Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He would’ve thought that an injury like this would have him a lot more panicked, but the only thought running through Takua’s mind as he took in the sight of his leg was,

Huh.

That’s not good.

Not fifteen minutes prior he had been traipsing through the undergrowth of Le-Wahi with a small scouting group, looking for a downed Kewa. Since he had been visiting the village anyhow, he figured he might as well help. One slip on a slick patch of mud later and he found himself in the bottom of a gully, left leg impaled on the sharp, lengthy thorn of a vine stretching across the ground. His brain would automatically shut off any feeling to nonvital areas upon grievous injury, so he was stuck. Stuck looking at the thorn unnaturally jutting up through his lower leg just above his ankle joint with only mild discomfort to accompany it.

"Takua!" chirped the voice of Taiki from the top of the gully, "Oh, Mata Nui, you're bad-hurt!"

Takua looked between his leg and the concerned Le-Matoran, slowly processing that the sap-colored fluid sluggishly making its way down the curvature of the vine and in the grooves of his armor was his own blood.

“Oh, yeah. I guess that’s right,” he replied. Sure, he couldn’t exactly move right now, and walking would be a chore, but he didn’t really see what all of the fuss was about. It wasn’t like he was screaming or anything.

Taiki whistled, summoning any Le-Matoran within earshot, and slid down to the bottom of the gully.

“Hold still, Chronicler- you’ve lost a lotta life-blood,” he placed a hand on Takua’s shoulder as he waited. Takua’s mind was already wandering to other things.

“I wonder if Jaller will be upset with me,” he mused. Taiki blinked.

“Guard-captain Jaller?” he clarified. Takua responded with a nod.

“He’s my friend. But he gets on me for getting in trouble,” Takua shifted his leg to get a better look at it, eliciting an angry yelp from Taiki. “Guess this is pretty deep trouble.”

“Taiki!” came Kongu’s voice. Both Taiki and Takua looked up to see Kongu and Shu peering over the edge.

“We came as quick-swift as we could. What happened?” Kongu asked as he and the other Le-Matoran slid down the sloped earth.

“I slipped.”

“I think he’s in shock- and he won’t stop squirm-moving!”

"Hmm… Shu, go back to Le-Koro and send for a medic- and tell wind-singer Matau, too,” Kongu commanded. Shu nodded, clambered back up the side of the channel, and soon vanished into the undergrowth.

"Stand back, Taiki," he continued as soon as Shu had left the area. Taiki stepped back and watched as Kongu withdrew a handle from his pack which, at the press of a button, released a long, serrated blade and locked it into place. Then, taking hold of the top of the thorn in his free hand, he positioned the blade near the bottom.

"Keep still, Chronicler," Kongu made sure to meet Takua's gaze before giving the order. "The more you move, the harder it'll be for the injury to quick-heal."

Takua nodded and braced himself. He was beginning to feel a bit queasy and lightheaded, and couldn't tell if it was because of the shock ebbing away, the amount of blood he'd already lost, or some mixture of both.

A wave of discomfort hit him as Kongu began to saw through the base of the thorn. Though he was keeping it as still as possible, there was still an uncomfortable amount of jostle from the vibrations of the blade. It took everything he had to not simply pass out then and there. 

Evidently, some part of his demeanor betrayed him, for as soon as the thorn was detatched, Takua felt a hand tap the top of his mask.

"Stay aware-wake, Takua, at least until Shu's back," Kongu urged, voice surprisingly gentle. Takua managed a weak smile in response.

"Jaller's going to stab my other leg when he finds out about this."

"No," Kongu returned, carefully shifting the now-free Takua so his injured limb was positioned above his head level. "He's going to be true-thankful you're still alive. When you're right-up again, though, that's when he'll do it."

Takua was pretty sure he got a chuckle out before finally losing consciousness.

When he woke up again, the first thing Takua saw was the woven roof of a Le-Koroan hut. Then, taking in more of his surroundings, he realized he was in a hammock strung wall-to-wall, aching left leg bandaged and hung in a sling above the hammock. His posture allowed him very little of an outside view, but what he could see seemed relatively normal, though he could also swear he saw a flash of red and yellow out there.

Takua attempted to push himself upright, but let out a pained yelp when the movement caused a jolt of pain to course through his leg. The noise caught the attention of a Le-Matoran in the hut that he hadn't noticed until now.

"Careful, Fire-spitter! Your wounds run deep- it'll hurt until the muscle repairs itself."

"How long was I out? When can I go back to Ta-Koro?"

"It's mid-evening, now- you've been out for at least half a day, and you need more rest. You can go back to your Koro as soon as you can stand."

Takua tried to stifle a groan as he settled back down, eyes meeting the thatched ceiling above him once more.

"A friend of yours is here to visit-talk, though! As soon as word reached Ta-Koro that you were hurt, he insisted on coming," the Le-Matoran said, clearly trying to perk Takua's mood. It certainly piqued his interest, at least. As the medic turned toward the door, Takua almost pushed himself upright again before thinking better of it.

His suspicions were confirmed as Jaller entered his field of vision, expression unreadable. Takua put on his best smile to make up for it.

"Kohlii-head," Jaller said, voice sharp but with just enough of a light lilt that Takua knew he didn't mean it. His smile turned into a cheeky grin and he gave his best shrug in return.

"Coming all the way to Le-Koro just to insult me seems a little extensive, Jaller."

"I can both be concerned and think you're foolish."

Takua couldn't keep the genuinely appreciative smile off his mask now.

"Well, at least it's nice to know you care." Jaller, likewise, rolled his eyes, but allowed a bit of genuine concern into his expression.

