Hey, guys! Sorry for the extremely long update, but things are starting to get even busier in school as we're hitting close to the middle of the year. But the good news is I've started on Chapter seven, and the bad news is I'm not sure when it's going to be uploaded.

Like always, this chapter has only gone through a mild edit, so don't be surprised if you see some changes in the chapter on a later date.
With that said, please enjoy!

P.S
Sorry for the short chapter guys, but in all honesty, I couldn't come up with any other ending.

Chapter Six: Huranga (Part One)

Tala followed and was careful on where she stepped as her ancestor's spirit continued leading her deeper and deeper into the jungle. Suddenly he stopped right in front of the large tree hollow covered by thick vines and waved his hand over the vines.

The little girl carefully made her way over the spot and stepped over the large root before she pressed her feet against the thick patch of grass surrounding the tree. Tala walked close and reached for the vines and pushed them to one side before she slowly peeked her head in as the small reflection of moonlight covered the grass inside it.

Following her instincts, she kept still and made herself quiet on the inside. She listened to her island and everything in it. Her ears picked a low humming sound from the center of the tree hollow. Her feet led the way as she stepped inside, her hands reached out just below a small patch of tall grass. She pulled out the small carved touched and smiled when she felt its mana against her fingertips. In fact, she could feel a lot of life force just being under this tree.

She walked up and pressed her hand against the bark and she could hear, smell and feel its history. This place used to be a hideaway where children who'd lived more than a thousand years before her used to play.

Suddenly she heard the wind and the grass and her friends whispering in the breeze, blow it… blow it… blow it!

"Okay…" Tala whispered hesitantly before she put the mouthpiece to her lips and blew. Part of her felt that this was the right thing to do and yet another part of her told her this wasn't going to wake her sister up—suddenly a cool gust of wind forced its way from the east and stopped just as quickly as it came. Then someone gently placed his or her hand on her shoulder. She looked up and let out a soft gasp as she gazed upon the person before her. The middle-aged man before her wore a simple tuiga on his head—made solely from red chicken feathers and six smaller green chicken feathers—three on either side of his white inner shell on the red centerpiece. Her eyes gazed upon the hair he had on his chin, his aged slanted eyes and finally the pāua shell centerpiece on his whale teeth necklace. And then she saw that this blue glowing Chief wore a ti leaf skirt around his waist that held together with a waist garment made from bamboo fiber and white coffee bean shells and pieces of white wood or hollowed bone dangling in the spaces between the shells, and his last piece of clothing was an armband made from woven flax leaves and decorated with red fibers that lined the top and bottom edges of his band.

Her young voice uttered a name in a soft awestruck whisper,

"Matai Vasa…"

The Spirit of Motunui's first founder and her forbearer nodded as he looked down to his youngest descendant. Tala immediately stood up with pure excitement written her eyes.

Matai Vasa knelt down and pressed his forehead and nose to hers in a hongi before he stretched out his hand toward the instrument in her hand and pulled out its mana, producing another slightly transparent nguru for him to hold. He pressed his right nostril close with the first finger of his right hand, put the mouthpiece to his left nostril and blew while he slowly stood up.

The winds came whirling all around the spot as more of her and her mother's ancestors appeared before her from Matai Vasa to his son and all the way down to her great-grandfather Soba.

A small open-mouthed grin appeared on Tala's lips as she gazed upon her great-grandfather and she carefully observed the resemblance between him and her grandfather Tui.

They both had the same shaped eyes, nose, and jaw but different hairstyles. Her grandfather's hair was curlier whereas Soba's was wavier—and light gray compared to her grampa's dark gray locks. And just like Matai Vasa and Grampa Tui, he had hair on his face, but unlike them, his started on the spot between his nose and his top lip, and went all the around his mouth and stopped right on his chin.

Soba stepped forward away from the group and approached his great-granddaughter. The little girl's smile widened as she looked up at him with a hope shining in her eyes.

She could feel his willingness and guidance within her heart. She looked on and watched as the small flute was passed from each of her ancestors till it reached her great-grandfather. Soba took it from his father and blew.

A loud pitch humming sound came from the instrument. Suddenly balls of fire appeared in midair and separated in two rows, creating a path further down the jungle.

Tala hesitated for a moment and looked up to her great-grandfather, Soba. He nodded encouragingly. She turned back toward the lit path and slowly made her way down the jungle.

IIIIIIII

What felt like hours had passed when she'd finally reached the end of the lit path only to find the moonlight shine on a desolate damaged fale covered in tattered pola sheets, moss, and dust.

Tala felt an internal tug pulling her toward the fale. It had a story, her ancestor's—her story to tell. Her little feet pressed against the wooden surface as she climbed up the four steps all the way to its narrow paepae.

The dust shifted and flew from her steps as she walked deeper and deeper into the dark isolated fale. The bluish glows of her ancestor's spirits and the very faint pink full body halos of their mana filled the room as one by one they appeared behind her.

