My little Bionicle: Quest for the Masks Chapter 18

My Little Bionicle: Quest for the Masks
By
Toa Coy, Co-author Blazikenking
(To be) Edited by Cade the Sharkbear

One more chapter is all I have left of this story, still that twentieth chapter who could wrap this up...guess we have to wait and see

~Toa Coy~

Chapter 18: Something is on the Horizon

Mazeka arrived in his room after a surprising day in this strange world. The history of not only this Empire but for the history of all these ponies. What started as a three way class struggle turned into a peaceful nation. Far more so than most of the nations and islands of his people and the races that have been integrated into their society. When he was not being lead around by Shining Armor or writing reports, he would check the castle library to learn about the empire and the country as a whole. Most of the history was much the same as his own’s, wars and other such things were skimmed over as knowing who attacked in the past was not as relevant as knowing how to act. The Nightmare war interested him but by the time he had gotten to that night had fallen and it was time to meet his fellow order members.

It was then that night he was able to read up a bit of the war, it struck him on how similar this was to his own war. Two siblings brought to fight the other, one loved and the other not much but then one day the war began and the kingdom lost a ruler. That night Mazeka would have wondered if the alicorn he had seen with Cadance during that attack was one from the history if he had not spoken to the princess about it when he returned from his walk with the prince. At breakfast right when the main rulers of the nation arrived Mazeka was sure the others felt some elemental shadow energy from Luna while also feeling the elemental light fro Celestia.

Since Mazeka was still the liaison, and had the most information from his time spent in the library, he asked and answered questions between the two groups. A few points, like how and why the followers were attacking them, seemed to be a trigger of anger for Luna but when any from the order asked why? Was met with her saying it was a personal matter and something that should not be brung up in talks like this. Orde had tried to sneak into her mind to find the answer, but he was met with a wall that was like a cubic Bio thick of protosteel.

From there the two groups forge alliance together and move to hosting the Toa that wanted to interact with the ponies of this nation and understand the culture of something similar to them. From there Mazeka was asked to show the toa around while Jerbraz and Johmak stayed with the royalty and farther discussed it in more private areas. So Mazeka showed the team around and retraced his steps from the walk with Shining Armor. From there they checked the markets and other public places before they reached the cities library and the Toa began to read and learn about their current home for the foreseeable future. This lead to Mazeka flopping on his bed and hoped for a good rest, but most failed to noticed an almost silent buzz nearing the empire.

----

Artemis a bit surprised what Umbrage and Spike told her, from how the blue eyed dragon got to the library and how her uncle came to be in his eternal prison. But that now raised a question of how can they send Umbrage back with the sack of Kanohi.

“Is there some way to summon Mata Nui to us so we can do this?” Umbrage aske as he sat with the other two in the center of the library.

“Not really.” Artemis replied scratching her head for how they could contact the former ruler. “He just appears when he feels like it.”

“Sounds like Discord,” Spike said recalling the draconequus’s penchant to just appearing out of thin air. “He would just appear at the drop of a hat, but I haven’t seen him for a few weeks now.”

Artemis knew of Discord, Apple Bloom and her friends informed her about the strange being even that he had joined their CMC group for reasons that they did not say out of knowing how he felt being seen as a softy, but the young alicorn had yet to meet him in person...until a snap was heard and a light blinded the trio with Owlowiscious and the shift covering themselves from the brightness.

Out of this came His horse-like head was topped with a golden crown with his deer antler on the right and blue goat horn on the left poking out and seemed to add to the crown’s look, one long fang visible in his gleefully open mouth with a snake tongue just about to touch his goat beard while his white bushy eyebrows were arched with his different-sized pupils closed. His right lion arm held a scepter with is face on it while the left claw of an eagle had a ring on it. The legs were nothing special just a lizard right leg and left of a goat. A cape draped from his back but Artemis would be able to see the right bat wing and a left pegasus wing while his dragon-like snake tail was like a third arm with the white tail tuft in the shape of a hand.

“Oh Twilight you would not believe what happened to me.” Discord said before he opened his eyes showing of his yellow eyes with red irises. The gleefully look left his face to a confused one, he the ruler of random and the captain of chaos was a bit of a lost for words at what he was looking at. The alicorn in front of him was not Twilight, but that couldn’t be right to his all knowing mind there was only four alicorns. The fact that there was another was confusing yet made him intrigued and made him smile.

“My, my, my,” Discord said as the royal wear disappeared off of him and appeared on the coat rack as he circled the alicorn looking her over. By that time the dragons and Artemis could see Discord was smiling. Now it was not creepy but it was one of those things that would have parents saying to never talk to that being again. “A fifth alicorn, who were you before this my dear? An orphan that caught the eye of the princesses? Maybe some being from another world that was trapped here in that form? Or some wish fulfilment for someone to make you on my level so that you may defeat somepony just as powerful?”