"I'm glad you're okay, Takua."

Chapter Text

Jaller sat up with a grumble. It was the third night in a row he'd gotten no sleep. The rowing he'd done to get to Metru Nui should've been enough to knock him out for at least a day or so- same as it had with most of his fellow Matoran- but it felt like every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was the poisoned red of the Rahkshi before him, feel the echoes of fear that wracked his entire frame.

It was getting to the point where he was heavily considering mentioning it to someone- very uncharacteristic of his independent nature, but with Hahli stationed in Ga-Metru and Takanuva training with the Toa Nuva, he wasn't sure who to confide in.

He fought back a shiver, rubbing some heat into his hands before laying back down and attempting to get at least a wink of sleep.

"Captain?" Kapura repeated for the third time, though it was the first that entered Jaller's awareness. He immediately snapped up straight, glancing around before processing the red Matoran before him. He cleared his throat.

"My apologies, Kapura- do you need something?" He asked, fighting back a yawn.

"The guard is still assessing the damages to the Ta-Metru forge. No sign of danger. But you've been acting strangely."

Jaller's exhausted mind began to wander in the middle of Kapura's report, and it took him a few moments to realize he had stopped speaking.

"Strangely?"

"You do as much work as any of us. You spend your nights pacing angrily through camp. In the day you stand guard. The Makuta himself could sneak past with the way you are now."

Jaller shivered at the name. Normally, he would show no such tic to his subordinates- those who looked toward him for guidance and leadership, but his fatigue had caused his normal instincts to relax somewhat. Worse yet, the action just caused Kapura to look at him with a pitied expression.

"Captain… how much sleep have you had since we arrived here?"

Again, normally, this might be cause for anger. A thousand-year-earned instinct told him to dismiss the issue entirely, but in his insomnia-addled state, he pushed that instinct down.

"... I haven't been sleeping." He finally forced himself to confess, shifting to hold his staff closer to his chest. This seemed to surprise the normally-unshakeable Kapura- at the very least, his eyes widened a bit.

"Not at all?" He asked, to which Jaller responded with a hesitant nod. He'd be beating himself up for the weakness he was showing later, but in the moment he really didn't care.

Jaller wasn't exactly sure when he had wound up back in his tent, but from what he could piece together of his own foggy memories, Kapura had probably led him here. Why was Kapura here again?

Jaller shook his head, turning to face the entrance. He was fine. A bit of restlessness was no excuse for shirking his (or Kapura's) duty.

As soon as he reached the threshold, a hand was placed on his chest, gently discouraging him from advancing.

"An afternoon of rest will result in a more productive day tomorrow," Kapura calmly said, and Jaller hesitantly found it hard to argue with that logic. Hard, but far from impossible.

"It's not befitting of me to stay here and rest while I should be up and about. Let me pass, Kapura."

And yet, Kapura refused to budge.

"I am sorry to have to disobey you. You're in no state to pass orders. As the Turaga's left hand I have some measure of authority as well."

Jaller was about to grumble something, but his attention was quickly redirected to trying not to stumble over his own feet as Kapura guided him inside. He knew he was fighting a losing battle, but still turned over haughtily when he was made to lay on the cot, facing the plain canvas tent.

It was in that moment, though, that he realized Kapura hadn't left. Shifting over just enough to give him a questioning look, he saw the guard had sat a respectable distance away from the cot and was facing the entrance. Evidently, he had felt Jaller's confused gaze on him as he began to speak.

"I do not pretend to know your thoughts. I have noticed your decline in performance. From what I can see you are under an undue amount of stress… I do not blame you considering the events preceding our traveling here."

Jaller looked down. He and practically everyone on the island had been so busy that there wasn't enough time to discuss matters like feelings. He had honestly never considered the effect his death had had on practically anyone outside of Hahli and Takanuva. Particularly the Ta-Koro guard.

Though his relationship with the guard was one of professionalism and command, he couldn't simply say he didn't care for them at all outside of that. He trusted each of the guard completely, and would gladly lay down his own life for any of them. Evidently, they felt similarly about their captain.

"... Thank you, Kapura," he said in a voice soft enough to surprise even himself as he rolled back over and let exhaustion overtake him.

Chapter Text

"I said hold still, Matau," Nokama sternly commanded, prompting the Toa Metru of Air to suck in a small amount of breath and stiffen his joints. The action, though short-lived, allowed Nokama enough leeway to lash the makeshift splint around Matau's lower leg.

Nearby, Nuju was, seemingly hesitantly, using his ice to soothe the wide scorch marks that ran across Onewa and Whenua's bodies, having badly singed the muscle beneath their protodermic armor. Vakama was off by himself, preparing some implements that loosely resembled Toa-sized bandages. 

He'd treated many burns, both on himself and others, during his time at the Ta-Metru forges, but now that they were about double the size of the average Matoran, he was having a bit of trouble scrounging enough material together.

He tried not to meet the gaze of his teammates as he tightened the ointment-coated linen strips around his teammates' burns, both somewhat embarrassed about the quality of treatment and wanting to stave off the inevitable argument that was just waiting for one snappy comment to serve as a spark.

"Yeah, let's all go to the forges first thing in the mornin'! Nothing like a good fire-vine to quick-start a Toa's day!"

And there it was, courtesy of a wildly-gesticulating Matau. Vakama, for the moment, bit his tongue.

"I hate to say it, but I agree with the blowhard. That vine wasn't nearly big enough to cause any real damage yet, and it was so close to the forge that fighting it just got us a few new scorch marks!" came Onewa's follow-up. Vakama knew that its ambigous-yet-incredibly-intentional target was him, and he took a few moments to carefully consider his following words.

