Chapter II

Toa Xaedan

White.

I see white.

Glare from the morning sun, maybe?

No. The sun isn't made of metal, nor does it have fingers.

I blearily rub a hand across my face, and take a good, long look at what woke me up.

An arm.

A slender arm draped across me.

A slender arm attached to, of course, a body.

The body of Kaixin.

The body of Kaixin which is snoring lightly beside mine.

I yell. I actually yell, in shock and something approaching horror. By Karzahni's ugly face, what is she doing ''here''? My near-horror rapidly turns into a sort of primal fear as Kaixin mutters something about ice cream and suddenly yawns widely.

"Mhlph… Mhmornin', Xaedan," she mumbles sleepily.

I don't bother with pleasantries. "Kaixin! What... why?!" I'm nearly incoherent.

With a lazy stretch of her arms, Kaixin stands. The slight twitch in my left eyelid stops when I notice that the Toa of Ice wasn't actually in the bed, just sprawled awkwardly beside it. Thank the Spirits...

But wouldn't this incident make for a stepping stone? What if this goes further? Can we even have bab-

"Hey, I was just helping you out! You were all alone in the park already snoring away, propped against that tree of yours. I carried you back, that's all!"

Oh.

Slightly mollified, I reply, "Uh, well, thanks. I guess." Kaixin's already rambling on.

"No, that's a lie. I got hungry so I helped myself to the breakfast the little people laid out for you."

Sure enough, not a scrap of food remains on the plate beside the bed. "So, I'll be the one who's gonna make you breakfast!" She flounces off.

This was beyond strange. I must be dreaming.

I pinch myself, hard, and nothing happens. Ah, well. Even if it was a dream, it wasn't all that bad of one.

"Back!" Kaixin trills. That was quick.

She brings with her an egg. And a very big one at that. "Skopio egg! Sunny side up!"

My eyebrows rise. "How in the world did you manage to nab an egg from right under a Skopio's nose?"

Kaixin grins and chuckles nastily. "Who said anything about stealing anything from under its nose?" She cracks her knuckles as she says this, loudly enough to give me the shivers. I feel sorry for that poor Skopio.

Kaixin laughs, and her usual, cheerful smile returns. "Eat up!" Regardless of how she managed to procure it, the egg did look delicious, with its firm yolk and glistening egg white. It was a true masterpiece, a work of culinary art, certainly worthy of the highest praise.

I take a bite.

And I die.

A murky voice, a very pissed off one at that, is coming somewhere from my left. A slap on my face also comes from the same direction. As does a series of repeating jabs at my cheek.

"Hey! Maggot! Wake up already!" Great Mata Nui.

Her again.

I'm back in bed, with Tsukumi poking at my face. Heck, I see the whole gang. Kaixin's still here and Caine is sticking his head through a window. My house's ceiling is not kind to eleven-feet monstrosities.

Caine, the sensible one, cuts to the chase with concern lining his mask. "How did this happen, Xaedan?"

I find it odd that he seems much more talkative now compared to last night. Not twelve hours ago, he was stumbling away from me, looking like a ghost had popped up in front of him.

"I think I ate som-" I begin.

Kaixin's staring at me, her eyes wide and bottom lip wobbling. I didn't even know we Toa were capable of pulling off that face. Jeez. I'd feel bad if I told the truth and hurt Kaixin's feelings.

"I guess, uh, I felt sleepy after eating your food?" I manage to rasp. My throat feels like it was on fire. Honestly. How can food looking that good be so deadly?

Kaixin laughs at me. "Oh, you silly maggot! You'll get fat if you sleep right after eating!" So. Kaixin's calling me maggot, too? Moreover, do we even get fat at all? She skips out of the room, cheery as ever.

Kaixin's one special girl.

Once she left and was out of earshot, I wearily gesture for everyone to gather around me. Caine manages to stick his head forward until he cracks the window frame.

"Never, and I truly say never, let a bite of her food enter you," I croak weakly. At my sage words, even the skeptical Tsukumi nods.

The Water Toa reaches forward to poke me one last time. "Up, time to get up! You've already wasted two hours of my life," she says impatiently. A wrenching sound takes my attention away from the Toa of Water's ranting. Caine had just totalled the window by moving backwards.

That's just wonderful, isn't it?

"Hey, hey, less lying in bed, more going, maggot!" And with that, Tsukumi slams the front door of my house.\

Looks like I've no choice.

Toa Caine

"Hi, hi, hi! Nice to meet you! Name's "Mary"! I know it's weird, but don't mind that!" With a twitch of her tail and a flounce, she relinquishes Kaixin's hand and hops her way towards me. Xaedan stood near "Mary", keeping a close eye on her, an affectionate look on his face.

The Toa of Fire had explained that he had deemed an introduction of "Mary" was necessary. And so, all sixteen of us, Toa of all elements, all powerful and brimming with power, all eager to meet the newcomer, had gathered in Haven Park.

And here she was. A tall, lithe, red figure, who had a strange habit of bouncing around, not unlike a Kohlii ball, while introducing herself. I think she'd make a fine addition to the team, massive as it is already.

"Caine! Xae's told me so much about of you," "Mary" gasps at me. I chuckle. "You should take a break from all the running and jumping around."

"Mary"'s mouth stick out in a childish pout. "No way! I've never had so many friends! I'll keep boosting my popularity, thank you very much."

With a laugh, I shake her proffered hand, gingerly as I can. To my surprise, it is her talons, not mine, that dig into the palm of my hand.

She, like me, had two claws upon her hands.

"Oops! Sorry about that, Caine!" She trundles off, in the direction of Anzix.

A small grin touches my lips. What a nice girl. I find it strange that Xaedan never mentioned her to me in the past.

Toa Kaixin

Well. That was a pleasant surprise. Who knew the fire-spitter was keeping someone like "Mary" from us? I say good on him, bringing us all together like this to welcome a new team member.

Caine looks at me, and I catch his mouthed message. "Can you believe we've never met her before?"

I can't, not in the slightest.

Toa Tsukumi

Leaving Anzix with a slightly bemused look on his mask, Xaedan's friend hops her way towards me. "Hey, Tsukumi! Did I say that right?" I nod a bit numbly.

Oblivious to my consternation, she steamrolls on. "Wonderful! Xaedan's told me lots about you as well, you're a weird one, apparently."

I grunt. That maggot... "Mary"'s odd yellow eyes light up, and she leans forward conspiratorially. "Ah, but between you and me, I think he's the weird one. He's so shy, after all." She grins. "Well, then, see you around!"

And just like that, she was gone.

I notice that much of the team seemed surprised, and with good would Xaedan keep a secret such as this?

Lately, however, life simply could not hold any surprises from me. Since five hours ago, I already knew why the Fire Toa would summon us all to the park.

I absentmindedly pat the compartment that held my stone tablet.

Toa Xaedan

Well. This is awkward. I do remember promising "Mary" to meet up with the others to introduce her... but when did I ever organize it?

All I did today was eat, then pass out.

Strange.

Ah, well. All that matters is "Mary".

If she's happy, then I guess I am too.