Prologue

It has been many Isola years since we have had extended contact with the Guiding Hand. There have been many happy births, and we now have many children and young adults in the village. Sadly, most of our village founders (their story is here ), have gone to live with the Guiding Hand. Even my Pilipili and Napa's Tamil are gone. Of the eight original villagers, just Pai and Ponui remain. I've had many children, and have completed my training in alchemy. I even had the privilege to teach Chief Holoku, Ponui's son. Sadly, Umi and Waiata never lived long enough to see their grandchildren. When Umi died, I had my firstborn. When Waiata died, Napa and Tamil finally had their first. I now regret having my child before Napa's, since my parents lived longer. Speaking of my parents, Molo was a farmer at heart, and died at 78. When Mother Chimba died at age 73, she was the storyteller of the tribe. Bico died the first Esteemed Elder at age 74, and he thought there was nothing left for him. Personally, I'd have liked to have him stay with us.
We've cleared some rubble, finished the huts, and found two keys. I'm planning on finding some relationship between the beautiful fallen statue and the door. They both look like they're from the same stone, and there has to be a relationship somewhere. Come to think of it, the amphitheater looks like it has the same stone too...
"Matate, please put that book down. With all these new babies, we need you to fish!"
"Yes, Pai! Coming!"

With many thanks to Laurence, you can now comment on this storyAll's Well that Ends Well-Comments

Chapter 1
Young Pai and Ponui are officially dead. They were the last two founders, and the two eldest villagers. However, one of Ponui's sons, Chief Holoku, has trained well in the healing arts. He passed this on to two of his sons, Dodi and Kilu. I am second oldest in the tribe, my brother Kayak being the oldest. He has a slowed walk, like Mama (Holoku's wife). I was at the burials, and they were quite sad.
We've had new marriages. I wouldn't obsess over such a now common thing, but there was one marriage so resembling, I just have to say it. The wedding of Taunga Bau and Bau Yanuca. They look just like Waiata and Umi. The hair, the facial expressions... I'm amazed.
Now, back to my study of the rock. Goodbye.
Matate, being the alchemist, was a gifted researcher. She took elaborate notes, wrote on the blackboard, and even took small samples of the rock. Her detailed studies proved that the rock was, in fact, the same, and can also be easily found on the island to repair the fallen statue. She just had to figure how to get the statue up there. She eventually got the idea of pushing it, but the statue was heavy, and no one person could move it. It would take superior leadership to keep everyone on task long enough...

Chapter 3
We have finally completed repairing the statue. Now is a time of rejoicing. After much dancing and a feast for the builders, life commenced.
What nobody seemed to notice, though, was the little blue ball that was hidden under the rubble of the fallen statue. They went to bed happy that the statue was recreated.
I have just had the most unusual dream. It scared me slightly. I was in a room, gazing upon a beautiful painting. I walked across a mosaic to a strange sundial. There, a ghostly couple appeared, one greatly resembling the statue we have just recreated. The man started to talk. His voice was identical to the one who spoke through Kayak. He said to look in the brush near the foot of the statue and find the unrefined blue pearl. I shall search tomorrow.
The next day, Matate slowly walked to the statue's base. There, in the brush, a small blue pearl like object was found. Matate washed it off and took it to the science lab, where it was further refined to look like the pearl. She finally presented it to Holoku, who brought it over to the clam and cunningly switched the pearls. He then took the black pearl up to the door, where it belonged.
The villagers rejoiced. Then, Matate stepped up and into the room. She looked at the painting, as though she was in a trance. She walked across the mosaic to the sundial. She turned the heavy stone as though it was a twig.
Eventually, light shone through the hole and onto the disk. The ghostly couple of Matate's dream appeared. They introduced themselves as two of the city's inhabitants. They told their sad story, and were ever grateful to the tribe for restoring what they did. They finished their story, and faded away as the light stopped showing.

Chapter 4
Matate wanted to know more about the chief and the princess, so one day she walked into the sundial room to ask them to tell more about themselves. When she entered the room, she got the shock of her life. There were not two ghosts, but five. Matate easily recognized the three new ghosts as Umi, Bico, and Ponui. As Matate watched and listened from the entrance, the ghosts did not acknowledge her presence.
"Cousin Umi, you and your team, our daughter included (whose story is in Kitten's forum), searched far and wide for a cure to save our villagers. I thank you for trying to right my wrongs."
"It wasn't a problem, cousin Dino."
"And my two grandsons. Bico and Ponui. You saved the villagers I sent you, and helped establish a new village. And the impressive part was that you weren't even fourteen! I know that Alapai and I are proud, and I'm sure your mother and uncle would be, too. Wherever they are..."
As the five ghosts faded away, Matate was working everything out in her head. She now knew something that should be kept secret. They were just a reincarnation. There were who knows how many before them, and it is expected to be many after. Matate didn't want to alarm anyone at this discovery, so she kept quiet. But it plagued her for the rest of her life.

Chapter 5
My friend Napa has died. She is just 75, and younger than me. It should be my time to go before hers. But alas, I am here and she is not. Sulking about it doesn't bring her back, nor does it help me master healing and parenting. I will study the healing arts first, then move to parenting. This should be easy to achieve since I must teach a young girl named Yasa how to handle the alchemy lab. If only there was an easier way to get around...
Matate was a master at building, science, and farming. She earned herself an Esteemed Elder title, and now devoted her life to her studies. Nobody knows why she is so serious, but most people think it is because of her parents being too strict. Her teachings are fun, yet very informative. She was probably one of the best people to teach. as the Guiding Hand, I think she got it from her mother.

Chapter 6
This is a sad day. All work has been called off. Even I weep slightly. The reason? Matate has left the tribe. The villagers have lined up as Chief Holoku walks her remains down to the burial site. The only ones allowed in the graveyard were her family. Matate and Umi were my two favorite villagers. Neither of them will die. Their stories have been recorded, their pictures have been taken, and their memories will last forever.

This story has been dedicated to Matate Pilipili-Gavi