Kora: Mata Nui

Chapter Ten:

A Spirit That Learns

Matau's home was half dug into the great tree and half build out of it like a cabin. Most of the structures of Le-Koro was like this though there was some that stood alone or connected clusters of tree houses in the branches. There were winding boardwalks all over, connecting everything. Below were safety nets, many of them scattered in different levels and under most of all the bridges.

There were some cables, looking more like braided cords, in a few stations. They were connected to elevators of sorts that dropped down to the roots of these massive trees for those not so adept at scampering up bark and/or branches. Namely, visitors from the other villages of the island. There was one elevator that lifted higher up to another large structure that was both elaborate and simple at the same time.

If asked what that structure was, the asker would be informed with much amusement that it was Lewa's Kini. The temple of air where the Le-Matoran honored their guardian spirit, the element he represented as well as the Great Spirit. Lewa apparently had a smaller Suva as well that could be considered his home, but in all honestly the Toa of air rested just anywhere that was comfortable, not just in the Suva.

Although Lewa did keep some small treasures and offerings he favored at his Suva.

But, back to the home of Le-Koro's Turaga. It had several wide open windows to let the breeze in one side and out another. The inside proved to be more then big enough for several humans or Matoran (or Turaga as the case was sometimes) with some space over head. Yet no Tao would ever fit inside, maybe one of the smaller Kora once they were fully 'grown.'

The 'hut' also proved to be quite full, so to say, with the walls that had carvings in them as well painting of so many different things. There were also hand carving of the same things and more that were made of wood and stone. Some of those carving were a hybrid of both, as well as metal tools that gleamed in the dawn sunlight that crept in.

On one of the windowsills were charging light stones from the night before- Bionicle may have better eyes than humans, but Matau was a Turaga no matter how much he protested his age. Almost no space was wasted in his home, or left bare, even the ceiling! That had an assortment of weapons that were fixed up there. Those were referred to as 'Toa Tools' rather than weapons as they looked like.

Matau without his staff had an almost hopping, sideways gate as he walked around. Starting his far from set morning routine, no fire was made since even in the golden tinged light of the early morning it was already warmer than the night. It was going to be a hot day as it was in other words. He went over to poked his head out of the main door, a hide flap curled up like on the windows to, to look around at the village that was as alive in the day light as it was in the night.

Just like any other of the villages.

The Bionicle, the Matoran, didn't fallow day and night like on Earth, the full 'day' (sunrise to the next sunrise) was about 36 hours not 24. So, the Matoran worked until they were tired and then slept until they weren't. It was just that simple, like many true facts in life.

The aged Turaga hopped over to the cot he had put in to his hunt and rested his hand on the shoulder of the Kora that had been sleeping most of her rest periods here. Not that Matau minded it, it let him keep an eye on her, and there had not been a glimpse of the Makuta shadow sickness.

Lee stirred at the touch, lifted her head to blink bleary eyed at the Turaga who was grinning in his way, eyes squinting in a cretin way at the edges. The Kora hid her head under the light blanket that was used more for keeping bugs away than to keep warm.

Matau chuckled, "Come little Korasister, it is a goodfine morning."

"Mrphet?"

The Turaga shook his head, years of interpreting sleepy Matoran let him understand the mumbled worlds without a mask of translation, "Nooo, it is time to rise." He nudged the Kora enough to annoy and wake her up, but not to harm, "Toahero Lewa is to teach you of your element today."

Although there was the chance Toa Lewa was asleep in his Suva or out in the jungle as well. The spirit of air had been in the village for nearly three days, awake the whole time. Toa could go much longer than Matoran without the need for sleep, Matau knew this all too well. Today was the day that the Kora was to learn more of the element she shared with the elder Toa, even if Matau had to go up to the Suva to poke Lewa in the head with his staff until the guardian woke up.

That was surprisingly affective.

Matau had learned of that trick from Vakama actually, and later one found it also worked on Pohatu.

Right now though, the Turaga was herding the wavering Kora out of his hut with shooing motions and into the capable care of one of the Le-Koro pilots. "Thank you Kernchild."

"Kern?" Lee echoed the name, perking up some as she actually looked around for her first and thus far best friend in this world.

"Here Korasister," The pilot reached out, not just tolerating the affectionate hug he received in lue of a 'good morning,' but wrapped his arms around the young Kora and spun her around.

Turaga Matau leaded against the door frame of his home and watched as the children left to hunt down a morning meal, and probably Kern giving in to give Lee another ride on the Matoran's Gakko stead. Most of all Matoran were children to his eyes now thanks to what he had become for a time, and his age.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.

