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This article was written by Ids5621. Please do not add to it without the writer's permission.
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Matoran Adventures is a short story set on Tehktra Nui during the events of Toa Imydrex's Blog.
Story[]
Chapter 1[]
- Continued from Toa Imydrex's Blog...
At the Agrav airfield of Tehktra Nui, the Matoran of air and gravity were trying out the new hoverboards. First up was the greatest sportsman of the hoverboard, Le-Matoran Aliki.
"Looks pretty much like the old ones. Couldn't you idiots come up with a new design? Okay, let's see if it at least rides well."
Hardly a second after he stepped on the board, he was into the sky at a tremendous speed. "Wooooooooooohooooooooo! Yeah! This is great, even for you losers!"
The five designers standing by were in a flurry of excitement. Finally, they had constructed a board which was an improvement on the original.
Gairon and Katron ran on to the test field. "Where's Aliki; is he hurt? I heard he was going on one of your screaming metal death traps again!" Gairon blurted out.
Then Aliki came to a landing beside the two Matoran. "Guys, guys, you gotta try this. It's amazing!"
One of the five Matoran handed them two more boards, and Gairon immediately shot off into the sky. "Come on, Katron, have a go," Aliki insisted.
"Nah, nah, I think I'd rather not. I wasn't very good at the old ones either."
"You're just a big wussy Stone Rat, aren't you?"
"Am not!"
"Am too!"
"Am not!"
"Am too!"
"I'll show you!" He clambered onto to the board and activated it. Within a few seconds, he was in a heaped pile on the other side of the track.
A shadowy figure appeared at the other entrance to the track and walked up to him. "I know exactly what you want, Katron," the figure said darkly.
"Stay away from me! How do you know my name?"
"I know a lot more than you could imagine."
"Hey, you, get off the track!" yelled out one of the Matoran.
The being raised up his hand, and in an instant, an iron pipe was lodged in the Matoran's face, killing him. The being quickly knocked out Katron, and disappeared once more with the helpless Matoran in his grasp.
Chapter 2[]
Gairon quickly touched down off his hoverboard and ran up to the other Matoran. "Whoa, what just happened?" he said, uneasily eying the dead Matoran.
"Someone just made off with Katron and killed this guy. I'm gonna call in the Ko-Matoran Enforcement Squad.
"But who cares?" protested Aliki. "It was just Katron and whoever that was."
Soon, a team of two Toa of ice and two Ko-Matoran arrived at the scene on hoverboards. "You called?"
"Yeah. An unknown figure just kidnapped one of our Matoran and killed this guy as well."
"Don't worry, we'll find yer culprit."
About an hour later, there was still too little evidence to reach a conclusion. "We're not too sure at the moment, but rest assured, he'll soon be in our grasp. Also, have you heard of the Rusty Mask?"
"I know what that is!" interrupted Gairon. "That's that club in the city, isn't it?"
"Sure is. Our band is having a gig there tomorrow. I don't suppose you lot can can come?"
"Sure, we could!" Aliki answered.
"Cool, see ya there!"
They promptly left. Gairon ran up to Aliki. "Hey, what are we gonna do 'bout Katron?"
"Ah, who needs him?" Aliki replied, leaving Gairon behind. Almost immediately after he was out of sight, a red being confronted him.
Chapter 3[]
Deep in the heart of the building had been a battleground about an hour ago, Rahkshi were patrolling and increasing their numbers. Out of the shadows emerged Toa Zoruxx, with a Le-Matoran held by the ankle in his right hand. Thud! Zoruxx threw the Matoran to the ground and dumped ice water on him.
"AAAAUGH! You again! Stay away from me or I'll, I'll..."
"Save your breath, little one. Like you'd be able to do anything to me. You've never stood up to anyone in your entire life!"
"What do you know about my life...? How do you know about my life...?"
"Foolish Katron. Your life isn't relevant toward why you're here. It's not what you've done that I care about; it's your potential. I see the torment that you face every day, your obvious inferiority to your peers. You just need the right channel for your feelings, and your days of being pushed around will be a thing of the past."
Then, without the slightest warning, he picked him up once more and flung him into on of the vats of energized Protodermis. Zoruxx chuckled and walked off into the darkness.
Within the depths of the shimmering liquid, two yellow eyes lit ,up and bubbles began to arise. A mighty Toa being arose from the liquid with glistening lime armor. "HOLY MUAKA! Is this truly me: a Toa hero?"
"Not without a mask," said Zoruxx, reappearing with a Miru Nuva-esque mask. As he placed it on, energy pulsed through his body, with the amazing sensation of raw energy and confidence. Zoruxx reached into the Protodermis and brought up what was once a hoverboard. It appeared to be a cross between a hoverboard and a longsword.
"You can't forget your Toa tool!"
"Wow, a Toa hoverboard! Wait, I can't use hoverboards."
"Don't you worry. Let the board handle that. And I ask for three simple things in return. First, I want you to go beat Aliki in that airfield, and beat him soundly!"
"You cant count on that!"
"Second, I want you to try and join the new Toa team in the city, and finally, in one week, you must come and find me."
"Where will you be?"
"Right here, waiting for you."
He then left on his new board to travel straight to Agrav.
"That mask will take good care of him!" he laughed. The mask he had bestowed upon Katron was not a Miru Nuva; rather, a mask of fury, a mask that fed on stress and desire. Knowing that Katron was easily upset, but kept it bottled in, he knew this mask would bring out the worst in him. And just in case he grew suspicious, he'd planted a jetpack within his armor to simulate the powers of a Miru.
Zoruxx began plotting in his dark thoughts.
Chapter 4[]
Meanwhile, Toa Ikarki, who had recently turned down an offer to join Toa Imydrex's team, had traveled down to the Fire Kingdom using the one sea bridge to it, only to be captured by the hostile inhabitants. He was currently residing underneath the Coliseum, chained up in the prisons.
Blast it! If only these stupid guards weren't here, I'd be able to escape. Wait a minute: I'll use my mask!
He then activated his mask of confusion, causing the guards to go loopy and out of control and giving him the opportunity to smash through the chains with ice. Soon, he was out of his cell, walking past all the rogues and misfits in the other cells that the Kingdom deemed unlawful. The Fire Kingdom, though part of the island of Tehktra Nui, was very much separate socially. They didn't like the Tehktra Nuian mainlanders, so any "outsiders" were captured as prisoners.
Ikarki then walked into a dark room, where two beings were discussing matters. He made sure that he was unseen by the pair, just to be safe.
"The city needs power, so cut cut off the supply, blast it!"
"Fine, fine, but the files need to be delivered. The plan must succeed!"
"We must be careful. Our spies have received a tip that another one wants the city for himself."
"Don't you worry. He will soon be dealt with, but where shall the delivery point be?"
"The Rusty Mask tomorrow. The crowds will make sure we are unseen."
"EXCELLENT!"
Holy Mata Nui! Ikarki thought. Whatever they're up to, I've got to put a stop to it! He ran through the prison entrance, swiped from one of the guards what he came to the Kingdom for, ran to the shore, hijacked a boat, and headed for the closest area... the energy fields.
Chapter 5[]
Jessaco, a Matoran of lightning, was working at the energy fields, fixing the electricity ducts, when Ikarki arrived before her. "Wow, a Toa! I've never seen a Toa in person before! What an honor it is to be in your presence."
"Yes, yes, that's all very nice, but everybody here is in grave danger!"
"Grave danger! I'd better warn the others..."
"No, we don't want to cause mass hysteria. Anyway, I've got a job for you."
"For me? Wow! I've always wanted to work with a Toa!"
"Well then, today's your lucky day." Ikarki told Jessaco to gather all the Matoran of lightning and magnetism who worked at the energy fields and take them to a safe refuge.
She took them to an underground safe hold and locked the hatch, much to the other Matoran's protest, and then returned to Ikarki promptly after. "Your orders are complete, Toa. Should I return to the shelter with my fellow Matoran?"
"Actually, how would you like to go on a second mission for me?"
"Would I ever!" she replied, excited.
"Do you know where the Rusty Mask is?"
"Yeah. That's that club, isn't it?"
"That's the one. I've received some information that a Ta-Matoran--"
"A Ta-Matoran?" she interrupted. "They're never on the mainland!"
"Let me finish. As I was saying, a Ta-Matoran should be delivering some vital information for the safety of the city. I'm not sure exactly what the info is, or who it's being delivered to, but I need you to hang around and see if anything suspicious is going on."
"You can count on me!"
Chapter 6[]
"Don't you come a step closer to me or I'll--or I'll--"
"Silence, fool!" said the red Makuta, throwing Aliki into a wall. "What do you know about him?" He slowly advanced toward Aliki.
"About who? Hey, don't come any closer or I'll shove this jousting spear so far up your..."
The Makuta grabbed the spear and crushed it with the brute force of his Protosteel claw. "The being who captured your friend. What do you know about him??"
"I barely got a glimpse of the guy."
"This never happened, ya hear?" He then vanished.
