Authraw:Nope, it's not the last chapter... There is one more chapter after this one.
Ar1502599: I can't tell you who gets Eli, because that would spoil the sequel (If I get around to writing it and posting it). And I guess Takanuva wouldn't be one of the original, but he is part of their "family circle", I guess. So Takanuva is neutral. I hope that answers your question.
Chapter 20: Consequences:
Tahu walked after Eli, the two Toa chatted quietly until they reached El-Koro. Eli looked him in the eye smiling.
"Look, Eli, I'm sorry about what happened earlier. It's my fault. I started the fight," Tahu said shyly.
"Well, Tahu, there is always a consequence for our actions. I hope we really have learned our lesson," Eli told him. "But of course, if we didn't, I wouldn't have been revived."
"I'm so sorry," Tahu said again.
"Tahu, it was meant to happen. Really, for the most part, there was nothing you could've done."
"I know..." Tahu said slowly. Eli turned and began to walk away. "Wait!" Tahu called grabbing her hand. Then he released it. Tahu looked down at the ground embarrassed. He kept changing his weight from foot to foot. Eli chuckled and then a frown slipped onto her face.
"You do realize you will have to tell Turaga Vakama about what happened. If you don't, he will find out..." Eli said mysteriously.
"I know," Tahu said, and Eli turned her back and left him standing there.
XXXX
Tahu felt that this would be the only time that he did not want to be in, or even near, Ta-Koro. Tahu went to his hut, and did not stop for anything, except to exchange a few words with the Captain of the Guard. After his moment with Jaller, he moved quickly to his hut, and was tried to catch some sleep, but was unable to even settle down. The thoughts of the past days troubled him.
Tahu shut his eyes, but still was unable to rest. With an infuriated sigh, he got up from his bed and walked himself to the Turaga's hut. Vakama had his back to the doorway.
"Turaga Vakama?" Tahu said. Vakama turned to Tahu.
"Ah, Toa Tahu, where were you this morning?"
"I need you to come with me to Ko-Koro. Kopaka, Eli and I need to talk."
"If it is just the three of you that need to talk amongst yourselves, why would I need to come along?" Vakama asked. Tahu did not answer right away. He was searching for the right words.
"The three of us need to sort something out," Tahu replied. Vakama studied him.
"Something troubles you, Toa."
"I would rather not speak of it here. I wish to talk about it with Kopaka, Eli and Nuju around," Tahu told him. Vakama looked him in the eye.
"Something important has happened and you wish to explain it to me...Toa Tahu wishes to apologize for something," Vakama said. Tahu tore his gaze away from the Turaga of Fire.
"Yes, Turaga..."
"So be it," Vakama said. "I will gather my belongings."
Tahu waited nervously outside Vakama's hut. After a minute, Vakama appeared outside his hut.
"We go," Vakama demanded.
Tahu and Vakama traveled to El-Koro. Vakama looked at El-Koro curiously, but said nothing.
"I will wait here," Vakama clarified. Tahu nodded and walked into the cave.
Tahu found Eli monitoring the construction of the kolhii stadium. Tahu walked up to her unnoticed, and rested his arm on her shoulder. Eli jumped and looked at Tahu.
"Tahu? What are you doing here?" Eli asked him. Tahu thought about what he would say.
"Finishing what I started," Tahu replied. Eli looked at him, then beyond the cave entrance, spotting Vakama. Eli looked back at Tahu.
"So, you brought Vakama? It must be hard knowing you might lose the trust of your own Turaga," Eli warned with a hint of freshness and sincerity.
Tahu felt himself getting angry, but calmed himself down with difficulty.
"Yes, of course I'll come with you. But don't expect me to come to the rescue when Vakama gets just a mad as you would," Eli clarified.
"Thanks," Tahu said sarcastically.
"I'll meet you in Ko-Koro," I have something else to do first."
"Okay, I will fetch Kopaka," Tahu confirmed.
"What is Kopaka? A rahi dog?" Eli inquired jokingly.
Tahu rolled his eyes. "No," he said and waled out of the cave.
"Where is Eli?" Vakama asked.
"She has something else to see to first, but she will join us eventually," Tahu informed. Vakama nodded and began to walk towards Ko-Koro. Tahu followed him through the snow. As they reached Ta-Koro, guards looked at the Toa and Turaga of Fire, but said nothing, not even amongst themselves.
Vakama began to drift in another direction, away from Tahu.
"Turaga? Where are you going?" Tahu asked.
"To summon Nuju," was all Vakama said as he walked away.
