During the day Ponyville is a busy place. But after the sunset, more that Luna’s moon watches the night. Krika moved swiftly throughout the empty streets. His red eyes scanned the street until it hit their mark: Sugarcube corner. Although a Makuta, he finds Teridax’s plan overly complex. There is nothing wrong with a complex idea but, when it takes eighty thousand years to complete with thousands of smaller plans which contain plans themselves? That near impossible to do. Krika let out silent sigh, his mutation had damaged him greatly. He was supposed to be in Karda nui finishing off the plan at last. But, Teridax insisted that they retrieve Discord first. He continued to walk to the brightly lit shop. The Toa were inside. Using his natural powers of shadow that all Makuta possess, he faded into the darkness and began watching them.
“…Didn’t that hurt?” asked Rarity.
Kongu glared at her, “what do you thing? I was fast-falling from hundreds of bio in the high-sky and hard-landing on a tree. Of course it hurt!”
“But you’re ok, right?” asked Hahli.
“Better than Rainbows than what I hear.”
She nodded, Rainbow dash was currently in the hospital for shock treatment and therapy. They’re not quite sure what Mutran did to her but it seems that it was not just illusions that was going on. Krika overheard this and grimaced, he was one of the last few Makuta that had a shred of what they once were: heroes. That all changed when Teridax reviled his plan. In the end, he sided with Teridax’s idea but in spite of him; let the old Makuta leader, Miserix, live. He occasionally showed mercy but only to spite Teridax. And now here he was, waiting in the shadows, feeling slightly sorry for a cocky, overconfident Pegasus. He spat out some venom forming in his insect-like mouth, another part of his mutation. His teammates fared slightly better, Gorast needed to breathe and got a stinger and Bitil well… was Bitil. After some more mindless talking, the group parted ways for the night. Seeing no more reason to stay, Krika went on his way. He briefly overheard them speaking again but ignored it. He continued walking when he noticed some thin layers of ice forming on his armor.
“Think your clever Toa? Trying to freeze me while I’m minding my own business?” said Krika.
“Why are you here Makuta?” asked Matoro.
Krika smiled, “if I told you, I’d have to kill you where you stand and I don’t feel like seeing a fool die right now.”
Matoro slightly raised his Cordak blaster, waiting for Krika to attack, to his surprise, Krika laughed.
“Do you seriously think I am going to fight you here? In the middle of the night when the princess is watching? I think not,” said Krika.
Matoro stared at him, unsure what Krika was doing. Nevertheless, he made sure Krika was always in sight, though he may say he won’t attack, Matoro’s learned to never trust a Makuta.
“Well, then why’d you show up if you aren’t going to attack?” asked Matoro.
Krika spat out some more venom, Matoro stepped back a bit, “I’m here on official instructions from the hive.” Krika of course, knew that the Toa had found out about the hive by now.
Matoro aimed his Cordak blaster at Krika’s chest, “where is the hive?” he demanded.
“Toa, you aren’t seriously thinking of killing me right here? That would be violating the Toa code. If you want to live the rest of your days as an ex-Toa then go ahead, shoot me,” challenged Krika.
“What does it matter? I’m dead,” replied Matoro.
Krika laughed again, “foolish Toa, if you were dead, then why’d you end up here? Why not spend the rest of time with the other deceased beings? Why another world in peril? Face it Toa of ice, you may think your dead you may KNOW you are dead but, what does it mean to be dead? Truly dead? The hive will present itself when you find that conclusion. Farewell Toa Matoro. May Mata nui protect you.” With that, Krika used his Kanohi Crast, mask of repulsion, to send Matoro flying. Krika watched him as he flew until he hit the ground.
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The hospital had never seen anything like this. Rainbow dash was shaking and muttering but there was no explanation for it. Her friends told them to avoid speaking about the one called Mutran. They also advised that she not go near operating tools. But the doctors couldn’t figure out why now. There was nothing in the room that she could be afraid of and yet she was still cowering in fear. They had already tried a therapist and he said that she should be away from anything threatening and be reminded that her friends are ok. That last one threw the doctor off a bit. But, the therapist insisted that it would help her recover. Little did anypony know, nearly the entire city disappeared this morning and Twilight, her friends and a group of newcomers called ‘Toa’ had gone to find out what was going on. Though they failed in finding the pegasi, they know the creatures that did this. They’re called Makuta. They are to be avoided in sight. When the doctor returned to check up on Rainbow dash for the sixth time that night, he noticed something: she was a dull greyish blue, the same colours that the dark lord Discord made her about year ago. ‘What if Discord is free again?’ the doctor thought, ‘no, impossible, the Princess would have warned us.’ Satisfied with that conclusion, the doctor turned around to stand face to face with the therapist.
“Oh, hello,” said the doctor.
“Hello indeed.”
“Uh, I’m sorry but the hospital is closing.”
The therapist chuckled, “of course, I was just checking on how Rainbow dash was doing.”