"If we hadn't evacuated the Matoran here now, the vine would have grown and put them in further danger. It was a preventative measure."

"In theory, that's not a bad idea," Onewa quickly returned, "but it still got us hurt, and now we've got to spend the time we could've used to go after more dangerous sprouts licking our wounds."

Again, Vakama held back from saying anything. Though at heart he wasn't much of a contrarian, Onewa somehow consistently knew just the right things to set him off.

He wanted to argue his case, get the stone Toa off his back, but he knew it would just escalate into a larger fight and, ultimately, more energy lost.

"We'll do another sweep of the city, and respond to threats as they come. It's the least we can do to build trust in the Matoran."

"Hold-fast, Firespitter," came Matau's voice, very nearly interrupting Vakama. He turned to see Matau standing, leaning on one of his Aero Slicers like it was a cane. 

"Not all of us are in a state for footwalkin'. We should dedicate our energy to locating the kingroot and makin' plans to stop this thing once and for all."

Vakama paused, considering Matau's suggestion.

"I… suppose we split up, then," he said, with an air of softness and uncertainty. Matau brought up a good point- what they had been doing was damage control, and all they were doing was allowing more of the city to fall before the might of the vines. But what if Matoran were injured or killed while they were off fighting the king root? Buildings could be repaired, and things could be replaced, but having known several Matoran who had met their ultimate end in Ta-Metru, he knew what holes casualties would rip in a community, especially during such uncertain times.

"Nuju, Nokama- we'll search for any active, dangerous vines and mitigate any threats. Whenua-" he avoided the pointed gazes of his other teammates as he spoke, "- take Matau and Onewa and try and locate the origin point of the vines."

Having no other plans to offer and no real desire to kickstart a conflict again, Whenua just shrugged and nodded.

When Vakama's group had left the vicinity, Onewa rested the chin of his mask in his palm.

"I don't seem to remember anyone electing him as our leader."

Matau didn't reply, but his expression conveyed agreement. Whenua released a soft sigh.

"I don't recall anyone else stepping up to the role, either," he said. Onewa eyed him. "Besides, who would you pick?"

In near-unison, Onewa and Matau responded, "Nokama."

Whenua found himself unable to come up with a good argument, and just settled for a sigh.

"We can sort out rank once the city's safe. I don't particularly trust his leadership skills either, but for now he's the leader we've got."

Neither Matau nor Onewa seemed particularly interested in debating further, and offered no resistance as Whenua led them deeper into the Metru, following the arcing cracks in the ground.

Chapter Text

Though he would never come to completely know the reason why, Takua knew his problem well. He always wound up chalking it up to stress or sleeplessness, and though those were certainly contributing factors, he would never have thought of his occasional bouts of amnesia being a symptom of his chronically-wiped mind simply reacting to any similar incoming stimuli in the way it had been trained to- a recursively-acting program that had a hair trigger and a sluggish exit function. In hindsight he would notice that the episodes were caused by extreme stress, or a blow to the head, or simply an overlong nap.

Presently, however, no such thoughts ran through his head as he sat and took in the colors of the flame before him.

In an adjoining room, he could hear hushed discussion.

"Do you think the Vahki--" was cut off by a stream of angry clicks and whistles, and Takua's attention was quickly drawn back to the environment around him as the evening torches were lit, and a gentle rapping of metal on stone sounded from behind him.

Takua turned around to meet the eyes of a Matoran- similar in color to himself, save for his yellow Hau.

"Oh, Takua! I didn't see you there. Is Turaga Vakama in?" he asked. The intonation of his voice indicated familiarity, even camraderie, with him, and Takua inwardly felt a little guilty that he didn't recognize his peer.

"Well, there's a group in the other room, but I'm afraid I'm not sure who you're talking about, specifically."

Oddly, the Matoran's expression changed to one of confusion, then one of sympathy.

"Another episode?" He asked, confusing Takua even more.

"I, uh…" despite his unfamiliarity with the person before him, Takua felt at ease with his presence. "I suppose? I'm sorry, I don't really know what you're talking about."

The taller figure who had led him to this room earlier stepped out from the adjoining room, acknowledging the two Matoran.

"Turaga," the yellow-Hau-wearing one said, stiffening straight and giving a salute. "The outer perimeter has reported nothing strange. There's still no sign of Toa Tahu, but there doesn't seem to be anything else out of the ordinary."

The taller, Huna-bearing figure gave a dismissive wave in response.

"The Toa may not wind up… settling down, so to speak. Their duty, after all, lies all over Mata Nui. But before you go, Jaller- could you escort Takua back to his hut? I fear he may not remember the way himself."

Takua. He'd heard the name used in his presence before so he gathered it must be his. That made the other Matoran in the room Jaller, and the taller one most likely Vakama.

Jaller gave a bow before waving Takua over. Takua, seeing no other immediate choices and sensing no danger from the other, complied.

Once they were outside the hut, Takua took a deep breath of fresh, ash-scented air.

"So, how much do you know?" Jaller asked. Takua considered the question carefully- but, sensing no hint of an ulterior motive behind the words, shrugged.

"I've gathered that I've apparently lost my memory. I've also figured out that I'm Takua, and you're Jaller. Was the other one the Vakama you mentioned?"

Jaller nodded. Takua returned it and continued.

"I don't know who you are or what our relation is, but I feel more at ease with you than I did with Vakama. I'm sorry that I have to ask, but…"

"Who am I?" Jaller completed. Now it was Takua's turn to nod.

