Now…

It is dark, with only a patch of dim blue light on the ground. Hahli walks into the patch of light and looks around before a bright white light engulfs her. The Ga-Matoran awakes in a Ga-Koro hut looking out on Naho Bay. There is a hole in the roof of the hut through which water is leaking in. A Lightfish in a glass container provides illumination to the room.

Hahli walks over to a note on the wall of the hut that reads “Things to do today: Make flax!” She then leaves the hut and takes a path to the right. She enters a hut to find another Ga-Matoran working at a loom, who turns to speak to her.

“Thank the Spirit you’re awake!” the Matoran exclaims. “I thought you were going to sleep all day. Did the storm keep you up last night?”

“Who are you?” Hahli asks.

“What a question! I’m Amaya, silly. You must still be asleep!” the Ga-Matoran replies.

“There was a storm?” Hahli inquires.

“It passed out to sea this morning. It made a big mess, and we don’t have much time! There’s a lot of chores to do.”

“Time? For what?” Hahli asks.

“Haven’t you heard? When Turaga Nokama returns, she’s going to make some big announcement. There’s a lot of rumors going around…”

“Rumors?”

“The word is, Nokama’s going to pick Macku and Kotu to represent Ga-Koro in the Great Kolhii Tournament. They’re the best players we’ve got! It’s a great honor, and I’m sure there will be a big party.”

“Nokama?”

“Turaga Nokama is out of town, meeting with the other Turaga about a Tournament. Everyone thinks that when she returns, there will be a big ceremony in the town square. But the storm knocked out the bridge – we can’t get there until it’s fixed.”

“Kolhii Tournament?”

“I don’t know much about it, just rumors. That’s why we need to fix the bridge before she gets back!”

“Macku and Kotu?”

“They’re the best kolhii players we’ve got. They’re heroes! Why wouldn’t she pick them? She certainly wouldn’t pick someone like you or I. We’ve never played kolhii in our lives!”

“What mess?”

“Well, there’s a hole in your roof, and the bridge into town is broken. And I still have to make some flax for Kai.”

“A hole?”

“Yes, the storm knocked it in. You can fix it easily with some seaweed, probably.”

“Seaweed?”

“I’m sure there’s some growing in the East Garden. Collect some and put it in your satchel. Once you’ve gotten onto your roof just lay it onto the hole there.”

“Flax?”

“To make it, I scrape Harakeke plants with cowrie shells to extract the fiber. If you bring some to me I can make more flax.”

“Cowrie shells?”

“There’s lots of different kinds of seashells around Ga-Koro. You can often find small ones in the East Garden.”

“Harakeke plants?”

“You can find Harakeke plants growing around town, mostly, and along the beach. They are strong though, so you need a sickle to cut them, unless you’re lucky enough to find some that’s already been cut. They don’t take very long to grow back.”

“A sickle?”

“If you don’t have one, I’m sure someone in Ga-Koro can make it for you, if you have some bamboo and spare cowrie shells.”

“The bridge?”

“We can’t get into town until it’s fixed. It looks like the counterweight got snagged. It’s high up but if we could hit it with something, it will probably come loose. Also the waterwheel looks broken.”

“Hit it? How?”

“A throwing disk would be perfect for that. If you need one, you can borrow mine, but I’d have to find it. Maybe I can look for it after I get this flax done.”

“Waterwheel?”

“Yes, I think some of its flanges were broken in the storm. If you can find some large seashells they should be easy to replace.”

“Large seashells?”

“Last time I was at your hut I think I saw some there. I’m not surprised you can’t find them, though – your place must be a mess with all that rain pouring through the hole in your roof! I bet that if you fixed the hole and let it dry out in there, you might be able to find things!”

“Kai?”

“You know, the Sailor. She’s so proud of the rope and string she makes… but you and I know it’s only strong because she uses our flax to make it!”

“Chores? I don’t want to do any chores!”

“We have to do our chores, Hahli, it’s our duty. Not everyone can go running around Mata-Nui like that Takua from Ta-Koro, having adventures.”

“My duty?”

“Everyone in Ga-Koro has a duty. You and I make flax, that’s what we do. Maybe it isn’t as exciting as what Macku and Kotu are going to do, but it’s still important.”

“I’ve got to go. Goodbye!” Hahli says.

“Goodbye! Come see me again if you need any help,” Amaya replies as she turns back to her work.

Hahli walks back to the lily pad her hut rests upon, then goes further down, to an area containing a hut, a grove of bamboo, and some cut Harakeke. She collects the Harakeke and enters the hut, which bears a sign saying ‘East Garden.’ In the hut she finds a pool, which she immediately dives into. Seeing seaweed and a number of cowrie shells under the water, she begins collecting both. Once she finishes, she swims back to the surface and leaves the hut.

