

[Maho proceeds to look in the direction of the voice. When she does she sees something in the distance, on the mountainside. Focusing her sight on it, she noticed that it was another human, a teenage girl, like her. And she recognized her.

[She had metallic-green hair, tied up into 2 large ponytails that resembled drills. And she wore Anzio's Tankery uniform…

[It was Chiyomi, otherwise known by her former peers as "Little Duce Anchovy".]

?1: Oh! Uhm, sorry for the unwarned appearance… My name's Pohatu.

[Then, he ran all the way up to his human partner, grabbed her, and brought her right back to where he was standing. Using his mask power, he accomplished this in about ½ a second]

Pohatu: And this is Chiyomi-

Chiyomi: (abruptly cuts him off) Don't call me that, it's Duce Anchovy!

Pohatu: Hey, as Toa of Stone, I can call you what I want. Seesh, (he turns to face Kopaka) anyways, do you mind telling me-

Kopaka: (Promptly shoves the flat side of his sword into the other Toa's face) Sorry, but for the most part, I work alone. Oh, and the avalanche.

Maho: Kopaka, if it weren't for that, we would probably still be … climbing… *pause* We should get down from here…

Chiyomi: (places her hand on the side of her head) Agreed, the air's … kind of thin…


1 HOUR LATER…


[Cut to the 4 of them back at the base of Mt. Everest. We see them walking away from the mountain. Pohatu is trying to talk to Kopaka, while Maho and Chiyomi walk behind them]

Pohatu: Listen, I have a feeling that we're here for the same reason. Why not team up? It might make things easier for all of us.

Kopaka: (speaks coldly) I told you; I work ALONE. *beat* Mostly.

Pohatu: By choice, or 'cause nobody can stand you?

Kopaka: (stops for a moment, and thinks about what the Toa of Stone has just said) … … All right, come along. (starts walking again) We (referring to himself and Maho) MIGHT need a mountain moved… or an island lifted…

[in the background, Pohatu silently fist-bumps with himself.

[We then cut over to the girls. Maho holds an Ice shard, which she made in order to demonstrate her newfound abilities. However, …]

Maho: (looks stern as ever, but speaks surprised) … Hold on, so the same thing happened to you?

Chiyomi: Well, yeah… The first thing I knew after blacking out, was that I was laying on the ground, in a hut in Po-Koro, somewhere in Botswana, and completely surrounded by Matoran. They ordered me to do stuff like, stand and not move in the SLIGHTEST. The Turaga wanted me to never go outside, like, ever. Fortunately, one of them convinced him to let me out of house arrest and at least be able to move around the village. Hewikii is what the others called him.

[she pauses, to catch her breath.]

Chiyomi: Anyways, the Matoran wanted me to do manual labor in place of being under constant watch, such as lifting crates of rocks that someone was making into statues. When I did… I noticed that I did it with almost NO effort at all. I was pondering this while resting, when I found out something … strange.

Maho: And what exactly did you find?

[Chiyomi stops for a short moment, before she clasped her hands together and closing her eyes, looking like she was trying to focus on something. Then, she slowly moved them apart, but in between them there was a yellow glow. Once she had them far enough apart, Maho could see that the glow was coming from a rock that was levitating between her hands. And the rock was growing in size.

[She then opened her eyes, and the rock, now about 5 cm in diameter, stopped glowing and dropped into her left hand. Chiyomi calmly smiles while Maho stares at the rock, her expression showing a hint of amazement. It was only then that Maho noticed that the energetic Green-haired girl's eyes, which she remembered as being brown, had turned a bright magenta in color]

Chiyomi: So… yeah. Basically, I can… control stones. I-I'm still in the early stages of learning, though; the Turaga said that this is only a small amount of my powers… Moving on; when soccer player here (gestures to Pohatu) arrived, I decided to go with him, so that I can… well, first of all, train myself. And secondly, find out if Pepperoni and Carpaccio are still alive…

Maho: … I see… Knowing his mask power, I'm not surprised you got this far away in a... short amount of time. But… I'm still worried about Onee-chan as well, *exhales* and my teammates…

[there is silence for around 9 seconds]

Maho: Why are you even here in the first place?

