(A/N): And now to take a break from the drama of the Toa to check in on Penny and Takua as they head for the next village! Gotta say, writing about the illness in Po-Koro hits differently these days, for reasons that should hopefully be obvious. Regardless, enjoy!
Penny's first few hours in Po-Wahi were an absolutely magical experience.
The moment she and Takua stepped off Macku's boat marked the first time she had ever been in a desert; neither one of her old robot bodies had ever set foot in a land so barren and sandy. An unobstructed sun shone down its full fury on a dry, lifeless expanse of desolate terrain, showering it with a stifling, searing heat and blinding light. Sweat dripped down her arms, legs, and everything in between as she and her Matoran friends walked down the desert path. It was hot. It was dry. It was dusty.
And she loved every minute of it.
Her toes curled around the sand underfoot with each step, feeling the warm grains seep into every crack in her skin. Penny skipped and danced among the dunes, kicking up dust and dirt and twirling as the light danced off each individual piece of sand. Macku stared in disbelief at her as she rolled across flat plains, while Takua chuckled at seeing her cartwheel and land face first in a small sandbar. She did not care about how thirsty she was getting, or how much dust was gathering on her clothes and hair. This was a brand-new experience, and she wanted to feel all of it.
And there were so many interesting new sounds too! The whistling of the wind, the shuffling of sand with each step, the distant cries for help -
Wait, what?
Penny pulled sand-encrusted ginger hair out of her face, cupping her hands around her ears as she turned to face the sound. Sure enough, two pairs of metallic voices were echoing across the flat desert terrain, easily heard across the many, many yards of empty space. They did not sound like cries of delight - they sounded like calls of distress. And even though it was fun to play in the sand, her duty as Huntress took priority.
"Someone is in trouble!" She furrowed her brow. "Takua! Lightstone!"
The Ta-Matoran at her side nodded in determination, hand already halfway down his rucksack to retrieve the glowing piece of amber - the one that allowed his human friend to live without being next directly to him. He handed it to Penny, who paused only to tuck the item into her dress's pocket before she took off running. She may not have had Ruby's super-speedy Semblance, but Huntresses already boasted a greater speed and stamina than most other humans. Right now she was calling on both of them to sprint across the desert with all her might.
As she came closer, she spotted the source of the cries for help. A pair of Matoran in earthen colors were standing back-to-back, facing down a swarm of strange birdlike Rahi that ran circles around them. At least, Penny was pretty sure they were birds - though she had never seen birds with very long necks or huge muscular legs before, nor did she understand why their big oval bodies had such tiny little wings on the sides. What she did understand was that their beady eyes were glowing with a dangerous red light, and that they were shrieking in rage as they kicked and pecked at the endangered villagers.
"Get back, you mad birds!" shouted the black-masked Matoran, swinging his chisel at the metal-feathered beasts. "If any one of you messes up my markers, I'll give you something to go feral about!"
The birds did not back down in the face of the threat. If anything, it only seemed to make them angrier. One of the avian Rahi trilled in fury, and brought its beak plummeting down on the stonecutter…
Clang!
Penny surged into the empty space between Matoran and Rahi, Vita deployed into a full shield to block the blow. She pushed back and drew Luce in tonfa form, striking the bird's torso in a swift flurry of thrusts and knocking it away. It fell into the sand and scrambled back onto its talons, hissing at the newcomer.
"Eh? Who are you?" asked the Matoran in a gruff voice. "What are you doing here? Where'd you come from?"
"Do not worry," said Penny as she widened her stance with both weapons raised. "I am combat ready, and I am here to help!"
The birds kicked at the sand under their feet and reared their torsos back to raise their heads even higher, flapping their tiny little wings and scattering metallic feathers in a clear display of aggression. Penny met their challenge with one of her own, charging with her shield deployed and crashing into the lead Rahi with all her might. Her opponent went sprawling across the sand as two more moved to peck at her flanks. She blocked the beak of one with Vita and diverted the other with Luce, battering them both and ducking to avoid a kick aimed at her head.
Penny soon fell into a rhythm as the battle continued. Block, evade, strike back, repeat. It wasn't the same as fighting with an array of floating swords, but the basic steps were similar enough. Anticipate an opponent's attacks, react, then respond with one of your own. Not to say that the fight was easy - the seven-foot-tall birds were relentless, swarming and circling around her in an attempt to strike at her blind spots. It took all her concentration to make sure she guarded herself from all angles, and to keep her blows from leaving her open.
Perhaps I should not have been quite so quick to jump into the fray… she thought to herself as a well-placed kick nearly sent her stumbling back.
CLUNK!
A blue blur suddenly flew into the fray, striking the side of a bird's head and making it stagger back with a pained hiss. Penny's eyes tracked the flying disc as it bounced from Rahi to Rahi, before finally returning to Macku's hand. She grinned as she saw the Ga-Matoran come running on tiny little legs alongside Takua, leaping into the air and tossing her disc again with a mid-air spin. The wooden throwing weapon crashed into the head of another opponent, stunning it long enough for the freckled Huntress to sweep it off its feet and pin it against the ground with her shield.
"Please do not struggle!" Penny pleaded even as the avian Rahi squawked and swung its talons blindly. "I only wish to remove your mask! You will be okay after that."
Green eyes scanned the creature's form, looking for any sort of face wear mounted on its oblong armored body. Eventually, she found it just above the tail feathers; a quick tug with the handle of Luce peeled it away, and soon the tainted brown mask was discarded and thrown into the desert sands. Unfortunately, the Rahi did not calm down when Makuta's infected Kanohi was removed - once again, its rage only intensified as it thrashed and kicked even harder under her weight.
What? Why is this not working? It worked when Gali removed the Tarakava's mask - could something else be wrong with these Rahi? Perhaps -
"Penny! A little help here!"
She snapped around and saw Takua ducking and weaving around kicks and slams, armed with only an Infected Kanohi he'd pulled off the Rahi currently harassing him. Macku let out a yelp as two more birds stormed her position, plunging their beaks into the sand where she'd been moments before. It became clear that even with the evil masks removed, the creatures would not stop attacking. Something else was wrong with them - and she did not have time to figure it out.
