I was finished. Gone, dead. Those were the thoughts that were running all through my head as I started a mutant dead in the face.
Hours Before;
I raised my eyebrow at the door leading to Sydney's room. Tahu was also in there, but it wasn't on friendly terms. Due to what happened yesterday, Sydney wasn't allowed to come on the search for Amanda. She wasn't all that pleased with that fact that she couldn't come along. Shortly after Tahu came out, Sydney waved good-bye to us, a rather upset look on her face. Jessica chuckled slightly.
"Well, I'd be laughing my ass off if she did decided to come along." She said with mild amusement. Emilee shrugged.
"Well, most of the other Toa are staying behind. So it'd be kinda hard for her to go anywhere." She pointed out. I looked back towards the Coliseum, Sydney was still there, but was carefully ushered in by Nuju. It was odd, being two members short, but with Onua and Whenua to help guide us in the Archives, made it a little better.
"Hey Mark?" I turned my head to look at Kacey, who was looking at me. "Think that we might find her?" I bowed my head slightly.
"Not sure, it'd be good if we did." Was my reply to her. Nodding, Kacey went up to the front. The search was beginning.
It didn't take us that long to reach the entrance of the Archives, we all divided up into two groups. Me, Michael, Emilee, and Onua went to the left, while the others went right. I couldn't help but to hold the feeling of unease down here. Emilee seemed to be the same way. an uneasy look on her face. Onua seemed a little more content; Michael though, it was like he was looking for something…. or someone.
"You OK?" I asked, turning to face him. Michael turned to face me, a sudden look of worry inlayed on his face.
"I just remembered that there where others down here." Everyone froze and turned to him with startled expressions. "Yes, I said that there were more people, and no, I'm not crazy." Was his retort.
"You mean…. when you where down here-" Emilee started, Michael nodded.
"We got separated after we encountered…... " Michael stopped right there and hung his head. We all winced, as if we knew what he was going to say. Shaking his head, he suggested that we continued to move forward, deeper and deeper into the dark hallways.
Shita sniffed, rubbing the end of her nose. She'd lost track of how long the five of them had been down there, and it hadn't been very easy for any of them. Especially with all sudden increase of the patrols. It didn't help that her uncontrollable sneezing nearly got them caught several times. None in which they blamed her for. The youngest two members of the group huddled together, trying to stay as warm as possible. Starting a fire was out of the option, due to a near escape with a Rahkshi that had seen the fire that they'd started. Kazumi and her were running out of options. They needed to find Michael, and hopefully find a way out of those tomb-like record rooms.
"Shita? Are you alright?" She flinched at Kazumi's question. Looking up, she saw that the Japanese women was holding a fruit that they'd scavenged. Before Shita could deny it, Kazumi stated; "The children have already eaten their food."
"Oh…. Ok…" Was Shita's hesitant response, gently taking the fruit and eating it. "Kazumi… I'm just worried that we won't be able to survive down here much longer."
"And the reason is?" Kazumi questioned. Shita looked at her, a downtrodden look.
"It feels like we've been going in circles." Shita started, but froze mid sentence at a loud clank, followed by a yelp sounded. Even though it was very distant, it was to close for comfort.
"...What was that?" Kazumi quietly asked, the sudden and quiet whimpers from the twins, and Nick was wide eyed, staring towards the sound. Shita stood up, and looked towards the four.
"Kazumi, stay here. I'm going to investigate-"
"NO! We can't afford to lose another one of our group! We can find another spot to hide!" The Japanese women retorted
"Kazumi, that was a person, I have to check it out!"
"What if it isn't!?" Shita froze at that, staring at Kazumi with wide eyes.
"I'm going, and I am coming back." She said quietly, and bolted towards the sound.
"Hey Mark, how do you trip over your own feet?" Emilee asked me, stifling a giggle, from where I was laying.
"Very funny Emilee. Now help me up." I grunted, shooting her a look. She smiled and offered her hand, which I took and she helped pull me up. Onua seemed less than amused with the fact that'd I tripped over a sphere, which was odd according to what Michael had said.
"I have to agree with Michael on this one, Matoran have been down here long enough to straighten things out." Onua concluded, looking at the sphere with suspicion. I suddenly took note that it wasn't even on right. Carefully opening it, we all saw that half of it's contents was gone.
"Either someone was rather hungry, or Michael's mystery pals did this." Emilee stated, picking up on of the fruits that was inside. A sudden prickle went down my spine, causing me to quickly look over my shoulder. "You ok?" Emilee asked, an eyebrow raising. I gave a small shudder, but shook my head.
"We better get moving, we don't want to be in one place too long. We might run into something unpleasant if we do." Onua stated, gesturing down the lengthy hall way.
