My Little Bionicle: Quest for the masks

by Toa Coy

Days are Rougher than Others

Two more chapters before the next story begins, but not before a guest joins us. But who it will be is for me to know.

~Toa Coy~

Chapter Seventeen: Some Days are Rougher than Others

Mata Nui looked at the dragon that he has whisked away, the black cloak hide him will the black scales and gunmetal spines keep the dark energy clear to the long dead ruler but the dull gold underbelly spoke of something of light. The golden stallion could not tell what element this strange creature could draw on. More thoughts of what it was came to his mind, to find his answers Mata Nui began to search for information that may be in this long dusty tombs. While doing so he did not noticed the dragon begin to move, his blue eyes began to open as he got his bearings. The first thing that hit him was the pain in his gut, even if he was injured there was still a pain. It was then that a growl came from it which caused Mata Nui to see that the dragon was awake or at least was hungry. Not knowing how to care for the dragon or what they ate Mata Nui knew of a being that could help him.

----

Spike was cleaning up the kitchen after he returned from seeing Artemis off to meet with the CMC. He noticed how much happier she was this morning, it must have had a lot of pressure taken off her last night. Granted he would feel the same if he had to explain how he was made and make it sound like a bad horror film. Come on a part of an evil being passioning somepony, making a new being that would then take over and become a tyrannical ruler only to be stopped, and then purified by the elements of harmony to become who they are now. Spike would have thought a Power Ponies comic would do a plotline like that before it was real life.

An silver oval appeared where the kitchen window was, much like a lot of things in his life Spike had just learned to not ask and roll with it. It was then that Mata Nui appeared in his ruined domain, but what caught Spike’s attention was the slumped black cloth that was near the former ruler.

“Hey Mata Nui,” Spike said as he began to ready the sink for dishes. “What brings you to ya here? Nothing that I need to get a message to the princesses I hope.” The young dragon asked as began to sud up the first dish.

“Nothing of that nature young Spike.” Mata Nui said waving his hoof dismissively, also teleporting Umbrage to Spike’s kitchen without the dragon noticing it before a growl of a empty stomach. “I did however find this wandering around.”

Spike followed Mata Nui’s pointing hoof to the cloth slumped being next to the table. Spike had a feeling that this was the thing he saw behind Mata Nui, wiping his claws off and walking over to the being Spike noticed that the cloth seemed too large for it to be anything but something the poor thing must have found in the trash. It was not until Spike had lifted the hood covering the being that he got a shock.

It was a dragon also most like him, granted the one in the cloth had a black-grey-gold color scheme but the resemblance made Spike stumble back and fall on his rear. For several minutes Spike looked over the other dragon, and found several things that made Spike question more about this other dragons origins. The symbol at the bottom of it’s foot was just the most obvious one, there was others that he noticed. Chipped, cracked, or broken scales that almost mirrored his own and then there was a part of the tail the reminded him of the time when somepony stepped on it causing it to grow oddly back after they casted it.

“If I didn’t know better I would call this dragon like my shadow.” Spike thought before the blue eyes of the other dragon open.

“Where am I?” Umbrage mumbled trying to move but he felt so weak, once again the roar came from his stomach.

“As you can see Spike I found him in this state, although he was a bit taller.” Mata Nui said recalling a taller being in place of the other dragon. “Me no longer needing to eat and not knowing how to care for such a being, you were the first one I could turn to help.”

“You could have gone to Celestia or Twilight, they raised me after all.” Spike said flattered but unsure what the golden alicorn wanted him to do.

“Both of them are not able to do that given where they are and what they are dealing with.” Mata Nui said knowing that both Celestia and Twilight had enough to deal with already.

“Guess you’re right.” Spike said shrugging as he moved to the place Twilight stored his ‘hoard’. “I mean Twilight and Celestia are changing the world and going on adventures that makes them heroes to others. I’ve done that with the Crystal Empire, but sometimes I still feel like I’m just the sidekick that has to deal with the clean up.” While saying this Spike grabbed several and clawfuls of gems to give to the other dragon. “The thing that really scares me is outliving everyone but the alicorns, to know that any love I have with a pony would always end with me out living them. That is something I have spent many nights lying awake fearing that if I went to sleep the world would change and I would be left with nothing but the memories of my long gone friends.”
After that Spike had walked over to the other dragon, placed the gems on the table and took one of them. He then open the other dragon’s mouth, placed the gem in between the teeth, and then moved the other’s jaws in a chewing motion. The sounds of the gem breaking followed by the sudden energy that Umbrage felt he shot up to a sitting from his previous slumped state. His mind was clearer and it was only now had he had a good look at his current location.

