Sorry for the late upload you guys,
But here it is!
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Chapter Twelve: Mate Urutā

Melelani continued on whimpering and sweating as she lay among the sick, within the falema'i with her father and older brother by her side. Maui's finger brushed against her soft curly hair as he watched every facial scrunch and listened to each pained whimper that breathed through her lips.

He was the first one to rush out the very second Aputi had come rushing in a panic and informing them of Melelani. Maui didn't think––he just bolted out of the council meeting like there was no tomorrow, and saw his eight-year-old son standing outside of the sick house as he reported the events that led to this point––and having him reassure his son that he wasn't going to be in any trouble, in fact, he was proud he did the right thing and got help.

But the fact that Melelani just collapsed was terrifying enough… and now here he was feeling as helpless as he did the night Hina…

He saw Makoa standing up in the corner of his eye and turned to his right, and saw Waiola standing there, holding a bowl in her hand. There's no feigned hostility in her eyes––instead, there's pure apprehension and sorrow. She'd remain civil as she walked over and sat down next to him. "Hold her head up." She instructed with a kinder tone in her voice. A tone he'd never heard her use on him before.

But he didn't have time to dawdle––so, he carefully slid two of his fingers to the back of his young daughter's head and tilted it upward. Melelani let out a complaining whimper as her eyes slowly opened. "Papa…" She spoke out as she lifted her arm up toward him.

Waiola leaned in closer and said to the little girl, "Open wide, Melelani."

The little girl felt too sick to protest and opened her mouth. Waiola moved quickly and tilted the bowl to her lips, letting the liquid flow down her throat.

Melelani immediately made a face to the bitter taste and pushed it away. "No…"

"C'mon Melelani, you gotta drink up. It'll make you feel better." Maui spoke, trying to coax her. But she pushed the bowl away with her little hand––and her shove seemed so weak. He could feel his heart physically tear apart at the sight. Soon he heard the pola sheet flutter open, and soon he and Makoa turned toward the entrance as Hinatea rushed over with Tala behind her, and in their hands were the specific roots, leaves and flowers that Waiola had asked them to gather to make medicine.

"Na-na…" Melelani whimpered as she reached out to her eldest sister with both hands. Hina dropped whatever roots she had in her arms to the pile Waiola had set up for them and immediately focused on her baby sister, as she lay on her sleeping mat.

Maui slowly turned to face his two older daughters, and Tala immediately approached and sat in a kneeling position beside him as she reached up to put a comforting hand on his right shoulder. His eyes slowly drifted to face her, and he saw that look of reassurance in her glistening eyes. Maui instinctively put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him as he tried to shield from the apprehension inside her.

"Mama…" Melelani called out. Moana made her way toward her youngest daughter and knelt down beside her. Melelani immediately raised her arms to her mother. Moana reached over and carefully lifted her baby in her arms, holding her close while planting a motherly kiss on her forehead.

Suddenly she heard the fluttering of tapa beside her, followed by the quick sounds of Maui standing up in alarm. She looked up, confused for a moment while cradling her sick daughter close to her chest, then she focused on her family and noticed one person was missing from their group.

IIIIIIIIIIII

The sound of wood dragging against the sand echoed down the beach, where Hinatea under the guide of the waning moonlight, was pushing a canoe down toward the beach––where the expanded shore-line was dry with only sand and coral as its cover.

Then she felt a sharp tug, forcing herself to stop. Hinatea whirled around and saw Hiapo gripping the canoe by its edges, she saw the look in his eyes, and he was prepared to do whatever it took to keep her here. Whatever it took.

Naturally, she would've wanted to fight back—to argue with him to let go and let her go to and find Te Fiti herself just to see if that was the problem? Let her go and be the hero…

'Lemme hear them chanting my name—' She quickly stopped once she realized the thoughts running through her mind. Those thoughts. How could she be thinking about her own pathetic grandiose dreams at a time like this?

"You're so easy to read," Hiapo remarked. Hinatea closed her eyes, let out a deep reluctant sigh, and slowly let her fingers pull away from the canoe. Hiapo breathed a soft sigh of relief before he walked over toward her, "You need to stop doing this—"

She cut him off and snapped, "What I need to do is find out what made this all happen?" Then she clenched her fists and Hiapo took notice of her bandaged hand. Hinatea didn't even notice as she continued on, "This'll sound crazy… but, I know the moon—I'm connected to all this somehow—"

"Hina. I believe you," Hiapo replied as he gripped her by the shoulders before he leaned forward and looked in her eyes, "But right now, your parents––your grandparents need you here with them. Melelani needs you here."

