The waves softly crashed against the sand on the shore, creating an entrancing, sizzling sound as the water pulled back into the ocean. Just a few inches from the wet sand, sat a large man, black ink adorning his body and voluptuous muscles. The soothing sound of the sea and the caress of the wind on his skin was incredibly relaxing. He closed his eyes and let himself enjoy the beautiful afternoon as a breeze swayed his curls.
A rustling sound snapped him out of his trance. From behind the leaves and branches of the bushes, a small kid made his way to the beach.
The boy looked around, intrigued by his surroundings and with a spark of curiosity shining in his eyes. He couldn't be older than 8 years old. His brown pupils found the man's and the young adventurer froze.
"Hey, buddy. What are you doing out here?"
The boy was alert and nervous. He wasn't expecting someone here, not even someone from his own village and much less a stranger.
"Uh… exploring. We just got here a few days ago. I didn't know this island was already… occupied."
"Oh, it isn't. Don't worry about it, I'm just passing by." The man discarded the kid's worries with a flick of his hand. "What's your name?"
"Niele."
"HA! What a fitting name your folks gave you!"
Laughed the man. "It's a good name. You should embrace it and do justice to it."
That seemed to brighten the boy. "Really!? My mom chose it because I was always crawling away, looking for new things when I was a baby." Niele unconsciously closed the space between them. "I want to be an explorer, find things no one has."
The stranger smiled. "Sounds like you'll be a great wayfinder one day. Just like Moana and Maui."
Niele's eyes widened as he whispered. "You really think so?"
"Sure do."
"But they are legends! And Maui is the demigod of the Wind and Sea! There is no way I can compare with them."
The stranger laughed. "I see you know the story, kid. They are pretty awesome but human and part human nonetheless." His face fell a little and he turned to look at the sea. "Everyone has heard the heroic story of how the great and handsome Mui and the master wayfinder from Motunui restored the heart of Te Fiti… But few know the story afterwards."
The boy gasped. "There's more?"
"Of course. It's not as exciting as stealing a giant crab's treasure or fighting Te Kā but Moana was young and full of potential. She changed her people's lives and became a great chief. She lead her village with pride and kindness and her legacy will live for many generations to come." He took a deep breath. "Maui, as you know, did many heroic things after restoring the heart. Saved humans, battled more monsters and pulled many other islands out of the sea. You know, the usual awesome stuff. Many stories were born from these feats."
Niele stared at the huge man with interest, wanting to hear more.
The stranger raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to hear the second part of the story?"
The little human nodded with enthusiasm.
The stranger laughed. "Alright. I'll tell you, but let me warn you: it's not all flowers and good times, buddy."
Niele sat next to the tattooed man who was straightening his thoughts. It was the first time he was telling this part of the tale.
"After Moana went back to his village and taught them how to sail, they became voyagers like in the old days. It was hard at first. Not everyone liked the idea; the sea can be unforgiving at times. Leaving your whole life behind is hard too and entering a whole unknown world is terrifying. But Moana…" he chuckled. "Moana inspired them. Gave them courage. The entire village followed her wherever she'd go.
Occasionally, Maui would stop by and say hello. As a hero of men and women, he needed to remind people that he was a generous demigod. He needed to restore his honor and reputation too. And so, he traveled east, west, south and north and did what he does best: amazing things. From time to time, he would take a break and check on his favourite human. They would hug, talk for hours, share tales and laugh until their stomachs hurt. After a few days, Maui would fly away as a giant hawk to fulfill his duty as demigod. Their meetings were always brief but meaningful and they kept on coming for some time.
One day, Maui took another break and flew to knock on Moana's door. What he found, shocked him."
"What did he find?" asked the boy eagerly.
The stranger ruffled his short hair. "Patience little fella." He cleared his throat. "He expected to see the usual Moana: a cute, eager kid who loves the sea. Instead, he found a beautiful, mature young woman who was about to turn chief. Of course, she didn't develop by night. Like any other person, she had grown throughout the years but Maui just didn't notice until it was pretty obvious.
Now, that didn't change anything between them. Their greetings were as warm and fun as always but Maui couldn't help but feel something was off. It wasn't until a year later that he understood what it was. While they were having dinner, someone knocked on their door. It was a young man carrying many gifts as dote and asked for her parent's permission to woo Moana. Moana politely refused him but Maui couldn't help but feel incredibly jealous and possessive, even if he had no right. After that, he saw Moana in a completely different light. Every move, every word seemed so full of grace and femininity to him, that he couldn't think of anything else but her. He had to face the truth: he was falling for her. When they parted ways, he thought his little crush would disappear and everything would go back to normal next time."
