#ooc. sorry that this took so long !

[hello-from-nrc-infirmary]

Vern's Hometown: Centennial Celebration

Book 1: A Founding Fiasco

Chapter 1: A Tiny Dilemma

"Oh! And umm... anyone who needs their refill while I'm gone-"

"-has to present their student ID and we check the chart... We know! Just go," Pam snaps as they tap their roots on the desk.

Vern nods, more to himself than the plants, "o-okay.... umm... r-right. Okay. Call if you ummm... need anything!"

The crocuses start prodding him to move towards the door. All of them start talking slightly over each other, "don't worry! Bennet is coming in to help!!!!"

He hesitantly lets them push him out while trying to not step on any of their thin roots. Not even a moment after the little flowers shove him into the hall, the infirmary door slamming shut echoes off the stone walls. He blinks, adjusting his satchel before starting off towards the mirror hall. Each footstep disturbs the silence of the school.

It was too early to leave, and yet... his amber gaze drops to the basket in his grip. The lavender cloth covering it slightly rustles as he walks. He hadn't found someone to watch his bunnies. The centennial will keep him busy and his stomach twists at the thought of not having enough time for them. He considers asking one of Uncle's... no, they would also be busy.

As he arrives at the mirror chamber, Koa lifts his head from where he's laying. Vern let the elk out of the stables earlier. His familiar had sent him out of the room several times in the past few hours. The elk's ear twitches, watching Vern carefully as he stares at the mirrors.

"Patience... you-"

"-I know," he sighs, grip tightening as he turns to Koa, "I'm umm... my stomach is all um... knotted a-and ummm... my hands are umm... shaky, too..."

"That is your nerves and anxiety. He will-"

"-and if he doesn't? What if no one-"

"-Vern," Koa stands, taking a few strides towards him. The elk bends its head down to press against Vern's forehead, "everything will be alright."

Chapter 2: The Sleepiest Solution

“Hey~“

Vern jumps a little at the familiar voice. Smiling as he turns, he takes care to not jostle the basket of bunnies too much. His nerves are somewhat eased to see Steel finally join him. Part of him wanted to ask about the lack of any visible blot, but the memory of Pam’s scathing remarks tie his tongue.

“G-good morning, I’m umm… thank you, again for um…” he pauses, noticing Nightshade attempting to nose his way out of the basket. Vern frowns a little as he carefully tries to nudge the rabbit’s head back under the blanket.

“Eh, no problem..” he earns a shrug and a raised brow, “you brought the bunnies?”

Vern lifts the basket higher to let Steel pet Nightshade, “I umm… couldn’t find someone to um… watch them…”

“Hm...” a playful grin slowly crosses Steel’s features, “I know someone~”

He looks up at him, “r-really? Are you umm…. sure they won’t mind?”

“Sure...” Steel only winks “it’ll be fun~”

“O-okay…” Vern fidgets slightly, but quickly follows him. He’s hesitates before stepping through the Diasomnia mirror. The ever-looming storm causes his nerves to spike as lightning flashes. Walking faster, he does his best to stay close to Steel while his amber gaze continuously darts to the sky. His muscles lose some tension as they enter the dorm. Every window they pass, he unconsciously checks the sky. Vern briefly draws Steel’s attention as he accidentally bumps into his arm.

“… right. I can take them for you, if you want,” he offers, his voice a bit softer than normal.

Vern stiffens at a distant rumble of thunder, “I-I would umm… rather um… s-stay…”

“… alright..”

They eventually reach a familiar door, giving Vern pause as Steel steps into the dorm. Despite his initial hesitation, he follows and looks around. It’s probably a good thing that Silver has not woken up, or perhaps it’s the opposite?

“You can set them over there.”

Nodding, Vern places the basket in the corner. Smiling to himself, he whispers a small farewell as he casts for some vines to create a nice enclosure for them.

“A-and you’re umm… sure he won’t mind?”

Shrugging, Steel leads Vern back into the hall, “animals like him, no worries~”

Vern nods as they head back towards the mirror chamber. He barely notices Steel quickly sending a text and quietly hopes he tells Silver about the bunnies.

Chapter 3: A Land Called Paradise

Vern looks around as they return to the mirror chamber. Koa seems to have stretched his legs a bit while waiting. The elk's ear twitches as the pair returns, aware of more footsteps heading towards the chamber.

"You found a suitable place for the small ones?"

Vern glances at Steel, a bit of humor lighting his own eyes after a moment, "I ummm... think so, yeah..."

"Good," Koa nods, "it's almost time for the others to be arriving..."

Book 1: [1] [2] [3]

Book 2: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5A] [5B] [6] [7]

Book 3: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

[spankoffskithroughspace]

[Wren spots Peter sitting on a bench in his beanie and coat. She frowns, her vision going blurry around the edges as she looks at him and the buzzing in her head picking up. Still, this has happened a few times since she arrived in town so she's not that concerned ... Yet.