Hinatea looked up at him for a moment and he saw a crack of longing in her eyes. The longing of admiration… Longing for greatness. This wasn't the time for her to have such longing. Not ever.

"Hina." He called her out to her again; "Your mother needs you here, with your family. You can help all of us, by staying here."

She let out a reluctant sigh and said, "Fine." He slowly took his hands off her shoulders and turned around, ready to lead her back to the fale'mai. He'd only took two steps, and only heard the sounds of his feet trekking on the sand, Hiapo turned around and saw Hinatea hadn't moved, not a step.

He walked back toward her, grabbed her hand and pulled her along.

IIIIIIIIIIII

Silence wove together between them as Hiapo led her back toward the fale'mai, while he looked over his shoulder ever so often, just to make sure that she hadn't run off… like she usually would. To his surprise, she was compliant. The corners of his lip pulled down to a subtle frown… this was not the Hina he knew. A pang of sympathy tugged at his heart. Was he being too hard on her? Part of him thought so, but part of him knew that she needed to hear the truth.

"Thanks for staying," Hiapo replied as he turned around to face her. Hinatea looked up at him for a moment with shock in her eyes, but then that shock turned to genuine happiness once she saw the smile on his face.

"You're welcome," She replied.

Hiapo's smile widened for a moment before he walked over toward her and placed his hand on her shoulder, "C'mon, we can't keep your family waiting."

IIIIIIIIIIII

Hiapo lifted the pola sheet to the fale'mai up, letting Hina enter first. The sixteen-year-old politely passed him and stopped once she saw her parents, and her siblings all by her baby sister's side.

Melelani continued laying there, whimpering, while their mother ran her fingers through her curls and their father continued on looking down at her while holding Tala closer to him.

Hinatea sucked her lips in before she walked over toward her family and knelt down beside them once more.

Moana looked up as Hiapo then knelt down at the foot of the sleeping mat, and said, "Thank you, Hiapo."

Hiapo nodded politely before he turned to gaze at the groaning little girl before him. His mother, Waiola turned toward him with a sad smile on her face, before she turned away before she focused her attention back on the little girl.

IIIIIIIIIIII

"How is she?" Moana asked Waiola after they stepped outside of the fale'mai. Waiola turned to her for a moment and let out a soft sigh, "It's the same with the others."

Hiapo stepped out not long after, having heard what his mother and their Chief had discussed and started with, "I'm sorry Moana," Before he continued with regret on his face, "I hadn't realized that the freshwater fish were starting to rot."

Moana looked down for a moment for before she let out a long sigh for a moment before she nodded in understanding. She heard the sounds of her consort's loud thumping footsteps echoing behind her. She turned around and saw him standing there with a sad smile on his face.

"We have to go to Te Fiti," Moana told him.

Maui nodded in agreement, "I'll go grab my hook."

"No." Moana added, "I need you to stay here, with the children."

He paused for a moment and turned around to face her with complete shock written on his face. But Moana's expression was firm and she stood her ground, then her expression softened when she saw the look of complete dismay on his face.

"You're needed here." She told him, "I need you here… just in case—" Moana took a sharp breath as she clenched her hand into a fist before she brought her clenched knuckle up to her lips.

Maui slowly walked over toward her, "Hey, hey, I'm not gonna let anything happen to our Little Manta-ray. I promise."

Moana looked up at him, slowly bring her fist down before she leapt up and wrapped her arms around him, just as she did twenty years ago. Maui slowly wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. She pulled away slightly, still in his arms and slowly pressed her hands against his right cheek.

He looked down at her with slightly sad but confident eyes, knowing full well if there was anyone who could do this, it was Moana of Motunui.

Finally, he set her down and kept his large hands on her shoulders, "Promise me you're gonna be safe out there, Curly."

Moana smiled slightly to hear him calling her by her old nickname, "I promise, Maui."

He enveloped his arms around her and rested his right chin on the base of her head, right in front of her topknot and memorized her smell, as well as the smell of her pink hibiscus, tucked on the left side of her, right in front of her dyed red chicken feathers and one strand of palm frond.

Hinatea looked over at the entrance, having just heard her parents' conversation. Then a sudden thrill of exhilaration overcame her—she could go to Te Fiti!

That's what she needed to do! For her, for her village, for her people, for Melelani. She waited till her parents then parted, before she finally walked over toward them, and cleared her throat. "Mom, Dad?"

Maui and Moana turned around and to see their eldest daughter standing there with a determined look on her face.

Hinatea took a deep breath and said to them both, "I want to go with you."

IIIIIIIIIIII

That evening, the sounds of angered shrills and the tossing of rocks filled the sandbanks. Hinatea stood there, picking up sticks—having finished up all the rocks she'd gathered.