Chiyomi: Oh, he took me here to "have an adventure," and so I could practice my... abilities... somewhere that doesn't really have anyone to watch over you all the freakin' time-

Pohatu: (cuts in) Hey, Ladies, do you have any ideas on where we go next?

Chiyomi: (slightly annoyed) You THINK we have any idea?

Kopaka: How about … (he takes out his map from earlier, before tracing his finger to the closest location of another Kanohi. It leads him to the city of Nanking.) … here?

Pohatu: … Ehh… I'm not so sure about that.

Kopaka: Why not?

Pohatu: From what Turaga Onewa told me, the owner of this clay **, the clay we're in right now, is HEAVILY xenophobic, especially to those he calls "Westerners" … *pause* It's a good thing there's hardly any cities around here … 'cause I don't want to cause a scene.

Chiyomi: Come on, what's worse than a little adventure? Isn't that why you wanted to go here?

Pohatu: … Okay, fine. Whatev's. But we're going to ONLY get the mask, In, & Out****.

[we then cut to seeing Pohatu's face fill the screen]

Pohatu: (not very enthusiastic) Alright, everyone ready?

[cut to Chiyomi's face]

Chiyomi: Ready as ever! [cut to Kopaka's face]

Kopaka: … (his eyes give off an expression that says, " Seriously? ") …

[cut to Maho's face]

Maho: (speaks calmly, but with concern) I have a small question…

[we zoom out to see that she is riding on top of Kopaka, who is on Chiyomi, who in turn is on Pohatu, forming a 'tower', to speak.

[Think of how Katyusha rides on Nonna, but taken up to 11.]

Maho: … are you sure this is going to work?

Kopaka: (speaks flatly) … My neck hurts.

Pohatu: Relax, I've done this with Chiy- (Chiyomi glares at the Toa below her) -I mean, Anchovy a couple of times already, I'm sure we'll be fine. *beat* Until we get there… Anyways, prepare to have your hats blown off!

[The Toa of Stone pauses as Maho removes her cap]

Pohatu: And-a one, And-a two, And-a one, two three, FOUR!

[cue the quad shooting towards the largest city in China, zooming across the horizon in a matter of seconds.]


THE NEXT DAY…


January, 1906…

Nanking, Imperial China, the Royal Palace…

[We see Imperia (Imp.) China-ball sitting on a throne, surrounded by royal guards (like the Russian villagers from earlier, they look like Miniature-size versions of him). The palace is decorated with pillars of gold, floors of the finest marble, and furniture of jade. Standing beside him is a personal advisor…]

China: 現在,與歐洲人的這個問題得到處理... *sigh* 那些無毛猿怎麼樣了? {Now that that problem with the Europeans is dealt with… *sigh* How have those hairless apes been doing?}

Ch. advisor: 他們一直很好,先生。 一個叫安積的人一直在確保北京的基礎設施項目按計劃進行。 應該在明天之前完成。 一個名叫魯米的人,在學習我們的語言方面一直在有效地監督蒙古,而那個叫做"惠"的人已經在我們的朝鮮邊境武裝力量上實現了現代化。 {They've been well sir. The one called Azumi has been making sure that the infrastructure project for Beijing is staying on schedule. It should be done by tomorrow. The one called Rumi has been effectively supervising Mongolia in learning our language, and the one called Megumi has been Sufficiently modernizing our Armed forces on the Korean border.}

Imp. China: 是的,但另一個怎麼樣?{Yes, but what about the other one?}

Ch. advisor: 你的意思是你的陛下?{Do you mean the one called Alice Shimada, your Majesty?}

[Imp. China-ball nods in response.]

