On the Island of mane nui, six heroes shall raise to face a long evil long forgotten.
On the Island of Mane Nui, Six heroes shall raise to face a long forgotten. With the great masks as their guide they are destined to change the world. Meanwhile Twilight, her friends, and the princesses try and solve the mystery of Six stars only seen when Luna first became Nightmare Moon.
I'm working off of the '01 storyline with a little bit of the latter years mixed in. This is meant to combine both MLP: FIM and Bionicle.
~Toa Coy~
Chapter one: It begins
In the time before time two alicorn brothers fought over the fate of the world. One of gold coat and black mane with the mask of Life as his cutie mark, facing his dark brother with a black coat and blood-red mane with the mask of shadows as his cutie mark.
"Brother we do not have to fight. We are meant to work together and bring peace to this land and others." The one with the mask of life said using a barrier to stop his brother's magic.
The black stallion just laughed, and then in a deep booming voice replied, "You are wrong my brother for it is I who will rule this world and all beyond it for I am the most powerful being in existence."
The black stallion then put all of his power into one attack and wounded his brother but he himself was open to attack. With a heavy heart the golden stallion took his chance and defeated his brother.
The two may have defeated each other but neither of them truly die. The golden stallion used the last of his power to make an island that ponies could live in peace and to keep them safe should his bother return. The black stallion created two beings from himself on that day, one from his chaos and the other from his darkness. The chaos being, later known as Discord, went to wreak havoc on the land of Equestria and the darkness buried itself into the ground to grow stronger and reform the black stallion and would later change Luna into Nightmare Moon.
The island bore a different types of ponies; earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi were still there but alicorns were there as well as Sea ponies that can become earth ponies on land.
This is where our tale begins, a red unicorn pony with a blue mane, gold hooves, and a blue pakari on his flank trotted from a castle-like building over a river of lava. He seemed like a normal Ta-pony, if not for his blue mane, going to the fields to get lava fruits for his lunch. But this was the famous/infamous Takua, fame chronicler and known troublemaker. He has helped many of the turaga when they lost their staffs, but he has also caused some glass to break when he was daydreaming.
As a matter of fact he was doing that right now when he ran into another Ta-pony, that was red with a golden mane, golden hooves, and a golden hau on his flank and an annoyed look on his face.
"Takua be more careful. You know that if you cause just one more problem that you will have to help Turaga Vakama again and you know how boring that can be." He said shaking his head at Takua.
"Sorry Jaller," Takua said rubbing the back of his head with his hoof. "It is just I've been having these weird dreams lately."
"What are they about?" Jaller asked as he started on his way to the guard post, he was the captain after all.
"About somepony named Tahu, but it is like a flash and then it is gone."
"Well talk to Turaga Vakama after we finish our shift."
With that the two entered the outer guard post.
Elsewhere in the land of Equestria six stones started to move from their hiding places to the island and with them they bring six heroes.
Later that day, Takua was trotting over to a large stone hut with a roaring fire in the center of it and by it was an old pony that had an orange coat and a graying red mane with an orange noble huna. Takua was about to speak when a wise and aged voice.
"You may enter Takua." the aged pony said without taking his eye off the fire.
"Yes Turaga." Takua said with a slight bow and entered the hut.
The two sat there for some time only the sound of the fire and the ponies outside filled the air. Takua had been a chronicler for Vakama and the other turaga for a long time and felt that in the middle of a story they would stop as if they were about to tell a secret. He had asked Matoro, a Ko-pony and Turaga Nuju's translator, if he knew anything. The Ko-pony replied, "To know what has yet to be seen can change who you are." Takua didn't get it but took it for an no.
Takua was about to leave when Vakama raised his front left hoof and began to speak.
"You seem to be troubled by something. What is it?"
"I have been having these dreams about a group of ponies taller than any of the others around the island taller than even you Turaga."
At this the turaga looked at the Ta-pony, expressions came and went quicker than Takua could blink. But three were always a constant; surprised, fear, and wonder. Takua was about to speak when Vakama beat him to the punch.
"Takua, I want you and one of the other Ta-ponies to go to the volcano and look for my mark on a rock enter the rock and then return here." The turaga said taking his eyes of the fire and scanning the village outside.
"Yes Turaga I will, but who do you want me to take with me?"
"Take Kapura with you he has always been a wise choice for traveling company."
"Yes Turaga." With that Takua left the hut and a worried turaga behind.
"Mata Nui help us if it has come again." Vakama said as he turned back to the fire.
A few minutes later...
Takua trotted off to a mountain path that lead to the Plas-ponies settlement and then the top of the volcano, the Mangai Volcano. With an unicorn that was another Ta-pony; this one had a dark red mane, a light red coat, and dark red hooves with a dark red Ruru. This Ta-pony was who the others sought for wisdom and was the second in command of the Ta-koro guards, Kapura.
Takua groaned as he waited a few minutes for Kapura to catch up to him.
"What he has in knowledge he lacks in speed." Takua thought to himself.
It was fourth time in the past hour that Takua had to wait for Kapura and when he looked back he was still nine pony strides away from him. So far, Takua had started collecting different types of stones to trade with the Fe-ponies the next time he goes that way. He started to daydream a little when a voice drew him back to the island and to Kapura looking at the colt.
"You know this is how the tortoise beat the hare." Kapura said as he turned and continued to move up the path.
Takua shook his head, ruffling his mane, and followed Kapura. The got to the road that the Plas-ponies used to come down the path. Then they saw a Plas-pony, he was an unicorn that had a light orange mane with a white stripe that hung over an orange eye, a dark orange coat, and white hooves with a white Kualsi on his flank coming towards them. Takua noticed the cutie mark and called out.
"Hey Ion." Takua said waving his front left hoof and got a smile from Ion.
"How have you been my friend?" Ion said walking over to the other unicorns.
"Fine. I got to do an important thing for Turaga Vakama and I have Kapura to help me if need be." Takua replied pointing at Kapura. "So where is Zat and Tion?"
"At the glass making plant, which you are still banned from by the way." Ion said getting serious at the end.
"I said I was sorry." Takua said rubbing the back of his head with an apologetic look on his face.
"You still set us back by a week for the next month." Ion said as started to move around the other two. "Now if well excuse me I have to get to the glass factory to help keep us ahead of schedule."
With that Ion left the two to be on their way, Takua was about to follow him when Kapura nudged him with a hoof.
"Those who are always looking for adventure may miss the one in front of them." The Ta-pony said walking up the path.
Takua wondered what that meant but followed his companion up the trail. It took another hour to get to the area Vakama meant. The two started to look for The turaga's symbol, his cutie mark and flames behind it. So far Takua looked the area ten times and not found it, while Kapura has yet to even get half way around it yet. This frustrated Takua to no end he was unable to do this important thing he thought that would get him banished for sure.
While Takua was having a freak out moment, Kapura walked by a big boulder that seemed like a huna and a red light like a flame behind it. Kapura checked it again and made sure that this was the item that they were looking for, it was and he went over to the daymaring Takua.
"Takua I have found it." Kapura said then he noticed that Takua was curled up in a petting his tail as if to calm himself. Kapura knew that Takua is a pony that doesn't normally act like this. He just tapped him with a hoof. "Takua what is the matter?"
"I'm going to be banished by the turaga for failing this." Takua said having not heard what Kapura had said. Kapura rolled his eyes and use some of his magic to lift Takua over to the boulder.
Takua looked at Kapura and then at the boulder and said, "Why did you bring me here?"
"This is the place Turaga Vakama said to be at." Kapura replied.
"I don't see any thing it is just a rock."
"To always be on the move is to miss the small things that may help you later on."
Takua was about to say something when he stopped and saw a small hint of light and then it hit him. Due to his rush to find the symbol he missed it, but having somepony there to help you out when you are going too fast to notice what others see.
"Thank you Kapura." Takua said as he hugged Kapura.
"Not a problem Takua." Kapura replied.
Takua broke the hug and moved to examined the stone. He knew that Po-ponies used special tools to make ornate carvings, like this, on stones and each carver has a small mark that is unique to them and them alone. As far as he could tell there wasn’t one, but there was a small raised area that seemed out of place. Takua wondered what would happen if he pushed it.
When Takua pushed the raised area in the stone, it started to shake. Takua jumped back and watched as the stone slid over revealing a hole in the wall. Takua was about to rush in and see what was inside but Kapura stopped him and said "It is better to look before you leap for it may just save your life."
Takua nodded and slowly walked into the cave followed by Kapura. When they got in they saw a cherry red stone sitting on a pedestal hanging over a river of lava.
"Should we use magic to get it?" Takua asked Kapura.
Kapura looked the cave over to see if there were any runes that would cause them not to use magic. It took a few minutes to look over every inch of the cave but in the end he nodded his head. Takua used his magic to slowly lift the stone off the pedestal. As the stone slowly lifted off the pedestal and nothing seemed to happen, Takua breathed a sigh of relief as nothing happened. Then the cave started to shake violently, this startled the two Ta-ponies and caused them to run out of the cave.
"See what did I tell ya? Adventure right in front of ya." Kapura said out of breath.
"Ya that was heart pounding." Takua replied out of breath. "So I wonder what is so important about this stone?"
The two made good time getting back to Turaga Vakama.
Later that night in the land of Equestria.
In the town of Ponyville, most of the lights of the town were off except for the library. The light was in the high room near the observation platform, where a purple unicorn mare with a purple mane with a hot pink stripe running through it was looking through a telescope and at the stars, when she noticed a meteor shooting through the night sky.
"Hmm that's strange there weren't any meteors predicted for tonight." the mare said to herself and kept watching the meteor.
As she watched, the meteor sailed through the sky and then explode into six balls of light which stayed in place. This confused her and she wrote down what she saw. She then charted where they were and continued to watch it until three in the morning and went to sleep.
Takua awoke the next morning with a jolt. He turned his head and said aloud to himself.
"Another dream but this one was different. Who was that pony?"
Takua got up and shook the sleepiness out of his body. Then he left his house and headed towards Turaga Vakama's hut.
"I wonder where Turaga Vakama is going to sent me first?"
Flashback
"Takua you and Kapura have done a good job, but I'm afraid that you need to rest up for this is the beginning of another journey for you, Takua." The Turaga said to the colt as he placed the stone that the two collected into an indentation in the wall of his hut.
The two colts nodded and started to head out of the hut when Vakama called out to them.
"One more thing, Kapura. Takua shall be excused from any and all guard duties from this point on."
"I understand Turaga, I will inform Jaller in the morning." Kapura replied with a nod.
Vakama then turned to Takua, "I want you to come here first thing in the morning for further instructions."
"Understood turaga." Takua replied and with that he and Kapura left the hut.
Takua took a deep breath and then let out a sigh with a frown taking the place of his trademark smile. Kapura notice this and asked why was he sad since he was going on an important journey for the Turaga.
Takua, still with the frown, looked at the slow but wise pony.
"I love going on these types of adventures, but I prefer to stay here and hang out with you guys. You are like my brothers.”
Kapura understood that it took awhile for everypony to accept Takua for his strange ways, but now he was like everypony's little brother.
"But what about all your other friends you met since your last adventure, don't you think they will be happy to know that you are going to visit them after a long time of not seeing you?"
Takua thought about it and nodded in agreement.
"You’re right, I do miss my other friends but that is what makes all my journeys double edge swords."
Kapura nodded and said, "Good night Takua."
Kapura headed to his house and Takua walked to his home alone. Neither of them noticed the six new stars in the night sky, but an astronomer on the island did and went to their turaga.
End of Flashback
Takua entered the hut of the turaga but didn't see him there. This confused Takua and he started to search for a note of some sort to tell him what was going on. He searched until he saw a piece of parchment that read:
Takua,
I received a message from Nokama that one of her ponies noticed that six new starts appeared last night. I am heading to the Ce and Ga-pony villages with Jaller and Kapura as my guards. I want you to follow me to the village, Nokama is sending you a boat with one of her best sailors to take you to the village. Take care for I see dark times ahead of us.
-Turaga Vakama
Takua reread the parchment twice and left the hut, still with the parchment in his mouth, and headed home to get something. When he got there he started to search for his blue backpack. It took a few minutes, but he found it and placed the parchment in the backpack.
"There," Takua said to himself. "Now I better get to the beach." With that he slipped his front hooves through the straps and ran out of his house.
It took ten minutes to get to the Ta-wahi beach where Takua saw a large green boat with nopony within sight and it made he wondered where the mare that was to take him to the village was.
"I wonder where she is?" Takua said to himself.
"Hey Takua!" a soft female voice came out of nowhere.
Takua jumped up ten feet into the air when he saw where the voice came from; She was a Ga-pony, currently in her sea pony form, that had a short blue/cyan mane and a sky-blue coat. He couldn't see her cutie mark but he remembered her from that time she saved him from that crazy octopus.
"Hey Macku, how have you been?" Takua asked the sea-pony.
"Fine, Turaga Nokama told me to come and get you but you took longer than normal to get here so I went for a swim." Macku said as she jumped five feet out of the water and changed into an earth pony.
Takua let out a long whistle, he had seen Ga-ponies do this many times but it always amazed him. Now that she was in her earth pony form he could see the dark blue huna against her coat.
"I'm flattered that you find the change amazing but we got to get to the village soon." Macku said as she hopped onto her boat.
"Right behind ya." Takua said following her onto the boat.
Macku used her mouth to turn the key that started the boat and then put it in reverse to get into the open ocean. Once there she turned to her passenger.
"Best hang on Takua. We need to go fast if we are to make it on time."
Takua nodded and wrapped his hooves around one of the seats. And not a moment too soon for he was through back into his seat as the boat zipped to Naho Bay.
Meanwhile
Twilight had written a letter to Princess Celestia about what she observed last night and asked her if she or Luna did this. When had finished writing it Twilight had to wake up Spike to send it, much to the young dragon's dismay.
"Why do you want me to send this so early anyways? You know you don't have to have a friendship report every week." Spike groaned as he covered his head back up with his blanket.
"Spike this is important," Twilight said using her magic to levitate the little dragon out of his bed. "And this isn't a Friendship report. This a letter concerning the fact that last night I saw a meteorite explode and turn into six stars that weren't there last night."
"Why didn't you wake me up when that happened? It sounds cool." Spike asked.
"Because your still a baby and need a full night's sleep." Twilight replied lowering him to the ground. "Now can you please send the letter?"
Spike nodded he then took the rolled up parchment and used his magic fire to send the letter.
"Hopefully we get a reply soon." Twilight said as she headed to her study.
"Ya hopefully." Spike knew that it would likely come at the least opportune time.
----
hey I'm looking for names for the Fe, Ce, De, Plas, Ma, Lighting, Ba, Plant, and Av-ponies Ocs for this fic The Ta, Ga, Le, Ko, Po, and Onu-ponies will be based on bionicle characters
Alright this will have some back story for the island and how the ponies came to be on it. Also Celestia and Luna will be in this chapter.
Enjoy
~Toa Coy~
Chapter 2: Mysteries and Ga-ponies
Celestia had just finished her daily breakfast with Luna, who was about to sleep after staying up all night, and was headed to the throne room when a green light appeared above her. She knew that this light was one of Spike's messages reforming after the magic carried them here from wherever he was at.
"Hmm...That is strange normally Twilight sends me friendship reports later then this." Celestia said to herself as her magic unrolled the scroll.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Last night I saw a meteor shower that lead to a meteor exploding into six stars. One red, one blue, another green, a black one, brown and white one. I went to check my star charts to confirm if the meteor had made them or they were just dim until the explosion. To my surprise there were no stars in that area. I even checked older star charts to see if there had ever been stars like this before in that area. I have yet to see a map with any more than a star near that area. Because of this I wish to know if you or Princess Luna knew anything about this.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
Celestia reread the letter three times before teleporting into her sister's room. When the light of her teleporting dimmed down a near pitch black room came into view with an annoyed Luna laying in her bed.
"What is the meaning of this sister? For we were about to retire to our bed chamber when you flashed in. As they say now a days 'why does thou not use the door?'" Luna said climbing out of bed. "What is so critical that thou could not wait until our beautiful night?"
"Luna I received a letter from Twilight Sparkle..." Celestia started when Luna interrupted.
"Sister we do not see the importance of Twilight Sparkle's reports on friendship."
Celestia gave her sister an angry look and continued. "As I was about to say, the letter was written concerning a meteor turning into six colorful stars and Twilight wanted to know if we had anything to do with it. Since you took over the night duties this is more of your department."
Luna looked at her sister and thought about this, then she replied.
"Sister, we did not scheduled any meteors to fall last night or stars to form."
This didn't surprise Celestia but it concern her on what could have done this. With Celestia deep in thought, Luna started to read the letter and noticed something. She remembered reading somewhere about similar stars but also a part of herself disliked the fact that these six stars were there. Luna then remembered that once during her time as Nightmare Moon seeing a vision of six different ponies in place of the element bearers; there was red and white unicorns, brown, black, and blue earth ponies, and a green pegasus. Each carried weapons; a launcher of some kind, anchor like axes, swords, spike like weapons, some weird shovel weapons, and grappling hooks that seemed to change length. Luna's head started to hurt as a memory came to her mind.
(Memory)
(Luna looked at the battlefield before her. It seemed as if an explosion spell had been casted. Then she noticed the scene below her. There she saw the same ponies as before but they seemed to have armor on similar to their coats and in front of them was....Luna did a double take but the image did not change.)
("Nightmare Moon!" Luna spat out like a piece of rotten fruit.)
(None of the ponies seemed to hear her and both sides just stared at the other. Luna could see their lips moving but she heard no sound, outside of herself. The Nightmare Moon look alike was covered in onyx black armor that seemed seamless. Another thing that Luna noticed was that all the ponies, even though they looked alike, had strange cutie marks on their flanks. Each were different from the others but they shared one thing: they looked like a mask.)
( Luna then noticed the six ponies start to glow but it was not from the elements of harmony like Twilight and her friends. It was elements of nature. The red one had a flame form around it, blue had water, green has a small tornado around it, white had ice form around it, and black and brown had rocks form around them only the black one's seem less solid.)
(Then Luna heard a male voice speak.)
("Makuta this ends now." It said)
(Then Luna heard a deep booming laughter and looked at the look a like, who was laughing at the other ponies. Then it spoke.)
("So you believe yourselves to be mighty Toa, when you are but foals to think that you can beat me alone." Makuta said as it charged up its magic.)
("You’re wrong," a female voice said as the six began to glow. "We are not alone.")
("You tell him sister." Another male voice said.")
(Then Luna heard six voices; five male and one female say, "Unity" and then a pure white beam of light shot towards the Makuta. This surprised him and tried to dodge it, but the beam was too fast and nailed him in the chest.)
(A glass like crystal started to form around the Makuta, but Luna noticed a small shadow dart away from the Makuta. She remembered seeing that before but she couldn't place it. She also noticed the crimson eyes of the Makuta dim down.)
(Luna was confused by what she had just seen, but did not say a word. She just watched as the six "Toa", if she remembered correctly, talk to one another, then she heard the first male voice again.)
("We did it, but at a high cost." He said with a glum look on his face.)
(The others nodded and Luna caught a glimpse of some of them looking at a blur image of an older pony then looked back at the others.)
("We can go back to rescue the others later. For now let us go and find a place for them to be safe in." The female voice said with nods from the others.)
(With that the six walked off and the memory ended.)
(End of memory)
Luna then blinked and she was on her bed with Celestia hovering over her with a scared look on her face. Luna was confused as to why her sister wear that look.
"What is the matter sister? Did something happen? And why are we on our bed when we were standing in front of thou?" Luna still trying to process the memory that had pass through her mind.
Celestia breath a sigh of relief as she heard Luna speak.
"Nothing it fine now, and yes something happened. I was brought out of my thinking when I heard a thud and I saw that you had fallen onto your bed with a glazed look in your eyes. I tried to wake you but you were like that for an hour. What happen to you?" Celestia said as she hugged her sister.
Luna hugged her sister back and told her what she saw.
Meanwhile on the island of Mane Nui
"Macku, stop this crazy thing!" Takua said as he held on for dear life.
"Hold your Rahi. We're almost there." The sailor said as they near a village of lily pads.
When Macku killed the motor, they drifted towards the shore.
"Welcome back to Ga-koro, Takua." Macku said as she hopped out of the boat followed by a dizzy Takua.
"Which one?" he said as his eyes spun different directions.
It took Takua a few minutes to see straight again.
"Remind me again, why are you always the one to pick me up?" Takua asked Macku as she jump into the water and changed into her sea pony form.
"Because I'm Turaga Nokama's assistant." She said with a sweet smile,
"Right," Takua said rolling his eyes, "and the fact that you won the last twenty..."
"Thirty." Macku interrupted as she dove into the water.
"Sorry lost a few, thirty boat races have nothing to do with it." Takua continued then he saw a wave of water washed over him.
He then saw a tail sink under the water. With a sigh, he just walked off towards the village knowing the Ga-ponies were more playful once in the water. He could see the village and the ponies from this part of the beach but the village was far offshore, mainly so that wild rahi would not try and destroy it. The green domes of the huts always amazed Takua. They were unlike the other ponies huts which were made of solid materials while these were plants held in place by some type of adhesive. Causeways were the only things connecting the village to the shore.
Just in front of him was the famous Ga-koro waterfall, it was in the shape of a Kaukau mask and had a mystery behind it. Nopony knew why this was carved here or who had done it. Nokama always changed the subject when it came up.
To his left Takua could see the path leading to the Ce-ponies village. While Takua had a friend, named Coué in that village, he rarely went there for the looks he got from the Ce-ponies.
"Come on Takua stop your daydreaming. We need to head to Nokama's hut." Macku yelled seeing how far she was from him.
Takua shook his head and trotted over to the causeway. It took a few minutes but Takua got to Nokama's hut, by this time Macku had changed from her sea pony form back to her earth pony form. The two entered the hut to find a pony that looked the same age as Vakama. Her coat and mane were graying but still had cyan and naval blue colors from her youth, and on her flank was a blue noble Rue. To her right was a naval blue trident, her badge of office, and in front of her was a book written in a different language from their normal matoran, through nopony knows why they called it that.
Macku ran up to the pony and spoke to her, but Takua couldn't hear what they were saying from where he was stilling. Then he heard a quiet and gentle voice call out to him.
"Nice to see you again, chronicler." The pony said to Takua.
"Good to see you to Turaga." Takua replied with a bow.
"There is no need to bow to me Takua. Vakama really needs to let up on that." Turaga Nokama said with a smile. Then she looked at Macku. "Macku can you leave us for a moment?" Nokama asked the Ga-pony.
Macku nodded and left the hut shutting the door behind her. Takua was confused by this as Vakama would only do this if it was important information or secrets that he felt he needed to share with him.
"Takua," Nokama said looking at him. "has Vakama told you anything about the stone that you got for him?"
Takua shook his head and replied, "No. All he said was something about dark times ahead of us."
Nokama put her hoof under her chin and thought of both the message that Vakama sent to her and her fellow Turaga and what Takua just confirmed for her.
"Vakama, you are too hard on yourself." Nokama thought to herself then she spoke to Takua. "Vakama sent you to get a Toa stone."
"Toa," Takua interrupted her. "Like the ones written on the wall of history."
"Yes, but these stones are used summon them to our island to help us in our time of need." Nokama finished.
"So how many of these Toa stones are there?" Takua asked.
"There are six, one for each Turaga." Nokama replied.
"So I have to go to the other Turaga to find out where the Toa stones are located?" Takua said with Nokama nodding as a response. "Where did you hide your Toa Stone?"
"Unlike Vakama I told one of my ponies where the stone is hidden, but she left to visit the Ce-ponies." Nokama replied.
"Well I guess I have to go and see the Ce-ponies then, thank you for your time Turaga." Takua said as he bowed.
"Remember Takua: not all of the other Turaga are as formal as Vakama." Nokama replied with a smile and then went back to her book.
Takua left the hut and saw that Macku was not outside. With a sigh as he went out into the village to look for his friend.
"It would be rude for me to leave and not tell her." Takua thought to himself as he approached two Ga-ponies.
Meanwhile in Equestria
"Ah come on Twilight you really need to calm down," Rainbow Dash said looking up from her Daring Do book. "So what if you discovered six new stars, that means that you can name them after us."
The four other ponies gave her the "not now Rainbow" look. Rainbow sweat dropped and went back to her book.
"Rainbow is right 'bout one thing Twi, ya need to settle down." Apple Jack said as Twilight walked in the groove that she wore into the floor.
"Sorry but I'm just concerned that this an omen of some kind." Twilight replied as Spike came running into the room with a scroll in hands. "Spike what does the letter say?"
"I don't know. I didn't read it yet." Spike replied.
"Oh it probably has to do with robots with magical masks that can do anything." Pinkie Pie said in her fast way.
Twilight levitated the scroll in front of her and start reading it then she gasped causing the others to ask. "What is it?"
"The stars that I found. There were six other stars similar to mine discovered over a THOUSAND years ago."
"Ya sure you’re reading that right that right Twi?" Applejack asked after Twilight calmed down.
"I'm sure," Twilight replied as she continued to read the letter. "It was also about this, Princess Celestia says, that Princess Luna has started to act strangely. The stars were seen for the next six months then they vanished and that’s when Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon."
The others were surprised at that these events.
"Twilight, did Princess Luna say anything related to the stars?"Rarity asked.
"Princess Celestia says that Princess Luna fainted for a hour and when she came to, she spoke of a vision that she saw of six ponies going against...." Twilight read then stopped at the last word.
"What is it sugarcube?" Apple Jack asked seeing a mix of horror and surprise on Twilight's face.
Twilight just stood there slack-jawed at what she had just read. Pinkie noticed this and hopped in front of her and read the last part but gasped before she said, "Nightmare Moon?!?!"
The others gasped and thought of how there could have been a Nightmare Moon before Luna became Nightmare Moon.
"But that doesn't make any sense how can there be two Nightmare Moons when Princess Luna was the only one known to be her?" Rarity said pointing out that they only knew of one Nightmare Moon.
"Oh I think it’s because it said that Nightmare Moon was a colt." Pinkie replied getting looks of confusion from the others, minus Twilight. "Why did I forget to say that after I read it?"
The others just facehoofed.
Meanwhile on the island
Takua walked into Macku's hut, which he learned where it was from a Ga-pony weaver. He looked around the hut and notice a plushy of a Po-pony with a tan coat and dark brown mane with a brown Kakama on its flank.
"Hm...this looks hoofed stitched and well made." Takua said aloud examining the the plushy as he levitated in front of him.
"Thanks, but what in the name of Mata Nui are you doing in my hut!?" a voice yelled out in anger.
Takua turned around and saw a very angry Macku, Takua swore that he saw flames in her eyes, trotting up to him.
"Well..." Macku started as she circled him like a Takea shark about to attack a limp Ruki fish.
Takua gulped and started to speak, "Well I just wanted to say good-bye since I have to leave for the Ce-ponies' village to find a Ga-pony." He and Macku never broke eye contact until Macku's face soften and she back away.
"Thanks for being so kind to do that," Macku said with a smile then got right up into Takua's face. "But never enter my hut again when I'm not here. Got that?"
Takua nodded.
"Good, you don't know how it would seem to the other mares." Macku said flipping her mane. "You know me alone with a colt in my hut."
Takua blushed as their muzzles touched. Macku then jumped back and laughed at the Ta-pony.
"What's so funny?" Takua asked trying his face.
"It is just that I did that to Hewkii and he was just as surprised." She replied with a sly grin.
Takua started to walk out and thought of what just happened, "Mares" he thought rolling his eyes.
"Have a good time." Macku yelled as Takua crossed the causeway to the shore.
Takua waved back to her as he entered the forest near the beach.
Ten minutes later
Takua came around the Ce-pony village, they had arranged it in a circle to line up with the summer and winter solstice to study how the seasons affected the other ponies and themselves. Each hut was colored blue and gold, like their coats and manes, with a large building in the center of the village acting as both a center point for the dial and research center.
"It looks so beautiful, but I can't stay the Ce-ponies swam me like they are trying to find something." Takua thought to himself as he saw the village.
Almost as soon as he was about to enter the village he saw a Ga-pony and Ce-pony heading his way. The Ga-pony had a dark blue coat and a light blue mane while the Ce-pony had a golden coat with a teal blue mane. Takua notice the Ce-pony and smiled.
"Coué!" Takua yelled as he ran to the two.
The two looked at him and smiled and ran over to him.
"Takua my friend how have you been?" Coué asked.
"Fine just on another adventure and I need the help of the Ga-pony beside you." Takua replied as he hugged his friend.
"Well then let me introduce Hahli, she is a flax gatherer and student of mine." Coué said stepping back to allow Hahli to shake hooves with Takua.
"Nice to meet you Hahli." Takua said with a smile.
"Jaller has told me a lot about you, Takua." Hahli replied.
Takua was confused by this.
"What do you mean?" Takua asked with a confusion.
"Remember the last time the Turaga met at Kini-nui and he was not seen until after sunset?" Hahli replied.
"Yeah, he said that he was out on patrols with a Ga-pony but that was on the way back to Ta-koro." Takua replied.
"He was and he wasn't." Hahli said as she started to walk back to Ga-koro. "Hey kolhii head you coming?"
Takua ran to catch up with the Ga-pony.
"Gee thanks Jaller for sharing that nickname." Takua mumbled to himself.
-------
well that is the end of this part next time we go on the search for the Toa stone of water
So many ideas with these and first chapter that I posted I got some good feed back. “THANK YOU SO MUCH for throwing out certain retcons from later in the Bionicle....The retcons I was talking about are the ones about Makuta (DON'T say the T-word) and Mata-Nui. Going by the intro you've thrown out that garbage and kept with what was supposed to be.” - ZeldaTheSwordsman. “Well this seems interesting; a few minor mistakes, but nothing really serious. I have to admit, I was not expecting there to be more than the six basic elements. good luck! I'll be tracking this story like an "energy hound". Also do the sea-ponies have a unicorn horn? Seems like between the shape-shifting and magic, that they'd be a bit too over powered.”- tardislego
Okay we have some back story for Mata Nui and Teridax and seeds of deception and jealousy were sewn. Note: I will have a time skip, now this time skip will be six months after Twilight and Luna have visited the past. In that time all the alicorns, exceptions being Mata Nui and Teridax, have disappeared but no pony can remember any other alicorn but the brothers. Now this will come up again later on so don't forget it. Also Luna will be the main pony who will be going into the dream world since she seems to have connections to Teridax. Well that is all for now onto the story.
~Toa Coy~
Edited By Blazikenking
Well here we go for our second Toa stone and a vision of the past. Also Twi and Takua see each other, not meet but share a vision. After that we shall have a plot twist; involving Luna, Nightmare Moon, and Teridax.
Enjoy
~Toa Coy~
Chapter 3: twist and turns
Takua and Hahli were a few minutes out of Ga-koro when Hahli stopped in front of a rahi trail. Takua noticed this and was confused.
“Why did she stop there?” Takua thought to himself. “Hey Hahli, why did you stop?” he asked aloud.
“Takua, why did you come to Ga-koro and what did you need my help with?” Hahli replied.
Takua scratched his head, “should I tell?” He thought. “Well...” Takua started when they both heard the snap of a tree branch then Hahli jump onto Takua causing both of them to roll off the path. The two looked at where they were. They saw a large yellow and black tiger that was a good two or three heads taller than them, on its shoulders were two armor plates shaped like kanohi Hau, and its eyes were crimson instead of their normal yellow.
That caused the two of them to shudder, for both of them remembered the old saying that if you can see the rahi's eyes then you’re dead. For each of them their lives flashed before them, Takua remembered all his friends and the adventures that he has been on while Hahli dreamed of the future that she and Jaller could have had. The tiger turned and charged them and they waited for the end to come. But it never came, the tiger hit a wall or some type of barrier.
They then noticed that they were surrounded by a golden aura, as was Takua's horn.
