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IC: Idlyx Haeve - Coliseum The Hunter was beginning to feel increasingly claustrophobic. Returning to the elevator he'd arrived on, he pried the door open and...huh. The elevator had fallen down the shaft in what seemed like a freak accident. Oh well. Idlyx leapt down and landed on top of the wreck, what was left of the roof creaking under his weight. Another sound could be heard beneath his feet that definitely wasn't creaking, and the Hunter began to tear it open like a tin can to reveal the twisted form of Kovac Krossfari, barely clinging to life. "Well, isn't this serendipitous?" the sadistic Hunter said, getting down on his haunches to get a closer look into the pile of metal and injured Toa. "I could make this very easy for both of us right now, but...oh, Mata Nui that's no fun! I'm not here to put people out of their misery, I'm here to put them in misery!" He sighed. "You probably don't even understand what I'm saying, broken little thing. Pains me to do this, but..." The Hunter reached down and carefully plucked Kovac from the wreckage, and if anyone were to witness this odd moment of respect between enemies, they'd see the dramatic pose struck by Idlyx as he held the Toa in his arms. While the events must have been a blur to the concussed Kovac, the next thing the Vo-Toa would have been cognizant to was being propped against a wall in the Coliseum surrounded by Matoran, one of which was already checking his injuries and telling him to lie still. The Kekamaire, meanwhile, had vanished back into the crowd trapped inside the locked down building. ...

Hi everyone! Since SKE is wrapping up by the end of this month and we're reaching the climax of the game I thought it's time to start the official planning and communication for SKE2. As has already been hinted at I have two different games I want to propose to the community depending entirely on how the current game ends. That said, there are common threads between both games I want to run, and I also want to get your input and thoughts. SKE has been, and will always be, a collaborative game where what the collective community wants is more important than my personal ideas. When you have a minute, please complete the linked Google Form here to give me a better idea about what the next game should include. Love you all, U.N.

IC: Reliable Narrator | Ga-Metru The vahki allowed the group of four disc hunters to pass once they produced the fabled Ga-Metru Great Disc. One of the vahki kept staring at Thom, it’s opticals adjusting rapidly as it ran the skakdi’s face through a database. The facial recognition software for POIs couldn’t keep up with a few days adrift at sea though: Thom’s haggard face looked almost nothing like the crackshot assassin who had been booked for murder earlier that week. Time flies when you’re trying not to starve. Once inside the Coliseum, the vahki made it very clear the four were to ascend immediately in the elevators to the office level of the tower. Once the panic passed Turaga Dume would meet them there. Everything was under control, the Dark Hunters who’d attempted to assassinate the Turaga were captured and secured... IC: Reliable Narrator | Ko-Metru "The Metru-Nui Daily maybe?" The Ko-Matoran replied. "I don't really listen to the news, it distracts with studying the stars. If I were you I'd not worry about the war and focus on your own future. I'm Ehrye by the way. If you ever want a palm reading or star chart reading let me know. I can see you have much grief in your past. You've lost your sense of home, but don't worry -- home is wherever your heart is." With that Ehrye bowed softly and continued on his journey home. There was no war in Metru-Nui. There was no war... IC: Reliable Narrator | Barraki Fortress Mantax leaned close to Kalmah and muttered something Mazor couldn’t hear. Then with a nod to the other Barraki he walked forward, patted Mazor on the shoulder, and left the throne room. Pridak watched him go with narrowed eyes behind his mask… After the meeting with Mazor the Barraki parted ways. Takadox replied to Leonn’s message with a “K,” and summoned Amartakonen to remind him of their clandestine scheme. Mantax met with his subordinate Ostrox, and even the generally shy Barraki Ehlek made an effort to find someone of his own kind in Morah. Pridak donned his warsuit, Carapar inspected his troops, and Kalmah led his flagellants in prayer. Eventually the time of departure arrived. The unified armies of the League stood on the sandbar stretching out and away from the airship docks. Their banners and colored armor showed the might of the Six Kingdoms. The crew of The Ripple stood among them, ready for the next adventure. Ahead of the assembly of warriors rose a large triangular device stuffed with teleportation discs. Pridak stood by it, taller and resplendent in his warsuit of white and gold and red. He held a memory crystal in his hands that looked like a sprouted potato. “Today we walk on the path of victory. Today we take what has always been ours. Today we remove those who would seek to hold back our civilizations, our cultures, and our individual freedoms. Today we show Metru-Nui that their Spirits are nothing, that their codes of honor are hypocritical, and that there are no chosen people: only free people.” He placed the crystal into a terminal near the large triangular gateway, the interior of which rippled to life as the coordinates were provided on both ends. Then, leading the charge, Pridak took one small step from the sandy beach into the warehouse beneath Ko-Metru, and one giant step towards his life’s goal. OOC: All League players, welcome to Metru-Nui. Your goal is to raze the city to the ground. Have fun!

