Hordika Under the Bed
The Rahkshi had led Mic down another two levels, out of the secure area and into another. There were other, smaller Rahkshi that had been glimpsed, but mostly standing off to the side, quiet and probably guards. Only two others were the same as her escort, and they were at the end of the trip, one green one sitting and 'playing' by creating assorted plant shoots. The other was brown and a bit bigger, more the size of the black one, and it was sound asleep.
"Mother's there." Her escort said, reaching out to push at a wall that turned out into a door. It opened it enough for Mic to slip inside.
Cautiously, she entered, getting a bad feeling that she already knew who this 'Mother' might be. And there was that nagging thought in the back of her mind about what had happened moments before Whenua had grabbed them and jumped in. If it wasn't for that female then she wouldn't be here.
Mic looked up to see the Mother the Rahkshi spoke of.
The room was lit by red-light mostly, a few yellow tubes that were the Rahi-storage units on the edges of the place. It was more like some great hall, cleared of most everything so that the three Visorak that where in the room were visible, and the fact that they were chained down.
There was a being there, towering, bigger than a Toa for sure and at the moment standing in the middle of the room. In the general shape of a Vortixx, like what Roodaka was, only... different. She had long tail with a wicked looking white and red stinger, the same spine like stingers were like of 'hair' design of sorts.
Mic glanced to the Visorak and then back to the being. It didn't make sense for a Makuta to chain the Visorak when the hordes were helping Teridax... what was the deal? Why did this person want to see her?
And who was this person?
"Well?" The Makuta asked turning to face the human, in doing so bringing her staff into sight, a staff that had two krana attached to it and apparently still alive for they wiggled a little, "Come, come, get over your shock human."
Mic inwardly grimaced at the staff as she fingered her dirt-smudged shawl. She eyed the huge female warily. "Who are you?"
"I am the Makuta Rokanu," The being said, nudging one of the Visorak and growled at it, "And you, we will talk again." The spider-like creature shrank down as another free spider came out of the darkness, scuttling over. Rokanu waited a moment and then used the big monster as a seat, crossing one leg over and resting her staff on her lap. "Now we can talk."
"Good... maybe you tell me why did your Rahkshi kidnapped me. And what about my friends? What did you do to them?" Mic responded with a glare.
"Friends?" The Makuta tilted her head, "Ah, the Toa Metru. I haven't done anything to them, other than help."
"Where are they?" Mic demanded, not trusting a Makuta to really do anything along the lines of 'help' toward Toa.
"Exactly where they were before," The female Makuta snorted, "Child, you may know much of our world, in a way," Rokanu leaned forward a little, fixing her orange eyes on the human, "But not all Makuta have betrayed our brother Mata Nui."
The human didn't understand what she meant by 'where they were before' but the Makuta's words had her interested. Still... "Then what was with the whole encounter back in my world? If it weren't for that I wouldn't be in this world... and why are you telling me this anyway?"
"Because, for whatever reason Mata Nui has chosen," The shadowed one lifted a hand and waved it a little, "You are tied to the hordika. Probably the reason why he wanted me to open the pathway between worlds. Kritu, no cuddling the human you'll frighten her." She added shifting her attention to the Rahkshi that had quietly come up behind Mic.
It gave a little whine and moved around Mic to but rested its head against its mother's legs, purring madly as Rokanu smooth a hand over its head and neck.
"You did it?" Mic asked, lifting an eyebrow as she watched Kritu with its mother. The bigger impact of the female Makuta's words suddenly came to her. Strange, hadn't Whenua said something about her destiny being here for now? Thinking back to the meeting in her backyard that night, it could have very well happened to some other human that night. Yet it happened to her.
"So... that was all an act? To get me to come here?"
"To get Vakama away," Rokanu corrected lifting a finger, "From Roodaka and Sidorak. To clear his mind of their influence is why I sent him there. That was the reason I was told to do so. There was no 'act' in the meaning of the word."
The human crossed her arms, taking in the information. She still didn't see why she had had to come. "Okay... anything else you might wanna tell me?" Mic was anxious to get back to the hordika.
"Keep the hordika, or rather Vakama's mind clear." The Makuta said leaning forward and lifted a finger again, "One thing can make all the difference, one choice or experience can make any thinking mind take a different choice than they would have. You are that choice in this case child, you are affecting those around you as much as they will affect you. Do you understand?"