Ch. advisor: 陛下,你是不是指一個叫愛麗絲島田?她很高興與外界聯絡,陛下。然而,她最近剛開始...自言自語...除此之外別無他途。 那異常的事情可能會和你燒熊貓娃娃陛下有關。{She has been gladly isolated from outside contact, your Majesty. *beat* However, she's recently started… talking to herself… there's no other way I can put it to you. That abnormality MIGHT, however, be related to you burning that offensive Panda-doll ***, Majesty.}

[Suddenly, a military official bursts through the Wooden doors at the entrance of the Palace]

Military Official: 陛下,先生! 我們在城外的勢力遭到野馬的襲擊!{Majesty, Sir! Our forces outside the city have been attacked by a feral Manaus!}

China: 什麼!?


[cut to said forces fighting the Manaus. The mechanical scorpion-like creature tears right through their lines like they were made of paper. It had an Infected Kanohi in its plug-in port, which is located in its mouth where the tongue would otherwise be.

[Music cue: "Canon in D Minor" by Two Steps From Hell]

[A good distance away, we see our 4 protagonists, the Ice and Stone duos, spectating over the bloodbath.

Chiyomi: Do you think we should… you know, do something?

Pohatu: Uh…

Kopaka: (speaks calmly) Xenophobic or not, they're still people. I'm all up for doing it…

Chiyomi: Who knows? Maybe they'll be nice to us.

Pohatu: Well, they probably won't be nice-

Maho: (Faces Pohatu directly, speaking in a calm, serious tone) Isn't it a Toa's Duty to protect others from harm? By ignoring them, you are violating that rule, in more ways than one, I believe.

Pohatu: … … Okay, fine! But don't blame me if we get imprisoned.

[cut back to the Chinese soldiers]

Soldier 1: 先生,我們正在傷亡!{Sir, we're taking casualties!}

General: 沒有狗屎,私人! 盡可能地嘗試並堅持下去,我會試著想一些東西 - {No sh*t, Private! Try and hold it off as long as you can, I'll try and think of something-}

[cue: The Toa of Ice hopping onto the Manaus's back. Kopaka uses his sword to freeze the tail of the beast, before Pohatu grabs a giant boulder TWICE his size and tosses it onto the Manaus's back, in order to hold it down. This was reinforced by Maho freezing the several legs of it so that it couldn't move regardless of the boulder. This allows Chiyomi to get up close and hold the jaw of the beast open, thus allowing Pohatu to retrieve the infected Kanohi from the Manaus, fully neutralizing the threat.

[Unfortunately, despite having JUST saved their lives, the briefly stunned Chinese army don't take their saviors kindly, and promptly aim their guns at them]

(cue "Canon in D Minor" slowing to a halt)

Pohatu: See, WHAT did I tell you guys?

General: 抓住你的火!{Hold your fire!}

[he looks at the four of them for about 15 seconds]

General: 把他們帶到陛下。{Take them to Majesty.}

Soldier 2: 先生- {But, sir-}

General: {Do as I say!} (he faces the Private from earlier) {If I remember correctly, you know how to speak English, right?} (he nods, before confronting our protagonists)

Private (Soldier 1): (speaking English) We are taking you to see our great Ruler. He will decide what to do with you. (the other soldiers proceed to confiscate the infected Kanohi mask, and then literally drag them towards the palace)

Pohatu: (being dragged on the ground) Wait, why can't we use our powers to escape?

Kopaka: (Also being dragged on the ground) I wouldn't, because I would like to see if we can possibly negotiate terms to let us do what we came here for.


...


