Ideas to grow on #4: Following Dawn

      Takanuva looked up at the banners being raised up in his honor. He smiled. He would have been a goner if not for the Toa Nuva. After ripping off the Makuta's mask, he had slipped, and both he and the Makuta would have fallen into a pool of protodermis with the Makuta; but luckily, he had been grabbed by Pohatu and Lewa and only his foot had gone in. Sure, it was a little distorted now, twisted by the strange fluid metal, but no real damage was done. The limp he had initially had because of the strange shape it had become was gone now, and he walked as straight as ever. And it would always serve as a reminder of that victory.

      “Brother!” Tahu Nuva called, shoving Takanuva on the back playfully.
      “Greetings, Tahu, my good friend,” said Takanuva happily. “Quite a celebration this is, you know!”
      “Or it will be,” added Lewa from behind them, “but when it soon-starts, this festival will indeed be the greatest in Mata Nui!”

      Soon, all the Toa Nuva were beside the Toa of Light, chatting merrily. However, Kopaka looked graver than ever, sitting apart from the group, clearly in deep thought.

      “Kopaka?” asked Takanuva, sitting down beside Kopaka. “Is something troubling you?”

      “It seems too easy,” muttered Kopaka, putting a hand to his face. “The Makuta was defeated, just like that… all his threats are no more. But something seems… off.”
      “I think you've just been fighting him so long, it's hard to accept that it's over now,” suggested the Toa of Light. But Kopaka shook his head.
      “Unless I see the body, I won't be sure. In fact,” he added, raising a sardonic eyebrow, “I'd probably not believe it even then.”
      Takanuva wasn't sure if this was Kopaka trying to make a joke, but then dismissed the thought. “If he comes back, we'll defeat him again, like before,” he assured the Toa Nuva of Ice. But Kopaka gestured to the other Toa.
      “Go and enjoy your time with the others. This is your time to shine.”

Ideas to Grow on #3: A Story of Trust

Behind him, Toa Ceradin heard a noise coming from a pile of metal. It sounded like a child, calling for help. He quickly ran over, grabbed the debris and tore it away, revealing an Okotan villager. He was very young, no younger than four.
The child stared at Ceradin, clearly frozen in fright. Rightfully so, thought Ceradin. He would, too, if he were buried under tons of rubble and suddenly be excavated by a stranger in shadow. Ceradin had never had any children, nor was he around them often, so naturally he was speechless. He did not know how to comfort the boy.

After thinking about what to do in a situation like this, he found that it made good sense to slowly kneel down next to the boy and not make any sudden moves. “It's alright, child,” he started to say, slowly extending his hand toward the child.
But the boy inched away from it, seeming more afraid.

Ceradin noticed the boy was staring at his mask. He was clearly afraid of it. Ceradin then remembered that his mask, in particular, looked quite imposing.
“Oh, this?” Ceradin asked quietly, slowly moving his hand towards his mask. The boy nodded ever so slightly. Ceradin smiled a little from behind his mask. Well, he thought jokingly, now I know he understands what I'm saying.

“Oh, do not be frightened, child,” he said softly. “It's just a mask… see?” Ceradin slowly brought both of his hands to his mask, took a deep breath and lifted it from his face. It took immense effort not to make any sudden moves and collapse. He looked up at the boy, who looked a little less scared.
The child moved a little closer to the Toa and curiously touched his face. Ceradin smiled slightly. “You see?” he said, trying hard to sound like being maskless wasn't bothering him at all. “Just a mask.”