It's been years since the introduction of Mask of Time Duplication and the alternate realities of the Olmak, but I recently had thoughts that probably won't have a confirmed answer: What would happen if three of the same individual (example: Toa Mata Tahu, Original Tahu Nuva, and Toa Nuva Tahu Mistika) formed a Kaita fusion? (edit 1: looked back at old Greg Q&A stuff and said not possible for same element to Kaita fuse... although I wonder if it's still possible if there was one regular Tahu, a Fire/Shadow Toa Tahu, and a Shadow Toa Tahu) (edit 3: I know this isn't possible in the main universe, but what if another universe where this restriction didn't exist?) Would they still be the same person but with greater control over their (assuming that they have the same) element? (edit 2: same as the edit 1) If fusion components have the same/similar Kanohi (such as Hau/Hau Nuva), would its power be enhanced? I would like to know what others think on this topic. -Tomdroidser

gay

Let's assume you've got a Mask of Fusion or the Spear of Fusion on hand, or you've dumped the 3 Tahus into Energized Protodermis, since this can't be a proper Kaita. Forced fusions are always unpredictable, so we can't be sure what'll happen. Based on what we know, the fusion would be either: 1. An abomination whose various consciences wig out and produce an unstable psycho (i.e. Prototype; if this is anything like his case, the organic components will eventually decay) 2. A being where one conscience takes dominance over the others and controls its actions 3. Something like a Kaita, wherein the components eventually figure out how to work together (this is more likely if you have 3 of the same guy, since they'll probably all share a common goal) 4. A new entity with a new consciousness entirely that either destroys or overpowers the existing ones As for Kanohi, this is a little unclear. Kaita gain entirely new Kanohi; but the only unnatural fusion of Toa we know of is Prototype, whom Greg confirmed to have a unique, fused mask of an unknown nature. We can't be certain the fusion would follow this example, since we don't have enough examples for reference.

