“Okay, today we’re going to go hunting," explained Jaller.
“Hunting for what, Captain?”
“Rahi.”
The other three Matoran were perplexed. “Just rahi?” one of them asked. “No rahi in particular?”
“Nope! Just pick up some weapons and get going.”
Is that it? wondered Kapura. He’s just going to drag us to hunt for ordinary rahi? He could have just done that on his own; Jaller just had to have some kind of trick up his sleeve.
“Captain,” Kapura sighed, “Just tell me. What are we looking for?” He was on the verge of snapping now—as was Jaller.
“We are not searching for anything special.”
Both fire-spitters came face-to-face with each other before the other two Matoran shouted in unison, “Hey! Stop fighting!”
Startled, Jaller and Kapura froze and turned toward the only calm Matoran in the hut. A moment of silence followed.
“Okay,” sighed Jaller, pulling himself away from Kapura. “Let’s just get going on our way.” With those words, he grabbed his trident and exited the hut.
Feeling as the fresh outside heat conducted against the protodermis within his mask, Jaller took his first step outside his home—and immediately turned toward the two guards standing outside the massive hut.
“Remain vigilant until we return,” he commanded. Without even looking their captain in the eye, the two guards saluted their leader. Upon assuring the guards’ loyalty and cooperation, Jaller sauntered off to the Ta-Koro bridge.
Rays of red and orange essence surrounded the four Ta-Matoran, enveloping them in its heated spirit. The village of Ta-Koro sat behind them as they continued scaling the rocky bridge. Vakama, Takua, Nuhrii, and all the other Ta-Matoran stood behind; the four exiting Matoran were now on their own.
As if by instinct, one of the guards up at Jaller’s castle of a house pulled the lever to Ta-Koro’s bridge—thus making the bridge gradually descend into the lava bit by bit. By the time the bridge was completely buried in fire, Jaller and his guards had already passed through Ta-Koro’s exit.
No longer were they in Ta-Koro; now they were in Ta-Wahi. With nobody to protect them from harm, the four Matoran had to rely solely on their instincts, wits, and ingenuity if they wished to survive.
As was expected of somebody of his stature, Jaller showed no fear upon his yellow Hau. How was he to lead the Ta-Koro guard if he was to prove himself a coward? The guard accepted nothing less than the bravest—so they would never allow a pansy to rule over them. Even with his supposed bravery, Jaller couldn’t help but feel slightly afraid of the land before him. Hundreds of trees stood charred, burned by the volcano in which he lived.
However, it wasn’t the trees which concerned him; rather was it the simple presence of the Makuta. Many strange creatures lingered within the shadowed forest—the likes of which had yet to be seen by Matoran eyes—and almost all of them were influenced by Makuta. It seemed like everything bad in Mata-Nui could be blamed on Makuta—and everybody would agree. Since he first invaded, the rahi had grown stronger, nights became longer, and chaos reigned supreme.
“Get ready to run,” commanded Jaller over his shoulder. “That means you, Kapura.”
Kapura snorted in response to his captain’s snide behavior.
At that moment, Jaller picked up the pace—letting the others drag behind him. His tiny feet carried him further and further through the dead forest—almost fast enough for a passerby to think he was wearing a Kakama. He made sure not to let go of his trident—a tricky task, even for a Captain.
It wasn't long before Jaller stopped and found the one perfect thing for his plan. Lying before him was a fallen parched log—the likes of which was surrounded by dry, broken branches.
Huffing and puffing behind all the others, Kapura asked, “Why did we stop, Captain?” It was while catching up to the other guards when he tripped over one of the parched sticks, nearly hitting his head on the log as a result.
Stifling a chuckle, Jaller picked up the sticks surrounding him. “I’m gonna see if I can use these sticks to trap a rahi.” Before he had the chance to use the sticks to his advantage, Jaller caught sight of something—or someone—with a bright, colorful pelt lingering through the gloomy forest.
“Captain,” one of the anonymous guards began, seeing what Jaller had seen. “What is that?”
“I have no idea,” Jaller murmured. “All I know is that I should have brought my disk with me!”
“I’ll go, Captain.” It was Kapura—of all Matoran! “I may not be the fastest Matoran around, but I sure am the stealthiest!”
“Are you sure?” Jaller placed a hand upon the wise Ta-Matoran’s shoulder. “Think about what you’re doing now.”
In response to his captain’s faithlessness, Kapura snapped, “I have thought about what I’m doing! I know I can do this, Captain.”
You can be a stubborn one at times, Jaller wanted to tell his guard—but instead sufficed to say, “Okay. Go for it.”
The other three Matoran—Kapura included—could hardly believe that had just happened. He actually let me do it! a silent voice cried within Kapura’s head. “Thank you, Captain!” And with those words, he headed off to the foreign animal.
