Chapter 11: In Pursuit of a Warlord

 

Cutscene: An Unexpected Detour

 

Onua stopped for breath, panting heavily. "We need to find Tuma. I need all the answers I can get - the more answers we get, the quicker I get out of this Mata Nui-forsaken place."

 

"Sun getting to you, brother?" Pohatu grinned, skidding to a halt.

 

"Let's just keep moving," Onua frowned, not-so-subtly evading the question.

 

The two continued to run across the sands at insane speed. Suddenly, Pohatu yelped two words:

 

"LOOK OUT!"

 

"What?" Onua asked, and then toppled after his brother into a recently-formed portal.

 

Cutscene: Strong Resistance

 

Both Toa slammed into the ground, face-first. After a few seconds of pain, Pohatu staggered to his feet.

 

"For the love of Mata Nui, we've got to stop making entrances like this," the Toa of Stone growled. "Not only is it bad for our health, it's not exactly stealthy either…"

 

The multitudes of enemies clustered all around the room chose that moment to charge.

 

*insert multiman brawl against most of the enemies previously fought.*

 

Cutscene: Welcome to Odina

 

An armor-clad being scrambled over the fallen bodies of the Toa's enemies, wielding a wicked spear. Before they could do anything, that spear was at their throats.

 

"State your business on Odina," the creature growled.

 

"We recently fell from that portal up there," Pohatu said. "You know, the big purple swirly thing? That one, the one in the ceiling? Yeah."

 

"I am Onua and this is Pohatu," Onua said, gesturing thusly.

 

The creature's ugly face split into a horrible grin. "We have Toa," it breathed. "Be glad we recently allied with the Order, Toa, or I would have killed you both."

 

"Killed us?!" Pohatu yelped.

 

"What do you think a Dark Hunter does all day?" the creature snapped. "Honestly, you two are Pohatu and Onua. I would think that you, of all people, would know that… though you look somewhat different from how I was told…"

 

Suddenly, a thunderous crack split the air. All three whirled to see a new portal opening in the wall, again spewing out enemies of all kinds.

 

"Here we go again," Pohatu sighed.

 

"Brother, look! The portals are closing!" Onua cried.

 

"Oh, no… we'd better get out of here. Thank you for your hospitality, now good-bye!" Pohatu said, and the two Toa dashed off, leaving the "Dark Hunter" looking slightly confused.

 

*insert level: Odina. Pohatu and Onua must reach the portal at the end of the mission within a time limit. New enemies: I really think we should include some Dark Hunters, y'know?*

 

Cutscene: Leaving So Soon?

 

Pohatu was already in the portal. Onua had one leg in when a hand grabbed his shoulder. Instinctively, the Toa of Earth readied a devastating punch and whirled to see… the Dark Hunter from earlier.

 

"Toa Onua, take this!" it hissed, tossing him a small device.

 

"This is what Tuma wore," Onua remembered.

 

"Yes! I stole it from one of those Skakdi over there," the Dark Hunter explained. "I'm good with technology; a simple touch recalibrated it so that Odina is its default setting. If you need to return here, press this button here."

 

"Onua? The portal's closing," Pohatu called, his voice distorted by the space-time energy.

 

"Thank you, Hunter," Onua nodded. "I would wager that I shall see you again soon…"

 

With that, the Toa of Earth disappeared into the portal, not a moment too soon. A small bang echoed through the room as the purple energy folded in on itself, and the two Toa were thrown through the vortex of all Creation to… someplace new.

 

*STAGE CLEAR reward: none.*

This was a really fun chapter to edit, Talos.

 

Oh yeah, also: From now till next Friday (excluding weekends) I'll probably only be on sometime after 4. Camp and all. Just so you know.

 

Chapter 11: In Pursuit of a Warlord

 

Cutscene: An Unexpected Detour

 

Onua stopped for breath, panting heavily. "We need to find Tuma. I need all the answers I can get - the more answers we get, the quicker I get out of this Mata Nui-forsaken place."

 

"Sun getting to you, brother?" Pohatu grinned, skidding to a halt.

 

"Let's just keep moving," Onua frowned, not-so-subtly evading the question.