She checks the change in her pocket and hurries to Starbucks, returning shortly with a large hot chocolate]

Umm... hey. Here

[She sets the hot chocolate down on the bench beside him]

@snowstormbird

[Peter's jostled out of his thoughts, and he looks up to see Wren offering him a hot chocolate. His eyes practically light up at the sight.]

Oh- uh- Thank you.

[He scoots over a little to give her some more bench room.]

[ask-felix-aberg]

Hello Felix, as winter is starting to settle in and the cosy common room fireside becomes more and more inviting, would you like to have a cup of hot milk? It’s got a bit of honey in it.

The young Swede looked up from his seat by the fire, the warmth of the flames casting a soft glow across his face. His expression softened as he noticed the figure standing before him, wrapped snugly in a blanket and holding out a steaming cup. For a moment, Felix couldn't help but think that the new fifth year looked rather cute, cocooned up like that.

"For me?" Felix took the offered cup gently and brought it closer. "Thank you - it’s just what I needed," he said with a smile.

Gesturing to the empty chair beside him, Felix’ smile widened slightly. "Care to join me? Winter feels far less chilly with good company."

[till-alnst-dotcom]

Till, you’re like a cat. A wet, pathetic cat/aff

I want to rattle you/also aff

..what? weird

also, don't rattle me either

[unknownhyperial]

As a man of culture I must ask,, opinions on Kinger being like "ive literally never shown anyone this before if you tell anyone you die" and then showing jax his insect collection

Yes the Kinger line is ooc idk how to write like kinger I'm jus. DO YOU UNDERSTAND MY VISION(<- said while shaking you violently)

NO I 100% SEE THIS AND THSI PROMPT HAS BEEN ROTTING IN MY BRAIN YOU HAVE NO IDEA--

I was gonna write a little one shot using this idea as a reply but my motivation to write is fickle at best so I didn't get past the set up. Maybe I'll finish it another day who knows- but I so get what you mean and I love it!!

[fairchild-isnt-my-actual-name]

Orion climbs the steps to Simon’s home, for once wearing a coat. It’s more for optics than anything- maybe he just thinks the bomber style with the mission patches are cool. They knock on the door lightly.

Simon hurries to the door, nodding approvingly at their stylistic choice.

"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to follow my fashion advice." She jokes lightly, grinning before pulling Orion into a tight hug, patting his shoulders slightly before letting go.

"Hey there, kiddo. How are you? All good? Ready to head to...wherever we were supposed to be going again?"

[askthedragonriders]

For everyone: what is your favourite dragon species? Even if it's not one you can train or ride, is there one you want to know more about?

I'm not sure I can pick another species as a favorite, but I can tell you which I want to know more about besides Night Furies. Sand Wraiths are a rarity but look related to Night Furies? It's odd and I hope we find more of them. The same goes for Woolly Howls. -Hiccup

An easy pick for a favorite. Deadly Nadders have the hottest fire out of all the dragons and are precise, sharp, and deadly. Stormfly also taught me how to relax and have fun. For other dragons, anything in the Sharp class, even if Stormfly is a Tracker class dragon now. -Astrid

I couldn't bear to pick any dragon other than my Meatlug. Gronckles may be slow but they're tough and pretty agile! They can fly in any direction due to the way their wings hover. They're also immune to dragon root! They're also essential for Gronckle Iron! And they spew literal lava just by eating rocks! Gronckles are amazing!! And for learning about any others?? Gosh, there's so many... all of them if the gods allow it... -Fishlegs

Need I remind you that Monstrous Nightmares are the best? Literally? They're the one Vikings fear the most. I just happen to be cool enough to ride one. Although, the idea of training a Skrill has crossed my mind. A Monstrous Nightmare and a Skrill under my belt? I'd be unstoppable. -Snotlout

Zipplebacks cause so much damage. Have you seen them spin in a flame wheel? We've tried to get Barf and Belch to do it while we're riding them but they refuse. Having the two heads is nice though, for fun and honestly for cuddles. Barf especially loves them. The gas Barf releases is a weapon on its own, too. As for another dragon? I miss Scauldy. -Ruffnut

Imagine a Changewing? They're so cool! They spit acid! It could be used to melt so many faces! Don't get me started on a Whispering Death, either! They look so creepy and gods, the amount of tunnels they could dig for you... Oh, right. Belch is super cool. Like, he basically is snapping his throat like I snap my fingers, except his throat snaps and causes fires. I need a match to do that. His is built in. -Tuffnut

[askchilchuck]

Hello, this is half-dwarf half-half-foot (....quarter-foot?) from before!

I've taken up fishing by Kakha Brud and it's not too bad. Little boring, but better than nothing right? My other option was selling dragon dung, and while I was... morbidly curious what that experience would be like, I figured it wasn't worth the risk of going somewhere shitty (ha).