“What are you talking about?” Artemis asked confused at what the mixed being meant.

“You clearly could not be born an alicorn as only Luna and Celestia could even make one of those, a natural born alicorn hasn’t happen since I was ruler of this place and that was a long time ago.” Discord said in a matter of fact tone.

Artemis was a bit lost for words since in some respect the big headed, literally given Discord, rear was right. She was artificial in a way, given she began as a piece of the makuta’s shadow that then entered her mother in a manner that could be called force conception. She was also a full grown adult by the time she fully became Nightmare Moon, by all rights that would make her current form artificial but it felt natural to her. To be this young in body and old in mind, that was just who she was.

“You know Discord you shouldn’t treat Artemis like that.” Spike said standing up to the very being that he ran from when first seeing him. “She being the legitimate daughter of Luna, means you may have to deal with Celestia and Luna sending you far away or worse not ever seeing Fluttershy again.” The dragon stood up to Discord, who humored him by lowering his head, and stared him in the eyes.

“Please, knowing those two like I do. Neither Luna nor Celestia have yet to have a colt friend in years, besides alicorns age slower so do foal development. Therefore she could not possibly be Luna’s child.” Discord said with a shitaki eating grin.

“Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to not give into rage and turn into a monster for saying that!” Spike almost yelled at the lord of chaos. “You don’t know her past or how she came to be because you were nothing but a stone sculpture that could only hear things.” By now Discord was more interested than before, to have see someone willing to go into a monster just to defend a friend.

“Alright shorty explain it to me then.” Discord replied dropping all of his goofyness.

----

Takua woke up, surprised that he had survived the crash landing, with a throbbing headache. When he brings his hoof to his head he feels a cloth around his head, must have been bleeding if that was there. Looking around he saw the missing Le-ponies, Turaga Matau, and Taipu who all seem to be building the hive with strange small electric blue bugs acting as motivators for any that weren’t working. The Ta-pony could see Kongu speaking with Turaga Matau, feeling strong enough Takua walked up to the elder.

“Ah fire-spitter, Kongu was just speak-talking about how you quicked-sniped Rama in attempt to rescue-save us.” Matau greeted speaking in his normal coded language. “He spoke-told me how you had a group-band of villagers that followed you but they seem to have quick-escaped once you and Kongu were knocked down.” It was then that the Turaga turned to Kongu. “Life-dawn Kongu go check on the others I have things I must talk with the chronicler about.”

“As you wish Turaga.” Kongu said bowing and trotted off as flying might cause the Nui-Rama to notice the lack of bug near him.

Once the captain was out of earshot Matau’s small smile turned into a frown. Takua could not recall ever seeing the elder Le-pony frown, so it must be bad if this happened.

“I must tell you that I know that the Rama are not alone, there are Toa-villians here.” Matau said in a hush tone and his eyes scanning in search of something. “Lewa and Gail have been infected and now hold us as caged rahi. I know not what to do but try and keep the others calm while I hope and pray to Mata Nui that help comes.” Noticing activity as bugs come towards them, Matau points to a nearby tool. “Quickly take that and act like you are working to keep them none the wiser.”

Takua started to work by chipping at some stone before a cracking was heard throughout the hive and a large chasm formed near the center of the massive place. At that moment two armored clad ponies came from the upper levels of the hive, it was Lewa and Gali. Only now there normal helms were cracked and spotted with rust and were an off black, their eyes were blank like they had no souls and were puppets on strings. Near them was a Nui-Kopen, it was an ugly wasp rahi that was known to hate the Nui-Rama so them working together was unnatural, and in its front and back legs held the original kanohi of the two Toa. Now it made some sense why only the Le-pony were taken and not the Bo-ponies, by having the toa sworn to protect them as the jailer that means they would not have hope of rescue even if those on the outside about to save them.

Out of the chasm came Pohatu and Ouna who seem to stare down the other two toa. Weapons at the ready it, the two infected Toa attack their brothers. Both the toa of earth and stone’s mask shifted into the shape of the hau blocking the two wildly attacking toa. The axe and hooks soon began avoid the front and tried to back stab the defending Toa, but both of them were back to back to prevent that.

Soon both changed to the kakama and used the speed to knock the two infected into the other and jolt them to their normal selves.

“Need...to get my...mask.” Gali said fighting for control her body.

“Must not...give...in.” Lewa said in his own internal battle.

