Well, it's back to writing- except this time, it's an epic. Eventually there will be some comedy put in, along with a dose of everything else!!

ZEoT will be joining me on this one. When we get together, the writing's awesome- not to mention fun!

Happy Reading!

Review topic can be seen here.

Aqua and Zeot


~*~*~*~*~


Gali was walking along the sand, enjoying the sunset. She heard the soft crunch of footsteps in the sand behind her- they startled her. She had thought she was alone. She spun around on the tip of her foot and faced her follower. She saw a faint greenish-tinted shimmer in the air.
Sighing, she said, “Lewa, come on.”
The shimmer moved up in the air, as if it had jumped, and landed in a tree. Now Gali was even more sure of its owner.
“Lewa!! Cut it out!”
“What’s up, Gali?” Onua had come up, burrowing out of the sand.
“Just Lewa, up to one of his tricks- or so I think.”
“It could be a Rahi; perhaps a Nui-Rama, but I doubt it. Normally they don’t have the brainpower to become invisible, but-“
A branch came crashing down. “LEWA!!” Gali screamed at the annoying green Toa. “You almost took off Onua’s head!”
“Like it would have hurt him.” Now fully visible, the Toa of Air started to land on a cushion of air, but Gali squirted water at his floating form, causing him to wham backwards into a tree, then, with a whump, land in the sand.
“Gali! What on Mata Nui was THAT?”
“Just something to keep you fr-“
“Look! A Bohrok horde!” Thanks to Onua’s Akaku, he saw the frightening creatures approaching. “Behind that boulder!”
The other Toa quit their arguing and settled down to business. Switching to their Akakus, they identified the oncoming Bohrok as Nuhvok.
“Grrreaaaat… Nuhvok.”
“Annoying, I know, but I need more krana from them.”
“Same here, but they’re still annoying! Earth power doesn’t do a whole lot to them.”
“Neither does Air, or the Water Queen’s power over there, either.”
“Look!” Gali’s quick eyes had spotted a red blur off to the side. “Tahu! Perfect timing!” she exclaimed as he pulled in.
“What’s up, girl?” Tahu was only talking to Gali, completely ignoring the other two Toa. After receiving glares from Onua’s emerald eyes and Lewa’s light yellow ones, he acknowledged them both. “Lewa, Onua, anything new?”
“Oh, just you coming and saving the day again-“
“THE NUHVOK!” Gali yelled. “Come ON, you guys!!”


To be continued...

~*~*~*~*~*~

*chikt* *chikt* *chikt* *chikt*

The Nuhvok were all around them - tearing apart the earth as they rampaged across the beaches of Ga-Wahi. Beautiful flowers were turned into rubbish - stones were crushed to pebbles.

Tahu switched to his Kakama and raced ahead of the others, moving like a speeding arrow across the pearl shore. Still, the Nuhvok gained on them. He saw the giant black horde behind them - followed by a scanty array of Nuhvok-Va.

A great stone wall stood in Tahu's path. He had lost the Miru in a fight against a Bohrok in Ta-Koro. He'd always wanted to find the cursed mask again, and get revenge against the Lehvak who took it. "Hurry!" he shouted to the others.

Onua and Lewa flew overhead using their shimmering gold Mirus. Tahu couldn't help feel a bit envious, and glared at them upon their approach. Gali had taken to the seas and was using her incredible abilities with the Kaukau to dodge the swarm. She surfaced, leaping onto a rock decorated with small tidepools.

"A little help would be nice," she said, flicking a stray piece of seagrass off of her mask and into the tide. "Up the mountain!" Tahu boomed - silencing the other three. Onua and Lewa took off into the air. Tahu scowled. Oh how he wished he had his Miru!

Tahu took out his firesword and begant to heat it. Within seconds, it was alight with a scintillating inferno, a light in the darkening sky. The sun had nearly dissapeared onto the horizon. All of the Toa had to act quicly, for in the dark, the Nuhvok would have the advantage.

The swarm began to slow as they reached the Toa. Tahu turned. His eyes narrowed. He held his flamesword before him. "Begone beasts, or face the wrath of the Toa!" Tahu's voice was as loud as Muaka's roar. Stupid monsters - he'd kill anyone of them who challenged the mighty Toa of Fire!

He swung his firesword in the air and then positioned it above his head. "Alright!" he shouted, "Who's first?"

*To be continued by AG*

~*~*~*~*~*~

Well, I hope you enjoyed my addition... I didn't want to stop but hey - I've got to give Aqua a foothold here.

You should be expectin' the next piece of this tale from her.
~ZEoT

This post has been edited by Zyrael Engle of Taratoa: Oct 28 2003, 07:26 PM

Ha, ha, ha. Very funny, Zeot. You know how I just LOVE to write battle scenes! (NOT)

Well, guys, if we dont get some reviews we aren't going to put up more chapters. What's the point of working superhard on these works and not getting any feedback?? It's pointless.

Review it here...

So: on with Chapter Three..

Then, all of a sudden.. *chikt chikt chikt*.. they stopped.

I was astonished! Was there more to Tahu than I had thought? I mean, water's all fine and nice, but maybe I should fasten some sort of water weapon. How unstoppable could I be?

Then, I saw a flash.

I spun around and looked towards the horizon.

Just the sun on the water... then I heard a gasp. I spun around and- they were gone.

I was thinking frantically. Where did they go? Those sneaky Nuhvok! Something else to be aware of! I searched for the other Toa- Onua and Lewa I spotted levitating away, so they were safe. But- Tahu!

