Where have all the flowers gone

Where have all the flowers gone?

He sighed, looking over some old scrolls, checking a few files and reading off the last few items to himself.

“You know, I don’t understand why you have to do this all the time.” A voice asked and Whenua looked over to see Oneua stood by the door way, holding a few scrolls of his own. “You Onu-Matoran have more checks on these places then we designers do on our own works. You’ve even got checks to make sure checks get done, why keep checking everything over and over again?”

“To make sure we don’t lose anything and to make sure no one is stealing things.” Whenua said. “Are you looking for anything?”

“Just somewhere quiet I can work, they sent me to make the new arches over the windows and doors.” He said.

“Well, I’m gonna be in here a while so it should be quiet.” Whenua offered.

“Thanks.” And with that Oneua went to the far table, looking over the scrolls of past design as he began to draw carefully and slowly.

After a short time, Oneua looked up, “Ok… that is annoying.”

“What is?” Whenua asked from a few feet above him.

“I can’t read the inscription right…” Oneua said, “It makes no sense to me.” He added.

“It’s been wore down due to the ill-fitting widows,” Whenua explained, “But if you’d like I can tell you what the words say.”

“It would be helpful.” The Po-Matoran smiled.

“Where have all the flowers gone? Long-time passing. Where have all the flowers gone? Long time ago. Where have all the flowers gone? Picked by young girls, everyone. When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?” Whenua read off pausing long enough in between to let Oneua detail them in his work.

“Sounds like part of a song.” Oneua stated.

“It is,” Whenua nodded, “Oldest Song in Onu-Metru, we sung it when our Turaga died… since then it’s been above the arch way in his old room.” He explained going back to his list.

“How did it go again?” Oneua asked. “The rest of the song I mean.”

“I don’t have the best voice for it friend…” Whenua admitted.

“Can’t be as bad as mine, I sound like a landed Ruki fish.” Onewa chuckled.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Whenua smiled before clearing his throat a little. “Where have all the young girls gone? Long-time passing, where have all the young girls gone? Long time ago… Where have all the young girls gone? Gone to young men, everyone. When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?”

Oneua smiled, going back to his drawing as he listened to Whenua, humming along softly.

“Where have all the young men gone? Long-time passing, where have all the young men gone? Long time ago… Where have all the young men gone? Gone to soldiers every one… When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?” Whenua sang softly as Oneua hummed with him, neither noticing that other Archivists were stood by the door, having been drawn by the sound of song. “Where have all the young men gone? Long-time passing, where have all the young men gone? Long time ago, where have all the young men gone? Gone to soldiers every one. When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?”

Toa Lhikan paused his flight outside the window, out of sight as he heard the melodic voice singing inside, he smiled lightly remembering the song well from his days alongside his team and found he could spare time to listen.

“Where have all the soldiers gone? Long-time passing, where have all the soldiers gone? Long time ago, where have all the soldiers gone? They've gone to graveyards every one… When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?” Whenua paused and sighed, “Where have all the graveyards gone…? Long-time passing… Where have all the graveyards gone? Long time ago… Where have all the graveyards gone? Gone to flowers every one, when will we ever learn?”

“When will we ever learn?” Oneua sang along with Whenua smiling softly. “What do you think?” he asked moving back to show his designs to the Onu-Matoran.

Whenua moved his platform closer and smiled the lyrics were written gracefully and elegantly around the whole arch, forming the structure and by each for the key phases were small images of each.

“Wonderful.”