Absently, she let go the armament as though her hand was on fire. Her chest became tight, and her body was frozen by paralyzing fear. Hearing the clattering sound Maui spun around just to find Moana leaning with one hand on the wall, hyperventilating, and her forehead creased deeply with worry.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, sensing the anxiousness in her expression.

"I'm fine Maikai," she said between heavy intakes, trying to calm herself down.

"Well, clearly you're not," Maui muttered inarticulately under his breath, watching the dread engulfing her eyes. It was obvious she couldn't contain her disappointment.

"This place had been plundered," Moana stated, still looking petrified."And… and I think I know who had done it." In her mind, a vivid depiction of those hulking men, robbing and burning the village came into view. She stiffened and was lost for words, unable to cope with the painful reality―not only Tane planned to kill Maui, but he and his men had also deceived everyone, including her.

"You knew who had done this?" Maui asked. At first, Moana hesitated. But after Maui's persistent cajoling, Moana decided that keeping the truth to herself would consume her soul. Thus, with trembling voice and broken words, she finally told Maikai about the people of Kailua, about her imminent wedding, about their generous gifts and about how she eavesdropped the perpetrator's plan to get rid of her father and her demigod friend.

Maui was left shellshocked after Moana's detailed exposition. Although part of the information wasn't news to him; nonetheless, it still disquieting to hear all his speculation turned to be real―those people from Kailua weren't warriors, they were pirates!

They will pay for this! Maui fumed in his head, balling his fist and planted it into the innocent wall indignantly. Now that he was on the same page and understood what he had missed he couldn't bother to conceal his anger. Not only Tane had broken Moana's heart, but he was also heartless enough to rob an entire village of their valuables and present them to Chief Tui as though it was a merit of Tane's generosity. There was never be a prince charming, only one conceited, conniving scoundrel who cared nothing about Moana's happiness than to fit his own little 'revenge' agenda. But his anger instantaneously dissolved when he saw Moana's shocked expression witnessing his unexpected outburst.

"Ugh...I, ehm...sorry," he stuttered, grinning sheepishly while pulling his fist from the wall that now had his knuckles printed on it.

A glum silence fell before them.

"This is terrible. What they had done here," Moana said, her eyes shining with moisture. The feeling of despair, denial, self-loathing above all hopelessness was very much readable in her expression.

"I hope the villagers had been spared and taken refuge somewhere else," she added, voice quivering, barely could contain the sorrow she couldn't vocalize.

Maui looked at her; it ached him to see her troubled and dismayed like this. All he wanted to do now was to tug her into his arms and gave her one big, consoling hug. But he expelled the thought as it passed through his mind. As Maikai he couldn't and shouldn't extend such intimate gesture of sympathy. All Maui could do now was to observe her deep, conflicted posture and sighed helplessly.

"Hey, don't be sad," he said in earnest, settling with just placing one of his hands on her shoulder. "I'll help you to reach Kailua… then we can figure out what to do next, and everything gonna be just fine," he said comfortingly before offering his little finger. "Pinky promise."

A faint smile graced her lips, touched by his enthusiasm and his readiness to assist her and her people, but shook her head. "No, Maikai. I am afraid these people aren't the friendliest bunch. I don't want you to be in danger because of me."

Lowering his little finger, Maui felt a slight pang of disappointment when she refused his proposition but swiftly recovered by adding his usual broad, ultra sparkly smile. "Do you know that brave is my middle name?" he said, rubbing his chest pridefully. "And helping a friend is never be a burden, no matter how hard, risky, or hazardous it is. It's a privilege. Besides, that's what a buddy is for," he finished, lacing his voice with the more serious intonation.

Moana pierced her gaze at him raptly, trying to sense whether he was joking, merely being polite, or trying to cheer her up by offering such help, but she sensed none of that. This strange guy was genuinely serious about his proposal.

"Okay then," she capitulated. It seemed like Maikai dashing smile and his generous offer had alleviated her grief. "We head back to the boat, and we can discuss our plan," she stated more positively. Maui smiled before walking away.