"TAHU!" I screamed, over and over again, incessantly. Noone seemed to hear.

Nearly in tears, I listened to the echo of the canyon. "Tahu?... tahu?... tahu?" Unbidden, a sob escaped my chest. He must have been taken by the Nuhvok!

Then, I spotted something wriggle. It was white- too white. A krana? How was it lost?

I stooped to pick it up and, sure enough, it was one I needed. I threaded it on a rope, then switched to my Kakama and ran back to Ga-Koro, Nokama, and my hut.

-------

"Toa Gali!"
"Nokama, not now. I'm busy!" I threw the disgusting krana into my chest with the others.
"Toa Gali, this cannot wait."
"I'll see what I can do, Nokama. What is it?" My question was answered when a huge claw came out of the water. Tarakava!!
Without a moments notice I bowled away Nokama and the astonished villagers, and dived into the water, creating a huge splash. The distraction was perfect- the tarakava diverted his attention, and the matoran he was about to snatch made it away safely.
Using my Kakama, I burrowed through the water as Onua would burrow through soft loam. Coming up a mile off shore, I left a little suprise for the tarakava- the Gahlok, Hokii, whom I had tamed. He loved to help me defeat our watery enemies. I switched to my Miru and zipped back to shore over the water. Landing on the sandy beach, I called to Nokama.
"Go to Le-Wahi if the tarakava comes back! Hokii will do his best to protect you. Please, stay out of the water!" And with that, I began running. Switching to my Kakama- why was it so tricky to switch?- I sprinted off once more.

--------

"Tahu?" I silently willed him to come and find me. I had been running when I fell in a ditch and snapped my foot in half. I couldn't walk, and, try as I might, I couldn't get my Miru to work. What was up with this? I was getting seriously scared now, and night was coming on. The Bohrok would surely be active tonight!

I suddenly saw a firey glow. How could I see Ta-Koro from here? That was impossible! I began to get cold from the icy wind blowing off the mountain into the secluded canyon. I had always thought that this would be a great place to bring one Toa that I loved- but now I wasn't so sure.

"Gali?"

A deep voice broke me out of my reverie. It was so melodious, I swore that I would learn to love the owner, just to hear that voice. It had such a determined protection in it that made me feel safe and warm. Where had I felt that feeling before? It was so familiar...
The sun had completely set over the mountains, making it pitch-black in the canyon. But still, even with my closed eyes, I could see a fire-red glow. It had to be..

"Tahu?"
"Gali, I'm here."

He rushed over to me, picked me up in his arms, and began the long walk back to Ta-Koro.


--------------------



DANG!!! 631 WORDS!! wow, i'm excited!!!!!!

This post has been edited by AquaGali: Oct 28 2003, 08:31 PM

Ok, well, Zeot's not gonna write this next chapter, so I volunteered to write it. You'll be hearing two chapters from Zeot after this one, so I'm not worried.


Note: Nobody better report me for not enough words, because this one is 762, and chapter three was 631! Wow!

------

Chapter Four

I gladly passed into unconciousness as Tahu walked, taking great care not to jar me. When he noticed I was unconcious, not asleep, he switched to his Kakama and sprinted to Ta-Koro.

I woke slowly, and the pain in my foot began to overcome my senses. I gasped with the effort of shaking off the blanket of fog that threatened to engulf my brain again. I heard a little scurrying of feet, and I felt a stone cup held to my lips. "Drink," a voice said. I obeyed, and the pounding pain in my head and the searing one in my leg and foot hurt intensely, and then retreated, leaving me somewhat functional.

I could hear water gushing somewhere nearby- Where was I? It was much too hot for Ga-Koro, even Ga-Wahi, and there would be leaf cups, not stone ones. The feet scurried away, and I heard the soft *click* of the door closing. I opened my eyes, and saw lava dancing on the wall.

Lava dancing? On the WALL?

Just a reflection.

Ta-Koro, I suspected silently. But where was the water?

I located the sound- it was a fountain that I had seen Macku polishing a while back. Around the bottom of the fountain were notes, flowers, and presents from the Ga-Koronans and the Ta-Koronans. I was touched. And then I heard that voice again, except this time purely in comedy:

"...I really don’t mind what happens now and then, as long as you’ll be my friend at the end
If I go crazy then will you still call me Supertoa
If I’m alive and well
Will you be there holding my hand
I’ll keep you by my side
With my supertoan might
Kryptonite.."
"Oh, come ON, Tahu!" a gravelly voice said. I immediately identified it as Pohatu's. The clown was banging around the tunnel walls.
"Pohatu, hush!" Tahu's voice softly exclaimed. It was his voice that I treasured so much. I thought of him for a moment, blushed, then shook my head. Bad idea. It started to pound again. A sip of water from my bedside helped, and I looked at my foot. Bandaged. I sighed and sat up on the bed.
"Tahu, don't you realize that she's got this so-called supertoan might, too?"
"Not at the moment she doesn't. Hang on a minute, let me see if she's awake."
Tahu crept in the room to see me rotating my knee and testing my ankle to see if it moved. I winced when I got it to budge, and then spotted the red Toa.
"Hey, Tahu," I said shakily. "Thanks."
"Gali, no thanks needed," he said softly. "Would you mind if Pohatu came to visit?"
I chuckled. "I heard you two laughing outside- I wouldn't mind at all."
Tahu blushed- if a red Toa could blush- then chuckled, then walked over towards the door and called Pohatu in.
"Pohatu, you slimy-skinned worm, get in here!" Pohatu leaped in, and I winced, knowing that when he landed it would cause a whump. He switched to his Miru, landing perfectly without a bump.
"I see you've learned, Pohatu."
"Why shouldn't I? After I learned from Lewa that you can levitate DOWN, too!" Performing a mock bow, Pohatu failed to see Tahu inch backwards, and pushed him flat on his face.
"Taheww! Whay dibd you dbo dbat??" Pohatu mumbled into the sand-cushioned floor. Rising, he spat out sand.
Fighting back tears, I was laughing so hard I could hardly speak. "What did you say?!"
"Tahu, why did you do that?" Pohatu was glaring at Tahu. The fire Toa was wise not to say anything, since Pohatu was about ready to make mincemeat out of him.
Just then, Vakama ran in, saying, "Pohatu! You are needed at Po-Koro for- *cough*- you are needed!"
Pohatu nodded knowingly and walked out, waving goodbye. Tahu winked at Pohatu, and as he left, he winked in return and closed the door.