Tui and Sina unknowingly walked behind her and, Sina sighed for a moment before she said, "Well, at least you didn't say in front of your mom and dad, standing on another boat."

Hina sighed before she dropped the sticks in her air as she sat down, crossing her legs on the sand. Sina sat down beside her, folding her knees beneath her.

"Gramma, I didn't say I want to go with you 'cause I wanted to be some… stupid hero."

"But you still do." Sina pointed out. Hinatea frowned for a moment and let out a soft sigh. Sina frowned and continued, "Sometimes, when we want something so much, we strive, we struggle, and…" She reached over and pressed her hand against her granddaughter's cheek, "…sometimes we lose ourselves on the way."

Puzzled, Hina then looked up at her grandmother and then at he grandfather, then asked, "Well, what about Melelani? What if she's…"

Tui gripped the head of his cane as he slowly sat himself down on the sand, beside his wife. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath for a moment as he told Hinatea the truth, "There is a chance that…" He closed his eyes and took a deep shaky breath as his heart and mind fought one another. His heart denying the dreaded inevitable, while his mind prepared him for that likely outcome. He slowly opened his eyes, with tears etched on the surface as he carried on forward, his voice calm and dignified as it always been, "…that Melelani might not survive this––"

Hinatea immediately stood up and claimed, "Exactly, don't you see? This is it. That's why I gotta go with them—I can help them save—"

"No, Hinatea." Tui cut her off, "You cannot. Not until you learn that this is where you need to be."

"But—"

"No, buts, Hinatea. You're needed here." Tui told her.

Hinatea nodded reluctantly before she took a deep breath and then asked, "What about Melelani?"

"We can only pray for her." He added before he gripped the end of his cane and pushed himself up. Sina got up with him and helped him up.

She then turned to Hina and said, "Please think about what we said, our Little Mano. Please."

Hinatea sighed, before she got up, and said, "Okay, I will." She turned to he grandparents and hugged them both.

"Don't worry, Waiola will do everything she can." He assured her.

Hinatea nodded, "I know…"

A few seconds later, the trio heard someone clearing their throat, and they pulled apart to see Moana standing there. "Mom, Dad, if you don't mind, may I speak to my daughter alone?"

Tui nodded before he and Sina pulled away, and headed off, leaving Hinatea alone with her mother.

Moana smiled gratefully at her parents as they left them alone before she walked over toward her eldest daughter.

"Hina, come with me—there's someplace I have to show you."

Hinatea swallowed and nodded before she slowly followed her mother toward the village.

IIIIIIIIIIII

Hina dutiful followed her mother steps up toward one of the tallest peaks of Motunui's mountains, as the two continued on walking in silence… till her mother reached the very top.

"Your grandfather showed me this sacred place when I was your age." Moana began as she walked forward, "This is a place of Chiefs." She then stepped inside stones, lined up into a rectangle toward another tower of stones in the middle, where one conch shell stood on the top of the stacks.

The Marae.

"One day Hina, when your time will come, you'll place your stone on the top of this mountain and raise it higher. Just as I did, your grandfather did, and his father did." She turned toward her daughter and continued with, "And every chief, starting from Matai Vasa did when he first came to this land."

Hinatea chuckled as she saw the shell and pointed to the shell, "Well... that's gonna make things a lot more complicated don't you think?"

Moana chuckled and nodded in agreement as she stared at the pile before she frowned for a moment and let out a sigh. Hinatea could guess what was going through her mother's mind and slowly stepped inside the line.

"Hey…" Hina began as her mother slowly turned to her with a curtain of tears over her eyes. "Melelani's gonna live to see that day. I promise." Moana gave nodded shakily before the tears started to fall and Hina wrapped her arms around her mother.

A flash of blue then appeared a few seconds later and soon the two women felt two big strong arms enveloping them both. Moana felt Maui's cheek resting on the top of her head, and his hand rubbing her back in soothing motions to calm her heart.

Hina then looked up and felt her father's eyes on her, and that's when she could, at last, let her guard down.

"All right… there we go." Maui whispered to them both as he turned his head up toward the darkening sky above, and watched as the stars appeared and twinkled about the sky. And for once, he prayed… he prayed to anyone who could hear him—to let his littlest girl live—and he would trade anything he had—even his own powers for it to be so.

A few seconds later, the sounds of a high-pitch humming echoed somewhere from down below the mountain. Hinatea lifted her head up, she recognized this sound—this song somewhere. A song of deep mourning, and summoning. It was for her. She also knew the instrument that was used to make this song––and she knew who was playing it. Hinatea then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Before she pulled away from her parents.

