Yep. I like the idea that it’s just a thing that happens sometimes, like Lesovikk or Kopeke.
I’ll admit, that hadn’t occurred to me until you asked. It would’ve shown up wherever the Ta-Matoran are set up right now, since that’s who he would consider his people.
Since I got distracted by life stuff for like a week, I’m going to try and pick up the pace again, so here’s the next chapter.
Chapter 6
For the first time in his life, Takanuva found himself overwhelmed.
While Orde worked his Psionics powers, trying to fix Delara, Chiara and Gelu had caught him up on their recent adventures. The shocks just kept coming:
One: the Red Star was meant to revive everyone who had died in the Matoran Universe and send them back. But if Delara was anything to go by, something had gone very wrong. Also, Lesovikk had died, and seemed to have been taken by the star.
Two: there was a Toa-killing being known as Marendar on the loose. Fortunately, the Great Being known as Fierah had an idea that might help stop it. Unfortunately, Fierah didn’t like to share much, including her plan, but it had something to do with the Star.
Three: there was another Great Being hidden in one of the Matoran Universe inhabitants, with a dark plan that rivalled Teridax’s ambitions. The only one who might know his identity was the leader of a city of Vorox who had it out for Toa and Glatorian.
“How do we know he’s not the Great Being?” Zaria pointed out. “It could be anyone.”
“Why don’t we just have Orde read his mind?” Chiara said. “You know, once he’s done with the Sound guy over there.”
“And what if this Great Being knows how to block Orde’s powers, like Fierah?” Zaria pointed out. “Or even give him false thoughts?”
“Orde can tell if he’s giving false thoughts, if he knows what to look for,” Fierah said. “And if he just shields his mind entirely, well, then we’ll know if Orde doesn’t get anything from Takua. If Takua is just who he says he is, he should have no reason to shield his mind.”
“I told you, it’s Takanuva now,” the Toa of Light said.
The Great Being stared at him. “Why did you change your name?” she asked, her voice suddenly angry.
Takanuva was taken aback by her tone. “Well, I was honoring the Toa Nuva,” he said. “I thought ‘Takua Nuva’ sounded a bit weird when I wasn’t actually a Toa Nuva, though I guess I am now, but–”
“Do you even know what ‘Takua’ means?” Fierah said. “No, of course not, you ignorant Sand Bat. You were the first of our wonders, the Matoran. Your name is an ancient word for ‘success’. And you ruined it, turned it into a meaningless string of sounds.”
Takanuva blinked. “Wait, back up a bit. Did you say I was the first Matoran?”
Fierah nodded. “I was there when you first opened your eyes, Takua. All of us were. Though I suppose you wouldn’t remember that. You weren’t supposed to be… aware.”
“I’ve also lost my memories a few times since then,” Takanuva replied. Okay, so that was the fourth stunning reveal of the past hour. What next, was his Kanohi not called the Avohkii?
There was a sudden gasp from Orde, and Takanuva and the rest looked to see that the Psionics Toa had opened his eyes. Delara had gone limp, no longer struggling against Zaria’s power. The Iron Toa relaxed his power, and Orde slowly lowered Delara to the ground.
“Is he…?” Chiara asked.
“I did as much as I could,” Orde said. “Any more, and I would’ve risked tearing his mind to pieces, beyond the point where it could be fixed. But as to whether it worked… we won’t know until he wakes up.”
“All right then,” Chiara said. “Well, I guess Strakk has another body to carry.”
“What?” Strakk said. “Why do I always have to carry all the bodies? Can’t Zaria do it?”
“I could,” Zaria said. “Of course, if I’m using my powers to carry him, I can’t use them to make you a fancy new shield. Shame, I was thinking on making a cool one that looked like a Skrall shield. Everyone would think you’d defeated a Skrall. But I guess if you want me to carry the body…”
Strakk swooped in, picking up the Sound Toa’s body. Gelu grinned at Zaria. “I see you’ve finally learned to speak Strakk’s language.”
“All right,” Fierah said. “Are we finally ready to head into the Star so we can get to work on a way to stop Marendar?”
Takanuva stepped forward toward the hallway into the Red Star. But before he could activate his powers, he noticed a light at the end of the tunnel. “Someone’s coming,” he said.
“Again?” Chiara said. “Someone else here to attack us? What next, a Turaga from Zaria’s past?”
Takanuva squinted. “Wait a second… is that Kopaka?”
Indeed, it was the Toa Nuva of Ice, along with another Toa he didn’t recognize, three Matoran, and what appeared to be Hydraxon, the latter looking a lot worse for wear than the last time Takanuva had seen him. “Kopaka!” he yelled, running toward his friend.
The Toa Nuva of Ice hesitated, before apparently recognizing the voice. “Takanuva?” he said. “You look different. Again.”
“You know me,” the Toa of Light said. “Always different. So, who are these guys?”
“Refugees from the Star,” Kopaka explained. “They were trapped here. I helped them escape. Pohatu was with us; he didn’t make it out. We have to find him, if he survived.”
Takanuva blinked, taking this in. He’d forgotten how quickly Kopaka could sum up a story. “So you were on the Star already?”
Kopaka nodded. “A teleporter took us there, while it was still in space. Then another took us off the Star, just before it crashed.”
“So I take it this is one of your allies?” Hydraxon said. “But he isn’t one of the Toa Mata.”
“Yes,” Kopaka said. “Takanuva, Toa of Light.”
Hydraxon’s eyebrows raised. “A Toa of Light?” he said. “Interesting. So the universe did have need for a Toa of Light after all.”
“Wait a second,” Takanuva said. “Hydraxon, do you not remember me? We spoke less than a week ago, back at the villages.”
“You must have me confused with someone else,” Hydraxon said. “I’ve been trapped on the Star for centuries.”
“No, no, that can’t be right,” Takanuva said. “There can’t be two Hydraxon’s. One must be a fake.”
Both Kopaka and Takanuva looked toward Hydraxon, who glared back at them. “What, you think I’m a fake?” he said. “I remember training you, Kopaka, back at Karda Nui. Also, Botar answered my call. Would he do that for a fake?”
“So, there’s likely a fake Hydraxon back at the villages?” Takanuva said. “Wonderful. Just what we need right now.”