Hahli returns to her house and then ascends a ladder leaning against it. She takes the seaweed out of her satchel and, as Amaya suggested, uses it to patch the hole in her hut’s roof. Hahli then climbs back down and enters her hut to find a large seashell lying in a puddle, revealed now that the leak has been stopped. She puts the shell in her satchel, then returns to Amaya’s hut and speaks with her.

“I have Harakeke and cowrie shells,” Hahli informs Amaya.

“Great! Thanks! Just give me a moment…” Amaya replies, taking the items. Quickly producing some flax from the materials, she says, “There, done. Here’s some flax to bring to Kai. Oh, and while you were out, I found my throwing disk. Maybe you can use it to hit the bridge counterweight loose.”

Hahli takes the flax and disk, then leaves and walks back to the East Garden. From there she turns left and finds the bridge waterwheel, with a shell missing. She takes out the large shell from her bag and uses it to repair the waterwheel, which begins spinning briskly. Hahli turns back and climbs onto the bridge platform, taking out the disk which she uses to knock the bridge counterweight free. By pressing a lever, the bridge springs across, connecting the platform to the town square.

Hahli wanders south through the square, and then across a causeway to a lilypad with a large gate marked ‘Ga-Koro Kolhii Field.’ She crosses the causeway opposite the gate to another pad, with a single hut. She turns and crosses the causeway to the left, arriving at a hut with a small garden of Harakeke next to it. She enters to find another Ga-Matoran, Kai, spinning a ship’s wheel.

“Ahoy, matey!” Kai says. “Did Amaya make some flax for me?”

“I have some flax for you,” Hahli replies.

“Thanks! Here’s some widgets!” the Matoran says gratefully.

“Widgets?” Hahli asks.

“Sure! You can use widgets to barter for things.”

“Barter?”

“You know,” says Kai. “Trade. You can usually get them from plants and animals and things, around the beach. But you can trade for them in town, until the gate is unlocked. Everyone wants them!”

“The beach?” Hahli inquires.

“Macku and Kotu locked the gate until Turaga Nokama gets back. It’s safer that way!”

“Is there anything you can do to help me?” asks Hahli.

“I’m a sailor! As everyone knows, sailors make the best rope!”

“Rope?”

“And string, too,” Kai replies. “Good rope is hard to find! If you’ve got any flax, I can make us some. Strong and light, no sailor should slip port without it!”

“Goodbye,” Hahli says.

“Come and see me again if you make some flax!” Kai says.

Hahli leaves the hut and returns to the north area of the square, entering another hut. She finds another Ga-Matoran there.

“Hi Hahli! Are you here to help?” the other Matoran asks.

“Help?” Hahli inquires.

“Kotu and I are in charge until Nokama gets back. We have a lot of important errands to do!” the other replies.

“Nokama?”

“She’s been away at the Kini-Nui, meeting with Turaga from all the other villages,” Macku replies. “I think they’re talking about a kolhii tournament! It’s very exciting!”

“Kini-Nui?”

“The great temple in the center of the island, past the Gate of Ice,” Macku replies. “I was there once, a long time ago, with Takua the Chronicler! Er, it’s a long story.”

“Important errands?”

“Kotu and I are in charge of everything while she’s gone, and it’s a lot of work!” Macku says, referring to Nokama.

“Can I help?” Hahli asks.

“Well, if there’s going to be a tournament, I’ll need a new kolhii stick!” Macku says. “I’ve been trying to make one, but I could really use some help. If you have one, I’ll give you a lot of widgets for it!”

“When is she coming back?” Hahli asks, referring to Nokama.

“Oh, it will probably be a full moon before she’s back again,” Macku says. “The Kini-Nui is very far away!”

“Goodbye,” Hahli says.

“See you later!” Macku replies.

Hahli leaves and enters the hut opposite Macku’s. Inside, she finds another Ga-Matoran in a room full of maps.

“Hm… Latitude 15, Longitude… Hmm…” the Matoran mumbles. “Eh?” she says, noticing Hahli.

“Who are you?” Hahli asks.

“I’m Nireta, the Navigator,” the other Matoran replies. “I make maps and charts.”

“Navigator?” Hahli asks.

“The Wall of Stars is my guide at sea. That is, if I have a chart!” Nireta says.

“Wall of Stars?” says Hahli.

“In Ta-Koro stands the Wall of History. In Ko-Koro, the Wall of Prophecy. In Ga-Koro, our wall is above us… The Great Blanket of Stars that stretches over Mata Nui, floating in the endless sea.”

“Chart?” Hahli asks.

