Nameless, Kopaka's story Options

[Allanon Loke]

Authoress's note: I'm extremely sorry for anyone still trying to read this story. I've been very lazy about getting more of this story up, over a year since the last chapter. I will try to get more up very soon, but I can't promise anything. But if you can find it in the kindness of your heart to check back on this poor epic every once and a while, I would be grateful. Anyway, I'm shutting up now.

Chapter 14

"Toa Kopaka," he said in the same hushed tone that Matoro and Nuju had used. "Toa Pohatu is at the gate. He requests your -" The Tohunga broke off with a yawn. "- presence," he finished quickly. He looked ashamed that he had yawned in front of Kopaka.

"Listen - What's your name?" Kopaka asked.

"Kopeke, sir," he answered promptly.

"You won't be able to do your duty if you're yawning every few seconds," Kopaka said, altering the words Nuju had told him the previous night. "Get some rest."

Kopeke looked at Kopaka curiously, wondering whether he was being scolded or not. He didn't see any irritation in Kopaka's face, so he bowed and left.

Kopaka ducked out of the temple and walked to the gate. What's Pohatu doing here, again? he wondered with a nagging annoyance at the Stone Toa who was always popping up out of nowhere. And why is he waiting at the gate? I would have thought he'd come to get me himself. Kopaka got an answer to the second question as he approached the narrow bridge leading to the gate. The bridge already shook under Kopaka's weight, and Kopaka remembered that Pohatu's muscular form made him heavier than he was. Ah, he'd probably break this if he tried walking across. I wonder who made this bridge?

Kopaka walked through the gate and found Pohatu breathing into his hands to keep them warm. When he spotted Kopaka, he smiled and waved. "Good morning, Kopaka," he greeted cheerfully. "Hope I didn't wake you up."

Enough with the formalities, Kopaka thought, shaking his head to Pohatu's question, just get to the point.

"Tahu has called another Toa meeting, at Onua's landing site again," Pohatu said.

Kopaka frowned. Tahu, eh? Well, what harm can it do? Kopaka started walking away, Pohatu close behind. As they walked through the silent Ko-Wahi, Pohatu tried to stir up a conversation many times, but Kopaka either gave a short answer or ignored him completely. Kopaka didn't want to hurt Pohatu's feelings by not answering. After all, Pohatu had been a good friend to him even though he wasn't always very nice to the Toa of Stone. But he also didn't want to hurt the calm silence of Ko-Wahi or risk an avalanche. Pohatu's loud voice was annoying him.

"So, Kopaka," Pohatu ventured after a stretch of silence, "what do you think of the other Toa?"

Dozens of insults for Tahu or Lewa popped into his mind but he refrained himself from saying any of them out loud. "They're Toa," Kopaka answered vaguely.

"What about Gali?" Pohatu asked with a hint of a mischief in his voice.

"I think she's a girl," Kopaka answered tensely. He didn't want to talk about Gali, especially not around anyone as talkative as Pohatu.

"And?" Pohatu persisted.

Kopaka glared at him over his shoulder. "Why do you want to know?" he asked icily.

"Er, no reason," Pohatu muttered sheepishly.

There was another stretch of silence before Pohatu attempted a conversation again. Kopaka rolled his eyes and tuned Pohatu out, focusing instead on the scenery of his beautiful realm. His attention was tuned back to reality a few minutes later to the tune of a familiar growl. He gripped his sword and shield tighter. Kopaka turned and saw a full-grown Muaka in a valley to their right. He saw that it was uninfected and hadn't noticed them yet. It was walking around, a living picture of power and majesty with its claws, fangs, and head held high. It let out another low growl and lowered its head to sniff the ground. Kopaka started walking again, not wanting to cause any trouble for an uninfected Rahi.

As the two walked to Onu-Wahi, a slow snowfall started. If Kopaka were by himself, he would have stopped and just watched the peaceful snowfall. There was no howling wind, just snow floating straight down. But since he was with Pohatu and they had a destination to get to, he just glanced at the beauty of it all as they passed through it. They continued on and Kopaka could hear the distant rumble of an avalanche. He glanced around with his Akaku to make sure it wasn't anywhere near them. Luckily, he couldn't even see it. He silently hoped that it wasn't hurting anyone, especially not his Tohunga.

Soon they reached the end of Ko-Wahi and the start of Onu-Wahi. Kopaka noted the rough terrain and vegetation. The ground would change between uneven and rocky to soft and soily. They followed the ocean to Onua's landing site, the peaceful lapping of the waves mesmerizing Kopaka. Every once and a while a seagull screeched, but even its annoying call blended with the ocean beautifully.

As the two Toa approached a small grove of trees, Kopaka could hear Lewa's high-pitched voice and Tahu's gruff responses. That Airhead's probably rattling on about something or other and annoying Tahu, he thought.