"Oh yes… Maikai," she called, causing Maui to stop at his track.

"Thank you," she smiled gratefully. Maui couldn't describe how he felt then noticing that treasured smile that graced her lips. Happy? Proud? Relieved? But before he could process his thought further, something completely unexpected happened. She came closer and nonchalantly pecked him lightly on his cheek, then striding towards the direction of her boat.

Did she, just… ―? His hand crept to graze the spot that still tingled with the lingering sensation of her soft, warm lips. Whatever it was, Maui was sure his head burst with confetti.

CHEEEHOO!

Maui was desperate to push Moana away from him emotionally and struggled to keep his mind focused on a more pressing task at hand instead of being deluded by his own sentiment. But, no matter how much he tried to convince himself that Moana would never be his; it would never change how he felt about her. Maui was acutely aware of the consequences, but unable to stop himself from loving her.

He was so desperate for someone to talk to, so on one of the nights, when they moored their canoe and sought refuge inside one of the empty cave, he sneaked out somewhere where he was sure Moana wouldn't find him and removed his necklace. The miniature version of himself immediately leaped from his seat to comfort him.

"Is it Moana again?" Tiny Maui gestured.

"I don't know… " the Demigod floundered helplessly. "She was just... ―Often times, she is getting on my nerve, driving me crazy with her stubborn opinion, but… but I can't stop thinking about her!" Maui retorted, sounding intrigued with himself.

But perhaps, that what had charmed him to no end. Moana was different to those village girls who adhered to all his whim and wants, unopinionated and only capable of praising him of his good looks and accomplishment. In contrast, Moana felt so strongly about the things she believed in. She came up with ideas, act unpredictably, and didn't seem to have any problem marshaling her courage to face any kind of danger. She dared to defy him, challenge him, shout at him (and pulled his ear)―but when she did, she drove her words with fire and conviction that made him found her indescribably endearing, more desirable than any mortal he'd ever seen. In a nutshell, he loved her.

"I-I know I was just fooling myself to think I stood a chance with her, to think she would ever requite my feeling," he said morosely.

Maui watched the speck of ink that resembled himself flexed his muscle, while Mini Moana pretended to be smitten. Maui rolled his eyes knowing what the two of them were hinting.

"Why don't you take an easier pick?" His little incarnation prompted, giving him an alternative solution.

Maui entertained the thought for a moment. Undoubtedly, he had been girl's object of infatuation for centuries. But where else could he found a girl as witty and brave as Moana? She had a constant, never ending thirst for a risky, unexpected undertaking, and without her, his exploit wouldn't be as fun. After being with her, how he could possible contented with a mindless, shallow, boring woman who only interested in having a little harmless legendary romance with a demigod?

"I don't know… I don't think I could," he replied, surrendering to his fate. Despite the prospect of being aggravated by losing every single score to that little mortal, Maui couldn't stave off this thrilling, yet debilitating affection out of him. No wonder people said love was such a powerful emotion.

He hung his head in defeat.

"Then, why don't you just tell her?" His little-self suggested.

"What? Are you kidding me? She is betrothed!" Maui replied him curtly."I've learned to be selfless; I've learned to let her go and eventually...I have to learn to live without her!"

Little Maui folded his arms and shook his head in reply.

"You know what Big Guy, you need to stop jumping to conclusions too quickly. Can't you see how unhappy she was with Tane? That guy only uses her, his tattoo reasoned. All I asked for you to think this through for a moment. Consider this, even though Moana is going to marry, she isn't married yet! Besides, are you sure you'd let her ends up with that despicable, conniving jerk that broke her heart to pieces?" Persuaded his mini self, lecturing him on the value of his romantic opportunities. "If it not for yourself, maybe...for her?"

Maui groaned in frustration, throwing his hands into the air. "Please don't say you are suggesting me to go for her… ―!"

Mini Maui grimaced and grinned sheepishly. "At least you can say you've tried."

