Hidden beneath a layer of leaves lied Lyra—who slept peacefully beneath their cover. It wasn’t anything like sleeping in a bed; leaves constantly scratched her with their rough leaves and tickled her with their soft tips.
As she slept beneath the plants’ cover, the cyan unicorn felt one of the leaves tickling her nose. In response to such an uncomfortable sensation, Lyra’s nose twitched as she lied in sleep. It twitched once more. Unable to control her nose, the unicorn pulled an intake of air and sneezed—which pulled her out of her sleep.
Rubbing her nose, Lyra groaned and pushed the plant out of her face. How long have I been asleep? she wondered, shaking her head. Judging by how badly her red eyes stung, she hadn't been asleep very long.
The light was clearly portrayed amongst the plants—making a green aura surround Lyra as she sat beneath all the vegetation. Having been suddenly driven away from her sleep, she rubbed her nose once more before picking herself up on her hooves.
Her head shooting above a fort of leaves, she witnessed as the strong sunlight appeared before her eyes. Letting out a yawn, the awakened unicorn thought, Day two on this strange new world. Where will I go today? Was she to recede back into the vegetation or pursue toward the beach? Her answer came when she took sight of a blue biomechanical creature amongst the beach. Sitting in the water next to this creature was what looked like a metal boat. “Help! Help!” the creature cried.
Oh great! Lyra thought with a sigh. More people who think I’m a monster!
However, much to her surprise, the familiar red-and-blue creature walked out from the vegetation and toward the blue person. “What’s wrong?” he wondered.
“My village has been attacked!”
Oh, thought Lyra, feeling the red flushing out of her face. Relieved, the little pony watched as the two biomechanical creatures continued conversing. She lost all interest in what they were taking about; she just wanted to sneak past them and move on with her life.
Keeping this thought in mind, she kept a close eye on the two creatures—eagerly awaiting her golden opportunity.
It took some patience—but after much waiting, she witnessed as the two biomechanical creatures clambered up into the boat resting behind them. Within seconds, they both started sailing off into the vast ocean.
Finally! Lyra thought with a sigh. Relief washing over her, she emerged from all the plants at last. At last she found herself in the midst of the beach’s space and openness—the likes of which stretch out for what looked like a whole mile. With the sun no longer on the verge of setting, she could see this easily. This place is so big! I’ve never seen anywhere like this in Equestria!
In the midst of her thoughts, the pony started wandering within the beach. There’s more sand here than there is in Saddle Arabia! she thought with a snicker.
She didn’t realize it, but Lyra was walking straight back into the hellish landscape from which she came. I miss Bon Bon, she thought, looking down at her hooves. She’s the only pony in Equestria who ever showed me any affection or laughter. Well—Pinkie Pie showed me a whole bunch of laughter, but not like Bon Bon.
Such thoughts were nearly enough to bring the unicorn to tears. What if I never see her again? she sniffled. What if—what if she dies not knowing what happened to me? What if—?
She stopped. Wait a minute. How did I get here? Feeling as sweat dripped from her brow, Lyra looked here and there—but not one single trace of the beach showed in her eyes. She was back in the volcanic landscape; only this time, she stood closer to the volcano than ever. The heat from this fiery mountain reached out to the pony, making her feel like falling over in defeat.
In addition to being trapped in a place she cared not for, the pony had no idea where to turn back around. The heat didn't help her situation, either—as it made her feel lightheaded and thirsty. She may as well have been stranded on a desert.
It was while trying to gain some composure when she heard voices coming from the inside of the volcano. Are there...people in that volcano? As absurd as it seemed, Lyra went with her theory. Shaking her head, the unicorn realized, If the people in there see me, they’ll think I’m some kind of monster! What was she to do? She couldn’t go forward and she couldn’t go back.
Is this dark forest going to be my home from now on? Simply thinking about that possibility led her to shivering.
The weight of the world seemed to press down on the pony’s shoulders; meanwhile, she noticed as the ground started shaking uncontrollably. What’s going on? Lyra asked, struggling to stand on all four hooves.
It was while asking herself this question when the cyan unicorn witnessed a giant crab-like creature walking out of a doorway in the volcano.
