Next chapter with even more edits. Enjoy.
He rolled my name over in his head. "Cheryl. I used to know a Cheryl once, but that was a long time ago before I changed schools. We used to be good friends."
I nodded, sticking my hands in my pockets, not thoroughly interested in someone I'd never met. "I see, She sounds nice."
Matt nodded in return, a small smile appear on his lips. "Yeah, she was."
A small pout found its way to my lips. If I hadn't known any better then I would have said that Matt had a crush on her or something, not that I minded of course. We were both strangers in a strange land and I couldn't jump to assumptions.
Lewa appeared beside us, fists on the ridges of his hips. "Well, I first-think we should apologize for your rough welcome," he said. "It's not every day we get-receive humans."
Standing abreast, Matt and I gazed up at him.
"It's no problem," I replied. "I got my shoes back and that's all that matters." Glancing past the Toa, I zeroed in on the Matoran standing off to the side. "Just tell him to keep his sticky fingers to himself."
The Matoran shot me a foul look and I bristled. If all of the Matoran here were as bad as him then I would have had Kopaka take me home right then and there, no matter what he said.
Lewa nodded, satisfied with my forgiveness. "Good-fine, and don't stress-worry. I will make certain-sure no thief-robbing happens again." He shot a pointed glance to the Matoran before getting down to business. "Now then, we shall proceed to Ta-Koro, though we shall split into two groups." He pointed to Matt. "You and Tamaru will go to the fire village and meet up with Tahu-brother while she and I -"
"Cheryl," I interjected. "My name is Cheryl."
The Toa bowed his head in apology. "Sorry, while Cheryl and I go search-look for Ice-brother Kopaka."
Matt quirked an eyebrow. "Are you sure? How do I know the Matoran won't pull a fast one again?" By the tone in his voice, Matt was very untrusting of the Matoran and had every right to be. I didn't blame him one bit.
Lewa shook his head. "There will be no trouble-fight on this trip. He will guide you ever-quick through Le-Wahi and to Ta-Koro. You will meet up with Tahu and Turaga Vakama. You'll be safe there."
Matt looked at Tamaru, frowning. He still wasn't warmed to the idea, but it seemed like a good plan and in the end he ended up agreeing to it. "Alright, as long as I make it there in one piece and nothing missing." He and Tamaru were already moving on their way.
"Don't get killed," I wished back to them, cupping my hands over my mouth like a funnel so that they could hear me better. I laughed once as Matt waved me off and engaged in a heated word battle with Tamaru. They would certainly have fun on their trip.
With a sigh, I turned back to Lewa, hands on my hips. "Well, should we get going?"
Lewa didn't reply right away. Instead, he looked at me curiously, as if I would suddenly change into a frog. The stare made me nervous and I looked away. "What?" I asked.
"You've been wounded," he observed, brushing his fingertips along key areas of my face. I reached up and prodded my skin, flinching at a slight sting.
"I guess so," I said, touching the scratches again. I hadn't really paid much attention to my physical condition ever since I started my pursuit of the Matoran.
"What happened to you?"
I explained how I had lost Kopaka and was chased by an Ash Bear and how I managed to escape by luring the creature into a river. The more I relayed my tale, the more the injuries in my legs and face stung.
Lewa listened intently, shoulders slumping once I was through. "You could have been killed-slaughtered if you don't know what you're doing." He glanced at my wounds once more. "They don't look too dark-bad," Lewa said. "I'm positive-sure that Gali can heal them ever-quick if we come across her. Come." Lewa walked up to the tree again and jumped up to a branch with ease. He stood atop it, waiting for me to follow.
I groaned. I was never that good at climbing trees, but I wasn't about to let Lewa know that. On this new island, it was better to make an impression then let everyone see me for the loser I was. I backed up a bit and charged forward, planting my feet at just the right time to jump up and grab a branch, pulling myself up. Lewa continued to lead the way and I struggled to catch up with him. He didn't even bother to wait for me! By the time I made it to the branch he was on, my fingers cramped and throbbed with callouses and blisters. I tried to massage the pain away, but to no avail. If anything, it only made them hurt worse.
"You alright-fine?" Lewa asked, kneeling in front of me to examine my beat up hands.
"Yeah," I replied, grunting as I popped a blister, tasting the salty water the gushed out. "I'll be okay."
The Toa noticed my discomfort and narrowed his eyes in concern. "Can you still grasp-hold? If you are unable to, then you can always ground-walk."
I pulled a face. Even though I would have liked walking on the ground rather than climbing trees, I took it as a challenge. If he thought I wouldn't be able to swing through the branches like him just because of my hands then I would prove him wrong. "No it's fine. I think I still can."
Lewa smiled brightly. "Good-fine!" He turned around and knelt down, his green back facing me. "It'll take us forever-long to find Kopaka going this pace-slow," he explained, "so, we vine-swing. Much quick-faster in my opinion-thought."
"Seriously," I grumbled, "learn to speak right. And in any case, don't you think we should be taking our time looking for him?"It wasn't as if I didn't want to find my master (though that had something to do with it), but it would serve us no good going so fast while looking for someone, even if they could be spotted easily against a background of solid green.
I walked forward and wrapped my arms around his neck, clasping my hands at the wrist where his collar line would be. He stood up at full height and I looked down to the marshy ground below, gulping. I've never been one for very high places. "You've done this before, right?"
"Many times," Lewa confirmed.
I pursed my lips nervously, not entirely convinced. "You won't suddenly go into some insane round of tricks and drop me, will you?" The last thing I wanted was to wind up dead in some strange place and have Kopaka find me. It would have made his whole search for an apprentice go to waste.