 

The two continued to run across the sands at insane speed. Suddenly, Pohatu yelped two words:

 

"LOOK OUT!"

 

"What?" Onua asked, and then toppled after his brother into a recently-formed portal.

 

Cutscene: Strong Resistance

 

Both Toa slammed into the ground, face-first. After a few seconds of pain, Pohatu staggered to his feet.

 

"For the love of Mata Nui, we've got to stop making entrances like this," the Toa of Stone growled. "Not only is it bad for our health, it's not exactly stealthy either…"

 

The multitudes of enemies clustered all around the room chose that moment to charge.

 

*insert multiman brawl against most of the enemies previously fought.*

 

Cutscene: Welcome to Odina

 

An armor-clad being scrambled over the fallen bodies of the Toa's enemies, wielding a wicked spear. Before they could do anything, that spear was at their throats.

 

"State your business on Odina," the creature growled.

 

"We recently fell from that portal up there," Pohatu said. "You know, the big purple swirly thing? That one, the one in the ceiling? Yeah."

 

"I am Onua and this is Pohatu," Onua said, gesturing thusly.

 

The creature's ugly face split into a horrible grin. "We have Toa," it breathed. "Be glad we recently allied with the Order, Toa, or I would have killed you both."

 

"Killed us?!" Pohatu yelped.

 

"What do you think a Dark Hunter does all day?" the creature snapped. "Honestly, you two are Pohatu and Onua. I would think that you, of all people, would know that… though you look somewhat different from how I was told…"

 

Suddenly, a thunderous crack split the air. All three whirled to see a new portal opening in the wall, again spewing out enemies of all kinds.

 

"Here we go again," Pohatu sighed.

 

"Brother, look! The portals are closing!" Onua cried.

 

"Oh, no… we'd better get out of here. Thank you for your hospitality, now good-bye!" Pohatu said, and the two Toa dashed off, leaving the "Dark Hunter" looking slightly confused.

 

*insert level: Odina. Pohatu and Onua must reach the portal at the end of the mission within a time limit. New enemies: I really think we should include some Dark Hunters, y'know?*

 

Cutscene: Leaving So Soon?

 

Pohatu was already in the portal. Onua had one leg in when a hand grabbed his shoulder. Instinctively, the Toa of Earth readied a devastating punch and whirled to see… the Dark Hunter from earlier.

 

"Toa Onua, take this!" it hissed, tossing him a small device.

 

"This is what Tuma wore," Onua remembered.

 

"Yes! I stole it from one of those Skakdi over there," the Dark Hunter explained. "I'm good with technology; a simple touch recalibrated it so that Odina is its default setting. If you need to return here, press this button here."

 

"Onua? The portal's closing," Pohatu called, his voice distorted by the space-time energy.

 

"Thank you, Hunter," Onua nodded. "I would wager that I shall see you again soon…"

 

With that, the Toa of Earth disappeared into the portal, not a moment too soon. A small bang echoed through the room as the purple energy folded in on itself, and the two Toa were thrown through the vortex of all Creation to… someplace new.

 

*STAGE CLEAR reward: none.*

Chapter…..You know I don’t think we should give these all official numbers yet.

 

[chapter name shall be decided by Bob]

[any characters that I cal Dark hunter from now on will be abbreviated to DH]

 

Cutscene: The mechanical master

 

*the dark hunter that aided Onua and Pohatu earlier stood guard where the portals frequently would open and spew more abominations to his world, still tense from the last fight that emerged moments ago after the two toa left, now his robotic companion virus was working on a way to shut the portals before any enemies could be thrown out*

 

DH: How much longer Virus?

*the small gray robot looked over to his creator*

Virus: This technology is far more advanced than what you create Talos, I am still wondering how you managed to modify the other device.

 

Talos: In all honesty….I turned the knob that set the location…

*he grinned evilly as he said this and Virus shook his head*…That doesn’t mean I am inferior to you Virus, after all I built you and my arm.*He turned hand into a mace and spun it around to prove his point* Also, do you expect me to reprogram an alien device and fight at the same time?

 

*seemingly cursing himself another portal opened and with came more enemies*

 

Talos: This is more than I can beat, we need to get out of here…now.

