It was a warm night on Motunui as Moana looked out over the ocean. It had been a week since her and Maui had restored the Heart of Te Fiti and she hadn't seen him since. She sighed, beginning to worry about him.
Maui, where are you? She thought – more like prayed – as she looked at the ocean's waves glimmering under the moonlight, hoping he'd at least be able to hear her, It's been a week since I last saw you. She then sighed, standing upright from leaning against a palm tree. I just hope you're doing okay. She finally thought before heading to the spot where her grandma had showed her the fish hook constellation to see if she can spot anything in the distance. Nothing was in the sky, just the moon and stars.
She took a deep breath, telling herself that he was okay and was probably just busy. But her curiosity got the best of her, causing her to walk quickly around the island to see if she could spot any constellations in the sky. Finally, as she reached the beach at the front of the island, she saw something.
"Maui!" She whispered to herself with a smile, "Thank the gods you're okay!" Suddenly she saw a giant bird-like figure flying in the sky as his constellation disappeared, the cry of a hawk being heard before she could see the patterns under the moonlight and before the hawk flew down and landed.
"You need something Curly?" He asked as he shapeshifted back to his original form, planting his hook on the ground before leaning on it. She could see he was smiling.
"Where have you been this past week?" She asked him, trying not to let her worry show, "We restored the Heart and you were just...gone!" Maui frowned.
"Well, I was looking for a friend I haven't seen since I stole the Heart." He replied, "We kinda grew up together and were best friends." Moana looked puzzled.
"Not to be rude or anything, but don't you think she'd passed on after your first sixty or so years on that island?" She questioned, confused. Maui stifled a chuckle and let out a snort instead.
"C'mon Mo, you really think someone I've known since I was a baby would die?" He questioned, now stifling a laugh. This confused Moana even more.
"Huh?"
"Look Mo, you remember I was found by the gods as a baby, right?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow, "After I was found, she was found like a year later. She isn't very well known because she knew about my past and wanted me to have all the fame. But she did help me when times got tough on most of our adventures, though she decided to let me have all the credit." Moana had a look of what seemed to be realization on her face.
"Oh..." She said, her brows again furrowing in confusion, "Well...can you tell me about her?" She paused for a moment, but just before Maui could ask her what she meant she added, "Like did you leave her?" She knew he probably wouldn't like her using the word "abandon" in that question due to what had happened to him as a baby, so instead she said "leave" just to be on the safe side. Maui shook his head.
"No, I didn't leave her." He said, looking down, "She and I...kinda had a disagreement after I had taken Tamatoa's leg and about maybe a few days later when I stole the Heart she didn't come along. She just left." As sad as it was for him to be explaining it, it wasn't as hard to talk about as his parents abandoning him, and Moana understood.
"Would you...like to talk about what happened?" She asked curiously, "I mean, if not I completely understand. But you can tell me anything and trust me, if you want." Maui seemed to freeze at her question for a moment before letting out a sigh. Now that part was tough. He didn't really like talking about what had happened between them.
"Not now, Mo." He said, rubbing his hands over his face, "It's...kinda... You see, I'd rather not talk about it. I mean, I don't like talking about it... At all." Moana was about to try to get him to talk about it out of her natural instinct before stopping herself as she remembered what she had told him after her question, and that time he threw her off the boat after she had tried pushing him to talk about the tattoo depicting his abandonment.
"Okay." She said with a smile, "You don't have to. But if you ever feel like you want to, feel free to tell me."
"I will, Mo." He told her with a smile, "I will." Moana couldn't help but smile back as she hugged him, causing him to hug back a bit tighter.
"Where do you think she is now?" Moana asked out of curiosity as they both slowly pulled away, "You mentioned her arguing with you about Tamatoa's leg and you've been gone for a week. So do you think she went to Lalotai to visit him?" Maui sighed, looking down again.
"She could be." He said, a hand to his chin in thought, "I mean, judging on how mad she was, she could be visiting him." He then dropped both his arms to his sides and shrugged. "But normally every enemy of mine is an enemy of hers. If an enemy of mine doesn't become an enemy of hers, then...eventually it'll happen after a visit or more." Moana nodded.
"Then it's off to Lalotai." She said with a smile, "But first I gotta tell my parents." Maui just nodded in response before Moana ran off to go tell her parents where she was heading, before he quickly realized something.
"Wait, Moana!" He called after her, causing her to stop and look back at him as he walked over to her, "Lalotai is dangerous. I don't think your parents would like you telling them you're going somewhere dangerous." Moana put a hand on her hip.
"Then what am I supposed to say?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Maui sighed.
"Just tell them I need your help with finding someone and it could take several days, okay?" He asked, now holding his hook over his shoulder, "We don't need to mention Lalotai or anything about monsters." Moana nodded.