The stranger shook his head. "He couldn't be more wrong."
"When he came back, she was more attractive than ever. Her skin had a beautiful caramel hue, her hair was as wild and free as ever, her eyes were fierce and full of life, her curves were…"
The man remembered the kind of audience he had and cleared his throat.
"The point is: Moana was the most beautiful woman Maui had ever seen in thousands of years. Her strong personality was radiating confidence and kindness. So, Maui fell deeper in love with her. He cursed himself for feeling that way, for he is immortal and Moana was only human. Even if she returned his feelings, their love would be brief and complicated. What if they had children? Would they be immortal or mortal? Either option was equally heartbreaking for Maui. A curse in a different way. Mortality would allow them to enjoy their short life to the fullest but Maui would have to bury them someday, along with Moana. Immortality would give them a whole new world to explore without being bound to time but it would come with a price: love. Immortals might brag of being indifferent to time but they do it to hide their loneliness. He didn't want that fate for his imaginary future sons and daughters. He chose to ignore his feelings and simply let the 'if' remain as 'if'.
And then, he saw it. He saw a spark in her eyes and he knew she felt the same way about him."
Niele brought his hands to his mouth. "No! Really!?" He squealed in excitement as he squirmed.
"Whoa, whoa my friend! The story is not anywhere near done. Haha. Calm down and pay attention."
Niele settled down, barely containing his enthusiasm.
"Maui and Moana didn't need any words. It was pretty clear to both of them in different ways. Moana never took a husband. She didn't even allowed a suitor to woo her. Maui came to visit more frequently and Moana was rarely alone for Maui was always nearby.
However, Maui wasn't too thrilled to learn this.
He was afraid his presence would prevent her to find happiness. She was chief as well and she needed to pass on her responsibility to his first born. A child he refused to bring to this world. He made a choice and without a word to Moana or her family, he left.
As he flew away, his heart tugged with every flap of his powerful wings. His vision was blurred by his tears and the his sobs covered the sound of the wind under his feathers.
Not long after his departure, he resumed his heroic actions of demigod. His mind was always on Motunui but he still managed to accomplish great things.
Years passed by and he still refrained from visiting Moana. A few more came and went and he was on the verge of insanity. Maui needed to know what was of her. Would she be mad that he left for so long? Did she marry? Was the man treating her right?
Maui had never flown like he flew those days. He searched every island in his path and every boat or canoe in his way. The day he found her, he was so afraid. He approached with care but surprisingly, Moana was as happy and thrilled to see him like he was too see her. He noticed the changes on her body again, but not her spirit. She still was the brave and fierce person that he met many years ago.
She introduced him to his husband and her 3 children. All boys, by the way. The oldest was 8 years old and the youngest just turned 3. Very cute boys." The stranger frowned. "Moana treated Maui like nothing ever happened. He never offered an explanation and she never asked for one. He was… confused, but grateful. His heart still raced every time he looked at her and he prayed Moana had moved on, unlike him. She had found someone to love, brought 3 gorgeous children into this world and was living her dream of sailing around the world. She looked happy. She must be. He could live with a broken heart for a lifetime but not her. Unfortunately, the spark in her eyes was still there."
The boy's face fell. "No. He can't leave her again!"
The stranger sighed. "He did. He flew away, again. But the cycle repeated itself and he found his way back to her after at least another two decades."
"Two decades!?" Jumped Niele.
"Yup. Two decades. Maui tried his best to stay away as long as possible but 20 years was as long as he could hang in there. When he returned, Moana received him with opened arms. As always. As if nothing ever happened.
Time had taken it's toll on her. It was really noticeable this time and Maui, for some reason, was ashamed of his young looks. He looked around the same age as her eldest son, the new chief of the village. It was awkward and he felt out of place, but Moana made sure to make him feel at home.
Maui took a good look at Moana and realized something. She wasn't full of energy as before, her skin was slowly wrinkling and her hair was losing it's vibrant color. But despite all this, he still loved her and he will love until her last breath. She looked so happy and full of life. It was impossible to let go of her. She caught him staring and she smiled back. His heart sank to his stomach."
Niele gasped. "The spark!?"
"That's right. It was still there. Even after all those years apart, she never let go either."
"Agh! Don't tell me…"
The buffed man laughed bitterly. "Yes, kid. He did. Again."
"But why?" He asked indignant. "She already had settle down and had kids!"