Good news though! I met a potion brewer who was willing to use changeling mushrooms in one of their experiments! Aaaand I'll be the one to test it! 🌟🌟🌟

(They seem to have either ignored your advice on the mushrooms or forgotten it.)

Seriously, you need to be carful with that kind of stuff! It’s not something you should be playing around with!

Wh- What? When did-

[ask-garymiller]

do you ever miss heaven, or are you happier in hell?

(sorry if this is a heavy question for a silly askblog but i’m curious)

I wouldn't say I love it, but I don't regret the rebellion. It's what you people would call "the lesser of two evils" as funny as that is.

At least, I'm enjoying my freedom in Hell.

[faeriegirlshroom]

- @transfem-goddess-temple -

Let’s make a deal~

I can grant the powers indomitable, the station of angel in my high court, and the right to fuck any of the sluts within my temple walls. All I require is your obedience, and your worship of my massive Goddess cock. Does that sound fair?

If so, the deal is struck~

Well...

See, this one's a tough one for me. I've been lurking about your temple for a bit, and you seem very interesting... but.

I've never had much faith in the gods, fate, or divinity. Really, all I've gotten from your ilk is hurt. So, in fact, I've honestly developed quite the resentment of the gods. Besides, this deal of yours could use some work, honey~. So, from fae to goddess, I'll give you gesture of, well, good faith, if you will, as a freebie this time around, and give you some advice.

You're gonna need to work on your specifics, darling, if you want to get anywhere with my crowd~. Both for your safety as well as ours. I'd like some details on your "powers indomitable", and what the role of an angel in your court entails, responsibilities and benefits and the like, as well as what you'll command me to do in my obedience of you... because I'm not signing a contract if I don't know what I'm getting myself into. Wording as well. "Any" of the sluts in your temple is a descriptor that I'd say includes you, dear~

So, prove to me you're different from the rest of your kind, and perhaps I'll consider your offer...~

[comite-de-salut-public]

Hi! I was walking by your office the other day and a saw a man dangling out the window. Is everything good over there?

That's odd, I don't think we've had another Window Incident since we moved offices. Give me a second to check some stuff.

Alright, I've taken a look at some things, and are you sure that you're in Paris right now and not in 1832 Paris? I guess there's a guy hanging out a window at this point in 1832? Apparently he looks "kind of like Citizen Saint-Just, except blonde". Weird. I don't know what...

If you're certain that you're here in this year right now, then I'd recommend you report the situation to the medical authorities and forget you ever read this. Please.

Have a good day!

[defector-commander]

Hey, uh. I...I couldn't help but notice you have an exposed wire around your arm. Is that not dangerous...? What if it gets caught on something, or wet? You could die. If you'd like, I could send over some duct tape. I know, n-not much of a question, but...Yeah.

-Transcribed Audio Message from Commander Samuel (@tanejineri [since i cant give asks as a sideblog])

If so. Ah. That is a little worrying. Thank you Samuel for the offer. Unless you prefer Commander Samuel? I don't know why you would.

[the-last-patch]

[Tuning In]

[Flipping to B-Side]

[Success]

[Now Playing - “Opossum”]

Heya Omninet! I’ve rested, relaxed, and groomed myself a bit since we last spoke meaning I’m completely ready to give you the lay down on a couple things bugging me about my most recent mission. Sit down, strap in, and prepare for the wonderful tale that-

<The audio abruptly stops, no static this time. Actually, there’s no background noise at all. When the audio resumes, a ragged, strained, yet familiar voice speaks up>

There will be no tale spoken from you, Marsupial. Instead, I will tell you what you have forgotten. What you have failed to perceive. What transpired when you and your allies slew me. A “Witch Hunt” I believe you called it. You were all so weak alone, soft, meek, lost, SINFUL.

What did you feel upon seeing that broken arena? What did you remember? Your parents? Your friends? Your past? It is irrelevant. You fought all the same. You and your allies. Each and every one of you fought ever so valiantly against the foes of your pasts…and those of your futures. The others learned many truths through that ritual, but you witnessed the greatest of them. The future of your “Patchwork Family”. Share your sin to the world, absolve yourself of Knowledge’s burden. Do so and the future may yet change. Otherwise you risk repeating your sin.

Farewell, O’ Slothful “Opossum”. I hope you find my gifts to your liking.

<As the familiar voice finishes speaking, the sound of leaves rustling and light chatter can be heard again. “Opossum’s” ragged breaths can be audibly heard as he lets out a slight sigh of relief, quickly followed by a sharp inhale.>

…Gifts?

