Dutiful Destruction

by Joey245

Three months after the defeat of Makuta and Team RWBY's return to Remnant, a new foe emerges with one goal: to eradicate everything on the island of Mata Nui. With Salem casting her shadow on Vacuo and tensions mounting among the refugees of Atlas, Ruby and her friends may find themselves strained as they fight for the worlds of Man, Matoran, and more. (Sequel to Destiny's Divide.)

7. Beware the Bohrok

(A/N): Welcome back to Dutiful Destruction! This time around, we've got a big, meaty, 17k word chapter all about Bohrok hunting! Among other things, of course.

If you've read Destiny's Divide, then you're likely familiar with how I made the Kanohi collecting part of the story without bogging everything down in the details of how each mask was obtained. I plan to do a similar thing for the Krana this time around - especially considering that there's so many of the dang things, and way too many shapes that I have no idea how to even describe in prose. Once again, chapters like these are gonna be showing a sort of "highlight" reel that showcases important moments for these characters while also moving the story forward, because otherwise at least half of this story is just gonna be "Tahu and Qrow get X Krana from Y Bohrok, then Ruby and Gali get V Krana from Z Bohrok, etc." and that's repetitive both to write and to read.

We're also gonna see how Penny's doing over in Metru Nui - which won't be the first or last time we do so. Usually, if we're doing a Mata Nui focused chapter, you can assume that we'll be checking in with her and the Order at some point. This won't always be the case, however! There's a lot of things I want this story to be, and predictable is most certainly not one of them.

Hope you enjoy! And apologies if I'm not as active after this for a while - the day this is going up, I've got a surgery to remove my wisdom tooth, so that's gonna be fun… (Don't get old, kids, that's my professional advice.)

---

The sun's crimson rays shone down on Tahu as he knelt beside a large gash in the ash-gray ground, running his mechanical hands over the rough edges with a thoughtful hum. It had been mere hours since he and the other Toa had gone their separate ways, each elemental warrior returning to their home region to hunt down the Bohrok plaguing their island. For the Toa of Fire, it wasn't much of a journey - his home village had been the first to be attacked by this new foe, after all, so there were bound to still be some stragglers lingering in fiery Ta-Wahi. While the icy Kohrak had long since fled the burning slopes of the Mangai volcano, their partners in destruction clearly had unfinished business here…if the sheer number of flattened hills and felled trees were any indication.

Business that the Toa of Fire was determined to interrupt.

Our Charred Forest may not be the most beautiful landmark of Mata Nui, but it is still part of our land. He cast a mournful gaze to a pile of timber black as coal, branches shorn into dust and withered roots jutting out like spikes. These Bohrok have no right to destroy it, no more right than Makuta did to turn it like this in the first place. They must be stopped…and there is only one way to do so.

"Find anything useful yet? Or do you just like playing in the dirt?"

Tahu's fight-or-flight reflexes almost kicked in at the sound of the gruff voice from behind, but he tampered down on the urge to behead whatever snuck up on him. Instead he looked over his shoulder to see Qrow Branwen suddenly standing there, arms folded over his chest and an impatient scowl on his face. He reminded himself that his new ally had the ability to transform into a bird-like creature from his own world, and back again just as quickly and silently. Tahu didn't understand how that ability worked, and he was almost afraid to ask.

He took a moment to study the unfamiliar human, observing the many differences between the man he worked with now and the woman he once fought beside. Qrow was taller than Yang, but his figure was much more lean and gaunt and far less muscular; he also didn't have the pronounced bumps on his chest that Yang seemed highly proud of. His hair was short and black instead of long and golden, he carried a slate-gray sword that could unfold into a long curved scythe, and he seemed to have a very thin layer of hair along the sides of his chin and below his mouth. Everything about his appearance, from his hunched frame to the dark lines underneath tired maroon eyes, suggested that this Huntsman was far older than most others of his kind. Yet that age never seemed to slow him down or impair him in a fight - he'd moved just as fast as his younger counterparts during the defense of Ta-Koro, if not faster, and he battled with both the confidence of a young warrior and the wisdom of an old veteran.

So this is the man that both Yang and Ruby spoke of during our quest for the masks, he thought to himself. His skills are hardly in question, but his attitude…it reeks of defiance and impatience, much as mine once did. Let us hope that his sour mood does not derail us in our current journeys.

"These tracks appear to have been left by the Pahrak during their retreat," reported the Toa of Fire, filing away his more judgmental thoughts as he looked at his otherworldly ally. "Following them may be the wisest course of action - at which point we can study their behavior, gauge their strength, then engage them. We already have one of their Krana, so acquiring seven more of that breed should be our priority. The other Toa should have little difficulty in securing the rest, especially with Ruby and the others by their side."

"Mm-hmm." Qrow gave a bored-sounding hum, scanning the fiery horizon with a disinterested gaze.

Tahu raised an eyebrow behind his mask. "…you are in agreement, then?" he asked cautiously.

"Sure. Yeah. Whatever you say." His words were accompanied by a noncommittal shrug.

The Toa could feel annoyance flare up within him, but he quelled it. Remember what Yang taught you about managing your anger. Take a deep breath. Reframe the situation. Find the root cause of the disagreement, and address it…provided that both parties feel safe enough to do so.

Tahu rose to his feet once more without taking his eyes off the Huntsman. "If you are ever not in agreement with a plan I propose, Qrow, then you need only say as much. I will listen to your objections and inputs, just as I did with Yang -"

"Look, let's get something outta the way," said Qrow with an exasperated sigh. "It's Tahu, right? Was that your name?"

Clearly the Toa of Fire had touched a sensitive nerve in his probing. "It is," he said warily, keeping his crimson gaze narrowed as he watched the Huntsman, whose own eyes burned with annoyance.

"Alright, then listen up Tahu. I'm not here to make friends. I'm not here on a vacation. I'm here to make sure that my niece, her girlfriend, and her buddies all make it back home in one piece. And it looks like the quickest way to do that is to help deal with your little pest control problem."

He felt his anger spike again, harder and hotter this time. 'Little pest control problem?!' He would compare the Bohrok to an agitated school of lava eels? The arrogance! The apathy! Who does this man think he is?!

Once again, a deep breath kept his temper from exploding. An argument would not be conducive right now, for time was not on their side.

"You're the one who knows the island better than I do," continued the grizzled Huntsman, oblivious to Tahu's inner conflict. "I'll follow your lead and go where you go, and pipe up if I've got ideas of my own, but I'm not interested in standing around and flapping gums with the locals. We've both got a job to do, and a world to keep glued together, so if it's all the same to you let's just get these Krana things with as little small talk as possible. Cool?"

Without even waiting for a response, Qrow stepped past him. "Cool. Glad we agree."

And just like that, the man turned into a small black bird and took off with a huffy flap. Tahu watched and stared at the creature as it flew away, then furrowed his brow and triggered his Mask of Levitation to follow on jets of flame. Another slow, deliberate breath filled his lungs - not to feed the fires of rage building within, but rather to temper it. He could already tell that he was going to be doing that exercise a lot during his travels with Qrow Branwen.

"…Mata Nui, please tell me I was not once so insufferable," he muttered to nobody in particular with a shake of his head. He could only hope that his fellow Toa were having a more…productive experience with their own allies.

---

Ruby Rose hadn't realized how much she missed the sea.

A grin spread across her face as Gali's wave left the shores of Mata Nui behind, rolling across the endless sapphire expanse that cradled the island. That grin only brightened as she sucked in a salty breath, snapped her goggles into place, and hopped off the Toa's shoulder in one smooth motion. Her Semblance carried her high up on a trail of rose petals, and after a few more quick breaths (and a signal to Gali, who nodded with a smile of her own) she let herself fall back down in a high dive while extending her arms overhead, cutting through the surface of the open ocean.

SPLASH!

Cold water instantly rushed to meet her and seal up the hole she'd left behind, barraging her with tiny little bubbles that trailed across her skin. Red and black clothes rippled and billowed around her as she plunged deep underwater, threatening to slow her down with all its extra weight. That hardly mattered to her, though - her Vacuo outfit was designed to handle rugged terrain while still being loose and flowy, and the goggles she'd picked out to protect her eyes during sandstorms did an excellent job at keeping out seawater as well. With a deep breath held tightly in her lungs, and without a trace of fear in her heart, Ruby grinned and plunged further down into the crystal-clear expanse.

For one glorious moment, everything was perfect.

After so many months in the dry heat of the desert, just the act of zipping through cool waters like this was everything she could have dreamed of and more. Bubbly giggles escaped her lips as she dove deeper, pulsing her Semblance to scatter rose petals behind her with each powerful kick. The open sea was like the world's biggest pool, with nothing but free space for miles around that beckoned her to swim and dive and explore its depths. When she'd first arrived in this world, the ocean had nearly drowned her in its darkness; now it greeted her as an old friend, welcoming the little rose back to Mata Nui with its comforting flow and endless secrets.

Unfortunately, Ruby learned very quickly that spending so much time on land hadn't done her any favors.

"…glub!"

A long column of bubbles pushed past her lips, taking most of Ruby's breath along with it. Her throat reflexively tightened as she reluctantly started swimming for the surface, though with how far away it was she instantly knew she still didn't have enough air for the rest of the ascent. She didn't panic, however…she could already see Gali diving down to meet her, and all it took was one sheepish smile and a finger pointing up for the Toa of Water to get the message and help her the rest of the way. As the surface came into view, the little rose exhaled slowly from both her nose and her mouth, just in time to fill her lungs back up once they breached the divide between the sky and the sea.

"Pwah!"

Ruby threw her head back and gasped for breath, then shook to get the water out of her hair and face with a delighted little giggle. Gali laughed softly and held onto the little rose as she got her bearings, subtly reaching out with her element so that they both could float on the waves without needing to tread water. After gulping down some much-needed air and coughing up whatever didn't belong, Ruby sighed and leaned against the Toa of Water, perfectly fine with just drifting along with an old friend for a little while.

"Thanks for that, Gali," she sputtered with a breathless grin. "Hah…whew…guess I'm a little outta practice, huh?"

