Chapter 7: Great Love

The Island of Mata Nui

Po-Koro

"Hey Len!" Mai waved to her godparent. "I just helped Po-Koro win a Kohlii match!"

"I had one of the best seats in the house." joked Len. "Would have been a better seat if I didn't have to watch Matau's terrible attempts at flirting and Mushu egging him on!"

"I thought Nokama and Matau were already a couple." Mai was confused.

"Oh, they are." Len laughed. "Except Nokama doesn't want it made public yet."

"Don't know what she's waiting for, though." Mushu chimed in. He hopped up to Len's shoulder. "Considering… well, you know, my eyes can see straight through her armor."

"And she didn't stab you with her trident?" asked Len, raising an eyebrow.

"If I don't announce it, I don't get hurt!" Mushu fired back. "Took one of Mulan's hard-slaps to get me to quick-learn…"

"Hard-slaps?" Len began piecing this information together. "Quick-learn? Mushu, I had no idea you knew Treespeak..."

"What, is that a problem?" Mushu went back to regular speech. "Pretty easy once you get the hang of it."

"So that's why you hang out in Le-Koro so much instead of doing the responsible thing and staying with us." Mai folded her arms.

"They know how to throw a party, I should get you kids an invitation sometime!" Mushu countered.

"OK, back to Nokama. Mushu, whatever you're trying to say, it's clearly something she doesn't want all over the island."

Mushu's eyes darted around to make sure nobody was listening. Then he whispered, "When I looked through her armor, I saw something moving…"

The island of Mata Nui

Ga-Koro

Nokama was back in Ga-Koro, on the beach. She was watching Mulan practice her usual moves, with the addition of Fire. When Mulan stopped and bowed, Nokama held out a package. "It's about time we gave you something," said Nokama. "A good number of Ta-Matoran have been hard at work on this."

Mulan hesitated.

"Go on, you can open it."

Mulan unwrapped the package and saw a staff. But it wasn't any old staff. It was made of a lightweight metal, with scarlet-and-bronze rising flames engraved from the edge of the outer thirds to the pointed ends.

"It's like your father's Flaming Staff in your story. It will help you focus your power."

Mulan was speechless. First, her father never had a Fire Staff (but she had let the tale slide for so long that there was no need to ruin it). Second, she had an inkling of what this meant. This was her Toa Tool. She was officially a Toa in the eyes of this island.

In a separate bundle, Mulan found scarlet armor plates. She donned the armor over her sunset-red training uniform with bronze trim. First she strapped on fingerless gauntlets that came slightly above her wrist, along with shin guards. Next she stepped into boots with toe-and-heel guards that would increase the impact of her kicks. Finally, she secured the brigandine that covered Mulan's shoulders, chest, and hips. Although the plates were solid pieces of metal, scale mail held them together.

Mulan found it light, and thanks to the scale mail components, easy to move in.

"It'll help you when you have to defend the island." explained Nokama. "Now come with me, I'm sure Ta-Koro would like to officially greet its new Toa."

The island of Mata Nui

Le-Koro

Kara leapt from treetop to treetop in Le-Koro, testing the limits of her flight abilities. The Le-Matoran had given her similar armor to Mulan's, in green and gold with mail that looked like leaves, as well as twin blades that she could use to focus her power over Air or put on her back like wings.

She flipped in mid-air, put her blades on her back, and took off higher and faster than before. "Wow! I can see why Lewa stays in the air!" she chuckled. From her vantage point, she could see Mulan walking in the direction of Ta-Koro with Nokama… then Nokama suddenly fell to her knees. Kara sensed something was wrong, and pushed her wings inward so she could speed up her descent. She didn't perform her signature loop, opting for a direct landing.

"Nokama! What's wrong?"

"Go… get a healer…" Nokama sounded weak as she started coughing up the remains of her breakfast. Kara literally took off.

"Uh oh…" Mulan got Nokama to rest in a soft clearing. "Get some rest. We can go to Ta-Koro later. I think I know what's going on."

The island of Mata Nui

Onu-Koro

"Toa Shang! Over here!" called Nuparu, tossing a kohlii ball. Shang had been learning the rules of kohlii. The sport was such an integral part of the island's culture, and he was enjoying the newness of the place and people. He was beginning to fully understand why Mulan rarely stuck to routine.

"On it!" Shang swung at the ball with his kohlii stick. Unfortunately, the stick was built for a Matoran, not a full-grown human. He thanked everything good that he was expected to wear armor now, as the ball grazed his wrist.