By then I was quite ready for another nap, and I guess Tahu saw me sigh, because he came over to the bed and sat next to me.
"Gali, you okay?" he asked, his heavenly voice soft and worrysome.
"Just tired," I responded with a yawn. I leaned my head on his shoulder and noticed how warm he was, and how comfortable I felt around him. I was half-asleep when he gently moved my head to the grass-stuffed pillow and warm blanket, and I could vaguely hear his parting phrase.

"Gali, I- I- I love you."

This post has been edited by AquaGali: Dec 4 2003, 12:37 AM

Woot! That last one was good stuff, Aqual. Let's see where this next one's gonna lead us, shall we... I think... ish..ivy...esque....ishyish. Jr....ish....Sr...ish... Jrsrsophomore...ish. Ok, here'sa we go. Meanwhile...


~*~*~*Chapter Five - The Twins*~*~*~

"Cahdok, do you feel it?"

"It exists - but I cannot be."

"Such emotions did not exist Before Time."

"I know, Cahdok. All do."

"Perhaps it is a mistake?"

"Mistake or not. It does not belong."


All was silent except for the gentle purr of machinery as the two giant beasts slept among the hideous mass of sparking wires. Oxygenless air flowed freely throughout the massive underground lair. No living creature could survive.

The Bahrag were not living.

The giant crimson machine woke, its eyes emmitting a blinding flash. The blue machine rose as its equal.

All was in harmonious discord.


"Who are the creatures who have created this emotion?"

"You know as well as I."

"We will slaughter them."

"The swarms have tried to do so, Gahdok."

"Who did we send?"

"The Nuhvok. I recalled them."

"What was your reason upon doing so, comrade?"

"The Toa of Fire. He cannot find out about our plan."

"If he does so, we can always destroy him."

"We cannot destroy him. Not while this emotion still exists in Time."

"Then who is responsible for such a biological feeling?"

The giant mass of machinery slowly took two steps to face its clone and let out a giant hiss. The other understood perfectly.

~*~*~*~

Yeah - not much description in this chapter. Not too long either. Heh.. I wanted to get across the point of the Bahrag twins. Anyways - some people want to go get a sandwich. The Zyrael wants to go get a sandwich. The next chapter will be up soon!

~ZEoT

Ok ok... sorry about the short wait... I'm gonna go to sleep soon, it's about 10:40 here in San Di. But still, I think I have time for one more chapter... *yawns*

~*~*~*~*~*~Chapter Six~*~*~*~*~*~

Kopaka thrust his ice sword deep into the gargantuan white mass. The boulder split apart revealing broken pieces of rock and rubble - just as he had thought. He slid his sword back into its sheath. Switching from the mask of strength to his prized Akaku, he examined the rocks from the inside out.

His vision darkened into a complete dismal haze of dark oblivioin. He wheeled around to face ther rock. Sure enough - a tiny, glowing red particle appeared in the black field of his X-ray vision. Taking out his sword once again, he sliced down into the thick rock into even smaller pieces, splitting it apart as if it were a rickety block of soft dirt. Dust kicked up into a minature tornado. A tiny glowing piece - no larger than a finger on Tahu's hand - hummed softly. Could it be? What Turaga Nuju had predicted? It did not seem possible that such a strange device could exist. But it was there - in full form, right in front of him.

He stowed his blade and picked up the small glowing bit of metal. Just as he was about to stow it away with the sword. He was finally, after his long trek, ready to head home....

A sudden silence made Kopaka pause abruptly. The ground shook uneasily. Small grits danced on the surface of the ice as though there were an earthquake.

KRRROOOOAAAAAAAARRRROOOAAAAAAAAA!!

Kopaka wheeled around, his eyes practically bulging out of their sockets at what he saw.

There, in front of him, was a giant creature - twice the size of a Muaka. It raised its reptillian head and looked at him, baring its sour-odored teeth.

"So, are you the reason that no one has tread these icy chasms before?" Kopaka questioned the monster fearlessly. The creature hissed in response, the giant gust of breath from its lungs nearly making Kopaka fly backwards.

The creature tilted it's head. It stared at him through its wide black orbs that somehow served as eyes. Blinking once - twice, it snapped at the air in front of it.

"Do we honestly have to do this the hard way?" Kopaka sighed. His insides were churning as wildly as the blizzard he stood in, but it could easily be hidden with his icy demeanor.

The creature reared back and shot forward, running on four massive legs. Stomping snow into freshly compacted ice with each giant bound it took, it ran towards Kopaka, nearly plowing him over.

Kopaka lept onto a nearby rock ledge. "This machine... I must protect it!" he whispered to himself, not allowing another soul to hear his fear.

