Author's Note
First Fic!
Thank you for all who read this! You are awesome! 
Hope you enjoy... this is me kinda testing the waters...
if there is any mistakes (there is bound to be some), let me know in the comments
Stay Cool!
Prelude: Awakened Spirit
“Sister, what in the Equestria is happening?” Luna tried to calm Celestia.
“No time! We need to get out of the Castle!” Celestia bolted to the side and tried to slip past Luna. Luna blocked her sister’s path.
“Whoa! Tell me what is happening first, then we can go,” Luna looked her in the eye.
“Luna! Please! We need to-” She was cut-off midsentence by the farthest wall of the corridor shattering. Green light pierced the cracks of the stone, then faded with a slight hiss. Rumbling could be heard from underneath the debris.
“Mata Nui!” Celestia cursed under her breath. “Change of plans, we need to get to the throne room,” Celestia used her golden magic to levitate Luna in the air.
Luna saw what her sister was talking about. The rubble scattered as an unfamiliar creature emerged from the pile of debris. She couldn't quite see it clearly before Celestia shut the palatial doors of the throne room.
“Celestia, tell me what the hay is going on!”
Celestia, between gasps of air explained to her sister. “That creature you saw, its name is Teridax. He is after the mask left in my hooves for safe keeping.”
“You’re not making a whole lot of sense. Do you mean Tirek? What about a mask?” Luna was just able to finish when another wall burst outward in a green light.
When both Alicorns could see again, the creature entered the throne room.
The creature was grotesque, made up of an unholy mix of organs and mechanical parts. This creature was prominently humanoid, though his form was hunched over. He possessed a set of reptilian wings and his eyes glowed a blood red.
“So, Celestia, end of the line are we?” The creature spoke in a guttural, raspy voice.
“You’re not welcome here, go back to the hole from whence you came,” Celestia retorted. Her horn glowed in the golden light as the creature approached her.
“My, sassy as always, sister,” The creature chuckled.
“SISTER?” Luna was dumbstruck. How was this creature her ‘sibling’.
“I see that you've made quite some progress, last time I entered Equestria,” the Creature glanced at Luna, a devilish grin stretching across his face. “I see that your sister is free from her prison, just like you did to me,”
“I banished you then, I can banish you again,” Celestia’s horn glowed brighter.
“You know that is a lie,” The creature shifted. “Last time, you used the elements to send me back to Metru-Nui. Now, since I have regained my strength, your so called ‘elements of harmony’ cannot affect me,”
He started to pace about, observing the windows of the throne room. He stopped at the stained-glass window where spike saves the crystal empire “I see that you have made progress indeed, I suspect Sombra is free also?”
“Celestia, tell me what is happening!” Luna shouted.
The Creature snickered “You have a lot to learn, little sister.” Luna balked at that comment. The creature gestured to Celestia “Your older sister has been keeping secrets from you,”
Luna shifted her gaze over to Celestia, eyes full of concern. “Is he telling the truth? Have you been keeping secrets from me?”
“Luna, don’t listen to him, Teridax only wants to syphon your powers,” Celestia had her eyes full of tears.
It was happening again. The evil was back, trying to steal Luna for another thousand years.
“Please! I don’t know what is going on!” Luna pleaded.
Celestia shook her head in disappointment. Sighing, she began, “I was entrusted with a mask from one of my best friends, Mata Nui. I've only mentioned the name a couple of times. Long story short, Teridax is here to steal that mask.”
“Smart Pony!” Teridax clasped his hands together. “Yes, that is what I am here for. So, I’ll make this easy, give me the mask, and I’ll leave your little nation alone for a millennium.” Teridax offered.
Celestia stomped her hoof and grunted. “Never! It is my duty to protect Mata Nui’s mask!”
“Ooh, feisty!” Teridax smiled devilishly. “So you want to play it that way. Whatever, it's your choice”
“You can have the mask when you pry it from my cold-dead corpse!” Celestia shouted.
Luna didn’t think Celestia would go as far as death to protect something. Then again, she protected the elements of harmony before Discord snatched them.
Teridax started to approach Luna. “No, I think I have a better idea,”
A barbaric staff materialized out of the air and landed into Teridax’s hands. He lowered the staff, lining the sights toward Luna. A red aura shot out of the tip.