"But what if she fell in love with Maikai…. And not Maui?"

The speck of ink contemplated for a moment before concluding: "If it is true love, it shouldn't matter. Because inside, you were still the same person."

It was Big Maui's turn to ponder on his tattoo's little nugget of wisdom. Little Maui was right, after all, true love, just like personality―was one of the things that people didn't see, but they could feel it with their heart.

Reflecting the situation further, yes―perhaps he sounded like a coward, that Maui, masquerading himself as Maikai, to win Moana's heart. But he was quite positive the girl would freak out if, as Maui, he made his heartfelt confession. He was like her big brother! But as Maikai, Moana wouldn't have a problem considering a little possibility of romance blossoming between them. Maui grinned to himself. Somehow, the mere thought itself felt so…. inexplicably liberating.

"You know what," Maui nudged his little incarnation."I will give that a go. Wish me luck."

Later that evening, the slow current of the sea buoyed their boat gently, carrying it on the way to Kabara.

"Beautiful night huh?" Maui said, filling the gap in the silence.

"Absolutely…" Moana replied offhandedly. Her eyes stared into space, desolate and empty.

"You looking rather sad today, is everything ok?"

"No… I mean―yes.," she revised, letting an aggrieved sigh. "It's just, there are so many things on my mind," she retorted, while her brain went through what just happened these couple of days. What would her dad say when she returned with such news? Would she still be willing to marry a ruthless, scheming hooligan that had shamefully bestowed his plunder as a gift of betrothal?

"I just… I just a little….homesick," she said, settling for a simpler explanation.

"That's a good problem to have," Maui responded. "At least that means you still have a home."

"Don't you have...a home?" Moana asked quietly, suddenly was overwhelmed by a gush of sadness and sympathy. Of course, Maikai said that he was an orphan. He may have a house, a shelter, a rigid structure to live, but having a home―which encompassed having someone waiting, people you loved to return to―perhaps this was an alien concept to him. Instantaneously, Moana regretted the statement that just slipped through her lips, how insensitive of her!

"Uh, I am sorry," she cowered, a glimpse of remorse stained her eyes.

Everyone should have a home, Moana thought to herself ruefully. She never realized how tremendously sheltered and comfortable her life was: with parents by her side who fulfilled all her needs, supporting, encouraging and making sure loneliness and rejection were something that she never tasted. She couldn't say the same for Maikai.

Quietly, she observed Maikai with her speculative eyes. The guy was almost like a mythical creature, a mysterious being that came out of some fabled legend, illusive and unreal.

All of her questions―he'd given her the most unorthodox answer of all possibility. An orphan who lived on a secluded island but displaying knowledge of wayfinding; sailing proficiency and agility of an experienced voyager. And his toned, muscular, warrior-like figure that unmistakably had gone through years of training. Who had taught him all that? Could he really have been living alone? Was she his first and only friend? Who was he exactly?

Also, his intense dark brown eyes often displayed smug confidence and supreme self-satisfaction, but the next second could be flashing with anger, or in rare cases… showing deep contemplation or philosophical reflection like they did during their conversation a few nights ago. And the way he looked at her, observed her with great interest… as though….as though, he knew her. But, how could that be possible? Moana was very positive she had never met this guy.

Suddenly, a brilliant idea landed in her mind.

"Hey, why don't we make a slight detour and visit your house!" Moana smiled expectantly. "I am sure a day or two delays wouldn't hurt."

Maui mentally slapped his palms to his face, running them down in slow motion. He did enjoy the time with Moana―he really did, but of course he couldn't take her to his cave―it would blow up his cover! He wasn't ready for this.

'Think of an excuse….think of an excuse…..think of an excuse.' He frantically chanted to himself. Thankfully, the right, most logical reason surfaced in his mind.

