Fic Writer's Appreciation- January 2018 Writing Challenge
January (2018) Day 24 Vacation
This is a short interim story between Hawaiian Souvenir (originally posted for October's NaLu Love Fest 2017) (located in Fairy Lemon Drops) and the story Keahi: Sequel to Hawaiian Souvenir for Day 26's prompt Hawaii. You can find a link to the original story at the end, but please note, it is NSFW.
Ke Aloha Nei
Ever since that fateful trip 11 years ago, Natsu and Lucy had always wanted to return to the Island of Hawaii with their son. They had taken Nashi once when she was about 10 but now their son Keahi was old enough to appreciate the beautiful state. So, it was decided that for summer vacation this year, the whole family would go.
The young boy had already heard the story of his conception about a thousand times by now, and his father had always shared his love of the volcanoes with his son. So, it was no surprise that one of the most important plans during this trip was to hike to the current flow still going since 1983.
From the end of Chain of Crater's Road, it wasn't an easy hike, 10-12 miles round trip over rock and gravel, old A'a and Pahoehoe flows that have built over many years under the hot Hawaiian sun. But they came prepared with lots of sunblock, water, and dressed appropriately for the grueling walk; Lucy was nothing if not always prepared for anything.
3 hours later they finally arrive at the viewing location and all the two guys can do is stare with their mouths hanging open. It is such a breathtaking sight, as the beautiful reds and oranges bubble and slowly inch their way to the sea.
"Son," Natsu puts his hands on the boy's shoulders, "This is what it looks like when new land is being created."
"Really?!" the child looks up at his father, "But it's like all gooey looking."
But the man just chuckles and smiles, "That gooey looking stuff will cool down and turn into the rock you are now standing on."
Keahi looks at his feet and taps the black stone, "Huh? That's pretty neat."
"Yeah…" he grins at his son, "Neat."
With sunset almost over, the two women are more interested in the stars that are about to come out and settle on a smooth ledge they find. But for the guys, with the sun gone, and the heat of the lava becoming a little more bearable, they go as close to the flows edge as they can.
A pleasant silence settles between father and son as they look out over the cliff where the flow meets the Pacific Ocean. Crackling and occasional bursts when the superheated lava meets the cool, salty waters, entertain the gathered crowds with plumes of smoke billowing towards the heavens.
'He wahine ikaikaʻo ia…' 'Mai kahi'āina'ē…' 'Me ke ahonui a me ka pono…'
'Hawaiian music?' The young boy looks around him, is someone's radio playing? The melodic and yet haunting female's voice seems to float through the air like a breeze.
'He kanaka ikaikaʻo ia…' 'Mai kahi'āina'ē…'
Keahi looks up at his dad who is still just staring at the lava. 'Me ke ahi a me ka ikaika i loko o konaʻuhane…'
"Dad, do you hear that?"
'Akā naʻe, ua kāhea kēia'āina iā lākou…'
"Hear what son?"
"The music…" ' ʻO kā lāua kaikamahine keʻano o nā meaʻelua…'
"I don't hear any music," Natsu looks down at his boy confused, "Maybe it's someone's radio in the distance."
'Akā, e lilo kā lākou keiki i ka mana o kona makua kāne…' "Maybe…" 'But wouldn't he hear it too?'
The young child looks around again, no one around them seems to notice it either. 'A e mālama i kēia'āina me ka hanohano…' He shrugs it off and continues to share this divine experience with his dad…
While Lucy and Natsu prepare their children for the walk back, they hand out the headlamps and flashlights. In the darkness, the rocky path of jagged and brittle lava can be dangerous to traverse, with slips and falls occurring all the time.
But as the adults' fuss over matters the boy finds boring, he kneels and using his flashlight, searches for anything more interesting on the ground. Most of the area is solid rock, a few leaves or twigs blown across the fields, until something shiny catches his attention.
Little, drop-shaped stones. He picks one of the larger pieces up to examine it's smooth, glossy appearance.
"Pele's Tears…" a strange female voice, "Take it Keahi, and treasure it until you return…"
He looks up, "Who are you?" the young boy slips onto his butt, afraid of the strange older Hawaiian woman standing above him, "H-How do you know my name?"
"Keahi?" his mother calls over to him, "What are you doing over there?"
"Because I gave it to you," the woman smiles. "Now, go to your mother, Keahi… Until we meet again…"
He gets up and runs over to his family, shaking, "Dad, some lady over there knew my name!"
Everyone looks over, "What lady?" his father asks, "There was no lady next to you."
"She was right…" When he looks over to point, the boy's face drops, "I swear she was right there! She said she gave me my name."
Natsu looks at his wife a little nervous, "Pele." She nods, "Keahi, did she say anything else to you?"
"Y-yeah, she told me to take the stone I was holding, t-treasure it until I return."
"Show me the stone," his dad grabs the boys hand and when he sees it, "Pele's Tears. No-no," Natsu shakes his head, "It's supposed to be bad luck to take anything off this island."
"But dad, she said I could have it."
"I don't know son…"
"Please! I promise I'll take care of it."
Natsu looks over to Lucy who just shrugs her shoulders, "You're the one who knows about this stuff, not me."
Turning back to his son, "Alright Keahi, but remember, locals believe that shouldn't do anything to anger the volcano goddess. If she told you that you could have it then fine, but make sure, you take care of it like it's the most valuable thing in the whole world."
"I will dad, I promise it."
"Good, cause I don't wanna be one of those people who gets cursed by her."
"Can we get out of here now?" A nervous Nashi rubs her arms, "it's getting kinda creepy."
Lucy, "I second that."
Keahi takes one last look behind them and sees the woman standing off in the distance… 'A hui hou, a hālāwai hou mākou…' But he is not scared anymore as a soothing, familial feeling washes over him and burns a new passion for this land, this aina into his heart…
Translations/Descriptions: In the order they appear
Ke Aloha Nei (Falling in Love)
He wahine ikaikaʻo ia (She is a strong woman)
Mai kahi'āina'ē (From a foreign land)
Me ke ahonui a me ka pono (With patience and virtue)
He kanaka ikaikaʻo ia (He is a strong man)
Mai kahi'āina'ē (From a foreign land)
Me ke ahi a me ka ikaika i loko o konaʻuhane (With fire and energy in his soul)
Akā naʻe, ua kāhea kēia'āina iā lākou (Yet this land calls for them)
ʻO kā lāua kaikamahine keʻano o nā meaʻelua (Their daughter carries traits of both)
Akā, e lilo kā lākou keiki i ka mana o kona makua kāne (But their son will inherit his father's power)
A e mālama i kēia'āina me ka hanohano (And serve this land with honor)
Pele's Tears- A 'tear' or drop shaped volcanic glass created when molten airborne droplets fuse, they are often attached to Pele's hair, a super fine, strand-like volcanic glass.
A hui hou, a hālāwai hou mākou (See you later, Till we meet again)
Aina (Land)
In this story, because Pele gives her permission, Keahi's character is allowed to keep the souvenir. But, it is taboo to remove anything from the islands, many stories and tales of negative or bad things happening to people that do so can be found, and park rangers receive over 2,000 pounds of rocks each year from all over the world with letters to please return the items and stop the curses. So please, as a precaution, if you visit be mindful of the beliefs and superstitions still prevalent in Hawaii. If you are curious about these stories, there is a book called "Powerstones" by Linda Ching and Robin Stephens that's an interesting read.
Hawaiian Souvenir:
/works/10425108/chapters/27848913