He clambered onto the crag and tried to sit ontop of it. The creature snarled below, circling him like a vulture. Kopaka did not take his eyes off of the alien creature, watching it carefully pace around, back and forth, over and over. It seemed like hours on end.

The small machine began to bleep quietly. Kopaka picked it up reluctantly, afraid to leave his view of the vicious beast. Engraved in the metal were two strange symbols. Quietly, he switched to his Rau. Studying it, focusing as hard as he could, he still could not make heads or tails of what it meant.

"Perhaps Nokama can translate this," he muttered, pocketing the apparatus again and sighing.

*SNAP*

A leviathan jaw clamped down on Kopaka's ledge, the crash echoing along the side of the mountain. Several large boulders slid down the cliff - threatening to start an avalanche.

Kopaka yelled for help. Caught in between the creature's jaw, he struggled to brethe. "Nuju!" "Matoro!" "Kopeke!" He called for all of the Ko-Koronan inhabitants he knew of, but it was futile. No one ever dared to cross the Ihu-Krom pass after the tales of the monster reached Ko-Koro.

He heard a crunch - the monster had put a split in his left leg. Kopaka yelled in pain, louder than he had ever yelled before. Suddenly, the creature stopped.

Small pebbles began to trickle down the mountainside, striking up dust wherever they landed. A noise that sounded almost volcanic came from the top of the mountain. Snow was being pried loose as rocks fell - larger and larger ones - until they were enormous - the size of a hut in Ga-Koro.

The creature spat out Kopaka and bellowed deeply, running from the snowslide. Turning, it kicked snow onto his half-concious body. Kopaka moaned in pain and fell into a dark sleep.

To be continued....

~*~*~*~*~*

I know, I know. I need to get back to Tahu and Gali. I just figured we might want to give the Toa of Ice his well-deserved spotlight. See you next time!

PS to Aqua: Please, get back to T&G! I'd like to continue wit K's story after a few more chapters pass...

~ZEoT

Waaaahhhhhhh BOOM! Hyper!!!

So, I'll write. Sound good? daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa BOOM!! Mwahahah... weekums!

A SEVERELY Hyper Aqua... daaaaaaaa Boom!

----------

Chapter Seven. Daaaaaaaaaaaaaa BOOM!

I had hardly heard Tahu's parting phrase. Being half-asleep as I was, I began to dream.

I dreamt that I was somewhere black, and all I could hear was that voice- Tahu's voice- singing in the most perfect tones:

'A hundred days had made me older since the last time
that I saw your pretty face
A thousand lights had made me colder and
I don’t think I can look at this the same
But all the miles had separate
They disappeared now when I’m dreaming of your face

I’m here without you baby but your still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time
I’m here without you baby but your still with me in my dreams
And tonight it’s only you and me...'

And then, I saw him trekking across some barren land, looking lovestruck, lonely- and- was he crying?

When I was awoken, I awoke feeling very, very confused. Those scurrying feet gave me something to drink- and I fell back into unconciousness.

-----

"Quick! Hurry with that tableleaf!" Lewa hissed. "The feast starts soon!" His Le-Koronans were being painstakingly slow in bearing the huge leaf to the stone table.
"Almost done! Keep it up!" Onua's encouraging voice could be heard ringing among the canyon. "Tahu will be here soon!"
Kopaka- levitating with his leg strapped up- was up on Mount Ihu getting ice chunks to keep the food cold. His ever-faithful Ko-Koronans were dutifully carrying them up and down the mountain, but often enough a cube would find its way into someone's hand, and then thrown through the air towards another Matoran. The playful villagers were living up to their expectancies.
"Hey! Who threw that??" Nuju yelled. Kopeke had quite a bit of trouble staying quiet.

Down in the canyon, Pohatu was finishing the last of his rock piles, thanks to the help of his Pakari. Poles were staked in the middle of them with a banner stating:
"GOOD JOB GALI!"

Onewa ambled up. "Why are we having this feast again?"
"Because Gali vanquished a horde of Nuhvok and Nuhvok-Va, and found the rarest krana!"
Onewa's face changed from respect to astonishment, and he hustled off to get Hafu to carve a small statue for Gali before she arrived.

-----

I was gently awoken by someone shaking me. The room came into focus slowly, and I saw a gold Hau with a set of curious light red eyes looking at me, and I identified the face as Tahu's. Wow, I was sure seeing a lot of him!
"Hey, Gali," he asked softly, "how you feeling?"
"Better than before," I admitted. "I don't remember much. I have a strange feeling that I've been here longer than I thought, though."
"You have- six days."
Mata Nui! Six days? How are my villagers? My village? What about the tarakava? Macku? Nokama? Hokii? A hundred such questions flooded my mind as the events of the past week or so hit my senses. I started to shake, then tried to stand on my still-injured foot, not being in my right mind. I shook, and collapsed to the floor. My mask flew across the room.
Tahu was immediately crouched down next to me, asking if I was alright. I didn't answer- I couldn't even stand, much less walk! He picked me up in his strong arms and set me back on the bed.
Wiping my face free of sand, I saw those worried, inquisitive eyes peer at me again, asking the unspoken question.
"Thanks- and I suppose I'm not any more injured than I was before."
His face was full of obvious relief. I felt myself calm down as he moved to get my golden Kaukau from where it had flown. He took a gentle cloth off the bedside table and cleaned the mask free of scratches. I reached for it, feeling like I could not live without it. Tahu kept a hold and kept polishing it.
"Tahu? Can I have my mask?" I reached for it again.
"Your hands are shaking too badly. Let me." He set it on my face. I heaved a sigh of relief, and Tahu smiled, but his eyes still worried.
"How does your foot feel?"
"As good as can be expected, I guess."
"Ready to go?" Tahu picked me up. I stopped shaking when I realized he would take me where we needed to go and would protect me with his life.
"I'm ready."
And off we went, me cradled in Tahu's strong, warm arms with a blanket to guard against the chill.