"I gotta go… and uh…"

Moana nodded in understanding, "Alright, go on now, and we'll see you at the council meeting tonight."

She backed away for a moment and looked straight up at them with confused eyes, before she asked, "There's a council meeting?"

Moana nodded, "Yes, I need to discuss the preparations for this emergency and then I need to choose who will join me in my journey." She then hesitated and took a deep breath, "And I need to discuss who will inherit the title of Chief, if anything happens to me––" She continued on despite the horrific look on Maui's and Hina's faces, "I need to make sure that our village will be left in safe hands, that's all."

Her words didn't seem to ease her consort's or their daughter's thoughts one bit, and for a split-second, she saw that flare of protective heroism flash before Maui's eyes.

"No." She told him firmly once again, "Maui, I'll be fine, but I need you here."

"Yeah, I know." He sighed before he turned away slightly. Moana gave him a sad smile, "Just because you aren't out there fighting monsters, saving the world, pulling new islands for our people to discover," She paused for a moment and added, "And chose to start a family, doesn't make you less of a hero Maui."

She smiled as she looked up at him in the eyes and told him with clear sincerity in her voice, "It makes you an even better one."

"Okay! I'm gonna go and let you guys have your mush." Hinatea said in overdramatic tone before she turned around and proceeded to trek down the mountain, beneath her parents' amused and watchful gazes.

And with her gone, Moana finally turned to Maui, and asked the question weighing on her mind, "How's Melelani?"

"She's fine," Maui replied.

Moana's eyes narrowed, "I want the truth."

That's when she saw the hesitation and doubt in his eyes. She felt as though an invisible foot had kicked her in the gut, and the sinking realization pulled her insides down in a neverending pit.

It was a horrible feeling—but the thought that terrified her the most was losing one of her children… losing that chance to see their little Melelani grow up, make friends, take her place among the people… and seeing her finding her own happiness.

Was Melelani going to be the second child she would have bury before her?

Seconds later, she felt Maui pull her in closer to him as his soothing hand rubbed her back, up and down, up and down, like ocean waves across the sand. "She'll be okay." He told her, "She'll be okay." He said again, this time with his chin rested on the top of her head, right beside her half-top knot.

IIIIIIIIIIII

Hinatea followed the sound all the way down to the beach where she heard sister playing the nguru down below. She pushed past several frond bushes and spotted her sister sitting by a rock with the tiny flute on her lips.

"Okay… Shouldn't you be watching Melelani?"

Tala slowly opened her eyes and she stopped playing for a moment and then pointed out, "She's in safe hands."

"You let Makoa watch her didn't you?" Hinatea asked, un-amused.

Tala raised an eyebrow for a moment and smiled at her sister knowingly before she added, "Waiola's watching her."

"So? Where's Makoa?" Hina asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I don't know where he's run off to." Tala replied sincerely before she asked, "So, what brings you here?"

"You called." Hina pointed out with an annoyed look on her face.

"Did I?" Tala questioned, "Or have you finally learned to listen?"

"Quit it with the riddles—look, Mom's holding a council meeting tonight and she needs me there—"

Tala stopped playing her nguru and slowly got up to walk toward the water, wanting to dance near the ocean before it got too late, and her friends would make their presence known. "Alright! If you feel that's what you have to do—then get going, but come back right after."

Hinatea paused for a moment, but gave her sister a suspicious glance as she went, "Um… okay." Finally, she turned around and started to walk off, before she whirled right around again, "Why aren't you trying to stop me?"

"You said that's where you're needed," Tala replied curtly.

"It is!" Hina declared before she turned around, and marched off.

Tala then continued, "When I die one day, I'm gonna come back as a dolphin—" Hina slowly turned around as her sister continued on with her strange declaration, "Or I'm gonna pick the wrong tattoo."

Hinatea took a step forward back toward her, "Okay…? Why are you acting weirder than usual?"

Tala smiled as she stated, "You named me after The Village Crazy Lady." Before she finished with, "I've got a kooky-dooks reputation to uphold."

Hinatea rolled her eyes as she declared, "Okay, one, I would never ever name you after Great-Gramma Tala. Two, Mom and Dad were the ones that named you. Three, you don't get to pick your own tattoo, it's chosen for you," She paused for a moment and looked around, making sure unwanted ears wouldn't be listening about before she finally unwrapped the bandage on her left hand. Her little-tattooed image was in a kneeling position, with one arm supporting her weight and the other on her chest, before she took a big silent dramatic inhale, and then she jumped up, standing on her ink feet and started waving her fist right at her teenage host.

