CHAPTER TWO: DENIAL
Kopaka Nuva sat at the placid shores of Lake Naho. He had reached it about a half an hour ago, but was now trying to delay having to walk through Ga-Koro. He lowered his head into his hands, sighing quietly. He studied his reflection in the calm surface waters.
Right… like she would want anything to do with me.
He stood up, and turned around to find himself face to face with his ally, Pohatu. Kopaka merely blinked, and then folded his arms across his chest.
"Something you wanted?" he asked, calmly.
"Taking a run, and saw you sitting there," stated Pohatu, "Wondered if you were alright."
Kopaka nodded quietly, allowing silence to claim the pair. Their conversation faded away and died on the waves of stillness.
"So… er…" Pohatu shifted uneasily from foot to foot. He hated the silence that always accompanied his pale brother, "I'm going to be off… see you around…"
Using his Kanohi Mask of Speed, Pohatu was gone in a flash. Kopaka was glad to see him gone. He didn't fit in with the other Toa.
He turned back to the lake, having completely forgotten where he was going to go when he had stood up. He sat down again, staring into the water.
A small school of Ruki fish swam happily beneath the surface, and Kopaka watched with mild interest as a Takea shark appeared and chased them off.
What to do… what to do…
He shifted his attention from the fish to the sunset. The great flaming eye that warmed the island during the day was beginning to sink below the horizon, and Kopaka saw the streaks of gold and red begin to taint the clouds. He smiled behind his mask. The sunset was a beautiful sight to watch, no matter what part of the island you were on.
In Ko-Wahi, the sunlight glinted off the ice and snow crystals that lay everywhere. Here in Ga-Wahi, the sunlight was reflected off of the water. He sighed dismally – too much like his efforts to be kind to Gali.
He leaned back against a palm tree, staring up into the sky as the stars began to wink on, one by one, to light the night sky. Of course he knew he had little chance of winning Gali's affections. Tahu, the mighty Toa of Fire, was also after her heart. Kopaka had little doubt that Tahu would probably win. He was much more suitable for her anyway…
A sound from his left made him turn his head, and he used the powers of his mask to reveal a small shape in the bushes: a Matoran, to be precise.
"I won't hurt you," he said, loudly enough for the islander to hear, "I'm just taking a short rest. You can show yourself if you want."
A Matoran Kopaka recognized as Macku walked out of the bushes, smiling slightly behind her blue Huna. "How did you know it was me?"
Kopaka raised a ghostly white hand and tapped the lens on his mask, "I can see."
Macku nodded, "I was just waiting for Hewkii; he said he'd give swimming a try."
Kopaka's mind was filled with images from the last time Hewkii had tried this. Namely, it involved Pohatu giving his comatose friend CPR to bring him around, and Macku being incredibly apologetic for almost drowning one of the Po-Matoran.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Macku smiled, holding up a pair of Takea Shark Bladders, filled with air, which had a set of vines strapped to them. "He can float with these, see?"
Kopaka nodded sagely, and then stood up to leave. "If he'll be here soon, I must take my leave of you."
He turned and walked into the woods behind him, leaving no room for discussion. The entire way back to the foot of Mount Ihu, Kopaka's mind played him a dismal tune.
Tahu will beat you… it said …Gali won't love you. You don't love her. It is merely childish infatuation.
Kopaka smiled, somewhat grimly, beneath his mask. "That's right," he said aloud, "Infatuation."