"So it would seem," said Gali with another soft laugh. "That said, your swimming and diving skills just now far exceeded your initial capabilities. For a moment, it seemed as if you belonged to the sea, rather than being a mere visitor. Your breath-holding control in particular was notable…you did not panic once, even when you went deeper than you realized. That is extremely commendable, little one, and a testament to how much knowledge and skill you retained from our first journey together."

Ruby giggled gently, a soft blush rising to her cheeks at the praise. "Aww, thanks Gali! Yeah, I was doing the deep breathing thing a lot in Vacuo to keep myself calm, so I guess it's almost second-nature by now. And I knew there was no reason to freak out. You were there, after all."

If a Toa could blush, Gali almost certainly was doing that just now. "I am glad you have such faith in me, Ruby Rose." Then she tilted her head. "I wonder, though…why did you not channel the Kaukau to breathe underwater? Surely your Scroll still has that ability, does it not?"

"Oh. Um…" Ruby bit her lower lip as she looked down in embarrassment, unable to meet the glowing yellow gaze any longer. "I, uh…ended up leaving my old Scroll on Remnant. Y'know, in case we needed Penny to get in touch with our friends back there, or if they needed to call us. Mine's the only one she can call like that, after all - the only one she marked with her Semblance before we left. I thought it'd be a good idea, considering it's the only way we can touch base with each other across worlds, but…"

She didn't need to finish that thought. With Penny suddenly going missing, they couldn't call Remnant at all. Worse, the Maiden of Mata Nui was the only one capable of creating portals through the Via Magna, which was the only reliable method they had of crossing between worlds. Until she could be found again, Ruby had basically led her friends into the same situation they'd first found themselves in.

Trapped on another planet, with no way home.

Just another thing that's going wrong… Ruby thought sullenly, her face dipping underwater briefly to blow moody little bubbles. And it's my fault for not seeing it coming. Like it always is.

"I see." Gali hummed thoughtfully at the little rose's darkening expression, then reached forward and cupped her cheek with a hand almost as big as her head. "Then we will adapt, and adjust our strategies accordingly. You are a very capable warrior, Ruby Rose, with or without my Kanohi powers. That much has not changed, at least. And I trust that Penny will find her way back to us eventually - she has the blessing of the Great Spirit, after all, as well as a world of love waiting for her to return. Have faith in her, as she has faith in you. As I, and so many others, have faith in you."

Ruby nuzzled and leaned into the metallic palm with a small smile, rubbing her cheek against a steady servo and drinking in the familiar comfort. "Thanks, Gali. You…you always know exactly what to say to make me feel better. I missed that. I missed you."

"The feeling is mutual, my dear little sister. Exploring the beauty of Mata Nui's oceans was never the same, without you by my side to share in the experience."

The Toa of Water gently touched the top of her mask to Ruby's forehead, then carefully guided her thumb to wipe away a salty droplet next to a silver eye. Whether it was seafoam being whisked away or a budding tear, Ruby didn't know or care. She was just glad to be here all the same.

After spending a moment floating in Gali's embrace and nuzzling foreheads, she pushed off and swam around to clasp the Toa's shoulders. "Speaking of which…we should probably get back to making sure those water Bohrok don't ruin that. Think I'll let you do most of the swimming and diving for a little bit - can we do the thing where I ride on your back while you go under again? Should be a good way for me to readjust, and to get back in the groove of holding my breath."

"An inspired suggestion, Ruby." Gali's smile was visible even through her golden mask. "Simply tap my mask when you need another breath, or if you spot a Gahlok among the seas. Ready?"

The little rose filled her lungs and gave a thumbs-up, prompting the Toa of Water to dive with her in tow.

Just like she remembered, Gali practically glided through the water. Her elemental control over the seas, combined with her sleek form and powerful biomechanical muscles, made every stroke and kick that much more powerful. It only took her a few seconds to dive even deeper than Ruby had managed before, yet the Huntress had far more air this time around - so she was able to watch as a vibrant forest of kelp came into view, silver eyes widening behind her goggles as she took in the sights of metallic fish and steel-plated crabs and eels made of sinewy rubber hoses. It was just as beautiful as she'd dreamed, and with the water-breathing Toa doing most of the work, she felt secure in letting the display take her breath away in a near-literal sense.

And yet, the beauty of the sea still wasn't enough to take her mind off her greatest concern.

Penny… thought the little rose with a bubbly sigh of longing. Wherever you are right now, I hope you're okay.

---

"So…there are more Toa than the ones I know?"

Helryx was tempted to roll her eyes at Penny's question, but kept her face neutral as she walked the length of a Ga-Metru canal. Though the beds of liquid protodermis were half-empty and many of the schools and labs were in ruins, there was still an odd serenity to this district of Metru Nui - one that the Toa of Water herself couldn't put into words. Perhaps it came from her own elemental connection to this place, or it stemmed from knowing that the streets here were truly safe and secure. Either way, it usually made coming here a pleasant experience…which the Maiden of Mata Nui seemed determined to ruin with her inane chattering and endless curiosity.

"Yes," she said brusquely. "There are thousands of Toa throughout the Matoran Universe. Did I not explain this to you during our initial meeting?"

"You did, but there was a lot of new information for me to process," said Penny obliquely. "I did not have a chance to ask about the other Toa then. Since we have time at the moment, I wish to do so now. It will help make the journey less dull."

That was…not unreasonable. "Very well," said the Toa of Water with a pensive sigh. "What do you wish to know?"

Penny hummed thoughtfully with each step she took on disgusting little feet, and Helryx could tell she wasn't thinking of a question - she was just trying to decide which one she wanted to ask first. "The ones I met had elemental powers of Fire, Ice, Water, Air, Stone, and Earth. Do all Toa have those elements?"

"It depends on the teams," intoned Helryx, barely slowing her pace as she answered. "Most Toa teams do indeed have that same array of powers, as those are the Primary elements that the Great Spirit gave us. However, there are also Toa of Secondary elements, who control the more uncommon forces of nature within our universe. Such elements include Gravity, Lightning, Sonics, the Green, Plasma, Iron, Magnetism, Psionics -"

"Wait." The little Maiden tilted her head. "Sonics? The Green? Please elaborate."

The ancient Toa took a breath to quell her annoyance at getting interrupted. "Toa of the Green have elemental control over plants and other living, non-sentient things. Toa of Sonics can generate and control sound and noise. They are rarer than most other Toa, but still quite powerful - and they all have their role to play in fulfilling the will of Mata Nui."

Penny's brow furrowed. "But…why is it called the Green, and not simply 'Plant' or 'Forest?' That feels far more straightforward, and fits with the other elemental naming conventions. For that matter, some of the Secondary Elements feel redundant. How is the element of Plasma different from Fire? If Toa of Iron can control metal objects, why are there also Toa of Magnetism? And sound is not an element - it is merely the vibration of molecules in a fluid medium such as air or water reaching our ears, which is then perceived by our brains as noise. Why are there Toa dedicated solely to controlling that?"

Now Helryx decided to roll her eyes. "All excellent questions. When Mata Nui awakens, feel free to ask him yourself."

"…you do not know either, do you?" Clearly, Penny was delighting in the fact that she thought she'd stumped the ancient Toa of Water.

"I said no such thing," she countered. "Do you have any other questions? Our destination is still a fair ways away, and the work will be demanding once we arrive."

The Maiden of Mata Nui hummed thoughtfully for a moment as they continued walking, then her eyes lit up - in a metaphorical sense, of course. "You mentioned that Toa typically form into teams," she asked eagerly. "Can you tell me about them? What are some of the most notable ones?"

Helryx nodded, grateful her attempt to redirect the conversation had worked. "Much like your Huntresses, Toa work best when operating within small groups. That way, they can play to each other's strengths and cover each other's weaknesses, allowing them to better protect their Matoran. History has seen the rise and fall of many such teams, such as the Toa Cordak, the Toa Mangai, the Toa Hagah…and the ones you've met, the Toa Mata."

"That is Tahu's team, yes?"

Another nod. "As I said earlier, they are special among the Toa teams, for their Destiny is already known to them. Since their creation they have been aware of their mission: to awaken Mata Nui should any ill befall him. But the Duties and Destinies of the other Toa Teams are all just as vital - some, perhaps, even more so. Some are tasked with guarding remote settlements, while others actively patrol the lands hunting down dangerous threats."

"I see," said Penny with an eager nod. "Were you ever on any Toa teams, Helryx?"

The ancient warrior shook her head. "No. Much like the Toa Mata, my creation was…special. I was the first Toa ever to awaken, and though I oversaw the creation of others and the formation of teams I was never part of such organized activity. My loyalty was solely to the Hands of Artakha, and later to the Order of Mata Nui…as such, I abandoned the life that most Toa lead to carve my own path."

Her human guest frowned suddenly and came to a stop. "Oh…that sounds very lonely."

Helryx almost laughed. Almost.

"It is what it is," she said diplomatically instead, turning to face the human who'd stopped in her tracks. "In a sense, the Order itself is my team - together, we do far more than what any one team of Toa could ever do."

"Mm." Penny ran her fingers through her hair and fidgeted with her hands. "I…was in a similar situation when I was first created. Back on Remnant, back when I was a machine. I was not allowed to join any of the other teams studying at Atlas Academy, and though I was 'assigned' a team to join for the Vytal Festival…they did not see me as a friend. Even after I was rebuilt, I was given the role of 'Protector of Mantle'...and like you, I was told that I had a very special job, one that fell outside the purview of Hunter teams. So I can understand how that feels…even though I consider RWBY to be my team, I still wonder what things would be like if I had ever been allowed to be just another regular Huntress."

Helryx didn't understand everything the human was saying - or anything, really - but clearly it meant a lot to her based on her emotional inflection. So she nodded in mock sympathy, making a show of softening her eyes. She knew exactly what Penny was trying to do - form an emotional connection to her, to instill a sense of familiarity that could cloud her judgment. An admirable attempt…but of course, it wouldn't work.

"And look at you now," she said with a forced smile. "You've risen above your peers, and now serve a greater purpose. We have that in common, at least."

The words were exactly what Penny wanted to hear, based on the way her face lit up. When the ancient Toa of Water turned back around and continued walking, the human had a lightness in her step once more as she kept pace on shorter legs. If Helryx hadn't guarded her heartstone, it would have both warmed and shattered at the earnestness, cheerfulness, and innocence within the strange alien visitor.

