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A rift opened in the middle of the air, and two women fell out.
Renko got to her feet first, adjusting her hat as she helped Maribel up. “So where are we now?”
“That's a good question.”
The pair examined their surroundings.
"A city?"
"So it seems."
They stood on the edge of a canal filled with something too metallic to be water but too thin to be mercury. Stone buildings were interspersed with towers of woven metal, and the distance they could see stone pillars and crystal spires.
"Over here!"
Renko looked over towards where Maribel had gone. A wall had been painted with a mural, depicting a red figure with a staff overlooking a number of smaller figures. Circular glyphs shimmered, then shifted into legible text. Renko put a hand up to the mural and read.
Pride in the Elite!
Demonstrate your love for Metru Nui.
Report slovenly work and sloth to your local Vahki hive!
"There's more down that way." Maribel pointed. "Seems pretty dystopian, huh?"
“Kinda, yeah.” Renko rubbed the back of her head, then squatted down, examining the mural. ”What’s a Vahki, do you think?”
“That, I think…” Maribel grabbed Renko’s arm and turned her around. Renko’s eyes widened and she took a step back. A massive mechanical creature, easily over two meters tall, stood before them. It had an elongated head, with glowing orange eyes and sharp mandibles, and a pair of curved staves fused onto its forelimbs. It stared down at them, neither moving nor making a sound.
Renko gulped, as Maribel lifted a hand. “Um… hello? I think we’re a bit lost.”
There was a pair of crunches as two more of the machines dropped to their sides. Renko tried to push back further but there was nowhere to go. “Merry…?”
Maribel’s eyes flicked back and forth. The lead machine raised its weapons, Maribel reached back and grabbed Renko’s hand. “Be ready to duck,” she hissed.
“What?”
The machine took a step forward, swinging a weapon at them.
“Go!” Maribel ducked, pulling on Renko as she sprinted forward, ducking down and in between the machine’s legs. Renko cried out as she barely managed to fit under, stumbling but running on.
Motors whirred behind them and Renko turned to spot the three in pursuit. “Merry!”
“I know!”
“Can you get us out?”
“Not yet, it's too soon!” Maribel grabbed Renko’s hand. “Right turn, we'll lose them up-”
A fourth Vahki dropped down in front of them. Before either woman could even scream it slammed its staff into Maribel, knocking her into Renko and sending them both skidding back down the street.
Renko groaned as she came to a stop. She spotted Maribel not far from her, seemingly stunned. She scurried over to her, all too aware of the mechanical creatures closing in. “Merry, get up! We have to go!” Maribel’s eyes shot open, but they were unfocused, glowing slightly orange. Her hand shot out and grabbed Renko’s wrist. “Merry, what are you- Ungh!” Renko cried out as Maribel twisted her arm behind her back.
"I've got her! I've got the troublemaker!"
"Merry, what are you doing?" Renko struggled against her friend's grip. "Snap out of it!" The lead Vahki stomped closer. Light flickered between its mandibles, and a silver disk appeared between them. It reared back its head to fire-
" Helloooooo , bolt-brains! Search-looking for me?"
All four Vahki turned towards the source of the voice. A figure in green armor stood on top of a nearby building, fists on hips and a grin audible in his call. "You should be! I'm much more flash-handsome!" The Vahki reared back and spat the disk at the figure, while its compatriots lifted their weapons, energy spearing off the tips as the figure laughed and casually danced out of the way.
"Sorry, Merry." Renko gritted her teeth, then swung her elbow back into her friend's stomach. Maribel gasped, her grip loosening enough for Renko to pull free. She spun away, opening her mouth to try and talk the other woman down, but froze as something caught her eye. The canal had drained, the liquid whatever-it-was receding. Renko's heart froze- anyone from the Home Islands knew what that meant. Maribel wrapped her arms around her, but Renko barely noticed as she started to run-
Too late. A massive wave of silvery liquid crashed down on them both, flooding the street and sending them- and the Vahki- skidding into a wall. A moment later a silver disk shot down and slammed into the pavement, and the liquid rapidly froze over into thick ice. Renko cried out as the rapidly growing ice trapped her. Shouts called out, and two more figures appeared- one blue, leaping out of the canal, one red, leaping off a nearby roof and sprinting over. He leapt on top of one of the now frozen Vahki, pulling out a tool and slamming it into the thing's head with a spray of sparks. The blue figure drew what Renko could only describe as a bladed flail and slashed the head off a second Vahki, while the green figure crashed down on top of a third, stabbing a sword right through its cranium.