 

*level start run to the right avoiding all sorts of adversaries, eventually retreating into the fortress*

 

DH: Have got you running scared Talos?

 

Talos: There are certainly more than you can beat out there you arrogant fool, after you are done dying maybe you can assemble a robot to build a device to close the portals as well. *Talos then proceeds to walk to his quarters, and the screen fades to black*

 

Cutscene: A small gun for a big problem

 

Virus: Status: completed, all you have to do is point it at a portal and fire, then it should close almost immediately. Don’t lose it.

 

Talos: You are a life saver Virus, I’m going to go solve our Portal problem now. *he grabs the gun and runs out of the room*

 

*cut to Talos now standing outside facing several portals all deispencing various forms of problems.*

 

Talos: Now, lets see how this thing works.

 

*level start, [special item: Anti portal gun, unlimited ammo, low damage to enemies but it closes portals if you do something stupid like throw it into a portal then it is game over] close every portal with the APG. Enemies: nothing new*

 

Cutscene: Welcome back

Talos that was the last of them…*A new portal opens an Talos aims the gun at it*

Pohatu: Wait! Don’t shoot!

 

Talos: Ah, Pohatu, Welcome back. How went your search for Tuma? *he frowns* But where is Onua?

 

Pohatu: *between gasps of breath* That is exactly it…We found Tuma alright…onua was captured…by more aliens of the same species….we need to rescue him…

 

Talos: That we do, but could we get this portal closed? I have had bad luck with these things of late…

*he is interrupted by an object best described as a bomb flies over both of their heads and explodes in the distance, shouts of panic are heard as well*

 

*Talos shoots the gun at the portal, closing it. He glares at Pohatu*

 

Pohatu: Sorry.

 

Talos: It doesn’t matter now lets go head to the blast site.

 

*Level complete*

Reward: Talos the Dark Hunter joins your party.

Chapter ? :

 

Cutscene: New Arrival

 

“Almost there!” said Smiley going through a portal. He was chasing a shadow version of himself, created by all of his old enemies. The shadow had all of his powers. Then, the world around him dropped. He felt like he was going through this tunnel forever, and this detour was not going to help anything. He saw a light in front of him, got and got prepared to land. Then, he dropped again, and his face slammed into the smooth, dark grey ground. “Ow”, he said as he was getting up. “Man, I was not expecting that. Now…where am I?”

 

*Insert Level: Walking through laboratory, reach an elevator going down.*

 

Cutscene: The Queen of the Visorak

 

Smiley rode an elevator down. Upon reaching the bottom he saw a being he recognized from a few previous adventures. “What are you? Why are you here?” said the tall silver being in the center of the room. “No matter, I will crush you all the same!”

 

*Insert Standard Brawl: Smiley vs. Roodaka in a single-stock battle.*

 

Cutscene: Temporary Alliance

 

Roodaka shot a rhotuka spinner at Smiley. Smiley concentrated and Roodaka was surprised to see the disk bounce off of an invisible wall around Smiley.

“Now, stop trying to fight me and get up.” Smiley said helping her up.

“What are you? What is your purpose?”

“I am Smiley, I am a minifigure from the Lego universe. You are Roodaka, and you are only the queen of the Visorak because you betrayed their king. You were later employed by the Order of Mata Nui, and then imprisoned. But of course, these rips in time and space have sprung you from your prison.”

“Smiley? What a dumb name!”

“Shut up, I’ve heard it before, but don’t forget, I can crush you in a fight.”

“Really? Why don’t you try again?”

“Not now, maybe later. Now I need to find my sword, and then find my shadowy doppelganger, he must have passed through here.”

“Fine, I’ll help, but in return, you are going to help me with something.”

“Might I ask what?”

“You might”

 

*Insert Level: The Search. Running through the lab going steadily lower, until you reach a chamber with Smiley’s golden sword in a locked glass case in the center of the room. Enemies: Rahkshi and Skakdi.*

 

Cutscene: Glint of the Golden Sword

 

Smiley concentrated and used his mind to blow up the case around the sword. The explosion knocked his hat off and set off the security alarms. Smiley turned and grabbed his hat, and then grabbed the Golden sword.

“Why so protective of the hat?” asked Roodaka.