Sure enough, Lewa was hopping around from the branches of the trees, giving Tahu a chatty narrative of Kopaka and his little adventure the previous evening. "And then Rahi-beast tries to punch-hit ice-brother Kopaka and he quick freezes it in a fast-instant. Rahi-beast's mask that I had axe-snatched was hard-stuck to my weapon-tool. I was not going to touch-feel that slimy-bad Mask-thing. And -oh, hello!" he cut off abruptly, waving enthusiastically at Kopaka and Pohatu.

Tahu sighed in obvious relief that Lewa had stopped his chatter and leaping.

"Hello Lewa, and Tahu," Pohatu greeted back with wave and a friendly smile.

Lewa hopped down out of the treetops and clanked fists with Pohatu. Lewa held out his fist to Kopaka, but the Toa of Ice just glanced at it and looked away. Lewa frowned and withdrew his hand. He shrugged and leaped back onto a boulder.

"Anyway, as I was story-saying, the slimy-mask far-flew off my axe-tool and I summon-called a wind-breeze to quick-carry it away-gone. I remember-recall that Toa-brother Kopaka was wait-standing behind. I quick-greet Kopaka-brother, but he seem-appeared not to hear." "Little wonder," Tahu muttered sarcastically, but Lewa didn't seem to hear. "So I knock-tap him on his head-mask and quick attention-notice me."

Pohatu chuckled.

"I ask question-favor if he would help-assist me in my search-look of my Akaku-mask because he already wear-use an Akaku-mask and I did not want to search-look through icky-mud swamp by my lone-self. Ice-brother agreed and we searched. He quick-found it on swamp-log in a stinky-sticky mud-bog. I flew-levitated over and we were attack-ambushed by Rahi-Ramas. I fight-blow from air and Kopaka-brother ice-hits from land. Ramas plop-fall frozen-fast into bog-swamp and get me mud-splattered. I get-receive Akaku-Kanohi from bog-log. Then -" His fast-spoken tale was cut off by the arrival of Onua and Gali.

"Hello brothers," Gali greeted with a smile.

"Good morning Gali, and Onua," Tahu said.

He wasn't that friendly with us, Kopaka thought with suspicion.

"Oh, am I interrupting?" Gali asked, noticing Lewa's obvious sulking at being interrupted again.

"No, Lewa was just telling us a story to kill time," Tahu answered. "But we should get started."

"We could wait for Lewa to finish his tale," Gali said politely. "We can wait for one minute more."

"By the time he finishes it will be high noon, at least," Tahu said, an edge to his voice.

Kopaka saw Tahu's behavior as jealousy motivated by Gali's heeding Lewa's feelings. Lewa smiled at Gali then sat down cross-legged on the boulder he was on. He glared at Tahu a bit poutily.



Review, and especially anything that you think would make this story better.

This post has been edited by Allanon Loke: Jul 13 2008, 10:35 PM

[Allanon Loke]

Chapter 16

Kopaka scanned the clearing, deducing which needed his help more. Tahu was fending off the Kane-Ra. Lewa was pushing the Nui-Rama around with the wind, not trying to harm them but trying to stun them by flinging them against the canyon walls. Gali and Pohatu were holding up the Nui-Jaga. Tahu seemed about ready to incinerate the large Rahi when the ground beneath it suddenly caved in, pulling the Rahi down. Tahu looked at the hole in surprise. Onua jumped out and smacked the ground with his claws. The earth rose up and sealed the hole shut. The Kane-Ra bellowed in anger at being trapped in a cave.

“Get their masks!” Gali yelled as she dodged a blow from one of the giant scorpions’ stingers.

Lewa jumped into the air, using his Mask of Levitation, and began lunging at the Nui-Rama, trying to remove the masks. Onua disappeared again into another hole, and Tahu began firing small fireballs at the Nui-Rama. Kopaka aimed his sword at a Nui-Jaga behind Pohatu that was about to spring on the Toa of Stone’s unprotected back. The Rahi froze instantly.

Lewa switched to his Huna, Mask of Concealment, and disappeared the next instant. The Nui-Rama were caught by surprise and began furiously searching for the Toa of Air. With his heat lens, Kopaka watched Lewa sneak up on them one by one and yank off their masks. Kopaka froze another Nui-Jaga that tried to sneak up on him.

Gali back flipped onto a shelf on the cliff and began blasting the remaining Nui-Jaga with streams of water. She was aiming for the masks and the water pressure she pushed into her streams was enough to knock the creatures’ mask off. The de-masked Rahi skittered away rapidly. Lewa became visible again and switched back to his Miru, lowering himself to the ground as he did so.

Then the Kane-Ra burst out of its prison and snorted at them. Kopaka was about to freeze the creature when he realized that it was not wearing infected Kanohi anymore. Tahu had already started burning away the infection and Pohatu was chipping away the ice around the masks of the frozen Nui-Jaga. Kopaka walked up to one of the frozen Rahi and began melting the area around the masks. He pulled a pair off a fallen Nui-Rama and walked over to Tahu, depositing them in the pile of infected masks. Lewa was babbling on about what had just happened, but nobody really paid any attention to him.

