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This article was written by 117Jaller. Please do not add to it without the writer's permission.
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| Eternal Wounds | |
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Misplaced Alternate Universe: Po-Metru
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117Jaller
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Eternal Wounds[]
A story during the Siege of Po-Metru, and is the seventh story in the Misplaced Universe. Written by 117Jaller and edited by KotaFi
Story[]
Gruru after being Injured by a Lerahk.
Prologue[]
Toa Gruru was stabbed in the chest by a Lerahk.
"Ahrg!" The Toa of Earth cried out in pain as he tumbled backward. He dropped his sword and fell on his behind. Gruru could feel the poison coursing through him.
Tahu rushed to Guru's side, "Are you alright?" asked the Toa of Fire as he knelt next to his brother.
The two Toa looked over to see three Rahkshi approaching.
"Of course not!" Guru responded as he grasped the wound on his chest.
Before Tahu could prepare to protect his injured brother, A Skakdi jumped down from a building above and stabbed The Lerahk under his spine. The creature hissed as it fell to the floor. The Panrahk behind the Skakdi came in to get him from behind but quickly turned and grabbed the Rahkshi of Fragmentation by the neck with his robotic arm and squeezed it until there was a snap.
The last Rahkshi was about to pierce the Skakdi in the back with its staff when Tahu accessed his elemental powers through his Fire Sword and melted the final Rahkshi.
"Thanks!" exclaimed the mysterious Skakdi as he took a breath.
"We should be the one's thanking you," Gruru continued. "So, thanks!"
"As much as it pains me to say this," Tahu added, "We would be goners without your help... um, what's your name?"
"The name's Molten, and I'm just glad I could help!" the Skakdi grinned.
"Not that I'm complaining, mind you but, I thought Skakdi only cared for themselves?" Gruru questioned.
Half expecting Molten to get mad, the Skakdi calmly answered, "Skakdi get a bad rap, but we're not all bad!"
While Molten was talking, Tahu helped Gruru to his feet. "We'd better meet up with the others."
"Wait," Molten interjected. "Metru Nui is in capable hands, and there is an island of Aura Nui in need of guidance. We could use you there instead."
"So that's why you saved us?" Tahu asked in an annoyed manner.
"No, I would have saved you anyway, but I'm also on a mission."
"Before you said 'We,' what do you mean by that?" Gruru
Molten paused. "Well, if you are coming going to consider, I might as well tell you. I work for an organization that does the will of Mata Nui, and that organization needs you two."
The two Toa looked at each other.
"Maybe we should consider, I mean, he did save us, and there are a lot of Toa in Metru Nui," Gruru convincingly told Tahu.
Tahu took a second to think about it.
"Well, this city was getting boring anyways!" Tahu proclaimed, "I'm in."
Chapter 1[]
The Toa Metru were falling back. Po-Metru had been invaded weeks ago, and the once-proud district of crafters and artisans was now covered in shadow. Finally, the Toa reached the border of Po-Metru to the Capital City, where they had been saving civilians from the dark wasteland.
Pokall and Dephel held the line with the military Matoran, making sure nothing hostile got through. He was second in command of the Matoran Military Force.
The Toa of Stone, Pokus, leader of the Toa, shouted a command: "Dephel, get the civilians to safety! My Toa and I will hold the line!"
Dephel nodded, and the Matoran Military Force helped get the civilians the Toa saved away to safety.
"Hold this position," ordered Pouks.
The Toa then held the position until the enemy retreated.
The Toa quietly cheered as Rahni yelled, "Where are you going? I'm not done with you guys."
"Thank Mata Nui, I'm getting pretty tired," exclaimed Pohatu.
"Says the Toa with the Kakama," Kopaka smirked, "You the last Toa who should be complaining!"
"They'll be back," interrupted Pokus, "And in bigger numbers. We need reinforcements. Zepharious, go find Nuhrii."
"Nuhrii?" Lewa interjected. "We might as well ask-nice the Makuta to go easy on us."
A few Toa chuckled.
"We need anyone we can get," scolded Pokus.
"He'll just drunk-walk into the battlefield and get us killed," Lewa continued.
"You, watch your mou....."
"Okay, It's no problem," Zepharious interrupted and walked towards town.
