Chapter Six: Breakaway

The sound reverberated everywhere, causing a ringing sensation in everyone's ears. Nobody could speak. The silence was deafening, even the faintest plinks of pieces of the device audible. Having been enhanced with Tahu's power, the slap had caused a massive rise in temperature, what remained of the floor quickly succumbing to a small flood.

Lewa rubbed his mask tenderly, eyes wide and unblinking and focused on his brother. He opened his mouth, a small squeak all that came out. Eyes trembling, he was finally able to say, "B-brother? What was that for?" Lime-green orbs began to water.

Tahu's mask quickly drooped. That wasn't how he was supposed to react… No. He mentally rightened himself. Any moment now, Lewa would catch on and-

Voice stained with a sob, the Toa tried again. "Tahu?" A few droplets of protodermis slid down his mask and pattered on the floor.

"Lewa… Forgive me, brother… I only meant to…"

Lewa sniffed. "Only meant to what?"

Tahu noticed that the door was ajar and went to close it, quickly speeding back to his brother. Staring at his eyes, he realized the extent of his gesture. It hadn't really-

"I only meant to stop you."

"Stop me?" he whimpered. "From keeping my Toa- m-m-my brothers and sisters f-f-from fighting? Why would you do that?"

"Because…" Tahu paused and bit his lip. He hadn't quite worked out why…

"Because…" Lewa looked at him expectantly, eyes wet with protodermis.

"I don't know, because…" All of the Toa were staring at him now. He had to come up with something, anything…

"BecauseIthinkyou'vruinedeverything!"

Lewa gaped in surprise. His head hung low as he processed what his brother had said.

"Ruined… b-b-because you t-t-think I-I'm-I'm useless…" Lime eyes darted to Tahu, tears quickly falling now.

Tahu grimaced. "O-Oh no… understand, Lewa, that wasn't because…" He froze in comprehension. "I… I…"

"I guess you're right, brother. It's just…" He sighed and sat on the ruins of Lewa's table. "I had intended this gathering to be peaceful and calm, things of which you are not instinctively capable of, no offense… but the urgency of everyone's arrival seems to have ruined that. It was supposed to be held in the meeting hall… the reunion… but then Gali messaged me through Hahli and told me that I should respect your condition…" He hung his head as well. "I'm sorry, Lewa. It's my fault this happened. I should've listened to your opinion as well…"

His brother looked at him, trembling as he did so. "So you were right," he wept. "I am useless…"

Tahu's jaw snapped open. No… that wasn't what he'd meant at all!

"N…no…" he whispered, cradling Lewa's head in his hands and shooshing him. "That's not true… at all…"

"…Please believe me, brother. I'd never do something like that to you…"

Lewa froze, lime-kissed eyes tinged with sadness. That emotion quickly turned to hatred.

"No…" he sobbed. "You would… because YOU'RE WORKING WITH THEM!" He yelled in rage and slammed Tahu into the wall with a gust of wind.

"You had no real interest in my health, did you? The papping, the hugging… all for nought…" he hissed, "because of the Turaga and their STUPID virtues!"

The lone Toa Mata looked at him in surprise. "How… how could it be the Turaga? Is it not the Great Beings who are working with them to-"

"I don't CARE!" He paused and let out a ragged breath. "They are working with them all the same… we have been betrayed, brother. Betrayed by our own-"

"Lewa!" Gali called. He turned to her, eyes blazing in anger.

"I am sorry, Lewa… that transgression was rude of me… please, forgive my…"

The Toa's expression changed. He put his head in his hands and began to laugh.

"Now? Of all the times you could have just stopped and apologized, you pick now…"

Pohatu looked at him and smiled sympathetically. "I apologize too. Toa should not fight when they have better reason not to."

Onua smiled and nodded.

The sad chuckles faded. "I think Toa are missing the point!" Lewa swiveled to Tahu again, stomping a foot on the floor for emphasis. "Fire-brother… in his admission… had a point. We should not be worrying about unity at a time like this. The… Turaga need to be informed of our decision at once-"

"What about Matau?"

Kopaka. A snarky comment. As always. Good ol' Kopaka.

Lewa looked at him in surprise. Then he trudged over to him and hauled him up by the collar of his armour, pulling their masks close together.

"Screw Matau!" he screamed. The other Toa gasped.

"I know… that is rather rude-demeaning… but he is working with the Great Beings. He does not deserve my respect… not anymore," he sighed.