“M… mask?” the child whispered.
“Yes,” Ceradin replied calmly. “It's just a mask.”
The young boy touched the edges of his own mask, then felt Ceradin's face again. Ceradin closed his eyes patiently as the child ran his fingers down the Toa's cheek, then felt his own mask in the same place. “Who… who are you?” the boy asked, fascinated. There was not a trace of fear in his eyes anymore.
“My name is Ceradin,” the Toa said gently, trying to keep his voice from quivering of mask-loss. “I am a Toa.”
“See-rah-dun?” repeated the child. “Toe-wah?”
“Yes, I am a Toa. May I ask your name, child?”
The child looked puzzled, then his eyes lit up. He pointed at himself and said, “Aryal, that's me!”
“That's a nice name,” smiled Ceradin. “Nice to meet you, Aryal.”
Ceradin held out his arm. Aryal readily took his wrist and shook it. Ceradin laughed. So this is how children are, he thought. No wonder parents all look so happy.

Ceradin wanted to just sit down and watch the child play with him for hours. Then, he realized: Aryal must have some parents looking for him.

I know I should continue on this, but like the title says, this is an idea to grow on.

Short Story: Lewa's Arrival

   Wind.
   The first sensation he could feel.
   The being's eyes fluttered open for the first time. Looking around, he found himself inside a clear spherical rock. He could move his arms and head around, but it was too cramped inside for him to actually move.
He looked through where he was to find fluffy, white things flying alongside him. Clouds, he thought. He had no idea why that word appeared in his mind, but he somehow knew that that was what those soft things were.
   Curiously, he reached a hand out of a hole in the sphere to touch this strange substance. A part of the cloud detached from its bigger neighbor and swirled around the figure's hand. He experimentally flipped his hand around, causing the cloud to whip around his wrist. He laughed as it flew up his arm and past his neck. It tickled.
   He sighed deeply. He wanted to stay with the clouds; to forever play and fly through the misty canopy. To fall asleep surrounded by clouds, looking at the beautiful shapes they made as he drifted off. But although he didn't want to feel it, there was a feeling, deep within his heart. He realized this was not meant to be.
   Soon, an island came into view, coming in closer by the second. Within moments, the cloud had slipped out of his grasp, as well as the other clouds around him. They were growing farther and farther away.
   “Wait!” he cried, looking back at the fading clouds. But luckily, his moment of sadness was short-lived, becoming excitement as he turned to the rapidly growing land. A grin spread across his face. He let out a shout of pure exaltation, knowing that soon, he would be free of this cocoon, free to run and fly wherever the wind would take him.
   A green comet fell and crashed upon the island of Okoto.
   Climbing out of the crater he had made, he saw multiple beings surrounding him. They were all much smaller than him, but there was one slightly taller than all of them in the front. “I am Vizuna,” the leader said, eyes twinkling. “Welcome, Lewa, Master of Jungle.”

I feel terrible for not updating this. Sorry, guys.

Choose Your Adventure pt. 5

Continuation path by Lucent Shadow

"You may be worried," you say, "and that is fine. I am not. I believe that should they see me as such, they will know what to do. If you and the others are so concerned now, then I will announce myself to the villagers tomorrow as the sun sets, transform before their eyes, stand tall and proud as a Hordika, and let them decide. I have confidence in myself, even - no, especially - if no one else does. I accept me for who I am, and I wouldn't change that for anyone but me. If no one else will, then so be it."

The HeadMaster slowly shakes his head. "Well, I can clearly see you're not going to change your mind. But," he adds, "I don't want you to get hurt. I know what you're trying to show, and I support that, but... I just don't think that's the right way to do it. Like I said, what if they charge at you with spears and knives or something? You're putting too much trust in these Matoran."

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Choose Your Adventure pt. 4

Continuation path by Lucent Shadow

"I believe it is worth that price," you answer earnestly. "The Hordika is my friend; it has never put me somewhere I never intended to be. Has it made me more moody and irritable? Yes, but that's to be expected. That is the nature of such a form. But I believe there are things we can learn from the Hordika that we can't learn otherwise." The HeadMaster nods, seeing your point.  "It doesn't make much sense to do away with it out of fear of losing control," you continue. "Losing control is a possibility no matter who we are, what we do, or how we do anything that we set out to do. I feel there's a reason that the Hordika is in me. I don't know what it is yet, but I'm confident that in time, it will reveal itself as long as I maintain faith in the Hordika. The question is..." You look away for a second, then switch your focus back to your leader. "Will you all maintain your faith in me?" The HeadMaster looks at you and smiles gently. "Of course we will. But I'm worried about what happens if you're seen by any villagers like this. They may think of you as some sort of rahi, and, being themselves..." His words trail off and he shakes his head. "They'll take you down. What will you do then?"