"Bring your team," Pokus continued. "Your lone wolf days are behind you. Besides, remember what happened to Kualus when he went alone."
The team was silent.
"Yes, sir."
Pez interrupted, "Kongu, your mask is cracked!" As Kongu felt his mask, the crack spread to the middle of his Great Kanohi Ruru.
"Pez, take Kongu to get a get new mask," Zee ordered. "The rest with me; we'll meet you later on."
Pez and Kongu nodded and walked away to the street, toward the Ta-Metru forges were, while Zee walked toward Le-Metru with Clancer and Rahni. As the three walked away, Clancer asked, "What happened to Kualus?"
"You don't want to know," Rahni replied in a tone that would have convinced a lesser Toa.
"But I really do," insisted the Toa of Plasma.
They spoke as they faded into the street.
Chapter 2[]
"And he was never seen again!" Zepharious finished his explanation. The three Toa were walking past the Coliseum to get to Le-Metru.
"That's kinda anticlimactic!" stated Clancer. "So no one knows what happened to him?"
"Hey, if you find his body, you tell me!" Zepharious insisted.
Zepharious looked around to see statutes of fallen Toa heroes. He saw a few statues like Ehrye and Haylex that he recognized, but when he saw one of Tath - he did not know about him.
"Who's Tath?" asked Toa of Sonics while looking over at his teammates.
"You never heard of Tath?" Rahni asked in a confused manner.
"I wouldn't ask if I knew." Zepharious slyly responded.
"He's a Toa of Fire that stayed behind in the Siege of Karda Nui so that all the survivors, including Rahni, and I could escape." Clancer shrugged.
"None of us would have made it out without his sacrifice," Rahni commented in a sad manner. "He was a true hero."
The group went silent. Zepharious had heard his name before but never was told what he did.
"Legend has it when the survivors went out of range, he went supernova and killed all the pursuers," Clancer said, a mad twinkle in his eye.
"I heard he single-handedly took down a horde of Visorak before being killed by Kra-Matoran," Rahni added. "But whatever he did, he gave everyone enough time to escape."
The group finally started to enter Le-Metru as they continued to talk.
"Where were you during the Battle of Karda Nui Zepharious?" Rahni asked.
"I participated in it, actually!" Zepharious proudly proclaimed. "After Makuta Gorast killed the remainder of my original team, I killed her."
Clancer looked at Rahni, shocked as the two rookies, Toa glanced at each other.
"I heard rumors about you killing her but hearing it from the Mahi's mouth is different," Clancer said.
"I knew it was true... I mean, he was an expert killing machine," Rahni interjected.
"You say it like it's a good thing," Zeparious said with a blank look on his Mahiki.
"Some beings deserve death, like Gorast, for instance," Rahni stated, very sure of herself.
Zepharious never knew Rahni thought this way. All those years apart must have changed her Zeparious thought.
"Where are we going anyway?" Clancer asked impatiently.
Zepharious responded, "Matau's Bar, Nuhrii favorite drinking joint."
Chapter 3[]
Inside Matau's Bar, three Skakdi stood at the counter in front of the Le-Matoran, Matau.
"Protection payment due runt!" snarled the green Skakdi.
"Yeah, no problem, Mingch, have it right here!" Matau said as he reached under the counter. The Le-Matoran pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the Skakdi's of Air's head. "Alright, here's what's gonna happen..."
Before he could finish, the Skakdi of Psionics named Phaze used his eye beams to melt the weapon to molten metal in Matau's hands.
Angered, Mingch grabbed Matau by the throat and picked him off the ground. "You're gonna regret that, you little..." Mingch was interrupted when three Toa entered the bar. Mingch saw this and put down the Matoran. "This isn't what it looks like!"
Zepharious looked at the Skakdi with confusion. "I'm a Toa of Sonics; I heard everything before I even entered the building!"
"Yeah, well, what are you gonna do about it, Toa?" asked Phaze! "Arrest us? Ha, I would like to see you try!" Phase pulled out a blaster and shot Rahni right in the collarbone and the chest. The Toa of Lightning grunted as she fell back into the door.
"Rahni!" Zepharious and Clancer shouted at the same time. Clancer ran over to his sister-Toa as Zepharious turned to the Skakdi.