Luckily, she knew better.

---

BOOM.

Onua winced as a loud rumble shook the tunnel, the sheer volume of the explosive noise nearly overwhelming his sensitive hearing. Nora didn't seem to mind the deafening boom, however - if anything the sound of her hammer striking a lone Nuhvok's hand-shield seemed to excite her, especially when the force of the blow tore the attached limb clean off its joint. The black-shelled Bohrok shrieked as its arm flew off its shoulder in a sparking pile of scrap; before it could retaliate with its remaining twin-chisel weapon, the Toa of Earth trapped its arm in a rising slab of clay and sediment, giving Nora time to wind up for another forceful swing that sent the insect flying down the tunnel.

CHIKT-CHIKT-chikt-chikt-chikt-chi-

A loud crunch and an end to that incessant chittering echoed through the underground road, prompting Nora to whoop in delight.

"Woooow, did ya see that?" Her jade eyes shimmered, reflecting both the lightstone on her hip and the excitement of her manic grin. "Did ya see how far that one flew? That coulda been a hole-in-one!"

"Impressive," said the Toa of Earth with a small laugh. "Loud, but impressive. Let us go and claim its Krana, before it manages to limp away or call for backup."

The little warrior climbed onto his shoulder and gave a stiff salute. "Sounds like a plan to me! You've got the mask that lets you go fast - onward, steed!"

Onua didn't know what a "steed" was, but he was content to play along with Nora's more…odd tendencies if it made her happy. So he mentally triggered the power of his Kakama, rushed down the tunnel in a black-armored blur, and came to a perfect stop at its end. Predictably, the armless Nuhvok was indeed trying to limp away on unsteady legs…but a quick punch from the Toa of Earth knocked it back down, and a claw digging into its faceplate was enough to tear it loose and reveal the sickly-green Krana within.

Nora vibrated excitedly while still perched on his shoulder. "Ooh, ooh! Lemme rip the tentacles off this one!"

"As you wish," said Onua as he pried loose the disgusting, shrieking mask-shaped parasite and held it at arm's length. "Just be wary that the Krana does not take your mind - I would much rather not fight someone of your strength and enthusiasm."

"No worries! I wouldn't wanna fight me, neither."

With that the excited teenager spit into her palms and rubbed them together, then hopped off Onua's shoulder and stepped closer to the Krana as he lowered his arm. Fleshy, rubbery tendrils instinctively reached for Nora, but she just grinned and caught them in her fists when they whipped towards her face. After winding all the writhing tentacles around her hands, she flexed her arms and pulled with all her strength, straining against the rubbery flesh for a moment before tearing the appendages free. The Krana let out one more scream, then fell silent a moment later.

"Whew…" Nora panted as she wiped her brow, looking at the fistfuls of limp sinew in her hands before tossing them away. "That was fun! And kinda gross, but not too bad. It's just like pulling the hairs outta fresh ears of corn as you shuck 'em! Except the corn hairs don't try to steal your face as you yank 'em out. And you can't eat the Krana. And corn doesn't pilot giant robot bugs…okay, so I guess it's not really the same thing at all."

Onua chuckled once more as he threaded a coil of wire rope between the dormant parasite's eyes, letting it hang alongside the other two such Krana they had collected thus far. "Three down, five to go…I believe this one is the Krana Bo, which gives the Bohrok multiple modes of enhanced sight. It is similar to our Masks of Vision, in that sense - yet it also possesses the ability to see in the dark."

"Well clearly it didn't let this one see well enough," boasted Nora as she pulled out her Scroll and tapped an icon matching their newest prize. "Cause it sure didn't see us coming, eh?"

"Indeed." He chortled once more before tapping his claw to the earth. "I do not sense any other Nuhvok nearby…if you need a break, this may be a good time to take one. You have done well, Nora - a short rest shall do us both some good."

"Sounds like a plan!"

Nora cheerfully saluted, then promptly took a seat right on the Krana-less Nuhvok husk and pulled out a food bar of some kind. The Toa of Earth studied her carefully as she ate, glowing emerald eyes gazing over her form in curiosity. It was more than just her temperament and weaponry that separated her from Blake - she lacked the feline ears of his former companion, her hair was a different color, her muscles were larger and more defined, and her bare skin was covered in markings that resembled bolts of lightning. At first Onua thought they were some form of human body art…but the occasional pained hiss that escaped her lips as she rolled her bare shoulders made him think otherwise.

I trust Ruby's judgment in pairing me with one such as her, he thought to himself, and Blake has spoken of her friends during our travels. Yet there is still much I do not know about this particular human…perhaps it would be wise to correct that, before any unseen issues boil to the surface.

"So, Nora," rumbled Onua in curiosity after a moment. "If we are to work together, I would like to learn more about you. From you, if it is not too much trouble."

His new partner snapped her gaze away from the now-empty wrapper, and her smile returned as she stuffed it into her pocket. "Oh, sure thing! It's no trouble at all, big guy - lemme give you a proper introduction!"

The human girl grinned as she stood up and posed dramatically, one foot resting on the neck of the now-defunct Nuhvok. "As you already know, the name's Nora! Nora Valkyrie! Professional Huntress, heaviest hitter on Team JNPR, and soon-to-be Queen of every castle! I like pancakes, I like explosions, and I love beating up bad guys! My Aura's pretty average - I have more than my partner Ren, but nowhere near as much as our team leader Jaune - but I'm super strong and tough all the same! Point me in the direction of evil that needs a good whacking, and I'll whack it real good!"

She pointed to her silvery warhammer, which Onua noticed now was far denser and heavier than it first appeared. "You've met Magnhild, I presume? Built her myself when I was twelve, and she's been my go-to weapon ever since! She's got a grenade launcher barrel in the hammer head, electric capacitors and wires along the shaft, remote detonators with different trigger stages, an ammo drum big enough for six explosive payloads…everything a girl needs to be both beautiful and effective! Especially when yours truly uses her Semblance - this baby generates a little jolt of electricity for me to absorb, and boom! We both get stronger, faster, and tougher than ever before! There's also a weave of Electric Dust in the belt, juuuust in case we get separated."

"Most impressive," said Onua with a soft chuckle. "I shall certainly keep all of that in mind for future battles. But I was not asking about your capabilities or equipment, Nora. I was asking about you."

Nora blinked several times, her cheerful demeanor seemingly fading. "Oh…me? You wanna know about me? Uh…hmm…ahaha, c'mon now. Why would ya wanna know about something boring like that?"

The Toa of Earth tilted his head as he hummed pensively.

Before he could say anything, however, he felt the ground beneath him rumble with unusual activity. That was all the warning he got before another Nuhvok burst through the wall, twin ebon chisels pounding and hissing with steam.

"Oh, look, another Bohrok!" shouted the Huntress eagerly - a little too eagerly. "Let's get 'em!"

As Nora lunged and turned yet another insectoid drone into scrap metal with a few strikes, Onua hummed thoughtfully. While the thunderous teenager was quick to boast and brag and crack jokes, she seemed…hesitant to share anything he couldn't learn just by watching her. Evasive, almost. Did she not trust him enough to talk about such things? Or did her happy-go-lucky nature conceal her true self, a brave smile that she put on for the sake of her friends?

"Aww…" whined Nora as she examined her latest victim. "This one's got a Krana we already have. Oh well! Let's follow where he came from - maybe he's got friends we can smash up!"

He wasn't entirely sure just yet, but this interaction had given him one crucial insight to ponder as he moved to follow Nora into the newly-dug tunnel.

It would seem that I am not the only one wearing a mask in this partnership.

---

"There they are…right where I left 'em."

Qrow led the Toa of Fire to the edge of a canyon he'd found while scouting alone, keeping an eye on the distant occupants below. Dozens of Pahrak were scuttling around on half of the ravine floor; the other half was taken up by a rising pool of churning water, held in place only by a pile of rocks. While some of the Bohrok were carting more stones to build the wall higher, the rest were digging into some kind of tunnel, giving fresh rubble for the rest of the swarm to keep building.

"They have dug a channel to the sea, and created a dam to build up the collected water," observed the Toa of Fire. "Ta-Wahi has many veins of lava that run below the surface, the largest of which flows just beyond this very canyon. That must be where they intend to tunnel…it would seem they intend to flood the very heart of Mangai itself."

"Is that bad?" asked Qrow.

"It is very bad." Tahu's eyes narrowed. "The volcanic activity of the mountain is slow, yet steady. Should seawater be allowed to flow into its fiery bowels, the water would boil in an instant, and the resulting steam and pressure spike would trigger an eruption like nothing before." At the lack of response on the Huntsman's face, he growled. "Not even my people could survive Mangai's wrath, were it to erupt in full force. Nothing would."

"…so, worse than bad."

"Exactly," finished the Toa as he raised his sword. "We must go down there and stop them. Immediately."

He held out a hand. "Cool your jets there, hot shot. Sure, we can rush in and take out these ones, but that won't stop more of these bugs from coming back and finishing the job. Not to mention that they've got numbers on their side, and we all know how tough they are in a swarm. If we go in all swords drawn and guns blazing, it won't fix anything. It'll just delay the inevitable."

Tahu clearly looked irritated at being stopped, but nodded and looked at him curiously. "What would you propose we do, then?"

"Let's see what I can do from up here first," Qrow said as he stood up. "Gimme some space - you don't wanna be near me when my Semblance is doing its thing."

Of course, he'd neglected to mention that his Semblance was always doing its thing. That was the downside of passive soul powers like his own - it was constantly active at a low level, fueled not by Aura or Dust but by the simple act of being alive. Normally that'd be manageable, aside from the hell it wreaked on his metabolism…but when that same Semblance brought bad luck to anything in its radius, including himself, it made fighting alongside allies a risky endeavor.

There'd only been one person that Misfortune never seemed to affect, and his bloodstained good luck charm still weighed heavily in Qrow's pocket and on his mind.