Hinatea then pointed to Mini-her and added, "Case in point, Little Dummy over here."

Her image looked up at her, clearly offended and crossed her little arms over her chest, with her head raised and her nose up in the air.

"Well, they're not going to choose for me once I get through with them." Tala declared.

Hinatea rolled her eyes and then bandaged her hand back despite her little tattoo's desperate twinkles and rings, as she tied up the cloth, good and tight. "Look, if there's something you wanna tell, just tell me." She looked up and saw that Tala's dancing had begun to slow down a bit. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Finally, Tala turned around to face her sister once more and asked with an excited look in her eyes, "Depends… is there anything you want to hear?"

Hinatea then opened her mouth to speak, with one finger up, before she hesitated and gave her sister a puzzled glance.

IIIIIIIIIIII

Night finally fell,

Hiapo insisted that he stay with his mother in the fale'mai, despite her obvious urges for him to go back home and get some rest, to which he argued that she was the one who needed it the most. That made her go silent, knowing full well that he was right in that aspect.

He watched as his mother worked tirelessly throughout the night, tending to the sick till they were well again… which was a rare occurrence, and it was taking its toll on her. He could see it in her eyes, the grief was too heavy for her to bear––the weight outmatched the heartache she felt when his father—her husband eighteen years died out at sea nearly seventeen years ago.

He'd only been seven then, but that day left a big impact on his memories. He remembered there had been a big storm that day and his mother had begged his father not to go out fishing, but his father Kahua, being a big loving man was determined to provide for all of them, especially for Aimata who had gone into labour with her second child that day.

He also remembered that Hina, who had been two then, had waddled off to his parents' fale, had started crying outside, and he'd come rushing outside and found fallen over in the mud. He immediately lifted her up to his hip, and carried her inside, while he waited for his mother or father to come back home.

Hours later, the storm finally passed and he heard Maui's voice in the distance, calling for her, and he'd stepped outside, still balancing her on his hip as he hurried over to Maui as quickly as he could.

Once he handed Hinatea back to Maui, he hurried down to the beach––feeling hopeful that his father had survived the storm, but instead he heard his mother's screaming and wailing, and he spotted his brother-in-law Ikaika trying to console her, and then he turned to his uncle Aputi, along with the two fishermen, who looked worst for wear. He looked over and saw parts of his father's canoe, all shattered around in broken pieces. But he couldn't see him anywhere.

He didn't understand what happened then, not until Moana, Tui and the other council members had received word on the incident, and Moana herself went up to his mother and promptly gave his mother her condolences. It wasn't until his father's funeral did he fully understand the gravity of the situation––and it's been his mother and him ever since—

CRASH!

Hiapo went on full alert and threw his carving tools on the ground before he rushed over to his mother's side as she was picking up all the wooden bowls, and tools she'd drop. He leaned forward and quickly helped her gather all of her things up.

Waiola smiled for a moment before she asked, "I don't know what I did to deserve a good son like you?"

Hiapo smiled back at her as he handed her all of her fallen tools, "Mom, quit talking like that. I know how to be a good person 'cause I had the best teacher, and you know it. I wouldn't be the man I am if not for you."

His mother's smile widened before she added as a joke, "Oh, you're not a man till you get married me and give me grandchildren!"

Hiapo's expression turned flat as he raised an eyebrow, and flinched when his mother whacked him on the shoulder.

"Don't give me that look!" She scolded, "There has to be someone in the village you like?"

"I'm sure there is, I just haven't found the one, yet." Hiapo added––then he paused for a moment in realization, "Hold on, isn't that your job—"

"Your father wanted you to choose for yourself, as he did," Waiola told him firmly.

Hiapo drew back and waved his hands in confusion, "Wait, wait, wait… so, you and Dad were never—"

More groans and whimpers echoed, and Waiola immediately snapped back to what she was doing and returned to do her job—much to Hiapo's dismay and concern.

He frowned for a moment to see his mother working herself to the bone to help the fallen members of their village.

Suddenly, Melelani let out a whimper and soon Waiola's attention immediately honed in on the girl, but Hiapo stopped her and took one of the medicine filled bowls from her, "I'll take care of all of them,"

"Hiapo—"

"Mom, I insist." Hiapo told her with a slightly begging tone in his voice, "The last thing we need is you getting sick too."

Waiola sighed and shook her head, "Can't argue that. Okay, now, you know—"

Hiapo took his mother's hands into his own and said, "Mom, trust me. Now, please get some sleep."

Waiola took one look around at all the people in her care and sighed before she reluctantly stood up and forced herself to walk out the fale'mai.