Luna knew what Teridax was doing and tried to dodge the blast, but the red aura ensnared her. Luna quaked uncontrollably as the red aura paralyzed her being. She tried to use a teleportation spell to escape it, only to find the aura extinguished her magic.
The red aura intensified and started to inflict pain all over her body. Teridax grinned at the sight of Luna being tortured.
“Wait!” Celestia halted Teridax. Celestia called upon her magic and teleported a golden mask near her. It had the inscription of a humanoid figure in front of it, but nothing else.
Celestia held the mask in her magic, presenting it to Teridax as bait.
“Good pony, now give it to me, and you nation will be spared” Teridax instructed. The red aura wore off as the giant approached the sun goddess. Celestia pulled the mask back, closer to her face when Teridax got close.
“You are a fool Celestia. You put on that mask, you will give up all your powers, and your whole life of being an Alicorn is wiped clean,” Teridax inched closed, each of his footsteps shaking the floor.
“…A worthy sacrifice, one that I’m willing to make” Celestia took a deep breath “In the name of the ponies of Equestria, and Mata Nui, I accept this mask as the necessary sacrifice for my nation to live!” With a click the mask was secured to the Alicorn’s face. Celestia’s horn glowed bright gold as the magic spell formed a golden orb around her.
The final flicker of light goes out as the resounding shock-wave knocked Teridax out of the Castle equal to Queen Chrysalis. He screams as the magic propels him outward, farther than the badlands of Equestria.
Luna rushed to Celestia’s side right as the light was about to go out.
“Take care of the sun while I’m gone,” Celestia’s voice was distorted, changing to the point… where it wasn't Celestia anymore.
“I… I will,” Luna managed to say.
Suddenly, when the transformation was done, Luna opened her eyes. She was greeted by an odd looking filly with cybernetic parts aside her legs, hooves, and body. The mask occupied the filly’s beautiful face. The filly was like young Celestia: white coat, pink mane, down to the detail where there wasn't a cutie mark yet.
Suddenly, the Filly woke up. The pink eyes she knew and loved.
Luna took it all in. This wasn't her sister anymore. This wasn't Celestia.
Chapter 1: Age of Mask-Making
Call me Lhikan.
Lhikan is my name. I know, funny name right? Believe it or not, my parents had the idea of naming me after the last surviving Toa Mangai. Lhikan was an honorable Toa, he wouldn’t give into the darkness of Makuta even after all of his Toa brothers and sisters gave into the darkness. Ultimately, Lhikan used the last remaining energies of his life to give Metru-Nui some slight chance at survival.
It’s funny how I’m named after a Toa. Despite my name, I assure you I’m pure pony. Neither my mother nor father have accepted a Kanohi mask. My ancestors never even laid hoof on one for crying out loud!
Right now, I live in Canterlot with my family. It just so happens that Ta-Koro was set up in the capital city. A thousand years later, they developed into the Ta-Metru. Equestria, if it hasn’t been plunged into a new era, then the new era began now.
Now was the time of mask-making. Both the Ta-Matoran and ponies all around Equestria have taken up the ancient art of creating Kanohi masks. From the Konoka discs, scattered by the Great Spirit Mata Nui himself, Kanohi Masks can be forged using a mix of fire and metal.
Again, despite my pure pony form, I work at one of the forges making Matoran masks. If we use the metals found throughout Equestria, we hoof it over to the Turaga or the Unicorns who have been taught the appropriate spell.
At first, with experimenting with the first masks, ponies often found that putting a mask on with an original enchantment from the island of Mata Nui, it erases anything known before and replaces it with its embodiment and powers. Ponies from the first age of the Equestrian-Mata Nui Era found that out the hard way.
Through the ages, ponies and Matoran have worked together to create masks of power without common side-effects. So far, the masks have the ability to let the pony who put them on have their special ability, while leaving the cutie mark intact. Dual Abilities, Dual Powers.
Usually, I etch my marks and craftsmanship in the great masks. I have a set of blueprints right out in front of me. The white hot flames skitter across the surface of the Kanoka metal. I’m only doing my job.
I wipe the excess sweat from my ratty black mane. It’s a good thing my mane is dark, that way, you cannot see the soot it has collected over the years.
