The Chronicle of Matahouroa Chapter 6: Alliance

 “It’s been a while” Panahihou said, breaking the silence.

Maramawhā nodded, rising.

“Wait” Feluz said, his eyes widening, “She’s the one who broke you out?”

“Indeed” Panahihou said, “Which means she’s come here to claim the favour I owe her.”

“You don’t owe me anything” Maramawhā said, “I didn’t save you from that prison to replace it with another one.”

“Good, then we’ll be on our way” said Panahihou, motioning Feluz to follow him.

“Wait!” Maramawhā said, “At least hear my proposal.”

“Not  interested. I’m too busy to deal with whatever trivial matters you must  want me to assist. Surely you must understand, since you seem to be one  of those ‘for the bigger picture’ types.”

Maramawhā sighed. She didn’t want to resort to it, but the greater good demanded noxious words:

“I do understand you might not like the Parekareka.”

“Oh?” Panahihou craned his neck, “Now this has me interested. You must be really desperate if you’re against them.”

“Wait” Feluz scratched his head, “What are Pare, uh, Praeka-”

“Another type of Aven” Maramawhā interjected, “The Parekareka and the Kawau are basically the same species-”

“Please don’t” Panahihou said, his feathers puffing ever so slightly.

“Planeswalkers have a duty to learn” Maramawhā said, “especially a young one such as this.”

“How did you know?” Feluz asked, his hands on his cheeks.

Maramawhā and Panahihou both stared at him.

“As  I was saying” Maramawhā continued, “the Parekareka and the Kawau are  the same people, but they chose different paths. Now that are war for  frankly petty reasons-”

“I wouldn’t call genocide petty”  Panahihou said venomously, “And from what little I’ve heard, back  before my spark ignited, your people were targeted by them as well.  That’s why you’re here, yes?”

“Yes” Maramawhā said, “My people  were outed to the Pirita Kahuna by Purūpī’s spies. He is planning  something big and wants to force the Hoiho to cooperate with him. I’m  here to ask for your help in defeating him and restore balance and  peace.”

“That’s very interesting” Panahihou responded, “And why should I care?”

Maramawhā stared at him in disbelief.

“You can’t be serious!” she said exasperatedly, “I mean, I wasn’t expecting kindness or compassion-”

“Good” Panahihou quipped.

“-but  I thought you’d be at least intelligent enough to understand that the  leader of your people’s enemy doesn’t have anything good for you in  mind!”

“Nah, I’m dumb as an egg” Panahihou opened his wings, “Very stupid really. I think I’ll be leaving now.”

“Wait,”  Feluz said, touching Panahihou’s shoulder, “I think we should listen to  her. If Puru-whatever’s really planning something, he might come after  you.”

Panahihou sighed and rolled his eyes, but lowered his wings nonetheless.

“Look,”  he said, his fingers massaging his beak base, “Right now I need to kill  my uncle as fast as I can before my self-doubt kicks in. He’s a  pretty... evil necromancer, who has murdered thousands of  people just for a stupid chair, so I’m pretty sure you can’t tell me  it’s wrong in any way.”

“It’s true” Maramawhā conceded, “Hinuhou’s atrocities have been heard of even in Inanga. But he’s still a far lesser priority than Purūpī, someone with actual political power and an agenda.”

“The point is” Panahihou continued, “that this might be the one chance I have to kill Hinuhou, and I’m not going to waste it. If I’m successful, then I might feel empowered enough to kill  Purūpī as well.”

“Because your self-esteem is above all other life apparently” Maramawhā spat, disgusted.

Yes, actually.

But  Panahihou didn’t voice that thought. He noticed that Feluz was looking  at him in a pleading way, and he realised that he couldn’t afford to  lose his fellow planeswalker’s favour if he was to win.

More  disconcertingly, Panahihou also noticed that the Patupaiarehe, who had  been entirely silent through that entire exchange, was glaring at him.  Its face seemed to be neutral, but its eyes were piercing in a way that  the Kawau couldn’t describe as anything other than wrathful. Did it know  about planeswalkers and their nature? Did Maramawhā inform it? Or was  it staring at him for some other reason.

Whichever the case, Panahihou didn’t risk it. He composed himself, and extended a hand to Maramawhā:

“If you help me kill Hinuhou, then I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”

Maramawhā  stared at him stoically. For a moment she seemed impossibly distant,  entirely unreadable to Panahihou. This unnerved the Kawau, but to his  relief, she took his hand.

“Deal” she said.

Panahihou  glanced at Feluz. His was definitely happy and excited, and the Aven  knew he had him entirely by his side. And he also looked adorable. The  Patupaiarehe also lightened its gaze, but a distrust remained. Panahihou  decided he couldn’t care less about that.

“Good, then let's get moving.”