“It channels my energy, like a Toa tool for a Toa. I have the power, but it is weaker without the hat.”

“Uh huh”, said Roodaka, plotting something.

“Don’t even think about it. You won’t get my hat and if you did, I would get it back.”

“You can read minds too?”

“I can do a lot of things. I can do a lot more in my own world. In this one, I can’t even create a portal to escape this universe. No time to chat though, we have to get going. My doppelganger isn’t going to stop himself.”

 

*Stage Clear Reward: Smiley joins team. Roodaka joins team (temporarily).

Chapter 12: Talos

 

Cutscene: Mechanical Master

 

It had been a few hours since the two Toa had departed. In that time, the Dark Hunter known as Talos had been very busy.

 

First, he had to calm down the multitudes of Dark Hunters, tensed for a fight and steaming that two Toa got away from their island base. (Though they had recently allied with the Order, old habits stuck.) Then, he was shoved onto a group of Hunters to clean up the fallen bodies of all the enemies that had climbed out of these strange portals.

 

Now, finally, he was back where he belonged: in his own laboratory, working on a device to shut down dimensional portals so that none of this ever happened again. His personal helper drone stood by, ready to aid him in his building.

 

"How much longer, Virus?" Talos asked of the small droid.

 

The small grey robot looked over to his creator and replied: "This technology is far more advanced than our standards… even your own level. I still wonder how you managed to modify the other device - I believe your powers only work on devices you understand?"

 

Talos grinned. "In all honesty, if the makers of that device are going to go and clearly label everything on it, it's not difficult to figure it out."

 

He turned to Virus now. "But that definitely doesn't insinuate my inferiority to these manufacturers. After all, I did build you and my arm, which I might add works smoothly and fluently - definitely the highest standard of technology in this universe." To prove his point, he activated the shapeshifting power of his prosthetic limb, morphing it into a mace and swinging rather aimlessly around the lab. Virus ducked to avoid a premature decapitation.

 

Suddenly, an earsplitting bang ripped through the air - even as a dimensional crack opened in the wall. Talos cursed himself as enemies spewed out of it.

 

"This is more than I can hold off," he cried. "We need to get out of here… and now."

 

*insert level: Odina. Playable characters: Talos. (Player 2 can be Talos, too.) New enemies: Elite Skrall.*

 

Cutscene: A Dark Hunter Down

 

A fellow Dark Hunter smirked at Talos as he rushed down the hallway. "Gotten scared, Talos?" he jabbed.

 

"Even you, arrogant fool, can't beat them all off," Talos yelled back. "After you're done dying, maybe you can close the portals and destroy the Brotherhood of Makuta while you're at it!"

 

The other Dark Hunter guffawed. "Still not exactly done with that, are you?"

 

Without waiting for a reply, the warrior raised his weapon and charged in the opposite direction, bellowing a war cry. As he neared the corner, Talos gave him one last, sorrowful look.

 

"Still not exactly done yet, are you?" would be the last words that Dark Hunter ever spoke to anyone.

 

Cutscene: A Small Gun for a Big Problem

 

"Status: completed," Virus buzzed. "All you have to do is point it at a portal and fire. It should fold in on itself, closing almost immediately. Basically, this gun is the stitches for a wounded reality."

 

"You're a life saver, Virus," Talos grinned. "I'll go solve our portal problem now."

 

Standing outside the room with a horde of enemies rushing towards him, Virus locked safely inside, Talos began to wonder which one of these levers was the trigger…

 

*insert level: Odina. Playable characters: Talos. Special: Player 1 wields an Anti-Portal Gun, an item that can close portals but does minimal damage to enemies. Goal: Close every portal with the Anti-Portal Gun. New enemies: None.*

 

Cutscene: Welcome Back

 

"That's the last of them," Talos panted. As he spoke, a new portal ripped through the wall.

 

"NOT AGAIN!" the Dark Hunter shrieked, aiming the Anti-Portal Gun at it.

 

"Wait… don't shoot! It's me!" a familiar voice cried.

 

Talos lowered the gun to see Toa Pohatu climbing out of the portal. "Ah! Pohatu, welcome back. How went your search for Tuma? And… err… where is Onua?"