Aliki rushed up to the nearest sonic emitter to contact the Ko-Matoran Enforcement Squad. But in the corner of his eye, the red Makuta appeared once more. He dropped the emitter and ran. Soon enough, the Makuta made his way to the energy fields.
Meanwhile, across the city, a Toa on a hoverboard was soaring toward the air and gravity settlement of Agrav, feeling quite proud of himself and his new Toa body, for this was Toa Katron. Once a small, inferior Matoran pushed around by even his friends, but all this was about to change.
Zoruxx had given him all he had even wanted in life. Importance. Now, in his gratitude, he had been commanded to do three simple tasks, all of which he must complete within a week. He was back, and was out with a vengeance.
Chapter 7[]
Ikarki gave his luck to Jessaco as she left for the city and prepared to set off himself when, suddenly, the Makuta swooped in front of him. "I believe you have something that belongs to my Fire Kingdom, Toa."
"Back off, Akatax! This is rightfully the Tehktra Nuians! I will protect this with my life if I have to!"
"Oh, really? Lets see about that, eh?" He reached out a long spear and pointed it at Ikarki's neck. "Last chance, Toa."
"Try me," Ikarki replied, kicking the spear away in the process of a backflip.
"So be it." He leaped toward Ikarki, baring his Protodermis claws, but Ikarki was too fast.
"AAAAARGH!" He yelled out in fury, jumping here, jumping there, throwing punches here and there, Ikarki barely dodging them. Then Ikarki reached out with his sword and ran toward the Makuta, only to be deflected by his infected Hau.
As he was down, Akatax picked up his spear and pierced his throat. As Ikarki bled to death, he picked up the item that he had picked up at the Kingdom, spat on him, and left a message within the carcass, making toward the Energy Field controls. He smashed them up, rewired the energy ducts leading to the generator, and swiftly left.
- To be continued in Toa Imydrex's Blog...
Chapter 8[]
Toa Katron landed at the Agrav test track and started walking around. The place was deserted. He walked up, finding a sonic emitter off the hook and strewn on the floor. He picked it up and put it to his face. A machine on the other end of the line picked up.
"Hello. You've reached the Ko-Matoran Enforcement Squad hotline. Please state your emergency. Press 1 for--"
Katron placed it back and looked around once more. "Hello! Hello! Is anyone there?"
A scientist walked out of one of the large entrances. "Whoever you are, get off! You are unauthorized, and the track is closed under request by Aliki."
"Aliki..." Katron muttered under his breath. Just the mere mention of his name brought great anger upon him. Suddenly, his mask began tingling. All of a sudden, he was unable to control his movements, and picked up the Matoran and flung him into the wall with such force that the wall was dented. "TELL ME WHERE ALIKI IS!"
"Why, I-- I--"
His temper was building up and his mask felt more powerful. He punched him in the face so hard that the mask was embedded into it. "WHERE IS HE?"
"Clubbing, he's gone clubbi--" The Matoran fell dead on the floor.
Katron walked out of Agrav, feeling woozy, totally unaware of what had just happened. "All I can remember is the word clubbing. Clubbing, clubbing. Wait, the Rusty Mask! That's where Aliki must be..."
After a few minutes' rest to regain his self-control, he donned his board and took off.
- To be continued in Toa Imydrex's Blog...
Chapter 9[]
Deep underground, below the Fire Kingdom, in a large cavern, a Makuta swooped down and began to walk. He looked around and saw the colossal engine-like structures in the dim light. Even though he had been here many times, it still felt strange and alien. The technology around him seemed alien, too.
"I have returned, oh powerful Master. And I have brought the encryption key."
"Excellent!" A deep voice emitted from the shadows. "I shall save that until I get my Olmak from that Matoran scum!"
"I have worked for you for many a year now, Master, and I still haven't a clue of your plan."
"WELL, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND OUT, YOU INQUISITIVE DEVIL! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT BEFORE I TEAR UP YOUR PATHETIC MAKUTA ARMOR!"
The Makuta fled. The being called the Master began thinking aloud. "My plan, eh? He wants to know my plan! The fool! I came here many thousands years ago, only to become comatose--I still remember--only to wake up a few weeks ago to see my creation inhabited by Matoran of all kinds... the scoundrels! The time shall soon come for me to return to my realm, and soon they shall all pay! AKATAX, get back in here!"
The Makuta nervously came back in. "Yes, Master?"
"I see that this Zoruxx fellow wants this city, too. Deal with him. NOW!"
"It shall be done."
Chapter 10[]
Jessaco arrived at the Rusty Mask. She immediately went downstairs and blended in with the dancing crowd.
Pretty soon, she stopped to see a nervous-looking, twitchy Ta-Matoran. She pretended to be dancing, and started following him. He went up to a Le-Matoran. They greeted each other, and he slipped a message into the receiving Matoran's grasp. He ran up the stairs, and she ran after.
He ran out, off the building, and immediately after, a large group of Rahkshi arrived. Before she could chase after the Matoran, the Rahkshi had already trampled over her, injuring her. She was just able to make herself to her MVT. After a bit of rest, she headed on the road toward Agrav to look for Ikarki.
- To be continued in Toa Imydrex's Blog...
The Matoran jumped on a hoverboard and headed to the mud-flats. From there he took a boat to the mine via the ocean. Once he reached the miners' settlement, he began to wander.
Chapter 11[]
Zoruxx made his way back to the building which was currently considered unused by the city and set to be demolished. How? How could I lose that fight? And to that orange piece of... I need a rest.
He heard the sound of large machinery. That's it! I need to become like my comrade Vels! Get rid of this pathetic light and have powerful shadow!" He went up to a large chest of several weapons and devices and pulled out a Tridax pod. Finally! I will be as great as can be!
He cracked open the pod and attached a leech to his chest. Then, all of a sudden, a huge wrecking ball flew through the building and threw Zoruxx out the other side, leaving the light drain half complete.
"Hey, there was someone in that building!" yelled out the Matoran controlling the ball to his fellow demolition workers.
"You fool!" Zoruxx shouted. His voice was deeper, and crackled as he spoke. He relinquished a blast of shadow from his right hand, killing all the Matoran working there. "Excellent," he thought aloud, and picked up one of his axes and a rusty part of the wrecking ball chain.
"Don't you worry, Ganon, you shall be punished. YOU WILL ALL BE PUNISHED!" He laughed and headed off to find a new base.
Chapter 12[]
The place was bustling. Miners of all sorts were walking around with machinery, equipment, tools--you name it. The Matoran got out the message he was given and began to read it.
"As you know, you are now under the Master's control, and are involved in his bidding. You are protected from my future plan.
"You must now find the Onu-Matoran of the name Gyvux. He wears the Kanohi Kadin, and is rebuilt. He is the owner of the mines, and it is of great importance that you find him. He is very skilled at mask-crafting, so he will be the only one able to craft an adequate Olmak. Once you find him, give him the instructions and report back to the Fire Kingdom.
"-The Master."
"Watch it!" He crashed into a Fe-Matoran.
"You watch... Wait, do you know where I could find Gyvux?"
"Um, I'm not quite sure myself, but I think I know someone who does. Go to the entrance of the actual mine, and there should be a guard there. He'll probably know where he is."
"Thanks... idiot," he mumbled under his breath. He headed toward the mine, and as stated, a guard was standing at the entrance.
"Hey, you!"
"What?"
"Where d'ya think you're going? The mine is for miners only!"
"I wasn't going to the mine. I was going to ask you something!"
"Oh..."
"Could you, by any chance, tell me where Gyvux is currently?"
"Just go down that path down there and he should be in that last building." He set off for the building.
Chapter 13[]
The Matoran made his way down the path until he reached his destined building. He tapped the door and said, "Hello? Anyone there?" There was no answer.
A hand lay itself on the Matoran's shoulder. "AAAAGHH!"
A friendly looking Onu-Matoran wearing a Kadin stood before him. "Hope I didn't scare you too much!"
"Not a bit."
"Good, good. Well, I--RAHHHHGGGGH!"
"AAAAHHHH!"
"Heh, heh. Gotcha again!"
"Don't do that!"
"Alright, what can I do for ya?"
"Oh right, I have an order to place for an Olmak. I hear you're the best mask-maker this place has got!"
"Well I hope you've got a pass from KMES, because otherwise you're unauthorized to receive such a powerful mask."
The Matoran filed through the papers handed to him at the club and found a pass. "Here you go. I understand everything is in order."
Gyvux checked everything out. "Everything seems to be okay. It'll be done by tomorrow. Will it be collected or delivered?"
"Delivered, please, to Agrav. And address it to Myto, number 18 at block 15."
"You got it!" He began walking off.
Gyvux shouted out, "Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you one thing."
"What's that?"
"YARGH!"
"AAAAAAH!"
"Ha, ha, ha! Got you again, kid."
"Very funny." He ran off.
Chapter 14[]
Zoruxx had been walking for hours in the sewers of Tehktra Nui, ankle-deep in foul sludge, avoiding the crowds of the surface, enabling him to begin the next stage of his plan. Finding a new base would have to wait.