The Toa of Fire once again nodded in understanding, taking several steps back from the grizzled Huntsman and watching in curiosity. With a nod of his own, Qrow moved closer to the pile of rubble and rock haphazardly stacked into a wall against rising water, skirting the edge of the canyon while keeping a wary eye on the Pahrak scuttling around below. He crouched low and scooped up a loose stone as big as his fist and bounced it in his palm a few times; his other hand ventured into his pocket to find Clover's emblem and run his thumb along the edge, like he'd done so many times before.

"C'mon…" he whispered under his breath, tired maroon eyes scanning the dam for weak points. "You better not be outta miracles yet…you made my Semblance do something good before. Gonna need you to do it again."

He wasn't sure if the ghost of the fallen Ace Operative was listening, but he sure hoped that was the case. His eyes fell on a small crack between several large boulders a decent way up the dam, a clear sign of too many heavy rocks leaning haphazardly against each other. Deciding that this was as good a target as any he took a deep breath, wound up like a professional pitcher, and flung the stone with as much force and spin as he could muster.

The stone whistled as it sailed through the air…

Plink!

…hit the corner of one big boulder…

Gruuuuuuu…

…which lurched and teetered to one side…

CRASH! CRUNCH!

…and finally toppled over, hitting several other rocks on the way down.

Qrow let a grin spread across his face as he watched the aftermath of his lucky throw. It was morbidly satisfying in an odd way, like watching an expertly-stacked house of cards come tumbling down - only instead of spades and jacks and cheap cardstock that fell, it was huge chunks of rubble and stone that gave way to rivulets of water. When the main body of the dam finally collapsed, the collected seawater swept through the canyon in one mighty, deafening wave…one that swept up the shrieking Pahrak before they could react, victims to their own plan well before they were ready to unleash it.

He wasn't sure if the Bohrok believed in luck, but several thousand gallons of misfortune washing over them made a very compelling argument.

"And there we go," he said as he dusted himself off. "One less dam, one less Bohrok patrol, and two less problems. Hope you didn't have your heart set on fighting 'em in honorable combat, cause I don't think they're gonna put up much of a fight now."

Tahu watched the carnage below with a thoughtful hum, then nodded. "This is more than acceptable…good work. And it is as Jaller says: one unfought battle is worth a thousand honorable victories."

"You say that like you expect me to know who that is." Qrow sighed, shrugging off the praise with practiced ease. "C'mon. Let's go grab their brain-spider things before they figure out how to swim."

With another shared nod, the two warriors slowly climbed down to the flooded ravine in order to do just that.

---

After what felt like hours of walking through a maze of half-full canals and ruined buildings, Penny and Helryx finally arrived at their destination.

The Maiden of Mata Nui gasped as she stood at the edge of a great metal valley, one that shared its furthest edge with a sea of silver. Penny could see dozens of cobalt domes arranged in circular patterns along the valley; groups of three half-spheres surrounded steel platforms, connected to the center point and each other by rings of cerulean pipes. Even though half of the sapphire-like surfaces were shattered and a third of the center platforms lay in ruin, the sheer scope of the area still made her head spin. Metru Nui had a way of making the former city of Atlas seem small in comparison - and this area alone made her former home look like a lone Bullhead in the sky.

"Wow…" she breathed, emerald eyes sparkling as they drank it all in. "What is this place?"

Helryx opened her mouth to answer, but a very different voice rang out instead.

"These are the protodermis labs! The beating heartstone of Ga-Metru, currently under renovations. Apologies about the mess…we so rarely get visitors these days."

The source of the voice touched down a moment later like an ancient helicopter - complete with spinning propellers and a sound like rotors winding down. Penny balked for a moment at the small bipedal creature that landed in front of her, gazing over their dark blue scales and short, stubby limbs. Given their hunched frame and dusty robes and overall short stature, they almost reminded her of a Turaga…but their curved, triangular head and tiny jagged teeth reminded her more of a monstrous reptile than anything else.

This must be one of the Rahaga that Dume told me about, thought Penny to herself.

Helryx did not seem bothered - or even surprised - by the new arrival. "Greetings again, Gaaki," she intoned without a hint of warmth or sincerity in her voice. "I hope you've been well since we last spoke."

A laugh came from the serpentine stranger as the propellers on her back folded away. "About as well as I've always been," answered Gaaki in a raspy feminine voice. "Busy with a lot of stuff - cataloging the Archives, fixing up the Knowledge Towers, keeping Iruini's nose out of trouble…the usual order of business." She pointed her spear-like staff to the speechless human. "Who's your friend?"

She felt a hand push her forward slightly in what could generously be interpreted as an encouraging gesture. "This is Penny Polendina, a human from a distant island. I found her and her ability to manipulate machinery during my travels, and have brought her here to aid you in repairing this city."

The freckled Maiden bit her lower lip and put on a smile that was mostly genuine. Right…Helryx had explained earlier that the Rahaga did not know about the Order of Mata Nui, so she needed to be careful in what she said. To Gaaki and her friends, Helryx was just another Toa of Water who sometimes came to visit the decrepit city - and who had brought Penny along as though she were a pet, as Dume had initially believed. She did not like lying…in fact, it was very difficult for her, on account of the hiccups she would get anytime she knowingly did not tell the truth. But it was very important to Helryx that as few people know about her work as possible, and so Penny was once more sworn to secrecy against her better judgment.

Yet another way that she reminds me of General Ironwood… she thought to herself. And not in a good way.

Thankfully, the Rahaga's gaze was warm and welcoming and helped set her nerves at ease. "We certainly could use the aid in fixing things around here. My name is Gaaki, as you may have surmised - it's a pleasure to meet you, Penny."

"I was about to say the same thing," she said with a small giggle and a curtsey. "Salutations, Gaaki. How can I help?"

With a nod Gaaki gestured for the pair to follow her, the rotors on her back spinning as she took to the air once again. Penny did the same while flying on jets of magical flames, while Helryx summoned a water spout for herself to keep up. The blue-scaled Rahaga led them to the furthest cluster of domes along the valley floor, one that was just a few feet shy of the sea itself. As they came closer, the Maiden saw a vast network of tubes and pipes that fed into the silvery ocean, as well as a small concave surface in the central platform that held a few pints of what looked like clear water. Terminals, glass screens, and rounded nubs for seats were strewn around the shallow pool, yet among all the similar setups they passed this was the only one that glowed with a faint inner light.

The trio touched down gently, and Gaaki immediately walked over to the small pool and pulled a bowl out from her robes.

"We Rahaga are better at wrangling and subduing wild Rahi than we are at fixing pumps and mechanisms," she explained while retrieving some of the fluid, "but we've still got steady enough hands and sharp enough minds to do some repair work. Bomonga and I have done what we can to fix the surface-level equipment for these protodermis labs, but even after tinkering with this one for centuries we still haven't been able to completely fix the damage. We managed to make it work, but only at a fraction of its total output - if we can figure out what the problem is, we'll be able to make a lot more of this."

Penny's eyes lit up as the Rahaga brought the newly-filled bowl back to them. "Oh! Water!" she exclaimed. "I am very thirsty - please excuse me."

Before either Gaaki or Helryx could stop her she scooped some of the water into her palms, slurped it down - and almost immediately regretted it. It did not bring the cool comfort of fresh spring water. In fact, given how her nose and throat both burned upon trying to drink it, the fluid brought the exact opposite. She spat it out almost instantly, making sure to aim away from her companions.

"Ack! Blech!" she coughed and sputtered, wiping silvery fluid from her lips. "That is…not water. That is…very bitter…"

Gaaki chuckled lightly and shook her head. "Oh, Penny…this grade isn't for drinking, it's for processing. Purified protodermis like this forms the backbone for every industrial function of Metru Nui…or at least, it did."

"And it will again," said Helryx. "The Great Spirit's well-being depends on it."

Penny had just managed to finish rubbing her nose to ease the flaming sinuses. "Purified…protodermis? Forgive me, I am…aware of protodermis, but not of that state."

"More than fair," said Gaaki as she gestured to the great ocean beyond the cliff's edge. "Protodermis is, as I'm sure you already know, elemental energy in a tangible state of matter. The Silver Sea that surrounds Metru Nui is the substance in its rawest, most adaptable form - labs such as this one were crucial in pulling fluid from that sea and purifying it, removing the heavier metallic compounds and leaving more malleable ones behind."

"From there the purified protodermis would flow to Ta-Metru for metalworking and Le-Metru for the chute network," added Helryx, "while the more solid elements left behind would be shipped to Po-Metru for sculpting. As you saw on the way over, Ga-Metru used to have dozens of purification plants before the Great Cataclysm. This is the only one that the Rahaga have been able to bring back online, albeit in a semi-functional state."

"But if we can get even one protodermis lab in full working order, we can use the material it makes for repairing the rest of Metru Nui," finished Gaaki.

Penny nodded, both in determination and in thanks for the explanation. "Then I will restore it to full functionality. Is there a working control panel that I can access? I will be able to diagnose any problems that you may have missed."

"Should be one over on the left side of the output basin." The Rahaga gestured once again. "You might need to crouch - it's sized for Matoran, not for…well, you."

Giving a nod of thanks to Gaaki, the Maiden followed the instructions and knelt in front of the flickering terminal. She placed her palms against its mirror-like surface, allowing teal threads of energy to spool from her fingers and flow into the hidden circuits and wires. With her Semblance acting as an extension of her eyes and ears and nerves, she navigated the entire connected system through her mind alone, seeing the inner workings of the machine and becoming it all at once.

"Hmm…" she hummed as she scanned the network of tubes and pipes. "Mm-hmm…I see…aha!"

"Did you find the issue?" asked Gaaki hopefully.

"I believe so." She gave a small smile over her shoulder, which morphed into a frown as she kept explaining. "You and Bomonga did a fantastic job of fixing the boiler and condenser tanks, which is why it is able to operate at roughly eight percent of its total projected output. However, the issue preventing further efficiency goes deeper than that - much deeper, in a literal sense of the word. The valves within the pipes that pull material from the Silver Sea are out of alignment, which severely restricts the intake flow."

Helryx's tone was far more impatient. "Can you fix it?"

"Not from here," reported Penny as she withdrew her wires. "I will need to dive into the sea itself to realign the valves, though once I am there it should not be difficult to move them. Is that state of protodermis safe to swim in?"