“How are you...” Hahli started ask but was interrupted by Takua.
“To quote Turaga Matau, 'Run now. Talk later.'” Takua said as he ran forward with Hahli following suit.
The two ran the Muaka tiger over and off to Ga-koro.
Meanwhile in Ga-koro
Turaga Vakama, Jaller, and Kapura had just made it to Ga-koro after walking from Ta-koro. Vakama silently thanked Mata Nui for a safe trek to the village. Ever since Takua started to have visions of others that he had never met, Vakama hoped that this was all just a mistake, but old memories keep telling him to prepare for the worst.
Just as the three were about to enter Nokama's hut they saw a large ball of gold roll and then disappear leaving two ponies sailing through the air and landing hard on the sandy beach. Jaller was the first one to get to them.
“Are you alright?” Jaller said running to Takua.
“I'm fine, you don't...” Takua started to say then Jaller just ran past him.
“Are you alright, Hahli?” Jaller asked nudging her affectionately.
“I'm fine Jaller, but I think Takua is a little heartbroken over this.” Hahli replied seeing the chronicler slack jawed.
“Nah he’s fine. He’s tougher than he looks.” Jaller said not taking his eyes off the Ga-pony.
“Well come on boys. We have some Turaga to talk to.” Hahli said while walking off to the village with Jaller following behind her and Takua still slacked jawed.
“Why is he so concerned about her when he has known me longer?” Takua thought to himself as he followed the two. And he could swear that he saw some tiny hearts floating around them.
By the time the three of them got to Nokama's hut, where two Turaga wore looks of fear and concern, a Ta-pony who seemed to be thinking about something, and a village of confused ponies. The Turaga nodded and motion for Takua and Hahli to follow them into Nokama's hut. The two nodded and entered Nokama's hut with Ta-ponies in tow.
“Takua what happened on your way to get the stone?” Vakama said with his eyebrows forming a V and gave an upset look.
“Well, I didn't go for the Toa stone.” Takua replied with a sweat drop.
The Ta-ponies wondered what they were talking about, While Hahli realized why Takua need her help.
“Then why were you outside the village if you were not going for the Ga-koro Toa stone?” Vakama asked his gaze was getting more intense and Takua was starting to kneel.
“Turaga Vakama,” Turaga Nokama aggressively yelled and cause Vakama to look at his fellow Turaga. “I understand that you sent Takua to retrieve the Toa stone but you have no right to treat him this way in my house and my village.”
Everypony in the hut was stunned that Nokama yelled since she is the most level headed of the Turaga. Vakama wanted to say something but he knew that Nokama was right. Takua was saying a silent thanks to Nokama for stepping in. Hahli felt bad that this was happening because she knew where the stone was.
“Excuse me turaga but I have to get some thing.” Hahli said then ran out of the hut.
Jaller was going to follow her but Vakama stopped him.
“Let her go Jaller, for we have other matters to attend to.” The Turaga said to the captain then he turned towards Takua with a softer expression. “Takua, I am sorry for being disrespectful toward you earlier but in light of recent events I have become a bit on edge. These stones are needed to help defend us from the dark shadows that are coming our way.”
“I understand Turaga.” Takua replied smiling at his Turaga and began to recount what happened after he left the village.
Meanwhile with Hahli
She was running to her hut when she passed the East Garden and stopped. She looked to her left and right before she ran into the hut. Once in there she jumped into the hole and changed into her sea-pony form. She swam down to the sea floor and scanned for a stone that she left down here when she noticed more tracks near the stone that Nokama said not to let any rahi get. It took a while, and a lot of swimming, find the navy blue stone.
“Finally.” She said grabbing the stone with her mouth and jetted for the East Garden.
She flew out of the hole and changed back to her earth pony form. She then ran back to Nokama's hut. When she got to the door she heard Takua talking.
“...so we thought that we were Muaka chow when a golden sphere appear around us and my horn. We ran and you all know the rest.” Takua said taking a deep breath at the end.
Hahli took this as her cue to enter with the Toa stone in her mouth.
The others were surprised that she had the stone but she explained what was going on and why she had the stone. The others were glad she had got it when she did. By now it was evening and Nokama offered for the Ta-ponies to stay for the night and dinner.
Meanwhile in Equestria
Twilight sat at her telescope monitoring the six stars seeing if they moved or were stationary. So far the stars were stationary but she was not taking any chances.
“It seems that it’s going to be a long night.” Twilight said to herself as a teapot and cup float behind her.
“Good evening Twilight Sparkle.” Princess Luna said from behind her.
Twilight jumped up and turned around surprised to see Princess Luna there, also spelling the tea.
“Princess Luna, what...what are you doing here?” Twilight asked with a bow.
“We...I want to try a dream spell on you. This will allow you to see what I saw and it might shed some light onto this mystery.” Luna replied.
“Are you sure of that Princess? Because dreams can be unpredictable and not logical.” Twilight asked remembering her studies of sleep magic.
“Fear not for I shall be there.” Luna said.
“Alright if you say so.” Twilight replied as she levitated a pillow in front of her. “Ready!”
“Very well. See you soon.” Luna said as a magical blue aura surrounded Twilight and then Twilight's world went black.
(Dream world)
(Twilight awoke to a black world, but she could see the area around her.)
(“Hello is anypony there? Princess Luna where are you?” Twilight called as she started to move around.)
(“Twilight Sparkle, over here!” Princess Luna's voice called out from the blackness but Twilight couldn't see where Luna's voice came from.)
(“Princess I can hear you but I can't see you.” Twilight yelled back and ran in the direction that she believed Luna's voice came from.)
(“Twilight Sparkle!” Luna yelled as Twilight passed her by.)
(Twilight stopped and looked at Princess Luna and was confused at when she saw the top of Luna's head.)
(“Um...Princess why are you upside down?” Twilight said scratching her head.)
(“I'm not upside down Twilight Sparkle.” Luna replied causing Twilight to go, 'uh-oh', and fall off the ceiling. Twilight rubbed her head and looked at the princess of the night.)
(“Ow what was that about? Why did I fall when I was standing just fine?” Twilight groaned rubbing her head with her hoof,)
(“Twilight Sparkle, remember we are in the dream world. Normal logic does not apply here, for the past, present, and future come here all at once.” Luna replied which cleared up a few thing for Twilight but she was still a bit dazed. “Come Twilight Sparkle we have much to do and little time to do it in.” Luna then walked away with Twilight getting up and following her into a large white portal.)
(Meanwhile in another part of the Dream world)
(Takua was getting used to the weird dreams, but they still surprised him in the sheer strangeness of them. This one he found himself in the ruins of a castle and seven ponies stood in it, six against a taller one. From what he could tell, all of these ponies were mares, which confused him since mares only had blue as their main color and their types seemed wrong to him. Then he heard a female voice as small shards of crystals wrapped around five of the six.)
(“You still don't have the sixth Element! The spark didn't work!” it said as storm clouds swirled around the taller pony.)
(Then Takua heard another voice, “But it did! A different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me when I realized that you all -- are my friends. You see, Nightmare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the...the spark, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: the element of...magic.”)
(And with that a flash of light blinded him and he felt like something drew him out of his dream and into another world or dream, Takua didn't know which.)
(The past before Mata Nui fought Teridax)
(The scene out in front of Twilight and Luna reminded them of the castle in Canterlot. To add to this effect, two Alicorns were seated in chairs with several ponies in front of them. One of them had a gold coat with a black mane, sky blue eyes, and a strange mask on its flank, while the other was black with a blood red mane, crimson eyes, and another strange mask.)
(Luna and Twilight noticed that the golden alicorn was speaking but neither of them heard him. Then they both heard a deep voice speak.)
(“We shall have the Ta, Fe, and Plas-ponies work on new defenses for your village, but it will take time.” the voice said, it seemed to be the black alicorn that spoke from what Luna and Twilight saw.)
(The two saw another pony talk and saw the black alicorn's face go a little upset but change back to an indifferent scrawl. After that, the group of ponies left the chamber. The two alicorns seemed to discuss the matter. Meanwhile Luna and Twilight started to think of where they were and who the Alicorns were.)
(“Princess do these alicorns remind you of any family of yours?” Twilight asked knowing of only three alicorns all of which were mares while these two were colts.)
(“No Twilight Sparkle neither of them are related to me or my sister.” Luna replied, then she looked on the black one's flank and gasped. “Twilight Sparkle that cutie mark it is the same as the Makuta's!”)
(“Makuta? Who is that? Are you talking about the other Nightmare Moon?” Twilight replied with a blank stare.)
(Luna faced hoofed, “I knew I should have proofread that letter.” She thought to herself then spoke. “That is correct, in the vision that I had one of the ponies called the look a like Makuta. But this pony seems different from that one. He lacks the armor and the evil voice that Makuta had.”)
(Just then the door to the chamber opened to reveal a white coated and golden maned alicorn about Twilight's height with green eyes and a blank flank. The alicorn was male and looked he felt bad for interrupting the other two's discussion, but the golden alicorn motioned for him to come in and the black one walked out of the chamber. As the two passed Twilight and Luna they seemed to see them but kept walking.)
(“Princess are you sure that no pony can see us?” Twilight asked watching the two alicorns talk.)
(“This is the past and in the dream world so it seems unlikely to have somepony see us.” Luna replied then they heard a voice, a voice that seem warm and strong like a father giving wisdom to a child.)
(“Takua I fear my brother is in danger of turning himself into a monster.” It said and then another voice was heard.)
(“What do you mean Lord Mata Nui?” the other voice replied.)
(Luna and Twilight realized that it was the two alicorns in front of them that were talking and now knew what their names were.)
(“Takua, I understand that you and all the other call my brother and I Lord out of respect but that may have caused my brother to grow jealous of me and all who follow us.” Mata Nui explained. “Just before you came in a few ponies were concerned about raids from the hunters, but when Teradix explained what we could do to help, they looked to me for a better idea and I agreed with my brother.”)
(“That seems mean of those ponies to do that.” Takua commented.)
(“It is.” Mata Nui said with a sigh.)
“Twilight!”
(The scene in front of Luna and Twilight started to blur and fade.)
(“Princess what is going on?” Twilight said as Luna started to fade.)
(“It seems our time is up, see you in the waking world Twilight Sparkle.” Luna said as she faded away.)
(The world around Twilight went dark.)
In the real world of Equestria
“Twilight!” Spike said again shaking Twilight.
Twilight began to wake and open her eyes. She looked around when she remembered what caused her to be on the lower level of her bedroom instead of her bed. She also saw the concerned look on Spike's face.
“What is the matter Spike?”
Spike's concerned changed to joy.
“I glad that you’re awake.” Spike said hugging Twilight.
“What do you mean?” Twilight said hugging back.
“When I woke up this morning you weren't there and I was concerned that something happened to you. I started to run for the door when I saw you sleeping by your telescope. I was relieved that you were here but it was seven o'clock and you are normally up by then.” Spike said with a tear in his eyes.
Twilight just hugged it out and said, “It is alright Princess Luna came here last night to talk about her vision. We stayed up all night discussing it and theorizing how this is related to the stars.”
Meanwhile in Ga-koro
“Mata Nui” Takua said as he woke. “What a weird dream.”
"Takua!" He heard Jaller yelled from outside of the hut.
"What is it Jaller?" Takua said as a blanket slide off of him.
"The Turaga want to see you." Jaller replied as he entered the hut.
"Alright I'll be there in a moment." Takua said as he slipped his backpack on.
Takua stretched as he exited a Ga-koro hut that Turaga Nokama gave him for the night. He then stretched like a Muaka cub, getting several pops from his back. He groan as he raised back to his normal stance.
"I have to say, even if the beds are softer than the ones in Ta-koro, I still prefer my own bed." Takua said to himself.
He was headed to Turaga Nokama's hut after Jaller summoned him. Why did she and Vakama agree to put him so far away from her hut when they were only going to summon him? He just shook his head. While he respected the Turaga for both wisdom and knowledge, they can slip on the small things. He just shrugged and kept walking, passing Ga-ponies that sat outside eating their breakfast of local hairka and seaweed as well as fruits grown by the plant-ponies and flown out here by a Le-pony courrier. This did make his stomach growl, but it also made him focus on his journey ahead of him.
"I wonder what Koro will be my next stop in this journey." He thought to himself as neared the causeway to the Turaga's hut.
Meanwhile in Nokama's hut
Vakama was seated at a small wooden table sitting across from his sister in arms and fellow Turaga enjoying a meal that they rarely share.
"Nokama, on behalf of myself and the other Ta-ponies I would like to thank you for allowing us to stay the night here." Vakama said with a small bow.
Nokama both rolled her eyes and giggled at how Vakama acted. "He is worse than Matau at times." Nokama thought to herself then replied, "Vakama you know that any pony can stay here whenever they want to. Wouldn't you do the same if some pony need shelter for a night?"
Vakama nodded just as Nokama's front door opened to reveal Takua standing there waiting until the two finished talking.
"You wanted to see me Turaga?" Takua asked looking between the two wise ponies.
"Yes. We wanted to inform you that you will be heading to Po-koro where you shall talk with Turaga Onewa about the Po-koro Toa stone. But for now, would you like to join Nokama and myself for a good breakfast?" Vakama said with a kind smile.
Takua cheered and sat in to the right of Vakama and left of Nokama.
Across from Takua, if some pony were to take a photo it would look like a family sitting down to breakfast before heading out to their daily lives.
Meanwhile in Canterlot
Princess Luna was hunched over her writing desk, which was five feet tall and three feet wide and it was made with ancient oak with brass trim, recording her recounts of her vision and her visit to the dream world with Twilight Sparkle.
"...That was when a voice called to Twilight Sparkle causing her to fade back into the waking world. Once she left I started to walk back into that part of the Dream world but my sister stopped me. She said that I should not be in the Dream world alone. I would have to agree with her on that fact after seeing Makuta and Teradix has reminded me of my own dark shadow." Luna wrote as her room began to darken.
Luna noticed this and just sighed as she looked in a mirror on her dresser.
"Why are you here Nightmare?" Luna asked her doppelganger as the black alicorn with blue armor appeared in the mirror.
"What can't I just pop in to see my favorite pony in the world?" the reflection replied with a sly grin.
Luna just rolled her eyes at that statement. While the elements of harmony did free her from Nightmare Moon, they did not destroy her but caused her to become a part of Luna, hence why Luna always referred to herself in plurals. Nightmare saw this and huffed.
"Well if you are going to be that way then I won't tell you more about the Makuta." Nightmare said as she began to fade.
Against her better judgment, Luna turned to the mirror and said with a sigh, "Fine Nightmare I'm listening."
The dark alicorn was just beaming with delight at that phrase."Do you remember the vision that you had after reading that letter?" Nightmare asked with a gleam in her eyes.
"The one involving you or the one involving Makuta?" Luna asked for clearly.
"The latter," Nightmare replied. "Do you remember seeing that shadow break off from Makuta?"
"I do." Luna replied stone faced, knowing that this might just be a trick on her darker half's part.
"Well how did you act before you became me?" Nightmare continued.
"You know how I acted since you are me." Luna said narrowing her eyes.
"Now how long did you act like that?" Nightmare was acting like a filly with a secret that only they know but want to share.
"You know that as well, what are you getting at Nightmare?" Luna asked with an eyebrow raise.
"It is best if I show you what I mean." Nightmare said as the whole room became pitch black leaving the mirror as the only thing in Luna's line of sight.
Luna looked around and saw nothing and she looked at Nightmare like this was a trap.
"What is the meaning of this Nightmare? Why have you cause our room to be as it is now?" Luna all but yelled.
"You'll see." Nightmare replied with her sly grin.
"What..." Luna started then she saw the room lighten a little, but it was still dark. Luna could see her bedroom around her but it seemed different. It seemed, as Luna's eyes dilated a little, newer. It was like it was before she became Nightmare Moon, a tear started to think that this was a sign for her to redo and keep Nightmare from coming to be. Unfortunately Nightmare was still in the mirror and she looked like she was about to burst out into laughter. Luna was confused by the look on Nightmare's face then she heard a groan. She looked at her bed and saw herself.
"What have you done Nightmare?!?!" Luna said huff with clouds of hot air coming out of her nose.
"Relax this is just your dream world." Nightmare stated. "Now watch yourself closely."
Luna was about to argue with her but Luna saw a shadow move near her bed. The shadow just stopped and seemed to look the sleeping Luna, Luna thought she saw the shadow smile, then the shadow floated over the sleeping Luna. Once it covered the sleeping Luna fully it seemed to sink into her, which cause the sleeping Luna to moan.
Luna blushed at what she just saw, she knew that moan all to well.
Nightmare then cause the scene to shift back to Luna's present room. Once that was done the black alicorn fell down on the floor and started to have a laughing fit. Luna still had her blush, but she started to put all the things that Nightmare had said. Changes in mood, a long time for development, quick maturing, and finally...that moan. Luna's eyes grew as big as saucers when it all came together.
"No that is impossible, I never invited a colt to my bed chamber." Luna said running through all the time before she became Nightmare Moon.
Nightmare was just getting a kick out of this but also some relief. There are some things that not even Luna knew about what happened when the elements hit her.
While Luna was thinking back to the past, Nightmare's horn started to glow along with her body. Her body began to shrink down to about Applebloom's height, her armor fell off, and her cutie mark changed from Luna's to a full moon with clouds covering the top of it. She then walked out of the mirror.
Luna had still not noticed that Nightmare was now in front of her, so Nightmare did what any foal would do.
"Mama." Nightmare said nudging Luna to get her attention.
Luna snapped out of her train of thought by that one word. She look towards the mirror and saw her own reflection then she felt something nudging her. When she looked down she was very surprised to see the filly version of Nightmare Moon, but without the armor. Luna could see features of her and of the makuta. Luna did feel a slight sense of joy from learning this but also a large amount of anger towards Nightmare.
"Nightmare I can accept that you are my child but I must ask why were we so destructive? And I know of our jealousy towards our sister, but how did we make that jump from jealous to wanting eternal night?" Luna asked looking down at the filly.
Nightmare took a deep breath as she started to lay out the Makuta's plan, he would take over a large city or country to conquest the ponies that turn their backs on him. By masquerading as an elder of a city in his continent he nearly succeeded, but one lone pony was able to assemble a team that was able to beat him and seal him in a block of crystal. Nightmare stopped knowing that Luna could piece it together from there.
"So you were the combination of me and Makuta with his plan to then take over another place but the elements stopped you from creating another part so his plan stopped there until we returned." Luna stated looking down at Nightmare.
Nightmare just shook her head. "He had other plans as well. Now I'm just a wasted plan that failed."
Luna was surprised by this, normally Nightmare would at least act arrogant about things like this. This was different and it confused Luna.
"Nightmare I must ask what is with this sudden change in your attitude and behavior?" Luna asked.
"Well," Nightmare started looking at the ground and pawed at it. "I didn't want to cause you to hate me or disown me, because of how I was created. I was changed by the elements as you were. I only stayed that way because I never acted any other way. During Nightmare Night I saw how others acted toward you and how our past caused you trouble. I was fearful that you would do the same thing to me, so I kept the persona that you were used to for Nightmare Moon." By the end of that statement Nightmare was beginning to tear up over this just as anypony would if they were doing something similar to this.
Luna truly felt sorry for Nightmare since she herself was feared for what she had done, but to be created for something that was meant to cause the possible demise of a whole country if not the world is just cruel. Luna felt something that she had not felt since she was Nightmare Moon: pure hatred. How could could somepony be like that? Luna just could not help but hug the young filly, for she could not imagine what it must be like to face the fact that you were only born to be a monster.
Just then Celestia entered the room with a map in front of her.
"Luna I hate to disturb you but I may have found the country that you and Twilight visited in your vision. It seems that it is across the sea of Faust and down the river of Farshtey. But it says here in this old expeditionary report that all they found there was ruins. Strangely enough, it was after they returned here that Discord first appeared." Celestia finish with the map rolling shut and floated behind her.
She then noticed that Luna was with a filly and from what she could see the filly was on the verge of tears.
"Luna." Celestia called to her sister but got no response. So she did the next best thing, she summoned a bucket of water and dumped it onto Luna. Then she heard two yelps of surprise as the water fell over the two. This just made Celestia laugh for she knew that Luna would get her back for this.
Luna and Nightmare were soaking wet and mad.
"Mom can I hurt auntie Celes for dumping water on us?" Nightmare asked Luna with magic floating around her horn.
"No my child we shall deal with her later. For now do you remember where my bathroom is?" Luna replied noticing how Celestia looked at the filly and at her.
"I do." Nightmare said calming down a little.
"Then go and get a few towels so we can clean up this mess." Luna said with a smile and a wink.
Nightmare nodded and trotted off leaving the sisters alone in the room. After the door closed Celestia turned to her sister.
"Luna what is going on?"
"Sister you might want to sit down for this and also after this I'm going to need some Caramel Tea." Luna replied as she watched the door.
Meanwhile on the Island of Mane Nui
A bronze coated pony was running a hoof through his chocolate mane looking at a sundial.
"There are times like this I wonder why I chose this job." He said looking at his flank which had a brown kualsi on it. "Why did I have to do this?"
Just then a scream broke the calm of the late morning. The pony turned his gaze towards the sea. He could barely make it out but he saw a boat. And not just any boat but a Ga-pony boat.
"Hmm...That's strange. The Ga-pony shipment is supposed to be next week. Wonder what they're doing?" He said as he went into his hut to check his checklist for shipments.
By the time he got back to his stand the boat had just pulled up to the dock.
"What is with you and driving that boat like a madpony!" Takua yelled that the top of his lungs.
Macku just shrugged it off and walked over to the stand.
"Hey Rocky sorry for coming early but I had to make a run for my Turaga." Macku said to the stand owner and tossed him a few widgets.
"Not a problem Macku but don't let it happen again." Rocky replied.
Macku walked away from Rocky and then back to her boat to get a pack fill with cloth, rigging, nets, bamboo, rope, and strings. She lifted it onto her back and started on a stone path into the desert with Takua in tow.
Rocky just shrugged and went back to taking inventory. -------- I got an editor as mention above, so it should get better from here on out. Again thanks Blazikenking.
So we had a bombshell dropped last time. Now onto the story.
~Toa Coy~
Panting, sweating, and two steps from collapsing, Takua was kicking himself for agreeing to carry Macku's packs the rest of the way after they took a wrong turn and ended up at the Onu-koro outpost.
“You can read the stars and can tell which currents go faster, BUT YOU CAN'T READ A MAP?!” Takua snapped as they pass the same sign again.
“Hey you try reading this and walk at the same time without your magic!” Macku snapped back at him.
Takua just rolled his eyes and pressed on mumbling under his breath. Macku didn't hear him. Several minutes and a lot of breaks later, the pair made it to the famed sculpture gardens of Po-koro. The road went in between two rows of blank pony heads each identical to the other. Macku had seen this before, as well as Takua, but it simply amazing that an earth pony could do this all by themself.
“This is one of the two reasons I love coming here.” Macku said walking towards the opening to the village.
“What is the other one?” Takua said trying to catch up to the sea-pony.
Macku either didn't hear him or she just chose not to reply. Just then the sound of falling rocks came to their ears, both looked up on a few sculptures. There were scorpion like creatures three times the pair's size.
“Why are the Nui-Jaga here?” Takua said with his eyes darting from each one and a hint of fear in his voice. “They normally stay away from Po-koro.”
“I don't know but the doors are closing in front of us.” Macku noted as she started to run for it.
The Nui-Jaga are practically blind in the bright light of the day, but they had excellent hearing and the sand crunching under Macku's hooves was like a bright neon sign in the middle of a dark night. They began to rush to cut her off.
Takua was panicking, Macku was in trouble and he couldn't do anything to help her and he would be next. Then he said and did something he never had the guts to do.
“Hey Nui-Jaga look over here full course meal.” He said hopping up and down. Due to the packs on his back the Nui-Jaga thought he was more than just one pony. Macku was able to get into the village before the doors closed on her.
Takua was glad that he was able to save her, but he was sad and scared that the last thing that he would see was a pack of Nui-Jaga running at him. He closed his eyes, for what he thought was the last time, and waited for his end to come. He heard the sound of Nui-Jaga grow closer, then an image came to his mind. The pony was blacked out but it had a purplish-red aura around it and then it disappeared. Takua wondered why he would see this but he soon lost all consciousness.
Back in Canterlot
Celestia was flabbergasted by what her little sister just said to her. No matter how many times she asked Luna if it was true, she would always nod.
“Luna how do you know that this is not just a trick to get to you and complete the Makuta's plan?”Celestia said still not believing that what Luna told her was true.
“Sister you know that the dream world can not lie for it is the purest place known to anypony, and you know this.” Luna said holding her point firm.
“I still don't trust her, but I will drop this for now for I have a meeting with a pony about some kind of automaton they have been working on.” With that Celestia left.
Just as she approached the door, it opened, on the other side was Nightmare carrying two towels and had her mane wrapped up in a towel. Celestia and Nightmare looked at one another for a moment and then moved on. Luna sighed and just shook her head.
"Nightmare, as you can tell my sister is not thrilled that you are here." Luna said as she levitated a towel over to her.
"I don't hold it against her after what I have done." Nightmare replied as Luna dried herself off. "Still she could soften her stare a little."
"Nightmare, Celestia can act that way if she wants to. But you are my child and you have my love no matter what happens." Luna said as she wrapped her mane in a towel.
Luna then walked over to her bed and motioned for Nightmare to follow her. Luna then hopped up on the bed and levitated a brush over to her. Nightmare cocked her head in confusion.
"What are you doing mom?" Nightmare asked as she sat at the foot of the bed.
"I want to try and get the tangles out of your mane before it dries too much." Luna said levitating Nightmare onto the bed. She unwrapped the towel around Nightmare's mane and began to brush her. "Also I have been thinking of another name for you, since Nightmare Moon has too many bad memories connected to it."
Nightmare knew this was going to happen seeing how the other ponies reacted to Luna during Nightmare Night. Although the night turned out good, it still had its rough patches and she felt the same loneliness her mother did. She was happy that she would get a new start and a new name, but that also meant that Nightmare Moon would no longer exist. She, and probably every other pony, would be happy that one less monster would be in the world, but it still felt as if she was losing a big part of herself.
"What did you have in mind, mother?" Nightmare asked.
It took a few minutes of thinking but Luna finally thought of one, "How does Artemis De Luna sound?" Nightmare turned around quickly, thankfully Luna had stopped brushing her mane.
"It sounds cool," Nightmare said with a smile. "But what does De Luna mean?"
"Of the moon." Luna replied earning her a confused look from Nightmare. "Is that too long or in poor taste?"
"It is just...kinda redundant to go from moon to 'of the moon'." Nightmare said rubbing the back of her head.
"How about just Artemis?" Luna asked.
"That is fine." Nightmare, now Artemis, said hugging her mother.
Meanwhile in Ponyville
Twilight and her friends had spent most of the day trying to find some information about the place that Luna and Twilight had seen. A few hours had resulted in finding where it was but not much else. Now Twilight was trying to look into old pony tales to see if any of this was mentioned in the past. As best she could guess, every famous and infamous event was written down and retold until nopony could remember the full tale, much like the mare in the moon. Her friends were on the fence about this but it was a lead, and there only one at that. Each pony and Spike took one old tale a piece and checked the locations to the map. Twilight had chosen a tale of Artemis and Apollo, the story of two ponies that began off as enemies and ended up becoming husband and wife. Twilight had read this tale once before when she was younger, but this version must have been closer to the original then the one she read.
As she scanned the pages, something strange began to appear to her. As she read, things began to connect to what Princess Celestia had said before she and the others went to face Discord. It seems that one day Discord just appeared after a group of explorers came back from...
Twilight was rereading the page she was on again to check and then at the map. They were the same, although the book never described who or what came with them but the chaos and damage had Discord's name written all over it. This tale also ended differently than the other one. Instead of a happy ending, it told that it was unknown if either survived. Only their children were found crying but would not say what happen.
"Everypony stop what you're doing and get over here!" Twilight yelled causing the others to look up from their tales.
"What is it Twilight, you just interrupted an awesome battle section." Rainbow Dash said with a huff.
"I found what we were looking for." Twilight replied as she levitated the book in front of the others.
Back in Po-koro
Takua felt tired like he had just ran around Mane Nui ten times in one day. Wait felt, Takua opened his eyes and tried to sit up but his body said no. A groan left his mouth and he heard the sound of hooves rushing over to him. Again he tried to move but a hoof was on his shoulder. When he looked up he saw a graying earth pony with a brown coat, tan mane, and a tan noble Komau on his flank.
"Rest now Chronicler that feat was far too advance for your body." the pony said as he lifted his hoof off of Takua's shoulder.
Takua did as he was told and fell into a deep sleep. The earth pony smile and walked out of the stone hut Takua was in. When he stepped out of the hut several other earth ponies, which were different shades of brown, were standing there with looks of concern. Among all the brown there was a blue earth pony crying into the shoulder of a Po-pony that looked like her plushy.
"The Chronicler is fine. He is just tried. Please go back to your business." He said and then walked off.
Upon hearing this, Macku looked at the colt next to her, who nodded, and ran into the hut. The colt sighed a little but wore a smile as he followed his marefriend into the hut.
“Macku, you heard Turaga Onewa he needs rest and after what we saw he needs it.” The colt said as he entered the hut and saw Macku crying over Takua.
“But it is my fault that he is like this, Hewkii.” Macku said with tears in her eyes.
“Macku,” Hewkii walked over to her and hugged her, all the while Macku cried. “if it weren't for him then I would have lost the only thing that I love more than Kolhii.” Hewkii said with a look that said ‘my life would sink without you’.
“He would have died if that flash he did.” Macku said looking into Hewkii’s rose colored eyes.
“Mac, stop thinking of what could have happened and be grateful that this is the best that could have happen.” Macku nodded but still had tears. “Come on it is getting late you can have my bed tonight.”
“But where are you going to sleep, It is your house after all.” Macku asked as they started to walk out of the hut.
“It is my house and I make the rules and you are to be the one in the bed while I sleep on the floor.” Hewkii said in a tough voice that caused Macku to giggle.
“Alright if you insist.” Macku said in between her giggles.
Hewkii just smiled, “Finally got her to be happy.” he thought to himself.
Just as the two left a small spark of gold came off of Takua’s horn.
------- In Cantarlot, Celestia had just closed court for the day...and what a day it was. While it would not seem so bad to anypony else but learning that somehow your sister had a child because of an evil pony’s plan to take over the world back fired on them and that child then took over its mother to achieve a plan that it’s ‘father’ made so he could rise again which cause her to lose her sister for a thousand years. She had put it off of her mind during that pony, Technia if she recalled correctly, came to show her the automation she had built, but as the day went on Celestia was feeling more and more uneased by the fact that Nightmare Moon was free again and Luna was fine with it. Just then a letter appeared in front of her, a rather thick letter at that. As she began to read the letter she realized that her day had just gotten just a little worse.
The more she read the more memories began to resurface; of her past, of what she had, and what she lost. She stopped after the second paragraph, not because of what was written on the page but what she remembered and the tears that came with them.
Meanwhile with Luna and Artemis
Artemis watched as her mother move the sun down and raised the moon, which she had seen as Nightmare but now she could show the awe that she alway hide because of her previous persona.
As Luna turned around she wear a look of concern on her face, Artemis knew it was the fact that Luna having to lower the sun mean one of two things; Celestia was tired, not common but it happens, or she got some bad news, something like a town was destroyed or something of that magnitude. The later being the, hopefully, less likely but Luna was still determined to find out why.
“Artemis, I’m going to see my sister but you don’t need to come if you don’t want to.” Luna said as she walked past her daughter.
Artemis nod and followed behind her mother to her aunt's room. Along the way many of the passing ponies from the court stopped and stared at Luna and Artemis as they walked by. Artemis moved closer to her mother trying to escape the stares of the other ponies. Luna saw this and put her wing over her child.
