CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: WHIRLING MEMORIES

The next thing Gali knew, she was hovering above a boat dock somewhere she couldn't recognize. There were six Turaga she didn't recognize, and six Matoran that seemed familiar.

"You six Matoran," the red Turaga was saying, "Have been chosen to become Toa. You will sail forth to the land of Mata-Nui, and hopefully bring us great honor! The Matoran there need you, so make haste!"

One of the Matoran, a Le-Koronan with a green Miru on his face, jumped in the air and babbled something about 'Toa-Heroes', while a brown Matoran with a Kakama watched in mild amusement. A red Matoran with a Hau was standing off to one side, poking the sand disinterestedly with a stick. A patient looking Onu-Matoran stood next to him. Against a far wall, a white Matoran leaned casually, watching the other five. The only one who was listening was a blue Ga-Matoran with a transparent blue Kaukau.

"What you are seeing, Gali," said Kopaka's voice from beside her, "Is what we were before we were Toa. That," he gestured with his slender finger, "Is you."

Gali was awestruck, but Kopaka had something more to show her. "Now look at the Ko-Matoran," he instructed, and she focused her attention on the white Akaku-clad Matoran. He was currently using an oversized sword to doodle in the sand out of boredom.

"What about him? It's you, isn't it?" she allowed herself a small smile, "You never change."

Kopaka shook his head, "You see me as a Matoran version of myself? Very well, allow me to show you something else."

The scene faded to blackness, and Gali found herself staring at a blizzard-swept peak. The Kopaka-Matoran was standing on a cliff, talking to one of the rare female Ko-Matoran.

"Amaka," he was saying, "Why do you sacrifice so much for me? Turaga Kualus has already declared me a menace to our village, why do you continue to stand by me?"

The other Matoran (Amaka) looked at him with surprise, "Kopaka, I love you!"

The Kopaka of the past almost fell down the hill in shock, "Y-you what?"

Gali had to smile at this. The Kopaka of the present never stuttered, and never seemed insecure about anything. Here, his younger self was as self-conscious as a two-headed Toa.

He was about to respond, but there was a roar that interrupted him. A behemoth creature began lumbering down the mountain pass toward the two Matoran, long tail swishing back and forth.

"Kuma-Nui…" breathed Gali, speechless from fright, and Kopaka merely nodded. She looked at him, and noticed he was on the verge of tears. Kopaka, however, was holding them back.

Below them, the Kopaka-Matoran lunged forward, pulling out a sword that looked very much like the one had hanging from his shoulder today. He pointed it at the Kuma-Nui, but the massive Rahi apparently had other plans.

Its neck extended, bulling the younger Kopaka out of the way, and then picked him up in its teeth. It vigorously shook its head back and forth, and the sound of breaking bones was audible. It then cast him aside into a snowdrift as it began going after Amaka.

The past-Kopaka watched helplessly as the Kuma-Nui tore into the sweet Matoran who had just a moment ago confessed that she loved him. With a feral cry, he pulled himself from the snow, heedless of his injuries, and rammed the sword up to its hilt in the Kuma-Nui's side. The enormous Rahi screeched in pain, and its tail swept Kopaka through the air and into a rock.

The next thing Gali saw was the Kopaka-Matoran trying to explain to a pale-white Turaga that his daughter was dead. Turaga Kualus flew into a rage, and beat Kopaka mercilessly with the end of his staff until the Matoran fled.

Later that night, the red Turaga Norik called the others together. Apparently, another island was in need of help. Without first asking, Kualus volunteered Kopaka, seeing as banishment was a sufficient punishment for the death of his daughter.

The scene faded to black again, and this time, they were back on the beach, watching the Matoran climb into individual tubes. These tubes were then filled with protodermis, sealed, and then pushed off into the waters.

Gali noticed that the white Turaga, Kualus, was the only one not waving a cheery goodbye.