IC: Tekmo (The Coliseum, Parade Grounds) Tekmo joined Ardoku down at the Coliseum. "Ah, the parade grounds. If only we could be here under better circumstances..." His expression abruptly changed from a weary grin to a more concerned look. "How are you feeling?" IC: Waveahk (The Coliseum, Prison Level) Seeing that Vyarik clearly wasn't in the mood to talk, and knowing personally the baggage that comes with a strange new form, Waveahk shifted focus to the red and gold one. "To answer your question - I'm here because I surrendered." OOC: The following was acted out in private messages between me and Unreliable Narrator. IC: Ostrox and Mantax (Barraki Fortress) A short while before Leonn activated the teleportation device, Ostrox found Mantax's private retreat in the fortress to be a calm oasis of home. A soft candle burned in a hanging lantern near the middle of the ceiling. Unlike the others, Mantax cared little for personal possessions. A tea pot made from the clay of his hometown rested on a low table of dark teak. "Ostrox, you've come at last. Forgive me for delaying your report. My presence was requested by Pridak earlier. How did Carapar's expedition go? Anything unusual outside of the Captain's report?" Mantax spoke with a deep resonance to his voice, which filled the whole of the chamber even as a whisper. He spoke in their native tongue, a fact often found annoying by the other Barraki save Kalmah. Mantax chose to refrain from speaking in the common Matoran whenever possible, saying it proved painful on his tongue and throat. Ostrox bowed, and began to speak in their true language as well. "My Lord, it seems that the Captain neglected one detail. On our voyage to the island, our ship was accosted by two others, boarding us with Visorak. Their attack was, of course, a failure and the two ships made a retreat, but not before they... well, I think you'll agree I've looked better." Ostrox gestured to the scarring across his body that was left by the Vohtarak Rhotuka. Mantax looked over the scars Ostrox presented. After a while he replied; "did you win these scars honorably?" "Well... I wouldn't say that. Vile little creatures got me with an Agony Rhotuka. Not my finest moment, I'll admit." "Then you'll need to earn more to cover your shame," Mantax disciplined. The honour of their culture demanded scars in combat come from honorable kills, not dumb accidents or mistaken moments on the field. Mantax's own body was covered in the history of his honorable adventures. "You said the Visorak ships attacked your ship. Were there others aboard those ships, or just the web spinners?" "I would presume so. They don't seem intelligent enough to operate a ship on their own. But if there was anything else aboard those vessels, they operated purely from the inside, as no-one saw anything." Mantax nodded. "Why do you think this was not reported?" "If I had to guess, Captain Tugarak found it insignificant compared to the recovery of the artifact." "I can understand that. The artifact recovered is something we've been trying to find since the beginning of our campaign." Mantax paused, poured another small cup of tea from the clay pot on the table, and considered Ostrox's report. It explained the reported damage to the hull of The Ripple. "Anything else to report?" "Yes, my Lord. You see, Mazor has been behaving... erratically, since the artifact's retrieval. He tampered with it, causing the second change in the sky, tried to go to sleep with it still in his hands, putting it in his bag, rather than somewhere secure in the cargo hold, and stalled bringing it to the throne room for as long as possible. In my opinion, he seems unhealthily obsessed with it." "That's concerning, keep your eyes on him for me," Mantax replied. He stroked his chin and nodded, satisfied with his order. "Yes, my Lord. Is there anything else?" "Nothing else, no, except to fight honorably and win your new scars with valour." With a wave of his hand, the Barraki dismissed Ostrox from his chambers. Now, Ostrox had nothing but loyalty and respect for his king, but he even he had to admit there was something to be said about his lord and master essentially telling him to get wounded in battle. Still though, scars tended to make for rather entertaining stories - for himself, at least. When the time came to invade the so-called 'City of Legends' through this remarkable new device the League had constructed, Ostrox's attention was squared solely on Mazor, as per Mantax's orders. He would shadow the living carcass through the invasion, and if either he or his new 'friend' Irna had any objections... it wouldn't be the Toa or the Vahki or Mazor's fellow undead they'd have to worry about. Watching as Irna stepped into the portal, Ostrox waited for Mazor to do the same.

IC: Did Irna have doubts? She hadn't liked when Mazor had been taken into the sanctum of the Barraki on his own, without her or -- Spirits willing, even Ostrox -- to back him up. She didn't like Lord Pridak's words of useless Spirits, no matter which he might have been referring to. And she didn't like the idea of going into the heart of a city and-- Of course, she had never lived in Metru Nui -- even the townships of the Northern Continent had been beyond her means, beyond the limits of what the Matoran would allow her people to go. And she supposed that Pridak could be correct, that the people of Metru Nui were nothing but hypocritical monstrosities who had to be fought, who had to be-- But she had been from a village, and that village had seen invading forces, invading forces that had taken neighbours, friends, family-- But this was different, this would be different, this would surely be-- Irna stepped through the portal. -Void

IC: Zecrillia - Ta-Metru Great Furnace A more passionate adventurer than Zecrillia might have risked it. Even for her, the gentle sounds on the wind - of a child's laughter, of the soft tinkling of bells - enticed her; but the Great Disk was solid in her hands, and her exit back to reality (if, indeed, this place was outside of it) was rapidly shrinking. Curiosity wasn't a temptation that Zecrillia could often be accused of, and it certainly held no pull over her when she had somewhere else far more important to be - like putting this Great Disk to some very profitable use. Waving the disk in the Swordsman's direction, the Vortixx dived past him, landing in a crouch back on the catwalk, once again in the smothering heat of the furnace. "I say... we should get out of here now. Before I literally fry to the inside of my armour." For as ecstatic as she should have been to have one of the priceless Great Disks literally in hand... Zecrillia found herself decidedly irritated that the Ta-Metru disk didn't have at least the common decency to be a freeze disk if it was going to be hidden in a place like this.

