//------------------------------// // Ghost of a Machine // Story: BIONIES: spirits of life // by Dihinner //------------------------------// Matoro was not amused. He’s been stuck in this town for three days now and hasn’t gotten a word from this ‘Princess Celestia’ character. Thankfully, the one known Twilight let him stay in her tree home for the time being. He could tell that the residence of the town were wary of him. It may not have helped that his right arm was briefly torn off when the pink one, Pinkie pie (how convenient) accidently fired a rocket from his Cordak blaster at him on his second day. “HEY! What’s this?” she asked poking the trigger of the Cordak blaster. “BE CAREFUL WITH THA-“. BOOM, the rocket blasted off Matoro’s right arm. It hung loosely by some cords connected from his back. “Oops,” whispered Pinkie pie, pail with fear. Matoro winced in pain, “don’t worry, it was bound to fall off anyway,” he then proceeded to grab his severed arm and reconnected it back in place. A small shower of yellow sparks shot out the socket. Matoro then began to test his fingers. He smiled, “There we go.” “How, how did you do that?!” asked Twilight. “Err, I reconnected the muscle tissue in my arm?” he replied. “But that’s impossible! You can’t just reconnect missing limbs!” Matoro shrugged, “if the tissue is worn out enough the limb may fall off. All I need to do is reconnect it.” “Can everyone from where you’re from do that?” she asked. “As far as I know, only toa can reconnect limbs.” Matoro smiled remembering the torrent of questions that followed. Apparently, this was a land called Equestria. He spoke of the Great Spirit, Mata nui, his friends and what the Kanohi Ignika was. That was the thing that intrigued Twilight the most. “So there is this mask, and it can revive dead people?” she asked. “Only of they are dying or have just died. But, It has a price, anyone who use it die upon wearing it,” said Matoro. “Why would anyone kill themselves just to wear a stupid mask?” asked the blue one, Rainbow dash. Matoro gazed at the sky, it appeared that the sun itself was staring back, ‘it probably is,’ he reminded himself. He sighed, and then answered, “I died so I could save everyone. If Mate nui dies then everyone dies too. The stars themselves were going out.” The questions stopped there, they could tell that Matoro was hiding something and he did not want to talk about it. Finally, on the fourth day, Princess Celestia came to see Matoro. She was slightly taller than him and he could tell that only a fool would anger her. Luckily, Matoro was no fool. “So your Matoro, I am Princess Celestia,” she said. “Err, hello,” he replied nervously, back home the closest thing they had to royalty were the Turaga, and they were just wise elders. “I have heard that you are deceased where you’re from. Why is that?” she asked him. Matoro chuckled quietly, he was out of luck, “well, if you really want to hear it, it started about one month ago… … then I put on the Ignika and dissolved into light, reviving Mata nui and now I’m here,” Twilight, her friends and the princess were surprised at the trials that Matoro and his fellow toa had faced. He did however; leave out the parts where he had to use his mask power, like the shark fight. The most concerning thing to them was the Makuta. A dark being that tormented Matoro and his friends for over one thousand years prior to becoming toa. “Is he dead?” asked Rarity. “I doubt it. Knowing Makuta, he’s still plotting somewhere,” replied Matoro. “Does he know you’re still alive?” asked they yellow one, Fluttershy. “But I’m not alive. I used the Ignika and now I’m dead. Simple as that,” replied Matoro, “why else would I be here?” “Matoro I can assure you that you are in fact, still alive,” replied Princess Celestia. Matoro shrugged, “I used the Ignika and the price is death. You may not be dead but I know I am.” “But how can we see you if you’re dead?” asked Pinkie pie. “I don’t know,” he replied. Suddenly he got an idea. “Err, does this town have a graveyard?” he asked. “Why do y’all want go to the graveyard?” asked Applejack. He smiled, “experiment.” Twilight showed Matoro to the graveyard, Matoro then proceeded to walk over to a large tombstone. “Perfect,” he muttered. “Um, Matoro what are you doing?” asked Fluttershy, just as Matoro started to dig up the grave. “Hey! Why are y’all digging up that grave?!” asked Applejack angrily. Matoro smiled slightly when he struck the coffin. He then told them, “now what you’re about to see may shock you but it’s nothing to worry about.” A pale white glow came off of Matoro’s mask and surrounded the coffin. Suddenly, the coffin door opened and the dead, rotted body inside it proceeded to pick itself off the ground and stare blankly at the ponies. “ZOMBIE!” yelled Pinkie pie as she ran away screaming. The others stared at the corpse. It just stood there blankly, its eyes half open. Matoro put his hand on its back. It turned and stared at him. He smiled slightly, “Ok, time to go,” he replied as the corpse moved back into its coffin. Matoro picked it up and returned it back to its grave. “But, that’s impossible!” said Twilight. Matoro laughed, “You know, it seems that everything I do you say it’s impossible.” “But, y’all can’t just go around makin’ zombies!” said Applejack. “I don’t. I have only used my mask power twice before,” replied Matoro, “I’m still not sure why the Ignika gave it to me.” “But what does this have to do with us being able to see you,” replied Princess Celestia, “If you’re dead.” Matoro tapped his mask, “I wear the Kanohi Tryna, the great mask of reanimation. I assume I used it subconsciously when I died.” “So what you’re saying is that you’re a zombie?” asked Rainbow dash. “Pretty much,” replied Matoro. “But if you’re a zombie, then why aren’t you trying to eat us?” asked Fluttershy. Matoro laughed, “Toa rarely need to eat. We really only eat on special occasions and besides, If I was going to get you, wouldn’t have I done it already?” They exchanged glances, this Matoro was very strange. “But how do Toa and Matoran function without food?” asked Twilight. “Hmm, I not too sure myself, I’ve never really thought about it until now,” replied Matoro. “Well, besides that it seems that you do have something’s in common with us,” said Celestia. “Really, Like what?” asked Matoro. “From what I understand you need to sleep and breathe, another thing is you feel pain,” replied Celestia, “I also assume that there are more things that help you function.” “Huh, I guess there are some thing we have in common,” said Matoro as he looked into the sky, wondering how his friends were doing. Meanwhile, back in Canterlot, a strange fog rolled in. Just looking at it, nothing seemed wrong. But if one listened to it, then they could tell that it was no ordinary fog. It was thickest around the castle, specifically, the trophy garden. Dark green wisps floated around one stature in particular, a statue that had a fearful look. It was the statue of Discord. Slowly, the statue started to crumble and the spirit of chaos blinked in surprise, he was free. He looked around but couldn’t see through the fog. “How strange,” he muttered, “what heroic being could have freed me?” he asked to no one in particular. “You are not free yet Discord,” “Who said that?” asked Discord. “It’s surprising that you have forgotten my voice Discord,” it replied, “after all, I am your cousin.” “What are you talking about? I have no living cousins,” Discord replied. “Who said I was alive?” it asked. Discord blinked, “Makuta?” he asked. It laughed, “Yes my little spirit of chaos, and it is I, Makuta.” “Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be back In Metru nui?” he asked. If the fog had a face, it would be smiling, “Discord, when was the last time you saw me?” “Somewhere around two thousand years ago,” he muttered. “Exactly, now, there is a problem that needs fixing and I need your assistance,” replied Makuta. “Why should I help you?” asked Discord. Makuta chuckled, “all in good time Discord, all in good time.”