The first thing Vakama consciously felt was a gentle, soothing warmth spilling lightly over his face, and an odd, friendly light washing over his features as though asking him to open his eyes and look at it. Reluctant eyelids slowly lifted, squinting as the vibrancy of the sun fell upon his eyes for the first time in months.

Wait... Sunlight? Genuine sunlight?

Vakama shifted slightly and turned his head so he could look around, quickly registering the appearance of a generally tidied room in the Great Temple. How did he get here? This wasn't where he'd been when Roodaka struck him down, and there certainly hadn't been a bed to land on when he fell. And the sunlight... pure, golden sunlight shone down around him as he lay there under the window, illuminating and warming all that it touched. It was so peaceful and quiet, everything feeling as though the Visorak crisis had been nothing more than a horrible and prolonged nightmare. And yet, there was something about the peace that seemed almost too peaceful, as if some source of noise that had been constantly in the background had been removed. But what was it?

Puzzled but not concerned enough to care all that much, Vakama eased himself into a sitting position... and stared down at his chest in utter bewilderment. Smooth, perfectly healthy skin greeted his view, marred only by a faint scar to remind him of the last, nerve-wracking moments in the battle against Roodaka. Shakily, the twenty-six year old raised his hands in front of himself, studying the scaleless, clawless digits on each in disbelief and wonderment. Was he really himself again? Was this some sort of vision or vivid dream? Was this some form of afterlife he'd been sent to? How was he to even know for certain?

Questions flooded his mind as Vakama eased himself over so his legs dangled off the bed, the cool stonework sending shivers through him as his normal looking, rather sensitive feet rested flat against the floor. Part of him wasn't even sure if he wanted to try and stand, fearing that doing so might wake him from the miracle he was experiencing. However, eager hope and excitement drove him to his feet, a bit wobbly but soon standing tall and as proud as he ever really was. Shakily, he stepped forward, stumbling as he fought for balance that he no longer had, thanks to his regained lack of tail. However, instead of being disheartened by this, Vakama started to chuckle, smiling as he struggled to become reacquainted with his newly restored body.

Seconds slowly trickled into minutes as the twenty-six year old practiced stumbling about his room, laughing quietly as he tottered around in complete, child-like enjoyment of his own clumsiness. He wanted to run and dance, to climb and tumble until he had mastered his own motions as he'd done once before. But that was when a new thought came to him.

If Vakama was himself, were the others restored too?

Excitement swelled within him like a fountain as the Toa of Fire tottered to the door and pushed it open, his heart racing with anticipation as every step he took grew stronger. Perhaps for the first time in his life, Vakama was eager to see Matau and Onewa, to see their smiling, normal faces, faces that he could barely remember after everything they had all suffered through as Hordika. But most of all, he wanted to see Nokama, void of scales and gills, lacking webbed fingers and feet. He wanted to see her smile and hear her laugh, to feel her hold him the way she used to do when there had been less chaos.

As Vakama made his way down the Temple corridor, he paid no mind to the signs of destruction he passed, ignoring any stray bits of rubble and web that betrayed the terrifying events of the Visorak crisis. He could hear laughter quietly echoing to him from the foyer, voices he knew to belong to Whenua and Nuju. Oh how he had longed to hear mirth such as theirs, and for how long! Shaky steps quickened as the twenty-six year old followed the calls of happiness and bright futures, tears of joy threatening to well in his eyes as he rounded the final corner and stepped into the Great Temple foyer.

There they stood no more than twenty feet away, Whenua void of the dismal grey hide and hunched posture that had stolen his young and cheerful air away. His hair was finally somewhat tidy, the smears of dirt washed from his now healthy and normal skin, his glittering emerald eyes holding nothing but hope for the future.

Nuju looked just as at peace and happy as Whenua did, the cold, feral gleam that once haunted his eyes now replaced with an expression of softness and warmth, their icy blue tones now more reminiscent of a fresh sprinkling of snow rather than a violent and tumultuous storm. The fur that had once covered his arms, back, and legs, was utterly gone, the twenty-eight year old able to stand as he once did instead of holding an almost clumsy seeming posture so his previously deformed legs would carry him properly. No more was there a fur-coated tail to aid him in his balance, allowing Nuju to hold his head high with no need to adjust an extra limb in order to do so.

Vakama's smile became a grin as he moved towards them, his own eyes quickly showing the utter and complete glee he felt at seeing them back to normal. "Whenua!" He called eagerly. "Nuju!"

No sooner had he spoken, than his Brothers turned to look at him, relief washing visibly over them both. "Vakama you're awake!" Whenua exclaimed. "WE were starting to worry that you weren't ever going to come around!"

The twenty-six year old blinked as he came to a stop before them. What was Whenua talking about? "You... thought I wasn't going to wake up? How long have I been asleep?"

"A week, if not almost two." Nuju explained, grimacing slightly. "After you and Roodaka hit each other, there was a bright red flash of light and the Visorak all fled. Roodaka vanished in the midst of the chaos, and by the time everything had settled, you looked as though you..." He sighed. "You looked like you were dead. You'd even stopped breathing for a little while, actually. Even after Iruini used his healing powers, you didn't so much as twitch."

"Even Keetongu's powers changing you back didn't do much, honestly." Whenua added. "And we'd all been sure that would do something."