[we cut to the Toa and girls being brought before Imp. China-ball, who does not look very happy]

China: (speaking English, with a heavy Chinese accent) *exhales* Why is it that you westerners ALWAYS ruin my month? You've better explain yourselves, you hairless apes and… (looks at the Toa) … oversized Matoran… Or else, I will personally make you wish you were never born…

[Chiyomi is scared out of her mind, and so was Maho, although she didn't let her face show it. Pohatu, though, was waiting for an opening to bolt towards the door, however, Kopaka, seeing this, nudged him as to say "Don't even think about it", before calmly speaking to Imp. China-ball]

Kopaka: We came here looking for an uninfected Kanohi mask hidden around here, that is all. If you would let us find it, we will gladly leave as soon as we do.

China: … Total bullsh*t. I don't buy it.

[Just then, someone walks up to him from the side, holding something]

China: 現在是什麼,愚蠢的考古學家? 難道你沒有看到我正處於某事的中間嗎?{What is it now, foolish Archeologist? Can you not see that I'm in the middle of something?}

Archeologist: 我向你的陛下道歉,但我們必須向你展示一些事情。 這可能符合您的利益。{I apologize, your Majesty, but we have to show you something. It might be of your interests.}

China: 讓我猜一下...你發現過去2年你一直在談論的"速度極快的面具"?{Let me guess… You found that "mask of great speed" that you've been talking about these past 2 years ****?}

Archeologist: 這是正確的,陛下。{That is correct, your Majesty.}

[Kopaka looks in his direction, allowing us to get a clear shot of what he is holding

[It is a Kakama, just like Pohatu was wearing.]

Kopaka: (speaking to the archeologist) That is it. That's what we came here for.

China: (looks at the Toa of Ice in confusion) Do you mean that… whatever this idiot here is holding is what you came here for? … Quite pathetic.

Maho: (finally gains enough courage to speak) That is correct. (Prompts a death glare from Imp. China-ball, causing her to bow her head to the floor)

Kopaka: … Just as I was going to say. And we are serious in that we'll leave if we have that Mask.

China: (leans forward in his royal throne) Are you speaking the truth?

Kopaka: (speaks flatly) Yes.

[He stares at Imp. China-ball, with a cold, piercing gaze]

China: (thinks for a moment) … Very well, then you may have the "mask" and leave.

Archeologist: What!?

[cue the guards confiscating the Kakama from him, before dragging him through the doors, while he was begging in Mandarin to give him one last chance]

China: I will, however, do it on 2 conditions…


[cut to the soldiers directing the Group to a prison cage in another room. In that cage, we see that it is being used to contain someone who, although the girls don't recognize her immediately, we already know.

[It is Alice Shimada.

[Yet, something's off about her. When the cage is opened, we see that she has changed… for the worse. Her hair, once smooth, is now a mess. Her uniform is torn at multiple places, and her body is visibly scarred.]

Pohatu: (speaking to the private) So, wait. We have to take her away from here? And to where?

Private: Yes, Majesty requires that you take her with you. And it does not matter where you drop her off, as long as it isn't within his clay **. (meanwhile, Maho slowly approaches Alice)

Alice: … (speaks suddenly, making even Maho jump, yet weakly) … Greetings… Ms. Nishizumi…

Maho: (she holds her arms out, speaking in a soft, comforting voice) It's okay… come here, we're getting you out of this place…

[The grey-blonde-haired 12-year old walks out of the gage, into Maho's arms. Kopaka walks onto the scene, having obtained the Kakama from Imp. China-ball.]

Kopaka: He wants us out of here preferably within an hour.

Chiyomi: (anxious) Well, what are we waiting for? I personally want to leave this place, it's scary.


30 MINUTES LATER…


General: (talking to Imp. China-ball, while he simultaneously Sweat-drops) 你知道其他無毛猿在發現這個問題時不會高興... {You do realize that the other hairless apes will not be happy when they find out about this, your Highness…}

China: 我很清楚這一點。 我這樣做是為了讓她脫離我的手,更重要的是讓其他三個人不再忠於她,忠於我。{I am well aware of that. I did it so that I could get her off my hands, and, more importantly, to get the other 3 to stop being loyal to HER and be fully loyal to ME.}

[The General stops Sweat-dropping, starts looking at his superior with a serious expression in his eyes.]