"I'm the captain of the guard of Ta-Koro, and I'm… we've been best friends for as long as I can remember."

Takua idly eyed his companion.

"I don't doubt you. I'm sure I'm lucky to have you as my friend."

Takua awoke in his hut, pressing a hand to his mask. This was always the worst part. Not only did he have to deal with the guilt and embarrassment he felt from being unable to remember his close friends, but it was always on nights like these he had the worst nightmares.

They were all loosely similar, but not linear enough to form a coherent thought, they existed more as… impressions. Flashes of gold and white and blue, swirling in a sea of gunmetal gray and black. The sound of anguished cries, the indecipherable pleas of someone who always seemed just out of reach. But worst of all by far were the feelings and sensations that felt so real he could swear he had felt them before. The feeling of being trapped, the captivity of it causing his heart to pound- he'd never liked enclosed spaces, and he had long since wondered if these dreams were to blame. The fear which twisted in his gut, the fear of all the unknowns of the world, which made him want to curl into a small ball and remain put. And worst of all, the wrenching pain of being taken, against his will, away from those who he held closest, accompanied by the aching feeling that they were still there, just barely out of reach.

In the beginning, he had dismissed them as nothing but unconnected stimuli, junk data that had been cluttering up the corners of his mind and was finally being purged. But as it continued to happen, solely after episodes such as this, he couldn't help but wonder if they were, in some haunting way, connected.

Takua sighed and pushed off the slab, slowly plodding his way over to the window, and as he looked at the pale light peering just over the side of the mangai, a single thought was present in his mind. Sure, these episodes were mercifully short, but what if they weren't an isolated problem? What if they were the mere aftereffects of something much larger, much more sinister?

If Takua had lost nights to episodes like these… how much of his life could he just simply have forgotten?

Chapter Text

“How long has it been, again?”

The question snapped Jaller out of his thoughts. He turned to face Hewkii.

“Six months,” he replied. Plus or minus a few weeks; he never really was sure how much time they had truly spent in the realm of the mad Karzanhi.

“Maybe…” Hewkii began softly, attempting to read any visible reaction in Jaller’s mask. “Maybe it’s time to… focus on the city’s future, now,”

The first time Hewkii had proposed the idea, it had been three months, and he’d gotten a bad scorch across the mask for his troubles. A month later, Jaller had simply walked away. Now, he just stood, eyes focusing on nothing, steadfast conviction or quiet acceptance nowhere to be seen, just… nothing. Hewkii almost preferred an angry, reactive Jaller to this. That conviction made up so much of who he was, and seeing him without it made Hewkii feel like he was standing next to an entirely different Toa.

“It just… doesn’t make any sense,” he finally said, “if he’d been killed, someone would have known. But it's like he just… vanished.”

It wasn’t long after Jaller and his troupe of Matoran had left that Takanuva had simply disappeared. Vakama and the other Turaga thought he had found some way to enter Karzanhi and had followed after the Matoran, but when Jaller and the Toa Mahri had returned with not but one but two expected members missing, the true gravity of the situation finally set in.

Jaller, for his part, had been doing his best to keep things balanced, protecting the city while also sending out the occasional search party to hunt for any clues relating to the missing Toa.

But Hewkii could tell that, after so much time, Jaller’s composure was beginning to slip. More and more often, he’d spent multiple days straight combing over anything and everything that might hold some shred of relevant information, all so far in vain.

“He wouldn’t want you to do this, Jaller,” Hewkii said, and there was that flash of anger he’d been missing- though Jaller didn’t move, the sudden clench of his fists and immediate shift of focus to Hewkii gave him away. Despite how much he tried to train it out of himself, Jaller couldn’t help the fire coursing through him. Still, Hewkii was unintimidated.

“Until something new reveals itself, we really can’t keep dwelling on this. Yes, he… they… may be gone, but we still have a duty to the Matoran of this city.”

Jaller sighed, turning away from his deputy. Deep down, he knew Hewkii was right. All he was doing was wasting energy chasing down wild trails that all ultimately led nowhere, and that was no way a Toa was meant to behave.

Despite everything Jaller had learned to avoid from Tahu’s example, he couldn’t help but wish he had his advice on what to do here.

“Hewkii… Matoro is gone because he did what I should have - but couldn’t. And now, nothing I’ve done has brought me any closer to finding out what happened to Takanuva,” his voice suddenly took on a much softer cadence, “I can’t keep losing people like this.”

Jaller knew he was being selfish. He hadn’t just lost his friend, Metru Nui had lost its sole protector for months, and with the Mahri now up to that task, it was irresponsible to keep dwelling on things that could further risk the Matoran.

He wasn’t sure if it was a reasonable expectation or his own desire for retribution that led him to believe Hewkii was about to tear into him, call him out on every selfish act he’d committed and lay out exactly why he should never have taken up the mantle of leadership in the first place, but in either case, it came as a mild shock when Hewkii simply placed a hand on his shoulder.

“I know. And I know how rough it must be, but I promise- you’re not alone in this, Jaller. I don’t want to stop looking either, none of us do. As soon as the Toa Nuva return, we’ll pick up the search again, alright?”

Hewkii angled his head slightly lower, trying to capture Jaller’s gaze. Once he had it, he continued, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“We’ll find him.”

Chapter Text

As they sailed toward the Great Barrier, Macku couldn't help but glance back toward Mata Nui's beach at every opportunity, emptiness welling in her chest as the serene golden coast slowly faded into the horizon. Only the sounds of the surrounding ocean filled the air, accompanied by the occasional cry of a seabird or call from a boat further ahead. She was accompanied by several other Matoran and a Hapaka dog, most of whom slept in the sunlight, awaiting their turn to row later on.