The Toa of Sonics looked at the Skakdi of Psionics with anger. He had a flashback to seeing his village destroyed and then seeing Gorast kill his team in front of him. His eyes filled with rage as she growled,
"Oh... You're going to regret that!"
Matau crouched behind the counter as Zepharious pulled out his Sound Hook and lunged at the Skakdi.
The phase was reloading when he was tackled by the Toa of Sonics. The Skakdi fell backward onto the ground with Zepharious on top of him. Mingch used his eye beams and blasted the Toa off his Skakdi partner.
Clancer, meanwhile, got up and started fighting a Skakdi of Fire that charged at him while protecting Rahni, who was unconscious on the floor.
Zepharious grunted but got back right up to his feet. He ignored his wound and threw a Sound Hook into Phase's shoulder. The Skakdi howled in pain and grabbed at his injury.
Zepharious pulled out his N-15 Sniper Rifle and shot Mingch in the shoulder before the Skakdi of Air could react. He then charged at Phaze and grabbed him by the throat. The Skakdi squirmed until there was a loud snap.
Chapter 4[]
Zepharious was in a daze, but when he came out of it, he stood above a dead Skakdi. He had blood on his hands, and everyone in the establishment was looking at him. All the fighting stopped.
"Zepharious! What did you do?" Clancer exclaimed.
"Wait," Mingch said with a terrified look on his face. "You mean Zepharious... the Mercenary who killed the Warlord Nektann?"
"You mean this Toa the Reaper of Zakaz?!?" The Skakdi of fire exclaimed in fear.
Zepharious couldn't believe what he just did but used the situation to his advantage.
"That's right... and if I ever see you, or hear that you two ever step foot in this place or near Matau again, you will end up just like your pathetic dead fiend here and Gorast! You understand?" He shouted with an intense look across his Kanohi.
Mingch nodded as he trembled, "You got it!" He turned to the Skakdi of Fire and said, "Let's get out of here!" The two surviving Skakdi bolted out of the building and never turned back.
"I can't believe you!" proclaimed Clancer in disbelief.
"Clancer, I'm sorry I... I... I don't know what came over me." Zepharious stuttered. "When I saw Rahni get hurt, I just... Wait! Rahni!" He looked over To see Rahni on the ground, bleeding.
"She's alive, but I don't know for how long," Clancer responded in a depressed tone.
"I called an ambulance!" Matau stated, "And thanks! there's a sink in the back if you want to wash up Toa."
"Oh, sure, thanks, and sorry about the mess!" Zepharious stated as he went to the back to wash up.
"Don't worry about it; you saved my neck!" Matau responded with gratitude.
Clancer put pressure on her wounds to stop the bleeding while Zepharious washed the blood off his hands and his Sound Hooks in the back. When the Toa of Sonics finished, he heard sirens in the distance getting closer.
Zepharious sat on the sidewalk looking at his hands, remembering what he just did, fearing he would never become a true Toa ever again! Then, finally, the ambulance arrived, and Clancer carried his sister to the vehicle with the toa of sound following him close behind.
Chapter 5[]
Three hours later
Rahni laid unconscious in her hospital bed in Ga-Metru. she just had surgery and would make a full recovery. Clancer sat in a chair next to her ignoring the Toa of sound, which had his arms crossed near the door. Zepharious' back laid against the wall in the sterile white room, his head hanged low, ashamed that Cancer saw what he really was.
"Clancer, look, I'm really sorr..." Zepharious started.
"Are you?" Clancer snapped as he interrupted Z. "What about the Turaga Council? What about our team? Do you think you still are a Toa after this? What about the Skakdi's life you stole."
There was a pause, but Zepharious' eyes filled with anger. "SCREW THE SKAKDI AND HIS PATHETIC LIFE!" The Toa of sound shouted as he moved from his leaning position into a standing manner!
Clancer looked stunned as Zepharious lowered his voice back to a talking level. "I thought I lost her once, and when I saw her fall to the ground with blood all over her," He paused as a tear trickled down his kanohi," I couldn't help myself."