"Should you not inform him of this decision?"

The Toa's eyes lit up for a second. "Inform him? Of what?"

"Of this so-called decision," Kopaka said softly.

Lewa frowned and turned to his siblings. "I don't know, Toa-brothers and sisters… should I?"

The Toa Nuva paused in thought.

Arguing. Arguing, arguing, arguing. That was literally all he heard.

H'ssiah had seen enough from this house to tell him that even if the family had not been sheltering the Rutan'gah, they would be pests if left untouched. He had to at least see what they were up to.

"Man the cannons," he called and smiled evilly. "We are about to take out a possible threat to our livelihood."

Two soldiers loaded cannonballs into a giant gun, awkwardly saluting. "What's the threat, Boss?" one called.

In his insatiable curiosity with the house, the Lieutenant forgot the act of disrespect. "I am not sure, but it seems to involve the slave." He turned to the rest of his men. "Fire at will."

A group of troops pulled on the gun's stringer. A powder-filled weapon shot out, quickly descending on its target. The smoke trails following it brushed the walls of the house, then

BOOOOOOOOM.

The warriors were suddenly picked up from their positions and flung around the hut. Rumbles shook the hut, more debris falling from the roof. A large shockwave collapsed it entirely, a cloud of smoke filling the air.

Lewa coughed intensely, using his vacuum powers to clear some of the haze from the room. Who could have done that? He was sure everyone had just been pondering… unless…

The smoke cleared. Five biomechs, wearing similar armour to his, quickly appeared. From further inspection, they appeared to be painted in different colours; brown, black, white, blue, red-

Oh. That was them. The Toa Nuva. Of course.

He glared at them, eyes narrowed in exasperation. "Who…" He took a moment to cough. "Who could have done that?"

They paused.

Then Pohatu put his claws up in defense, waving them around haphazardly. "Not me, that's for sure! I may've been a… biit angry with you in the past, yeah, but I'd never try to kill you…"

The Toa glared at him. "Kill me? Why in Mata Nui's name would you think of that?"

His brother grinned sheepishly. "Eh… force of habit, is all?"

"Riiight."

"Not me," Kopaka insisted. "As Pohatu interjects, I have been angry with you before, but I would never focus that feeling on killing you. It is against the Toa Code as is."

Onua smiled at Lewa. "Heh. Can't say I was… angry-mad with you…"

His partner's attempt to use tree-speak was enough to make Lewa smile back. Then Gali said something and ruined everything.

"I will have to agree with my brothers on this one, Lewa. Differing opinions on a stupid policy aren't enough to get me that riled."

Lewa growled at that remark, then stopped to ponder. None of the siblings appeared to want to kill him; that much was clear. That meant they wouldn't go to such lengths to get others to, as that would be a Code violation as well.

But… what if they'd only wanted to teach him a lesson? Get under his skin for being "stupid?" The only person he could imagine doing such a thing right now was…

Tahu.

Tahu.

TAHU.

I'm gonna show that piraka a thing or two, he seethed.

Turning to Tahu, he smiled and said sweetly, "Brother? Did you have a hand in this?"

As expected, the Toa frowned and shook his head. "No, Lewa… Why would I do such a thing?"

"Certainly not to teach me a lesson," Lewa responded. He grinned. "I mean, isn't it obvious? Useless people need to learn their place in life!"

Tahu gasped in understanding. "No… I wouldn't teach you like that. Many see me as harsh and unforgiving, yes, but to blow your hut up just because you're 'useless…' I don't know why you'd think such a thing!"

Gali rolled her eyes. "Of course you do, brother. Wasn't that kind of behavior prevalent during the whole mask business? Or after he got 'Kranaed'? Or when the Rahkshi came? Or in Voya Nui, when Reidak broke his katana? Or when we prepared to reawaken the Great Spirit? Or in Karda Nui, fighting the Makuta? Was it not applicable then, too?"

Tahu gaped.

"Yes, I agree with the blue woman," another voice called. "Your rambling is pathetic. Cease it at once."

Everyone froze.

"What was that supposed to be, Sister?" Tahu inquired.

Gali looked at him and shrugged. "I do not know. But you have to admit," she smiled, putting her hand on his shoulder, "he does have a point. Talking isn't going to get us anywhere right now."