"Not if you want-wish me to," he grinned.
"No thanks, I'm cool," I replied hastily.
He nodded. "Sure-fine. Hang on tight-strong!"
"If you say SOOOOO!" My cry echoed around as Lewa leaped off the branch and swung towards another branch, grabbing another vine as he went along.
Now you're probably wondering how it felt to be "vine-swinging" with Toa Lewa? The best way I could sum it up would be like sky-diving, except you're going forward at about fifty miles an hour, gripping a Toa so tight that your arms might break off, and with the very real possibility of pulling a George of the Jungle and slamming into a tree. Twice I tried to open my eyes, but the wind rushing into my face made me close them. Breathing was an issue too. The speed at which we were going and the winds generated by it acted as a vacuum that sucked the breath from my lungs. I had to keep my head close to Lewa's back and breathe through the collar of my shirt. Since I couldn't see nor breath that well, I felt the only option I had was to sleep to pass the time, then I ruled it out when I remembered if I lost concentration, I could easily slip from Lewa's back and fall undoubtedly to my doom. So there I was, clinging to my only lifeline doing absolutely nothing.
Until A few seconds later . . . .
Lewa abruptly halted our journey, standing on a moss covered branch, and looked over his shoulder. I did the same thing, but saw nothing.
"What is it?" I asked, looking from the empty space, to Lewa, and back again. "What's the matter?"
He didn't answer, at least in a way I would have liked him to. He knelt down on the branch and I slid off his back, keeping a hand on his arm for support. He then ushered me into the shade of the trunk, signaling for me to stay down. I crouched on my knees and looked up at his green Miru that gleamed from the sunlight filtering through the leaves.
"What's going on?" I asked again.
"We are being pursued-followed," he said, still looking off into the distance. "By who? It's anyone's guess-thought." He knelt down again and looked me in the eyes. "Stay-remain hidden and do not betray-give your position-status. It won't be long."He began to rise, but never made it all the way up as a blur of motion and color slammed into him, knocking the Toa off the tree and towards the ground below.
"Lewa!" I cried, reaching out towards the falling Toa.
From the corner of my eye I could clearly see the thing that attacked him: an insect-like thing that reminded me of a huge mosquito. It came at Lewa again from below, hitting him from behind. He, in turn, rose into the air at breakneck speed, heading for the treetops above. I thought he was going to go all the way when he erupted into a fluid of motion, back flipping onto another branch and producing twin katana blades the same color as he. He raised them up and brought them down, a hurricane-like gust of wind following. I gripped the tree trunk with all my might, my muscles straining, hoping I wouldn't be blown off.
"Hey!" I shouted, trying to make myself heard over the wind. "Knock it off!"
A new sound was then added to the rush of wind, a buzzing sound - right behind me! I turned just in time to see the insect approach me, causing me to jump away with fright - literally, and I jumped right over the edge of the branch. I felt my body plummet through open space, cutting through the air like a dagger. I was head down, so I got a good look at the hard ground below, which was the last thing I wanted to see. I screeched and righted myself so my feet were first. I thought quickly glancing around for some way to save myself.
That's when I noticed the knife at my belt. It was my dad's and I had brought it with me just in case I needed it. I thought that was the smartest thing I ever did. Releasing it from its sheath, I tried to move myself closer to a tree trunk. I managed to come within a few inches from a tree and wasted no time in raising my knife and plunging it into the wood. I cried aloud as my arm wrenched in its socket. Beside the pain, I was fine and not free falling to my death, but I was far from safe.
The mosquito came at me from my right, knocking knife and me loose from the trunk to land smack on a low branch. My back crunched as I hit it hard and my knife was knocked loose from my hand, embedding itself in the ground a few meters below. I raised myself on my elbows and looked to my knife then to the mosquito. It wasn't moving, simply hovering in the air a few feet in front of me, waiting for me to take the first turn. Once again, I felt the burning, yet at the same time it wasn't. The closest I can come to describing it was the sensation of burning ice rushing through my veins. I stood up. Now was time to get serious.
"I'm done messing around," I growled and hopped off the branch. As expected, the mosquito charged right after me, not about to lose its prey. Surprisingly, I was as calm as could be, no longer allowing my raging emotions to rule my head. landed on a lower branch and looked up at the mosquito, positioning myself just right. I counted down the seconds.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
Now!
At the last second, I leaped clear off the branch just in time for the overgrown bug to face plant into it. I wasted no time celebrating. All my focus was on my knife buried in the ground, the handle alone visible. I moved towards it when I caught the sound of the bug coming at me again. the color drained from my face. There was no way the insect could have survived crashing into the tree!
"Impossible!" I screeched as it nearly slammed into my back. I twisted away from it and landed on my feet, gripping the ground as I slid along. "Crap!" I growled as I feel the grit wearing away at my fingertips.
Another burst of that burning ice rushed through me as if it were adrenaline. It was so hard to focus with it, but I had to keep under control. The bug didn't give me time to recover. It came right at me again with its stinger aimed right for my chest.
I screeched as it came within arms reach of me. I thought for sure I was gonna die. When the bug was right on top of me, I closed my eyes and stretched out my hands, palms landing on the insect's abdomen. A flash of cold air blasted in my face, ruffling the loose, sweaty pieces of my hair and my clothes. I opened my eyes slowly, afraid of what I might see. Instead, I was overjoyed at what I saw - the insect was completely frozen solid!
So Cheryl has discovered her powers once more and flash-froze a Rahi. Tune in next time.