"I... do. Yes." Mic answered. The Makuta seemed right in this case; if Vakama hadn't met her he wouldn't have witnessed what he had become in the movie. "Speaking of Vakama... can I return to them now?"
"Kokie!" Rokanu bellowed over her shoulder, waiting the few moments as it took for another door in the back to open and a form to lope in.
"Yes Makuta?" He asked, the white and silver body looking to be a hybrid of Rahkshi and Toa.
"Take the human back to the hordika," The shadowed one ordered, motioning to Mic, "Do not be seen though and..." Rokanu then crocked her finger in a 'come here' movement to Mic.
The human walked forward as asked, or told rather, looking to Rokanu expectantly, after glancing at Kokie. He gave a small wave, smiling in an encouraging way.
Nudging the green Rahkshi away from her and handing it her staff, the Makuta rose and then knelt down, "I need you to pass a message to the Rahaga for me." She dipped into subspace and held out a rounded disk, looking like a Kanoka disk only being bronze in color.
"What is it?" Mic asked, reaching out and touching the edge of the disk. She still had to figure out how these people could pull objects out of nowhere, but wasn't concerned with that at the moment.
"It's not a Kanoka disk, but a panel. It will help both the Rahaga and the Toa Metru find Keetongo." Rokanu nodded to the Toa beside them, "Kokie and his sister took it from Roodaka."
Keetongu! How in the world had she managed to forget about the Rahi that would cure the Toa? Mic took the panel in her hands and nodded. "Sure. That'll be a help to them." Though it was beyond her how Kokie and his sister-there were more?-had been able to take anything from Roodaka.
"You may go now." Rokanu said as she stood reaching for her staff, stroking the krana on it before starting for the chained Visorak. The Rahkshi and free Visorak fallowing after her as the Toa hybrid clasped Mic's shoulders and started to gently guide her away.
"Wait," Mic twisted and faced the Makuta. "That pathway you made, can it take me home again?"
Rokanu glanced back, "I will need to speak with the Order. I do not know yet child, either way I- or one of my sons shall let you know."
'I might be stuck here?' Mic thought in disbelief, getting a knot in her stomach before turning back to Kokie.
"It's okay," He said in a light male voice, "Come little one, you don't want to be here when the Makuta starts the next interrogation." Kokie added as he pushed the human ahead of him to the first door, his touch wasn't warm like Vakama or Whenua, but cool, almost cold.
In response to the colder touch Mic rearranged her shawl. After a few moments she glanced to her guide. "Where are the hordika exactly? They weren't there when I left."
"Acutely, they are," Kokie smiled, "You were heading to another part of that storage area that was just as big. Onu-Matoran like to keep things even."
"I had no clue," Mic said, confused. Then how come the hordika hadn't sensed the Rahkshi...? She shook her head, just glad that she was going back to them.
"This way, I'll have you back before they miss you." Kokie promised, waving to the three biggest Rahkshi, "Did you met the boys?"
"Uhh... kinda," Mic replied, glancing at the large creatures.
"Rahkshi kings," Kokie explained, "The big black one is Root, the sleeping brown one is Keto and the bored green one making planets is Leshi."
"Oh," the human stared at them all a moment longer before turning her attention back to getting back to the hordika. A few more moments passed before the human asked, "Um, don't take this the wrong way but... what are you?"
"I am Toa." He grinned as he pushed Mic again, "Of ice, but," he held out his hands, "As you can see I was mutated. Not Visorak Venom though, something else happened."
"Then what did it?" asked Mic. She did not recall anything else that could mutate other than the visorak venom.
"Something that's not here," Kokie said with a chuckle, "You shouldn't worry about it, but it's why I and my sister are looking for Keetongu as well."
"Then why not search with the Toa Metru and Rahaga? Won't that be easier?" the human asked.
"I and my sister, along with the Rahkshi kings are the Makuta's personal guard, we can't." Kokie shook his head, "Our duty is to protect her as she attempts to take over the Visorak horde."
"Oh... that makes sense." She sighed. "Hope you're successful. How much farther?"
"Just a few minutes' walk," The Toa smiled again, "I'll take you to one of the food storage areas and then you can take credit. But be careful with telling the Toa that you met a Makuta. The Brotherhood isn't in good graces right now."