The Toa of Fire stared at here. "Get us… anywhere?" He smiled weakly. "Get… us anywhere? Sister… you have always advocated talking about our problems before. What happened to make you change that?"

"Sleeping with Kiina, that's what," Kopaka quipped.

Tahu frowned. Then he fumed. Hard. Charging up to Gali, he quickly turned up the heat with his flame swords.

"Sister!" he cried. "I cannot believe you! Why would you do this?"

"I thought you said our relationship was flexible!"

"On both parties' terms, I recall," Tahu huffed. He turned to Kopaka, who held up his shield reflexively.

"Don't look at me, brother. This is only what I have heard."

"From where?"

"From him, fire-spitter," Kopaka responded, pointing to Pohatu.

"Kopaka!" Pohatu cried. "I thought you said you wouldn't rat me out like that?"

"Keeping Gali's… activities a secret like that was not something I wanted to make a pact. It was to be said at the right moment."

"But… butt…" Pohatu turned to Onua, eyes pleading. "Do something, brother!"

"I can do nothing," the Toa rumbled. "As far as I know, the town hall about that had not been very private. Kopaka is right in that it would have been known" He turned to Tahu. "Did you not preside over that meeting, brother?"

Tahu paled. "I… did…but I never heard…"

He pulled Gali up by the neckbone. "This is not fair! If the others are to be believed, you have kept a grave secret from us… I really ought to…"

"Brother."

"Not now, Lewa." He raised a hand to slap Gali but was intercepted by Kopaka.

"Brother. I think my hut is going to-"

"I said not now," Tahu insisted, blocking a punch from Onua. "Keep it to yourself."

"Brother! I have spotted an army in the distance-"

"Keep it to yourself!" Tahu screamed, kicking Pohatu's climbing claws away.

Lewa shrieked. "Augh! BROTHER! We are all going to-"

BOOOOOOOOM.

Another bomb exploded, this time in a little garden Lewa had prepared for growing foodstuffs. A tree quickly fell over, and some dirt had been spewed in the Toa's direction. Growling hostilely, the Air Toa got up from his burial site under some rubble and walked over to his siblings.

"That is why I was calling you." He massaged his mask. "How can you be so dense? The leader of the Toa Nuva and you cannot even process the opinions of others? Did the Golden Armour make you insane?"

"Lewa." Tahu scowled. "I did nothing wrong. I have merely been working to protect the unity of the Toa Nuva," he noted, indicating the angry warriors who were his fellow Toa.

"We could have died," Lewa stated. "Do you really believe a relationship problem to be more important than-"

"Leave him alone!" Gali insisted. The others echoed her views.

The emerald warrior just stared. How could they- Why wouldn't they- what was wrong with-

He raged, steam literally billowing out of his audio receptors. Moving up to Tahu, he gripped the Toa's armour in his hands and violently yanked him down. Bringing his mask close to his, he glared at the Toa and kissed him. Then he pulled him back up, jumped up to his mask, pulled his right arm back, and

WHACK!

Lewa had slugged Tahu with his Midak Skyblaster. Hard. Reeling from the pain, the Toa fell back and crashed into the hole Onua had created.

He groaned and gingerly rubbed his head where the weapon had hit him. "Lewa…" he moaned. "Why would you do that?"

"Why would you leave us in danger like that?" the Toa retorted.

Tahu froze… "I… but… Gali… unity… Turaga… duty…"

Lewa did not acknowledge him. "I meant what I saidearlier," he jeered, pointing to the ruined doorway. "Get out."

Pohatu paled in shock. "Lewa… why?"

"Your current behavior sickens me," the Spirit of Air hissed. "It all feels like a mess. You didn't make an effort to clean it up." He tapped his foot impatiently. "Well?"

Gali looked at him pleadingly. "Lewa… do you not respect the three virtues? Unity, duty, destiny? Kicking us out is not going to make anything better."

"Not like you just followed the virtues either," Lewa seethed. "Squabbling like children over irrelevant topics, failing to come to a common conclusion, and leaving me out in the dust. I've no reason to listen to you."

She frowned. "But… what would the Turaga say?"

"I already told you what I think," he grumbled. "Screw them." Pointing to the doorway again, he impatiently repeated, "Are you not going to get out or not?"

"Not like this…" Tahu creaked. "Please… have some common… sense…"

BOOOOOOOOM.

"GET OUT!"

The Toa of Fire looked at him and pouted.

Then he stood up, walked to the doorway, and turned.

