Once they were all settled into the lovely beach house, they tried to find the quickest way to reach town. "I can't drive," Tasha moaned in sorrow, "but I can drive boats!"
"Boats?" Zenon asked. "You'll see," Yvonne said. "Boats are great." It took Tasha a while to get the boat started, but eventually, they were riding the waves to the other side of the island. "Why couldn't we have gone exploring instead of this?" Yvonne moaned, feeling a little sick.
"Because, we don't have any food," Zenon said. "And, I want you guys to experience your first luau," Tasha said excitedly. "Luau?" Yvonne asked dizzily. This, Zenon knew. "A feast," she explained. "Right?" she asked Tasha. "Exactly!" she said. "See? You guys are doing shaka with the Hawaiian tongue."
About half an hour later, Yvonne had thrown up what little she had in her stomach and the boat was tied to a dock, while the girls were already inland. "Who's having a luau?" Zenon asked Tasha as they maneuvered their way through the grocery store. "One of my few friends on Maui," Tasha explained, dropping a six pack of Diet Cokes into the hovering grocery cart. "Her name is Kilikina, which is Hawaiian for Christina. The only bad part about this is, lolo Kaniela will be there."
"Khan-ee-elle-ah?" Yvonne asked, sounding out the word slowly. "Yeah. Stupid Daniel, the boy who hit on you guys this morning," Tasha said. "You mean, Zenon," Yvonne said. "And for once, I'm glad she was the one who got hit on instead of me."
"Gee, thanks, sis," Zenon said sarcastically. "Yeah, well, just try to avoid him, and if anybody asks you if you want to try some lomi, say aole!" "Why?" Zenon asked. "Lomi is the Hawaiian word for raw salmon," Tasha explained. They all shuddered. "But, be sure and try the lau lau," Tasha said. "It's meat and potatoes wrapped and steamed in leaves. They're delicious."
"If you say so," Zenon said doubtfully. "But shouldn't we be concerned about the Spay-Stay?" Tasha stopped in mid-stride, her mouth open. "I cannot believe that!" she nearly shouted. "I was so excited to be back in Hawaii I completely forgot about it! Oh, gosh, Zenon, I'm so sorry!" She threw her arms around Zenon, who assured her it was okay.
"Anyway, we can always think about it after the luau," Zenon said. After they bought all their groceries, they loaded them into the hold in the boat, locked it, and walked to the luau.
Zenon and Yvonne were wide-eyed with wonder. There were so many people, so much food, so many things to do and see! "Kilikina loves throwing large luaus," Tasha shouted in Zenon's ear. "Normally, they're smaller than this." Zenon nodded, signaling she understood.
Somewhere in the crowd, Zenon lost sight of Tasha and Yvonne, so shrugged and went to sit down. She found a nice spot where she could merely watch the hula dancers and fire-breathers from a short distance away and not really be disturbed.
Just then, someone sat down next to her and put their arm around her shoulders. Zenon looked in annoyance to see who was invading her personal space: it was Kaniela.
"Nice party, huh?" he asked. Zenon bit her tongue, and smiled. "Well, it was until you showed up," she said, shrugging his arm off her shoulders. "Oh, huapala," he said, clutching his heart. "You cut me to the quick!" "Good, because your quick could use cutting," she shot back. She was too proud to ask what hoo-ah-pall-ah meant, and wasn't about to ask anyone else.
"Listen," he said, leaning in closer to her. "Before we were so rudely interrupted by Ahi Hulu this morning, I was going to ask if maybe you want to get away somewhere where I can show you a real shaka time."
"Aole, mahalo," Zenon replied. "I don't go out with buffoons." She was only a bit surprised when Kaniela gripped her forearm tightly and hissed in her ear, "I don't give up so easily." Zenon merely glanced at him, detached herself from his grip and replied, "I don't give in so easily, either. But..." an idea suddenly struck Zenon. She smiled sweetly and said, "Well, actually, would you get me some poi? Then I'll go out with you maybe."
"Consider it done," Kaniela said, his hand brushing her face and then he jumped up and disappeared into the crowds. Zenon wiped her face clean of his touch, grimacing, but instantly smiled up at him when he returned with a bowl of the purple paste. "Here," Kaniela said, "we can share it."
"Actually," Zenon said, taking the bowl from him, "I thought maybe you'd like to have all of it." And she shoved it into his face. People looked in shock over at Kaniela and started going into hysterics. Zenon got up and strode away.
A short while later, a Hawaiian girl wearing a grass skirt and a pink top approached her, smiling. "Nice shot!" she said. "What?" Zenon asked blankly. "When you smushed the poi into Kaniela's face," the girl said. "Shaka work!" "Mahalo," Zenon replied.
The girl's face showed surprise. "Ah, you know Hawaiian?" she asked. "Only a bit," Zenon said. "Tasha's been teaching me. Oh, I'm sorry, do you know Tasha?" "Of course!" the girl answered. "She and I were friends before she left. I used to live on Oahu. Oh, please forgive me for not introducing myself." She shook Zenon's hand. "I'm Kilikina."