“I make maps and charts!” Nireta says. “If you’ve ever been sailing, I’m sure you’d find them handy. We know very little of what lies beyond the shores of Mata Nui…”

“I’d like a map of Ga-Koro.”

“Well, I’ve only got a few…” Nireta says. “I’ll part with one for, say, 5 widgets.”

“I’ll take it,” Hahli says.

“Here you go!” Nireta replies, handing Hahli the map. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a lot of work to do…”

“Goodbye,” Hahli says.

“Goodbye,” Nireta replies.

Hahli exits the hut and takes a look at the map. It not only shows how to get around the koro, but also who lives where, something Hahli finds especially useful. She studies the map briefly and then decides to go to Kailani the Crafter. Using the map, she locates Kailani’s hut and enters.

“Hi, Hahli. How are things?” a Ga-Matoran in the middle of the room says.

“Who are you?” Hahli asks. Although this is probably Kailani, she wants to make sure.

“I’m Kailani, the Craftswoman,” the other Ga-Matoran says. “I can make all kinds of tools for you, if you bring me the materials.”

“What tools?”

“Fishhooks, sickles, hatchets, kolhii sticks…”

“Fishhooks?”

“They’re good for a lot of things…” Kailani says. “Including fishing, of course. To make one, all I need is a cowrie shell.”

“Sickles?”

“You can use sickles to cut Harakeke and other plants,” Kailani replies. “To make one I need 20 bamboo wood and 5 cowrie shells.

“Hatchets?”

“Hatchets are good for cutting wood!” Kailani says. “To make one I need 10 bamboo and 10 cowrie shells.”

“Kolhii sticks?” Hahli asks, remembering that this is what Macku asked for.

“For playing kolhii, of course!” Kailani says.

“Can you make something for me?” Hahli asks.

“Sure!” replies Kailani. “I need one cowrie shell per fishhook, 20 bamboo wood and 5 cowrie shells for a sickle, and 10 bamboo wood and 10 cowrie shells for a hatchet. For a kolhii stick I need a bamboo pole, a net, and two fishhooks.”

Hahli checks her bag and sees that all she has enough supplies for are fishhooks. She decides to save for a hatchet, since she needs bamboo for a kolhii stick.

“Goodbye,” Hahli says as she leaves the hut.

“Goodbye,” says Kailani.

Hahli decides to walk down to the shipyards, and continues past a large, green boat to the end of the dock. There, she finds a pile of bamboo, and picks it up, planning to use it for a hatchet. She then goes back to the East Garden and collects enough cowrie shells for a hatchet. Once she emerges, she makes her way back to Kailani.

“I’d like a hatchet,” Hahli asks.

“No problem!” says Kailani, handing Hahli the newly crafted hatchet. “There you are, a bamboo hatchet. Careful with that, it’s sharp!”

“Goodbye,” Hahli says gratefully.

“Goodbye,” Kailani says.

Hahli leaves Kailani’s hut, walking to the one directly across from it. On the map, this hut is marked as belonging to Kotu, one of Nokama’s attendants. Hahli enters to find Kotu standing in the middle of the room.

“Hello, Hahli. Are you busy?” Kotu asks.

“No,” Hahli replies.

“Good! I need your help,” Kotu says. “Nokama’s been at a conference with the other Turaga and I think they are deciding on a great kolhii tournament!”

“Kolhii tournament?” Hahli asks.

“Yes!” Kotu says excitedly. “When she comes back I’m sure she’s going to pick me to play in it. If that happens someone is going to have to take over my work!”

“Work?” Hahli asks.

“As Nokama’s attendant I help her take care of the town,” Kotu says. “Which means I have to help everyone do their job!”

“Job?” Hahli asks.

“Yes! Amaya makes flax, Shasa does the weaving, Marka builds ships…” Kotu says. “I usually help gather supplies, and take care of the tame Rahi. If I’m training for kolhii all the time, I’ll need you to do that for me!”

“What should I do now?” Hahli asks.

“Well, you won’t officially start until Nokama comes back and tells everyone that I’m Ga-Koro’s champion forward,” Kotu says confidently. “But until then, you can practice getting supplies and bringing them to people around town.”

“Will you trade with me?” Hahli asks.

“I can carve you a pole, if you want,” Kotu says. “All I need is 15 bamboo wood.”

Hahli makes a mental note to come back here when she needs to get kolhii stick supplies for Macku. But at the moment, she does not have enough bamboo, and should probably save supplies for a sickle anyway.

“I don’t have enough wood,” she says.

“You can cut bamboo wood if you have a hatchet,” says Kotu.

“Goodbye,” Hahli says, going out the door.

“Goodbye!” says Kotu.

