Heya, whoever's reading this! Yep, plot development anyone? A few questions are answered here, including why Rhymaki isn't in Rhetora Nui helping her team-mates out however she can. This chapter may contain offensive language. And, to make things clear, Lihept is the leader of the Toa Rhetora, with Mihaka as second in command. Nawt, however, is the most powerful of the six. In terms of power and authority, Rhymaki is in lower middle end. Partially because Nawt and Saharem both can't stand her. :P

Earlier that day…

"Nawt, you WHAT?"

"We don't need Rhymaki that much. Not very many fanfictions break the fourth wall these days- Every fanfiction has a narrator, and a plot, and the occasional flawed character, and plot bunnies. Jathis and Rhymaki are liabilities- and at least Jathis has an offensive weapon. We can do without her for a while." Nawt scowled. Mihaka scowled back.

"It still doesn't justify sticking her in the middle of a sub-plot, Nawt." She began tiredly, straightening her Miru, which was a rather violent shade of magenta. "Rhymaki was meant to be a minor character, a sidekick or love interest at best. Not a protagonist- She's not ready."

"Well, Mihaka, what's done is done."

"And you are an asshole."

"Rhymaki Avhorem. Is Avhorem your Toa Team?"

Rhymaki interlaced her fingers and stretched, eyes shut. "No. I was part of the Toa Avhorem, but they disbanded less than a month after they started. I adopted it as a sort-of surname. My team are the Toa Rhetora, from Rhetora Nui. I got separated from them when Nawt got offended by all the yaoi and the yuri and the Mary Sues -he's so old-fashioned- and decided he was going to take it out on me."

Vakama looked puzzled. The other Turaga, the same. Nuju let out a whistle-click. "And to you too, I'm sure." She deadpanned, ignoring the multicoloured bunny sitting on Nuju's head. Which was easy, considering her eyes were still shut. "What I don't understand is the fact you aren't bothered by the fact you are now stuck on Mata Nui until your team-mates retrieve you."

Rhymaki opened one eye. "I am, but kicking up a fuss won't do anyone any good. I was talking to Nawt earlier, and he said he'll come find me if I find myself a nice respectable Toa-hero, settle down, and stop behaving like a headless chicken. Which mean I'll be stuck here a long time. I repeat my earlier question, which no-one listened to…"

She trailed off, waiting for the Turaga to show some sign they were listening. Nokama nodded and she continued. "Can I be useful? I hate being boring, and working is an excuse to have an accident or overhear something. Plot advancement, y'know."

The Turaga exchanged glances. "We need some heavy-lifting work in Po-koro. Could you help out there?"

"Sounds like fun. Count me in. For the sake of the plot, because our dear readers will get bored if I just sit around and mope, and the writer doesn't like boring people."

"Have any of the other Toa given you any trouble?"

"What?"

Gali frowned and repeated the question. "Have the other Toa given you any trouble? Pranks, insults, the like. They can be a bit rough, a bit insensitive, but they do mean well."

Rhymaki blinked. "No. Pohatu's a hard taskmaster, that's all, and Lewa tipped a bucket of water over my head, but that's all right. He did mean well. How do you cope with the climate here?"

"The climate? Is it too cold or something?" Gali looked concerned. The younger Toa shook her head. "It's hot." She complained. "Po-Rhetora is much cooler than it is here. When I get back to Rhetora Nui, I am so going to give Nawt a talking-to. See how he likes his lovely narration being interrupted all the time."

Gali nodded. "Yes, yes…What sort of Matoran were you, by the way?" she asked politely, curious. "I was an Av-Matoran, but I lived in the border between Ko- and Onu-Rhetora. I was a trader when I was a Matoran- I've only been a Toa a century of so. If I were an old hand at this job I'd be running around hero-ing, not falling into traps and causing plot holes by accident."

Gali dropped her load of boxes and smiled at Rhymaki. "It was nice meeting you. If you ever do need help or something, please do talk to me about it." She turned and left, heading towards the city gates and Ga-koro, contemplating. The new Toa seemed nice enough, if not a bit standoffish. She was so absorbed in her thoughts she didn't notice an arm shoot out and grab her wrist, hauling her into an alleyway and clamping a hand over her mouth.

"Did she seem odd to you?" her assailant hissed. Gali stayed silent. Tahu growled. "I said-"

"Mrrrphl Rrrphl Nrph!"

"Oh. Right." Tahu removed his hand from her mouth. "Rhymaki seems perfectly all right, if not a tad proud, rather eccentric, and a bit close-mouthed about her team-mates." Gali turned to face her Toa-brother. "Pohatu and Lewa think the same thing." She added.

Tahu sighed. "Yes, I have heard Lewa's opinion. Thank for letting me know, though. I'll see you, toa-sister."

The two Toa went their separate ways, one cursing Jaller and Takua for becoming Toa and leaving Ta-koro without a kohlii team, the other contemplating dinner.

Rhymaki took a break and promptly fell asleep, exhausted, unaware that two of the Toa had just had a conversation about her and two more were watching her from an awning across the street.

"She's a good kid." Pohatu remarked. "I've worked her all day and she only complained about the heat. And to think, she got bored over the ten-minute break I gave her and started working again."

Onua scratched his head. "I think she's completely insane. Carrying around all those packing cases and boxes with minimal complaints. It can't be good for her health. I'd tell her so, but the one time I told Gali I feared for her health I spent fifteen minutes untangling myself from all that seaweed."

"That was pretty memorable."

Rhymaki woke up to find Nawt bending over her, looking miffed. "You haven't fallen sappily for one of those Toa Nuva like a good little female OC." He accused, miffed. "The shippers won't be happy about this, not at all. Neither will Mihaka- this can't be all about you hauling around boxes of whatever."

Rhymaki sat up. "Oh, but I do love irritating you, dear brother." She yawned. "I was never a good little original character, anyway. Besides, surely you're here for some other purpose than saying this yarn isn't exciting enough?"

"Mihaka wants me to tell you she can sense a sub-plot. She's got no idea what it is, just that it's there. Nice subplots usually make themselves known to Miha. So I reckon it's something rather nasty." Nawt folded his arms and scowled. "My time's up. I must leave."

"Good riddance."

Yes, Rhymaki is around the Toa Nuva's age, but became a Toa much, much later. The Toa Rhetora are a relatively new team, with varying degrees of experience, going from Mihaka, Nawt, Lihept, Rhymaki and Saharem (they were both in the Toa Avhorem) then Jathis in descending order of experience.

Also, thank you to Nobility for the review and alert. Squee.

If you're reading this far, I love you. :P

Chainsaw Demigoddess.