It was all for not as they turned back into the puppets and began to use their elements to try and stop the speedsters. However the true Gali and Lewa told the carver and miner how to save them. Pohatu decided to be bait for the attacks while Onua used his noble matatu and used it to grab the two toa masks from the Nui-Kopen. This also caused the infected toa to turn to the black earth pony giving Pohatu the chance to knock the infected mask off of the two. With that Ouna lowered the mask to the two who donned them and all for turned to the Nui-Kopen and proceed to soundly defeat the rahi.

With the help of the healed Kahu and the Le-ponies everyone flew out of the hive safe and back to Le-koro where a celebration took place in honor of Pohatu and Onua.

----

Twilight and her friends had one of the best nights that they had while on this island. They had beds that was not the ground or stone and did not have to be on watch. After they woke up and had breakfast with Fila, the food had a snap to it. Pinkie’s mane some how puffed out with tiny arcs of sparks coming off of it. “The Comic Relief's Guide to the Fourth Wall and What May Come from It” commented with the text reading ‘I wonder if this is how the bride of the Frankenstein monster keeps her hair like that.’

Of Course Fila, who turned out to be more like Rarity then AJ, wanted to hear more of their tales before they came to Mane Nui. The Equestrians had left off with how they defeated Discord and the struggle before hoof, once again it was agreed that they should not reveal too much since they knew that spies could be around them. After a good meal they were shown around the village, as they walked the girls noticed that the mask on this ponies were different from the others they had seen, there was a hau with strange lines on the forehead1, two kakama looked like2 similar yet different3 , and then there was the pakari4 that looked similar to Fila’s hau. Twilight noticed this and asked Fila about it.

“As you have no doubt noticed all the girls on the island are some shade of blue.” Fila replied, and it did cause a realization in the equestrians. “Each of us use our native colors to change the look of the mask so no two ponies would be mistaken.”

“I understand what you mean,” AJ said knowing the feeling. “Sometimes when I was younger and a few of my cousins got together some ponies would think that I was one of the others.”

“What is a cousin?” Fila asked unfamiliar with the term.

Before any of the equestrians answered a black, gold and grey dragon appeared out of nowhere with a sack of kanohi masks.

----

Turning back the clock to before Umbrage fell in front of Twilight and company, Spike have finished with an undertone of anger telling Discord all of Artemis story while the filly talked to Umbrage. Discord was amused to say the least, and pulled out a chart that looked like a family tree but looked like a web. The mixed begin started along Luna and Celestia said of the tree showing their parents, them, and Artemis which was pretty straight forward. It was the Makuta’s side that got confusing the picture of Mata Nui and Teridax’s parents were only outlines, them, Discord, and the Makuta.

Discord explained that after the battle between Teridax and Mata Nui, the spirit and soul formed into the Makuta with the body and magic forming into Discord as a punishment/restart for any of the good left in Teridax. Needless to say this had all present picking their jaws off of the ground. It was then that Artemis was at a lost of words, just how crazy can this get. It was then that Discord decided to help his relative and get Umbrage back to the island. However he also wanted to do something to the royal sisters as a prank, Discord wanted Artemis to sneak into the castle and take one item from each of their personal bedroom. He did not say what the items was but said that she would know.

With the young alicorn agreeing to it the former lord of chaos appeared next the dragon shade and disappeared to Mata Nui’s dimension. The draconequus then snatched the sack and gave it to the dragon before dropping the dragon near Twilight. After that he returned to his kingdom for the schedule anti-gravity hour.

----

“I swear Discord is worst than any order member.” Umbrage thought before he saw where he was and rubbed his head. “At least he was accurate.”

Twilight and the other equestrians were surprised to see the dragon again but that was not the major thing that caused them to look surprise was the sack of kanohi next to him. Fila’s horn was glowing with magic about to attack the dragon.

“Fila wait!” Twilight said putting herself between the Vo-pony and the dragon. “We know this dragon.”

“If you know it then do you know how he got all those kanohi.” The Vo-pony said  not letting her eyes on the dark being.

Umbrage looked to Twilight with a look that reminded the mare of Spike, which while still creepy Twilight knew that the dragon was not so low to steal masks.

“He probably took that from whoever has been making those infected masks.” Twilight said getting a nod from the shade. “See.”

“Okay,” Fila said as she called her magic and electricity down. “But you are the one to answer for any trouble he causes.”

Twilight nodded and had a ‘we will talk later look’ on her face as she motioned for the dragon to hop on her back. After a bit of work and magic the dragon shade was up on the hidden alicorn.

1 modaltmasks.deviantart.com/art…
2 modaltmasks.deviantart.com/art…
3 modaltmasks.deviantart.com/art…
4 modaltmasks.deviantart.com/art…