#rahi | my sun

[easton-m]

@astrorahi | Setting: Easton's apartment | Local Time: 21:55

The TV on his bedroom's wall is blasting sounds silently in the background, and even though one of his most favorite movies is playing, Easton's attention is on Rahi. He'd moved the TV from his living room earlier today, just so they could watch something while properly laying down - and almost hit it against a wall in the process. Now, his right arm is wrapped around Rahi's shoulders, so he can lay down on it. His fingers are toying around with his hair, lost in thought, until he remembers a specific text message Rahi sent him recently. Can you please tell coach to hurry up because I miss my man? My man, huh? Easton looks down at the astronaut, stomach immediately full of the usual, giddy feeling, and he presses a kiss to his forehead before slowly pulling out of bed, "I'll grab some wine, okay?"

It's a white lie. Because Easton doesn't come back with more wine, no, there's two little jewelry boxes wrapped with ribbons, and he sits down on Rahi's left, offering him both. "Okay. So." The quarterback looks nervous, pushes his hair out of his face in an attempt to calm himself, "We haven't really talked about it, and..." His eyebrows furrow and he taps the box with the blue ribbon - "That's yours. I was gonna wait for Valentine's day, but since Superbowl comes before that and I asked you to come wearing my jersey, I thought..." Easton waits, unwraps the second box - they're red, and they're Cartier.

In his, there's a thin golden bracelet, with eight little charms on them - the planets of the solar system in their true colors. Rahi's features the same, and they're all in their accurate size; but Rahi's features something extra: "It's the star Sirius. Because you're...so bright. The brightest star in my universe." Easton lifts his out of his box, "Mine has the moon. Because it reminds me of you." He pauses, gulps down his nervousness, "I was wondering... can I be your boyfriend?" Pause. "You only get the bracelet if you say yes." He grins softly now, still nervous. Eyes searching Rahi's face for rejection.

[demonfowl]

Sinut vain, ja aikaa - luukku 2

tumblr & ao3

Kakkosluukkuuuu @trevardes tägään sut nyt näköjään näistä jokaikiseen varaudu.

Lehdon ajatusmaailma on vaan niin herkullista luettavaa mä en koskaan kyllästy sen kyynisyyteen tässä :''D Voi häntä.

Sanokaa hei tolle siniselle sohvalle. Tulette näkemään häntä Paljon.

(Näitä on aika kauhee julkasta koska alotin tän homman jo aikoja sitten ja nyt tekisin näistäkin jo tuhat juttua eri tavalla. Menkööt. Opitaan turhan perfektionismin tukahdutusta samalla.)

[ramayantika]

Sakal Ban

Oh look how the streets have been adorned with colourful banners and flower boughs. The flags of my kingdom fly high on the beautiful carved towers, showing the grandeur of my city.

It's the time of the Spring festival. The fields look as golden as the sun with mustard flowers sprouting from the brown soil, their slender stalks flowing in the flower-laden spring breeze, and maidens wearing colourful robes with chiming anklets on soft red-dyed feet run through the golden fields.

I used to be one of them ages ago. These young girls donned in light shaded robes look as beautiful blooms of the royal garden, which used to be a place for my secret trysts with the handsome young lover, who is still elegant and regal as ever, but alas, no longer mine.

Mango buds hang from the branches, and little children play with stones and pebbles under the young tree. Somewhere in the distance, in the extravagant places of the courtly dancers and musicians, I see a lovely maiden adorn flowers in her braid.

Oh, honeybees, you traverse in circles

around the lone nectar-filled bloom in vain.

When you have the whole garden behind her head

Why go for the single little flower of a shrub?

I make my way through the crowded colourful streets once again like I do every Spring Festival, every year and pay my respects at the Nizamudin's shrine.

Dusty paths permeate with a fragrance of jasmine and lavender, and the bazaars are teeming with sweet shops, with small vendors selling savoury snacks. A husband gently feeds a milk sweet to his wife who glows with the little child growing inside her.

I clutch my stomach, and my heart grows fond but also silently weeps at the fate that I was shown but mercilessly snatched away from.

The chitter-chatter of the streets grow louder. In every courtyard, poets and singers sing verses of lovers and romantic union in spring. The patronisers of art fling their gold and silver in fine silk bundles.

And finally the Royal trumpet blows. The crowd stills. The garden girls with large flower garlands stand on the sides, their smiley faces glowing under the pleasant sun. I smile too.

The palanquin bearing the queen enters the street to the shrine. I caress the ring on my finger, a metallic symbol of a broken promise of yesteryears.

The soldiers cheering the empress's name flank the palanquin. Her maidservants and handmaidens donning simple shades and cotton skirts that lightly flutter in the wind walk by. The crowd amazed at all the riches, power and grandeur swoon in delight.

And then the announcer announces the arrival of the empress. He rules over everyone. He rules over our hearts and souls, but foremost mine, even when I can no longer claim his heart, forget the soul anymore, but some springs before, he was all mine, body, heart and soul, where we claimed each other in the golden fields of mustard blooms.

And fate is a popular jester, its jabs hurt the heart at times, but you have to keep smiling, keep laughing, for the show must go on. Life must go on.

An old singer sings:

woh mohe awan keh gaye ashiq rang aur beet gaye barson, sakal ban, phool rahi sarson sakal ban

The emperor hasn't once seen my eyes in all these years, and I never crossed my fate with his. Not all wishes come true at the shrine, and not all promises can be kept.

For some hearts, there is never warm beautiful spring

All they get is a merciless cold winter until death claims their breath,

With Death granting an illusionary hope of a sweet union in the afterlife...

Fate, a cruel jester! The emperor's eyes meet my steely ones. A lone drop falls and I drag the thin veil around my face. The Spring breeze burns my flesh, it's cool winds freezing my once warm and hopeful heart.

But the show must go on, and the Emperor of my city, the lovely Prince of my youth, the sole Ruler of my heart walks away majestically on the royal elephant.

Not once does he turn back and I feel the sharp chilly winds of winter enter my heart.

*＊✿❀　❀✿＊**＊✿❀　❀✿＊**＊✿❀　❀✿＊*

Tags: @alhad-si-simran @houseofbreadpakoda @swayamev @arachneofthoughts @krishna-priyatama @navaratna @inexhaustible-sources-of-magic @madoucesouffrance @jessbeinme15 @kaal-naagin @aesthetic-aryavartik @krsnaradhika @krishnaaradhika .

Um so I have been listening to Sakal ban from heeramandi. Looked up to the translation a little and I am writing this inside my Pharmaceutical analysis lab before viva which I am actually not prepared for but we ball.

Please please tell me how it was okay. I haven't written, read and danced due to this continuous shower of exams and it feels so restless and suffocating. I was desperate so wrote this on my phone. So, yes, do leave reviews, comments etc.

Maybe I will post a dance cover after internals later on.

Also, if there are others who wsnt to be included in my writing taglist, do let me knowm

[bionicle-ramblings]

More humanized Bionicle stuff because I left a few things out of my first post and I have a few thoughts to share

I went into detail about how Vakama looks, i.e. hair and eye color, but I never did that with the other Toa:

Nokama is the second tallest after Nuju. She doesn't wear heels, it's all natural. Her long is dark, enough for it to shine blue in the sun. Also following her OG set design, her eyes are an orange-amber color.

Since Matau can't exactly grow his hair out, he dyes it and his natural roots grew when he was given the Toa Stone by Lhikan. His hair is also a constant mess because he has helmet hair. People are surprised to see his red eyes, but Matau says it adds to his charm.

Onewa either has light brown hair or dark blond hair that he ties back in a ponytail. Has the most riveting blue eyes in the team and he uses that to his advantage so that he wins in a staring contest against Matau(because I firmly believe that he's bi and a disaster sometimes)

Nuju is the tallest. He knows it. Despite sometime spent in the sun, Nuju is a little pale. Actually, he's VERY pale. His hair is white as snow and his eyes are such a pale blue they might was well be white. He doesn't smile a lot and it shows because he doesn't have any smile lines on his face.

Whenua is the shortest in the group, but don't be fooled. He is still a tank, he is a walking Boulder. The man is nearly solid muscle. His hair is basically an undercut with the top being box braided and he has to untie the braids and retie them when he bathes or showers. He's got very green eyes like Vakama, but his are slightly more vibrant. And they're like a cat's in that they glow in the dark, which the others know from first-hand experience because they've either awoken to seeing Whenua's eyes only or they looked at Whenua at the right angle when it was dark.

With descriptions out of the way, time for shenanigans!

In an arm wrestling contest, for fun and games, Whenua, oddly enough, won against the other Toa. Matau and Onewa wanted a rematch, but Whenua, to pull their legs, told them not to hurt themselves and wait until later

Vakama and Whenua need to be reminded to go to bed because they're both used to staying up late

Nokama 100% does yoga. The others have tried it and Nuju, Whenua, and Vakama do partake in doing it. Onewa and Matau tried, but Matau cannot do it for long because he prefers more active activities. Onewa just doesn't have the best balance

Vakama and Whenua occasionally braid each other's hair, though really it's a "them" thing that developed because Whenua got just out of the bath and asked Vakama for help rebraiding his hair. As they were braiding, Vakama asked if the braids mean anything, like if each braid is a number of rahi or bit of information in the archives or if each braid is a year Whenua worked in the archives, but Whenua just admits he has them because it gives his hands something to do and he doesn't get any wispy hair in his face. When asked about his own braids, Vakama admitted they were from a friend and he held onto them for sentimental reasons. He totally expected to be picked on for it, but Whenua only told him he was lucky and, as a half joke, asked Vakama if he'll have more braids as he worked with the other Toa Metru. Vakama was indecisive, as that would mean growing more hair and braiding it, but he wouldn't object to it

When their boots get damaged, Onewa looks for new boots while Vakama just fixes his, and it shows because he has had to repleace the string of his boot, had to sew a hole shut, had to fix the sole, and put some new metal in the toe when the old metal gave

Vakama doesn't smoke, I don't imagine any of the Toa Metru smoking, but if Vakama did smoke, he'd essentially use his thumb as a lighter. If anyone's getting cheeky or smart with him, he'd flip them off as he lights a smoke. Well, anyone but Nokama, who would be on his back about stopping because he's not helping himself by doing it and his lungs/filters are already gross from breathing smoke and fumes all day, so why is he making it worse?