<A large crash can be heard in the background, shouting picks up and the sound of gunfire quickly drowns out any other noise.>

What the hell? Isn’t tha-

<“Opossum” is cut off by the sounds of a near explosion, and then the audio goes silent.>

[TAPE OBSTRUCTED]

[PLEASE CLEAR BLOCKAGE]

[ERROR, UNSUPPORTED MEDIA FORMAT DETECTED]

[COULD NOT INTERFACE]

[PLEASE TRY AGA-]

[Displaying Canvas - “Opossum”]

<A video feed abruptly begins. On it you can see a young man, no older than 22 years old with pure white hair, stained red with blood and abnormally dark eyes. He is wearing casual clothing over what appears to be the under-layer of a mobility hardsuit, and has a large mechanical tail protruding from his waist. The man is pinned under a fallen tree, and appears to be dead.>

<The camera swings to the side, and as it does multiple pop-ups appear alongside a full HUD. This must be the view from a mechanized chassis internal camera. As the camera swings back to the pinned man, an IFF designates him as P.XV “Opossum”. The Chassis carefully lifts the tree off of him, and gently places a clawed finger on the man’s chest. A heartbeat monitor is then displayed on the HUD. It indicates “Opossum” is alive and relatively healthy. Following this, the clawed manipulator raises him up out of the camera’s viewport. A loud mechanical hiss can be heard, and a soft thud follows. Finally the sound of a hatch swinging closed can be heard, and the video feed ends.>

[Next Up - “ID EXPUNGED]

[End Track]

[hatterofthelabyrinth]

I have an idea why don't you ride those fish things and let them take you somewhere

Ride them? I don’t know, they seem pretty small to me. Plus, they’re flying fish. If I did grab onto one, then I am very, very far off the ground. I uh…I don’t think I’m confident enough in my ability to hold on to things for that long. Buut…maybe I could hook something onto them? Make a little flying transport?

Then there would be the issue of trying to get them to carry me...Who knows how many fish I'd need to catch. And I don't know about you, but I've never been much of a fisherman.

[randomwriteronline]

Prompt: Your delightful plot bunny of the Turaga Metru transforming back to Toa Hordika on Spherus Magna. If you want, please write something about the moment Tahu goes to check on Mata Nui and finds him surrounded by six dozing Toa Hordika. His bafflement is fueled partly by jealousy and sadness.

Of whom, exactly? He doesn't know.

The hut was halfway between a Matoran and an Agori home: very small, very compact, with a tiny window near the top facing south, so that there would always be enough light but never too much. He was surprised how well Pouks had fused the two styles together.

He stopped his hand as it was almost already wrapped around the heavy cloth covering the entrance, with a sudden awareness that it would have been awfully impolite to just barge into some other being's private residence unannounced - especially if said being was a god; limb retracted hastily, he stood for a little as though not knowing what to do and finally decided to hit the wall with his open palm, hoping it would make enough noise to catch the attention of anybody inside.

There was a little sound from inside, as though someone had suddenly stirred back to their senses.

"Mata Nui?" he called cautiously.

"Tahu!" a weak creaky voice replied, sounding rather glad. "Oh, are you here? How nice to hear you. Please do not come in."

The Toa immediately tensed: "Is something wrong?"

"I have never been doing as fantastically as I am right now," the Great Spirit reassured him despite sounding like he'd just been put through some kind of woodchipper: "I only fear that a sudden entrance might frighten them again."

Them?

Again?

Forgetting his better judgement and the clear instructions he'd just been given, Tahu lifted the cloth and peeked his head in.

Mata Nui was laying down on a stone bed with tired eyes turned to see him, as comfortable as he could be; all over him, curled up or splayed across his body without concern nor modesty, laid six sleeping Toa Hordika with not a care in the world, effectively pinning him down in a manner so complete that he could not have moved a muscle if he tried.

The Ta-Toa's eyes almost bulged out of his sockets.

He pointed at the six werebeasts with some barely contained not yet identified emotion, alternating between staring incredulous at them and his god.

"How?!" he demanded to know beneath his breath.

Mata Nui wheezed the beginning of a laugh.

"Don't you 'hh-hh-hh' me, we've been trying to get them out of their hideaway for days!" Tahu hissed, so beyond flabbergasted that he didn't even think of checking his tone or choice of words. "How did you do this?!"

The other being's breath whistled out of him much like a kettle again to convey his amusement: "I believe my presence piqued their interest," he explained, still chuckling at the Toa's outrage.

He tried to move an arm as carefully as he could, to slip it out from beneath Whenua so that he could beckon Tahu closer, but very quickly changed his plans once the feeling of a thousand invisible ants burrowing into the limb took hold.

"Oh, this has fallen asleep." he mumbled. "And the other three as well. I should have expected that."

"You sound awful," the Toa noted, noticeably in a tone much more concerned about his condition than the Great Spirit himself appeared to be.

"It is nothing to be worried about," the other soothed him. He craned his neck back, squinting at the window roughly above his bed: "I am certain it is only a matter of hydration. I have not moved much today, so it must have passed my mind. Allow me to - it has been... Oh cosmos. Seventeen hours since I last had any water."