Matai Vasa stepped forth and blew on the nguru once again. A loud pitch humming sound came from the instrument. The effects of the music, the slight changes in pitch had a calming but powerful effect on her. Tala's eyes slowly drooped, her body slowly relaxed and soon she lay down on the stone floor, resting her head on her hand.

IIIIIIII

She opened her eyes and found herself facing the back of the old fale. She turned around and saw herself sleeping on the stone floor and she didn't feel scared. In fact, she felt safe and happy to see that she matched the rest of her ancestors. A happy giggle slowly escaped her lips as she stared down at her semi-transparent and her almost invisible feet. Tala looked up with a beaming smile on her face and saw her great-grandfather looking down at her. He extended his hand toward her and she gripped his finger.

"Are we gonna wake Hina up again?" She asked. Soba slowly shook his head and told her as he led her out of the fale, "You can't help her on your own but you can show your parents the way."

Tala tilted her head and asked, "How?" As he led them toward the right side of the island where the manifestation of drua stood on the near the shore. Soba lifted his great-granddaughter up by her waist and walked over to the boat's side before he set her down on the boat.

The little girl slowly walked over toward the back end of the large vessel and stared on at the horizon line between the sky and sea. There was one thing she wanted to ask, what exactly did he mean by helping her sister? But she got her answer. She wasn't anywhere on the island and she wasn't anywhere on the sea—so where was she?

"Why'd the ocean hurt her?" Tala asked as her great-grandfather walked over, climbed down the main body of the vessel to one of its hulls and knelt down on the edge of the drua's left canoe and dipped his left hand in the water. "The Ocean didn't hurt her," Soba explained as his great-granddaughter followed him down, "It's trying to help her."

Tala cocked her head to one side and asked, "Why?"

Soba smiled lightly as he explained, "She's forgotten her place and she's lost."

"Lost?" Tala inquired. Soba pulled his hand out of the water and sat down crossed legged beside her. Tala folded her legs beneath her and turned to her great-grandfather.

"She has an ego as big as the sea itself and its blinded her to who she really is."

There was a long pause between them and Soba turned to see the thoughtful look on his great-granddaughter's face as she stared at the horizon. Tala finally turned to him and asked, "You mean like how she's gonna be even prettier than she is?"

Soba raised his eyebrows as he squinted his eyes and pushed his lips to one side while looking proudly at her, "So… You know." Tala immediately nodded before she looked up at him.

"Why?" She asked.

Soba's expression turned solemn for a moment before he faced her, "Are you sure you want to know?"

Tala paused for a moment and saw the look on his face and then said, "Only if you want me to know."

Soba eyes narrowed for a moment and he had a questioning look on his face as he pointed to her, "And what if I never want you to know? What will you do then?"

"I can wait forever," Tala replied with a sincere smile on her face. Soba slowly nodded in approval and said to her before he told her,

Soba slowly nodded in approval and said to her before he told her, "Dip your hand in the water the same time I do."

Soba then teasingly wriggled his fingers toward the water and Tala mimicked his movements and he playfully wagged his finger at her and said, "I said dip, not wiggle." He saw the look on her face and could tell that she was holding herself back from making a comeback.

So he stuck his tongue out at her before he pulled his tongue back in his mouth and put on a daring look on his face. Tala still hesitated and Soba chuckled and asked, "Where's that famous Waialiki fire—"

Tala then stuck her tongue at him and said, "Now it's time!" Before she had a cheeky smile on her face.

Soba smiled back and stared at her for a moment, "You're just like my Tala."

"Where is she?" The little girl asked. Soba then pointed toward the water and told her, "She's living in the sea… as a Mantra-ray, flapping her beautiful arms!" An affectionate smile came to his lips and Tala's eyes and smile brightened to be able to hear and see the clear love in him. If there was one thing that Tala truly treasured more than anything it was love between Mommies and Daddies, brothers and sisters or brothers and brothers or sisters and sisters and so on and so forth.

As if reading her mind Soba told her, "Love is one of the most powerful things in the world—"

"I know." Tala replied, cutting him off before she continued, "Daddy says love makes you kooky-dooks like The Ocean. But I don't think The Ocean's kooky-dooks."

Soba smiled dipped his fingers into the water and Tala quickly followed, "Well then you're a very smart girl to think otherwise. The Ocean knows everything about us, our past, our ancestors, our thoughts and our hearts. But most of all it brings life."

Tala turned to her great-grandfather with a cognitive look on her face as she waited for him to continue when suddenly both their hands glowed brighter in the water and the light slowly spread a few feet in front of them and then divided into two before it around one end and the other creating a spiral with two tails on opposite ends.

The spirals spun faster and faster, and its life grew brighter and brighter. Tala's was immediately entranced by the sight and little by little small forms started to appear on the water's surface.