Matau is 100% someone who would walk up to one of the other Toa Metru and say, "Pay attention to me." Very cat-like behavior, but the guy wants love

Vakama doesn't fully remember getting his scar from the Vahki. The others asked what he did, but he legitimately has no idea

Something that's absolutely a thing between the two of them: Matau will lay right on top of Vakama or lay by him, what have you. It's a win-win thing for them both; Matau gets really warm, and Vakama gets a comfortable weight on him to calm him down

Because I have cats, how they'd do with a cat: Whenua would let it chill on his shoulders, Nokama would have a new best friend and the cat essentially becomes her animal companion, Matau is shape-shifting into another cat and playing with it, Onewa is the guy who didn't want the cat but falls in love anyway, Nuju is indifferent about it, and Vakama is very, "What do I do?" towards it because it honks at him whenever he's making masks to calm down and lays on him because he is a living furnace

This is just in general, but their eyes change color when their 'mask powers' are activated. Nokama's eyes glow blue, Vakama's glow red, Nuju's glow white, et cetera. Whenua's just more of a lead-y silver, but still

[matoranhoroscope]

“The ocean is healing.”

That’s what she kept insisting.

I had met up with a group of Toa I had worked with in the past and Maa immediately recognized that I was not in as good condition as I had been.

Indeed, my armor was a heavily saturated brown, as opposed to the burnt orange it would turn after longer exposure to the Spherus Magna sun. My new role largely had me working in Matoran settlements around the Bara Magna region, giving me less time to be out in nature as I probably should be.

“I believe you,” I said, shuffling awkwardly across the beach. “But if the waves knock my mask askew, I’m done.” The sands of the beach was markedly different from the sands of the desert I call home. It’s missing that layer of rock beneath it that ties it back to its source. The beach’s sands are loose, ever shifting and more effort to navigate than I would have liked. As we approached, I struggled to envision how I would occupy my time bobbing around in the ocean. That’s when Maa revealed the extra mask she had been carrying.

“I brought a Kanohi Kaukau for us to share between the team! I thought it would be fun to see if we can see any integration between the sea beasts of Spherus Magna, and our Rahi!” Maa had been a Toa for a long time. So long so that I am still surprised to see that she has not made the transformation into Turaga every time I see them. One might mistake her for a Toa of Water, what with her fondness for the sea, but the gold bands on her Kanohi and armor denoted her as a Psionic Toa. She used her power judiciously to determine what was best for the mental state of her team, despite any outward facade. That had been me during the trip out here. She was right. I needed the time to heal.

The rest of the team took turns with the Kanohi, looking around the tides for interesting signs of life. I waded out into the ocean to join them, minding my step as to not disturb the ecosystem more than necessary. Something that took some getting used to on Spherus Magna was the abundance of small organisms. Most everything inside the old Matoran Universe was large. The bugs, the frogs, the crabs. The revelation that the creatures on this world underwent something called “evolution”, as opposed to being designed by a creator had been a difficult one for most of us, but it made them fascinating in a unique way.

“Jasui, why don’t you give it a try?” One of the other Toa insisted after taking a turn. “I know you’ll enjoy it.” Again, she was right. My dour demeanor could hide nothing from the team. I took a moment to admire the mask in my hands. The Kanohi Kaukau was a striking design with its visor and layered, curved top. The Agori say it has “style”. “Come on, what’s under the water is gonna be waaay more interesting than the mask, I promise!”

I let out a lighthearted laugh as I swapped my own Kanohi with the Kaukau. Other Toa have described feeling a sense of security in the water just from wearing it. Maybe it was my own fears, maybe it was the fact that I had never worn one before, but I felt no such thing. I stared at the water for a moment behind the mask’s visor, knowing consciously that I would be fine while submerged… I just had to convince myself.

Out of habit, I took a deep breath in, and curled down, wrapping my arms around my knees. If I felt so out of place, I should do as the stones of the ocean do and simply sink. The view was immediately captivating. Fish, smaller than any I had ever seen darted about. A flat creature, previously cloaked in the sand rocketed away from where I had landed. The feelings of wonder momentarily gave way to panic. I had not been breathing. On a conscious level, I knew I was wearing the Kanohi Kaukau but every instinct in my body told me not to open my mouth. I saw the shapes of the other Toa gathering around, peering below the surface at me. I closed my eyes, focused on the feeling of the sand underneath me, and took a breath in.

Relaxing was still not easy, but I was now past the hardest part. Breathing with the power of the mask, I began to explore the sandy floor with better focus. The small, Spherus Magna fish swam in tandem with a Ruki fish from our world. The larger fish seemed to serve as a leader, or maybe even a bodyguard. Perhaps the larger size and protodermic scales of the Ruki dissuade the predators that would hunt this fish. Perhaps the creativity of the Makuta was intentionally influenced by the Great Beings to recreate the beasts of their world. Could the smaller fish feel some sort of connection to the Ruki, or was it just convenience? It was known that the Matoran people were based on the inhabitants of Spherus Magna. How deep did our connection go?

I was getting lost in the moment. There would be time later to ponder the Great Beings. I had to admit though, the experience was rejuvenating. As the day went on, I did find myself genuinely enjoying my time at the beach. I began to realize why Maa felt that the ocean was healing. Here, there was no conflict. The crash of the waves had no malice and the creatures had no agenda. There was nothing to fix and no one to protect. Just time to be. My only duty here was to enjoy myself.

[toa-kohutti]

A Gift the Great Spirit Left Unnamed

Chapter 1: Arrival

A nomadic Toa of Lightning takes a stop at a small village on the coast of the Southern Continent in order to recover from her wounds. She quickly realizes that she got more than she bargained for when she meets the village's healer...

A love story from a world where there is no word for "love".

I breathed a heavy sigh of relief when I saw the village over the horizon. Being a nomadic Toa, my home and tribe long broken and scattered, getting respite was more important than ever. As I stepped up the hill, my lungs struggled through shaky, haphazard breaths, trying to avoid touching the shattered Rahi talons that embedded themselves in my flesh after the beast tore through my armor. I couldn’t remember the exact name of what struck me, but it had a venom on its cruel, shedding talons, and the throbbing pain of that poison in my muscles was impossible to ignore, slowly spreading to more of my war-torn body. The pain was worth it, though, always worth it, no matter when it happened. Saving three Matoran researchers, pinned in that cave by the Rahi, was worth it.  

The pain had put me on autopilot, and I was quietly subsumed by the dull state of mind that always comes along with pain. I had hardly noticed that I had arrived, but when stimuli overwhelmed the doldrums, I heard a rash of small sounds, followed by a curious stir. The sun was a few moments away from setting, and it seemed that I had interrupted their preparations for night. The soundscape was full of quiet whispers, which I didn’t have anywhere close to the concentration to focus on and interpret. Matoran turned from their paths or put their things aside, some sticking their heads out of their leaf-and-wood homes, all focused on me. Except for one. 

A Matoran in armor in a few shades of natural blues and painted highlights of orange, rushed up to me, panting a little as she did so. While I could see that other Matoran had painted armor in the village, hers was elaborate, and in patterns that were rare to see, with swirls and lines covering her as if she were a decoration herself. Her mask was no exception, with broad, flat bands running across the mask’s surface, with beautiful orange painted patterns upon them, like waves in sunset. She straightened herself before moving into a stiff, clearly unpracticed stance of respect, gently bending her knees and back, with her head pointed straight at the ground.  

“W-we welcome you, Toa of Lightning!” she said, a small nervous stammer in her voice. I was surprised she recognized my rarer element from my colors, something unusual for Matoran on more isolated settlements like this one. “On what occasion have you come to our humble Koro?” She looked up to me with a clear sense of anxiety mixed with a desire for approval, neither hidden by her unfamiliar, but beautiful mask. 

“I’m… just passing through.” I chose my words carefully, my pain giving me little mind for the rituals of respect that Matoran show for their guardian Toa, as much as I recognized and appreciated them. “And I need a place to rest.” My voice was marred by the shake of poorly concealed pain, and the Matoran before me’s expression changed from a nervous search for approval to sudden, knowing concern.  

“You’re hurt,” she said, matter-of-factly, all desire to continue the tradition of respect for Toa seemingly evaporated. “Please, come with me.” She took my hand in hers, only a tiny bit smaller than my own, and pulled me in the gentlest manner towards the village. “My Teacher and I can heal your wounds, at least for tonight.” She pointed to a larger, farther hut, and started to walk, guiding me like she was teaching a freshly built Matoran.  

I didn’t protest, any help to get the painful debris and venom out of me sounded like the greatest thing in the universe at that moment. But others in the village spoke in whispers again, the ornately-armored Matoran's behavior seemingly catching their disapproval. Usually, so-called "good Matoran" had respect for their Toa and didn't drag them around, but I found her abandoning politeness for the sake of my safety to be far more important, at least right now. Before reaching the hut, I saw a Turaga step forwards from her seat, a look of concern and confusion behind her mask, but little more as I bent over to fit under the door’s hole, talons twisting in my flesh, digging in and causing sharp, shooting pains I had to endure, a quiet hiss of pain exiting my mouth. I closed my eyes as I pushed into the hut, only opening them when it hinted at slightly subsiding.  

When I opened my eyes again, I was shocked to see another Toa. The first thing I noticed were her eyes! Softly glowing a piercing yellow, they were full of the same wondrous surprise that I had seen on so many Matoran’s faces before, but never on one of my equals. She blinked a moment after I did, before our locked gaze broke and she looked me up and down. It took me a few moments to even consider doing the same to her.  

“A Toa...” she said, her voice quiet, but still full of the same wonder. When I finally was able to look at the rest of her, I saw a similar mask to the Matoran that led me to her, but somehow softer, smoother, with thin inset lines and gentle curves giving her an inviting appearance. The smooth blue mask was painted like the Matoran who guided me, a warm, sparkling copper pattern traced over it. “What brings you to our quiet little Koro?” She asked, as I slowly moved from a squat to a kneel. 