Wait a minute, she thought while squinting. Since when do doorways exist in volcanoes? Regardless of such thoughts, Lyra felt an overwhelming urge to run away rise within her throat. But her legs were stiff—frozen in place from her own terror. If she couldn’t run, she could hide; but where was she to go? She would have hidden underneath a bush of vegetation—had one existed.
Without anywhere else to go, the pony stood her ground and clenched her eyes shut—worrisomely awaiting her doom. Within seconds, she heard the pitter-patter of crab legs tapping against the hard, charred ground. Such a sound only grew louder and louder as time went on.
Had she any fingers—which she desperately wanted—Lyra would have crossed them. Please don’t hurt me! she silently begged. Just the thought of getting into someone's squabbles made her close her eyes tight.
It didn’t take long for the sound of footsteps to dramatically slow down. Such a noise lifted a heavy weight from Lyra’s chest. Confused, she opened an eye and took a good look forward—surprised at who she found. “You!” she cried, her eyelids both shooting up in surprise.
“So—we meet again.” Sitting upon the crab was Kapura—who came off as almost camouflaged in contrast to the volcanic colors behind him. “Lyra, right?” he asked, lifting himself off the crab.
The baffled unicorn responded with a nod of her head. After letting a pause of silence fill the air, she stammered, “Wh-what is that thing?”
“What thing?” wondered Kapura, acting as if the crustacean wasn’t even there.
Wanting to knock the Matoran’s head back into place, Lyra pointed at the beast with her hoof and exclaimed, “That thing!”
Turning his head toward the crab, Kapura chuckled, “Oh—that’s my friend’s ussal crab.”
Her gaze fixed on this creature, Lyra murmured, “Ussal crab?”
Interrupting her train of thought, the red biomechanical creature hissed, “And would you mind telling me what you’re doing out here in the open?”
Suddenly nervous, Lyra let out a chuckle before responding, “I—uh—didn’t see where I was going and I bumped back here.”
At such awkwardly-placed words, Kapura snorted and replied, “And you really expect me to believe that tale?”
At that point, Lyra had had enough. “Don’t you dare assume that I’m lying to you!” she snapped, her head hanging low over Kapura’s. “Let’s make this clear, little one: I will not have anybody telling me I’m a liar.” Bending down even further, Lyra ground her teeth and growled, “Is that clear?”
Maybe I should have killed her! thought Kapura, feeling the urge to retreat. With some hesitation, he let a gulp slide down his throat before he replied, “S-sorry—please don’t hurt me!”
Seeing the fear in the puny Matoran’s eyes, Lyra pulled herself away from Kapura and let out a sigh. “No,” she began, unable to meet his gaze, “I’m sorry.”
Slightly relieved, Kapura walked over to his crab—which surprisingly hadn’t moved a muscle. Does it even know what just happened? he wondered. Regardless of such thoughts, Kapura pointed out, “Anyway—what do you think you’re doing here? If my people catch you out here, they’ll kill you!”
Her patience wearing thin once again, Lyra responded, “Like I said earlier—I got lost.”
“Oh—right!” Kapura muttered. “Where exactly did you say you were going?”
A sigh escaped from Lyra’s lungs before she answered, “I don’t know where I’m going. Home, I guess—but I still don’t know how I’m going to get back.”
“Oh,” the Ta-Matoran murmured. After a moment of silence came to pass, Kapura pointed out, “You know—there might actually be a way to get you back home.”
Her ears twitching, Lyra flinched when she asked, “Say what?” With perked interest, Lyra brought herself up to his stout body—pushing her nose up against the top of his mask all the while. “I can see her again?” She wanted to look happy—almost pleading—to Kapura, but her eyes held a look in them which seemed to ask, Why didn’t you tell me earlier?
“Yes,” Kapura replied with a nod, “but it’s very risky.”
Huh? “How so?” asked Lyra, her hopes slightly dashed. “What’s your plan?”
A sigh escaped from the Matoran before he explained, “I’m gonna try to smuggle you into Onu-Koro.”
Almost gasping at those words, Lyra thought, Is he serious? Feeling somewhat uneasy, the cyan pony wondered, “And how are you going to do that?” A million other questions sat in her head, but she had time for only one.