No time for mercy, then.
Penny slammed her shield down onto the neck of the floored bird with one hand, pooling Aura into Luce with the other and throwing it at Takua's opponent. With a tug of her Semblance the tonfa shifted into a hooked spear in mid-air, one that grabbed the bird by the neck and yanked it back like a shepherd's crook. The Rahi let out a choked cry as it was pulled towards her on teal-green strings of energy; she ran at it and caught the weapon before launching into a fast and deadly combo of piercing thrusts and sweeping slashes. A low swing sent the flightless bird falling to the sandy ground, and a downward stab into its ribcage ensured it did not rise again.
With two Rahi dealt with, she shifted focus to the ones attacking the other Matoran. A controlled toss of Vita stunned the birds harassing Macku, allowing her and the Ga-Matoran to double-team them with finishing blows. Another burst of speed put her between the Po-Matoran and the remaining pack, which she fought off by alternating between wide slashes and focused lunges. The disc throws and chisel swipes of her smaller allies opened the creatures up to finishing blows, staining the sands with mechanical fluids and scattering metal feathers to the winds.
It was only after the last bird let out its mournful death cry that Penny's muscles stopped tensing up.
She panted and stood for a moment longer, arms trembling under the weight of her weapons and eyes scanning the horizon for more threats. Takua came over and laid a hand on her bare leg, letting out a breathy chuckle.
"Nice moves," he said between deep sighs of his own. "Looks like all that practice paid off, huh?"
Penny managed a small laugh. "So it would seem!" Then she looked over to the Po-Matoran. "Is everyone okay?"
The black-masked stonecutter let out a huff. "Hmph. We could have handled them ourselves. I'd hardly be able to call myself Hafu, greatest Carver in Po-Koro, if I couldn't handle a few angry birds."
"Ignore him, he's just too proud to admit he's grateful." The other Matoran, the one with a tan bird-like mask, shook his head. "In any case, we are unharmed thanks to you, tall one. Name's Golyo. I'm a Mahi herder around these parts…or at least I would be, if there were any wild Mahi left around here to herd."
Golyo chuckled humorlessly, then turned to the Ga-Matoran. "Sneaking out of the village again, huh Macku? Does Nokama know you're out here this time?"
An indignant huff filled the air. "Of course she knows! She's the one who sent me, after all. Said that since I'm not gonna stay in Ga-Koro anyway, I might as well escort these two through Po-Wahi to see Turaga Onewa."
The Po-Matoran nodded. "I see. And who are you escorting, exactly?" He looked up - very far up - at the long-legged, barefooted Huntress stowing her weapons away. "For that matter, what are you?"
"Salutations, people of Po-Wahi!" she said with a bright grin and a wave. "My name is Penny Polendina, and I am a human girl from another world. It is a pleasure to meet you!" Then she gestured to the small Matoran that scrambled to join her side. "And this is Takua. He is from Ta-Koro…or he was."
Golyo blinked several times, trying to process the new information that had just been dumped on him. Hafu, meanwhile, just glared at Penny for reasons she did not understand, before squinting and staring at his red, blue, and yellow counterpart.
"Takua, huh?" He leaned against his two-handed chisel. "Your name feels familiar, as does your mask. Have we…met before, traveler?"
Takua stammered, then shrugged. "If we have, I don't remember. I've, uh…lost my memory."
"Well that's a damn shame," said Hafu. "And here I thought I was too gorgeous to forget about…"
"In any case, thank you for your help," said Golyo with a bow. "Wild attacks from the Rahi have become far more common as of late, ever since the Toa arrived. Why, our very own Pohatu - the Toa of Stone - nearly got his head knocked off by a punch-happy Fusa. Took Turaga Onewa's direct intervention to keep them from destroying each other. Never seen someone so old move so fast before…"
Penny chuckled, then looked down at the nearest fallen bird. "I am sorry about these Rahi, though…I tried to pacify them by pulling off their infected masks, but it did not seem to work."
Golyo let out another humorless laugh. "Very merciful of you, but I'm afraid you won't find any of Makuta's dark influence on these ones. Usually beasts as small or 'harmless' as these Husi go unnoticed - he prefers to infect the bigger and more dangerous ones around these parts, like the Nui-Jaga or the Kane-Ra. Still…maybe it's better this way. Not much we can do for the poor things, once they get struck by the Madness…suppose we're soon to follow…"
The freckled Huntress tilted her head. "What is the Madness? And what do you mean that you might be 'soon to follow?'"
The Po-Matoran looked up. "You haven't heard, stranger? Po-Koro's been under quarantine for the last few days. Some kind of new disease is gripping the folks there, making them ill at best and violent at worst. No idea what's causing it or how to cure it, so Turaga Onewa put the whole village under lockdown. No one gets in, no one gets out."
Penny's smile faded as her spirits sank. Another village in crisis…another threat to the Matoran, so soon after the last. Compared to the urgency of the situation at Ga-Koro, an illness ravaging Po-Koro felt slower yet far more insidious. She did not even know that Matoran could get sick - it was a surprise as unsettling as it was unpleasant.
Takua put a steadying hand on Penny's leg as he took back his lightstone. "Why aren't either of you affected, then?"
"Busy," said Hafu simply, already focused on chiseling once again. "Too busy to play Koli or barter or stay in the village. These great works of art won't carve themselves. Not yet, anyways."
"And I usually tend to the wild goats around here, wrangle them back to send to the village," explained Golyo. "I stay out here for moons at a time, so I've avoided the worst of the plague just by doing my job. Or trying to, at least…no one knows how quickly it can spread across the desert, and by the time we find out it might already be too late…"
"What about Hewkii?" Macku asked with concern in her voice. "Is he…"
Golyo shrugged. "No idea. Can't exactly go back and check on him, can I? There's been no trade, no visitors, nothing. Under Onewa's orders, the entire village is cut off from the outside world."
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Penny's eyes brightened. "Surely Turaga Onewa would make an exception for us, if we wanted to assist. We were able to help Ruby and Gali save Ga-Koro - I would very much like to do the same for Po-Koro."
"Of course you would," said Takua with a chuckle.
