…

Eugh.

Why does my head hurt…?

Tamatoa lazily got to his feet, looking around confusedly. He didn't remember coming this far up the island.

… Eh. Whatever. Not the first time I fell asleep somewhere random.

Shrugging it off, he made his way back down to the village.

But the sight that greeted him was not of the pleasant sort. Quite the opposite, in fact.

The first thing he noticed was the lack of activity. Usually the village was buzzing with liveliness, but it was… uncharacteristically quiet. What is everyone doing…?

… Why were they all gathered around that… wrecked building…

Oh no. Was that blood he smelled?

He immediately quickened his pace, but slowed again when he noticed the villagers giving him terrified looks. No one dared to breathe a word. The crab stepped cautiously, frowning slightly as he returned their scared looks with a confused one of his own.

In the middle of the wreckage was a set of four lifeless bodies along with Moana and Maui, backs turned to the crustacean. As far as he knew, they hadn't noticed him yet. Moana was kneeling on the ground, hugging someone in her arms. She sounded like she was crying.

Creeping quietly closer, Tamatoa tilted his head worriedly. "M… Moana…?"

Moana went still, moving only her head to glance back at him, eyes filled with tears.

Tamatoa's eyes widened when he saw that the body she was holding was Wikoli's. Oh no. That must mean… He looked to the other bodies, suspicions confirmed when he saw that one of them was Pilipo's. The other two he wasn't sure about.

The crab was pulled out of his thoughts when Maui whipped around to face him. "You have the nerve to show your face here again?!" He snapped.

Startled, Tamatoa took a few steps back. "What…?!"

"Oh, don't even try to deny it!" The demigod snarled, gesturing to the villagers. "Everybody saw you! You going to say they're all lying?!" Before the crustacean could respond, Maui continued angrily, "What, was your precious damned treasure more important than everything we've been working towards?! And what did their family do to deserve this, huh?!"

Gods, no.

Not again.

Not the very thing I was trying to avoid all this time.

Please, no.

"Maui, please…" Moana sobbed quietly. She couldn't take the fighting. Not right now.

With another angry growl, Maui gripped his hook tightly, causing a bright blue glow. "Go on, get out of here!"

That threatening gesture was all it took. The crab immediately fled the scene at the sight of the glowing blue hook.

Maui watched him go, trembling. How could he do this? After everything, he would just give in to vengeance?

Moana seemed to be wondering the same thing. Why, after everything…? After he was so reluctant to even defend himself when her people first attacked him, could he really…?

She choked back another sob, stroking Wikoli's hair.

She couldn't think about it now.

She had to mourn.

…

…

…

Tamatoa wasn't sure how long he had been staring out at the water. Two, maybe three hours.

He just… couldn't… process this…

He kept thinking of Maui, that familiar look of utter betrayal in his eyes. The anger in his voice…

And Moana… She looked so… hurt… confused, upset… Like the crustacean had just taken all of her help and kindness and threw it all away without a care in the world…

He buried his face in his claws. Never before had he felt so overrun with emotion and so hollow inside all at the same time.

When he had his falling out with Maui, he at least had his bitterness and anger driving him to move forward.

But now he couldn't be angry. Not at them. He just felt so… empty.

…

He messed up.

Somehow he messed up.

He couldn't even recall what had happened before he woke up. For all he knew, he could've been set off and flown into a blind rage.

He wouldn't put it past himself.

…

This was his fault.

He knew it.

Why did he always have to ruin everything…?

How could he stop this horrible feeling…?!

…

He looked out to the water again, a hushed thought crossing his mind.

… Maybe…

Maybe if I just…

Hesitantly, he started walking towards the sea.

… Everything would be better off, wouldn't it…?

Nothing… Nothing I ever do amounts to anything, after all…

I just hurt people…

He stepped into the water, shaking slightly as the foggy emotions he was so unaccustomed to clouded his mind.

I can't live like this again…

I just want it to stop…

Taking a trembling breath, he took another step.

He was starting to get dizzy.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Tamatoa's antennae perked up, startled by the sudden voice, though who it belonged to was unmistakeable. He looked to the side to see a beautifully tattooed manta ray floating beside him. Wasn't dark enough for her bioluminescence to show her human form, he figured.

The ray swam in front of the large crustacean, blocking his path. Her voice was uncharacteristically stern. "I will not allow you to do this."

"Get out of my way." Tamatoa growled, doing everything he could to hide the tremble in his voice.

Tala stayed where she was. "I will not allow you to throw yourself away like this." She persisted, voice lowering. "You are being rash. Your feelings are misguided."

"I said get out of my way!" The crustacean snapped, bringing a leg down to stomp on the ray.

Tala easily avoided it, tsking in annoyance. "And here I thought you were better than this. Would you really be so disrespectful as to give up on the ones who gave you hope in the first place?"

With an agitated snarl, Tamatoa continued to aim strikes at the ray. Though each strike would miss, as Tala was swifter than she looked.

"You would never hurt them." Tala continued, watching the crab analytically. "That much I am sure of. Do not let this rough patch destroy you!"

Finally, Tamatoa had pinned her with a claw. She fell silent under the weight of his grip.

The crustacean was shaking like a leaf, unable to hold that back anymore. Tala sighed quietly, watching him with a somber look. "You won't hurt me, Tamatoa. I'm not the one you want to kill."

Biting his tongue, he held on for a few moments. After finally accepting that she was right, he reluctantly let her go, looking away shamefully. "Please, just… leave me alone…"

Tala slowly floated towards the crab, speaking softly. "Only if you promise me that you will reconsider your options. Because this? This is not the answer."

Tamatoa withdrew a shaky breath, then gave her a small nod.

Tala nodded slowly in return. "Thank you." With that, she left him alone to dwell, as requested.

…

Back to staring at the sea he went. Deep in thought. Not sure what to think. Part of him still wanted to give in to the waves. But a tiny voice inside of him kept him from doing so. How long could he wait to get rid of that voice, he wondered…

Wondering would have to wait. Something on the beach distracted him.

Two villagers. They looked panicked. Not that Tamatoa really cared right now… it would take a lot more than that to grab his attention at the moment.

They were arguing about something. Tamatoa only caught bits and pieces of the conversation, as he wasn't paying much attention.

"… where to sail…"

"… how do we get them back…"

"… Maui…"

"… Moana…"

"… taken…"

"… monster…"

Wait, what?

Tamatoa shot up immediately, darting over to the pair and picking them up with his claws before they could even react.

"What happened?" The crab demanded, holding them close to his face.

"W-We don't know…!" One of them answered, both clearly terrified of the crab. "We were p-preparing funeral arrangements, and Maui was helping us and had his hook put aside, and—"

"Spit it out!" Tamatoa hissed, not having the patience to deal with this crap right now.

"These two flying monsters just came out of the sky and snatched them away before anyone could do anything!" The other villager blurted out.

Tamatoa's eyes widened in alarm. All at once the pieces started coming together. Looking from side to side, the crab racked his brain to come up with something.

Think, think, think…!

Looking out to the water once more, an idea crossed his mind. Looking back to the two, he asked, "Can either of you sail?"