"I should hope so," chortled Gaaki. "That's where we Rahaga bathe every morning, after all."

The smell alone coming from the bipedal lizard woman could have convinced the Maiden otherwise, but she held her tongue and secured a nearby coil of metallic rope around her waist. "Then I will begin immediately!" she said as she handed the other end of the cable to Gaaki. "Please pull me back when you feel two tugs on the line. I can hold my breath for a very long time, but humans drown very easily compared to Matoran."

As soon as the Rahaga nodded in understanding, Penny took several deep breaths from her gut to fill her lungs…

And then she dove into the Silver Sea.

The liquid protodermis surrounding Metru Nui was quite unlike the oceans of Mata Nui. It was clearer and cleaner and did not sting her eyes, but it also felt heavier and colder than even the ocean depths. She also saw, to her dismay, that the Silver Sea was quite lifeless; whereas she would have seen so many schools of fish in Lake Naho or Leva Bay, here there was nothing swimming or diving apart from the Maiden herself. All Penny could see were miles and miles of machinery that formed into undersea ravines and mountains, along with a network of bronze-gold pipes that fed into the labs above the surface.

Turaga Dume said something about how the Visorak drove away all the wild Rahi within Metru Nui, mused Penny with a puff of bubbles to clear her nose. I did not realize he meant that the sea was devoid of life, as well. That will make getting food…difficult. On Mata Nui, I sustained myself on Ruki fish and Bula fruits - what will I do here?

Filing away that concern for later, Penny kicked with both bare feet and swam down into the silvery depths. The pipes and her Semblance served to guide her deeper, both eventually leading her to a row of gears just above several massive tube openings. She pinched her nose to equalize the pressure in her ears, then gripped a nearby pole with one hand while reaching out with the other. Glowing wires of teal and green surged into the mechanisms, tapping into a machine that was possibly as old as humanity itself…one that invited her to gaze deeper into its mysteries, to stay forever like the lure of a singing siren.

"Blugh…"

She had not even noticed that she was running out of air, or that she was losing herself in miles and miles of machinery. Not until her breath slipped out of lips in a bubbly moan, her jaw dropping to refill her newly-emptied lungs. That ended up being a mistake, as she immediately felt liquid protodermis flood into her mouth - and she learned very quickly that it was very cold, very bitter, and very unbreathable.

"Mmmgh!" Penny doubled over with a muted grunt and a whimper. "Mng…nnngh…"

It was not her most articulate sentence, but what else could she say?

She desperately tugged twice on the cable around her waist, hoping against hope that Gaaki was still paying attention like she had asked. Thankfully the Rahaga recognized the signal immediately, and an instant later the line immediately went taut as something pulled back with surprising force. Lacking even the air to swim, it was all Penny could do but clutch the lifeline desperately while clamping her palm over her mouth. Taking one breath of raw protodermis was terrible enough. She did not want to take another.

After an agonizing moment, her head finally breached the surface with a shrill gasp and a painful cough.

"Done already?" asked the Rahaga with a tilt of her head. "Mata Nui, that's quite impressive -"

"N-no," she sputtered with a shake of her head. "I…the mechanism is more complex than I thought it would be. I…ran out of air too early…I am sorry."

It was not a complete lie.

Gaaki nodded in understanding. "That's quite alright, little one. Take another breath, and try again."

Little one? But…I am taller than you…

Shaking her head to clear it once more, Penny dove down with a fresh lungful of air and determination in her heart. Now that she knew how deep she needed to go, it became easier to get there more quickly and efficiently. She channeled her magic and tapped into her mastery of water to amplify the forces of her kicks and strokes; the protodermis around her was a close enough analogue that it did the same, bending to her will and control of the elements.

So a Toa of Water in Metru Nui is technically a Toa of Protodermis, she mused with a bubbly smile. Then again…perhaps that also applies for every Toa.

Pushing yet another distracting thought aside, she reached the valves and pulsed her Semblance yet again, this time shielding her mind and bracing herself for the effects of the connection. Once more she felt that urge to stay and stare at the ancient machine forever, but she powered through it and narrowed her focus onto just the pipes in front of her. The sensation became far more manageable after that, and remained so for as long as she looked only at what was in front of her.

It was an apt metaphor for her current lot in life, if nothing else.

Realigning the valves was slow, tedious work. While the individual gears glided along their shafts like a well-oiled machine, the sheer number of parts made moving all of them into position a daunting task. Sometimes Penny would run out of air and scramble for the surface with a burning chest and a strained throat. Other times she would lack the energy to do even that, and rely on Gaaki above to pull her lifeline once she got the signal. While the Rahaga was more than understanding of the human and her limits, Helryx was not quite so empathetic. The Maiden of Mata Nui could feel the Toa's patience dwindling with each breath she dared to take, and she did not want to find out what Helryx would do when it finally ran out.

Finally, after more than a dozen dives and over a half-hour of working, the last valve snapped into place.

Exhaustion hit Penny all at once like several tons of bricks, and she let out a tired bubbly moan and tugged twice on the lifeline. She did not have the strength to swim, or command the waters, or even hold her breath anymore. Instead, she opted to let Gaaki pull her to the surface, exhaling slowly and letting her limbs relax and her eyes dull.

That was when she saw that there was something else with her in the sea.

Something very, very, very big.

Emerald eyes snapped into focus with a bubbly yelp as Penny registered what she was seeing. A massive angler fish, one nearly as large as Monstra - but unlike Salem's personal Grimm flagship during the battle of Atlas, this creature was alive and covered in metallic scales. A pair of glowing lights hung from its crown, six pale eyes stared up at her, and many many rows of razor-sharp teeth as long as the Coliseum opened wide as the beast closed in.

Penny barely had any air left in her lungs, but she screamed anyway and frantically yanked on the lifeline.

The cable around her waist went taut for an all-too-brief moment, then fell limp entirely. With nothing pulling her up she scrambled and kicked as hard as she could, trying to put as much distance between herself and the rushing Rahi. But her limbs felt heavy and full of lead, and her chest burned with a complete lack of air. Her vision grew blurry, her nose and throat spasmed and twitched, her movements became far too slow…

FWIIIISH!

It was difficult for the Maiden's air-starved mind to parse what happened next. One minute she saw Gaaki's form slithering through the sea, launching a wheel of cerulean energy at her - not at the Rahi, but at her. The next moment she was floating under a power beyond her own, rushing for the distant surface at speeds that she never thought possible. The Rahaga ascended alongside her while keeping one wary eye on the beast below, which gave an ear-shattering roar through the water for a few impotent seconds before descending back into the depths.

Penny had so many questions, and when she finally broke the surface all of them came tumbling out alongside mouthfuls of protodermis.

"What was that?!" she asked between coughs and gasps. "What did you - how did you - how long was that thing there?!"

Gaaki chuckled and pulled her floating frame along back to the shore, swimming for the both of them with ease. "That was the Dweller in the Deep - the one Rahi in Metru Nui that not even the Visorak could scare away. Usually he hunts around the Great Temple, but lately he's started roaming the city's shores in search of a meal. If my Rhotuka Spinner hadn't made you float, you would've been on the menu. I came down as soon as I felt you giving the signal even after I was pulling you in…seems I was just in time."

Somehow, the explanation hardly helped. The Dweller of the Deep must have been driven mad by the emptiness of the Silver Sea, cursed with a long lifespan and a gnawing hunger. She found its situation pitiable…but she would have empathized far more if it had not come very close to devouring her. And of course, Helryx had not given her adequate warning - something, she was noticing, that was becoming a pattern with the cold Toa of Water.

But in that moment, all she could feel was the aftershock of a very close call.

So that is how it feels to be bait on a fishing pole… thought Penny with a bubbly little whimper, too tired to even keep her head above the water anymore. Now I see why Takua never enjoyed going fishing with me.

"Thank you, Gaaki…" she rasped, shifting her grip on the odd little creature. "You saved my life."

"It's what we do," responded the Rahaga with a warm glow in her eyes. "Hold onto me, Penny - I'll get us back to the shore."

By the time the pair finally came back to the protodermis labs, Penny had gotten her breathing - and her heart rate - back under control. Once solid ground was under her feet yet again she flopped over like a fish on dry land, landing in a pathetic pile of wet clothes, soaked hair, and drained Aura. She silently vowed never to set foot in the Silver Sea again, or any other large enough body of protodermis. Before she could even think about drying off, however, Helryx stepped over and glared at her.

"Have you finished yet?" she asked impatiently. "Or do you still want to swim around like a common Rahi?"

Penny made a mental note to ask Gali later if all Toa of Water besides her were so rude.

"Y-yes…" she panted instead, wiping away silvery fluid that dribbled down her nose. "The valves are in alignment. Gaaki, please restart the purification process."

With a nod the Rahaga went over and pressed a few buttons on the console, and the lab roared to life.

The trio of domes flooded with silvery fluid, swirling beneath the cobalt surface until they became localized whirlpools under glassy metal. Penny watched in awe as steam hissed along the seams of the pipes, which glowed a dull red as the metal itself began to rapidly warm up. Then the protodermis passed from one dome to the next in perfect sequence, traveling along the superheated pathways with each trip it took around the ring. What started as a mercurial liquid turned into a dull-gray sludge, then a creamy white like milk, before finally becoming as clear as fresh spring water. Once it reached that color and consistency, the pipes cooled down and the domes drained; a moment later the central pool filled up to the brim with purified protodermis, and a soft chime confirmed that the process was complete.

All in all, it had taken less than a minute.

"Remarkable…" breathed Gaaki, eyes wide with amazement.

Penny could not help but grin in pride.

Helryx just blinked and nodded tightly. "An adequate start. Report to Norik in Ta-Metru next, Penny Polendina. I am needed elsewhere."

And with that the Toa of Water turned on her heel and marched away - leaving a frowning, half-drowned Penny behind.

"…a simple 'thank you' would have been nice," she muttered under her breath, squeezing her hair to remove the mercurial fluid. I suppose it is too much to expect her to pull the water from my clothes to dry me off, like Gali does.

The blue-scaled Rahaga just gave her a small smile - or as much of a smile as her reptilian head could manage. "She is grateful, you know. Helryx is just…a little colder than most other Toa of Water, and struggles with saying what others are expecting to hear. Sure, she may be mysterious and aloof, but I know that she cares deep down. Even if she won't admit it."