Then, my hoof slips and the mask splits in half. I drop the welding torch angrily and pound my hoof on the anvil-desk. I rub my face in aggravation and examined the broken mask. Sighing, I tossed the broken mask into the rubbish bin.
“Mata Nui!” I curse, slamming my hoof into the desk again.
“Turaga Tahu has given you quite a doozy, hasn’t he?” My partner snickers in the background, taking his usual lunch break. He has a daisy sandwich in his hooves, and he is about to sink his teeth into it.
He is easily camouflaged amidst the fiery atmosphere of the Ta-metru. His mane is orange, while his coat is flame-white. On his flank, it has the cutie mark of a mint leaf being consumed in flames.
“That is the 7th time I fail making this mask!” I pound the desk again for good measure. Turning to my partner, I shout “How in Equestria do you have so much free time?”
“I have a steady hoof,” He bites into the sandwich and talks with his mouth full. “Unlike you, you gotta learn to not fidget!” While he says that sentence, a slice of lettuce flies out of mouth and lands on the ground. Upon contact with the floor, it catches fire and turns into a pile of ash.
“Turaga Tahu needs to understand that my job here is not permanent, I just need something to pay for my studies” I point toward my flank “What is even more confusing is that my cutie mark is too vague. Having the symbol of the nation of Mata Nui? That is not much to go onto,” I turn to my partner and ask “Do you even know what my cutie marks means?”
My partner shrugs. He continues to munch on his sandwich. I groan in frustration.
I look at him sullenly. “C’mon, how is it fair that I’m doing all the work, and you get to sit around all day?”
“I get finished with my projects early,” He answers. “Besides, it’s your time to learn. I’ve been covering your rump for half of the year already!” He finishes the sandwich in one more bite.
“I could use some help with this, Mint Fire! The mask is taking about a year to make now! You know how hard it is to create a mask?” I retort.
“Actually, it’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it,”
“Shut up,” I pick up the last Kanoka disc from the stockpile. “Besides, why don’t you make yourself useful and fetch me some more Kanoka discs!”
Mint Fire rolled his eyes and trotted out of the forge. He disappeared into the steam surrounding the halls.
Now is the time. I pull out a book and start off with my studies. I shouldn’t be doing this while working. The pages could get scorched or my masks turn out to be completely different. Trust me, I know. But, as my mother said, I quote “You need to be well-rounded before picking a profession!”
I open to the page where I left off. Equestrian-Mata Nui Era Begins. I got past the part where Celestia turns into Nirva. Yeah, that was the most important part of the era. Our deity, Princess Celestia was turned into a Matoran Pony. On the next page, an inscription told by Turaga Dume when he first entered Equestria.
“Here it is!” I read through the words of Turaga Dume and the Prophecy of Equestria-Mata Nui. “When the Two worlds collide, on the thousandth year of her transformation, she will return, with the Spirit Stars aiding in her escape!”
It’s been a thousand years since Celestia transformed into Nirva. Ever since that time, a series of events has occurred. The Matoran started appearing all over Equestria. How the ponies reacted to this… that’s another story.
Gah! My mind is wandering again! I guess it has to do with my cutie mark, my understanding of the nation of Mata Nui is most likely my talent. Then, I just remember something.
“Wait, this year is the thousandth mark for when Celestia turned into Nirva! Does that mean she will return to being Celestia?”
KLUNK-KLUK.
Oh no. I close the book quickly as I hear the familiar steps behind me.
“You gotta stop reading those books, Lhikan! Your mask is overdue!” my boss snapped.
I turn around to meet his cruel fire-red eyes. “Sorry Turaga Tahu, just my studies at Luna’s University,” I apologize. This was the usual day.
“Get the mask ready by tonight! If not, I must expulse you from your work as a mask-maker and your studies.” Turaga Tahu clicked his tongue and looked over to the rubbish bin, which was about to be taken away to melt the masks into Protodermis. “Let that be a fair warning,” he says while trotting out of my workplace.
As soon as I know he isn’t within range, I open the book back up and finish the prophecy. “No time will be much darker and desperate when she returns, for Equestria will be thrown into chaos mixed with Protodermis,”
My partner returned with a stack of Kanoka discs and set them down on the countertop.