The doctor looked at the therapist sadly, “same as before.”
“Ah, well, I’m sure that she will recover soon. I’ve seen worse cases than this. Just give her some time,” said the therapist as he walked off into the night. The doctor watched him go, wondering why he had returned so late…
Rainbow dash had finally fallen asleep. She thrashed around in her sleep. What she was seeing was not a dream. They were memories of Hahli’s experience on Voya nui and in The Pit. She saw the Piraka and the hall of nightmares, the fight against Umbra, fighting against Vezon and Fenrakk. Then she saw the dark waters of the Pit. The Barraki, Gadunka, and the final moments of the other Toa preparing a last stand to hold the Barraki back so Matoro could sacrifice himself. There was nothing after that, but she felt a rush of water hit her as she awoke with a jump. Rainbow dash looked around to see where the water had come from. She got out of the hospital bed and stood on the cold, concrete floor. She walked over to the door only to find that it was locked. The window was also locked. Something was different, but she couldn’t tell what. She walked back to the bed and started to go to sleep again, whatever it was, it could wait till morning.
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A dull orange eye opened in the early morning sun. With slight difficulty, Matoro got himself into a sitting position. He stretched his aching joints and stood up. He vaguely remembered speaking with Krika. Matoro then began to walk towards Sugarcube corner. It seemed that it was now the meeting spot for the Toa. He smiled slightly when he saw Kongu trying to teach Pinkie pie how to control air.
“Ok, first thing in being an air-Toa is quick-think,” said Kongu, “Second thing is feel the air around you. After that, try to bend-move it with your willpower.”
Pinkie pie nodded as she closed her eyes and a very small wind blew across the room. Kongu smiled, Pinkie pie was getting the hang of this.
“Good, now try to summon-create a stronger wind,” said Kongu. Pinkie pie nodded again as the wind picked up. Pinkie pie’s wind slowly started to get weaker and Kongu asked what was wrong.
“I don’ know,” said Pinkie pie, “I just can’t feel the air as much.”
Kongu laughed slightly, “That means your Toa power is running out like mine has.”
“Does that mean it will be gone forever?” she asked concerned.
“No, you’ll just have to long-wait until it recharges,” said Kongu.
“Oh… okie dokie lokie,” said Pinkie pie.
Matoro chose this moment to present his arrival, “hello, Kongu, Pinkie pie.”
“Hey frosty,” said Kongu.
“Hi Matoro,” said Pinkie pie.
“Hi, have any of you found information about the hive?” asked Matoro.
“You mean that thing Mutran was talking about yesterday? Hmm… nope,” said Pinkie pie.
“Hive huh? Maybe it’s like the Rama hive on Mata nui,” suggested Kongu.
“You think the Makuta have Nui Rama here?” asked Matoro.
“I don’t know. Maybe there using the missing pegasi something,” said Kongu.
Matoro looked at Kongu surprised, “huh, maybe.”
At that moment, Twilight ran into the shop. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath.
“Hi Twilight,” said Pinkie pie cheerfully.
“Rainbow dash *pant* Rainbow dash is gone!” she said.
“Rainbows left the hospital?” asked Kongu.
“Yes the doctors said the left just after the sun rose,” said Twilight, “we have to find her. I’ll get the others.”
“Sure,” agreed Matoro as he walked out of Sugercube corner.
Some hours later, the Toa and ponies found Rainbow dash sitting in a river. She was just sitting there with her eyes closed. Hahli walked up to her.
“Rainbow dash? You alright?” she asked.
Rainbow dash looked at Hahli, “yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” she asked.
“Do you remember what happened yesterday?” Hahli asked.
“You mean in Cloudsdale? Yeah I remember that.”
Jaller glanced at Twilight, “is she always like this?”
Twilight shook her head, “I’ve never seen her do this.”
“Do you remember what happened with Mutran?” asked Hahli, hoping it would not bring back any traumatizing memories.
Rainbow dash looked at Hahli with determination in her eyes, “when I see him again I’m going to rip that stupid mask off his face!”
Nuparu chose this moment to speak up, “so, you not at all bothered by yesterday?”
Rainbow dash shook her head, “like you guys said, it was an illusion.”
“Well, it’s good to have y’all back Rainbow,” said Applejack.
“Um, did you find out where the missing pegasi are?” asked Fluttershy quietly.
“Not yet,” said Matoro.
“Well it can’t be too far away right?” asked Hewkii.
“If it’s anything like the Rama hive,” said Kongu, “nope.”
“Well I’m not going into some ghastly insect hive,” said Rarity.
Matoro chuckled slightly, “if we survived what happened yesterday, a hive of bugs will be no problem.”
A pair of dark reddish orange eyes watched the group in the shadows, it hissed slightly. ‘The fools don’t know what’s in the hive.’ It chuckled slightly to itself, ‘but they soon will.’ It then took off in its large insect wings and flew off to the darkness of the hive.