Once again shout out to BadOctopus and CartoonJessie for inspiring this fic! And shout out for my wonderful bf TaintedWisdom2014 for beta reading this chapter! Love you, hun!
And yes this story is also posted on Ao3 for those who of you are interested!
Heads up, I've also started my first day on my new course so chapter three will be a while! In the meantime I'll keep you updated on Tumblr (my username there and Ao3 is the same as the one here!)
Anyway on with the story!
Chapter Two: Wherereitanga (Part One)
The Ocean still hesitated but Maui, despite knowing that he would lose was ready to go. Mini-Maui was frantically waving his arms around, trying desperately to stop him but Maui's fishhook had already come alight.
Mini-Maui put his hands over his eyes, too afraid to watch. Maui waited for the attack, but no attack came. The Ocean was fixated on something behind him. Mini-Maui peeked through his fingers and saw that nothing was happening. He ran over and disappeared over his host's shoulder, only to reappear on his back. He smacked his arm against Maui's skin to get his attention.
"Maui?" Moana's voice called out from behind him. Maui spun around and saw her with confusion written all over her face as she stood there with Hina's pikau strapped to her back.
The Ocean sunk down again and became one with the waves, stretching its watery form to reach for the stone by Maui's feet and took it back for safe keeping.
"Moana!" He began, letting out a nervous chuckle as he hid his fishhook behind his back before he asked trying to be suave, "Hey…what are you doing up?" She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest and looked him straight in the eye as she begged the question.
"Well, what are you doing up?"
"Me? I was… uh…" Maui looked down at Mini-Maui, his eyes silently urging him to help him out. Mini-Maui shrugged his shoulders with his hands raised and shook his head.
Maui let out a soft irritated groan and turned to look at Moana, who at this point had her hands on her hips as she waited for an explanation.
It took him about a minute, but he finally had an answer in his mind. "I... I just needed to thank The Ocean for helping me fish today."
Moana's stare remained filled with obvious skepticism as she continued looking at him before pointing out,
"And why do you need your fishhook to do that?" Mini-Maui turned to him with a look that was practically screaming at him to open up.
Defeated, Maui finally sighed and put his fishhook down for a moment. "I… just got a lot on my mind."
Concerned, she took a step toward him and asked, "Like what?"
He turned and looked at her over his shoulder, realizing that he should've never listened to Mini-Maui, to begin with, he replied,
"Like an old friend of mine called, Nunya."
She let out an exasperated sigh as she could feel herself firing up with frustration. Moana took a deep breath so she would remain calm, patient, and dignified as everyone expected her to be. "Maui—"
He shot down whatever question she was about to ask by cutting her off with the excuse.
"Look, it's been a really long day so, how about we just turn in for the night? I could really use some sleep right now."
She let out another soft sigh, knowing that she was too tired to argue—and she didn't want to risk waking their daughter up. But she couldn't really rest knowing that he was troubled—and it wasn't because she saw him as one of her villagers or her consort or the father to their child.
He was Maui, Demigod of the Wind and Sea, Hero to all, father to their child, her faletua and one of her best friends.
"Maui, I know it's late. But hear me out… please."
The slight pleading tone in her voice painfully tugged at his heartstrings, but he kept his back to her and took this time to turn to Mini-Maui who was encouraging him to turn around and talk to her.
He relented and finally turned to face her. Smiling, Moana walked over toward him and pressed her hand against his cheek.
"I'm not gonna make you talk. But I want you to know I'll be here when you're ready to." She pulled her hand away from his cheek and turned around ready to head back home when she suddenly felt Maui's hand clasping hers.
Holding his fishhook, he slung it over his right shoulder and he slowly pulled her back closer to him. She looked up and saw a genuine smile on his face as he put his left arm around her waist and said.
"What kind of demigod would I be if I let a pregnant chief walk home alone at night?"
She nudged him playfully with her hip and chuckled before she lifted her hand up to rest on his shoulder as she led them home.
IIIIIIII
Putting his fishhook down next to his fala moenga, Maui walked over to the right side of the fale and helped Moana untie the carrier basket's straps and caught Hinatea in the palm of his hand.
The little girl let out a tired groan after the impact. Mini-Maui quickly made his way down Maui's arm to check on the girl and made sure she stayed asleep before he looked up at Maui and Moana and gave them both a thumbs up.
Moana smiled and leaned down to give him a grateful kiss on the top of his head. "Thank you, Mini-Maui." Her consort's little tattoo counterpart waved his hand at her bashfully before he tried unsuccessfully to give her a friendly kiss on the cheek.
Maui poked him before anything could happen and said. "Hey! If you wanna kiss somebody then go get your own wife!" Mini-Maui glared at him and then waved his arms exasperatedly toward the tattoo of Moana and pointed out that she wasn't alive like he was. Maui simply raised his right eyebrow as if to say that wasn't his problem.
"Enough." Moana cut in before another 'argument' could ensue. Putting her hands on Maui's shoulders as she looked at them both. "I love you both—" Maui immediately turned to her with a slight scowl on his face. She flicked him on the nose and continued on carrying a dignified tone in her voice. "And I expect the two of you to get along." She then eyed Maui and added, "Especially you."
He snorted in response and she gave him a warning look before she carefully lifted their daughter out of his hand.
The little girl immediately snuggled against her mother and used her long soft hair as a pillow. Moana patted her back gently as she started humming a local lullaby as she walked to the middle of the fale, where a small fala moenga laid beside her consort's.
She gently laid their daughter down on the mat and pulled her blanket up from the end of the fala moenga before she tucked it beneath her daughter's chin.
Moana felt Maui's large hands on her shoulders as he leaned over to watch their little girl as she slept. She heard the soft amused chuckle escape his lips as he continued staring at her. Watching every breath she took, every cute little twitch her upper lip and finger made whenever she started to dream whatever it was that three-year-olds dream about?
"I wonder what you were like at her age?" Moana thought aloud.
Maui shrugged and said, "Who knows?"
She stared at him in confusion for a moment and asked, "You don't remember?"
"Nope." He replied with his usual upbeat tone in his voice masking the fact that he could barely recall his own childhood or the time he'd spent with the Gods. He let out an involuntary pessimistic chuckle as he looked down at the floor. Then again it was over maybe two or three millenniums ago
Moana turned to him and saw the soft disappointed look in his eyes. She reached over to place her hand on his lower arm, and she stated, "You can't remember."
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and replied. "No, no. It's nothing like that. It was just… a real long time ago."
He looked down as he felt her hand move from his arm only to clasp his own as she said, "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it." He told her with a shrug and a forced smile. "Besides, I'm pretty sure the Gods are happy that I'm finally out of their hair." He then turned to her. "'course that means you'll be stuck with me till the end of your days!" Moana nudged him with her shoulder and retorted while forcing down an undeniable yawn,
"If I can handle a shiny fifty-foot tall singing coconut crab I can handle you."
A confident grin came to his lips as he declared, "Oh yeah? I bet you can't handle this!"
Confused by what he meant? She turned to him and went, "Huh—oh!" Before she unexpectedly found herself flung onto his shoulder as he carried her all the way to the other side of the house where her bed laid. "Maui!" She started spoke with a scolding tone in her voice before she cried, "Put me down!" He continued holding her in place as he cleared any dust that laid on her bed and scooped her up from his shoulder and plopped her right on the bed.
Moana sat there with her feet touching the floor as she was left completely puzzled as her mind rolled the question. 'What…just happened?'
"G'night Princess!" Maui shouted waving goodbye as he tried slipping away to the middle of the fale. Moana grabbed hold of the back of his rope lace before he could get away and gave it strong yank causing the front of his necklace of teeth to suffocatingly press against his throat. Forcing him back towards her.
Choking, Maui turned his head and neck at a thirty-degree angle so he would have a little room to breathe. He received a very quick but painful surprise when Moana tugged on his ear and reminded him as she let go of his necklace. "For the last time. I am not a princess. I'm The High Chief."
In his defense, he replied, "It was a joke! Y'know how I—ow…ow. Ow!" Moana raised an eyebrow and gave him a knowing look. The Demigod relented, raising his hands up in surrender as he once again chucked her impudent behavior as a normal part of pregnancy. "Okay, okay! I'm sorry." He felt her fingers finally let go of his ear. And at last, he could breathe a sigh of relief.
