Moana lay in bed with eyes closed still within the twilight between sleep and awake. Hei Hei released a resounding crow before breaking into a terrible fit of hacking coughs. She giggled to herself as she slowly opened her eyes. The sky was still black except with a blip of orange and pink staining the darkness. Inhaling deeply she hummed in delight as the smoke of an Umu wafted into her whare. Looking over she saw a pile of blankets and pillows strewn across the wooden floor. Getting up she neatly folded her and Maui's blankets before rolling up their respective cots and storing it all away. Walking outside the morning breeze caused her to clutch her robe tight to herself. Not too far away stood Maui with arms crossed as he sang to himself. Before him was a large mound of banana leaves upon which a billow of smoke and steam seeped from beneath it. Sensing her presence he turned around and greeted her with a grin.
"Mornin' lounge-lizard!", Maui said. Moana grumbled as she rubbed her eyes. "You're just in time. Breakfast is done!"
"Lounge-lizard? The suns not even up yet!", Moana said. She rolled out the woven mat and began placing the wooden bowls and wooden utensils upon it., "You shouldn't have, Maui"
"Actually, I did. Otherwise I wouldn't have any breakfast", Maui said.
"Hardy-Har-Har", Moana said.
He removed the large waxy leaves revealing several balls wrapped tightly of the same material. He tossed them from hand to hand making grunts of displeasure before placing each onto the mat. Moana carefully opened the bundles and placed the contents into several large bowls. Pillars of steam rose from the Taro, coconut porridge, breadfruit, fish, and eggs. Moana retrieved a small knife and the basket gifted to her. Sitting cross-legged she began cutting the cucumbers in small disks and placing them into another bowl. Cutting a lemon in half she squeezed it's contents onto the cucumbers.
"Papaya?", Moana said holding up the plump fruit.
"Cut yourself a slice and leave me the rest", Maui said with a mouth full of food. He was surrounded by plates piled with copious amounts of each food. The sheer look of joy on his face as he shoveled food into his mouth caused Moana to giggle. He looked childlike with his resplendent round eyes and gaping mouth. Laying the oblong fruit onto the mat she easily pressed her knife into it's yellow-orange skin and all the way through it's tender flesh. The sweet scent of the Papaya greeted her and she hummed. Using her spoon she scooped out the seeds. Maui snatched the half of the Papaya and began digging into it with his spoon. With a mouth full of Papaya, he reached for the other half and Moana smacked his hand.
"Aue! That's mine! If you eat too much Papaya it'll give you the runs!", Moana said.
"Thanks Gramma Moana!", Maui said in a mocking tone.
"You're welcome, sonny!", Moana said in an elderly tone. She dipped her wooden spoon into the coconut porridge and, after blowing on it softly, consumed it. "Not as good as my Dad's but keep trying"
"If that's the case…", Maui said as he reached for her bowl.
"Touch my food and you'll draw back a nub!", Moana said clutching her bowl to her chest.
"Uh-huh. That's what I thought!", Maui guffawed. He placed two eggs on her plate. "Here. You need to eat more"
"Thanks Grandpa Maui!", Moana said mocking his voice. She picked an egg and, with the blunt side of her spoon, cracked the shell. Peeling the shell off completely she took a bite. A peaceful silence was between them as they finished their breakfast. The soft morning wind turned warm as the sun slowly crept into the sky. With a soft sigh she broke the still air. "Today's the day…"
"Of what?", Maui said. Several bowls and plates lay wiped clean. He lay on his back propped up by his elbows.
"I'm meeting with the Ririo tribe. You know, what I told you a few days ago about the wayfinders discovering a new island?", Moana said pursing her lips.
"Oh yeah", Maui said languidly. "Huh, that name rings a bell. Actually, a whole lotta bells are goin' off. But I can't remember where I heard that name before. I'm comin' with you, Mo. I got a bad feeling about this"
"Don't say that! I'm already nervous about meeting them. I've lived my whole life here with my people. I-I've never met another Tribe.", Moana said biting her lip. She straightened up and took a breath. "I am Chief Moana Waialiki of Motunui and I can do this!"