"I don't recommend it," warned the Mahi herder. "But if you insist…take the right road here. It'll lead right to Po-Koro - the left path goes to the Quarry."
"And if you do get sick, stay away from me," said Hafu dismissively. "Can't afford to lay in bed and feel sorry for myself. Not when there's still great works to be made by my hand…"
"Boy, you must have a lot of friends with that attitude," deadpanned Takua.
Hafu chuckled. "Who needs friends when I've got perfectly good stone right here?"
With a shrug, Penny bid goodbye to her new "friends" and led an anxious Macku and a curious Takua down the path to the village.
Whatever was happening in Po-Koro, she hoped she could figure it out.
After several more hours of travel, Takua was relieved to finally see some semblance of civilization again.
The path leading up to Po-Koro's walls was decorated with a dozen statues that were at least three times Penny's height, each one depicting a maskless Matoran head with a stern gaze and an empty mouth socket. Each was marked with the words "Another Hafu Original" near the base, leaving no doubt who had carved such nearly-identical works. One final head was carved into the gate itself, its mouth serving as the entrance into the village of stone. Takua was no carver, but even he knew great craftsmanship when he saw it - and as he and his two female friends approached the village, he knew he was surrounded by it.
But as beautiful as the outside of Po-Koro was, it did nothing to hide the ugliness within.
After a quick but tense discussion with the guards, the stone barricade was finally lowered to reveal a village plagued by rot and decay. Domed huts carved from stone formed rows along the walls, with half of them sealed shut by doors bearing large red X's on the mantle. Matoran in every conceivable shade of black, brown, and tan scurried around with (thankfully non-aggressive) Husi and goat-like Mahi, though their orange eyes seemed glassy and soulless. A large playing field made of sand and rock, one with four goalposts and nearby carved bleachers, looked lifeless and empty with no players or fans in sight. Even the bazaar on the right side of the village looked nearly abandoned, with only a few of the stalls active - the most active of which was a booth manned by a Matoran with a black copy of Nokama's mask, selling carved spheres to a clamoring crowd of Po-Matoran.
"Comets! Get your Comets here! Don't be the only Matoran in Po-Koro without one!"
"Trading two Husi for a Mahi. Any buyers?"
"The Mahi market is bottomed out. I used to get at least three Husi for the same price…"
"That's my final offer. Take it or leave it."
Takua didn't understand all the chatter going on, but he could understand that times were tough for the traders. Not that it was easy for anyone else, either - an overwhelming sense of dread hung in the air, like a toxic miasma that lingered with each breath. Groans and growls escaped from the quarantined huts, even through solid stone walls, while abandoned tools and equipment lay scattered across the village untouched since their owners fell ill. As bad as the sights and sounds were, it had nothing on just how bad it smelled. Takua didn't know what was creating such an awful stench, and he hoped he'd live the rest of his life without ever finding out.
"It's…horrible…" muttered Macku, shaking her head. "How could an illness spread so quickly in such a short amount of time?"
"Very easily," said Penny with a thousand-yard stare, "especially in cramped, crowded conditions such as this. I remember one time when a Dust miner in Mantle caught a very nasty strain of pneumonia without telling anyone, and went back to his home thinking it was only a simple cold. Within two weeks, three whole city blocks were coughing and puking blood, and it would have spread to the rest of Mantle had General Ironwood not ordered a quarantine."
Takua looked up to his friend. "Did it work?"
"In a way," she said sadly. "No new cases sprung up after the order was put into effect. But for the people who had already contracted the illness…there was little we could do but ensure they were comfortable before they passed."
Penny hung her head and sighed. "There were many funerals that month."
The Ta-Matoran squeezed one of her hands with both of hers. "Don't worry. I'm sure we can do more than that here."
Macku repeated the gesture on Penny's other side. "Yeah. Let's go talk to Turaga Onewa. If anyone can tell us what's going on, it'd be him."
Penny smiled at the two Matoran comforting her, wiping a tear on her shoulder. "Okay. Do you know where he is?"
"Yeah, I come to visit all the time," said the Ga-Matoran with a smirk under her mask. "Right this way."
She led them through more rows of huts and market stands, eventually coming to a domed building at the playing field's edge that was twice as large as the surrounding structures. The sound of chiseling stone escaped through the open doorway, and a quick peek inside revealed the source to be a tall figure with a tan mask and robes embroidered with bronze thread. His hunched frame leaned over a block of sandstone as he worked it with a large hammer and chisel, shaping it down into a shallow bed with a built-in headrest. Other works of carved stone lined the walls, ranging from smooth figures with faces to a large copy of a great Kanohi Kakama. (Takua prided himself on how quickly he was starting to recognize the different masks and their names again…as he presumably could when he didn't have amnesia.)
"Turaga Onewa?" Macku knocked twice on the stone doorframe. "We'd like a moment of your time, if you have one."
At the sound of her voice, the village elder turned and bowed before the company. "Macku…it is good to see you are well. How fares Ga-Koro these days?" He smirked under his mask. "Does Nokama know you have snuck off again?"
"Why does everyone keep assuming that?!" The Ga-Matoran pouted. "I'm here on official business this time, I swear! And my village is, uh…well, it's fine now. Was in trouble a few days ago, but everything's okay now. Thanks in no small part to these two, as well as Toa Gali herself. Turaga, meet Takua from Ta-Koro and Penny from…um…"
"Remnant!" The freckled Huntress piped up happily.
"Yeah…Remnant. It's apparently another planet."
The Turaga turned his amber gaze onto Takua and Penny, scratching the chin of his mask as he hummed pensively. Then he smiled beneath his mask and bowed, which he answered with a deep nod and she met with a curtsey.
"A curious group of adventurers indeed," he said in a voice like crushed gravel. "I would be glad to welcome you to Po-Koro…but I fear that you have come to visit at an unhappy time. If you are here to watch the Koli match, I am afraid you will have to leave disappointed; I am about to give my people the news that the coming games will have to be canceled. This will be an unpopular decision, but a necessary one if we wish to stave off the sickness."
"Understandable," said Penny with a nod. "We met Golyo and Hafu on the way here, and they told us that there is an illness sweeping through Po-Koro. What can you tell us about it?"