Penny wanted so desperately to believe Gaaki's reassurances, to believe that the leader of the Order of Mata Nui truly had a soft heartstone underneath all her layers of armor and cynicism. But the more she looked at Helryx, the more she felt the shadow of James Ironwood looming over her.

"Well, even if she won't thank you, then I will," said Gaaki with an even wider smile. "Thank you, Penny Polendina. Truly, Mata Nui's will must shine on you, to bring you here to his city."

The freckled Maiden smiled and basked in the praise, though part of her wanted to tell the Rahaga she was closer to the truth than she realized.

She could only hope that Mata Nui's will also included a way back to her friends and loved ones.

---

"…so how is your family doing, Weiss?"

The white-haired Huntress shot a look over her Kohrak at Kopaka, who had an inquisitive look in his non-scoped eye even as his sword and shield clashed against spinning saw blades. Her icy ally wasn't usually much of a talker, preferring to keep to himself, so the fact that he was taking the initiative in asking questions threw her for a loop. Not that she was complaining - communication had been one of the biggest sources of friction between the pair during their last journey together, especially towards the start - but it was still surprising all the same, as was the timing. Evidently, Kopaka thought that the middle of a fight on a snowy slope against a pair of ivory-shelled bugs was the perfect time to catch up with an old friend.

Well, why not humor him? Being Ruby's partner often meant multitasking, after all, even during pitched battles. Especially during pitched battles.

"About as well as they can be doing," grunted Weiss as she pushed back a pair of whirling saws with a glyph, retaliating with Myrtenaster ablaze in Fire Dust. "Winter's still being her usual frosty self, and Whitley stays in his room to work on his hydroponics farm most of the time. Mother's doing better, though - she hasn't touched anything alcoholic in months now, and just being away from wine has done wonders for her physical and emotional health. I even heard her laugh the other day, something she hasn't done around other people since I was eight. And Klein's been nothing but supportive, as usual. He does what he can to help the rest of the family heal, even if he doesn't feel like it's enough."

"It's good to know that your mother is doing well," intoned the Toa of Ice, punctuating his reply with a Pakari-enhanced slash that shattered his opponent's faceplate. "As for the others, everyone goes through grief differently. There's no shame if your brother and sister are still lost in theirs."

The heiress smirked as she spared another glance at her taller friend, watching him yank an ice-blue Krana out of the stunned Bohrok. "Well well well…" she teased, "look at you, being all emotionally intelligent and understanding. Who are you, and what have you done with Toa Kopaka?"

"I've had a lot of practice these last few moons," said the Toa as he shaved the tentacles off the screaming, shrieking little face demon. "And what about you? Were you getting enough food and rest in Vacuo? Did that one human ever end up hurting you again? And has your bond-mate been treating you well?"

Weiss couldn't help but laugh - even as her current opponent came back in for another neck strike. Gods, Kopaka and Winter would get along so well if they ever met each other.

"I got - hyah! - everything I needed to keep being a Huntress, including as much as I could eat!" She parried the incoming blow with the flat of Hakoki, wielding the protosteel disk like a buckler in her off-hand. "Henry hasn't even worked up the nerve to come anywhere near me, especially not after that little incident at the Memorial Site." The Kohrak's head snapped up at a sharp angle, giving Weiss a chance to drive her rapier through the Bohrok's jaw. "And do you even need to ask if Ruby was being a good girlfriend? Come on, Kopaka - you've met her!"

"Just making sure." Her taller ally looped his rope through the eyes of his newest prize, allowing it to dangle on the cord alongside the other collected Krana. "Good form, by the way. Excellent defenses, using your disk like a shield."

"Why, thank you!" Weiss smiled as she used Hakoki's edge to lop off the arm of the Bohrok pinned on her blade. "I guess I picked up a few tricks from you after all, last time I was here. Do we need this one's Krana?"

Kopaka shook his head. "Yours has a Krana Ja, same as the one I just picked up. Go ahead and neutralize it."

"With pleasure."

One twist of a blade and burst of Fire Dust later, the Kohrak finally stopped squirming and struggling.

Weiss pulled out Myrtenaster and flicked the fluid off its edge, grimacing as she watched the rubbery face burn inside the limp Bohrok's sealed faceplate. It spasmed and screamed even through several inches of transparent metal, flailing with its tendrils as if it was trying to escape its fiery fate. Even when it was halfway to ashes, it didn't stop squirming…and neither the tickle in her mind nor the pit in her gut fully went away.

"…have I mentioned how much I hate these things?" she groused.

"They certainly make the Kraata look appealing," agreed Kopaka, turning his gaze back to the snowy slope. "Looks like these two split off from the main Kohrak pack…the rest of their tracks go further into Ko-Wahi, likely in an attempt to locate the village. Are you prepared to make the journey with me to follow them, Weiss? Mount Ihu hasn't gotten any warmer since you left, and you're wearing even less than you did when we first met."

The heiress huffed as she hugged the sleeveless sundress close to herself. "Well, I did spend the last few months in the desert, where it gets ridiculously hot during the day. But it also gets very cold at night…and luckily for you, I'm prepared for both."

She pulled a square of white cloth out of her satchel and unfolded it, revealing a long cloak with a built-in hood and narrow slits that served as goggles. Slipping it over her shoulders made her instantly feel warmer, turning her own body heat back onto herself thanks to the thermal insulation lining the cloth. Once she zipped up the front and pulled the mask up over her mouth and nose, she felt ready to take on whatever cold winds Mount Ihu had in store for her - as well as anything else that called the iciest mountain on Mata Nui its home or its target.

Kopaka nodded in approval. "In that case…let's keep moving. The rest of the swarm can't have gotten too far."

With another silent pair of nods, the two hunters made their journey up the mountain and into the white abyss awaiting them.

---

"More incoming on our left! Pebble, deal with them while I keep these ones occupied - and watch those flames!"

Neopolitan ducked and danced her way across the dunes to meet the new arrivals, narrowly avoiding plumes of fire that turned the sandy hillside into molten glass. The group of red-armored Bohrok - Tahnok, according to Vakama - had all the accuracy and precision of typing with a sledgehammer, with about the same level of subtlety and grace. But their flaming hand shields and their scorching hot blasts didn't need to be flashy or even precise to turn the world into ash - they just needed to burn.

It made them dangerous, sure, but their headstrong approach also made them easy to trick.

She flipped forward and cast an Illusion of herself that rushed blindly at the Tahnok, taking some of the heat off her as the fiery Bohrok targeted her decoy. The false copy of her lithe frame shattered under volleys of flames, leaving a cloud of dust, smoke, and Aura behind. A metal throwing disk cut through the sudden smokescreen and crashed into the lead Bohrok's snout; the blow knocked its head backwards and stunned it just long enough for her to reappear in a ripple of light, catch Shusano on the rebound, and plunge its sharpened edge straight through the faceplate in a killing blow. The Krana split in half with a sickly gurgle, and the rest of the bug seized up before falling over limply.

With one Tahnok down for the count, the rest of the pod grew frenzied and furious. More blasts of flame rocketed towards her from six burning shields, only for stony walls to rise up and block them. She nodded in thanks to Pohatu, who returned it before he whirled back around to face off against the Bohrok that violently demanded his attention. While his Mask of Shielding provided an amber barrier against the flames of two incendiary insects, the third seemed far more adept at elemental manipulation - and worse, it seemed a lot smarter. That became clear when it cast rings of fire around itself and leapt with surprising speed and force, tackling the Toa of Stone and trying to pin him between the ground and a scorching hot death.

"Whoa!" Pohatu yelled. "This one's got a little more fight than I'd like in it!"

Neo hugged her rocky cover with a tight frown, peering over the edge to see Pohatu in trouble. Not only was one Bohrok inching its array of flames closer to his armor, the other two were circling around to fire from each of his unguarded sides. Of course, she was in dire straits herself - the Tahnok firing on her hadn't eased off their assault, keeping her pinned under volleys of scorching blasts. Already she could feel the heat bleed off the stone as it began to melt…soon enough, there'd be no more barrier, and after that there'd be no more Neo.

There was a time when the silent woman would've cut her losses and run. Where she wouldn't have even tried to save Pohatu if it meant risking her own neck.

That time had long since passed.

With a snap of her fingers she pulsed her Semblance, calling on her Aura to will three glassy copies of herself into existence. Two of them sank into the sand and raced discretely towards the Tahnok menacing Pohatu, while the third remained by her side for the moment. When the two rushing Illusions emerged, they burst into volleys of crystalline daggers that hung over the Bohrok; a twirl of Hush and a pulse of Aura activated the Earth Dust woven into her parasol fabric, turning the glassy prisms of light into solid objects of razor-sharp stone. The conjured knives flew with perfect precision into the joints of the red-armored insects, who seized up with sparking servos - and allowed Pohatu to finally break free and put some distance between himself and his attackers.

The third Illusion made a show of running out from behind her melting cover, once more drawing the ire - and the fire - of the Bohrok trying to suppress her. Now that she had an opening, Neo leapt off the fallen Tahnok's head and flung Shusano with a mid-air twirl, bouncing the disk between targets and striking pressure points with echoing metallic clangs. Each stunning hit willed another copy of herself into existence, which immediately got to work on battering Bohrok faceplates with semi-solid parasols and rattling the Krana within. The assault wasn't much, but it left them all vulnerable long enough for Pohatu to make his move - he opened with a swift shoulder check on one, bombarded the second with a shower of semi-molten rock, and brought his heel down on the third with enough force to make it crumple completely.

"Well played, Pebble!" called the Toa of Stone, kicking away the folded Bohrok with a look of disgust. "That takes care of the reinforcements - now let's finish dealing with these troublemakers!"

