Nightmarish Holiday

Story
“Okay, then. Let’s all get into the canoe and start our trip!”

It was a very clear day, with the sun’s rays glittering in the rippling waters of Naho Bay. A group of Matoran have decided to take a week- long trip around Mata Nui after checking with the Le- Matoran that the weather will be good.

As Pekka clambered clumsily into the boat, Midak said with obvious fear in his tone, “ This thing really doesn’t… have any leaks… right?”

“Uh, no. I checked it all over.” said a slightly offended Marka. After all, it was under her leadership that the canoe was built.

“It is really, really, really…” Taipu asked, continuing to add more “really”s.

“Safe?” Onepu finished for him. “Look, I know we’re not familiar with water, but we’ve got to put our faith in one another if we’re ever going to get along with our trip. Stop being suspicious.” He added firmly to Hafu, who had just opened his mouth to say something else.

Midak looked as though he wanted to argue, but he kept silent and climbed into the boat.

After a few more minutes, the Matoran left the shore in the canoe and started rowing down a river.

As the journey progressed, fears of water were forgotten, and wonderful feelings at the beautiful sights of the scenery long forgotten during the long war with the Rahi appeared.

“It feels strange,” said Kotu. “That all these wonderful sights are here on our island home all along, and we didn’t realize it.” Several of the other Matoran murmured their agreement.

“I think we are going too fast.” whispered Kapura.

“We are going at a medium pace.” said Marka, surprised.

“Don’t worry about him.” Hafu called from the boat’s stern. “He always thinks that not moving as fast as a Mahi is the only way to go fast and travel safely.”

“It’s true!” Kapura called back. “''You ''should try it sometime to see if it works!”

And before his last word reached Kapura’s lips, the canoe bumped gently on the shore of the Po- Wahi bay.

“See?” Hafu said to Kapura. “Fast and safe.”

Kapura just shook his head and sighed.

“There are our rides!” shouted Midak, who had gone a little farther ahead of the main group. A small group of Ussal crabs stood waiting in a temporary fenced area.

“They don’t try to buck their riders off, do they?” asked Kotu cautiously, as she approached her crab.

“Unless you pinch them really hard, and that’s when your fingers hurt.” said Onepu.

As soon as the others have mounted their crabs, Taipu rode to the front and raised a flag.

“What’s that for?” asked Pekka.

“The signal to start the race!” Taipu explained.

Onepu sighed. “We are not going to have an Ussal crab race, Taipu, I told you why before we started our trip.”

“Why can’t we have a race?” asked Hafu. “Sounds exciting.”

“Because you lot don’t ride crabs often.” Onepu replied, rolling his eyes.

“Come on, let’s give it a go. It should be fun.” said Marka.

Onepu looked at the group, then sighed. “Alright, then. We’ll have one race only.”

“Yes! Onto your positions, everybody!” Taipu roared.

“I’m not participating.”

Everybody turned around to look at Kapura.

“Mata Nui, why can’t you just have fun for a while?” Hafu said.

“Because I don’t want to risk getting hurt.” Kapura explained.

Hafu looked at Taipu, who simply shrugged.

“Okay, then you catch up with us later.” said Hafu.

“Sure.”

Everybody adjusted their spots, then Taipu waved his flag vigorously. All the racers sped forward on their crabs.

Onepu quickly rode ahead of the others.

“You can do better than that, slowpokes!” he yelled.

Then it happened all of a sudden. The ground trembled, and cracks appeared on it. With a great rumbling sound, all of the Matoran fell down with their crabs.

“What… happened?” Pekka groaned, as his companions all lay slightly crumpled around him.

Onepu was the first to manage getting to his feet. “We have fallen down a hole, obviously,” he observed. “But the question is, who would want to dig a trap right in the middle of the road?”

“Or this might have been a sort of cave- in,” Taipu added helpfully. “Happens a lot of times when mining back in Onu- Wahi.”

“Whichever,” said Onepu. “What we need to work out is how we’re going to get out. Night will come, and some Rahi might come and hunt us.”

“Listen!” Kotu said suddenly. “I hear the sound of a crab walking!”

The Matoran waited, and not very long after, the footsteps halted, followed by the sound of someone dismounting. Then a red Kanohi Pakari appeared over the edge of the pit.

“See? Walk slowly, and reach your destination faster and safer.”

“Shut it, Kapura. Find a way to get us out, and be quick!” snarled Hafu.

Kapura kept silent, then said, “You folks have some rope or something?”

“Yeah, I have some.” Marka reached into her bag and pulled out some fairly thick coils.

“Now toss it up.” Kapura continued.

Marka took aim, then threw the rope as hard as she could. Kapura caught it in midair, then started uncurling the coils.

“Hold on, I’ll tie this to a rock or something.” Kapura disappeared from the edge of the pit.

A very long silence came in Kapura’s absence. “Hope he’ll hurry up,” complained Midak. “My legs hurt.”

Footsteps suddenly started again.

“Great, he’s coming back.”

More footsteps.

“Will he just hurry up!”

But instead of the Pakari, another Kanohi appeared over the pit’s edge.

“Well, well. Seems like we have some Ruki in a barrel, and what a lot of fish!” said the stranger.

“Who are you? Where’s Kapura?!” demanded Onepu.

The stranger seemed to recoil a bit. So he doesn’t know about Kapura being here, Onepu thought.

“No matter about… Kapura. My business would be done with you before he… returns.” the stranger replied.

Onepu glared at the stranger angrily. So it’s you who dug this hole, thought Onepu. Now what do you want from your prey?

“I will make this quite simple for you,” said the stranger, taking out a heatstone and a knife. “Give me all your valuables, and if you don’t do so, I shall drop down this heatstone upon cracking it.”

All the Matoran started unpacking their bags and picking out the more valuable items.

“Good. After you have finished this task, I shall lower a ladder to you.” growled the stranger.

But as the Matoran finished collecting their valuables, a disc flew behind the stranger and knocked of his Kanohi. Rapid footsteps followed. This time, a blue Pakari appeared.

“Takua!” Taipu yelled gratefully.

Takua grinned, then said, “Now you give me your valuables!”

THE END