Episode Six: Gone

As the sun was setting, Dodo dove into the water and tried to get to Lakia. But the large fish had swam under Lakia and pushed her up onto its back, and then swam quickly away into the night. Dodo could barely hear her cries for him and her parents as she hung on for her life.

In great love and sorrow, Dodo walked out of the water to the edge of the shore and sat down alone. By this time everyone else had gone to the village center to decide what to do. Dodo hid his face in his hands and cried. When he finally could form words, he gently whispered "Guiding Hand do with me as you will, but please protect Lakia from the great sea monster." A wave came up and tickled his toes. In it was a shiny broken necklace. It resembled the emblem on the gong. Dodo put it in his pocket and carried it to his family's hut. He decided he should ask Shuka, the story-teller, about it. However, after he put it away, he forgot about it.

In the months that followed Dodo began to routinely study medicine. He spent so much time going from herb to herb, this that his family and friends starting calling him Doc instead of Dodo. Eventually, he would spend all his free time researching. Before long Dodo mastered both medicine and science. He missed Lakia terribly, and believed that she would have wanted him to be the best doctor he could be.


The evening that the fish carried Lakia away, she started off scared, but then suddenly realized that things were different. She could see! For the first time in her life she could see everything! As the sun was setting the fish swam close to a beach just off the coast of Isola, and he spoke to her. "You will be safe here for the night. I will be back for you in the morning." The great fish dropped her off on the beach, grinned at her, waved his fin, and swam into the night. She was so tired that she crawled under a nearby bush and went to sleep.

It was morning when she was suddenly awaken by an old man. "Hello there little darling," the long bearded fellow said. He reached out his hand to help her up. "My name is Hong..."

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Episode Seven: Why Are You Here?

When Hong awoke young Lakia, he had startled her. As she lay there, she wasn't really listening to what he said since he sounded just like Samar. He bent down to give her a hand up off the ground.

Lakia pulled back, "Please don't hurt me! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to mess up your Totem Pole, Elder Samar! I'm sorry!" she pulled back further and started to cry.

"Little one, I assure you that I intend you no harm." He paused for a moment, took a step back, and sat on the ground. In a soft and gentle tone he asked her, "You don't look like any of my tribe. Are you maybe from the Tribe of the South Ocean Wind? What is your name darling?"

Lakia wiped her tears but was still a little puzzled. He looked a bit like Samar (although she wasn't truly sure what Samar looked like since she couldn't see him well before) and he sounded just like him, but he spoke much sweeter and softer. This man was much older than Samar could be, so she decided to answer him.

"No, but my grandparents were from the Tribe of the South Ocean Wind. They were exploring one day and fell down the waterfall into the Tribe of the Setting Sun. That is where I am from. My name is Lakia Waterfaller, after my grandmother. Well, sort of, her name was Leia. Anyway, my father says I look just like my grandmother. My grandparents are always telling me stories about the old tribe."

Hong's face lit up, "How very fascinating! I would love to hear about them. But first, why are you here?"

Feeling a sense of comfort now, Lakia stood to her feet, and began to tell the story of finding the beautiful sea monster totem pole. "And then, yesterday evening, while I was weaving a grass skirt for it, along came Samar Leaderson..."

"Wait!" Hong halted her. "Leader's son? Who is your leader?"

"Oh, no. We don't have a leader. I think Samar was the old leader's son, or something like that. He has 14 older sisters! I have one and she is always telling me what to do! No wonder he left me in the ocean!" Lakia looked around the little stretch of grass where she could sit more comfortably. She almost didn't see that Hong had tears rolling down his cheeks. She noticed them as she sat back down. Then he stood up. He felt that he needed to interrupt her story.

"I am Hong. I was once the great Leader of the Tribe of the Setting Sun. My tribe was full of success and honor. I was the father of 14 beautiful daughters but alas no sons. On the day I was told that I would have my 15th daughter, I was angry and full of pride. I terribly regret it now, but I threw my magic medallion necklace into the sea. A horrible storm started to tear apart the island and pulled me out to sea. I was saved by..." Hong wanted to continue but checked to see if Lakia was listening.

For the first time in Lakia's life, she was listening...

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Episode Eight: The Decision

A cool breeze swept eerily through the village as the Council of Elders decided Samar's fate. Lakia's parents were blaming Samar for their daughter's disappearance. They had waited by the shore every day hoping for her return, and finally decided that it had been long enough. The Elders questioned Samar over why he didn't go after Lakia himself. Embarrassed but honest, he admitted that he had been too frightened by the sea creature to move. The more he was questioned, the more Samar withdrew from the others, and the Elders were undecided over whether he was guilty or not.

Shuka shook her head as she listened to the dispute there in the research hut. Only a generation ago the elders were discussing whether baby Samar should be made leader. Today they were discussing whether not to give him the Burning Stew.

Dodo, who was working late at the research table couldn't take anymore of the debate inside. He walked over to the stream to cool his feet. While he was there the idea hit him! A way to find Lakia! Dodo paced back and forth in the village center. How would he build a floating hut to take him on his voyage. He was not a trained builder.

So Dodo approached the village builders one by one and requested help to build his floating hut. They were all too busy making repairs to their own huts. Most of them believed that the sea monster ate Lakia or that she drowned. But Dodo felt in his heart that she could still be out there somewhere. And he would find a way to find her.

Finally, he decided to go to the council to ask for help. On his way to the door, Shuka was leaving. "Elder Shuka! I've been meaning to talk to you. I want to show you something!" Dodo took the story-teller to his family's hut, all the while telling her of his plans to learn to build a floating hut so he can search for Lakia. When they arrived at his hut he took out the broken necklace and showed her.

"Wow! When? How? Where did you get this?!" she asked in surprise.
"On the night that Lakia was taken away by the... I mean out to sea, it washed up the beach and landed on my toes."

Shuka fell to Dodo's feet. "You are the chosen one! This is the medallion of the Great Leader Hong! See the Gong? The gong was made in the necklace's image! It possesses the same powers. We must tell the other Elders immediately, Great Leader Dodo..."

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