"I trust my gut and so should you", Maui said slapping his stomach with a loud thud.
"You said the same thing about Motunui and it was just because of the lack of temples", Moana said. "I'm sure it's something like that. Nothing big"
The waiver in her voice conveyed her true convictions. Maui inwardly groaned and cursed himself. He should've kept his big mouth shut and just trailed her like his first instinct said to do. "Just messin' with you, Curly! I just wanted to push your buttons.", Maui said. Moana glared at him and threw a morsel of Papaya at his face. Maui dodged it as he chuckled.
"I'm still comin' along.", Maui said. "I don't have anything else to do."
"Just make sure you turn into something small and out of the way. Maybe a butterfly?", Moana said. Maui gave her a sour look which caused her to break into a fit of giggles.
…..
Their canoe hit shore and Moana clenched her fists at her sides to keep them from trembling. Her headdress shook slightly causing her to jump. Looking up she stared into the beady black eyes of a tiny gecko with a curly mop of hair. With a sly grin it winked at her and burrowed deep within the feathers in her headdress. Just knowing he was there caused her anxiety to ebb. Stepping onto the wet sand of the island the atmosphere felt humid and thick. Goosebumps on her skin raised as a phantom sensation of tiny fingers ghosted up the center of her spine. Fear and dread threatened to creep it's way into her mind. Shaking her head slightly she walked on with her two council members walking at her side.
Reaching the temple Moana craned her neck looking at the imposing building. It seemingly was made of burned lava rock and it's jagged peak stood far above the trees. The churning feelings intensified and she swallowed deeply reminding herself that she would be just fine. Inside the light grew strangely dim as the sconces on the walls flickered with a bright red flame. Entering the throne room they beheld the Chief of the Ririo. He was a short squat man with a corpulent figure. His giant belly poured over his piupiu. His mouth was etched into a scowl. Moana held in a gasp as she stared into his eyes. Two giant black pools gazed back. In her headdress she felt Maui stirring.
"Chief of the Ririo, I am Chief Moana of the Motunui. We come in great hopes of having a long and prosperous future with your people!", Moana said with a exalted voice. She bowed politely and her counselors followed. The Chief never moved from his seat and his scowl intensified.
"I smelled the stink of your fear when your feet hit the shore of my island", the Chief growled. "You wanted to run away didn't you? But, now that you're here. Now that you have walked upon my shores you will be overcome by us. Your men will be made food for me. Your women will be made concubines for my men. And your children will carry loads on their backs as our slaves."
"Excuse me?!", Moana said. Just then she felt tiny gecko feet scrambling down her neck.
"Get outta here RIGHT NOW, Mo!", Maui whispered in her ear. Her hair was brushed over her ears, and, luckily he remained unseen.
"Heck no! He can't talk to me like that!", Moana whispered back.
"This isn't the time. You gotta get out! NOW! Trust me on this", Maui whispered. He stamped his little feet firmly causing a tickling sensation that made her giggle.
"You find this funny, little girl?", the Chief sneered.
"Actually, yes, this is all very funny! I've just met you and you're sending out threats?", Moana said erupting in peals of laughter. Her counselors looked at her aghast with saucer eyes. "At least take me to dinner first!"
"You laugh now but you WILL tremble before the power of the Tipua!", the Chief said with eyes filled with rage.
Walking forward Moana balled up her fists and in a flash both counselors grabbed her by the shoulders steering her out of the temple. They all but ran back to the canoe, with Moana stumbling along, and thrust her inside. The counselors looked terribly shaken and shot piercing glances at her ever so often. The other, which was steering the canoe, had to shake his head periodically in order to grasp ahold of the task at hand. Moana sat fuming at the entire experience. She was incensed at his lack of manners. As she thought back on his words she felt the fear begin to return. Her skin grew damp and cold as she realized that he knew the exact moment she arrived and exactly what she was feeling. Swallowing deeply, she realized that her stubborn nature and fiery temper could've gotten her killed.