"Well, yeah. But Maui didn't want to cause her more grief than necessary. So he left, but this time, Moana caught him before he could take flight. Maui thought she was going to lecture him for leaving yet again but instead she thanked him."
Niele blinked twice. "She… thanked him?"
"Maui was as astonished as you. When he asked her why, she answered she had always known why he left. His absence made her days gray and dull for she missed him terribly for years but once she understood why he did it, she was able to move on. She said Maui's selfless act gave her a great husband and 3 beautiful children. Maui felt he didn't deserve any recognition for his actions since half his intentions were selfish. But either way, he accepted her gratitude and they bid their farewells."
The stranger sighed.
"Then, the cycle repeated. For the last time. He lost track of time and more years went by. More than he expected, actually. One day, the ocean came looking for him with dreadful news. Maui swam and flew like never before. He found her in her deathbed, very weak, wrinkled, gray hair and opaque eyes. The spark was still there, though. Barely visible but definitely there, nonetheless. He swallowed hard. Moana loved him till her last breath.
That night, they catched up about the years they missed together. Moana became an elder and wise advisor to her son the chief, who now had a daughter of his own. Their travels became too exhausting for her and the village settled on an island for some years to live the rest of her days. Maui listened to every word as if it was her last.
Moana then touched his arm and made a confession."
The boy scooched closer to the stranger, eager to hear what happened next.
The stranger laughed. "Not that kind of confession. What Moana confessed was that since the day she realized they couldn't be together, she prayed every night of her life to the gods. She prayed for them to let her come back as something as timeless as him. Afraid she was asking too much from them, Moana asked him to promise something. To keep an eye on her family and to be their protector when they needed it.
Maui promised to do so, kissed her forehead and let her spent her last moments with her family.
The funeral was beautifully arranged. Her body was cremated and her ashes were released into the ocean, drifted away by her old friend.
Maui never felt so empty, so alone. Before she passed away, he went back to the small island where he was left stranded after stealing the heart, the place where he met her. Everything in that piece of land reminded him of Moana. There, he wept until he ran out of tears. He mourned for months until he gathered enough strength to keep his promise. He used his magical fish hook to turn into his amazing giant hawk and flew. Ever since, Maui soars the skies above Moana's sons. And their son's sons. And the sons of their sons and so on. Watching over them and providing protection. In every generation, there is always someone who inherits her adventurous spirit. And Maui has learned to recognize them from birth. He watches them more carefully since they are the ones that get in trouble more frequently. But! That doesn't mean he has forgotten of the rest of the humans. If you see a hawk flying around, you can be sure that's Maui looking out for you."
The stranger winked and went silent.
Niele stared at him with sad eyes. "Is that how the story ends? Maui stays...alone? For eternity?"
The muscular man scratched the back of his head. "Well, not quite. You see, Maui discovered something incredible when he set flight after his mourning."
Niele's face brightened. "What? What did he discovered?"
A woman's voice echoed in the jungle, calling for the little human.
"I think our time is up, buddy. You should go. I've kept you here long enough."
The woman's voice called again.
Niele stood up and took a few steps towards the voice. "Mister, what's your name?"
The stranger smiled. "Tell you what: next time we meet, I'll tell you."
"But what if-"
"We'll meet again. I promise." Interrupted the man. "Now go, before she gets mad."
Niele smiled and ran off.
The tattooed man stood up and stretched his muscles before reaching for his hook, hidden behind a bush.
A breeze tickled his skin and the man laughed.
"I know. Looks like he'll be a hell of a voyager. I'll have to pull up some more islands for him to find." With a swish of his hook, he transformed into a majestic bird and joined the wind.
Niele was walking beside his mom while he carried a coconut in his arms.
"Mama, what do you know about Maui?"
The woman thought for a second. "Well, he is the demigod of the Wind and Sea, hero of men and women and a very famous trickster. His magical hook is able to transform him into anything he wishes. But they say, his all time favorite creature to turn into is a giant hawk. Especially in the last thousand years."
Niele frowned. He didn't know that. It wasn't part of any story he had heard about the hero.
"And why is that, mama?"
"Some say it's because he is able to fly further than the eye can see and enjoy his freedom. But others say that it's because of the wind."
"The wind?"
She smiled. "Yes. They say the woman he loved begged the gods to grant her immortality to be with him and protect her loved ones. The gods granted her wish and she became the wind itself. Now, Maui flies with her aid and companionship every day, for the rest of their immortals lives."
Niele smiled and hopped back home, making sure not to let his coconut fall. He heard a bird's cry and looked up to the sky just in time to see a beautiful hawk dancing with the air currents.
Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think. I love reviews :)