Onewa gave a deep, morose sigh. "Not much, I fear. All I know is that it has brought ruin to our doorstep. Just a few days ago I was bringing forth magnificent works from the stone. Yet today I am fashioning mere beds."
The Turaga ran his hand over one of the pieces, clearly yearning for the days when he was carving literally anything else. "I am struggling to bring comfort to the sick people of this village," he said with a shake of his head, "but it is a fleeting solace. We know nothing of this illness, how long it might last, or where it comes from. Left unattended, I fear the Madness..."
The fact that he didn't finish his sentence spoke volumes on its own. Takua tilted his head.
"Why are you only canceling the Koli matches now?" he asked as he stepped forward. "If so many people are getting sick, why risk gatherings like that?"
"Because even now, when a dark plague has corrupted my people and my village, Po-Matoran are a stubborn breed." Onewa shook his head. "Though many still stay at their work, visit the bazaar, and play Koli, they have blinded themselves to the truth and put strength and Duty before fear and caution. At first I allowed this, to help take their minds off these dire circumstances, but that was a mistake on my part. Too many have fallen ill within the last few days, and I can no longer afford to put the mental comfort of my people above their physical safety."
He picked up a loose stone and rolled it around in his fingers. "Hewkii, our greatest Koli champion, was one of the first to fall ill. He has become weakened, and cannot move from his bed. I fear that soon we will see in him the beginnings of the Madness, the same diabolical force that grips the wild Rahi when their masks become infected."
Macku looked down at the floor, her shoulders trembling. Penny put a hand on her mask in comfort, rubbing softly.
"This illness has taken its toll on us for many days now," finished Onewa. "My people try to ignore it, but they fall prey to it all the same. It is why I must now cancel the coming match and order all workers to remain in their homes - until the plague abates, we are all at risk of falling prey to its clutches."
Huddling away in a dark, cramped room waiting to die didn't sound any more appealing than the illness itself. There had to be a better solution…and from the way Penny was humming thoughtfully, she clearly agreed.
"Hmm…Gali was able to save Ga-Koro when it was in trouble," she mused. "Maybe if we can find Pohatu, he will do the same?"
The stone elder let out a dry chuckle. "I admire your optimism, off-worlder, but the greatest irony in this crisis is that our patron Toa's strength and speed will not save us. An enemy that can neither be seen, nor felt plagues us now, and his efforts to aid us in our crisis would be fruitless. Right now he must focus on finding his Masks of Power; I cannot allow him to be distracted from that goal. Without knowing even where this illness comes from, there is little anyone can do...even the great Pohatu. And I fear that despite your urge to help, you can do even less. I am sorry."
The freckled human looked crestfallen. Takua put a hand over hers, and bowed to the Turaga.
"Thank you, sir. With all due respect, we'd like to do what we can to help anyways. Would it be alright if we took a look around the village? Maybe an outsider's perspective will turn up something you missed."
Onewa bowed in response, and sighed. "You are welcome to stay in Po-Koro and help if you wish, but do not linger long. I do not know if this illness can ail humans such as you, Penny, but I would not take any chances. Conduct your business, gather what info you can, and be on your way. The sooner you leave, the safer you shall be."
With that somber statement, Onewa returned to his sorrowful task of carving beds for the ill. Takua led the girls out of the Turaga's hut and back gathered in the crossroads outside, pacing thoughtfully as he pondered.
"Hmm…looks like he's just as in the dark as we are," mused the lost Ta-Matoran. He looked up to Penny. "I don't suppose that Aura thing of yours has any disease-curing powers, does it?"
The freckled Huntress shook her head. "It does not," she admitted with a sigh. "And even if it did, I do not think it would work on Matoran. We will need to find the source of the illness, and stop it directly."
"Hewkii was the first to fall ill, right?" Macku piped up. "Maybe we should go check on him, see if he can give us some answers."
Takua could tell there was another reason for that request, one that had gone unsaid. He just nodded. "Okay. Can you take us there?"
She nodded with fear and resolve. "Follow me."
The moment Penny carefully pushed open the stone door, she regretted it.
A darkness as thick and black as tar greeted her and her Matoran friends, filling the room and creating an atmosphere so heavy it hurt to breathe. Her eyes barely caught the outline of a third native inhabitant laying on a bed of limestone, orange eyes flickering in and out of focus with each rise and fall of a tan armored chest. The sick villager's mask and feet were a light brown, one that reminded her of fresh caramel…though his body was covered in spiral sores that obscured his vibrant armor colors.
And the smell…gods, the smell. Penny hoped it would not offend anyone if she held her breath.
"Hewkii!"
Macku all but pushed past her and Takua to run to the ill Po-Matoran's side, taking one of his armored hands in both of hers. Hewkii barely even responded to her presence, save for a slight cough.
"Who…who's there?" he rasped weakly. "Please…stay away from me. I just…want to be left alone…"
Despite her face being hidden by the mask, Macku's sudden despair was all too visible. Penny's heart shattered right alongside hers.
Takua cleared his throat as he stepped inside. "We won't bother you for too long," he said comfortingly. "We're from outside Po-Koro, and we want to try and help. Is there anything we can do?"
Hewkii took a few more mechanical wheezing breaths, then coughed a few more times. "Water…"
Without another word Macku reached into her seaweed satchel and pulled out a mechanical-looking bladder, one that had a spout at the tip that snapped open with a twist. The Ga-Matoran carefully slotted the neck of the flask through an opening in Hewkii's mask, slowly tilting it back and letting him drink. She held his head under one hand as she held the water skin steady with the other, only stopping when a spasm and cough sprayed both of them. Macku didn't get angry, she just stowed her water again and kept holding onto the ill Po-Matoran.
"Ugh…thanks…" Another dry cough. "What…do you want to…know?"
"What can you tell us about how you got sick?" Penny asked gently. "When did it start, and where were you when it happened?"
"I…" Hewkii coughed again. "I…I don't fully…remember. I was…playing Koli in the field when all of a sudden I felt…sick. Like…like everything hurt, and everything…was dark. Tried to keep playing, but…it kept getting worse, kept hurting…everything after that is…a haze. I've been sick for…how many days? I…don't know. I used to know."