“I was protecting some wayward Matoran.” I said, her question snapping me out of my entrancement. “I won’t be staying long, so I won’t burden you.” I urged, hoping I wasn't imposing on anything at all. I knew firsthand that resources were often hard to come by for villages like these, and hated feeling like things were wasted on a traveler like me.  

“You can stay as long as you like,” she said, reaching a hand out to me. “We’re a quiet village. You’re the most exciting thing to grace us in a long time, Toa...” She trailed off, a soft tone waiting for me to answer hanging in the air. It took me a moment to catch it, as my eyes were studying her hands, the metal worn down and painted over.  

“Ohmeni,” I said, hastily, as if I were rushing to catch pottery falling from a table. “Ohmeni, Toa of Lightning.” I completed my introduction, properly, the sense of haste dissolving, as I took in the room around me, consciously trying to avoid distraction and remain stoic and measured, as all good Toa should. And yet... something about the presence of this pair, Toa and Matoran, both clad in cool blues and warm oranges and beautiful patterns, put me at ease, and something felt unnecessary about that emotional front.  

“It’s good to meet you, Ohmeni.” My eyes couldn’t help but be drawn towards hers, where I saw the corner of her eyes scrunch into a warm, welcoming smile – and I felt mine do the same, involuntarily, but I didn’t even think of stopping it. “My name is Pysie, and in case she hasn’t properly introduced herself, this is my apprentice, Ghavialia.” She took my hand in a gentle embrace, more a preliminary inspection than a greeting, but one that immediately sucked in all my attention. She gave a quiet, contemplative “hmm”, as she ran her fingertips over my armor. Finally, she looked up and spoke, while inspecting the rest of me that she could see. “You’re clearly quite the warrior.”  

“How could you tell?” I asked, before silently wincing at the foolish question. She ran a hand over my arm, tracing a large, patched gash. The signs were all over my body. Scratches, cuts, and dents covered my armor from head to toe.

Pysie chuckled, a little sadly. “Your armor looks like a mess.” She pulled away from me, now kneeling close. “I’ve seen Toa hurt before, but... well, when’s the last time you got your armor fixed up?” She said, tilting her head a little. “I mean, really fixed it. Not just emergency patches.”  

I started to open my mouth, but closed it again just as quickly as I realized that I... didn’t really remember. I took a deep breath in, until the sudden shooting pain cut it short, and the air left my lungs as I gasped suddenly in pain. My vision went blurry for a few long moments before clearing as the Matoran held a pot underneath my face, a spiced aroma wafting through my mask as I breathed in. After I took a breath of the stuff, my head started feeling clearer, if a little dizzy, from whatever herbs were in it. “Th... thank you, Ghavail, Gha-” I stammered, struggling to pronounce her name before I was politely cut off.  

“You can call me Gava for short; everyone does.” She used the same matter-of-fact tone she had before, no resentment or judgment, simply a focus on her patient, who was, unfortunately, me. After a few seconds of me breathing it in, Gava took the pot and lidded it, placing it on a small wooden shelf, the top bumping against the wall of hardened, layered leaves. I looked back to Pysie, and realized that in my brief moment of panic, I had tensed up, taking a protective stance. My body had decided that I was under attack, but Pysie placed her hands on my shoulders, and gently guided them into a relaxed position, before lifting my back up, unfazed by my reaction to the tiniest moment of vulnerability.  

“Now,” Pysie said, quietly. “Where do you hurt?”

[astrorahi]

STARMAN.

November 3rd — December 5th, 2023.

"I'm stepping through the door And I'm floating in a most peculiar way And the stars look very different today." — Leaving Earth always felt like a relief. It doesn't matter how good he had it with his feet firm on the ground — weightlessness always felt better, like more of a home than the one he'd been born into.

Call time's limited, but Rahi always made room for his sister.

"Don't you feel alone up there?"

"I'm an astronaut. I'm a professional at being alone," he says, though it weighs more than casual banter. "And exceptional at being lonely."

He still thinks of this later, as the rest of the crew is asleep and he's watching the sun rise in New York City from the round windows of the ISS. Yes, he's lonely — but there's something almost peaceful about it.

—

"Can you be away from home, from your loved ones, for weeks at a time and still perform your duties effectively?" One of the first questions asked, way back when.

"...Yes, I can."

"And not be fixated about what's happening on Earth?"

"Yes."

"And not feel sad, depressed?"

"Yes."

"And not lose your mind?"

"Still yes."

—

Fast forward to now, the questions are much more tailored, built just for him:

"Is your fiancé aware of the implications and circumstances of your mission?"

"I don't— I'm not engaged anymore." Pause, and a quizzical stare. Clearly, it says otherwise on her spreadsheet. "...It's recent."

"And you're in sound mind to travel?"

Rahi nods, "I am."

"Is there a chance that personal emergencies would come up during your time away?"

"No, there's not."

"Commander, I have to ask—"

"Aston," Rahi cuts in, "I can assure you, I have never felt as prepared as I do now."

—

"You've really made the grade And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear Now it's time to leave the capsule if you dare."

—

"пошел на хуй, Кумар." The cosmonaut throws his Uno cards up in frustration, and they fly right over Rahi and over his head. For a long moment, they just hover there like a halo.

Rahi reaches up and retrieves them down, one by one, laughing. "Вам нужно научиться проигрывать."

Later that night, they met again in the control room.

"Your Russian, very good."

The cosmonaut's compliments, very scary. "Thanks."

"Girlfriend?" They definitely don't have enough time to unpack all of that.

"...Best friend."

"Ah." Beat. "What would they think if they saw this?"

Rahi stares out the window, to star clusters and colorful gas masses. It all moves fast, yet slowly at the very same time. It might just be the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.

"He would..." So much science — unexplained science. "...I think it might make him smile, for once."

—

"Am I sitting in my tin can Far above the world Planet Earth is blue And there's nothing I can do."

—

In a month, he does five space walks surrounding the station, easy work around a place he'd helped design into life. Earth spins down below, and Rahi watches it like a movie.

Questions from before jump at him again, but answers from before stay true to this day.

(Rahi has oh so much to fixate, back on Earth. But it's his commitment and professionalism that allows him to witness moments as celestial as this.)

The light of the sun reflects off his helmet, and he feels warm even in the chill emptiness of space. Rahi hates closing his eyes up there, but he does now — and floats off the path just so.

The moment lasts a brief eternity.

Until—

The cable yanks him back, and Rahi opens his eyes to a void full of lights.

Now this— is home.

[chappellrroan]

realising that i do not like the friends to lovers trope cause i dated my childhood friend and fucked up the friendship and i regret it breakup mein friendship bhi kho jati hai😭😭😭 like obv friends flirty friends for a short period of time to lover is okay necessary even kyunki seedha date bhi nahi accha lagta but childhood wale nahi 😞 pata nahi main ye kyun bata rahi hu but idk sun lo

I AGREE dating best friends is only cute and nice in theory irl it's just terrible it sores whole friend group, you lose both a friend and a partner AT ONCE it's ew no too much hurt to be worth it

[toomagazineperfection]

The men I know, do I really know them? Do I know what of her lies, when I know of her seep?

Her outfit courages were the thing that was a lie in a Godly way. The whip-plash that edges my body is his Tibule. His sparse lie was the love which was a correct amount of lie s that ask of her. I ask of her body to suffuse me and the death was the lone Earth which was the heavy fist that barred. A light in which my hay lays is the safety button and was a Teddy-Bear God was he. A God was she was s lie that stabbed my start. His God brought me. A thought in heart light kingdoms were soil which spilled and gathered a Kaynak. A heavy wrist in two. His lies no nill of her. I lore you to sustain you. A grace period of sight telebuble was he. The sight meant his way. The light went his lie. He was a sight bearing Mukarp on the bearing lie for watching me. A lie that sort after madness was a beginning a better than a replacement theory.An Amy of their love lone aisle stands head .They were the sight that suddled into a lie a pin-pock paddle. A sight of sight happenings. A dil nasha. A Chahen Tisha. A wrote wisha. A right disha. A lie factor and a half. A movie marred life. A life is a factor that urges. A Ghazalfied lie. Sun rahi hai tu kyu ro raha hai woh.

A guitar, a bass player of height 50.A kajol in his wrist. A Dehuja entrepreneurial lie that was a touching height of 50 mane. A love that great occupies. A light lipped lie that lays low like the Barjans of deep oil factory.

[kalki-tarot]

hey, hope you are having a gr8 day/night <3 i'd like to join the channeled love song game

one assumption about you is you might like to mask your troubles. it's more like even if you are going through a difficult situation and it does affect you but you try to keep your cool.

nickname is tina and my sun sign is leo.

thank you so much and sending you lots of love <3 love your blog

Hello, thanks for participating ♥️

Extras : T, S, P, Q,R, "tassawur" (idk what that is), shawn

[ctrl-alt-tahu]

A Bionicle Advent Calendar: December 4th (Day 4)

The Prompt: I come here to be alone and this is my spot, how the Hell did you find it? Tell me.

It was a remote corner of Mata Nui indeed: the last islet off the southeastern coast: a rocky tor that rose alone with the endless ocean beyond it. No Rahi had come here in the days of the Matoran, and now that the Matoran had returned to Metru Nui, the visits it had enjoyed from Toa Gali had ended too.

No one knew Gali had come there, but it was easy for her to visit as it was for no one else on Mata Nui, and she spent many a night there, waking to stupendous and private sunrise.

Wake the Bohrok. That was the mission the Toa Nuva, inexplicably, had returned to Mata Nui to perform, and the they had gone their separate ways for the night--where, Gali didn't know. No to their Koros, she thought: those were not home without the Matoran (and Tahu's was gone, anyway). They had probably all done as she had: into the heart of their elements.

Metru Nui was surrounded by the Silver Sea, but that was not the same. Put it another way: there was water in Metru Nui, but not any ocean. Gali didn't know who she was without the ocean--a problem she had had a lot lately: the change to Nuva, the loss of Mata Nui, the revelation that Toa had once been far more common and were, in fact, Matoran by origin. Gali's understanding of the world kept changing.