Hiapo let out a loud sigh of relief and then turned to their village's sick. He got up and began tending the elders first––suddenly he heard the sound of the pola sheet being lifted up. "Mom, don't worry I know what herbs to––" He turned and found Maui standing there instead.

"Uh… hey." Maui replied.

"Hi," Hiapo answered back as he slowly stood up.

"Look—I'm not here for trouble—I just wanna—"

"Papa…" Melelani whimpered to the sound of her father's voice and reached out to him. Hiapo immediately stepped to one side and nodded his head, encouraging him to step forward without a second thought.

Maui gave him a grateful nod before he quickly headed over to Melelani's side, and brushed his hand across her soft curls, "How's my lil' princess doing?"

"My tummy's funny," Melelani answered. Maui then put his hand on her belly and began giving it soothing rubs to ease the discomfort. He then looked around and saw that Waiola was nowhere to be seen.

"I told her to rest," Hiapo answered as he was tending to one of the sick women––dabbing a soaked u'a cloth on h her to make her passing easier, as her parents and siblings all waited by her side.

And at that moment, Hiapo could only understand the weight on his mother's shoulders, and the gravity of her duties. Being the village fofo wasn't easy… especially when things like this happened, and yet… she managed to carry on. His admiration for his mother's strength alone grew stronger, and part of him wished that he could have twice the strength she did.

He focused solely on the young woman before him as a sense of powerlessness overcame him. This young woman before him was Luana, Anuhea's older sister, and she was the first of the village children who came and consoled him two weeks after his father's funeral, and he remembered just how happy he felt to know that his friends cared for him that much… back then.

Now, he understood, they all had to care for one another, and part of him wished there was more he could do for his village, his friends, and most important of all, his family.

He slowly turned to face Luana's parents, and Anuhea as they all turned to him. Anuhea and her mother were already crying, and her father slightly teary-eyed, and they knew the inevitable was going to happen, and just like everyone in their village, they welcome death as they would welcome new life. One couldn't exist without the other.

"I'll do whatever I can to make her passing as comfortable as possible," Hiapo assured them all.

He saw that his words got Maui's attention and saw the look in his eyes, the dread. Hiapo quickly shook his head and gave him a determined glance, Melelani wasn't going to die.

Neither he nor his mother was going to let that happen.

IIIIIIIIIIII

"Where are you taking me?" Hina asked as she followed her younger sister, and the fiery torchlight, as Tala led her deeper into the island's forest, far deeper than she'd ever been.

The moonlight shined above them and caught her attention, and for a moment she felt a guiding hand leading her—them toward one spot. Hina then turned to face her sister and could tell that she was listening to whoever was leading them to wherever it wanted for them to go.

Then, Tala stopped, forcing her to stop too. Hina paused as she looked over at her younger sister and saw that she had that look of achievement in her eyes, as she pulled aside some palm frond leaves, revealing an old, overgrown decrepit fales.

Hina's eyes widened at the site. "This is impossible." She whispered in shock, as she stood there, her mouth agape.

Tala smiled with an amused look on her face as she replied, "Nope!"

Hina gave her an annoyed glance behind her back and watched as her sister, once again took the lead.

Her annoyance quickly changed to awe as they walked through the remnants of an old village that clearly predated Motunui––she stopped once she saw burial mounds near the land.

"These are Hiapo's ancestors," Tala informed her. Hinatea just stood there and stared at the sight for a moment before she walked over toward the burial mounds, and once again stopped in her tracks and spotted a strange looking fale ten-feet away.

She hesitated and slowly turned toward the fale and took a step forward, unaware of the smile on Tala's face as she continued to approach the home.

The dust lifted with each step she took till she reached the middle of the whole structure, and she couldn't help but ask, "What is this place?"

Tala didn't answer her and instead sat down by the entrance with her nguru in her hands. Ignoring the pain she felt in her stomach, Tala looked up at her sister and told her, "If you sit down, you'll find out." Hina immediately turned around and saw the expectant smile on her face.

Hinatea raised an eyebrow and then slowly sat down on the dusty river stone floor, and watched for a moment. Tala then told her, "Close your eyes," before she added firmly, "And listen." She slowly lifted the mouthpiece to her lips.

Hinatea closed her eyes, took a deep breath and tried to relax, but she found herself having a hard time doing so the first time.

Tala then said to her, "Keep taking deep breaths and you'll get in no time."

"Okay sure…" Hina said in a sarcastic sing-a-long voice before she took a deep breath and continued trying to relax. And once again it was hard, but over time it became easier and easier, and she found herself in some sort of trance.