Another coughing fit broke out, one far more violent than before. When Hewkii finally got his breath back, his voice was almost pleading.
"Please…you must go. I feel…strange. No one must come here…especially not Macku. Please do not tell her I am ill, it will worry her. She must not see me like this, she must not…"
"Oh…Hewkii…" Macku pressed her mask against his own. "I'm right here. If only you could recognize me…"
But Hewkii gave no reply other than ragged, wheezing breaths.
"He's delirious with fever," Macku said after a moment. "I'll stay with him, try to keep him drinking and keep an eye on him. Keep searching without me - I'm not leaving him."
Takua took Penny's hand and nodded. "Okay. We'll check the Koli field. If that's where he got sick, then maybe there's some kind of clue about what caused it…come on, Penny. Let's give them some space."
With a numb nod of her own, the freckled Huntress followed her friend back out the doorway, trying to ignore Hewkii's strangled groans and violent coughs. Soon they were back out in the sunlight, but Penny did not feel any warmer. Takua must have noticed her discomfort, because he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they crossed into a large field of open space.
"Hey, don't worry," he said as encouragingly as he could. "We'll fix this, just like we did in Ga-Koro."
Penny sighed. "I know we will. I am just…frustrated that I cannot do more. I could do so much to help Ruby bring the Tidebreaker back to the surface, and it was so simple - fix the machine with my Semblance, find the missing pieces, and help rebuild the damaged huts. But there are no machines to repair here in the desert, no clear-cut solutions or goals, no physical danger to fight against. I feel so…useless…"
"You're not useless, Penny." Takua's glowing yellow eyes stared into pools of green. "No one else is saying that right now but you. All we need to do is find the source of the illness, and get rid of it. Our own immune systems can do the rest."
The red-headed teenager took a few steps away from Takua, kicking at the sand under her feet.
"I hope so…but where should we look now? I doubt that the solution will simply come flying at us out of nowhere."
"Hup! Hup! Hup! Wild ball incoming! Clear the field!"
Penny looked up towards the sound of the voice, eyes widening to see a fast-moving chunk of stone flying right towards her head!
Her first instinct was to dodge out of the way or draw her shield, but something strange happened. The flying rock briefly morphed into a fireball, and the whistling as it soared turned into the high-pitched shrieking of Cinder's summoned landmines. She froze like a deer in the headlights, unable to move her head out of the way no matter how much her mind screamed at her muscles to do so.
She was paralyzed.
Takua was not.
Before the chunk of stone could make contact he pulled on her arm, yanking her down and out of the way of the fast-moving object. The projectile soared overhead and struck the edge of a granite goalpost, bouncing off the surface and shooting right back the way it came. Takua leapt onto Penny's shoulders and used her as a springboard to jump into the ball's path, intercepting it and wrapping his arms around it before rolling back to the sandy floor. Once he was back on his feet he tossed the rock into the air once again, bouncing it off his chest and mask before turning and kicking it towards the bronze-armored Matoran running onto the field.
"Intercepted and returned!" cheered the newcomer as he leapt to block the ball with his chest. "And the crowd goes wild! 'Scoreboard! Scoreboard!' Hup hup hup!"
Takua panted as he got his bearings, then turned to his friend as the Po-Matoran came running over. "Penny? Are you okay?"
"Whoa…Takua, that was incredible!" Penny breathed in amazement. "I did not know you could do that!"
"Oh good, that makes two of us, then." The little Ta-Matoran scratched his head. "I don't even know how I did that."
Eventually, the Po-Matoran's tiny little bronze legs brought him in front of the pair, the offending ball tucked under one tan arm. His mask was identical to Takua's in shape, but its color matched his legs rather than the sky. Despite his face being hidden, it was clear from the shape of his glowing orange eyes that was grinning from ear to ear, and his voice and mannerisms suggested that he was younger than most other Matoran.
"Nice aim, stranger!" said the Po-Matoran athlete as he started bouncing the ball and keeping it in the air with quick little kicks. "Good blocking and reflexes, too! Name's Epena, nice to meet you. You've obviously got the skills - you up for a quick Koli match? I'd love to see what else you've got up your sleeve!"
Takua gave a nervous chuckle and shook his head. "Oh, um, thanks but…I didn't even know I had that up there. My memory's a little fried at the moment, so there's a lot I don't remember. In any case, Penny and I are way too busy right now to play with you. Sorry."
Epena stopped dribbling, letting the ball fall to the sandy floor. "Aw. That's a shame, but I understand. Sure wish I had some more teammates to play with, though. Everyone else has gone home, apparently 'cause they're not feeling well. Not even Hewkii can play anymore these days…hope he gets better soon!"
The freckled Huntress did not have the heart to break her new friend's spirits by telling the truth about Hewkii's condition. Not that she got a chance, though, as Epena seemingly shook himself out of his own dark thoughts and ran over to the ball, kicking it up into the air and catching it.
"Oh well, at least I can practice by myself! Wanna take this new Comet out for a spin, see what she can really do!" He proudly displayed it to the two of them. "Bought it right from that Koli ball salesman when he opened up shop this morning, traded two whole Husi for it and everything."
Penny tilted her head. "A…Comet? What is a Comet? And how did you come to own an extrasolar body made primarily of ice and gas?"
Epena laughed. "Not that kind of comet! A Comet's the best kind of Koli ball on the market right now. They sell better than even Ally's Desert Pies - everyone wants one of these, and they're scrambling to get them. They're perfectly balanced, so it's very hard to miss, and when you kick them, they fly as fast as a…well, a comet! Hence the name."
"Ah. I see…" She nodded in understanding. "Impressive!"
"Aren't they?!" The Po-Matoran rolled the ball across his arms and dribbled it between his feet. "I just got her this morning. There's only one merchant who sells them, and he's been trading them like crazy for a few days now at the bazaar. I don't know where he keeps getting them, what with the lockdown on trading and everything…but whoever carved them is truly a master stonemason."