Tahu disappeared from the doorframe.

At most a minute later, he reemerged holding a slightly wet cup (he must have dipped it in the reserves Gaaki had so kindly left the Great Spirit with before she and her Stone brother had left him to his own devices roughly a day before) in both hands with an invincible grip, as though there was nothing in the world he would have feared more than dropping it; trying his hardest to make as little noise as possible he slid into the hut all the way to Mata Nui's side, all while glaring in concentration at the recipient in his palms.

He was startled back to reality from his grumbling thoughts only when dull golden fingers wrapped around his own to take the object from him.

"Still you must rescue me from myself, it seems," the Great Spirit mused with a tired, kind, apologetic smile.

His hands were tepid; their heat melted into the Ta-Toa's like sugar.

He slipped the cup away from Tahu's grip in the gentle way with which a spider plucks the dew from its web, murmuring his thanks before taking a long sip.

The Toa watched him for a second, berating himself halfheartedly for just standing in place like that. His eyes fell on the Hordika snuggled up against him, and some kind of flustering feeling got the best of him: "I'll get some for them too," he mumbled, stumbling and almost tripping on his own feet as he tried to make his escape.

A lukewarm touch reached his knuckles again, and his thoughts fell apart like crumbling biscuits: "There is no need to stir them yet," Mata Nui reassured him. "I believe they are quite enjoying this chance to safely rest all together."

"But when - when they, if, they-"

"Your Turaga are quite indipendent, I can assure you they will be able to provide for themselves just fine once they do awaken to tend to their needs."

"I should- be, off, then," Tahu tried again, "So they won't - I don't, scare them, in case--"

"Their senses have grown rather keen in this form," the Great Spirit insisted with a gentle smile. His fingers curled lightly around the Toa's to keep him there, next to the seven of them: "I am fairly certain they are already well aware of your presence. Their continued sleep is a good sign - it means they do not deem you a threat! My concern was that they might have been spooked if you had appeared without warning, but you have been so courteous, I sincerely doubt they feel as though you might herald any danger."

Courteous...

Had he really used that word? For him?

Tahu dumbly stood still like some kind of brainless automaton, mind drawing blanks upon blanks, flustered beyond words.

He must have looked awfully stupid like that, but what could he do? Mata Nui was still Mata Nui, and he was bound to have that sort of effect on someone who'd always only ever known him as a god.

The light fingers were still around his wrist; they tugged gently.

He blinked, noticing he was staring, and lowered his head with haste while trying to lay his gaze anywhere but on the six sleeping forms: "Are you sure? That it's..."

"I speak from experience, do not worry. They were very quick to rouse and hiss at Kiina and Ackar when they visited me," the other being laughed softly. "There should be a stool, should it not? I believe Pouks saw fit to make one... Have a seat, if it would please you to stay. I would quite like your company."

The Toa hurled himself at said stool like he'd been shot out of a cannon and sat down.

He was so stiff, bending even slightly would have cracked him in half.

"You can come a little closer," Mata Nui smiled.

Tahu lowered his gaze to quickly take note of the distance between the two of them: he was, bio more or bio less, exactly on the other side of the hut.

Steam hissed from his armor in cloudy strings out of embarrassment as he miserably dragged himself and his seat to the side of the bed, thinking it would have been oh so very relieving and pleasant for the earth beneath his dejected feet to open up and plunge him into the nearest stream of lava available.

He could feel the Great Spirit's eyes on him, looking at his Hau with a kind of fond amusement that reminded him of Onua.

It wasn't unpleasant, or mocking - just strange.

A groan caught their attention. Nokama Hordika, in her blissful unawareness of the awkward air around her, rolled her powerful shoulders with a grumble and decided she did not want to sleep in her current position anymore; so she punted her legs steadily, arched her back until it had completely pushed Mata Nui's chin far enough back that his neck almost strained, curled a little tighter around herself, and exhaled a whistful purr as she settled comfortably once more, head near her brothers as they replied to her pleased noises with their own chirps.

Tahu furrowed his brows without animosity as he looked at them: "Seriously, how did you get them to come out?" he mumbled.

"I did not do much, in truth. They came here on their own accord."

"How?"

"An unfortunate stroke of luck," Mata Nui replied enigmatically. "I must admit, in terms of my physical well-being, this day has been a wretched one. But as you can see," and the momentary pain in his expression softened with a smile that brightened his face, "My current condition does not allow me much autonomy or strength, which makes rather harmless. This realization must have given them enough courage to inspect me more closely."

Of course, that made sense. Perfect sense. They should have accounted for the Rahi instincts they were bound to develop all over again - and no Rahi would have ever trusted a Toa hunting it down.