---------

WEEKUMS! 762 words! They keep getting longer- like Harry Potter books! (As Zeot so kindly put it.)



Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa BOOOOOOOOOM!!! Mwaklahahahha!!

Still very hyper.. obviously.

~*~*~*~Chapter Eight~*~*~*~

Lewa drank an entire water canteen. Finally, complete with trickling leaf fountains, several painted Kohlii balls, and a sculpture of the great Toa of Water herself, the scene was set.

"I think that this is better than my last... but who could beat my Po-Wahi creation?" Hafu the carver eyed his work. Of course, his favorite would always be his giant self-portrait, which read, "Here stands the great carver Hafu. He was the greatest Po-Matoran of all time. He was as great as Toa Pohatu. Maybe even as great as..."

"Ok!" Lewa's earsplitting exclamation broke Hafu's train of thought, "Gali will arrivesoon. Onua is here in hightree." Onua chuckled. "Pohatu? Where's Pohatu?"

"Here!" the Stone Toa seemed to appear out of nowhere, his feet still dusty from creating the piles of rock used to support the banner.

"Sunsoaring Mata-Nui! All has been set!" Matau explained, summoning the Matoran of Le-Koro to help him perfect the area. All was perfect and well. A great feast would begin soon - in Gali's honor.

******

A lone Tahnok stood atop his melted lair high upon mount Ihu. Below the wispy clouds - a tiny flickering dot in the darknening sky - was the supposed heroine Gali's welcoming party.

Tahnok hissed and crept behind a boulder of ice. He lifted one of his great fire claws high over his head and thrust it down into the ice. Instantly, the ice melted away to reveal a passageway. Silently, he crept into the dark chasms of the abandon pass.

Twisting and turning - a winding spiral, the Kron-Kur pass had been abandon years ago. And it was his perfect hideout.

******

"Just another mile or two," I told Gali, trying to sound as comforting as possible. Upon the harsh sand plains of Po-Wahi, it was very difficult to soothe anyone - even a native. Dangerous creatures still lurked in every shadow, hissing - growling, ready to jump out and catch you in their jaws.

"Mmmppghh..." Gali mumbled something I could not understand. I doubted that even my Rau could help me understand murmurs.

"What?" I asked her calmly, switching to my Pakari. I was tired - I had been carrying her for a far distance now. I needed every drop of power I could get. I would have used the Kakama, had it not been for the sandstorm that was building up around us.

"Never....mind..." she yawned and drifted back into a sleep. I still wanted to know - but she would be upset if woken. It was best to keep moving - the quicker we made it through the flats, the better. The endless, windswept platforms made me queasy. I knew that somewhere we would be able to find the foothills of Mount ihu, and from there, the party.

Carefully, I sat down and rested. I could not take another step until I napped - even with the Pakari. The winds were fierce. I unraveled Gali's blanket and threw it over us, tying it onto rocks and protecting it with sand. I climbed inside and set her down. She grumbled slightly - feeling the temperature change between my firey arms and the dunes.

She wouldn't last long out here - that I knew. She needed water - soon. She was fine within the dank lava caves of Ta-Koro - there was enough mist and dew inside of the tunnels to keep her alive - but here? The scorching sands and arid winds could kill her. We'd rest only for a short time - under the shade of the blanket.

Only a short time...

I yawned and drifted to sleep...

~*~*~*~*

Yeah, there have been parades to honor the Zyrael. But don't let from stopping you from organizing your own!

Anyways, the Zyrael has to do stuff! So, expect the next chapter from Aqua - bye!

~ZEoT

Well!

There HAVEN'T been parades to honor the Aqua, prithee, but the Aqua has been IN parades with her horsey, so does that count?

(Aqua's faves: Horses, horses, music, horses, writing, horses, Bionicle, horses, dressage, horses, horses, oh and did I say horses?)

Anyways: On with the epic!

----------

Chapter Nine

I woke up feeling like I was a mud pie in an oven.

Water, I thought feebly, must have water... and I remembered my hidden canteen that held water from my precious Ga-Koronan lights- it was 'superwater', and a sip would rehydrate you. But any more than a sip and you would burst. It's very tricky stuff.

I fumbled with the canteen top and poured it into the lid, which made a handy cup for drinking the right amount. I sipped it slowly- I had learned the hard way how my body reacts to superhydration after severe dehydration- and felt my body moisten. I sighed in relief. I began to feel hot again- but only on one side. I looked, and found a very shriveled Tahu. I tried to wake him, but to no avail.

I looked at the canteen, and I looked at Tahu.

I poured three drops into the cap, and gently poured them on his dry tongue. His eyes started to blink, and his mouth closed. I was obviously relieved.

-----

I was in lava, but not burning. How come I wasn't burning? I was hot. Dry and hot. Hot and dry. Not warm. I could feel ragged breaths coming down my throat with no refreshing burst of oxygen.

I was trapped inside myself. My mind wanted out. Why was my body not functioning?

I felt a couple drops of water in my mouth. The hold the heat had on my body broke, and I began to blink.