Slowly she pressed her hands against his cheeks as she pulled herself off the bed and walked over toward him. Standing on the tip of her toes she gave him a quick kiss and gently said, brushing her thumbs against his cheeks. "Good night Maui."
He replied with a sweet smile on his face. "Good night Moana."
She smiled back at him and pulled away. She turned and walked the two steps toward her bed before she lay down and pulled the blanket over her shoulders. Maui stood there staring her and watched her, gazing at her and all her perfections while she slept. Carefully he walked over toward her and brushed away the thick strands of hair that her mouth almost swallowed behind her ear before he turned around and softly walked toward his fala moenga.
He laid his head on the hard bamboo pillow and stared up at the dark ceiling before he closed his eyes and went to 'sleep.'
An hour passed and nothing happened. Another hour passed and still nothing. Finally, the third hour came when a gut feeling told him a certain someone was coming at that very second. He grabbed his fishhook and slowly made his way toward the entrance. Pushing the pola over his head he stepped onto the paepae and sat down with narrowed eyes and his fishhook on his lap as he waited.
Sure enough, a beam appeared a minute later and Marama's spirit stood before him. He jumped to his feet and stood on the top of the stone steps.
His face-harden, hiding the small twinge of fear he felt in his heart. Gripping his fishhook tightly he looked at the moon spirit straight in the eye, his heaving breaths echoed through as he finally spoke in a strong voice. "She's a little girl who doesn't need to get involve with whatever mess the Gods are creating."
There was no reaction from Marama, no shock, fear, incredulity, shame, remorse, nothing. He was just as cold and emotionless as the Gods' stories portrayed him to be. Maui took a deep breath, mainly to push down whatever fear and fury that was bubbling up inside him. "Let's skip the small talk and get straight to the point. Why…are you here?"
He watched as Marama took off his tiki mask and let it fall to the ground. The light illuminating his face grew brighter, which made his face tattoos stand out even more—but it gave his newly formed scars the same effect.
His eyes widened, his closed flat mouth line slowly became agape as his genuine shocked expression betrayed his urge to remain stone-faced. He quickly looked up and saw the cracks on the moon had drastically increased.
Which proved one thing. Someone was actually attacking the moon.
Marama bent down and retrieved his mask before he placed it back on his scarred face. The revelation left Maui completely stunned for words—that was until his daughter Hinatea came to mind.
Taking a long deep breath, he stood up, grabbed his fishhook, and decided to talk to him man to man… or Moon in this case.
"Look, if you needed help. You should've come to me. Okay? Not her. Me. I'm the Demigod here." Mini-Maui sprang back to life and signaled him to head into the jungle so they could have a private discussion.
Maui turned to Marama with his finger raised up and said, "Excuse us for a sec." Before he hopped off the paepae and headed toward the jungle located on the back of his and Moana's fenua, so he and Mini-Maui began their 'secret talk.'
IIIIIIII
"What do you mean, go?" Maui spoke in a harsh whisper. "Keep watch? Keep watch for—Are you kidding me right now!? He wants to take—yes of course I know that's what he wants!" Mini-Maui's various sound effects carried on as the two argued.
"Uh... no. If he has the guts to kidnap a full-grown goddess what's gonna stop him from taking a little girl..." Mini-Maui stopped him and immediately started making his point. Confused, Maui simply looked down at him squinting his eyes in bewilderment, "Wait. What do you mean if he wanted to take her he would've—scratch that. You got a good point there. Anyway, we're not going so—ow!"
Mini-Maui glared at him tapping his foot with his arms crossed over his chest before he immediately pointed in the direction of the moon. Maui took a long deep irritated breath before he finally relented, "Okay, okay, okay! We'll go! Are ya happy now?"
With one last approving twinkle from Mini-Maui, The Demigod finally turned around and headed back toward his house.
Finally, he said as he faced Marama, "After much discussion…" He paused as Mini-Maui struck up his victory pose. Maui rolled his eyes and continued, "We've decided to help you on one condition..." Maui closed his eyes, sucked his lips and clenched his fist. He doesn't trust Marama one bit, but Hina did. And kids had a strange way of seeing the good in people. Even people supposedly as evil as Marama.
Maui took a deep breath and opened his eyes before he turned to Marama and pointed his finger at him and said with a serious tone, "...You protect my little girl and make her happy while I'm gone. Deal?"
Marama stood for a moment pondering what Maui just told him before he finally nodded in agreement. Maui took a deep breath, as he couldn't believe what he was about to do next. He brought his hand out to Marama and held in front of him, half expecting the spirit to not know what to do. But to his surprise—and disappointment—Marama lifted his fingerless hand up toward his. With one quick shake, the deal was done, and with that Marama slowly drew back and leaped into the sky.
The Demigod let out another long sigh as his mind felt about just as heavy as his heart. He slowly turned in the direction of the door, where Moana and Hinatea lay asleep inside, and then he slowly turned to his right where Tui and Sina's fale stood about a hundred feet away.
He then turned toward the land behind them, where all of Motunui's villagers slept in their houses surrounded by their loved ones' tonight.
The weight of responsibility felt heavy on his shoulders as the sense of impending doom pulsated through his body.
Sometimes being a Demigod isn't all that it's cut out to be.
"I'm doing it for them. I'm doing it for them." He told himself in a soft whisper before the words echoed on and on like a chant in his mind.
Maui walked down the step, feeling the need to clear his head with a nightly stroll.
He circled the whole village two or three times, climbed up the second highest mountain on the island, gathered coconuts and did pretty much whatever quiet activities he could to distract himself from the fact that he needed to go.
Mini-Maui patted him on the shoulder reassuringly as Maui sat down on the second highest mountain for the third time that night. The despondent Demigod turned to his little tattoo friend and said with a small smile, "Thanks, little man I really appreciate it."
IIIIIIII
By the time Maui was ready to turn in the sun had already started to peek out of the horizon. He could hear Moana stirring from inside; followed by Hina's soft tired grumbles as her little body craved more sleep.
A second later he heard the sounds of her little feet softly pattering the stone floor; intrigued he walked up the steps to the paepae, sat down and waited as his little girl appeared to be sleepwalking toward the steps.
He grabbed her gently and pulled her into his arms before she could fall down all eight flights of the stone steps and kept her close to him ignoring her feeble punches as her hands started flying about. She socked him lightly on the left arm as her sleepy mind registered him as a threat.
Maui settled her against his chest letting her little head lie where the tattoo of Moana and her canoe stood over his heart. He gently started to pat her back as she continued hammering her closed fists against him in her sleep.
A few minutes later she finally calmed down and her arms fell flat to her sides as she started mumbling something about Moa telling her to flap her little wings so she could fly before she went quiet and the sounds of her soft snores followed.
"Kids." He muttered as he stared at her in amusement before he wiped away her drool off the left side of his chest before cradling her little body in his arm.
Feeling the change, Hina curled herself to one side and snuggled against her father's chest. Maui looked down at her with a loving smile on his face and let out a soft snort as her little mouth parted slightly letting more of her drool run down her lips and strike his skin.
Of course, he meant nothing of his mutterings—drools or not, Hina was his greatest accomplishment and he wouldn't trade her for all the heroic deeds in the world.
Maui sat there holding Hina close to him watching the sunrise on a new day and actually prayed that he could solve the problem so his little girl wouldn't.
He narrowed his eyes to block out the glare of the sun's rays as it glinted from the horizon. Then he felt a certain little somebody stirring his arm; Hina shifted and her eyes slowly fluttered open. She slowly sat up and yawned while stretching her arms.
"Mornin' sunshine!" Her father greeted, smiling brightly as he looked down at her.
Hina looked up at her father with her sleep filled eyes and replied as she smiled. "Morin' Papa…"
"Had a good sleep?" He asked. She nodded tiredly with her head lying on the left side of her father's chest. The sounds of her father's heartbeats echoed lightly in her ear before she let out a soft sigh and started to fall back asleep in her father's arms. Maui cradled her close to him as the sun moved up higher toward the sky.
Moana's footsteps soon followed as she headed toward the door and pushed the pola sheet to one side. "Maui?" She said in a perplexed tone, "Have you been up all night?"
The worry in her voice cut through him like a knife. "Pretty much." He replied with a shrug as she sat down next to him. He avoided her gaze because he felt too ashamed. But this was for her and their daughter's own good. Even if she—as Hinatea's mother—deserved to know that the moon was being attacked and he—it possibly wanted to take their daughter. And now he, Maui was being forced to actually help one of the beings he loathed the most.