And now they had to waken the Bohrok and let them do their work upon Mata Nui.

The sun rose without Gali finding peace amid her discomfort. She was gazing out at the purple ocean when the stones behind her stirred.

"Lewa?" she guessed, but turned to see a red Matoran.

"Kapura, what are you doing here?" she asked. "How did you get here?"

"I went so slowly that I was just here," said Kapura as though this were both obvious and quite unexciting. Gali did not know the Ta-Matoran well. She had assumed that Macku's reports of his mysterious ability to turn up unexpectedly were a bit exaggerated in the telling, but unless the Ta-Matoran could swim several kios (a feat for a Ta-Matoran in itself!), perhaps they were actually understated.

"You should be in Metru Nui," said Gali. "The Great Spirit needs the labor of the Matoran. It is not safe to be out here alone."

"I will be back for my shift," said Kapura. "This is where I come to sleep."

"Why here?' asked Gali.

"The first time I quick-travelled, this is where I came," said Kapura. "I did not mean to. I meant to go to Onu-Koro. I had a message for Onepu from Jaller."

Gali nodded, not understanding where this was going.

"Since then, I know how to quick-travel, but only to places I have been before."

"Had you been here before?" asked Gali.

"I did not think so," said Kapura, but Gali knew what was lurking behind that statement.

"But you didn't remember Metru Nui either," she said. "Do you come here trying to remember this rock?" Kapura nodded.

"You may need to stop," said Gali. "Mata Nui is not a safe place for a Matoran. We have come here on a mission that could destroy it."

"Why?" asked Kapura.

"I don't understand it," said Gali. "To me, it does not make sense, but I have to trust."

"That is how Vakama taught me to quick-travel," said Kapura, nodding. "once it happens, it will make sense."

"I hope so," said Gali. "But that is my problem. Yours is to let go of this rock."

"But then I will never know why I was here before," said Kapura.

"Perhaps you will," said Gali, "but you need to find that memory a different way: quick-remember instead of quick-travel." There was a little flash of red light as Kapura's eyes widened for moment.

"I will remember very slowly," he promised, seriously.

"The sun is up," said Gali, rising and looking at the ocean. "I need to join my brothers, and once we begin, you must be back in Metru Nui, but you can stay here another three or four hours, if you want."

"My shift starts in two hours," said Kapura. "I will be back by then."

With a last glance at the red Matoran, sitting on the edge of the cliff motionless, Gali dove off the tor in a leaping swan-dive and headed for the mainland. She still had much to learn, but if she wanted it quickly, she had to learn it slowly indeed.

[lyricsssdotin]

Soniye Sun Zara Lyrics

Singer:Jayden, SwaatiAlbum:Jayden I wanna see the stars write downAnd I know what kinda girl you areStill lovin’ me and I love you babe The way I see you * at meYour eyes and lips all over meJust meet into my fantasies, of loving you Soniye sun zaraSoniye sun zaraSun zara soniye sun zaraAaj khamoshiyon se aa rahi hai sadaaDhadkane hai deewaniDil bhi kuch keh raha hai Sun zara.. soniye sun…

[ramayantika]

There used to be a website called commaful. It still exists and that was my first website where I used to post my poems. I randomly searched it now and god am I dying of cringe. Mein jaa rahi himaylaya

Anyway so here's the very first poem I wrote in my diary when I was 14 (and this one was inspired from Harry Potter fan fictions so it does contain some of those Pinterest quotes because there was a time I used to die over dramione romione edits) :

She never knew

He looked at her

As if she was the ocean in which

He was desperate to drown.

But, she never knew,

She never knew how much she meant to him.

Her laugh was music to his ears.

During his darkest days, her smile was enough to brighten him up.

She was a gift from heaven, he would tell her.

But she never knew,

She never knew that she was a goddess to him.

Beautiful soul, eyes of a rebel, fierce, strong and brave.

Her words influenced others.

She could understand words hidden under a heavy blanket of silence.

Yet, she never saw.

She never saw him falling for her.

He was the moon, calm and peaceful.

She was the sun, bright and strong.

They were never meant to stay together.

She never knew how much it hurt him to see

Her being so close to him, yet so far to be his.

And now she lies peacefully on the grass.

Those bright eyes will never open,

Her smile will never grace her lips anymore.

She still looks ethereal lying on the soft grass.

There is pain. Pain in his heart to see her on the ground. To lose her forever.

His heart died today.

She never knew and

She will never know

How much he loved her

****** ******** ******** ******** ********* *******

I think I now understand why did my friend tease me each time I would open my diary to write. What was my 14 yr self on I used to think I have written such an emotional piece.

Ggshahshgsv whatever this is this will forever stay on the internet now.

Anyway my 14 yr old self would not believe what I write now so yeah a tiny evolution

[hillbowman]

Part - 3

Prologue:

In The Beginning…

…2472 BCE

Second Transition

Somewhere near the south Eastern fringe of the Sumerian Empire; on the land that would be part of the Persian Empire in another 800 years.

…

Buy grace of the universal creator my head burst fourth from the womb of my Persian mother. With a heave of her strong abdominal muscles my infant body sloshed out into the pool of water Hashatra was sitting in at the edge of the pond... Her sister Sinra assisting to catch me and let me float in the little reed pond they had prepared. An occasion of mingle emotions…

they cleaned me and prepared me for a very long walk… At least from the perspective of most Two Leggers.

My mother dubbed me ‘Bounding Waters '.

but my father ‘Toyk, “of Narn” gently overruled my mother and retitled me “ME-BE”, Which carried a duel meaning; (' I am that I will be’, - ’Water Primordial’).

I grew up with out a father. My mother refused to take another mate. I felt sorry for her sometimes but sometimes the way man cheated the woman I felt happy for her not to suffer that... I didn't discover until my ascension that my father had died from a wound that just would not heal and so I came into this world only to have a father for one and a half transitions.

…

“Many times I have stood before the court of Judgment of my Elohim and in all those times I have fallen short of being fully redeemed; but I've also been measured above the mark to be permanently condemned to sheol…

This book is the story of my journey…”

.

Chapter 1

2451 BCE.

First Breath

…

She was the second daughter of a governor of the province under the direct rule of the Sumerian Empire. I was a moderately successful tradesmen and merchant of a very lowly heritage... We met one day as I had finished setting up shop in the market to sell my inventory. No sooner had I finished preparing for the day's sales then two women of stunning stature and Beauty, both of royal bearing stepped into the shade of my tent seeking to buy earrings and a necklace of silver. It was known by many that I had connections for the finest jewelry in the province.

…

“Greetings Asa!”. Said the slightly taller of the two women now gracing my establishment. “Greetings Rahi!” I replied, “to what do I owe the great privilege of your company.” I said with a smile.

With a sparkle in her hazel brown eyes Rahi began, “My sister Salam is in the market for some jewelry and I told her I knew where the finest could be found.” “Do you still have that necklace set that you showed me the last time I was here?” “In deed I do Rahi.” “And it is a great pleasure to meet you Salam.” I bowed respectfully with my head and at my hips as I turned to face Salam. “I'm sure you will find that your sister has brought you to the right place.”

Both women were beautiful in face and form. soft flawless skin the hue of chestnut and voluptuous swirling brown curls that flowed off of their head's and over their shoulders like water.

Rahi had her curls flowing over her left shoulder leading the eye to the beautiful roundness of her feminine figure. While her sister Salam allowed her hair to flow freely extending all the way down to her hips as though it were a wedding veil set back over the crown of her head.

Without intending it, I had been Snared momentarily in the beauty of Salam, her eyes were an Emerald green with flecs of gold shining like traces of the Sun through the forest leaves. Her eyes were smiling at me and I was captivated... and then I noticed her full round lips were also smiling with appreciation of my admiration.

Recovering myself, I leaned under my display counter and brought forth the item Rahi had mentioned.

Salam and Rahi busy themselves perusing the items I had on display for the public as I brought forth a three piece set of silver jewelry.

“Not only beautiful but functional” I said with a smile that betrayed my genuine Pride at the unusual acquisition. As I set the three piece display out on the counter for the women to see.

Rahi smiled a Cheshire cat smile with her eyes but made no betrayal of her confidence in taste. Salam's eyes open wide and her pupels dilated in true amazement at the fashion ensemble that I set forward.

“oh my, said Salam it is so beautiful!”

“Of the highest quality silver, appropriate and fitting only for royalty my queen.” I said to Salam as she stared at the objects, her fingers gently caressing the silver blade of a necklace fashioned as a chest guard composed of 12 Broad swords made of pure silver. The blade of each silver broadsword approximately 6 inches long and a maximum width of 2 inches across were fashioned at the top of each hilt by a sash of pure silver chainmail six links in width, with a broad clasp that fastened at the back like a necklace. At the center edge, each blade was fastened together to the next blade by two ringlets of pure silver.

The chest guard was accompanied by a matching belt With hip guard composed of 18 Broad sword blades, 6 inches long and 2 inches wide, that would drape over each side of the hip's, attached at the hilt of each blade buy pure silver chainmail of six rows across.

From the center edge of each blade was a silver chain of two ringlets which connected to the center edge of the next blade and so on all the way around the hip guard holding all of the blades in place as a skirt.

The third piece of the set was a 12 inch silver scabbard sheathed in soft sheepskin. The sheepskin was stitched with very fine silver and gold thread which was extended beyond the top of the stich seam of the sheath.

The silver and gold threads binding the sheath cover were twisted together and wrapped in a lattice pattern down to the bottom of the sheath and back to the top of the scaberd, the threads being soddered in place to the top edge of the silver scabbard.

Within the sheath was an 11 inch dagger. The hilt of the dagger made out of cedar from Lebanon. The crown of the dagger composed of solid, pure, silver and encrusted with for emeralds, one emerald at each compass point.

“What magic is this?” her lips whispered softly as Salam gazed at the blade. Smooth to the touch but with blue and silver ripples along its length, like the scales of a serpent. A blade that seemed to shimmer with a life of its own.

