Co-Authored by Dragon Claw92 and Omicron the IceQueen

Queen's notes: Watch out for a panicking Ga-Matoran... and what the Toa of stone can do with his head!

Heroes of Spherus Magna

Friendly Natives

Luckily, Stormer was fast enough to make the landing, though he staggered a little before turning to look up at the being. He wasn't bothered about the fact he was dropped, or that Macku got a gentler ride down. The only thing that bothered him was that the being was so much bigger than him, and -perhaps- had done a far better job than Stormer ever could have. He didn't speak up about it though, just shaking his head a little before turning to look around the general area now and take in the details.

The green being jumped, the air surging up around him to add to the leap, three strides and the 'ToaHero' was in the fray, tackling the monster as the other even bigger being with an impressive crest was knocked back.

Stormer had looked over in time to see the 'ToaHero' join the fight, and gave a quiet sigh-like noise. It took him a moment or two, but finally he shook his head and looked at Macku. "Are you alright?"

The Matoran shook herself, seeming dazed a bit, then dived into the water to clean herself, popping back up into the light to do a rapid circle dance to check herself over, "Is any on me!?" She was almost back to panicking again. "I don't want to be a Shadow Matoran!"

Stormer just watched her before sighing quietly. "You're fine, Macku. Just calm down; panicking isn't going to help either of us, and we're safe now. Those... larger beings helped us."

"No, no the things that were falling from the infected Kanohi, did any get on me?" Macku insisted, then looked at the mech and coiled just before Stormer was bodily tackled himself into the water, and then cleaned.

Unfortunately for Stormer, he wasn't ready for this, and as such was rather easily knocked over, sputtering noises of surprise and nearly pushing Macku off, but deciding to just let her do what she was doing and hope she didn't get water into any of the cracks in his armor. "I said you were fine, Macku. Nothing got on you, and we're both safe."

"Now we know for sure!" Macku gave the mech a shake, or tried to as he was now back to having his strength and guard up. "It's bad enough getting an Infected Kanohi put on you- but the slower corruption from infection?" She keened in a whine, "I've seen what that's done to friends back on the island of Mata Nui- it's the most horrible thing in the worlds!"

"Okay, okay, just relax and stop shaking me before you-" his voice cut out as he gave a sudden and violent shudder, his optics losing their light as he went limp for all of ten or so seconds. Afterwards, he turned on again, optics lighting up as he finished what he was saying, not seeming aware that he'd powered down briefly. "-make me shut down." He then seemed to wince. "... Ouch... what happened?"

"I don't know." Macku was staring at him, confused. A roar had her looking up, squeaking and then running inside the Suva as the mutated creature had gotten a little closer, dragging the two full sized Toa a few paces.

The larger Toa with the crest drew back, his crest- the Kanohi- glowing brightly in the dark as Hewkii slammed his head against the Rahi's horned one. There was a ripple of power that was felt even to the mech, and his personal scanners would pick up the localized, increasing gravity in that spot.

Stormer took a moment to recover fully before he was able to get up and move, taking cover in the Suva as well, weapon out and ready, though after a second he looked at it, sighed, and put it away again. "I really need that repaired..." He muttered before looking back out at the fight, his programming telling him to do something, but his common sense telling him he really wouldn't be able to do much.

That was when he picked up on the shift of gravity. "What is going on out there?"

The green being leapt into the gravity field, even the air was wavering visibly in the dark, reflecting what light there was. But he was also moving where the creature couldn't, digging sizable claws into the infected Kanohi. He paused, and then muscles flexed and he pulled, then twisted, bright-white light visible under his hands as the corrupted thing was pulled slowly off the rahi.

Once it was free, the Toa of Air stood, snarling as he flexed again, charging his energies to purify, then snap the mask into pieces. Perched on the creature, the slender green giant planted one foot between the two sets of horns and roared, loud and deep and a throw back to his ancestors. It was a challenge and a victory call as the other crested being roared in a deeper tone, the warning echoing across the night time wet lands.

Needless to say, the veteran had no idea what the roaring was about, but decided not to question it. Instead, he seemed to relax a little with relief before sparks shot out of a few of the armor cracks he had. Wincing, he shifted back and sat against the wall, expression grim as he looked at Macku. "Well... they beat it. That's always good news."

"But the poor thing is still mutated," Macku said, peeking out of a window, even after nearly being eaten and the scare of infection, Matoran concern and a healer's instinct still showed through.

"And is there anything-" His voice fizzled a bit. "do about it?" He paused before frowning at himself a little, but didn't comment on it, just turning his gaze back to Macku afterwards.