IC: The Swordsman - ??? (Great Furnace portal) "Come on," I said, turning to leave. There was an urgency to my step but I kept a calm demeanor as I headed for the portal, wondering in the back of my mind where exactly this forest of burnt trees was located--had we been taken somewhere else in the Matoran Universe, lost and forgotten? Or, was this somewhere further, some place less familiar...another world outside our own, with a people all its own, that we were not meant to tread in? I crossed back over the threshold and waited expectantly for Zecrillia, not exactly happy to be back inside the sweltering furnace, but it was better than being trapped somewhere alien. @That Matoran with a Vahi

IC: Jabali - The Coliseum Well, she could hardly say she hadn't expected that question to come up sooner or later. Perhaps wedged in a service elevator along with what felt like half a squad of Vahki as well as the all-important Turaga was a less ideal setting than Jabali might have hoped; but she had only herself to blame for that. The Matoran adjusted her Miru slightly, cleared her throat. "It was kind of coincidence. This group had come onto my sculpture field looking for one of the Great Disks, and one of them - the famous Toa Stannis - was being pursued by a Dark Hunter. The Hunter confronted them; but before he was killed, he told the group of Toa that he'd just received a contract for your head. And we all knew that someone had to come and warn you, and, well..." She trailed off with a little shrug. "I volunteered to do it," she finished lamely as the elevator continued to rattle upwards. IC: Zecrillia - Ta-Metru Great Furnace "...I was getting there." When three hadn't done anything - good or bad - Zecrillia had been intending to work upwards; trying 149, 159, 169 etc. until she'd covered every combination. That the Swordsman had a sudden desire to skip her second attempt and leap right to the third was surprising; but no so much so as the fact that turned out to be the right combination. The Vortixx gaped, jaw hanging wide open, as the metal canopy extended through the fire, creating a shield that allowed the pair to reach a... a portal of some kind? This was not what she'd expected. Anything could lie beyond that portal along with the Great Disk; not to mention, it could well be a one-way trip and she'd have to find a much longer route back. Still, common sense hadn't stopped her from getting this far, and it wasn't going to take over now. Plus it might be at least a little less sweltering there than it was in here. Stooping to make sure she cleared the portal fully, Zecrillia followed the Swordsman through. Everything, down to the very air, seemed different the instant she emerged into the charred landscape. Under other circumstances, Zecrillia might have taken the time to adventure further into the strange land, to follow that sound of childish laughter that she could faintly pick up to wherever it might lead her. Here and now, however, the Vortixx had eyes only for her prize, embedded as it was in molten rock. With barely a nod at her companion to acknowledge she'd heard him, the lady stepped forward, got a grip on the disk's rim, and tugged on it with her considerable strength in an effort to pry it loose. IC: Varxii - On the Warpath This was not what she had signed up for. Granted, she hadn't signed up at all. She had been beaten to a pulp and forcibly conscripted; and when you were a mass of bruises and broken bones, and a hulking warlord was towering over you with a look in his eye that said he'd be glad to finish what his troops had started if she'd refused to aid his cause... well, one couldn't exactly say no to that if she wanted to live through it. But Varxii had, so far, just been put to work taking on some of the League's toughest enemies, being in the thick of fights against beings who would have threatened the safety of her people, ultimately, just as much as they impeded the Barraki's ambitions, or else on relatively 'routine' missions like retrieving cargo from that Nynrah wreck. Nothing that made her compromise the morals she liked to think she held. This was different. This was too much like walking into the centre of a village and slaughtering defenceless Matoran; just the sort of thing she had always protected her own home against. Again, of course, there was no saying no; she'd proven herself a capable fighter with the League, and as soon as she'd woken from her exertions of a few days ago had received word that she was expected on the battle lines for the attack on Metru Nui itself. No-one had specifically mentioned civilian casualties being part of the deal, but Varxii knew they didn't need to: that was practically a given when you were marching on possibly the biggest metropolis in the known universe. Matoran - her own people - were going to die. Maybe even by her hand. She felt sick to her stomach. Still, she had geared up, and she was as ready as she was ever going to be. Swallowing a wave of nausea, the Vo-Toa nonetheless followed Pridak, Zaliyah, and countless others through the portal. She'd never been to Metru Nui, had never cared to. The big city held little interest to her, besides the dark and shadowy corners where unsavoury beings doubtless lurked, waiting to pick a fight that she'd be glad to oblige them with; otherwise, from what she had heard, it was all too regimented, too authoritarian for her tastes. Still, it was home to so many people... In the heat of the fight, Varxii was sure, she would have little chance to think of such concerns. Maybe she could at least try to limit civilian casualties, only fight those robot guardians who were supposed to be everywhere, and the Toa-- The Toa. Her childhood heroes. As a tiny Matoran, she'd looked up to them, longed to be one of them, and now here she was... a Toa herself, but on completely the wrong side and, likely as not, about to find herself going head-to-head with those she had revered. Hands curled into fists, stray sparks dancing around her clenched knuckles as Varxii struggled to control her thoughts. Whatever happened, whatever she would do here... she couldn't afford to go to pieces.

