Okoto High

[Master Inika]

Episode 1: The Pep Rally

 

All the students at Okoto High School filed into the auditorium. The school’s flag was on display behind its two administrators, Principal Ekimu and Vice Principal Makuta, as the band played the school song. When everyone had taken their seats, Ekimu stepped to the podium and spoke into the microphone:

 

“Welcome, students! It’s been a good year so far, but it’s going to get even better since it’s… Drum roll please…”

 

The band took out their tribal bongos and beat them vigorously as the students all rolled their eyes.

 

“Spirit Week!” the Principal concluded, spreading his arms wide. “All this week, we encourage you as the students to blah, blah, blah in your studies and yadda-yadda-yadda school spirit, as we grow as a community and blabbity-blab…”

 

At least, that’s what Principal Ekimu’s speech sounded like to Vizuna and Bingzak, the two students sitting near the back of the auditorium, as they texted each other incessantly, trying not to laugh as they exchanged insults and comments about the principals and their fellow students.

 

“Spirit Week is such a joke!” Vizuna texted his companion.

 

“I know, right?” Bingzak replied. “Lame! At least this pep rally got us out of class, though.”

 

“Oh, tell me about it!” Vizuna said. “This pep rally pushed the due date for my midterm project back to next week.”

 

“Didn’t have time to finish?” Bingzak asked.

 

“Didn’t have time to start!” Vizuna corrected. “Too busy reading comic books and playing video games!”

 

Near the center of the auditorium, two other students, Izotor and Kivoda, were trying to pay attention to the Principal’s speech, but also couldn’t help but have a quiet yet intense conversation about their own comic books.

 

“Izotor, for the last time, Tahu could easily beat Kopaka in a fight!” Kivoda whispered harshly.

 

“Um, Kivoda, have you even read Issue #25, wherein Kopaka freezes Tahu from the neck down when he gets taken over by a Skull Spider?” Izotor shot back.

 

“Yeah, only thirty-seven times, Izotor! That’s how I know that Tahu only lost that battle because the Skull Spider’s control took away his natural tactical abilities, which would enable him to beat Kopaka in about ten seconds, if he wanted to!”

 

Izotor scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, the tactical abilities that couldn’t even stop him from getting taken over in the first place…” he said as his gaze landed on the girl sitting a few rows before him, Harvali, beside her best friend Korgot.

 

“If I recall correctly, Kopaka himself was taken over in Issue #12… Hey, are you paying attention?” Kivoda asked.

 

Izotor sighed and rested his head on his arm. “Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry. I was just distracted by how lovely Harvali is looking today…”

 

“Dude, she’s not into you!” Kivoda insisted. “Look, I’m trying to help you. She and Korgot are cheerleaders; we’re nerds! They’d never go for us. It would be madness, like trying to forge a mask with more than one element!”

 

But Izotor’s gaze stayed on his dream girl. Harvali, though, failed to notice him, as was usual, instead caught up in a conversation with Korgot.

 

“Can you believe Narmoto scored that last-minute goal at the Kolhii match last weekend?” Harvali asked, still unable to stop being impressed whenever she thought of it.

 

“I thought we lost the match for sure, but he pulled through!” Korgot replied. “But he couldn’t have done it without Nilkuu watching his back, you know.”

 

“Or us there cheering them on!” Harvali reminded her friend.

 

Korgot couldn’t help but mention something she knew she probably shouldn’t. “What if… What if I helped them out more than by just cheering?”

 

Harvali looked at her friend quizzically. “You don’t mean joining the team, do you?” Korgot meekly nodded. Harvali had to stop herself from slapping her friend’s mask off her face. “What are you thinking, girl? We’re cheerleaders, not jocks! You joining the Protectors would be like, um, like making a mask with more than one element! It would be just insane.”

 

The two jocks they spoke of were sitting in the very front row. Even the two most popular kids in school couldn’t keep from having a chat as they listened to the Principal’s speech.

 

“Dude, Harvali’s eyes were all over you at last weekend’s game!” Nilkuu said to his friend.

 

“I know, right?” Narmoto replied. “I’m thinking, at our next game this weekend, once we win, I’m going to try making her my girl.”

 

“It’s a pretty long time until next week. You might want to make your move while you still can,” Nilkuu advised.

 

“Nilkuu, buddy, you’re talking to the most popular kid in school here,” Narmoto replied. “Who’s going to take her before I can? I’m a jock; she’s a cheerleader. We’re meant to be. Anyone else with her would be crazy, like making a mask with more than one element.”

 

At that point, Ekimu’s speech stopped. The students all stood up and clapped as Ekimu and Makuta waved and the band played the closing music.

 

“Do you know what we’re clapping for?” Bingzak asked.

 

“Nope!” Vizuna replied. “But I do know everyone at the arcade will be clapping for me when I win the video came tournament this weekend!”

 

“I can’t wait to see you win,” Bingzak said as he gathered his things, “but maybe you should think about doing your project, too. I mean, what happens if you don’t?”

 

Vizuna laughed as he and his friend followed the crowd out of the auditorium. He said: “Look, me actually doing my homework for a change would be chaos. It would be like, um… That thing they told us in history class! Making two masks with the same element, or something like that… I wasn’t paying attention.”

 

Author's Note: This is a revival of one of my very first BZPower comedies, Matoran Go to School. I updated it to the Okoto setting to make it more accessible to newer fans who might not know about the Mata Nui characters. I hope I haven't lost my edge after all these years and you all still enjoy it.

[The 1st Shadow]

I'd say you're off to a decent start. I'll certainly be coming back to see where this goes.

[Ghidora131]

Wow, haven't heard too much from you, Master Inika. Good to see you're still alive. ;P

[FrozenPancake_]

This oughta be interesting. I like how the Toa are implied to be fictional superheroes in this AU.

[Wiriamu]

This is brilliant. It's a hilarious jab at all the high school tropes that makes great use of the characters we've got so far. I can totally see Korgot as the tomboy who dreams of being on the field.

[Master Inika]

Episode 2: Lunch Hour

 

At Okoto High School, the time had come for the hardworking students to take a much-needed break from their arduous studies.

 

“Vizuna, wake up!” Bingzak cried, shaking his sleeping friend vigorously. “You slept through Mask Making class again!”

 

Okay, the vast majority of the hardworking students were taking a much-needed break from their arduous studies. The exception was Vizuna. At least the students who were taking their education seriously would be treated to a nutritious meal to revitalize their minds.

 

Bingzak snapped his fingers as he figured out how to awake his tired friend. He walked toward the cafeteria, saying, “Okay, buddy, I’ll try to save you a plate of grease-and-butter surprise…”

 

“Grease-and-butter surprise? My favorite!” Vizuna cried joyously, speeding past his friend toward the cafeteria.

 

So maybe the menu at Okoto High wasn’t the greatest, and maybe nobody was even working all that hard. But at least students could come together in fellowship, camaraderie, and community… Wait a minute, I sense a trend here. The thing I just said is totally wrong, isn’t it?

 

“Hey, you nerds better not be even thinking about sitting at our table!” Narmoto spat to Izotor and Kivoda as they walked by.

 

“Like we’d ever want to!” Izotor shouted back. “But, just for the record, we can sit wherever we want!”

 

“Not if you don’t want your masks punched in, you can’t!” Nilkuu taunted.

 

The two nerds huffed and carried their lunches to the designated “nerd table” at the corner of the cafeteria, where they intended on discussing the implications of Issue #36, in which the Toa finally defeat the evil Lord of Skull Spiders. Kivoda was sure he was gone for good, but Izotor insisted his defeat was so vague because the writers clearly planned on bringing him back for some kind of supplementary story. They both agreed it would be a really weak move narratively if that was what was going on, though. However, their debate would have to wait, because Kivoda realized he’d forgotten to grab himself some napkins, and returned to the food line.

 

Meanwhile, the cheerleaders finished practice, got their food, and met up with the jocks at their table.

 

“Hey, boys!” Harvali called, jumping and striking a pose for them. “We just got done rehearsing our routine for when you win at the big game!” Then, giving a knowing look to Korgot, she added, “That is, as long as all of us are still on the squad, and not, I don’t know, on the field playing…”

 

The jocks immediately stopped eating, looked at each other, and then at Korgot, who was holding both her and Harvali’s food trays.

 

“Babe, what’s she talking about?” Nilkuu asked cautiously.

 

Korgot blinked, unsure of what to say. She had assumed her talk with Harvali was purely girl-to-girl. “Oh, um…” she stammered, at a loss for words, “I was just thinking aloud to Harvali the other day, is all. I-I mean, it looks like a lot of fun, playing Kolhii and stuff.”