If there was one nice thing about being small, it was you could get free back rides!

It helped immensely when the Matoran you're clinging to was the big brother type. Lee hugged Kern's neck from behind in silent thanks for said ride, ear pressed against a neck cable that pulsed with the tri-rhythm of the Bionicle 'heart beat.'

She had always been affectionate all her life, even before coming back to her native world. As the youngest of the Kora, Lee had the clearest memories of the Toa Hanu, the guardians that stood on the other side of the seal to keep the words apart. So Lee remembered Nanu, and the others, Lee had told Matau about them and Lewa who was very interested in hearing about other Toa.

Right now though, Lee was dozing lightly in the morning sun as she got a free ride, "Kren?"

"Yes Korasister?" The pilot asked, trying his best to look at the human formed Kora. Unable to see her, the Matoran just reached up and playfully pulled Lee over his should and in a moment had the giggling girl cradled in his arms. She was no bigger than an average Ga-Matoran like this, so she was no burden to someone who had to wrestle with Gacko birds, "There!"

"Are we going to see your Maki?" Lee asked, for the moment content to stay where she was as she looked around.

"Not this time," Kren reminded, jerking his chin up in one quick movement to indicate the temple of air just above the tree bound village, "Toahero Lewa is waiting up in the Kini, Korasister." He grinned at the 'oh right' expression on the Kora.

Lee twisted in the Matoran's grip and landed lightly on her bare feet once she was let go. Now fully awake the young Kora gave Kern a cheeky grin before taking off in a run down the boardwalk. In an instant the pilot was after, like any Le-Matoran Kren was not only fast but quick to any game. Races were one of the tall Matoran's favorite game, grated even with the Kora's own enhanced speed he would easily beat her, but this was just for fun.

The tree-house village had as many ladders made of vines as there were boardwalks. Le-Koro had many safety nets for anyone who lost their balance, if there was any attackers a quick jump to the nets and slid to the truck of the one or the other two trees to carved in escape tunnels. After the Bohrok and Bohrok Kal, there was many hidden ways to get to safety if the Village was compromised. The safety nets also had a double use for the heart stopping spot of net diving.

There weren't ladders at the top of the village to the, relatively, small air Kini. The two had to climb up a webbing of vines that wasn't a proper netting in any shape. Just vines hanging down to climbing up the bark. As long as one only gripped the vines against the bark you were sure to have a good hand and foot holds.

The section of the tree Lee and Kren were on vibrated, the vines shuttering and a large shadow encompassed both. Heads craned back to look up into the bright eyes and grinning, masked face of the Toa of air. "Toa!" two voices said in unison.

Lewa shifted twin swords flipped and locked on his forearms, he moved so he was no longer in the landing half glomp of the tree. The claws on his right hand dug in deep, bracing with his feet he grasped first Kren in his now free hand, lifting the Matoran up to the Kini and than his Kora sister. "Highgood greetings little ones." Lewa said as he pulled himself up, half in with feet now braised in new stops, his arms folded over the open edge of the Kini. "Korasister ready to quick-quicklean?"

"Yes brother!" Lee nodded, all but bouncing on the balls of her feet, unconcerned about breakfast since there was fruits and other edible planets all over this supersized rainforest. She paused, "Can Kren come?"

The Toa tilted his head at his Matoran charge, and when he saw the nod from Kren, he would like to come as well, Lewa held out a hand, palm up in welcome. A moment later Kren was climbing up over the guardian's shoulder to that spot between the shoulders, where the Matoran normally liked to stay since they could both brace their feet and grasp the back of the Toa's collar ridge to hang on. "Come sister, time to windfly on your own."

Lee paused even as she was picked up, "Wait, on my—eeee! Lewa wait!"

Too late.

The Kora was already in the open air, on her own. One thing air spirits all have in common when learning the art of gliding and then true flight was a simple thing: heights. It was needed for the longer the fall the more time you had to call on the element all around them. Lee had one advantage over the other Kora on the island. She thrust her hands out in front of her aiming down, as the youngest, with the clearest memories she remembered what she had already learned from Toa Nanu.

Lewa was right there, laughing softly even though he knew it was a bit mean what he'd done, but the fastest way to tap into elemental energy was a freefall. He didn't remember much before waking and rebuilding himself on the island of Mata Nui, but he did remember his own first and critical fall that sparked his control of the very air.

The day was very interesting to say the least.