Moana smiled the minute she turned to glance at their sleeping daughter in his arm. She reached over and started stroking her finger against Hina's cheek. A small involuntary dimpled smile slowly formed on the little girl's face.
"You're gonna wake her up." He told her as she kept going.
"Well, it is morning." She pointed out as she continued stroking their daughter's cheek.
He replied with a whiny tone in his voice, "C'mon, let the poor kid sleep a little longer." She raised an eyebrow to that one and looked up at him with a slightly annoyed look on her face.
Maui carefully turned and held Hina in his right arm before he pointed at her sleeping child and he said grinning persuasively, "How can you say 'no' to this adorable little face?"
Moana simply shook her head and added, "Well, I wouldn't have to keep saying 'no' if you stop saying 'yes' to whatever she wants."
Maui scoffed and blew off her unbelievable accusation with a retort, "She is not spoiled I promise you that." She rolled her eyes in disbelief and shook her head as an amused smile appeared on her lips.
He continued on. "I'm just giving her everything she deserves."
She stared at him and said, "Really? Everything?"
He nodded and said smugly, "Yeah everything. She is my daughter you know."
Moana playfully gave him a hard backhand smack to his shoulder before she poked the center of his chest as she said, "Let me remind you that it takes two to make a child. And one of those two is the one who carries that child inside them for nine months and gives birth to it too."
He replied in a know it all tone. "Oh yeah? Well, I didn't hear you screaming so it can't be that bad."
Oh! She had him now.
Moana explained. "Well if you must know. Women in labor are usually discouraged from screaming or crying out in pain, that's why you didn't hear me scream no matter how tempting it was. A child's birth is supposed to be a happy occasion, not one filled with pain." She looked down and saw that Mini-Maui pulled down the scoreboard and scratched two tallies on her column before he turned and lifted his hand toward her for a high-five. Moana gently slapped her hand against his tiny inky hand and smirked while crossing her arms over her chest.
Maui scowled playfully, seeing that she won this round he finally gave in to his defeat, "Alright, alright, Chief. She's your daughter too."
Moana looked at him with a satisfied smile on her lips and replied, "That's more like it."
Speaking of births… there was one question that he wanted to ask. But Moana caught on and told him firmly. "No, you can't. Maui, when I go into labor, do not turn into a beetle and try to sneak inside. I'd rather not have my dad almost squeeze you to death like last time."
Maui scoffed and blew off her outrageous notion with a simple dismissive wave of his hand before he pointed to himself.
"Uh, hello? Demigod here." He flexed his left arm and carefully pointed to his bulging muscle with a cocky smile on his face. "I'm immortal and indestructible. Nothing on this island or the rest of the world can kill me."
Moana told him with a serious tone in her voice as she got straight to the point, "Maui. Promise me you'll respect my and my people's traditions. It's important for you as the Faletua to set a good example for the children. Especially Hina." Mini-Maui ran down his arm and came up to her and raised his hand for another high-five that Moana gladly gave in return. "See, Mini-Maui understands."
His little tattoo counterpart looked up at him with his arms crossed and gave the larger than life Demigod a quick nod.
Maui scowled and snorted apparently still slightly sore from the fact that he wasn't allowed inside till after Hina was finally born all those three years ago. And the fact that his tattoo friend was actually encouraging him to miss out on witnessing his second child's birth over some silly 'no men allowed' tradition?
That was so unfair.
He grumpily sighed. "Alright, alright. I promise."
She smiled and rewarded him with a quick kiss on his cheek before she pulled and placed her hand back to her lap as she turned to gaze at the sea, completely unaware that he couldn't keep his eyes off her.
It was times like these that reminded him why exactly he—not she asked first. He loved it how she could make him feel wonderfully warm inside while reminding him of his place and the influence he had as her faletua.
Most of all, he loved her strength, her fierce personality, her patience, all her shortcomings, her devotion to her people, their traditions and her family and the fact that she'd given him everything he could never give her back in return—not unless she became a demigoddess—but he knew she would choose to live and die her among her people over immortality any day.
Moana turned to check on Hina after seeing the little girl stir slightly and then looked up to see the soft, endearing glint in her consort's eyes. "What?" She asked smiling lightly.
"You," He replied with a sincere smile and sincere tone in his voice. "You surprise me." He leaned over slowly and made sure not to make any sudden moves that would disrupt Hina's sleeping.
Moana felt the ever-strong pull between them. She leaned over toward him, so he wouldn't have to move and possibly wake their daughter up.
The undeniable tug on their heartstrings pulled even harder as they drew close. Moana reached over and placed her hand on his cheek. The two leaned closer and closer till their faces were two-inches away from each other.
Mini-Maui quickly covered his eyes and turned around to give his big buddy some privacy. The feelings of guilt erupted inside him like a volcano and he quickly jerked away from her. Moana's eyes slowly started to open as she stared at him with shock and then worry. "Maui?"
Mini-Maui turned back around and peeked through his fingers. He lowered his hands saw that nothing had happened and was shocked when Maui turned away from her and gazed at the ocean instead.
"It's nothing." He sighed. Moana looked down just in time to see Mini-Maui's facepalm before she scooted and reached over to press her hand on her consort's right cheek and turned his head to face her. She'd told him that she wasn't going to make him talk, but it was clear he was carrying more than he could bear. And try as she might there were some promises that she couldn't keep.
"Please tell me what's bothering you?" She begged him without sounding too desperate.
Maui saw the concerned look in her glistening eyes and he started to crack. "I gotta go take care of some stuff."
"What kind of 'stuff' are we talking about here?" She asked relieved that he was finally opening up to her.
Maui replied with a dejected tone in his voice, "Gods stuff."
Moana drew back slightly and taking a deep breath before she turned back to him and asked, "What do you mean by, Gods stuff?"
He remained silent and she sighed, "I know this isn't easy for you to talk about your feelings. But, you know you can talk to me."
He wanted to. He really did. But he didn't want to risk freaking her out about the whole moon issue… especially with her so early into her pregnancy. And of course, he didn't want to admit that he had no idea what was going? He finally said to her in a very frank tone. "Trust me, you wouldn't understand."
She sighed and tried to guess, "You miss all those adventures, you miss being the hero—"
He cut her off and retorted, "Hey, I needed to settle down at some point. Y'know, have a kid or two—all that good stuff."
With one eyebrow raised she spoke pointing out the obvious, "Settling down isn't something that you would do."
"Well, here I am." He replied slightly annoyed with her constant snooping.
She picked up the irritated tone in his voice and leaned a little closer to him, putting most of her weight in her right arm before she spoke and asked in a gentle voice, "What's bothering you?"
Maui sighed dragging his face down with his left hand as he said, "I told you, you wouldn't understand!"
Moana didn't even know if it was his secrets and excuses or her pregnancy or a combination of both—but she just about had it.
Fed up, she stood up and said. "What is wrong with you? I was just trying to help!"
Maui rose to his feet and told her, "Well you can't."
She told him watching as he started to pace around in frustration. "I think I can if you let me and stop hiding things from me!"
Maui stopped in his tracks, in a moment of gnawing guilt his eyes turned to one side before he slowly started to squeeze them shut. Taking a deep breath, he slowly turned around and said in a low intimidating voice, "Well maybe there's something's that I don't need to tell you."
A million thoughts raced through her head as she looked up at him, with her eyes widen in disbelief as he towered over her.
"What did you do?" She demanded, her voice in an accusatory tone.
"I didn't do anything!" Maui shouted defensively.
Moana shouted in accusing tone, ready to go head to head with him, "If you didn't do anything, then why are you being defensive?"
He shouted back in retaliation, "I'm being defensive—Look, it doesn't concern you okay!"
Feeling her frustration rising up, she screamed pointing her finger right at him, "You're impossible!"
He had the final word in by exclaiming with intense vexation, "And you're nosey!"
The two stood almost head to head with one another, both heaving and red from their heated banter.
Neither of them noticed Hina had woken up until she spoke out in a worried voice, "Papa? Mama?" The two parents paused and looked down only to see their precious little girl looked up at them in horror, having just seen them fight for the very first time in her life.
Moana gently grabbed Hina from the crook of Maui's arm and turning her back to him, held their daughter close. Maui realizing that he'd screwed up big time, reached over to place his hand on her shoulder. He barely laid one finger on her skin when he saw her flinch. Finally, she spoke in a soft harsh voice, "Just go."