Neopolitan nodded and ran forward as Shusano returned to her hand, leaping into Pohatu's palm when he stretched it towards her. With a single glance the pair acted together; the Toa of Stone threw her at full force towards one Tahnok with a fractured faceplate, turning her and the hidden blade of Hush into a piercing dart that plunged into its Krana. Before the other two Bohrok could even react, they found themselves scooped up by rising arms of stone. The Toa's own arms were raised to the sky with hands balled into fists, and the rocky constructs mirrored his movements to crush the armored insects in granite palms. When the metal plating refused to yield, Neo took off running up the side of one arm while channeling the Mask of Speed on her Scroll. And when she reached the top she unfolded her parasol to float, switched from the Kakama to the Pakari, and lashed out with a powerful dropkick that sent the Tahnok crashing into - and through - each other.

WHAM!

Both Tahnok kicked up waves of sand as they cratered hard into the dunes, and only one of them scrambled back to its feet with sparking limbs and a cracked faceplate.

The lone remaining Bohrok shrieked as Neo and Pohatu came rushing towards it with enhanced speed, aiming its hand shields at the blurs and releasing twin gouts of continuous searing flame. Toa and Huntress alike dodged in separate directions to outrun the fire racing towards them, ducking and weaving around the sweeping blasts that tried to track their movements. Eventually, after circling their prey for a moment, the hunters finally went in for the kill - Pohatu rushed in with a rising kick to the jaw that knocked its head back, giving Neo a chance to cleanly cleave through its neck using her protosteel disk.

The newly-headless Tahnok body stood for a brief moment, then finally slumped over once its servos stopped seizing up.

Once the pair confirmed that no other Bohrok were coming, they nearly did the same. Pohatu locked his leg joints just to keep himself stable as his upper body practically folded forward. With no mechanical limbs of her own, Neopolitan flopped face-first into the sand with a silent, exhausted groan.

"Spirits above…" wheezed the Toa of Stone, hands resting against his armored thighs. "Seven Tahnok in one battle, and yet even that was more tiring than fighting a hundred Rahi all at once. Vakama certainly wasn't exaggerating when he called them 'fearsome fighters'…how are you holding up after that skirmish?"

A tired thumbs-up signal was the only answer she could muster at the moment.

"Hah, fair enough." Pohatu grinned behind his mask as he took a knee next to her, reaching down and ruffling her short, dusty hair. "Take a short rest, Pebble - you've more than earned it. Regardless of the circumstances, I'm glad to see you haven't lost a step."

She rolled over to better lean into the headpats, giving a weak attempt at a smile in the process. There were a lot of things about Mata Nui and the Motara Desert that she hadn't missed - the searing sun, the grainy metallic sand, the fact that every stupid enemy was armored to the teeth and as tough as nails, and the complete lack of showers and ice cream and food that didn't taste like battery acid. But she did miss Pohatu, the friendly and affable Toa who'd helped steer her onto a better path, and being able to see him again was worth more than every luxury she'd ever experienced on Remnant.

Neo nuzzled her cheek against his metallic palm, hugging him around the wrist and pouring every bit of unspoken affection she could into the gesture.

Pohatu chuckled and gently stroked her neck. "Ah, Pebble…Neo. I missed you too. The desert was a lot more boring without your mischief to liven things up around here. Even Hafu started to want for your company - can you believe that?"

A silent giggle escaped her lips.

"All the same, I'm glad you're here to help with this crisis. Come. Let's gather the Krana of these ones before they start crawling away."

With a soundless groan she pulled herself to her feet, helping Pohatu rummage through the wrecked insects to pull out their gross rubbery brains. The bad news was that most of the face-shaped parasites were unsalvageable - they'd been hacked apart or crushed in the heat of the fight, meaning that the pair only came away with two new Krana to their name. One came from the insect buried in now-cooled rubble, while the other was easily pried from the decapitated Tahnok's lost head. Yet as Neo consulted the Krana Tracker on her Scroll and marked down her prizes, she quickly realized how valuable the latter one was - and how dangerous they could be for others.

"Krana Xa," mused the Toa of Stone as he threaded heavy wire through two sets of lifeless empty eyes. "According to the notes, they have intellect and awareness enough to issue commands and order others around. Most other Bohrok seem to just mindlessly follow the will of the swarm, but these ones…these ones can think freely, and adapt to new situations as they arise. No wonder it fought harder and smarter than its fellows - it must have been the field leader of this little scouting party."

Neo frowned. She knew that Grimm, if left alive long enough on Remnant, could learn and grow in both strength and intellect. There were even stories about a fearsome Beowolf in the forests of Vale, a centuries-old beast with a missing claw who could command his lesser kin like some kind of general. But for some Bohrok to just start their lives - or whatever counted as life for them - as cunning schemers with greater elemental control than the rest of their kind, and the will to carry out such horrific destruction…

What the hell were these things?

Her musings were interrupted by the sound of Pohatu stomping over to her, offering her a hand in a wordless invitation. She accepted it and climbed onto his back, hooking the curved handle of Hush onto his shoulder joint and holding on tightly. Usually the rush of riding a fast-moving Toa across the desert made her stomach do backflips in cheer, but not this time. This time, all she could do was level a disgusted glare at the Krana that trailed behind Pohatu like a kite's tail, staring harshly at the empty eyes of the Xa that seemed to stare right back.

She wasn't the biggest fan of deserts, but she would fight like hell to protect this one.

Especially from brain-dead freaks like these Krana.

---

Several hours after returning to the Order's headquarters, Helryx stood before a team she'd hand-picked for their newest assignment.

The ancient Toa of Water paced back and forth as she triple-checked that all agents were present, accounted for, and properly armed. Two robotic bipedal sentries stood head and shoulders above the rest, diligently holding onto the leashes for half a dozen of the Order's finest Energy Hounds. A tall, lanky, ebon-armored female stood between them, watching her movements with an almost-bored expression. Behind her, a four-armed brute with two horns and a multi-bladed axe twitched in anticipation, kept in check only by the Ko-Matoran that sat on his shoulder. And even though no one could see the last member standing among them, his presence was clear all the same - his mental signature tickled the back of Helryx's mind, like there was something in the corner of her vision that shouldn't have been there.

"This is a reconnaissance mission, not a combat operation," intoned Helryx as she walked the length of the briefing room. "You will be transported to the island above for an undefined period of time, and monitor the situation as it happens. Penny Polendina says that the Bohrok are active - you will confirm this fact, and report whatever you see."

She came to a stop as she pointed. "Jerbraz and Johmak will be the scribes for this operation, as well as the central scouts. Mazeka will integrate into whatever villages the Matoran have founded on the surface, and attempt to learn all he can. Nazara, you're on hound duty alongside the Maxilos units -"

"Aw," rumbled the multi-armed brute with a groan. "Again?"

Helryx managed to keep her optic cover from twitching. "Yes. Again. You're not going up to fight - you're going up to study. Brutaka will open a Gateway for your initial passage, and every three days Botar will teleport to the surface to find you and exchange reports. As always, remain hidden from the Toa and the Matoran…and especially remain hidden from the humans that have apparently also arrived. Any questions?"

Nazara grumbled and groused under his breath, but he thankfully didn't protest any further. Mazeka nodded stoically, while Jerbraz and Johmak both sounded off in affirmation. They understood their roles quite well, and Helryx knew they would prove adept at their Duties - given how the first was an old Matoran, the second was perpetually invisible, and the third could shatter into crystals at a moment's notice, collecting intel in secret would be all too easy.

"Then prepare to depart immediately." She looked over to the golden-armored brute who was standing in the corner. "Brutaka?"

"Yeah, yeah," grumbled the warrior as he pushed off the wall. "One ticket to the surface, coming up."

His wide Kanohi pulsed with power as he tapped into the Mask of Dimensional Gates, forming a violet-rimmed rift in reality beneath the waiting team. While most would've flinched or scrambled to escape the portal, the Order agents were far too well-trained for that. Even the Energy Hounds, silver-skinned canine Rahi with the ability to track any scent or intangible signature for mios, didn't even whimper or yelp as they sank like stones into the Gateway, followed soon by their masters. Once everyone had disappeared, Brutaka cut the power to his mask once more and slumped his shoulders.

"There," he groaned with a small, barely-concealed pant. "Anything else?"

"Yes," said Helryx clinically. "I wish for both you and Axonn to remain stationed on Metru Nui, to continually observe Penny Polendina as she works - and to aid her in repairing the city, as well as ensuring she has access to whatever she may need."

"So we're glorified pet-sitters and construction workers, then?" snarled Brutaka. "Great…and here I thought I'd get a break from the boring assignments for once."

"You could always fight the Dweller of the Deep again if you get bored," said the ancient Toa pointedly. "It could use the exercise, and so could you."

A strangled growl escaped the golden brute's teeth. "No thanks. I hate swimming."

"Then be glad I'm not assigning you to the Pit instead. Are you going to go to Metru Nui willingly? Or should I call Botar and have him drag you there?"

"I can get there myself." Brutaka's eyes narrowed as he once again pulsed his Kanohi, forming a Gateway just big enough for his own frame. "Last time I let that damn Caryxon touch me, I spent two weeks stranded in Skakdi territory. Never making that mistake again."

Helryx watched the newly-motivated Brutaka step into his portal and vanish, just as another surly, armored, toothy brute appeared at her side.

"Speak of the Makuta," intoned Helryx. "How are things in the city?"

Botar grumbled and held out a slate in a large, clawed hand.

"Ah, it seems our newest charge has finished her letter," she said as she took it and looked it over. "Now, let's see here…"

The words carved into the stone were scribbled in uneven circles, but the letters were still legible enough to be read. It seemed that Penny's time on the island had taught her well the Matoran alphabet, though there were odd symbols scratched into the sides and corners that Helryx didn't recognize. An inverted triangle with two rounded bumps where the base corners should have been, a circle that contained two flat lines in its top hemisphere and a curved arc in its lower half, and…several crude figures of herself? Perhaps it was some kind of human artwork.

Regardless, Helryx was far more interested in the words.

Salutations, all! ^.^

My friends, I hope this letter finds you well! I am sorry that I disappeared so suddenly, it was never my intention to worry you. Rest assured that I am safe and well, and far from the dangers that plague Mata Nui. Unfortunately, I cannot return just yet - there is something very important that I must do here, something related to the well-being of the Great Spirit himself. Under normal circumstances, it would not be a concern…however, I believe that what is happening with Mata Nui is a direct result of Makuta's schemes, and the Bohrok may be part of that. I cannot tell you where I am, or what I am doing, but I promise that I am not doing it alone, and when I have finished I will explain everything.