He took out a small test tube containing a sample of the stuff in the vats of his old hideout. He added a bit of his new shadow element and some liquids from the sewer. The once-silvery liquid soon turned to a dark purple swirling chemical concoction.
"Perfect!" Zoruxx whispered to himself grimly.
He continued walking until he could see light at the end of the sewer tube. He emerged into a sterile, clean water-cleansing plant with a huge vat of pure water. Several tubes and machines were connected to it, and several chemicals were being pumped into it. "The island's drinking water supply. Just what I was looking for."
He jumped out of the sewer tube which was jutting from the wall, its contents being pumped into a cleanser. There was an empty vat to the side, and Zoruxx rushed to it. He snapped the pipe connecting the sewer water to the cleanser and reconnected it to his empty vat.
"Oi, what d'ya think your doing? Get outta here!" a Ga-Matoran scientist yelled out, only just entering the building. "Do you have any idea how dangerous messing with that could be?"
"I couldn't care less, puny fool!" and he sent a little shard of iron into her shoulder.
"Wow, big whoop! Can you just get out of here before I call KME... ungh!" She collapsed on the floor, her body engulfed with shadow channeled through the shard.
"What a mess!" Zoruxx threw the corpse into his vat of sewage. He then channeled his shadow powers into the vat, causing it to turn pitch-black. "Now for the piece-de-resistance!" He poured the contents of the test tube into the vats, turning it into the purple swirling mass. "I call it the Infection!"
He laughed as he connected the vat into the pure drinking water supply and quickly left the plant via the sewers to resume his search for his base.
- To be continued in The Journey...
Chapter 15[]
- Continued from Toa Imydrex's Blog...
Jessaco, after being thrown out of her own MVT by a certain crazed Toa, eventually got her ride back and made herself back to the Energy Fields. There she resumed her work.
A Matoran mailman was coming down to Agrav to deliver a special package to a certain Myto. He arrived at the destined address, and soon delivered the package. "Finally, the Master should be pleased with this Olmak."
He got into a MVT and headed toward the Fire Kingdom. He put the Olmak on as a joke while driving and looked in the mirror. "Ha, I look like a Toa! What the--?" He somehow accidentally activated it, and a portal opened up. "Uh oh, this doesn't look good."
He quickly drove off. A being stepped out of the portal and began making its way toward the energy fields.
Jessaco was leaving the fields when she encountered the being. "Oh, my Mata Nui! You're me!"
The being was an alternate Jessaco. "No, I'm not you! I was just going back to work!"
The alternate Jessaco reached out to Jessaco, to touch her. But the laws of time and space could not stand one too many paradoxes, and immediately a maelstrom of energy swirled around the two, fusing them together into a Toa. Her mind was completely wiped regarding the last few days.
"Where am I?"
Chapter 16[]
- Continued from The Journey...
Zoruxx stopped suddenly and marked a cross in the desert sand with his foot. "My base shall be located here! Scatter, my sons. Gather up materials for me, and be quick about it, or there shall be brutal consequences!"
The mass of Rahkshi switched into flight mode and took off in each direction. Zoruxx began pacing, using his machine-building skills to devise a base blueprint within his mind. He suddenly stopped and swung his head around. A Desert Ape had been following him.
"Ah, foolish primitive beast! I have no time for this! You don't even deserve the dignity to be killed by me!" Zoruxx began walking. He then stopped and turned around. Before his eyes, the Ape had spread wings!
What the--? It's probably some sort of sewer mutant. Sewer, heh, heh. Zoruxx thought back about an hour ago when he had seen the Po-Matoran searching in the sewers. Stupid fool! Ha, ha ha ha ha! Searching in the sewers, ha, ha!
He suddenly realized that the winged Ape had a large lance and was running toward Zoruxx on its hind legs. "Holy Muaka!"
The ape swung it toward him and Zoruxx leaped out of the way, landing face-first into the sand. He coldly stared at the Rahi. "Oh, now you've made me angry!"
Using his iron powers, he produced a shield and sword and began attacking, but much to his disbelief, his blows were easily dodged by the Desert Ape. Using its immense strength, it picked him up and threw him several yards. How could a brainless Rahi be able to perform such moves? Wait a minute... what a fool I've been! This is no Rahi!
The Ape approached the now-standing Zoruxx. "So now, we finally meet... Akatax!"
The ape's face morphed into an infected Kanohi Hau Nuva. "Hello there, Zoruxx. Sorry you have to leave now!"
He brought down his lance from over his head and it got embedded in the ground as Zoruxx dodged. "And by 'leave,' I mean 'leave your corpse to rot!'"
Chapter 17[]
Leresh drove in on his MVT and ran up to Jessaco. "Jessaco, you're a Toa!"
"Leresh, I'm so glad to see you; I can remember a thing."
"Also, there's something I want to tell you, and I've always wanted to ask you."
"What's that?"
"I lov--"
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
"Hold that thought, my sonic emitter is ringing. Hello?"
"Hello. I'm from the KMES tracking building. Currently, we are hiring all Toa to our organization in an effort to rid our city completely of evil. You must report to KMES headquarters ASAP. Over and out.
"Sorry, Leresh, I've got to go. Let's meet up somewhere later, okay? Maybe at Agrav stadium?"
Though it wasn't a officially a date, it was an invitation, and Leresh (who had always had a crush on her) was over the moon. "Yes! Of course!"
"I'd best be going now; see ya!"
Leresh got back into his MVT and headed back to the miners' settlement to get ready. "Oh, boy, I can't wait!"
He reached into a storage compartment and pulled out a picture of Jessaco. "I have to be brave. I will ask her out at the stadium!"
- Continued from Toa Imydrex's Blog...
"So, now that you are officially an honorary member of KMES, you will be stationed at the upcoming games. You will find two Toa, one of iron, and one of plasma. You will join them and essentially guard the important game between Katron and Aliki."
"Aliki! He's awesome at hoverboarding. I love his games!"
"This isn't a free ticket; this is your mission until further notice, understood?"
"Yes, sir."
"A MVT is waiting outside to take you to Agrav."
"That's okay; I've got my own." She then headed off to Agrav.
- To be continued in Toa Imydrex's Blog...
Chapter 18[]
Zoruxx flung an iron girder at Akatax, but he deflected it with his lance.
"I'm guessing that that was your best shot!"
"You wish!" He released a blast of shadow from his left arm, but Akatax's wings took him into the air and he absorbed the blast through his Ape chest, amplifying it before returning it to sender. Zoruxx fell to his knees. Akatax came in for the final blow. Zoruxx, thinking fast, ripped a hole in the side of Akatax's armor, using his iron powers.
"Aargh! Pathetic Toa scum!" He brought down his fists on Zoruxx's skull and threw him a few yards. Akatax patched his armor and began approaching the vanquished Zoruxx. He looked up, realizing his incoming doom, when suddenly the Mechanical Rahkshi landed, bearing pieces of metal and stone.
"Ah, a Makuta's best friend, the Rahkshi. It seems I have reinforcements! Finish the job, Rahkshi!"
The Rahkshi did not respond. Instead, they just stared at Akatax with their cold beady eyes.
"I said, finish the job!"
The Rahkshi dropped the materials they were carrying and took out their power staffs. They began closing in on Akatax in a circle.
"Ummm... not me, the Toa, THE TOA!"
Hisss! A Gurahk knocked his lance out of his hands and snapped its head toward him.
"Ohhh, this isn't going to end well..." The large group of Rahkshi all attacked him at once, and quite brutally at that. Akatax teleported before he could take on any fatal damage. The Rahkshi went to help Zoruxx up.
"Yeah, that's what I thought. Flee, cowardly Makuta!"
"YOU DID WHAT?"
"I'm sorry, Master. I was outnumbered and I had no choice but to flee."
"BUT HE'S STILL ALIVE, ISN'T HE?"
"Well, yeah, I guess, but..."
The Master picked up Akatax and went through the wall of his lair into a large room full of stasis tubes containing many species, even some from not this world. "YOU PATHETIC PIECE OF...."
He swung his fist at Akatax, but he dodged and he accidentally smashed one of the stasis tubes, releasing the specimen within. The stinger bearing tan being residing in the tube ran into the shadows of the cavern. "YOU RELEASED IT, YOU FOOL! I NOW HAVE TO CAPTURE ANOTHER! I AM GOING TO HURT YOU SO BADLY!"
Chapter 19[]
The tan being managed to make itself down from the surface and into the Fire Kingdom, entering the now-deserted main square. All the Ta-Matoran residents had been ordered to head down to the caverns below by their leader.
But one stubborn Matoran, who strongly believed that the Ta-Matoran should should be one with the Tehktra Nuians, had other plans. He had packed his bags and was leaving for the mainland. He was heading out via the main square when he saw the tan being looking confused, as if it was surveying its surroundings.
"Wow, Mata..." he thought aloud.