Tahu heaved a sigh and headed towards Kopaka's hut. Kopaka was in his hut, as Tahu had suspected, and he was staring lifelessly at the ceiling.
"Kopaka?" Tahu asked stepping into his hut. Kopaka raised his head and looked at Tahu.
"What do you want?" Kopaka snapped.
"We need to do what's right," Tahu said. Kopaka got to his feet and stared into Tahu's eyes.
"Tell them we both destroyed a life? A life that we both cared for? So, finally, a single smart thought finds its way into that head of yours you call a brain," Kopaka sneered still staring into Tahu's eyes, challenging him.
Tahu kept himself prepared for an attack from Kopaka, so Tahu kept hi hand tightened around a single magma sword, which he had just summoned.
Kopaka looked amused, watching stand there, magma sword in hand. Kopaka produced his own blade and it glowed its bright ice-blue color as he waved it in front of Tahu's face.
Tahu stepped back and rubbed the back of his head as his magma sword disappeared.
"Look, this is how it started before. We can't have it happen again," Tahu said. Kopaka considered this.
"Indeed it did," Kopaka concluded removing his weapon from sight.
"Finally," you and Kopaka have learned to settle your own disputes...for the most part," Eli said from the doorway glaring at Kopaka. Kopaka and Tahu did not expect Eli to be standing in the doorway, so they jumped in surprise.
"Uh, thanks?" Tahu said with a shrug. Eli smiled wryly.
"Nuju, Matoro, and Vakama await your arrival at the suva," Eli informed them.
"Okay, thank you," Kopaka said nodding pulling Tahu and Eli out the door.
XXXX
The two Turaga and Matoro stood patiently around the suva.
"Toa," Matoro said with a bow. The three Toa nodded briefly in return. Nuju clicked and whistled a comment.
"Matoro?" Tahu said with a nervous glance to Vakama.
"Turaga Nuju says 'can we just get on with this?" Matoro translated and then merely shrugged.
Tahu cleared his throat. "This morning..." Tahu hesitated, "something terrible happened."
No one spoke for a minute. Finally, Vakama spoke.
"What happened this morning, Toa?" he asked.
"It was all an..." Eli started.
"Tahu and I had a fight," Kopaka interrupted.
Nuju clicked something.
"Turaga Nuju says that 'you two fight all the time,"Matoro said. Tahu looked to Kopaka.
"Except this time we got a little carried away," Tahu said.
"A little?" Eli cut in. Kopaka glared at her.
Sorry, Eli thought slightly hiding behind Tahu.
"How carried away?" Vakama demanded.
"Uh...using powers against each other..." Tahu told him guiltily.
Vakama looked at Nuju, who caught his stare. Matoro looked fearful, wondering what either of the Turaga's next comments would be.
"What happened?" Vakama asked.
"To make it short: We killed Eli," Kopaka said quietly. Vakama looked confused and angry at the same time.
"How could Toa Eli be dead if she's standing right here?" Matoro spoke up without permission.
"It was meant to happen," Eli said steeping out from behind Tahu, ignoring Matoro.
"What do you mean it was meant to happen?" Vakama asked her.
"It was written in the prophecy. My entire death."
Nuju whistled something in response.
"What prophecy?" Matoro said, interpreting.
Eli recited the riddle. "It happened here, in Ko-Wahi," Eli explained again. "It was meant to happen. "The fight, the revival.
"But still...it could have been avoided," Vakama said.
"Well, technically speaking, it could not have been avoided," Eli corrected rubbing her head. "It was written in the prophecy and there was nothing you could've done," Eli repeated feeling slightly impatient.
Nuju commented with a loud series of clicks and whistles.
"If it was written in the prophecy, then wouldn't you know that your death would come with a fight between Toa Tahu and Toa Kopaka?" Matoro translated struggling to keep up with Nuju's words.
"No," Eli said simply rubbing her head again. "The whole idea is confusing—
"Like you wouldn't believe," Tahu cut in.
"Let's just put it this way," Eli continued. "Prophecy said I would die, didn't know it would happen, nothing you could've done, I die, I'm revived, everybody's happy."
"Okay," Vakama said with a puzzled look.
"Stupid headache," Eli muttered. "I think this meeting is over," Eli said excusing herself.
"Eli, you are dismissed," Vakama said.
Eli bowed and scurried away, but not far. Tahu could still see her as he tried to sneak away.
"TOA TAHU! YOU WILL WHERE YOU ARE!" Vakama's tempered voice hit the Fire Toa like a large stone hammer from Po-Koro.
Tahu froze and turned slowly to the Turaga of Fire. Tahu noticed Kopaka's amused smirk.