 

Pohatu's breath came in ragged heaves. "That is exactly it… We found Tuma alright. Onua was captured… by his soldiers, some freakish aliens with bladed shoulders… we need to rescue him."

 

"That we do," Talos replied, "but could we get this portal closed first? I've had a lot of bad experiences with these things of late."

 

"No, I need it to get back -" Pohatu began, but was interrupted as a bomb flew out of the portal and over their heads, exploding in the distance. The dying screams of Dark Hunters rang through the air.

 

Grim determination on his face, Talos blasted the offending portal with all his might. Then he glared at Pohatu.

 

"Sorry," the Toa said sheepishly.

 

"It doesn't matter. Now let's see if we can help any survivors," Talos grunted.

 

*STAGE CLEAR reward: Talos the Dark Hunter joins your team.*

Chapter 13: Much Too Happy

 

Cutscene: A New Arrival

 

"Almost there!" Smiley smiled to himself as he hurtled through time and space. He was on the trail of some dark shadow, an evil copy of himself forged by his enemies.

 

He felt as if this strange, purple, pulsating tunnel went on forever. It probably did, given the oddities that had happened recently. He saw a light up ahead and aimed for it. A blinding flash enveloped him… then he smashed face-first into smooth, hard ground.

 

"Well, that wasn't expected," Smilery said to himself as he got up. "Ouch. Now, where am I?"

 

*insert level: The Laboratory. Playable characters: Smiley (but without the use of his sword). Level ends at an elevator. New enemies: Maelstrom, maybe? Definitely some LEGO ones.*

 

Cutscene: Queen of the Visorak

 

Smiley hummed merrily to himself as the elevator descended. As its doors slid open, he noticed someone standing in the center of the room.

 

"Who are you? Why are you here?" her voice came, whipping around Smiley's head with malice dripping from it. The minifigure didn't answer.

 

"Doesn't matter," Roodaka hissed, "I can crush you all the same."

 

*insert standard brawl: Smiley vs. Roodaka in a single-stock battle.*

 

Cutscene: Never a Weakling

 

Roodaka's Rhotuka spinner hurtled towards Smiley. The minifigure remained absolutely still, his smile never faltering. As it drew within inches, an invisible wall knocked it straight backwards. The Vortixx had to fling herself out of the way as her own weapon nearly struck her. She landed hard on the ground.

 

"Stop trying to fight me and get up," Smiley grinned, extending a helpful hand.

 

"Ah, but that would be a sign of submission," Roodaka hissed.

 

"So…?" Smiley asked.

 

"So that's not happening," Roodaka grinned. "I am Roodaka, Queen of the Visorak and conqueror of lands. I'm never a weakling, and I am certainly NOT giving up against some disproportionate freak like you!"

 

Immediately, her clawed hand smashed onto a small device on her belt. In a flash and a deafening crack, the Xian disappeared, not to return.

 

Smiley shrugged. "I guess I'll find my sword and defeat my doppelganger myself."

 

*insert level: The Laboratory. Playable characters: Smiley (but without the use of his sword). Level ends in a chamber with Smiley's golden sword in a locked glass case in the center. New enemies: none.*

 

Cutscene: Glint of the Golden Sword

 

Smiley concentrated, using his powers to heat up the glass around the sword until it melted into slag. This it did instantaneously, leaving him free to snatch his weapon. Then, of course, the security alarms went off.

 

"Joy," Smiley smiled as enemies poured into the room.

 

*insert multiman brawl in that same sword room (except with the case gone).*

 

*STAGE CLEAR reward: Smiley joins team.*

Chapter XX: Mahri Nui laboratory. (Character, Matoro)

 

*Matoro is floating through inter-dimensional space. He sees a few other portals popping in and out around him, and some larger ones that seem to be permanent and fixed in place. There is a bigger more prominent one in front of him where many of the other portals seem to be being fed from (basically the inter-dimensional space-time flow is flowing from that one to the other ones. If that makes any sense). He floats forward and through the portal. Flash of White light, in the new location. This scene should be silent, except for the music. I have the music I’m going to edit it into the post.*

 

*Matoro falls through a large portal and lands in a crouched position. He looks up and quickly looks around the area, examining the environment. He should be INSIDE Mahri Nui. *

 

Matoro: Mahri Nui… Huh. I always wondered what it looked like from the inside. I wonder… *sticks his head out the side of the Bubble to see if he can breathe. He can.* Woah… *pulls head back into bubble and looks around in wonderment.* But where are all the Matoran, and what is, that… * he looks onward through the city streets and sees a lot of techno stuff built into buildings and whatnot.* Agh, it doesn’t matter! *shakes head and looks up with renewed determination* Mahri Nui is close to where I last had it, so I have a better chance of finding the Mask, or whoever has the Mask, in the area.