“Fine, I’ll help ya, you are getting the whiplash from Turaga Tahu… again,” Mint Fire puts on the welding mask nearby and starts to carve the shape out of the mask.
We finished the mask by nightfall and turned it into Turaga Tahu at his desk. He observes the craftsmanship, knowing that I had some help with it. But, he doesn’t give me a hard time about Mintfire
“That was a close one, Lhikan, next time a mask is overdue, I won’t be so nice,” Nopony can see through the masks of power, even if a spell was cast. But, if he didn’t have his mask on, I could’ve probably seen the sullen look on his face.
I knew he didn’t really mean that. Even if Turaga Tahu was heartless at times, he felt for everypony and every Matoran. That is what he earned from his days of being Toa. He just had to be mean and nasty sometimes to make sure the workers aren’t slacking off. This keeps the populous of Equestria happy with their surplus of masks.
Mintfire and I walked through the endless steam and sparks of the forges. That was the Ta-metru for you, an industrialized part of Canterlot comprising of mask-making, armor-making, and weapon-making.
We stopped by the forge to pick up our stuff. I shoved the history book back into my saddlebags and lifted it up over my back. Mintfire picked up a bucket of water sitting at the corner of the forge and extinguished the last of the flames. He lifted up his saddle bags, with the attachment of a Kolhii stick.
“Are you going to the Kolhii match today? It starts in an hour,” Mint Fire offered.
“Sorry, can’t, I have to catch up with my studies.”
“C’mon, Lhikan, you can spare some time, right?” Mint Fire nudged me.
“You know I’m behind with my schooling, right?”
“Forget Schooling for now, I want to introduce you to my friends!”
“But, I’ve never actually studied Kolhii, let alone play it,”
“Lhikan… just live and breathe a little, life is meant to be enjoyed. Make some friends!”
That caught me off-guard. One of the main virtues coming from the ponies. “I guess I can spare a few minutes, but just a half-hour okay?”
“Yipee!” Mintfire hopped up and down the grating that lined the hallways. I rolled my eyes and followed the stallion down the hallways, until we emerged into evening sunlight.
Chapter 2: Of Kanohi Masks and Cutie Marks
Well, I was exhausted. Playing Kolhii was one thing, learning it was another. Put them together, and what do you get? A collapsed colt on the Protodermis floor.
I took a sip of my water. Often times, I’d store about a gallon of it in my saddlebags to keep myself cool from all the heat of the Ta-Metru. It’s a good thing that the Ga-Matoran make it an effort to provide water to all of Equestria. If it wasn’t for them… well you could fill in the blanks.
Mintfire recommended that I watch the practice match while cooling off. So far, I’ve concluded that Kolhii is a subsequent of Lacrosse. But it has its own set of rules. Like the obvious “There is a minimum of two teams and no team can have more players than the other team” some more complex rules are “Only the Defender may have a shield, but during Rahi attack, this rule is rendered void”
Of all the players on the field, Mintfire had a special group of friends. Many were a mix of Matoran and Ponies. Not to mention two were pegasai working in the same forges we were.
I sat on the bleachers, eyeing the game closely. My goodness, I was outmatched. Each one of them was extremely good at Kolhii. Most of the time, they stood in a Stalemate for a while, until one team caught the other off-guard. The whole thing was mesmerizing.
Wait. I glanced at the nearest clock, mounted on the wall. It’s about 5:30 PM.
“I stayed too long!” I shouted to myself as I climbed down the bleachers.
“Wait! Lhikan! Where are you going?” Mintfire held his hoof up to alert the others to stop the game. The others halted for a second as if the game shifted from Kolhii to freeze tag.
“I stayed here too long! I need to get home and study!” I blasted through the doors and bolted through the hallways.
I heard the reply from Mintfire “Well, good luck on your studying Lhikan! Have a good one!”
I headed through the hallways, rushing past various ponies working at the recreational center.
I wasn’t looking where I was going, and bumped into a particular Bio-Pony. At first I thought it was another Matoran-Pony, basing those conclusions by the hooves aided by mechanical parts.
That was my conclusion until I looked up.
I bowed toward the towering Alicorn in front of me. She had a white coat, pink hair and eyes to match it her form. She was clad in Golden mechanical parts, the iconic mask covering her face.