Clancer looked at him baffled And remembered something from a few months ago when he first became a toa and attended Zepharious' Trial. He recalled that Zepharious blamed himself for not being able to talk Davion into calming down and killing Draybin, how he regarded The destruction and death at Jemani-Nui as his fault, how Z thought he lost all his friends, including himself and Rahni. He also remembers Zepharious believing that Ballium and Arlana's Deaths at the hands of Makuta Gorast were his fault for not being fast enough.
"Look, Zepharious," Calmly stated, "you've been through a lot, and I think you might need to see a Therapist and can possibly help you with your anger and guilt problems."
Clancer flinched as he thought the Toa of sound would start yelling again, but Zepharious looked calmly at his old friend and said, "Okay, your probably right; maybe it will help."
Clancer smiled, remembering how Zepharious used to be gentle and calm on Jemani-Nui and how his response reminded him of those days.
A few moments Pez and Kongu entered the room.
"The receptionist told us you were in room B-127," Pez said as he entered the room.
"And we came as soon as we quick-heard!" Kongu finished with a worried look on his new kanohi Arthron.
"She's going to make a full recovery," Clancer said with that smile still on his face. Meanwhile, Zepharious wiped his single tear away before the two new arrivals would not see it.
Rahni's eyes started to open as she muttered. "Where am I?" All the toa present in the room rushed over to her bedside surrounding her.
"You were knocked out and had to have surgery on your shoulder," Zeparious said bluntly.
Rahni's eyes open wide, "Are you guys okay?" she asked with much concern!
"Ya were fine," Clancer said.
"Were not the ones in hospital beds. "Zepharious sarcastically added with a smirk."
Rahni smirked back, "That creepy Gold Skakdi got the jump on me; I can't believe I was taken out of the fight so easily."
"Well, you don't have to worry about him anymore," Zepharious stated.
"Cause Zepharious scared them off!" Clancer quickly added before anyone knew that Zepharious him someone.
Rahni looked at Clancer sideways glance, "How does one Toa scare off a group of Skakdi."
Clancer froze, but before he could cover up what the toa of sound did, Pez said, "By snapping the one that shot your neck, of course!
Zepharious head faced towards the ground in disappointment to himself while Clancer looked at Pez and asked, "How do you know?"
"Everyone knows, I was watching tv while Kongu was getting a new mask, and a bartender named Matau said the whole thing on the news!" Pez responded calmly.
"I didn't know!" Kongu stated, shocked. "You just said Rahni was taken to the hospital in Ga-Matru."
"You never asked," Pez retorted.
Silence filled the room until Rahni stated, "Well, good!"
Kongu and Clancer simultaneously exclaimed, "Wait, what?"
"I mean, if that scum bag was willing to kill a Matoran for some widgets, then he deserved it." Rahni said coldly, " Some Criminals deserve to live while some deserve to die!"
Clancer knew she Rahni felt like this before becoming a toa but thought her duty as a Toa would make her think otherwise. But as she responded to her Zepharious herd, a shattering glass was heard in the hospital's hallway. it was followed by a familiar voice slurred, "Sorry bout that, I just need to see her!"
"Oh my god, I should have known!" Zepharious stated as he facepalmed.
"What?" asked a confused Clancer.
"I heard something, Pez, Clancer follow me!"
The tree toa walked out of the room as Kongu stayed with his healing sister.
They entered the hallway. Pez sarcastically stated, "No way the Toa of sonics heard something we didn't get out of town."
Zeparious just glanced at the Toa of Iron for a second, and she walked down the hallway and around the corner to see a Ga-Matoran nurse anxiously talking to a drunk Nuhrii.
"Sorry, Nuhrii," said the nurse, " but you were told many times you cant visit her drunk."
Nurhii's drunken face switched to annoyance. "I don't care. I need to see her." He shouted. Doctor Kotu came to the anxiety-filled nurse to back her up.
"Leave Nuhrii," Kotu demanded, "You can come back when you're sober."
Before Nuhrii could say anything else to embarrass himself, Zepharious said, "Come on, Nuhrii, listen to the nice doctor!"
Nuhrii head turned toward Zepharious as the nurse let out a sigh of relief. "What do you want, Bounty Hunter?"
Zepharious let out a sigh and thought to himself, maybe Lewa was right. "That life's behind me, Nuhrii, and you know it comes on the team needs you."