The being snapped its neck toward the Matoran. "Ugly Agori, you fall to Vorox!"
"Agori?"
The Vorox brought down its stinger tail, just missing the Matoran. He grabbed his backpack and ran for his life, the Vorox in quick pursuit. What the Karzahni is that thing? Where's the metal and gears? It looks almost... fully organic!
He ran out of the Kingdom gates and pulled the switch to close them. But large, heavy, Protodermis gates can only close so fast. "Hurry! Hurry!"
But it was too late. The Vorox skidded through the gates and fired its Thornax at the Matoran. He only just was able to dodge it. "What, it fires Madu?"
He began running across the bridge to the mainland, still being chased. He turned around for one second, and that was his final mistake. He was impaled by the Vorox's tail and that was the end of him.
The Vorox continued over the bridge and soon ended up in the desert. "Ah, Vorox home."
Zoruxx had just about finished his new base. "A bit patched up, but it'll work." He and the Rahkshi entered the cramped metallic hut.
"Get out, you scum, there is no space for you!" The Rahkshi trooped out. "You stay out there! That's where you reside!"
He sat at a crudely built desk and began to formulate a plan for conquest. Hisssss!
A Guurahk had come to the entrance of the base. "What is it?"
The Rahkshi pointed into the distance as a figure was coming into view. "What the Karzahni is that?" Zoruxx thought aloud.
Chapter 20[]
Zoruxx and his Rahkshi had captured the Vorox and bound in in irons before knocking it unconscious.
"This is like nothing of this world--fully organic and everything. Maybe I can construct a mechanical army of these too!" He scanned its body and found a sort of collar on its neck. Engraved in the collar was the word "Vorox," and pictures of other creatures.
"Mata Nui, this thing looks like a huge reptilian Rahkshi! Maybe I could build some of these as an occupation force!"
Suddenly, a Vorahk flew in. Hissssssss.
"KMES are looking for me, eh? They'll have to wait. I've got a lot of construction to do!"
Zoruxx, Vorox, and the Rahkshi were gathered outside his base, admiring his new creation. "There, finished. My colossal robotic Rahkshi is completed!"
SWOOOOOOOOOOOSH! KABOOM! A rocket flew into the base, destroying it instantly.
"Holy--" He turned around to see an army of Ko-Matoran and several tanked vehicles.
"You have the right to remain still!"
Zoruxx knew when he was outgunned. "Flee!"
He latched onto the back of his colossal Rahkshi, and he and the rest of the Rahkshi switched into flight mode and took off, KMES in hot pursuit. Eventually, he was off the shores of Tehktra Nui.
"Drat," Kopak thought aloud. "Okay, troops. Return here with water-bound vehicles tonight. I think I know where he's headed."
Eventually, Zoruxx landed on a lush green tropical island neighboring Tehktra Nui. He looked around, searching for signs of civilization, but there were none.
"Now, this is what I call a base! I can grow my occupation force here and plan my conquest! Now, this has to have been one of my better ideas!"
Hisssss!
"What should I call it? Oh--Axorla Nui!"
- To be continued in Kopak's Hunt...
Chapter 21[]
"People of Tehktra Nui, we have gathered here for one of the most historic moments in our island's colorful past. This will make a new and great chapter that will be told for generations. Lest we forget..."
A Matoran of magnetism got up in the crowd. "GET ON WITH IT, WE WANNA SEE SOME ACTION!"
The crowd all rose and began yelling in agreement. Ganon stood up and fired a blast of plasma in the air. "BE QUIET!" The crowd went silent.
"Let the contest begin!"
Aliki and Katron took center stage and the crowd began chanting.
"OH, OH, OH, OH, OH, OH..."
"Ahhhhhhhh, Katron!" Jessaco said to herself.
Katron? thought Leresh to himself.
The Matoran announcing handed each of them a jousting spear and their hoverboards.
"Ready for defeat, Katron?"
"Just ignore 'im, Katron. Keep yer head," Katron murmured to himself.
"Remember the golden rules: no contact of any body parts, and no touching the ground, understood? Alright, gentlemen, are you ready?"
"Yes, just start us already!" Aliki shouted.
"GO!"
They flew out of the starting blocks, and the crowd went mental. The two beings of the element Air, in heated competition, zoomed through the air at incredible speeds. Aliki rammed his board into Katron, nearly knocking him off balance.
"You've improved since I last saw you in a pile from your own terrible hoverboarding skill! Who's your teacher, eh?"
Katron swung his spear at Aliki, but he gracefully leaped up off his board and landed again once more. "Pathetic, simply pathetic. This is how it's done!" He jammed his spear into his board, flipping Katron off.
"Toodle-oo! See ya at the finish line, sucker!"
Katron, by sheer luck, was able to hold onto his board by his hand alone. His mask glowed violently, but rather than converting his ravage emotions to sheer destructive power, it channeled it into athletic skill. He acrobatically backflipped onto his board and zoomed after Aliki at tremendous speed.
The first checkpoint came up, and Aliki skillfully leaped through the ring and back onto his board, still ahead of Katron. "FIRST CHECKPOINT, ALIKI IN THE LEAD!" announced the loudspeaker. The crowd went wild; the clear favorite was sure to win!
But Katron wasn't out yet. He sped up his board and leaped off prematurely, but somehow cavorted in the air and dived through the hoop with amazing precision, and landed on his board. Aliki looked back in awe. "Holy... How the Karzahni did he do that? WOW!"
Aliki nearly hit an artificial rock-face planted as an obstacle, but swerved out of the way, slowing him down. This allowed Katron to go into the lead and get to the next checkpoint.
"SECOND CHECKPOINT, KATRON IN THE LEAD!" The crowd went crazy with amazement; never did they expect Katron to be this good.
"Never again will I slip up like that again!" He zoomed up and caught up with Katron. He rammed his board full pelt into the rear of Katron's, with no effect. Katron slowly turned around, his board still going, and his face was glowing bright yellow and his eyes weren't visible.
"What the--?"
Katron swung his spear into his board, and Aliki was thrown into the side of the wall. sparks flying wildly, Aliki barely staying in the air.
"Don't mess with me, Aliki. This is merely payback for all the suffering you have caused me throughout the years!"
"'Don't mess with me?' So scary!" Aliki reduced his height in the air until he was under Katron's board, and before Katron could do anything, he rammed his spear into the base of his board. Katron and his board began falling to earth. "So long, you pathetic fool! You weren't good back then, and you ain't good now! You can kiss that cup goodbye!"
The crowd gasped to see Katron fall. "KATRON, nooooo!" Jessaco cried out.
"Katron? KATRON? What's so great about him?" Leresh muttered. He stood up. "GO ALIKI!"
As he was falling, Katron felt as if he was falling in slow motion. His life flashed before his eyes; his encounter with Zoruxx; his first-ever go on a hoverboard; and all the times he had been insulted and pushed around. He felt more angry than he had ever felt in his whole life. His mask glowed with the intensity of the sun, and pain rippled through his body. Just before he hit the ground, the board almost magnetically re-attached to his feet, and he took off into the air.
The crowd's reaction was spectacular; this was an amazingly unexpected comeback. "YEAH! GO KATRON! WOOOOO!" Jessaco jumped to her feet, whilst Leresh was filled with jealousy.
Katron sped up at an amazing speed--he looked like just a green blur! He caught up with Aliki and rammed into his board at full pelt. The collision caused both to fall off their boards. They had no choice but to switch boards, and Katron easily went carried on.
Aliki, on the other hand, couldn't get Katron's board to work, due to the fact it could only work in conjunction with the Jaxok, and he hit the hard, unforgiving ground. Katron made the last checkpoint and made a landing at the finish. The crowd was ecstatic and were cheering and shouting wildly.
"YAY, KATRON!" Jessaco screamed.
"Bloody Katron..." Leresh muttered.
Katron with the Crystal Cup
The announcer came over to Katron with the crystal cup and lifted his arm. "THE NEW CHAMPION OF HOVERBOARDING, KATRON!" The crowd stood up and an uproar of cheering filled the stadium as the cup was handed to him.
Chapter 22[]
Jessaco, Ganon, and Imydrex decided to stick around for a bit until the stadium cleared out completely. "Hey, Jessaco,” said Leresh, “I'm just going to see if the snack bar's still open, 'cause I'm hungry." In actuality, he was going out to pick some flowers for Jessaco.
"Go ahead, Leresh," she replied.
Katron, down in the center of the arena, hadn't moved a bit. He had been in total dismay until what had just happened: for once in his life, he had been the center of it all, not being pushed around and made inferior, for once, he had been on top of it all.
He was silently paying respects to the Great Spirit Mata Nui, who had blessed him with the great event. Jessaco ran down the aisle and into the arena, and went up to Katron.
"Hi," she said nervously, still remembering the time he had mistakenly attacked her under the power of the Jaxok.
"Oh! You made me jump! Not to be rude but, do I know you? You look vaguely familiar."
"Apparently not. Um... nice game out there."
"Well thanks. No one's ever complimented me to my face."