General: 陛下,忠誠和信任是兩個完全不同的東西... {Your Majesty, loyalty and trust are two entirely different things…}


[cut to the group of 5 walking out of the city gates]

Pohatu: I can't believe it! How did you manage to pull it off!?

Kopaka: He said that the look in my eyes was that of a rightful Matoran warrior, who speaks the truth. That, and he told me that he didn't want anything else to do with our 'hunt' for the Kanohi. He seemed to already be overwhelmed by the presence of Europeans in his Clay.

Chiyomi: (silently checks to see if anyone else is around to see them. Thankfully, there aren't) I just can't believe that asshole's conditions. Seriously, Taking the prodigy of the Shimada family line off his clay, or, territory, and forbidding us from being here ever again in the history of ever.

Kopaka: I warned him that if anything else happens to him that involves either Makuta, Rahi, or us happens again, it probably won't be of our doing or will. So, (faces Alice, who is holding Maho's hand) What are we going to do with you?

Pohatu: Hey, I might know another Country who will be quite happy to take her in…

[he looks at his own map, which Turaga Onewa had given him when he and Chiyomi started on their journey. He looks for the nearest location of his own next Kanohi, which is in OTL Bengal, a country in OTL Africa]

Pohatu: Anyways, we probably ought to get out of here.

Kopaka: Gladly.

[His Akaku fades away, to be replaced with his new Kakama mask]

Kopaka: But first, let me see what this can do…

[He powers up his mask, and disappears instantly…

[ … only to instantly reappear about 100 yards away, having done a faceplant with a *thud*.

[The others look on in silence, or in Chiyomi's case, amusement, as Kopaka gets back on his feet]

Pohatu: (yelling to his Icy friend, as Chiyomi laughs at his epic failure) Don't worry, you'll get used to it!


THE NEXT DAY…


February, 1906, near Cairo, Egyptian Sultanate…

[we cut to see Egypt-ball working in the fields of a green Sahara, about 15 KM west of Cairo, his capital. He isn't in a very good mood.]

Egypt: (Thinking) *Well, THIS is just great for my luck. First, the "humans" I wanted for myself are given to the authoritarian sh*t-hole that is China. THEN, I try to gain the two Ottoman has by going to war with him, and LOSE horribly against him. Now what do I have to do? Give him the Sini Peninsula and several tons of wheat in reparations! *beat* Given, this is EXTREMLY light compared to what he MIGHT have done to me, and that Britain's "private property" that is the Suez Canal left Sini physically detached from the rest of my clay regardless, but STILL- *

[Egypt-ball is interrupted in his thoughts as Pohatu, carrying Chiyomi on his back, suddenly appears in front of him]

Egypt: -بحق الجحيم-!؟ {-WHAT THE- !?}

Pohatu: Sorry for the sudden intrusion, Egypt, but we want to give you something.

Egypt: (clearly pissed off, as he screams at them in English) What do YOU want from me!? Huh? I am not going to give ANYTHING away to you-

Chiyomi: Woah, Woah, we came here to Give you something, not take away. Besides, we still haven't repaid for your genuine care for us aon our first night away from Po-Koro…

[Kopaka, carrying Maho and Alice on his back, appears beside Pohatu, nearly falling over in the process. Alice then gets a look from Maho, signaling her to get off Kopaka's back. Almost at once, Egypt-ball recognizes her and calms down]

Alice: (Shyly) Are… you… Egypt?

Egypt: … Why yes, I am.

Kopaka: China wanted her off his hands, as he saw no use for her. We made a deal so that we could take her to live off his clay and collect the mask we were looking for, in return for never returning to his land.

Pohatu: So… yeah. Weneedtogonowsobye (The Stone duo promptly take off over the horizon towards Morocco, with the Ice duo following them in a matter of seconds)

Egypt: (stops plowing, and waits a moment before speaking) I'm going to take you to my house and introduce you to my closest officials, then return here to continue working on making reparations to Ottoman.