Nuhrii eyes filled with anger as he spat, "So they sent a murderer and some rookies to get me; what are you going to kill me if I refuse!"
"You used to be a great Toa Hero, and we already lost a few Toa in battle and could use you!" Zepharious added as he ignored Nuhrii's remark.
Nuhrii looked shocked at what he said and almost seemed sober as he said it, "Who did we lose?"
"Tahu and Gruru," Zepharious said grimly.
Nuhrii then seemed to go back into full drink mode and said. "Well, that's what a Toa is all about nowadays, just dying all around me! First, Ahkmou betrays us, then he kills Orkahm, rips out Tehutti's voice box, and puts my beloved Vhisola in a coma." unable to hold in the Nuhrii starts to tear up. I come back home, and Ehrye gets killed by some d-list Makuta no one ever heard about, and the only brother I have left can't even talk to me."
Zepharious said with a pain in his heart, "I know what it's like to lose my whole team too your not alone, but Pouks needs us right now; if we want to save more lives, you need to come with us right now!"
Nuhrii wiped his tear away. "Ya, but I never killed a Toa before, unlike you."
Pez and Clancer looked at each other with a panicked look in both of their eyes, knowing this would not end well.
"I had my reasons for killing Kotah, and I don't have to explain them to you!" Zepharious said as he stepped closer to Nuhrii. The two toa were half a foot apart now.
"How much longer until you decide we're problematic too and start killing the rest of us?" Nuhrii stammered, " Just because the Turaga forgave doesn't mean everyone forgave you. I know Kotah was a great person than one day; you just went off and killed him. You sadistic, murdering lunatic...."
Nuhrii was interrupted by a single punch from Zepharious that sent the toa of fire falling backward into his broken alcohol bottle completely knocked out.
The room was silent, and Zepharious turned around and walked past the stunned Clancer and Pez. A humming sound was heard from his belt, and the toa of sound answered his communicator. "Ya?" he replied.
Pouks was at the other end "Our recon team just got back and said the enemy is done regrouping; we need you back here with Nuhrii Pronto!"
"Well, we have two problems, sir," Zepharious respectfully replied.
Pouks then said, "Let me guess, is Nuhrii one of them?"
"Yes, he was drunk beyond reasoning," Z confirmed.
"Was?" Pouks stated, confused.
"Ya, he's knocked out, and the other problem is Rahni is in the Hospital after a run-in with some Skakdi hoodlums."
Pouks let out a sigh and said," well, grab the rest of your team and meet me at the border; the doctors will watch over Rahni."
"Understood, we're on our way!" The toa of sonics said as he hung up. "Pez, Clancer, get Kongu. The enemy is coming back and has regrouped." ordered the seasoned Toa.
"You got it," Clancer said as he and Pez bolted to room B-127.
Sorry about the mess Doc." Zepharious apologized to Kotu.
Kotu paused and looked up at the toa and smirked, "Well, it's easier to deal with a knocked-out Nuhrii than a drunk Nuhrii, so don't worry about it!"
The Toa of Sound Nodded and left the building with Clancer, Pez, and Kongu behind him!
Chapter 6[]
30 minutes later
Zepharious arrived at the border of Po-Metru with Pez, Kongu, and Clancer. "We took the fastest route we could, sir!" The toa of sonics said.
"Where's Rahni?" asked Gali.
"She got injured fighting Skakdi scum." proclaimed Takanuva, who overheard Pouks and Zepharious' conversation.
"Oh, and I am every-surprised to not see Nuhrii with you!" Lewa sarcastically exclaimed.
"Not now, Lewa!" Jaller and Onua said simultaneously as the two looked at each other and smirked.
They were all interrupted by a ga-matoran, running to cover, saying Jaller, "Get your team ready their coming!"
Jaller nodded and said, "Thanks, Merka!" He then looked to his team, "You heard her people move!"
"Zepharious!" Pouks shouted, "I want you on the roof, non-lethal shots to Kra-Matoran only! Understand?"
Zepharious nodded as he climbed the fire escape and eventually got to the roof. He set down the barrel on the ledge and awaited the enemy's arrival.
Less than Thirty seconds later, a group of Rahkshi, Visorak, and Kra-Matoran. They were all on the ground with a few two-person vehicles.
