Whare Potae (The House of Mourning)

Chapter Twelve

Author's Note: GUYS guys guys guys heeeeeey, I have to tell you something! One of my incredibly fantastic readers was kind enough to draw a fanart inspired by this story!

You can check it out after at www.slaughterliterary.com, on the "Mercy's Blog" page. Please do go check it out, and follow the link to Tabakerko's portfolio, too. There's some beautiful work, there, worth more than one look.

Okay, okay. I'll write a chapter now, I really will, but I just...I'm really excited about this art.

Okay.

Anyway.

Back to the story. I got this.

Chapter Twelve

Maui wasn't sure how long he slept. The warm bed was just a little too small, and he kept waking up in the dark, wondering for an alarming moment where he was before remembering, taking a deep breath and passing out cold again.

When he finally did open his eyes for good, he still felt a little dazed and achy, but he found that he could sit up straight without terrible muscle spasms. Moana was seated in a chair across from him against the wall, chewing angrily on her lip and frowning fiercely into empty space.

"So," muttered Maui sarcastically, "I take it everything went well with the council, huh?"

"Ugh," groaned Moana, sounding immensely frustrated. "I mean, yeah, it went...fine. It's all fine. It's not like I let them throw you out of the village or anything."

"So...they did try," muttered Maui, wincing. "Yeah, well, it's not like I didn't see that coming." He sighed. "Look, Moana, maybe it'd be better if I got out of here. Having me around doesn't seem like it's gonna make your life any easier, and I don't really want to start anything, not right now, anyway, so-!"

"What?" Moana's eyes widened. "No way! You're not going anywhere. You have to put the island back in the sea, remember?"

Now it was Maui's turn to stare. "Right...right now?"

"Huh? No, of course not," mumbled Moana. "I mean, after we've made up with Hine-nui-te-po and appeased the anger of the sea, obviously, right? We'll have to put the island back, so my people can get to the ocean again."

Maui just shook his head, impressed despite himself. "You really aren't gonna give up on this. You think you're still gonna calm down the sea?"

Moana subsided a little. "I...well, of course I am," she said, with just a bit less enthusiasm and gusto. "I have to, I mean...there has to be something I can do. My people need me."

Maui grinned.

"That's our Moana," he chuckled. "Why am I surprised? I should have known you weren't a quitter."

Moana just rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I guess," she told him, "but just saying 'I have to fix this' isn't much in itself. I mean, you should have seen the way they looked at me in the council chamber when I told them that I didn't know what we were going to do. You could almost taste the disappointment in the air, and everyone just looked at my Dad like he was going to have the answer. I couldn't even get them quiet by myself, so he had to command the room for me, or whatever. Maybe...maybe I'll never be the Chief that they need, but-!"

"But," interrupted Maui, "you're the one that they've got, and frankly, if you ask me, they're lucky to have you. Maybe you don't have all the answers yet, okay, but, hey, at least you're trying. You got your heart in it, like always." He shrugged. "Wouldn't be you without that reckless kiddy enthusiasm of yours."