The fourth Vahki let out a groan of fatiguing metal, then with a sound of shattering ice, broke an arm free. It reached over towards where Maribel was frozen and pulled her out of the ice. The blue figure cried out, but before she could do anything a disk appeared in the Vahki's mandibles, spat it at Maribel, and both vanished in a glow.
"Karzahni!" The red figure spat out what was obviously a curse. "Matau-"
"Going!"
The green figure hopped up, wings spreading from his back, and flew off down a street. The red being slammed a hand into his Vahki's head, digging around for a moment before pulling out several of the silver disks. He started looking through them until the blue figure called out “Vakama, the ice!”
“Oh! Right.” He ran over, close enough that Renko could make out features besides color through the rime. Like the Vahki he appeared to be mechanical, but he seemed less robotic- movements more fluid, a face that appeared to be only partially rigid- or was it a mask? He was carrying a short staff in one hand, glowing red hot. He started to lower it towards Renko, only to freeze, eyes widening with shock. "I... what are you?" He said, jerking back. "I thought you were an Onu-Matoran from above, but..."
"Vakama?" The blue figure approached, similarly mechanical in appearance but organic in movement. She gasped and covered her mouth as she examined Renko. "It's... but that's impossible!"
"M-M-M-... Renko tried to speak, but all that came was chattering teeth. The red figure brought his torch close again, warmth flooding Renko as the ice melted away. "M-my friend... Merry..."
"Matau's looking for her- the Vahki must have used a teleport disc on itself. I've never heard of it doing something like that."
"Bordakh are said to be the most intelligent of the Vahki..." The blue figure knelt down. Her hands glowed, and melted liquid pooled away from Renko. "But... who are you? What are you? No metal or armor..."
Renko stood, brushing off her clothes and surprisingly finding them dry. She considered for a moment. "We're... travelers. From another place-"
The green figure landed in a flurry of wind. "No sight-sign of 'em. Sorry Va... Mata Nui!" He jumped back, hands up as he stared at Renko. "Who skinned you?"
The blue figure reached out and whacked him on the head. "Don't be rude, Matau!" She shook her head. "We're too exposed out here- three Vahki destroyed, and a fourth heading back with a prisoner. We need to hide- all of us." She nodded pointedly at Renko. "Follow me. We can talk on the way."
"He accused you of killing him?" Renko gaped.
The red figure- Vakama, Toa of Fire- nodded. "We don't know why. Toa Lhikan was taken by the Dark Hunters, the very same ones Turaga Dume has hunting us. It doesn't make any sense!"
"Strange times are happening in Metru Nui." Matau, Toa of Air said grimly. "Matoran disappearing, Vahki getting more and more aggressive, Dark Hunters runnin' around freely..."
The third, Nokama, Toa of Water, held up a hand. The group ducked into an alley, as a pair of Vahki walked past. Renko bit her lip, whispering, “Those things took Maribel. They did something to her mind."
Nokama grimaced. "Yes, they... do that." Renko noticed her doing her best to avoid looking at Vakama. "It will wear off."
"But where would they take her?"
"The Archives most likely," said Vakama. "Your... uniqueness would cause some amount of debate and research. I don't think they'll vivisect her-"
"Vivisect?!?"
"-seeing as she's the only one they have, but without a proper exoskeleton and no obvious way of holding yourself together..." Vakama grimaced. "They'll probably put her in stasis for safe observation."
Renko clenched her fists. “We need to go get her.”
“The Archives are big. Whenua said they extend underneath the entirety of Metru Nui.”
“Then we grab-snatch Tehutti again and make him lead us around!” Matau grinned.
“I don’t know, Matau…” Vakama turned away. “Wouldn’t it be better to find the others or Toa Lhikan first, so we’d be better able to find Renko’s friend?”
Renko took off her hat. “Please.”
Vakama looked at Nokama and Matau, who both nodded. “It’ll be difficult just getting there. The three of us stand out as it is, and you…” He paused, staring at Renko’s hat. “Although…” He hurriedly pulled out his torch and a pair of silver disks.
“Mask-making, Vakama?” Nokama asked.
“Her colors are right for an Onu-Matoran, even if she’s a bit too tall and, well… fleshy .” Vakama pressed the disks together, then put the torch up to them. Sparks flashed, and a moment later he was holding a silver mask. “It’s a bit of a rush job I’m afraid, but it should at least make you less obvious.” He handed it to Renko, who slipped it onto her face, finding it staying in place despite no straps.