"Well... um... er... consider this a first, then, um..."
"Thanks again. You wanted to talk?"
"Um... yeah, about that. Um... you know... um... I'm a girl, and... er... you're a boy and..."
"You want to go on a date with me?"
"Well, yeah, I guess."
"Sure."
"Really?"
"Absolutely."
"Sorry about this. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"
"You wanna meet up at, lets say, the pier at the mud flats?"
"Sure."
Katron suddenly remembered: He was instructed to meet Zoruxx at the building now. "Jessaco, I really have to go." Leresh entered the stadium with some flowers.
Jessaco kissing Katron
"Before you go, Katron..." Jessaco grabbed Katron and kissed him on the lips in plain view of Leresh. Leresh, filled with anger, crushed the flowers in his hand.
"Wow..." Katron said quietly. He then ran off to find Zoruxx. Jessaco went up to Leresh, who was frozen with rage.
"Are you okay?"
Leresh ran out of the stadium, crying. "Leresh?" shouted Jessaco, but he had already run too far to hear.
- To be continued in Toa Imydrex's Blog...
Chapter 23[]
A very disgruntled Leresh was driving back to the miners' settlement in his MVT.
"Stupid Jessaco, doesn't care about my feelings." He began mumbling swears to himself, and nearly missed a red light. He quickly braked, and the force of the stop caused his MVT]'s compartment to swing open, throwing Jessaco's picture onto his lap. Anger welled up within him.
"Argh, I can't take this anymore!" Without thinking, he stepped down on the pedal and sped down the road, ignoring many stoplights. He was soon stopped by a KMES MVT. "Mata Nui dammit, what now?"
The officer came round the the side of the MVT. "Hello, officer, what I can do fer you?"
"You can take this and to something about it." He handed Leresh a ticket with a fine of 250 widgets.
"What? Please, officer, I can't pay this. Sorry, but I've hit some bad times, you know...?"
"'Sorry' doesn't cut it. If ya can't pay the fine, then don't do the crime!" And the officer drove off.
Leresh sighed. "I better get down to the mine and make some money. I haven't been at work for a while."
He headed for the mine, bearing his hefty fine. He parked up front and headed for the entrance.
"Whoa, where do ya think you're going?"
"Whaddya mean? I work here!"
"Not any more. Boss says you ain't been turning up for work lately, and he can't be hiring slackers of the likes of you. So beat it!"
Leresh decided to head to his home at the miners' settlement. He got out his key, but for some reason his door wouldn't open. "Stupid door, It won't budge! What's this?" There was a note on the door.
- Note of Eviction: Homeowner: you have missed your last five payments of rent, so your house has been repossessed. Do not attempt to open the door, as the locks have been changed. Your items have also been repossessed, and you are advised to leave the premises ASAP.
"Oh that's just great, real great! I can't go home, I CAN'T GO TO WORK, I AM IN DEBT, THE LOVE OF MY LIFE IS WITH SOMEONE ELSE! MY LIFE JUST CAN'T GET ANY BETTER, CAN IT? *pant pant* There is one place I can go."
He drove to the city and arrived at a bar called THE GEARZ. He went in and got a stool up front.
"What will it be?" asked the bartender.
"Yer strongest Madu on the rocks. I wanna get as drunk as possible."
- To be continued in Losing It All...
Chapter 24[]
Katron arrived at the very site Zoruxx had specified for the two to meet. He scanned the area, but all that was visible was the very same building, half-destroyed, and a lot of demolition equipment.
"Where the Karzahni is he?" He began walking toward the building and found some Matoran corpses, blackened with shadow. "Urgh! What happened here?"
He stepped back and nearly tripped over a shell of a Tridax pod. "Strange..."
He continued searching within the building, and came upon the very vat which transformed him into a Toa. The glistening liquid that had once been there had run dry. Something within the vat caught his eye.
"What the--?" He reached in and pulled out a Miru. "Huh? How did this get here? I'm wearing my Miru, aren't I?"
After closer examination, he found a dent in the side of the mask. He remembered back when he first tried out the new hoverboards, and how he'd crashed and received a dent much like it. "Wait a second, this is my mask! Then what am I wearing?" He tried pulling off his mask, but it just wouldn't budge.
"No use. Maybe there is more information I could find." He began looking around, until he found an old desk with lots of papers. Katron began reading through some of it.
"What the--! Its all plans and notes for bad, bad stuff... HUH?" He stumbled upon how Zoruxx had crafted the Jaxok and all its powers and abilities.
"So it wasn't me who won the Crystal Cup. IT WAS MY MASK!" The mask began glowing wildly, and once again pain surged through his body. He began smashing up the place uncontrollably. During his outburst, a subconscious part of Katron's mind clicked in and stopped the mask.
"Whoa, feeling kinda drowsy..." Katron stumbled over. "I can control it, I CAN CONTROL IT! Now Zoruxx is gonna pay for his trickery... if I can find him."
Katron promptly left the building.
Deep in the heart of the Fire Kingdom, the Master had summoned his minions, the Ta-Matoran, to head to his cavernous lair. The large population filled the cave and the Master paced before them. He stopped walking and looked into the crowd.
"My minions, I have gathered you here today to inform you of a very important matter. You are all in grave danger."
The crowd gasped in unison.
"Yes, devastating, isn't it? So devastating that I won't even tell you what the danger is. You have almost become like children to me, so it is in my best interest to protect you."
He walked into the room full of stasis tubes and opened a door. "I have created a safe hold for you. Within this room, you will be protected from dangers of all sorts."
All the Matoran filed into the room, except for one who was suspicious, and hid behind one of the other tubes. The Master shut the door and turned a knob. The room flashed, and all the Matoran were instantly in suspended animation. He laughed. "The fools!" He carved into a plaque the words Species: Matoran.
"What's he doing?" thought the Matoran aloud.
"What the..." the Master heard the voice, and quickly turned to see the Matoran. He pulled out his blade and flung it at the Matoran. It impaled him, but smashed the tube. A red being stepped out. He saw the Master, and fearfully ran away.
"Ah, who cares about him? Just a failed experiment. He shall not interfere with my plans."
He glanced over at the shattered Vorox tube, and it reminded him of Akatax. He walked over to a near dead Akatax slumped on the floor. "Well, well, well. That's what you get when orders aren't fulfilled..."
He lifted his body into a tube labeled Species: Makuta. The tube flashed, and he was suspended in animation as well.
Chapter 25[]
- Continued from Losing It All...
Jessaco, after hours of searching for Leresh, decided it was time to head home. She entered the apartment's reception and went up to the receptionist. A group of energy field-working Matoran of magnetism glanced at her.
"Who's that? I haven't seen her around here before."
"Can I help you?" asked the receptionist.
"Yeah, can I just have my room key, please?"
"I'm sorry, but I haven't seen you come here before, and I've always worked here. Perhaps you have the wrong place?"
"What d'ya mean? I've always lived here... Wait a minute, I'm a Toa now. I'm Jessaco, but now a Toa. Sorry if you didn't recognize me."
"Oh. Well, here's your key, and have a nice day!"
She took the lift up to her floor. She unlocked the door and slowly came in. "Hello? Pakera, are you in here? Hmm, no answer."
She wandered around briefly, looking for her, before finally slumping onto her bed. "I wonder where she's got to." Then the phone rang. "Hello, Jessaco speaking."
"Hello, is this Pakera's roommate?"
"It is."
"Yes, I've got bad news. Your friend has been checked into the hospital with a severe concussion due to a attack in a drunken brawl."
"Mata Nui, I'll be there right away!"
She quickly returned her keys to the receptionist, got into her MVT, and headed off to the hospital.
Chapter 26[]
It came about on 11:30 that a drunken Leresh made himself to the large bridge from the city to the Mudflats.
"I know, I know, *hic* I did go to--*burp'* to that tree, taught him a good lesson, *hic* I did!" He continued mumbling to himself.
A Matoran was looking over the bridge into the water below. "Hey, you, *hic* get off my *hic* property, fool. Whoa, pretty colors!" Leresh slurred.
The Matoran turned, his face and left arm pitted black. "Wait a minute, *hic* I know you, *hic* yeah." Leresh barely could stand up, and stumbled over some litter. He got up and leaned against the side of the bridge, still shaking.
"Wait, wait, wait, *hic* don't tell me. Lemme see here." He tried standing freely but failed miserably, falling to the floor once more. "Yeah, heh, heh. *burp* You--you--you're that loser ain'tcha? That guy who messed up in front of everyone? *hic* Loser!"
The Matoran came up to him and lifted him up. "Don't you ever mention that moment again, you piggish moron! If I ever get that idiot Katron..."
"KATRON! Don't ever say-- *hic* don't ever say that name. That jerk needs a good *hic* throttling, I tells ya." He stumbled backwards and nearly fell off the edge. The Matoran reached out and grabbed Leresh, saving him.
"Don't you-- *hic* Don't you touch me! Wha--? Wha-- what happened to yer face Its all black 'n' ugly."