 

*runs down the street*

 

[insert level: Aquatic Laboratories. Music “Aquatic Base level 1” SONIC 06. I will put a link in the description.

 

The Level will have you running through Mahri Nui. It will mostly be the typical Mahri Nui. The ground will be solid tan-ish stone. The buildings are made of the same stone and kinda meld with the ground. For reference, look up pictures of Mynokos Greece, and imagine that but with tan, not white, and slightly larger buildings. Unlike a normal Mahri Nui, it is completely devoid of life. All of the enemies should be automatically working ones, such as Nektanns, Vahki, and possibly Bohrok. Most of the Level will take place in the city, but occasionally you will pass through the bubble wall and swim between areas.

 

Most of the level should just be Mahri Nui, but there should be techno stuff too, this will have a lot of switches to open doors, moving platforms, electro stuff, and whatnot. The farther along in the level you go, the more prominent the techno stuff gets. So at first, it’s pretty much normal Mahri Nui, but as you progress, it gets more and more laboratory aspects. New enemies: Subdimmensional guards (metallic orb things that hover around and shoot fire, electricity, or lazers at you.) and sub-dimensional troop (small silvery robot guys with blades for arms. They have standard Melee attacks.).]

 

*Matoro leaps at a hovering Sub-dimensional guard, lands on top of it, plunges his claw thing through the top of it, then jumps off and rolls into a ready stance. He eyes, the area, and sees that there are no more enemies around, still in a battle stance, he edges forwards towards a large building with large double doors over it. There is a lot of mechanical stuff on this building, and light seems to be coming from inside. Matoro moves towards the door, then stops. He looks around the area, then runs into a narrow alley between this building and the one next to it. He jumps off of the opposite walls up to the top ledge of the big building. He climbs up, then goes to an air-vent. He climbs in, crawls through the vents, and reaches the grate that leads into the main room in the building. He looks through the grate, and sees that there is someone sitting in a large chair, facing the other way and working on something. You also see some odd mechanical stuff on the tables, as well as chemicals, old mystical object type things, and monitors displaying different things, from the Mahri Nui streets, to stats and progress bars, and blank screens. Satisfied that the being in the chair is the only person or security in the room, Matoro removes the grate, and jumps down onto the floor, instantly training His Cordak Blaster and ice claws on the person.

 

STAGE CLEAR! Rewards: nothing.

Cutscene: Another Detour

“Dealing with those enemies was too easy. This must be a traaappppp!” Smiley said, falling 10 stories down through a hole that showed up below him. Just before he hit the ground he activated a shielding power he had.

“Thank you, Toa Tahu” He said remembering a few previous encounters with the hot- headed toa.

“Why isn’t my flight power working, or strength?” He zoomed into a wall. “At least my speed is still working perfectly” He went through the wall. “And my intangibility.” He back flipped back into the hallway.

“Well, I can do a longer checkup later, but I have to stop that shadow of mine”.

*Insert Level: Running through a darker part of the lab earlier. New Enemies: None*

Cutscene: The Angry Shadow

“You! Stop before I stop you!” Smiley yelled at his shadow self.

“Why should I listen to you? I am more powerful than you, especially in this universe!”

“Come and fight then!”

“As you wish!” The shadow jumped down, staring at Smiley the whole time. “Now I will cut all ties to my former life, and join Teridax in victory!”

*Insert Single Stock Brawl: Smiley vs Smiley (in shadow costume)*

Cutscene: The Chase Begins

Shadow Smiley fell to the ground, battered but not beaten; he got up and flew onto a platform, cut a rope connected to a crate, and ran out the door.