Not magic I don’t think, but technology. From the Far East.

“I am told by my Indus supplier that the blade is a mixing of silver and a metal referred to as temper; folded hundreds of times and bound together by tremendous heat .”

“This blade is sharper and harder than anything that our people know how to make. Allow a brief demonstration if you will?” Salam turned the hilt to face me and I slid the blade from its Scabbard.

I took out an unfinished piece of sheepskin from my work shelf and set it on the display counter. With one gentle, easy swipe, I shaved a clean swath of the Sheep’s wool from the skin leaving not even the slightest trace of fur where the blade had Grazed a long the skin.

“How magnificent! Rahi chirped with excited elation.”

“Yes, I replied, “ the craftsman ship is impeccable.”

“I can tell by the look in your eyes that you're interested Salam. Shall we discuss price?”

“I’m certainly willing to negotiate something reasonable, Rahi is a long time customer and friend of mine.”

“I'm sure the price is steep for such craftsmanship and beauty.” Salam replied. “Perhaps it's possible, and I do want it... What is your asking for it.?”

“Well my Queen, the chest guard is 12 Gill of silver by weight and the hip guard is 20 and the dagger is also 10.

I Dare say that the blade and scabbard are unique, could almost be described as priceless.” And with a sheepish smile I added, “Of course if I view it as truly priceless then I would have no food for my dinner.

“Let us negotiate.

I am thinking that for a Nobleman I had never met before I would charge 15 Gill as a fair price.” ?

“This does seem very fair,” Salam replied, “But one must be wealthy to approach such an amount and I don't think we will be able to negotiate.”

“Although I would give you all that I have at this time; but all that I have at this time is 8 Gill and a few Uri.”

A genuinely sad look grew upon my face. I knew that Salam wanted the set and I thought it would be absolutely beautiful on her. If I could, I would have just given it to her. And then Rahi chimed in.

“Your Ascension is coming up in just a couple of weeks Salam. Allow me to contribute as part of your birthday present?”

A beautiful smile drew across Salam’s face. I then spontaneously added (much to my later chagrin) “Your Ascension? Well, congratulations my queen! This is an auspicious occasion... Allow me to contribute as well.

I will let you have it for 10 Gill and if necessary, I will be happy to hold it for you until next week.

Immediately Rahi set 4 Gill on the counter, Salam blushed a little bit but her eyes smiled at her sister. “Thank you so much Rahi,”. Salam said, as she placed the other 6 Gill on the counter.

Once again, I bowed my head and bowed also at my hips in appreciation of their purchase and recognition of there nobility.

“Allow me to prepare this for your travels my Queen” I said, as I reach for a sheepskin that I was going to sell for a shoulder rap, but decided to use it for the packaging for the silver instead. Drawing a feather from underneath of my display and a jar of blackberry juice mixed with charcoal & olive oil I quickly scribbled instructions with not so proficient Arcadian glyph someone had once to try to teach me on the under-side of the shoulder wrap.

Turning the message so that Salam could see it.. I inspected the appearance of her face. For my pleasure (abba forgive) and also to be certain that she understood what I had scribbled out.

She puckered her face and then said,

“So I’m to use spirit of charcoal once every half transition ?”

“Yes my queen.”

“And rinss it in a tub with lots of water...??”

“Yes, my queen.”“ The craftsman which sold me these articles assures me the best way to maintain the finish is to scrub with a rag soaked in spirit of wood ash… then, rinse well in a bath”.

“Repeat this once every half transition, do this and the blades will shine like the stars”.

…

Carefully I laid out each silver item in the sheepskin Shoulder-wrap.

The silver girdle laying on the sheepskin was on the bottom and then carefully I moved the sheepskin holding the necklace on top and finally I set a sheepskin to cover the necklace and placed the dagger on top of the third skin.

Setting the dagger on top of the third sheepskin with the precious items sandwich between the Sheep skins I then carefully wrapped the the sheepskins over the dagger as the you would roll papyrus into a scroll handle. I then bound the rolled package together with two strips of leather and passed it to Salam.

“A beautiful piece of jewelry for a worthy woman, Happy Ascension Salam.” I said with a smile. Salam was beaming with glee.

I handed Salam the role with my head bowed but my eyes in contact with her beautiful green eyes.

Her eyes were still smiling at me.

I wondered if the magnetism I felt for Salam was mutual but would soon discover that Beyond a doubt it was.

…

Chapter 2.

Some is choice, Some is fate…

…

2452 BCE

Southeastern Fringe of Sumerian Empire

I do not believe in love at first sight.

But it is my belief that when a soul is created it is like a sheet that is torn into two parts of equal amounts. Having one goes into a woman and having the other goes into a man. And these are the soul of man and woman.

And when that woman and man meet, there is no Force on earth that will impede them from attempting to reunite in singular spirit through the duality of flesh...

And it was this force of creation that brought us together; even though we both knew that it was utterly forbidden and would mean certain death for me and possibly her as well should our romance be discovered…

…

I raised my eyes as Salam entered the tent, graceful like the leopard…

”Greetings my beloved.” Salam spoke just above a whisper in a voice delicate and pure like the wind blowing through the leaves of the trees.”

“Greetings to you as well my queen, how goes it?”

Salam moved to my side but with her head bowed down in concern. She spoke with words that were hushed from distress …

”There is an air of tension in My Father's House so subtle that if I were not his daughter I would not notice... Although I'm not sure what be the cause I feel that he suspect something of me”.

“A wise man respects a woman's intuition” I said to her.

Compassionately looking into her beautiful eyes, I said “Although I’m not certain of the cause, I too have felt something to be amiss in recent days and tickling my brain like the whiskers of a lion”. I knit my brows and momentary reflection…

But fear not Salam”.

She looked at me with the trace of a tear glistening along the lower of her eyelid, “Asa, what shall we do..?”

“it's known by the other merchants in the market that it is time for me to replenish my inventory, so, my departure will not seem unusual to them. We will rest tonight. Already I have two camels stationed for us as well as provision for the travel and I know the way as I've been many times”.

Rest now my beloved. We will leave it sunrise.

Foot notes, chapter 1 and 2

Definitions:

…

(Salam)

From an Aramaic name which was related to the Hebrew wordשָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace".

…

The name Rahi is an Arabic baby name. In Arabic the meaning of the name Rahi is:

Spring.

Which carried multiple meanings - 1 the season of spring, 2. The Rebirth of life, 3. a spring of water, 4. Water of Life.

…

ASA?

Asa (אסא): derived from the Hebrew language, as the name appears in the Old Testament to designate the third King of Judah, who reigned for forty years. It became a popular name because of the influence of the Puritans in the 17th century. Asa: Hebrew means healer and/or physician, Ase

…

[indiejones]

NO. 1 KI NO. 1 LIKHI DASTAAN - OF THE ‘ANAND’ OF INDIAN MUSIC !

The all-round writer of Hindi Cinema. The bts hero of masses & classes ! ---Anand Bakshi

And his immortal all-consuming final words, to his friends & fans-

"Main koi barf nahi hoon, jo pighal jaunga. Mai koi harf nahi hoon, jo badal jaunga. Main toh jadoo hoon, jadoo hoon, main chal jaunga ". 🙏

1. A most amazing story, about the Rajesh Khanna- Anand Bakshi relationship.

Seems Rajesh Khanna was known for not attending sad & solemn occasions. Yet, this one time, he did. Upon Anand Bakshi's death, everyone was surprised, to find Kaka present there, right besides the writer's body. One of his fans asked him aloud, "Arre Kaka, aap yahan kaise. Aap toh kisi ke funeral pe nahi jaate". Kaka instantly replied, "Ye jo aadmi tum yahan lete dekh rahe ho na, YE aadmi...isne meri ZINDAGI bana di."

2. Another amazing story, this narrated by the legend himself. His sons once asked him, "For all of this work, You've been nominated 40+ times at Filmfare, yet only won 4 times. You must be feeling sad & disappointed?" The legend replied, 'Ye 4 bhi jo yahan tum logon ke sajaye hue rakhe hain na, tum mere baad, apne hi gharon me sajana. Mujhe toh apne awards alag aur pehle hi mil chuke hain." Upon enquiry, he narrated one such incident, which he called his real awards.

A fan wrote him a letter one day, "Sir, main zindagi se nirash, apni jaan rail ki patri pe dene jaa raha tha. Main patri pe pahunch bhi gaya, aur vahan let bhi gaya, ki ab toh bas gaadi ayegi aur apna kaam tamaam karkee nikal jayegi, aur chhutkara mil jayega. .. Tabhi, na jaane kaise, kaheen se aap ka gaana door bajta sunayi de gaya. Gaane ke lafz the-

"Gaadi Ko Dekh, Kaisi Hai Nek, Achchhaa Buraa Na Dekhe (x2)

Sab Hain Savaar, Dushman Ke Yaar, Sabako Chali Ye Leke

Jinaa Sikhaa Rahi Hai, Maranaa Sikhaa Rahi Hai

Gaadi Bulaa Rahi Hai, Siti Bajaa Rahi Hai

Chalanaa Hi Zindagi Hai, Chalati Hi Jaa Rahi Hai

Gaadi Bulaa Rahi Hai, Siti Bajaa Rahi Hai

Sun Ye Paigaam, Ye Hai Sangraam, Jivan Nahin Hai Sapanaa

Dariyaa Ko Faand, Pavart Ko Chir, Rastaa Bana Le Apanaa

Ninden Udaa Rahi Hai, Jaago Jagaa Rahi Hai.

Gaadi Bulaa Rahi Hai, Siti Bajaa Rahi Hai" ..

"Pata nahi mujhe kya hua, gaadi ke aane se pehle hi, maine apne aap ko uthke apne ghar ki ore chalta paya. .. Aap ne meri zindagi baksh di".

Anand Bakshi declared. "THESE ARE MY REWARDS. REST IS NOTHING".