Clenching his fist, Maui made his way toward where his fishhook laid and grabbed it, hopped off the paepae, and changed into a Giant Hawk before he spread his wings and took off, ignoring his daughter's heart-wrenching cries for him to come back.
IIIIIIII
Whenua o Marama was one of the few places the Gods had described and warned him to avoid in his youth. Their voices continued ringing his head whispering words of precaution and threats to strike fear into his then childhood heart. And yet…here he was savoring the west wind blows and the warmth of the sun through his feathers as he was flying the three-day journey there.
He flew past Te Fiti's sleeping form and several of the newer five to four-year-old islands he'd pulled from the sea and continued on flying nonstop for hours till the sun had finally set and there was nothing left but seawater down below.
A day passed followed by the night before another day and night followed. He still kept going as his eyes now combined with a hawk's sharp vision scanned the dark sea and the dark blue skies. Searching for any sign that would let him know he was getting close.
There!
He spotted something—a human actually gliding across the ocean with nothing but his bare feet. Maui dove down slightly as not to draw attention to himself as he spied on the strange man wearing a tiki mask and a cloak made with bird feathers woven on the top. Maui also noticed his top knot and feather plunged into his woven flax leaf hairband.
Suddenly the man moved a few steps back as a large body of water shot up toward the sky. Maui stopped and looked down only to realize the man was riding a whale. His eyes narrowed as he turned and flew up a little higher. He then stopped when he felt that he was high enough and looked down to see how far The Whale rider had traveled, but to his surprise, he was gone.
Suddenly he heard a loud cry from above him. Maui turned to look up and saw The Whale Rider hurling down right at him holding a glowing white toki poutangata high above his head.
Maui quickly changed back into his human form and drew his giant fishhook up to block the attack. The mysterious whale rider was visibly shocked and Maui used this to his advantage. He lifted his glowing blue fishhook in the air and was ready to swing it for the attack. The Whale Rider lifted his weapon at the same time and anticipating The Demigod's attack quickly swung it hitting him right across the jaw.
The impact caused Maui to black out and drop his fishhook as he fell several hundred feet in mid-air hurling toward the sea down below. A few minutes later Maui's eyes slowly opened and he saw that he was falling headfirst toward the water down below. He looked around and saw his giant fishhook falling just right below him. Maui reached and grabbed it. Turning himself into a shark just a mere few seconds before he splashed into the water.
Using the cover of darkness, Maui swam down deeper into the pitch-black sea. A sound low pitch humming echoed through the water and he heard something swimming above him. He looked up and saw the huge dark silhouette of a whale passing over him.
Maui waddled his back fin and quickly swam after them.
IIIIIIII
Hours later, it was dawn by the time all three of them made it to Whenua o Marama with The Mysterious Whale Rider arriving on the front of the island and Maui's shark form taking off for the back.
The Demigod made it to the shore and quickly changed back into his human form. Holding his fishhook tight in his left hand he turned and looked up at the large mountain crater covered with dead and wilted dimming luminescent flora and trees.
His eyes widened a little in shock. He knew that it was going to be bad… just not this bad. But he didn't have time to gawk at the sight. Not while he had a mission to do and not when he had only a couple of hours till the moon returned to its resting place. Mini-Maui reminded him that they were just here to investigate—but the Demigod had other plans.
He is Maui, Demigod of the Wind and Sea, Hero to all, Faletua to Chief Moana Waialiki and father to Hinatea Waialiki and he was going save the moon.
Maui flicked Mini-Maui off his shoulder and quickly shapeshifted into a lizard and ran forward on all fours from the flat jungle towards the high mountain.
IIIIIIII
After a two-hour climb, The Mysterious Whale Rider finally made it down toward one of the deep crater's inner edges and got down on one knee and waited for Marama to descend down his resting place.
He heard a slightly rumbling coming from above and looked up to see the great moon himself lowering down toward the large hollow crater. He prepared himself to make that leap once more. He was also completely unaware of The Demigod's presence right below him till the moon finally entered the hollow entrance to the crate and shed a bit of light on his grinning face.
The Whale Rider took a few steps back and got ready to sprint. Maui took his sweet time and waited for him to jump.
The Moon descended and he finally jumped. Maui made his move and grabbed him by the ankle. The Whale Rider immediately turned toward where he stood and froze when he saw The Demigod standing there with a wide smile on his face.
"Surprise!" He shouted before he pulled and slammed him against the crater wall. The Whale Rider's body slammed against the rough rocky surface and collapsed to the floor.
Maui moved toward the edge holding his fishhook in front of him and got into a fighting stance while he stood guard as The Whale Rider very shakily reached for his pounamu adze and got up. Their weapons came alight.
The Demigod wanted to add a bit more room into their upcoming fight, so he used the moon's surface as a boost to leap high in the air while The Whale Rider used the edge of the crater's cliff to hurdle himself toward the Demigod as he raised his fishhook high over his head while he moved his glowing white toki poutangata from under his arm and swung up.
Their weapons struck causing a huge explosion of light that sent shocks wave for miles.
The impact sent Maui flying and crashing toward the beach. The Demigod barely had time to get up when The Whale Rider leaped toward him with his weapon and struck him on the back. Maui felt the pain of the new gash on his back. He fought through his pain and gathered his strength and knocked The Whale Rider off him. He grabbed hold his fishhook and used it to slowly pull himself up from the sand. He lifted his hand to the stinging spot on his back and slowly brought it forward only to see his blood in the palm of his hand.
The Whale Rider slowly sat up on the sand a few feet away from him and sat up. He spotted his opponent slowly rising to his feet and used his chance. Maui felt another two painful thrusts to his back followed by three more strikes, one he managed to block with his left arm, and right leg and then the third to one of his ribs. The blows caused him to break two of his limbs and crack at least three ribcages.
Maui laid on the sand, grimacing in pain. Then he quickly reached for his fishhook and blocked The Whale Rider's weapon just in time to stop it from bashing his head. Gritting his teeth, Maui struggled to push his attacker's weapon back with one hand. But the excruciating pain from the gashes on his back and his broken bones made it difficult for him to keep up. Thinking quickly, Maui used his good leg to kick him off far enough for him to turn himself on his stomach and try to get away.
Using his fishhook, Maui dragged himself as far away as he could. He was beyond terrified of this God's power—in fact, he was sure this was going to the end of him. But he couldn't let that happen not now. The Demigod's vision started fading in and out as he struggled to crawl to safety all the while he could hear The Mysterious God's slow resonating thumping footsteps toward him. Maui tried to move faster despite his injuries but didn't move fast enough. He felt a sharp kick to his cracked ribcages, giving him no choice but to lie on his back. The pain forced himself to stop where he laid, forcing the Demigod to look up at the God that was about to end his existence. And the last thing he heard as he watched his long, long life flashing before his eyes while anticipating the end was a loud SPLASH coming from the ocean waves beside him. He looked up and saw The Ocean's watery form coming toward him. Then everything went black.
IIIIIIII
A week passed, and during at that time, Moana did whatever she could to distract herself from the gnawing guilt inside her, without performing tasks that were too demanding for someone of her condition. She attended council meetings, walked around the village accompanied by her mother and daughter, gave advice to those who sought her counsel and of course sometimes she would sneak out to dance with The Ocean—with Hina tagging along every now and again to see her dancing the dance her Gramma Tala had taught her all those years ago.
However, tonight would be different.
A small entourage that had traveled from another distance island had come to Motunui in need of supplies and rest for their investigative journey to figure out the strange occurrence. Moana had called forth another meeting in her fale fono with her father sitting to her directly to right having taken on the role of her Tulafale as she sat at the center of an elevated platform wearing her new puletasi with her neck still bare and her loose hair flowing beneath her tuiga.
Tui spoke and beseeched them to tell her of their news. Moana listened carefully as the Chief spoke accounting the decreased tide on their island and other islands that had disappeared from the increased sea level. Her council of Matais quickly turned to each other and some started whispering among themselves.
"Everyone please calm down." She spoke her voice full of order and dignity as the air filled with her influence and brought her people to silence before she turned to her guests and said, "Please continue."