The place the Turaga had described, the true home of the Matoran, sounded… interesting. Given the chance, she would've loved to visit. But she was less certain about simply leaving Mata Nui, the only home she could ever recall, behind forever.

Not that it hadn't been through rough times as of late. Between the Bohrok invasions tearing up the landscape and the rampage of the Rahkshi, the island was in a pretty sorry state. Throughout the last few months of boat-building, she'd had recurring dreams about evacuating Ta-Koro and watching the village slowly sink below the lava, and she knew she was one of the lucky ones who hadn't had a home there.

But can't it heal? she kept thinking. Is it really right to just abandon it all? Everything that was there we built with our own hands, why can't we rebuild it?  

She shook her head, knowing she would get no answers, at least not until they got to Metru Nui. Macku simply had to trust that the Turaga knew what they were doing.

Kapura, her rowing partner, couldn't help but notice how wistfully she looked back at the little island. He wished he had the words to comfort her. Luckily, though, it seemed like he wouldn't have to come up with anything as Macku turned toward him.

"Do you think we're doing the right thing?" she asked. Kapura averted his gaze.

"Strange times have fallen upon us. Perhaps there is a greater danger than any of us Matoran know."

Macku remained silent for a while, casting her eyes back toward the island, and Kapura began to wonder what he'd said wrong.

Waves lapped at the little boat, drawing it further into the open ocean.

Finally, in a very small voice, Macku responded.

"But it's our home …"

Kapura removed a hand from his oar and placed it on Macku’s arm.

“We still have each other. I imagine many Matoran are feeling as you do now. We can still keep the spirit of Mata Nui alive in our new home.”

She sighed and finally met his gaze again.

"I suppose you're right…"

Glancing forward, she suddenly realized the distance that had formed between their boat and the main pack, who were beginning to leave them behind. Macku immediately refocused on rowing, spurring Kapura into doing the same. 

"From what Hahli was describing--" she said between strokes, "-- it sounds like Metru Nui is one big village divided into different portions."

Kapura had to raise his ordinarily-soft voice to be heard clearly.

"It sounded much larger than any village we know,"

That was one of the things Macku was hung up on. She just couldn't conceptualize a world larger than the island. How long would it take to walk from one end to the other? With so many large buildings, like the Turaga had described, would there still be beaches? Trees or forests for Rahi to live? What if it took even longer to reach the other elemental regions?

“I hope we can still visit each other,” she mused, casting her gaze upward to the sky. She was suddenly hit by a newfound sting of pain in her heart when she realized she’d likely never even see the sky again. It was an almost-dizzying thought- the island hurt, of course- she was uncertain if she’d ever be able to love living in a place as much as she did Mata Nui, despite all the dangers it came with- but the wide ocean always made the idea of other locations out there alluring and exciting. The idea of exploring and finding new things was part of why she’d taken such an interest in boating, along with the thrill of racing. But the sky was meant to be an immutable constant. Nixie had once explained that no matter where you are, whether you were on the island or somewhere else in  the entire world, if you could see the sky you could find your way back home.

“I hope so too,” Kapura responded, though it registered only partly to the distracted Macku. At least his talent would allow him to go practically anywhere, he supposed. He just hoped they would have enough free time to be able to visit.

“I’m going to ask to stay with Hewkii when we reach wherever we’re going,” Macku said. Kapura noted the slight waver in her voice as she spoke, but chose not to comment.

“I don’t think I want to be alone,”

“I do not blame you,” Kapura agreed. Despite having a reputation for being a bit of a strange lonor among the guard, Kapura was looking forward to their company again, especially during such uncertain times. Though that likely would consist mainly of ordinary guard duties, they were still his friends. As was Macku.

“If… Turaga Nokama or Turaga Onewa do not approve of that request,” he began, carefully gauging Macku’s expression as he spoke, “I would not mind staying with you.”

Macku hesitated a moment, then broke into a genuine and soft smile.

“If it comes to that, I’d like the company. Thank you, Kapura.”

Macku looked to the sky once more. Though she doubted the hollow feeling in her chest would go away anytime soon, it was nice to know, at least, that she was not alone.

Chapter Text

In one moment, the world was a blur of motion. In the next, it was eerily still. Berix's head pounded as he blinked through the dust that had settled on his coarse fur, helmet having been knocked away, ironically, by the tumble he'd taken.

It took a moment for him to remember exactly where he was and how he'd gotten there. His pounding head wasn't helping at all in that matter, making it hard for him to concentrate.

He'd been exploring- as per usual, hunting for anything interesting he could repurpose or trade- when he came across an unassuming little crevice in a rock formation a few mio out from Tajun. It had a nice inner ledge, about 2 bio from the floor of the cave, and, to his immense delight, a verifiable treasure trove of stuff . He remembered patting himself on the back for finding it- it looked so old that anybody who owned the weapons and armor scattered about were likely long dead by now, so Kiina couldn't get on his case for this haul.

Perhaps there was a reason, he now pondered, that the cave had been so conspicuously abandoned in the first place.

By the time he'd heard the telltale low rumbling of a bioquake, he was already too far inside to have any real hope of escaping. Still, he'd turned and done his best to scamper out the yawning entrance as the precariously-set rocks shook themselves loose. He was maybe about five bio away when his footing finally slipped, sending the Agori tumbling down to the cave floor. And now here he was.

