The house was cool and peculiarly comfortable. Thick woven mats littered the floor. Odd pictures of exotic scenery decorated the walls. The air was clean and had the same sweet smell that the water carried. Moana huddled close to Maui, confused as to what they were doing there. Maui stood, relaxed but alert, possessively wrapping his arm around Moana's shoulders.

"You needn't be so distrusting." The old man snapped as he strode sure-footed into the room carrying a tray of food and tea. Disgruntled, he set the tray down amidst some mats by a window and turned back to get the mugs. "If she's yours, she's yours. Wouldn't want to touch anything that you had your hands on anyway. Sit down! Sit down!" Stumping back he settled himself on a mat and gestured aggressively towards the other mats. Maui sat, leaving the mat farthest away from the old man available for Moana, who delicately settled herself down, curiously looking from one to the other.

"Moana, this is Kuolokele. Kuolokele, Moana." Maui introduced.

"Charmed." The old man waved in an offhand manner. "What do you want from me, Maui?" He sipped his tea.

"How did you become immortal?" Maui asked. Kuolokele stopped mid-sip. His eyes bore into Maui, flicked to Moana, then back to Maui. Slowly, he set his cup down. Eyes narrowing, he leaned forward "Now what would an already immortal demigod want to do with that knowledge, I wonder." Smiling a knowing grin he looked deliberately at Moana. Moana blushed and looked down at her hands resting in her lap.

Maui sighed and rubbed his brow "Just tell us."

"What's in it for me?" Kuolokele leaned back, crossing his arms.

"What do you want?" Maui replied.

Kuolokele smiled slowly and shrugged. "What do you have to offer?"

"We're talking about a story. That can't be worth much." Maui said gruffly.

"Knowledge is power, friend." Kuolokele replied smugly.

Maui ground his teeth in frustration. "You get the knowledge that you've done some good in your life!" He exploded.

Kuolokele smiled, tapped his finger on his arm and looked at Maui.

Maui looked as if he was ready to punch the old man.

"I'll cook dinner!" Moana blurted out.

Both men looked at her, surprised.

"I-" Moana swallowed. "I'll make dinner. Storytelling over dinner is always fun, right?"

Kuolokele laughed, smacked his knee and said "I accept! Kitchen's that way, girly. Knock yourself out!"

Kuolokele's pantry was well stocked and Moana took full advantage of the wide array of options. While she baked, Kuolokele leaned against the wall watching her. Slowly, he told them his tale.

"I was a honeykeeper, when I was mortal. As I am now." He said, haltingly. Dredging up the memories of so long ago. "I developed an... affinity... for my bees. I encouraged them to go far and wide. Their honey brought me tales of where they had been. I was able to see new lands! New people!" His eyes lit up as he spoke, seeing the lands in his minds' eye.

"Time passed, I became a withered old man." He looked at his body sadly. "I devised a plan. If my bees could get the nectar of the gods, well then I'd be all set! I sent them out to search. They found the nectar, drank of its sweet liquid." He shook his head slowly.

"My bees become monsters, terrible and hungry. Drinking all they could find. As you can imagine" Kuolokele sighed heavily "the gods noticed. They destroyed my bees, and came to destroy me. I was desperate. I offered them everything I had and begged for my life. The gods decided to teach me a lesson instead of ending my life. They gave me the nectar I had sought. I thought-" his voice became rough. A tear glistened in the corner of his eye. "I thought they had taken pity on me. I drank eagerly. It was wonderful! The warmth! The sweetness! Oh it was everything I had imagined and more! But slowly, I realized I wasn't getting younger. I wasn't cured of my rheumatism or arthritis. The gods had given me immortality, but on their terms. Doomed me to remain a frail old man for all eternity."

Moana stared at him, filled with pity. Maui looked at his mug, remaining silent.

"If there's one thing I've learned in all my years, it's that trying to take something from the gods is a bad idea. It's best to avoid them at all costs. Enjoy your mortality, girly. There's grace in it."

Moana finished up dinner and set the dishes around, pulling her crescent pineapple pie out to cool for dessert. "Well," she said, serving out plates of food. "That's not an option I want to look at just yet."

They sat in silence, eating, thinking. "What you want to do," Kuolokele said quietly "is to get a god indebted to you. Indebted on their terms, not yours."

"How do you do that?" Moana asked

"Very carefully." Kuolokele said with a harsh laugh. "You've got it doubly hard with this lout hanging onto your dress." He jerked his head towards Maui. "The trickster isn't exactly loved by those higher up." Maui blushed.

"Is the ocean a god?" Moana asked suddenly, an idea kindling in her mind.