"Right." She said with a smile before running off again. Maui breathed a sigh of relief.
Ten minutes passed and Moana came running back, a grin practically spread across her face.
"They said they're fine with it!" She called to him. "We can go." She then said as she got closer, panting a little, "So, are we going there now?" Maui chuckled.
"What do you think?" He asked with a smile as he grabbed her by the wrist and started running, causing her to have to run in order to keep up and not be dragged along, "We gotta find her, right?" Moana smiled and rolled her eyes at her best friend's energy.
"Speaking of 'her', what's her name?" Moana asked, curious. Maui stopped running as he reached her canoe before placing her onto it.
"Oh, her?" He asked, tossing his hook onto the boat, "Yeah, her name is April. You should know her when you see her. We're almost exactly alike." Moana giggled.
"Oh wow." She said, amused, "The gods must have gotten lucky then." Maui snorted.
"Yeah they did." He said with a smile as he finally pushed the boat into the water and got onto it so they could start sailing to Lalotai, "If you can count being stuck with two kids who loved pulling tricks as 'getting lucky'. Back then, April used to love copying me and pulling tricks with me. From there, we did everything together." Moana frowned, knowing how sad it might've been for him to lose her.
"Did you...love her?" Moana asked him, once again curious, "Or did she love you?" Maui sighed, looking down, the look on his face telling her it was hard for him to think about before she corrected herself saying, "Never mind my question. You don't have to answer it."
"Thanks, kid." Maui said with a slight smile, "I know you're curious, but...maybe sometime I'll tell you the whole story. But not now..."
Moana smiled as she walked over, sat down and rested her head on his shoulder, which actually felt kinda like a pillow despite how big his muscles were. Then again, she remembered how he fistbumped Mini Maui when he sang his song after they'd first met and how that muscle in his arm wasn't firm like with some – if not most – of the men she'd seen. She even sometimes wondered how his muscles were big yet soft enough to act as pillows.
"Anything else you can tell me about your childhood or growing up with her?" She asked, looking up to where her eyes could meet his if he were to look down at her, "If not, you don't have to. I can wait." Maui looked down at her and saw her eyes looking into his, a bit of curiosity in them.
"Well I can tell you one thing..." Maui began, looking down again, "She and I were...pretty unstoppable as a team." He then seemed to smile sadly. Whatever we faced, we could get the job done... He then thought, now frowning, Hopefully we can find her so she and I can get back together. Moana noticed him frowning so she just decided to change the subject.
"Hey, can you tell me something?" She asked, her hand now on his lower arm's bicep as if she were feeling it. Before he could answer she added, "How are your muscles like big, soft pillows?" Maui smiled at her.
"You're the first one to ask me that, kid." He said before shrugging, "But I don't know. I believe you do say I have a soft side. So maybe that could be it?" Moana giggled at his joke.
"Yeah, I don't think that could be it." She said, running her hand up his arm, stopping close to his shoulder, "I think it's more of a mystery, if anything." Maui chuckled.
"Yeah, I guess so Curly." He said with a smile, "We may never know why." Moana smiled.
"So, you want to go to sleep now?" She asked before picking up the oar, "Or do you want to take control of the boat?" Maui smiled at her.
"Go ahead Mo." He said as he motioned for her to lie down, "I'll take care of the boat, you rest." Moana grinned at him.
"Thanks!" She beamed before lying down as Maui took the oar from her so he could control the boat.
"You're welcome." He said softly with a smile as he gently ruffled her hair. She giggled softly before falling fast asleep.
Gods, what did I do to deserve a friend like her? He thought to himself as he looked straight ahead, I mean, after everything I did to her and how I treated her before that first incident in Tamatoa's lair, including how I abandoned her after we encountered Te Kā...how is she still my friend? Like how is she still nice to me? Do I really deserve this kind of affection that she gives me? I mean, not even my parents loved me this much!
He then figured he was lucky as he checked the current to see if it was warm and once he felt the warmth he smiled.
It's gonna be a day or two before we reach Lalotai. He thought to himself, It depends on the weather. But who am I kidding? I can control the weather! That's how I helped her escape the Kakamora that one time! He smiled at the memory, feeling proud of that accomplishment.
He then considered whether or not he should make the wind blow on the sail so they could get there within a day but since it was night he decided and thought to himself, Nah... Maybe a little fast since the kid's asleep, but I don't wanna go too fast. He then caused the wind to blow to where the boat sped up a bit as the sail caught the wind.
Okay I know I already have a fanfic up with April in it, but think of this as an AU to that story. Also I have no idea where I'm going with this fic. But I hope you guys enjoy anyway!
And don't forget to review to tell me what you think! I'm always up for constructive criticism but not flames (hate)!
I also love getting feedback on how I portray the characters from the movie. It helps a lot.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! See ya!