Back in Po-metru, Velika and Analu were returning to his infrequently used workshop when they were joined by Tehutti and Onepu.
"We need your help sorting out a problem." the purple masked inventor explained, grinning as Velika pretended to be annoyed, though everyone could see the gleam in his eyes.
Following his friends, the Voya Nuian inventor tugged Analu's hand, knowing she had no tasks waiting for her in Ga-metru.
While they headed for the nearest chute, Pohatu and Lerihua were discussing way they could help their sisters and keep Lewa distracted so he wouldn't make too much of a pest of himself.
"I've just remembered, Kokua's pendant was broken." the brown hued Toa commented as they headed along the street towards his home.
"Think we'll be able to find a stone identical in colour?" Lerihua asked, glancing up at the chute overhead spotting his friends speeding through it and chuckling at their antics.
"Remember what Turaga Dume said when he saw Turaga Anuenue doing that?" Pohatu laughed as two of the matoran swapped Kanoka discs before shooting out of sight.
"Not half as much as Nuju, and I still think Matau would have joined in had Nokama not tripped him up and sat on him!" Lerihua snickered, remembering the expressions on the other Turaga's masks at what their 'younger' sister had done on the way to her first midwinter festival.
Clinging tightly to Sheranu, Lewa found himself revelling in the speed that the phase dragon had reached, then realized that they were soaring over the Po-metru region.
Before Speur and Sheranu realized what was happening, Lewa had let go and had been pulled from the rahi's back by the slipstream.
Startled, the phase dragon roared and swiftly dove to try and catch his lanky green friend, as he did, Sheranu exclaimed, his comment swept away by the speed.
Calmly pulling his Air-katana out, the Toa Nuva of Air activated his Miru and pulled out of the headlong dive, shooting back up towards his friends.
Back-winging furiously, Speur rumbled in amazement as Lewa soared back up to him and his multi green friend.
"You worry-scared us, bro." Sheranu grumbled as Speur nudged his lanky green friend, "Sorry, Speur, Shenu. I just wanted to see-feel what going at that speed-velocity felt like."
"Next time attempt-try to tell us first." the malachite Toa replied, a smile creeping across his Kanohi Leighis.
Lewa was about to reply, when they heard a distant whistle, "Look, we're right-over the area where Pohatu live-dwells."
"I'll fly-ride Speur back to Le-metru if you want to stay-visit, bro." Sheranu quietly commented, as Speur twitched, wanting to go and rest in his lair.
"Thanks bro, I'll start the search-hunt for a replacement stone." the lanky Air Toa replied, a smile, the first of the day, crossing his Miru.
Standing in the Po-metru main square, looking up at the distant figures hovering in the skies above them, Pohatu chuckled before sticking his fingers in his mouth and producing an ear-splitting whistle, which had Lerihua covering his ears.
A few moments later, the smaller figure dived towards the waiting Toa of Stone while the larger one flew in the direction of Le-metru.
"Would you like something to eat and drink, brother?" Pohatu asked when Lewa landed and came to join him and Lerihua, putting his Air-katana away as he did.
"Sounds good, I miss-lost track of the time." their lanky brother replied, absently taking Kokua's pendant out and weaving the chain between his fingers.
The Toa Voya's eyes grew wide when he saw the damaged stone, then glanced at Lewa who moved to follow Pohatu.
"Can you remember where Olcas found it?" Lerihua asked when they'd settled in the living room and tucked into lunch.
"Think so, and Kela carved it so I'm certain she'll carve another." Pohatu replied, hastily swallowing his mouthful to answer his younger brother's question.
"Do you think it'll be ready before Kokua wake-rouses?" Lewa wondered, while he gazed in the direction of Ga-metru, absently picking at his food.
"It's very likely, but you'd better eat something or you'll be unwell when our feather-sis awakens." the Toa Nuva of Stone chided his lanky brother.
Smiling ruefully, Lewa nodded and began eating properly, "Ease up bro, we're all worried about Kokua." Lerihua added, before taking his dishes through to the kitchen.
It didn't take long for Lewa to finish, then the trio left Pohatu's and headed for the workshop Olcas shared with Rahal and Kela.
xXx
Opening her eyes, Kokua's spirit watched the butterflies covering her like a blanket, the nearest peering curiously at her.
"Are Rhya and Mata Nui still talking?" she murmured as several butterflies began shifting their wing colours to show their delight that she was awake.
"We've finished, Kokua." the musical voice of Rhya Nui came floating across the flowered meadow, causing most of the butterfly flock to rise up and head in the dusky Great Spirit's direction.
Finding strength from somewhere, Kokua slowly sat up and watched her approaching, wondering about the gentle smile on Rhya's Hau.
"It's good to see you regaining your strength." she commented, sitting gracefully beside the hybrid and gently hugging her.
"I still feel strange, like I need more sleep."