She was staring at him with wide eyes, both sets of lids open. "That is for Hewkii and Lewa to deal with." She grasped Stormer's hand and started to tug him back into the Suva, "We need to get you to Ga-Koro."

The veteran's optics almost seemed to blink as the lights flickered slightly. Even with that though, he got up and moved with her. "Is some... wrong?" He asked, frowning again when his voice fizzled a bit. He knew it had to do with water inside his armor now, but he didn't want to let it seem like a big deal. So far he hadn't done anything too big, as far as he was aware. It just twinged a bit. "How are we going to get there from here? How far is it?"

"Just a setting away," Macku said, pulling and then placing the mech in the middle of the largest, center chamber. She darted off to one of the seven larger pillars supporting the roof. Unlike other Suva temples, this one was new, and barer. The Matoran was setting it to the village nearest, and looked back. "We can only go one at a time, when I say, jump up, then on the other side curl up if you can."

Stormer nodded slightly as his AI noodled it through. "Alright. Care to explain how that works first?" He looked around himself to try and figure out what exactly was about to happen. It wasn't hard to see he hadn't ever teleported before.

Than a blue ball neatly rolled over beside the mech. It uncurled into Macku who sat up and looked around at the startled Matoran, she chirped, and then vocally took off. Speaking too fast for the translator to keep up... or, given the slower rate of some, the translator just died for the mech.

Stormer, naturally, just stood there, seeming utterly confused at what she was saying. "... Macku, yo.u .n't .ng ..." He murmured as he glanced at her, not sure if she'd understand him or not. He knew he certainly didn't have the faintest idea what she was saying.

"Reou ta laki." The Ga-Matoran came back over, touching the mech's head and had a soothing tone. Than time seemed to jump, as the next thing going on was Stormer was moving on a stretcher and being taken into a lit place that smelled like a mechanic's shop, only a little different.

The most the veteran really had time to do was raise an eye ridge before everything around him changed. "... jus.t .ed?" He asked, looking around with obvious confusion, though he didn't try to get up; he had a feeling this wasn't really a smart time to move a great deal.

A much larger form of a Bionicle Matoran male was leaning over the mech, chirping a question back to him. He could just see Macku with another blue Ga-Matoran, both were fussing with what looked like metal as the male was in the middle of fixing Stormer's left arm.

Stormer just looked curiously up at him, not really knowing what was said or quite what was going on. "... ?" He crackled before wincing slightly as someone bumped a fraying wire.

The Matoran male was speaking, as if explaining what he was doing to the mech. Reaching over as he deftly sliced then replaced the damaged wires and spliced them back in so he could flex his hand and fingers.

The bot was about to try and ask what had been said again, but before he got a chance he gave a sharp and brief yell as the wires were cut and replaced, his whole body giving a shudder as his sensors went nuts, telling him that very much bad was happening and he needed to make it stop. Luckily though, Stormer wasn't about to react, and just held still, giving out a fizzy sighing noise as he tried to not over-work his energy output. The last thing he needed was to accidentally give off a core discharge and jolt the Matoran that were working on him.

The black bio-mechanical being paused, resting a hand on the mech's chest and hummed, not bothering with words but tone instead. Then took a far more careful look, searching for something in the shoulder joint, he crooned and then pressed what looked like a small stone against the nerve lines, and the arm went numb.

Stormer hadn't needed a whole lot of reassurance, but even still he found the thought to be comforting, and twitched a small smile before his arm lost all sense of... well, everything seemingly. He turned his head to try and see what the black Matoran had done, though at the angle he was on presently, he didn't really have a good view.

As for the black Matoran himself, he would've felt several vibrations when he'd put his hand on the bot's chest, as well as an odd, almost pulsating feeling. It was warm, in a way, and definitely some form of energy, though just what it was couldn't be made out. One thing was certain though; it was definitely foreign.

It also let the Matoran go back to repairing the damaged wires, and hydraulics in Stormer's arm, this time without the pain. That didn't mean his current mechanic was taking his time but moving in those swift sure motions, being fast but also careful. When the crystal was removed the mech's feeling would come slowly into the limb, not rushing back.

The whole time this happened, the veteran Hero just watched in silence, his expression showing faint curiosity and intrigue, particularly at the crystal. He nearly asked what it was, but remembered that his translator was utterly destroyed, and opted against it before he made a sound. Another thing that crossed his mind while he was being worked on, was the condition of the rest of his team. He didn't have a clue where they had landed, and as it was he was getting to be a bit worried. More so than usual, at least. He may not have shown it to his crew, but he did get concerned from time to time.

Macku's voice was herd, and then time skipped for the mech again. The Ga-Matoran peering down at him from being perched on a spot above the bed. She looked worried, and also having been there for a while.