Renko touched the metal mask- it was warm to the touch, not just from Vakama’s torch, and for a moment she almost felt…. Something powerful within. She peeked out of the alley, and seeing no Vahki, turned back to the others. “Where do we go?”
Vakama's plan seemed to work. Renko still stood out a bit, but with the mask hiding her face she was just unusual, not a creepy fully organic creature. She led the way, getting whispered directions from the Toa as they snuck behind her, until they eventually made it to a building labeled as the Archives.
Renko took a moment, then went inside. She walked up to the front desk, clearing her throat. "Excuse me?"
The desk clerk looked at her, a frown on his mask. "Yes? Who are you?"
"I'm, er, a traveling scholar. I heard you had a new exhibit? Something fully organic."
"Travelers? Haven’t had any in a while." The guard narrowed his eyes, but shrugged. "I'm surprised you heard so quickly, the beast was only delivered just an hour ago."
"We're very excited about it in my homeland."
"Oh? Where's that?"
"Er-"
Renko was saved from having to answer by a sudden crash. The clerk turned, gaping as a massive blue and white creature stomped out of a hall, arms laden with weapons as several Matoran chased after. Behind her Renko heard a muffled "Kharzani!" from Matau hiding somewhere.
"Da Turaga says we can have this!" The brute said to the clerk, coming to a stop at the desk. "Fer’ Toa catchin'."
"I-I-I'll have to see a receipt-"
"Da Turaga says we can have this!" The brute kicked the clerk, then turned to Renko, a single red eye glaring at her. "What are you lookin' at?"
Renko gulped, recognizing him from Vakama's description- Krekka, one of the Dark Hunters who'd kidnapped Toa Lhikan. She took a step back. "Nothing..."
"You callin' me nothing?." Before Renko could do anything he kicked, knocking her mask off her face and sending her sliding. A moment later the Toa jumped out of hiding, weapons raised, but as Renko struggled to her feet, hand over her bleeding nose, Krekka froze. "Wha-wha-wha are you??"
Renko stared, realizing that her face was exposed. Matoran ran, but Krekka was staring in horror. "I'm..." her mind whirled. "I'm a monster! A horrible fleshy monster!"
"No!" Krekka jumped back, weapons falling from his arms. "No, Nidhiki said the other one was a fluke! Irnakk isn't real!"
"...Yes, I'm Irnakk! Rawr!"
" Waaah !!!" Krekka screamed and ran back down the corridor. " Nidhikiiiii !!!"
Renko sighed, then felt a pat on the back. "Nice improv," Matau said as he held out a fist for Renko to bump.
"He said something about the other. Does that mean he knows where Merry is?"
"Perhaps." Nokama nodded, then turned to the stunned clerk. "Excuse us, could you help us find something?"
The clerk shook, then gave a forced smile, eyes not meeting Renko. "Well, since you got rid of him..."
A few minutes and a tram ride later, they all stood in front of a door. "We're nearly all the way to Po-Metru," said the clerk, hands shaking as he held up a key. "There's an exit there, so if you don't mind, please use that one instead of mine?"
"Of course." Vakama took the key and handed it to Renko. The door clicked open smoothly. Maribel was inside, thankfully not in stasis. Neither was she alone- four more armored figures were there- three Toa, one slightly shorter, mask hidden by a gold helmet. One of the Toa looked up, eyes widening past his brown mask. "Vakama?!"
"Onewa!" Vakama pushed into the room. "Nuju! Whenua!"
"Renko!" Maribel shoved her way through the sudden cluster of Toa to grab Renko in a hug. "I'm so sorry- I don't know what came over me earlier..."
"It's fine, Merry."
Renko held Maribel close, while the helmeted being chuckled and walked forward. "Yes, the Bordahk are known to do that. It was not your fault, my young friend."
Maribel let go of Renko, looking her up and down, from her scuffed clothes to the mask held at her side. "I think you owe me a story."
"I think we all have stories to tell." The figure said, patting Maribel on the back. "But here is where ours split, I think. You have your own journey's end, much as we have ours."
"Thank you, Lhikan."
Maribel whispered the name, giving the figure a knowing smile. Renko stared as Maribel took her arm and led her out of the cell. "Did you just say..."
"Yes, but the others don't know yet. It's a surprise." Maribel took Renko's hand. "Just like our next stop. You ready?"
"Always."
A black rift opened and closed, leaving the Toa Metru to their destiny.