Sitting on a couch either side of Toa Ignika, Farran and Sàraich watched his every move as they sipped the juice they'd been given, both wondering how they could get him to turn them into Toa.
"Pleassssssssssseeeeeeeee 'nika. We don't wanna be hunters, they're stinky."
Lariska and Iteotha shared a startled glance as their daughters voices reached them through the open window. Then they watched as the shadow twins phased through the wall and joined the twins and Ignika. A few moments later Turaga Anuenue peered from the hospital kitchen door and beckoned the pair inside before handing them steaming mugs of chocolate. The scent of mint and bula berry brought smiles to the Dark hunter and huntress's masks and holding their mugs they followed the rainbow hued Turaga through to the room where the beleaguered Toa was trapped.
Farran was about to draw breath to continue her and Sàraich's attempts badgering of Toa Ignika when movement at the door caught her eye and she turned to see who was there. Before she could say anything, Sàraich also spotted who was watching them, "La, 'tha?"
The pair scrambled from the couch and flung themselves into their parents free arms, leaving Ignika to breath a sigh of relief.
While the twins nestled against their parents, Anuenue gestured to Ignika, "Let's get you outta here. They'll no doubt find you later." she murmured as he joined her as they moved away from the family.
The pair headed outside and sat on a bench shaded by some trees, "My thanks Turaga, they have been at me none-stop to use my mask to change them into Toa."
"Well, I may have an idea on how to distract them from badgering you as much." Anuenue smiled at the look of relief on the black/gold Toa's mask, "They've been wondering why some of us go out to the Po-metru desert. So what better way of giving the younglings something else to learn about by introducing them to the healing rahi?"
Toa Ignika's eyebrows rose as he glanced at the rainbow hued Turaga sharply, "Do you think that's a good idea?" he asked as they listened to the quiet chatter floating through the living room window.
When he got no reply, Toa Ignika glanced at Anuenue again, realised she had been swept up in a vision and so he lent back against the wall and waited.
To Anuenue it seemed as if she was standing in the throne room of the Shadowed One and he was lounging in his throne obviously waiting for something or someone. After some time had passed the doors opened by two servants to admit Lariska, Iteotha and the twins. Farran and Sàraich nervously glanced around the darkened room before staring at the Shadowed One, who stood up and stalked towards them.
Before he could reach the defiantly trembling pair white light swept through the room, causing everyone to shield their eyes. As the light vanished as suddenly as it appeared there was no sign of the twins.
Blinking as she became aware of her surroundings again, Anuenue peered up at the watching Toa and smiled, "I believe things will work out for the twins when the time is right. Now why don't you make good on your escape before they come looking for you?" Ignika chuckled and stood up, "As long as you don't mind, I think I'll head for Ko-metru. It'll keep them guessing." The Turaga of Colour chuckled and shook her head before watching as Ignika swiftly headed out of the hospital gardens. When he was out of sight, the rainbow hued Turaga went to see how her elder sister was faring.
She found her peach/light gold sister sitting with Uil'-ic and Cùram, quietly talking amongst themselves while Rionna scribbled the events of the previous night down. "Hang on Lanna. Didn't you mention those scum-bags hues earlier?" the Chronicler commented, glancing up from her notes to peer over at the trio, "Y-yes, d-dull green, murky brown, dingy mottled green..."
"That the one I clouted for you sis." Anuenue murmured, drawing a smile from Lannair before she continued, "mottled grey and mustard, I..."
"M-m-mustard?"
Uil'-ic scrambled to her feet, mask ashen as she stared wide-eyed at the bewildered Turaga of Fire, before stammering as she shook, "T-the o-one wh-who threw m-me in the en-energized p-protodermis was...was grey and m-mustard." Cùram jumped from her seat and hurried to the dark ocean healer's side while Anuenue stuck her head out the door and called for assistance before joining Lannair and hugged her as she burst into tears. Cuir-ri, Okoth and Rannsaich dashed into the room, sized up the situation and while Okoth and Cuir-ri assisted Cùram, Rannsaich joined Anuenue and Rionna to calm Lannair.
Twenty minutes later, the healers, Chronicler and Anuenue left the dimmed room where Lannair and Uil'-ic now slept and shared anxious glances, "We're gonna have to figure something out to help them both. That was not expected." the rainbow hued Turaga murmured as Okoth softly closed the door and turned to join her friends. Assenting murmurs came from the healers as they headed off and the rainbow hued Turaga made her way back to the room where the twins and their parents were still talking.
Pausing before the door, Anuenue glanced around as her shadow twin appeared, an evil grin on her mask, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Oh yes, as you'd say real sis. Payback's a bitch." the shadow twin agreed as she held out her hands to accept the sphere of colour Anuenue was spinning. "I look forward to hearing what colour he'll be spending the rest of his life being." the Turaga of Colour grinned, her expression as evil as her shadow twin's. "And I will do it where it will cause him the most embarrassment."
"Nice." Anuenue watched as her shadow twin vanished from sight then composed herself to be jumped on by the twins before pushing the door open and stepped into the room.
Seconds later, the acidic laughter of Lariska rang out as Farran and Sàraich glomped Anuenue, pinning her to the ground. Iteotha's mask was a picture as he watched the twins then help the Turaga of Colour back up and dragged her over to where he and Lariska sat. "You gonna tell 'nika we wanna be Toa like him and the others?" Farran asked hopefully once they ensconced themselves either side of Anuenue, her and Sàraich's eyes glowing with hopeful anticipation.