She heard voices, arguing… and then she could see. Soon she found herself standing amidst a fight between this couple—husband and wife, the man wore clothing made of leaves and tapa fibre. Much like her father's old lavalava, but the woman wore clothing that kind of fit better with how her people dressed now. Minus the cloak of feathers she wore around her shoulders and the tipare around her head.

She recognized the woman somehow—but she couldn't put her finger on it. Then she turned to the two children as they tried to sleep amongst the fighting. The older one of the two—a boy looked like Hiapo, only with straight hair like his mother, and the girl oddly enough resembled her own mother, Moana, only prettier.

Part of her wondered if the girl, her mother Moana, and The Woman in cloak were related at all?

Then came the scene that she remembered the most. The Woman grabbed her water gourd and promptly walked out of her fale. Hina followed her out toward where she wanted to take some water from the river.

Finally, that scene happened. The Woman tripped on an exposed root and instead of cursing as legend told, she wept for her life and she cursed the man—her husband—whose name was the same as the moon. Marama.

IIIIIIIIIIII

Disappointment was the last thing Moana wanted to feel today of all nights, but the fact that her eldest daughter hadn't shown up yet, only proved to her that Hina wasn't ready for the responsibilities that awaited her.

Part of her did blame Maui to a certain degree, for spoiling her all those years ago, but part of her did blame herself for letting it happen instead of stopping it. Either way, the choice was Hina's now.

It was hers, and there was nothing that she could do about it. Nothing.

So, here she was, sitting on her spot with Maui to her right, and her father to her left and her mother sitting just left of her father.

"As you know," Moana began, "Our fish are dying. Not only are they dying, but they're rotting, and this rot has now spread to the fish in our lakes and rivers," This news stirred up most of her people, and she spoke out again, "Everyone please, remain calm."

They then grew quiet and she was able to continue, "Which is why I will sail to Te Fiti and—"

"This is it!" Hinatea exclaimed as she burst her feet down against the river stone floor of the fale fono as a council meeting was being held. "Marama isn't the bad guy—I know how to fix this!" She quickly turned to her mother with an excited smile on her face as she said, "There's this old village, deep in the island—Mom, Dad, I know where we need to go!"

IIIIIIIIIIII

Hinatea came rushing down the steps when she saw her father marching down the steps, in a furious rage.

"Dad, please listen—" She begged him, she watched as he picked up one of the torches. "Dad? What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna find that stupid village and burn it to the ground," Maui said in a snarky voice.

"No don't!" Hina exclaimed as she pulled his arm back, forcing him to look back at her in shock as she held up the white eye-shaped stone Tala had given her, "All we need to go to Marama's island and put these back and—" Maui ripped the stone out of her hand.

"Are you even listening to yourself right now?" He exclaimed in pure anger before he looked at the cursed stone and then turned back to his daughter, before he shouted, "This thing here? Yeah, it's just some stupid rock!"

And to Hinatea's horror, he hurled the rock with all his might and watched as it flew right toward the ocean. He heaved as he straightened up his back and slowly turned to face his eldest daughter. He then pointed his finger at her and said, "I'm not gonna have you go out there and pretend to be the world's greatest hero, 'kay. That's my job—"

Hinatea then shot back, "You're a glory hog!"

Maui then retaliated with, "And you're impulsive, stubborn, and mortal!" He took a deep shaky breath and slowly whirled around to place his hands on his hips.

Hinatea noticed that his shoulders were stiffened and his upper back was hunched slightly. She knew exactly what this meant—he was hiding something. Something big.

"You're hiding something from me." She told him. He lifted his head in response and quickly whirled back around to face her.

"I'm—" He then waved his hands in front of him in denial, "I'm not hiding anything from you!"

"If you aren't then why are you getting defensive!" Hina pointed out.

"I'm not!"

"Yes, you are!"

A conch shell horn then bellowed in the direction of the falema'i. Hina and Maui both turned to the blower, and saw it was Hiapo rushing over toward them with a frantic look on his face and a torch in his hand. He shouted to them with a panicked tone in his voice, "Maui! Hina! Come quick, it's Tala!"

The two of them turned to him with horrified looks on their faces.

IIIIIIIIIIII

Both father and daughter stampeded toward the falema'i. Hina pushed aside the pola sheet and gasped to see Tala, lying beside Melelani, and Waiola.

Waiola…

Hiapo slowly turned to face her with a grief-stricken look on his face. Hinatea felt the sudden dread sink in. Why was this happening?

"Na-na…" Melelani whimpered, and Hinatea immediately turned her attention to her baby sister and quickly knelt down by her side. She then slowly lifted her head up and switched her gaze from Melelani to Tala.