The middle-aged Chief nodded to her respectfully and continued on with his unnerving tale. Suddenly the thin glow of a torchlight shone through the side of the front pola sheet as one of the men—whom she recognized to be Hiapo's uncle by his wavy black hair and light brown lavalava—unceremoniously ran in the fale fono and quickly got on his knees and bowed pressing his forehead to the floor.
"I'm sorry to disturb your meeting, Chief Moana. But you need to come with me." He said huffing before he slowly sat up and looked straight at her. "Your Faletua's just arrived." Moana and her father along with everyone else in the room turned to one another in confusion till Hiapo's uncle Aputi added, "He's hurt… bad."
Her heart sank in pure dread and she hadn't realized that she nearly stood up till she remembered to execute some proper conduct. Moana took a deep breath and sat back down before turned to everyone sitting below her.
"To our guests, we the people of Motunui humbly welcome you to our island and we hope you'll enjoy your stay here and help yourself to whatever supplies you need." She then turned to her father for a moment before she turned back to their visitors and informed them, "My father, Matai Tui will escort you to the fale talimalo. Now, everyone get some rest and we will resume the council meeting tomorrow."
Moana took off her tuiga and set it in front of her before she stood up straight and making sure to carry an air of dignity and leadership as she headed toward the door.
She pushed the two front pola sheets aside and stepped out with Aputi by her side holding up the torch he'd plunged on the ground. The two ran as fast they could, neither one of them noticing that the moon was no longer full.
IIIIIIII
Aputi led Moana to his sister's house and pulled the pola to one side before he stepped aside and allowed her to enter his sister's home all the while she prepared herself to see what she was about to see as she stepped inside. She stood there in stunned silence seeing an injured Maui lying down flat on his stomach with his long hair tied into a topknot as Aputi's forty-five-year-old sister—the village's Fofō started giving him a massage to heal his broken right leg and left arm.
Moana stood there listening as her demigod consort's soft labored winces of pain as he laid there half-conscious on the fala mat with a simple light brown floral patterned blanket draped over his lavalava and legs. The village's Taulāsea—who was also the Fofō's eldest daughter—then started dabbing a white u'a cloth soaked with salt water and broken Fetau leaves across the three deep gashes on his back to prevent it from getting infected.
The Taulāsea spread the cloth out across the injuries and left it there letting the medicine soak through his skin before she sat down and allowed her mother to massage his broken bones with coconut oil.
Moana immediately went to kneel by his side and started stroking her fingers through his hair. Hearing the light pained wheeze in his breath she was sure that he might've cracked a rib or two.
Hiapo's mother the village Fofō leaned over as she started turned to her and bowed her head before she explained, "I've given him something to drink to help with the pain. So don't expect him to be lucid for a while, Chief Moana."
Moana turned to her with a grateful smile as she replied,
"Thank you, Waiola."
"You're gonna need stronger stuff to knock me out," Maui replied as he moved his half-opened eyes up to look at Moana with a small smile on his face.
She looked down with relief and smiled at him before she leaned down and pressed her forehead and nose against his as she asked in a soft whisper. "Are you going to be okay?"
He slowly raised an eyebrow and smiled as he responded with his usual teasing arrogance, "Hey, I'm Maui remember? I'm immortal and indestructible." She let out a teary laugh before she reached over and gently brushed her hand against his face. His eyes closed, memorizing the way her hand felt against his cheek as she brushed it all the way down to his chin. Maui ever-the-proud half-human deity he was, slowly opened his eyes and wanted to wave her worries away by trying to move his broken arm before Waiola could brace it properly with the two cut half thick bamboo stems and sennit rope.
Maui then cried out in pain twice. One due to underestimating the extent of his injuries and two from the smack Waiola gave him for trying to move his injured limb.
"Hold still," Waiola told him with a stern, motherly tone as she laid the two bamboo stems on each side of his arm and fastened it with the rope before she leaned over and did the same thing to his broken leg.
Grunting, Maui was impressed how much strength this middle-aged widow had which in turn was a reflection of her expertise in medicinal practice...although having six children—five daughters and one son—probably played a huge part in it too.
Waiola went over to the damped cloth on his back and lifted it up to see how much of the oils his skin had absorbed before she slowly draped it back down. She stood up and walked over to her water jar and washed the excess oil off her hands before she turned to Moana smiling as she told her letting out a bit of her friendly humor,
"I can't say I've ever dealt with a bullheaded demigod before. But the good news is his bones are already starting to heal so he should fine within a week." Her sharp motherly eyes saw that he opened his mouth to make some snark comment but she warned him. "And if I catch you moving even one finger or toe from that mat before the week is done—so help me, I will give you the beating of a lifetime."
Maui slowly rolled his eyes hiding the fact that he really didn't want to find out what her definition of a beating was and muttered begrudgingly, "Yes ma'am." Before he felt Moana's fingers brushing the roots of his hair in soft soothing strokes while Waiola and her eldest daughter—the village's Taulāsea prepared another one of those weird tasting herbal concoctions that suppose to hopefully make him sleep.
Moana heard her consort let out a soft groan and looked down to see the look of disgust on his face as he looked up at her and mouthed the words, "That stuff's nasty." She couldn't help but laugh at his smart-mouth comments. Oh, how she missed them. Soon the pair heard Waiola and her daughter's footsteps approaching the sleeping mat. Maui immediately scrunched his nose in disgust and dread for a second before he turned to Moana hoping that she would get him out from drinking that.
"Oh stop it, it isn't that bad." Waiola scolded him before she brought the coconut husk cup filled with that awful tasting drink toward him. He looked up at Moana again hoping that she would exert her authority as The Village Chief and get him out of drinking that so-called medicine. But all she could do was shrug her shoulders with an apologetic look on her face as Waiola put her hand on her hip and her daughter crossed her arms over her chest.
Both mother and daughter looked down at him with stern eyes.
Seeing no other way out of this...The Great and Powerful Maui closed his eyes and took a long deep breath, ignoring the sharp pain from his three cracked ribs before he raised his hand horizontally flat in the air. Waiola dropped the coconut husk bowl on the palm of his large hand and with one gulp the mighty demigod drank the whole thing in a single go. Not expecting the extremely strong taste after he swallowed the liquid down, he quickly made a face and started to cough.
"What the heck did you put in it?!" He exclaimed in-between coughs. Waiola stared at him pushing her lips to one side as she answered, "The usual leaves and roots I used earlier. But you wanted stronger stuff so I tripled the normal dosage just for you." No sooner did she say that he let intoxicated groan as the medicine started to take effect.
Well, whatever she did it seemed to be working as he fought to keep his eyes open. Moana leaned over and undid his topknot before started brushing her fingers through his curly hair.
"Stop it. You're gonna make me sleep." Maui told her with a tired annoyed tone in his voice as he laid there, eyes half opened and scowling partially at the fact they were treating him like an impudent child rather than the Great Demigod he was.
Moana raised an eyebrow and kept going as she retorted, "That's the whole point. Besides you've earned it and the faster you rest the quicker you'll get better."
He still continued on fighting a losing battle as he struggled to keep his constant closing eyes open. "And if I say I'm not gonna sleep till I see our kid."
She leaned over and pressed a loving kiss to his forehead and promised him as he looked up at her. "Then I'll say, you can see her in the morning." She pulled away and added, "Now get some rest."
He sighed and chuckled and said finally surrendering to sleep, "Fine." Moana continued stroking his hair and listened to the sounds of his soft snores as the medicine made him sleep. Waiola then offered to take her home. But she declined and asked if she was allowed to stay with him for the night?
IIIIIIII
"I don't know how you put up with him?" Waiola noted, pulling up her graying dark brown hair into in a topknot.
Moana smiled and looked up at her as she continued stroking his hair while he slept, "It's not that hard to figure him out. Believe me. Besides he knows how to make the children happy."
Waiola nodded in agreement as she said sitting down beside her, "Well I suppose that's true. Hmmm... now that I think about it, your consort can consider this my thanks for making my son's day." She paused for a moment as a soft reminiscent smile appeared on her face as the memories of her late husband started to resurface. "I haven't seen him that thrilled since his father..." Moana placed her hand on her shoulder.
Waiola took a deep breath and immediately waved her young Chief's comfort away. "I'm fine, I'm fine. We all have to move on eventually." Changing the subject Waiola then asked the question that had actually been plaguing her mind since that Poor Boy brother of hers had Maui brought into her home. "What living being could've done that much damage to demigod of all things?"