 

Nilkuu’s foot swung out from under the table onto Korgot’s shin. The girl fell to the ground as both trays of food landed on top of her, getting all over her armor as physical and emotional shock overtook her. She only grew more distraught at what Nilkuu said next:

 

“This school has enough jocks, babe. I hear the nerd table has an extra spot, though.”

 

Nilkuu was smiling cruelly as everyone else’s eyes were on her. Harvali was covering her mask. Korgot could see her friend looking at her with pity, thought she still took a seat beside Narmoto, who was laughing hard before high-fiving Nilkuu.

 

Korgot just wanted to get as far away from them as possible. She stood up, scrapped some of the food off of her and, doing her best not to cry, stomped off as everyone kept staring, a few of her classmates laughing. She could look down at her feet and keep their faces out of her field of vision, but she couldn’t distract herself from the laughter and occasional mean comments. She made it to the end of the food line, after what felt like the longest walk of her life, grabbed a handful of napkins and starting cleaning herself off further.

 

Kivoda could hardly believe what was going on. Not only had he witnessed his dream girl publicly humiliated, she walked right up to him as he was almost done gathering his napkins. What was the right thing to do? Was it wrong of him to take advantage of her distress to talk to her? It couldn’t possibly be right to just abandon her like everyone else seemed to be doing. What would he even say? Making it up as he went along, he said: “Um, hey, Korgot…”

 

He froze with reverence as she looked at him, but continued: “I’d say, ‘Don’t believe a word that guy said,’ but, well, he was right about one thing: there is an extra seat at my table, I mean, if you want, and if I’m not being too forward right now…”

 

As the redness on Korgot’s cheeks and around her eyes began disappearing, he suddenly realized the napkin dispenser was almost empty. He handed her some of his and said, “Oh, sorry! Here you go. S-So, um, I don’t know if you know Izotor, or me, or where we even sit, but, um…”

 

Korgot took a napkin and continued removing the grease-and-butter surprise from her armor. She looked up at the first person to actually help her with a grateful smile and said, “I don’t. Please show me?”

[Wiriamu]

Wow...is jock Nilkuu's middle name Ahkmou? He's certainly enough of a jerk to be related to him-makes G2 Pohatu seem like Mr. Sunshine.

 

Still loving things so far, and your little nod to Revenge of the Skull Spiders was genius. I wonder how the nerds would freak out if they could read said supplementary story and realize that they're IN it.

[Master Inika]

Wow...is jock Nilkuu's middle name Ahkmou? He's certainly enough of a jerk to be related to him-makes G2 Pohatu seem like Mr. Sunshine.

 

Still loving things so far, and your little nod to Revenge of the Skull Spiders was genius. I wonder how the nerds would freak out if they could read said supplementary story and realize that they're IN it.

Seeing the second half of that post takes a huge weight off my chest. I've been worried for days since I posted this chapter if I made the scene with Nilkuu too mean-spirited. Glad to hear you still like it, and as always I appreciate any feedback.

 

Episode 3 will be up within the next few days.

[Master Inika]

Episode 3: Detention

 

One by one, the students shuffled into detention, each one anticipating an hour of boredom. Principal Ekimu and Vice Principal Makuta looked with disapproval at each passing student.

 

The first to arrive were the two regulars, Vizuna and Bingzak. The school administrators simply checked their names off the roster, having grown bored with the small talk of which homework assignment they never turned in or which teacher they were blowing spitballs at long ago. The two took their seats near the front, the only time the two of them could ever be found at the front of the classroom.

 

Next to enter was Nilkuu. This was not his first detention, having been sent a few times before for rough behavior against other students, but even Ekimu and Makuta were aware of his treatment of Korgot at lunch yesterday.

 

“I’m very disappointed in you,” Ekimu said as the athlete entered. “I hope you take this time to reflect on what you’ve done, and what will happen to you if you pull a stunt like that again.”

 

Makuta had nothing to say, simply patting Nilkuu on the back as he passed.

 

The next two faces were a pair no one in the entire room expected to see: Izotor and Kivoda.

 

“The nerds?” Nilkuu cried in shock. “What are you two here for? Finishing your math homework without permission?”

 

Ekimu shot Nilkuu a fiery look as he explained, “These two gentlemen unfortunately were caught reading comic books in class. Hopefully, this experience will straighten them out.

 

“All five of you have the potential to be content, productive students, which is why this detention program is designed to correct your undesirable behavior without vilifying you as individuals. The school strongly blah, blah, blah, and furthermore…”

 

Vizuna and Bingzak quickly stopped paying attention. This was routine for them: Ekimu gave his brief speech on taking initiative, then he left the room under Makuta’s watch, and a few minutes later Makuta retired to the teacher’s lounge to read Usurping Your Brother: A Step-by-Step Guide for Purely Educational Purposes. That left the students largely unsupervised.

 

“Oh, dude, I can’t believe we’re in detention!” Kivoda lamented. “What if this goes on my permanent record? What if I get expelled? This is terrible!”

 

Izotor was about to echo his friend’s sentiment when his eyes caught sight of what was going on outside. Not taking his eyes off what he saw, he simply replied, “Maybe not, my friend. Take a look out the window.”

 

Right outside the detention room was the Kolhii field, where Narmoto, as he was after school every day, was running laps and practicing his moves. That wasn’t what caught Izotor’s eye, though; it was Harvali and Korgot practicing their cheerleading routine.

 

“Wow…” Kivoda breathed, captivated by their movements, his previous thoughts banished from his mind. “This is awesome.”

 

“Get a good look, nerds. It’s all you ever will,” Nilkuu taunted from across the room.

 

“Actually,” Kivoda replied, “I had a very nice conversation with Korgot the other day.”

 

Nilkuu slammed his foot on the ground enough to make his desk vibrate, shouting “It’ll be your last conversation with her if you know what’s good for you, punk! Korgot’s my girl!”

 

Vizuna scoffed and rolled his eyes. “I doubt it,” he said. “Especially after you humiliated her like that yesterday.”

 

“Shut up!” Nilkuu commanded. “Stay out of this! Just keep focusing on not finishing your midterm project.”

 

That got Izotor to look over at Vizuna with concern. “You’re not doing your midterm project? You have to if you want to pass the class!”

 

Vizuna shrugged. “Who cares? I don’t want to put all that effort into some stupid project just for some letter on my transcript. I mean, if there was a way to pass the class without doing the project, I would, but I’m not going to go hunting the loophole down.”

 

“But there is a loophole!” Izotor revealed. “All you’d have to do is join the Okoto High Protectors. Since they’re having a game the day the report is due, you’d automatically receive full credit for participating in an approved extracurricular activity instead.”

 

“That’s true,” Bingzak added as realization dawned on his face. “You wouldn’t even have to win the game.”

 

Vizuna’s eyes went wide with enamoration at the possibility. “And joining the team might have gotten much easier,” he commented with a glance at Nilkuu, “with one of its members getting detention less than a week before the big game. Maybe Principal Ekimu will be open to a new player.”

 

Nilkuu’s composure began to crumble at that. “Hey, you could never be a Protector! That’s Narmoto and me! We’re this school’s only Protectors, and that’s never going to change!”

 

As soon as Nilkuu concluded his declaration, the intercom system activated, and the voice of Principal Ekimu said to all:

 

“Attention students, there is a new rule added to the Kolhii game scheduled for the end of the week. Unlike all previous Kolhii matches, with one forward and one defender per team, each team will now send six forwards to represent their school. As such, the Okoto High Protectors now need four more players to compete in our upcoming match against Mata Nui Prep.”

[Master Inika]

Episode 4: Between Classes

 

Principal Ekimu looked with confusion at the paper before him. It was an application by one of his students, Vizuna, to join the school’s sports team, the Okoto High Protectors.

 

“Um, I appreciate your interest in our extracurricular activities, but what makes you want to join so suddenly?” Ekimu asked his student.

 

Vizuna suddenly realized he would have to give an excuse beyond avoid schoolwork. “Um…” he said, “I decided it was time to do more activities here at school.”

 

“You can’t really do more, Vizuna, because you haven’t done any at all.”

 

Vizuna thought a moment, and said, “You mean I can’t do less.”

 

Ekimu rolled his eyes and said, “Very well, Vizuna. Welcome to the team.”

 

Vizuna practically skipped out of this office, toward the school’s exit.

 

“I presume you’ll be heading to class now, Vizuna!” Ekimu shouted as his door began closing.

 

“Oh, right!” Vizuna said. He ran back the opposite way, and then sneaked past again once the door was shut.

 

Vizuna knew he’d have to move quickly if he was going to cut class. He had to duck and dive between his fellow students, and even squeeze between Korgot and Kivoda to escape.