A few days ago…was that not also when the disease began to spread? When Ga-Koro was saved from a monstrous Rahi attack? Penny knew better than to believe that correlation was the same as causation, but she still had a feeling that the timing was awfully convenient. Evidently Takua had the same idea, because he looked at the young Koli player with a raised eyebrow.
"What can you tell us about the guy selling them?" Takua asked. "He's the guy in the black Rau, right?"
"That's him! He's a little pushy, but there's no denying he's got a real edge when it comes to mercantile," said Epena as he rolled the ball under his foot. Then he frowned under his mask. "It's weird, though. The bazaar is open day and night, but when I went last night with my Husi to make the trade after the crowd died down, he wasn't there. His stall was just…empty. His hut was sealed too, and no matter how much I knocked he wouldn't answer. Like he wasn't even there…but that's impossible. Onewa put the village under quarantine - nothing gets in or out…"
The Po-Matoran stared into nothingness for a moment, before he shook his head again. "Well, I guess it's not that weird! After all, when you're selling the goods everyone wants, you get to make your own schedule! He'd move more sales if he stayed open all day, though…ah, but I'm rambling. You sure you two don't wanna play?"
It was Penny who shook her head this time, rising to her feet. "Sorry, perhaps another time! We are busy at the moment."
Epena was a good sport about it at least, waving goodbye to them as they walked away. "Alright, well let me know if you change your mind! I'll be right here practicing in the meantime! Hup hup hup! Hup hup - ahkoff!"
The sound of a loud, violent cough got the attention of Matoran and Huntress alike. They whirled to find the young athlete tucking his mask into his elbow, his Comet rolling away as he sank to one knee. Where once he was enthusiastic and full of energy, he was suddenly fatigued and frail, as even his orange eyes seemed to flicker and dim.
"Ugh…ahem…" groaned the Po-Matoran with a few more coughs and a dry retch. "What…what? No, I…I can't be sick…I was…fine yesterday and the day…before that…haven't felt ill…all week…"
Takua set down his backpack and fished out his lightstone, thrusting it into Penny's hands. "Keep investigating. I'll take Epena right to Turaga Onewa."
Penny looked down at the glowing crystal in apprehension. "But…Takua, I…I do not know what to look for!"
"Just look for anything that doesn't fit!" The Ta-Matoran slung Epena's arm over his shoulder, leaning to avoid the fluid discharged by another coughing fit. "Check the wells, or the Husi pens, or anywhere else that people gather in large numbers. There's gotta be something that's out of place - and if anyone can find it, you can! I'll be back as soon as I get him taken care of. Come on, buddy. Let's get you a bed."
"Ugh…but…Koli…"
"You can play Koli all you want after you get better. Let's go."
And with that, Takua half-carried, half-dragged the suddenly sick villager off the field, leaving Penny alone once again. Her hands clutched the lightstone in a trembling grip, unsure of herself and even less sure about her chances of success. She was an outsider in every sense of the word - she did not know what was usual or unusual for Matoran, nor did she understand what even could make a Matoran sick. Illnesses in Remnant were born of bacteria or viruses…did Mata Nui have those as well?
I wish Papa was here, she thought mournfully. Or Ruby. Or Winter. They are all very smart and brave…they would know what to do. They would know what to look for…
That was when she noticed the solitary ball of stone rolling across the sands of the Koli field, abandoned and dropped by its former owner. She swallowed hard and pushed down her doubts, marching across the soft grainy ground and kneeling to examine the chunk of rock. Sure enough, it was the very same Comet that had nearly taken her head off - and the very same one that Epena had proudly boasted about. Penny picked it up and cradled it in her arms, holding the lightstone and looking at the backsides of the now-distant pair of Matoran.
"W-wait!" she called out. "Takua, hold on! You forgot to grab Epena's…"
It was only after Penny took another look at the ball that she noticed something very strange.
The Comet itself was not very remarkable, other than how well-carved and aerodynamic it was. No, what caught her attention was what happened when she shone the lightstone onto the ball, revealing a sticky greenish-black fluid that sloshed around the cracks and natural divots within the stone. At first she thought it was just some sort of liquid injected into the core to help stabilize the ball as it rolled, before she realized that such a feature would require hollow channels that did not exist, and that the material would not rise to the surface so easily. The liquid also seemed to flow with no regard for how she moved the stone itself, and when she leaned down to sniff it experimentally she was assaulted by a pungent, disgusting odor.
There was only one word that sprang to mind, one word to describe this strange fluid.
Poison.
"Turaga Onewa! Turaga Onewa! You must see this!"
The beleaguered and exhausted elder looked up from the newest occupied bed, facing the doorway alongside Takua as Penny nearly crashed headfirst into the low archway. She skidded to a halt on strange unarmored feet, sliding into his hut in a panting, gasping mess. Onewa cast a gaze back at the now-sleeping Epena to make sure he still slumbered, then let out a tired sigh.
"That is twice within the last two minutes that one of you has demanded my attention…" he growled, more out of frustration than malice. "What is it? Did someone else fall ill?"
"No, but I found -!" Penny paused mid-sentence to take a much-needed breath. "I found where the sickness is coming from! It is coming from this!"
She pushed a stone ball as big as her head towards Onewa's feet, who leaned down to pick it up. Holding it in one hand, he brought it closer to inspect it…only for his eyes to widen as he saw some kind of tainted fluid coursing through the cracks. He had seen something similar in countless infected masks, so he knew immediately what flowed through the Koli ball like protodermis flowed through his veins.
He just could not believe it.
"What? But this is just a Koli ball..." Onewa narrowed his eyes, peering further and taking note of the sickeningly exquisite craftsmanship. "Hm…no, not just any Koli ball. This is the special kind that is now being traded at the bazaar, and which has become very popular in recent days."
"That was Epena's, wasn't it?" Takua asked, tilting his head. "The one we just saw him playing with?"
Penny nodded as she rose to her feet, careful to mind her head. "Yes. He said he was fine all week…yet after only a few hours exposure to this Comet, he has fallen ill. It cannot be a coincidence."
"Mata Nui protect us…" breathed Onewa, shock in his orange eyes. Then he set the ball down and faced the odd outsiders. "Thank you, adventurers, for showing this to me. You are as noble as your reputation, and equally resourceful."