A thumb brushed across the vents on his Hau's cheeks, gently yanking him out of his thoughts with the gentlest pull he'd ever felt: "Do not make it a fault of your own," the Great Spirit spoke, "You had no say on your design."

Did you?, Tahu almost asked; instead, before he could possibly commit some kind of sacrilegious act or let a terrifying amount of barely comprehensible emotions make his body grow scalding enough to burn the hand cupping his mask to a crisp, he blurted out: "Are they alright?"

Mata Nui nodded unperturbed (emotionally, that is, because with a Ga-Toa Hordika squashing his neck under her spine any movements around the head area were indeed very much perturbed): "Your Turaga are doing much better than I am, that is for certain. They do not have any injuries, nor seemed hungry... We managed to speak a while, about woes these forms brought them, and other such things. I hope to have been of some help, at least."

Whenua stretched across him, pushing Nuju's snout into Matau's in the process. The two gurgled at each other, convinced in their sleepy state they'd each been the true source of trouble instead of their Earth brother, and tried to lazily nip at their chins to teach one another a lesson.

Both ceased when kind fingers scratched their noses slowly, distracting them with a pleasant feeling; grievances forgotten, they readjusted themselves to snuggle closer and dozed off once more.

They were so inscrutable. Even more in this state.

"They are very beautiful in this form," the Great Spirit mused.

Tahu looked at them - their gangly limbs, their elongated heads, their poking ribs and weird tools melded so thoroughly into their limbs, even moreso than the Mata's first own had been... His expression twisted, not disgusted but still puzzled: "They're strange," he replied, a little lamely.

"Yes, of course. But there is a certain grace to them - at least in my eyes," the other explained. He sighed sadly. "I wish it was not a source of such discomfort for them."

The Toa watched him caress the warped bodies with absentminded fondness, prompting them to lean closer.

"Nokama was convinced I would have found them abhorrent," the Great Spirit muttered, "If not even sacrilegious by mere virtue of being forced to exist in this shape. She was afraid I would have been so repulsed by their sight that I would have forsaken them, despite everything they have done for my sake and that of the Matoran."

Vakama had said she'd been anxious about entering the Great Temple, too, Tahu remembered. And here she was, sleeping soundly on her god's chest. "You convinced her otherwise."

"So it would seem, fortunately."

"It looks like it helped. Talking with you, I mean - about... This."

"Hm. We veered onto other subjects, too. Especially when - oh!" Mata Nui cut himself off, bright eyes widening for a moment.

With a discrete amount of difficulty and a long series of murmured apologies he wriggled his arms out of the comfortably heavy pile of bodies draped over him a little better, even managing to push the Ga-Toa a little down from his neck, so that he could enjoy a slightly wider range of motion than he would have had otherwise, though it still wasn't exactly much; he craned his neck as far to the side as he could and began searching blindly for something with his hands.

Deeply puzzled and clearly not getting any explanation from the source, who was too captivated in whatever he was currently to achieve to share his train of thought, Tahu followed the general direction of his gaze.

His eyes fell on a cluster of tablets and papers and parchments by the side of the bed, some stacked in a more orderly manner, some strewn about in a somewhat disorganized fashion. A good number sported some variation or other of the Agori script, while others were written in much more familiar matoric alphabet.

"My dear friends," the Great Spirit started talking again all of a sudden, "They had brought me my work, to keep me occupied. It is a record of my research across the cosmos..."

"Ah... So planets? Stars?"

"Yes, among a variety of other things - flora, fauna, civilizations, terraformation, solar system formation, galaxy composition, nebulae concentration -- ah, apologies," he laughed in a terribly sheepish tone as he stilled his entire body, like he'd been petrified: "I am afraid I have acquired a tendency to get lost in my own words. If I begin to itemize things in a list, please, stop me immediately."

"It's fine."

"Oh, it really is not. I would continue ad nauseam."

"Well, Takanuva does that too if you give him the chance."

Mata Nui gave a quiet laugh: "I still doubt your brother has roughly ninety-nine millenia worth of knowledge readily available for him to loudly catalogue at length."

Tahu tilted his head with a grimace: "Yeah," he agreed, "That's probably for the better."

His god's chest jumped with a few more warm cackles, somewhat bothering the Hordika strewn on top of him for a second or two. His lack of caution earned a few protests in the form of forcefully nuzzled snouts, mild grumbles and even a brief disgruntled raspberry.

"Did you write all of this?" the Toa asked.

"Only the material in very small matoric script," the Great Spirit replied as he went back to his search: "The rest is for my studies, both the Matoran and Agori documents are for my studies. I wished to be more involved with the inhabitsnts of my own body, at least when it comes to their culture - and my knowledge of Spherus Magna customs and history is severely lacking, so I am trying to fix that though many sources are fragmentary or lost... Oh cosmos. Forgive me, I think I need your assistance once more. There is a volume I wanted to share with you, but I cannot see much like this."