 

Kivoda heard Vizuna shout “Sorry!” as he passed him.

 

“It’s okay!” Kivoda shouted in reply. Then, he turned back to the cheerleader and said, “So, um, you were saying about the Protectors?”

 

“I don’t know if I should go ask the Principal if I can join,” Korgot confessed. She looked up at him and said, “What if Nilkuu makes my life worse?”

 

Kivoda made one hand into a fist and put it into the palm of his other. “Then he’ll have to go through me.”

 

Korgot had to stifle a laugh. “I’m serious, Kivoda.”

 

“So am I,” he replied. “Look, you’ll be a great Kolhii player. Just as great as you were a cheerleader. Do you believe me?”

 

“I guess,” she said after a moment. “Thanks. You’re a great friend,” she said right before she went into Ekimu’s office.

 

Kivoda felt his heart stop. He ran to Izotor at his locker and said, “Dude, we’ve got a problem!”

 

“What’s wrong?” his friend asked.

 

“Korgot said I’m… a great friend!” Kivoda had to lean on the locker next to Izotor’s to keep from collapsing.

 

“And that is bad, why, exactly?” Izotor asked, puzzled.

 

“Because everyone knows that great friends are terrible boyfriends!” Kivoda shouted. Unaware of all the students around him staring in confusion, he continued, “What am I going to do? Korgot needs a real man, a tough guy! Should I kick her and get food all over her at lunch like Nilkuu did?”

 

“No, you shouldn’t!” Izotor responded. “Here’s what you do, friend: join the Protectors with her! You’ll show her you’re a man without being a bully.”

 

“Good idea, thanks,” Kivoda said, starting to calm down. Acting like a man had always been hard for a guy in blue armor. But Kivoda’s thoughts shifted to something else. “Izotor! You should join and impress Harvali, too!”

 

Korgot, the newest member of the Okoto High Protectors, was just leaving Ekimu’s office as two other students barged in.

 

“Principal Ekimu!” one of them cried.

 

“Let me guess,” Ekimu said, “you two would like to join the Protectors.”

 

“Um, no,” he said. “The boys’ bathroom is on fire.”

 

Ekimu sat up and said, “And just how did that happen?”

 

The student shrugged and replied, “Well, it’s impossible to really know for sure.” As Ekimu turned around to don the Mask of Water, the students whispered to his friend, “You threw out the Mask of Fire, right?” His friend nodded vigorously.

 

The two students made their exit as Ekimu wearing his blue mask left his office.

 

“Principal Ekimu, we need to talk to you!” Kivoda called, running toward him with Izotor.

 

“Whatever it is, yes!” the Principal shouted as he ran to the bathroom.

 

Kivoda and Izotor looked at each other, pleasantly surprised.

 

“Well, that was easy,” Izotor said.

[Wiriamu]

 

Wow...is jock Nilkuu's middle name Ahkmou? He's certainly enough of a jerk to be related to him-makes G2 Pohatu seem like Mr. Sunshine.

 

Still loving things so far, and your little nod to Revenge of the Skull Spiders was genius. I wonder how the nerds would freak out if they could read said supplementary story and realize that they're IN it.

Seeing the second half of that post takes a huge weight off my chest. I've been worried for days since I posted this chapter if I made the scene with Nilkuu too mean-spirited. Glad to hear you still like it, and as always I appreciate any feedback.

 

Episode 3 will be up within the next few days.

 

 

Episodes 3 and 4 are pretty good as well-solid work so far.

 

Given your characterization of Nilkuu as a stereotypical chauvinist jock, his lines were pretty fitting-harsh, but fitting. I like how threatened he seems by Kivoda befriending Korgot. I'm sure he's due for some hard lessons once the six-man Protector team forms, and if he's smart he'll let them make him a better Okotan.

[Master Inika]

Episode 5: Game Day

 

It was finally the day of the big game at Okoto High School. Ekimu sat with his counterpart from Mata Nui Prep School, Principal Vakama. Ekimu gave a quick welcome speech while Vice Principal Makuta stood ominously in the shadow behind him, rubbing his hands together with a sinister smile, as the six Okoto High Protectors entered the field.

 

First were Nilkuu and Narmoto, welcoming the cheers of their fellow Okotans, followed by Kivoda and Izotor. Korgot was next, standing close to Kivoda, staying out of Nilkuu and Narmoto’s sights. Last was Vizuna, who yawned and stretched as he entered the field, having woken up ten minutes prior.

 

“Um, hi, Korgot?” a brown-armored Okotan standing beside Harvali said as the first female Protector passed.

 

“Yes?” Korgot asked, anticipating another mean comment about her choice to join the team.

 

“I’m Melea,” the new Okotan said. “I’m your replacement on the cheer squad. I just wanted to say… good luck!”

 

Korgot smiled. She thanked Melea and continued to the center of the field. Maybe Kivoda was right and she should just relax.

 

Then, Okoto High’s rivals, the Chroniclers, entered the field. All the Okotans on one half of the stadium went silent, but the Matoran from out-of-town sitting on the other side cheered wildly. Jaller, Takua, Hahli, Macku, Hewkii, and Hafu stood in a row opposite the Protectors.

 

“I’d say you’re about to be history,” Narmoto growled to Jaller, “but you already are.”

 

“At least LEGO spent more than five seconds thinking of my name,” Jaller shot back, “Protector of Fire.”

 

“Glad you could make it,” Nilkuu said smugly. “No attacks from a group of six color-coded clones? Or maybe Vakama’s saving the next chapter of the Great Rescue for after you lose?”

 

“We don’t mention anything from 2005 anymore!” Hewkii shouted back.

 

In the principal’s box, Ekimu and Vakama chuckled as they watched their students.

 

“Oh, I remember bickering like them when I was their age,” Vakama said.

 

“I was there, Vakama,” Ekimu added. “Shall the game begin?”

 

Vakama stood up, cleared his throat, and said, “We dedicate this Kolhii field to the Great Spirit Mata Nui, and to the three Virtues.”

 

The Matoran chanted in unison: “Unity! Duty! Destiny!”

 

Vakama smiled with satisfaction and declared, “Let the tournament begin!”

 

The Turaga of Fire sat back down as the game started. As it did, Ekimu leaned to him and whispered, “You know, principals aren’t allowed to endorse religious ideals in schools anymore.”

 

Vakama leaned to him as well and responded, “Just so you know, you weren’t there when I was their age. You weren’t even a twinkle in Hero Factory’s eye yet.”

 

The game was brutal, going long into the night. Nilkuu almost made a score, but Macku deflected at the last second. The game went into overtime with the scoreboard two-to-two. The next goal would decide the game.

 

Then, Nilkuu had the ball. He prepared to throw it into the Chroniclers’ unprotected goal post when Vakama removed an item from his pouch. The Turaga of Fire donned the Vahi, the Mask of Time, and Nilkuu began to move in slow motion. Ekimu was quick to react, donning the Vahi, the Mask of Time, as well and causing everyone else to move in slow motion.

 

“Nil… kuu!” Korgot shouted in a comically low voice. “Pass… the… ball… to… me!”

 

Nilkuu, despite being in a slowed time zone, had no time to think. He simply trusted his instincts and threw the slow-moving ball to the former cheerleader.

 

The ball connected with Korgot’s drill and went flying very, very slowly at the principal’s box. Vakama and Ekimu each lost control of his Vahi and was unable to dodge in time. The ball first struck Vakama in the face, knocking the Vahi off, and then bounced into Ekimu’s, doing the same. The ball then hit Makuta in the face, knocking off the Mask of Ultimate Power he had just placed upon it, and then ricocheted through the field until it came to a stop in the Chronicler’s goal.

 

“We did it! We won!” the Okotans cheered.

 

Everyone, including Nilkuu, lifted Korgot in the air and chanted her name. They carried her to the center of the field and she stood among her fellow teammates as the players all stood in a row and bowed as Ekimu gave his closing speech.

 

“Congratulations to our side, and well-played by all… Oh, and please don’t tell anyone about Vakama and I cheating…”

 

As they all bowed, a small gold object fell from Jaller’s backpack. It glowed brilliantly as it landed on Takua’s foot. The Chroniclers and Principal Vakama made a hasty exit, no doubt to have a more exciting adventure than would ever happen on Okoto, as the victory party for Okoto High began.

 

As Korgot celebrated with Harvali and Melea, Nilkuu approached her.

 

“Hey, um, Korgot?” he said shyly. “I’m really sorry for how I treated you earlier… Are you still my girl?”

 

Narmoto quickly came up next and said to Harvali, “And, um, will you be mine?”