"It will pass, now there is something I would like to tell you. If you feel strong enough." Rhya softly replied, smiling as Kokua lent against her, her wings drooping wearily.
"Maybe later." she then whispered as Kokua yawned, exhausted from the simple action of sitting up, "Mmmm." came the drowsy reply as the hybrid fell asleep.
xXx
Having reached the workshop, the Toa knocked and when Olcas called out, entered the carver's workshop.
When Lewa had finished explaining, he passed Olcas the broken pendant, "Hmm," he murmured, placing the pendant on the work surface.
"Now where did I put it?" came the comment as the umber hued matoran opened a cupboard and began rummaging in the boxes stored there.
Lewa was starting to get restless when an exclamation of delight came from behind the boxes and Olcas's hand shot up holding a large piece of green stone.
While they helped Olcas tidy up, over in Ko-metru, Kopaka watched Gali as she 'talked' with Aikane and Turaga Anuenue.
When she blinked and sighed he passed a beaker to her, "Thanks, Kokua still sleeps and, as far as, Anuenue guesses Lewa is either in Le- or Po-metru." the blue hued Toa said, leaning against her closefriend as he rested an arm over her shoulder.
The rest of the day passed slowly, some of the matoran managed to get an update on Kokua's condition and passed it on to their friends.
Meanwhile Aikane finally remembered to have a word with the shadow twin Toa and they swiftly headed out to the Po-metru desert.
Pausing on the way, they went to speak with Keetongu and Notegeku and were jumped on by Naneki and Keliana.
By the time the cubs settled down, night had fallen and the shadow twins knew exactly where to begin looking.
"Thank you for your help. I hope we can clear up what happened." Aikane's shadow twin said, bowing to the healing rahi.
"When you do, please let us know." their dark green/gold friend asked as the cubs squeaked in their sleep, "Oh definitely." Tahu's replied before following the others into the night.
Reappearing at the natural amphitheatre, the shadow twins glanced around then headed for the tunnel where Kokua had so nearly died.
Keeping to the walls, they followed the trail of blood until they reached where it stopped; silently they then scoured the immediate area.
Examining a hole burnt into the wall and listening to their icy and earthen brothers as they calculated the trajectory of the light-bolt.
"It's as well that we can do this." Hakinu's whispered while the group slowly moved down the tunnel, a thin layer of wall between them and the tunnel.
"Look!" Onua's exclaimed, suddenly pointing to the distant object, as he gestured, his hand emerged from the wall.
Almost instantly there came a flash of blinding light and something shot towards the Toa Nuva's shadow twin.
"Scatter quick-fast!" Lewa's yelled, grabbing his brother and dragging him further into the wall.
For several moments there was silence then the shadow twins regrouped, "Well dragged bro." Onua's murmured, as the group took it in turns to examine the fresh, still smoking, hole where the shadow twin Toa Nuva's arm had emerged into the tunnel.
"Any-time brother." came the reply before they followed the others towards the strange object.
xXx
Back in Ga-metru, Turaga Anuenue thanked Lakino and Cùram for their work in making up the canisters as they stacked them in the cool room.
"Is there anything else we can do to help?" Cùram enquired after she'd joined Slàna to look at Kokua.
"For now I can't think of anything. But if you could help make that sleeping draught up, I have the feeling I will not be the only one needing some."
"On it." Cùram grinned before hurrying back to Lakino's.
"Eager to help any way she can." Slàna murmured, sitting beside Turaga Anuenue while she rubbed her mask.
"Indeed, I wonder how Lewa's doing." the rainbow hued Turaga murmured, pouring out juice for her cobalt hued friend and herself as the evening sunlight shone on the trees outside.
xXx
Over in Po-metru, the Toa in question was absently fidgeting with the broken pendant watching as Olcas marked out the size he knew Kela would need.
Catching the puzzled expression on his brother's mask, Pohatu quietly explained, "The larger the piece, the better the detail."
"Toa Lewa may I get that bit please?" Olcas quietly asked, as the lanky green Toa thought about how his closefriend was doing.
"Here you go. I'd better go and find something to keep me busy-occupied." Lewa said, carefully placing the pendant in the umber hued matoran's hand, "Thank you."
"I'll do my best to make it identical." came the Ga-matoran carver's voice as she and Rahal entered the workshop.
"You are welcome to watch if you wish." Kela said, placing her tools out and glancing at the lanky green Toa.
"Thanks, but I'd only get twitchy and that would mess-put you off. I'll fly-soar back to Ga-metru, maybe featherheart has woken." Lewa replied, smiling as Kela nodded then turned back to the piece of stone.
Leaving the matoran, Kela now oblivious to their departure, Lerihua said he'd let Lewa know when the pendant was ready, then he and Pohatu watched as their lanky green brother headed into the twilight.