Tributes galore, to this most rewarded of artists. 🙏🙂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYylDDOPrho

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIqSwZ-qCKs

Did you know - Same Anand Bakshi, who was to later practically own Hindi Film Song scene(writing 80% of it’s songs at once, at one time)...left Bombay dejected, at his first attempt, went to his hometown, married away & entered desk job for full 2 yrs, before finally succumbing to the lure & returning..there too, to again struggle merely to make ends meet, & to only survive, coz o' generosity of one man, a station master at Charni Rd, who took pity on the poor plight of this phenomenally talented writer-poet he'd become a huge fan of, yet that went unnoticed in prof circles. And consequently, that sheltered & fed him, at his own home, for free, for a full 6 yrs, till his career finally took off!

Strange and bountiful are God's ways & mercies !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGRAPHkGC7k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOyGQTBobxE

youtube.com/watch?v=Iif5LiL2S2o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXrk1Ymvfyg

[toa-kohutti]

A Gift The Great Spirit Left Unnamed Chapter 8:

Free

In the setting sun over Gavo-Koro, a hero is hailed and promises are made.

"Toa?" 

The first word to break through the amazed whispers was from an awed Matoran. The sense of sudden wonder coursed throughout the crowd, and that meant Pysie and I as well. We looked at each other in disbelief for a second before our eyes shot back to Ghavialia, no longer the shorter-than-average Matoran I knew. She was tall and broad-shouldered, nothing like Pysie and I, and yet parts of her armor were like ours. Yet far more were from other Toa, her armor a mix of pieces I did and didn't recognize. It was like she had no single inspiration as a Toa, and the blend of shapes and styles from all around the universe showed in her form.

"I… am now a Toa," Gava seemed brave, but nervous. She lowered her Kanoka launcher, stowing it on her back, her stance relaxing somewhat. "And I am duty-bound to become this village's newest protector." The words seemed rehearsed, but genuine. If I knew her from the time we'd spend in each other's company, I knew she meant them.

"We welcome you, Toa Ghavialia," Loam rushed to the front again and took his knee, showing his deference to her. "We welcome you to Gavo-Koro!" 

A wave of Matoran knelt before her, hardly in sync but the gestures all showing their effort. Gava looked unsure what to do at this development, her eyes darting between Pysie and I as we stood alone in the crowd. I looked to Pysie, and then nodded. We both bent down into a gesture of respect alongside the Matoran, lowering ourselves in near unison to show our respect to this new hero. 

"Thank… you?" She was clearly struggling on what to say, but as we all stood, she seemed genuinely touched by her friends performing the social ritual for her, showing a deference to her that she never expected.

"Where were you?" "What were you doing?" "Did you fight a Rahi?" "What does it feel like to be a Toa?" The questions flooded the new Toa, and she was clearly overwhelmed. She shook her head and let out a polite noise that sounded like a choked attempt at a chuckle. "One at a time, please," she said, their sudden admiration a burden. "I'll be happy to answer your questions, but I can only do one at a time!" 

This was usually the moment where Puigren would slam her staff to gain attention. But she simply watched our direction, a gaze filtered through the eyeholes of her noble Pakari. She looked towards Pysie, no doubt, and so I turned to my… my dearest friend.

Pysie's hands trembled. She was doing her best to keep her composure, but I could tell that she could barely handle it. I reached out to her, about to take her hand in mine, but it slipped through my fingers when she turned away. She wasn't looking at anyone. Her back faced the Matoran, faced me, and she ran, quietly rushing through the village, anywhere but here. 

I turned to Puigren with a look that I hoped read as a quiet plea for help. She shook her head solemnly, and began to follow Pysie, while the crowd questioned Ghavialia, not a single Matoran seeming to be the wiser.

I followed Pysie with Puigren, finding the Toa hiding behind a hut, alone. The Turaga used her staff to block me, urging me to stay behind as she strode forward. I watched, as I believed she wanted me to. Pysie sat on the sandy ground, dew covering her armor, fits of fog and vapor threatening to form tiny storm clouds as they orbited her. Her emotions had driven her power out of control. 

Puigren simply walked through the well-saturated scene and placed a hand on Pysie’s shaky shoulder. "That's enough of that," she ordered, "and now listen to me."

"I'm sorry!" Pysie's apology came out of her as a cracked yelp, struggling to maintain itself. "I'm sorry I'm not enough! I'm sorry!" Her whole body quivered, and her power only seemed to feed a tiny tempest more. "I'm sorry, I'm-!"

"Enough!" Puigren slammed her staff on the ground, cutting Pysie off suddenly. "Listen to me!" 

Pysie stopped, just as suddenly. Her sobs became heavy breaths in an instant, and she turned to Puigren, unsure eyes poking through her mask. She just stared at Puigren, nothing to say yet fearing the worst.

"You're not a failure to me, Pysie," Puigren said, holding a steady hand on the Toa. "This isn't about whether you're a good Toa or not."

"Then," she croaked out, "why… replace me?" 

Puigren sighed. "Because it's what you , not the villagers, need." 

The Toa gave her Turaga a blank look. "W-what…?"

"It's my job to help guide you towards your destiny, Pysie." Puigren's tone was stern but not unfair. "I cannot keep you here if the Great Spirit wills otherwise." 

"But…" The Toa was so unsure. "What about my duty as a healer? Doesn't the village still need me?"

"The village has another healer. You taught her yourself," Puigren pointed out. "And you're needed elsewhere. The will of the Great Spirit shows in you, and it tells me that I must set you free." 

"Am I… not a failure," Pysie's weak voice quivered even more now. "And how do you know I need to go? Wh-why? What did I do?"

“You didn’t do anything other than be yourself.” The Turaga was steady, but with a stern tone. “Your destiny came for you, and it’s been obvious to me ever since.” She turned to face me, just as I suddenly realized that I was standing in her view, having failed to hide behind the hut that was far too short to conceal me anyway. Her staff pointed towards me, and Pysie looked up at me, standing there, having heard every word. “Come, Toa Ohmeni.” Puigren commanded as I watched Pysie’s face, the growing fear of her reaction rising in my chest. 

I obeyed, though, and I sat down with Pysie. “Hey,” I murmured, as I took the chin of her mask and gently urged her to look at me instead of the ground. “Careful with the water.” I gently ran my fingers over her mask to wipe away the dew, and took her hand in my other. “I don’t want to see your mask’s pretty paint be ruined.” 

“Stop,” Pysie’s voice was choked by a sad laughter. It was clear she appreciated my presence, even if I was spending time fussing over her when she didn’t need it. “It’s okay.” 

“I just care.” I said with a soft smile. I cared a lot, and I hadn’t the words for it all. “You’ve spent all this time worrying about me, I get to do it a little to you.” I cupped her cheek, and stared into her yellow eyes, which held a stare before darting away. 

“N-not in front of the Turaga…” She said, sheepishly. 

“This is precisely why, Pysie.” Puigren said, her tone unerring. 

“Why what?” Pysie’s doubt and negativity returned, but this time pouring outwards. She shot up, and I felt the water in the air rush to meet her. “Am I being kicked out because of Ohmeni?” The thought alone seemed to arouse such intense anger in her, a protective instinct kicking in. “She did nothing wrong, and-”

“Enough of these… histrionics, Pysie!” Puigren snapped, causing us both to flinch. “I’m not here to banish you!” She smacked her staff into the soft ground with a muted thump . “Ghavialia’s destiny is your chance for emancipation, young one. I made another Toa so I could set you free!” 

The realization of why Puigren had made Ghavialia into a Toa finally set in for the both of us, and we turned to look at the harsh Turaga in front of us. She was setting Pysie… free? Releasing her from her duty? So she could…

“...Are you letting me… go with Ohmeni?” Pysie asked. “You… don’t want me to stay here?” She was nonplussed by her strict Turaga granting her a choice like this. 

“Stay, go, whichever you please,” Puigren folded her arms. “You two are your own Toa. You can decide to stay in Gavo-Koro if you want, you can choose to leave and explore the universe,” she said, studying Pysie’s expression. “But on the condition that you promise me one thing.

“What is it?” Pysie said, slowly regaining her composure. 

“I need you to promise me…” She trailed off, her eyes focused on me for a moment, before they floated back to Pysie. “That you will not hold back from one another out of fear. But far, far more, I beg that you do not let it rule you in turn.” 

Pysie was without words for several moments, and I watched many thoughts cross her mask. “What do you mean…?” 

“What you feel for Ohmeni… it’s what I felt for Laminae.” Puigren’s voice was somber, her head hung slightly to the ground and her gaze away from us. “We didn’t have the chances that I prayed for from the Great Spirit. But you do,” She moved forward and cupped Pysie’s face in her worn-down hands. “And you must go on, but be careful, and don’t let it blind you. Embrace the passion, but don’t let it control you. For Laminae’s sake, for my sake…” She trailed off, taking a deep breath. “But most of all, for your own sake!” 

“Your admiration for her…” Pysie said, the revelation leaving her stunned. 

“Is one and the same as yours for her.” Puigren’s gaze turned to me before she released Pysie’s face and took a step back. “I beg you, make this promise.”

Pysie paused, turning towards me with an unsure expression. Everything was a lot for her to take in, and I didn’t blame her for not knowing what to do. So I spoke first. 

“I promise, Turaga Puigren.” I said, laying my hand over my heartlight. 

Pysie looked to me with eyes of awe, before closing them, taking a deep breath, and laying her hand over her own heartlight. “I promise. I promise to enjoy every moment with Ohmeni. For as long as she’ll let me.”

“I’ll let you for as long as you wish.” I smiled towards her, and she looked at me, matching my smile. 

“Then you have my blessing, Toa.” Puigren slammed her staff into the ground, and turned. “Now come back to the village proper. There’s a celebration to prepare, and you’ve made me walk enough already.”

Pysie shook her head as Puigren began to hobble off. “I hope you’re ready to carry more firewood,” she joked, weakly. 

“I’d carry a million bundles of firewood for you.” I said, standing up and offering her a hand, which she took, quickly leaping to her feet. 

“Then let’s get moving, Ohmeni,” she chuckled, looking up at me with an unmistakable expression of soft admiration. 