 

Just that moment, Izotor and Kivoda approached, but realized they had come at an awkward time. Their eyes told the girls all they needed to know, though, and the two cheerleaders looked, unsure, between the two jocks and the two nerds.

 

“I choose…” Korgot said, “Vizuna!”

 

“Vizuna?!” the four boys said in shock.

 

“Hey, he was going to be my pick!” Harvali protested.

 

“He was?!” the four boys said, totally surprised.

 

“Um, girls?” Melea said meekly. “Vizuna’s my boyfriend.”

 

Korgot bit her lip. “Oh… Well, in that case…” she said, as she looked to Nilkuu, “thank you for apologizing. I’d like us to still be friends, but I don’t think you’re the kind of person I want that kind of relationship with.”

 

Kivoda’s eyes lit up as Korgot looked at him and said, “But, Kivoda, I still don’t know if I’m ready to take that step with you. I’d still like to be your friend and, maybe, one day, who knows?”

 

“Um, what she said,” Harvali replied, pointing first to Narmoto then to Izotor.

 

On the bus back to Mata Nui Prep, Jaller and Hewkii were talking about their rivals.

 

“Did you hear the white one talking about how he wanted that cheerleader to be ‘his girl’?” Jaller asked.

 

“Yeah, I did,” Hewkii replied. “And one of the other cheerleaders had a ‘boyfriend.’ What do you think that is?”

 

“Beats me,” Jaller said. “Maybe our very close but still platonic friends Hahli and Macku know.”

 

End Arc I: The Big Game

 

Coming Soon to This Very Topic:

 

Six all-new characters I haven't named yet navigate the rough seas of high school and teenage romance, in...

 

Okoto High Arc II: The Festival of Masks Dance!

 

Be there or be square!

[Wiriamu]

Quite the hilarious installment-love the inter-generation banter and how things turned out. Nice inclusion of Melea as well; personally, I ship KorgotxVizuna as well, but that was a nice curveball with him and Melea.

[Master Inika]

Okoto High Episode 6: The New Girl

 

Loseth took a deep breath and her first step down the halls of Okoto High School. It was the green-armored Okotan’s first day at her new school, and she already knew she was in for a rough time. Everywhere she looked, everyone was talking about the Kolhii game last weekend. They were all laughing and discussing the players and cheerleaders, and she didn’t know any of the names or events they were referencing. She’d never felt so out of place in her whole life.

 

Just keep walking, eyes on your feet, Loseth thought to herself. Whatever you do, don’t draw any attention to—

 

Before Loseth could finish her thought, she walked head-first into an open locker, falling backward and throwing her schoolbooks in every direction. One hit a black-armored Okotan in the face, another hit the light fixture, plunging the middle of the hall in darkness, and the third hit the fire alarm, also setting off the sprinkler system. Everyone quickly filed out of their classrooms until Principal Ekimu was able to switch it off and corral everyone back to class.

 

Sitting in the very back row of her class, Loseth struggled to pay attention to the teacher’s lesson. She could barely hear a word she was saying, or read what was written on the board. It was then she couldn’t help but notice the Okotan next to her was staring intently at her.

 

“What?” she whispered harshly. “Yeah, I’m the girl who set off the fire alarm, and the sprinklers, and broke the light!”

 

“And hit me in the face with her book,” her classmate added.

 

Loseth buried her face in the palm of her hands. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice muffled.

 

“Don’t worry about it. My name’s Toth,” he replied. “I just think it’s odd you’re actually trying to take notes. Nobody sits back here except us slackers.”

 

“Slackers?” Loseth asked.

 

“Yeah, it’s the perfect place for slacking!” Toth answered. “The teacher can’t see us, so we never get called on to answer questions or anything!”

 

“But how do you pass the class?” Loseth asked innocently.

 

Toth laughed in response. “However we can. Cheating, guessing… Though what all slackers aspire to do is pull a trick like Vizuna did.”

 

Loseth recognized that name from gossip she’d heard in the hallway. “The new Protector?” she asked. “The one who joined the team one day before the big game just to get out of doing his project?”

 

“Yeah, that’s the one!” Toth said. It was in that moment Loseth realized that, to her shock, she actually was able to talk about relevant things to her classmates. Toth continued: “Back here, no one pays much mind to what I’m doing, even if it’s sleeping, talking to the other slackers, or thinking of a new dance routine.”

 

“Oh, you dance?” Loseth asked.

 

Toth immediately looked back forward, folding his hands. “Um, yeah, but not in front of anyone. Sorry. I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”

 

Loseth smiled. “You don’t need to be embarrassed. Nobody’s going to think less of you for it.”

 

“I could say the same thing to you,” the Toth said back. “So why don’t you sit up closer next class? Maybe actually hear the lesson.”

 

“Good idea,” Loseth said. “Only, can we still talk? I’d like to see some of your dance moves sometime.”

 

“We can talk,” Toth replied, “but you’re not seeing my moves… They’re not ready yet.”

 

Class ended not soon after. Toth bid Loseth goodbye as they went separate directions. Not a moment later, Loseth found her mask less than two inches from a bright red Mask of Fire with two vibrant, friendly eyes behind it.

 

“Hi! You must be the new girl,” the red-armored Okotan said. “My name’s Krylal. I’m the cheer captain, and I know everyone around here. Except for you, that is, which must mean that you’re not from around here.”

 

“Oh, um, yeah,” Loseth said, holding her books close to her chest, “it’s my first day at Okoto High.”

 

Everyone gasped and crowded around Loseth as Krylal looked at her in disbelief and said, “Are you from another time and place?!”

 

“Well, not exactly,” Loseth replied, unable to stifle a giggle. “Not unless you consider down the road last semester to be ‘another time and place.’ I used to go to East Okoto High School, but they redrew the district lines between semesters, so now I’m zoned to go here to Okoto Central High School.”

 

Everyone sighed in disappointment as the crowd dissipated, leaving Krylal and Loseth.

 

“Well, even if you aren’t from around here, let me know if you want to join the cheer squad!” Krylal said. “We could always use new cheerleaders.”

 

Loseth clutched her books tighter and said, “Oh, well, I don’t think you’d want me…”

 

“Why not? Because of that little impromptu routine this morning?” Krylal asked. “Don’t sweat it. On my first day, I tripped on a skateboard and sent it flying straight through the window of the principal’s office. I heard him scream like a girl!”

 

Loseth, now curious, exclaimed, “You hit Principal Ekimu with a skateboard?!”

 

“Well, not exactly…” she admitted. The late bell rang before either could say anything else.

 

“Oh, no, I’m late!” Loseth cried.

 

“Let me know about joining the squad!” Krylal shouted as Loseth ran off. The red Okotan smiled to herself and said, “She’ll fit right in here.”

[Master Inika]

Okoto High Episode 7: Unwanted Assistance

 

The brown-armored Okotan stomped down the halls, eagerly keeping his eyes open for the classmate he targeted—er, the classmate he sought out. All around him, students were fleeing in every direction, intent on avoiding a beating from the school jock feared only less than Nilkuu and Narmoto. Finally, the Okotan found just who he was looking for. His blue-armored classmate was leaning against his locker, reading a comic.

 

“Hey, Kulta-bones!” the jock shouted. When the other Okotan tensed up, he forced himself to speak quieter and corrected, “Um, I mean, hey Nemji. What’s up?”

 

Nemji dropped his comic to the floor and held up both hands in front of his face. “Bakar, I know I can’t stop you from pounding me today, but just please maybe consider leaving my mask intact this time?”

 

Bakar bent down and picked up Nemji’s comic, then handed it to him. “Hey, uh, about that… Look, what I saw at the Kolhii game last weekend kind of, um, opened my eyes a little. So I’m going to make it all up to you.”

 

Nemji raised an eyebrow. “I appreciate the sentiment, but unless you happen to have a copy of Issue #2 in mint condition, I don’t think you have anything I want.”

 

Bakar gritted his teeth and slammed his fist against the lockers. “Are you denying my help? What, are you too good for me now? Here I am trying to build bridges, and you’re just going to say no to me, the third-best Kolhii player at school?”

 

“O-Okay, sorry!” Nemji replied, shaking as he covered his face again.

 

Old habits die hard, Bakar realized. He put an arm around Nemji and somewhat forcefully dragged him down the hall. “I don’t have that thing you wanted, but here’s what I will do for you, pal: I’m going to help you ask any girl you want to the Festival of Masks Dance at the end of the week. So, who’s the lucky girl?”

 

“Well…” Nemji said. “There is one girl I’ve really been wanting to ask, but I’m way too shy to talk to her. You might know her… Krylal?”