“My apologies, Toa Nirva,” I backed away an inch just to be safe.
“You’re fine, Lhikan,” She replied.
Wait… how did she know my name?
“Besides, I was looking for you,” Her voice was calm and soothing, yet firm and direct.
“For me? Why?” I ask. Why would a Toa so high and mighty like Toa Nirva bother to seek me out? I was a normal, everyday pony.
Nirva fished an item out of her saddlebags. She pulled out a parabolic stone, with a simple inscription of the crest of Mata Nui. “That’s not important now, I have urgent matters that I need to address.” She held out the stone in front of me with her golden aura. “Here, take this, and show it to nopony nor Bionicle.”
I didn’t want to be rude, so I accepted it. Examining it, I asked “What is this for?”
“Open it when you get home, make sure you are alone.” Toa Nirva instructed. Her ear popped up as if she was heard something. I didn’t hear anything, all I could hear was the hiss of steam and the clatter of exhaust pipes. She zipped the saddlebags closed.
“Keep it safe,” quicker than my eyes could register, she rushed down the hall, disappearing into the steam.
“Wait, Toa Nirva!” I tried running after her, before I came to a fork in the path. I wanted to chase her down, but I was wasting time. I needed to go home and do a little studying.
I examined the stone in my hooves, unsure what it was for. I shrugged as I stuffed it in my pack.
Better get home now… my parents are probably worried sick.
I opened the front door of home, taking a deep breath. Here it comes, the lecture. My parents are the type that worry a lot. They stress over the little things. That is why I make an effort to take charge and be responsible. If I was even 10 seconds late… they would start sending magic-transferred messages to the police.
Right as I closed the door, my mother peeked behind door frame to the kitchen. She gasped in surprise. I put my saddlebags down on the floor, ready for the routine measure.
She charged toward me, eyes full of tears. I held out my fore hooves, ready to embrace her. “Lhikan! Your Home! I thought you were eaten by a Rahi!” Her hug became tighter.
I don’t blame her. Lately, for the past century, the tame Rahi have become restless and more aggressive. There were multiple cases of ponies or Matoran being mauled or attacked by a Nui-Jaga, Tarakava, or other Rahi.
“I’m sorry, mom. Turaga Tahu is cracking the whip again,” I came up with that excuse, hopefully it was enough to cover up my mistake.
“Please send me a magic message at the very least!”
“C’mon Mom, you know that my workplace has mostly pegasai and earth-ponies. The unicorns do not listen to grunt workers.” I explain. “Not to mention the nearest unicorn that will listen is about a mile from the forges!”
“You go to school with lots of Unicorns! Have them send the message for you!”
“They are tired of sending ‘mommy’ mail for me,”
“Tell them that your message is urgent!”
“Gah! I don’t have time for this!” I pick up my saddlebags and head upstairs to my room.
“Lhikan, please, just let me know how you are doing… I can’t bear to lose you too.” I stop and glance back at my mother. I look her in the eyes. Those blue eyes plead for my safety.
“I’ll make sure to send you a message next time.” I continue to my room. Upon entry, I tossed the saddlebags to the mattress I have on the floor. I rub my face in my hooves in frustration. “Why can’t anypony understand that I have bigger problems?” I mumble to myself
Stretching, my wings flutter around, causing mini-tornadoes to form in my room. I open the saddlebags, pulling out my history book. While pulling it out, the stone Toa Nirva gave me fell on my beside.
I pick it up and examine it a little more. Shrugging again, I put the stone back into the pouch and pick up the history book with my mouth.
BLAM! The desk trembled under the immense pressure of the heavy book. Toughest wood from the Le-Metru, I am glad it isn’t the wimpy-type, otherwise this desk would’ve snapped a long time ago.
Now, back where I left off. “No time will be much darker and desperate when she returns, for Equestria will be thrown into chaos mixed with Protodermis,”
I turn the page. “Equestrian-Mata Nui Era- Genesis Age” My brow furrows as I read the title. I read over the brief summary of the Age- “First Matoran and Toa come to Equestria, from all different ages, and introduce their customs to the ponies. Villages and communities are formed, Kohlii is introduced, and two worlds begin to mingle. Voya Nui and Puritan-Equestrian Resistance armies form. Matoran Nirva begins her quest to find her destiny.”