"Oh, hi!" Zenon said, laughing. "Vega omega, your luau totally rocks!" Kilikina laughed. "Mahalo nui loa," she said. "Um, no offense or anything," Zenon started, "but why don't you have, like, high tech gear and stuff? Like robots to serve the food instead of people? Holograms instead of hula dancers?"
"Here in Hawaii," Kilikina said, "we enjoy doing things the old fashioned way. We walk instead of taking hover cars, and dancing is good for the soul. Holograms just aren't the same as real live dancers."
"I don't understand," Zenon said, confused. "Okay." Kilikina flipped her hair back and they sat down at a table. "Dancing is like...an escape from the world. It's a way of expressing yourself, as well, and it's fun! Especially hula dancing."
Zenon nodded that she understood, even though she had no clue what Kilikina was talking about. "You want some lomi?" Kilikina asked, and Zenon answered quickly, "Oh, uh, no, mahalo." Kilikina laughed. "Tasha told you to say that, didn't she?" "Um...aole?" Zenon said, her 'aole' sounding more like a question than a statement.
Kilikina laughed again, and said, "Okay, how about some haupia?" "How-pee- ah?" Zenon asked. "It's like a coconut custard-very good," Kilikina assured her. "And I'll get you some huli-huli. It's barbecue." "Okay," Zenon agreed, and Kilikina grinned at her and headed for the food line.
A few moments later, Tasha came up to her. "Where have you been?" she hissed. "I've been talking with Kilikina," Zenon answered. "We got trouble," Tasha said tightly. "Yvonne's already gone down to the boat." "What are you talking about?" Zenon asked. Tasha took Zenon's head in her hands, and made her look to the left, where three men wearing business suits were scanning the luau. "Stitas ta pitas!" Zenon shrieked. "How is it possibly possible that they're here?"
"I'm pretty sure there's a rat here," Tasha replied. "It could be that the driver squealed, or the person who offered me his beach house-anyway, we have to get out of here and to a different island!"
"Oh my gosh," Zenon suddenly said. "What?" Tasha asked, agitated. "We have to go, now!" "I've found our rat," Zenon said. "Look!" Kilikina was standing beside the men in black, pointing towards them with a smirk on her face. And they were starting to try and get to them.
"Let's go!" Tasha yelled, grabbing Zenon's hand and they catapulted from the table just before a gunshot erupted throughout the luau.
"Boats?" Zenon asked. "You'll see," Yvonne said. "Boats are great." It took Tasha a while to get the boat started, but eventually, they were riding the waves to the other side of the island. "Why couldn't we have gone exploring instead of this?" Yvonne moaned, feeling a little sick.
"Because, we don't have any food," Zenon said. "And, I want you guys to experience your first luau," Tasha said excitedly. "Luau?" Yvonne asked dizzily. This, Zenon knew. "A feast," she explained. "Right?" she asked Tasha. "Exactly!" she said. "See? You guys are doing shaka with the Hawaiian tongue."
About half an hour later, Yvonne had thrown up what little she had in her stomach and the boat was tied to a dock, while the girls were already inland. "Who's having a luau?" Zenon asked Tasha as they maneuvered their way through the grocery store. "One of my few friends on Maui," Tasha explained, dropping a six pack of Diet Cokes into the hovering grocery cart. "Her name is Kilikina, which is Hawaiian for Christina. The only bad part about this is, lolo Kaniela will be there."
"Khan-ee-elle-ah?" Yvonne asked, sounding out the word slowly. "Yeah. Stupid Daniel, the boy who hit on you guys this morning," Tasha said. "You mean, Zenon," Yvonne said. "And for once, I'm glad she was the one who got hit on instead of me."
"Gee, thanks, sis," Zenon said sarcastically. "Yeah, well, just try to avoid him, and if anybody asks you if you want to try some lomi, say aole!" "Why?" Zenon asked. "Lomi is the Hawaiian word for raw salmon," Tasha explained. They all shuddered. "But, be sure and try the lau lau," Tasha said. "It's meat and potatoes wrapped and steamed in leaves. They're delicious."
"If you say so," Zenon said doubtfully. "But shouldn't we be concerned about the Spay-Stay?" Tasha stopped in mid-stride, her mouth open. "I cannot believe that!" she nearly shouted. "I was so excited to be back in Hawaii I completely forgot about it! Oh, gosh, Zenon, I'm so sorry!" She threw her arms around Zenon, who assured her it was okay.
"Anyway, we can always think about it after the luau," Zenon said. After they bought all their groceries, they loaded them into the hold in the boat, locked it, and walked to the luau.
Zenon and Yvonne were wide-eyed with wonder. There were so many people, so much food, so many things to do and see! "Kilikina loves throwing large luaus," Tasha shouted in Zenon's ear. "Normally, they're smaller than this." Zenon nodded, signaling she understood.