XXXX
Eli watched Tahu, Kopaka and their Turaga from behind a Ko-Matoran hut.
This conversation was going to be interesting
XXXX
Matoro looked up at Kopaka with large green eyes.
"T-Toa?" Matoro stuttered. Kopaka looked down at the small Matoran.
"Yes, Matoro?"
"I-I...I looked...I...you were my hero...I looked up to you. Now...I-I'm not so s-sure," Matoro squeaked in a small voice.
Matoro looked shocked at himself for speaking those words to a Toa, and he too, hurried away.
Kopaka looked at Nuju, who was shaking his head in disapproval. Nuju turned his back and began to walk away.
"Turaga..?" Kopaka said. Nuju just looked at him with sad eyes. The same, sad look Kopaka had seen in Matoro's eyes just moments before.
Eli appeared at his side. Kopaka glanced at her. She was staring at the ground.
"Why do I feel the whole thing was my fault?" Eli asked him quietly.
Kopaka turned himself so he was facing the Toa of Love, and then lifted her chin with his fingertips so he was staring into her eyes.
"There was nothing you could've done. It was meant to happen," he said with a small smile. "Come on, I'll take you home."
"Thanks. But, wait just a minute," Eli said jogging towards the watching Tahu. When she reached him, Tahu was staring at the ground.
"Hi..." Tahu said as Eli approached him.
"No more fights, okay?" Eli warned. "And hey, chin up. You're the fearless Toa of Fire," she teased. Eli gave a small wink and left with Kopaka.
Vakama sighed loudly. Tahu looked down at the village elder. Tahu had forgotten he was there. Vakama was staring after Eli and Kopaka.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Toa," Vakama said slowly. "Whether it was written in a prophecy or not, you still attempted to hurt...or kill another Toa."
"I know," Tahu said quietly. Tahu did not say anything for a minute. "Turaga?" Tahu asked. Vakama looked up at the Toa.
"Yes, Tahu?"
"When I was about to be thrown into the crevasse, the one I told you about, Shadow Eli took something from me. She took the Vahi, the Mask of Time. I-I never got it back."
Vakama sighed deeply.
"I fear it may be in Makuta's clutches," Tahu told him.
"Indeed, Tahu," Vakama said, sifting through his memories. "I made that mask..." he said absentmindedly.
"Tahu looked at Vakama with a puzzled look upon his face. What thoughts lay behind that Mask of Concealment?
Realizing what he had said, Vakama said nothing more, and left Tahu watching the twin suns set.
WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! (Quoting Darknightofspira) Chapter finished! You probably don't know this, but the whole thing with Eli and Tahu and the whole "keep your chin up" was something I had taken from a drawing that I was going to do. I had a story behind the picture that I never actually drew. It was this whole thing how Eli was only temporarily there, and when she was basically leaving, her "ghost" noticed how sad Tahu was, and did what she did in this chapter. Okay, whatever, on with the song.
"How could you know
That behind my eyes a sad girl cried
And
how could you know
That I hurt so much inside
And how could you
know
That I'm not the average girl
I'm carrying the weight of
the world
YEAH!
So can you get me outta here
Take me
away
We'll jump in the car
Drive till the gas runs out and then
walk so far
That we can't
See this place anymore
Take a day
off
Give it a rest
So i can forget about this mess
If I
lighten up a little bit,
Then i will be
Over It
I'm playin
the role
Of the happy girl
But no one knows
Inside I'm
alone
But i would never let it show
I get everyday
Too much
work and not enough play
Over and over
It's always the
same
YEAH!
But you can make everything OK...
Take me
away
We'll jump in the car
Drive till
the gas runs out and then walk so far
That we can't
See this
place anymore
Take a day off
Give it a rest
So i can forget
about this mess
If I lighten up a little bit,
Then I will
be
Over It
Over it
And when the world is closin' in
I can
leave it all and just walk away
I can always start all over
again
I am closer to a better day
Take me away
We'll jump
in the car
Drive till the gas runs out and then walk so far
That
we can't
See this place anymore
Take a day off
Give it a
rest
So I can forget about this mess
If I lighten up a little
bit,
Then I will be
Take Me Away
Take Me Away
Take Me
Away
We'll jump in the car
Drive till the gas runs out and then
walk so far
That we can't
See this place anymore
Take a day
off
Give it a rest
So I can forget about this mess
If I
lighten up a little bit,
Then i will be
If I lighten up a
little bit,
Then i will be
Over It
Over It
I am Over It."
-Anneliese Van Der Pol "Over It"