“Are you sure that was the right thing to do?” one of the other guards wondered.
Jaller sighed and replied, “I don’t know.”
While slow-moving, Kapura proved very light on his feet. The creature before him didn’t even flinch at the sound of his footsteps—which was a good thing for him.
As Kapura gradually drew closer and closer to the beast, he grew a better understanding of its shape. Standing on four legs, this creature held hair on its head and tail. A strange horn protruded from the animal’s head—the likes of which held a light on its tip.
Keeping his trident tight in hand, Kapura drew closer and closer. He relied on his mask of strength to help him at this one moment. All he needed was his strength—and he was sure to slay the beast. He would need it here now more than ever.
A few more steps and he found himself standing right behind the rahi. It was at that moment when he noticed how this animal was made from organic material—rather than protodermis. It was as if the creature's skin had been crafted from plants.
A few more steps and he caught sight of a tattoo on the creature’s flank—a tattoo of a lyre. What? Why is that there? wondered Kapura. Does it represent what this animal is?
After his few minutes of silence, the creature’s ear suddenly twitched. “Is somebody there?” it wondered though a female voice.
In both fear and desperation, Kapura tried hiding behind a tree—but was not quick enough. As a result, the red Matoran's figure slipped right into the creature’s eye, tripping on his own feet as he did.
Feeling surprised and slightly alarmed, the animal asked through a suspicious tone, “Who are you?”
I’m doomed! Kapura realized, freezing in place. His hand went limp, making his pitchfork hit the dusty ground.
“Hello?” The organic rahi stared at the Matoran, perplexed by his silence.
It’s not killing me! thought Kapura, feeling hope spread into his thoughts. But can it understand me? Kapura blinked once before bringing himself up on his feet. “You are a rahi?”
“Rahi?” the beast wondered, wrinkling her nose. “I am a unicorn—a pony!”
“Pony?” asked Kapura, “How come I’ve never seen you around here, pony?”
Letting out a snort, the pony replied, “First of all, my name is Lyra. Secondly—I’m lost. Where am I?”
“You’re in Ta-Wahi,” stated Kapura. “Where did you come from?”
Lyra let out a sigh and let her ears droop before she replied, “I’m a resident of Ponyville. But—truth be told—I’m not like all the other ponies. They sit on their legs; I sit on my rear. They lap up their drinks; I sip my water through a straw. Heck, I don't even like using my magic; most of the time I forget I even have it."
“I went out in search of some other ponies like me when I got tangled in a swamp. Giant bug creatures took me away from the swamp, up high through the sky, and onto an island surrounded by silver water and infested with giant spiders. I wanted to get out, but the only way was through a tunnel in the ocean. So I swam through the water, travelled up the tunnel, and wound up here."
“I then found myself in a gassy, dark area—where a big monster yelled at me and transported me here.” She paused before continuing, “You know all the rest. I must have told a majority of this story at least three times now!” She sighed and paused once more.
Kapura stood in awe upon hearing this brightly-colored pony’s story. She has been through Mata Nui and back! he noted. But exactly where all did she go? And what is this—magic she told me about? Is she magical?
As the thought lingered within his head, Kapura heard as Jaller called from the distance, “Did you kill it yet?”
Those words made her eyes dilate and her ears twitch. “Kill it?” hissed Lyra. Fumigating, she pressed her nose up against Kapura’s mask when she growled, “You were going to kill me?”
“Well—well,” Kapura couldn’t lie—not to this pony. He sighed before admitting, “Okay, yes; technically I was supposed to, but—”
“But what?” snapped Lyra, nearly tipping the Matoran off his feet as she pushed herself even closer to him.
“You’re not a rahi.” Kapura couldn’t have been calmer. There he stood into this irate pony’s eyes—and all he could do was stare back with a serene touch in his eyes. “But now I know better.”
“Kapura!” Jaller shouted once again. “I’m coming over there.”
“Run,” hissed Kapura.
“Run?” asked Lyra, her heart leaping.
“Yes!” His voice raised. “Run!”
And with that, the cyan unicorn went on her way—trotting off out of the woods. It was while doing so when she noticed a beach out in the east. I'll stop there, she thought, her breath growing heavy as she left Kapura's field of view.
Upon catching up to Kapura, his mask turning slightly orange, Jaller shouted at his guard, “What was that all about?”
An innocent look on his face, Kapura asked, “What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean!” Jaller snapped. “Why did you let that rahi go? You almost had it!”
“Sorry!” apologized Kapura, “It slipped through my fingers.”
“You said you had this one, Kapura.” The captain sighed, struggling to brush away the thought of his guard failing him. “Let’s just—I don’t know—finish setting up that trap.”
Kapura sighed, then nodded. “Okay.”