"Tahu?" a beautiful voice said. I was fighting for conciousness before, but now I was fighting harder- to keep myself calm. I knew who's voice that was- I knew, I knew!- but it was just out of reach.
"Tahu?" that voice said again. My heart melted. I knew who's that was- but just couldn't remember!
I felt more water on my chest. My thirsty skin took in the water, and all of a sudden the tears- for tears they must have been- stopped.
"Tahu.. no.. don't die on me.." the voice was desperate. I kept fighting to figure it out. I felt my head being cradled on something cool, and the voice- that gorgeous, beautiful, water voice- began to sing.
'Well I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be...
And when we meet
Which I'm sure we will
All that was then
Will be there still
I'll let it pass
And hold my tongue
And you will think
That I've moved on...'

My mind had been listening to the voice singing. I had heard the singing before- who was it? My cranium was in overdrive trying to remember, and it hit me. Whoever it was, they loved me. I could feel it.
It felt like a boulder the size of Mount Ihu had hit me in the head. Duh!
Gali.
It was Gali singing to me, awakening my mind.
It was Gali who was sobbing, thinking I had passed.
It was Gali who had said, in her song, that we would meet in the Toa's heaven, and that she would be sorry for letting me go.
I wrestled with the snake of death that had his grip on my body. My heart was still free of his hold, and if I had to leave, I wouldn't come without a fight.
In my mind the battle went on and on, although it probly only lasted a few minutes. I writhed and shook, and I felt the calming presence of the Toa I adored suddenly back away. I was on my own.
Suddenly, I realized I still had my firesword in my hand. I concentrated on it, then hit the snake with it. It hissed one final time, and dissapeared.

-----

I ran to a sand dune and began sobbing. Tahu? Dead? Gone? I couldn't make head nor heels of it. It seemed.. unreal. It had happened too fast. I didn't have a chance to say goodbye- or to tell him how I felt. He had probly died lonely and sad, and it was all my fault. I felt like taking off my Kaukau, weighting my body with stones, and getting some Rahi to throw me in the water. I'm sure they'd enjoy destroying one of the Toa, and Makuta would looove to have two of us out of the way.

I heard the sand moving- at this point, I didn't care if a Bohrok came after me. I nearly stood and yelled, Come get me! I'm suffering, and I want to die!
The sand was crunching behind me, but it sounded like someone crawling, not someone sneakily walking up behind me. Whoever it was fell with a grunt- definitely not a Bohrok.
All of a sudden, I felt heat behind me, as if someone's body was radiating it.
In truth, someone's red body was, someone who I had mistaken for dead... It hit me like a ton of bricks.
I whirled around and threw my arms around the half-dead form of the firey Toa. I set him back down after a moment and sprinted to the sheltered spot where I grabbed my canteen.

A few minutes later, Tahu was able to talk and was rapidly recovering. We were catching up on things, and he was looking at me with this look that made me crazily uncomfortable, a feeling that made me want to run far, far away but snuggle closer and give him a careful embrace at the same time. I was head-over-heels- in love.

----------

Wow, I even suprised myself with that one! Let me check the word count here.

*FAINTS*

NINE HUNDRED THIRTY SEVEN WORDS!!! THIS IS NUTS!!


(Yes, this chapter is from Gali's view, then Tahu's, then back to Gali's.)





an astounded Aqua

Recap!

Okay. After nine- yes, nine!- chapters in a couple days, I'm going to recap before Zeot gets underway with the tenth chapter.

So far, we have discovered (in a nutshell):

-Tahu and Gali are head over heels for each other, and all is well with those two.
-Although Toa are (supposedly) plastic, they a) can crack and (supposedly) have skin. And tongues.
-There is a party happening for Gali at some point.. when we don't know.. it's been a few chapters.
-Kopaka can hide fear with his icy demeanor.
And, finally:
-TOA CAN LEVITATE DOWN! (Pohatu wanted me to add that; he's sitting on my desk with the rest of the Toa, all crumpled up and half maskless. My cat thought that three of my masks were prime inanimate playmates, and so Gali, Onua and Pohatu are maskless.)

Aqua and her plasticky 'inanimate' friends

The Next chapter.....


Deep under the earth....

"Comrade, the emotion grows within the beings."

"It is unpossible. We made sure of that."

"The toa are not us - they are unhuman. They are hideous."

"Grotesque."

"They must be destroyed, Gahdok."

A massive blue dragon moved forward, its body crunching as it shook the dust and rock from its frame.

"They will be upset if we do not kill them."

"Yes. They. They who are higher than us."

"We must finish what we have started."

"The world will soon once again be as it was Before Time."

"We must use the Vahi, comrade."

"Indeed."

"To Moa-Nui."

A brilliant flash filled the airless bubble chamber, and then - nothing. Nothing but a heap of scintillating electronics and old parts wriggling brainlessly upon the creep.

****

"When will the Toa arrive?"

The voice was a familiar Po-Koran's, blinded and made less audible by the bitter winds and sandstorms. The Kohrok had seen this creature before. He would be the first to die. Kohrok would make sure that the islands were cleansed before the return of the Great One. The thought of the fresh, coppery blood against his fangs excited him. Soon, another Matoran would fall. Another creature would be left dead.

Soon, all of the creatures would join him. The rise of the machines would begin on this eve.

****

"This weather will dry up the leaves! And the fountains! And it'll ruin my work! Oh dear me!" Hafu searched about for a spare pickaxe on which to continue carving yet another statue of, who, in his mind, was the greatest being on earth. "Ah, another great self-portrait! Much better than my last!" Hafu set the sculpture beside another recently finished work. Any matoran, artistic or not, would say that the two had a striking resemblance. In fact, they looked exactly identical.