The vehicles were completely covered in armor, and the Gunner on top, you could only see the top of their head pop out.
"Perfect." Zepharious spat sarcastically, not knowing how to take them out without shooting at the Kra-matoran Gunner's head.
The two groups began to fight, with Zepharious taking out Rahkshi and Visorak, aiming straight at their weak points.
Jaller and Clancer were melting some of the vehicle's armor, and Zepharious had a shot at the driver's shoulder, which he took. They kept doing this to vehicles until Clancer was jumped on by a Visorak. Onua pulled the monster off of him and slew the beast, but Clancer's hurt bad. One carried his Toa brother to safety as Kongu their his boomerangs nocking out Kra-Matoran and Pez Used Iron felt over in the fallen building and sculptures to pierce the Visorak and Rahkshi's bodies as they let out a screech.
Takanuva blasted the Kra-Matoran with light disorienting them as Gali used her hook to knock them out. Tollubo did the same with Kopaka, but instead of knocking them out, Kopaka froze them in place.
Pouks used his hurricane staff to bury his enemies under abended and broken buildings.
Pohatu was launching parts of the broken building at his enemies by kicking them with his feet additions as Jaller was trying to meet more of the armor of the vehicles, but it took longer alone. The Matoran Military Force tried to cover them, but they were overwhelmed too. The Gunner of the vehicle aimed his Midak Skyblaster at Pohatu's head. Not wanting to kill the matoran, he had no choice. He broke toa code once today; he minds as well do it again to save Pohatu. He pointed his sniper at the Kra-Matoran's Miru when he had a flashback to his old friend Hawohi who wore the same mask. Is that Hawohi, he thought to himself as he remembers teaching Hawohi to aim a bow and arrow more effectively. I never saw his body; could he have become a shadow matoran! But before he could finish the thought, the Kra-Matoran hot Pohatu in the head, leaving a trail of blood at Pohatu feel far from his comrades, second level of a wall-less building. All that flew through the Air was a brown Kakama.
'No!" Zeparious shuttered as he fell backward, facing the sky. "Pohatu dead? Because I hesitated. But killing a matoran is wrong! even if they are corrupted by the shadow. Right?"
"I can't take this anymore!" he shouted as he grabbed his sidearm. but before he could do anything, he heard Merka's voice scream, "Jaller don't!"
He sat up to see Jaller run into the saw of shadow matoran, Rahkshi, and Visorak.
Tollobo shouted at the MMF, "Cover him!"
That's when he saw Jaller light up in a ball of fire.
"He's going supernova!" Said Takanuva over his mic!
Zeparious was shocked as he dropped his sidearm and he activated his mic. "Jaller, don't there is always another way!"
"Fall back!" Jaller ordered his team as he continued going supernova.
The look of fear filled the eyes of the Kra-matoran, and they ran back into Po-Metru, the Rahkshi and Visorak soon followed. Once the enemy was out of sight, Jaller used all his power to stop the supernova and collapsed. Zepharious and the other ran over to their comrade. Pouks was the first to arrive and saw that Jaller's Heartlight was still glowing. "He's alive!" Pouks said with a sigh of relief over his communicator.
Zepharious rushed past the others to arrive second. He knelt down to his fellow toa and asked, "Were you actually going to do it?"
Jaller's eyes opened, and they said, "They were going to fall back; they would not take the chance!"
Zepharious thought for a second then asked, "And if they didn't."
Jaller looked at the Toa of Sonics and muttered, "then that would have been my destiny."
Pouks had a surprised look on my face as Merka finally got to Jaller demanded, "Never do that again, you Kohli head you had us all scared!"
Jaller smirked, and then his face turned to fear, "Pohatu, where's Pohatu!" The toa of fire demanded.
Onua came over holding The toa of stone s Kakama, and with a sad sigh, he said, "Pohatu's Gone!"
The group's face turned to sadness as Zepharious' turned to anger.
Chapter 7[]
One week Later
The Turaga Council stood in front of Zepharious with his team far behind him, including a sober Nuhrii. They were in the middle of determining what to do with The Toa of Sonics after killing the Skakdi known as Phaze.
"We gave you one rule Zepharious." Lhikan continued, "No killing, and you killed a Skakdi."