Hahli then starts exploring Ga-Koro in search of bamboo wood. Once she has gathered enough for a sickle, she returns to the East Garden for more cowrie shells.

Eventually, she gathers enough supplies for a sickle, and returns to Kailani.

“I’d like a sickle” says Hahli.

“One sickle, coming up!” says Kailani. Moments later she hands the tool over to Hahli and says “Here you go! One bamboo sickle.”

“Goodbye,” Hahli says.

“Goodbye,” Kailani replies.

Hahli then leaves and gathers up as much Harakeke as she can with her new sickle. Eventually, she has 300 Harakeke plants, enough for 50 flax. She returns to the East Garden, and gathers up 52 cowrie shells. Now that she has enough supplies for 50 flax, she returns to Amaya.

“Hi again, Hahli,” Amaya says. “If you’re not busy, I could sure use some help making more flax. We should bring as much as we can to Kai, so she can make rope.”

“Can I help you make flax?” Hahli asks.

“Sure!” says Amaya. “If you give me Harakeke plants and cowrie shells, I will give you flax.”

Hahli then gives Amaya some Harakeke and cowrie shells, and they get to work, making enough flax for 10 balls of string. Once they are done, Hahli goes to Kai’s hut.

“Ahoy, matey!” Kai says cheerfully. “Hope you’ve brought some flax. I could sure use some help making rope.”

“Can I help with anything?” Hahli asks.

“Sure!” Kai says. “If you give me flax, I can make us some string. With string, I can make rope. Which will it be?”

“I’d like some string,” Hahli says.

“Okay. I need 5 flax for each string,” Kai replies.

Hahli trades 50 flax for 10 strings – just enough for a net from Shasa.

“Here you go!” says Kai.

“Goodbye,” Hahli says as she leaves.

“See you!”

Hahli walks down the causeway to the next hut, marked on the map as belonging to Shasa, the Weaver.

“Isn’t it wonderful how everyone here works together?” asks Shasa

“Works together?” Hahli asks.

“As I sit and do my weaving,” the Matoran explains, “I can feel the Great Spirit smiling in his sleep.”

“Smiling?” Hahli asks.

“Unity makes Mata Nui smile,” the Matoran continues. “Like the unity in this cloth I weave… and the unity of the Ga-Matoran. From Unity comes Purity!”

“What are you working on?” Hahli asks.

“I’m a Weaver. I weave nets, sailcloth, and rigging,” Shasa says. “I could use help making them! I need 10 string for a net, and 20 seaweed for a sailcloth. For rigging I need 10 rope, 20 bamboo wood, and 5 nets.”

“I’d like a net,” Hahli asks, remembering that it is one of the materials needed for Macku’s kolhii stick.

“No problem!” Shasa says, getting right to work. In a short while, she is finished, and hands the net to Hahli. “Here you go.”

“Goodbye,” Hahli says, accepting the net.

“Gali’s Wisdom go with you,” says Shasa.

Hahli then heads back to Kotu, for the kolhii stick’s bamboo pole.

“Will you trade with me?” Hahli asks Kotu when she enters.

“I can carve you a pole, if you want,” Kotu replies. “All I need is 15 bamboo wood.”

“Here’s 15 bamboo wood for a bamboo pole,” Hahli says, handing Kotu the bamboo.

“No problem…” says Kotu as she starts to carve. When she is done, she hands the pole over to Hahli. “Here you go, one bamboo pole.”

Hahli takes it gratefully and then leaves for Kailani’s hut, which is hopefully her last stop before delivering the kolhii stick. When she arrives, she asks Kailani to make her a pair of fishhooks, and then, to Kailani’s surprise, a kolhii stick.

“Really?” Kailani asks Hahli. “Whatever for?”

“To play kolhii,” Hahli responds. Technically it’s true, it’s just not her that’s playing kolhii.

“If you say so…” Kailani says as she gets to work. As she works, her eyes light up. “Oh, I see. It’s a present for Macku or Kotu! Very well. One moment…”

Kailani finally finishes and hands over the Stick to Hahli. “Here you go!”

Hahli takes it and says goodbye, making her way to Macku’s home.

“I have a kolhii stick for you,” Hahli says as she enters.

“Great job, Hahli!” Macku says with delight. “Making this had to be a lot of work. This is going to come in handy when Kotu and I have to train for kolhii! Here, take these widgets! You’ll find them useful when Nokama opens the town back up.”

Hahli leaves the kolhii stick with Macku and exits. She now decides to focus on gathering supplies for the Ga-Matoran, so she can take over for Kotu later, and also to continue helping Amaya make and deliver flax.

However, as she does so, a bell starts ringing from the square. She follows the other Ga-Matoran to the center of the koro, where Nokama has finally arrived.