Moana knew. It had to be one of the Gods... then her trail of thought paused. Why did he try to fight them? "What happened?" She questioned unintentionally.
Waiola answered, thinking she was talking about how her brother had found Maui on the beach. "Well, Atapi told me the strangest thing. One minute he was keeping guard on the island shore and the next minute the ocean literally sped toward him carrying your injured faletua on its surface before laying him on the sand." Waiola then couldn't help but laugh at the memory as she continued on referring to her brother by his nickname, "Poor Boy had to run back to the village for help to lift Maui's behind." Waiola turned and saw Moana wasn't laughing and immediately cleared her throat. "My apologies, Chief."
Moana politely replied. "Apology accepted."
Waiola was secretly relieved that she wasn't talking to Tui right now... or she would never hear the end of it from him.
"So what do you think hurt him?" The middle-aged fofō asked again.
Moana turned to her and answered. "One of the Gods I guess... or that Giant Crab Tamatoa he keeps talking about."
Waiola went. "Hmph. Gods and Giant Crabs. My goodness nothing is ever simple with you two isn't it?"
Moana chuckled and shook her head as she jokingly replied. "Unfortunately." The two women stopped and turned when they heard his soft sharp hisses of pain as he slept. Moana reached over and brushed her fingers through his thick curly hair as his facial muscles started to cringe from the pain. "Shh... shh... You're okay. You're going to be okay." She whispered in his ear as she continued comforting him the best she could, unaware that Waiola had got up and laid a sleeping mat down for her.
"Time for you to get some sleep too, Chief Moana," Waiola said, laying a blanket down on the sleeping mat she'd set up for her. Moana immediately shook her head and tried to object but Waiola cut her off, "Don't forget you've got two lives within your body. And one of them isn't your own. Go on now." Moana sighed before she turned to her faletua and saw that he'd started to relax.
"I'll see you the morning." She whispered before placing a kiss to the side of his head. She brushed her hand against his cheek before she stood up and headed over the sleeping mat and laid down on her side.
She pulled the blanket to her shoulders and stared at Maui, watching him as he slept.
IIIIIIII
Meanwhile,
Tui and Sina took Hinatea to their home for the night, knowing it was the best option for the time being. Little Hina laid asleep on her sleeping mat when she suddenly woke to faint glint coming from the side of her grandparents' pola sheet. She slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes before she turned back toward the door. Giggling excitedly she got up and toddled over toward the door before she pushed the sheet to one side. An excited gasp left her lips when she saw her moon friend standing before her. "You came back!" She shouted raising her arms up toward him. Marama slowly wrapped his fingerless arms around her tiny body and lifted her up. Hina giggled and pressed her hands to what she believed to be his face. "You all better?" She asked. Softly, Marama nodded his head. Smiling Hina leaned over and gave him a hongi before she pulled away. Then Marama gave her one in return before he slowly put her down. Confused, by the senses she could feel from him. She looked up at him and asked, "You going away?" Marama stood there looking down at her through his tiki mask. He remained silent not by choice—but because he couldn't speak.
Hina waddled over toward him and wrapped her arms around his transparent form. "You coming back, okay?" She asked looking up at him with a small glimmer of hope through her watery brown eyes. "Okay?" She asked again as she tried holding on to him tighter. Marama phased right through her arms and slowly glided down backwards from the paepae. Her teary eyes widen in disbelief as she watched him continue moving backwards as he went further and further away from her grandparents' fale.
Sobbing, Hina climbed down the stairs and chased after him with her little arms outstretched toward her friend as he slowly started float off the ground. Hina ran toward the spot he just stood on and tripped on a taro root, skinning her little hands and knees against the dirt. The pain made her bawl even harder as she laid there with her stomach to the ground and her back to the night sky.
Her loud screaming cries alerted her grandparents from inside their fale, and nearly scared them to death when they saw her missing from her sleeping mat. Tui immediately rushed out in a panic and saw his crying granddaughter down on the ground about six to nine feet away from the house. His heart leaped to his throat and he made a mad dash toward the girl before he lifted her up and pulled her close. "What happened? Are you hurt? Let me see—" Hina pulled her hands away from her grandfather and clasped them together,
"No..." She sobbed before she turned and stretched her toward the moon. "Come back... come back..." The little girl buried her face against her grandfather's shoulder. Tui turned and looked up to see the moon was no longer full like it had been for the past two months. Part of him felt relieved to know that the moon had returned to its lunar cycle, however, part of his heart broke to see his granddaughter so despondent over the fact that the moon was changing. "Everything will be all right." He spoke to reassure her, "The full moon will be back soon."
Hina slowly pulled herself away from her grandpa's shoulder and looked up at him, hiccupping as the tears still streamed down her face,
"Then I'll see my friend?"
Tui sighed and smiled reluctantly as part of him was still slightly unnerved by his granddaughter's unusual fascination with the moon. "Yes, then you'll see your friend again." Hina continued on sobbing and hiccuping, but she started to calm down as her grandfather brought her back to his fale.
Sina looked up at them both the minute they walked in and Hina immediately stretched her arms out toward her grandma and clung to her the minute she was in her arms. Her grandmother started to comfort her the same way she comforted her mother all those years ago. Tui then offered to make her coconut milk but the little girl shook her head and clung to her grandmother harder. Her hands hurt, her knees hurt and most of all... she already missed her friend.
IIIIIIII
Maui, the larger than life demigod didn't know what time it was or how long he'd been out? But there was one thing that he was sure of. He needed to go quite badly and he needed Moana to help him get up. "Moana..."
Moana stirred, grunted and turned on the sleeping in response to whoever was calling her name. Maui grunted in annoyance as he laid there desperately needing to answer nature's call. "Moana." He called her again, a little louder this time. And to his admiration and annoyance she let out a soft sigh but she didn't wake. He tried again. "Curly." But she remained asleep. Now, irritated and nearly ready to burst he shouted, "Hey, Sleeping Beauty I gotta go!" Waiola threw a wooden bowl to his head to shut him up so he wouldn't possibly wake her eight-year-old son Hiapo, who was sleeping beside her. Though he was pretty sure if the boy didn't wake up from his shouting he could sleep through anything.
Moana let out a tired groan as she sat up before she turned to her faletua with annoyed eyes.
"What?" She asked with an exasperated tone in her voice.
Maui, unaffected by the glare she was giving him then replied like an overgrown man-child, "I gotta go. You know as in go, go."
Moana yawned and told him as her eyes started to close, "Then get up and do your business outside..."
Maui looked up at her and could tell that her brain was obviously still half-asleep. He raised his good arm up, lifting his finger as he reminded her, "Yeah... trust me, I would if I could. But uh... I got a bit of a broken leg and arm here, remember?" Sighing tiredly Moana got up and headed over toward him when Waiola got up and put her hands on her young Chief's shoulders and stopped her.
"No, you don't. You're pregnant and you're going back to sleep while I handle your bullheaded faletua."
Moana replied as she politely moved Waiola's hands off her shoulders, "It's fine. Besides, I'm the only one who can lift him anyway." Moana walked over toward him and carefully draped his braced broken arm over her shoulder. "You good?" She asked him. Maui nodded before he pressed his hand to the floor and used his good leg to hoist them both up. He leaned on Moana as they walked outside. Waiola stood at the entrance of her house shaking her head in amusement as she watched the two before she disappeared inside and let her
He leaned on Moana as they walked outside and walked down the stone steps. Waiola stood at the entrance of her house shaking her head in amusement as she watched the two before she disappeared inside and let her pola sheet fall back into place.
IIIIIIII
Moana stood with her back against a mango tree as she looked up at the starry night sky and savored the cool breeze and the salty smell of the sea air as she slowly closed her eyes and listened to sounds of the waves hitting the rocks and the sand. It calmed her of her troubling thoughts to the point of nodding off while standing and the point where she couldn't hear her consort calling out to her from wherever he was?
"Moana, you okay over there?" He called out to her as he leaned against the tree having just finished a few minutes ago. She didn't answer him again. He sighed and using his last resort, pressed his hand against the bark of a tree and using his good arm and leg, began limping over to where she was. The expectant mother gasped when her consort suddenly spoke out in a joking manner, "You know... I'm beginning to think you enjoy seeing me struggle."
She put her hand to her chest and took a deep breath to regain her composure before she turned away from him. The questions started flowing in her mind like a wild uncontrollable river during monsoon season.