Shita quietly sniffed the thick, musty air. The four scents that she'd smelt earlier seemed slightly closer than they were beforehand. But one seemed slightly familiar to her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. However, she shook her head and continued to follow the scent to its origin. Upon closing in on the owners, she picked up a rather angry voice, clearly annoyed with someone. Another voice quickly piped up to calm the angry one down. Shita tilted her head, and gave a low growl.
"WHAT DO YA MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START?!" Emilee screamed, proceeding to throw a fireball at a wall. I winced, unsure of what to say to the fire Toa. Onua just looked at her, unsure of what to say as well. Michael stepped in, in an attempt to calm her.
"Emilee, you have to understand, The Archive's alone are massive. And I can't clearly remember the route I took to escape from the Makuta's lab, let alone their home base."
"Amanda is my FRIEND! We have to at least start SOMEWHERE!" Emilee again screeched. A low growl stopped Emilee right in the middle of her fit. The sharp prickling sensation returned, leaving me a little shaky from the sound. The memories of the attack yesterday weren't helping either. Onua stiffened, suddenly very alert. Michael stiffened as well, the rhotuka on his back raising partially. Emilee had stopped right in the middle of what she was doing and was slowly turning her head this way and that.
"What was that?" Onua asked, looking around warily.
"Don't know, but bloody hell, it sounded big." I responded.
"Why does that sound familiar…" I heard Michael mutter to himself, and something rather large ponced. I screamed, thoughts running rampant in my head. A mane of red hair, and large, almost black eyes stared at me. A violent hiss escaped the mutant's throat. I'm a goner. Finished. I thought, staring death in the eyes. Emilee covered her eyes.
"...Shita?!" Michael sputtered out. The mutant froze, then looked up.
"Mikey?"
Shita starred in utter disbelief at the biomechanical human.
"Mikey…. is… is that you?" She asked, unsure if it was a trick. The two stared at one another for a few seconds, before he awkwardly smiled.
"Yeah…. It's me…" A sudden squeal erupted from her, leaping off the other biomechanical creature, Shita had Michael in a bear hug.
"My god! Mikey! You're alive! The others and I were starting to get worried! How'd you escape?!" Shita rambled, not even caring of the odd stares she was getting. "My god….. I thought…." She started, but stopped.
"...'Mikey'?" Emilee asked, then sniggered. "Man, Syd's gonna love this."
"Don't you dare!" Michael wheezed out. "Shita…. Need air." Shita quickly let go of him, allowing him to catch his breath.
"Mikey…. Explain to me…. What happened?" Shita asked quietly.
"No, my question is, who the racking heck, are you?!" Sputtered the male that she pounced on.
"Remember the others I mentioned earlier?" Michael asked once he regained his breath. The three of them nodded. "She's one of them."
"Oh…" The female stated, and much to Shita's surprise, she shifted to a human form.
"So…. there's more like you?" Shita asked, gesturing with her thumb. Michael gave a mild nod before asking; "Where are the others?"
"Waiting for me to come back. Do you know the way out?" Shita asked.
"Yeah, we know a way out," Michael said as he jabbed a thumb towards the tunnel they just came from, "But I'm afraid that I can't go that way yet. A friend of ours was kidnapped by the Brotherhood, and we have to find her before something terrible happens to her." Shita winced, then said.
"That may explain the doubling of Rahkshi patrols." That grabbed the girl's attention.
"When did that happen?" She asked quickly.
"Some time last night, seemed like they were in a rush to find something." Shita replied, shrugging. "Think it may have something to do with your friend?"
"I think so." Said the black one, nodding towards the gray and rust orange colored one.
"I don't suppose you've seen her, have you?" Michael asked as he gestured with his hands, "Is about this tall, really energetic, answers to the name 'Amanda'?"
"I'm sorry, I haven't seen anyone other than you four. I'm sorry…. Ricky…. What are you doing?"
I whipped around to where Shita was looking, and saw a small, and very skinny little kid. His eyes widened at Michael, and he dashed over to him.
"Michael! You came back!" He said, waving his arms around. I blinked and rubbed my head, suddenly realizing the sudden horror of our situation.
"My god… Michael… what if the Makuta have a portal?!" I managed to rasp out. A few seconds passed as Michael thought this idea over, before palling as a thought entered his mind.
'It's not if… it's when." Michael whispered, "They got me and Noah straight from school to their lair, so it's certain that they have one." Everyone there looked horrified at each other.
"We have to warn the others. Emilee, please tell me you have a mask of telepathy."
After we rounded up the rest of the people that Shita had told us about, we made a mad dash towards the entrance of the Archives, where the others were waiting for us.