Without hesitation, Kapura grabbed what looked like a lasso and wrapped it around Lyra’s neck.”You’re going to be my rahi,” he explained.
“I am?” Such a thought made Lyra wrinkle her nose. She took a look down at the rope tied around her neck. “Oh—I get it,” she sighed. I just wish he would stop treating me like I’m an animal—when I’m so much more than that!
Hopping back onto his ussal crab, Kapura said, “Now then—let’s head on our way to Onu-Koro.” And with that, he ordered his crab to turn around back home.
Lyra had taken less than two steps toward the volcano when she asked, “Hey Kapura?”
“Yes?” the Ta-Matoran replied.
“Why do your people hate me so much?”
“Well,” he began with a sigh. “It is not that they hate you. The only reason why they want you dead is because they think you are a wild rahi beast. If you stay with me, then they will think otherwise. The thing about us Matoran is that we have been tortured by rahi for years; my Captain even says they are becoming stronger.”
Taking Kapura's words with a grain of salt, Lyra wondered, “Do you think they’re getting stronger?”
Had he been walking—and not sitting on a crab—he would have halted right then and there. “I do not know, Lyra,” he admitted. “I just do not know.”
“One more question,” the pony began, resisting the urge to pant like a dog. “How in Equestria do you and your people survive in this heat?”
“Shh!” Kapura hissed. “We’re entering Ta-Koro and I do not want anybody finding out that I have a talking rahi with me.”
“Oh,” whispered Lyra. “Got it!” And with that, she locked her lips shut and followed behind Kapura and her crab. At the same time, she thought, How am I going to survive down here? I’m going to suffer from heatstroke if I stay here too long!
Regardless of such thoughts, she held herself close to Kapura—hoping not to lose herself in the horrid temperature. It didn’t take long for her to find herself crossing paths with other Ta-Matoran—each of whom seemed to share concerned murmurs whenever she passed them by. It’s great to know that nobody notices me, she thought while rolling her eyes. At least none of Kapura's friends are here to see me.
Just being here made Lyra's eyesight blur—made her head spin. Her vision impaired her so badly, Lyra wondered While she managed to keep herself close to Kapura and his crab, she swerved the whole way there.
As she and Kapura continued pushing through the village of Ta-Koro, Lyra noticed as the temperature gradually started decreasing. Good thing, too, she thought with a sigh. If I sweat any more, I’ll start dehydrating.
“We’re almost there,” murmured Kapura. “Just a few more steps.”
Oh, wow, Lyra panted. She could hear her heart racing—leaping up into her throat with every beat. Just a few more. She repeated those words in her head as she came closer and closer to sweet coolness.
Before her eyes came an aura of darkness—the likes of which brought down a wave of relief on her. Feeling as if her eyeballs had been stung with the heat, she rubbed her eyes with her foreleg. By the time she had finished doing so, she found herself standing within a deep, dark cave.
“Come on,” commanded Kapura. “Just a few more and we’ll be safe.”
Okay, Lyra felt tempted to reply. Sure enough, she found herself in a reasonably warm place. At the same time, she heard Kapura say, “You’re all good!”
The sound of those words vibrating within her ears, Lyra flicked her eyes wide open. A mix of sweat and tears covered her eyes as she found herself in the midst of the coolest place she had crossed paths with in what felt like months. “Whew!” she sighed, shaking the sweat from her hair. “I feel like a wet dog!”
Kapura found himself slightly confused at the pony’s words, but shook the thoughts out of his head. “Well then,” he began with a sigh, “I believe it is time for us to depart.”
Her ears twitching in response to those words, Lyra turned to the Ta-Matoran when she asked, “But—where do I go from here?”
After taking a deep breath, he explained, “Head down this tunnel until you find a dimly-lit village. Once there, sneak past the Onu-Matoran guards and see if Whenua has any answers to your question. He’s the leader of Onu-Koro.”
His crab turning around, Kapura kept his eyes locked on Lyra when he cried, “I wish you the best of luck, Lyra!” And with that, he strode off back into Ta-Koro.