IC [Dume, Coliseum - Upper Levels]: The duo came to a junction and Dume signaled a halt at the sound of approaching footsteps, but relaxed as he realized their synchronicity. Approaching from both sides were three of the latest model Vahki each. “Priority Alpha beacon received. Standing by to assist.” the lead unit stated after halting next to the Turaga. Dume nodded approvingly, tapping his staff on the floor . “I must return to my office.” he stated. “Make sure I get there. Anyone who tries to stop us is to be treated with extreme prejudice.” “Understood.” came the reply. The Vahki took up flanking positions and together, they made their way down another corridor and a few turns. This level was not open to the public or for administration. It was merely functional in purpose and design, with a much less streamlined layout. There was an industrial edge to everything. Eventually, their path led to another elevator - one meant for cargo and other goods - not people. It was heavy duty and utilitarian, devoid of flourish or style and way larger than the other lifts Jabali had seen. The entire team of Vahki was able to file in alongside them once the lead unit had summoned it and the door slid open. Once inside, the squad mother used its staff to unlock the latch hiding the control panel for the lift, which had a red indicator light above it. “Voice key required to access top level.” the Vahki stated. Turaga Dume sighed, cast a Why, spirits, why? look at the cabin ceiling, then stepped closer to the panel and leaned down towards the panel. He cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone: “Turaga Dume is my name. And the heart of Metru Nui is my game.” “Voice key recognized. Access granted.” The lift began to move, less smooth than it’s fancy counterparts as well and Dume stood, both hands on his staff out in front of him. After a few seconds of silence, he tapped it again, once. “It occurs to me I have not properly thanked you for rescuing me. It was very brave of you to interfere with a dark hunter’s business.” he addressed Jabali, without looking her way. His tone was even, with just a hint of gratitude in it before returning to normal. “Your timing was fortuitous as well. Very fortuitous indeed." "You knew they were coming for me, didn’t you?” Now he turned his head. “How?” OOC: @That Matoran with a Vahi

IC: Thom - Coliseum (Delivering The Disk) The Skakdi had wolfed down two noodle dishes quite ravenously, and was already looking a little better physically. He was still skinny and unkempt, but he looked less on the verge of passing out. As they entered the Coliseum, multiple thoughts were racing through the Skakdi's head. Some of it was anxiety around the Vahki, but a good chunk of it was wonder at where his Fa-Toa nemesis might be. He could just about deduce things were heating up in Metru-Nui, and the past few days had awakened a very odd sense of fate. He could almost sense that Nale would also arrive at the Coliseum, the epicentre of whatever was about to kick off. But for now, he'd stick with the disk hunters. He'd stick with the disk hunters, and he'd wait. "...Thanks fer gettin' me somethin' to eat." He said, finally, as the four waited.