"You'll regret this later," he sneered.

"Oh, I'm sure I will," Lewa returned.

Pohatu got up next, putting a hand on Lewa's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, brother," he said, smiling sympathetically. "I hope you will find it in your heartlight to forgive us soon."

The smaller Toa smiled weakly. "Yeah… I guess I will." He gently pushed Pohatu off him, leaving the bigger Toa to trudge off into the distance.

The Water Spirit left a few minutes later, tightly wrapping her arm around Lewa's neck before she did so.

"I guess… this is not a goodbye, is it? It certainly does not feel like one."

"Yeah," Lewa grinned. "More like… a hiatus. Until I get over my conflicted feelings. Like the whole Bohrok-Kal thing, really."

Gali beamed and went to the doorway. She turned around to add, "Oh… and one more thing, brother. Do you still feel like we are not acknowledging you?"

"Um… only a bit," he responded.

The Toa said goodbye and was off.

Kopaka followed. In a surprising act of solidarity, he came up to Lewa and pulled him into a hug.

"Kopaka?" Lewa asked. "Why are you-"

"It is as you said. This is only until you get over your feelings. I… figured this would help guide you on that path."

"What do you mean?"

"I feel like this meeting was the start of a new part of your destiny. A new dawn, if you will. Our destinies are not set in stone, as I'm sure you recall."

The Air Toa grinned. "Do-sure. I'm not sure about this being a 'new dawn'… but I will keep-mind." He pulled Kopaka into a nougie and sent him off. "Have a nice brooding session, pansy," he called out.

Finally…

Onua was the last to leave. Despite all his negative feelings towards the Toa and the group as a whole, he really really wanted his partner to stay, even though he knew this couldn't be the case.

"Earth-brother…" he whispered, letting the Toa pull him into his arms, "I don't want you to quick-leave. It wouldn't be just-fair."

Onua chuckled. "And was sending the others off any better?" He smiled. "Look, Lewa. Your remark to Gali had some tact. I believe… that this isn't the end, as did you. It feels like a time to heal, look back on the past, reflect.

"Could we not do that together?" Lewa noted as his partner massaged his head. "Y'know…" he mused. "We could be a fierce-strong Toa Team. It'd just be the two of us, fighting bad guys, with no stupid rules or restrictions to let us down. Could be fun…" he giggled, laying his head on Onua's shoulder.

"No, Lewa…" The Earth Toa laughed heartily. Lewa loved it when he did that. "Kopaka has a point too, sorry to say. This appears to be the start of your destiny, and your destiny alone. As much as I'd like to kick posterior with you, I must leave fate to do its work."

"Aaw, Onua…" Lewa moaned dramatically. He pouted. "I don't know… why me, do you think? Being picked first in terms of destiny and all? I'm sure fire-spitter or stone-brother could do better."

"Their purposes would not be the same," Onua remarked. "Tahu's in particular. His problem seems to be staying withthe Toa, as opposed to yours, which is to be away from the Toa. The circumstances can't work."

The younger grinned. "Oh, yeah. I suppose I should just sit back and let destiny do its thing, huh?"

"Yes. I believe you should."

Lewa got up and started to help his friend up as well, then paused. "Wait, brother. What of the Turaga? I was being very rude to them… do you think I should go to Matau? And tell him everything?"

Onua pondered this. "Probably not. Call me a 'weirdo', but I believe they know all of this already." He allowed Lewa to help him up. "Contacting them, even if only for interaction, would not be wise."

The Air Toa sighed. "Yeah… I guess. I just wish I could give Matau… Turaga Matau a hug or something. As a thanks. Just leaving him on the line like that would be…" He began to cry again.

The elder smiled and wiped his partner's tears. "Do not weep over this, my kardin. I am sure he feels the same way."

"I know, but…"

"You don't need to know right now. Just feel." He leaned down and pulled Lewa into a passioned kiss. When they broke off, he continued, "Your destiny is not yet clear. Thus there is nothing to know. Let your emotions be your guide."

Lewa sniffed a bit. "Thanks, Onua." He dragged him into a tight hug. Smiling as the Toa walked away, he admitted, "I love you, my kardin."

"As I do you," the Toa of Earth finished.

Then he was gone.

They were all gone.

Hit with this realization, Lewa sunk to his knees and bawled.

