It didn't take long for Takua and Macku to figure out where Hewkii was, mainly because of his exuberant calling of their names mere moments after they had clambered out of their boat. It also helped that he was relatively tall, making it that much easier to spot his short, somewhat messy hair and – as Macku fondly described it – ruggedly handsome face. Bright orange eyes gleamed delightedly as Hewkii bounded over to his friends, catching Macku as she all but flung herself at him and proclaiming jovially. "Nice to see you made it! I was starting to wonder if I had to come rescue you two from a grumpy Turaga!"
Macku laughed as she straightened up and took a step back. "You almost had to; Takua slept in and needed some encouragement waking up."
The Chronicler in question huffed a bit, though his pout was clearly a joke and nothing more. "She dumped water on me!"
Hewkii grinned all the more at this. "Better you than me; I hate getting wet, and that's after Macku taught me how to swim!" He then turned his attention to Macku. "Maybe just roll him off the bed next time though? Might make it easier to wake him up without being so loud?"
"You've got your ways, I've got mine." She replied, giving an idle shrug before eyeing Hewkii with an almost impish gleam in her eyes. "So, the Po-Koro team, and any other details you know. I wanna hear 'em."
Takua merely smiled as his friends launched into a heavy discussion about their favorite sport, both talking with all the excitement and exuberance of a party-going Le-Matoran. It was endearing in a way, or so he thought, to see them both so giddy about the tournament. Sure, he wasn't much better half the time, but these two practically lived and breathed kolhii when they weren't busy helping out around their villages. Or, he thought with a small chuckle, sneaking off to meet up and hang out. Perhaps he would eventually tease them and say each sneak-out may as well be a date due to how close they were; he had toyed with this notion a few times already, and had only held back out of courtesy so far. Though, he had to admit embarrassing Macku was a tempting chance at revenge for her rather undesired method of waking him up.
"Hey Takua, who plays for Ta-Koro?"
The seventeen year old blinked. "Huh?"
Hewkii laughed. "Well, you already know that Macku and Hahli are playing, and that Hafu and I are playing, so it's only fair that you tell us who's playing for Ta-Koro."
"Oh, right." Takua smiled sheepishly, unwilling to admit he'd been daydreaming about teasing his friends. "Jaller and I are representing our village. Not sure who's playing for the others though, so can't help you there."
"Rats." Hewkii commented, grinning a little. "I'd been sure you of all people would know. Guess I'll just have to pester Turaga Onewa until he either tells me, or tries hitting me."
Macku giggled a bit. "Only you would get a laugh out of Turaga harassment, Hewkii; you're probably the only one who can outrun them without a head start."
The Po-Matoran's grin broadened, hands on his hips as he proudly puffed out his chest. "I take pride in knowing I can outrun Turaga Onewa; only other person I know who can do that is Toa Pohatu."
Takua found himself laughing with his friends now, already imagining the grand chases around Po-Koro where Turaga Onewa eventually just gave up. Most of the Turaga were either fast enough to swing their staff and clock their target, a few didn't even have to strike to get the point across. Turaga Onewa was neither fast enough or scary enough, but what he lacked in speed he could readily make up for with endurance, and that rarely ran out before whoever he was chasing actually slowed down. In fact, the only reason Onewa couldn't catch Pohatu was probably because of his mask power, and nothing more.
A sudden movement caught the Chronicler's attention, causing him to blink and glance around. Had that been a Rahi? Or was that a person? Curiosity won over and he started walking, seemingly unnoticed by his conversing companions. He normally wound up on the sideline during kolhii discussions between Hewkii and Macku anyway, never really having the heart to butt in on their fun. It was fine by him though; it meant he could satisfy his curiosity while they chattered, and they could listen to his adventurous tales when he returned from them.
Soon Takua had vanished into the tree line, looking around with utmost curiosity as he searched for clues that might tell him more about what he thought he saw. Further and further from his friends, the hard-to-follow trail soon led Takua to a gap in the foliage...
And into the presence of the strange, robed figure with glowing red eyes. For several seconds, all the seventeen year old could do was stare, involuntarily shivering as he came to realize that the man's shroud was not cloth. Instead, it was rippling shadow, veritable sheets of darkness clinging to his frame like countless layers of gossamer fabric held captive in an eerie, swaying motion, as though caught in a soft and sinister breeze.