"Got the Infection. Rots you 'til you die."
"Infection, eh? I had an infection once; *hic* it made me itchy, heh, heh. *hic*”
"Too much information."
"Too-- *hic* tooooooooo--? That's-- *hic* that's funny!" He fell back and hit the ground. He was knocked out cold. The Matoran hauled him away.
Chapter 27[]
In the Tehktra Nui General Hospital, wards were full to bursting with sufferers of the Infection--the essentially rotting people, all victims of the cruel contamination of the water supply by Toa Zoruxx, if he could still be called by the title "Toa."
A Toa of lightning worriedly ran through the wards of near-corpses, looking for an injured friend. She called the attention of a nurse. "Excuse me, miss?"
The Ga-Matoran nurse turned. "Hello. May I help you?"
"Do you know where I could find my friend, Pakera?"
"Does she have The Infection?"
"No, no she was injured in a fight, I think."
"Let me see..." She got out a clipboard and began flicking through some papers. "Ah yes, Pakera. Ward 15. It is on the next floor and at the end of the corridor."
"Thanks." She quickly ran to her destination. Ward 15 was completely empty, apart from a few Matoran here and there. It was the only ward with non-Infection related problems. She spotted Pakera and ran to her bedside.
"Jessaco, is that you?" she said weakly.
"Yes; how are you feeling?"
"Terrible. I can't lift my head 'cause of the concussion Leresh gave me."
"Leresh? Leresh did this to you? What's wrong with him? He's been acting really strange lately."
"It wasn't his fault, he was drunk senseless. He had no control of his actions."
"Really? Something must be done. I'm going to find him."
"Wait..." Pakera's plea fell on deaf ears as Jessaco, determined to find Leresh, left the ward.
Katron had searched for Zoruxx for such a while, having had no clue of his real location, and returned to his apartment at Agrav. He sat at his desk in his room and thought hard. His mask had brought him nothing but trouble in the past, but it helped him achieve the greatest feat of his life. It had brought him what he had always wanted: courage, though the mask itself was pure evil.
He rose to his feet, knowing what he had to do. "I must destroy the mask." He tried to remove his mask. It didn't budge. "What the--?"
He tried again. No luck. He tried a third time, but pulled so hard that he stumbled and hit his head on the desk. "Ow! Stupid thing! What is it, glued to my face?" He got out a small knife from the drawer and started trying to chip the mask off. Still, no luck.
"Anyway, I gotta get ready to go to the pier and meet Jessaco."
He went to the mirror and began to get ready.
Chapter 28[]
Katron heard a knock at the door of his apartment and he went to answer it. "Hello?"
"Hey, hey, it’s my little champion Katron!"
"Gairon, I haven’t seen you for a while! Come on in!"
Gairon came in and planted himself onto the bed as Katron returned to the bathroom mirror. Gairon looked over at the desk and saw the Crystal Cup. "Whoa, nice trophy! I came to congratulate you on your victory at the stadium. I watched it, and Mata Nui, you were amazing! How did you beat Aliki so good?"
Katron didn’t want Gairon to know about the mask so he didn’t mention it. "Oh, practice, I guess."
"Still, amazing game. Can I touch your trophy?"
"Sure." Katron popped his head around the corner of the wall. "Just be careful of--"
He was interrupted by Gairon. "Wow, you look amazing! You going anywhere tonight?"
"Yeah, actually. I'm going on a date."
"Who's the lucky lady to have such a guy like you?"
"Jessaco."
"Nice one! Man, I wish I were you. You get the fame, the trophies, the ladies..."
"Sorry, Gairon, you gotta go. I want to get to the pier early."
"Alright, I'll see ya 'round!"
Katron left for the pier.
Jessaco had searched, once again, all of Leresh's usual hang-outs: the miners' settlement, the mine, THE GEARZ, everywhere. Still no luck.
"Maybe he's gone up to Agrav." She got into her MVT and began heading there. She was halfway to Agrav when she suddenly realized: I've got a date with Katron! I'm already running late! I gotta go home quickly and get ready!
She got onto the fast lane and rushed home. She got to her room, only to realize she was already an hour late. "Mata Nui! Forget this, I better get to the pier, pronto!"
Chapter 29[]
Leresh awoke in a dark room, feeling nauseous and dizzy, with a terrible hangover. “Oh, my aching head! Where am I?” he said drowsily.
He glanced over to see Aliki swinging on a chair, throwing darts at a picture of Katron. The Infection had gotten worse, and the blackened parts of him had begun to die. "Wha-- what happened to me, what's happened to you?"
"Too many questions, most of which have been already answered."
"Why have you brought me here?"
"Because of your problems."
"My problems... What are you saying?"
"You've lost your job, your home, your life. But most of all, you've lost the love of your life to a superior man."
"Katron..." Leresh muttered grimly.
"He's a Toa, right? You can't compete with him... or kill him. So I have a proposition."
"I'm listening."
Aliki began picking at the dying part of his hand with a toothpick. "Let's say you were a Toa. You would be able to impress Jessaco, as she too is a Toa. But that's only the start; you would be able to rid the world of your--our--enemy, Katron."
"And you can do that?" Leresh said intently.
"That why we're here. Word on the street that this was the very place Katron was created."
Leresh looked around to see a half-destroyed building with abandoned demolition equipment about. "Here?"
"In here." Aliki and Leresh looked into the vat of Energized Protodermis.
Aliki turned to Leresh. "You ready?"
"I got absolutely nothing to lose."
The pair jumped in. The vat glowed with energy for a few minutes, and bright light shone out of it. Rather than two beings emerging, only one did.
The metallic being stood up and announced, “I am Lariki!”
Chapter 30[]
Jessaco eventually arrived at the pier, nearly three hours late. The sun had set, and a cold, chilling wind had picked up. At the end of the pier, on a bench, she saw the back of Katron's head. She noticed it was glowing dimly. She went up to the bench and rest her hand on his shoulder. "Katron, is that you?"
Katron got to his feet, his eyes welled with tears and fury swirled in his pupils. "Where have you been?" he said in strained, grim voice. As the wind blew, the water became more and more choppy.
"I'm sorry I'm late, I was searching for my friend and forgot to keep track of the time."
Katron suddenly lurched toward Jessaco. "OH, SO HE'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN ME, EH?" he yelled. "I'VE BEEN WAITING HERE THROUGH THE COLD AND RAIN, WAITING FOR YOU, AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE THE DECENCY TO SHOW UP ON TIME?"
She looked at the wood of the pier, soaked in rain, and then looked up at Katron. "I said I'm sorry; there isn't much more I can do. Is this such a way to treat your date?"
"TREAT MY DATE?" He screamed, and his mask fluctuated with energy. "THAT'S IT, I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!" He smashed the bench and pulled out a plank. He then began violently beating Jessaco.
"Get off me, you brute!" She stood to her feet, bruised and bleeding in several places on the face and back.
"We're through, ya hear? And you'd better watch out because, 'cause, 'cause..." Her eyes filled with tears and she ran off crying.
Katron fell to his knees on the pier. The rain had began again and lightning began flaring up. The sea that evening was getting worse, and soon the pier was slowly getting buried under waves.
"What have I done?" Katron said quietly to himself, controlling his mask. Water began swirling around his waist. "WHAT HAVE I DONE?"
- Continued from Destiny...
A gang known as the Red Dragons had taken some miners hostage at had made it to the desert in their stolen MVTs. Hot on their pursuit was a rookie Toa of stone by the name of Poxxu, racing after them with his Kakama.
The gang of Po-Matoran had once been convicted of mass genocide after a little incident with some deadly Sarin gas. Now they had escaped from a KMES prison, and were back.
One of the Po-Matoran, by the nick-name of Bludge, stuck his head out of the sunroof. The heat of the desert wind blew through the gun holes in his mask. "Hey, looky here, some fool's chasing us! I fink we should pull the plug on him, eh, Spitface?"
"Give 'im the blast to the face treatment!" He handed him a sleek and deadly gun.
Bludge firing his gun
"Oh, what a beaut' dis gal is, eh?" He began firing wildly back out the roof, and saw the dust rise where the Toa was. "Alright!!! Score one for the Bludgester, WOOO!!!!"
Chapter 31[]
The newly formed being Lariki began walking out of the building. He found what was originally was Zoruxx's weapon arsenal. "These blades should come in handy."
No, that flail looks good.
What the--? Who are you?
Duh! I'm Leresh! The guy merged to you!
What? We have two separate minds? I thought I was some superior merged mind. Now I gotta put up with you.
Get the flail!
Shut up, you! Lariki grabbed the two blades and headed for their prey: Katron.
Jessaco sat on the bed in her apartment, crying. She had just been brutally beaten by her boyfriend, and was in emotional turmoil.
Katron, on the other hand, wanted to make amends, and wanted to apologize to her. He had brought flowers and had arrived at the apartment. He walked to the reception desk. "Hello?"
"Oh, hello. What can I do for you today?"
"Yeah, could you tell me what room Jessaco is at?"