He had no idea how long he'd been unconscious for- it had been midmorning when he entered, but what sliver of sky he could see now was stained the deep orange of dusk.

Dusk… he'd been gone for nearly the whole day, and after a bioquake like that, surely someone- Kiina or Mata Nui, maybe- would've noticed that he never came back from exploring.

… Right?

Either way, in the present moment he was on his own, so he might as well try and dig himself out.

His left arm was pinned awkwardly against his chest, but after a few experimental finger wiggles, seemed to be in working order. He arched his back- good to know that wasn't broken, either- just high enough to allow him to slip his arm out. He barely had the room, though, spine pressing uncomfortably against the boulder above him.

With some wiggling, he managed to free his other arm from a small pile of rubble to his right. However, a stab of pain through his wrist told him he hadn't gotten out nearly as unscathed as he'd hoped.

Even then, he hadn't gotten so lucky with his legs. His left was trapped at an angle that he couldn't remove it from without more room, and for the right he could barely feel anything below his knee.

"Berix?" he heard Kiina's voice break through the still desert air and almost couldn't believe it. She really had come after him! Probably to chew him out, truth be told, but he'd take the reprimand of a lifetime if it meant he got a breath of fresh air.

"Kiina!" he called, though it came out as more of a croak. The dust down here was really doing a number on his throat.

Evidently, though, it was enough. Within a few moments the light streaming in was suddenly blocked by the shape of Kiina's helm. Berix gave a small wave in reply.

"How did you-?" she began, then stopped herself. "Actually, don't tell me. Can you move at all?"

"My leg's stuck, I can't feel it," he replied, attempting to drag himself forward in what little space he had to prove it. A jolt of pain shot up through his body and he bit back a yelp.

"Hang on-" Kiina replied, shoving away two of the larger boulders on the surface with some effort. More light streamed down into the cavern.

She paused, taking a moment to scrutinize each rock she could reasonably attempt to move. Selecting one, she wedged the tip of her weapon under it, attempting to lever it out of the way. With some hesitancy, it rolled into the space formed by two other boulders, allowing her enough room to step down into the chasm, still a bio or so above Berix.

Berix couldn't do anything but watch as Kiina made slow, methodical progress, removing the smaller rocks she could lift with her hands. Berix tried not to think about the state of his leg.

Kiina attempted to lever another boulder out of the way, neither realizing that it was the one right above his back before he heard the grinding of stone and shower of pebbles right behind him.

"Kiina, wait--" 

He was cut off by the boulder dropping slightly, pinning his chest to the cave floor. Kiina immediately froze and retracted her weapon, stepping backwards.

He supposed he was lucky it hadn't been moved to the point of crushing him, but now taking in breath was proving difficult.

"Alright, alright, don't panic, I'll, uh…" Kiina attempted to reassure, voice laden with the remaining vestiges of composure she could muster.

Berix attempted to squirm loose. He couldn't tell if it was lack of oxygen or anxiety blurring the edges of his vision, but he wanted out .

Bad idea.

His prior lack of feeling in the area had distracted him from the matter of his pinned leg, and in doing so he had vastly underestimated just how bad off he was.

As soon as it was agitated, pain shot up from his knee, pulling an extended yowl from the Agori. Kiina stepped back and dug her fingers underneath the boulder pinning Berix to the ground, attempting to lift it off with just her own strength. Berix felt the stone dig further into his spine, but was still too occupied attempting to regain his breath from the shock of sudden pain to get out a warning.

"Kiina!"

Ackar's voice caused them both to look up.

"It's Berix! He was caught in a cave-in and can't get out!" she returned. Was that panic lilting on the edge of her voice?

Berix wouldn't have the chance to find out for certain, though, as the lack of oxygen intake in his panicked state had led him to the first few stages of deprivation. The voices of his friends blurred into an unintelligible din as he finally slipped into a dreamless, inky unconsciousness.

Chapter Text

The monument was humble, just a simple totem marked with a carefully-carved name in plain Matoric script. It hardly fit the one who had saved the life of the Great Spirit, and with the construction of New Atero well underway, a more befitting one would soon surely follow. However, this one- simple, unassuming, and easy-to-miss if one didn't know the significance of it- suited the one it was for much more appropriately, at least in Kopaka's eyes.

It had been months since anyone outside the occasional Ko-Matoran or cold-comfortable Agori had seen him, which suited him just fine. Tahu knew Kopaka was just a call away if ever truly needed, and though Lewa always complained he was never around enough, he respected Kopaka's desire for space just as much as the rest did.

Especially now. 

The little monument was near a small northern-leaning outpost of Matoran and Agori alike, a settlement striking a strangely nostalgic resemblance to the old village of Ko-Koro. A bit remote, but for an understandable reason in the Toa's eyes- similarly to Kopaka, Nuju had also sought out solitude.

Right now, in the dark of night, Kopaka was alone.

He never was one for talking, whether it be for some hypothetical great speech or just simply verbalizing his thoughts into the chill winds of Mount Ihu.

"I dreamt you were alive last night," he confessed. His words seemed to hang in the frigid air.

"It was before I was a Toa Nuva. We walked through Ko-Wahi together."

Phrasing it simply was the only way he could reliably get the words out. Thinking too much about how to verbalize his thoughts would simply get the words caught in his throat, unable to be uttered. He took the pause as an opportunity to sit, addressing the stone more directly.

He closed his eyes, bringing the half-remembered dream to mind. He'd clung to all the scraps he could upon waking, but even now, not a day later, the memory had begun to muddle. Ordinarily he cared little about committing his dreams to memory. Now he felt like he needed to keep everything as fresh in his mind as he could in order to continue breathing.