"Hafu!" the voice was Kongu's. "Dangerhear in highmountain. Kopakaspeek!"

"Wha?" Hafu hardly understood a word of Le-Koran slang.

A leviathan hiss, echoing across the mountaintops from above the clouds, trumpeted down to the land below. It was his answer.

"We must act! Now!" Hafu turned to the other Toa.

"Bohrok!"

A wave of panic flashed across the faces of Matoran, Turaga, and Toa alike.

"How many?" Pohatu questioned.

"Kopakasay unsurethink," Kongu asked. "Kopaka's unsure!" Hewkii translated.

"It could be one..... or one-hundred!" Hewkii paced about.

The Matoran grabbed their disks - staffs - any weapon they could find or muster. Everything from intricate Ta-Koran staffs to crude rocks now lie in the hands of the Matoran warriors. They stormed up the hill - ready to slay anything in their path.

***

Sorry, I stuck nothing to the storyline. In fact, I made it more complicated. Heh heh...

Anyways, I'm sorry the chapter was so short. Next one I write, I'll try and make up for it.

~ZEoT

Now, now, now. What's up with the random storyline??

'We elves like to stick to the four main food groups. Candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup.'

Yes, I saw Elf today. Speaking of which, so did Zeot. Obviously, we saw it together.

ON WITH THE CHAPTAH!!

==========
Chapter Eleven
----------

He was alert. He was strong. And he was.. GREEN?!?!

Anyways...

Lewa had levitiated back to his beloved jungle to get Gali's gift when, halfway there, he had a premonition that something was wrong. Dreadfully wrong. But where?

It was somewhere he was earlier, he knew.

THE PARTY! He swirled around and sped to the edge of the jungle, and landed while switching to his Kakama. Off the green Toa went, at breakneck speed.

-----

Nokama was with her villagers in an excursion in Le-Koro when she saw a green blur fly out of the forest. They were collecting jungle items for the feast. Immediately, she realized it was Lewa.

'Normally, Lewa never goes that fast, unless.. SOMETHING'S WRONG!' the Turaga thought to herself.
"To the boats! To Po-Wahi! FLY!!" she yelled.
One of the matoran had her Miru with her, and she sped off to Onu-Koro to get Ussals for the Ga-Koronans to ride to the problem.
"Nokama, why Po-Wahi?" Macku inquired of Gali's right hand Turaga.
"Just get in the boat!!"
Macku decided to stay silent.

-----

Gali recognized the emotion of love, for she had felt it before. When, she had no idea, but she had a feeling it was not for the fiery toa. She hadn't felt it since the first day she was here on Mata-Nui, and only for a while then. Macku and Turaga Nokama had mentioned it as well.

Tahu had never felt the emotion of love, but he knew what it was. Turaga Vakama was well versed, because Turaga Nokama had been special to him for quite a long time, and him special to her.

-----

"Gali?" A sleepy voice awoke me. I had drifted off to sleep.
I slowly opened my eyes to find a shimmering golden Hau looking at me for the second time. I smiled, and Tahu allowed me to rise into a sitting position.

I took off my mask to wipe the sand off of it and my face. My hooks were being clumsy, and so Tahu gently gripped it and did the task for me, using his firesword to direct a soft breeze towards it, which also gave it a sheen. He kissed the mask, and placed it on my face.

I inquired of him, "Why did you do that?"

The Toa, whom I supposed would blush, said evenly, "Next closest thing to kissing the owner.." and trailed off. I poked him playfully, and he smiled, but was still not relaxed.

"What's wrong, Tahu?" I asked softly. His eyes softened as they looked at me, but when he looked off in the distance again, he was still worried. I asked again.
He shook his head, and stared in the distance again. I was worried- I began to feel something too.

"I feel it, too, Tahu," I said. "Any idea of what it is? It doesn't feel like Bohrok.. but then again, I haven't sensed Tahnok but once, so it could be that."

"It is not Bohrok." Something else? What could it be? The fiery Toa next to me rose and walked a few steps towards Po-Koro, then Ta-Koro, then Le-Koro- then Ko-Koro. He spun around back to Po-Koro, and walked ten paces. He drew his firesword, and I walked over.

I shook my hooks free of sand and gathered my energy. Tahu set his swordtip on the sand, and glass formed. He moved the sword until a large area was glass, and he set sand around the edge of the sheet, and made a crude bowl.

Using my energy, I poured the bowl full of water, which began to steam. We crouched near the surface, ignoring the pronounced odor of fresh Po-Koronan glass, and gazed in the bowl. I placed the tip of one of my hooks in the water, and the shaky image became clearer. Tahu's firetip slid into my vision, and into the bowl. The image became clear. Someting horribly wrong was going on- by Po-Koro.

Tahu gestured back, and heated his firesword so hot that the water instantly evaporated, and the glass melted once again, and the wind came. It all became granules slightly larger then particles of sand, and they all stirred around, mixing it in efficiently. Tahu motioned to my foot, and welded it together. We did this all without speech.

"Tahu?" I said softly as I tested my newly-fixed foot.
"Yes, Gali?" he replied, even softer than my question, and walked over to me.
"Thanks.. for everything."
His response? Nothing other than our first kiss.

==========


YAY!! AQUA IS HAPPPPYYY WITH THIS CHAPTER!!

751 words. Not as good as the last one, word-wise, but better in content, I think.

Aqua

a-HEM!! I suppose I'm writing the next chapter as well, as Zeot isn't answering me when I ask if she's going to do it.