"But we are on an important mission here, Princess!" he shot at her, hoping she could decode his disapproval even though deep down, Moana's little gesture of thoughtfulness brought his head above the cloud, feeling tremendously elated, flattered even. "Don't you want to save your cool demigod friend and your village? Besides, we... ―"

"Wait," Moana raised her hand, impeding him from antagonizing her decision further."It just a short visit, don't have to be elaborate or anything," she beamed at him. "And oh! I'll cook you a dinner. Just say it's a thank you gift for saving me." Her voice was so innocently gleeful he felt almost too guilty to break.

He started at her, feeling stupid rejecting the lucrative 'dating' offer from the woman who was the object of his complicated affections. Did she imply just him and her? Deep down, Maui was grinning indulgently, but of course, outwardly he tried to look completely unaffected.

"Perhaps I can try my Mom's latest recipe," Moana added.

His brows curled. Moana could cook? In his mind, he always portrayed her as a wayfinder, a fighter, a brave chieftess and a woman of great courage and tenacity. He had never imagined her embroiling herself in everyday domestic chores like: cutting vegetable, weaving fabric, or washing clothes, it all sounded incongruous. Impossible even.

Moana could sense Maikai skeptic stare drilling at her. "You don't believe me, don't you?" she challenged him.

But truthfully, the reality wasn't as far fetch as he thought it would be. Moana was a grown woman now, soon a wife. Any man would be lucky to have her, because there was not many women embodiment a perfect balance of intelligence, chivalry and beauty. How he wished that lucky man to be him.

"No… no, it's not that," Maui hastily retaliate. "In fact, your offer… er… sounds nice...very… nice… indeed." Maui swallowed hard, beginning to feel lightheaded and blushing red hot he might need to let off steam. Thankfully it was dark; otherwise, Moana could see how scarlet he was turning. "But I don't think it's a good idea," he finally managed to articulate something smoothly.

Moana frowned."And why not? I thought we are friends?!" she said, sounding affronted and wounded at the same time.

"It's not that...It's... ―"

"Fine, I got it," she interjected tactfully. "If you don't want to show your house to me you just need to say so," she bristled at him dryly.

Maui grimaced at her miffed expression. "No no… it's not like that. You are my friend." 'In fact, my only friend.' He finished in his head, sighing in exasperation. "And gods yes, I want you in my house, on my furniture, messing my stuff. But you see… I lived on a secluded island, and it's a proper bachelor's nest, and it's rather…"

Maui paused, trying to find the right word to describe the modest, borderline poor, tattered and weather-beaten stuff in his house. But, Maui being Maui, he didn't want to bluntly say he lived in a disheveled cave, deprived, lived like a hermit and typically wore scavenged leaves as his skirt. And since sanitation wasn't his biggest concern, his home was not the cleanest place in the world.

But that wasn't the right image suited to the role of the debonair, sexy, and menacing Maikai―Moana's new hero. Truthfully, what he needed was a majestic fale and a wardrobe of flashy outfit that could project his boisterous, sleek, and preening persona (which often deserved some hammy laughs out of being vain).

"It's rather rustic," he said diplomatically, clearing his throat.

"Is that…. the only reason?" one of Moana's narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced. 'Well no, of course not!' But Maui couldn't say his real reason was without telling her his true identity. 'Darn it! C'mon Maui, think of another excuse!'

Maui looked at her nervously. His eyes trailed from Moana's mesmerizing dark eyes (which at the moment glaring at him with a purpose, to capture, ensnare and defeat any resistance), to her toned figure, admiring her bare midriff, growing bosom and appreciating every single detail and indentation on her goddess like posture. Somehow, the sight stirred something unknown in him.

He gulped a burgeoning lump on his throat, but this suddenly gave him an idea. (He could thank his lust later on).

"Besides, you and I…. ―" he looked at her helplessly, hoping she could read the cue he was giving. Alas, Moana just slanted her brows artfully completely at lost on his ambiguous insinuation.

"Look, it's not proper…. for a fully grown…..attractive-future-chief like you….to be with a stranger, a man. It could mean… ―" he gestured with his finger vaguely between them."Alone. In an empty island, mileeees away from civilization."