He had never taken this specific path through the ridges and valleys of the great mountain, even on his own. Here, in the dream, he had simply been following the little white-and-blue Matoran as he planted his bright red flags in the snow.

"You know, Toa Kopaka," he chirped, voice casual and easy as if he were speaking to a close friend. Had he considered Kopaka to be one?

"It’s strange being up here. Mount Ihu’s peak is the highest point on the island, so you can see nearly everywhere on a clear day.”

They stopped. From their vantage point on the snowy ridge, Kopaka could indeed see for what had to be kio, from the vast Motara Desert to the glittering waters of Naho Bay, all the way down to the Charred Jungle and Ta-Koro beyond it. It was an amazing sight, all pieced together from the glances he’d gotten from what seemed like so long ago, when he had no idea what significance they could have possibly held for him now. Even recalling it, he felt residual echoes of the immense heartache he had felt in the dream.

The feeling of standing there, dull cold enveloping him as he looked over the little island that had become so nostalgic to him, was easily the most clear memory he had of the dream.

Kopaka sighed, head lowered. Spherus Magna was… strange. Deep within him, it felt right- this was his home, this was where he was always meant to be. He had never truly enjoyed the short amount of time he’d spent in Metru Nui, no matter how highly the Turaga sung its praises. The snowy peaks and valleys of Ko-Wahi, though, were the sights he longed for a chance to see again. At least the vast, untamed wilderness of Spherus Magna served as something of a return to those old days.

Though they vastly differed in many ways- Toa and Matoran, cold and friendly, warrior and diplomat- one thing they shared was a deep love for the land in which they lived.

“I’m sorry you never had a chance to see this world,” Kopaka said, gaze still fixed on the ground. “You would have loved it.”

The wind whistled around him, finding gaps within his armor. If he listened carefully, he could almost hear the melodic voice of the absent Toa, seeming simultaneously so close and so infinitely far away.

Standing, Kopaka regarded the monument with a soft gaze.

“I’ll visit again soon, brother.”

The Toa of Ice then turned turned and set his sights toward New Atero.

It had, after all, been quite a while since he had last seen his siblings.

Chapter Text

"Nuparu! Hewkii! Keep it contained, we don't want anyone else getting hurt here!" Jaller called, having to shout for his teammates to hear him over the sounds of battle. Both Toa nodded and a stone wall erupted around them, the earth beneath their feet sinking to create a bowl-shaped indentation containing both the Toa and their foe.

The being- a Makuta by the looks of it, but Jaller hadn't bothered asking questions when they spotted the thing terrorizing a small village- towered over them on long, sickle-like legs. Already, an attempt to topple it by Hewkii and Kongu had been thwarted, the way it dipped and moved making it difficult to outmaneuver.

Creating a small cushion of superheated air beneath him as a launchpad, Jaller skirted up one wall in an arcing motion, twin blades leaving atomic green ribbons behind them as he leapt and slashed downwards at the monster, etching deep marks into its armored back. The Makuta roared in a battle-fueled rage and whirled around. It managed to catch a charging Hahli as it did, knocking her into Jaller and sending them both flying into the very solid wall.

The only thing Jaller felt was a sudden sharp, stinging pain in his side before his head collided with the hard stone.

When he woke, it wasn't to the sound of frenzied battle, nor was it the sound of celebration. It was simply silent.

After he'd gained some measure of consciousness, Jaller became cognizant of the pain in his abdomen- dull and throbbing at first, but sharpening more as he clawed his way back towards wakefulness.

Before he could muster the wherewithal to open his eyes, he groped at his side, searching for some easy escape from the pain. He gripped the sword that had become lodged in the wall- and his body- and ever so painstakingly slowly as he could bear, removed it. He groaned, less from the sudden dulling of the pain and more at the thought of Kongu and Nuparu ribbing on him later for impaling himself on his own weapon.

The silence crept up on him as his cognizance returned in full. When he finally opened his eyes, the reason for it was starkly evident.

The Makuta was nowhere to be found, and his team- his friends - were scattered throughout the makeshift arena, unmoving.

Closest to him was Kongu, crumpled up against the wall in much the same way he himself had been thrown. Jaller crouched beside him, looking for any spark or sign of life.

When he found none, he heaved a sigh and gently tapped his fist against Kongu's, which still loosely gripped his Cordak Blaster.

"I'm sorry, brother." He said as he stood, surveying the area for any movement or sound.

It was a grisly sight, even for how much he and his team had seen. Hewkii's armor seemed to have shattered, pieces of yellow-amber plating scattered all over. Hahli laid near the middle, and Jaller winced as he realized the blade sticking through her chest was his other sword. Nuparu's torso and legs laid at opposite sides of the arena, connected only by a few threads of saplike fluid which was slowly being absorbed by the earth.

The silence was pierced by a weak cough as Hahli's body convulsed. Jaller was by her side in an instant.

"Hahli!" He cried, gently cradling her in his arms. She barely seemed to acknowledge his presence, heartlight flickering unevenly.

Jaller was about to stand- attempt to find help, even if it looked like she had barely any time left- when a fear he hadn't felt in ages gripped his heart.

"Ah," a voice from somewhere over his shoulder purred. He didn't need to turn around to know it was the Makuta.

"Seems I missed one."

Jaller shot upright, heart feeling like it was about to pound out of his heaving chest, heartlight flashing madly to match. He could still feel the lingering fearful energy in his chest and hands, nearly pouncing when something to his left moved.