"Room 64, on the 5th floor. I'd be gentle with her; she seemed pretty upset last time I saw her."
"*gulp* Um...thanks."
He made his way up to the floor and knocked on the door. "Hello, Jessaco?"
Jessaco stopped sobbing as soon as she heard his voice. "Him again! I'll show him a thrashing!" She picked up her Toa tools off the table: a pair of ninja stars. She opened the door so only her head showed.
"What do you want?" she said coldly.
"I wanted to apologize about ear--" She slammed the door in his face.
"Hello, Jessaco? Come back."
She opened the door again. "Oh, didn't know the Rahi were let out of the zoo!" she said mockingly. Katron's mask began to glow. She screamed as Katron pulled her from behind the door and began shaking her violently.
"GET OFF ME!" She flung one of her ninja stars and it struck him in the back. His mask flared up in light and he threw himself toward her.
Chapter 32[]
Lariki began walking toward the energy fields, when suddenly, the Aliki part of his mind began to groan.
"What's up?"
"The Infection, *groan* it hurts so bad..."
"Should we stop?"
"No. Katron *groan* must be stopped."
Jessaco quickly jumped out of the way, dodging Katron narrowly. Jessaco's eyes filled with tears again. "Why are you doing this to me? Why? *sob sob*"
Rather than answering, Katron threw her to the ground and got ready to throw a punch. As his fist came down, Jessaco held out her ninja star, and it went into his hand about an inch deep. Katron stumbled over with pain.
"Get lost! *sniffle* Why won't you leave me alone?" She pulled out the star from his back and lodged it in his eye.
Suddenly. the lift door ripped open, and a tall, silver being stood before her. "Jessaco?" the Leresh part of the being's mind spoke.
"That voice... Leresh?" She wiped her tears and ran to hug Lariki.
"I don't know why, but I've never been happier to see you. Terrible, terrible things have happened!" Lariki saw her face was battered and hurt.
"What's happened to you?" Leresh said.
"LOOK OUT!" The Aliki part of his mind said. Katron was running toward the pair, his mask ablaze.
Lariki kicked him away and pulled out his blades. "Finally, Katron's end is near!"
"No, stay away!", Jessaco cried, still emotionally unstable. "This is my fight!"
Lariki turned, distracted, only to receive an uppercut from Katron. "Oh, now you've done it!" His Pakari activated, and he threw Katron through Jessaco's wall.
A fight soon ensued. Jessaco just huddled by the side of the corridor wall and became invisible, using her mask. She began crying again.
Katron grounded Lariki, but he kicked him back. Much to their surprise, Katron had been impaled on a staff. A Rahkshi of fusion stood before them.
"Mata Nui..." thought Lariki aloud.
- To be continued in Jaxok...
Chapter 33[]
- Continued from Lost...
The wards of the hospital were full of sufferers of the Infection. It had been long enough and the virus had worsened. The only way the Infected were surviving was by the fact that they were all hooked up to life support machines. Suddenly, all of the lights went out, and the machine came to a whirring halt.
"BLACKOUT!" yelled out one of the nurses. Candles were lit, and nurses ran to the assistance of their patients.
"There hasn't been a blackout in the city for over fifty years. These patients have a slim chance of surviving without the machines."
A fully blackened Icax looked up at the nurse, a bleak look in his eyes. He groaned, a mournful cry. The nurse grasped his hand and assured him he would be okay. Then, slowly, his hand grew cold, and his pulse slowly but surely passed until it ceased to exist.
Galo talking with another nurse
"He's dead.... and soon... they will all be..." The Ga-Matoran grabbed another nurse. "We gotta do something now, before it's too late."
"What can we do? We can't contact anyone for assistance because the phones are out."
"Listen, I'm going to head to the city's power core at the energy fields to see whats up. Try to keep these guys alive for as long as possible."
"You're a brave gal, Galo, a brave gal."
She got into an MVT and raced toward the energy fields. Soon enough, she arrived to see a Vorahk attacking Matoran workers. "This can't be good. Wait, I have an idea!"
Chapter 34[]
Poxxu crouched down behind a wall of rock as bullets came raining down. The Red Dragons had gotten his fellow workers, and he was almost helpless without weapons. He looked past the wall to see the dust from the ever-shrinking image of the Dragons' MVTs.
"Darn it, I'll never catch them now!!! I might as well make my way back to the mine."
He began wandering back through the desert. He was not used to the bright light and heat of the desert, rather the dark, damp and dank conditions of the mine, and soon began struggling. In the midst of the heat waves of dusty wind, he saw a small, damaged shelter and took refuge within it.
"What is this place?" He looked around and saw a rocket shell in the wall. "'Property of KMES.' What the--? It looks like there's been a fight here."
He began scanning the shelter fully, and soon found some plans for a large Rahkshi-like creature. "What is this stuff?"
Suddenly, he heard the wind pick up. He stuck his head outside and saw a huge sandstorm headed his way. "That's just great..."
- Continued from Jaxok...
The Red Dragon MVTs reached the city, and Bludge began firing at the pedestrians.
"HA, HA, HA, HA, this is so fun! Mudd, get up here!"
"What?"
"Check out that De-Matoran over there."
"What about him?"
Bludge fired his gun and blew the Matoran's head clean off his neck. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" The two began laughing.
"What 'bout that guy?" Mudd inquired. He pointed to a Matoran in midair, throwing MVTs about.
"Tehktra Nuians! Welcome your new ruler... JEX!" he shouted.
Bludge and Mudd got out two machine guns and began firing at Jex. He was caught off guard, and fell to the ground, as did all the MVTs. Spitface, who was driving one of the MVTs, ran over Jex.
A bystander ran up to a phone. "Hello, is this the Ko-Matoran Enforcement Squad hotline? The Red Dragons are back, and they've just taken down some crazy dude. Please help! *urgh*"
Bludge had gotten out of the MVT and stabbed the Matoran in the back. Mudd got out as well, and tried to find Jex's remains.
"What the--! ARGH!" Jex's mask shot an energy blast into his face, throwing him several yards. Another member of the gang, called Bloodclot, got out and ran to help.
Chapter 35[]
Katron's death to the hands of a Mechanical Rahkshi of fusion
The Rahkshi threw Katron's corpse to the side and advanced on Lariki.
"Oh, no, you don't!" Lariki used his earth powers to create a mini bioquake to cause the Rahkshi to stumble, and his air powers to blow him away right to the end of the long corridor. Nice one, the minds said together.
Then the Rahkshi converted to flight mode and was once again on the attack. Lariki came in with a flying kick, but the Rahkshi quickly dodged, and he fell to the ground. The Rahkshi came over him and lifted its staff high for the final blow.
"This won't end well," he muttered to himself.
"GET AWAY FROM LERESH!" Jessaco was once again visible, and electricity was flaring around her body. "TAKE THIS!"
She channeled all her lightning powers into the Rahkshi and its mechanical parts. Being made of metal, it conducted it well. The Rahkshi began jolting about uncontrollably until it fell to the floor, paralyzed, still flaring with energy.
Lariki got to his feet and ran up to Jessaco. "You saved me! I can't thank you enough."
"Well, you did save me from Katron."
Katron... the Leresh part of the mind thought. "Katron's dead, er... so you're single... um... right?"
"What?"
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTT! Suddenly, all of the power was cut and the corridor went to darkness.
Aliki's mind spoke: What's going on?
I haven't a clue, Leresh replied.
"What's that glow, then?" Jessaco asked.
"GLOW?" they said together.
The Rahkshi was behind them; it had not fully been defeated, and its staff was glowing with power. It blasted Lariki whilst reversing its power of fusion. Jessaco kicked the Rahkshi in the chest and electrocuted it again, finally killing it. Jessaco used her powers to create a light and glance over to where Lariki was. Instead lay an energy-drained Leresh and a overpowered Aliki.
"NOOOOOO! Look at me! My chances are ruined!"
"Leresh?" Jessaco said. Leresh took a look at her and burst into tears. He ran off into the darkness.
Jessaco approached Aliki, who was facedown on the floor. She turned him over, only to see his rotting, deformed face. She gasped in disgust. The Infection had finally taken its toll, and Aliki was no more.
Jessaco propped herself up against the wall in deep thought. Everything in my life has gone wrong ever since I began dating Katron: Pakera was hospitalized, I was attacked, and Leresh... wait, Leresh! All this time before he was acting funny, he had been trying to tell me something. What was it? She began thinking long and hard about other things he had said in the past.
"Wait a minute: single, my chances are ruined? Oh, all this is not right. I think I know what he wanted all along." She glanced over at the dead Rahkshi's staff, still in deep thought.
Chapter 36[]
Back at KMES headquarters, a large transport came in. Kopek stepped out and instructed two Matoran to bring the huge being clamped to a metal block into a lab.
"It's a good thing this place has a reserve energy supply," said Kopek, looking up at the lights.
The Matoran placed the being onto a large dissection board and chained it down. Kopek placed a taser near the beast and electrocuted it, reviving it. "Don't worry; we are not dissecting you, just interrogating you."
