The Stars and The Sea

Chapter 5

Moana slowly opened her eyes, feeling the warm early morning sunshine into the fale. As she sat up and stretched, she realized she was alone. Looking around, Keoni was nowhere to be seen. He couldn't have gone very far, though.

Quickly putting her hair into a bun, she left the fale toward the beach to begin setting up her canoe for the day's voyage. As she approached the shore, her ears heard a grunt. Turning, she saw Keoni a bit ways hauling up a net with two traps nearby and a basket by his feet.

"Keoni!" She called, jogging over to him. He glanced up at her, a faint sheen of sweat covering his face and upper body. He'd been awake for a while, it seemed.

"Oh, hey, didn't want to wake you. Needed to pull in this net."

"Need help?" He shook his head.

"Nah, I've got it." With another tug, he pulled in the remainder of the net, there were a few fish and some sea urchins that got snagged. He appeared annoyed at the presence of the urchins.

"Don't like them?" She inquired. He half-frowned as he grabbed the fish and tossed the fish into the basket.

"It's not that I don't like them; I've just never learned how to open one safely. I don't wanna get pricked. Plus, it's not like I have much medicine to help if I get pricked."

"Oh, fair enough. I'll get them out for you." He wordlessly lifted the net and stretched it out, allowing Moana to carefully retrieve the urchins and set them back in the water. Once they were done, she helped him fold the net and put it away.

"Can we bring this?" He asked, "It's the first net I successfully wove myself. I'd hate to let it rot away." She smiled a bit and nodded.

"Of course! Feel free to pack what you'll need."

"It'll be a light load." He assured.

Realizing he was missing a few items, he made his way back into the village, and for the few minutes he was gone, Moana heard the familiar screech of a hawk overhead.

To no one's surprise, Maui had to tag along. And it didn't take him very long to find Moana. Spying her on the shore, he screeched again and landed a few feet away in a brilliant flash of purple light.

"Heyo Curly!" He greeted.

"Maui! What're you doing here?"

"Oh, y'know, the usual. Checking in the Chosen One." He teased, "In all seriousness, whatcha doing here?"

"Fetia sent me here," Moana replied, crossing her arms and leaning against her canoe, scanning the village.

"Fetia?" Maui echoed, not initially recognizing the name, then recognition crossed his features. "Oh yeah! Goddess of the Stars, newbie."

"Newbie?"

"Yeah, she hasn't been around that long. Pretty quiet, honestly." Moana raised an eyebrow.

"You've... met her?"

"Eh, sort of. Remember that period of time when you didn't see me?" Moana nodded, "Well, the gods summoned me in their realm. They wanted to talk, y'know, about what I've been up to since I helped you restore Te Fiti's heart. And you'll never believe it, but they thanked me!"

"That's great! I'm glad to hear you're in their good graces again."

"Yeah! But anyway, I sort of met her. Very pretty lady. White eyes, white hair."

"Yep, that's her. She sent me here on a mission to rescue a guy separated from his family during the Darkness." Maui quirked an eyebrow, setting his hook down.

"During the Darkness? Huh, what details did she give you?"

"Mm, not too many, just the right stars to follow to get here. I've met him already, he's off in the village getting a few things." Maui scanned their surroundings, observing the remnants of the village for himself.

"He... lives here?"

"For almost three years, yeah. On his own." Maui bore an expression that Moana couldn't quite read. A mix of guilt and concern was the best way she could describe it. She knew he still occasionally dealt with his guilt of causing the Darkness in the first place, and even though she'd done her best to show him that things were much better, he knew she deserved the credit for everything she'd done. With him out of the spotlight, it had given him time to reflect on the kind of Demi-God he wanted to be to the people.

And seeing this village abandoned by all save for one stung a little. Knowing that families with elderly and children were forced off because they couldn't survive. And that this kid, whoever he was, lost his family.

Moana could see it all, and she placed her hand on his shoulder, giving him an assuring smile.

"We saved Te Fiti, and we fixed what we could. We can fix this, too." Maui smiled back at his best friend, and as he was about to say something back, he heard someone call from the village.

"Moana! Sorry, it took so long-" Maui finally got a look at this stranger, and he was a bit surprised. Young guy, Moana's age for sure, with short hair and tattered clothing. He carried a basket filled with personal belongings, and as soon as the kid saw the pair, he stopped.

"Keoni!" Moana replied with a warm smile. She approached him and took the basket, taking it to her canoe. Once she set it down, she introduced the pair.

"Maui, Keoni. Keoni, Maui." Maui observed Keoni momentarily, then turned to Moana.

"So this is the kid?" Moana nodded.

"Yup, we were about to sail once he got his stuff. He's been ready to leave."

"That right? Where were you planning on going?"

"Uh, back to Motunui. Unless you have a suggestion."

"Well, if you're planning on helping him out and finding his family, maybe we should find where the village was going," Maui suggested, only to receive a doubtful snort from Keoni. Moana glanced at him, a bit surprised.

"What was that?"

"Me doubting the suggestion. The storm that we were in? I would be very surprised if anyone survived. I barely did. Plus, my dad's been dead since I was a baby."

"Well, maybe your mom and sister did make it and are on another island somewhere. You say you encountered a storm?" Keoni leaned against the side of the canoe and crossed his arms, nodding.

"Yeah, it was the most intense storm I'd ever seen. The waves were huge, and I can kind of remember a few boats being capsized..." He trailed off. One of his childhood best friends was on one of the boats that was lost to the sea, and he had watched him die in an instant. He never got over it but had hidden it well, even if there had been no one to his grief from.

Moana and Maui shared a look, and Moana could see how deeply Keoni was hurting. He'd lost so much, and despite everything the world threw at him, he was still here.

"Hey... think of it this way, the gods kept you alive for a reason. I believe you're meant to find your family again, it might take some time, but with Maui and I, we'll help you find them."

Keoni respected her assuredness but was still doubtful.

"Hey, I can attest her confidence is in the right place," Maui interrupted, "I was doubtful too, in my own situation, and I thought I could do it alone. But she proved me wrong."

As ready as Keoni was to get off his island, he remained conflicted And of course, now Maui was, Demi-god of the wind and sea, and the one who stole Te Fiti's heart, setting off the Darkness. And in Keoni's mind, Maui had indirectly caused his family to fall apart, and even though he knew that Maui had atoned for what he did, Keoni was still angry.

He began thinking of what his mother or sister would want him to do...

His mother pushed forward after his father's death, despite her own grief, and raised him and his sister to make thoughtful choices, consider others, and be open to change.

And maybe, Moana's confidence was right, and his mother and sister were still out there, waiting for him.