"Thank you. And I'll try to keep it calm," Mic smiled back.
Kokie reached out and 'swiped' his hand over her head, from forehead to the back in a way that was like how humans ruffled other's hair. "Good girl! Here's your secure area." he added stopping at a door and poked the code in to open it.
Mic grinned slightly as the door opened, showing a vaguely lit room with food containers and the sort. She would have no trouble with 'bringing home the bacon' thanks to Kokie. The human picked up and checked inside a few containers before looking back to the Toa. "'Kay, so can you take me to the hordika now?"
"You can do that yourself," Kokie grinned back, "Just yell for them, and the Metru will come running!" With that, and a small bow, the hybrid Toa backed up and fled, the door locking behind him.
"Um, bye," Mic blinked, standing there stupidly. She shrugged it off, deciding that she didn't like being left alone in the Archives anymore. Pulling the panel out she looked at it with a small sigh before actually calling out, "Vakama? Vakama!" Mindful to keep her voice sounding like she was looking for the Hordika, and not in danger.
The human aimlessly walked around as she waited, still staring at the panel the Makuta wanted her to deliver to the Rahaga. The room was somewhat dark with very little light, so it was no surprise when she bumped/slammed into one of the shelves, letting out a yelp.
There was a creaking sound from what she had run into, it looked like a kind or step ladder...and old. But after a moment the creaking stopped, however a box was on the ladder-thing's own shelf for placing things on, the box had been taken down. Now it looked about to fall off.
Mic rubbed her throbbing head. "That's gonna leave a mark..." She looked up just in time to see the box... falling on a course for her already hurting head, along with whatever was inside.
There was, of course a nice loud crash, disks like things that were in fact actual Kanoka ringing as they fell out and bounced on the ground. One disk though only bounced once, making a pulse of energy before landing, almost like some one hand pushed it (like the authors) right into Mic's lap. Still humming with power before it... pulsed... that energy seeping into Mic's body.
Only having a few seconds to cover her head before the crash, when she reopened her eyes it was to see and feel the energy seep into her body. Reflexively giving a startled yell she shoved the disk away, but not quick enough. The disk's energy was taking effect as a nauseating feeling settled in her stomach, very much like the feeling of going downhill on a rollercoaster. "Wh-What the...?"
That Kahnoka disk, with white markings, seemed to melt, backing up and altering from matter to energy. It would have been fascinated to watch how the disks worked of course, only it happened too fast, almost a moment before a tingling than numbing feeling spread out through the human's body and the world fuzzed.
The first thing she realized was how much cooler the air had suddenly become, as Mic's vision started to clear from the temporary blacking out. She shivered and rolled over onto her hands and knees after a moment, coming face to face with... cloth?
"Whaaaaat?" she slurred, blinking and shaking her head, that cloth looked very familiar... in fact she was wearing something just like... Mic looked at herself and froze. Snapping her head up she squeaked at how high the ceiling and walls of the room had become, 'Not good... soo not good.'
"Mic?" A male voice ask- Vakama's voice! The hordika gave a soft growl as he prowled in through this storeroom's doorway, looking around and sniffing. "What did you do? Where are you?" The Toa asked coming in, but since the door was on the other side of the room he didn't see Mic right away, but he did start sniffing, frowning at the crisp smell of an active Kanoka disk.
Mic's eyes widened and she quickly located her Te shirt-how it had come off with everything else she didn't know. Waiting to answer Vakama, she slipped the larger garment over her head. The result was that it now seemed more like a baggy dress than a shirt, but it covered her well despite the sudden cold. She turned to locate Vakama. "Um... here."
"'Here?'" Vakama grumbled at the unhelpfulness of that single word. He fallow more by scent and turned around a corner, pausing mid-pace as he took in the mess, and then his red and orange eyes fixed on Mic.
Now the size of a very small human toddler, Mic looked back at him as she breathed heavily, body trying to create natural heat in response to what had happen. The events earlier with the Rahkshi and the Makuta came to mind, but combined with the previous experience Mic was still slightly shocked at her situation and could only make a nervous sound as an answer to him.
Slowly, wary, the mutated Bionicle started to move. Not exactly that prowling gate Vakama normally had, yet there were hints of that in his movements as the Toa came closer. Everything about him had yelled 'predator!' before, more sore in their first meeting... but now...