"He was a crook and was threatening to kill a matoran named Matau and injured one of my rookies! I had no control!" Zeparious sighed.
Pouks shook his head in the background, disappointed in the Toa of Sonics.
"No control?" Rhodie asked, confused. "So it was based on your killer instinct. You'd think after 378 years as a reformed Toa, that instant will be gone!"
"What do you have to say in your defense Toa Zepharious!" Whenua asked the Toa of sonics.
Zepharious looked up, "My actions were extreme, but my past haunts me to this day about all the lives I could have saved, the hate I felt for years, the memories of my fallen friends and comrades haunting me." Zeparious paused mid-sentence as a tear went down his mahiki and at the Turaga Council with pain in his eyes, "And now Pohatu is added to that list of those I failed."
Iruini raised an eyebrow as Rhodie said softly, feeling the broken Toa's Pain, "Explain what you mean by you being responsible for Pohatu."
Zepharious wiped his tear away and said, "During the fight, the only part of the Kra-Matoran that was visible was his head, and I had my sniper to but," he paused and winced, "I couldn't kill him, and it resulted in the death of my brother Pohatu."
The council's eyes looked sad at what the toa just said.
Iruini finally spoke, "That is not your fault troubled toa; it shows you care for that poor matoran who were infected by the shadow."
"The matoran reminded me of Hawohi, a matoran from Jemani-Nui, and I was stuck in a flashback; I feel like I could have at least tried something!" Zepharious proclaimed.
Iruini looked to his fellow Turaga and said, "Zepharious has had a horrible past filled with darkness, and still he still journeys the light, I ever-quick make a vote that instead of arresting Zepharious He sees' a Therapist like what Toa Clancer suggested to me before this meeting!
The council looked at each other and voted. Everyone left as they voted!
It took two minutes, and the group was allowed back in the room.
Zeparious stood in the middle of the room again as the rest of the toa Metru stood behind him.
Lhikan stated, "The council had voted on two things that instead of arresting Zeparious, he will now see a mandatory therapist!"
Rahni and a few others sighed in relief.
"And on the second subject, Nuhrii step forward," Lhikan ordered.
Nuhrii stepped forward as instructed.
"You will return to duty sober!" Lhikan demanded, "We lost three Toa during that fight, and you were harassing Doctor Kotu and her staff. You will shape up cause this team needs you now more than ever!"
Nuhrii said, "Of course, Turaga, I completely understand and am ashamed of my actions."
"Good now, Zepharious, you must attend therapy, or you will be brought there by force!" The Turaga of Fire continued!
"I'm not planning on missing a single session, Turaga, and I thank you for giving me another chance," Zeparious said with a grateful smile on his face.
"Good, this meeting is adjourned!" Turaga Rhodie said as the room emptied.
Epilogue[]
Zepharious sat in a dark room in the middle of Ga-Metru. He laid on a comfy blue couch, and across the room sat the one person he could say anything with no repercussions, his new therapist.
"When I saw her get hurt, I just remembered the time I returned to my village and saw nothing but death, blood, and body parts everywhere. My instincts took over like it was trying to protect me from witnessing losing someone I cared about all over again!" Zeparious continued letting out all his problems to his new therapist.
"So you're saying you were not responsible for his death in your mind?" The therapist retorted, "That your instincts are to blame and not you?"
"No!" Zepharious stated, "I just couldn't see some I love die again!"
The room went silent.
"We can change the subject If you wish?" The female therapist requested!
"Sure!" he agreed
"It's weird how Pohatu's body just went missing after being shot; it's almost like..." Zepharious paused, realizing he was about to spill a big secret he needed to protect.
"Like?" the female therapist asked.
Zepharious shrugged. "I can't tell you!"
"Why? She asked, now more intrigued.
"If I tell you I, your life could be in danger!" Zepharious Snapped.
"Is that a threat?" she asked, confused.
"No its..... complicated," Zepharious said like the truth was eating away at him wanting to get out.
"Fine, but as your therapist, I must remind you that anything you say, as long as you aren't going to hurt someone, is a secret for me to keep till the end of my days!" Then, she calmly added, "but if you're not ready, that's fine too."
There was a silence until the Toa of Sonics broke it by saying I never killed Toa Kotah!"
The therapist raised an eyebrow.
