A Journey

should have listened

Moanas pov

"Thank you." I smile at him sincerely. He gives me a signature grin, "it's no problem mo."
I unfold the letter.

Im happy to hear from you.
I hope your loving the adventures. I miss you. And your father misses you too he's just to stubborn to admit it. The village is doing well. I can't wait to hear from you again my minnow, your adventures are much more exciting than mine.
I love you so much And cant wait to see the hawk who carries my daughter.
-love Mom

I grin.
" you know I think your mom likes me."
I glance at him hovering over my shoulder.
He was reading it!
"The last part where she says she cant wait to see me.." he points over my shoulder.
"Maui!" I exclaim.
He smirks "what? Its not my fault your mom knows good company when she sees it."
I look at him blankly and roll my eyes.
"You're so full of it." I comment before folding the letter.

My eyes land on an island. "Hey look." I hop up. "That's our next stop." I quickly steer the canoe towards it.
"Do you recognize it ?" I glance at him. He stands in the front of the canoe looking at the island.
"Uh. No not yet but you do know not every island is nice and friendly, right?" He turns to me.
I roll my eyes, " yeah​, you already told me. Warrior clans and whatever else."
"Moana that was serious stuff. If you sail up to one of those 'warrior clans' island and they decide they just don't like you, you're dead."
I look at his serious face.
"The last time you said that. It worked out fine." I remind him.
"You were lucky the ocean helped you cool that lava!" He shoots back at me annoyed now.
"And that the girl was so easily distracted. That was too close. I'm almost certain she knew and lied for you."
I roll my eyes. He's right of course. Our leave from Passavina was, a close call. But it still worked out. So I'll count it as a success.

"Oh calm down. We will be friendly." I insist giving him a sarcastic look.
--------

"So maybe I spoke to soon" I offer an apologetic smile.
"Wait! Of what use could this simple islander be to you?" Maui looks up at the intensely decorated 'chief', I guess. I'm really starting to wonder why dad doesn't look cool like the rest of the chiefs.
He is draped from head to toe in plants, paints, and markings.
His face covered in black paint yet I can still see how youthful he looks. He must be young.
Still, Defiantly distinguishable.
I look to the people around me. Even the barest of them have markings and tattoos. I can defiantly get the warrior vibe here.

"Do you play me a fool?" He holds a long staff with large stone blades that arch out around a spike of a stone.
"I know who you are. Maui, demigod of the the wind and sea. Infamous for your trickery and selfish action. The better question is what would you benefit from 'saving' this 'girl'?" He emphasizes saving and girl as if he's entertaining the thought just to pose the question.

Which is what he's doing... he doesn't agree that Maui would be saving me and he doesn't believe I'm just a girl. So is he going to kill me or?

This question seems to pose a problem for maui at first. "My own affairs are my own Poerava. Let the girl go." He says gripping his fish hook.
Poerava... pearl... black... black pearl. Poerava means black pearl.
I glance at him.
I can defiantly see the black thing. I've never seen black dyed cloth like his before.

"When the wayfinder that restored tehiti's heart and defeated the monsters of legend. Tekah and tomatoa. Sails up on to the shore of my island it becomes my affair." He doesn't skip a beat.
How did he know who I was?
"Look. Honestly. I've been tasked with protecting this girl and its a problem for me if I don't get her to cakoon." Maui shrugs.
"Ahh. I see." I watch him walk towards Maui "that is more believable than what I thought you would manage. You have gotten smarter demigod." I hear him chuckle. I watch him pull his hood down.
My eyes widen. Poerava isn't a he at all.
Poerava has long dark hair braided into a netting on the back of her head. She wears bones and black flowers in her hair.

"But see demigod. Your tricks will not fool me and your intentions, what ever they might be, will not interfere with my affairs." She stands almost in his face.
" What do you want with her?" He matches her powerful presence with anger of his own.
Poerava stares at him momentarily.
"The girl is promising." Poerava's voice is as deep as it was. I can't help but be interested in her. she's a brute. Like I've never seen before. 
"Your intentions puzzle me but not for long. I will figure out what has happened to the natourious trickster of the land and sea. Until then-" with one swift movement her staff has yanked the hook from Maui's hand.
"Take him to lock up!" She commands.

"Maui! Wait no!" I run to help him but I'm stopped by the staffs of her guards and restrained to my knees.
I watch him get pulled away "No! Stop!"
"It;s okay Moana. I'll be fine. Wouldn't be the first time locked up on this island."
His eyes land on Poerava before he yanks his arm from a warriors grip and stand up straight.
He walks himself as if daring them to touch him.
My eyes land on poerava.
I have to get us out of this but I'm not going to be able to do it with brute force or in a day.
I fear I've just got us into a long bad situation....

----------
"You shouldn't travel with such a lawless man. He'll turn his back on you one day." She sits comfortably beside me as the head of a fire.
People don't dare stop and talk to us even though we are in the middle of the village. I think they avoid us actually.
"You don't know Maui like I do." I defend him even though I don't have to. If he's going to change his reputation, he'll not only have to show it through action but spoken word helps too.
She laughs at my statement, "I know that trickster well, I might look young but I have been around for moons. I have wisdom in some things." She sounds amused with herself still.
She glances at me, seeing that I still don't believe her and sighs. "Look kid, you need to know how to protect yourself. Without that boy. Get yourself to cakoon if that's where you are even going." She rolls her eyes and proceeds to poke the fire infront of us.
She doesn't believe him...but she's not hurting me... I'm not sure what my next move should be.
"You will train here until the next full moon." She informs me.
My eyes widen. A whole moon cycle?!
"What about Maui?" It leaves my lips as soon as I think it.
"He and you can go once you've finished." She waves dismissively.
"Why? What is it you want from me?" I question.
"Your name will be on people's lips moons after we are gone. My children's children's children will speak of you. The woman whose compassion restored Tefihtis heart. Breathed life back into our dying islands." she describes what I've done in a way that sounds magnificent. When I was scared the whole time, and winging it. "We owe to you a great thanks. All the people of the islands." 

"I just wanted to save my island." I try to reason with her. Make her see. It makes her eyes dart to mine, holding them ruthlessly. "Exactly. A woman who fell in love with her island, with life, with the ocean as a girl." she speaks with a ferocity.  "And refused to let those things be taken from her even as everyone told her there was nothing she could do." she describes myself to me and I can tell she believes every word. "It only takes one person to refuse. To fight hard enough for the things they feel and know." she clarifies. "When they speak of you, they won't just speak of a compassionate woman driven to save what she loved, but also a capable woman. Who makes a difference where ever she goes. Your story will teach children no matter how small the choice or contribution. The impact will be great." She explains my legacy to me like she's seen it. I sit silenced by the thought. I never have thought of my legacy really. I'm not sure I'll be able to shake how important it feels now. Do I have this responsibility, to leave a legacy worth telling children? Or am I just naïve and playing right into her hand?

  "And maybe they will speak of the way you trained here on my island and became an even more capable woman." She stares at the fire, "Your story will not be one shadowed under a demi god... it will put dreams in little girls and teach strength's real face to generations of our people. They must know there is strength in them naturally." 

"This is what I want from you. Take from my island, the weight of your legacy."