"I'll go and see if Kopaka has any ideas for keeping our worried bro calm." Pohatu said quietly when Lerihua suggested that he'd go and see if Onua had any ideas.
xXx
"It looks like some kind of machine, but for what?" Tahu's shadow twin muttered, then winced as Lewa's kicked him in the shins, "Apart from shooting at people." Hakinu's added, firmly pulling Lewa's away before he had another go at their fiery brother.
"Maybe it's protecting something." Ferinus's mused, peering intently at the now visible, to the shadow twins, bulky mechanism taking up half the tunnel.
"I'm going to have a word with Tehutti and Nuparu, if they're still awake, see if they might be able to tell us what this might be." Onua's said, glancing at the Toa Nuva shadow twins, whom nodded.
"It's not Exo-Toa armour, that's for certain." Kopaka's added before their ebon hued brother vanished.
The Toa Voya shadow twins glanced curiously at their 'elder' brothers and sisters then listened fascinated as they explained.
xXx
It was fully dark by the time Lewa landed in the garden behind Gali's and before he'd had a chance to peer into Anuenue's bedroom window, Amaya caught his attention. The rainbow hued Toa beckoned to her lanky brother, then, when he joined her, led him into Gali's living room.
"Featherheart?" the lanky green Toa asked hopefully, then slumped into a squashy chair when his sisters said there was no change.
"Here bro, have something to eat." Gali murmured, pushing a dish into her despondent brother's hands as he stared out the window.
Lewa was still sitting there when Turaga Anuenue joined them and sat beside Amaya, concern in her glance at the lanky green Toa now watching her.
"Still no change, sorry bro." she said before he could ask, then moved to hug him, "It's getting warm." Anuenue whispered, tapping the dish her lanky brother held.
"And if you don't eat, when Kokua wakes she'll be unhappy about you neglecting yourself." Gali murmured, glancing around at his sisters, Lewa saw they were all concerned for him, nodded quietly and began to eat.
Unseen by them, Turaga Anuenue's shadow twin smiled as her real self offered her brother some chilled chocolate, then vanished from Gali's to emerge in Anuenue's bedroom.
Watching from the shadows she watched as Lakino entered the room and flopped down into a squashy chair while Cùram joined Slàna and listened to her update.
When the healers had settled and drifted off to sleep, the shadow twin Turaga slipped out of the shadows and moved to peer at Kokua.
Then when several minutes passed, she lightly stroked the Torahka's pale face then departed to wait for the shadow twin Toa to return.
xXx
When she roused again, Kokua realized several of the Turaga were sitting with Rhya Nui.
Dume smiled when he noticed her watching them, "How are you feeling, Kokua?" he asked, while the others glanced around and Rhya Nui dismissed the sphere they'd been watching.
"A little stronger, thank you." the hybrid murmured, surprised to find she was still lent against the dusky Great Spirit.
"You take it easy feather-sis." Matau said, as the Turaga bowed to the dusky Great Spirit then returned to the spirit realm.
When they had left and the butterflies returned to perch on Rhya Nui and Kokua, she glanced down and smiled, "You feel up to listening to what I wish to tell you?" looking up at her, Kokua smiled, "I don't feel as tired as last time. But I'm not sure how long I can stay awake for."
"Then let's get started." the dusky blue/silver Great Spirit chuckled, brushing a hand over Kokua's wings.
"Cast your mind back to your earliest memory." Rhya said softly, watching the Torahka's spirit as she blinked in surprise then shivered slightly.
"I-I remember darkness all around me, the-then there was a something warm in my-my right palm." Kokua whispered, her gaze growing distant as she spoke about her first memory.
"The warmth spread upwards, travelling all through me, Th-then I opened my eyes and wished I hadn't." the hybrid fell silent and nestled closer to Rhya Nui.
"It's alright little one, you were never his. I knew you were special when I reached out to your spirit, my Daughter." at those words, Rhya Nui glanced at Kokua, whom looked stunned, her mouth wide as she tried to speak.
Several minutes passed as the Torahka stared at a nearby patch of flowers, struggling to accept what the dusky Great Spirit had just said.
"M-m-mother." came a whisper and as Rhya Nui glanced down, she felt moisture landing on the arm around Kokua.
"Easy little one, I know it's a shock for you." Rhya whispered, gently brushing Kokua's tears away then she began to hum a relaxing tune.
"Wo-would it be alright for me to tell Turaga Anuenue and Lewa?" the hybrid whispered when some time had passed and her wings began to twitch in time to the melody.
"I've got no problem with you doing that." Rhya chuckled gently, "Neither do I." Mata Nui's voice floated out from the mist surrounding the flowered meadow.
Both glanced in the direction that the Great Spirit's voice had come from, and Rhya smiled as her brother entered the area and moved to join her and Kokua.
"You're looking a bit brighter." he smiled, crouching beside Kokua, who blushed then giggled as he brushed a finger over her wing, tickling her.
"Now I think it's time you should get some more rest." Mata Nui said, after he and Rhya had quietly talked for a while.