Seaqua stood on the beach of Ta-Wahi, watching the twin suns sink below the horizon. The salty air blew around her, caressing her skin and playing with her hair. It was almost as if the Great Spirit himself was welcoming the prodigal Toa home. The thought brought tears to her eyes. Wrapping her arms around herself, she shook her head and blinked back her tears. Yeah, like that was going to work. The emotion was too much. The longing in her heart was pleading for her to go now and see him, to be with him. Her arms ached at the thought of holding him once more. That's it, she couldn't take this anymore!

She glanced over in the direction on the path that led from the beach to the village. She smirked as she could only imagine how freaked out her fire and light brothers must've been when they found out she hadn't followed them through the tunnels. Instead, she had taken the route through the tree tops that Matau had shown her back in the early days. Turning away from the ocean, she transformed into her Hordika form and sprinted down the path in the steaming igneous rock and cooling lava that lead her straight for home. She slowed down a bit as she took in her surroundings. Mata Nui, what happened here? The forest that she remembered so green and full of life was now blackened and charred. She came to a stand-still while she was a good ways away from the village gates. In her excitement, she had forgotten about the guards. Okay, yeah, she had the Kanohi Huna, in fact she was using it now. But how in the world was she going to make it past them without making it obvious….

A commotion to her right caught her attention and she went to investigate. Not far from the path, she found three, strange two-legged creatures with snake-like rahi for heads and staffs circling a Matoran. Without a moment's hesitation, she leapt into the fray. She electrified the first one (a red one) and crushed the skull of the second (a black one). But the third one managed to get a hit in that sent her careening into a nearby tree, the impact causing her to lose control of her mask power. The Matoran managed to distract the creature by throwing a disk at its head. The green creature raised its staff, ready to strike, when a white flash stuck it from behind, frying the snake things within.

Jaller straightened after retrieving his disk and watched the rahi that had saved him. It was sniffing around the rahkshi, probably to insure that they were dead.

"They're dead. Don't worry." He stayed perfectly still so as to not frighten the rahi. He tilted his head to the side as he looked it over. "You're a Hordika, aren't you?" It looked up at him and he was relieved to see that the eyes were red not green. "No, don't go!" he called as the Hordika tried to make a run for it. It turned to him, its gaze worried and concerned. It stayed still as Jaller slowly approached it. He offered a friendly smile as he reached out to brush his fingertips along the blue muzzle. "Easy, easy there. You're okay, I'm not gonna hurt you." He proceeded to stroke its head and even reached to scratch behind its ear. The Hordika leaned its head against him, eyes half closed. He chuckled. "You like that?" His only answer was a soft purr. He chuckled again before giving a light yank to its ear to wake it up. "Well, thank you for helping me back there. Now, if you will excuse me, I must return to the village before they begin to worry." He started to walk away.

"Of course, my old friend."

Jaller froze at the voice and whirled around. The Hordika gave him a kind, knowing smile before disappearing into the forest. "Hey, wait!" He cried as he took off after her further into the forest. He followed down one path when a giggle led him down another one. Halfway down that path,

"Psst! Over here!"

He followed the voice down yet another path that placed him right outside the charred forest and at the crossroad that lead to either the beach or the koro. He looked around. The Hordika was nowhere to be found. "Ugh! Where did she go?" Suddenly, something hit him from behind and he soon found himself pinned on his back, looking up at the orange sky.

"Haha! Pinned ya!" That voice again. Jaller blinked his eyes a few times as the blue muzzle and laughing golden red eyes came into view.

"Seaqua?" He asked in a shaky voice. The Hordika smiles and backs away from him a bit before reverting back to the familiar form he thought he would never see again. Seaqua looks down at him, a smile on her face.

"Hello Jaller."

It was barely a whisper but it was enough. The Captain of the Guard ran to her, tears streaming down his mask.

"Seaqua!"

"Jaller!"

She fell to her knees and embraced her old friend as he fell in her arms.

"Seaqua! It IS you! You're alive! You're back! You're really back!" Jaller sobbed into her shoulder.

"Yes, Jaller." She swallowed thickly. "I am back. I've come home." She bowed her head over Jaller's as she let the tears finally fall. They stayed like that for some time before they finally released each other.

"Sorry bout that." Jaller hastily wiped at his mask. "I'm really glad you're home, Toa Seaqua." Said Toa smiled as she sat back and wiped away her tears.

"I'm glad to be home as well, Jaller. I've missed you guys so much." She let out a sigh as she looked around. I'm glad I'm back. Matoran and Toa sat in companionable silence looking out at the horizon as the first sun began to sink below it. Finally, Seaqua turned to Jaller.

"How's Vakama been?" Jaller glanced sadly at her before returning his gaze to the horizon.

"He's doing well, all things considered. But he misses you. Not a day goes by that he doesn't visit your old hut to clean it and tend to your belongings. He's mended your surfboard, dusted and maintained your tablets, polished your jewelry and has tended to your fire rose bush."

"Rose bush?" Odd, she didn't recall having a rose bush. She had brought a single rose with her from Metru Nui during the Great Rescue. How in the world was it now a bush?