Maui raised a concerned eyebrow and asked, "You okay?"
"Huh...? Oh yeah, I'm... fine. Great!" She said forcing a smile as she looked up right at him with her hands clasped together.
He saw right through that one and leaned over toward the tree beside him while putting his hand on his hip. With one eyebrow raised, he told her, "Okay, first off. You're making it way too obvious that you're lying. Second off, let me just apologize for waking you up like that. You know, with you being pregnant again and all."
A soft smile came to her lips as she replied, "Apology accepted." She paused for a moment while trying to put the words to her question together.
Maui turned to her and saw that she was deep in thought and that only made him even more concerned. "You sure you're alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied but he didn't seem convinced. Sighing to himself, he hoisted himself up and carefully walked over toward her and leaned on the side of the tree adjacent to her.
"You wanna talk about it?" He asked as he turned to her with a gentle dimpled smile on his face. Moana looked up at him and saw the encouraging look on his face before she replied,
"I have a lot on my mind right now."
"Like what?" He asked. And she swore this conversation felt very familiar to paused for a few minutes, once again trying to decide whether she should actually tell him what's bothering her or should she give him the very treatment he deserved? In the end, she decided to do both.
She turned to him and said, "Like an old friend of yours named, Nunya."
He immediately stared at her with an annoyed faced and one eyebrow raised. Did she really have to go there? He couldn't believe that this was happening to him right now of all nights. "Okay,and you get mad at me for keeping secrets—"
"Only when it puts your life at risk. Like it did this time. You could've been killed!" She stopped herself from screaming at his face as she looked at him dead in the eye. Maui pulled himself back away from her slightly and listened as she continued trying to stay calm, "Why didn't you just tell me?"
Tell her what? That he was off to fight that strange unknown Whale Riding God? That The Whale Rider was responsible for what happened to the moon? That he almost died... That he didn't want her to come and put her and their unborn child's life at risk.
She saw the regret in his eyes as he looked down on the ground, but that wasn't enough to sway her from getting answers. So she repeated the question, "Why didn't you just tell me?"
He let out another long sigh as he stared on without facing her. "'cause I knew you'd want to come along if I did." She got up and walked the short distance toward his side of the tree. He closed his eyes and continued looking away from her. Soon he felt her right hand on the left side of his cheek, and very slowly she turned his head toward where she stood.
She then told him as she started stroking her thumb against his skin. "Of course, I would've wanted to come. But that doesn't mean I would." She then stopped stroking her thumb and pressed her hand on the side of his face. "I'm pregnant and I won't be going anywhere anytime soon." She then pulled her hand away, now realizing the implication he'd unintentionally made.
It was maddening and it really hurt. Maui looked down at her completely puzzled by her actions.
"Do you trust me?" She asked him blatantly with a serious look on her face.
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Do I trust you? Moana, you know I do—"
She spoke out trying not to sound too frustrated. "Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to do something... that dangerous while I'm pregnant?"
Maui's eyes immediately went wide as he turned to her in shock. "No! Where'd you get that idea—"
Partially satisfied with his response, she walked over to him and told him bluntly. "Then you should've told me the truth from the very beginning."
Maui opened his mouth to say something in his defense when he heard a small jingle and saw Mini-Mini looking up at him with a knowing look in his eyes as his little-tattooed friend waved his arm over toward Moana's direction, clearly encouraging him to apologize.
The Demigod sighed remorsefully before he looked up and saw that she'd moved about three to four feet away from the tree with her arms wrapped around herself in a hug.
"Moana," He started before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I... uh... didn't tell you the truth. I'm sorry for keeping secrets..." His shoulders slumped as he realized just how much of a pain and jerk he'd been. He turned to look at her, hoping that she would at least glance at him while he made his apology. But she never did... and that was okay with him. He knew he deserved it. But that didn't mean that she deserved to feel miserable for his stupid choices.
A small smile made its way to his lips as he turned to her again. Before he continued on, mixing his sincere apologies with a bit of humor. "I'm sorry for calling you nosey when all you were trying to do was help." He paused for a minute before he added, "And, I'm a big dumb old Shark head who never seems to learn his lesson." She let out a sniffled laugh when that ridiculous image came to mind.
He saw her grip on herself ease up a bit. He braced himself as he pressed his right hand against the tree bark and prepared to carefully walk over toward her.
Moana turned and heard his slow, strong footsteps behind her and saw him struggling to make his way toward her. She quickly went over to him and put her hand to his chest, "Easy... easy." She whispered trying to keep him standing. Maui turned to look down at her with a soft smile on his face.
"Thanks, Mo." He replied and then continued, "Listen. I'm really sorry— I never should've kept the whole thing a secret from you. And I promise it'll never happen again."
She raised an eyebrow and asked with pure skepticism in her voice, "Do you really mean it?"
Maui turned to her with a confident smile as he pulled his right arm away from her shoulder and said, "I, Maui, Demigod of the Wind and Sea, Hero to all, Faletua to the ever amazing Chief Moana Waialiki and father to the extraordinary Hinatea WaialikiI give you my word. It will never happen again."
Moana then poked the center of his chest. "It better not or you'll have more than the Gods to worry about." He jokingly raised his right hand in surrender. Her smile widened and that was a sight that warmed his heart. She carefully draped his arm back around her shoulder and said as she walked them off. "C'mon Shark head, I have a feeling our daughter's up and she'll be very happy to see you."
The pair walked off, with Maui leaning mostly on Moana for support as he said chuckling, "Okay, now you're just rubbing it in." She chuckled and replied as her voice became a bit softer with each step she took.
"Maybe a little."
IIIIIIII
For the past nine months, life in Motunui continued on like normal.
Hina grew, now standing slightly above her father's waist and to his relief, she didn't inherit his short legs and was going to have normal proportions. But it was still too early to see who's head shape she'll inherited—he still hopes that she'll have Moana's—but the resemblance between them became even more apparent when her now wild curly hair started to grow out past her shoulders. And her nose slowly started to take its shape. Like he feared, she'd inherited his nasals but just like he also predicted they weren't as prominent as his—and he thanked Moana's bloodline for that.
Most of all he hopes that their second child would take after her side of the family rather than his own—not that he even knew what his real parents looked like nor did he care really.
Marama stopped showing up since he, Maui saved the moon all those nine months ago, although Hina still asked about him every now and again, but he'd always had some smart answer to her questions.
Of course, there was one thing that he couldn't quite answer and it all started when Moana went into labor that afternoon and Hina learned that Sina, Waiola and her eldest daughter along with the faatosaga were the only ones who were allowed inside the home at this time.
The little girl immediately started pressing with her questions about why she, her grandfather or any man wasn't allowed inside? Maui didn't answer her—he was still having a hard time wrapping his mind around the silly tradition—instead, he decided to take his little girl down to volcanic rocks for a much-needed distraction… and what better way to do that than fishing?
Hina fixed up her red flower patterned pareo and ran over and wrapped her tiny fingers around his index finger as he led them off to his favorite fishing spot.
IIIIIIII
Thud.
Maui sat Hina down against the volcanic rock's surface. She looked up grinning while leaning her back forward toward her father. Watching in complete anticipation as he lifted his fishhook off his shoulder.
"No daughter of mine is not gonna know how to fish." He told her as he put his fishhook down before he put his fingers together and cracked his knuckles. "Watch and learn sweetheart. Daddy's gonna show you how a real man catches fish." He picked up his fishhook, tied the rope to the top and proceeded to walk over toward the edge of the rock and ordered after he threw his fishhook into the water, "All right Ocean, do your stuff!"
The Ocean immediately appeared in a large swell and sprayed a large amount seawater at his face, forcing him to close his eyes.
Maui, now soaked from head to toe, coughed and spat out the salt water out of his mouth before he yelled out, "Oh c'mon!" before The Ocean spat out a familiar blue fish right at his face.
Hina let out a giggle and Maui lifted his long wet hair off his face and looked down at the fish. He clenched his fist before he spoke in a deep dangerous voice. "You."
Wide-eyed, the blue fish scrambled its fins toward the nearest geyser it could find. Maui chased after it like there was no tomorrow and in his frustrated frenzy was completely unaware that the blasted creature had led him toward a row of geysers till the great Demigod himself was blown off into the air, again, again and again.
Hina, thinking this was all a fun game giggled as she chased after her father.
THUD!