Realizing how huge the hordika was now, Mic trembled and backed away. The seemingly giant hordika now seemed much more scarier and very much like a predator. Why did these things happen to her...?
The still predatory gaze was taking in more details, not just the new size of the human but the now scattered disks. Then Vakama gave a sigh as he looked upwards, not really rolling his eyes, more like a show of exasperation and call for something, "A shrinking Kanoka... wonderful... I hate those things."
"H-How l... long does the effect l-last?" Mic asked weakly, hugging herself and glancing at the rest of her too-big clothing then at herself before easing down onto her knees.
"Depends on the power of the disk," Vakama was very carefully nudging Kanoka disks aside with his claws (holy- those were big!) as he moved towards Mic. "But..." He paused, lowing himself some to put his head down level with the human.
It took a great amount of effort to tear her gaze off the Hordika (or rather his claws, teeth and fangs) and look down to see that she was sitting on the panel. The Rahkshi and Makuta came back to her and she inwardly moaned. It wasn't turning out to be a good day.
"...I don't know how a Kanoka disk affects a pure organic." Vakama finished, and apparently he still had that hordika lack of personal space.
Mic looked up at the hordika, something of wonder in her face that clashed with some nervous fear. Vakama's details, head, limbs, teeth and claws, everything... were nearly four times the size then before. "You're huge!" she blurted.
"You're tiny." Vakama countered, sniffing a closer leg before tilting his head to look at Mic with one eye.
She debated before standing, leaving the panel in full view, and began to scoop up her remaining clothes, which were more like the size of large blankets. Vakama tilted his head, watching and carefully moving aside as he waited for the human. He seemed to be debating something as well.
Mic had figured out a better way to carry her shoes by rolling them inside her jeans and then rolling that inside the shawl. She picked up the panel, thinking to try and explain about it and where it came from.
The hordika didn't seem to really take note of the panel, more occupied with the now much smaller human and not stepping on any more disks. Half dragging half rolling her bundle, having no intentions of leaving it for whenever she'd grow back to normal, Mic made her way toward Vakama before running back and picking up the panel and bringing that too. "This is for the Rahaga."
Vakama blinked, "Okay...we should meet up with them soon." he said, not questioning at least for now, "Sorry about this." The Toa added stepping closer.
"Sorry?" Mic said looking up from staring at the panel and her 'luggage.'
Vakama moved too quick, so the now smaller human was in the Hordika's jaws and lifted up before she could realize what was happening. He was turning and walking back to the door, intending on coming back for Mic's things but for now could only think of getting her to the safest place. With Whenua.
Giving a yelp, flailed her arms before deciding that hanging limp would be better a better idea. Shaking, knowing he could easily crush her or even eat for that matter, Mic flailed, twisted her head to try and see where they were going, and wondering how far Whenua was. Vakama growled softly around Mic, making that grumbling sound as he did so. He didn't like her moving and kept wincing.
Being able to clearly hear his growl, she stopped moving for the most part, shivering once in awhile.
The hordika was being very careful, and seemed to be moving slower than normal...
If she weren't hanging from hordika jaws at the movement, Mic probably would have enjoyed the ride more.
A sort of sick feeling had been in the pit of her stomach since the shrinking, and was accompanied by a headache. Mic evened out her breathing to try and help soothe the sickly feeling, momentarily glad that she had tied the translation stone around her neck some time ago. Otherwise there would have been some communication problems just a few minutes ago.
The Hordika gave another low, now vibrating growl, his inner lids closing as if that would help deny what was happening as Vakama stepped out into that first room. Then, slowly as he walked, he grip shifted a little and he became more relaxed. It was his instincts really, saving Vakama's Toa-mind as it related carrying Mic to like carrying a cub.
The tiny human was half aware of this, the bigger part of her attention focused on the nausea growing in her stomach, like it was finally realizing it had taken a downsize. Mic had a feeling she might heave, but tried to control it till Vakama had set her down again.
Vakama paused, tilted his slightly before stepping to the side and lowering his head. Opening his jaws, Mic would fall a little and into the hollow created between Whenua's forelegs and neck, "Err... stay here with Whenua okay?"
Mic nodded quickly, afraid to open her mouth. She scrambled over Whenua's forelegs and had the decency to heave away from the black Hordika before shakily returning to the small hollow and collapsing on her rear. "Okay," she finally answered.