"May I use my Toa Tool instead?" asked Shang. "It at least has the mallet end…" Shang put down his kohlii stick and showed his Toa Tool - it resembled a labrys, except with wedge-shaped hammers instead of blades.

"Rules are rules." teased Nuparu.

Just then, a short figure with brownish-black armor, light green eyes, and a black vest secured with a pewter sash walked up. It was Turaga Whenua, leaning on his drill for support. Nuparu and Shang both bowed in respect.

"What is it, Turaga?" asked Shang, making sure to use the title.

"News from Le-Koro." Whenua's voice held a note of urgency. "Shang, do you have any… medical knowledge?"

"Yes," Shang answered, "my uncle was a doctor and taught me a lot."

"Good," said Whenua, "because your wives are trying to help Nokama. Le-Koro's best healer can't figure out what's going on with her. She has a sudden, mysterious illness..."

The island of Mata Nui

Le-Koro

Nokama wailed in agony as she felt the area between her legs stretching, almost ripping. No words in any language could express her pain.

"Shh, shh..." whispered Mulan, trying to comfort Nokama.

"I'm too old for this…" Nokama panted.

"Nokama." Kara held Nokama's hand, trying to make a diversion. "How old are you, anyway?"

"I'm six thousand years old."

"How old is that in human years?"

"In human years, I'm sixty."

"Tell me about when you first realized you loved Matau."

Nokama wrenched her arm out of Kara's grip and screamed, "I'm going to kill him for putting me through this!"

"Maybe stick with critically injuring him..." Kara shook her head before trying to lighten the mood, "The minute my strength came back after having twins, I punched Shang harder than I ever had."

Nokama tried to laugh but it came out as another scream.

"Mai was a big girl too." said Mulan. "We know your pain. You're strong, you can do this…"

"What's going on?"

"Shang?!" Mulan and Kara both whipped their heads around.

Kara took charge, "Shang, look somewhere else! Like, now!"

Shang wisely turned his back. "My uncle's a doctor…"

"Don't care!" snapped Mulan. "Nokama's giving birth, and that's not for men!"

Shang decided to leave. "Do you want me to get Matau?"

"Not until the baby's born!" Kara called after Shang.

The rest of the day passed. Kara had flown to Ga-Koro to bring Gali over. Gali, being a Water Toa, had strong healing abilities. She could help Nokama recover more quickly after the birth. Gali, Mulan, and Kara all kept care shifts for Nokama as day turned to night.

Finally, sunrise hailed in the jungle. Matau came down from the treetops just in time to hear a cry that was not Nokama's. He had tried coming down before, only to get a warning from Mulan... that consisted of fire around a raised fist. Now, he figured it was safe. He saw Gali and Mulan concocting a healing tea, while Kara watched. Nokama held a little baby girl. The baby had Matau's sparkling light green eyes, and Nokama's blue armor.

"She has my eyes…" Matau grinned. "And all the sweet-beauty of my love-dear."

"Well, what are you going to name her?" asked Kara.

"Aroha-Nui." whispered Nokama, smiling at her little daughter. "Great Love."

Matau tried to bond with his new baby by moving his fingers across Aroha-Nui's little arm. "Kitchy-kitcy-koo, daddy's giggle-tickling you!" Aroha-Nui giggled, landing two near-perfect roundhouse kicks on Matau's face.

"Ouch! Double-ouch!"

"Hey, Nokama… looks like you won't have to critically injure Matau after all." joked Kara. "Your little girl's doing a great job of that already."

The island of Mata Nui

Ga-Koro

Nokama had to be carried back to Ga-Koro, as she was still too weak to move. Gali did most of the lifting, with Mulan and Kara taking turns. Once home safely, they had some surprise visitors. Shang had returned with Len, the kids, and Mushu. "You've got some explaining to do, Mushu." said Len, crossing their arms. Mushu sighed loudly and explained that at the kohlii match in Po-Koro, he noticed something was up.

"Mushu, you knew Nokama was pregnant this whole time?!" Mulan's eyes went wide. "And you never told us?!"

"My eyes can see straight through armor, remember?"

"If I wasn't brewing a healing tea," threatened Mulan, "I'd slap you all over again."

"Shhh…" Matau seemed uncharacteristically calm. "Aroha-Nui and her mommy are quiet-resting." He gestured to mother and child, cuddled up safely in the hammock. Everyone left, except Matau. He gave a soft kiss to Nokama, whispering "My love-dear..." Then he kissed his daughter. "And our Great Love."