The human's strange maskless face turned a light shade of pink, while Takua nodded and smiled beneath his mask.
"This opens my eyes to many things," said the Turaga as he leaned to examine further. "The symptoms, the timeline…it all matches up. These Koli balls appeared just before the first cases of the illness set in, with our players even falling sick on the field during games when using the Comets. You are correct in that there can be no coincidence…these balls are the instruments Makuta has chosen to use against us this time, infecting them with the very same toxin he uses to taint the wild Rahi. To think that he would defile such a noble sport with his tyranny and lust for power…the lows to which he will sink in the name of poisoning this land disgusts me."
"If these really are the source of the disease, then we must remove them," said Penny resolutely. " All of them."
The Turaga of Stone held up a hand. "I am in agreement, though if only it were so simple. This is but one ball among dozens that have likely been sold within the past few days. They are very popular at the moment, and the Matoran of Po-Koro value Koli above many things - even their own health. To recklessly gather them and throw them to the sea would cause great anger among my people…and where there is anger, violence will be sure to follow. We cannot act so boldly unless I have irrefutable proof that they are indeed the cause."
"What more is there to prove?!" Penny protested. "You said it yourself, this is Makuta's doing! Why can we not simply take them away from the Po-Matoran?"
"Ah, but therein lies the insidious nature of this plot." Onewa shook his head sadly. "Makuta knows well that we would not let go of such a crucial part of our culture, even if it ends up dooming us. It is in our very nature to value stone and maintain the status quo above all else; we cannot fight this drive, no more than a Ga-Matoran can fight the urge to swim, or a Ta-Matoran can pull their masks out of their own rear ends." He cast an apologetic look at Takua. "No offense."
"None taken."
Penny's face fell, and she squeezed her eyes shut. A pang of guilt shot through the Turaga, prompting him to lay a hand on her head.
"Do not be discouraged, off-worlder. Your discovery may not be the entire solution…but this is still a vital clue. We know now that the illness comes from the Comets…but we still do not know where the Comets come from."
The human blinked and wiped her face. "So then…we must find this evil at its source."
"Precisely," said Onewa with a nod. "Seek the merchant in the bazaar who sells these balls - you must find out from him where they came from. But take care. If he is somehow involved in this plot, then he will not want you to find out."
Takua tilted his head. "I think I know the guy you're talking about. We saw him on the way in, but…it didn't look like he had an infected mask. Why would he be doing this to his fellow Matoran?"
"Not all who seek to sow darkness display themselves so brazenly," said the Turaga remorsefully. "The evil that visited Ga-Koro across the waves has come, it seems, to target our ocean of sand. I fear the shadow of the Makuta has been cast across Po-Koro, and not all are brave enough to stand against it. Some may be drawn to his false promises, or turn to him in belief that Mata Nui will not awaken. I do not know for certain why some fall from the Three Virtues. But I do know that whatever is causing this plague must be found and stopped…or all may be lost."
Penny clasped her hands around the village elder's palm. "Do not worry. We will stop it."
Onewa chuckled softly. "I believe you. Go. Do what must be done to save my people. I will send those who are well to find Pohatu with a message to seek you out, and together I hope you can end this nightmare for all of us. Would that the sick did not need me, or I would personally come to assist you on your quest. Alas, my blessing is all I can give."
"Your blessing is more than enough, Turaga," said the human girl with a bow as she drew away. "Thank you."
Takua nodded. "Come on. Let's hit the markets."
"I wish you both the speed of Pohatu, adventurers." Onewa bowed his head once more as they left, then turned to face the ball. His hands clutched to his hammer-staff, gripping tightly as the servos within his elderly frame trembled with righteous anger.
Makuta…of all the tricks and deceptions you have used against us, this is by far the lowest. He raised his tool above his head. Why, were I still my old self, I would just as well march right to Mangaia myself and…
With one downward slam of his hammer, the infected Koli ball shattered into a thousand pieces.
…bring the cavern down on our heads with my own two hands.
If the markets were this crowded with half the village sick, Takua wasn't sure he wanted to see what it was like if there wasn't an ongoing plague.
He nearly disappeared in a sea of tan and bronze Matoran, despite the fact that his colors made him stick out like a sore thumb. Penny stood out even more, towering over every other person in the bazaar with those long fleshy legs of hers. Despite the fact that she could have easily skipped the line for the one booth selling Koli balls, she insisted on staying next to Takua as they waited, saying it would be "impolite to disrupt others." Part of Takua wanted to argue that it would be more impolite to let the merchant sell more poisoned balls to unsuspecting villagers, but he decided against it. No reason to make a scene and raise suspicion. Best pretend to be just a pair of tourists looking for a souvenir.
Still, he couldn't help but tap his foot impatiently as he waited for the picky Po-Matoran in front of him to check nearly every single Comet on display. Come on, come on, they're all exactly the same. Each one's gonna kill you just as much, no need to take this long to pick one…
Penny, on the other hand, was far more amused by the Husi that the cautious customer intended to trade, tilting her head to stare into its eyes and chirping along with it. "I must admit, these Rahi are rather cute…when they are not threatening to disembowel us, of course."
"Yeah, that's usually a deal breaker for most 'adorable' things," said Takua with a laugh. "Don't get too attached to your new friend there, or you might start following him instead of me."
The human Huntress giggled, which helped set the Ta-Matoran's nerves at ease for at least a little bit. When it was finally their turn to step up to the stall (after the customer in front of them walked away with a fresh new ball), he took a quick glance at the stone booth and the black-masked merchant behind the counter. Everything seemed ordinary at first glance, from the pen of Husi and Mahi to the rows and rows filled with Koli balls - there was nothing in particular that stood out as malicious, but something about the trader's gaze unsettled Takua all the same.
"Hello, stranger!" said the Po-Matoran with a welcoming smile behind his mask. "How may I help you on this fine desert day?"
Penny gave the brightest, most sincere smile that she could muster. "Salutations, mister Merchant-man! I am Penny Polendina, and I wish to buy a souvenir straight from Po-Koro. I would like something beautiful that I can show to all my friends back home!"