"What was up with his eyes?", Moana said. She needed something, anything to break the cold uncomfortable silence.
"What do you mean, Chief Moana?", the Counselor said as he gazed at the sea.
"Didn't they look odd?", Moana said.
"Not at all, Chief Moana. Besides the bulging aspect of his eyes they seemed quite normal", the other chimed from behind her.
….
A roaring fire lay in a pit dug into the ground within the center of the whare. It warmed the entire house and a pot sat above the roaring flames with a brew bubbling inside. Moana held a bowl of fish soup as she sat on her cot. The savory-sweet soup was rich and creamy. She could feel it's heat making a trail down her throat. It was just what she needed after the fiasco early that day. Maui downed his soup and refilled his bowl before tucking in once more. Moana sighed as she gazed into the flames.
"Maui, you weren't joking were you?", Moana said.
"Whaddya mean? I'm always joking?", Maui said.
"During breakfast you said that you had a bad feeling about meeting with the Ririo.", Moana said. She scooped up the soup into her spoon and slowly drained it back into the bowl.
"Well…", Maui said elongating the word. He rubbed his neck and cringed. "Yeaah, I wasn't joking."
"Why did you lie to me?", Moana said. She looked up at him with brows furrowed in anger.
"I didn't wanna get you all worked up even more than you already were!", Maui said.
"But when we got inside the temple you told me to get out…", Moana said.
"That's because those guys are baaad new. Part of me was hoping you were right and it wasn't anything serious. But when we got into the temple I could feel evil energy crackling all around me", Maui said shaking his head.
"Yeah, I know. He threated to eat me!", Moana said with a grimace.
"No, Mo, it's worse than just gross threats. These guys worship the Tipua!", Maui said. "Being immortal can mess with your memory sometimes. But when he said that name it all came back to me".
"Tipua?", Moana said.
"They're shape shifting demons. In the old days they'd cause all sorts of havoc if humans didn't offer gifts and offerings to them", Maui said. "Most humans would give offerings just to keep the Tipua from coming after them. Other humans would worship them in order to get the power of the Tipua. This tribe is one of them! But this power comes at a price. A HUGE price."
"Part of me is afraid to ask what price that is. The other part of me kind of already knows what it might be", Moana said turning pale.
"Human sacrifice is the price. In the end, the worshippers of the Tipua end up corrupted by their evil", Maui said going back for a fourth helping.
"Oh gods! These people are coming for us! I've got to think of a plan. But, my people aren't warriors! We're farmers, wayfinders, and fisherman! We've had our fair share of personalities clashing but never war.", Moana said frantically. "Oh my gods, Maui, I just… I just don't know what I'm going to do".
She straightened herself up and put her hands in her lap. "I-I am Chief Moana Waialiki of Motunui daughter of Tui Waialiki and…. and…", Moana said firmly. At this her body seemed to crumple inward as she covered her face with her hands. Her shoulders shook from the sobs. Maui frowned and looked into the fire. What comforted people in distress? What comforted him in distress? His mind raced desperately searching through his memories for a solution. Solitude, the ocean, and the open sky are all he knows. He had seen other humans do this when another was hurt. Perhaps he could try it? The image of Moana recoiling from his touch and pushing him away struck terror into his mind. Gulping in air he stood up from his cot and walked over to her. He hesitated for a second before sitting next to Moana and pulling her to his chest. His heartbeat began to race and he closed his eyes waiting for the fallout. Her sobs stilled and she wrapped her arms around his waist pressing her cheek to his chest.
"Back at the temple, when I looked into his eyes they were completely black! No whites or anything else. It was like looking into two black holes", Moana said with a shudder. "Please tell me I'm not losing my mind"
"You're not losing your mind, Mo", Maui said softly. His hand trembled as he moved it to her back. When she sighed he released one as well. "You're gonna be alright. Everything's gonna be alright."