"Oh, uh, of course," Tahu nodded. His eyes bounced across the mess without focusing on anything. "How's it look like?"

"Square shape, bound in petrol green talon snake skin and string, waxed parchment sheets in bundles of six pages, a few sticking through, maroon ink for main text, bloodstone ink for titles."

Warm hands shoved themselves right in the thick of the less orderly pile, rummaging with an intense focus for a brief amount of time, maybe a few seconds. They reemerged with their trophy grasped tightly, a triumphant 'hah!', and enough force to send a few tablets flying around.

Onewa growled at him in his sleep. Whenua shut him up by weakly smacking his jaw just with a paw.

Mata Nui clapped softly: "Exactly that! Marvelous, thank you."

"Wasn't too hard, with a description of that precision," Tahu replied as he handed it over to the other.

"A phtographic memory is one of my only talents, if one can consider being made to contain as much information as possible such a thing..." his god mused. Before the Toa could dwell on those words he had moved on, shifting through the pages: "Your Turaga and I read through part of this volume earlier, after my dear friedns visited. It is the first in a series dedicated to collecting and comparing legends of the various Agori tribes in this area, with each entry pertaining to a certain theme - it was produced before the Core War, so good part of it is yet to be recovered. But this, being the first book, focuses on creation myths and the like... Ah, there it is."

He stopped roughly halfway through, on a page that featured a strange drawing of what seemed to be a reptile dripping poison - vaguely reminiscent of a flattened Lerahk in truth. The thought made Tahu almost snicker.

"This is of the Tapyri, the Fire Tribe," Mata Nui explained. "It is a tale of how they were born from an immense volcanic bonfire, coming to life from charred green wood as it churned within the lava. Similar legends I have read in Ta-Matoran works from all over my body, as well, and a few of your birth."

"Mine?"

"Of course. You are often believed to have emerged from the bowels of a volcano yourself."

An apt alternative to the forges of Artakha, the Toa could admit - though it didn't really work for the rest of his siblings' elements... He shrugged a little, unsure what to do with that information: "It's not right, but it comes close, I guess."

"It come close," his god repeated with a sort of amused tone, like he knew something Tahu didn't; one of his hands laid gently on the Toa of Fire's and a spark of hushed excitement lit up his eyes: "But is it not so interesting, that people so distant and unlike each other still share such similar tales for the same concept, using the same imagery, indipendent of one another?"

His touch was tepid.

It had a sort of strange texture.

Tahu felt a little lightheaded, but in a pleasant manner.

He agreed quietly, mumbling in much the same embarrassed way a kid does before a very beautiful person.

Mata Nui smiled a little wider, eyes thinning a little: "Besides, there is some truth to it, you know," he added. "To the idea of life having originated from volcanic activity."

"Really?"

"Very much so. Several planets have multilayered molten cores, the upper levels of which often break through their solid crust creating volcanoes or pools of lava. Their heat allows certain microscopic organisms to thrive, causing them to evolve into more complex forms of life across the span of hundreds of millions of years until they develop complex enough brains to gain proper sentience and in some cases sapience - so, your observation is very spot on: these myths might not be quite right, but they do come close."

"So it comes from Fire, then," Tahu muttered, amazed - he'd often lamented to himself his element's ability to only cause harm, and now he found out otherwise. "I would've bet on Water. It sounds like a more obvious choice."

"It does come from water as well," Mata Nui replied: "As it offers protection from external radiations and a safe environment in which substances can spread and interact with one another."

"But it evaporates if the temperature's too hot."

"A good argument! It is hard for planets to be plentiful of water by themselves, especially when they are taking shape. The element can however form in space and be contained in other smaller astral bodies, such as meteorites, which then can collide into a planet if pulled into their gravitational orbit - although space is far too cold for water to be in a liquid state, so what they actually hold is ice."

"So Ice also brings life?"

"Yes, doubly so."

"Why's that?"

"Frozen microorganisms can be safely transported through space across otherwise unsustainable amounts of time. When the ice melts or evaporates they can thaw and restart their vital functions, free to duplicate and inhabit their new home."

"And Water makes Air when it evaporates, which they need to live."

"If they consume oxygen or evolve to have lungs, which they might in case the environment above water becomes inhabitable, yes."

"So then it's only Stone and Earth that don't matter!"

His god smiled very wide, very amused: "If that were the case, we would right now be living on a large pool of lava which would not allow any water upon it. Would you consider such a habitat suitable for the proliferation of life?"

Tahu hushed, reflected long and hard on the riddle posed to him, and sheepishly sank his head in his shoulders.

"I take that back," he said in a very tiny voice.

Mata Nui wheezed a laugh, caressing his cheek: "Oh, please do not be so embarrassed! You are far from the first to reach this conclusion in a haste - your Turaga had quite the argument on this same topic when we discussed it."