He remembered resting under a tree with the sack of masks beside him, then he heard a voice and remember someplace dark that wasn’t Goldrax. He had something in the back of his mind nagging at him to recall something but it was almost like something was blocking it. It was then he noticed the other dragon, purple and green by the looks of it. From that he knew, this meant he was not in a place with the order in control but where was still fully unknown to him.

Before Umbrage could speak he saw the gemstones and not able to control himself he, run could work but the dragon shade used his own shadow to draw himself closer to the table before he started to take eating the gems like a being that had not eaten in days. Spike notice this and was somewhat concerned that whoever had cared for the dragon before might have abused it.

It was then that Spike put that thought to the back of his mind and wanted to act friendly to the other dragon.

“Did you enjoy those gems?” Spike said with a smile. “I’m Spike and the alicorn is Mata Nui, he found you.” Spike said pointing to the golden pony.

Umbrage was in a moment of confusion, two things caught him off guard; first was meeting the source his favor form and personality, and second he had just meet along dead god that had brought him here.

Spike noticed the other dragon’s eyes dilate and the look on it’s face was either shock or surprise. Spike could guess at why it’s face was like that, this dragon could have been from with Mata Nui’s people so that would mean that seeing a long dead god could cause some problems.

“I am guessing you’ve heard that Mata Nui is supposed to be dead and you are now wondering if you are seeing things or are dead yourself.” Spike said rubbing the back of his head. The other dragon nodded and looked like it wanted to speak but the words died in it’s throat. “Ya he has yet to tell me that either.” Spike spoke before turning to the fallen ruler. “Now as best time as any.”

“Very well,” The stallion said with a deep breath and began his tale. “While it is true that I am dead the life mask by it’s very nature could not allow death to me, but to do so would cause unneeded pain. Unlike any other mask the mask of life was alive, this meant that it could feel and have thought. Right as I dead the mask used it’s power to draw my sprite into it so that I may live. This resulted in the room that I resides in, the remains of my kingdom and life.” Mata Nui then looked at his flank, a tear seemed to form in his eye. “Now the mask sits imprisoned and safe so none may use it for selfish desires. But so to my friend sleeps never to wake until the end of time.”

Spike looked at the black, gray, and gold dragon whose face mirrored his own. Both seem to understand what the old god was saying.

“Well thanks Mata Nui for bringing…” Spike said trying to break the awkward silence that had fell only to realized he didn’t know the other dragon’s name.

“Umbrage, my name is Umbrage.” The other dragon said getting a smile from Spike.

“You both are welcome now please excuse me I want to be alone with my thoughts.” Mata Nui said as the silver oval began to close.

“Okay see ya around.” Spike waved at the stallion then turned to Umbrage. “So Umbrage tell me about yourself?”

“This is going to get real weird, real quick.” The shade though before starting. “Well…”

----

Celestia and Luna had Canterlot Castle sorted for the trip to the Crystal Empire to meet with this liaison. Pooling their magic together they focused on the throne room and were gone from Canterlot. Appearing in the closet next to the throne room instead of the room proper. The solar princess glared at her lunar sibling who had a sheepish look on her face.

“Luna, why did we end up in this closet?” Celestia asked as she tried to untangle herself from her sister.

“I thought it would be larger so we could walk in over just poofing and having beings we don’t know attacking us because we are just appearing.” Luna said as both of them finally getting up and dusting themselves off.

“A see your point.” Celestia agreed as she opened the door. She looked around to see if anypony was around. From what she saw it must be breakfast time, with that the two stepped out and headed to the dining hall.

Meanwhile in said dining hall, the rulers of the Crystal Empire were having a lovely meal and chat with the order members.

“So,” Cadance said pulling her forehooves up to her chin. “Since this is as much of a cultural as political exchange you must have questions about how things happen here.”

“Seeing you like that reminds me of Helyx,” Jerbraz said his foolhardy nature subdued at the moment, be it the food or being reminded of a being that could drain every drop of water from him in a blink of an eye. “So what do you think team leader? Show that we just as trustworthy as they think we are.”

Johmak wanted to throw the invisible narcissistic threw a wall for baiting her like that but the fox knew that was what Jerbraz wanted. The man was sick in the head but not dumb, with a sigh she thought about it. Knowing how to act would make future interaction with these countries go much easier. With her choice made she turned to the Toa and Mazeka who seemed to be enjoying the meal.

“You five can ask anything cultural since they are closer to you then me.” She said checking the food infront of her.

“I’ve picked up a few things before you guys got here so I could help with some terms.” Mazeka said to his fellow equins.