Noticing the blue lights coming back up she perked up, "Stormer?" she asked, touching his helm, then shoulder, "Are you back again?" Macku slide off the table and beside the mech's bed. Looking over his frame before help him sit up, "your balance might be off, but we repaired you as best we could, and this time you're water proof with the new armor."

At first, the mech wasn't fully sure what he'd missed or what happened, and as such he took a few moments to let his optics focus on Macku's face as well as let himself register what she said. "...Yes, I'm here... what do you mean, am I back again?"

As she helped him sit up, he already noticed a few changes, and loked himself over to see what all was different. "Thank you, by the way." He then realized something else. "... you fixed the translator as well?" He asked curiously, trying to figure out how he could understand her so clearly at the present when he'd known for certain his device had been busted.

"No, we couldn't so we gave you a translation stone." The girl said, pointing at his middle. "Seems to be working."

"A... translation stone?" Stormer inquired, his expression showing confusion. "I'm not quite sure I follow your meaning."

"It's not really a stone, but made from the same Kanoka disks that make a Kanohi rue." Macku tried to explain to the off worlder, paused and thought. "It...Just translates mentally for us, and apparently does the same for you."

"... You lost me again, but I'll agree and let it be for now." The veteran responded, thinking it over a little before shaking his head. "I am curious where you put it though... and how I missed the entire repairing process... have I been shutting down?"

Macku considered it, "I'm not sure about shutting down, but you were...pausing? And forgetting a lot until Onura cleaned all the water out and replaced what was broken. We had to use protodermis to replace the armor that was broken, so that's what the blue is on you. Onura couldn't tell what your armor is made of."

"You said something I didn't understand earlier, before I was repaired." He clarified. "And the next thing I knew, I was lying down being repaired... then you said something else, and now here we are... either way, I'm very grateful for the help." He then paused and looked at himself again. He wasn't used to seeing blue on himself; usually he saw it on Surge. That was when a different thought came to him. "You... your friend didn't tamper with any glowing stones already inside me, did he?" Going by his tone, it was obvious this was important.

"It's too much like a heart light," Macku shook her head, "And you said before that that was what made you alive, so of course Onura wouldn't tamper with it, other than the added chest and dorsal plates." She motioned to his broad chest plate, were a mock up of a heart light was, "that was my idea...just in case. Agori aren't as open minded as Bionicle. I can sense the living energy, but I'm not sure one of them can. And I think that was from when you...paused."

"Ah..." His whole frame seemed to relax again before he paused and reached up with one hand to feel his head and face, trying to figure out if that had changed as well. "Thank you for not tampering with it, and providing a safeguard. I'd rather not be torn apart because someone got curious about my Core."

The Ga-Matoran smiled before stepping back, "would you like to get up?"

The veteran smiled again, faint as it was, and he nodded before shifting and sliding off the bed. The balance was a bit off, he noticed, and he took a little while just to get used to standing with it the way it was, but he gave a small nod of approval all the same. "Definitely feels better."

"Onura tried to keep things even he said," Macku was watching him with a healer's eye, but let the mech soft out his balance.

"He did a good job." Stormer remarked, getting himself balanced out fairly quickly, for the most part at the very least. "It's a bit unusual, but it should be fairly easy to get used to." He shifted a bit and did a bit of pacing to further get himself used to it. "... There we go." He added after a moment of testing. "I think I've got it."

Noting that the mech reclaimed his balance as fast as a Toa, the Matoran was impressed to say the least. Fallowing after the mech, "that's good. It's still dark out but if you'd like you can come out into the Koro."

The mech thought it over a bit before giving a faint shrug. "Whichever you prefer, to be honest. I should probably get a look around so I can get a feel for the area. No sense in getting lost if I can avoid it."

"It's still dark." Macku warned, moving to the door, "Not all of the village is sleeping, but we stay quiet at night. More habit than anything."

Stormer gave a small nod as he followed her. "Sounds logical to me." He responded, referring both the darkness and staying quiet. "... did those two bigger beings ever come back?"

"I'm not sure where Lewa is, but Hewkii is resting in the Kini Nui, he just ate. Would you like to properly meet him?" Macku offered as she paused on a dock between the stable ground the cabin like place was in, over a deeper water way to a network of interconnected docks and floating docks.

"I wouldn't mind it." Stormer responded after a moment or two of thought. "Though if he's resting I should probably leave him be." He knew how testy people could get if they were disturbed during their down time, but All the same, he did want to actually meet Hewkii, as well as thank him for his help. After all, the mech knew he and Macku probably wouldn't have stood a chance if things had kept going the way they were during the fight.

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Species Unknown

Omie- Lewa, as seen in the story, Kongu will be coming in later sometime. Not sure when just yet but he will be.