Chapter 5: Acceptance

•Moana could see her island from here; her precious Motunui on the far horizon. As her canoe flew faster towards it, the sparkling green mountains and the crystal reef water all welcomed the young chief back with open arms. She barely noticed that both Heihei and Maui had gone missing from her craft, and she instead steered over the final ocean swells leading to her home.

Landing on the white sand, Moana giggled as she disembarked, only to skid to a stop as the tip of a spear was suddenly pointed at her. Standing alone, Moana glanced around to see several more, included one held by Sina, her own mother,

"What are you doing back here, fiend?" She snapped, "I told you to go and never return!"

"Mom, it's me, Moana-"

"You don't speak! Filthy demigod,"

Moana squeaked as the hilt of one of the spears slammed onto her shoulder from behind, forcing her to fall into a collapsed kneeling as her people glowered into her from all directions. This couldn't be happening. Motunui was home...a few magic tattoos wouldn't make a difference to them,

"Mom, w-what's going on?"

"You don't speak to her without my permission,"

Moana turned as the crowd parted, allowing Aisuka to step through. He was wearing Tui's chief headdress, and held a knife in his hand. But it want him which shook Moana the most, it was the young woman on his arm. Moana was staring at herself,

"This is some kind of nightmare," Moana croaked, hiding her face as Aisuka and her 'other self' approached her with the shining blade, "this has to be a nightmare!"

"You die now, Demigod!"

Just as the glinting of the blade peeked through the shadows of her own terror, there was a ferocious jerk and the dream faded away into nothing•

Moana sat up rapidly, breathing heavily as she blinked and stared around her. They were still on the ocean, she and Maui, sailing back to Motunui. Currently, the Demigod was fighting against the current, which seemed to want to push them backwards. Shaking her head, the current stopped completely and Maui realized she was awake,

"Must have been some dream you were having," he said, feeling the water to make sure the current had indeed ceased, "the current just started pulling us off course about half way through,"

"Sorry, I must have been doing it while I was sleeping," Moana apologized, picking up Heihei from the canoe's hold and pulling him close to her, "was I that bad?"

Maui didn't seem to want to answer the question as Moana turned her back on him and looked down at her reflection in the water. There were tear streaks on her face, now beginning to dry sticky on her skin. She didn't want the dream to be true...yet it just seemed too possible.

Glancing down as there was a squeezing of her skin, Mini Mo was hugging Moana tightly, bringing a smile to her lips. To her even larger surprise, Mini Maui appeared as well, joining in on the hug. Not really questioning why Mini Maui was on her shoulder, she glanced up as the real one came to sit next to her. He looked pretty uncomfortable, but probably felt as though he needed to say something,

"You don't have too," Moana stated, watching as Mini Mo left her tattoo and ran off onto Maui's chest with the miniature demigod of the wind and sea,

"But I want to," Maui mumbled, kicking weakly at the water, "uh, I haven't known you very long, Curly...but, I can tell something about...that," Maui jerked his head, as if the nightmare was still sitting where Moana had fallen asleep, "really freaked you out. I'm not super good at emotions, but...you helped me once, so I want to try too,"

Moana smiled at the gesture, but soon lost her gleam as she slouched,

"Do you think Motunui will still want me after all this? I mean...I'm a-a Demigoddess, now. I could hurt people,"

Maui was silent for a long while before he sighed too,

"I can't say that mortals...uh...your people, won't treat you different. I mean, being descended from the gods is something to be proud of. But...they are your family, and they will definitely want you back,"

Moana frowned a bit and glanced at the portrait on Maui's back. They didn't want him...what made this any different?

"Moana, you're being stupid," Maui stated, drawing the young wayfinders attention again, "Motunui is your home. Besides, with this guy right next to you, no one will ever even think of saying otherwise,"

Maui pointed at himself with two thumbs as Moana giggled and nodded. Even with his lack of empathetic skill, and his dense emotional range, Maui could always cheer her up with a well placed comment.

Standing and replacing Heihei so he wouldn't go walking off the boat, Moana took the ropes again, and ordered the ocean to return to its regular state. But this time, it was all on her, the wind catching the sail and pulling the boat forward.

As they skipped across the tops of waves, Maui let the sea spray wet his face as Moana laughed at his weirdness, glancing up when the dot of a distant island came into view,

"There it is!" Moana called, pointing to the island as Maui lifted his eyes, "Motunui!"

