Suavo took an exaggerated bow at Velhni's praise, and came up grinning once again. He took the bottle, popped the top and had a hearty swig.

"I'm celebrating all week" he replied. "This festival is a massive, five-day-long party and I am never slowing down. Big shows, side shows, games booths, and whatever else I can pack in when I'm not on the job - it's all go.

"Who'd have thought we get all this just to celebrate something nobody remembers?




Kumanu watched as most of the crowd dispersed. He himself had been standing right at the back. With his kanoka launcher on his back, he couldn't get in front of any but the tallest matoran without blocking their view. Still, he'd need it for the exhibition akilini match later on this afternoon, and he didn't plan on going home again before the Ko-Congro Condors took on the Ta-Congro Titans.

As more of the matoran moved away and the place became less crowded, he wandered further towards the front.

A large green and gunmetal vehicle with a blunted end, as if some form of Rahi were meant to drag it, and a large boxy frame shook slightly as it was settled by the show stage. A moment later, and a shimmering Matoran with a golden mask and armor plates and shining blue limbs and body jovially scampered out, followed by the stately green figure of Turaga Boboro. His Kanohi Kensasu, Mask of Sensory Aptitude, covered his head with a slightly drooping manner, and the blue speckled tabard he wore fluttering slightly in the breeze.
"Matoran-friends!" he called out to the crowd in his signature informal greeting, specifically towards the Ba-Matoran who had been playing earlier, "Enjoy the party-makin'? You made a great song-dance! Show-perform!"

At the edge of the crowd, a dark-green domed mask bobbed among the shoulders of a group of taller Le-Matoran. Hura shuffled about, slowly making his way into the large group near the stage. He had never been this far into the city before, so he was unsure of what to do. Something in the distance caught his eye- a glint of purple and... gold? Now there's a color the little Matoran rarely saw. He began to approach, not really paying attention, save for a shift of his head to the sounds around him, and the sidling of his eyes with a mechanical whir, when he found himself bumping into another Matoran about his size. She was the Matoran who had exited the mechanical before the Turaga, and now stood beside him.
"Oh, hey, careful," she warned in a sing-song tone, helping keep the Bo-Matoran steady.
Hura wasn't really that shaken by the impact, so the placement of her hand on his arm and side was a bit surprising.
"Wow, you're from Bo-Congro, aren't you? That's quite the way to come," the Ce-Matoran continued, leaning slowly closer as she spoke, not giving Hura room to get a word in edgewise, though her tone was pleasant, "Wonder how long's it take to get that far," she pondered aloud, tapping the dome of her rather simple mask.

Velhni chuckled at Suavo's enthusiasm, leaning a bit closer. "Well, you know, I've heard it said the Toa Stone still exists. How crazy would that be?" she asked with a bit of a chuckle. "But if it does exist, it's in the temple. Which would be almost unguarded tonight." she said with a sly wink, quickly followed by a swig from the bottle.

“A sneaky nighttime misadventure, huh? I like the sound of that.” She glanced around to make sure nobody was listening in on their less than legal plan, and it seemed if anyone had they were well hidden. Though in all fairness with the contents of the bottle in her belly she was less perceptive than usual, it wouldn't be too hard for a sneaky Matoran to overhear them. Of course what that Matoran did with that information would be up to them. After determining that the coast was clear she glanced at the sky, where the sun had reached its apex and would soon begin descending, she estimated in five or six hours it would start to set. “So, got any more shows lined up for today?”

"Nothing so big. Mimira is singing on the main stage for a bit, so I'm in the sideshow tents. I'll be showing off a few tricks and pulling in some coin." He reached behind Velhni's mask and pulled out a widget, flicked it into the air and caught it again. A blink later, his hand was empty again, and the widget nowhere to be seen.
"But don't change the subject now" he continued. "We never agreed on the terms of our bet: what is at stake here, exactly? I warn you though, I'm feeling pretty confident. Watch!"

The lively little Matoran sprang out and grabbed a passer by by the hand, bringing the Ko-Matoran into their conversation.
"Just a moment, Sir,he apologised, "but I was hoping you could settle something for us. I have heard it said that when the Red Star first blessed our nation, six Toa Stones were created and given to the temple, while my friend here maintains that there was only one. You look like a knowledgeable sort of fellow, so perhaps you could give us an opinion?"



"By my memory it was only one" the Ko-Matoran replied thoughtfully, "Though I have also heard it said that there were three: one for each of the Great Spirit's Virtues."

The Turaga very soon was off, making his rounds as did his colleagues every year during the Red Star Festival. The Ce-Matoran, who had been talking off Hura's audio ports, only noticed this in passing, but she didn't worry. She could always meet him at the temple tomorrow.
In the midst of the sea of phrases and unanswerable string of questions, the Bo-Matoran heard a familiar voice. Tilting his head, he saw a very familiar mask and Kanoka sling on a Ko-Matoran who had been for a moment behind him, but the conversation with the Ce-Matoran had turned, leaving them the other way around.
"Kumanu?" he called out, peaking between the shoulders of a flamboyant Ba-Matoran and a rather interested Vo-Matoran- this surely looked like the friendly, if somewhat ominous, Ko-Matoran whom he had met only a few days ago, "Oh, this is-" he began, but as he turned, the Ce-Matoran was nowhere to be seen, leaving him with the group of others that had gathered as the crowd thinned slightly between shows- the various Matoran meandering towards vendors' shops or to the temporary food stalls.
Hura was left looking about rather puzzledly, before he caught wind of their conversation.
"What are three as the Virtues?" queried the Matoran of the Green.