"Is there a reason why we had to get back here so soon?" Jessica asked sourly, proceeding to glare at Onua.
"Damn straight, there is." Shita said, stepping out with the others. Everyone recoiled in shock.
"Yeah, we know." Emilee stated, a rather smug expression on her face. Kacey blinked, but then asked.
"What happened?"
"We just had a revelation." I snapped, sitting down hard.
"And that was?" Whenua asked quizzically. I looked at him with a rather upset expression as I said aloud to everyone, "The Brotherhood have a portal of their own." Everyone looked at me in shock, unsure of what to say. What broke the dreaded silence was a roar of; "LOOK OUT!" Shita, Emilee, and Kacey had two seconds to move before a blur of red and multiple colors shot right through the spot they were in. Several rather shrill squeaks emitted from the girls, and an Onu-Matoran watched as the front desk was destroyed. For a couple of minutes, there were growls, snarls, and at the end, the Rahkshi stopped mid screech before it was silenced. We all stared, unsure of what to. Sickly green eyes stared at us, and the being tilted its head.
"YOU FREAKING BAKA!" An angry fist whacked the being on the head. It grunted, and shock, dropping a rather unhappy Amanda. "YA COULD'VE SQUASHED ME!"
"Then you should've let go, you goob!"
"Fart face!"
"Bird Brain!"
"Skeever butt!"
"Mouse Brain!"
"You Tart!"
"Toad-kisser!"
"... Farmer Girl!"
"Knuckle Head McSpazatron!"
"No Spongebob references!" I wasn't sure whether to be awed or be in a fit of hysterics. Emilee seemed a little gobsmacked as well, Kacey was crying, and everyone else was trying to just process what the heck had just happened.
"Well then…. I didn't expect that to happen….." Another voice sounded, seemingly amused. Michael turned and stared in horror.
"But… but you… I saw you-"
"Dead? Ah, most would think that yes, but my mask is what saved my life. The mask of illusion. Fooled you well enough didn't it?" The being chuckled, stepping out of the shadows to reveal himself as a mutant as well. Michael seemed extremely confused with the situation, as well as the other humans that we brought with us.
"...M-Mitch?" Shita asked, voice choked up. 'Mich' straightened up the best he could and gave a small smile.
"Hey Shita."
"But… But how? And your arm?!" She sputtered, and I suddenly realized why she was questioning this. The man's right arm was completely replaced with a metal one, a little more refined, and mencing. Mich winced at her, and looked away, as if unsure of what to say.
"I….. I.." He started by stopped, sighed and lifted the bottom half of his tattered shirt, revealing the metal that covered that area. Shita looked horrified by it.
"He's not….. the only one…. you know." Amanda stated rather quietly, unfurling the metallic set of wings. This made Michael and the other people who had experienced the Brotherhood's 'hospitality' wince at this revelation, while the Toa growled in anger. The newcomer saw this, and asked; "Is there a place where we can go to talk about this?" Onua and Whenua blinked and nodded to him, and ushered us all out.
I yawn, suddenly realizing how late it actually was. The twin suns where both setting, and the Coliseum never seemed more welcoming than before. Amanda managed to get a piggyback ride from Mich, who didn't seem to hesitate at her presence. It took a little while though for Shita, Mich, the three kids, and the women to readjust to the sudden sunlight. The others of course, where on edge about the new comers. Must have been with what had happened with Noah. Shita came up to me, keeping pace.
"Hey, about before… Sorry about that." Shita apologized, rubbing the back of her head. I shrugged.
"Ah, it's no big deal. You didn't know who we were, so your response was pretty reasonable." I replied, giving a small smile. Shita grinned as well, but glanced back up at Mich. "... Are you worried about him?" I asked quietly, unsure of how to depict her expression.
"A little, but I still can't tell if it's a good thing or not." She murmured.
"Might be a good thing though." I said, looking over at him and Amanda goofing off.
"Hmmm…" Was her answer, and stepped up her pace to catch up with Mich. Onua walked up to me.
"Feels strange to have more people."
"Ya think?" I said.
We arrived at the Coliseum with no incident, only having a couple of Matoran stare oddly at the newcomers. Ricky and Alice hid behind the Hordika's legs, clearly scared and confused at the little robots. George, as I came to learn, calmed them as best he could. Mich though lagged behind once we'd entered the long hallways of the Coliseum. Michael came up to me.
"So… What do you think?" He asked. I shrugged.
"They're something different, that's for sure." I replied giving a little shrug. "Question is…. How will the othe-" I was stopped by a shrill scream. Michael and I whipped around, along with the others. Mich had backed to the wall, hand over mouth. And poor Sydney looked extremely confused and scared. Jessica relaxed a little.