"I'll get your stuff." Vakama ducked his head and then darted away as if afraid of something.
Mic glanced up as she watched him go, wondering what there was to be afraid of... well, lots in reality, but she didn't want to think about that at the moment. Especially since she was so small and even more defenseless, the human leaned against one of Whenua's forelegs, waiting for Vakama to return.
After a few quite moments, the big (more massive) black and grey striped hordika opened his eyes. "...hmm?"
The voice sounding lower and deeper than before, Mic turned her eyes onto him as she got to her feet. Holy slag, he was gigantic. "W-Whenua? It's me..." 'Shorty.'
The earth elemental lifted his head and blinked his eyes open. Then he was completely awake, "Mic?" he asked, shifted and lifting one foreleg for better look.
She scoffed slightly, shifting her weight, the baggy piece of clothing much too large for her, "Unfortunately. I uh, had an accident with a kanoka disk,"
Shifting so the now smaller human was more cradled between Whenua's forelegs and he had to arch his neck up to see her. "So it seems, shrinking disk?"
The reply was an unenthusiastic "Yes," with a frown. "Thought that room was for food storage, wasn't expectin' the disks..."
"Onewa got hit by something like that, but a spinner," Whenua chuckled before he touched his muzzle against Mic, "He was cub sized too for a few weeks"
Mic smiled. Now if only that were in the books! She unconsciously leaned into the Hordika's touch before saying, "Something else kinda happen before I shrunk... I just don't want you guys to, um freak out or anything." Though Whenua freaking out didn't seem very likely at all...
"I'll try not to." Whenua assured with a smile before the hordika gave Mic a lick on her cheek.
"Well... I got taken, er, escorted by Rahski to a female Makuta, but she's a good Makuta," Mic added quickly. "She wanted me to take something to the Rahaga, which Vakama's gonna bring back anytime now. They said it had to do with finding Keetongu."
"A...female Makuta?" The hordika asked, shifting but controlling his reaction to the word 'Makuta.' His tail tip was twitching and spazeming though.
"Her name was Rokanu," Mic said, not really having that great a view of his tail, wondering if he was hiding a reaction. "She's the one we saw back home, my home," the human corrected.
"Rokanu..." Whenua frowned a little, "I think...I heard that name before."
Mic glanced around the room, remembering the Muaka cub and mother as well as she wondered if Vakama was on his way back yet or not. "I know I haven't," she mumbled.
"Maybe the Rahaga will know more," Whenua offered as he moved, curling his tail up and around as well as lowing his head and neck, so Mic was essentially cradled against the Hordika again.
Mic smiled at the action, not minding in the slightest. It actually gave her a sense of safety. The shrunken human raised her head to try and get a better view of the entrance, a bit anxious for Vakama to come back. Plus he had her stuff.
"He'll be back," Whenua said, understanding her restlessness, "I can smell him."
Mic 'hmm'ed with a small sheepish smile, leaning back against Whenua. "Good."
The hordika shifted to, with an amazing show of self control, rub the side of his head against Mic. Starting up another deep, vibrating purr as a tall, dark red form that was Vakama came in, walking more up right. Proving that the Hordika still could do that.
Mic's eyes opened all the way, having slightly closed them slightly due to exhaustion beginning to catch up, and she smiled gladly at Vakama. She was also reminded how much TALLER he was when walking like this. 'Wowwww...'
But then, The Toa were 'supposed' to be between 7 and 9 feet tall. Kokie had been about 7... Right now Vakama was trying to set the things in his arms down and not drop anything. He did and took the panel Mic had been given out of his jaws, setting it on the pile of her things before opening one of the food containers.
"Go ahead Whenua, I'll grab another and we can get water on the way out after a good nap." Vakama looked down at Mic, "Getting hit with Konoka disks takes energy out of you so don't worry about going to sleep."
Thankful that she had an all clear, Mic walked over to her large bundle first to double check and make sure her phone was still in the pocket of her jeans as the hordika moved in for the food container. Settled with her shoulders and head against the bundle, Mic sighed and let herself relax while watching the hordika.
Whenua sat up and pulled the container closer, pulling out several packets and pushing them over to the Mic, "Here, you should eat while you can." Coming forward a bit and sitting on her knees she took the advice and opened a packet and eat the food inside, mentally thanking Kokie for taking her to the food room.