Once they had passed the last of the of the court ponies Luna lifted her wing off of Artemis, and looked at her with a joking face. “If I didn’t know better I would say you were raised by Fluttershy.”
Artemis cocked her head to the side and said, “What is so funny?”
Luna just chuckled and shook her head. “Nothing my child.”
With that they were at Celestia’s door, it was well detailed with the sun motif and the fixtures of brass that shined like the sun. Artemis was a little bit intimidated by the look of the door and her own past with her aunt, but she was still willing to see what is wrong.
When Luna when to open the door but it was locked. Luna then pressed an ear to the door and listened to see if anything was amiss but it was quite. Artemis knew her mother was wondering how best to approach this. After a few minutes of silence Luna finally spoke, “Celly, Celly are you okay?”
Artemis was caught off guard by that name, because for as long as she knew her mother would always say either ‘sister’ or ‘Celestia’ never ‘Celly’. She nearly fell down with laughter from what she heard next.
“I’m fine Lulu, just dealing with some hard decisions that I’ve made in the past.”
“Alright, sister if you need anything you know where to find me.” Luna replied with a relieved look on her face. “Come Artemis we have research to do.”
“Right behind you mother.” Artemis replied as her mother walked by her.
Once the two were out of the hallway the door open behind them to reveal a very angry sun princess.
“How dare Luna rename her the same as our mother!” Celestia thought as stood there. “I have half a mind to banish both of them to the moon for this.” That thought made her smile but then she frowned and looked at the ground. “No that is just cruel and evil that is not me, I’ll talk to her later after I got myself together.”
Okay now before you read this you might get confused by this one. Last week, of the time of this writing, I added a good 2000 words give or take to the last chapter so you might want to go and reread the last one.
~Toa Coy~
Twilight was looking over her tenth book about tales of the past, and still it was as vague as the past nine. While she was frustrated that she was running out of leads and she had yet to hear from the princess so she was concern that she might be overreacting, like that whole time travel thing. Still she was just concern about how the stars were similar to now.
During this she failed to noticed two small shadows appearing behind her, it wasn't until the sound of hooves clopping towards her. When Twilight turned around she saw Princess Luna and a small filly that was covered by a cloak. Twilight was about to ask who the filly but when she noticed how Luna peered over the books and notes that Twilight had been writing and, just for a moment, Twilight thought she saw tears in her eyes.
"Princess Luna, why are you crying?"
Luna looked up from the papers and saw the look that both her daughter and Twilight wear made her stop and wipe her eyes.
"It is nothing Twilight Sparkle, a past matter that is better left alone." Luna said but the look on both of their faces made her silently curse herself. "But this solved why sister was in her room." Luna thought as she walked over to Twilight.
"Come Twilight Sparkle we have more research on these stars to do." Luna said as her horn began to glow and a small blue and white portal began to form.
"Princess I don't want to be rude but you didn't do that the last time we did this." Twilight said remembering last night. Luna looked over at Twilight and laughed at herself. "Sorry Twilight Sparkle I forgot that. This is my view of going to the dream world." With that she walked over to Twilight and with a quick flash of light Twilight was dead to the world, dead asleep not dead dead.
After Twilight shut her eyes, Artemis took off her cloak's hood and had a concern look on her face.
"Mom what's wrong?" Artemis asked but Luna didn't answer she just move toward the portal. Artemis sighed and followed her mother.
Once Artemis entered the portal it closed and the library looked the same as it did earlier just a sleeping Twilight instead of the overly studying one.
(Dream World)
(Twilight opened her eye and was greeted by the familiar black world from the last time she was here. Twilight stood up and shook her head.)
("That spell is strange but I want to find out more about the stars." Twilight thought as she looked around for signs of Luna and Artemis.)
(Twilight felt as if she was on the side of a wall and then she felt herself falling. Unlike her first visit Twilight caught herself and used her magic to float her down to the new ground.)
("Well done Twilight Sparkle, it would have taken a lesser pony longer to know when the world shifts on them." Luna said as she and Artemis appeared behind Twilight.)
(Twilight was just happy that she was able to keep from slamming into the 'ground' again. As Luna and Artemis pass her, she felt a rush of cold air from Artemis. Twilight looked at the filly and couldn't place where she felt this before but it felt familiar somehow. Then a thought came to her mind, "Why was this filly here?")
(Twilight wanted to raise this point with Luna but before she could a portal opened under them. Twilight and Artemis screamed in surprise from the sudden lack of ground under their hooves while Luna was shocked that the portal opened under them.)
(The trio was dropped in a sight that would be hard not to forget. Around them was six ponies that looked like they were mauled by some kind of monsters, most were stallions, one was a mare, in armor that seemed similar to the royal guard's but were similar to their coat colors and looked like they were made of a stronger metal then the guard's armor.)
(All three turned their heads away from the sight of this, Luna wrapped her wing around Artemis to keep her from seeing any more of this gruesome sight.)
(Just then from this bloody scene they heard crying when all the time since their arrival they only heard themselves. Twilight was the first to move toward the sound with Luna, and Artemis under her wing, following close behind her. They came to a lime green pegasus stallion, in the same armor that the other pony were in, rocking back and forth with a blue coated unicorn mare with white stripes in a lighter blue mane.)
("Nikila, can you hear me Nikila?" A voice said with hope but also fear, and not just any fear but that of lose and a pain that you would not know unless you have had it.)
(All three of the mares felt like they had just been thrown into the aftermath of a battle, but this was at that moment another portal opened up under them.)
(The three appeared in the throne room that Twilight and Luna seen the last time that they were there. Only this time the room looked like a F3 tornado went through it. There on a lone throne sat an alicorn stallion, Mata Nui if Twilight remembered correctly. He sat there in a set on golden armor that would rival Celestia's sun in the right light, but here in the darkened room of a once proud place now it is but a husk of the former glory.)
(Twilight felt unnerved by the way the sky blue eyes seemed to be staring into her soul.)
("Greetings travelers," Mata Nui said and this shocked not only Luna because this was the dreamworld, but because he started to move toward them. "It has been many years since anypony had come to this place, not since my brother and I defeated each other.")
(All three mares were confused as to how somepony from the past would be able to talk to them. Luna was the first one to speak, since she was one of the rulers of Equestria and there by her duty to talk to another leader of another nation.)
("My name is Princess Luna of Equestria, me and my fellow travelers are from the present when six colorful stars have appeared when they were not there to begin with." Luna said with a slight bow.)
(Mata Nui bowed back and then spoke, "It is an honor to meet you Princess Luna, my name is Mata Nui, the once proud ruler of a land that fell to shadow." Mata Nui then walked back to his throne and looked tired. "The stars that you spoke of were they in a hexagon shape?")
("They are." Luna replied.)
("Then my brother is coming back and he knows of your land as well as my island." Mata Nui said with a serious look on his face.)
("What do you mean? What island are you talking about?" Luna asked as a mirror on a wall next to her started to glow.)
(The mirror showed an island of enormous size that the equestrian ponies had never seen, but Mata Nui looked at with hope and sadness. The island had a clear division of environments, six in all, that caused the mares to wonder if the pegasi were on break since there was snow next to a green forest.)
("This is the island that my subjects now live since my brother's shadow tried to rule them the first time. Now he is going to try to rule them again and this time there will be no Toa to stop him, or so I thought." Mata Nui turned to the mares. "If those six stars have appeared then the heroes that saved them the first time planned for this.")
(Luna, Artemis, and Twilight were confused as to what Mata Nui was talking about. So Twilight voiced this confusion.)
("Mr. Nui not to sound rude, but what are you talking about? It seem like you are just rambling on about this place and some of your people's past but you are lacking a detailed description that is need for us to understand what it going on." Twilight said recalling what the alicorn had said.)
("Sorry but after a few hundred millennia I forget the small details of the past." Mata Nui said rubbing the back of his head. "Long story short, I had six of my Toa put in stasis so that if I failed to defeat my brother. The toa that lead my subjects to the safety of the hidden city carried this along with a mask that would save my people but the mask was lost and, to my knowledge, has yet to be found again.")
("What is this mask?" Luna asked.)
("The Mask of Light, the mask made to banish all the shadows from the world." Mata Nui said with a solemn look. "But from what I have seen some times the darkest shadow is casted by the brightest light.")
(Somewhere a bell tone, *dong**dong*, Mata Nui returns to his throne and looks at the group. He looks straight at Artemis.)
("Beware young one your connection to my brother may doom the world or save it." Mata Nui said before another portal opened under the mares again.)
(End of The Dream World)
Twilight woke up to the sound of bodies crashing to the ground. In front of her was Luna and Artemis and Twilight was shocked when she saw Artemis's face, since her hood fell off when she landed on top of her mother. To Twilight she was looking at a pony that she thought that she would never see again, even as a filly version of herself Nightmare Moon.
Elsewhere in Ponyvile
Pinkie woke up to her mane twitching.
"That's strange my mane only twitches when Twilight freaks out over something that is minor." Pinkie said to herself when a scream was heard from the library. "I wonder what it is about?" Just thing she felt a twitch that made her smile. "That means there is a new pony in town and that means a party. See ya in the next scene guys." Pinkie waves at us and hops off.
Back at the library
Spike was rubbing his eyes and stretched after he was woken up by Twilight's scream.
"Why does Twilight have to be so loud when I have my Rarity dreams." Spike said to himself as he headed towards the stairs.
"Because the writer has to move the plot forward and was thinking of 'About Time'." Pinkie replied appearing to Spike's left. This caused Spike to jump back and clutch his chest. Pinkie looked at the young dragon with a wide grin.
"Pinkie why are you here?" Spike asked ignoring her previous statement.
"Well this morning I woke up to my pinkie sense going off saying that Twilight was going to scream, then I felt a twitch that caused me to smile then I talked to the reader as well as the writer but that was just because I wanted to interact with the writer and readers. Also..." Pinkie explaining what had just happened and why she was there.
Up until Pinkie started talking about a writer and readers, Spike sometimes wonder if Pinkie should lay off the candy.
"Okay, well I think we should go see Twilight and see what all the noise is for." Spike said stopping Pinkie in midstance.
"Okie-dokie-lokie." Pinkie said with a salute and then hopped down the stairs.
Spike just shrugged and walked down the stairs. When he and Pinkie got down to the next floor they saw Princess Luna, a filly, and Twilight. Twilight had a shocked and scared look and had yet to notice Spike and Pinkie.
"Princess do you even know who this is!" Twilight yelled pointed at the filly.
Luna looked appalled by what Twilight had said, also a little ticked off that Twilight would be so harsh to her daughter but she also remembered that she was Nightmare Moon once herself and to meet the pony that cause so much pain and suffering she could understand but still it did not set right with her at anypony should judge Artemis for her past that she was ashamed of.
"Artemis was once that pony as well as I but she has changed thanks to the elements." Luna said stomping the ground.
Artemis was in the middle of the two and looked like she was both ashamed and scared. The once powerful nightmare was now going through what everyone has in one moment or another: to be forsaken by everyone but your mother. Artemis may not have meet a lot of ponies but she was dealing with her own emotions when she was just some heartless creature. Now this heartless creature had a heart. "Who the hay is Artemis? I just see you, me, and Nightmare Moon." Twilight said starting to gather magic around her horn.
Luna walked over to her daughter and wrapped her wing around her.
"This is and she is my daughter." Luna said nudging her daughter trying to help cheer her up.
All three other characters gasped.
Pinkie looks at the readers and says, "What a twist."
Okay so last time Twilight, Spike, and Pinkie learned of Artemis. Mata Nui appeared as well as Lesovikk and his team, a moment please for those unnamed Toa and the stories that they could have told. ...Thank you, Now to the story.
~Toa Coy~
"Your daughter?!?! How can she be your daughter?" Twilight said still trying to wrap her head around the fact that Princess Luna just called Nightmare Moon her daughter. "Princess that is impossible. She is evil. She tried to cause the night to last forever."
Twilight was staring down the second most powerful magic user in Equestria and was not even flinching from the glare that Luna was giving her.
Luna had heard this before from her sister, and probably anypony that saw her with Artemis in the palace but right now she had to deal with this.
"Twilight Sparkle," Luna said in her royal Canterlot voice, which caused Twilight, Pinkie, and Spike to cover their ears. "You know not what you say! Would you like it to be always be seen as a monster when you were not at fault for what happened? Would you!?"
While saying that Luna walked straight up to Twilight and looked her straight in the eyes. Twilight still did not move even as she was being yelled at by the same pony responsible for raising and lowering the moon.
There was one person in the room that knew what it was and still is like to be called a monster.
Spike was covering his ears from the volume of Luna's voice, but it did not fall on deaf ears. At that moment Pinkie did a rim shot on a drum set she had with her. Everyone ignored this and the tension remained high. Spike thought back to when he had that greed problem and how everypony looked at him with a wayward eye. It hurt him that they thought that he was still the monster that caused so much trouble and damage. Most everypony was put at ease after Twilight told them that it was because of a dragon's hoarding instincts that cause him to grow and cause all the damage. But sometimes he would see them give him looks of fear out of the corner of his eye or breathe a sigh of relief after he left the room. It hurt knowing that some ponies still thought of him like that, but his friends were there and understood him. Still he looked in the mirror at times and sees some of that monster in him as his claws and teeth grew sharper and pointier.
Spike finally decide to speak up, or at least try and quiet things down. He walked to Artemis, who was crying from what Twilight had said, and hugged her trying to calm her down. Artemis did not know who hugged her but she hugged them back and started to cry on their shoulder. Spike pat her on the back and wanted to say something but with all the noise she probably wouldn't hear it.
Twilight was still staring down Luna but out of the corner of her eye she saw Spike hugging Nightmare Moon. The very thought of Spike even near some pony like Nightmare Moon was enough to get Twilight to break eye contact with Luna and walk over to Spike with the intent to keep him away from that monster.
Luna saw and was quiet at this, and smiled for a moment but then she saw Twilight's face as she marched past her. Luna's smile just went into a frown, so to stop Twilight she put a wall in front of Twilight causing her to run into it.
The sound of Twilight hitting the magical wall cause Artemis to open her eyes. When she looked around for the cause of the sound she noticed that she was being hugged by a dragon. She unwrapped her hooves from Spike and cowered away from him, with a slight blush on her face.
"Hi Artemis, My name is Spike." Spike said putting his hand out so he could shake her hoof.
Artemis was a bit nervous but she remembered that it was rude not to reply to some pony showing kindness. So she extended her left hoof to meet Spike's hand.
"Nice to...um...meet you Spike." Artemis said not know what to say to him.
"Likewise." Spike said with a smile as they shook.
Twilight was at a loss for words on what she just saw. Spike had just made friends with one of the most evil creatures to exist.
"Great now all I need is for Pinkie to come in and make friends with her." Twilight said not knowing of the pink pony behind her.
"Alright time to make my move." Pinkie said to herself and disappeared leaving a cloud shaped like her with a smile on its face.
Luna was happy that Spike had made friends with Artemis. It was kind of cute how the two looked together, then in a blink of an eye Pinkie Pie had appeared in between the two like magic.
"How does she do that?" Luna thought while Twilight had a look that said 'you just had to say it didn't ya Twilight'.
"Hi Artemis, I'm Pinkie Pie and I’d love to be your friend." Pinkie said as she hopped around Artemis with a big smile on her face.
"Okay?" Artemis said watching Pinkie hop around her.
"Great now all you need is a welcome to Ponyvile party. That also means I have to invite Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Big Mac, Derpy, Dinky, Lyra, Bon Bon, Doctor Whooves, Rose, Daisy, Lily, Colgate..." Pinkie kept listing off all the ponies in town, while Artemis walked over to Spike.
"Is she always like this?" Artemis asked Spike.
"Not all the time. Just when new ponies come to town." Spike replied.
Twilight was on edge because of how every pony was ignoring the fact Nightmare Moon was right in front of them and they were treating her like a different pony. Twilight had had it with this and was going to do something about this and go over Luna's head.
"Come on Twilight you really need to turn that frown upside down and get this party together." Pinkie said appearing in front of her.
Twilight groaned and was about to say something but then there was a knock on the door. With a huff She went to her front door to see who was coming this early in the morning.
There was another knock on the door when Twilight got to it.
"Hold on for a minute." Twilight said as she unlocked all the locks and opened the door.
On the other side was Rarity with a smile.
"Good morning Twilight, how are you?" Rarity said as she walked by her friend.
"Aside from a few curve balls in the past hour, good." Twilight said about to shut the door when she heard another voice.
"Hey Twilight." the voice said and when Twilight looked she saw Sweetie Belle, Rarity's younger sister, standing in the doorway.
"Sweetie Belle, when you get here?" Twilight could have sworn that Rarity was the only one at the door. That or she was so deep in thought about Nightmare Moon that she was for getting distracted by it.
"I was right behind my sister." Sweetie replied and then asked. "Twilight, can Spike play with me, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo today?"
"Sure. He’s upstairs." Twilight said out of habit.
As soon as Sweetie Belle was out of her sight Twilight did a double take and silently cursed herself.
"Twilight, the reason I came over here was because of the screaming and yelling I heard earlier." Rarity said after she found a fashion book from a few years ago.
Twilight was about to reply when they both heard Sweetie Belle scream, which made Twilight on edge, and ran up stairs.
Meanwhile
Takua was feeling so tired and hungry but he also felt full and well rested. He tried getting up, which worked, and started to walk out of the hut and into Po-koro. One thing he could never forget about this village wasn’t the carvings throughout the village or the stadium; it was the sand, the only place where it would be a plas-pony's vacation home. Takua wondered if this is why the Plas-ponies were upset with him.
While he was thinking his rambling thoughts on the Plas-ponies and sand he walked into the one that he swore never to drive him in a boat again, ever.
"Takua." Macku said hugging him. "I'm so glad that you’re alright."
Takua wanted to reply but right now he was feeling the life being squeezed out of him.
"Macku...can't breath...need air..." Takua said causing Macku to loosen her grip and let him breath. "Why did I have to get stuck with the strongest mare I know." Takua thought to himself.
"Sorry about that it was just that you gave me a scare when you appeared out of nowhere." Macku said with an apologetic look.
"What are you talking about Macku? I was just walking around." Takua said with a confused look on his face.
"I was talking about yesterday when you just appeared when everypony thought you were eaten by the Nui-Jaga. How did you do that?"
"I don't know. An image came into my head and then it all went black. Next thing I know I'm in a hut unable to move."
"Well glad you’re feeling better. I need to go I got a date with Hewkii to get to see ya around." With that, Macku left with a spring in her step.
Takua just watch her go and asked himself, "I wonder what a date is?"
Before he could guess, he remembered that he had a mission to do, so without further delay he trotted over to Turaga Onewa's hut. When he got to the hut he noticed that it was almost identical to the other stone huts, just bigger.
When he entered the hut Takua felt as if he was back in Ta-koro, minus the fire in the center of the hut. Once he was in the hut, he notice the graying brown stallion standing over a book.
"Turaga Onewa." Takua said trying to get the elder's attention.
"I know why you are here chronicler," the stallion said turning to face the Ta-pony. "And unlike my brothers and sister I have kept the stone with me since it would be safer with me." With that he walked over to the book and turned it to the back of the page. In the last page was a dark brown stone similar to the red and blue stones that Takua had already got from the other Koros.
"So you just going to hand this to me because of my mission?" Takua said with a confused look.
"The willingness to give one's self so others may live is all I needed to know that you have earn this stone." Onewa replied with solemn but annoyed face.
"You sure?" Takua said still unsure about this.
Onewa now just wear an annoyed face. "Do you prefer it to be in a nest of Nui-Jaga where you must risk life and limb to get it?!?!"
With the Turaga just inches from his face, said Turaga had a look that Takua never wanted to see again, Takua just shook his head no.
"Good," Onewa said backing off and walked to the book, much to Takua's relief, picked up the stone with his mouth and walked back.
Takua then took the stone out of Onewa's mouth with his magic. After stretching his mouth for a few moments Onewa thanked Takua, also commenting on the fact it was no wonder the dentist was the highest job in any Koro.
Takua and him had a good laugh about it and with that Takua left the hut and the village.
The trek to the Oun-Koro outpost was safer and easier than when he and Macku went this way by mistake.
"Probably because I'm just carrying my pack and not all of her gear. Man why did she have all that anyways?" Takua thought to himself as he came to the outpost.
Back in Ponyville
Twilight felt like she had just entered a reality where strange things happen, where everypony ignored what was right in front of them and she was the only one who saw the difference...
"...She has entered 'The Twilight Zone'." Pinkie said followed by a rim shot.
Twilight ignored her friend and had Spike pinch her just to see if she was awake. Much to her discomfort she was awake, and she had just seen the mighty Nightmare Moon hide behind Princess Luna like a scared little filly. Then again any new pony to Ponyville would be scared of a filly obsessed with getting her cutie mark would be bad enough, but three of them could cause somepony to run away from that place for a long time. Still it is shocking to see a powerful monster acted like this. Twilight wanted to believe that this was a different pony she was looking at but she had to keep herself from thinking about that since it might just be a trap.
Before she could think about it farther another knock came from her front door.
"At this rate I might as well open the library." Twilight thought to herself as she walked to the door.
On the other side was Applejack, Fluttershy, and Apple Bloom.
"Hey girls. What brings you here?" Twilight said with a smile, temporarily forgetting the princess and Nightmare Moon in her home.
"With all that hollering coming from yer place I'ma surprised not to see a posy of ponies 'round her'." Applejack replied.
"Was it really that loud? I didn't know that." Twilight thought. "If Applejack and Fluttershy heard me then I might have a big problem on my hooves."
"May we come in...if that is alright with you." Fluttershy asked looking from behind her mane.
"Fluttershy you know that all of my friends are welcome here even if we are closed." Twilight replied stepping aside to let them in.
Just as soon as the three entered the tree home Sweetie Belle started talking.
"I'm sorry for scaring you Artemis but I just wanted to know how you got your cutie mark."
"It is alright Sweetie Belle, I'm not much for surprises. I guess I was just born with my cutie mark."
Almost at the same time everypony in the library heard this at the same time, "Oh come on!"
With that said by both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom ran up the stairs to see this. At the same time this got both Applejack and Fluttershy to raised an eyebrow at this.
"Twilight can you tell us who this Artemis is...that is if it is alright with you." Fluttershy asked.
"Ya I never' heard of anypony by tha' name." Applejack said with a concern look on her face.
Twilight was about to replied when Pinkie popped in out of nowhere.
"That's because she is new to town, which is why I'm here so I can throw her a big welcome to Ponyville party. She is a filly about Applebloom's height, she has a black coat, horn, and wings." Pinkie said which made both Applejack and Fluttershy go wide eyed. "Also she has a blue mane, a cutie mark of a full moon with clouds in front of it, blue eyes, and she is the daughter of Princess Luna who is upstairs as well."
That last comment caused both Applejack and Fluttershy to do a double take on what Pinkie just said and repeating the last part to themselves. They took it well; Applejack's jaw was so wide open that a fly flew in it and Fluttershy was somewhere between wanting to go hug Artemis and fainting.
"Now if you need me I have a party to plan, foals to sit, invites to deliver, and cakes to bake." Pinkie said leaving the library. "Oh hey Dashy I didn't know you had Scootaloo with you."
There was a quiet moment in which a pen could be dropped in another room and it would be heard by the three.
"I sure glad tha' Artemis has a cutie mark."
"So are we."
with Pinkie Pie
"I sensed a wave of panic run though my friends and then it all got relieved." Pinkie said to herself looking at the library. And then a crash was heard. "No wait it's back again. Oh well see ya next time guys."
Alright I have been focusing on the MLP part of this fic a lot, So I will try to get more of the Bionicle side out in this chapter. Enjoy.
~Toa Coy~
Chapter 8: Caught in a Dream
Takua was sitting on the back of an Ussal Crab on his way to Onu-Koro. The Ussal Crabs were one of the few rahi that worked alongside the ponies on the island; they were prized for speed and their ability to carry heavy loads of ore, which has made them one of the greatest assets of the Onu-ponies’ mining operation, as well for the Fe-ponies, which use them as a transport for their metal works for their customers. Takua thought that it was amazing that a species about the same size as them could do all this. While in deep thought, Takua failed to notice that he had entered Onu-Koro and the guards stopped the Ussal so quickly that Takua when flying. He flew straight and true, until he crashed into a pile of Ussal manure. Takua wondered what he was doing in this pile and how he got there but then he remembered that the Ussal he was riding stopped too quickly.
“Okay this is just getting out of hoof,” Takua thought to himself with an annoyed look. “Why does this stuff keep happening to me? First Macku and her driving, then the map, the Nui-Jaga, and now this! Mata Nui must have it out for me.”
“You sure that's it or is someone trying to stop you form your quest?” An old voice said to Takua's left.
When Takua looked he saw a black stallion with a light gray mane, green eyes, and a gray noble mask of Night vision on his flank. Takua wanted to bow to the turaga but then he remembered where he was.
After getting out of the pile, and asking for a shower, He followed the turaga to the great mine of Onu-Koro. Imagine the tallest thing you have ever seen, now flip it over and you have some clue on how big the mine is.
Takua was in awe at this, even with the work force, machines, and time, it must have taken hundreds of years to get this large of cavern dug out. The sounds of the mining were quiet. Even if they were far away from them, there was still a lot of machines running and ponies working.
“Turaga Whenua, why did you bring me to the great mine?” Takua asked the turaga.
“This is where my Toa Stone is located.” Whenua said bluntly.
Takua did a double take. “Come again?”
“I did not slur my speech.” He said with an annoyed look.
Takua looked around the area, accidentally kicked some pebbles off the edge of the area, Takua was confused. “How have the Onu, Fe, and Ba-ponies not found the stone yet?” He thought to himself. “Is the stone below us or above us?” He asked looking up and below.
“It is closer than you think.” The turaga replied.
“Great, more puzzles.” Takua thought to himself as he rolled his eyes. “Which way are the picks?”
“Two rooms back.”
“Thanks.” With that Takua walked to the room,
---
In Equestria, strange things were happening. Six large stones were moving on their own with no magic, that could be detected, to the west of Equestria. This confused everypony who saw one of these stones. Princess Celestia learned of them after a pony from Hollow Shades came to Canterlot to complain about it. Normally this would have been a matter she would have put off as nothing, but given all the things going on with her kingdom and personal life, she agreed to have her guards to check it out. She chose Capitan Shining Armor, two unicorns, two pegasi, and an earth pony to check it out.
Shining Armor looked at a deep groove carved into the earth. The white unicorn with a blue mane had a confused look on his face.
“I don't sense any magic here, but how else can a rock the size of a small house be able to move like that?” He said to himself.
“Sir.” Shining Armor turned to see a dark green earth pony with a brown short cut mane and tail saluting him.
“What is it Lieutenant Snipe?” Shining Armor asked returning the salute.
“Private Wings and Corporal Jetset noticed that this stone is heading towards Ponyville when they came back from scout duty.” Snipe answered.
“Do we know why it is heading that way?” Shinning asked trying to hide the fact he was concerned that his sister might get hurt by this stone.
“No sir. Private Wings said that he saw nopony in front of the stone.”
Shinning was frustrated with the fact that all they learn was the stone had no spell on it and it was heading towards his little sister's home.
“Warn Ponyville and hope the damage isn't too bad.” He said looking at the groove once again.
“Yes sir.” Spine said with a salute and left.
“Looks like I get to visit Twily, I just wish it was with better news.” He thought with a sigh.
-----
Takua had been digging a while now. He still had yet to find the earth Toa Stone, but some of the Onu-ponies saw that he was struggling and started digging with him. In no time they had cleared six inches of earth and ore, when one of the Onu-ponies found it. The pony's name name was Taipu, who had a light brown almost gray coat with a dark gray mane and a gray noble mask of night vision. He gave it it to Takua and asked if he was sticking around.
“Sorry but I have to go.” Takua replied with a shrug.
“Alright, well I'll see ya when you pass this way again.” Taipu said with a disappointed voice.
Takua nodded and left the mine. He then went to Turaga Whenua's hut to show him the Toa stone. When he got to the hut, he heard a crash and looked inside to see a rahi attacking the Turaga. Out of pure instinct Takua sent a beam of magic at the rahi. As soon as the beam hit the rahi it evaporated. Takua was surprised that he just did that, while Whenua just dusted himself off.
“Thank you Takua for saving me.” Whenua said looking at the amazed colt. “I assume that you have the Toa stone.”
Takua nodded, still with his jaw dropped.
“You may leave if you wish.” The turaga said as he looked for quill.
Takua left looking at the tunnel system to see if there was one to of the other Koros. Unfortunately for him only the Ta-koro tunnel was built; the others were under construction. This was both a good and a bad thing; good because he was going home, but bad because he was backtracking. He entered the tunnel with a spring in his step, but also with his face in an indecisive look.
----
Vakama was sitting in front of the fire, his eyes closed with a deep-in-thought look on his face. He was remembering his past and the last one thousand years.
“What is the matter Vakama, is your old age getting the better of you?” A voice that sounded like he was taunting. This Voice seemed more animalistic than his and that made him cringe.
“Why are you here?” Vakama asked as he looked around his mind.
“I have always been here Toa Vakama, you just never listened to me until now.” The voice said snickering while it did.
“You and I both know that when we were cured, you ceased to exist.”
“Not true. I just went to sleep, I awoke because of HIM and how he has begun to move.”
“So even a sleeping beast will awaken when he is near.”
“That is right, but there is something in the air.”
“So you felt it to.”
“Yes.”
“Then this matter will be brought up at the next meeting.”
With that Vakama opened his eyes and looked around. He took a deep breath and stood up. He walked over to a desk in the corner of the hut and began to write.
------
Twilight was thankful for putting force fields around the bookcases, otherwise she and Spike would have to reshelve the books again. She was sitting at the center table of the library reading more old tales about the past. She dropped trying to tell everypony that it was Nightmare Moon not this “Artemis” pony in front of them, but even Dash trusted Artemis, so Twilight was without allies to back her up. This was when Luna walked up to her.
“Twilight Sparkle, may I talk to you about my daughter?” Luna asked.
Twilight wanted to ignore her like she would anypony when she was in a bad mood, but Luna was the moon princess so she had to listen out of respect.
“What about her?” Twilight said with a huff, not looking up from her book.
“As you may have guessed, she was not conceived in the normal way.” Luna started, a little bit flustered about speaking about this.
“Ya, I did.” Twilight said sarcastically,
“Well it turns out that the shadow part of the makuta I told my sister about in the letter,” Twilight nodded. “Well...” Luna was now blushing. “It and I did you know what and that began my path to becoming that Nightmare. When you and the other elements freed me from Nightmare Moon, she became another being separate in mind but not in body. She and I developed a relationship of sorts, one in which she would be the aggressor and I would be the one who ignored her. After Nightmare Night, she changed a little and started to act less like a jerk. Up until yesterday she still looked like that Nightmare. After I learned the truth, she was finally able to let the nightmare go.”
Twilight was at odds with herself, while she was still not willing to trust Artemis, she understood her better and it was a start.
Just then there was a knock on the library's door.
“I wonder who that is?” Twilight said aloud.
Twilight got up and walked to the door and opened it. Who she saw there made her squeal like a filly on hearth's warming eve.
“BBBFF what are you doing here?” Twilight asked with a big smile and hugged her brother.
“Calm down Twily, it has just been a month since we last saw each other.” Shinning replied returning her hug.
It was then that he noticed the princess behind his sister. When he let go of his sister he saluted the Princess.
“Greeting Princess Luna.” Shining Armor said.
“Captain you need not be so formal around here.” Luna said with a smile.
“Yes your highness.” he said with a more relaxed tone.
“So why are you here Captain? It must not be social since you are still in your armor.” Luna observed.
Shining wanted to facehoof for not telling either of them what was going on. Just then a crash was heard from upstairs. Shinning Armor was on guard, since he didn’t know that the Cutie mark Crusaders, Artemis, and Spike were playing or at least staying busy, and was about to use a detection spell when Twilight walked over to the stairs.