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Choose Your Adventure pt.3

Continuation path by Lucent Shadow

"I've been making use of the Hordika form to assist in a lot of missions. But, even though I have used the Hordika for morally sound acts, will the higher-ups of the Order of Mata Nui view my acts as questionable and immoral? Has my margin for error shrunk? Will they treat me differently from the way they treat the rest of you?"

The HeadMaster thinks a little about your question, then looks at you. "I think you're in a tricky place. I have no doubt of your intent, it's only the means that worries me. Something so unpredictable and...well, wild, I suppose you'd say... It's not very sound. It might put you in danger, or even your teammates, without your knowledge.

"I'm not saying you haven't been controlling it, or that you couldn't," he adds quickly, "but it's too much of a burden on you. Too much stress to have to constantly be keeping the Hordika beast in check. What if you did one day slip, or give way altogether? Is the good you could do with that power really worth that risk, that price?"





How do you reply now?

Ideas to grow on #2: Flashback at Vulcanis

Gelu's eyes flashed open. What had happened? Where was he? He looked around. He he seemed to be in Vulcanis – after all, that was where he last remembered himself to be – but he wasn't in the arena. Nobody was cheering and calling out. Nobody was even there, save him.

Gelu stumbled to his feet, then gasped in pain and collapsed to one knee, clutching his side. He winced. Where did he get that from?

Suddenly, Gelu heard a pair of footsteps steadly approaching him. He reached for the dagger he kept in his belt.

"Who goes there?" he called. "I'm armed!" Slowly, two fire agori walked into the room with their hands up.

"Easy, easy," one said. "If we hadn't jumped in when we did, you'da been in big trouble back there."

"Back there?" Gelu repeated. "What are you talking about?"

This time, the second agori spoke. "You were fighting a Skrall in the arena," she explained. "And naturally, being a Skrall, it... well, it cheated."

At the mention of the words "Skrall" and "cheat", everything that had happened rushed to Gelu's mind in a single surge of memory. Skrall. Arena. Win. Turn. Stab.  Black.

"Oh, pardon me, where are my manners?" The first agori broke Gelu's train of thought. "I am Khanva, and this is my girlfriend, Laani." Khanva gestured to the second agori.

"Well, it's nice to have meet you, Khanva, Laani," Gelu said. "And thank you for healing me."

"So, why can't you remember what happened?" Khanva asked curiously. "Did you hit your head or something?"

"I do remember!" Gelu said in a harsher way than he would have wanted to. "Sorry, I... overreacted. I... I thank you for tending to my wounds, but I must go back to protect my village in Iconox. Farewell." Gelu managed to stand up and started to walk out of the hut.

"Hey—wait!" Laani called. "Where are you going?"

Gelu didn't turn his head. "To my village. I already told you that."

"But we need help too—and we helped you!" she cried.

"I know, and thank you for that. But I must go."

"But you can't just leave us!" Laani began to approach Gelu.

"I can. And I will."

"But we need help!"

"Then help yourselves!" Gelu yelled, suddenly turning and unsheathing his dagger. "I don't have time for this!"

Laani jumped. Khanva held her steady. He eyed Gelu closely. "...Then leave us."

Gelu stepped back, realizing how intimidating he looked. He slowly sheathed his dagger and looked at Laani's look of fear and Khanva's look of terror mixed with anger. "I-I'm sorry, I..." Gelu shook his head, realizing that words would not help him—they never did in Bara Magna, after all—and he sighed and walked out of Khanva's sight.

Why do I like writing dark stories? :P