Somewhere in the crowd, Zenon lost sight of Tasha and Yvonne, so shrugged and went to sit down. She found a nice spot where she could merely watch the hula dancers and fire-breathers from a short distance away and not really be disturbed.
Just then, someone sat down next to her and put their arm around her shoulders. Zenon looked in annoyance to see who was invading her personal space: it was Kaniela.
"Nice party, huh?" he asked. Zenon bit her tongue, and smiled. "Well, it was until you showed up," she said, shrugging his arm off her shoulders. "Oh, huapala," he said, clutching his heart. "You cut me to the quick!" "Good, because your quick could use cutting," she shot back. She was too proud to ask what hoo-ah-pall-ah meant, and wasn't about to ask anyone else.
"Listen," he said, leaning in closer to her. "Before we were so rudely interrupted by Ahi Hulu this morning, I was going to ask if maybe you want to get away somewhere where I can show you a real shaka time."
"Aole, mahalo," Zenon replied. "I don't go out with buffoons." She was only a bit surprised when Kaniela gripped her forearm tightly and hissed in her ear, "I don't give up so easily." Zenon merely glanced at him, detached herself from his grip and replied, "I don't give in so easily, either. But..." an idea suddenly struck Zenon. She smiled sweetly and said, "Well, actually, would you get me some poi? Then I'll go out with you maybe."
"Consider it done," Kaniela said, his hand brushing her face and then he jumped up and disappeared into the crowds. Zenon wiped her face clean of his touch, grimacing, but instantly smiled up at him when he returned with a bowl of the purple paste. "Here," Kaniela said, "we can share it."
"Actually," Zenon said, taking the bowl from him, "I thought maybe you'd like to have all of it." And she shoved it into his face. People looked in shock over at Kaniela and started going into hysterics. Zenon got up and strode away.
A short while later, a Hawaiian girl wearing a grass skirt and a pink top approached her, smiling. "Nice shot!" she said. "What?" Zenon asked blankly. "When you smushed the poi into Kaniela's face," the girl said. "Shaka work!" "Mahalo," Zenon replied.
The girl's face showed surprise. "Ah, you know Hawaiian?" she asked. "Only a bit," Zenon said. "Tasha's been teaching me. Oh, I'm sorry, do you know Tasha?" "Of course!" the girl answered. "She and I were friends before she left. I used to live on Oahu. Oh, please forgive me for not introducing myself." She shook Zenon's hand. "I'm Kilikina."
"Oh, hi!" Zenon said, laughing. "Vega omega, your luau totally rocks!" Kilikina laughed. "Mahalo nui loa," she said. "Um, no offense or anything," Zenon started, "but why don't you have, like, high tech gear and stuff? Like robots to serve the food instead of people? Holograms instead of hula dancers?"
"Here in Hawaii," Kilikina said, "we enjoy doing things the old fashioned way. We walk instead of taking hover cars, and dancing is good for the soul. Holograms just aren't the same as real live dancers."
"I don't understand," Zenon said, confused. "Okay." Kilikina flipped her hair back and they sat down at a table. "Dancing is like...an escape from the world. It's a way of expressing yourself, as well, and it's fun! Especially hula dancing."
Zenon nodded that she understood, even though she had no clue what Kilikina was talking about. "You want some lomi?" Kilikina asked, and Zenon answered quickly, "Oh, uh, no, mahalo." Kilikina laughed. "Tasha told you to say that, didn't she?" "Um...aole?" Zenon said, her 'aole' sounding more like a question than a statement.
Kilikina laughed again, and said, "Okay, how about some haupia?" "How-pee- ah?" Zenon asked. "It's like a coconut custard-very good," Kilikina assured her. "And I'll get you some huli-huli. It's barbecue." "Okay," Zenon agreed, and Kilikina grinned at her and headed for the food line.
A few moments later, Tasha came up to her. "Where have you been?" she hissed. "I've been talking with Kilikina," Zenon answered. "We got trouble," Tasha said tightly. "Yvonne's already gone down to the boat." "What are you talking about?" Zenon asked. Tasha took Zenon's head in her hands, and made her look to the left, where three men wearing business suits were scanning the luau. "Stitas ta pitas!" Zenon shrieked. "How is it possibly possible that they're here?"
"I'm pretty sure there's a rat here," Tasha replied. "It could be that the driver squealed, or the person who offered me his beach house-anyway, we have to get out of here and to a different island!"
"Oh my gosh," Zenon suddenly said. "What?" Tasha asked, agitated. "We have to go, now!" "I've found our rat," Zenon said. "Look!" Kilikina was standing beside the men in black, pointing towards them with a smirk on her face. And they were starting to try and get to them.
"Let's go!" Tasha yelled, grabbing Zenon's hand and they catapulted from the table just before a gunshot erupted throughout the luau.