“Spike I thought I told you to keep them away from the shelves.” Twilight yelled up the stairs with an annoyed look.
“Sorry Twilight I was talking to Artemis.” Spike yelled back.
“That is no excuse for being inattentive.” Twilight said giving an evil look.
“Sorry ‘mother’.” Spike replied sarcastically.
Shining Armor was on the verge of laughter by the way Twilight took being called ‘mother’, it was a mix of pride and annoyance all at once. Then She saw his face and went straight to annoyed.
“What is so funny, Shining?” Twilight said looking him dead the eyes.
“Nothing sis.” Shining Armor said with a fake smile, which Twilight didn’t buy. With a cough from Luna Twilight backed off.
“I believe you were about to explain why you were here captain.” She said getting them back on track.
“I was your highness. Earlier today, a pony came to the castle to complain about a large boulder that somehow made a trench in their front yard. We wrote it off as an accident but then more reports came, so me and several others were sent to check it out. The stone was indeed moving with nopony near it and I could not sense any magic in or around it.” He said as he gave the report.
“So why are you here and not near this boulder?” Luna asked.
“Because it is coming this way.” Shining Armor replied.
-----
It was nearly nightfall when Takua came out of the tunnel from Onu-Koro. He had walked for what seemed days but it was only a few hours. Takua felt his hooves nearly go numb from all of his walking.
“Why did I turn down that Ussal ride again?” he asked himself as he headed towards his home.
His fellow Ta-ponies greeted him as he passed by and he just nodded and waved in return. Once he was in his house, he put his bag on the ground and flopped on his bed.
“I’ll talk to Turaga Vakama tomorrow.” He said with a yawn as he shut his eyes. For once he just slept, no dreams, visions, or anything just a dreamless sleep.
----
Twilight was just about to sleep after the day she had. After her brother told her and Luna about one of these strange stones that was heading towards Ponyville, she was exhausted. It seemed like a big deal at the time, but the stone just went around the town. It did however damage the tracks for the train, so she and her brother fixed that. She and other unicorns from the town began to use their magic to repair the trench that the stone made. That took a lot out of the unicorns, but it saved a lot of trouble down the road.
During this Princess Luna was watching the CMC, as well as her daughter. While Artemis was still trying to fit in with her new friends, the CMC were trying to earn their Cutie Marks, again. Luna was surprised as to how many things the three little fillies could do in just one house and how hard it was to get sap out of her mane. By the time Twilight and Shining Armor got back, Luna looked like a tree sneezed on her, along with the other four ponies.
After a quick clean up spell the CMC headed home, but not before asking if Artemis could visit them tomorrow. Luna agreed to allow Artemis to come back tomorrow and also to enroll her into school.
Twilight sighed. She may not see Artemis as Nightmare Moon, but she still didn’t trust her.
-----
Artemis was sound asleep after her first day of having a true life and not just a fake one as Nightmare Moon. When she seemed to wake up, but she was in another place that seemed like a cave instead of her mother's room. She looked around to see if there was anypony near and found nopony was.
It was a few minutes of silence when a sound began to rise.
You're feeling awkward, you’re feeling cool
Artemis scans the room for the sound, but saw nothing.
You feel there is somepony watching you, oh no!
A few wisps of shadow began to form around Artemis. She counted thirteen around her and then they seemed to vanish.
Is this just a dream or is it true?
"Who are you ponies!?!" Artemis said stomping the ground in anger.Which caused the ground to crack out from underneath her. She fell until she remembered that she had wings.
You're getting blind you can not see Every hour is filled with disbelief
"Show yourselves!" Artemis yelled at the shadows. Snickering came from them.
Are your senses playing a trick on you?
But now is the time....
It's time to say...
Boo! Three of them appeared before her. They looked like changelings but also normal ponies at the same time.They all had crimson eyes and black fading into a color, the ones she saw had gold, silver, and bronze.
Artemis was both angry and scared at these ponies.
We're everywhere you see Look out we might be real
"What are you talking about?" Artemis said with an annoyed look.
Suddenly the shadows wrapped around her wings and hooves. Artemis tried to loosen her bonds, but the shadows just tightened their grip.
This time we got you caught up in a dream
The sound faded and a dark red unicorn with black on his face, shoulders, stomach, and hooves appeared. On it's flank was a mask, similar to the others described by her mother, with a heavy set forehead, an angry look, and fangs in the mouth area.
"Well, well, if it isn't the second most feared Alicorn in the world." It said in a baritone voice. "Nightmare Moon"
"What are you talking about? I'm not Nightmare Moon, I'm Artemis, daughter of Princess Luna, the goddess of the moon." Artemis said with venom in her mouth on the nightmare part and pride on Luna part.
"Not from our point of view. You are the heir of our lord's long plan to take over this world." The unicorn said with a grin.
"I still think it would be quicker to attack the island while there are no Toa on it." A crimson/black pegasus said with a groan.
"Stop your complaining Icarax, you know what the plan is and we stick to it." The unicorn said gnarling at Icarax.
Icarax rolled his eyes. "Whatever Antroz. If I was the leader we would have taken over this world by now."
"And then those Order flunkies would have found us and taken us out before our leader returned." Antroz shot back.
For a second Artemis could have sworn that she saw something shoot from both Antroz and Icarax's eyes, then a lime green/black earth pony mare cut in between the two stallions.
"Cut it out you two. For Makuta's sake, if you two don't stop this I will sent you to Mutran in pieces." She said causing the shadows around her to became claws on her hooves. "Clear?"
"Crystal." Antroz said while Icarax just growled.
"Aren't we forgetting our guest." A blue, silver, and black unicorn stallion said staring at Artemis, who had slowly stopped struggling against her.
"Thank you Vamprah." Antroz thanked with a nod. "Now 'Artemis' where were we?"
"You were going to let me go?" Artemis said with a coy look.
"Nice try but we don't fall for that." Antroz said as the others gathered around him. "You hold a piece of The Makuta in you. In a more agreeable form, you could have just given it to use but since you have decided to stay as you are, then we must take it with force."
With that thirteen ink black tentacles shot from the ponies. For a moment Artemis thought one of the worst possible things was about to happen, but then a flash of light appeared out of nowhere.
"What?!?!" Antroz said in shock. "You can't be here!"
"You dare to attempt to steal my daughter while she was sleeping. Also, using dreams to steal somepony is an extremely stupid move on your part." Luna said as she stood in front of a relieved Artemis.
"Told ya we should have foalnapped her the old fashion way. But no Antroz knows everything." Icarax said in a sarcastic tone.
"Not now you complaining rahi." Antroz yelled at the pegasus and then turned to Luna. "Well it looks like this just got interesting. The host of the makuta's shadow as well as the combined persona of the night and of shadow."
"Hold your tongue demon, you speak nothing but lies." Luna said.
"Remember, we are in a dream, and what are dreams but lies that we tell ourselves at night?" Antroz said circling Luna. "And besides, even a lie has a base of truth."
"Nice try but you forgot one thing." Luna said with a big gin.
"What is that, princess." Antroz said with sarcastically.
"I rule any present dream." Luna said as she used her magic on herself and Artemis.
"No!" Antroz sent a bolt of shadow over Luna's head and hit Artemis.
The shadow and Luna's magic mixed and caused a black ooze to come out of her. Artemis and Luna disappeared seconds later, but the ooze was still there. Antroz smiled.
"My fellow followers, the last piece of the our master has returned to us." He said with thunderous applause.
Meanwhile Artemis and Luna appeared back in Luna's bedroom.
Luna was sad, angry, and having the closest thing to rage that she could remember in along time.Artemis looked as if she lost her color and her breathing was shallow.
"I will hunt down those demons and show them why they should fear their dreams." Luna said with magic glowing around her.
"Mama?" Artemis said softly as she opened her eyes.
"My child are you alright?" Luna asked nudging her daughter lovingly.
"I'm just tired, mom, that's all." Artemis said with eyes slowly closing.
"Then sleep well my lovely daughter." Luna said lifting Artemis into her bed. Luna then thought of a spell that she used to keep her dreams safe from anypony trying to control her. "I feel this is the beginning of something that will change for our land, and the elements might not be able to help.”
Well, last chapter we met one of the evil groups in this story, yes that was just one. We still got the Dark Hunters to go, then the Piraka, the Barraki, and the rouge Bionicle villain.
~Toa Coy~
Chapter 8: As the sun rises the shadow falls
Luna didn't sleep last night, like so many nights before. She may be the princess of the night but even she needs to sleep; even if it was spending time in the dream world, it was still sleep. She was staring at the moon, her moon, her once prison was now her servant once again. Dawn was coming and time marched on, and Luna's mind was thinking several things at once; Who were the demons that dared to take my Artemis, is my daughter alright, did her mother think of this all those years ago, has sister calmed down since two days ago? She took her gaze off of the moon and looked at her child, who was sleeping softly and looked happy. While Artemis was just three days old, she had already made Luna feel like mother and it brought questions to Luna's mind that any mother would have, but that moment was cut short by a knock on her bedroom door.
"Give me a moment." Luna said loud enough for the knocker to hear but quiet enough not to wake Artemis.
When Luna got to the door, it opened to reveal Celestia standing there with both a relieved and ticked off look. Luna was going to ask what the matter was when Celestia levitated a newspaper in front of her.
The title of the paper was "The Canterlot Times" and on the front page was Luna with her wing wrapped around Artemis who was snuggled up right next to her. There was a caption in the bottom right corner of paper. It read. "After the Day Court adjourned, one of our reports noticed Princess Luna was walking with a young filly that made this writer do a double take. Who is this filly and why does she look like Princess Luna? turn to page 1A to get the full story."
Luna was flabbergasted and a little mad at herself for lack of foresight. She wanted to reveal Artemis to all of Equestria on her own time. Now it was more of a political thing rather than a personal matter. This also meant that Artemis would have to either stay in the castle or change her look to go out in public, and so would Luna when she went with her, but first she had to ask:
"How bad is it?"
"Not too bad yet. Some think she is just an orphan that you found while out on your nightly patrols others think you have a coltfriend in the castle." Celestia said with a frown on her face and looked at the sleeping form of her niece. "I still think she should be locked away because I'm still not keen on her out and about as is, but she is your responsibility so it is your call."
Luna was having another moment of motherhood that made her think of her daughter and what might happen to her. It was a no question situation.
"Sister, I'm going to need some bits."
-------
Takua was sleeping soundly happy to just be in his own bed. Every thing in Ta-Koro was quiet and calm, but as the old saying goes 'everything isn't always what it seems'.
Turaga Vakama awoke early that morning. The sun had yet to even given a hint of rising. Now was the time that would be ideal for the meeting with his fellow turaga. Looking out of his window, he made sure that none of the Ta-ponies were about. Other than a few guards, nopony was there. Vakama sighed and focused on his magic. Much like his fire, it had grown weak over the years but he was still strong enough to do a few teleporting spells. A red glow covered him and in a flash of light he was in a Ga-Koro hut. In front of him was Nokama. She too checked for any movement from her village. With a nod from her, Vakama bathed the hut in the red glow of his magic. Once the light subsided they were in a temple-like area in the middle of a forest. The place was Kini-Nui the meeting place of the Turaga and a place filled with secrets. The earth pony and unicorn walked to the center of the circular temple with six pillars aligned with the turaga's villages. As the two climbed the stairs, they saw Whenua, Onewa, and Nuju approaching as well. When the five ponies made it to the center of the temple, they scanned the sky for the last pony for the meeting to start. Sure enough, the former test pilot came flying in with ease from all of the other times he had done it. The lime green pegasus stallion with a dark forest green mane came hovering in with an air of arrogance around him.
"Good night-day Fire-sprite, Ice-bat, Stone carver, Earth-digger, and Water-lady." The stallion said with a big grin on his face.
"Matau, charming as always." Nokama said with a sigh.
"Thank you sister. Now," Matau said, changing to a serious tone. "Has anypony else heard 'them' besides Vakama and me?"
The other four nodded with grim looks on their faces. Each of one seem to dread this thought, but seemed to be in an argument.
"They know something is coming, and we all know who it is." Vakama said, drawing the others’ attention. "Also, Takua had been having strange dreams a month before any of this happened. Maybe he is the key to this."
"I agree, brother, earlier today I was attacked by a rahi that I never seen before and Takua was able to beat it." Whenua said recalling yesterday's events.
"Not to mention the advanced magic that only a Toa or Turaga could pull off." Onewa add.
"Our young friend might be more than he seems." Nuju said breaking his long time use of the languages of fliers. "This also means that the hour of darkness is drawing near. The stars have changed my brothers and sister."
The other five elders gaps at this and were about to start bombarding the Ko-pony with questions when he continued.
"There are others that are coming, some follow him while some represent six elements that I have never heard of, one that made me send Matoro away and wrote them down. They were in hexagon shape with the points a part of six other constellations." Nuju then levitated the paper to the center of the circle.
The paper showed six shapes that seemed to be out of place; a balloon, a butterfly, an apple, a gem stone, a cloud with a lighting bolt, and a six pointed star. None of the Turaga knew what to say seeing this but the sun gave them little time to discuss this matter and so they departed and waited for another night.
------
Twilight woke up just as the first rays of the sun came through her window. With a yawn and a stretch, Twilight got out of bed and began to get the library ready for another day of business. She still wanted to read into the older tales, but she had been lacking in her studies and not to mention the returns and checkout, she couldn't remember when she checked them last time. Just then a flash of light blinded Twilight for a moment, when the light cleared Luna and Artemis stood in front of her.
"Not that I'm not happy to see you again Princess," Twilight said with a bow then going into an annoyed tone. "But why you are here and please tell me that it is not to watch Artemis because I'm behind on my studies and paper work for the library."
Twilight thought it was rude to say that to a princess but she was needing a break from this action and drama. Luna for her part could not blame Twilight for saying that, Twilight was the only one of the elements of harmony she went to for help and it was a good call, but she also added more pressure onto Twilight then she would normally handle.
"Twilight Sparkle I understand you are dealing with your life and I take no offense to it." Luna said. "Besides I'm here to follow up on my promise to younger siblings to the elements of honesty, generosity, and loyalty. I believe my daughter could benefit from both the educational and social school provide."
Twilight was confused on why Luna thought Scootaloo was related to Rainbow Dash, but that was besides the point. "Princess how are you planing to get Artemis into school and why here?"
"Well since most of Caterlot know about her I might have to use a disguise spell to let her have a normal time there, but in there lays another problem." Luna said thinking on how to execute this in a way that would keep Artemis happy and her safe but make so that she didn't have a target on her back.
Twilight was shocked that most of Canterlot would know about Artemis when she was only three days old.
Just then Pinkie popped out of the unlit fireplace with her grin as big as always. "Morning everypony."
Both mother and daughter wanted to ask how and why Pinkie came through the chimney instead of the front door, but Pinkie marched up to Luna with a look that was hurt and sad.
"Because of that big meanie of a stone I couldn't throw my welcome to Ponyville party, so can I throw it today? Can I, Can I, Can I, Can I, Can I, Can I..."
With Pinkie bouncing around the room saying "Can I", Twilight just sighed and pulled out a book out from one of the many shelves in the main part of the library. It was a gray book with a mask on it, the title read "Masks and Transformations: Advance spells and craft projects for Nightmare Night". Twilight showed it to the princess.
"Here is a spell that will allow you and Artemis to change how you look to others while also being your self." Twilight said turning to the page with a pony looking in a mirror and there was another pony looking back at them.
Luna was perplexed by this spell, it seemed simple yet hard to do, the wording for this also made it tricky it could only show who you were to family or to your enemies. The more she read it the more the wording came to her and the spell seemed more passable. But before she could focus on the spell she had one thing to take care of first.
"Can I, Can I, Can I, Can I, Can I, Can I, Can I..." Pinkie was still hopping around.
"Pinkamina Diana Pie you may but later today." Luna said which made Pinkie stop and hug both Luna and Artemis.
"Oh thank you," Pinkie said with the two in a death hug then her ear twitched, her tail went straight, and her left back leg shook. "uh-oh the twins are awake. To the chimney mobile!" with that she changed into a chimney swipe’s outfit and some how got a broom. As soon as she entered the chimney there was a tone in the air, think the 1960's batman theme song, and then Pinkie shot up the chimney.
Luna and Artemis were wondering what just happen. Twilight just shrugged and walked back to her room to get Spike up.
-----
Takua woke up just after the sun rose over horizon. He just had the best night's sleep in a long time, no dreams and nothing to make him sit up in his bed. The lava pool around the village was still giving the red glow that lit it at night, in a way this made those with midnight strolls easy to take. Takua got up and looked at his home, it was a one room hut on the ground floor of the village with a window facing the village center.
"It is nice to be home, even if I get restless it is still nice to have a place to hang my pack." Takua said to himself as he looked around the room. "I guess this is going to be another few days until I see this place again." With a sigh he began his trek to the cable car to Ko-Wahi and from there to the Village.
-----
Luna and Artemis were walking to the Ponyville school, while they were getting looks it was not because of them being alicorns. What everypony was seeing was a light blue unicorn mare with a teal mane and a pegasus filly with the mane and coat colors reversed walking to the school..
"Mother are you sure nopony will be able to tell that this is a spell." Artemis whispered.
"Fear not my child only friends and family will see us as the alicorns that we are." Luna replied nudging her child lovingly,
"Alright mom." Artemis said nudging her back.
Just as the two had made it to the building, the CMC came up on the scooter and wagon they are seen with. Luna and Artemis held there breath as the three fillies came up to them.
"Hi Artemis, Princess." Sweetie Belle said as Scootaloo slowed down.
"Mother the spell works." Artemis said jumping with joy.
"What do ya mean, Art?" Applebloom asked with a confused look.
"Hey there ya blank flanks!" A voice called out, much to the CMC displeasure and the confusion of Artemis.
From the right, two fillies came walking up to the group; it was Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.
The two fillies had a smug look on their faces as the two got closer to the group.
“You still don't have your cutie marks, what a shocker.” Diamond Tiara said with mock concern.
The CMC just rolled their eyes to the bully and turned to their friend. Who was confused by what the other filly said.
“What's her deal with you guys?” Artemis said in a whisper to her three friends.
“She just picks on us because we don't have our cutie marks while she does. Also we got her removed from head of the school paper to printer.” Scootaloo replied looking over at Diamond Tiara with a hateful glance.
“It doesn't matter why she treats us the way she does as all we're together we can weather any storm.” Applebloom said shooting Scootaloo a cautionary look.
“Ya three of us might be trying for our cutie marks, but we also have other friends that we hang out with at times. We just spend a lot of time with each other.” Sweetie Belle added.
Luna was surprise to see this maturity in fillies their age, but it did add pride to know they would have her daughter's back in a pinch.
“Thank you girls, but now we must see the teacher before school begins.” Luna said motioning for Artemis to follow.
----
Takua was hoof deep in snow and only half way to the village. He thanked Mata Nui that the Ta-ponies that were stationed here had insulated coats and boots in stock. To make matters worst it was snowing heavily sideways and was almost blinding. If it weren't for the flags he would be lost.
“Why must it be snowing when I come here?” Takua thought to himself.
It was another hour until he came to the gate of the Ko-koro. He was so relieved to have made it, then two ponies appeared from under two piles of snow. Both were white coated and gray maned with only the mask on their flanks to tell them apart, one had a noble huna while the other had great kakama.
“Halt.” one of them said as they crossed the ice pick-axes. “State your name and business.”
“Takua from Ta-Koro, I'm here to see Turaga Nuju.” Takua said trying to warm himself.
The picks uncrossed.
“You may pass.” the other one said as they returned to their static state.
Takua wanted to thank the Ko-pony but the cold made him shut his mouth and ran to the large building in the center of the village, also known as the sanctum. He went straight for the tall graying white stallion with a white colt with a dark icy blue mane and dark icy blue akaku on his flank. Nuju turned to the Ko-pony with a nod and the two faced the Ta-pony.
“Greetings Takua.” The colt said with a bow. “I see you picked the worst time of the season to come to the mountain, just like last year.”
“I'm starting to regret not going to Le-Koro, at least it is warm there, Matoro.” Takua said shivering a little.
The two younger ponies laughed at the joke. Matoro stopped when Nuju began to do clicks and whistles. Takua still could not understand the turaga's way of talking, even after spending a month in Ko-koro. Matoro nodded every so often, then he looked at Takua.
“Nuju said that the Toa stone that you seek is in the drifts and that I am to accompany you to it.” Matoro said getting a nod from the turaga.
With that Matoro walked off with Takua following him.
----
“Miss Diana I just need you to sign this so Artemis can begin as soon as possible.” Cheerilee said to “Diana”.
Luna felt bad that she was lying to the teacher about who she was but by now somepony probably though she had foalknapped Artemis and turned her in to another Luna or Nightmare Moon. Someponies still thought she was a monster and with Artemis being a reformed Nightmare Moon/ her daughter she was a target, but Artemis needed a chance to live her life as she wished and not as a monster. Using her magic she sign the paper.
Cheerilee smiled, took the paper and put it in her desk door.
“Thank you,” the teacher said to “Diana” then turned to Artemis. “Dear can you please wait outside the classroom when we get there?”
Artemis nodded and then turned to her mother and hugged her. Luna hugged her daughter back and wished her good luck.
----
The six large stones that had been trekking through Equestria, as well as causing property damage, had made it to the west coast. Slowly they began to move towards the water, then once in the water they began to float.
----
Mata Nui sat in his throne in his self made prison, in the dream world he was not a live nor was he dead. Only his window was the mirror that showed the waking world that showed him the six canisters floating to the island.
“The Toa are coming and that means that you are here...Brother.” Mata Nui said looking to the darkest part of the room.
The shadows grew darker and multiple crimson eyes shown in it. Mata Nui did a double take and was shocked at the eyes.
“No this is wrong how can this be!” Mata Nui said as the laughter that haunted the dreams of Mata Nui even if this is waking dreams.
My Little Bionicle: Destiny is Magic By Toa Coy (To be)Edited By Blazikenking
Alright I have to retype this again so I have a little note for my editor, BlazikenKing, thank you for your help in making this story better and legible. Now for those who are reading this on DA it is the raw form. Google docs is the place for the edited story.
So last time; we have Artemis in school, Takua was going to hike up a mountain, and a dark presents is in Mata Nui's chamber yeah that covers that. Enjoy.
~Toa Coy~
Chapter 9: Shadow vs the Night
Mata Nui prepared to defend himself from the crimson eyes, but the eyes slowly faded. The ex-ruler still had the rich golden aura around his horn, his eyes darted from left to right. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that his mirror was glowing. Still unsure on what the eyes were or why his mirror was glowing, he slowly began to approach the mirror. As he came to the mirror he saw a sight that made him feel something that has evaded him for a thousand years: dread.
In the mirror was the last remaining members of the Order of the Makuta; all thirteen of them and they were standing in front of their master and his brother. The Makuta was encased in what the Nuians called Protodermis. The crystalline shell covered the master of shadow that served as his prison for a thousand years. In a circle around him was six stones; Maroon, Oxford blue, Cal Poly, Gunmetal, Charcoal, and Bistre.
“Then as soon as they call the Toa they will unleash our master and then the world is going to bow to the shadow.” Antroz said finishing the tale end of the plan.
Most of the other members nodded in agreement, except Icarax who just rolled his eyes.
“Good luck with that.” Icarax said as he spread his wings and started to lift off.
“Where are you going Icarax?” a black and silver unicorn stallion said.
“To do something productive, Chirox.” the pegasus replied flatly.
None of the others spoke up until Icarax was no longer in sight. Then Gorast spoke.
“Do we go after him or do we just let him go?”
Antroz wore an indifferent look on his face and turned away from where Icarax flew off.
“I don't care, as long as he doesn’t screw up the plan.” He said as he turned back to the master of shadows. His horn glowed a dark crimson and from a black bag the ooze that they had extracted from Artemis came floating out in a dark crimson cloud. Slowly the ooze began to split into six parts and seep into the stones.
For a moment Makuta's eyes glowed crimson then they faded again. That was all any of the viewers needed to convince them of the Makuta's return. While the Followers rejoiced, Mata Nui was stuck in a Nui-Jaga nest and no way out of it.
Mata Nui's mirror faded to it's reflective self, in it he saw himself in it. Gone was the once the regal rule and in front of him was a being chained to his self made prison and powerless to stop the darkness that was approaching fast. Unlike before when it was just him and his brother, there were others that could defeat or to delay the shadow from getting stronger.
----
Artemis was taking notes on the history lesson focusing on recent history. Cheerilee went into how since the summer sun celebration two years ago, Ponyville has been the sight of numural events that have drawn several ponies to see sights where Discord was beaten, were Nightmare Moon first appeared after a thousand years, and the homes of the bearers of the element of harmony. Artemis cringed at the mention of her past self, but she still listened to more of the lesson. At this point Cheerilee changed to math much to the groan of the class. While Cheerilee wrote the problem on the chalkboard several students began to talk to their neighbor. Artemis was quiet, as she was at least one pony away from Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Applebloom, until somepony threw a paper ball at her hitting her on the back of the head. She was on confused on why a paper ball, if somepony wanted her then why didn't they just say her name? Then another one hit her, still confused she looked behind her and saw that is was that filly that was calling her friends blank flanks, a term that eluded her knowledge, smiling. Confused but unconcern Artemis turned her attention back to the chalkboard.
“Alright class today we are going to be working on a new method to solve a math problem called system of equations.” Cheerilee said calling everypony's attention to her and the board. On the board was was to equations, 4y+2x=32 and 2y-x=0. “This is known as a two variable system, since we have two unknown variables known as X and Y.”
“'cuse me Miss Cheerilee, but why do we need to know this?” Applebloom asked.
“Very good question Applebloom.” Cheerilee answered with a smile. “We can use this to find the slope of two different lines and find the point at which they meet.”
Turning to the board and writing under 2y-x=0, 2y=x.
“Now can anypony tell me how we went from 2y-x=0 to 2y=x.”
Sweetie Belle took a guess, “By adding the X.”
“Correct Sweetie Belle, the positive X cancels out the neagitive X and since in math what you do on one side you do the same for the other side. So the zero becomes an X, now you know X.”
“Excuse me Miss Cheerilee,” Artemis said raising her front left leg. “but we still don't know Y.”
“Good point Artemis,” Cheerilee said turning back to the board. “Since we know that x=2y we can replace the X in 4y+2x=32 to get 4y+2(2y)=32.”
When Cheerilee looked at her class to see a bunch of blank faces staring back at her, which made her sigh on the inside.
“Any questions so far?” Cheerilee asked as the class raised their hooves. “Goodbye the rest of the week.” Cheerilee thought to herself.
----
It had been a good four hours since Takua and Matoro left Ko-Koro. On their backs were backpacks stuffed with supplies for the trip. Light stones, heat stones, food, bedding, and flags were the items that each pony had on them. The Ta and Ko-pony had a rope tied between the two of them to keep them from getting lost in the ever persistent storm. Even with both of their magic it was near white out condition and if not for the flags being their trail back to Ko-Koro they would be lost.
Takua was beginning to feel the cold air and snow against his coat which added to his already discomfort of being in a very cold place instead of his extremely hot home. Using what navigational knowledge he had told him that the sun was about to fall for the day.
“MATORO!” Takua yelled over the howling winds of the storm. “I THINK WE NEED TO SET CAMP FOR THE NIGHT!”
Takua didn't hear a response but they started to head to a wall of the valley. He could see Matoro tapping on the wall for some thing when the sound of a large pile of snow falling made he shield him and Matoro from a possible avalanche. The red dome of energy added some much needed light for both of them to see a cave that they could stay in for the night. Once in the cave, Matoro used his magic to seal the entrance of the cave. Takua lit his horn to give the cave some light, from the red glow of his magic aura he could tell that this cave was not natural due to the smooth sides of the wall and the lack of stalagmites in the cave ceiling. Matoro dug into his pack and pulled out a metal bowel and his heat stone. Moving to the center of the cave he put the bowel down and opened the heat stone. As soon as he did the temperature near it changed from freezing cold to cool spring day. While still cold, Takua was happy to have some thing besides his heavy coat to keep him warm. For the next hour Takua and Matoro took innovatory of what supplies they had and rating of the food for the next few days. During this Takua noticed that Matoro seemed to have his head in another place. Takua noticed this and waited until they both sat down to eat to bring it up.
“Matoro you seem to be off on your own little island. Is something wrong?” Takua asked after munching on a loaf of banana and apple bread.
“No Takua it is just an event that made me question some of the prediction and prophecies.” Matoro said with a defeated sigh.
“Like what?” Takua said with a quizzical look.
“During the past week Turaga Nuju has been sending me away when he writes down new star formations which he had forbid me from looking at.” Matoro said with a glum look.
“But this hasn't stopped you from looking looking for them, hmm.” Takua said with a sly look.
“Takua you know that Turaga Nuju is only trying to keep it safe in the dark times ahead.” Matoro said looking at the ground. “Besides even if I want to know what it is, which I don't, I'm forbidden from looking at them or for them.”
Takua didn't buy the hay Matoro was saying and he had a guess. “Kopeke.”
With a shamed look Matoro nodding and turned his back to the other unicorn. In his mind he had betrayed his leader and mentor, while Matoro never said anything about it he felt like Nuju was preparing him for some thing a much larger role beyond their island. If these new constellations are related to this then what happens next.
Takua started to feel that he must have said some thing that was out of place.
“Matoro, I'm sorry if I said something out of turn.” Takua said walking over to him.
Matoro said nothing but got up and went to lay his bedding out for the night. Takua decide to let it be and went to getting his own bedding down.
----
Once school had ended the CMC took Artemis on a tour of their town. Aside from this being a friendly gesture it also gave the trio a change to get their cutie marks. Artemis understood why they were so obsessed with getting their cutie marks, but screaming “CUTIE MARK CURSADERS TOUR GIDES” made her want to rethink of agreeing to it. By the time that thought crossed her mind she was already in the CMC's wagon with Scootaloo pulling them along. During the next three hours Artemis was taken to each of the three other fillies' homes. While Sweetie and Applebloom were with their families Scootaloo was living with Rainbow Dash.
This made Artemis wonder wonder what connection Scootaloo had to Rainbow Dash and she voiced her question.
“Scootaloo,” Artemis asked as they had just pulled up to the CMC's clubhouse. “Not to be rude but why are you living with Rainbow Dash? Did something happen to your parents?”
Scootaloo was silence and the other CMC members felt awkward because they didn't talk about it too much. All four didn't say a thing until they were in the clubhouse. Scootaloo was the first to speak.
With a sigh she began, “About three years ago I was out playing in a field near my old home, I was a pegasus born to a family of earth ponies. So I was the odd pony out, which is one of the reasons I haven't been able to fly yet because neither of my parents knew how to fly. It was getting late and I was heading home when I hear the cracking of a fire. At fist I thought it was just my imagination then I came to my house and was shocked to see it was fire. I didn't hear my mom or dad and I felt helpless to do anything. To this day nopony knows who started it, I blame myself for not being able to help them.”
Artemis could see that Scootaloo wanted to cry but she just wear a look that Artemis has only seen one other time, but she could not help but feel sorry that somepony had to deal with that.
“On that day I met Sweetie Belle and we became friends.” Scootaloo said with a grateful glance at Sweetie. “Until we met Applebloom I was living in Sweetie's attic. Once this club house was built I have moved in here until one night Rainbow Dash saw where I lived. It was a stormy night that changed my life for the better.”
It answered Artemis's question, so she did just wanting to have some fun.
Just then a dark storm cloud appeared over the club house, which none of them noticed it, then a crimson thunder bolt struck the ground just outside of the window. In the scorch mark stood Icarax, who at this point said buck the sneaking around and has gone straight for the target, he saw Artemis and went for it.