Steeling herself for having a pair of disappointed seven year olds on her hands, Anuenue took a breath, glanced at the Dark huntress and hunter then sighed, "No little ones I will not be asking Ignika to do that." as their masks crumpled, she continued, "You are as you're meant to be and to change you wouldn't be right."
Hiding her wince as Sàraich thumped her arm, Anuenue nodded to Lariska and Iteotha as Farran scrambled from where she'd been nestled against her to dart into the Dark hunter's arms, followed by Sàraich, whom nestled into Lariska's arms.
Standing up the Turaga of Colour smiled sadly, not liking that she'd upset the young hunters and offered a refill to the adults, whom nodded, "Same again and whatever our little terrors like." Lariska replied before whispering to Sàraich.
"Thanks." the whisper reached Anuenue as she picked up the empty mugs and she glanced at the poison green hunter as he continued soothing Farran as she sobbed, his eyes met hers and he nodded.
While she waited for the milk to heat, Anuenue gazed out the window, weighting up the pros and cons of her idea to distract the twins from driving Toa Ignika to distraction. "It's a good idea Turaga and that vision you had given Rhya plans for Farran and Sàraich's future." Mata Nui commented as he appeared in the kitchen and lent on the counter. Automatically pulling another mug from the cupboard, the rainbow hued Turaga smiled, "That is good. Now all we need to is figure out how to get them over to Po-metru, Lannair and Uil'-ic too"
"After the shock they had, they could do with spending some time with the healing rahi." Lakino commented from where she'd been leaning against the door-frame where she'd been listening to the Great Spirit and Turaga. Moving to join the pair, the sky-blue healer put forward the idea she'd had about what Anuenue had suggested.
…
Setting their sleeping daughters on the nearby bed, Lariska and Iteotha watched as Lakino drape a blanket over them before indicating they should leave the room. Pulling the door almost closed, the head healer then led the pair through to the kitchen where Anuenue waited.
Several minutes later, she and Lakino were alone in the kitchen, Mata Nui having departed and Rionna's shadow twin having offered to escort the Dark huntress and hunter back to Odina, "So when are you planning to take them out to see Keetongu and his family?"
"I was thinking while they slept, it would be a wonderful surprise for Lannair. And be somewhere new for Farran and Sàraich to explore." Anuenue glanced at her companion and grinned, "And it'll keep them out of your way for a few days too." Lakino nodded, her eyes gleaming with amusement at how well the rainbow hued Turaga had guessed what she'd been thinking.
"So who's shadow twins are you going to ask?"
"I was thinking of asking Malie's, Hakinu's and Pohatu's. Kokua's already out there and she'll most likely offer the twins a flight." Anuenue chuckled as the aforementioned shadow twins appeared in he kitchen and grinned at Lakino, "I'll take-carry Lanna." Malie's signed, grinning broadly as his brothers rolled their eyes, "And we'll carry the twins." Pohatu chuckled. "Well they're all still asleep, so keep quiet and follow me." Lakino instructed while giving Malie's shadow twin the hairy eyeball as he grinned mischievously before giving the sky-blue healer an exaggerated bow. "We'll keep an eye on Uil'-ic. No doubt Amharc will join us to comfort his closefriend." Okoth added from where she peered in from the garden.
Peering around the door, Lakino smiled at the sight of the twins resting against Turaga Lannair then beckoned the others into the room. With care, Hakinu's and Pohatu's shadow twins scooped the sleeping youngsters up before Malie's allowed Lakino and Anuenue to assist him with Lannair. When they were ready, Anuenue took hold of Pohatu's shadow twin's arm while Lakino took Hakinu's and the group vanished from sight.
xXx
Smiling as a warm breeze swept around them, Anuenue and Lakino opened their eyes to get their bearings. On seeing they were a few paces from Keetongu's cavern the group approached the entrance and the Turaga called out a greeting. She and Lakino exchanged a glance when there was no reply, then the rainbow hued Turaga led the way inside, knowing that a shadow twin would be looking for the healing rahi. "They'll not object to us settling Lanna and the twins on a bed."
xXx
As she spoke, Macku's shadow twin had located the healing rahi, the adults were busily foraging while Keliana and Naneki were taking turns to pluck berries from the lower bushes. Nearby Wanimua and Makeo basked in the sun, drying their feathers in the heat while preening them back into place. Stepping from the shade of a tree, the shadow twin called out to her friends then braced herself for the delighted greeting she knew the cubs would give her.
Several minutes later, Keli and Nane tugged the slightly breathless shadow twin over to where their sire and dam had been watching with amusement. While the cubs collected their discarded baskets, they listened intently as the blue hued shadow twin explained why she'd come looking for them.
Squeals of delight came from Keliana on hearing that her unusual friends had finally been brought out to her home while Naneki chuckled at his sister's reaction and their parents and Macku's shadow twin shared an amused glance. Wrapping her arms around the shadow twin's waist the pale green/gold rahi spun her around before setting her down and grinned at her parents, "Can we go back with Macku's shadow please?"
"Alright, you know what to do and we'll not be far behind." Keetongu rumbled, smiling as the eager pair clasped the shadow twin's hands and tugged her in the direction of the nearest patch of shade.