The crate dropped and Smiley dodged. The crate crashed into the floor revealing some bricks. Smiley took the bricks and built a staircase with them. He ran up the stairs and through the door that Shadow Smiley went.

*Insert Level: Chasing after Shadow Smiley, who you see occasionally setting off security systems. New Enemies: Security Drones*

Cutscene:A Cut to the Chase

Smiley saw Shadow Smiley going into a huge empty room. Then the Shadow stopped, turned, and stared as Smiley ran into the room.

Smiley got ready for the fight. “Now, let’s try this again”, Smiley said.

“Bring it on”

*Insert Three Stock Brawl: Smiley vs Smiley (in shadow costume)*

Cutscene: The Shadow is Down

Shadow Smiley lay on the ground, staring at his enemy. “You cannot beat me.”

“Too late, I have”

Smiley looked away for a split second, and his Shadow was gone when he looked back.

“I’ll have to find him later, he’s probably looking for Teridax.”

Smiley felt a surge of power, he regained a few abilities. “Well, at least there is some good news today.”

After all the problems, his smile never faded, although he wasn’t all that happy.

“I’ll get him later, but now I should find a way out of—“

“Security to sector B-5, Security to sector B-5”

“Looks like they found someone else in this lab. Hope it isn’t someone I know, but it is the perfect distraction to blast out of here.”

*Stage Clear: No Reward*

Chapter 14: Alone

 

Cutscene: Mahri Nui… but not Mahri Nui

 

Matoro hurtled through interdimensional space. All around him, portals flared into being or dissipated, though some stayed put. All seemed to be connected to one huge portal ahead of him, one with a blinding white glow emanating from inside. It was drawing him in, and he felt some feeling of inner peace… but then tore himself away. He still had a mission - find the Mask of Life and right the wrongs here.

 

With a mighty heave, Matoro threw himself into a side portal. He felt his very being turned inside out by the energies of space-time… and then he was someplace new.

 

He landed safely on his feet. Behind him, the portal he'd fallen out of closed with a pop. He sprang to his feet and examined the area around him.

 

"Mahri Nui," he breathed. "From the inside. A perspective I never got to enjoy. I wonder…"

 

Tensing, Matoro stuck his head out of the air bubble, into the waters. He could still breathe.

 

"Whoa," he whispered. "Amphibious? How'd that happen?"

 

Pulling himself back inside the city, he turned around to survey the street with more detail - and gasped.

 

The streets were not streets… the buildings not buildings. It was all one huge, technological structure, much as Metru Nui… but more sinister by far.

 

"What…?" he wondered aloud. It was then that he realized another eerie truth… the city was silent. Absolutely silent.

 

"It doesn't matter what happened here," Matoro told himself, "only that I get the mask back. This was close to where I last had it, right? So it's got to be around here somewhere…"

 

With renewed determination, the Toa of Ice ran into the deserted city.

 

*insert level: Aquatic Laboratory. Music: "Aquatic Base level 1" SONIC 06. New enemies: Subdimensional guards and troops. Other enemies limited to Nektann, Vahki, and reprogrammed Bohrok. There is no life in this Mahri Nui, aside from Matoro.*

 

Cutscene: The Laboratory's Fortress

 

Matoro leapt at a hovering guard droid, landing on top of it. In one fluid motion, he plunged his claws deep into its central sphere and landed safely on the ground again. He scanned the area. There were no more visible enemies… but that was no reason to let his guard down.

 

Still poised for battle, Matoro edged towards a prominent building with huge double doors set into its iron wall.

 

Matoro ran into a side alley. Better to approach discreetly than to ram down the doors (though he could certainly do that). From there, he jumped off the walls of the buildings until he reached a small ledge in the larger one. Smashing in the window, he quickly leapt in and ducked beneath the security lasers.

 

*insert level: Laboratory Fortress. Music: The Master Tape (I linked to that earlier in this section). New enemies: Baterra.*

 

Cutscene: The Brotherhood's Affiliate

 

Matoro peered through the grate. The central command room of the lab was certainly in there… but wait! A lone figure sat in a large chair, almost a throne, bent over a computer.

