CHAPTER FOUR: FIRST CONFLICT

As soon as the words left Onua's mouth, Kopaka knew something else was to follow. Rather than speaking, however, Onua merely glanced hesitantly at his brother. Kopaka motioned for him to continue.

"Well, you see…" Onua looked down at the tunnel floor as well, "Tahu…"

"Someone call me?" asked the loud Toa of Fire, striding into the caverns. "Thought I heard my name somewhere in there…" he paused as he took note of Kopaka, and made no attempt to conceal the disgust he felt. Kopaka did the same.

"Oh, Ice Cube," he said, keeping his voice flat, "How did they drag YOU off your mountain?"

Kopaka coolly stared back at the boisterous Toa, "I came down of my own free will, thank you very much. Why don't you go back to blowing hot air – somewhere else?"

Tahu sneered at his frosty brethren, and Onua sighed inwardly. "Can't you two ever get along?"

Both Kopaka and Tahu responded with a curt, "No."

Onua threw his hands up in defeat, "I'll let you two work out your differences. I'll see you around."

He pulled out his chainsaws and dug into the rock, vanishing with no trace save the hole. Kopaka looked up as he heard footsteps, and walked to the cave mouth to investigate, passing Tahu as if he weren't there.

"Greeting!" called Lewa, "I thought I saw you glide-fly over here. So, did you resolve that little-small problem about liking sister-Toa Ga…uh oh…"

Tahu was standing behind Kopaka, and his already fiery temper was set to explode. Kopaka shot Lewa a look that plainly thanked him for his big mouth, and turned to Tahu expectantly.

"You WHAT?" he roared, and Kopaka refused to show that he was slightly intimidated by the red Toa – not to mention that Fire and Ice are not a good match in any sense of the word.

"So? We all like Sister Gali."

Lewa piped up, "But Kopaka, you sai-" he was cut off by Kopaka slamming his elbow into the Toa of Air's stomach, winding him temporarily. "Will you be quiet?"

Tahu had drawn his twin Fire Swords, crouching into a fighting stance across from Kopaka. "Conniving bastard!" he yelled, fire crackling up and down the length of his blades, "I'll kill you for this."

Kopaka blocked the first swing with his shield, "Kill me for what?" he danced back as the second sword slashed at his feet "I never admitted I liked her how you're thinking."

Tahu roared at him, "I can see it in your eyes, coward!"

Lewa had managed to get behind Tahu, and thrust a LightStone into his face from behind, blinding him. In the interlude, the mischievous Toa ran off with Tahu's swords. "Now listen-hear to Kopaka!" he chided, "He truth-speak!"

Rather than listen, Tahu's fist collided with Kopaka's stomach, knocking him down. A foot then swung from nowhere, and Kopaka barely managed to block it from connecting with his head.

"No one will take Gali from me!" bellowed Tahu, sounding rather unhinged, "She's mine."

Kopaka rolled to the side as Tahu's clenched fist hit the ground beneath him. "I highly doubt she would belong to anyone in the first place," he stated, "And you're too much of a barbarian for her. She has far more refined tastes."

He ducked instinctively as Tahu punched at him again, and tackled his brother around the waist, pinning him to the opposite wall. He held the Fire Toa's wrists apart, and brought his face inches from his brother's.

"I do not care if you love Gali, Tahu, but do not inflict it upon me. I want nothing to do with your love life."

He cast Tahu aside and left the cave, leaving the red Toa to nurse a deflated ego as Lewa cast him a scathing glance. "Keep these," he called, dropping the swords as he ran after Kopaka.