 

“Krylal?!” Bakar exclaimed. “You think you’re good enough for the head cheerleader? I ought to pound you right now just for looking in her direction…” When Nemji gulped, Bakar forced himself to say, “I mean, um… Krylal. Sure thing. Whatever you say.”

 

Bakar gave careful instructions to Nemji, who listened as intently as he could. It turned out Nemji had never even spoken to her before, but Bakar was confident he could still reform the nerd into a suitable date for her. After Bakar’s pep talk, and a brotherly tap on the shoulder that knocked Nemji to the floor, the blue-armored nerd approached Krylal at her locker.

 

“Um, hey… Krylal?” he said, quivering and looking down at his feet, almost immediately breaking most of Bakar’s suggestions.

 

The girl turned and saw him. “Oh, hey, um… Kivoda, right?” she said, a little confused.

 

“It’s Nemji, actually,” he said softly. “Um, I was wondering, if you’re not already going with anyone, I would like to ask you if, um…”

 

“Oh, sorry Kivoda, I’m late for cheer practice!” Krylal exclaimed. She closed her locker and started in the opposite direction. “Talk to you later!”

 

Bakar had to force himself not to cram the nerd into the locker then and there. “What was that?!” he raged. “I gave you all that training and you didn’t use any of it!

 

“I’m sorry!” Nemji insisted. “I’ll do better next time! Please don’t give up on me!”

 

Bakar huffed as he thought of what to do next. “Not yet. But you better shape up, or this whole ‘me not being a bully to you anymore’ thing won’t last long.”

 

The brown-armored Okotan left before Nemji could reply. Dejected, the nerd returned to his locker, where his white-armored friend was exchanging her books in hers. Her face lit up as soon as she saw him.

 

“Oh, hey Nemji!” she said, smiling wide and looking up at him.

 

“Hey Sesed,” he replied.

 

“Um, Nemji, I was wondering if, maybe, if you hadn’t asked anyone already…” Sesed began, but her voice trailed off as uncertainty filled her thoughts. Would Nemji ever really consider going with her? She doubted it. He probably already found a date, and even if he hadn’t, going alone wouldn’t be as bad as being stuck with her all night…

 

“Did you say something?” Nemji asked. “Sorry, I’m a little stressed right now.”

 

“I just said, um…” Sesed answered, “did you read the latest comic yet?”

 

“Yeah, I did,” Nemji said. “I’m not really in the mood now, though. I’ll see you at comic club.”

 

Nemji walked off before Sesed could say anything back.

 

“O-Okay, I guess…” Sesed said, more to herself now, in a low whisper. “See you then.”

[Wiriamu]

Liking the new characters so far, especially how you're got the classic triangle: Nemji's so busy thinking about the popular girl he can't see that someone else likes him.

[Master Inika]

Okoto High Episode 8: The Plot Thickens

 

All of the students in Loseth and Toth’s class had their bags already packed up when the teacher dismissed class. Loseth, sitting in the front row, stood up and waited for Toth by the door. After all the other had left, she saw she and Toth, asleep in the back row, were the last students left.

 

Loseth made sure the door was closed, smiled wide, and loudly said, “Hey everyone, Toth secretly likes to dance!”

 

The black-armored slacker gasped and awoke, looking all around in terror for a moment. He calmed down as he realized no one else was around.

 

“A simple, ‘Hey, Toth, class is over,’ would have worked,” he said as he stood up. He walked over to her and they went to their lockers.

 

“You don’t need to be so shy about it,” Loseth said, playfully tapping her fist to his shoulder. “I’m sure you’re great.”

 

Toth sighed and didn’t say anything back. Loseth couldn’t help but notice he seemed quieter than usual. “Hey, is everything okay?” she asked.

 

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” Toth replied. Loseth could tell his mind was racing, though. Best not to pry, she decided.

 

In Toth’s mind, however, he knew he wouldn’t have an infinite amount of chances to tell his new friend what he wanted to say.

 

“Actually, um, there is something I want to say,” Toth declared as they reached their lockers.

 

“Hm? What is it?” Loseth asked as she opened her locker. Before Toth could ask her to the Festival of Masks Dance, he saw a picture of another student he knew, Bakar, taped to the inside of her locker, with lipstick marks all over his face.

 

“Um… It’s nothing,” Toth said. “Never mind. I’ll see you later.” Before he could embarrass himself more, he walked off, wondering how he could be so foolish as to think Loseth would ever go with him.

 

A moment later, Krylal walked up to Loseth from the opposite direction, unzipping her bag and taking some books out.

 

“Hey Krylal,” Loseth said. “Thanks for sharing your locker with me until the school gets more locks. Just one thing, can you take that picture of your boyfriend down?”

 

“He’s not my boyfriend yet,” Krylal insisted as she took the picture, gave it another kiss, and stuck it in in her bag. “So, any news with Toth? Did he ask you to the dance yet?”

 

Loseth sighed and looked down, dejected. “No, I thought he was going to for a second, but then he got really weird and left. I’ve been trying to give him hints.”

 

Krylal took out the book she needed and said, “Well, don’t worry about it. At least you like the guy talking to you. This one nerd keeps talking to me, and I don’t know why. I didn’t mind when he just stared at me from across the classroom, but now it’s getting kind of creepy.” Krylal’s eyes went wide and she said, “There he is! Talk to you later.” She quickly walked off as Nemji gulped, was immediately overcome with shame, and returned to Bakar’s locker.

 

“It’s not working, Bakar!” he complained. “She saw me and bolted in the opposite direction. This is useless.”

 

“Not with that attitude, it isn’t,” Bakar said. “Look, I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think you had a chance. I have to get to class, but just keep practicing.”

 

“Okay, I will. Thanks,” Nemji said. “Hey, I do have one concern. Even if I get to go to the dance with Krylal, how will I know what to do once I’m there? It seems like getting a date and keeping her interested are two totally different things.”

 

“Hmm. True. Thinking ahead; I like that,” Bakar said. “Tell you what. You and Krylal can double date with me and whoever I end up taking. That way, I can help you out at the dance, too.”

 

That put Nemji at ease a little bit, though he was surprised Bakar didn’t have a date yet. He wouldn’t mention that to him, though. “Thanks, Bakar,” he said. “I really appreciate this.”

 

“No problem. I have to go now. See you later, dude,” Bakar said before leaving.

 

Nemji felt much better as he went to his locker. He saw Sesed standing nearby, holding her backpack to her chest.

 

“Hey Sesed, what’s up?” he asked as he switched his books out.

 

“Oh, not much,” she said quietly. “Um…” she added, but her voice trailed off. She’d waited her entire break by his locker to talk to him, but now that he was there, she didn’t know what to say. Then, she realized something odd and asked, “Hey, why are you hanging out with Bakar so much? I’ve never seen him around you this often without you needing the Mask of Healing after.”

 

“Oh, it’s great!” Nemji said. “Bakar’s helping me ask Krylal to the Festival of Masks Dance. He’s a pretty good coach, too.”

 

“Really?” Sesed asked as her heart fell from the center of her chest to the ground and shattered. But then, she had an idea. “Do you… Do you think he’d help me find someone?”

 

“Probably. He’s trying to turn away from his past of being a bully, so he’ll probably appreciate the challenge.” Nemji realized what he was saying right after it was already out there. He turned to Sesed and quickly tried to say, “Hey, um, I didn’t mean it like that…”

 

But the damage was done. Sesed, looking dangerously close to tears, turned and darted off before Nemji could continue.

 

“Nice going, Nemji,” the blue-armored Okotan said. He held his head back and then slammed it against his locker. “Second girl you got to run away from you today.”

[Wiriamu]

You've captured the terrible drama of a high school story wonderfully-looking forward to things to come.

[Master Inika]

Okoto High Episode 9: Day of the Dance

 

“He probably already has a date,” Sesed insisted, breathing heavily and looking down at her feet.

 

“It’s not about if he has a date or not,” Bakar countered. “In truth, it doesn’t even really matter if he likes you or not. It’s about building confidence and being able to interact with the opposite gender.”

 

“I-I guess that makes sense…” the white-armored Okotan conceded, tapping her fingers together. “But did you hear what he said to me? That…” She took a deep breath. “…this would be a challenge for you?”

 

Bakar sighed and gave Sesed a long, tight hug. Her head fit nicely into the crook of his neck.

 

“Boys say stupid stuff sometimes,” he said. “Trust me. It’s true. Are you ready?”

 

“A few more seconds,” Sesed replied, her voice muffled by her face pressing into his chest armor. She finally released him and walked over to Nemji by his locker. The blue-armored Okotan was just finished exchanging his books.