"I know it sounds insane, but just hear me out." Zepharious sighed, "The reports say his body was never found, and the Two matoran, Kongu, and Leth saw him land in the water. Now everyone knows that bodies know that bodies float. And even for some strange coincidence, it did sink; where did all the blood in the water go?
The therapist seems intrigued. "Go on!" she said, knowing that that part of the story never made the scene.
"And they reported he was shot in the shoulder when, not to toot my own horn, I'm an expert Markman with a reputation if I wasted him dead I would have to want straight for the head and left no survivors," Zepharious said with an almost frightened look on his face. "The organization I worked for asked Kotah to join them, but their secrecy, when he accepted, we had to make it look like he was killed so no one would question where he had gone. So they told me to fake his death, and I did so well everyone hates me for it and thinks of me no more than a killer."
The therapist was almost speechless. It either meant that this toa believed this was the truth, or this was actually the case; She could not decipher which one was. "So you believe that this organization that somehow got Kotah before hitting the water took Pohatu's body as well? How and why would they need his body?"
"Simple, Botar can teleport anyone anywhere that's what they did to Kotah, and for the second question..." Zeparious paused. "They wouldn't need him unless... HE SURVIVED!" He exclaimed, "I didn't fail Pohatu! Oh, why thanks, Doc, your a miracle worker, and it's so good to get this all off my chest!"
"Well, Zepharious, that was for lack of better work enlightening, but it been an hour!" The therapist said, "I'll see you next week!"
"Thanks, doc, and so will I unless I get killed in this Mata-Nui forsaken war!" the toa smirked and left.
As she flipped the page in her binder, the therapist thought to herself, for someone so bleak he can sure hide his emotion with comedy.
Meanwhile, in the destroyed ruins of Po-Metru, Sickle looks at the destruction and killing that the Makuta's forces committed and tries to hide her disgust. 'Sickle' knew why she was here; she just hoped Ahkmou didn't know as well; his red eye seemed to emanate that he had no soul.
"Our forces fled!" 'Bulk' weakly said to the Toa of Shadow, expecting an outburst. but Ahkmou said, "We have what we want!"
Sickle and Bulk looked at each other confused. "Don't you want the city?" Bulk asked.
Ahkmou smirked and glanced at the mutated Toa of Air, "No, my simpleminded servant," the toa of shadow spat, "We just needed one city, one power source to make one weapon! A weapon to destroy them all!" He pointed at the power plant that had shadow matoran all around it, building something devastating, a giant fusion cannon protruding from the building! Pointing the unfinished barrel at the center of Metru-Nui.
"Finally, the last member of the team who rejected me, Zepharious, will die!" Bulk spat!
"Your simplemindedness never ceases to amaze me!" Ahkmou added.
'Sickle looked at them and thought this is something 'The Shadowed One' would want to know! 'Sickle' just had to find a way to report to her one true master!
Trivia[]
- Room B-127 is a reference to Bumblebee' name before coming to earth in Transformers Bumblebee Movie!
- The rough draft for this story was made around 2015 and featured an alternate ending I wrote because I was bored in High School.
- This story finally gave a name to the the unnamed toa on the Toa Jemani that Davian killed being Draybin, Toa of Stone.
- Zepharious hitting Nuhrii and knocking him out with one punch is a nod to Batman doing the same to the Green Lantern Guy Gardner.
- This story is got continuous rewriting during its 6 year period of development.
- Hahli was originally in this story but 117Jaller replaced her with Merka due to Hahli having a changed backstory.
Known Characters[]
- Toa
- Zepharious
- Rahni
- Clancer
- Pokus
- Kongu
- Pez
- Lewa
- Pohatu
- Gali
- Onua
- Takanuva
- Kopaka
- Nuhrii
- Tehutti
- Tollubo
- Jaller
- Gruru
- Tahu
- Kualus (Mentioned)
- Tath (Mentioned)
- Ehrye (Mentioned)
- Haylex (Mentioned)
- Draybin (Mentioned)
- Ballium (Mentioned)
- Arlana (Mentioned)
- Vhisola (mentioned)
- Ahkmou (Mentioned)
- Kotah (Mentioned)
- Davian
- Ahkmou
- Matoran
- Turaga