“You’ve really done it now,” a voice says behind me.
“Hahli, how many times do I have to tell you? Stay out of my room!” I turn around to face the filly. She has the same blue mane as my mother, only her coat is kelp-green. It must’ve been my father’s yellow coat mixing with my mother’s blue coat.
“Mom was very worried. Please don’t do that again,”
I dismissed the comment and turned back to studying my book. C’mon Lhikan… you’ve done this before… ignore her. “Get out, I’m busy,” I said for good measure.
I hear her trot to my bedside. The next thing she does, it can be easily inferred by the faint clink of Kanoka discs. I swivel another 180, this time around, shooting her a death glare. She was playing with the welding torch, rolling it around in a Kanoka disc. “Bringing work home again?”
“Hahli, don’t play with that, that equipment is not a toy,” I say. She set down the Kanoka Discs back into my pack. “Now, out of here, I’m busy,” The mistake I made was turning my back once more.
“Can I watch you make a mask?” She asks.
“No, Later, I’m studying,” I say. I roll my eyes as I hear the sound of rummaging through my pack. C’mon Lhikan… just pay attention to your history book… pretend she doesn’t exist.
“What’s this?” Her voice asks. I groan and rub my face in my hooves.
“Hahli…” I trail off. I was about to give her a piece of my mind, until I found what she was holding. It was the same stone with the insignia of Mata Nui on it. I blanched for a second, then snapped out of my shock “Put that back,”
“What is it?”
“None of your business, put it back,” I spoke a tad too late. Hahli could probably sense that the stone was important. After all, Toa Nirva gave it to me, and told me not to show anypony. I’ve already failed at my task.
She started to toss it up and down. Another thing I had to worry about, is the stone fragile? I couldn’t risk breaking it, Toa Nirva would be furious. “Put it back, I don’t know what it is, it could be a Kraata pod, so best is not to mess with it,”
“You mean you don’t know what this thing is?”
Now, how was I going to get out of this? She keeps on asking questions, and the further we go into discussion, the more she’ll find the truth. So, I came up with a plausible excuse “I found it in the forges. It’s not Kanoka, Protodermis, nor metal.” I pointed to my saddlebags “Now, put it back, please,”
She smiled devilishly. “Hmph!” she folded her forelegs and refused to put it back. I knew what she wanted, and she wasn’t going down without a fight.
“Fine, I’ll work on a mask and you can help, but only if you put it back and never speak of it again,” my request always works if I included her in my mask-making. That is all she ever cared about.
She nodded eagerly and put the stone back into the pack. I trotted over to my pack and picked up the welding torch with three Kanoka discs. Heading downstairs, we passed by my mother, who was preparing dinner.
She snickered as she saw me with my sister heading to the workshop. “Let me guess, Hahli forced you into a deal,”
“Eeyup,” I answered the best I could with three Kanoka discs in my mouth.
I had nothing to worry about. As long as Hahli got to help me with mask-making, she honored her side of the deal, never once broke the truce. That was one of her good qualities. She even kept secrets from mom and dad when needed. Let’s just say, having a little crush at the University is the tip of the iceberg. As brother and sister, we share secrets from parents. Isn’t that just the sum of the relationship between siblings?
As soon as I got the anvil set up, and my welding torch lit, Hahli had placed a barrel of water next to the anvil. Standard Protocol… have water nearby so you could cool off the metal. She even fetched the tongs along the way so cooling the mask would be a breeze.
It’s a little odd for somepony like Hahli to enjoy Mask-making. The general populous said that pegasai and earth ponies work in the forges with the Ta-Matoran, and the Unicorns and Sea-ponies work at the aquifers and wells with the Ga-Matoran. Hahli was born a sea-pony, hence the reason why my parents picked a Toa of water name.
Generally, when ponies see my sister (or any sea pony for that matter), they automatically think she is good at working with water at the wells and aquifers. That is only half-true. If only ponies could see how good she’s at in mask-making.
She even has made masks herself. Whenever I come home with a spare Kanoka Disc or Scrap Kanohi Mask, she takes it and makes her own creations. Some of the creations on my desk is from her handiwork.
It’s a shame she still doesn’t have her cutie mark yet. I would’ve sworn she earned it by now, being this talented at handling the torch. Yet, her flank remains void, waiting a tad too long for a cutie mark.