 

Decorating the room were tons of artifacts: mechanical pieces, vials of chemicals (among them antidermis and energized protodermis, Matoro noted), ancient maps, fabled treasures lost to thieves over the centuries, and monitors displaying many different scenes in the compound - from the Mahri Nui streets to graphs, charts, progress bars, and a few simply displaying the Kanohi Kraahkan. Whoever ran this place was surely an affiliate of the Brotherhood… if not its own leader, the Makuta.

 

Satisfied that the being in the chair was alone, Matoro tore the grate out and leapt onto the floor, instantly training his Cordak Blaster on the figure…

 

*STAGE CLEAR reward: None.*

Omega, if you're connecting this aquatic laboratory to my The Laboratory (which I'm absolutely sure you're doing), that's okay, but don't resolve any of this mystery, particularly the master of the lab. That's for me to decide. Since that leaves you out of a writing job since Matoro's worked himself into this sort of dead end, I'll assign Lewa-Kopaka to you. (2Tie never did much with them.)

Chapter 15: Shadow of a Frown

 

Cutscene: Another Detour

 

"Dealing with those enemies was too easy," Smiley panted. "This must be a traaaaaaaaappp…"

 

As he spoke, the floor beneath him evaporated, dropping him through an empty chute at least ten stories long. Just before he hit the ground, though, he activated his powers of shielding and bounced harmlessly off.

 

"Why isn't my flight power working, or strength?" he wondered. "At least my speed still works perfectly." As he finished, his form became a blur and he covered the whole corridor before him in an instant.

 

"And intangibility," he noted, passing harmlessly through a wall.

 

"Well, I can perform a longer checkup later. First, I have to stop that shadow," he decided.

 

*insert level: The Laboratory. The laboratory in this level is darker than earlier. New enemies: None.*

 

Cutscene: The Angry Shadow

 

"You! Stop your masquerade before I stop you!" Smiley bellowed at his shadowy doppelganger.

 

"Why should I listen to you?" the shadow sneered. "Having drained your powers into my form, I'm far more powerful - especially serving the Makuta!"

 

"Come and fight, then!" Smiley replied.

 

"As you wish," the shadow hissed, leaping down from his perch upon a filing cabinet. "Now I shall cut all ties to my former life and join Makuta in victory!"

 

*insert standard brawl: Smiley vs. Smiley (in shadow costume). Single-stock.*

 

Cutscene: The Chase Begins

 

The shadow fell to the ground, battered but still not beaten. Immediately, he leapt up again to dodge Smiley's attack, and flew through a wall. Smiley pursued.

 

*insert level: The Laboratory. Goal: Catch up with Shadow Smiley, whom you occasionally see setting off security systems. New enemies: None.*

 

Cutscene: Cut to the Chase

 

The shadow melted through a door. Smiley followed, finding himself in a huge, empty chamber.

 

"Let's see you escape from here," his doppelganger cackled from every dark corner of the room. Immediately, energy shields coated the walls, ceiling, and floor - the only substance Smiley couldn't travel through.

 

"Well, let's try this again," Smiley grinned.

 

"Meaning I can beat you without mercy," the shadow growled, forming from the darkness behind the minifigure.

 

*insert standard brawl: Smiley vs. Smiley (in shadow costume). Triple-stock.*

 

Cutscene: The Shadow is Down

 

The dark Smiley lay on the ground, staring up at his light form. "You realize, you can't beat me. You don't have the guts."

 

"Too late," Smiley said. "I just have."

 

"Not just yet," the shadow grinned, and exploded into dark shreds of energy. Those, too, faded away… and so did the energy walls.

 

"I'll have to find him later," Smiley sighed. "He's probably headed back to this master of his, the Makuta…"

 

Suddenly, he felt power course through his form - he'd regained the powers his shadow stole from him. "Well, at least there's some good news today," he grinned.

 

After all his problems, his smile never faltered, though of late he hadn't been too happy with life.

 

"I guess I should find a way out of -"

 

"SECURITY TO SECTOR B-5!" a mechanical voice bellowed from the intercom. "SECURITY TO SECTOR B-5!"

 

"Looks like they found someone else in the lab," Smiley noted. "Hope it's not anyone I know, but this is the perfect distraction to blow this popsicle stand."

 

*STAGE CLEAR reward: None.*