A mound of rubble that had once been a shack lay in ruins near the dune that the soldiers had been hiding behind. Lieutenant H'ssiah used a telescope to peer into the pile and frowned. From the looks of things, the Rutan'gah had not been here at all; the arguing he had overheard had come from a group of tall, chromatically armoured warriors. Glatorian! They had seemed like somewhat of a threat, but a scout confirmed that the fools had not hid or even known of the alien being. Pitiful. All-powerful protectors of many, and they did not understand the hazard that had placed itself before them. He scoffed to himself.

Yet…

Despite the lack of danger, the Lieutenant was still interested in what remained. One of the warriors had stayed behind, head buried in some debris. Was he crying? H' could not be certain, but yes, it seemed that he was sobbing. Howling, even. He sighed before an ear perked up in sudden awareness.

Gordanians are known for having significantly enhanced hearing, the structure of their ears allowing them to pick up on more minute emissions. The "Screamers of Death," the race had once been nicknamed. A slightly inaccurate label, but as a social species they would take what they could get.

As a senior in the Gordanian army, ssiah had devoted much time to improving the efficiency of his senses. This enabled him to hear much of what his men could not; at the moment, he was picking up a… desire?

The trail was barely audible, like a whisper, but the Lieutenant was very much hearing a desire. One to leave his comrades, the other to… get out. Where, the alien could not make note of.

He had all the right mind to just get up, turn around, and go home, but the Lieutenant was interested in seeing if he could pick up a location. The crones in chairs could wait; studying Glatorian sociology seemed like a very good idea right now. H'ssiah's ears remained bent towards the rubble until-

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

Oh, not again.

Garfield Logan rumbled indignantly. He was Changeling, of the Doom Patrol- no, he'd been Changeling of the Doom Patrol. The dumb idiots had just kicked him out, and for no good reason, too!

He took a seat by a bus stop and contemplated his situation. Oh, he really wanted to punch Steve in the face right now- the boy sighed when he realized he couldn't. The Doom Patrol's leader had had somewhat of an excuse, he grasped- Garfield had been acting selfish, and snobby, and all around stupid as of late. His behavior wasn't an excuse to shove him out the door, fling his bags at him, yell in his face, and slam the base's entrance on him, but it did seem like he needed to be taught a lesson. That was what Elasti-Girl had thought, anyway.

He exhaled dreamily as he thought of the woman, Rita Moranes. She done so much for him; found him as a boy, stranded in the wreckage he now knew to be caused by him; took him in as a member of the Patrol and raised him; policed him and supervised him as needed; and been a generally good mother and friend. Oh, and she had a nice figure, too- Changeling pushed the thought out of his mind. Elasti-Girl and Steve had reprimanded him very often for staring at her chest; not that he could be blamed for it, given his hormones and everything, but he didn't need to feel guilty for his actions anymore than he already was.

Slumping over on the bench, head collapsed in his lap, he reached into his backpack and pulled out his smartPhone to pass the time. Rita had given him the thing after the team's first victory against-

No! No need to keep thinking about her! He was an independent adult now!

Wait. Independent adult.

Changeling grinned. Now that he wasn't with the Doom Patrol, he didn't need to abide by their stupid rules. He could go wherever he wanted, play whatever video games he wanted, eat whatever kinds of tofu he wanted…

There was one thing he needed to do first, however. From now on, he wouldn't be referred to under the crummy title Steve had given him- now and forevermore, he was Beast Boy, ex-member of the Doom Patrol. Beast Boy smirked. He had a good choice in names! It totally complimented his ears. The ladies would totally dig him now…

He grinned again and looked back at his smartPhone, opening up the device's messenger application. The program had seen much use over the phone's lifetime- whether it was video games, tofu, girls, girls, or videogames, the boy was always using the thing to talk to friends.

Looking at his buddy list, Beast Boy noted that quite a few people were on lately. He was about to pick a person to start a chat when the telltale plink! of a message alert sounded and one started of its own accord.

Here's Chapter Six!

Comments:

1. It was really hard to end the argument satisfyingly and I'm glad I was able to figure it out. Jeez.

2. I hope there was enough pathos in there to sate your Hurt/Comfort desires.

3. Hey, it's Beast Boy! Say hi, Beast Boy! (I always wondered why he didn't just call himself Beast Man from the beginning. Lack of competency?)

Read and review! (Seriously. I'm beginnin' to wonder if I need to throw Danny Phantom in there somewhere as bait. Wouldn't like to do that.)