"Yes." Jaller interrupted her thoughts. "Vakama and the Turaga used the seeds from your rose to plant it outside your door."

"Ah, well at least it gives him something to do. Keep him busy."

Jaller nodded. "He also wears your favorite ring on a cord around his neck."

She stared at him. She knew which ring he was referring to. It was the same ring she had worn around her neck when she first arrived on Metru Nui. It wasn't until she was older that she began to wear it on the middle finger of her right hand. She never took it off. Not until that day. She looked down at her hand and rubbed the bare finger. She had given it to Vakama as a way of saying she would come back. 'I will always return for what's mine.' She had said. Well, she had kept her promise…wait, how long HAS she been gone?

"Jaller? How long has it been since my death?"

"A thousand years." Was the hesitant reply.

She blinked. A thousand years? A thousand years?! Sheesh, she spends eight years on Earth only to come back to find that a thousand years have passed. I know I did not walk through a wardrobe somewhere. Then what Jaller said earlier registered with her and it made her heart sink.

"Vakama and the Turaga…mourned for me for a thousand years." It was more a statement than a question but Jaller nodded anyway. She drew her legs up and hugged her knees, her body trembling with withheld sobs. When she spoke, her voice was tight and heavy with grief.

"I want to see him Jaller. Please take me to see him."

The captain smiled up at her as he got to his feet. "You don't even have to ask." He beckoned with his hand as he turned to the village. "Come on."

Activating her Huna, she rose and followed him through the gates and across the bridge. She gazed at the outer walls with silent pride. Last she had seen it, the village was only halfway built. Now here it was, completed and standing strong. The Matoran had done well. When she voiced this, Jaller raised himself as tall as he could, seeming to puff up at her praise.

"Of course we've done well. We are Ta-Matoran after all. Everything we do is with excellence."

Seaqua refrained from rolling her eyes at this. Ta-Matoran, you give them an inch and they take off with a mile. She smirked as she followed her friend into the village. The minute her foot stepped over the threshold, she was struck with a sense of nostalgia. It really did feel like she had come home. She stood there, unmoving for a while, just taking everything in. The light brushing of a passing Ta-Matoran on her leg snapped her out of her daze and she hurried after Jaller to a hut at the southern end of the village. She briefly revealed herself to let him know where she was as she crouched near the door as he walked in. The next few minutes where tense. Nervousness gnawed fiercely at her stomach, making her sick. Resting a hand on the chiseled stone, she took several deep breaths to calm down. She distracted herself by watching the few Matoran who were still up as they went about making ready to go to their huts for a good night's rest; she caught sight of a group heading out with surfboards, no doubt hoping to snatch a few more "waves" before calling it a day. Lava surfing. Mata Nui, she missed that. If she ever got the time, she was so hitting the lava tubes. Especially at night when they are lit by nothing but the glow of the magma.

A tap on her shoulder brought her attention back to the present. Turning her head, she saw that Jaller was motioning for her. Deactivating her mask power, she drew near.

"Turaga Vakama is fast asleep. He has had a hard day today, being the anniversary and all."

Seaqua's eyes widened. Sweet Mata Nui! She came back on the anniversary of her "death"?! Talk about timing!

Taking a deep breath, she offered the captain a grateful nod as she stepped in. Jaller withdrew to his own hut knowing that awake or asleep, it did not matter to Seaqua as long as she saw her brother again. The first thing she saw upon entering was a blazing fire in the center of the room. Glancing around, she caught sight of a collection of gems, crystals and…rocks? She looked closer. Since when did 'Kama collect…oh wait, those were Mata Nui stones. A lot of Mata Nui stones. Yeesh, he's almost as bad as I am with my bead collection. She muttered to herself as she remembered the twenty-something containers of beads she had stored away back on Earth.

"Sister." The whimper made her turn to see a curled, red figure asleep on a stone bed. Treading quietly, she made her way over and slowly sat on the side. His hands were curled into tight fists in his robes and she could see the tear tracks on his Noble Huna in the firelight. A nightmare. She realized. He's remembering that day. The day I died.

Jaller and I had just finished our patrol for the day and I was getting ready to take first watch with Kapura when the attack happened.

"Toa! The Rahi are attacking the village!"

There were probably thirty-five or so Rahi making straight for Ta-Koro. The wall was only half finished and the temporary defenses would not hold out for long under such an assault. I knew the only way I had to protect my people and our new home was to face them. I run out to the incomplete gates.

"Quickly Captain, get the Turaga and the Matoran to safety! I will go and hold off the enemy."

With my brothers as Turaga, their powers were weakened. I would have to fight this battle on my own. For my father, my people, my brothers. Speaking of which,

"No, sister, I refuse to let you go put there! It's too dangerous!"

Vakama tried to warn me. He tried to get me to go with him to safety. But I was too stubborn. I refused to listen to him.

"Brother, I have no choice. I am Toa and as such it is my sworn duty to protect our people. I must go. I'm sorry."

I can never forget the pleading look in his eyes before I ran off to do battle. I still hear the desperation in his voice. The pure panic that made him scream after me, even after I was out of sight.

"No, young one, come back! Sister!"