----
Pinkie was just about to put the finishing touches on the party that she planned for Artemis, then her pinkie sense went off. With a sigh she jumped over a line and then grabbed a string. When she pulled it the scene in front of her rolled up into a tube and Surgarcubecorner went from being decorated to back to it's normal appearance.
“That's two time Toa, next one is going to happen.” Pinkie said to no one.
With that she put the tube in her room and ran to Twilight's house.
----
Luna was preparing for the party that the element of laughter had planned to welcome her daughter into the community as one of their own. This made Luna happy, but that was short lived when said element came through Twilight's door.
With a bow Pinkie started to speak, “Warning, warning, danger detected near Artemis at the CMC treehouse!” During this Pinkie was in a robot outfit.
Luna would have normally questioned this but the instinct her and she flew out of the library with a gale of wind that it slammed the front door which caused all of the books to fall to the ground. In that moment it began a series of events that would change two nations fate.
----
Icarax wore a manic smile as Artemis struggled from the shadow bonds. To her left the CMC were tied to a tree and gagged.
“I must say that was a pitiful attempt to hind from me.” Icarax said as he lowered his head to Artemis and licked her cheek. “The stink of the master is hard to hide and your own sins still goes deep into your magic.” He then walked to the club house and still wore the grin that would make Discord do a double take.
Artemis was still fighting the bonds that held her. She could see her friends holding scared looks that sparked a memory from her past self. Her killing and burning a village and not giving them a passing glance all this was for her and her father to rule, then she remembered one moment that her mother took over and they moved to another place a ghost town were her aunt stood and the battle began. This memory froze her in place. She was once a monster like Icarax and was a slave to her father...no master to call him father would have pride in it which he never deserved. Artemis didn't noticed it but her shadow bonds seemed to bend to her will.
“Well since you all are indispose at the moment I'll have my pleasure before I enjoy your pain.” Icarax as he used his shadows to become flames and moved it towards the club house. “I forgot how much I love setting things on fire the last time was with those two about three years ago nothing like the screams of victims to warm my heart.”
Scootaloo's eyes flared with anger, this was the one that caused her to loss her family and all she could do is screamed that was muffled by the shadow gag. She began to try and tear her bonds and attack Icarax.
Just as the flame was about to hit the club house a heavy wind came in and knocked Icarax to the ground, with him no longer concentration on the flame it died. Icarax wore an angry look as his eyes laid on Luna, whose eyes were pure white and angry.
“DEMON YOU DARE TO COME NEAR OUR DAUGHTER AGAING!” Luna said in her royal canterlot voice.
“Please you are not even a match for me.” Icarax said nonchalantly.
Luna didn't reply she just shot lighting from the dark clouds above at Icarax. He yawned and a wall of shadow blocked the lighting. He countered it with a wipe of shadow headed with for the moon princess. Luna flew up and the shadow followed her, much to her horror. As she was trying to dodge the shadow, Artemis noticed that her bonds were loose and noticed that the inky black arches seem to bend to her will. With a test, she was able to make them move away from her. This knowledge gave her an idea, She used the shadows in her control and used them to act as a shield for her mother. Right before the shadows hit Luna the shadows controlled by Artemis blocked them. Both Luna and Icarax were surprised that another set of shadows.
“So it seems you still hold a piece of your father still in you.” Icarax said with and annoyed tone. “Let's see if I can't rip it out of you.”
“Leave her alone demon your fight is with me.” Luna said flying top speed at Icarax and rammed into him.
Icarax felt his wing snap as the two rolled, but he just smiled and his mask of scavenging and his bones began to heal while three screams sang to him. Luna nor Artemis knew what he was doing but they had to stop him. Luna landed and focus a teleporting spell on Icarax and sent him to the frozen north. With that threat done for now Artemis and Luna went to check on the CMC.
“Young ones, are you alright?” Luna asked as she cast a detection spell on the three.
“Aside from the pain in my back I'm good.” Sweetie Belle said laying on her belly.
“Mah head is a hurting from that.” Applebloom said rubbing her head.
“Did either of you hear that noise?” Scootaloo asked as she had to bite her upper lip holding her anger in. The other CMC members nodded their heads.
At that moment Twilight and her friends came running to see what was going on and what all the lighting was about. Luna was about to tell what happen when Celestia appear with a look like a mother who found her lost child.
----
Icarax was impressed, “Maybe she wasn't so weak after all.”
Sorry for the wait I have been trying to write this one different but I just let time and ideas work their way out.
~Toa Coy~
Chapter 10: Epoxidation and set up
The twelve mares were at the Apple family home where everypony was wondering who it was that attacked the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Artemis, Celestia in particular.
“Luna, what attacked these young fillies?” Celestia asked glaring at her sister.
Apple Jack was giving her sister an ice pack for her head; Rarity doing the same for her sister's back. Scootaloo was the only one who wasn't experiencing physical pain, she and Rainbow Dash were outside at that moment. With a heavy sigh Luna began to explain about what happened last night and what happened at the cursaders's club house.
Meanwhile Rainbow Dash was trying to calm Scootaloo down since she was going from wanting to cry but also go and kick Icarax's flank for what he had done to her parents and the pain that she had gone through.
“Scoots, I understand that your upset about what happened.” Dash said trying to comfort the young pegasus.
“No you don't, that monster outright said that he enjoyed the screams of my parents burning to death. It took away my family, my home...my life.” Scootaloo yelled at first but then broke down crying.
Rainbow Dash was in one of the more uncomfortable moments of her life, while Scootaloo did look up to her as a role mold Dash felt more like a parent. Granted Dash never wanted to have a child until after she had been a part of the wonder bolts for a while, but that night was one that made her change her mind and lead to Scootaloo living a dream the filly had since her darkest time. All Dash could do was hold the filly close to her while Scootaloo sob.
Inside of house, Luna was getting a glare for her sister and also wrap her wing around Artemis.
“Luna, why did you not tell me about this earlier?” Celestia said with her glare increasing on her sister and niece.
A blinding white light suddenly appeared out of nowhere, once the light dimmed everypony saw that it was a large oval on the wall. In it was the familiar golden armored stallion alicorn to Twilight, Artemis, and Luna.
“I believe that I might have been my fault.” Mata Nui said from the oval.
Aside from the three that have seen him, everypony had a shocked look on their faces be for the fact that it was another alicorn or that he was able to appear like he did, Apple Jack was a little miffed that there was now a hole in her family's house. Rainbow and Scootaloo came in just then and were slacked jawed at the sight of the alicorn.
“You sure know how to make an entrance, uncle.” Artemis said with a bow and a slight giggle.
Mata Nui was about to speak but the look on Celestia face quid him in that only three ponies knew of him, so he stayed quiet.
“Who are you and how do you know Artemis exactly?” She said giving Artemis the evil eye.
“I am known as Mata Nui; an ex-ruler now just a being that watches over his people even after he is no longer in the world.” Mata Nui said. “As for Artemis; she, her mother, and your element of magic were summoned to my room to warn them of my brother.”
“So why have you not warn us earlier?” Celestia said.
“I exist outside of time so it was hard to know what was going on given that I have no frame of reference.” Mata Nui replied.
“Wait then how are you talking to us now going off the theory that if you exist outside of time then you should know what will happen in the future to some degree.” Twilight interjected into the conversation.
“As I said it difficult to tell how much time has passed, although the multiverse is another subject.” Mata Nui replied to Twilight.
“You should know what is happening since events tend to repeat themselves.” Celestia said not breaking step of figuring out the other alicorn.
“Yes some would say so but the ones closest to ours is up in the air and this is was far different then the source universe to my people since my counterpart was giant compared to me being just a little taller then you princess.” Mata Nui replied.
“What do you mean by source universe for your people?” Celestia said with a little of bit of adherence.
“About a hundred thousand years ago, several beings came to this world from some place else, given my time they have learned that they were called The Great Beings. They were called this because of their abilities to create any thing they want no matter how difficult. They came to my homeland to improve the failure that they had back on there home world. As an early test they gave members of my family the power to control light. After seeing how certain pony types lived they divided the remaining fourteen powers, or elements as my people called them, among the earth, pegasus, and unicorn.”
“Do you mean like the Elements of Harmony?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“These elements were from nature such as lighting, air, fire, etc instead of yours which are more moral and friendship based powers.” Mata Nui replied. “Also over time the elements began to became color based on there elements as well as masks that replaced our cutie marks. These mask gave ponies powers that may have once been executive to one type of pony such as flight for an earth pony or animal control for a pegasus.”
“Those masks seem to be unique, so how many types of mask are there?” Rarity asked.
“To my knowledge there are only fifty-four common masks .” Mata Nui said trying to remember all of them. “The last time I checked there were about thousand ponies in my homeland granted that has not factored in any new members of my people.” “What do you mean by that?” Luna asked speaking for the first time since Mata Nui arrived.
“The masks allow normal ponies to live as long as an alicorn with there being a three stage system of growth. Powerless masks for 'young' ponies known as Matoran, great masks for 'adult' ponies known as Toa, and nobler masks for 'elder' ponies known as Turaga. To my knowledge there are a few other types of masks but we are getting off topic at hand. From what I heard before I appeared here there was a pegasus with holes in him.”
“That's true,” Luna said with a nod then spoke with a tone that made Mata Nui advert his eyes. “I would like to discuss why you eavesdropping on us later, can you tell us anything about these demons?”
“They are...”
“Excuse me,” Pinkie said as everypony looked at her. “but can we do the boring expropriation for the next section because so far we are half way through page three.”
Now while this would be weird even by pinkie pie standers then they saw the apple's kitchen. It was decked out in streamers, balloons and other party favors; the thing was none of them heard a party cannon go off.
“Pinkie how did you do this?” Twilight asked. “Last time you had to plan it out in two days to do something like this.”
“I got this done a few days to plan and I had to store it since the writer ran out of time so I put this up now since the action will began soon.”
----
Takua awoke to the sound of crunching of ice and snow fell. He was barely awake when the ground fell out from under him and Matoro. The tunnel that they were now in seemed too perfect to be natural, but neither of them thought of that. They were just trying to survive the fall. The ice seemed to form a slide that lead to a tube.
“Matoro what happen?” Takua said as he road his bed down the ice.
“I don't know the ice was fine last night to my knowledge this was never here.” Matoro said as the two picked up speed and flip upside down on a loop. Several banks and turns later both of them wondered why they were so freaked out when they were on a slide then they they saw the sign. 'Thank you for choosing Kopeke's ice slides carvings available at the bottom.'
“I didn't know Kopeke ran a place like this.” Takua said with a confused tone.
“He only does this during the summer since we have terrible storms in the winter.” Matoro said recalling how his friend's talk on his business.
“So is he still here or in Ko-koro?”
“Probably at his house near Ta-Wahi.” Matoro replied.
“So how much longer until we get to the stone.” Takua asked remembering that he still needed this and the Le-koro stone then back home for what to do next.
“We should be close it is guarded by a puzzle that only one of us could know.”
Walking passed an ice made stand they turned to a wall with the Matoran virtues on it. The outside parts of the symbol was two arches that were broke into two smaller arches each, the center had three circles; one larger then the other two. Unity, Duty, Destiny; These words rang in Takua's mind. The words said to be the guide to life that Mata Nui wanted everypony to live by. On the wall was writing; “Those who seek this stone, know if you fail you are bone.” Takua wondered what it meant.
“Turaga Nuju has a dark sense of humor at times.” Matoro said shaking his head at the writing.
“What do you mean?” Takua asked still confused about the writing.
“Once you enter this area if you fail anything in there then your locked in there until another goes in after you and since it resets every time somepony enters it maybe some time before you get help.”
With a gulp and a sweat drop Takua spoke, “That all?”
“Aside from the puzzles in there, no.” Matoro replied with that he lite his horn in an icy blue aura.
The door split in half and moved to the sides, beyond the door was darkness. It was a good few minutes before he set a hoof into the chamber.
----
In the frozen north Icarax was flying around thinking of how he could not only rid himself of any that dared stand in his master's plan or his own, plus he really wanted to use his mask of scavenging on that princess after making her suffer. The thought made him smile, just then he saw a shine of metal.
“I wonder why there would be metal in the middle of this Ko-wahi gone wild.” Icarax thought to himself as he flew down to it.
Once there he noticed something black and red laying next to it. When Icarax lend down to see it better a spark of shadow jumped from his nose to the black and red and it began to that shape. Icarax watched, with mild interest, as the shadows began to twist and turn into a pony's shape. In front of the order member stood a gray unicorn stallion with a black mane and a horn like the unicorns in the order with the tip being red and going down to black. Then Icarax saw his eyes, the red irse and green sclera with violet coming from them. There was something in them that made Icarax grin. For a good moment both beings said nothing just staring at the other, each sizing other up. Then the unicorn used his magic to pin the pegasus to the ground, while this didn't concern Icarax it did annoy him.
“I would like to thank you for resurrecting me, but since you are the only one who knows that I'm alive then you must die.” the unicorn said as dark magic formed around his horn.
“Ya...That's not going to happen.” Icarax said as he turned into a shadow and slipped out of the magic. He reformed behind the stallion and used his shadows to sink the unicorn into the ground. “It seems the shoe is on the other hoof.”
“How did you do this?” The stallion said surprised and struggling to free himself.
“Please,” Icarax said rolling his eyes. “any shadow user can get out of that.”
“You sure.” the unicorn said as he disappeared into the ground and a crystal grew in his place.
Icarax flew up to dodge the crystals that began to jet at him from the ground. The black jaded crystals tried to cut him, Icarax followed the unicorn's shadow movement to know where the crystals were going to be.
“Is this the best you can do.” Icarax said as he used his shadows to split a large crystal in half.
Just then dark magic formed around Icarax's wings causing him to fall down, as he fell walls of crystals grew around him. When he hit the ground the crystal formed an inclosed crystal prison. Icarax wear an angry look as the unicorn appeared in the prison from one of the walls.
“You have put up a good fight but you won't stop my plans.” the unicorn said as dark magic held around his horn.
“Do you know how cliche that sound what happen when you were defeated last time yell no as you were disintegrated?” Icarax said as his eye turned full crimson and a blast of shadow shattered the prison.
The unicorn was a gasped at how this pegasus just broke a good foot of crystal like it was a twig. Icarax eyes dimmed as he floated in the air.
“You have a great use to me and my own plan. I was sent here after fighting Princess Luna...”
The unicorn's eyes grew in anger at the mention of the royal family name and crystal grew around him cracking with dark magic.
“I take it as a yes.” Icarax said as he smiled. “So what is your name?”
“Sombra” was all the unicorn replied.
----
Takua listen as the ice blocks closed behind him, darkness was all around him all the illuminated his path was his red magic aura. He walked forward to the first wall in it was notches for blocks that laid before it. Each carved with an elemental symbol on it. All fifteen of them laid waiting to be placed in the wall.
“Okay I need to remember which element came before which.” Takua said as he looked at the blocks.
------
This was on par for a Pinkie party, given that it was done in the time span that could be consider impossible if it weren't pinkie. Mata Nui wanted to question why they were celebration when a treat loomed over them. Then Pinkie came over to him.
“Hi Matay what's with the long face.” Pinkie said with a giggle.
“How can you and the others be celebrating when dangers are close at hoof.” Mata Nui said in a somber tone.
“Some times when you know that danger is on the horizon it is best to have some laughs and fun before you have to deal with it.” Pinkie replied in a serious tone.
“I don't understand?” Mata Nui said confused.
“To give an example, in the writer's universe there is a show called M.A.S.H which is how a mobile army surgical hospital deals with the wounded that came in. At times the place was a mad house where every thing was going wrong yet they have a laugh. The main character is the best in surgery he is straight forward and can save a life. Outside of surgery he drinks and plays jokes, people call him crazy but he is having the best time he can given what and where he is.” Pinkie said still having a serious tone.
“What is this writer you keep talking about?” Mata Nui said changing the subject but took the words to heart.
“You said that you exist beyond time and space and can see a mutiverse and the source universe for both you and us. Those are the originals that inspired the writer to create this place base on both your source and our's. The readers might thing that I'm being out of character for saying this but if they think about it does the original Pinkie Pie know what I know.” Pinkie said explaining herself.
“So the writer could tell us how to defeat my brother.” Mata Nui said with a bit of hope in his voice.
“Not really the writer is going of what is going on in his head and I can interact with him but outside the story and any ideas that I see out there is blanked out like _________________. See I can't say it.” Pinkie said hopping around Mata Nui.
“So that is what you were talking about for having your party being pushed back.”
“Ya and this all being his second time writing this.” Pinkie said pulling out of a tray of cookies. “Would you like a cookie?”
“I never had a cookie before and to my knowledge none of my people have parties like this.” Mata Nui said teleporting a cookie into his prison. After chewing a bit Mata Nui's face lite up from the delight of how light and fluffy the cookie was and the flavor of it was so rich that he stayed quiet.
While the party was in full swing a shadow descended from the air. It was in equestrian night guard armor that was heavily given it's station up near the Crystal Empire. In it's mouth was a scroll that would spoil the evening for everypony.
My Little Bionicle: Destiny is Magic By Toa Coy (To be)Edited By Blazikenking
Five more parts and five chapters
~Toa Coy~
Chapter 11: *insert name here*
Takua lifted the final ice block in to the slot in the wall. The Ta-pony then collapsed to the ground for a breather.
“Whoever made this is a cruel, cruel pony.” Takua said looking at the wall.
In the center was the symbol for light, from that clock wise was fire, stone, earth, ice, water, air, plant-life, sonic, psonic, iron, magnetism, gravity, lighting, and plasma. Slowly the blocks sunk into the wall and opened a panel in the wall to the next room. Takua want to get this over with as soon as possible, he got up and moved towards the panel. Once there he saw a sign.
“The name of the fallen, the one that betrayed his brother, and the one of shadow.”
“That makes no sense, how could I know that?” Takua said rereading this.
Then he stepped into the next room he heard a cracking and made him look down. On the floor was letters of the matoran alphabet one of his front hooves was on 'j' while the other was on 't'. Takua wondered why the t was fine while the j cracked, then the j fell down a pit that he could not see the bottom. Takua slowly lifted his other hoof and walked back to the solid ground.
“Alright that is just too dangerous to set hoof on that thing again.” Takua thought to himself. “ Maybe I could use a detection spell to find the path?”
Takua called upon the red aura that formed around his horn, he slowly walked back to the t and put a hoof on it. For a second nothing happened, then several beams of red light shot up from the ground. With a sigh and a gulp he placed a hoof on the next letter, then to the next, and then the next, until he was on the other side of the letter latent path.
“The next time I see Turaga Nuju I'm going to have a word about this whole challenge thing for a stone.” Takua said to himself as he left the room.
Finally he had reached the room with the Toa stone of ice, just wanting to get out of there. Then the giant snowball appeared.
“This is by far the worst stone out of them.” Takua said running away from the snowball.
----
Luna was having good time, given she normally would be in the throne room waiting for the next pony to complain about something trivial like a brace over a line between properties. That point Luna thought nothing could cause this to go wrong. Then there was a knocked on the Apple family's door.
“Alright who thought the two phases that no pony should say or think.” Pinkie said leaving Mata Nui with a delighted grin on his face.
There was another knock on the door, Applejack went to the door and opened it.
“Howdy stranger.” AJ said tipping her hat to the bundled stallion.
“I was told that both the princesses were here.” The night guard said with a scroll in hoof.
As Luna approached the guard, he bowed to her.
“Rise good sir.” Luna said as the others began to move to the front door.
The guard rose and presented the lunar princess with the scroll that he had carried from the frozen north. Once Luna took it with her magic the guard began to explain what has happened in the past few hours.
“About three hours ago, one of the unicorn guards at the outpost detected a magical surge from in the middle of the frozen north. From her report it was dark magic and an unknown magic, when another pegasus and me check the area that she said it originated from we saw black crystals jetting up from the icy ground. Some looked like something either sliced it or blew it up. Thanks to Captain Armor report on the transpiring during his first time at the empire, we believe that the cause of was King Sombra. Although this could be incorrect.”
The room seemed to go quiet at the name of the evil unicorn king. Mata Nui noticed this and wanted to speak but a look from Artemis told him that it would be explained from the others.
“The other pegasus took a sample of one of the crystal chips back to the base.” the guard said continuing his report.
“Hmm...haven't I seen this before?” Pinkie said to herself. Then she reached into her mane and pulled out a book titled “The Comic Relief Guide to the Fourth Wall and What may come from it. By Wade Wilson a.k.a Deadpool.” and began to search the index. “Place: Attic...base...People...”
While Pinkie read the book, the guard went on to say that a freak storm was going on in the north and strange creatures that no pony not even the crystal ponies have seen. With a groan Pinkie began to restart her search in the book again. While the group ignored her but Mata Nui, who remembered what she said earlier about knowing some of the stuff that is going on, so he looked over her shoulder to see what she was reading.
“We have requested that Captain Armor come to the outpost since his rotation is due at the Crystal Empire.”
Twilight was confused by what the guard meant by rotation. “Princess Celestia what does he mean about Shining's rotation shouldn't he stay in the Crystal Empire since the wedding he is a prince and Cadence was given the Empire to watch over.”
“That is true Twilight but he offered to stay as a captain of the royal guard while he is training members of the Crystal Empire as guards with several royal and night guards monitoring in case something of this nature were to come.” Celestia said thinking of if indeed Sombra did return. “What truly concerns me is the unknown magic that was detected along with the dark magic.”
Artemis was under her mother's wing doing her best to stay out of sight, and doing a pretty good job at that, but there was something that caused her move a way from her mother. It was a twinge of magic that seemed out of place but not unfamiliar to her. She followed the feeling and magic outside of the Apple Family home and out into the orchard, past them to the everfree forest. She kept following the strength of the feeling, until she heard a voice.
“Stop right there young colt, for what you have done I shall not let you bolt. That is not a toy chest, but something that must be laid to rest.”
Artemis saw a pony that was white with black stripes or was it a black with white stripes with a crescent shaped mane and tail chasing a crimson coated unicorn colt with a black mane and tail that was somewhere between the high of Twilight and Applebloom. Above him was a chest that looked like a normal chest so why was that white and black chasing the crimson one? It was at this point that the crimson colt fell down and dropped the chest.
The black and white pony stopped at the chest and picked it up much to the crimson colt's chring.
“You are a foal, for you have a very bad goal. You know not the magic, because of this your end will not be tragic. Now leave this place, lest you want my hoof in your face.”
Artemis wanted to go to the defense of the crimson colt but then he did something that only she and Icarax could do. He used shadows to move not only him but the chest. Artemis had a feeling and turned to see him emerge from the shadow with a sly grin on his face and the chest in hoof.
“I guess the rouge is off, I hate having to do that weak and parenthetic act. Why Icarax sent me to this place is just for this thing seems to easy. Now time to do it to what I like to do.” the colt said as wholes and chunks began to appear on his body and hints of black on his face.
“It seems that even power is not enough, but are you sure that your tricks are up to snuff.” The black and white pony said still not missing a beat on her rhythm.
Meanwhile Artemis's presents did not go unnoticed. When the guard finished his report he was dismissed and went to a table to get a drink. Luna noticed Artemis move away from her while the guard was talking but didn't say anything about it.
“Artemis?” Luna called to the young alicorn but got no reply.
Luna looked in every room connected to the living room, but saw not a trace of her. Luna was a more than a bit on edge given the events of the past twenty-four hours, short of using the royal canterlot voice she was going to call to everypony's attention that Artemis was missing. Then she noticed the open door, and using logic she left through the door and followed the hoof prints leading to the Everfree forest. It was easy to follow given the forest floor was rather cluttered, she was a few feet from her daughter when she saw the crimson colt use the shadow travel. Luna noticed the strange magic that came from the colt, once he was detained she would ask him were he got that ability. Then she heard the rhythm and knew that Zecora, Twilight's zebra friend, was here as well. The crimson colt called upon shadow energy and formed a blade. That was all Luna need to put a spell on the colt to keep him from moving.
“Alright zebra, how did you stop me from moving?” The colt said with mock impression.
“Try to blame me with all your might, but it is not me who you shall fight. For the princess of the moon, shall face you soon.” Zecora said drawing attention to Luna.
“Thank Zecora,” Luna said nodding to the zebra, then she turned to the colt. “Now who are you? You seem similar to the demons that tried to take my Artemis.”
“So you're the princess that was able to transport Master Icarax, I thought you would be more pink and weak.” The colt said with a grin.
“You must have confused me with my niece, or you thought all princess were just that.” Luna said a bit mad.
“Mom,” Artemis said coming into view of Luna, the colt, and Zecora. “How come he hasn't tried to use his shadows to get away from you?”
“Because I've used a spell at freezes him in place no magic, but mine can free him.” Luna said in a rather calm voice, but the look on her face was one that said 'we're going to talk about this later.' Artemis said nothing so she stayed silent.
“Princess Luna I did not know that you had a child, sorry to bring this up in front of somepony so vial.” Zecora said walking over to the colt and gripped the chest with her mouth.
“It is fine Zecora,” Luna said raising an eyebrow thinking about the chest in the zebra's mouth. “Not many ponies know that I do have a daughter. I must ask though what is in that chest that would entice ponies into stealing it?”
“Seal inside of this chest is what once oppress Ponyville. An amulet that gives anypony the power of an alicorn, with or without a horn.” Zecora said after setting the chest on her back.
“The Alicorn amulet if I am correct in what you're phase is referring to. I am not unfamiliar with it, if I remember correctly the gem was once a storage gem that once belonged to King Sombra before he and the Crystal Empire disappeared. As Nightmare Moon I had the gem set in a necklace shaped like an alicorn as a vain attempted at pride and how much better I was.”
“um hum...” Zecora said with a nod.
Just then manic laughter was heard from the colt. All three mares were confused by why this colt was laughing, then they saw him flicker. This confused them, even Luna, on what is going on with the unicorn.
“I can't believe you all are just talking instead of see if the amulet is still in the chest or if that is even the real chest.” He said holding off the laughter as the chest disappeared. “The shadows are no longer under your control princess of the night, then again when were they ever were.”
With that the colt dissolved into the shadow leaving the mares blank face.
“That was strange even for a pony that derange.” Zecora said getting a nod from both Luna and Artemis.
----
Sombra was laughing his flank off from the shadow window showing the deadpan looks of Luna and Artemis.
“I must say that shadow pony was amazing, the way he acted so calm and while they were talking him just laughing out of nowhere.”
Icarax just rolled his eyes at this, and remained somewhat stone faced but he did find Vultraz's use of the shadow clone power amusing.
“With his success in getting that amulet it should cause Artemis to come here.” Icarax said causing Sombra to stop laughing.
“Why do we want her anyways, she is the daughter of Luna and that is all good for ransom but other then that why do we want her?” Sombra said confused.
“She is Nightmare Moon the one pony that brought not only the sun princess but Equestria to it's knees. If not for that power that the sun princess used to banish her to the moon, Me and my fellow order members would have been in charge of this country by now.” Icarax said explaining his reason.
“Nightmare Moon, sounds like somepony I could get to know.” Sombra said with a wink.
“Get in line Sombra, besides I like to torment my prisoner before the fun begins especially the females.” Icarax said with a creepy grin.
“Should we be worried that we will have an army or two are coming to attack us.” Sombra said bring up a good point.
“So what I have creatures that this land has never seen before.” Icarax said summoning a shadow portal.
From the portal a giant pincer with what looked like a the carapace of a spider above it and cover the forearm, it began to move as if searching for something. Sombra was confused as to what it is but wanted to see what it could do so he summoned a four foot thick crystal about nine foot high. Once a tip of the pincher touch it, the pincher struck quickly and snapped it like a twig. Sombra was flabbergasted at what he just saw. With that Icarax's eyes glowed crimson and the pincher was pushed back into the portal, which closed after the pincher.
“That is just one of the few that I can summon, granted without another order member I must wait to summon and control more.” Icarax said with a slight pant.
---
Takua found Matoro just drawing in the snow. Takua look rather tired, which was understandable given that he could have died, he was cold, wet, and just wanted to go home. Matoro felt pity for the traveling pony. Takua may have a place to hang his hat but his sprite called to him to adventure, which Matoro envied and pitied . With that the ice pony lent a hoof to the weary traveler.
----
Antroz had just been told that somepony opened a portal to the field of shadows and the only unaccounted member was Icarax so that was who he would chew out. Summoning a shadow mirror to talk to the rogue order member. When Icarax came into sight, Antroz had a slight smile to see that he was panting from opening a portal to the field of shadow.
“Well Icarax you seem to have overestimated your abilities again.” Antroz said flatly.
“Shut it ya overgrown Kraata.” Icarax said in a sharp tone.
While Antroz would love to continue this contest of who is better at what he just went to the heart of the matter.
“Icarax what are you even doing?” Antroz said in a very annoyed tone.
“Doing what the order failed to do, get that brat of our master's.” Icarax said arrogantly. “With Vultraz getting a charm that will not only corrupt her and shall make her more powerful.”
“How do you know she would obey you when and If you get her to be under your control.” Antroz bringing up a good point.
“Trust me when have one of my plans gone wrong?” Icarax realized t too late what he said.
“Do ya want the list of when it was with us or by yourself?” Antroz said pulling out a pair of glasses and a scroll.
----
By the time Zecora lead both Luna and Artemis to the Apple's Farm it seemed like dawn was coming. Luna knew her duty and bid both her daughter and the zebra a good bye. At the same time the two saw a white with pastel blur off in the distance. Zecora turned to bid the young alicorn farewell, but then she saw a look in Artemis's eye that made Zecora think of something.
“Artemis is something a missed. Was it that shadow that has brought your spirits low?” Zecora said putting a hoof on the alicorn's shoulder.
“Miss Zecora, what if...what if you were born only to herald an age of darkness to the world, could you ever be able to walk in the light?” Artemis replied watching the moon slowly sink into the horizon.
“The brightest light may cast the darkest shadows, but do not let that be what is your point of view. Let it be that even in your darkest hour there is a spark that will see you threw.” Zecora said as the mane six came over to the two.
Looking for a co-author for when I start writing the quest for the Masks storyline any takers?
~Toa Coy~
n/a: check out the side story Technia and Blue to see their backstory Technia is owned by Blazikenking, Goldarx is owned by Bioaj1998
Chapter 12: The attack of the robots
Twilight was reading up on some more old tales to see if anypony mentioned seeing ponies with strange cutie marks like the one that Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo saw from the pony that attacked them. As far as she could tell none appeared in any old stories about them existed, but then again Equestria was much smaller so she started looking for settlements that other ponies found. While looking for such places she found a book that said five hundred years ago there was a group of ponies that found a metal structure in the San Palomino desert that nopony could do without either magic or machines that had yet to be made at that point. It was rather clean given both location and time that they believed it to be abandoned. Up until about two hundred years ago there was active examination of the building and reverse engineering broken machines that was still in the structure. From the deserted area around it some scholars believed that it was extraterrestrial life that had came here and helped the locals construct this as a place of worship.
“I should talk to the Princess about this since she was there and given what the girls said about that pony about being here more than five years ago. It is not out of the question that there could be more of these bases like this but why did they spend all this time in places that they would just leave them as if they were never there.” Twilight thought to herself after she read the book.
Just then Twilight heard a yawn, she knew that Spike was up so there had to be the only other pony that was in the library, she turn her head to see Artemis walking from the spare bedroom. Twilight could never see her mentor or Luna having bed mane but Artemis did help her transports the image onto the co-rulers. With a small giggle Twilight closed the book and walked over to to the former Nightmare levitating a brush and comb behind her.
“I think you might need these Artemis.” Twilight said bringing the brush and comb in front of her.
With a slight blush Artemis took them in her dark blue magic and headed to the bathroom. With that Twilight walked back to the book she was reading earlier then just as she was about to continued read Pinkie jumped out of said book. After all this time you would think that Twilight would be use to Pinkie popping out of things *crash* guess not.
“Hey Twilight, is today reshelving day?” Pinkie said to her unicorn friend, who was currently under the first fifty “The Magic School Carriage” books.