IC: Zaliyah - On The March At Last “Today we walk on the path of victory." For so many years, Zaliyah had been without a goal. She had been just another Toa, sworn to protect the Matoran until she someday accomplished her intangible, arbitrary destiny and became a Turaga. She'd had no purpose beyond getting through each day, nothing to strive for. But now she had something. Pridak had given her a purpose. The League had given her a legion. The word victory finally had meaning to her. "Today we take what has always been ours. Today we remove those who would seek to hold back our civilizations, our cultures, and our individual freedoms." She thought she'd been a hero, protecting the Matoran from all of the horrors of the world. But her time with her League had given her perspective, shown her the true nature of the other species and civilisations that lived in this universe. They weren't savages or monsters, they were people, with dreams and needs and feelings, many of them stronger and more deserving than the meek Matoran Zaliyah had wasted so many thankless years protecting. I was on the wrong side... I have to get it right this time. "Today we show Metru-Nui that their Spirits are nothing, that their codes of honor are hypocritical, and that there are no chosen people: only free people!” Zaliyah raised her banner overhead, joining her comrades in a defiant, wordless roar of support, and as Pridak stepped through the portal, Zaliyah moved to follow. "Forward, to Metru Nui!" And in a single step, she was transported thousands of kio, into the city whose legend was about to end...

IC Alpinist | Coliseum The Alpinist was not a warrior—fighting was not his forte, though it might have been the Waif's if her weaponry was any indication. This was not what he expected to happen, he was only supposed to come to the Coliseum with his friend the Cartographer and their new allies the waif and the turaga, meet with Dume or his liaison, hand over the Great Disc, and then... who knows? To be truthful, he did not really have a good idea of what would happen to him, or where his fate would unravel towards, but being placed in the upper levels of the Coliseum and looking for Turaga Dume while also being wary of Dark Hunters and whatever else would do the elder harm was not an eventuality he suspected. While greatness was something he had come to somewhat hope for, this was not his idea of it. He imagined he looked somewhat silly as he pulled his twin ice axes out and held them at the ready, as if he was preparing to punch them into some imaginary ice wall to climb it. In the absence of Sans' guidance and any helpful instincts he looked to his friends for consensus, if not leadership, but as soon as he saw the look in the Cartographer's eyes he realized even that was asking too much. They were all loners, the three of them—one a thrill seeking climber, the other a selfish surveyor, and the last one a leper, all Ko-Matoran—and there was no reason any of them had any idea how to work effectively as a true squad. And yet, it felt as though some great doom was held in the balance of their collective fingertips. It took all his willpower to not scream for them to split up and search on their own. But hadn't they also learned that to succeed they had to work together? The Alpinist and the Cartographer figured out the riddles of the hideaway by working together. The knotted dangers of the Notch were unraveled only by talking amongst each other and realizing what was missing. For the Alpinist, this new danger was only a third test of their Virtuosity and rights to bear the Great Discs. "We have to stick together," he said in a firm tone. "We stick together, and we stay in a bio of each other. We didn't come this far just to die apart. Deal?" "Deal," the Cartographer agreed. The Waif simply nodded. The Alpinist was not ready to lead, but he also wasn't ready to give up control after earning a small amount of it so quickly. Such was the difficulty of being a stubborn Ko-Matoran, always getting stuck in his brain and knowing too much without the words to share it properly. He knew they would need some sort of way to keep in tune with one another. The rope was a possibility, they could tie themselves together and have to tug to go anywhere, but that posed too many challenges, and he knew in the end they might cause more tension than it was worth. He pondered other options for a moment more until the Cartographer, even the master of the transect, realized what was going on in his fellow's brain and offered a solution. "We need to not get lost," he said, pointing out that none of them had been where they were before. "This is uncharted territory for us, so... let's map it." The other saw a cunning glint in his eye. This was what he lived for. "Stick to the left wall; whenever there is a turn, we go left; we clear the rooms one by one. I'll keep track of where we go." They started by taking the next lift to the floor directly below where Sans left them, hoping to start fresh there while the other more powerful allies roved their own separate floors. And then it was the Waif who suggested a marching cadence, quietly and in a very pained tone, but apparently relishing the feeling of forcing the words out all the same. One-two, one-two; left, right, left. Each repeat was a bio, each five bio a dot on the Cartographer's map, and each new room on the map a sign of their swift exploration. Somehow, despite the odds, three hermitlike Ko-Matoran found themselves working together. Mata Nui, the Alpinist wondered, might be proud of them. The words echoed silently in the trio's mind, but beyond simply understanding it they did not respond. They continued their search, moving from one room to the next, one left turn at a time.