Kopaka looked at Onua. The Toa of Earth was trying to put two uninfected Hau on the Kane-Ra and dodging the angry Rahi’s attacks. Kopaka wondered how he had gotten hold of the two masks when Tahu had not gotten to the Kane-Ra’s Kanohi yet. Then he remembered the Muaka they had encountered. Then the silent Toa of Earth stood behind Tahu, waiting for another mask. The Toa of Earth seemed slightly shy, but he was resourceful.

Gali picked up a pair of the now uninfected Pakari and fitted them on one of the frozen giant scorpions. Then Kopaka thawed the Rahi out, keeping his sword at ready if the Rahi tried anything with Gali so near. It rattled its tail in agitation but quickly retreated.

Lewa was now yakking about how cool it was to fight invisibly. Kopaka zoned out his teammate’s voice and instead watched Tahu purify the last few Kanohi. He found it slightly ironic that the Toa of Fire’s destructive power could cleanse.

In a few more minutes, the Toa were on their way again. Tahu walked up front, as usual, with Gali and Pohatu walking behind him, Lewa and Onua walking behind them, and Kopaka trailing behind. They travelled in relative silence as the Toa of Air conveniently shut up after Tahu glared at him over his shoulder a few times. Kopaka suddenly halted, the gears in his mind suddenly clicking. ‘Kakamas. Surely some of them have Kakamas. I know Pohatu does for sure.’

“Wait,” Kopaka said. The others turned their heads then stopped walking when they saw Kopaka had stopped. “How many of you have a Kakama?”

“I do,” Tahu said, wearing his usual frown.

Lewa shot his arm in the air, singing, “I do, I do.”

“Me too, obviously,” Pohatu replied with a chuckle. “Why?”

Kopaka folded his arms and glared at them. “Six of us, and three bear Kakama.”

“Oh, I see,” Gali said with a smile. “Those with a Kakama can carry those without.”

Lewa smacked himself. “Nuts. Why did not I think of that?”

Kopaka rolled his eyes.

Lewa, switching to his Mask of Speed, bounded up to Onua. Kopaka glared at Tahu and approached Pohatu. He did not like letting Gali ride Tahu, but Kopaka was not going to allow himself to be exposed to Tahu’s flame. Pohatu grinned and crouched down a little so Kopaka could climb onto his back. Pohatu straightened, not seeming to be bothered by Kopaka’s weight. Kopaka remembered how quickly Pohatu could disappear with his Kakama and tightened his grip of Pohatu’s shoulders. Onua, Tahu, and Pohatu nodded to each other and were off in a blur.

It was breathtaking for Kopaka as he went past the scenery faster than he thought possible. Kopaka tried to use his Akaku to see where they were but was only able to catch flashes of bright and dull colors. In a few moments they were by the western shore of Po-Wahi. The sudden desert heat hit Kopaka hard. He lowered his temperature and hopped off Pohatu’s back. ’It’s almost like Ta-Wahi, just in different form.’ Kopaka could see the heat rising off the endless sand. He did not fancy wandering in this Wahi alone.

“Onua,” Gali said as they approached the water, “if what the Ta-Koronan told us is accurate, we will need to go beneath the waters to retrieve Tahu’s levitation mask.”

Lewa overheard and groaned, burying his mask in his hands. “Not again! I already took one wetdive to get my Mask of Speed. I still haven’t gotten all the wateryuck out of my ears!” To emphasize, Lewa tilted his head and whacked the side of his head a few times.

“Don’t be foolish,” Kopaka snapped. “Obviously, only those among us who already hold the Kanohi Kaukau should go on from here.” Kopaka turned to some of the others, recalling from memory which didn’t have the Mask of Underwater Breathing. “Pohatu, Lewa, Tahu – you can wait on the beach.”

Lewa sighed in relief and looked at the sky. “Thank goodness.”

Tahu scowled at Kopaka in annoyance. “Thanks for pointing out the obvious. But it’s my mask we’re after, and my villager was the one who revealed its location. I think I should be the one to decide whether or not I go,” Tahu snapped angrily.

‘Well, sorry, boss,’ Kopaka thought sarcastically. Kopaka thought a little bit more. ‘Weakness. I pointed out a weakness, and he doesn’t like others to know he has weakness.’

Gali shook her head at Tahu. “It would be helpful to have several of us standing guard on the beach, brother Tahu.”

“That’s true,” Tahu muttered reluctantly. He shot Kopaka a look before continuing. “Go with good fortune, Gali. We’ll keep a careful watch for danger while we wait for your return.”

‘Yakkity yakkity yak.’



Review. Constructive criticism is very welcome.