 

“Hey Nemji,” she said, her voice low and soft.

 

Nemji heard a quiet noise and looked over, and then saw his friend. “Oh, hey!” he said. “Um, I’m sorry about yesterday. I feel awful.”

 

“It’s okay,” Sesed told him, looking down at her feet with her hands clasped in front of her.

 

“No, it isn’t,” Nemji said. “It was wrong of me. Are you going to the dance tonight?”

 

“Yes!” Sesed exclaimed as she looked up, her eyes now wide and jubilant.

 

“Me too,” Nemji said. “How about we go to the comic book store together before it starts? I was going to buy the new issue, and I’ll get yours, too.”

 

Sesed half-returned to her previous sulk. “Oh, um… Okay. Thanks, I guess,” she said. It was still something.

 

Nemji, more proud of himself than he should have been, smiled goofily. He gave Sesed a quick, few-seconds hug and then let go, zipped his backpack up, and said, “I’ll see you after school. We can walk over together.”

 

As Bakar walked up behind Sesed to give her another much-needed hug, Nemji quickly began moving to the lockers on the other side of the school. But then he stopped in his tracks. Every day the whole semester, he’d rushed over to Krylal’s locker to try to talk to her, but he remembered how scared she’d seemed of him. It was best to just leave her alone, he decided. He began walking at a normal walking pace to his next class, wishing he’d hugged Sesed a few seconds more.

 

Krylal was already talking to another student at her locker anyway. She slammed it shut, fuming mad.

 

“What was her name?!” she demanded.

 

“I don’t know!” Loseth said. “Look, maybe she’s his sister or something. I just saw them hugging, is all.”

 

“You said you saw Bakar walk up behind her and gave her a hug,” Krylal reminded. “That’s the kind of hug only either cute couples or people who want to be cute couples do. I’d give anything for a guy to sneak up on me and do that!”

 

Loseth tilted her head, waved a hand, and said, “Oh, hi Nemji!”

 

Krylal gasped and turned around in fear to see nobody as Loseth burst out laughing.

 

“That’s not funny!” she insisted.

 

“Well, be more specific with who you want sneaking up on you then,” Loseth said.

 

“Fine, fine,” the red-armored Okotan responded. She began walking to her class and said, “Anybody except that guy.”

 

Loseth, unable to keep from still smirking, said, “Well, I do have to admit it sounds nice to have two strong, black-armored arms around you…” She ran up to Krylal and then, when she realized what she’d said, covered her mouth and stopped moving. It was Krylal’s turn to smile.

 

“You’re still thinking about Toth!” she blurted.

 

“No, I’m not,” Loseth insisted, blushing brightly and running back to Krylal. “He’s been even more standoffish than before. I bet he’s really happy with whichever girl he is going with…”

 

“He’s going alone,” Krylal said. “I know every girl in school, and you’re the only one interested in him. And hey, even if you’re not, you can’t let that keep you down.”

 

Loseth raised an eyebrow. “You can’t know literally every girl in school.”

 

“Literally every girl,” Krylal said. “Want proof? There’s even a girl who likes Nemji. She’s a nerd like him. She’s crazy about him, too, probably more than he is for me.”

 

“Wait, really?” Loseth asked. “Why don’t you tell him?”

 

“First off, that would involve talking to Nemji,” Krylal said, holding up one finger. She held up another added, “Second, he has to already know. She’s super obvious about it.”

 

“Actually…” Loseth said with a hand to her chin. “Does she have white armor?”

 

“Yeah, why?” Krylal asked.

 

“That’s who I saw Bakar hugging!”

 

Krylal stopped in her tracks, made a fist, and narrowly kept herself from punching the wall. “He’s choosing the nerd girl over me?!”

 

“Um, well…” Loseth began, regretting telling her. “You can’t let it get you down, right?”

 

“I can let it get me all the way down to the Region of Earth!” Krylal said. “I can’t believe prime girls like us are going alone when even the nerd girls can find dates. This is going to be the worst dance ever. I wish I didn’t have to go. It’ll be so humiliating to show up alone.”

 

“Well… What if we don’t go?” Loseth suggested. When Krylal gave her a look, she added, “I mean, it would just torture both of us, so why don’t we have a girls’ night or something instead? You can come over to my house and we can have a sleepover!”

 

“Thanks, Loseth, but I have to be at the dance. The cheer squad is doing a special routine, and we all have to be there,” she explained. “That reminds me. I know you don’t like attention, but we need at least one reserve cheerleader in case something happens to one of our regular girls. Can I count on you in case that happens?”

 

Loseth thought for a moment. She did hate being the center of attention, but by now she considered Krylal a friend and was flattered she was offering.

 

“You got it, sister,” the green-armored Okotan said with a smile. “I just hope nothing goes wrong.”

 

Krylal rolled her eyes and said, “With the way this week has been doing for me, I wouldn’t be surprised if Vice Principal Makuta tried to take over the school or something.”

 

The two girls shared a brief laugh as they proceeded to class. They passed Vice Principal Makuta on their way and, if they looked inside his bag, would have found a copy of Usurping Your Brother: A Step-by-Step Guide for Purely Educational Purposes, Second Edition.

[Wiriamu]

Shouldn't Makuta be in the Shadow Realm? Another great chapter-great material.

[Master Inika]

Shouldn't Makuta be in the Shadow Realm? Another great chapter-great material.

Nah, in Chapter 5 the mask just fell off his face. No shockwave rolling across the island or anything... yet.

[ToaTImeLord]

These are so ture.

A round of applause.

If you ever wanted some ideas I got some stories for you.

[Master Inika]

Okoto High Episode 10: Night of the Dance

 

The Festival of Masks Dance proved to be a disaster from the start. Vice Principal Makuta, the one in charge of the dance funds, didn’t exactly splurge; the decorations consisted solely of a pink banner saying “It’s a Girl!” only with “School Dance” written over “Girl.” To make matters worse, the only one actually dancing was Principal Ekimu, who was doing the worm while encouraging all the students, standing unmoving by the wall, to “bust a move” and “get jiggy with it” with him.

 

Loseth arrived early, and spent the first few minutes staring across the Gymnasium of Stone at Toth, who glanced back at her a few times. He didn’t seem to be with anyone. She thought of going to talk to him when she noticed Krylal enter the room, arm-in-arm with Nemji. Loseth had to go see what she was thinking.

 

“I couldn’t show up alone!” Krylal insisted. “Weirdo date is better than no date.” When Loseth looked dejectedly at her feet, Krylal said, “I didn’t mean it like that!”

 

Nemji wasn’t as happy as Krylal assumed he was. Krylal had been his dream girl for so long, but finally there at the dance with her, the only girl he could think of was Sesed. But she was with Bakar, talking and laughing with him. He had his chance, and he’d missed it. At least the dance couldn’t go any worse.

 

“Okoto High students,” Vice Principal Makuta announced. Ekimu finally stopped doing the worm long enough to look in horror and see his brother holding up the Mask of Ultimate Power, bound together with duct tape.

 

“Oh, no…” Ekimu said. As the mask touched Makuta’s face, Ekimu took his Hammer of Power and knocked the mask from his brother’s face. A shockwave rolled across the gymnasium, sending both brothers into a deep sleep.

 

“Hooray!” the students cheered. Now the dance could really begin, with all the couples taking to the dance floor and starting to enjoy themselves. Bakar and Sesed had a wonderful slow dance, while Krylal and Nemji awkwardly moved around each other, neither one sure of what to do. At one end of the gym, Toth resisted the urge to break out his best moves.

 

Loseth was about to go talk to him when Krylal approached her.

 

“Loseth, I need your help!” she cried. “When the shockwave rolled across the gym, two of my cheerleaders were injured! I need you and at least one more Okotan to help me with it. Their roles aren’t hard to memorize, but they are vital to the entire routine. Do you know anyone else who knows anything about cheering, or maybe even just dancing?”

 

The green-armored Okotan immediately knew who to seek out.

 

“Toth!” she cried. “Krylal and I need you to perform in the cheer routine. It’s just like dancing!”

 

“Dancing?!” Toth exclaimed. “I mean… I don’t know anything about that…”

 

“I know you do!” she replied. “I know you don’t want me as a girlfriend, but can you at least do this as just a favor?”

 

Toth didn’t know what to say at first. “I… Okay, let’s do it.”