“Okay,” Krakua said as he began to think. “When we were brought to your castle I noticed two ponies with a little being wrapped up in a cloth. What is it called and why did I notice similar features to the two near it?”

“That was a foal, the offspring of the two parents.” Shining Armor said recalling how Mazeka was confused on the colors of the ‘toa’ and ‘matoran’ colors if they were from the same village. Of course the Nuian ponies had no clue what the prince had meant as offspring had no meaning to them as nope worked with rahi. Seeing the blank looks he was getting he had to rethink how to explain it. “How do you keep a population the same size if there is no pony to replace them when they die?”

Still nothing from the five, that was until Orde opened his mouth.
“He is asking how are we able to keep new matoran to the rare few that meet either a life-time journey end or are kill by unnatural mean.” the male Toa of Psonic said clarifying it for his fellow Nuians.

Chiara, being the only female nuian there knew there was a way to make new matoran but it had been so long that she had forgotten what it was called. She felt Orde’s presents in her mind as he looked into it. While it was true that she was guarded from mental attack since it was Orde’s subset that was used as a base for it he could pass it but not break it.

Right as Orde had found it and Chiara was about to say it trumpets sounded and an announcer spoke.

“Announcing their royal highnesses Princesses Celestia and Luna.”

With that the lunar and solar princesses entered the room, it was then that the order of mata nui saw the rulers of Equestria and almost all had raised eyebrows at Luna. Maybe it was the aura of shadow she had on her or some remains of Artemis had clung to her from either nightmare moon or from learning more shadow powers to match the makuta follower. One thing was for sure it would take a bit of work for Luna to prove that she was not who they thought she was.

----

It became clear that something far more than just someone causing trouble with robots. That was what Lesovikk had came to given what Tech told him and Trixie that morning, along with Blue’s data. It seemed that the followers that he had heard of in his travels had something to do with this whole thing, the rahkshi was more than enough to prove that, but he wondered who would waste resources for an old robot that had long since fallen out of production and demand.

----

Vultraz had finally worked out how to get into the empire but the escape plan once Sombra was harder now. While it is true he knew of Mazeka’s involvement with the Order of Mata Nui, both vultraz and his higher ups had almost no information of the group. When a leak got in it was found mangled and broken if it was ever found at all. That is the thing Vultraz wanted to be cause of, what powers could they have? Could they nullified his powers? All of them was heavy on his mind. For the first time in along time Vultraz was scared.

----

Spike was more or less thinking of drinking cider until he passes out from the sugar high he would be on. Umbrage had just told him things that would make Berry Punch pour out her wine and swear off drinking. In some roundabout way the gray, black, and gold dragon acrossed from him was created by a Toa of shadow from Artemis’s memories and feeling of kinship of himself. The blue eyed dragon had also said that he had all the information that Spike did but was only able to understand it when something cause a flashback to when Spike learned of it. Time flew as the dragon shade gave everything that he knew to Spike, by that time the shade finished it was almost time for Artemis to return from school.

“So you know for a fact that these nut jobs have taken the toa of water and air turning them into brainwashed beings that would follow orders without questions.” Spike said summing up the important thing and put the rest on the back burner for now.

“Yes,” Umbrage said somewhat relaxed that he had got over one bump in his psyche. Spike not freaking out on him was a great help, but he had to dwell on that another time. “With the infected mask on them they are but puppets on strings. I was on a mission to give the sack of masks to Twilight and the others to give to the remaining toa before Mata Nui got me.”

“Speaking of that Mata Nui might still have that since it is not here with you.” Spike said recalling the lack of a sack.

“Ya I have to get those back,” the black dragon said rubbing his spines. “Goldrax is counting on me.”

“Spike I never told you about Goldrax.” Artemis’s voice came into the kitchen followed by the sound of the front door shutting.

“This going to get interesting.” Umbrage said only know had either of the two noticed how similar they sounded.

“Yep, just be thankful Twilight isn't the one to find us like we are she might just freak out.” Spike said chuckling a bit at mental image he got.

“Spike are you talking to yourself again?” the alicorn’s voice came closer to them.

“You talk to yourself?” Umbrage asked thinking back to see if that was another copied trait.

“Do you know how boring it is to have to reshelved books every five minutes?” Spike replied with a shrug. “It was that or sing most of the day.”
It was then that Artemis walked into the kitchen and saw not only Spike but Goldrax’s dragon companion there as well, which surprised the alicorn but also meant that she finally meet him.

“Spike care to explain why there is another dragon here?” Artemis asked in a quizzical tone wanting to hide the excitement in her voice.

“Take a seat it will be awhile.” Spike said feeling old then what he really was.