"Well done princess, you got us back in one piece-"

Before Maui could finish his sentence, there was a blinding flash of light as something collided with the water, sending the canoe careening off course. Capsizing as the hull broke apart in the water, Moana and Maui fought to the surface. Letting herself rise into the sky on a column of water, Moana looked all around for the source of the disturbance. There was nothing to be seen but Ocean, and a faint glow disappearing down into the depths,

"See anything!"

"Whatever it was, its gone now," Moana stated, lowering herself down again. Instead of falling into the sea however, the gentle waves felt solid under her feet. Helping Maui up as well, he wobbled for a moment before settling, grabbing Heihei from the water and dropping him into Moana's arms, "what do you think capsized us?"

Maui shrugged, looking around with his eyes narrowed,

"Don't know. But I don't want to be out here in the open like this if it tries again. You...do know you're standing on water, right?"

Moana glanced down and shrugged,

"You said it yourself. It just...happens. I don't like ordering the Ocean around, it's too commanding of me. And I don't command friends,"

"Right. Well, I'll leave you and your water to discuss things. Wouldn't want to get between your personal moment,"

Rolling her eyes, Maui transformed into a hawk with a loud battle cry before soaring into the sky towards Motunui. Turning on her own heel, Moana began to run across the Ocean. It felt as solid as dirt under her feet, and her skin glimmered with stray salt droplets as she left the ruins of her old canoe behind. Holding out her free hand (which did not currently cradle Heihei), her oar was lifted in her grip,

"Thanks, ocean," Moana rasped, smiling as her beautiful island came into view. But as the dream came to mind, the young chief skidded to a stop beyond the reef. Would her people be welcoming to someone like...her? As if hearing her doubt from afar, a figure stumbled out onto the beach,

"Moana!"

The cry was almost desperate as Sina began to wade into the water. No longer hesitating, Moana jumped the reef and reached her mother, allowing the ocean to give way under her as she fell into the shallows. Embracing the older woman tightly, Moana sniffled back her tears,

"I-I though you wouldn't want me anymore?"

"No, no, no, my little Minnow," Sina cooed, running he tired fingers through Moana's long hair as they stood in the calm water of the lagoon, "I love you so much. No matter who you are,"

"I know Mom, I guess I just needed to hear it. We should get you out of the water-"

Nodding, the two women made their way towards the shore, where many villagers were already gathered. All of them were smiling, and welcomed Moana home with hugs. All was silenced however as the cry of a hawk pierced the air, and the bird of prey landed on the beach, transforming back into a man. Dropping Heihei to the sand, Moana went to him and turned, facing her people who were gaping at him,

"People of Motunui, may I introduce to you, Maui, shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and sea. Hero to all,"

Maui ruffled with pride as he stood in the sand, enjoying the awed gazes which were now upon him. Rolling her eyes, Moana shoved an elbow into his stomach as he grunted and deflated. Motioning to the village with her head, Maui blinked before realizing his mistake,

"Oh, uh, thank you. I hope you don't mind that I'm here?"

There was a moment before villagers began to shake their heads. Moana sat back on her hips and folded her arms, nodding to Maui slightly as she held her oar,

"As Chief, I think you should try and make up for those two years you went missing. Starting tonight, you will dine with the people of Motunui,"

There was some happy cheering as the villagers flooded around Maui, asking him questions about his adventures. With him distracted, Moana turned to Sina and pulled her into a hug once again,

"I'm so glad you came back," She rasped, "I can't lose you again,"

"You won't Mom, I promise. Come on, I have a lot to tell you,"

"Well...this is all a bit much, isn't it?"

Sina chuckled lightly, running a hand over her black and silvery plait as she sipped her coconut water contently. Both she and Moana were currently sitting on the porch of the Chief's fale, watching mindlessly as Maui walked back and forth with village girls resting on his biceps,

"You are actually like him, then? Like all those stories?"

"Yeah. It was pretty shocking to me too. But this-" Moana opened her necklace to reveal the stone, "is what gave me the gift. I'm supposed to protect it from harm,"

"I see," Sina stated, feeling the stone herself before sitting back again and watching as Maui tossed one of the younger children high into the air, "he really is a charmer,"

"You say that about all the guys who I happen to be friends with, Mom," Moana stated with a laugh, "I just hope he stays around this time."

"He will. Especially with an ocean demigoddess to keep him here,"