Chapter Two
Time began to steal the youthful color of Moana's skin and her people began to beg her to choose a husband. Her parents had died at sea and Moana had been their only child. She was the only one that could carry on her father's bloodline.
It was on the island of Nuku Hiva, where the great Wayfinder finally settled in order to calm the worries of her people. Maui visited Moana and tried to convince her to continue traveling but she refused. She would not be blind to the need of her people. Maui, frustrated by her choice, left and no longer visited the chieftess.
Soon Moana took a husband, a strong man named Anewa. She had known him since childhood and he had proven himself a talented Wayfinder as well as a hunter. Her people were pleased with her decision and the island thrived under the blessing of the gods.
When Pele heard that Moana had settled on Nuku Hiva, she sent Oro and Tu to harass her.
Oro and Tu played small tricks on Moana throughout the first year of settlement. No one noticed, but bad luck seemed to follow her wherever she went. Fortune, however, smiled on her by the end of the year. The village rejoiced when Moana bore a son and named him Pounamu.
By the second year, others were starting to become affected by Moana's bad luck and her dreams were beginning to torment her. Though many had begun to notice her suffering, most believed her troubles stemmed from becoming pregnant with her second child.
The third year came and misfortune was beginning to befall Moana's entire village. She did her best to press forward and lead her people but many avoided her. They grew angry as insects started to ruin their crops, birds stole their fish, and ferocious beasts began to hunt their children at night. Some even started to believe that any and all misfortunes were her fault.
A small group of people in the village started to gather in secret. This group desired a new chief. They believed that the gods had cursed their village because a woman led their people. But most of the village disagreed with them and still held hope for their chieftess. Because of this, the group made plans to murder Moana secretly so that a man of their choice would replace her.
. .
"But that's… It wasn't Moana's fault!" Ainalani exclaimed fervently. "The gods blessed them because of Moana! How could they believe that?"
"Lani, shut your coconut sized mouth and listen!" Tutu hushed the boy impatiently. He sat back down and crossed his arms with a huff but remained silent.
. .
Moana, seeking solace, went up to the mountains. She spent the day there and began to climb back down when she heard the cry of a child from somewhere in the forest. She followed the sound and soon found her son weeping alone in the woods. Pounamu rejoiced when he saw his mother and explained that he had tried to follow his father into the woods as he left to hunt but got lost along the way. Moana soothed her son and brought him back to the path that led down the mountain.
As they made their way back to the village, a giant boulder came crashing down the mountain, creating a large rockslide! In a desperate attempt to save her son, Moana picked Pounamu up and ran. But it was too late. In a matter of seconds, both of them became buried in the rocks.
A few of the people from the village, having seen the tragedy unfold, rushed to aid their chieftess. All from the village gathered at the bottom of the mountain and began to dig through the rubble in search of Moana and Pounamu. Several minutes passed until they finally found Moana with her arms wrapped protectively around her son.
To everyone's astonishment, both of them were still alive. Carefully, both mother and son were carried to the village healer. Anewa and the rest of the village waited in great suspense as the healer did what he could to keep both of the victims alive. But his labors were not enough. Pounamu died the next morning.
The people of Nuku Hiva wept bitterly. Pounamu was gone and Moana's second pregnancy had been lost.
. .
"I hate Oro and Tu," Ainalani stated quietly. All of the other children nodded in agreement.
"Shh. Wait until I am done and then you can say what you want," Tutu said, sitting back in her chair thoughtfully.
. .
Five days later, a hooded figure snuck into Moana's room once the village was asleep. As the shadow stood by her bed, he reached into his cloak and lifted a dagger above Moana's heart.
As the man stood above Moana, a fierce roar ripped through the air and a giant bear barreled into the cloaked assassin!
. .
"CHEEEEEHOOOOOOO!" a voice screamed.
*BOOM!*
The door of Tutu's hut flew open and all of the children screamed.
"IT WAS MAUI!" the large man yelled dramatically as he entered the hut. Tutu groaned and rubbed her temples as the large tattooed man flexed his muscles with pride. "Don't worry Tutu, I'll take it from here. I have heard WAY more about this part of the story than you." He grinned and winked at the old lady.
"I think that is enough for today, children. Time to go home," the old lady said, glaring at Maui coldly. The kids all protested loudly and Maui chuckled.
"Common! They want to hear it!" Maui said, sending a smirk in her direction.
Tutu got up from her chair and took her cane in her hands. All of the children scooted back, keeping themselves out of her reach.
"Do what you want. Heaven knows you never do otherwise," the old lady grumbled. With that, she pulled herself to her bedroom and shut the door. Maui frowned as she left but he quickly replaced it with a smile as he turned back to the kids who were waiting eagerly for him to continue.
"Now… where was I? Oh yeah!"
. .
Maui took hold of the hooded man and tumbled to the floor. But as the demigod took the dagger out of the man's hands, he realized the blade was dripping with blood. Maui had been too late.
Shifting to his human form, Maui rushed to the side of Moana's bed and stood by her as she took her last breaths and passed to the next life. Enraged by the loss of his friend, Maui took hold of the hooded man and tore his cloak off to reveal his identity.
Before him stood Anewa, Moana's husband.
. .
"Wait! Anewa murders Moana after she just lost her children? What kind of story is this?!" Lani exclaimed throwing his hands in the air.
"Gonna throw up!" another child shouted in the background.
"Shhhhh! I'm not done yet!" Maui stated, intent on not being interrupted.
. .
The man begged for his life but his pleadings fell on deaf ears. With a swing of his fishhook, Maui carried Anewa away in the form of a hawk and took him far out to sea. Some say that Maui dropped him in the ocean as a sacrifice to Tangaroa. Others believe that he left him on a deserted island.
But in truth, Maui took Anewa to Lalotai, dressed him in all sorts of shiny things, and left him to fend for himself in Tamatoa's lair! When satisfied with Anewa's downfall, Maui traveled back to Nuku Hiva where the earth and sea mourned the loss of Moana.
Now, in those days, the bodies of those who passed away were cremated. This was done to prevent Whiro, the god of darkness and evil, from consuming the bodies of the dead. The more Whiro ate, the more power he would gain, and Maui wanted nothing more than to make sure Moana was allowed to rest in peace.
But when the village gathered and the embers of the fire burned hot, the flames would not touch Moana's skin. No matter what they tried, the fire would not so much as scratch her. Everything burned around her but her body was left untouched.
Pele's anger would finally be sated.