 

Krylal explained their roles to them individually, and then the routine began. It was truly a balanced mixture of art and sport, with cheerleaders gracefully flying through the air. At the conclusion of the routine, Toth tossed Loseth high up into the air. Loseth tapped the ceiling of the gym before falling back down into Toth’s arms. Before she could stand back up, as she thought the plan was, Toth pressed his lips firmly against hers, holding her tight. Loseth was too overjoyed to be confused, so she simply melted into his arms as the gym erupted in applause. Loseth wished the kiss could have lasted forever, and almost stumbled to the ground when Toth finally stood her back up. The entire cheer squad, plus Toth and Loseth, took a bow before the crowd dispersed.

 

“Wow,” Loseth said to Krylal. “I didn’t know anything like that was part of the routine.”

 

“It wasn’t,” Krylal said with a giggle.

 

Loseth left to be with Toth, but Nemji ran up next, gulped, and said, “Hey, um, Krylal? I have a confession to make… I didn’t really want to go to the dance with you!”

 

Krylal was ready to strangle him. “Then why did you say yes when I asked you? I only asked you because—”

 

“I did want to, but I now realize my true love: Sesed!” Nemji declared. “I’m sorry to be the one that got away, but I need to follow my heart.”

 

“I…” Krylal started, resisting the urge to smack him. “Just go.”

 

Nemji ran off and found Sesed, alone, by the punch bowl. He said nothing, only grabbed her by the waist, pulled her close, and gave her a long, passionate kiss.

 

Krylal, now alone, was about to leave when two strong, brown-armored arms came around her, giving her a tight hug from behind.

 

“Bakar?” she whispered.

 

“It’s me,” he confirmed.

 

“What about Sesed?”

 

“Turns out she doesn’t like sports, just comic books.”

 

Krylal looked him in the eye and said, “I love sports.”

 

The new couple locked lips, just like the two other newly-formed couples, as the two school administrators came to their senses.

 

“Aww!” Ekimu said. “I just love happy endings!”

 

“Blech!” Makuta said, pointing his finger toward his mouth. “They’re too young for all this kissing stuff!”

 

“The innocent exploration of youth!” Ekimu praised.

 

“The lustful throes of wild passion!” Makuta condemned.

 

The dance went on long into the night, and the six Okoto High students all left in pairs, much happier than when they entered.

 

End Arc II: The Festival of Masks Dance

 

This is the last chapter of Okoto High. Thank you to all my readers, and I hope you enjoyed this story.

 

UPDATE: That was a lie. Keep scrolling for Okoto High Arc III: Graduation; or, Finally Gettin' Outta Here!

Edited October 20, 2016 by Master Inika

[The 1st Shadow]

This is the last chapter of Okoto High. Thank you to all my readers, and I hope you enjoyed this story.

But.... Only 10 chapters? I really have been enjoying this one. Hopefully you can do another one like it in the future.

[Master Inika]

 

This is the last chapter of Okoto High. Thank you to all my readers, and I hope you enjoyed this story.

But.... Only 10 chapters? I really have been enjoying this one. Hopefully you can do another one like it in the future.

 

Thank you for the kind words, and I hope I can, too. I feel like I have been running out of ideas for this, though, and I'd rather end it while it's still good and keep introducing fresh material rather than drag it out longer than it needs. Trust me, it's never easy ending a series. ;.;

[The 1st Shadow]

 

 

This is the last chapter of Okoto High. Thank you to all my readers, and I hope you enjoyed this story.

But.... Only 10 chapters? I really have been enjoying this one. Hopefully you can do another one like it in the future.

 

Thank you for the kind words, and I hope I can, too. I feel like I have been running out of ideas for this, though, and I'd rather end it while it's still good and keep introducing fresh material rather than drag it out longer than it needs. Trust me, it's never easy ending a series. ;.;

 

Well, hey, if you ever need someone to bounce ideas off of, you know where to find me. Best of luck in future works!

[ToaTImeLord]

 

 

This is the last chapter of Okoto High. Thank you to all my readers, and I hope you enjoyed this story.

But.... Only 10 chapters? I really have been enjoying this one. Hopefully you can do another one like it in the future.

Thank you for the kind words, and I hope I can, too. I feel like I have been running out of ideas for this, though, and I'd rather end it while it's still good and keep introducing fresh material rather than drag it out longer than it needs. Trust me, it's never easy ending a series. ;.;

Ever make a sequel I got some tales you can use, just shot me a PM.

But great story.

[Wiriamu]

Well said my friend. Far too many stories in various formats have been dragged out for far too long. Yours is a splendid finale.

[Master Inika]

Oh, the things I do for you people. I've thought it over, and I've decided maybe I do have five more bite-sized episodes of Okoto High left in me. So, without further ado, I proudly present Okoto High Arc III: Graduation; or, Finally Gettin' Outta Here!

 

Okoto High Episode 11: The New Test

 

“Gathered students,” Principal Ekimu began, “listen again to my special announcement…”

 

As usual, the students in the crowd proceeded to ignore their principal’s speech and focus on their own conversations and observe interesting things around them, such as the fact that Makuta was apparently still Vice Principal after not once but twice attempting to overthrow his brother and take over the school.

 

“I wonder if they made a third edition of that guidebook,” a red-armored Okotan named Shikou said to his friend.

 

“I hear they did,” his green-armored friend Temman said back. “Wait a second! It looks like Makuta’s reading it right now!”

 

Lo and behold, Vice Principal Makuta was indeed reading the third edition in the “Usurping Your Brother” book series right behind his brother as he gave his boring speech about Okoto High’s new standardized test—Wait, a standardized test?! All you kids, shut your eating-holes, I need to listen to this! Gosh, I hope narrators don’t have to take the test…

 

“Starting this year,” Principal Ekimu announced, “all final-year students in our school district will be required to pass the District Uniform Memory Benchmark, or DUMB, in order to graduate from high school.” Principal Ekimu ran out of notecards to read from and looked at the horrified audience as he said, “Now isn’t that nice? I’ve had the feeling not enough actual learning went on in this school.”

 

Shikou and Temman joined the rest of the assembled students in beginning to talk worriedly among themselves.

 

“A test? There can’t be a test!” Shikou cried. “I thought this school was just sporting events and dances! I’ve never even been to an actual class all semester…”

 

You think you’ve got it rough, kid? I’ve never even narrated an actual class!

 

“This can’t be happening!” Temman agreed. “This is awful…”

 

“Now settle down, students,” Principal Ekimu called. “I know we all can’t wait to take the DUMB, but we won’t get to actually sit down for the six-hour test until the end of this month. You will receive a five-minute break halfway through to bang your heads against the wall, and snacks will be provided in the form of… Oh, dear, it says here to bring two extra sheets of paper, one to show your work on the math portion, and another to serve as your snack. Apparently, pencil shavings make an excellent topping. Budget cuts, am I right? Oh, this is interesting, though! All narrators in the school district are exempt from the DUMB!”

 

Oh, that’s a relief! I was really worrying for a second. Well, I hope the two interesting character I introduced you to make it through okay! You’ll have to wait until next episode to find out, though! I’ll be busy not studying for the DUMB, because I’m not taking it! Ha-ha-ha, la-la-la! Narrators rule, characters drool!

Edited October 20, 2016 by Master Inika

[The 1st Shadow]

Oh, the things I do for you people. I've thought it over, and I've decided maybe I do have five more bite-sized episodes of Okoto High left in me. So, without further ado, I proudly present Okoto High Arc III: Graduation; or, Finally Gettin' Outta Here!

And you're a saint for it.

 

Definitely loved this new bit. Got more than a few laughs out of me. Especially with the narrator getting involved. And Ekimu's description of the testing pretty much summed up how finals feel. Well done, compadre!

[Wiriamu]

Clever stuff-you just bringing in two newbies this go around?

[Master Inika]

Okoto High Episode 12: Study Time

 

Ah, the Okoto High School Media Center, once a place of erudite study, now reduced to nothing but a wild pack of unruly Skull Spiders—

 

“Shhhh!” the students all shushed, holding their armored finger the mouthpieces on their masks.

 

Are you kids actually being good students for once?

 

“Shhhhhhhh!” went the students again, louder and more forceful.

 

Well excuse me! How was I supposed to know you wouldn’t be engaging in some kind of wacky antics this time around?

 

Among the students inexplicably being good students were Anunde the Earth Okotan and Sanoma the Stone Okotan, who were sitting on the floor by the Rock Sciences section of the library.

 

“I can’t believe we’re having a test!” Sanoma whispered harshly to her friend. “My last school never had super-important tests like this.”

 

“Mine neither,” Anunde said back to her. “This sucks!”

 

“At least we can study together,” Sanoma said. The two girls checked out a sizeable stack of books and carried them over the computers.

 

“Ugh! Do we really need to learn all the stuff in these books?” Anunde asked.

 

“According to the teacher, we do,” Sanoma admitted.