So: on with chapter... uh.. *scrolls down* so the last one was eleven, that makes it.. TWELVE!

==========
Vakama was staring into the fire in his hut. He had not attended the feast with his villagers, prefering to travel by Ussal through the tunnels to the feast a bit later. He had more complicated things on his mind.

He kept seeing visions. Bad ones.

Mainly, different forms of the same vision. A bad vision.

Vakama sighed. He had no idea what to do, and the prophecies had read that Tahu was not at the party, and neither was Gali. He suspected that the fiery Toa and his opposite were somewhere together, and then he thought of Ga-Koro.

He saw another vision in the fire, and blushed. (Hint: !)

Something else overshadowed the blue vision, however, and Vakama was stunned. He ran for his Ussal.
-----
Scampering through the tunnels of Ta and Onu-Koro on Pikal, his Ussal, was something that made Vakama slightly seasick. He closed his eyes and used the dim brightness from the crystals that he could see to judge the distance. Suddenly, Pikal slowed down, and stopped all together, shuttling in small circles. Vakama opened his eyes, and patted the frightened Ussal. He fired up his firestaff, and searched around.

They were lost.

All of a sudden, Pikal jumped, and raced off. Vakama's firestaff went out, and he grimly hung on. He began to hear things- tens, hundreds of them. Pikal raced into the advancing cave, and they found themselves surrounded.

By over half-a-thousand cheerful Ussals.

Makou, the leader of the pack, was huge. He was the size of three Turaga laid in a triangular pattern, and was lightning quick. Fiku, his queen, was a smaller and more dainty thing, but still very large. Pikal ran up to them and lowered her eyes, a form of Ussal bow. Vakama stepped off his faithful companion, who then scuttled off to the rest of the pack and her friends.

Makou was very interested in Vakama. He was a dangerous beast, with his size claws. Fiku was slightly worried about his firestaff, and said so. Vakama respectfully placed it in the corner, and the queen of the Ussals relaxed.

"Why do you come here?" Makou questioned. Vakama was suprised at the Ussal's grasp of normal speech.
"I.. I was lost." Vakama returned. "Pikal brought me here."
"Srheaoom!" Fiku said to the croud of Ussals. "Krealom Pikal crealk!" Apparently, that meant something to the Ussals, and Pikal came scuttling over.
"Salkorab?" the small Ussal said.
"Neaok spealon scealk? Wseal?" Fiku asked.
"Turaga Vakama nealwo aloanlots."
"Ah. That makes perfect sense!" Makou said. "Pikal scralo exuald." The small Ussal scuttled back to her friends. Makou turned to Vakama.
"Turaga, you may remain here for a water refreshment, and you will tell me why you were in such a hurry to bring Pikal down the wrong road." Vakama nodded in thanks, and was handed a full canteen by a slightly larger-than-normal male Ussal.
"King Makou, I saw a vision in my fire that something gravely wrong was happening to the Toa and the Matoran." Vakama went on, and then Makou quietly conversed with Fiku.
"It has been decided. We shall come and fight!"
-----
The Ussals did not know the way to the surface, as most of them had never been there. Pikal knew the way, and she scuttled off, with a guard behind her in front of the King and Queen, with the remainder of the vast horde behind them. Ussals are vicious fighters when roused, and if they are killed, can be easily reawakened by Healing Ussals. These Ussals had a guard of their own, and would take to the caves to avoid being killed.
Pikal led them to the surface, with Vakama walking on her left side, and they positioned.

The Great Horde of Mak-Fi, which was a thing of the Turaga's legend, was marching again.
-----
The Ga-Koronans made it to the dock at Po-Wahi in time to flee back to their boats when they saw the Great Horde. Nokama saw Vakama, however, and signaled a halt.
"Vakama! Who is this blue creature?" Makou said. He was in a battle mood, and very impatient.
"Vakama! Mata Nui! What's this?" Nokama asked.
"The Great Horde of Mak-Fi! Get on the other side of Pikal, Nokama, and have your Matoran march behind the firsts!" Vakama answered.

And so, the Great Horde got some new fighters, armed with heavy staffs with 5 inches of razor-sharp rock on the end. They were blue.
-----
The Horde marched to the place of battle, where the feast had been wrecked. Vakama and Nokama yelled- two dots were rapidly growing on the horizon. One red, and one blue.
"Tahu!" Vakama said.
"Gali! Great Water-Spirit, what timing!" Nokama exclaimed softly. The Horde halted, and all the Matoran and the two Turaga waved frantically.

"Mata Nui! It's the Great Horde!" the two Toa exclaimed when they got close enough. Then, a shape appeared on the top of the hill. The enemy.

"TO BATTLE!" Makou roared.

"TO BATTLE! THE GREAT HORDE OF MAK-FI HAS ARRIVED!" the horde screamed. It was their only normal speech, and it was their terrifying battlecry. Over 500 Ussalians strong, they streaked up the hill. Pikal and the rest of the Matoran, along with the Turaga, stayed behind. The Toa hesitated, and waved the rest of the small party on. They started to scout out the battle, and left the two Toa alone.

"Gali?" Tahu said.
"This is an unknown foe."
"We may never return to Mata Nui."
"May the Great Spirit bring us together, wherever it may be."
The Toa looked at each other, and exchanged what may have been their second and final kiss, and raced up the hill.


The Rahkshi had arrived in Mata Nui.
==========


Okay, I'm not sure how many words that was, but it has to be a LOT!!


OH MY CHEESE! ONE THOUSAND FORTY WORDS! *faints*

Please, PLEASE reply on this one!!

Aqua