Maui landed flat on his back, with his hair spread out under his head and each of his arms out wide at a ninety-degree angle as he bore a bewildered look on his face while facing the sky, while the fish jumped back into the sea.
Hina caught up and plopped herself next to him mimicking his posture and giggling as she declared, "Look! I'm you, Papa!" Maui—who was a little bit disorientated—turned to face his daughter and saw the toothy smile on her face as his mind slowly registered what she'd just said.
He let out a warm chuckle. "Yeah, you are." He told her smiling before he turned and picked her up and bounced her in the air, taking in the wonderful sounds of her giggles before an unexpected sound echoed through from the maota tofa. They were the loud resonating sounds of a conch shell horn. Which could only mean one thing?
Maui, in a fit of excitement accidentally threw Hina a little too high up in the air before he screamed. "CHEEHOO!" Mini-Maui started to panic and then he gave his reckless host a hard smack on the arm and immediately started raving about as he pointed up in the air. Maui looked up and saw his screaming daughter hurling down toward them. Maui made a mad dash for his fishhook and immediately ran back toward one of the geysers before he stomped his big foot on it. The Demigod jumped on the geyser and waited. Finally, a strong spit of water and steam shot up, shooting him up in the air. He reached for his daughter and pulled her close before he swung her over his shoulder. Hina grabbed hold of her father's locks and clasped them tightly.
A flash of blue appeared followed by the cry of a hawk. He turned his smiley beak feathered head toward her. Puzzled, she looked down and saw that they were actually in the air. A small gasp escaped her lips before her father let out a screech as he looked back at her. "I'm good, Papa!" Hina replied as she gripped his feathers tight. Maui flapped his wings he flew higher into the air. Hina had an ecstatic smile on her face as they flew through the clouds. She looked down and saw Motunui far below before she let out an excited shout. "CHEEHOO!"
His heart bubbled with pride to hear his daughter trying to imitate his favorite cry. Maui looked down and slowly glided down straight back toward the island before he slowly turned at an angle and made sure he'd given Hina enough time to tightened the grip on his feathers while he tried to circle the maota taofa.
Near exploding uncontrollable excitement filled his heart as his ears picked up the beautiful sounds of a newborn baby's shrieking cries from down below. His mind filled with thoughts of the new baby and the amount of fun he was having with Hina, he'd completely forgotten he was in plain sight of Tui and the other male village elders waiting outside his and Moana's home as he circled the area.
He turned to look at his daughter over his shoulder and Hina saw the awestruck look on his daughter's face. He almost felt bad that he had to land soon, but the plan was for them to see the new baby. So he glided down and landed with a loud THUMP before he changed back into his human form. Hina threw her arms in the air as she stood up on his shoulders and screamed. "That was awesome, papa!" She turned to her father and said, "Can we go again, please!?" Tui walked down the stone stones of the paepae as he slowly approached his granddaughter and son-in-law.
Maui chuckled as he slowly pulled her off his shoulders and settled her in his arms. "Okay, okay, but we'll go after we see the baby."
Hina then asked, "Can we go faster then!" Maui opened his mouth ready to tell her not till she was older when Tui cut him off and said,
"You'll do no such thing,"
Maui, realizing that they'd saw everything began cursing himself internally while holding Hina in his arm as he asked trying to sound sure of himself as he always did. "And why not? She's safe. I'm safe. Everything's gonna be fine. I'm not 'bout let anything happen to my little girl." Hina pushed her way out of her father's arms and started climbing up his arm to his shoulders.
She sat down and hid behind her father's head before she popped out and let out a childish "Rawr!" Tui crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Maui specifically with stern eyes.
"She's a young girl—"
Maui cut him off unintentionally and lifted Hina off his shoulders,
"Who has Quartergoddess potential." He stopped the minute he saw Tui's eyes narrowing and quickly said, "Sorry."
Tui continued on. "Having great strength isn't enough to protect her. You need to think of her safety—" Maui opened his mouth but Tui continued on and said, "And taking her flying at this age is dangerous. Especially with the height you were in the air."
"She's fine as long as I'm around—"
"That's my point. But you can't be there to watch her every single second of every day."
"Uh yeah, I can. 'cause I'm gonna be there with her every single second of every day." He paused, his eyes widened for a moment when he remembered there would be one moment where he would always give her privacy and quickly added, "Y'know except when she needs to go, go." Tui kept his disapproving gaze on his reckless demigod son-in-law.
Maui bounced Hina once more before he settled his daughter in his arm and started to walk past his father-in-law, "Anyway, it's nice talking to you Tui. But Shark-bait and I have a baby to see—"
Tui sighed and spoke out "I wasn't done yet Maui." Groaning softly The Demigod stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to face his father-in-law.
Luckily Sina then came out just as Tui was about to speak and climbed down the steps with a bright smile on her face and walked over to her son-in-law and they greeted each other with a hongi. They pulled away and she said while looking up at him. "She's ready to see you now." He smiled gratefully at her and replied, "Thanks." Sina quickly moved to one side and watched with pure joy on her face as he rushed inside with Hina in his arms. The rest of the village elders quickly turned to Tui with concerns on their faces.
Tui simply crossed over his chest as he stared at the front door, shaking his head.
He really needed to talk to Maui after they all had a chance to see the baby.
IIIIIIII
Hina didn't quite know what to make it as she stood there with her head tilted to one side as she watched her father trying to balance the little thing in his arm. Maui remarked with a small proud smile on his face, "She's so tiny."
Moana smiled at the sight for a few minutes cleared her throat signaling him that it was eldest daughter's turn to see the baby. Maui looked up smiling before he turned to their daughter, "You wanna hold your new sister, Shark-bait?" Hina nodded and leaned over. Then she saw the little bundle started to flail about. She pulled away for a second before she leaned over to look at the baby again, cocking her head to one side in astonishment
Maui nudged his head toward the spot next to him. Hina immediately sat down next to him. Hina crossed her legs and waited. Maui carefully placed the baby on her lap and guided her hands to hold the baby properly. Hina cocked her head again to one side before she looked up at her father and asked, "Baby?"
Maui smiled as he answered. "Yeah. Meet your sister, kiddo."
"Well, what are you sitting and gawking at her for?" Waiola said chuckling as she along with her daughter and the faatosaga were folding Moana's sleeping mats, making sure that the new mother had everything ready for her one month stay at her parents' house. "Give your sister a kiss on the head to say hello."
"Okay!" Hina replied before she leaned down and quickly pressed her lips to her newborn sister's forehead. The three women were all smiles as they giggled at the sweet sight. Hina slowly pulled away and continued staring at the baby. Maui smiled as he leaned over and put his hand on her shoulder.
"You like your new sister, Shark-bait?" He asked. Hina turned and immediately nodded. Her father smiled and said, "And you're gonna help mommy and daddy take care of her right?" She nodded again grinning as she looked up at him. Suddenly a strange feeling started coming up inside her. She looked down at the squirming little baby in her arms. A new understanding slowly made its way through her mind. She was big and this baby was little, which meant it could get hurt more, and this baby was a part of her family—since her mama had the baby. So that made her even more special. Because they both came from the same place.
Hina leaned over to give her new sister another kiss on the forehead before she pulled away and whispered,
"Hi, Tala."
List of terminologies:
Wherereitanga: Birth.
Fetau: A plant that is known as Alexandrian laurel. Traditional doctors break and soak its leaves in salt water to help cure rashes and infection.
Tuiga: A traditional Samoan Headdress used by The Chief and The Chief's children.
Tulafale: The Orator Chief.
Whenua o Marama: "The Land of Marama." In Maori. The o is a used after a noun as a possessive denominator when describing an object, property or living thing.
Toki poutangata: A traditional Maori adze commonly made from greenstone (pounamu) that is usually used for ceremonial purposes, but can be used as weapons as well.
Taulāsea: A traditional Samoan healer.
Faatosaga: A Samoan healer who specializes in pregnancy and midwifery.
Fofō: A word used to describe a traditional massage or the person who specializes in traditional massages that are used to help treat sprains, aches, and other ailments.
Fale Fono: The Chief's meeting house that is strictly used only for meetings between a group of chiefs (also known as fono)
Fale Talimalo: The Samoan word for Guest House.
Matai: A word to describe a Chief of lower rank than an Ali'i, Orator Chief or a potential heir to become a new Ali'i. (For story purposes a Matai here would be used to describe someone of lower rank to an Ali'i)