Where Mountain Meets Sea: HAWAII'S STORY (1) [REWRITTEN]

Thicker Than Blood, Thicker Than Water

•• ━━━━━ ••1826•• ━━━━━ ••

There were so many things that were to happen within the week, most of which Hawaiʻi found terribly boring.

Which is why she had decided that as soon as Amelika came off that ship, she would pull him away from it all and show him one of her favourite parts of her islands. Though, there was Waiānuenue and... Well, it was her favourite part of Oʻahu.

Not really. How about her favourite harbor? The land of her once favourite sibling?

Alright, Wai Momi wasn't her favourite anything, but it was still pretty, and it was something the Americans had seemed to love, so why wouldn't America himself?

In all honesty, she really had just wanted to show him something that would calm everything and make him happy on the island before they had to talk about the thing he had come for in the first place. A Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation, as Kaahumanu had said. A treaty like this was important. Hawaiʻi needed everything to be perfect. Perfect in that everyone was in good spirits before it was all drawn up.

Hawaiʻi was worried about entering into a treaty with someone who didn't like her all that much.

As she took America on his tour, she pointed people out, hoping to try to break the ice just a little bit.

She pointed to the village children, who waved at her. "See him? He's first cousins with that one, that one, and that one. That one's his half-sister, the baby's his uncle. Everybody's related over here unless you're from another island or you're haole. There are a lot of haole kids here. Mostly missionary ones."

"You see, I count each of my people as my family. I know you and your people might think the monarchy is a bad thing, but I like being this middle ground," She said, tossing a ball back to one of the kids. "I'm not a maka'ainana, but I'm not an ali'i either. I'm just me, making sure my people are happy."

"'Ala'ihi! 'Ala'ihi akua 'āina!" A child said, pointing at the United States, gaping. "Look at his stripes! He looks like an 'ala'ihi!"

"Hey!" Hawaiʻi said, "Have respect. I don't care if he does look like an 'ala'ihi. You shouldn't say such things. Do you understand me?"

When they got far enough away, Hawai'i broke the fruit and gave half of it to the United States. "Here, take this. I swear, you never eat enough, Amelika. You and Beretania are so thin for how tall you are."

Amelika grumbled, but he did indeed take the fruit. He still didn't look at her.

"What did that boy say?" the United States asked, a curious look upon his face.

"He was mocking you for the stripes. The red stripes look like an 'ala'ihi. A type of fish." Hawaiʻi sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "So many times I have to tell them, no, it's not okay to call sailors aholeholes or snow beasts. No, it's not okay to tease the missionary kids. They're so teasing by nature."

"Well, I don't expect much different. I look much different from them."

"Yes, you do." Hawaiʻi shrugged before trying to change the subject "Isn't it all just so beautiful, Lika?"

"Yes, it is," the United States said, looking around. "I keep forgetting exactly how warm it is over here. You really do live in summer all year."

As he was speaking, Hawaiʻi stopped to pick a flower for her hair, then grabbed another of them for him.

"You never visit in the winter, Amelika," She laughed, shaking her head. "It's so rainy and cold, and it's muddy everywhere. Except for the Leeward side on some of the islands. Oh, I should take you banana leaf sledding down a hill sometime. You would love it."