Shaking her head Twilight had a miffed look on her face, but this is Pinkie and to ask how she did that would just make more questions.
“Afternoon Pinkie, so what brings you here?” Twilight asked getting up and carefully moved out of pile.
“My pinkie sense told me that a Monster was going to attack the town by sunset. Who or what is up in the air but thanks to my pen pal I have a book that has helped me predict the it will either be an shapeless alien that can shape shift and infect others or it will just be a giant monster that will take one of us for some reason.” Pinkie said pulling out “The Comic Relief Guide to the Fourth Wall and What may come from it” from her mane.
Twilight looked at the book with both wonder and confusion, wonder in the strange book's title and confused by the picture on the cover. The book had red cover with black eyes and white pupils and a blank yellow speech bubble under the title.
“Pinkie, where did you get this?” Twilight said looking away from the book.
“From my pen pal, the author.” Pinkie replied.
Twilight was about to ask if it was the same author Pinkie mentioned at the party, then she saw the blank yellow space now had text in it, “Pinkie do you mean me or the other one?”
“You of course Deadpool, because I freeze time if I want to talk to him.” Pinkie seemed to reply to the book.
Twilight looked again and saw it said cool.
“Pinkie did that book just talk to you?” Twilight asked noting that this was strange, even for Pinkie.
“Silly a book can't talk but it can still read it's reply.” Pinkie said in her normal bubbly tone.
You were just sunburned, was the text in the speech bubble.
No longer giving a buck Twilight went to see if anything else was going on while Pinkie laughed at what the book said.
----
In the crystal fortress of Icarax and Sombra, several shadow ponies were in an armory preparing for a battle. Many of the ponies had the mask of accuracy as their cutie marks, those ponies were in charge of the metal work while others were moving the completed arms and armor to another room. One of them looked a bit different, while the others were usually a dark base color with black and silver patches that faded into their coats this one had a rather bright gold on his hooves, mane, tail, and cutie mark with a dull gray stripe going through his mane and tail. The kanohi calix on his flank did make his job easier since most shadow ponies have some of their mask’s power. Just then a crack was heard and the pony saw that a chunk of burning wood was heading for another pony, now a normal shadow pony would have ignored this but this calix pony used his mask power to hop over several ponies, avoiding the hammers and the disgruntled ponies, he kicked the chunked back into the furnaces. He had inadvertently knocked over the very pony that he wanted to save.
“Goldarx get to your flank back to work!” the unicorn said picking up it’s protodermis hammer and began to work on the protosteel sword that it was working on before Goldarx saved it.
With a sigh Goldarx went back to his job of moving arms and armor to the fitting room. As soon as he left the room Sombra came out of the shadows.
“Hmm...that one seemed like it had some good in him.” Sombra with amusement.
Just then Sombra notice a group of what Icarax called Rahkshi, they walked upright with long skinny legs, short arms that held staffs that looked like they were just for show, their backs were hunched and had spines run along them, and the head of the rahkshi looked like a serpent and the crimson eyes did add to it. As they passed the shadow ponies they seem to hiss and their faces split with some sort of worm wriggling, this caused the ponies to skidded back and hide from the Rahkshi. Sombra couldn’t tell if it was from how the rahkshi opened their faces or the fact that they seemed so alien even to these ponies. Sombra left the room, because he too wanted to stay away from these creatures, going back to the center chamber were Icarax was listening to the current leader of the order.
“...Then just recently you failed to capture Nightmare Moon and got transport to the frozen north. Now you are using our resources to build an army. While I do agree that it is a good idea to attack Equestria, I still think we should wait until our master is released.” Antroz said to an Icarax who had his face frozen in mid eyeroll. Seeing this Antroz just shook his head. “Fine, you can try this but the moment you fail I am going to send Gorast there.”
“Whatever you say Antroz.” Icarax said still stuck mid roll.
With a sigh Antroz disappeared from the shadow, Icarax shook his head and his eyes went back to normal.
“He is such a blowhard. So what do you want Sombra?” Icarax said turning to the unicorn.
“I wish to ask you about these rahkshi, they seem to be different from the creatures that you brought. Even your shadow ponies avoid them.” Sombra said noticing the golden rahkshi coming into the room.
The rahkshi walked to Icarax and hissed in the order member’s ear, Sombra could have sworn that Icarax made a similar sound to the rahkshi but he could be wrong. With a nod from Icarax the rahkshi left the room. From the look on Icarax’s face both made Sombra delighted and scared him a little.
“What was that about Icarax?”
“Something that is making me say some thing that I rarely say,” The pegasus said with both glee and disgust. “Thank the makuta.”
----
“Come on Blue, you know it is not polite to keep Vinyl and Octavia waiting.” A gunmetal gray unicorn mare with red streaks in her mane and tail and red Phi on her flank.
“I do not see any reason for me to go with you to a restaurant when I only require electrical power to operate normally.” Blue replied wearing a tux. Blue is what is known as a vahki a human like robot that has a large sphere head and hands. “Also why am I in this when I can move better without it?”
“One because I ordered you to, and two we haven’t been out of the house for fun since we went to the market and that was two weeks ago.” the unicorn said walking from her house towards ponyville with the vahki following behind her.
“Not two days ago a giant stone come there here and before that at least a dozen other things happen that made me question how this town is even standing.” Blue replied looking at his clock.
5:54 p.m. cts
“When did you have to be there again Technia?”
“About six why.” the unicorn replied.
Blue sighed and a speech option came to his processor, Then why did we leave so late, but he kept quiet on the matter. He walked up to her and in one quick movement he picked up Technia bridal style and ran to the restaurant.
5:56 p.m. cts
Blue had made it in two minutes that would have taken ten minutes. Technia felt awkward moment pass rather slowly, Blue still held her bridal style and some ponies were starting to stare at them.
“Umm...Blue can you please set me down gently.” Technia said looking at how the other ponies looked at her and the strange robot.
“As you wish.” Blue said lowering his arms so that the unicorn could stand up properly.
With a slight blush it was just then the mare noticed the white pony with electric blue mane and sunglasses next to a light gray pony with a white choker with a pink bow-tie. Technia waved to the two and got a wave back, but before she went to her friends she turned to Blue.
“Remind me to program you with common courtesies before we do any thing like this again.” Technia said staring the robot in the optics.
“Request filed and understood.” Blue replied monotone.
“Good.” Technia said satisfied then she turned to her friends.”Vinyl, Octavia how have you two been.”
“Good Technia,” Octavia replied looking to Vinyl. “Vinyl and I were just talking about Wubsy and how she is acting liked both of us.”
“Ya like she was our kid or something. Tavi here said that she gets her rowdy side form me but she forgets that her cousin Fiddlesticks invites us to hoedowns and once Tavi downs a few hard ciders she passes out.” Vinyl said with a cheeky grin.
“Vinyl that is a lie and you know it.” Octavia said with a flushed look.
Before this to go from a lover's quarrel to a lover's boxing match Technia intervened.
“Where is Wubsy anyways? I know she doesn't eat but shouldn't she still be here.” Technia said trying to change the topic.
“She's at home asleep after she and got home from partying with Pinkie earlier today.” Octavia said giving Vinyl a displeased look.
“Well I have Blue with me, I think that he might feel left out.” Technia said once again trying to keep everypony calm.
“I don't...” Vinyl was about to say when two lite orange lights caught her eye. “Hey what's up with Blue?”
Technia wanted to know what she, then she saw the vahki's normally black optics had turned lite orange and she also heard Blue speaking too fast to make out. Then there was a thud of some kind. Somepony was having a drink of water and from the movement of the water, whatever it was it was big. Then somepony screamed, which caused everypony to look where that one pointed. Technia could not believe at what she seeing.
Meanwhile at the Library
“I'm telling you that book is talking to her.” Twilight said seeing Pinkie laughing at the book.
“Twi, I think you might be makin’ another mountain out of molehill.” Applejack said concerned about her friend.
“Besides I think you’re jealous of Pinkie’s ability to talk to books and you can’t.” Rainbow said turning a page in the latest her Daring Doo book.
“Rainbow don’t be silly.” Rarity said giving the pegasus a stern look. “Twilight does not want to talk to books, she is merely wants to understand how a cover can change what is printed on it.”
While the four were have a discussion about the fifth, Fluttershy was talking with Artemis and Spike about the Everfree Forest.
“...um...I think the forest is fine as long as we just stay on the outside of it .” Fluttershy said remember several of the scary creatures in the forest.
Just then the three heard a loud thud, but nopony else seemed to noticed the thud. Fluttershy reacted rather well, she hide behind the filly and dragon.
“W-w-what was t-t-that?” Fluttershy said trying not to look out the window.
Then there was a scream and a loud crunch, which caused most of the ponies to go outside to see what caused that sound. Everypony, but Fluttershy, was outside staring at a giant robot. Now this wasn’t a gundam or megazord type of giant robot, but something that was even with the buildings of Ponyville. It had an angular face that was crimson red on a bulky black torso with a red arm on the right side and a green one on its left side the legs were a mix of red, green, black, and gray. The ponies, Spike included, were gobsmacked by the size of the robot, or even a robot in general.
“What in the wide world of Equestria is that thing?” Applejack exclaimed. “It’s bigger than that big o’ timber wolf that tried to harm me.”
“I’ve never read anything about it in any of my books.” Twilight said thinking about all of her creature books.
Just then Rainbow noticed the thing swing something towards her friends. Instead of yelling a warning Rainbow flew quick enough to push everypony out of the way. The robot notice this and tried to eliminate Rainbow with what looked to be staff with a V cut in top part of it. The site could be like someone trying to swat a fly with a flyswatter.
Target faster then recorded signaling backup
A Monotone voice said causing everypony to look for this ‘backup’ and caused RD to change tactics. Instead of flying around the robot she landed behind the head and started bucking it. The robot tried to locate the pounding that it felt but it couldn’t rotate it’s head, then it did something that made the ponies scared. The robot turned into sand.
“What in the hay just happen to that thing?” RD said scanning for the robot/sand/whatever.
While looking for the robot, a rumbling sound was echoing throughout the town. Twilight, having read her fair share of horror stories, had everypony stand in a circle flank to flank to keep an eye out for whatever was out there.
“Careful everypony we don’t know what is out there.” Twilight said shifting her eyes for any sign of movement.
“Come on it can’t be worst than what we went through in the Changeling Kingdom, right?” Rarity said with concerned look.
Just then a gray fog began to drift towards the library. At first it just seemed to be normal fog, then the weather pony remembered something.
“There wasn’t any fog scheduled for this evening.” RD said flying up into the air to flap the fog away but that something knocked Rainbow into the fog. Immediately Rainbow began balance and kept falling down then she seemed to go limb.
“What just happen to Rainbow?” Spike asked as he hide behind Twilight. “I don’t know,” Twilight replied. “But I can try and figure it out when we’re safe.”
With that Twilight’s horn glowed magenta and a magenta dome formed around the rest of the group. Everypony was calmer but they were still on edge. The fog began to form around the dome and blocked out any sight of the outside. There was several thuds from the shield with blade like things bumping into it.
“Rarity, why did you have to say one of the two thing that you never say in times of danger.” Pinkie said with a pained look. “You’ve doomed us all.”
“Not to sound out of line but did Pinkie just act dramatic?” Spike said still hiding behind Twilight.
Everypony looked at the pink party pony with questioning looks, while she just put her ear to the ground. Suddenly a blade pierced the dome scaring everypony, Twilight reacted quickly by using her magic to push the blade back but this was not quick enough to stop the fog from getting in. Slowly each pony, and Spike, started to slump to the ground. The last to fall was Twilight and she held out long enough to see a sexaipede with six blades as legs and a large head with mandibles walking over Artimes.
Target captured returning to base.
With that Twilight’s world went dark.
----
Takua awoke with jolt wondering for a moment what happen, the last thing he remembered was falling asleep on his hooves and yet here he was in a cosy bed of leaves.
“How did I get here?” Takua asked to himself rubbing his head.
Around him was a bamboo hut with a weaved leaf roof, the walls had two windows on the west side, and a door to the north. Just then the sounds of music filled his ears, it was a song that he heard before and that brought a smile to his face. With a little hop in his step he got up and walked to the door.
----
“Mata Nui are you sure this is a good idea?” Luna asked going over the plan that the fallen rule had laid out before the sun and moon princess.
“I am.” Mata Nui replied. “The followers of my brother are planning to make their own shadow toa to fight the toa on their way to defend my people. With all thirteen members, six possible shadow toa, and much unknown to even me. Given what reports your arctic commander have sent you, Icarax has used his collective power and resources of the order to bring an army to your land. It sounds like rahi and rahkshi are his primary solders.”
“One question that I would like to know the answer to is why has he yet to attack us? He has all these soldiers and could have attacked before we knew that he even had this army, but he is still in one spot and attacking him would cause us to even be more under ponied.” Celestia said looking over the reports.
Just then Shining Armor ran through the doors of the war room with his jaw clenched and trying to stay calm, the unicorn princess saluted the three as a soldier would but his eyes had fire in them like any Ta-pony Mata Nui had ever seen.
“What is it nephew?” Luna asked seeing that even the captain could not hold his tongue for long.
“Ponyville has been attack.” Shining Armor said trying to keep his anger under control.
The room went silent as the phase took it’s toll on the princesses and the prince, Mata Nui observed how each of the three. Celestia wear a face that seemed to not be trouble by this, Shining Armor was trying to keep calm but his face betrayed that and spoke of anger and concern, and Luna was no longer in the room.
“Captain send word to Princess Cadance, We are at war.” Celestia said with an angered tone.
----
Twilight felt light headed as she began to come around. She could feel a bed under her and hear noises that was unfamiliar to her. When she opened her eyes she saw that she was in a hospital. The door to her room and a strange being came into the room.
“Greetings Miss Sparkle I trust that you have recovery went well.” It said in a monotone voice.
The voice triggered Twilight’s memory of the machines that took Artemis and looking closer to the being she saw that it reflected light and looked shiny. With a swift movement of her horn she pinned the machine to the wall.
“Where are my friends and Artemis?” Twilight said with an angry tone.
“I think I could help with that.” Technia said walking into the room.
My Little Bionicle: Destiny is Magic By Toa Coy (To Be)Edited By Blazikenking
Strange how I have a darker storyline for MLP than Bionicle, But hey this is just how I roll.
~Toa Coy~
Chapter 13: The calm before the storm
A/N: Technia is owned by Blazikenking, Goldarx is owned by Bioaj1998
Artemis awoke with a start to the sounds of rattling chains. With a jolt she felt five chains pull on her body and legs, she saw nothing but darkness, not even her mother's moon came into the room. She could hear the wind blowing outside of where ever she was. This did raise a good question, where was here? She knew that she wasn't in Ponyville, the chains were a big hint to that, and from the attack by those thing made it clear that somepony want her. Not forgetting what the night guard said she had a vague idea who it was.
"Greetings Nightmare you seem to be good health." A voice that Artemis knew from when he attacked her and her friends.
"Should I be surprise that you were the one that you sent those things or that you would have me in chains." Artemis said trying to track the crimson eyes.
"I don't know if that is your mother or father talking," Icarax said with a sly grin. "both are the darker halves of their siblings the only difference is the makuta can't be killed so long as the shadows live he shall be. Here's hoping you be a good girl and try not to break out."
Artemis was angry over what Icarax had said, but it wasn't hateful or even mean. He was baiting her with something so trivial that it shouldn't matter, but Artemis was angry over this and she didn't know why she felt angry. A flare of magic from her made one thing clear. Icarax had done something to her. She began to feel rage build inside of her, for not knowing where she was, for not knowing what Icarax had done to her, for being powerless. On that thought a crimson light came from her chest, cocking her head Artemis could see something. From the crimson glow from the crimson light she could see wings, a horn, and a horse head. A flash of memory came to her.
---
In a forge a night guard stood over boiling pot of molten metal, putting down his face shield he slowly tipped the pot to a stone channel. The liquid metal flowed down to a sand mold, hissing came from the mold as the metal cooled. Once the steam stopped a black aura appeared around the mold, the unicorn separated metal and sand. The metal was in a rough shape and was black as night. The unicorn began to trim the metal, shape it into the same necklace on Artemis.
"Is it ready captain?" Nightmare Moon said in a tone that caused the unicorn to shiver.
"Yes my queen." He replied.
With that Nightmare took the necklace into her magical grip and brought forth a crimson gem and placed it in the center of the necklace. Once the gem connected to the metal a crimson aura appeared around Nightmare's horn.
"Sombra was right to keep this gem, this amplifier shall tip the tide in this war. This is the alicorn amulet, let all who dares oppose me know none can match my magic."
----
Something that Nightmare Moon...no...that she made had come back to haunt her. As much as she wanted to deny the fact that she was once that monster, she can't outrun it. She was never meant to be real, she was meant to become the dominant persona in Luna and rule until the makuta returned. The major flaw in this was that Luna would fall under the makuta's will, but Luna was able to maintain some control over the new persona. This lead to the makuta's influence to form into Nightmare Moon as a separate persona which stayed in control for the most part.
While Artemis was having a moment of crisis Icarax was silently laughing. Icarax learned that the alicorn amulet was much like the kanohi jutlin,which was what he need to finally success. Artemis was a novice in the use of shadows so even if she tries it will corrupt her since she needs light to use shadows.
"Well it seems you've lost your tongue since you've seen how hopeless it is for you to escape." Icarax said trying to bait Artemis some more. "Magic will corrupt you and shadows are useless to you."
"You did over look one thing, my mother." Artemis said with a smirk.
"Please she can't even touch me." Icarax said.
With that Icarax dissolved into the darkness leaving the filly alone, bound in chains listing to the wind outside of her chamber. She was alone but not lonely.
Icarax wear his grin with pride. He had finally got one of, if not the, most wanted beings in the order's history. Plus he could rub this in Antroz's face, he might even be higher up in the order. Just then a gold and gray rahkshi came up to him.
"What is it." Icarax said with a miffed tone.
The Rahkshi hissed and used it's hands to form some sort of language.
"So some of the crystal ponies were able to best a level three krana rahkshi, big deal."
The rahkshi then used it's heat vision to write a message.
"They used light to kill the others and outnumbered us." Icarax read. "Interesting, very interesting. Get Sombra we have a battle plan to make."
The rahkshi nodded and left. Icarax looked back at the wall and had a little evil chuckle.
----
Takua looked around the tree top village, with the sounds of woodwinds and chimes playing in the background it felt very calm. Takua felt at ease, after going for the ice stone it felt good to rest. Just walking around the village of Le-koro would be fine but he had a mission to do. With a sigh he headed to the turaga's house. As he passed by several Le-ponies greeted him with "Happy-greet" or "Good day Fire-spitter". Many ponies couldn't understand what the Le-pony meant when they talked do to the fact they use grammar to confuse anypony who might harm them. Aside from the plant and lighting-ponies, who dealt with the Le-ponies on a daily basis, Takua was one of the only ponies that could understand them. He remembered a joke one of his fellow guard ponies said when the two went for resupply of food, the stallion said no pony short of a kanohi rau user could understand what a Le-pony said let alone what they wrote. Takua had to admit that while the joke was in poor taste, but it wasn't wrong. Trying to understand the grammar of a Le-pony you have to know the subject and verb combinations. Takua let his mind wander for a bit until he ran into some thing, knocking over him and the other thing. Rubbing his head he saw what he ran into. Well to be accurate whom he ran into, which was a lime green pegasus with a forest green short cut mane and tail with a turquoise stripe and a turquoise kanohi miru on his flank. Takua saw that he too was rubbing his head.
"Sorry Kongu I didn't see you there." Takua said still rubbing his head.
"Likewise time-writer, but I was just about to seek-find you. Turaga Matau sent me to tell you that he has some deep-thinking and dark-serious stuff, also he has told me of dark-times ahead and has me getting the saplings and shockers ready as well." The Le-pony said with his eyes shifting as if checking for danger.
"Okay Kongu, but what is with the eyes? I know that the rahi have been acting up but that can't be it, can it?" Takua said noticing Kongu's eyes.
"Many saplings have seen strange masks on rahi that have been trying to attack the farms. Matau, along with the other turaga, believes it to be related."
"Well if the Plant-ponies are up in arms then it might be bad."
"Quick-run to Matau then, I have other big-huge things to wind-fly to." Kongu said jumping up into the air and flapping his wings.
Takua hide his fear well, but his and Hahli encounter with the Muaka with the strange hau armor made him shudder remembering it. Takua trotted off to the turaga's hut.
----
Luna flew so fast that the ground and the night sky seem to be a blur, even her moon was out of focus. With all the information from the crystal out post she knew where to go, Icarax would pay for taking Artemis.
----
"I told ya this would involve magic masks and robots." Pinkie said looking over Blue like a foal with a new toy.
It has been three hours since Ponyville was attacked, a side from the holes in the ground and Artemis being captured no one was harmed. The fog was being looked into by the weather ponies, since the fog came out of nowhere. Meanwhile Technia explained what happened during the hour that the mane six and Spike where knocked out since she, like many of the other unicorns, used a barrier to keep the fog away.
"As soon as the fog left I lowered my barrier and me, Octavia, Vinyl, and Wubsy where looking for Blue. He had gone somewhere during the attack. When we found him, he was acting strange like he was a predictor or some thing. He was moving around town and picking up ponies moving them to city hall. By the time we were able to get him to normal half the town was in there. It was also by this time someponies began to stir, most of them believed that the changelings had attacked again. If not for the fact so many ponies saw the colossus Wubsy would have been thrown in jail, again. About that time the guards came and set a perimeter around the town. Most of them had either spears or horns pointed at Blue. Granted him activating his defense system didn't help." Technia said taking a moment to glare at the vahki being asked random questions by Pinkie. "About that time a white unicorn stallion with a purple accented gold armor came over to us and started asking if we knew where his sister was. We told him that we didn't know who he was talking about. It was about that time he noticed the other guards having a staring contest with Blue. Before Blue could do anything else that could cause us to be thrown in jail, Princess Celestia come in and dismissed the guards as well as talk to the stallion. When she came back she directed us to the hospital. You all know the rest."
"So my brother is here," Twilight said to the gunmetal and crimson unicorn. "Why isn't he here to check up on me?"
At that moment Blue walked towards her. While everyponyelse, but Pinkie, backed away form the six foot blue and gray robot Twilight stood her ground.
"From what my audio receptors picked up Prince Captain Shinning Armor was sent to the crystal empire to fortify the empire for the war." Blue said in his monotone voice.
"Audio what? Does anypony know what this walking contraption is sayin'?" Apple Jack said confuse on what the vahki even said.
"He is talking about his ears or at least the robot equivalent." Twilight said. "And what do you mean war?"
"There has been a secret war between The orders of Mata Nui and Makuta. It has been going on for thousands of years, it is only now known that your country has been brought into it. This land is beyond the reach of the order of Mata Nui, two thousand years ago three of the makuta's members came here to setup a base so when their master came back they could take over with an army." Blue said still with no emotion.
"How do you know all this?" Rainbow Dash said nearing her eyes at the robot. "Are you spy?"
"No," Blue said his optics mirroring Dash's eyes. "My storage system was damaged, which caused all of my previous recording and programming to be inaccessible. When the elites came they used the vahki hive mind to coordinate the abduction of the alicorn, they inadvertently activated my link and I acted on the last command. During my time linked I have learned a good deal about how both they and I came to this country. Our original purpose was to act as a suppression force, but it is unknown how I ended up in the Everfree Forest."
"Technia doesn't the tin can have a simplify switch, because I canaint understand a third of what it is saying." AJ said scratching her head.
"Truth be told the only reason I even know what he is talking about is because of the system diagram that I made to keep it clear."
----
Goldarx, along with five other shadow ponies, walked through a shadow portal to the main base. The base was a dark place, with only a torch every fifty feet and the dark stone gave it an eery feel. Goldarx's companions were a bit stone faced, due to the nature of shadow ponies, but even they had to huddle together as they pass through the hall. The cries of rahi and rahkshi filled the air as the group moves forward into a large chamber. The chamber was a good twelve yards wide and circular walls had beds in a hexagon shape. Each one looked like the same, strip down to only a blanket and a soft item.
"Well," Goldarx said looking around the room. "This beats the forge any day."
"That's just because you're the laziest one here, Darx." One of the males said.
Goldarx looked at the shadow ponies with an angry look, there was two other male shadow ponies and three shadow pony females. There was the male red and gray shadow unicorn with a mask of emulation, Elija, the white and black earth pony stallion with a kanohi arthron, Onica, a purple and gunmetal pegasus mare with a kanohi iden, Phena, a skyblue and light gray earth pony mare with a mask of possibilities, Moca, and an orange and black unicorn mare with a kanohi kiril, Kani. The all acted like nothing scared them, like all of the shadow ponies, but like Goldarx they too felt it better here then the crystal base that they came from.
"Ah there you are rahi bait." the raspy voice of Gorast make the six retract that feeling.
Gorast is known for her cruelty and not caring about what happened to those under her command as long as she gets what she wants. The horror stories from other shadow ponies that were once under her spread through the shadow ponies like a plague. For that reason alone they all huddled together.
"Really Gorast," a bronze and charcoal pegasus mare said appearing out of the shadows. "You know you catch more fuko with honey than fire."
"Shut it Mazia." Gorast said growling at the other female order member.
By now the six shadow ponies were wishing that they were back with Icarax, the fights between Gorast and Mazia were legendary. For ever solder that Gorast killed Mazia would raise it again. That fact alone made all the ponies fear Mazia more than Gorast.
Mazia ignored the growling order member and turned to the six scared shadow ponies.
"Welcome young ones you have been chosen to become more then what you now." She said with her false smile.
The shadow ponies looked at each other with weary eyes.
----
Sombra looked at the army that Icarax had assembled. Rahkshi in a rainbow of colors, creatures call rahi that looked like animals in Equestria such as predators, insects, and marine creatures, and the colossusi that captured Nightmare Moon. The all stood still waiting for the pegasus to speak. Sombra noticed the gaze of the pegasus, it was one he knew well. It was the gazes of pride and arrogant, but also slight discus.
Clearing his throat Icarax began to speak, "Creatures of the Makuta this day marks a new age for us, today we shall lay clam to a country that the master wanted for thousands of years. It is also the nigh that the daughter of the Makuta shall join us willy or not. We march on the Crystal Empire as our first victory!"
On that cheers, or what Sombra could guess as much, erupted from the army. Icarax then turned to leave.
Sombra noticed this and spoke, "So off to make a nightmare come true?"
"As I said she will be with us willy or forced to do so." Icarax said not looking at the dark unicorn. "While I'm with her you shall lead the army, think of it as gift since they were the reason that we met."
Sombra didn't say anything else on the subject.
----
The Crystal Empire was in arms as they prepared for the coming battle. Many of the crystal ponies were scared to find out if the rumors were true, that Sombra had returned and this time he had an army at his command. Prince Shinning Armor had returned from Canterlot to help with the fortification of the empire. Even with the crystal heart guarding the empire from Sombra, it was still unknown what the army was made of. Granted the unicorn guards and night guards were researching the shells of the rahkshi and the kraata that tried to storm the empire. Cadence and Shinning Armor were in the crystal castle overlooking the empire going over battle plans and strategies. During this Cadence noticed that her husband was a bit distance and had a look of anger on his face. She remembered when a guard first gave her the news that equestrian was at war, creatures came to attack the empire but as soon as they hit the outer shield of the empire several stopped moving and fell over. There were only two left and one of them fled leaving it's companion alone. She was the who stopped the creature and know how it fights. At that moment somepony that neither of the royals expected to see in the crystal empire.
"Luna?" Cadence said seeing her aunt in the room.
Luna had a tired look on her cut and bruised face. Along with the cuts on her face, several more on her body as well as a few clipped feathers.
"What happen to you?"
Luna looked at the pink alicorn with hard eyes. Cadence wanted to advert her eyes from the glare the elder alicorn gave.
"I was attempting to rescue my daughter from the dark creature that tried to take her in her sleep. Unfortunately his forces were more powerful than I thought."
Flashback
Luna spotted the fortress from the air the crystals were a die give away that it was made by Sombra. Avoiding the rahkshi patrols and the rahi roaming the grounds, Luna made it into the fortress and began to look for her filly. She passed rooms that had the sounds of war and pain coming from them. Even when Luna was Nightmare Moon she would end somepony rather than let them suffer, then again she had some mercy. Even through that thought made her shudder she moved it back to her mind. The past is the past, with that in mind she kept looking. After what felt like hours Luna came to a wall that seem out of place. She could hear the rattling of chains as well as voices.
"You know even if you do nothing the amulet will still corrupt you."
"My mother will be here long before that happens."
Luna would be beaming with pride if this was not a fortress of evil. Just then Luna heard a hissing sound down the hallway. She turned in time to see a brown and gray rahkshi running at her with it's double trident tipped staff in one hand. Going off of instinct Luna pulled chunks of crystals out of the wall and throw them at the rahkshi. Much to her surprise the rahkshi not only shatter the chucks but sent them back at her twice as fast. She was lucky to dodge most of them, but some still got her. Noting where the door was Luna flew out of the hall and into the foyer and into a pack of Mauka tigers. Stuck between a rock and a hard place Luna barreled through the tigers and headed towards the crystal empire.
After Luna finished story both Cadence and Shinning Armor wear an amazed looks.
"The one that Cadence stopped was yellow and used some type of magic that caused beams of heat to come out of it's eyes." Shinning Armor said remembering the guards telling him about how his wife kicked flank.
From that point on the royals started to discuss there battle plans.
----
Twilight, Spike, and the rest of the mane six were walking towards Technia's house.
"Twi, why are we even going to this place? As the elements of harmony we should be at the Crystal Empire helping them prepare for this." Rainbow complained. "I mean we beat Discord, Nightmare Moon, and not only saved the CMC from the changelings, that we fought and beat not once but twice."
"Rainbow, none of us are soldiers. The only reason we were able to defeat all those threats was because of the elements and we only had one individual to fight." Rarity said poking holes in the awesome picture the prismatic pegasus painted.
"Besides, Chrysalis gave us back mah sister and her friends. I think she even begged for us to take them back." Applejack added.
"Yeah we need to have powered armor or be Spartans to take on an army." Pinkie said reading her book with Deadpool's speech bubble saying "Spoilers for season three finale."
"Come on Twilight you're an alicorn now. Can't you just go up there and cast some spell sending them away from Equestria?" Rainbow pleaded with the unicorn.
"Rainbow, you know I chose to only use that power in case of a world ending emergency. Besides I'm only needed in case Cadence, my brother, or Luna can't make it." Twilight replied.
"Wouldn't this count as one of those cases?" Rainbow said, going for the answer she wanted.
"Well yes but we don't know everything." Twilight countered again.
At this point they had arrived to Technia' house. It was in the middle of a 600 meter wide circle of thick gravel. The house itself looked like it was made of steel and could withstand almost anything.
"That gear head lives here." Rainbow said looking at the house.
"Rainbow, you shouldn't call her that." Rarity said chastising the rainbow maned pegasus.
"Ya she might get a wrench and hit you in the head with it." Pinkie said with a smile and deadpool's speech bubble had a transmutation circle in it.
"Pinkie could you...if you don't mind...put your book away? It kinda scares me." Fluttershy said trying to avoid looking at it.
"Sure." Pinkie said putting "The Comic Relief Guide to the Fourth Wall and What May Come From it" back into her mane.
Just then, Technia and Blue walked out of the house with Blue carrying something.
"What's that?" Spike asked pointing at the thing in Blue's hands.
"This is the locator Rifle. Using Blue's transmitter and receiver as a base line for it, I have been able to create a locator to find those elites." Technia said explaining the thing in Blue's hands.
"Thanks for your help Technia. The Princess will be pleased to have this." Twilight said using her magic to lift it up the device.
----
Takua walked into Matau's hut looking at the vines that hung from the wall. While Takua was examining a book at the center of the hut a lite flapping was coming from the top of the tall hut.