Moana eyes widened when the connotative meaning finally clicked in her head, but she chuckled sinisterly noticing a major flaw of his remark. "We are at the moment, mileees away from everyone," she pointed out persistently. "If this was transgressing all value of appropriateness, you had gone past beyond the line long ago, Mister!" she grinned and crossed her arms smugly.

"Well, it's a little hard to do….anything….on this canoe without… capsizing," he muttered. His witty comeback was rewarded with her rapturous laughs that resounding sweetly in his ears.

And then silence fell between them.

Suddenly Moana's mind returned to her mission―what she planned to do in Kailua. Had Tane and his people truly plundered the islands? But why? And what could have possibly happened between Maui and Tane that he was now after Maui's life?

Inadvertently, she toyed with her jade pendant. It saddened her to recall that things had to be this way between her and Tane; otherwise, it could've been a perfect arranged marriage―a union blessed by gods, consented by their parents, and well received by their people.

She was weary of all the drama, the confrontation, and the emotional scene that she embroiled herself in. Not to mention she could no longer trust her judgment, she had allowed Tane's sweet promises and wonderful attention beguiled her senses and defied her logic. Moana rebuked her foolishness. Love was a bright stain on her vision, blotting out reasons, and she had embraced it and allowed herself to be swayed by irrationality. From the start, she knew very well the risks of loving someone, but despite so many warnings, nothing could have prepared her for it.

Maui saw her forlorn, soulless gaze as the stared emptily towards the endless ocean. Her idle hands grazing the jade necklace, and from the way she sighed despondently, Maui knew what was in her mind. An infinite sorrow stung his heart at sight laid before him. This was Moana, chief of Motunui, a friend of the ocean, the heroine of his heart, the girl with strong spirit and impossible tenacity―had been broken by a man.

"Are you…. thinking about him?" That scheming, manipulative, dirty scoundrel! Maui seethed viciously in his head. There was a mounting hatred and fury as Maui reflected what Tane had done to earn Moana's esteem and the passage rites to the heart of people in Motunui. But the thought that crushed him the most was the fact that Moana had surrendered her heart to that devious mortal―and he broke it. Deliberately.

It took Moana a few moment to return to reality, blinking her eyes in disorientation from the empty fantasy. She knew, her trip to Kailua would provide her with all the reason and explanation she needed, but she feared the reality wouldn't be that kind, that she might hear other terrible revelation that would crush the remainder of her hope to dust.

Realizing Maikai just asked her, she quickly sobered."Maikai, do you ever… wanted to know some answers but are scared to face the truth at the same time?"

Maui stared at her, relating her question with his current situation."Yes… Yes, I did."

Moana paused as if leaving the time and space for him to elaborate.

"Remember the girl in my story a few days ago?" he asked, and Moana nodded.

"The truth is, we didn't part ways," Maui admitted. "I left."

"You left her... ―?!" Moana eyes widened in disbelief.

Maui nodded, before expounding."She had her heart set on someone else. Unfortunately, the man she was about to marry dislike me, so to make things less complicated I decided to leave," he explained, carefully selected his words because if Moana knew who he was, it would easily jeopardize the rest of his plan.

"What... ―?! You left because your best friend's lover despises you?" Moana riveted her eyes and frowned deeply as though disagreeing with his action.

"It's for the best," he sighed resignedly, tearing his eyes from hers.

"But, why?"

"I had to," he said, daring to lift his face and looked into her eyes in earnest.

"Because I love her."

Notes: Once again, thank you for all of your reviews, kudos, fave, bookmark, follows... whatever they called. You've kept me motivated, especially at time when I doubt anyone actually reading this. XD And thank you jadeoccelot for betaing this chapter. No cliffhanger this time! But next chapter, I'll promise to give you more elaborate reason of Akoni's revenge and Tui little (well, not so little) secret that had landed him in a grim situation with Akoni.

As for Tane, I am glad a lot of people hated him with earnest (at the moment), as I plan to reveal who he was and...you may change your mind then. He had a good reason to hate Maui, trust me XD.