Alice: … Please don't whip me or abuse me in any other way… like he did… spare me from further suffering…

Egypt: Don't worry, little one. I'll make sure that you will be treated fairly. (speaks in Arabic) {Something tells me that we are going to be good friends…}


[Cut to the Stone & Ice duos 'materializing' in the peaks of the Moroccan Highlands, which, just so you know, are still as dry as they are in OTL, unlike the rest of the Sahara.

[However, something doesn't seem quite right. The audience and our 4 protagonists can hear voices in the distance. They are coming from behind the mountaintops.

[Kopaka uses his Akaku mask (specifically, the 3 'periscopes' covering what would otherwise be his left eye) to see the source of the noises. To Chiyomi, she sorts the voices out in her head as 4 females, and 2 males.]

Kopaka: We'd better make this quick.

Maho: Why is that so?

Pohatu: Yeah why is that so- wait… Did you see something using your X-Ray vision?

Kopaka: No questions, just follow me.

[he turns around to see his 3 accomplices looking at him, their expressions telling him that they want answers. Badly.]

Kopaka: *sigh* Alright, fine. I'll tell you. *pause* I saw strangers. But I also saw power sources coming from each of them, so, like us, they are beings of great power… *squints* But are they ALLIES, or ENEMIES?

[they slowly peek around the tops of the mountains. What they see is astonishing… in another sense.

[They saw 3 human girls; who they were will be made know next chapter. They also saw 3 other Toa: One was red/red-orange, and wore Hau. Another was blue, appeared to have a climbing hook in both hands, and wore Kaukau, the mask of waterbreathing. The third was black/dark grey, a hunchback, had 3 claws-like fingers for hands, and wore Pakari, the mask of strength.

[the screen cuts to black]


Roll End credits

[Music cue: ED]


Lyrics to "Hero":

As you're on your way back home,

something catch your eyes untold.

Fear of darkness linger here;

you tremble as you get the fear.

*Very brief instrumental*

Now you're on the cornerstone,

fearing you'd be left alone.

Who will lose, who will prevail?

Who will tell the final tale?

*Very brief instrumental*

There it goes, again...

*Very brief instrumental*

There it goes, again.

*Cue: Badass instrumental outbreak*

Do you know what it takes to be a hero?

When you're lost; A piece of love, a piece of you.

Do you have what it takes to beat the fear that's

in your heart to grow up strong, and undo wrong?

To grow up strong, and undo wrong?

*brief outro instrumental*


*= Maho has been recycling her Tankery uniform ever since she woke up last episode.

**= "clay" is the Poland-ball term for a nation's territory/landmass.

***= If you don't get it, here's what China-ball meant: He took Alice's Boko doll and burnt it in his fireplace.

****= Equivalent to 24 days.


AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Nuclearalchmist: And there's Episode 3! the Toa Mata have arrived and met up with our protagonists, and things are now REALLY getting started.

Also, here's an update as of 8/7/2018: I am currently focusing on Nights to Remember as of now, so uploads for this story will be more sporadic. But due to Cross Country recently starting up, among other stuff like convincing Edward Elric to quit bugging the literal crap out of me, it's going to take a while, so don't expect much from me until about November.

ALSO, CykaShotgun has gladly... borrowed... my idea of crossing GuP and Polandball, and has made his own story, Girls und Countryballs! Check it out if you want.

In the meantime, here's what to expect next episode!

Sincerely, Nuclearalchmist.


NEXT TIME...

THE ICE AND STONE DUOS MEET UP WITH THE DUOS OF FIRE, WATER, & EARTH!

BUT HOW DID THEY MEET UP? HOW DID THEY GET TO MOROCCO? and just as importantly, just who are they!?

FIND OUT IN EPISODE 3: QUEST FOR THE KANOHI.