"To wind-fly while it is deep-dark without a mask of night-seeing can leave you treebound for huge-long time." Takua read from the open page.
"One of those rules that is better read than done." Matau said dropping his treespeak as well as dropping behind Takua. "Hello chronicler."
Takua bowed to the air turaga and then asked, “Turaga why aren't you talking in treespeak?”
“When it comes to this knowledge there be no need to use treespeak. To find the stone you must go up to the tallest tree and then jump.” Matau said looking at the unicorn.
“Seriously.” Takua said with an eyebrow raise.
“I hide it well so that only a pegasus could get it, but there is a hidden walkway at the base of the tree that you can use to get up there.” The elder pegasus said with wink at the end.
“Great stairs.” Takua thought.
----
Celestia and Mata Nui were on a hill overlooking Ponyville. Both of them had a blank face, each going over plans in there heads.
"Mata Nui, are you sure your warriors need the elements of harmony?" Celestia said looking at the library.
"Yes," Mata Nui replied. "I've looked at their sealing and saw that they would suffer anemia a pound release. Your elements will be what the team will need to not only save my people but the world."
"Then I must tell them, but in the end it is still their choice." Celestia said. "They all have lives outside of the elements."
"I understand." Mata Nui said with a nod. "Should I be at this Crystal Empire?"
"You should."
----
AN: The next chapter will have the battle at the crystal empire so it may take another month
Spiral Ponies and the Battle for the Crystal Empire
(to be)Edited By Blazikenking and (to be)Revised By Cades the Sharkbear
Okay this is the final for this story but not the end of it. I've got another ten years of information to work with. Also I'm suiting up the mane six with armor since they are going on a mission to save Artemis. Enough of this it is time for the story to continue.
~Toa Coy~
Chapter 14: Spiral Ponies and the battle for the Crystal Empire
Spike and the mane six were heading back to Ponyville proper with the locator rifle. During the walk the group began the discussion, but really an argument, of why they aren't using the rifle to go to where the colossi are, again. Twilight pointed out that the only reason they were able to beat Chrysalis was because of the Queen's lack of knowledge of how both the magic surge would affect her and having her friends with her doing what was right. Dash then countered that by saying that is the same reason they need to save Artemis. Pinkie then interjected by showing them a page in her book that all agreed to talk to the princess about this.
----
Celestia was back in Ponyville's city hall going over reports form ponies that were able to avoid the fog. Mata Nui was right, the order of Makuta indeed had resources that Equestria lacked. With Sombra in their ranks it add more concern, he could build any building that he wants from crystal. Not only did they have an army that outnumbered the equestrian forces, but they now had a way to make a base at any moment. With all this information at her hooves many would say she had the advantage of knowing her enemy, but she had only dealt with a war on this scale a thousand years ago when Luna became Nightmare Moon.
While the sun princess was deep in thought there was a knock on the door to the room that she was occupying for the time being. Putting her thoughts aside and putting her regal face on she spoke.
“You may enter.”
When the door opened Celestia's regal face turned into a smile seeing the six mares and dragon enter the room. These were the heroes that have done everything they could to help save Equestria from dangers; be it the possessed version of Luna, the chaos that is Discord, or the might of Queen Chrysalis and her changelings. Each held an element of harmony, even Spike had qualities of all the elements, and with them they have bested any challenge that came their way. With a slight sigh, knowing that she had to hide information from them, the princess got up to greet her guests. As she approached them all seven of them bowed to her. Celestia in turn bowed back to them. As if as one they all rose.
“It is good to see that you all are alright and were not harmed by the creatures that took Nightmare Moon.” Celestia said smiling.
“Princess, I'm sure I speak for everypony here that we want to help save Artemis.” Twilight said with the other six nodding their heads in agreement.
“Are you sure you want to do that Princess Twilight? While I know you and your friends can handle yourselves in a fight, but you are not soldiers.”
“We know that princess but we have found a way to protect us.” Twilight said calling Pinkie. “Thanks to Pinkie's unique book, I have found a way to not only protect us but we can use them to save Artemis.”
Pinkie then pulled out “A Comic Relief’s Guide to the Fourth Wall and What May Come From It.” Celestia was skeptic of this and the cover of the book didn't help it. The cover's yellow speech bubble that had text on it, “I'm getting a video game with a M rating.” Knowing not to judge a book by it's cover she waited for Pinkie Pie to come to the page.
“Here it is,” Pinkie said lifting the book up with her hoof. “these are what are known as Spiral armor. These are worn by explorers in a universe that fight to learn more about their world and the armor gets stronger as they go on their journey of discovery. There are also more such as swords, hammers, and other weapons but none looked like they could be used by anypony that isn't a unicorn.”
Celestia was surprised by how detailed each of the sets were described in the book Not only in color and material , but also strengths and weakness. This astounded her on how well this book knew this and raised this question.
“Pinkie Pie where did you find this book?”
“Let's see,” Pinkie said putting on a graduate’s cap with a light bulb on top of it. With a few minutes of gestures and almost lighting the bulb, the bulb clicked on. “My interdimensional pen pal sent me it after he learn about me at the biyearly fourthwall breakers meeting which is why I'm gone for a few weeks out of the year. He is antihero and is rather rough but fun. Anyway since he travels the multiverse he started compiling information on the different universes, excluding parallel universes, into one book so he and others can use it to help in times of distress.”
Just then something clicked in Twilight's head.
“Wait you're telling us that you have met creatures from another universe?!?!” She yelled in surprise.
“Well ya.” Pinkie replied nonchalantly. “I don't talk about it because it could cause some ponies think that I'm crazy...well crazier.”
“Twilight we can discuss this later we still have a filly in danger.” Rainbow Dash said trying to keep it from another distraction.
“Your right Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said calming down then she turned to her teacher. “Princess please let us do this. Form a tactician point of view if a small group is able to get into the enemy base then we could at least have Artemis.”
The other six looked at Twilight with confusion. Twilight looked back at the with a tilted head.
“What when Shining Armor came home from the royal guard academy I read some of his books one of them “The Art of War” by Sun Mule.”
The others just stood there not saying a word until Spike spoke up.
“Twilight what haven't you read.” Twilight gave him a disgruntled look. “Never mind.”
“Twilight you are right this maybe the only time to do this when they think we would be on the defensive. I must warn you either Sombra or Icarax, the pony that attacked earlier, is mostly guarding her.” Celestia said drawing attention back to her.
Seven “What!?!”s came from the ponies and dragon followed by a slew of questions of “How did he come back?” “Why is he helping this Icarax?” “Where is the girl?” That last one went ignored and Celestia started to explain what had transpired over the past two days.
“...by the time Shining Armor was able to find you word came that the empire had been attacked. He left to attend to the empire and Cadence.”
Twilight understood now why he brother had to leave now, but there was still one thing left to attend to.
“Princess do you think that if I use the elements of harmony to bring six set of armor out of that book?” Twilight said bringing it back to the reason they were there.
“I don't see why not the materials should be easy to get we just need time.” Celestia replied looking at the book again.
----
Pain. Or was it burning? Was it the corruption? Or was it in her head? Artemis couldn't tell time due to the darkness of the room. The necklace was still a light even when she wasn't using her magic. Icarax must have had Sombra turn it into a parasite and slowly turn her magic. Anger was the first thing on her mind then worry and finally dread. She was a monster, no matter how many times she changed her name or her look. She was Nightmare Moon, destroy of Equestria and held of the Makuta. But she is also the daughter of Princess Luna, somepony who by all rights should have shun her the moment she came out of that mirror but instead Luna gave her kindness and even protected her from Celestia. Just then Artemis noticed the crimson eyes of Icarax appear once again.
“What now you overgrown bug?” Artemis said getting tired of only seeing the eyes of the order member.
“You were right Luna did come but a Panrahk chased her off. Now Sombra is leading an army of rahi and rahkshi to the Crystal Empire to do what you failed to do.” Icarax said in an arrogant voice.
“The Crystal Heart will keep the army at bay long enough to get my mother and the other princesses there if they aren't there already.” Artemis said still putting on a brave face.
“Like any good warrior I have tested any defense that the enemy has and have made it so I can not lose.” Icarax said without even a hint of concern.
“You still won't win, greater ponies have tried and failed.”
“Flattery of your own experience what change my mind.” Icarax's eyes then go from piercing to lust. “You know somepony with a sicker mind would have done things to you.”
“I know where you're going and if you even try I will end you.” Artemis said with her horn glowing a bright crimson.
“I plan on you doing that.”
----
“It is times like this I wish I knew how to use magic to run faster.” Takua said to himself trekking up to the giant oak tree that Turaga Matau left the air toa stone. “Why is it that everytime I get close to finishing something there is always stairs there to hinder me.”
----
“Okay we got every we need to craft the armor and shields. Now all that is left to add is the Elements of Harmony.” Twilight said looking over the six piles of martial. In the past hour the mane six, with Spike's help, were about to get all the martial that the book listed. “Once that is done my magic should have an alchemical reaction to form the armor to the ponniequins.”
“Not to downplay any thing but we need to get a move on here.” Rainbow Dash said getting annoyed of Twilight's monolog.
“Sorry,” Twilight said with a sweat drop. “Here we go.”
On go Twilight's magenta magic lite her horn and her wings appeared as the six piles of martial were encased in her magic and formed them into six spheres. Each of the purple spheres began to stretch and squish into the armor and shields. As each of them began to get more solid the elements of harmony floated to their respective spheres. With one final white light the shields and armor was formed onto the ponniequins.
Several wows and oos came out of the seven's mouths as they looked over the six newly made armor.
Rarity, being Rarity, began to look over her armor to see if a stitch was out of place. The helm had a strip of raised plating with two points coming out of the top left and right with a rectangle opening and a hole for her horn. Her armor had a metal plate with padding under it with hoof guards. The shield was on the right shoulder and it was a medium circle. While she was no arms and armor expert, she was a fashionista and she used that to her advantage.
“I must say while the armor is a little drab you have done well Twilight, but why are all the armor and shields gray save for the elements?” Rarity said noting the lack of colors on the armor.
“According to the book the armor gains most of it's color from the users, the gray acts as ascents form contrast from the bright colors of the armor.” Twilight said reading from the book.
“Like this.” Pinkie said getting into her armor.
Pinkie's armor was bright pink with a helm that had a “M” shaped open to allow her to see, on top are dull pink scales, and light pink fins on the back of the helm. Her body armor was much the same in terms of color with tan hoof covers and a tan belt. Her shield was on her left shoulder and was dull pink with a green eye in the upper left of the shield.
“I see so all we need to do is put them on.” Twilight said looking at her own armor.
With that each one of the armors gained the colors of the ponies that wore them. Applejack's was suit to her to the te. The thick brown hat was much like her normal hat, her orange poncho with an apple design down the front and back of it, and the under armor was silver with plating heavy on her hooves. Rainbow Dash's helm had a top with her mane colors with red and purple forming pig tails with the rest of the helm cyan. The silver bands on her upper legs and near the base of her wings that broke up the cyan of the armor with silver shin guards. Her shield was now on her left shoulder and was a small cyan circle with a rainbow center. Rarity's armor was now pure white with royal purple details. Fluttershy's armor and helm looked like a timberwolf but the light pink fur and yellow base made it easy for her to be told apart. The brown lines that formed rectangles that added to the armor. Twilight was the last one to put on her armor since she had to recast the spell to hide her wings. Her armor and helm were much like those of the old unicorn clover. The dark purple of the cloak and hood matched her coat well with the magenta details on them both looked. Under that was a silver under suit that could protect her better. Her shield was that of an owl and on her back.
“I must say we look rather fierce.” Rarity said looking at her armored friends.
“I do wonder though why Fluttershy and me don't have a shield.” Applejack said looking at the others shields.
“I think it is because you and Fluttershy are either treating others when injured or rushing in to clear the path.” Pinkie said reading her book some more.
“Okay guys we need to get a move on who know what could be going on.” Rainbow Dash said flying towards the door.
----
Explosions and flames licked the barriers that the unicorns put up around their squads as the rahkshi began to get through Shining Armor's barrier and the crystal heart's barrier that destroyed a good number of them but the guards were still outnumbered ten to one. Thanks to Princess Luna they knew that as long as there was several unicorns in the squad one could hold the barrier, another could heal while other either took a respite or fired magic at the backs of the rahkshi. The battle was at a stall mate with the makuta forces not gaining an inch. Then the crystals began to appeared over the battlefield, and that changed the flow of the battle. Many of the cadets and guards were crystal ponies and it took the normal equestrians to rein them in. The crystals began to form around each squad and left them imprisoned.
Sombra looked over his handy work and smile not only had he taken down the defenders but it left the Empire defenseless. The army began it's rush for the castle with rahi and rahkshi going by air and land. Sombra could feel the victory in his magical grip. Then three beams of magic knocked twenty rahi and rahkshi. Sombra looked at the two alicorn mares and unicorn stallion.
“Well look at that the moon princess, the crystal princess, and the odd duck out.” Sombra said looking at the trio.
Shining Armor was the first to attack and used a knockout spell on a stone ape that was about to strike him. He then used his magic to form a hammer and began to knock anything that wasn't equestrian. Meanwhile the princesses went for Sombra. Crystals tried to pin them down and dark magic flew at them. Pink and Blue auras shot at the dark unicorn. Using his ability to go into crystal Sombra began to shoot magic from different crystals and dodge the princesses' attacks. The Princesses were dodging and shooting the crystal, while this was going on Shining Armor began to use the hammer to break out the squads.
“Lieutenant get all of the squads to the castle and have all unicorns either heal the wounded or hold a shield around the building.” Shining Armor said to a gray unicorn in gold armor who nodded. The two parted ways just as a Panrahk fragmented the ground the two were just standing.
Shining Armor shattered the Panrahk spine destroying the Kraata inside. He then used his magic construct hammer to bash and break the rahkshi's staffs as they started to circle around him. If not for his mastery of both a personal shield spell and weapon construct he would have been poisoned, fragmented, superheated, struck by lighting, or crushed. By now the magic construct was fading in strength and the piles of metal at his hooves Shining Armor began to run towards the castle. The rahi that remained ran after him, some shot poison at him while other shot spikes at him. Even in his armor the waning shield was clear in his mind and as he entered the barrier around the castle his own shield broke. Once inside a burning from his flank caused him to fall to the ground. With several unicorns rushing towards him, Shining Armor saw a spike in his flank.
“Your Majesty are you alright.” one of the crystal ponies said bowing to him.
Even with the pain in the flank, that was the spike, Shining Armor kept a calm face.
“I'm fine soldier and when there is a battle going on I am a soldier like you not a ruler.” Shining Armor said with stern tone. “Clear private”
“Crystal, sir.” the pony said.
“Well looks like being a prince hasn't change ya must ah Armor.” A night guard said in normal attire but his colors were bright blue and a mane of yellow.
“Wild, I didn't know you were here.” Shining said looking at the bat winged pegasus.
“I came after Princess Luna sent word to her guards. Me and a squad of batwings arrived just as you had the soldiers retreat here.” Wild said looking around at the soldiers around him. “Well this is starting to remind me of your wedding. Invading army, soldiers stuck in one spot, and you're unable to move.”
“One thing different here there is angry mother fighting for her daughter.” Shining Armor said as a crystal pony and unicorn began to look at the spike.
“What did you knock up your wife and have your kid taken for ransom? That sounds like a bad comic book plot.” Wild said wanting to laugh.
“I'm talking about Princess Luna.” Shining said then he felt a tug on the spike. “Careful it might have a barred tip.”
Meanwhile Sombra noticed the lack of rahkshi on the field. He did see the scrap metal of them and laughed a little. Icarax wasn't wrong in the fact that rahkshi of that low of level, while able to fight, they would be be crushed by the enemy. They were meant as a distraction to set the stage for the co da grace. The ground shook as the two colossus appeared on the edge of the crystal empire. Even dodging the two princesses he smiled. The elites would make short work of the two and after that he would get some relief.
Luna notice the two giant out of the counter of her eye. From what her niece and nephew-in-law told her these were the same beings that took her Artemis. Luna changed her flight path and made a be line for them. Sombra saw this and was about to enjoy the show of the lunar princess being crushed by the Vahki elites when the last of the royal house of the crystal empire managed to hit him with some magic. Hissing Sombra retreated into his crystal giving Candace a hateful look.
Back to the princess, who was living up to the name “Nightmare Moon”, that was not only was fighting the monsters but winning. The kranua tried to swat her with it's staff but Luna used her magic and royal armor to slice it's arm off. Luna thought that would cry out in pain but the arm just reformed from sand. While Luna was taking this information in the kraahu split into thirds and tried to box her in. Luna knew enough to not to let the information overwhelm her. From what she could tell these creatures could not fly and that was her best chance. Using her magic she rocketed up pass the two and was well above their heads. Just as she thought they had a few tricks up their sleeves so did the moon Princess.
The soldiers watched as the two princesses took on their opponents. Cadence was tracking Sombra and shattering the crystal that he disappeared into while Luna was using her speed and magic to cause the two elites to crash into each other.
“You sure know how to pick them Bub. From what I've seen of the other royals they wouldn't raise a hoof to help an old mare.” Wild said looking at the two royals fighting and then back to Shining Armor who had a cot under him and was in the sitting position.
“Well most of them let the power go to their heads and forget that they were once humble. I mean look at Blue Blood.” Shining said getting a nodded from Wild. “Besides my sister's an alicorn and she choose to stay with her friends. So it must be something that comes with being an alicorn.”
Just then a loud crash was heard and all the crystals that Sombra made fell to the ground with him now nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
“Looks like your wife just got a POW.” Wild said with a charming grin. Shining had a different look on his face. He began to play it through his mind, the battle had little no to injure thanks to the planning and he was able to crush a lot of them. Now both the princesses were occupied and the equestrian forces were in one place. If not for the shields the creatures, that were still there banging on them, would have had a field day with the inexperienced soldiers. Then another pounding sound was heard by the forces in the dome.
The sound was coming from the other side of the empire. A few crystal ponies wanted to run into the castle but the commanding officers stopped them from moving from where they stood. It was then the group saw two new creatures heading to the castle. The first had three heads all like the rahkshi that attacked earlier. The creature stood up right and had two arms that had shields in place of hands. It had red, green, and white armor behind each head and clawed feet. The other looked like a rider with some four legged creature. The rider looked like a rahkshi and had black armor with his stead blue in front and the back was brown.
“I knew this was too easy.” Shining Armor said looking at the new threat.
----
Takua felt like he was about halfway up the tree, but he also knew how many bios he had just ascended was still ahead of him.
“I hate it when it is just fetch quests.” Takua said to himself looking up above him. “I want some more action.”
----
“I prefer a straight up fight to all this sneaking around.” Rainbow said as she and Pinkie dodged another parole of rahkshi.
About ten minutes ago the mane six came across tracks in the snow by the colossi and noticed that they were heading towards the Crystal Empire. Everypony wanted to go to help the empire but they knew it was not their fight right now. Following them in the opposite direction of the Crystal Empire they came to the fortress of evil, at least that was what Pinkie called it, and noticed the lack of guards. Which meant that most of the forces were at the empire, but they still didn’t know who was left in the base. Twilight, being the egg head that is, decided to split them into groups of two to search for Artemis. Rarity and Applejack chose to look in the upper levels of the fortress. Twilight and Fluttershy were looking for hidden rooms. Which left the rest to Rainbow and Pinkie.
The two had checked the mess hall, forge, and throne room. During that time Pinkie had pulled out a cardboard box and put it over them. Dash wanted to say something about this but it seemed to work, when adjacent halls connect being in the shadow of something it was like they weren’t there. This left Dash flabbergasted, Pinkie just said she read it in her book.
Once the parole was out of sight the two came out of the box.
“We’re lost. We have no idea how big this place is but all we know we could be going into a circle.” Rainbow Dash said in an angry hushed voice.
“Don’t worry Dashie I still have my night vision goggles which uses heat to see and our hoof steps leave heat on the ground so we can know where we have been.” Pinkie said pulling said object out of her mane and put them on. “Strange there’s only one heat sign in that room when I can see two things on my radar.”
“What are you talking about I don’t see anything there but a wall.” Dash said giving her a confused look.
Just then a lone silver rahkshi come to the wall, before the rahkshi was in sight Pinkie once again put the box over them. PP and RD waited and watched as the rahkshi knocked on the wall. After a few minutes a black ooze appeared out of nowhere and began to form into a pony. Now Dash and Pinkie had never seen Icarax in person but when he was fully formed Dash’s mind went straight to the changeling queen. Pinkie put her hoof in front of Dash and wait because this might have something to do with the Crystal Empire.
“So the plan is going well. Now all we need is for the nightmare to return. She is close to being turned, her lack of magic use has taken longer then need but soon she will be a pawn once again.” Icarax said as the rahkshi hissed and spat. The rahkshi then made several gestures and clicks which Icarax rolled his eyes at.
“Of course Antroz would call a meeting now. Go back to the battle and make sure we do not let us lose.” He said walking away with the rahkshi.
Once the cost was clear Pinkie picked up the box and it disappeared into nothing. Dash ignore the box and focused on the wall and what she and Pinkie heard and saw.
“Pinkie when you saw that guy didn’t he look like a changeling?” Dash said looking for a way into the room.
“Somewhat but now we know where Artemis is we should get the others.” Pinkie said as she put her hoof out and a click was heard.
“Pinkie what just happen?” Rainbow Dash said as a scroll appeared in front of her.
It read: Pinkie has found Artemis have your unicorn use a teleportation spell on the scroll.
“Do I even want to know?”
----
Artemis was about to give up, she heard the sound of the creatures march out to attack the Crystal Empire and from what Icarax told her, the new darker part of her mind said it was true, her mother tried to help the empire but she would die. The amulet took that anger and worked to this point that the true nightmare was beginning to become real and the filly to be nothing but a memory. Artemis still had the memory of how her mother went through the same thing, the only difference was Artemis and the dark part was the same. Then a thought came to her mind what if this dark part was her shadow powers? To her knowledge nothing shadow related have every turn out good. Was it because shadow was evil? No there are ponies who say Celestia gave them the power to cause war in her name. While she isn’t on good terms with her aunt, Artemis understood that it was out of safety and care for her people. While the amulet is on the shadow will grew and make it more really.
Then a flash of magenta magic appeared and Artemis could see six pairs of eyes none even close to the crimson that have constantly came to torment her. The gems that shore in the dark also gave her hope. The elements of harmony had found her once again.
----
“The shadow toa project is nearly complete we just need the half-toa to place the stones and we are set.” Antroz said looking at the bored Icarax. “I trust you have Nightmare set to be reveal to our master.”
“Ya and to bring up old business do you happen to know where the rest of the Vakhi are?” Icarax said referring to how he now had some of greatest mechanics every made by those with hooves.
“After it was clear that Discord had lost me and the others let them run wild your guest is as good as mine.”
Just then Vultraz came running with a bump on his head.
“Lord Icarax we have Toa in the base.” the shadow unicorn said out of breath.
“Impossible we have tabs on all the Toa and outside of our organization nopony else knows of this place.” Icarax said giving the former Ta-pony a disappointed look.
“But one of them was orange with green eyes and was an earth pony. That was all I saw before they hit me and knocked me out.” Vultraz pleaded with the order member. “That Princess might have found them and sent them here.”
The thought was not unlikely, but no pony in their right mind would come into the home of an enemy without knowledge of the place. Before Icarax could continue that thought Antroz spoke.
“As much as I love to see your failures if these are indeed Toa then we must crush them.
----
Twilight ripped the alicorn necklace off of Artemis as the others started to break the chains. The first one to break was the body chain, then her back leg chains, and finally her fore legs. Artemis felt solid ground under her in celestia knows how long. The mane six noticed this and Fluttershy rushed to her side.
“Artemis are you alright?” Twilight asked using a illumination spell to see how she was.
“Better when we are out of this tartarus forsaken place.” Artemis said then she saw the black shadow that was Icarax appear in the room.
“I don’t think that will happen.
----
Luna was rather proud of her self not only had she made sure that the Vakhi elites would no longer trouble her or anypony else. If one was to look behind her they would see twisted metal and sand meeting glass. There is an old axiom “If you steal an Ursa Minor best be able to fight the Ursa Major.” There is only one other axiom that other follow “To piss off an alicorn is to have the wrath of a god come upon you.”
During Luna’s ‘wrath’, the other two giant were weaken by the crystal heart but they were still able to cause several unicorns to faint from the magical straining with several Nightguard tearing metal off of the creatures making them easier for the crystal ponies to attack. By the end of the conflict only the buildings were damaged and nopony was seriously hurt, granted the ponies with broken bones would need time to heal. Cadence was able to contain Sombra for questioning on the order’s plan for later. Sombra was taking his imprisonment well, the fact he happened stop yelling did cause Shining Armor to cast a mute spell. While the empire was safe Luna couldn’t help but feel like she had left Artemis in the claws of the demon that now held her and this corruption that he talked about. Luna could only imagine what could be happen to her. One step away from changing directions and flying off to show Icarax what a mother’s rage could do a smooth mass of black appeared out of the corner of her eye. Thinking it was Icarax she accelerated to attack speed but stopped when she saw six colorful suits of armor and in the center was Artemis passed out.
---
After hours of climbing, and a nap or two, Takua had made it to the top of the tree and say the forest green stone. Once he put it in his bag with the others a thought crossed his mind.
“How am I going to get down, because I’m not walking down those stairs.”
----
A/N: no side characters this chapter but I still have one more to write before this arc is done
Edited By Blazikenking and (To be)Revised By Cades the Sharkbear
Alright here we are the end of the first arc which I may dub 'The Return”. It has taken a year and work on this story still hasn't stopped. I have edits and revisions of this arc coming up, please note that it will take some time as both Cades and I are on different schedules but fear not the plot won't change it will just be clearer and be better understood. Also welcome gh152 to my group of creative consultations, like Blaze and Biolaj I have some elements that they made. Also check these guys out they are good people. Links in the author comments/description depending on your site. On to the story.
~Toa Coy~
Chapter 15: The Toa Arrive
Artemis opened her eye or at least what she thought was her eyes when she lifted up her head she noticed the her coat was now black, her mane was a different style and had a gold stripe running through it.
“Hey Goldrax, Gorast wants us in the meeting hall now.” A male voice said with annoyed undertone.
“Elija let him be we know if Gorast kills him then Mazia will have a new toy to play with.” A rather deep female voice said.
Artemis didn't know what to say or do. Icarax never did talk about the other members of the group just that he was better than them and that he should be in charge and blah blah blah. After awhile she would fall asleep from his constant rants on how much better he was then the order members. As that thought went through her head she now seemed to be walking through a dimly lit hallway.
Artemis wanted to go the opposite way that she was heading but she still couldn’t control her legs. Come to think of it she hadn’t tried to speak since she woke up.
“Where am I?” Artemis said but it was like no pony heard her. Then she yelled which caused her to stop and look around. She seem frustrated and started screaming why nopony could hear her.
“Alright can anypony else hear that screaming?” a voice said and Artemis noticed her mouth move.
“There is always screaming remember rahi bait.” Elija said not looking at Goldrax.
“No I mean like a pony screaming for some pony to listen to her.” Goldrax said looking around.
“He’s finally cracked. Guess I owe Phena fifty widgets.” The female said rolling her eyes.
“Come on Kani you knew that was a sucker’s bet.” Elija said in a know it all tone.
“Watch it horn boy or you'll see why the female of the species is the deadlier one.” Kani said as shadow energy formed around her and had a serious look on her face. “And if you try to make a bad joke out of that I will end you.”
Artemis shook her head, wait how could she shake her head if she had no control over this body? Frustrated over how she somehow got here she had to think of why she was even here. She knew that her mother could walk through dream, but that didn’t fit since the pony who was acting as her eyes and ears was awake. Then another thought came to mind, what if this was one of the powers of the Makuta. If so then he could use this to spy on anypony with shadow powers or was it something only she can do.
While Artemis was lost in thought, Goldrax was in the meeting hall of the Order of Makuta. In a rough circle there was thirteen spots for the members and were higher than the center of the hall. All but one of the spots were filled with Antroz in the centered spot.
“Welcome to you six, out of all the shadow ponies in our forces you six have the qualifications to join us in rank but not power. At this very moment a foolish Ta-pony is about to place six stones known as Toa stones. With them he is calling Toa to the island to stand against our master.” Antroz said looking at the six shadow ponies with an evil gleam in his eyes. “We allow him to get each stone and while he was on his little journey we crafted our own Toa stones and placed them into the protodermis prison of our master to absorb the regional Toa energy and then transfer it to you. Once you are Toa, you shall use your Toa powers to best the ones summoned to the island and absorb their elemental energy.”
Artemis was brought out of her hissy fit by the mention of the Toa stones. From the memories from the Makuta Toa stones where the bane of his life since even if one remained there would be six more to take their place. But Antroz plan made her realize something. By having put together the factor that they need the Toa's elemental to release the makuta, now she was watching from the mind of a shadow pony. Artemis was part shadow so maybe she could keep this pony from becoming from being a cruel being and have some sense of what was right and wrong. Another memory came to her mind from the makuta, Nothing happens unless you control it or destiny decides to play ya for kicks. For now Artemis was once again nothing but an unseen force that had no control over what was going to happen.
----
“I'm glad I learned leaf riding Tamaru.” Takua said as he used his magic and hooves to ride the island air currents to the clearing that was Kini-Nui; the temple that was use for any important event. While he was no weather pony he did now the way the winds blows this time of year. As he sailed down to the temple Takua laugh a bit. Tamaru had a fear of heights but enjoys leaf riding. As he got closer to the ground he angled the leaf so that he would slow down and land softly. Just then a humming filled his ears, which was wrong since the wind was still too loud for anything but the wind. The lower tree line near the temple made Takua forget the noise and focus on the approaching trees and ground. Showing how little he knew as a flyer with one little twist gravity took over and fell onto the top of a tree branch. Then another, then another one, and another one. Each one giving under his weight but not snapping. When he reached the ground it was like he fell from the lowest branch.
“Well that was lucky.” Takua said aloud.
As he started to stand up he heard growling from behind him. Being who he is he looked be hind him. About ten seconds later Takua was running towards the temple with the sounds of wild rahi behind him. When he got to the temple the area around was clear but the rahi were still in the trees. Breathing heavily and trying to slow his heart beats Takua hear the humming again.
“Alright where is that coming from?” Takua said looking around for the source of the humming while staying in the ring of the temple.
It took a little bit but Takua started to hear six different notes. This made him stop and remember what Kaupua said, "To always be on the move is to miss the small things that may help you later on." So with a deep breath the Ta-pony moved to the center and tuned the sounds of the rahi that surrounded the temple. Sitting there and focused on the notes and searched for the source of them. He did not notice that his horn had a golden aura around it and his bag had the same aura around it. At that moment the six Toa stones, that had the same aura, came out of the and form a hexagon above the colt and the stones began to spin until they aligned to one of the six columns around the temple.
At that moment Takua hear the sound of the six notes become a sound, then a pattern, and finally a song. It was not a grand song or was it small one. The six notes just flowed in harmony with one another, some would sound as one then split. While Takua listen to the song that only he could hear the six columns began to change. Going clock was, and in the direction of the villages; the column towards Ta-Koro the top of it had a Hau coming from it, a Miru for Le-Koro, Akaku Ko-Koro, Oun-Koro Pakari, Po-Koro Kakama, and Kaukau for Ga-Koro.
Once all of the were fully formed the temple began to shake and rumble with a sound of shifting stones. Takua remained oblivious to this all he heard was the song get to the climax and then he felt weightless. At that moment a beam on white light shot into the sky like a beacon and by the time Takua noticed this was when he was sailing over the island heading to Ta-Wahi’s beach. To say that this snapped him out of the trance that the song put him in would be an understatement.
“SWEET MATA NUI!” Takua yelled as his mind began remember shield spells. “BEST MAKE THIS COUNT!”