The being began saying something brokenly. "Flight... fight... fight before flight, fight before flight."
"What the--? Maybe we could learn something from this."
"Fight before flight... JADAX!"
"Jadax? What about Jadax? What is Jadax?" He tilted the being's head toward himself.
"My creation... fight... flight... Jadax..."
"What could all this jumble mean? You!" He called over to another KMES worker.
"Yes, sir."
"Bring me a pen, some paper, and a translator. I've got some figuring out to do."
Galo glanced over to a disconnected, though functional, power cable. She quickly grabbed it and ran toward the Rahkshi. She quickly touched it to its shin before it could attack. 10,000,000 volts of electricity blasted through its circuits and metal components, frying its wiring and, due to the heat of the energy, melting the Rahkshi to a liquid pulp.
The surviving workers came out of hiding and began cheering Galo. They reconnected the power cables slowly, but the power was not restored.
What's up with this thing? thought one of the workers, disconnecting and then reconnecting the cable.
"Hissss..." All the matoran turned around to see a Gurahk behind them, crushing the other end of the cable.
"Holy Brakas!"
The Rahkshi dug its staff into the ground and, using its disintegration powers, caused it to crumble. The Matoran ran from the energy core, quickly getting onto hoverboards and MVTs in a desperate attempt to escape. The whole core collapsed, and the the Rahkshi, content with the damage he had already done, left the scene.
Chapter 37[]
Bloodclot got Jex's hands behind his back and slammed him into the side of the MVT, rendering him unconscious. His mask began glowing at a low level, thought not with anger; rather, with thought. Deep within, the mask lay down a thought pattern, the mind of it, as such, and it wasn't happy.
This Matoran body wasn't good. It was weak, feeble and pathetic. This Matoran, which was randomly selected, didn't have strong feelings of hatred and jealousy like its previous user. The Mask was starving of emotion. Sooner or later, its power would fade and die.
The mask had had enough. It ripped itself off Jex's face and latched onto the front of a Red Dragon MVT, beginning to drive. "What the Karzahni--? Our ride, it's getting away!" yelled out Mudd. He and the other gang members got into the other MVTs and began chasing it.
They soon got onto the motorway and began accelerating to tremendous speeds. The Red Dragons began firing at the Jaxok's MVT. The mask decided it was time to take action., upgrading the vehicle's combustion spheres into huge blaster cannons and taking out one of the pursuing MVTs.
"Oi, Spitface," Bludge said, "Pull up alongside 'im!"
He accelerated further until he was parallel to him, and rammed the MVT full force. The Jaxok's MVT glowed with energy and released a colossal blast, taking out all the vehicles of the road including the pursuers'.
- To be continued in Sacrifice...
Eventually, it got to the energy field workers' settlement and parked outside an apartment. It unlatched itself from the MVT and onto a Matoran of lightning who was just walking by. It controlled her and went into the apartment building. It made its way to the fifth floor and walked up to a body that was being taken away. The mask spoke through the Matoran.
"Where do you think you're taking that?" it said grimly.
"To the dump, that's where!"
"I don't think so!" The Matoran in control of the mask raised her arm. A huge energy blast disintegrated the Matoran, taking the corpse away.
"Perfect." The mask then killed its host from the inside and latched itself to the corpse's face. It began pulsing energy through the body, but there was no effect. The body lay there for an hour, still with mask attached, but still no movement.
Then, suddenly, the yellow glow of biomechanical eyes lit up in the body's head. Katron was back amongst the living once more!
Chapter 38[]
Leresh ran out of the apartment after being returned to his Matoran state. He was depressed, knowing he and Jessaco would never be. He decided to head home.
"I remember now, I was evicted! *GROAN*” He began heading to the KMES headquarters.
At the outskirts of Tehktra Nui, in a desert, lay Visto, asleep, surrounded by his pack of Desert Apes. He had let them feast on the fruit that grew on the desert shrubs that made up most of their diet while he basked in the sun.
Suddenly, the alpha male of the pack stood up on its hind legs and began looking up to the sky, as if he were trying to listen for something. He placed his ear to the ground for a few seconds, and then began worriedly grunting. The other members of the pack gathered around him.
Genx went up to Visto and began nudging him with her head, while whining. Visto slowly awakened. "*yawn* What is it, girl?"
She began making a series of low grunts and noises. "The leader senses danger coming?"
Visto looked deep into the seemingly unending plains of the desert. He had always known what was right for the Apes, and this time was no exception. "All right then, saddle up girl."
He mounted Genx, and he and the pack began heading deep into the desert.
"Alright, Leresh, your temporary accommodation for the homeless has been settled, and you will be at an apartment block, room 257 on Pavaka Street."
"Thanks a lot."
He left the building, his head heavy. So what if he now had a temporary home? He was too depressed to even care.
He finally reached where his MVT had been parked. He tried to start it up, but it wouldn't budge. "What the Karzahni is up with this thing?"
He got out to check what was up. A clamp had been put on his flight systemsm and a note had been placed: Failure to pay fine. Vehicle will be towed shortly.
He filled with anger, and began throwing swears to the sky. He ripped up the notice and headed off to his temporary home.
He soon arrived to his destination, only to be gob-smacked by the squalid conditions of the place. Windows had been knocked out, paint was peeling, bricks were missing, and to top it all off, the dodgiest Matoran were loitering about.
Geez, what a dump, he thought to himself.
He walked up the most rickety and damaged flight of stairs he had ever seen, and eventually reached his room. The place didn't even have a door. Leresh's depression only became worse. He lay on the bed, desperately trying to sleep away his worries.
Chapter 39[]
- Continued from Toa Imydrex's Blog...
Outside was absolute chaos; Tehktra Nui was lifting off the surface of the planet! Matoran in MVTs were driving off the edge in a desperate attempt to escape, but fell to a watery grave. Tremors and bioquake-like rumbles, caused by the sudden jolt of Tehktra Nui's ascent, caused buildings to crumble and collapse, killing civilians within.
Pakera, who had recently escaped from a Red Dragon attack, made her way out into the city streets. She ran out to the now-cracking road and was nearly hit by reckless drivers trying to save themselves. She found herself surrounded by corpses and building debris. Her eyes watered with sympathy and disgust.
Suddenly, something caught her eye: one of the bodies were still alive! She rushed to it and lifted the Matoran up. "Are you okay? I'm Pakera."
"I'm Jex. Urgh... I can't remember a thing."
He nearly collapsed, only to be held up by Pakera. "Don't worry, we'll find a way out of this."
"Leresh! What's happening?" said Jessaco, shaken with fear.
"I don't know, but I can say this building ain't gonna hold for long. We gotta get outta here!"
The pair quickly ran out the building, only for it to collapse behind them. They looked out at the city from the sidewalk at the endless destruction and hysteria. Leresh glanced over at Jessaco and saw the fear in her eyes. Leresh was determined to make sure no harm would come to Jessaco and held her hand in reassurance.
"Don't worry; I know a place we can go and be safe together."
The two of them found an abandoned MVT. Leresh picked up a metal part of a damaged lamppost, smashed the glass, and got in. As Leresh drove, he continued watching the grand city fall to its knees before him.
Finally, they arrived at a building named 'THE GEARZ'. An MVT had been thrown through one of the walls previously by a being called Makura, and it was definitely in no fine state now.
"Are you sure this is safe, Leresh?"
"Positive; just trust me."
They entered the building through the shattered glass. Leresh saw where he had once had a drunken rampage and injured a close friend, all because of the Matoran beside him.
BOOM!
A gas tank exploded down the street, and Leresh's trip down memory lane ended. "Come on, we gotta hurry."
They went to the back room and down to the underground wine cellar. The room next to it was a large freezer room. Leresh wondered: if ever there were a fire, the wine would be a hazard. But no time for that now!
"In here." The two entered the room, and Leresh closed the door. "We should be safe in here... for a while."
"Come here, Leresh."
Jessaco grabbed him and kissed him on the lips. As the ice froze over them, that was how they stayed. Frozen in time and space, their love preserved in ice.
- To be continued in Running From Death...
Characters[]
- Aliki
- Gairon
- Katron
- Zoruxx
- Kori (Not mentioned by name)
- Icax
- Kopak
- Kopek
- Ikarki
- Jessaco
- Akatax
- The Master
- Myto
- Vels (Mentioned only)
- Gyvux
- Jessaco (alternate)
- A Kosurahk (Not mentioned by name)
- Ganon
- Makura
- Pakera
- Lariki
- Poxxu
- Bludge
- Spitface
- Pev
- Bloodclot
- Galo
- Visto
- Genx
- A Vorox
- Several Matoran
- Several Mechanical Rahkshi
- Several Desert Apes
Trivia[]
- Ikarki did not specifically choose Jessaco for his mission; it was just that she was the first Matoran he encountered at the energy fields.
- Voice acting for Jessaco and Leresh was done by the author, but altered on sound editing software.