She saw her mother standing on the beach at dawn with her belly poking out against the surface of her clothes and her hair down, dipping her feet into small waves hitting the sand. Then she saw The Ocean lifting itself up into a swell before it leaned forward enveloped itself around her waist, going round and around her middle. Moana smiled as she started stroking its watery form.

The Ocean could feel the baby inside her mother was in trouble. Deep trouble. Soba took his hand out of the water and the image disappeared. Tala leaned over closer trying to catch whatever glimpse was there, but there was nothing left for her to know. She turned to great-grandfather with a confused look on her face. Soba slowly stood up.

"Who's the baby in Mommy's belly?" Tala asked as she slowly stood up.

Soba answered, "Your sister, Hina."

Tala eyes slowly turned to the wooden boards as another cognitive expression came to her face. "So she was sick?"

Soba slowly closed his eyes for a moment and replied, choosing his words carefully. "Yes, she was sick. Very sick." He looked up at the full moon with a somber expression on his face. The next parts were hard for him to put into simple words. He slowly turned to Tala and saw the little look of wonder and worry on her gentle face. Finally, he decided to simplify his words as he explained, "Your sister was almost born sleeping, but I couldn't bear to see our little Moana go through that pain, not after that hard labor."

"What happened?" She asked.

"The Ancestors and I sought help from the Gods to help. But only one came to our aid. Rona-whakamau-tai."

Tala recognized the first part of the name immediately from her father's stories and asked, "Like Rona and the Moon?"

Soba quickly nodded and smiled as he turned to his great-granddaughter,

"Yes. That Rona." He then went on to explain the reason behind the other Gods and Goddess' reluctance to help. It was because of Maui and his betrayal from a little over a thousand years ago when he desecrated their teachings and the love they'd bless him by daring to steal Te Fiti's heart. "Tangaroa was exceptionally angry when he saw what Maui had done and Tāne was the one who banished him."

Tala then walked over toward the water and started stroking its surface and she whispered, "I'm sorry 'bout what Daddy did to you." Matai Vasa glanced at them for a moment in the background before he pulled on the rope and released the drua's sail and soon their vessel moved faster and faster and faster. Tala's eyes widen as they seemed to be speeding along the water.

She stood up and turned toward the horizon where she could see a hint of a tall steep mountain peeking over the horizon.

The canoe slowly came to a stop and Soba turned his great-granddaughter and explained, "This is as far as you can go."

The little girl looked up at him, her little eyes filled with wonder and disappointment. She understood why she couldn't go any further. "What's wrong little Tala?" Soba asked as he knelt down beside her.

She replied in a soft voice, "I wanna help." Just as Matai Vasa was walking toward her holding the nguru in his closed right hand. He looked down pointedly at his youngest descendant before he opened his hand and put the instrument on lips and started to play a melody.

"Watch and listen closely." Soba said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Tala immediately paid attention to Matai Vasa as he blew the flute through his mouth and changed the pitch of the song but lifting his index finger up and down three times, then he lifted his third finger for a full minute before putting it down. Thirty seconds later he lifted both his index and third finger at the same time and made the smooth transition of the pitches by moving his fingers up and down, up and down and up before going down again.

Finally, Matai Vasa slowly brought the music to a soft stop and turned to them both. Soba got up and encouraged her to stand before he nudged the little girl toward their eldest ancestor. Tala took several steps forward as Matai Vasa slowly brought the nguru's mana toward her.

He then put right hand on her left shoulder and leaned forward, pressing his forehead and nose against hers in a hongi as he uttered one simple command.

"Wake."

IIIIIIII

Hina had no idea where she was? But this place was strange. She looked up and she could see the sea above them; all the whales and fishes swimming across the watery ceiling. The thunder flashed through water above and it scared her.

"Mom? Dad?!" She shouted. Where were they? Where was she? And how was she supposed to get home?

She continued on walking till she stopped in front of a large cave.

"Dad?! Mom?!"

The eight-eyed bats on the ceiling quickly turned their heads toward where she stood, frozen in fear one by one each of them let out their venomous growls before they spread their large wings and swooped in to grab her.

She screamed and tried to outrun them and quickly spotted a large crack on the cave wall and immediately took her chance. She dove and crawled inside.

One of the eight-eyed bats clamped its mouth around her ankle, but nothing happened. Hinatea crawled in till she reached the back of the hollowed wall and pressed her back against, unaware that multitudes of pink urchin needles phased through her.

Her wide eyes were too focused at the giant bat's snout in front of her as it sniffed her out and tried digging its way into the crack.

List of terminologies:

Huranga: To uncover or unveil something.
Drua: A multihull Fijian vessel that is similar to a va'a tele (with the exception of having one giant crescent shape sail instead of two) and it's basically the same giant canoe that Matai Vasa used in the flashback sequence to 'We Know the Way' and 'I am Moana/The Song of the Ancestor's.