Even with the respite that he had listening to the song he was still tired and hungry, he was now regretting not stopping for that apple, with some of his remaining strength Takua made a magical bubble around him and made it so it was flex so the magic would absorb most of the impact. With a mighty thud and a pop Takua fell into the hole that his shield left and that small drop caused him to be knocked out.
----
Artemis was amazed at what she was seeing through Goldrax’s eyes, right there in front of her was the master of shadows. Locked in a prison that he could not escape, then she noticed the hexagon shaped set of stones. Then a bright white light, which all of the order and shadow ponies backed away from, came down and struck the master of shadows. In that brief moment Artemis saw the stone go from dull and cracked to luminescent with spider lined cracks of shadow on them. Artemis, like the shadow ponies, confused on what just happened.
“It worked just as the master said, those foolish half Toa used some power to call for help but now this shall be used to bring the master back.” Antroz said as he motion for Chriox to gather the stones. “Follow.”
The shadow ponies followed him to a place that had an altar of some kind and six spots in a circle around it. The shadow ponies were ordered to stand in those spots and were told to wait. From Artemis’s point of view she could see a slot of some kind. While trying to figure out what this had to do with the toa stones until that dull silver and black pegasus started to put them in when she put two and two together.
“By placing those stones in this thing that means that this is a Toa altar.” Artemis said loud enough to get Goldrax to turn once again to look for the voice.
Just then six black beams of light hit the shadow ponies. The six ponies began to change and grow, armor and weapons began to form near them. Once the dark light stopped only five of the shadow toa were awake with Goldrax knocked out from the transformation.
“Told ya he was weak.” Elija said looking over himself.
----
“Goldrax. Goldrax. Goldrax!” Artemis said as they both were now in the dream world or what Artemis thought was the dream world.
Goldrax started to stir and his eyes opened. When he got to his feet and looked around he found the voice that he had been hearing for a while now.
“Who are you?” He asked noticing that was now taller than the filly then his hoof came to his throat noting the change in his voice. “Why is my voice deeper?”
“My name is Artemis daughter of Princess Luna guardian of dreams and controller of the moon.” Artemis said as she looked at the new Toa. “As to your voice you seem to have matured once you became a Toa.”
“Wait somepony controls the moon? Next you’re going to tell me that you’re the daughter of the Makuta.” Goldrax said giving the filly a doubtful look.
“Both of those are true, thought I denounce the makuta as a father since he would just use me and then have me reabsorbed into him.” Artemis said looking away from the shadow Toa, who had a shocked look on his face. “After me and six other ponies escaped Icarax’s base I was knocked out from using too much shadow energy and ended up waking up in your mind and saw what was going on.”
“Wait what do you mean since I woke up?” Goldrax said getting his voice back.
“Right when those rude ponies came to wake you.”
“Alright that explains why I was the only one that could hear you but if you have shadow abilities then why didn’t the order find you.”
“They did,” Artemis said with a growl. “They tried to take me in my sleep but because my mother is the guardian of dreams she was able to beat them but not before they took most of the Makuta out of me.”
“So this will mean that I may be sent after you in the future.”
“No you’re different while I was quite I looked into your memories you were kind and respectful to others even if they were pain in the flank to you, as such you are not pure shadow. You are like me a being not of light or of shadow. We are what we choice don’t forget that.”
Just then Princess Luna appeared scanning until her eyes came onto her daughter. Once she saw her she ran over and hugged Artemis.
“Daughter I thought you were spirited away once again by those demons.” Luna said wrapping her wings and forehooves around her daughter tighter.
“No, I’ve just been making a new friend that’s all.” Artemis said hugging her mother back.
It was at that time that Luna noticed Goldrax.
“Another demon were you the one responsible for my child to be in a coma like state.” Luna said with a growl staring him in the eye.
At that moment Goldrax felt as if he was going to face the Makuta. Luna had just turned a powerful Toa into a weak matoran with one stare.
“Mom wait he didn’t do anything, I just woke up when he did and I was in his body.” Artemis said breaking the hug with her mother. “And I’ve got bad news that the others should know.”
Luna broke her stare at the Toa of shadow.
“Okay but I don’t trust him.” Luna said turning back to Artemis. “I guest it is time to go.”
“See ya Goldrax.” Artemis said walking into the portal that Luna had just opened.
----
Goldrax opened his eye to see that the other shadow ponies were around him.
“Pay up.” He heard a voice say,probably Moca, with a growl from no doubt Kani.
A cough got the Toa’s attention and looked to see Antroz.
“Good now that all of you are up we can begin.” He said looking at each of them carefully and almost getting punched by all of them. “It seems the Toa power causes armor and weapons to form. Now to give you a crash course in shadow powers.”
Antroz walked over to an open space a dark aura around his horn and a shadow started to come out of the ground. It began to move and shape into a bipedal shape. Looking at it was up to his knee, it had black skin, blue eyes, with an antenna coming from it’s head, a silver insignia on it's back, clawed hands, and large feet. The shadow Toa were confused by what they are looking at.
“This is a shade they are beings of shadow that can only be summoned by a master of shadow powers. There are a number of different types of shades this is a Shift they are the weakest and most easily summoned.” Antroz said and nodded to the Shift and it’s arm changed into a blade. “Once you have mastered this you can summon more powerful shades.” With a wave of his hoof the shift disappeared. “Now for a name for you lot, it must mean something with shadow and must also show intent. Ah I know you are now the Toa Eclipse.”
----
“Come on Blue you can’t go out there by yourself.” Technia said to the blue vahki who was heading out of Ponyville.
“I need to scan the elites’ data core to figure out where other units are, just them and me are not need for a suppression force. There must be more.” Blue said angling himself towards the Crystal Empire.
“I order you to stop.” Technia said in an angry tone.
“Order confirmed, starting over riding program.” Blue replied monotone.
“Cancel that program.” Technia said with tears in her eyes.
“Order confirmed, sounds of crying heard are you injured.” Blue said turning back to her and his voice got more gentle.
“I haven’t told anypony but when I was younger I was alone a lot, being an only child of rich unicorns can do that to ya.” Technia said rubbing her muzzle with her foreleg. “My parents were scientist who were working on a way to get robots like you to work. They were good ponies but the day I got my cutie mark they finished their first prototype and it went rampant. The only thing that stopped it from harm anypony else they used their magic to pull the core from it but it drained their magic. It was then they sent me to a school for teaching young unicorns how to use magic. That was the point that my life got lonely. Most of the other students came from noble families and looked down on me for my tinkering with mechanics. They insulted my now non-magical parents and started to break my things. I would have become bitter if not for my meeting with some ponies off school grounds.”
“It sounds like you had a rough early years, but why are you crying?” Blue asked.
“It turns out that they just wanted to be seen with me because my family was rich, the only one that was a true friend to me was Octavi but with her practices and performances I was still alone. Even when I moved here and got a warm welcome and had ponies that like me for me there was still no one to like my more different inventions. If not for Vinyl I would have given and went home.” Technia said wiping her eyes.
“So why are you crying you have friends and a good life.” Blue said still seeing tears in her eyes.
“Because before I met you I was still the odd one out! Lyra has Bon Bon, Octavia has Wubsy and Vinyl! Without you I'm a nobody. Ever since I found you I had something to do and somepony to talk to about plans and how some things could be improved.” Technia yelled.
“I would have asked you to come with me but it may be dangerous and I don't want you hurt.” Blue said trying to consult her.
“I can handle myself in a fight.” Technia said firmly.
“I know but it isn't what you can do. It is what the others might.” Blue said looking at her with a defeated look. “But I guess I can't stop you from coming with me can I?”
“Not unless you want to see me cry again.” Technia said starting to grin.
----
Artemis opened her eyes and checked to see if she was herself. Wings check, horn check, under the sheets check. With a sigh of relief Artemis was happy to be herself. It was at that point she noticed that she was in a bedroom, the bed was a twin size with a light blue sheet and blanket, there was a table to the left of bed, and a window to the right with a door in front of the bed. As she got out of the bed she got her first looks at the Crystal Empire. She must say that it was not as grand as she would have guessed but then again there was a battle here not long ago.
With a knock on the door Artemis was brought out of her thoughts. She waited for the door to open to see who it was. When the door opened it was Princess Cadence. This certainly through Artemis for a loop. She thought her mother or the elements would be the ones to greet her, to her Cadence was only a name.
“Hello Artemis, your mother had told me a lot about you.” Cadence said looking at the young filly.
“Greetings Princess Cadence.” Artemis said bowing to the pink alicorn. “It is an honor to met you.”
“Artemis you don't need to act so formal with me, after all Luna is my aunt.” the elder alicorn said walking over and hugged the filly.
“Cadence why are you hugging me?” Artemis asked confused.
“I know how it must feel to be rescued. When the changeling queen tricked me weeks before my wedding day I felt powerless and lost hope.” Cadence said with a tear in her eye then she smiled. “But like you Twilight came to my rescue. I know how it feels to deal with the grief that comes from being captive.”
With a sigh Artemis began to tell Cadence what she went through while chained up. She explain that she relived some of her past life as Nightmare Moon, saw some of what the makuta had done, and finally the many vile things that Icarax said to her.
Cadence was surprised and not for the fact that Artemis was Nightmare Moon or the makuta but how her captor was so blunt about those things and how big his ego was about himself.
“I must ask how are you not shaking after that?” Cadence asked seeing how the young alicorn seemed fine even when talking about Icarax.
“I was once Nightmare Moon that was nothing besides I knew how powerful I was.” Artemis said with a bit of bitterness.
“Which reminds me how did you get out of there?” Cadence asked hearing some of it from Twilight and her friends.
With another sigh Artemis began to recall her memories.
-----
“I don’t think that will happen.” Icarax said with a smirk.
Tentacles of shadows jetted out of the walls and floors and moves to restrain the mane six. What Icarax did not take into account was the elements of harmony. As soon as the tentacles touch them six lights shot out and blinded the order member.
“This power what is it!?!?!” Icarax yelled in pain.
“This is the power that comes from friends and teamwork.” Twilight said charging up her magic.
Before the battle could continue a sphere of shadow enveloped the mane six and Artemis and unlike before the elements did not react to it.
“What the hay is going on?” AJ said as the darkness around them shifted.
“I don't know but this must be different from what Icarax had used.” Twilight said then she notice Artemis breathing heavily.
“Mama...*breath*...need...*breath*...Mama” Artemis said then she passed out.
----
Cadence was amazed by how that little filly was able to not only transport seven ponies but control it. While Artemis was telling her story the two had left the room and were walking around the castle. Once Artemis was done Cadence informed her that she was knocked out for six hours. Given how she had lost track of time, only knowing that about two days since she had been taken. Also Cadence said that the elements of harmony lite up for some reason before Luna appeared saying that she had found Artemis.
Artemis started to think of something, What if the Toa stones not only called the Toa but the elements. It made sense given the Toa stone were meant to summon help.
----
Mata Nui had seen the creation of Toa Eclipse but also seen that Goldrax was saved from the cruelty that the nature of Shadows brought with them now was the time to play his part for the Toa could once take on the order with their own powers, but now they were on a hit list. He watched the mane six not only get into a fortress but was able to free Artemis. Truly these six pony would be worthy of the title of Toa but that is not there destiny.
Celestia said that they had to choose.
“It seems the choice has been made.” Mata Nui said as his mirror began to shift.
----
Twilight and the others were waiting for Cadence to return with Artemis. Twilight remembered the moment that Princess Luna appeared in the room she had a grin that she rarely wore. Also it was about that time that all six elements of harmony lite up for some reason. This confused everypony on why they did that. After that Luna wanted to go and hug Artemis after her ordeal but Cadence said she best be the one to talk to the filly since she was in a similar situation with the changelings. A bright light brought her out of her out of her thoughts. The familiar silver light signaled the oval shape of Mata Nui's mirror.
“Greetings Elements of Harmony and royals of Equestria.” The gold alicorn said bowing to them.
“Greetings Mata Nui,” Luna replied bowing back. “What have the demons done now?” the last part was a bit more of an annoyed tone compared to her normal tone.
“In part,” Mata Nui replied staring directly at the mane six. “When the Toa stones sent the predetermined information to the toa canisters, it also sent out a call for help. The Toa Eclispe are on the hunt for the Toa Mata. That is where you six come in.”
AJ was the first to voice what the others thought.
“What are you talkin' about?”
“In addition to the six sprite stars you six's cutie marks have formed near one specific one. Nopony has notice this but Celestia and the elders on the island. Destiny has sent you a sign, the question is will you answer it?” Mata Nui said looking at the mane six in the eyes.
Twilight called the other elements over and they had a group huddle.
“So should we go?” Twilight whispered looking at her BPFF (Best Pony Friends Forever).
“I don't know,” Rainbow said looking over the other's heads. “Can we trust him? I know he has helped us with information on this Icarax guy but it could be a ruse to have it so he can betray us later.”
“Rainbow you know ah can tell when somepony is lyin' to mah face and aint gettin' that from him.” AJ countered RD.
“He hasn't done anything but help us so I see no reason not to go.” Rarity added in.
“I agree with Rarity he has been nothing but kind to us since we met him.” Fluttershy said getting a unhappy look from dash.
“Come on I want to swing on vines and wind-fly with Lewa.” Pinkie peddled getting her stares from the others. “What?”
“So we have three for, one against, and Pinkie being Pinkie. Sorry Dash but the group has spoken.” Twilight said looking at the armored cyan pegasus.
“Fine.” Dash said as the group broke the huddle.
Twilight turn to Mata Nui. “We're in but I must know how are we going to get there?”
----
It had been a few days since Blue and Technia decided to walk to the Crystal Empire; Blue was the one who walked all the way with him carrying Technia at night. By the time they got there, most of the Empire was clear of scrap metal of the rahkshi that once threatened it. The scrap metal of the vahki elites remained untouched by anypony.
Blue looked through the broken remains for the data core and, hopefully, could extract the data from it. He picked up the remains of the head of the Kraahu. Looking over it, Blue found the storage spot and used a built in connector to access the port.
Downloading...information damaged...recreating
files restored...information added into data banks
Blue began sift through the information. Meanwhile, Technia was digging through the scrap and a part of her got to thinking of a new item. With her eyes closed, her green magic pulled some scrap together and began to shape it into a piece of armor. Then another one and another, soon she was in cased in an mixture of magic and metal. Blue noticed this and ran to her. When he was close to her, a burst of magic and metal knocked him on his rear. When he looked at Technia he noticed how the metal now encasing her was smooth as if it was custom made for her. The helmet was crimson with gun-metal gray running along the center of the helmet. It had a visor that sloped down giving her an intimidating look. The body armor was much the same as normal guard armor but starting from the back of the helmet going down to the sides of the armor and continuing towards the tail were glowing green lines.
“Tech, are you alright?” Blue asked slowly getting up.
There was an awkward moment until the armor began to retract and move towards her chest. Blue looked at the unicorn with amazement.
“How did you do that?” Blue asked as he began to scan the chest armor that remained.
“It just came into my head like a bolt from the blue. No pun intended.” Technia said, looking over her new accessory. “Seeing all this scrap must have inspired me.”
“I have finished scanning the item. It is an infusion of magic and technology, and when fully developed the glowing lines act as a path that your magic could flow through as defense against opponents.” Blue said as he took out his data cord.
“Blue, what are you doing?” Technia asked as Blue plugged the data cord into a spot in the chest piece.
“Calibrating your armor.” The Vahki replied tapping his left arm. “An ingenious builder and creator, you may be, but a programmer you ain’t.”
After a few minutes Blue pulled out the cord, “There you go. The armor is now synced with me. Should we go to the rulers of the empire to inform them of what happen to the remains of the elites?”
“That would be logical.” Technia said tapping her chin.
Just then a map came up in front of Technia with a blinking dot.
“Hey Blue what's this?” Technia asked trying to point her hoof at the map.
“That is the location of a newly reactivated vahki.” Blue replied.
“If you're going after it then I'm following you until you decide to come back to Ponyville with me.” Technia said with a smirk. “
----
Mata Nui began to explain that he could teleport them to just off of the island and he understood that each of them had other responsibilities that they had to take care of. He teleported them to Ponyville so they can find others to cover for them while they are on the island.
Pinkie was the most conflicted of the mane six. She was going to make new friends but she would leave her friends here in Ponyville. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were sad that she had to go but it was under royal orders, they don't know about Mata Nui. Pumpkin and Pound couldn't stop crying in between them saying, “Don't leave Pinkie!” “Take us with you!” With a heavy heart Pinkie put on a smile and hugged the two young ponies.
“Don't worry I'll be back before you know it.” She said relishing the two and with that she bid them goodbye.
Applejack talked it over with her family and they agreed to allow her to good. Applebloom was happy when they decided that they should have Babs come help on the farm. Applejack hugged her family one by one and then headed to Ponyville proper.
Fluttershy was with Twilight in the library. Twilight had talked it over with Princess Luna that Artemis would stay here with guards watching for any signs of the order. Fluttershy was there to ask Spike if he could check up and take care of them while she and the others were gone. In addition to this he still had to keep the library up to specs. Owlowiscious could help the dragon and alicorn if they got in too deep. When it came time to go Spike was crying a little. Twilight told him that if he missed her he could always send her a scroll to her. Wiping the tears away Spike wished them luck.
Rainbow Dash had a bit of a harder time explaining this to Scootaloo. Scootaloo was a bit angry that Rainbow was leaving but she understood that she was not able to anything. Rainbow also said that she needed Scootaloo to take care of Tank while she is gone. After that the two hugged and Dash left.
Rarity had by far the most to lose. If she did not finish her client’s items in time then she would ruin her name in the fashion industry. There was only one pony she could call, her mother. There was a little known fact that her mother cutie mark was that of sewing machine. While Rarity was more in tone with colors and design her mother was more into the making of cloths. When Rarity informed her and her father of what was going on they agreed to help. After a few minutes of talking they hugged and parted ways.
----
By this time the mane six came to Town Hall where Mata Nui, Celestia, Artemis and Luna waited for them. Each pony had a strong look on their faces. Each knew that there was no turning back now, as one they came forward. Celestia looked at each of them with a smile. Mata Nui Spoke some words to the six brave mares.
“You six are among the bravest creatures I know. When you arrive on the island seek out the Turaga, they are older ponies. Once you find one explain why you are there, if they doubt you show them the element around your neck.” Mata Nui said looking towards each of them. “Are you ready?”
In turn each of them nodded and stepped as one towards Mata Nui. With a smile Mata Nui open a golden portal out of thin air.
“Good luck.” Mata Nui said.
----
In the waters just off the shores of Mane Nui the evening light hit the stone canister and it shined a bit. As one each one of the canisters moved to a predetermined spot each near a village. During that night each of them made landfall.
----
Well here it is the end of the arc. Before I start on the next arc I will be reposting/posting the edited versions on a number of sites. Again I would like to thank everyone who has stuck with me through the past year and there is more to come.
I've noticed that some of you might not know about the continuation of this Story, which is here Quest for the mask, also Cade and I have yet to finish revising this story so...it will take more time. Since it is summer we can hope to finished that before Christmas
My Little Bionicle: Quest for the Masks By Toa Coy, Co-author Blazikenking (To be) Edited by Cade the Sharkbear
So season four happened and I might be working that into later stories since it is awesome so far but since the elements are in use here, and I have yet to include Discord, in my head he moved to Karzahnii to try and make it look better and still use his chaos powers. Rambling so here we go for chapter nine.
~Toa Coy~
Chapter Nine: Political Times
Goldrax began to open his eyes and noticed the brightness of the room,along with four armored ponies with strange gems in the chest plate and the ce-ponies. From what he could tell, they had yet to notice him stirring awake, which could be good for him. While he trusted Artemis, she being one of the few beings that treat him with kindness, the others may be holding him as a prisoner, in which case he would have to be on his guard. He was also scanning to find the dragon shade that was with him early, it was then that a ce-pony turned and looked him before she screamed and ran away from him. Her screams caused four armored ponies to turn facing him, he felt something akin to Artemis but different from them. It was then that a pony with a horn and a strange colored cloak walked towards him, but before they could be get to him he felt something that grabbed his leg. When he looked down he saw his dragon shade hugging his left front leg, which made him feel a bit of warmth from his his heart.
“Goldrax, I’m glad to see you awake.” The shade said with a bit of tears in his eyes, which was still strange to see a mass of shadows could cry for Goldrax but after talking to Artemis, Goldrax knew why it, no that did not sound right, he acted like this. Thinking of how dark and lost his life was before he was a Toa and meeting Artemis and this shade a word came to his mind, Umbrage, for some reason what he felt from the dragon shade brought this to his mind. With his right from leg the shadow Toa returned the embrace before he spoke.
“Trust me sleep spells are nothing to what normal happen to shadow ponies, Umbrage.” Goldrax said looking down at the newly named dragon that looked cried some more of receiving a name.
“Not to break the moment but you know that you are a prisoner, right?” Twilight said finally breaking her self made silence.
“I understand that and I have a message to deliver to somepony named ‘Twilight Sparkle’.” Goldrax said his voice becoming a bit cold while moving himself between Umbrage and the pony that he was looking for.
Before Twilight could answer a stallion appeared out of nowhere causing every being to be on their guard, due to the sudden appearance Umbrage retreated back into Goldrax. His coat was a dull red and gray mane cut so that it was not too long or too short, there on his flank was a mask, the mask of mutation to the nuians, on his head was a horn, and he had piercing golden eyes. Twilight could compare him to that of luna in height, but choose not to say that. For a moment there was a common silence that fell over the ponies in the room only AJ and Rainbow could be heard outside, until Pinkie decided to drop a pin that sounded like an alarm went off. Almost everypony looked at her.
“What do you know how hard it is to get a moment to hear a pin drop?” Pinkie said putting the pin away.
Once that was over the golden eyed stallion looked from Twilight to Goldrax before he spoke his voice sounding like a leader that did not cut a soldier slack.
“Well this is something a shadow Toa that can stand out in the open without shadow armor,” He said looking hatefully at Goldrax then turned to Twilight and the other equestrians. “By order of Toa Helryx, leader of the Order of Mata Nui, I am to question how you were able to get to this island and why your group are here.” He said looking over at the equestrians that were still on guard.
“We are here because of the Order of the Makuta attacked our country,” Twilight started giving that she and the others did not know if the stallion spoke the truth. “As to how we got is because of the gems in our armor.”
“I see,” He said looking at the gems on there breastplates. Then he noticed the Ce-ponies gather near him. “I see your safe room is functional through the lightstone blocks need to be of a higher quality since they seem to not effect the shadow toa.”
“Miserix the light stones are the least of our problems.” Coué said which made the equestrian’s fear drop just a bit.
“Well then why don’t you all give me the rundown.” The stallion, Miserix, said in a kind tone while keeping an eye on the other non-ce-ponies.
----
Mazeka opened the cockpit of the black and blue mechanical four legged walker covered in the recent snowfall from the frozen land. To local ponies would say it looked like a giant insect with the joints on the legs that seemed more insect like with a long section in front of the cockpit with a pair of fin like things behind the cockpit. Mazeka himself was somewhat of an oddity; he was somewhere between a normal matoran and a toa height wise, similarly his white and gray armor made him far different from the rest of his race, his silvery gray mane and tail where hidden in his armor and cut short for comfort, his diamond colored magic pulled a set of binoculars to his diamond colored eyes. Using his magic to adjust the sights he could make out the strange crystal ponies that were in guard armor and strange outfits working on repairing the damage to the city that the attack brought to it. He could make out several different types of ponies working on the buildings, he had decided that looking at the colors of coats would do him no good due to the very bizarre colors of the natives, from what he could tell the fragmented buildings looked similar to crystallized protodermis which gave him some knowledge how he could show them that he did not mean them harm. Putting his binoculars away into a saddlebag he climbed into the cockpit and began to move his vehicle towards the city while keeping it open. By the time he was a few bios out from the city Mazeka had several pegasi ponies over him with a line of unicorns ahead of him. He stopped the vehicle one bio away from the line and Mazeka could see the fear some of the line had seeing his vehicle, he could not blame them from the very recent attack that was mostly mechanical creatures. Once he stopped the Spider’s legs lowered the cockpit and turret section to the ground, once he felt the pistons stop Mazeka climbed out of the cockpit to the weary eyes of the native equestrians.
“So when are you taking me to your leaders chained up and magic limiter.” Mazeka said with dry humor chuckle.
If not for the fact he knew they would use so many handcuffs just to keep him from moving he would been more inclined to use his spy skills to sneak his way into the castle and would quicker but he was informed to be a liaison which would have ended it up like this. Now that he thought about it this was the better option since now he could talk to the leaders instead of being sent to the dungeon or whatever detainment area they have here. As he was lead to the tall central tower he notice how the sky seemed to change from the snow storms outside to sunny and clear skies which confused and baffled the Ko-pony. It may be the magic damping that they put on him but he could not feel any spell or elemental magic from the area from the warming environment but he ignored that for the moment and thought back to the buildings. Now that he had a chance to see them up close, they did look like they were created from knowledge crystals or were small knowledge towers but he would have to check that latter as he was brought to a tower of some kind but it looked like nothing he had seen before. It was then he noticed the group of ponies heading off while the group ‘escorting’ him entered under tower’s four legs. Only two ponies stayed there to greet the group, neither wear armor like the guards around him. The one that he would have thought was a ko-pony, if not for the mane and eyes, had similar armor like the unicorns that surrounded him only a second color that he would associate with a ba-pony and next to him was a pony with bat wings in bright blue fur and yellow mane as well as armor that clashed with his fur. Before Mazeka could open his mouth the lead guard spoke.
“Prince Shining Armor, while out on patrol one of the pegasi guards noticed the approach of this pony in a strange ‘thing’,” At with point the stallion pointed at Mazeka. “Upon hearing this the field commander sent a squad of unicorns and squadrand of both pegsi and batponies to intercept him.” The unicorn said as Mazeka got a mean glare from the one that must have been Prince Shining Armor. “He then gave up without a struggle but the thing did not move once he had been placed in restraints. He also want to talk to you and Princess Cadance, which I would advised against your majesty.”
“To be fair I could say that you all are holding me against my will with no just cause but that would be incorrect.” Mazeka said as his restraints began to have cracks in them and seem to be coated in frost before with a slight move of his front right leg before all but the magic limiter. “I willingly gave up and wished to talk to you as a liaison for The Order of Mata Nui.”
The guards had turned their lit horns to Mazeka each just waiting for the ko-pony to move. While the foreign pony just stayed calm waiting for the ruler’s reply, which he could tell that there was something upon hearing Mata Nui that clicked in the rule’s mind.
“I’ll take it from here gentlecolts.” Shining Armor said much to the surprised of both the pony beside him and the guards.
“Shining are you nuts for all we know he could be a spy from that group that Sombra joined.” The stallion batpony said with his amber eyes looking at the ko-pony.
“Wild Blu, if you are so concerned then you may join us while we are in council between Cadence, me, and this liaison.” Shining Armor said before turning to the guards. “You are dismissed from guarding him and should work on getting the thing he arrived in.
With a yes sir the guards reluctantly followed the prince’s orders leaving Mazeka to look at the other ponies. A moment passed between the trio before either of them spoke.
“So what is your name?” Shining Armor asked as he turned and headed to a stair case with the other two following his lead.
“Mazeka.” The ko-pony said doing his best not to look around him for ambushes.
“Strange name, but somepony from Mata Nui’s land it must be normal.” Shining Armor said and once those words left his mouth instead of the sound of three sets of hooves it was only two. This caused the two equestrians to turn and look at the unmasked face of the ko-pony that had the helm under one underarm with his right front leg rubbing his eyes before checking his ears.
“How could you know of Mata Nui?” Mazeka asked feeling as if the wind was knocked out of him. “He disappeared almost a million years ago!”
“You might be surprised.” Shining Armor said before climbing the rest of the stairs to get to the throne room with a confused batpony and gobsmacked ko-pony following behind him.
----
Luna was walking in the Dream world trying to keep her mind off of the dark thoughts that have plagued her since she have given Artemis her new name and the Demons came to light. If not for her powers to let her mind do the job while her body rested she would not have slept since first facing Icarax. Most of the thoughts were of how if Artemis was to ever become the monster that they both were then could she as her mother put that ahead of her kingdom. It was here that she failed to notice the portal that had open ahead of her before she was once again in the broken halls of Mata Nui’s prison and dream world. Once more he was as if he was a golden statue unmoving but never seeming to be real, his blue eyes made most everypony know that he was not to be crossed. Luna knew that Mata Nui may have sense her thoughts but that was something that she was going to ask the fellow alicorn.
“Greetings Mata Nui, what do I owe the honor to came into your dwellings.” Luna asked noticing that the former ruler seemed to be distant in mind. With a cough the dark blue alicorn got the older one’s attention, which shook his head. “Nice to interact with you, in a way, directly.”
“It is ruler of the night, I believe we have had similar thoughts for a moment.” Mata Nui said as he began to move as bones and metal popped and shifted. “I was thinking of how much pain it caused me to live with the fact that I could not save my brother. You must have similar thought’s for my niece.”
“I would ask how you know this, but dream logic and time logic in dreams are hard at best.” Luna said getting to the point. “How do you live with yourself and the guilt? To know that you sent your loved one away so nopony would be hurt but you.” At this point tears in her eyes and a few trailing her cheeks and jaw.
“I’ve had almost a million years to deal with it but there is one that shares your thought as she lived through them.” Mata Nui said before he and the room began to fade.
With that Luna jolted up having tears in her eyes and thought of who Mata Nui was referring to and she made her feel the same as Celestia must have felt during her time in the moon. For that Luna knew her course for what was coming next.
----
After exchanging both pleasantries and information the shadow Toa, order member, and the bearers of elements of harmony had formed a plan within Miserix staying as the guardian to the Ce-ponies while the rest of the ponies locate mimics that were placed in each village besides the current village. Goldrax would stay with the other shadow Toa and feed information to the elements so they know what to look for as they searched the villages to stop the Makuta’s followers from carrying out their dark plan but before any of that happen Applejack had to bring something up.
“So if you a member of this Mata Nui thing, care to explain why I can move through the ground like a pony does in water.” She said bringing up how she and the other equestrians got to this hidden area.
“Since Twilight there explained each of you have some form of natural magic and with my knowledge how Toa energy works I can guess saying that you are connecting to a natural element of the matoran since you are at the power level of a Toa you would have powers similar to them.”
Knowing that now AJ used her power to get the equestrians away from the village as the sun was about to go down. Seeing that they were near a cave that they could hold up for the night this time Twilight and Fluttershy would be the first on watch since everypony but Rarity and Applejack who were more or less about to fall asleep on their hooves. Twilight for her spells and Fluttershy for the stare that seemed to work on the local fauna.
----
Goldrax hid a smile as he reported back to the order of makuta’s base and headed to the place that he was assigned by the order. With a straw mattress that filled most of the small room he laid down on it and closed his eyes. In his mind he saw Umbrage sitting beside him all around him was blanked and they seemed to be the only things there.
“So Umbrage, what are your thoughts about all of this?” Goldrax asked the shadow dragon.
“To be honest this is all so strange giving I have only been me for a while, so I don’t have any idea.” He replied having a baffled look on his face. “I mean from what I saw when you were taking to Artemis, I’m a shadow made from a memory of a dragon that you never met. That sounds like a bad comic book plot and I have no idea what that even is.”
Goldrax could understand why the dragon felt like that but at the same time he wonder how he even got to this empty place.
“Best that I can gather this is my place in your mind.” Umbrage said while not looking at him or Goldrax speaking his thought.
“Okay that was freaky.” Goldrax said before asking. “So why is this place so empty if it is my mind?”
“Maybe it because you’ve done nothing but be alone and work without much thought I mean before Artemis were you even close to any other pony?” Umbrage asked.
Before the shadow toa could answer something jolted him awake and right in front of him was the current leader of the Order of Makuta, Antroz.
