AYDA

Island of Pebbles

I slowly gained awareness, remaining completely still. Sandy grit and pebbles dug into my back, and my eyelids were crusted together with sand. I felt around on my right side, hand closing over the oar of my boat. 

the Ocean washed up onto the shore, washing the sand frommy and nearly pulling me in. I opened my eyes to a small island that was bare rock and sand. Oh the tallest hill, there were markings that looked like tallies. There were so many of them. It took me a long moment to realize that the tallies were arranged into a hook pattern. A fishhook pattern.

"Maui's island..." I whispered to no one in particular, hands tightening on my paddle as a large shadow loomed in between two hills. I spotted the remains of my wrecked boat and scowled. "Really, Ocean? Wrecking my boat?" I whispered furiously as I darted behind it.

"Maui, demigod of the wind and sea, shapeshifter? I am Ayda Waialiki..." I mumbled to myself. "Why didn't I have a better-"

"A BOAT!" A loud, deep voice shouted loudly. "The gods have sent me a boat!" The boat was lifted away effortlessly from me, leaving me clutching an oar by myself. I stifled a small scream.

Maui was huge, covered in muscles and tattoos. I gaped at him, holding my boat over his head one-handed. I quickly shook my head. "Maui, demigod of-" I started.

Maui let out a slightly girlish shriek and dropped the boat. I darted sideways before the boat hit the ground, standing on a rock behind the demigod. He slowly picked the boat back up again. 

"Are you trying to crush me!?" I demanded angrily, gesturing at him with the oar. He dropped the boat again in surprise and spun around. "Maui, shapeshifter, demigod of the Wind and Sea, I am-"

"Hero of Man." Maui interrupted. I tiled my head at him in confusion. "Maui, shapeshifter, demigod of the Wind and Sea, Hero of Man. Sorry, I interrupted, take it from the top. Hero of Man."

That was pretty much the last coconut out of the tree for me. "You're no-one's hero, you stupid, selfish demigod! My island is dying because of you!"

He raised an eyebrow in obvious disbelief. Then, as if he hadn't heard me, his face lit up. "Oh, I see what you wanted!"

He grabbed the oar from out of my hand and a rock from the ground. "You definitely wanted my autograph." He carved something on my oar that I couldn't see, then handed it back to me.

It was a heart with a fishhook next to it. I grabbed the oar so hard I thought I heard it crack.

Maui was looking at me expectantly. With a flick of my wrist, I drove the flat side of the oar into his stomach. He doubled over and I grabbed his ear.

"You listen to me. If you EVER want to get off your little island, you are going to restore the Heart of Te Fiti with me and THEN you can do WHATEVER you want."