I took on the Rahi, slaying many while forcing others to retreat. I had just managed to gain the upper hand when he showed up.

"Well, well, well, what have we here? Just what is a young Toa like you doing out here fighting all by your lonesome?"

I knew he was jesting, baiting me, pushing my buttons so that I would attack him. I kept quiet.

"Shouldn't you be defending your village? But here you are fighting these unimportant Rahi while the real threat is even now wiping out the last of the Matoran."

I knew he was lying, I knew Jaller had gotten everyone to safety in time. I knew they were alive.

"You're lying! The Matoran are alive. I know they are safe."

But what I didn't know…

"Are you sure? What if they didn't make it this time? What if a stray shot caused a landslide and it has buried your people beneath?"

What I was too tired and angry to figure out…

"What if I already killed them?"

Was that I had been the target all along.

"How DARE you threaten my family!"

In my rage, I foolishly attacked him. I lost all concentration, all focus. I was blinded by the sheer agony at the possibility that I had lost my beloved brother that nothing else mattered but vengeance.

"You so much as touch their masks and I swear I'll destroy you!"

He took advantage of my exhaustion and rage and while I got a few hits in, it did not do any serious damage to him. He pounded me, grabbed me by the legs and threw me into the surrounding trees and rocks, breaking my ribs and damaging my hips. He took hold of my head and slammed my mask, my face, into the hard ground continuously til my mask cracked. Then, he held me by my wrists and shot up into the sky, twisting my limp body this way and that, straining my wrists to the point of breaking. Finally, he stops. Releasing my wrists, he wraps his hand around my throat, choking me. He pulls me close and whispers in my ear,

"Name's Makuta Mutran by the way, not that it matters."

I only gaze at him in answer, unable to do anything.

"Farewell, Toa."

He drops me. I fall hard on my back on a slab of cooled igneous rock near the location of Ta-Koro. I can hardly breathe. I hear my brother's voice cry out my name but I do not respond. My strength, my life, is fading fast. My thoughts turn to my brothers and I hold on, desperate to see them all just once more. I feel warmth near me. I open my eyes. I do not remember closing them. I see the frantic, upside down mask of my brother. I shift my gaze. I am in Vakama's hut, lain near the sacred fire. A shuffling noise id heard to my left. I slowly turn my head. My Turaga brothers and sister are all here. Nokama tells me to rest, that everything will be fine. Matau begs for me to hurry up and get better-fine so that he can leap-race with me in the high- branch later. Nuju calmly requests that I heal up as I still have to help him with the Sanctuary seeing that the Wall of Prophecies has yet to be completed. Whenua informs me of a lightstone cavern that he is eager to show me. Onewa gruffly orders me to get back on my feet so that I can help him at the Quarry. Vakama, well, Vakama doesn't say anything. He just rubs his thumb on the side of my head, wiping at the blood that trickles from the side of my mouth, looking down at me sadly as I try to respond to the others' jests. But I can't. Tears blur my vision and I let them roll down my mask as I sense my time drawing to a close. I look out the window to see the first light of dawn. Gathering what little strength I had left, I clutch Vakama's arm in a death grip (no pun intended) with one hand while I reach out for the others with the other. It is caught and held fast by Nuju. I lock eyes with him and see the tear streaked Matatu. I lock eyes with each of the Turaga in turn as I begin to lose the fight. Finally, with one last effort, I manage to speak one last time.

"I love you…my brothers."

My world goes dark and the last thing I hear is the heartbroken wail of my family.

"NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Vakama stirs a bit, snapping Seaqua out of her memories. She closes her eyes, tilting her head back as she struggles to swallow back her sobs. I don't know how I managed to return to Earth, alive and unscathed. She gently rested a hand on the slumbering Turaga's shoulder. But not a day went by that I didn't try to come back. For eight years, I looked for a way to come back and never found it. But I'm back now and I'm never leaving you again, Vakama. Never again. Rising quietly, she laid a soft kiss on his cheek.

"I love you."

She turned to leave. She decided to go check on Takanuva and Tahu before retiring to her hut. She had only made it halfway across the room (seriously, what is with this girl and halfways?) when a voice called out behind her, freezing her in her tracks.

"Sea…qua?" That soft, calming voice that had made her feel safe so many times, had reassured her, soothed her, encouraged her. The voice she thought she would never hear again, struck a chord in her. Unable to stand it any longer, she fell to her knees and buried her head in her hands as her shoulders shook with muffled sobs. There was a rustling sound followed by hurried footsteps that came to a stop in front of her. But she refused to look up, even after a pair of warm hands removed hers from her face and she hears the sharp intake of breath.

"Seaqua?" The voice trembles as the grip tightens. "Is it really you?" Finally, she looks up into the tear-filled eyes of her beloved brother. She squeezes his hands as she manages a small smile. She could hardly respond but she manages.

"Yes 'Kama. It's me." Vakama's eyes fly wide in surprise. Before she knew it, Seaqua found herself held in a tight embrace that she didn't want to leave any time soon. Burying her head into his shoulder, she let the tears flow, finally cleansing her heart of the sorrow she had carried for so long.

"I'm home."