Nonetheless, Cutie mark or not, she always manages to help me.
I’m half-way through making the next Matoran mask, but need to fetch another disc. “Here, can you carve it down a little more, I’ll be back in a second.” She gladly held the torch, following the instructions of the blueprints.
I rushed upstairs and rummaged through my pack again, trying to find another disc. Upon pulling out the next disc, the stone fell out.
Why is it that I flinch every time I see that stone? I snap out of my trance and stuffed it back into the pack. Alright, back to the workshop. As I trotted downstairs, my mother snickered again, seeing me with yet another disc in my mouth.
When I entered the workshop, Hahli was nearly done with the mask. She already had filled the gap I was about to fix.
“Wait… how did you…”
“I found a spare disc lying around the workshop. You’re very forgetful sometimes,” She said. Etching the last few marks in the mask, she turned down the heat of the torch and observed her own craftsmanship.
It feels as if I’m taking full credit for work I didn’t do. Mintfire saved my rump 80 percent of the time, while Hahli saved it the other 20 percent. The only thing that cleared my conscience was the permission I had from my sister and my friend. They deemed it okay to take credit for their work.
My sister turned to me and smiled. Not only she’d finish a mask, she make it quality. As soon as she saw the disc in my mouth, her eyes went wide.
“Wait! That… It can’t be,” she pointed to the disc. “How did you get your hooves on that?”
I looked to the disc. What made it special? It was just an ordinary Kanoka disc. I examined it and found what she was talking about. This was a level 7 disc!
“Can I have it? Please! Please! Please!” She begged.
There must’ve been a mix-up in the supply areas, a sorter must’ve goofed on one of the discs, and that is probably why I have my hooves on a Level 7 disc. “I don’t know Hahli… I never have worked with Level 7 discs before… Besides, it’s best just to return it”
“C’mon, can I have it? Please? I promise not to bother you for a whole month!”
Tempting. Then again, I never have worked with a mask of this aptitude. The highest I have gone is a Level 6 disc. As the discs get higher in level, the harder they are to carve through. Still, her offer was tempting. “Oh really, a whole month? A full 31 days?”
“Yes! Yes!” She was more eager than a Rahi kept from a fruit tree. I gave it a little more thought. She was skilled, so I think she could handle a mask like that, but then again, what if she hurts herself?
I guess she could handle a Level 7 disc. She is more skilled than me. Plus, I don’t see any problems with the forges missing a Level 7 disc. They had so many, one cannot be missed. I brought spare discs home all the time, and the forges permitted taking extra discs.
I hoofed the disc over to her. “There, go ahead, go crazy,”
“Yipee!” She slapped the Disc onto the anvil and thought to herself what she was going to make.
I was about to trot out of the room, “I’ll help mom with dinner, If you need anything, just give us a hoot,”
“Yeah, I know,” She was deep in thought.
“Just be careful, I never worked with a Kanoka disc of that aptitude before,”
“Yes, Lhikan, just go, I need time to think” She waved her hoof in the same gesture as to say “Shoo!”
I chuckled to myself as I closed the door. She was acting like me.
“Letting her work on another mask?” My mother asks. I trot over to the sink. I wash my hooves and dry them off.
“Eeyup,” I pick up a knife and started to cut carrots.
“She is very good at mask-making,”
“Eeyup!” I finished the carrots and moved onto celery. “she is so talented at handling that torch and disc, If she was a Pegasus, the whole Metru would’ve known her for her work,”
“Agreed,” She scraped the cut-up carrots into the pan. With a dash of seasoning, she created art herself. “She is so good at it, she could possibly take your job!” She teased
“Yeah right! She is talented, but the operators of the forges would laugh in her face if she tried to apply there.” My mother looked at me and rolled her eyes.
“Mom?” I ask
“Yes, darling,”
“Why does life have to be so unfair?” My comment made her glance over to me.
“Why do you say that?” She asked, stirring up the ingredients in the rice.
“It’s just, come to think about it, I should’ve been the Sea-pony and Hahli should’ve been the Pegasus.” I say. “I’m very good at teaching and history, while Hahli is good at mask-making.”
“Hmm, I see,” She said. “But unfortunately, you are the Pegasus, and she is the Sea-pony. Might I have this correct?”