“First…” I moved in front of her, grabbing her head and moving so our masks’ mouths touched. A gentle spark flowed through Pysie, to which she let out a warm, contented giggle. She matched my touch with another, making a quiet chu as she did earlier, before grabbing my hand and starting towards the village. I laughed to myself as she dragged me towards the village, just happy to be with her.

==================

    Us Toa and Turaga sat on a stone each, with her, Pysie, Puigren, and myself all enjoying conversation as we sat by the fire, a less disciplined show of festivities now passed. The Matoran gave a celebratory dance for their new Toa, but instead of reverence, play and excitement filled the air. The village was lively, a new hero infusing new energy. And we sat and talked, laughing as the three others discussed all the happenings that I had missed during my absence. 

    “I’m surprised that you managed to do all that with just a disc launcher,” I replied to Gava’s latest story - saving the village from a Muaka that had somehow rampaged its way down to the coast. “That was real smart of you.”

    “Well, I borrowed it from Aylun,” the Le-Matoran that Pysie had mentioned so much, “so he deserves plenty of credit. As does Pysie, for chaining up the poor thing.”

    “Poor thing?,” Puigren groaned. “It tore apart Ausean’s hut!” 

    “It was scared and alone,” Pysie pointed out, “if I didn’t know where I was, I’d freak out too!” 

    “I don’t think you’d be threatening to grab a Matoran and shake her until her head flies off!” Puigren retorted, to our laughter. She grumbled silently and turned to Gava. “This was, however, what solidified the fact that you will be a fine Toa. Your bravery and quick thinking made my choice clear.” 

    “And I am still very honored.” Gava gave a slight bow to Puigren, who lightly rapped the rock with her staff’s end as a small signifier that she could continue. “To think that my little Metru Nui disk launcher turned into this…” She marveled at her own Toa Tool, that same launcher, transformed from a half-bio Matoran tool into a long, sleek launcher, giving a powerful impression befitting a Toa. 

“It’s impressive.” I looked Gava up and down, really focusing on her unique armor for the first time since she had presented herself to the Matoran. She was taller than me, which while rather rare, wasn’t impossible. After all, Talaimh was around her height… The tiniest twinge of grief rang in me before I put it out of my mind and focused on her. She had swoops and curves in her armor that looked like Pysie’s, no doubt, but the broader frame of the classic heroes every Matoran heard tales about. She didn’t look like her inspiration as a Toa was one, like so many of us, like how my armor was but a new shape of the heroes of the peninsula I called home. Instead, there were bits and pieces from others all around. The copper-colored wavy plates, that was Pysie for sure, but her leg plating and ankle guards reminded me of the Toa of my home. I smiled a little behind my mask, hoping that I did inspire another Toa, even if only in part.

“Everyone sure seems to be impressed with what I’ve turned out to be.” Ghavialia scratched the back of her neck, a nervous gesture more than a direct one. “But I’m not sure what exactly I’m supposed to be doing. I’ve seen Toa do their hero thing from the outside, but…” 

“It’s so different when you actually are one.” Pysie had moved close to Gava, and placed a hand on the larger Toa of Water’s arm. “I understand. In a lot of ways, I’m not sure that I have even figured it out. I’m just trying to do my best with what I have.” 

“But you’re a good Toa,” Gava said, looking down at Pysie. It surely must have been strange for her, with her spending the years Mata Nui only knows looking up at her instead. “You taught me how to do, well, everything I know. You taught me healing,” she reached up and touched her own mask, the design upon it now scuffed, “and bravery. I wouldn’t have been nearly so brave when the Muaka arrived if it wasn’t for the fact that I knew you would be there with us, and that I could face danger with nothing to fear.” 

Pysie seemed momentarily speechless. It was as if the obvious had only now been shown to her with Gava’s affirmations. “...Thank you,” she said, moving closer and leaning into her friend, shoulder pressed against bicep. I felt it only right to chime in as well. 

“You know, I’m still lost in a lot of ways,” I admitted. “Without my team, I felt so… directionless. That’s why I wandered for so many years. I didn’t have a plan, or even think that I could make one that would survive any sort of contact with the real world. All I did was go and try to be useful. Perhaps then I could be worth something, if that makes sense.” Before I knew it, my attempt at affirmation had turned into a confessional. “And that’s how I wound up here, in the end.” 

Pysie reached out to me, the two glowing yellow eyes beckoning me from behind her mask. She could just barely touch me while keeping contact with Gava, and so I shifted a little to let her fingers touch my armor, and wrap my hand around hers for a brief moment. “You know, I think it’s because you didn’t let yourself believe that you deserved help,” she said, gently stroking my lower arm. “I mean, until you couldn’t deny it any longer.” Leave it to the healer to come away with a diagnosis. I couldn’t make this about me, though, so I spoke again to bring attention to Ghavialia once more.

“You’ve got a wonderful, faithful village behind you, Toa Ghavialia.” I said, moving closer and offering my hand. “Your Matoran and Turaga will support you if you let them. They have faith in you…” I trailed off, as I looked over Ghavialia’s shoulder to see a group of excited Matoran pointing at us and talking amongst themselves, a bolt of excitement running through them, the likes of which I hadn’t seen in decades. “...Can you promise me that you’ll have faith in them?” 

“What is there to promise?,” she asked in response. “I can’t imagine living without faith in my friends.” 

“That’s the spirit,” I said, as I smiled at the Toa and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. I looked over towards Puigren, hoping to find some sort of secret expression that said more than words could about her struggles as a Turaga, something that the conversion we had awoke. But in her stead was only the empty air, slightly smoky from the campfire behind us. 

“Where’s Puigren?” Pysie said, as if she picked up on my own brainwaves. “She was right there…” 

“I’m not sure,” Gava said, sitting up and nearly causing the still-leaning Pysie to fall. “But there’s work to do. Now that I’ve found a new destiny, and we’re all together…” 

“You’re suggesting we take on the duty of cleanup!,” Pysie groaned a little. “Alright, let’s get moving then,” she said, with a slight grumble of annoyance but not refusal. 

“Shouldn’t we start with the campfire?,” I suggested. “I’ve seen all too often that they can spiral out of control.” 

“Yes, let’s!” Pysie leapt up, and tugged on Gava’s arm. “Hey, we can make a show of it! We can show them your powers as a Toa of Water!” 

“R-really?” She was taken aback. “But… Toa aren’t supposed to be showy. You’re supposed to be d-dutiful and stuff, right?”

“Well, we’re not supposed to be needlessly so, true,” the shorter Toa said. “But we’re in the company of friends. We can be whatever we want to be, so long as we’re still dedicated to doing the right thing and being heroes when we’re needed.” She looked up at me, her eyes beaming. “Ohmeni helped me remember that.”

I didn’t know what exactly I had done, but… it felt warming inside to hear that. “After all, we just had a ceremony. Why don’t you show the villagers what you can do?”

“Well, I guess you two have decided for me,” Gava said, sheepishly.

The pair stood up, with Gava and Pysie each taking a side of the campfire, the clamor around falling into a lull. The younger Toa’s pose was unsure, while Pysie’s feet were planted in the sand, locked into a stable stance with legs spread and knees bent slightly. Pysie nodded to Gava, who copied her stance, but with less confidence. I could tell from far away that Gava was nervous, stage fright clear as day from her little motions.

Pysie drew her arms up, and I could feel the conductivity of the air begin to drop as she drew the water from it. A smooth orb of water began to form at each hand, light from the campfire casting sparkling light on her armor. Gava, too, began to condense it from the air, and found wobbly, wavy orbs in her shaking hands. Pysie nodded again, silent approval for Gava’s effort.

Suddenly, the two swung their arms around, and a coil of water began to form around the light, four tendrils spiraling around the bonfire’s flame. A few Matoran let out an ooh! of excitement as the light sparkled around them, a slight bluish tone cast across the whole village. Two stable tendrils spun around the flame, and two were much rougher, with drops falling into the flame and giving off quiet hiss es, turning to steam in an instant. The crack! and pop! of the flame filled the air as well, with the quiet, hypnotic woosh of the rushing water through the air completing a soundscape that left all in Gavo-Koro unable to look away. 

The coils rushed through the air in a hypnotic cage around the wild flame for a few moments, until Gava and Pysie shot each other a look. Pysie nodded, and Gava returned a far more nervous nod. Suddenly, Pysie stepped back, no longer directing the cage - now, it was all Ghavialia, in control of a mass of water drawn from the air and the sea all by herself. The cage grew unstable, faltering and hissing as it made contact with the flame. She drew her shoulders up, putting her full force into the water, and it rose up like a proud Rahi, coils drawing in and stabilizing, smooth shapes suspended in the air. It held strong, a newfound confidence in Ghaviala extended in the water like it was a part of her body. 

The water rose up one last time before suddenly tightening into a sharp column, the flame letting out one final roar before snapping into a decaying hiss, leaving us to the starlight once more. In a single motion, like a snap, the flame was gone, steam rising throughout the village. The only sound was the rush of the water in the air, held strong and keeping us as tense.

Applause broke the near-silence, starting with one clap from a Matoran, then three, then five, building to a roar of approval punctuated by whoops of excitement. Gava released the tension in her body, letting all of the water flow, a small rush pouring over the sandy ground, reaching my boots and the feet of several excited Matoran.

The loud applause continued, but Pysie stepped away, giving Gava her moment. She took my hand in hers, and whispered in my ear.

“She’s gonna be great. I just know it.”

==================

We laid down in the hut, alone together, after everything was over. We took a moment in the silence, listening to the chirps of the nocturnal Rahi. I turned to Pysie, who was looking up at the ceiling, seemingly unsure. “Pysie?” 

“Yes?” She said, a serious tone in her voice, one I hadn’t heard since… 

A few memories of the coma re-emerged, blending together as they gently washed over me. Matoran gathering around, Pysie gently removing my armor, an argument with Puigren, visits from Gava. So much time was spent in that hut, and the times that my senses had escaped the dreams and the darkness, she was always there, in this hut. It was almost as if it was the only thing in her little world. My jaw clenched as the memories propelled me to ask her a question. I, too, stared at the ceiling, at this hut that held me, and our memories together. 

“Are you scared of leaving?,” I asked, quietly. 