"You didn't have to scream like that Syd. Geez, give us all a heart attack." She sighed, shaking her head.
"Um….. That wasn't me…. That was him." Sydney said quietly, pointing to Mich.
"Nahh, that was a girl scream." Michael told her. A few seconds passed, then Mich spoke up, his voice sounded very squeaky.
"Um…. That was me…" Everyone stared at him for a couple of seconds before Pohatu let out a snort of amusement. This set off an entire chain of laughter.
"Mich my god, why?!" Shita roared with laughter. Mitch made a rather cross face, and Sydney only giggled. I snorted, trying to stifle a giggle. This was going to be a rather interesting ride.
Toa-of-Spirit: Well, this is done. And it didn't take as long as the last chapter. Or for things to escalate rather quickly. Right?
Thanatos's Scribe: True enough. By the way, have you seen Michael around recently?
Toa-of-Spirit: Come to think of it… no…. did something happen? Did Tahu break something?
Thanatos's Scribe: Last I saw him, he went off somewhere, but he didn't say where. You don't suppose…
Michael: *Rushes into the room and slams the door behind him* Hide me! *Rushes into closet and locks himself in*
Thanatos's Scribe: What the?
Toa-Of-Spirit: Um…. did… we miss something?
Pohatu: *Slams the door open, and enters the room with Tahu, Lewa, and Whenua behind him* Alright, where is he?!
Thanatos's Scribe: *sighs* What did he do this time?
Tahu: You don't get it, do you? Michael was Deadpool's cohort during his prank escapade! But now, *Holds up a can of whipped cream* We want payback.
Toa-Of-Spirit: Wait?... This whole time… Michael was Deadpool…. I'm confused
Deadpool: *Pops up behind Toa-Of-Spirit and Thanatos's Scribe* No, he wasn't. He was my apprentice and partner-in-crime!
Toa-Of-Spirit: …. Ugh… Seriously, guys! Why don't you two do something more productive with your time?! And didn't I ban you from the studio not that long ago?!
Deadpool: Nope! I just went to Ga-Metru to get some chimichangas. Speaking of which… *Points at Thanatos's Scribe* YOU! How dare you lie about there being chimichangas!
Thanatos's Scribe: ...TOS, you've got the rest of the outro. *Rushes out of the room*
Deadpool: Get back here! *Pulls out two katanas and races after Thanatos's*
Toa-Of-Spirit: …. *Looks to the Toa, then to where Michael had vanished* Give me the Whipped Cream… Or every single one of you is on cleaning duty! I've had enough of the pranks as it is! AND THIS! *Glares at all of them*
Whenua: *looks at the others and backs off* I don't want any part of this…
Toa-Of-Spirit: That's alright, but if! *glares at the other three* They don't give me that whipped cream, I will show no mercy…. And Michael!
Michael: *pokes head out of closet* They gone ye- *spots Tahu and the others*
Toa-Of-Spirit: *Glares at him* Don't… even think about it…. I will forgive this.. IF… you promise not to do this again. However, *Gestures with her head* I can't say what they will do, but if there are any more pranks. There will be consequences. AM I CLEAR!?
Michael: Very well. I promise to never do a prank swarm of this scale again. *Looks at the gathering of Toa* Is it safe for me to come out now, though?
Pohatu: *Lifts up water balloon with unknown fluid inside* No promises…
Michael: ...Nope! *Slams closet door shut*
Toa-Of-Spirit: Do I have to forbid you from watching your games, Pohatu? 'Cause I'm reeeally not in the mood to clean up any more of your guy's messes.
Pohatu: ...Fine. *Puts water balloon away*
Toa-Of-Spirit: And I will be confiscating all the prank items. I will search this studio from top to bottom, and if I find anything that has to do with pranks…. *lets that sentence sink in*
Tahu: *whispers to Lewa* Thank goodness for our Le-Metru base, then.
Toa-Of-Spirit: You are forgetting that I still have other friends, but this will have to wait for another time. *Turns to the reader* Terribly sorry for that. But anyways, Emilee discovers a rather shocking secret that may shake the entire team right down to its very core. Something that relates to Jessica's grandfather's disappearance, and the fact that an old book of a previous Toa team is found with their names written in its very pages. Will the truth be too much for them to handle. Stay tuned….. *Gets whacked with the water balloon* OH THAT'S IT! ALL OF YOU ARE GROUNDED!
Pohatu: But I didn't throw it! *Races out of the door with various items being pelted at him*
Kopaka: *Smirks as he watches Pohatu run away, his Matatu dimming down before whispering to himself, making sure Toa-Of-Spirit can't hear him* Prepare for Round 2, everyone.