Hic.
Takua raised an eyebrow under his mask. What…was that noise? And why did Penny seem embarrassed? Ah, he could ask later. Her attempt at charming the merchant seemed to work, for he just chuckled and smiled under his own coal-black mask.
"Hah, please, friend. Call me Ahkmou. It is my name, after all. As for a souvenir…well, you can't go wrong with a good Koli ball. Let me recommend the Comet, our most popular model." He gestured to the array of stones behind him. "Interested?"
Time to be the idiot everyone thinks I am.
"Maybe. What's a Koli ball?" Takua asked innocuously.
"Why, Koli balls are for playing Koli, of course," he replied with a saccharine smile under his mask. "You'd want a Comet — our most popular model. Trading for two Husi pecking birds, or the market equivalent. Don't be the only Matoran in Po-Koro without one! Here, check one out for yourself."
Ahkmou pulled a Comet off the back shelf and rolled it across the counter. Takua caught it with his palm and examined the rock as big as his head, peering over it with an inquisitive stare and making a show of hemming and hawing as he looked for anything suspicious. Penny leaned over to stare with him, clearly looking for a venom that matched the ball she had found…but oddly enough, there was no sign of it sloshing around under the surface. Nothing but smooth, polished stone and masterfully-shaped angles across its surface.
Puzzled, Takua took the Koli ball in his hands and bounced it up and down a few times, trying to get a feel for whatever hidden toxin might be shifting around inside. Again to his dismay, he felt nothing. To his surprise, the ball felt lighter than it looked, practically gliding over his hands and even spinning on its own each time it came back down. As much as it pained him to admit it, he was impressed. No wonder these things were so popular - they were really well-made.
He sure seems pushy about these Comets, he mused to himself. Not that I can blame him…I may not know stone, but even I can tell that the craftsmanship on these is amazing. Although…I can't see any of that poison that Penny talked about. Maybe it's only revealed by the lightstone? Or maybe she can see stuff I can't…or it's dormant until it's actually kicked. Either way, I think it's time to start asking some harder questions.
"These are some good balls," conceded Takua as he tossed it back to Ahkmou. "Good craftsmanship, too. Where'd you get them? I doubt you could pull Hafu away from his statues long enough to pump these out."
The dark-masked Matoran chuckled again as he placed the ball with the rest of the stock. "You'd be correct in assuming that the so-called 'greatest carver in Po-Koro' had nothing to do with these. As for who carved them…well, I'm afraid that's privileged information, my friend. Let's just say I have a secret source…"
"Really now?" Penny asked, leaning onto the counter. "Why so secretive? Statistically speaking, being transparent about your products and their origin can lead to an upwards of a thirty percent increase in sales."
Hic.
Takua facepalmed.
"Oh I have no interest in profit, my oddly-tall friend," said Ahkmou with a laugh. "I am but a humble merchant, one who merely wishes to distribute my Comets to all Matoran."
The red-haired girl nodded, thoroughly unconvinced. "I see. And is that all you wish to distribute?"
At this, Ahkmou's facade of a smile faded. "...what exactly are you implying, stranger?"
"I imply nothing," said Penny as she pushed off the counter and began pacing. "But I do find several things quite curious. You are no doubt aware of the plague that has befallen Po-Koro. Do you not also find it odd that the first cases broke out shortly after you began selling your wares?"
"A cruel coincidence, I assure you," said the merchant harshly.
"What about the fact that the bazaar is open at all hours of the day, yet you conspicuously disappear every night?"
"I enjoy sleeping," growled Ahkmou. "Is that such a horrific crime? I am guilty of that, and nothing else."
"Then perhaps you have an explanation for why packs of wild Husi are rampaging across the desert, beset by the same illness that plagues Po-Koro. Or how Epena, who experienced no symptoms since the start of the disease's spread, suddenly felt sick after purchasing one of your Comets this morning. Or how no trade with the other villages has been allowed for several days, yet you somehow manage to acquire a fresh batch of Comets every - "
THUD. The merchant slammed both fists against the counter and rose as high as he could.
"Enough! You will get no answers from me, you maskless freak!"
Ahkmou's voice dropped all pretense of friendliness and charm, and his sudden shout made all of Po-Koro fall into silence. Penny froze up, bit her lower lip, then buried her face into her hands with a sob. Takua instantly laid a hand on her arm, casting a glare at the merchant who was seething with rage…rage he was already in the process of bottling back up.
"Now look what you've done, you made my friend cry," he said with a scowl. "I hope you're happy."
"And I had hoped you would buy something, but it seems we shall both end the day disappointed." Ahkmou went ahead and glared right back. "Now, if you're done needlessly questioning my character, I suggest you take your weeping friend somewhere else. I have too many customers to waste time on those who seek only to inconvenience me."
Give it a few more days, and that probably won't be a problem anymore, thought Takua darkly. He chose to hold his words and give a stiff wave farewell, taking Penny by the hand and leading her back towards the Koli field and behind one of the hut formations. The girl continued to cry into her sleeve…at least until the stall was out of sight, when she started doing something very different.
She began giggling.
"Um…Penny?" Takua asked with a tilt of his head. "You okay?"
The freckled human pulled her sleeve down to reveal a perfectly dry face and a wry grin.
"Oh, I am quite okay Takua!" she said quietly. "In fact…we have just been proven correct."
"I'm not following," said the confused little Ta-Matoran. "How does this prove anything? He didn't say anything helpful."
"Except…he did." Penny's grin widened. "He was evasive through our entire conversation, and while he had prepared answers to most of our questions, when I asked about multiple things he only responded in anger. If he were truly uninvolved, he would have waited for me to finish or merely stared in confusion, but he did neither of those things. So the only reason he would have snapped at me as he did…"
"...would be if he was hiding something!" His eyes widened as he whispered excitedly. "Penny, that's brilliant! So what do we do now?"
The red-haired Huntress leaned back over the edge of the hut, staring at Ahkmou with suspicion in her eyes.
"We wait until nightfall for him to take his leave. When he does…we follow him, and let him lead us directly to the source of this evil."
Now there was an idea that Takua could get behind.