“I am.” 

“You know, you don’t have to go with me if you don’t want to,” I reminded her.

“I want to go.”

“I won’t be angry if you don’t, it’ll be alright, and we can figure something out.” I didn’t want to put any pressure on her. Leaving is a huge decision.

“But I want to go.” She sat up, and we looked at each other. “I want to experience this whole wide world. There’s so much more than this village, this coastline, this continent. I want to see something new.”

I rolled on to my side, the tiny, uncomfortable cot barely accommodating that. “Why are you scared?”

“...I don’t want to… to…” She struggled to find the words, her hands balling into fists that I couldn’t help but find adorable. “To leave, and never come back. I don’t want… something to happen out there and never get a chance to say goodbye to everyone here.” The idea weighed on her like a thousand pounds, crushing her already-tiny frame into a shadow of the proud Toa she should be. 

I sat up, and reached out to her, offering both my hands. She gently took them, and I wrapped my fingers around her wrists. In one motion, I heaved her from where she sat, swinging her backside onto my cot, where she landed with a soft thump and a surprised eep! . I pulled her face near and gently ran my thumb over the cheeks of her mask, drawing her gaze to mine. 

“I came back, didn’t I?” 

She smiled, her eyes scrunching in that peculiar, particular way that only hers did, but with a sad weight to them. “I… I don’t know what I would have done if you never came back,” she admitted. “I always… knew something, ever since I saw you. And if I never saw you after some of the times you left, I…” She shuddered, and I wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “I don’t know what I would have done. I can’t imagine a world without you in it, and I don’t want to spend a day apart. But…”

“But?” I asked, pulling her closer to me, to which she wrapped her arms around me like a Rahi clinging to a tree branch. 

“But… I don’t want to leave them all alone. Gava’s great, but she’s scared, I can tell. I don’t want to do that to her.” 

“Hey, hey.” I said, grabbing her face and looking into her eyes. “Listen. We can plan it, and make it back here in time for the next grand ceremony that Puigren has you all put on. That’s not far off, is it? Then, we can decide if you want to come with me, or if you want to just stay here, in Gavo-Koro.” 

“I…” she said, moisture filling the air and threatening to bead in her eyes. “I… would like that.” 

I wrapped my arms around her, her arms wrapped around me, and held her, as she leaned into my chest and gently sighed. I rocked her slowly, a gentle motion back and forth, back and forth, back and forth again, until I could feel the radiating sadness from her gently dissipate, being replaced with a quiet peace.

“We’d better get some sleep, huh?,” I asked, softly, as she pressed her body into mine. “We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. The first day of your adventure!” 

“Yeah… our adventure.” She released me, and I her, and she began to go back to her cot, before hesitating. 

“What is it?” I asked, watching her. She looked as if she were about to say something, only to start towards her cot once more. Instead of lying upon it, though, she grabbed it, and began to pull it, dragging it across the floor of the hut until it was directly against mine, edge to edge. 

“There,” she said, momentarily proud of her work until a wave of embarrassment set in. “Can we… sleep like this?,” she asked, a little sheepishly. 

I laid down, and opened my arms to her. She immediately got the signal, and leapt onto me, our armor impacting to a happy little squeal as she laid on top of me, my arms wrapping around her and depositing her onto her cot with a little giggle. This time, I didn’t release her, instead moving closer to the edge of my cot to be closer to her, and she began to curl up, comfortable with her arms tucked in and her body pressed against mine, her cheek rubbing my chest. This moment felt…

It felt like the end of something, yet the beginning of something new. It felt like a book had finally opened after waiting so long. A gentle charge flowed through us, the energy of hope coursing through our souls just as the tiniest bit of my powers flowed through the completed circuit of our bodies.

It felt right.

==================

“Are you done yet?” Ghavialia called out towards the medicine hut. Outside, all we heard was shuffling and occasional grunts from the Pysie within. “We’re burning daylight out here!”

“Hang on, hang on!” A muffled complaint issued from the hut. “I’ve got everything!” There was a thud and a clatter inside.

Moments after, Pysie waddled out of the hut with a poorly stuffed backpack she could barely carry. The bag looked a little ridiculous with so many things sticking out, and especially so on Pysie’s small frame. “I-I got it! I’m ready to go!” 

“No you’re not.” I said, walking over and swinging the pack off her shoulders, dropping it on the ground, and doing the same with my own. I opened them both up, and quietly chuckled at the comparison. My bag had space, not just because it was larger for my frame, but because I carried less and in less space. I undid all of Pysie’s panicked work, taking on the weight of medicine containers as I re-rolled her bedroll to be nearly half the size. Her Kiril stayed, obviously, as did the bundled chain for her harpoon. However, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with the… blue plush of a Takea. I held it up, to her minor embarrassment.

“H-hey, you told me to bring everything I would regret leaving! I would regret leaving Brouce!” She said, defensively. 

“I’m not judging. Just not sure how to pack him,” I said, with a slight giggle at her earnest love of the immature. “But I think I’ve got the most of it now.” I held up a backpack, now lighter and looking much more like a backpack, despite my own temptation to leave Brouce’s tail sticking out. She took it and slung it over her shoulder, adjusting it to fit securely on her back. “See, there you are. Much better, right?” 

“Yeah. Thank you, Ohmeni.” She walked over and pressed our masks together while I still knelt, making the soft chu that accompanied it. Something in my gut leapt with joy, and we smiled at each other as she watched me stand and sling my pack onto my back, straps held taut against my armor, slipped behind the blades over my chest and shoulders. 

“Ready to go and…” I trailed off as the reality of what we were doing set in. “...Well, say goodbye?”

“...Yeah.” Pysie said, looking up to me and giving a slightly unsure nod. She started towards the fire pit for the last time in a while, and Gava and I followed. Her strides were braver than I expected, but that was more than for the best, as she needed it for the journey ahead.

When we arrived, we found all of the Matoran, not sitting, but standing behind Puigren, who was only barely taller than them. She broke the silence first, tapping the ground with her staff to signal it was her time to speak.

“Toa Pysie, you are leaving us.” She said, looking up at Pysie, who was clearly nervous. “Toa Ghavialia, you will take her place as our healer and protector. Am I correct?”

The two nodded, saying “yes” in unison before looking to one another, awaiting the next statement from Puigren, anxious.

“Pysie, you have served us long. We will forever be grateful for all you’ve done for our village.” Her hoary voice was full of the serious ceremony we were used to, but… something else was beneath it. “And Ghavialia, you are an apprentice no more. Now, you may take one as Pysie took you, and continue the tradition. But you understand your responsibilities?”

“I do.” Ghavialia said, solemnly. “I promise to heal the sick, to protect the innocent, and to help those who cannot help themselves. I promise to honor the Toa cCode, and never falter from it.” I looked at her with a sense of pride - that little Matoran who begged for stories was now ready to make them all on her own. Puigren seemed to accept that answer, striking her staff into the ground once more.

“And finally, Toa Ohmeni. You understand what I expect of you, correct?” A piercing glare filtered through her noble Pakari to me, making her seriousness of whatever matter clear.

“Yes, Turaga,” I said. “I will protect life as the Toa Code demands me, and that includes my companion, Pysie. I will protect them with my life as I wander, performing my sacred duty as a Toa as the Great Spirit has commanded me.”

“Mm.” Puigren hummed quietly. “That is acceptable. Understand that if Pysie does not return to us in one piece…” The threat was quiet, but impossible to ignore, and were I up to anything, that surely would’ve rattled me. 

“I will, Turaga. Pysie and I will protect one another. It’s the right thing to do, and Pysie is so… precious to me.” It felt like a rock hit my stomach as I realized what I had just said. She looked to me with a surprised expression, as though she wasn’t ready for what I had just brought her into.

“Then it is decided,” Puigren said, before turning. “But there is one more thing, Toa Ohmeni.” She took a flax-wrapped parcel from one of the Matoran, and handed it to me. “It simply would not do if I were to send my Pysie out with a Toa with only a single mask to her name. It would be irresponsible for a Toa to remain so vulnerable.” 

I took the package, and unwrapped it. Inside was… a Kakama. An ornate Kakama, now a pallid grey from disuse, stared back at me. The cheeks were like waves, and I instantly recognized what Puigren had given me. I held the mask of a hero long gone. I held a mask that belonged to Laminae.

“I… I don’t know what to say, Turaga,” I stammered. “I can’t take this, it is precious to you.”

“And so you’ll take care of it,” the Turaga replied. “See to it that this mask does not get a great crack in it.” I touched my own mask, tracing the copper fusing that made it solid again. 

“I promise, Turaga.” I said, bowing to her. “I will wear this with pride and treat it like the treasure it is.” 

I could tell that something stirred in her, but she refused to show it. “Do not forget it is a tool, and you must use it. I believe that is everything?” She looked up at us three.

“One more thing,” Pysie said, stepping forward. “Ohmeni… you promise to protect me. Do you promise to let me protect you?” She drew closer to me with each step, looking up at me with eyes filled with a quiet passion and excitement. 

“Only if you promise to let yourself be protected,” I replied with a smile.

“I do.” She said, wrapping her arms around me, and pressing her head against my chest.

I held her like that for a second, before taking her chin and drawing it up to look at me. I had only one thing to say - “I do.”

I scooped her up in an instant, and we pressed our masks together, the passion causing a surge to flow through the both of us. In front of the Matoran, we displayed our bond, our need for each other, our joyous rituals to thank the Great Spirit for the feelings he had given us. And to it, we received a cheer, Matoran excited at our strange but joy-filled display. I spun her around before depositing her to the ground with her giggle, and grinning at her. 

“It’s clear you have the blessing of the village, my Toa. Now go - go and be heroes.” Puigren said, with an uncharacteristic happiness to her voice. We looked out at the Matoran, all happy to see us happy, and by the Great Spirit, we were. We were overjoyed in the moment.

And so, we went. We began our adventure - going wherever, together. Hand in hand, Pysie and I shared the joy of exploring and heroics, saving Matoran and Rahi alike. And all the while, we shared the bliss of our not-quite-secret - the gift that the Great Spirit left unnamed.