Before Velhni could get a word in(quite a surprise for the quick-talking Vo-Matoran) Suavo had eagerly pulled in a third Matoran, a Ko-Matoran by the look of him, which seemed to only add to the confusion about the number of Toa Stones. Seconds later they were joined by a fourth, she guessed a Bo-matoran, though she supposed he could be a particularly blue Le-Matoran. That was of course dashed when he spoke. Definitely a Bo-Matoran, she thought to herself. “Hey, I can answer that! The three virtues are Unity, Duty, and Destiny! The three things all Matoran are supposed to strive for.” She turned back to Suavo and, trying to reveal as little about their planned excursion. “I didn't know we were betting, but tell you what. If you win, I'll teach you how to ride a mag-bike, and if I win, you teach me that trick.” She said with a smirk.
Finally, turning back to their new arrivals, she reached out a hand in greeting. "I'm Velhni by the way, and the rambunctious gentleman here is Suavo."

Suavo was grinning like a madman as more Matoran were drawn into their little circle. That could only make for more excitement."Indeed I am" he confirmed in response to Velhni's introduction, the continued "And you, my friend, have a bet.

"Hang on now, what's the bet here?" Kumanu interrupted. "That stone (or stones) is over a thousand years old, and haven't been seen by anyone in most of that time. You can't just summon them out and count because you feel like it."

"...Not exactly" Suavo reluctantly agreed, "But they're probably in the Great Temple somewhere, and with so much going on in Fe-Congro tonight, there won't be much of anyone looking around there. Velhni and I are going to sneak in and take a look around, maybe do some counting, and then come back here with no-one any the wiser." He let the statement hang in the air, guaging the other Matorans' reactions.

"If you two would also like to join the wager, you're more than welcome."

Hura tapped his mask in thought, then shuffled slightly closer to the group as the crowd had thinned down to just a few other stragglers and the conspiring Matoran.
"It was heard in Bo-Congro by me myself that heroes came out of the Wahi, from the fires and grounds and skies, or fell out of the Sea in great canisters as Toa."
He then paused a moment, a particular Kanohi on display down the way catching his attention before he was able to re-focus, rubbing the side of his mask near the blue stripe.
Hura cleared his vocal modulator, "But, if Toa were real... surely we'd see one. Wouldn't someone?"

Velhni sighed and shook her head. It seemed Suavo was even less subtle than she was. She just hoped her new pals outburst didn't attract the wrong kind of attention. "Well, looks like we've got one for six, one for one, and one for three. What about you, plantboy?" She looked to Hura with a curious expression. It was unsurprising that Vo-Matoran rarely bonded with their plant brothers, considering the fast, excitable nature of Lightning and the slow, calculating manner often expressed by Matoran of Plantlife.
Well there aren't any Toa. Just maybe some magic rocks.

The small Matoran returned the curious look on the blue mask with one of his own. This is why he didn't come into the city very much. There were far too many things going on for one to really think things out, and often it appeared that many would jump to conclusions. His hand tapped the lower edge of his mask, while the domed top and fringed bottom of the Kanohi down the path twinkled. For a split second, Hura's gaze lifted towards the mask in question, before his pondering expression returned.
"I'm not sure there are Toa, or Toa stones," he answered after a short while, "So I can not say."

"There are no Toa, now" Kumanu agreed, "But that's because they aren't needed. The Turaga teach that Toa are agents of Destiny. They spring up in times of need, or when great things are afoot, and then they use their strength to do the will of Mata Nui."

"Kongero Nui has been at peace for many years, and so there has been no need for Toa and we haven't seen any. This doesn't mean there won't be Toa again if something happens to bring them back. Just because you have never seen a Toa doesn't mean that they won't come to help us when we need it."

The Ko-Matoran was confident in his speech as he explained these things to the other Matoran. It was a comforting thought, he found, that help was never too far away. He didn't know what kind of thing might prompt Toa to return to the world, but it made him feel secure to know that they were available nonetheless. If Kongero Nui faced true peril, these wise, storng beings would step in to solve things that were beyond Matoran like himself.

Velhni was starting to rock back and forth on her feet, hands clasped behind her as she leaned sideways closer to Suavo. "I get you want to be the center of attention Suavo, but did you have to bring these guys into it? I don't think they're quite the betting type."

"Yeah, I think you're right" Suavo admitted with a sigh. "Well, their loss".He turned back to the Ko-Matoran and the Bo-Matoran, and adderessed them with a musty old voice and a stony expression."Thank you, oh Great Explainer, for your wisdom" he intoned, "But since you are so terribly boring, I'm afraid you are no longer welcome in this conversation. Do take your hesitant friend with you, as well."