"It's a good thing you chose to follow me, boy." A soft, almost husky voice remarked. "The future of this paradise you so desperately love could depend entirely on it."
Takua shuddered at the grim stranger's words. The future of Mata Nui could depend on his curiosity? Could depend on HIM? How? And why? Instead of asking this, however, Takua could only manage three shaken words. "Wh-who are you?"
"That hardly matters." The being replied, his unblinking eyes staring vigilantly into Takua's. "What matters is that you unearth long hidden secrets, knowledge unwritten and lost to the whims of time and memory. A shadow is growing in the heart of serenity, biding its time until all strength will fail to stop it. Only secrets buried in the core of all fires, exposed only by the lifeblood of Mangai, will save what you cherish."
The Chronicler shrunk back a step, his face pale and his sapphire eyes wide. "Why me?" He sputtered nervously. "I-I love adventure, but something this big? That kind of stuff should be told to the Toa, not me."
"The Toa are too obvious." The shrouded one replied, almost briskly. "They draw attention everywhere they go, watched by darkness and mocked in the void. No, the Toa are useless for this endeavor. It must be you." A darkness-wreathed hand pointed at Takua now as the stranger's tone grew firm, almost sharp and demanding. "Go. Find the miraculous within the mundane, and protect everything held dear to you. Tell nobody of my words; doing so would threaten more than mere privacy."
Takua cringed again, sputtering feebly in his attempt to make sense of what he had been told. "But-"
"Don't question me." The figure cut in darkly. "There is no time for wasting, especially when swift action is paramount. Do nothing, and the world's end will be yours to carry."
Before the Chronicler could speak again, he found his world suddenly going black, and while he was still quite conscious he had no means to tell him which way was which. Panicking, Takua turned in what he hoped was a complete about-face and stumbled forward, panic leaving him grasping wildly for any form of support. Instead, however, he found himself tripping, something smashing against his head and throwing him into oblivion.
He wasn't entirely sure how long it was until he woke up, only that something wet and cold was on his forehead. Good thing too, because along with conscious awareness came a violently bad headache. "Oww..."
Blue eyes weakly fluttered open as Takua tried to figure out where he was. He could hear the faint sound of waves somewhere nearby, his vision a blurry haze of green, intermittent patches of blue dotting here and there among the more dominant shades. Slowly everything came into focus, bringing Takua to the realization that he was in Ga-Koro. Had it all been a dream? Had he merely rolled off his bed earlier that morning and bumped his head on something?
Part of him certainly hoped that was the case. As much as grand adventures and finding ancient secrets was exciting, he rather didn't fancy doing so with the threat of unspeakable doom hovering over him if he failed. That kind of risk could put a damper on any walk-about. Deciding he would simply hope it was all a crazy dream, Takua carefully sat up and – after setting aside the cloth that had been on his forehead – eased himself off the bed, only to find himself face-to-face with Turaga Nokama, and the late realization that he was in the village leader's house rather than Macku's.
Instantly he sat back down.
"Good, you're actually awake." Nokama said, frowning mildly in concern as she studied him. "I was starting to wonder if I would have to send you home unconscious or not."
The seventeen year old blinked. "You... were?" He hesitantly inquired. "How long was I out of it?" Surely it hadn't been that long...
"A day and a half."
Apparently it had been, and at first Takua could only gape at her in bewilderment, if not alarm. Naturally, this also meant the first comment out of his mouth was, perhaps, a bit daft. "You're kidding."
Nokama's concerned frown turned into an annoyed one rather quickly. "Apparently whatever you cracked your head on also stole your recollection of which Turaga finds things like personal health to be a joke. Now, before you accuse me of having Matau's sense of humor again, why don't you tell me what happened? Hewkii and Macku said they found you already unconscious in the trees."
So much for everything just being a dream. "I... don't really remember." Takua lied awkwardly, remembering the threats of the shrouded man. "It's kind of a dark blur."
Nokama wasn't convinced. "You remember full well what happened, Takua. If you don't want to talk about it you should have said so."
"... Should have?"
The Turaga's frown grew. "Yes. Because if you would've just said that, I wouldn't be half as suspicious as I am now."
"Oh."
A few moments passed in silence, Nokama watching him impatiently. "Well?"
There was no avoiding it now, and Takua knew it. He was doomed to be pestered until he spilled.
So he told her everything.