Now assailed with second-hand embarrassment at that mental image, the Toa hid his mask in his hands: "Please tell me they didn't start biting each other," he groaned.

"No, no, my presence kept them from it - but Whenua and Onewa almost did!" his god replied, obviously having a much better time. "They were dreadfully offended. They insisted I produce my own research so they could prove their siblings wrong, and when they discovered I had not yet written it down they tried to chase all four of their fellow Hordika off of me so that I could get to it immediately. Oh, Tahu-" he cackled again as the other's renewed despair at the news had him try to disappear inside his own palms, "-Please, do not be like that! I managed to divert their attention onto another topic, and I can assure you they behaved splendidly afterwards. I would not have been able to write anything, either way."

"Why not? Do your arms hurt?"

"Thankfully not, but their current state has made them rather invasive in their pursuit of knowledge. On my first attempt they were all over both my tools and my arms - not exactly making for the best writing conditions."

It was at least a humorous thought... And somewhat in line with the Turaga's tales about themselves...

A sudden weight distracted Tahu from his musings. He dared look down: Onewa Hordika had shifted his large snout onto his thighs, nestling on them with a sort of low chirp, and Vakama had followed suit by curling against his Stone brother, pressing the top of his head under his chin.

They seemed to have made themselves plenty comfortable.

He straightened his back with a startle.

All at once, he realized where he was, what he was doing, who he was talking to. When had the two Turaga laid on him? When had he moved so close to the bed? When had he started to lean so close to Mata Nui, until his head had almost leaned down on him?

He was no Hordika, he was not allowed these lapses! He could not be allowed these lapses. The Turaga could - they were supposed to, they were expected to, in these conditions, in this state, but not him! Not him. He was a different deal. He wasn't - he shouldn't have - he was acting wrong. He had to be acting wrong.

He had breached some kind of protocol, he must have.

He wasn't supposed to behave like this.

He wasn't supposed to act like this.

Not in front of his god.

Not - not... Not...

A palm laid on the top of his head, bringing his thoughts to a halt.

"Is something wrong?" Mata Nui asked.

His hand was warm and his voice laden with concern.

Nobody had ever treated him like that, as if he'd been a Matoran.

Tahu stared at him in silence for a little: "No?" he answered finally, equally as unsure.

He felt like his head was swimming.

The gentle pressure shifted onto his cheek: "You seemed to remember something very suddenly - do not let me keep you, if you have more pressing matters to attend to-"

"No, no! It's alright, I..." the Toa fumbled a little, mind still made hazy by the kind contact. He lowered his eyes once he realized he was once again looking directly into the god's, gaze falling onto the still sleeping Hordika curled on his lap: "The Turaga just... Caught me off guard," he settled on, because it was the truth - or a part of it, at the very least.

He did not dare look up, but he felt dusty fingertips move again in a feathery caress: "You are very warm," Mata Nui noted with a smile in his voice. "You must feel wonderfully pleasant to them."

Tahu felt himself heat up.

"You do not need to stay," he was reassured.

"I want to!" ah - that was too forceful, too eager. "I mean - I mean, it wouldn't... I'd... It doesn't bother me, staying here."

"Are you certain?"

"Of - of course. It's my duty, to protect you."

"You are not bound to me by duty anymore. I do not wish you to be."

"It's what we were made to do."

"You have outgrown that purpose by now. I am not yet autonomous and perhaps never will be again, if I ever once was, but I am not your burden to carry either," the Great Spirit told him. His solemn tone softened as he cupped the Toa's chin in his hand, gently raising it so that their eyes could meet properly. "However, if you do wish to stay and keep us company on your own accord, I would be very glad."

He sustained the eye contact for three, four, maybe five seconds; then Tahu had to duck his head down again before his heartlight risked a shortcircuit.

How could a being be so easy to talk to one moment and so completely overwhelming the other?

Vakama purred quietly in his lap.

Onewa curled a little around his brother; one of his feet pushed lightly against Nuju's hip, who stirred closer to Nokama and stretched his arms over the other Hordika.

Whenua mumbled in his sleep at the shifting happening all around him, but hushed when Matau nuzzled his back.

They seemed so calm.

"Would it be alright?" he muttered as if asking for a permission.

Mata Nui smiled, very sweetly: "Of course."

[metalbeardthepirate]

hi there captain! it's great to see you've joined us! have you spoken to any of the others yet? i bet benny will be excited to know you're around!

Ahoy me hand! It always be good to see a friendly face! I be talkin' to many a masterbuilder matey these past weeks, me hearty spaceman Benny, her royal highness Unikitty, even that Rex lad be subject to me yappin'! I also be talkin' to some less savory folks, like that Business scallywag, but I be havin' a splendid time seein' me good mateys! I were quite pleased to see Benny again, it had been a while since our last meetin', so it were a superb surpise to be shootin' the breeze with that spaceman again.