So saying, Suavo quickly took Kumanu by the shoulders and spun him around, pointing the taller matoran away from the rest of them. The Ko-Matoran turned back over his shoulder to give Suavo a glare like an ice wind, but did not protest further. It would be pointless, he realised. He had other things to do anyway, and it probably would be good to keep the little Bo-Matoran out of trouble. "Come on, Hura. Let's go.

It wasn't until the pair were well away and had disappeared into the mass of festival-goers that Suavo bent to pick up what Kumanu had left behind. When Suavo had grabbed him, a kanoka had spun free from his bag and fallen to the ground. As he examined it now, Suavo saw that it was a specialised akilini disk, with grooves moulded into the top for a player's feet, and a power code 447.

"Their loss" he repeated, smiling as he tapped the disk to his chest. The kanoka's power felt like a splash of cold water across his face as it took effect, but as it faded he felt sharper and more alert. This would work out just fine, he thought. Who cared about those old stick-in-the-muds?

An hour later, Kumanu fumed in frustration as he paced up and down a locker room at the Fe-Congro Akilini arena. He couldn't find one of his disks, and as each new search proved fruitless, he bet he knew where it was now. That remove poison disk had been one of his favourites, almost a lucky charm that he used for matches. Now it was in the hands of that stupid little gambler who had accosted him and Hura after the play. It rankled him to think he had lost it over something so small, and to such an infuriating matoran.

He would play with a replacement disk, of course: there were plenty of others around the arena. In truth, many would be just as good as his own. There wasn't anything for him to do about it now, and his team would need him to have him mind on the game. Still, as he walked out with the five other Ko-Matoran, a plan was beginning to crystallise in his mind. Once this game was over, he would find Hura in the stands and then... A grim grin graced his mask. Yes, then he would see about getting his disk back.

The remark from the showy Ba-Matoran caused Hura to shoot him a rather sharp glower. The shift in demeanor was swift, and the gaze could almost be seen, as his glowing yellow eyes narrowed. He was about to say something, but by the time the Bo-Matoran raised his hand, the mysterious performer and his Vo-Matoran cohort had vanished. Feeling rather miffed, Hura began to walk away, when the mask down the way once again caught his eye.
A few moments later, and he was scooping a pile of the widgets that he had brought into the hand of a Fe-Matoran. The shop keeper smiled, handing him the ornamental mask. Knowing he could change his own, but also that he would need someone else to replace it, he hooked it to the inside of his pouch, but not before holding it to his face for a moment.

The match was over. It had been a good one, Kumanu thought, with both teams playing well and providing the audience with an exciting demonstration of skill. For once, the matoran hadn't been competing for prestige or position in the league, but playing for enjoyment and to honour the Great Spirit by their hard work, athleticism and artistry.

Most of the crowd had dispersed now, with many moving on to a concert to be given by an orchestra from De-Congro. Still, Kumanu's eyes scanned across the stands for a familiar mask: he had arranged to meet up with Hura in the stands after the match. Spotting the diminutive Bo-matoran standing beside a heavy-set Ta-matoran, he hurried over.

"Hi there, Hura" he called, waving as he made his way over. "That was a good match, wasn't it? Anyway, you remember those crooks who grabbed us earlier about the Toa Stone? The little one stole my best disk. So anyway, I want to spoil their fun, and give them a bit of karma while getting my disk back. Are you up for helping me there? For justice?"

Hura crouched on the constructed benches of stone after the Kohli game, not entirely sure of what he had just seen. In the middle of his musings, the Bo-Matoran was suddenly approached, and subsequently startled, by an increasingly familiar face. His hand moved thoughtfully to the side of his mask, his fingers rapping against its hard surface as they did when in thought. So much was said that the more rural Matoran was not entirely sure he had followed. However, the last set of phrases he was able to catch were ones he understood.
"It would be dutiful to return a lost item... Though I don't think it fair to call one 'thief'."

"He stole my disk, Hura." Kumanu stated forcefully. "He grabbed me, spun me round and grabbed it out of my bag. That makes him a thief. That means I'm going to get him caught. Can I count on your help, or not?" The Ko-Matoran stood back and regarded him with hard yes, and arms crossed while he waited for a response.

After traveling for so long, the Le-Matoran stride down a forgotten path, only stopping once to make sure that she was going in the right direction. Aiko could well have been lost, she didn't understand the map that was given to her, but that didn't stop her from trying to understand it. Her only hope was for someone, anyone, to help her. Even with her limited speach and choice of words, she could make small talk with that seemed to be very broken at best.

"What do Now? she asked herself.

She pulled out the map again, looking at the different regions. She knew that the green splotch on the top right of the map was home - former home - and she was heading south. She wondered if heading south was the best idea, she was aware of she knew the land she had been to once, but she always seemed to always lose herself whenever she had a map. It made no sense to her.

It was very frustrating, she thought she was going to miss the festival in the coming days. She gave up on the map and decided to pick a random direction to head, hoping it was where the festival was being held.