"No." Kuolokele said. "The ocean just is. There are tales that the ocean and sky were once lovers. That the two of them brought to life the gods and the world. The ocean answers to nobody. Aligns itself to nobody unless it wishes. Avoids the fights of the various" he waived his hand vaguely "beings, unless it chooses otherwise. Although," Kuolokele tapped his chin with a gnarled finger "I've never heard of a god denying anything the ocean wanted."

Moana gazed hopefully at Kuolokele. "How much do you know about the ocean?"

Kuolokele looked at her. "Ask me plainly what you want, girl."

"The ocean is sick. I need to know how to help." Moana rushed to get the words out.

Kuolokele stared at her for a long time. "You're lucky I like your food, girly girl." He grumbled, stomping off to cut the pie.

After they had eaten the pie in silence, Kuolokele excused himself saying that he had 'stuff to do'. He invited them to stay the night in his home and that he would see them in the morning.

Moana cleaned up the dishes while Maui put the remaining food away. As she was finishing up, Maui swept her up in his arms and swung her about. Laughing, Moana clung to him. He kissed her enthusiastically, pulling her body close to him. "You," he breathed when the kiss finally ended "are fantastic."

"Finally catching onto how awesome I am?" Moana mischievously said, sweetly patting his cheek.

Maui kissed her in reply. Carrying her to a sleeping mat, Maui gently laid her down, then settled next to her. Lovingly he ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. "You're so beautiful." He whispered. "You are the most intelligent woman I've ever known. I don't deserve you."

Moana snuggled into his chest with a happy sigh as he wrapped her in his arms. "You'll just have to find a way to earn me then." She mumbled into his chest.

Dawn came early, Moana woke feeling refreshed. There was no sign of Kuolokele, but Maui didn't seem worried. He crushed fruit in his massive hands, mixing up a tasty fruit drink while Moana busied herself making breakfast.

They had just finished cleaning up when Kuolokele stumbled into the house. His skin was so pale it looked gray, his eyes were bloodshot and sunken, deep circles sagged beneath them down his cheeks. He clutched a small container of a green-blue liquid to his scrawny chest. Maui and Moana both rushed to him. Kuolokele shoved the container at Moana. "Drink it." He croaked, then fell against Maui, unconscious.

Maui carried the unconscious man to a sleeping mat while Moana dampened a cloth to place on his head. After they had made sure he was as comfortable as could be, they looked at the container.

The thick liquid clung to the sides of the container in slimy runners. It wreaked of rotten eggs and putrid meat. The thought of downing the sludge made Moana's gorge clench.

"Nope." Maui said, lifting the container out of her hands with the tips of his fingers. Holding it at arms length, he walked towards the door.

"Maui!" Moana snatched at him.

"You can't possibly be telling me that you're going to drink foul gunk!" Maui exploded at her.

"You have no idea what it is, you have no idea what it does. And he" Moana pointed emphatically at Kuolokele "obviously went to great lengths to get it!"

Maui stared at her in disbelief. "Do you have a death wish? You are MORTAL. This could kill you! This could curse you! You have no idea what it is!"

"I'm a mortal that has gotten a demigod" she smacked his belly "out of a few scrapes! I'm a mortal that is willing to give up her life, her duties and her people to be with this same demigod!" she said defiantly.

Maui stopped. He hadn't thought of how much had changed in her life over the past few weeks, and how much more it was going to change very soon. All to make him happy. Selfish bastard. And what are you giving her in return? Maui slumped. "Moana, please. Just consider this. I mean really think it over. Kuolokele might seem ok, but he's got some issues too. Immortality isn't kind to mortals."

"Yet you're fine with me seeking it." Moana said softly but firmly.

Maui furrowed his brow. "For all we know he's trying to poison you. We don't know his motives."

"Maui," she moved up to him, sliding her hands along his chest. "I don't think he'd hurt me. Not intentionally. Just look at him. He went through a lot to get whatever this is."

Maui sighed and gave her back the container. Holding onto it as she tried to take it from him, he slipped a hand under her chin and lifted her face to his. "Are you sure?" He asked, softly.

Moana nodded.

Maui released the container reluctantly. Smiling her thanks, Moana trailed her fingers along his chest, gave him a quick pat, then opened the container. Taking a few deep breaths, Moana steeled herself and gulped down the viscous liquid.

She made a disgusting face, squinching her eyes shut, willing her gorge not to refuse it. Maui watcher her anxiously. Slowly she opened her eyes. Looked around as if seeing something that wasn't there. Breathing hard, her eyes rolled up in their sockets, and with a twitch, she fell to the floor.

Notes

Thank you for reading. I'm feeling the itch for some action scenes again, so next chapter will probably be a bit more exciting than the past few.

Thoughts, Critiques and anything else you want to throw at me greatly appreciated.