For now, please focus on the Bohrok. As you fight them from above, I shall do so below. Do not worry about me! Even with all this danger, I will be okay - I am combat-ready, after all. ^.^

Sincerely,
Penny Polendina, Maiden of Mata Nui

P.S. Please tell Takua not to get into too much trouble without me there to keep an eye on him! XD

The ancient Toa of Water studied the message several times over, reading it aloud each time with a furrowed brow. How this human managed to be so excited and full of life, even in the written word, was a mystery for the universe itself to ponder. But while she hadn't explicitly said that she was working with the Order of Mata Nui, or that she was in the city of Metru Nui…there was a lot of room for interpretation, and Helryx wasn't sure what these humans or the Matoran would ultimately end up reading between each line.

Trusting one human was already a risk, without the possibility that others might come to "save" her.

She handed the letter off to the fanged titan who'd watched her pace and ponder. "Take this to the Pit for the moment, and stash it someplace where no one can find it. We will wait to see what Jerbraz and the others have to say about these other humans first, to try and gauge how they would react to such news. If they prove to be calm and rational, we'll deliver the letter eventually. If not…if they seem emotional and unstable, and likely to do something desperate for their friend…it may be wise to keep them in the dark for a little longer. At least until the Great Spirit's strength has recovered, and Metru Nui is functional enough."

Botar nodded, then disappeared once more without a trace.

Perhaps once upon a time, Helryx would have felt a pang of guilt within her heartstone at the choice she'd just made.

But that part of her had died many, many, many thousands of years ago, along with so many others in their little shadow war. They were already maintaining a web of lies and secrets to keep the Matoran Universe from falling apart - what was the harm in spinning one more?

---

Lewa had to admit, he was impressed by his new little friend.

The Huntsman known as Lie Ren was quick, agile, and alert. His footsteps were nearly silent as leapt from one branch to another after the Toa of Air, as if he'd been leaf-running his entire life. While he wasn't always very talkative, he was inquisitive - his magenta eyes brightened in curiosity with each new flora and fauna he came across, and Lewa was happy to explain what they were.

"Over there are the Bula-fruit trees!" he said as he gestured to several melon clusters that dangled over their current branch. "Favorite treat-foods of all bird-beasts, from the tiniest Taku chick to the great and mighty Kahu! Also enjoyed by archive moles and Le-Matoran, along with very hungry Huntresses."

"So they're edible by humans?" asked Ren, idly picking one off its stem and examining it.

"Certainly! Go on, sprout-leaf - have a bite!"

With a nod, the Huntsman tentatively did just that, only for his eyes to widen as he hummed in approval. A few more bites led to more, and more, until soon only the metallic stem was left. Ren carefully went over the core to make sure he hadn't missed anything edible, at which point he laid it down over the branch and licked the juices off his fingers.

"Delicious," he said with a smile that faded after a moment. "Certainly better than those desert pears back in Vacuo…those things might've had more moisture than the rest of the food, but that's still not saying much. It's nice to be back somewhere that's lush and full of life."

"You grew up in a similar tree-home, did you not? Ruby said-told as much."

Ren nodded, though he neglected to say more. Lewa decided not to pry further, instead pivoting to a different conversation topic.

I'll need to be clever-bright if I want to learn more about this sprout-leaf, he thought to himself.

"How does Le-Wahi compare?"

The young human hummed thoughtfully, then his smile returned. "Well, it's…very different from what I'm used to. Beautiful, in its own right. I've never seen plants with metal so deeply woven into its roots, or animals that blurred the line between muscle and machinery. I thought Emerald was exaggerating when she talked about some of the stuff she'd seen…but I can see now that it was no exaggeration. It's absolutely incredible."

Lewa could feel his golden Miru practically gleaming in pride, both at the praise and at his old friend speaking so highly of his home.

"Although…"

The warmth in his heartstone faded. "Although?"

"Is the jungle usually this…quiet?"

Lewa tilted his head as he listened for the distant cries and chirps, frowning when his audio receptors picked up nothing but empty wind. "…now that you mention it, no," he mused warily. "It's never this silent-still…"

Ren frowned once more, then drew his weapon and plunged the blade of a knife into the bark of the tree. Holding one finger out in a gesture demanding silence, he pressed his ear against the green steel of the hand cannon with a furrowed brow. The Toa of Air recognized what he was doing almost instantly - his time with Onua had taught him that the ground carried vibrations even up through the trees, and someone with a sensitive ear and a proper tuning tool could listen to movements for kios around.

Seems this sprout-leaf is already well equipped for jungle-work, he thought with a slow blink.

"I hear…" said Ren after a moment. "I hear…a lot of heavy footsteps. Some light ones, too. And…falling trees that almost overpower them both. I'm guessing that's not normal around here."

"Certainly not," snarled Lewa. "Which way?"

"South by south-west." Ren pulled his weapon back and stowed it in his sleeve once more. "Follow me."

With that terse command, the Huntsman leapt off the branch and snagged a vine, swinging to a distant tree with practiced ease. Lewa followed and kept Ren's frame in view, making sure to check his own speed to stay behind the human. While every anxious part of his mind was screaming at him to go faster, to leave his new partner behind, he ignored it. Rushing into danger would do no good for anyone, least of all himself.

As they traveled the twilit jungle, several sounds reached the Toa's audio receptors. He could hear the footsteps Ren picked out earlier, as well as the occasional wooden thump of another tree hitting the ground. He subtly pulsed the winds around him to carry the distant noises further, hoping to catch a glimpse of what lay ahead by sound alone. An incessant chittering and the hissing of some kind of caustic fluid painted a dark picture in his mind - the Bohrok were already here, and it sounded like the Lehvak had wasted no time in working to deforest the entire region.

But what truly made his heartstone sink was a high-pitched whirring that rang out just as the sun went down. It whined and screeched throughout the night air, then dropped in pitch as it was joined by the rending of wood. As much as Lewa wanted to deny that he recognized the sound, he knew what it was all too well.

A saw.

Matau's saw.

The realization twisted his organic muscles into knots as questions spiraled in his mind. Why would Turaga Matau go out wood-cutting when danger's dark-lurking? And why would he do so when these acid-bugs are at work? Vakama sent out crab-letters just as we left Ta-Koro…surely he would've seen that by now, right?

He didn't like the implications of what he was hearing. Ren must have noticed his unease, because he leapt off his branch and landed on Lewa's back. With a nod of understanding the Toa of Air stopped slowing himself down, jumping between trees and gliding across the jungle as fast as he possibly could.

It was all too easy to follow the noise now, but keeping his imagination from filling in the blanks was the hardest thing in the world for Lewa.

Eventually the pair came across a massive wall of vines, one that hung from a tree several times taller than the one they landed on. The sounds from the other side were louder now, the Bohrok's incessant chirping was crystal clear, and Lewa could even smell noxious fumes that assaulted his olfactory sensors. Whatever was happening to the jungle - his jungle - was just beyond the curtain of green, and it took all his willpower to part the divide and peer past the plants.

His breath died in his lungs.

Lewa had expected to see Lehvak in the massive clearing, of course. He'd expected to see the emerald-armored insects scuttling around in unison, spewing sickly green acid to melt great trees at their base. But what he hadn't expected to see were over two dozen Matoran in verdant colors walking alongside the Lehvak Va - let alone that they were helping the very beings destroying their home. And most worryingly of all, Turaga Matau was right in the thick of it, cutting down saplings with his saw-bladed staff and directing his people to pull up roots and bushes with ruthless efficiency. None of them were talking. None of them were singing.

Every one of them wore a bright red parasite where their mask should have been.

"No…my people…" whispered the Toa of Air as his fist clenched. "The Bohrok got to them first. They've been…enslaved. Krana-brained. Lost."

The Huntsman by his side stared in silence, utterly aghast for a moment before his brow furrowed.

"First the Rama-hive, and now this…" lamented Lewa, glowing eyes narrowing. "I failed them already. I won't do so again. We have to quick-save them!"

Before he could even spring forward, Ren held out a hand. "No."

Lewa almost drew his axe in his rage. "No? My people have had their mind-hearts stolen by the Krana, and you would stop me from helping them?!"

"Right now, yes." Ren's voice was clinical, yet heavy with emotion. "There's too many of them, and too few of us. You might be a Toa, and I might be a Huntsman…but even we can't take on an entire village. If we try to help them now, we'll only get killed if we're lucky - and if we're not lucky, they'll stick us with Krana instead. And the last thing Mata Nui needs is people like us enforcing the Bohrok's will. Do you understand?"

A dark memory floated to Lewa's mind, of his body being used by the Makuta to attack his friends and corral his people. As much as he hated the idea of his people suffering a similar fate, he saw the wisdom in the Huntsman's words. He nodded tersely, uncoiling his tensed leg muscles and relaxing his fingers.

"For the moment, our best plan is to hide and watch from the shadows," continued the cautious human. "We know that the Le-Matoran are safe from the Bohrok - they wouldn't put them under control of the Krana just to destroy them later. I know, it hurts to see them like this…but it'd only make things worse for them, and us, if we jumped in without thinking. I promise we'll help them, once we have more information…and more hands to help us free them."

Lewa sighed, then smiled slightly behind his mask. "Spoken like a very good friend of mine," he said quietly. "Very well. I'll follow your lead, although I will admit my sneak-quiet skills aren't the best. Will you teach me, sprout-leaf?"

Ren gave a calming smile in response. "It would be my honor, Toa Lewa."

Tearing his gaze away from the sight of Turaga Matau wearing one of those hideous red Krana, Lewa followed his new partner into the darkness of the jungle.

Hold on a little longer, he solemnly swore, both to his people and to himself. I will return and make this right.

---

(A/N): Well, would ya look at that? Lewa managed to avoid getting Krana'd this time around! Looks like the big guy's learned from last fic, haha.

For those who were hoping for mind-controlled drama shenanigans, don't worry - someone else IS getting Krana'd in this fic…I'm just not at liberty to say who it is yet. You'll just have to wait and see!

Next chapter: back to Vacuo, where we'll be following a longtime favorite team of mine that got done dirty by the books…