IC: Okuo - Ga-Metru "You too..." Okuo said quietly as Vhisola jogged away, leaving him with the three strangers. "So... noodle bar?" IC: Ardoku - Silver Sea The toa of plasma had a thousand yard stare going, and as Tekmo approached him, he seemed deep in thought, taking a moment to even register his fellow toa's presence. He shook his head and looked up at Tekmo, sighing. "Don't worry about me, brother, I may have one arm out of action, but I still have the other one working just fine." Ardoku gave Tekmo a smile and a determined nod. Time moved on, and as the airships landed in Le-Metru, Ardoku disembarked with his limp arm in a sling, his other arm resting a hand on the hilt of his sword. As he stepped out of the airship and into the Le-Metru streets, an expression of concern grew on his features. There was something on the air, a tense atmosphere he hadn't felt in Metru-Nui before, but he also felt something more, something... just outside of his periphery. "I hate to be the one to state the obvious, but something's off..."

A couple people showed interest on Discord so here's your info for the species I made up in case anybody wants to be a deer-person who bleeds acid. Kekamaire (kee-kuh-my-ray) The Kekamaire are an odd-looking and hardy species from somewhere in the Southern Continents. Very little is known of their society, but it is believed by some that they are on the brink of extinction due to their rarity in other parts of the Matoran Universe. Despite this belief, they seem to be cropping up in larger numbers now, meaning they are either bouncing back...or have been in hiding. The basic features of a Kekamaire that separate them from other species in the MU are their distinctive antlers and heads resembling the skulls of real-life cervids, along with four forward-facing red eyes. They also have three-fingered hands (two digits and a thumb) and digitigrade legs with two-toed, hoof-like feet. Colors and body types vary, but their armor always appears iridescent in sunlight. They are also considerably tall, although exact height varies. A more strange feature of the Kekamaire is their acidic blood. Their bodies are designed to carry it, but if injured and it is spilled, the blood will begin eating through any nearby objects. This seems to serve a purpose as a form of self-defense, but it is unknown whether the species came about it naturally or were tampered with by other forces. Rumors abound that Kekamaire enjoy feasting on MU residents, and perhaps their own, but it is merely an urban legend created to frighten young Matoran. (...or is it?)

I thought Makuta had to appear to be fighting the Toa at every turn, regardless if it made sense, to conceal The Plan. Because if the Toa figured out the Plan, they could have moved forces in place to stop him. Makuta was betting on the Toa's victory at Voya Nui, but he had to appear like he wasn't. Hence the Piraka and the whole taking over Maxilos thing. Also, the Piraka were Dark Hunters who were famously at war with the Brotherhood, so they weren't exactly cool with whatever the Makuta had planned. They were trying to stop him, regardless of whether that made sense either. They were just trying to steal the mask for profit and to take over the universe. Teridax didn't "need" the Piraka. The Piraka inserted themselves into the story on their own - he just used them to further his illusion since they were available.

I actually have been preparing to build a CCBS based G2 style revamp of Solek; just because of how much of a meme that character is for in part due to this opinion. More so with a spoof a TTV's jokes on the subject, but it seems pretty universal Solek is disliked. Personally, I think the mask is kind of neat; but it suffers the same problem all masks post 2004 had, they aren't ABS plastic and feel thinner. I am glad I never got the original Av-Matoran though, I feel like my CCBS rebuilds on them will be better since they won't have such weak joints. I don't have Solek really that far along yet, but I am finished with Gavla and Kirop is almost finished... so its kind of my example of how these characters look in a different style. I guess what my MOC is trying to say, is the Av-Matoran and Shadow Matoran had some neat ideas... but Lego executed them poorly in 2008 with the socket design, limited articulation and low piece count; but their silhouettes offer plenty of potential.