Vakama blinked again. "Keetongu...? They... they actually found him?"

"Yep." Whenua replied with a small grin. "Apparently he wasn't going to help them either, until Tahu lost his temper and, to use Pohatu's phrasing, 'went on such a powerful rant that even Teridax would be cowed'. Something about Onua being mutated had a hand in it too, I think." The Earth Toa shrugged. "However it went, Keetongu is here. He's helping make sure all the Matoran capsules are accounted for right now. Your timing on waking up is perfect actually; we've just about got everything sorted out so we can leave. It's been agreed on that Metru Nui isn't safe enough for us to wake up the Matoran here and start rebuilding, so we're moving to the island that the Toa Mata and Lhikan went to. By the sounds of it, the place is a paradise."

Vakama had to take a moment in order to fully process what he had just been told. "Are the Rahaga and Keetongu coming too?"

Nuju shook his head. "Just us, the Toa Mata, and the Matoran. Frigus is staying here as well to help try to make the city inhabitable again. Norik said that their destinies were different than ours, and they were needed to do other tasks than us. Frigus also pointed out that they don't look normal and that it might spook the Matoran if they saw him. Apparently Keetongu can't fix what happened to the Rahaga, and Frigus has been a Hordika so long that it's become permanent. Said we're lucky that we were cured when we were; much longer and we would've been the same as Frigus. As it was, Keetongu wasn't sure if he could even cure you."

This was a lot for Vakama to try and take in. So much that he felt the need to find somewhere to sit down, and wound up being gently guided to the floor by his Brothers so he didn't fall and hurt himself. After everything the Rahaga had done, everything they had helped the Toa Metru through, they couldn't be restored? How was that fair? And Frigus, the sole survivor of Mihkoro's team, couldn't even be given his true form back after everything that'd happened? What kind of reward was that?

"It's not fair..." Vakama said finally, his voice weak as he shook his head. "They deserve freedom the most, and they're the ones who have to keep suffering? It isn't right!"

"I know." Nuju said grimly. "But we can't let that ruin the part that really matters. We've saved the Matoran, and put a stop to Roodaka's plan. We can't leave that uncelebrated." The pale Toa paused a moment before carefully pulling Vakama back to his feet and holding him upright. "Come on, there's someone who wants to see you outside. We'd best not keep her waiting."

As he was guided along, Vakama's mind strayed back over everything that had happened, and what he'd been told. It was finally over. A nightmare that took what felt like years to escape was finally at its end. No more Visorak, no more risk of being trapped as half Toa and half Rahi. No more sarcastic, cynical voice in the back of his mind to tell him just how badly he was doing. Everyone was safe, and free. There would be no more running and hiding, no more need to constantly watch over their shoulders for danger. It was just peace ahead of them now. Peace, and a new life. A bittersweet notion, in its own way, but one that Vakama would accept. He was ready to stop being a hero, and he had a feeling that the rest of his team was more than willing to agree. The time of the Toa Metru was over, and soon the time of the Toa Mata would fully begin. All they had to do was leave, and as Nokama came into view ahead of him, Vakama smiled a bit more. Yes, it was time to step down from the role he had been put in so long ago. Now he would take time for himself, and for the people he loved. And he would enjoy every moment, knowing that he could live the rest of his days without fear.

For the first time since he became a Toa, Vakama was fully at peace.

^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^

A few weeks later found Vakama and Nokama walking together along the beach of their new island home, hand in hand as the serenity of the flawless sunset bathed them in gentle, orange light. They were Turaga now, their elemental power all but stripped from them when they woke the Matoran from their stasis-like states. "Do you miss it?" Nokama asked softly, her voice quiet as she stared out at the ocean. "Being a Toa?"

Vakama smiled wistfully and shook his head. "No. I miss our city, our way of life, but I do not miss being a Toa. Do you?"

"A little." She confessed, lightly squeezing his hand as she thought it over. "I miss the feeling of controlling the water, and the comfort of the waves. But I would not trade what we have now to get it back." Nokama looked at him and smiled. "I am happier here with you than I ever was with my power and no time to have for myself."

Vakama's cheeks flushed a little. "Well, I am glad to hear it. I would hate to be here alone, and there is no other person I would want to enjoy this place with more than you."

Nokama Laughed quietly, her own cheeks growing a bit pink as she held onto his arm and lightly rested her head on his shoulder. "Look at us; a pair of fools reminiscing about a past that hurt us so much, and saying we would rather be here than protect the world. Are we selfish to see it that way?"

The Fire Turaga laughed and shook his head. "A fool would want the power back without realizing what they lost in order to obtain it. We have done our part to save the world, Nokama; let someone else protect it for us now. We fought hard, and suffered through more than most could even imagine." He paused a moment to rest his head gently against hers, kissing the top of it before sighing contentedly and speaking again. "Our chapter in t his tale is over now, I think. Now we can relax and enjoy the peace we have earned, knowing that we will never have to fight again."

"Mmm... It sounds wonderful." Nokama murmured softly, giggling a little as she mulled it through. "Just a happy ending for us to enjoy together, with no one to tell us no... I am looking forward to the years ahead, Vakama. I have a good feeling about them."

"As do I." He agreed, shifting to hold Nokama in a close embrace. "As do I."