In his frantic state, it took him a moment to realize that the mass beside him- who had just let out an irritated, semi-conscious groan and rolled over- was a still-intact Nuparu. Hahli was curled on his other side, evidently still sleeping peacefully, followed by Kongu beside her. Sat on a nearby rock keeping watch was Hewkii, now having turned to look at him curiously. Jaller tried to ignore how strangely intimidating the red eyes peering out the ebon mask was when enshrouded in darkness. He tamped down the urge to look for their sixth, pushing himself up onto his haunches before standing so as not to further disturb his teammates. Hewkii, likewise, stood, and the pair silently made their way out a small distance- enough to avoid waking the team but still close enough to keep an eye on them.

Jaller wasn't sure what to say. He soon found himself sitting back on the ground, ignoring the sand now working its way up the seams in his armor. Hewkii followed suit, sitting back-to-back with his leader. It made it easier to talk and keep an eye on things that way, and feeling their teammate close at hand brought a small modicum of comfort to both Toa.

"So," Hewkii began, voice rumbling slightly from the effort to keep it low. "Might I be lucky enough to wring an answer out of you tonight?"

Jaller couldn't help but give a small smile, despite knowing Hewkii couldn't see it.

"Working on it," he said, "but it would start getting suspicious if I kept dodging these questions, wouldn't it?"

He felt Hewkii shrug. "It keeps my shifts interesting, if nothing else. You know I don't mean to pressure you if you really don't wanna talk."

Jaller remained silent for a while, staring at the patch of sand between his feet.

"... We were fighting a Makuta- couldn't tell which one, it looked like a few of them fused together. I… it attacked me, knocked me unconscious. It must have thought I was dead, because when I woke up, you all were…"

He sighed, violent imagery now occupying too much of his mind for him to continue.

Hewkii hummed in acknowledgement.

"... I failed to protect my team, and it cost us everything…"

"Hey, stop that." Hewkii replied with a surprising amount of force in his voice. Jaller lifted his head, curious.

"We- especially you- have been through hell and back over the last few months- literally- and that's a lot for even the strongest Toa to take. Now, whatever we face, we face as a team. You don't get to carry the scars from everything we've lived through alone. You're our leader, yeah, but we're all on the same ground here. Unity, remember?"

Jaller mulled over the response, eventually sighing and pulling his legs closer to his core.

"This isn't me trying to usurp you or anything, but if you need a break…"

"No, I can still lead. Thank you, though."

A stretch of silence followed. It was Hewkii who eventually broke it, hoping to ease the mood with a distraction.

"Could you ping, real quick? I mean, if you haven't been."

Jaller hummed and activated his mask power. A sonar ping, much higher in frequency than any known Rahi could hear, near-instantly mapped out the immediate area. Within a second more, he'd received the return signal.

"You're blocking about 70 degrees of my radius, but I don't see anything."

"Yeah, neither do I."

Again, they fell back into silence, and again it was Hewkii who spoke up first.

"Do you wanna head back?" he offered. It was clear that Jaller still had a lot on his mind, but he didn't want to pry into his friend's private matters too much. "If we make good time, we'll make it back to New Atero by early evening."

Jaller shook his head.

"No. The Agori called us out here for a reason. It would be… improper to abandon our duty like that."

Jaller caught some movement out of the corner of his eye and glanced upwards. Hahli was making her way over, seating herself on the ground next to her teammates.

Jaller acknowledged her with a nod, then sighed, placing his chin in his hand and looking out towards nothing.

"Despite everything, I…" he sighed. Both Hahli and Hewkii straightened slightly, indicating their attention.

"Sometimes I regret organizing our rescue mission. I know it's terrible to say that," Jaller finally admitted, voice dipping in volume and register, "I know that without us, the Great Spirit and the Toa Nuva- and then everyone- would have died. But Matoro would have been with us."

Takanuva had mentioned visiting an alternate universe where similar circumstances had come to pass. He wondered, as he had many times previously, if his alternate self appreciated his friend's survival. He'd better, with how much Matoro's absence gnawed at him even this long after his sacrifice.

Hahli rested a hand on his shoulder, quiet for a moment.

"I've had thoughts like that too. We all miss him dearly, Jaller."

This world wasn't worth his life, Jaller caught himself thinking, but luckily bit his tongue before the words could spill out, though it hardly helped the wave of mental self-flagellation that quickly followed for thinking something so selfish. His shoulders sagged. Hahli's contact shifted from one hand into an admittedly-comforting half-hug, which Jaller didn't resist being shifted into, just continuing to stare out at nothing on the horizon. Hewkii shifted slightly to allow her more room, but all were soon distracted when motion near the camp drew the attention of the three.

Kongu was making his way over, followed by Nuparu. As they took their places between Hewkii and Jaller and opposite Hahli, Kongu spoke up.

"We woke up so cold-lone we thought something happened!" He enthused, joviality an obvious attempt to lift Jaller's mood. It kind of worked. He couldn't help the half-smile that tugged at his mask.

With his entire team present, the dark feelings fogging Jaller's mind like stormclouds began to clear.

"Clearing out the Hunters from this area shouldn't take long, and if things get hectic, the Toa Hagah aren't far." Nuparu offered.

Jaller relaxed and leaned back slightly, shifting a bit more of his weight onto Hahli, Hewkii, and Kongu's shoulder. Kongu, in turn, shifted, moving an arm to support Jaller's back below Hahli's.

"I know I'm not really this… sentimental, usually, but…" Jaller spoke, voice soft, "There's no team of Toa I'd rather serve with than you."

"And there's no one we'd rather follow," came Hahli's response.