Her thirteen-year-old sister laid there, with her eyes closed and her breaths shallow. Hinatea then stood up and knelt down by her side, before she clasped Tala's hand with her own. She then turned to their parents, and grandparents, and watched as their grandfather let out a long sigh, followed by their grandmother's mournful gaze upon her before she too let out a muffled sigh and turned to face their grandfather once more.

Tui put his arm around her and pulled her close to him as they gazed upon their two granddaughters in worry.

Soon, Waiola's short hisses and winces of pain caught their attention, and the two turned to look up at the fifty-seven-year-old fofo, as she laid there tended by her son and younger brother. The sound of the flutter pola sheet echoed behind them, and more of Waiola's family stepped in, starting with her eldest daughter Aimata and followed by her four younger daughters.

Hiapo looked up at all of his older sisters as they all gathered around him and their uncle, each of them bearing a grief-stricken look on their faces. Hina couldn't help feel the sense of dread growing in her belly. She had to do something.

Anything.

"You gotta go…" Came Tala's soft whimpering whisper, and that caught her attention. Hina quickly turned to her little sister and leaned over closer to her ear as she let out another whisper, "Go…"

Hina drew back and said, "Not now, I can't." Their mother looked up at her for a moment after hearing her words. She felt a sense of nostalgia came over her, as she recalled her grandmother saying the exact same words, twenty years ago. The sudden realization then overcame she and Maui, Hinatea had to go.

"You have to." Tala insisted, "Don't you see? You're connected to all this." She lifted her shaky hand to her nguru and slowly and turned it to its side, revealing the small eye-shaped cut behind it.

She pointed it in Hiapo's direction for a moment and turned to face him. By some miracle, Hiapo saw the side of the nguru. A sudden realization hit him and he turned to his mother once more.

Waiola saw the urgent look on her son's face and slowly nodded her head. Hiapo leaned over and kissed his mother's forehead before he got up and ran out of the falema'i to the fale they shared.

Waiola, the woman who helped her mother bring her into the world laid the there ill from this strange ailment. This was getting too much for her… this was getting too much for her… She had to do something. Hinatea then turned and rushed out of the falema'i, completely unaware that she ran passed Hiapo, who was holding a stone in his hand when she rushed past him.

IIIIIIIIIIII

Hinatea rushed over to the fale that held all the supplies and started to pack when she saw a shadow cast over her, and she looked up and two people standing by the entrance, Hiapo and her mother.

Moana quickly walked in with Hiapo behind her. The two of them knelt down in front of Hinatea, and she looked up at her daughter with tears in her eyes as she held up a small sack filled with sewing equipment and Hiapo then lifted his closed hand and opened it revealing another eye-shaped stone in his hand as he gazed upon Hinatea with a proud smile on his face.

Hinatea glanced at them both with a watery smile on her face.

A few minutes later, after she'd finished packing, the three of them shared a deep hug, before she pulled away and grabbed the large tapa cloth sack and slung over her shoulder before she rushed out of the fale while holding the stone in her left hand, with Hiapo running after her down to the beach.

IIIIIIIIIIII

Hinatea hopped on her mother's twenty-year-old canoe and turned to Hiapo as he hopped on after her and began instructing her on the parts of the canoe and what they do before he hopped off.

"You're not coming with me?" She asked with a worried tone in her voice. Hiapo looked up at her and shook his head, "My mother needs me." He explained. Hinatea closed her eyes and nodded her head in understanding before she opened them and said, "Take care of your mom."

Hiapo replied, "You know I will,"

She got off the canoe and walked over to him to give him one last hug before she got on the canoe.

Suddenly, she felt the canoe being lifted up and turned to look down. She turned and saw her father standing below her, holding the canoe up with his demigod strength.

Maui looked up at her with a proud smile on his face, before he put the canoe down. Hina then climbed off the canoe and walked over to her father with another watery smile on her face.

Maui smiled back at her and approached her. Both father and daughter approached one another and then gave each other a big hug. He slowly pulled away from her and said, "Go get 'em Shark-bait."

"Thank you, Dad…" Hinatea whispered. Maui smiled as he pulled away from her and watched as she hopped on the canoe. Maui lifted the canoe once again and raced forward toward the shore, and continued on further and further till he reached the dried up reef, and with all his might he threw the canoe over the reef and straight onto the ocean.

She turned around and saw him standing there miles away.

Maui then raised his hand up and waved to her as she started to sail away.

Hinatea then lifted her hand up and waved back to him as she continued on to sail through the sea. Finally, she turned to look forward in front of her. She was sailing to save her family, her people, and most of all, her sisters.

List of terminology:
Mate Urutā: The Maori word for plague, illness, or pandemic.