 

“These books aren’t just about rocks, they’re heavy as them!” Anunde complained.

 

The girls each sat by a computer, and agreed on what their study plan was: each would make up a practice test for the other, and then they would switch seats and take the other’s test. Whichever Okotan did worse would carry the books back when they were done.

 

“Ten minutes. Sound good?” Sanoma asked.

 

“Yeah,” Anunde agreed. She booted up her computer, opened up the Mozilla Ta-Kavinika, and was about to click the icon for the Rock Database when she realized this might be her only chance to use a computer all day. She decided she’d spend two minutes playing BIONICLE: Mask of Creation on LEGO.com, and then make her test.

 

She played as Onua, as usual, and was able to accumulate a 300x combo! It was a new high score for her. Before she knew it, seven minutes had passed. She figured there was no point in trying to make a good test in three minutes, so why not just keep playing?

 

She had the highest score on the whole website, until the last minute of playing, when another LEGO.com member named Pohatu8531 stole it right from under her with a 343x combo! There was no way she was leaving on that score. A one-minute game was all Anunde would need.

 

After many, many minutes of bashing Skull Spiders, she lost with a 310x combo. No point in keeping the game going then. And then, she realized, minutes upon minutes had passed!

 

“Sanoma!” she cried, and proceeded to be shushed by everyone around her, not unlike a certain narrator who was only doing his job.

 

“Gah! Oh, right, the test!” Sanoma stammered in a panicked whisper.

 

“I’m sorry, I never got around to making it…” Anunde admitted. “I spent all our time playing BIONICLE: Mask of Creation!”

 

Sanoma sighed. “Me, too. I was going to log off and make my test, but… some jerk named Onua8532 was coming a little too close to my high score for comfort!”

 

The two girls suddenly looked at each other, silent for a moment, before laughing to themselves and struggling to keep their volume down.

 

“Let’s make our actual tests now, okay?” Sanoma said.

 

“Okay,” Anunde agreed.

 

The two girls logged off of LEGO.com, went to the Rock Database, and were about to get started when the intercom turned on and the librarian said, “Attention students, the library is closing in five minutes. Please return all materials to the proper shelf and log off the computers. Have a nice day!”

[ToaTImeLord]

This was so cute.

[Wiriamu]

Mozilla Ta-Kavinika...I see what you did there. Another neat chapter-you think there's much chance that any of the three sets of characters you've got going will interact?

[Master Inika]

Mozilla Ta-Kavinika...I see what you did there. Another neat chapter-you think there's much chance that any of the three sets of characters you've got going will interact?

I can't say I was planning on it. :/ In the past, just getting all six in the same chapter took a lot of coordination.

[Wiriamu]

Fair point-still loving it.

[Master Inika]

Okoto High Episode 13: A Relationship in Peril

 

The blue-armored Okotan looked at the clock mounted in the corner of the library for the fifth time. Her boyfriend was supposed to be there to study with her almost 20 minutes ago. Finally, her white-armored boyfriend appeared, coming up the stairs and meeting her.

 

“Sorry, Eisha,” her boyfriend said. She could recognize the sweat on his mask.

 

“It’s fine,” she said. “Just one thing, Kurei?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“You’re been late to our last three study sessions!” Eisha said, pointing an armored finger at her boyfriend Ace Attorney-style. “What’s her name? She’s a cheerleader, isn’t she?”

 

“What? No, it’s not like that—”

 

Eisha wasn’t listening, though. “I thought you loved me! Did our late-night study dates under the stars in the middle of the school Kolhii field mean nothing to you?”

 

“Eisha, please quiet down,” Kurei begged. “People are starting to stare…”

 

“I didn’t have to date the biggest nerd in our grade, Kurei! Sure, I’m a nerd, too, but you’re not the only one who had eyes for me. I had jocks pining for me, but I thought you were different. Well I hope you and your beautiful cheerleader are very happy together!”

 

“It’s not that, it’s the test!” Kurei cried.

 

That got Eisha to stop shouting. “What about the test?”

 

“I can’t tell you here. Follow me.”

 

Without waiting for her reply, Kurei grabbed her arm and dragged her down the hall behind the Kanoka-Kola machine.

 

“It’s so cramped back here…” Eisha said, blushing. “What did you need to tell me?”

 

Kurei put his hands on the sides of her mask and gave her a long, passionate kiss before saying anything else.

 

Eisha, her mask redder than a Mask of Fire, said, “O-Okay, so you do still love me… What about the test, though?”

 

Kurei looked out past the vending machine in both directions, and then leaned by her audio receptor and whispered: “The test is unpassable.”

 

Now, Eisha was a little angry again. “Maybe if you came to study with me on time, you’d feel a little more confident!”

 

“No, I mean it literally cannot be passed. Here, listen to the first question.” Kurei pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper and read it to her: “What was the best constraction line ever made by LEGO?”

 

Eisha was confused. That was an easy one; it was BIONICLE G1. Before she could respond, though, Kurei, a look of dread on his face, continued: “A. Throwbots, B. Galidor, C. Hero Factory, or D. BIONICLE G2.”

 

Now, Eisha’s expression matched his in a look of horror, her eyes wide and looking down at their feet. “B-But… None of them! None of the above!”

 

“There is no ‘None of the above,’ Eisha.”

 

“What about our future, though?” Eisha cried. “We’re going to graduate high school, go to an Ivy League of Six Kingdoms college together, buy a nice house in the Region of Water and have 2.5 beautiful children!”

 

“I know. We still are,” Kurei assured, giving her a warm hug. “A group of student rebels has made contact with me. They call themselves the Test Takerz. I’m going to help them steal every copy of the test in this school and destroy it.”

 

Eisha broke the hug and looked at him with concerned, loving eyes. “No, you’re not,” she declared with resolve. “We are.”

Edited January 27, 2017 by Master Inika

[Wiriamu]

2.5? Is one of their kids going to be Splitface from Hero Factory?

 

Yet another delightful chapter my friend-I'm guessing the test is part of another Makuta plot.

[ToaTImeLord]

Can you end the series with them getting married.

They would make a cute married couple.

[Master Inika]

Okoto High Episode 14: A Plan is Made

 

“Principal Ekimu, I really think this might backfire,” Vice Principal Makuta implored.

 

“Nonsense! I know how to deal with these student rebel types,” Ekimu replied. Without listening to Makuta’s next arguments, he activated the intercom and declared:

 

“Attention students, it has come to my attention that a small group of rabble-rousers is attempting to disrupt our scheduled administering of the DUMB. Any students attempting to join or aid this organization will be punished severely! Also, lunch today is skull spider on a stick.”

 

“Wait, we don’t have to take the DUMB?” Anunde asked her friend.

 

“I guess not, if these student rebels win!” Sanoma said.

 

“Great! We’ve spent all our study time playing computer games, so we should join!”

 

“Yeah, but how?”

 

A new voice entered the conversation: “Hey girls, you looking to join the Test Takerz?” When the two Okotans said yes, the red-armored stranger said: “The name’s Shikou. I’m one of the Test Takerz, and I’d be happy to have you aboard. We’re having a meeting after school behind the gym. Be there.”

 

After school, six Okotans assembled behind the gym. Shikou spoke first:

 

“Greetings. In case we all don’t know each other, allow me to introduce you all. I am Shikou, leader and founder of the Test Takerz. My green-armored friend is Temman, co-founder and expert on school authorities. Also with us are Kurei, resident nerd, and his nerd girlfriend Eisha. Last but not least, our newest recruits, Sanoma and Anunde. Temman, take it from here.”

 

“Thank you. Our goal is to ambush the school convoy bringing the tests to the classrooms,” Temman explained. “They will be arriving tomorrow morning. We will be there to take the tests and destroy them. The superintendent will be leading them. He calls himself…” Temman stopped speaking for effect. “School Grinder. He will be flanked by School Slicer and School Basher, and an entourage of School Warriors and School Scorpios.”

 

“I hate Scorpios,” Sanoma growled.

 

“All right, team, on the count of three, everybody say ‘Test Takerz!’” Shikou instructed. “One, two, three…”

 

“Test Takerz!”

 

“What do we do until tomorrow morning?” Anunde asked.

 

“Hmm…” Shikou said. “Let’s go to Temman’s house! His mom has really good snacks!”

 

“Sleepover at Temman’s!” Eisha declared as the friends and conspirators went.

 

In the shadow of the gym, however, one figure remained. Taking form from the darkness was Vice Principal Makuta.

 

“Yes, go, students…” he hissed. “Go and enjoy your sleepover and Temman’s mom’s snacks, for when you return, it shall be the end of all of you! Or, more specifically, the end of all your academic careers. But still!”