“Yes,” I scraped the celery into the rice. “If Hahli inherited dad’s wings, she would’ve taken over the forges a long time ago. Why is it that our creeds don’t match our talents?”
“Lhikan, we’ve talked about this before. Even if you have a cutie mark that contradicts your creed, doesn’t mean it’s not your talent,”
“I’m not saying that. I’m saying why is it that life gave us our race, when our talents are not meant for our creeds?”
“Let’s put this in a different context. Suppose there is an earth-pony who has the cutie mark of wings. Do you think that his or her disadvantage will keep them from their talent?”
“No, the earth pony could make some flying contraption to help them fly,” I answer. I have heard this analogy before, many times in my line of schooling.
“You see Lhikan, I don’t know what is so hard to get about it. Even if nature defies your talent, doesn’t mean you should back down and not embrace it. The world needs ponies who stand up for a cause and fight for it. No pony said that this would be easy, but it is possible.”
“So, you’re saying that I should go forward with teaching and history, even if I break the norms of my race?” I raise a brow as I finish up with the rest of the vegetables.
“Exactly! Be bold and fearless! Get out there and do something about it!” She gave the rice one final stir and scraped it to a bowl. She set the bowl down on the table “Call your sister, it is time to eat,”
I opened the door to workshop and called my sister in. “Time for dinner!”
“One minute! Almost done with the mask!” She shouted back.
I closed the door and took a seat near my dad. He had his gaze zeroed in on a noble Kanohi mask. He pulled out a Philips screwdriver from his tool belt and fiddled with the mask.
“Good evening father. How was work?”
“Just fine, I got finished with that forsaken mask today!” He gave me a quick smile then shifted back to his mask. It’s ironic that my dad has the exact same problems as me, working with a difficult mask.
“That’s good,” I had nothing else to say.
The door to the workshop swung wide open. Hahli emerged, covered stains from the metal. I guess she knew what she was doing. My first time handling a Level 1 Disc, I came home looking like a metal statue. All I remember from that experience is that stuff was hard to clean off.
“Just a minute, I need to clean this gunk off,” She headed to the kitchen and used the special cleaner my dad used to clean off the metal splotches. When she was finished, she washed her hooves and took a seat next to my mother.
“So… Hahli, what were you making in the workshop?” My dad asked. It was polite of him not to talk with his mouth full, like he usually did.
“Oh, the usual, just practicing making a mask,” She took another bite of the fried rice.
“Well, that is nice honey… are you finished?” My mother glanced over to her.
“Yes. After dinner, you can take a look,” Hahli smiled in delight, knowing that we were interested in her work. My mother smiled as she looked to Hahli, mostly clean from the metal splotches.
My mother hopped up in surprise.
“Honey, what is it? Did you get burned?” My dad asked in concern.
“Hahli… wha… what is that on your flank?” My mother stuttered. Hahli looked down to her hindleg. By her facial expression, well, you could probably tell what is going to happen next.
“A… A Cutie Mark!” She shouted. She squealed in delight, finally knowing what her special talent was.
“What? Let me see!” I say, I couldn’t wait to see what the picture looked like.
She moved out of her chair and presented her flank to all of us. It was covered a minute ago by a metal splotch. We didn’t notice it until it decided to stop hiding from under the blanket of metal.
It was a picture of a welding torch, lit and making a mask. From my studies, I knew that the mask was no ordinary mask. The torch was carving out the Avohkii, the legendary mask of light. It also happens that Toa Takanuva wears that same legendary mask.
My father was speechless. “My little filly has finally earned her cutie mark!” He hopped out of his seat and galloped toward her for a big hug. Almost Tackling Hahli, He observed the picture a little more, marveling at the grace of it all.
My mother and I joined into the group hug around my sister. As we pulled away, my mother asked “But how? She has worked on masks for a long time, why does the cutie mark decide to show up now?”
“I think it’s just because she has reached another milestone in her talent,” My father inferred.
I chuckled. “That is only partially true, you see, I know why her cutie mark appeared,” Both my parents gestured for me to go on. “This was her first time handling a Level 7 disc,”
My parents’ expressions shifted from excited to confused. Wait, that was a wrong move, wasn’t it?
