In Memorium

Toa Mahri Matoro

"Come, my friends--let us go and celebrate a Ko-Matoran who became a Toa... and a Toa who saved a universe." - Turaga Vakama, Death of a Hero

Toa Mahri Nuparu stood in front of the new statue set in place near the Coliseum. It stood, proud, tall, in the gleaming sunlight over Metru Nui. Nuparu thought – knew –, without a doubt, that this – in the entire history of the world – there was no finer hero than Matoro.

Protosteel Shield and Cordak Blaster stored away for the time being, Nuparu didn't move, hands behind his back, staring unblinkingly at his old teammate. He had known the Ko-Matoran for as long as he could remember (which wasn't that much in retrospect, thanks to Teridax), and the Toa of Earth felt honored and proud to have been on the same Toa Team.

Several Matoran walked by, smiling up at the statue and Nuparu, who could only return them half-heartedly. He knew that the other Toa Mahri were acting different now that Matoro was gone. They never seemed as upbeat or outgoing. Even Kongu was making half as many jokes as he used to. Nothing seemed right.

Nuparu stood there, looking, staring quietly. The sun was still arcing into the middle of the sky. There was plenty of time left in the day. Unless there was an emergency, then Nuparu would not move.

He heard footsteps coming from behind. Nuparu didn't move. He knew who was coming up. He was a Onu-Metru resident. Miners. They could feel vibrations in the ground. Nuparu knew all his teammates' footsteps. These – heavy and solid – belonged to Hewkii.

"Looking at Matoro, huh?" asked the Toa of Stone, looking up at the gleaming statue of the Toa of Ice.

"Yeah," said Nuparu, not turning to face his friend. "I might stay here a bit."

Hewkii nodded knowingly. "Mind if I stay with you?"

"No, not at all."

So Hewkii but his hands behind his back as well and faced the statue. The two Toa stayed in silence for a few moments until Hewkii spoke up. "Turaga Onewa did a great job with the craving."

Nuparu nodded. "He did..." His eyes moved up to Matoro's mask, the Kanohi Tryna. The eyes behind the silver mask seemed to be filled with pride and courage. Nuparu and the other Mahri knew otherwise. "Matoro... never thought he could be a Toa, did he?"

Hewkii shook his head slowly. "No... he was a Scholar, studying about Rahi and becoming Nuju's translator. Remember, that one time when the Kohlii tournament was being held in Ko-Koro, and he almost fell over the balcony while speaking?"

Nuparu allowed himself to smile. "Yeah, he always did speak in a great booming voice..."

They fell into silence again, still staring at Matoro. They both missed him. Everyone missed him. Though neither of them said it, they wondered if they should pay a visit to Turaga Nuju and spend some time with the elder. It was common knowledge that Matoro was one of the only people the Turaga considered a friend.

"Hey, Nuparu?"

"Hm?"

Hewkii said nothing for a moment, thinking. "You know how everyone says that being a Toa is a bout spirit?"

"Of course," replied Nuparu, still looking at the statue. "You can't be a Toa if your spirit isn't strong enough."

"Matoro never thought he had that..." The Toa Mahri of Stone fell silent again. "Ironic."

"What is?" asked Nuparu.

"Remember when we first became Toa? The Inika?"

"Sure,"

"Matoro's mask was the Kanohi Iden. Mask of Spirit."

"As a Mahri," added Nuparu, his voice growing solemn. "He had the Mask of Reanimation. And now he's dead."

"Even more ironic,"

"No time for jokes."

"Better me than Kongu."

"... Maybe." Nuparu admitted.

The pair fell into silence once more, still looking up at Matoro. The statue was in a pose everyone who lived on Metru Nui would never forget: Matoro – left hand holding the Kanohi Ignika, the Legendary Mask of Life – braced for action. Many Matoran called the statue inspiring, a true testament to the greatest Toa.

"The Ko-Matoran wanted the statue out of ice," Hewkii said, breaking into the silence between him and his teammate.

"Turaga Onewa doesn't work with ice," Nuparu replied.

"I know, but... I think it would be a little more fitting."

Hours passed, the two Toa not moving. They stared, wondering where Matoro was now. They both had answers, thoughts. They didn't say anything about it. Not now. Now was not the time for talking anymore. Now was a time for reflection and remembering.

In time, the other Toa Mahri – Jaller, Hahli, and Kongu – arrived, sharing the silence and wonderment at their friend. Once night fell, Jaller made a campfire and the five heroes (though Matoro deserved the title most of all) sat and talked and laughed and mourned. There had already been an island-wide service for Matoro, but this was a more private one, one for the five Matoran who had known Matoro the most.

It was bittersweet; they shared memories of their adventures, their mishaps. They talked about the Rahi invasion, the Bohrak swarms, Rahkshi, and more. One way or another, everything led back to Matoro. Hahli mentioned her adventures around the island of Mata Nui, learning about the Virtues and Principles. Matoro and his friend Kopeke had faced her in the Kohlii Tournament.

As the night got darker, so did the memories. Now the Mahri talked of the events on Voya Nui and the Pit. The closer they got to the present, the more difficult it became to continue. Once Hewkii repeated his comment about Matoro's legacy through a Chronicler, everyone stopped, heads bowed, hearts heavy. They heard sniffling and found Kongu with tears streaming down his face. They did not mock him or ridicule him. The Toa of Air was accepted, and soon all the Mahri had tears. They cried and did not want to stop.

Then, Hahli did something. She took all their tears – all their pain, all their grief, all their sadness – and morphed them into a single sphere of liquid. With a wave of her hand, the Toa of Water moved the sphere above the statue of Matoro and let it fall. Matoro's Tryna now bore the tears of his teammates.

"I'm sorry," Hahli said, smiling through her tears. "But... he would be sharing our pain if another one of us had gone."

The other Toa agreed. They sat up, wiped the tears off, and breathed the sweet night air of their island. Then they sat in silence once more.

Kongu sniffed again and wiped one last tear away from his eye. "A toast," He said, holding the tear-covered finger up. "To the greatest Toa-hero, teammate, and friend."

So the other Mahri placed one last tear one their fingers and put them together. A toast, a symbol of comradeship. They agreed that this wouldn't be the last time they did this. They'd meet, every week, with new stories about their past and hopes for their future.

One by one, the Toa Mahri departed for their homes. All of them knew that, even if Matoro wasn't standing beside them, his spirit, his memory would always be in their hearts.