Author's note: Here be some Lewa silliness and references to the Comet Ball illness from the MNOLG. I know Lewa will seem very childish in these chapters. I like to think that since the Toa lost their memories, Lewa would have lost any maturity and caution he would have gained from experience and must relearn it, much like I've been having Kopaka relearn self-control. And at this point in the story, Lewa hasn't been infected yet, so he still sees the world through rose colored glasses (I think that's the right phrase).

italics=Kopaka's thoughts, or emphasis

Chapter 16

Nightfall was approaching. As soon as Lewa got his strength back, which did not take long for the naturally energetic being, they headed back to Po-Koro. As the sun disappeared, so did the painful heat. The only Toa-sized sleeping quarters in the village was Pohatu's, which was not big enough to house all three Toa.

"You two can have my hut," Pohatu offered hospitably. "It gets pretty cold at night – oh." He looked at Kopaka and chuckled. "I guess that wouldn't bother you."

Kopaka sat with his back against the hut's walls, and Pohatu and Lewa entered the hut. After he closed his eyes, he heard the two go back and forth for a minute.

"You can have my bed if you like."

There was a pause. "What bed? Why do you have a big rock in here?"

"That's my bed."

"You sleep on a big rock?"

"Well, what do you usually sleep on?"

"Softness." There was another pause. "You know what, Pohatu, you can have your bed-rock. I'll take the floor-rock."


Lewa was either determined to give his teammates a heart attack or he was just this thoughtlessly impulsive. Yesterday there was the free fall incident. Today there was leaping over a wide gorge using his Kakama after Pohatu warned against it; cuddling with a small, wild goat and being chased by the larger, protective goats; and finally sticking his hands in the cracks of a rock pillar which turned out to be a hive of bee-spiders, angry bee-spiders.

They were headed to the northern peninsula where a Kakama had been spotted. Because of Lewa's last antic, they had to stop while Pohatu helped the whimpering Toa get all the small stingers and webs off.

"Why would you even do that? Don't answer," Pohatu scolded him, pulling another webbed over stinger out of Lewa's back. "How about this – new rule: no touching anything."

"But I like touching things," Lewa groaned.

Kopaka was getting impatient. Since Lewa and Pohatu already had their own Mask of Speed, this Kanohi would be his. After this, he only needed the Miru. He decided to forge on ahead without his team. They could catch up without a problem once they were done.

He knew he found the Mask's location when he spotted four Makuta-controlled Muaka in the same area. He silently crept towards them, debating on the method of disarming them. His ice was at a disadvantage in this heat. A fast-freeze would not last long. He didn't' have to plan any further as green and brown blurs solidified in an explosion of sand.

"That was so much fun!" Lewa squealed as sand rained on them.

Pohatu noticed the Rahi. "Oops."

Lewa swung his axe in the sand, sending a blinding wave toward the Rahi with the wind. This bought them a few seconds' head start. Pohatu ran in using his Mask of Speed and kicked one of the large cats in the head. Kopaka winced, knowing what strength was behind those legs. The Rahi collapsed, unconscious.

Though he knew it would not last long, he froze one Muaka that charged at him. He quickly began unmasking it, keeping an eye out for the other Rahi. One was being occupied by the swift Pohatu, but the last Rahi ignored Lewa and dashed toward Kopaka. Wearing the Pakari, Lewa suddenly appeared on its back. He reached down, grabbing both infected Hau, and flipped backwards. With the extra strength, he not only tore off the Kanohi, but also threw the large Rahi, sending it flying into Pohatu's foe. While both were stunned, Pohatu disarmed the last Rahi.

Switching to his Rau, Kopaka addressed the freed Rahi. "Leave." The four loped away, giving the Toa a few disdainful snarls.


The journey back to Po-Koro was much easier now that all three had a Mask of Speed. Lewa brightened when the Po-Matoran gathered around them. He quickly dove into his entertaining storytelling. His quick treespeak seemed to confuse most of his listeners, but they stayed attentive to the Toa of Air. Pohatu slipped away to talk to his Turaga.

Kopaka was left waiting in the shade, observing the fortress-style village and its inhabitants. Then he noticed some of the dirt-colored Matoran appeared unwell. A handful seemed lethargic and coughed every once and a while. With the heat setting on his Akaku, he saw the same Matoran had higher temperatures. He saw that among the stone huts one had a black x painted on the door. Inside was a Po-Matoran who seemed sicker than the rest.

Pohatu reappeared then. He allowed Lewa to finish his current story before pulling him away so they could leave. Once outside, Lewa asked what was on Kopaka's mind.

"What's bad-wrong with your villagers, Pohatu?"

The Toa of Stone's face morphed with worry and concern. "There is a sickness going around, but Onewa doesn't know what it is," he admitted. "I wish I could help, but I'm no doctor."

"Sorry-sad I am to hear that," Lewa said, sounding genuinely sympathetic, before he abruptly changed the subject. "Where are we off to now?"

Pohatu smile at him despite his worry. "You'll like where we're headed. Onewa just received word from Turaga Matau, so guess where we're going?"

"Le-Koro!" Lewa shouted joyfully. "We're going home!"

Humid insanity or dry deserts, Kopaka debated internally. Dry deserts or humid insanity. I pick my frozen wastelands.