I began to think about this after reading a quote from Greg Farshtey, which basically said that if Tahu jumped in Energised Protodermis again, he could easily be destroyed instead of becoming Nuva again if he's not destined. So I came up with this. Enjoy.

Remembrance

The gentle sound of liquid lapping against the rock drew him on, closer to his goal. At long last, he had found it. The figure emerged into a large cave now, shielding his eyes against the bright silver light emanating from the cave's floor, reflected back by the crystals lining the roof. Like the light that sprung forth from its depths, the pool was a shining silver. It was beguiling, and it drew the figure from the shadows in the entrance to the cave, into the light.

Tahu stepped into the light, golden armour discarded. His own red and orange armour was, as the light touched it, washed clean of its scars and pains. Born anew. He looked down into the pool, feet touching the edge of the pool. Thinking. Remembering. Remembering why he was here. His Nuva armour, robbed of him by the mask of life, to fulfil the will of Mata Nui. And he'd done that. He'd defeated the Rahkshi and, once again, helped Mata Nui. But then he had been forsaken. Mata Nui had left him, not even performing the small favour of returning his armour. Instead he had been left weakened. The armour had, as it happened, been one-use. So now he was left weakened. He had suffered much for the Great Spirit. He had fought the Makuta continually, lost his mask countless times, had his home destroyed, been poisoned and turned against his teammates, had his life-force fed upon by Krika, been forced to abandon his team to fight against the universe itself, a universe he had helped come into being. He had been put to sleep and robbed of his memories too, and now, finally, he had lost his armour. Mata Nui could surely have done that last thing for him? Returned what was rightfully his? He took a step back from the pool.

He had been cut off. Something had been severed between him and his team. It was base humiliation to have become weaker, and shorter, than them, but it was deeper than that. He had lost the power to share his Kanohi powers with the others, to protect them. Whatever he had said to the contrary, he continually feared for their safety, yes, even Kopaka. He always felt it was his duty to keep them safe. He had failed on several occasions still; he had learned that that was inevitable. But what a relief it was when he discovered he could actually shield them from harm. Literally throw a bubble of safety around them. Yes, they could do it too, but as their leader, he felt responsible, and it was a great boon to be able to protect them properly. And in Karda Nui, his shields were the only ones available, when his team had needed it most, he had been there. It had threatened to pull his heart in two when he decided to split the group, but he knew it had to be done. And, in his mind, he had assigned the most dangerous job to himself. And it was true. In the end, it was him who needed saving, cornered in the swamp. He had come to learn that leaders needed to make tough decisions like that, but at the same time; he still tried as best he could to watch over them. His increased Nuva Powers had certainly been a use to him in that regard. He took another step back.

He had indeed lost something of the closeness they had shared. He didn't, couldn't know the truth. The deep bond he had shared with them, the ability to truly unite and become one with his fellow Toa, had been lost when he had ceased to be one of them. He was no longer a Toa Nuva. Oh yes, he still led them, but how could he lead them into battle when he was weaker than them? A leader should be the strongest, the fastest, the wisest, the best. The one the others could turn to and rely on to fight until the last breath. That was why Turaga did not lead from the front. They couldn't. And the Matoran? What if some threat arose that he could not defeat? He had encountered many threats he had struggled to beat as a Nuva, but now, in his reduced state and stuck on a new world, he needed all the power he could get. Then again, it didn't seem to affect the other Toa of the universe he had lived in for so long. But then, they had not been Toa Nuva. Losing all that came with that title was like losing a limb to him. As the old saying goes, you cannot miss something you never had. He backed up another step.

And he was the mighty Tahu, immortalised in the walls of history as the hero who had saved them all, although privately he had always considered his friends' feats to be more impressive. Lewa, who had for a short time been in the body of Tren Krom, and survived with sanity intact. Kopaka, who had captained the Phantoka in their battle in the sky, outnumbered yet still victorious, Onua, who saves the day at the last moment, despite the danger. Pohatu, who held the group together with his jokes and friendship. Oh, and getting Kopaka to open up. Gali... whose wisdom had been invaluable all the way, and who had been the last one standing against Icarax. The Turaga, who, as Toa Metru, had faced rejection and actually properly defeated the Makuta, and the beast within, evacuated Metru Nui and then gone on to lead the Matoran on the island of Mata Nui. And the Toa Mahri, who had done the far nobler thing of sacrificing themselves to restore the life of the great Spirit, and their friend Matoro, even though in the end, it had been he who had made the ultimate sacrifice and saved everyone. He had simply given a terrible weapon a host, and apparently, thankfully, disarmed it. He had just led the team as he was instructed to do. Yes, his fiery temper may have driven him to take the position, and fill it well, but he had just done his job. He had suffered much, but all of his pains were insignificant in comparison to those of others. Before, he may have considered himself worthy of the legend, ready to stand alongside people like Pohatu and Gali, who had decimated the Skakdi ranks with their own power, while Tahu struggled with one, who had nearly goaded him into murder. He took another step back, and his feet hit rock. He had reached the back wall of the cave. Maybe this was a mistake...

He remembered flying too. That wonderful feeling of freedom. Could his current armour do that, he wondered? But then, what if he died? Wouldn't it be a waste? Wouldn't he be missed? The insidious voice of the Makuta flickered through his mind, now just a hateful memory. You are filled with fear... Not like Jaller. He had always respected the Matoran, and now Toa, he had never backed down, never surrendered. He was brave enough for everyone. He had saved the life of Takanuva, he was prepared to die to save the universe, he defied prophecy of death on Voya Nui and he even defied death at least twice. Tahu was not brave enough to just jump into a pool of silver water, with the potential to give him so much more. But loose so much as well. But what did it come down too? Of all the many reasons to jump, and the many not too, which did it come too? Why was he doing this? For the Matoran? For the other Toa? Or for himself. He thought he could hear a voice, a real voice, asking him. "Come; let us find out your reasons, and your fate, together. Will the strength of your teammates guide you to change, or will your selfishness cloud your path? Come, brave Tahu of Fire, and let us discover the truth..."

"I will not be afraid!" Tahu cried, raising his flame sword to the sky as he sprinted for the edge, and leapt, soaring through the air, and time seemed to slow to a stop as he flew, and it all went through his mind again until it settled on the truth, his last thought before he plunged below the surface, there was a flash of light, and Tahu Mata was no more.

Well, in the end it comes down to your opinion of Tahu as to whether he survived or not. If you reckon he was being selfish, then he dies. If you think he was doing it for the others, then he lives.

Also, I know that with Energised Protodermis, you're either destined or not. But then in the same stead, the destinies of everything in the universe is destined to happen whatever. But as I don't believe that destiny is fixed, or how my stories treat destiny, then EP has to become flexible as well. So that's why. Apologises for the philosophical rant.

EDIT: Poll is now up on my profile. What do you think?