Moana - Warrior's Journey (AU after the first film)

Chapter 25: Island of Despair

They stepped down the stairs to finish their mission, at least on this island, if they can find all the creatures they are looking for. Moana was worried about what can happen on the third floor. Second floor was horrible enough already, although what she went through with the giant eel was worse. 

"Maui," Moana called.

"Hmm?" Maui responded.

"What happens if I want to throw up again?" Moana asked.

"Then do it," Maui said. "As long as it's not on me, it's completely fine."

"I see," Moana said. She did not take that as a joke as she was completely nervous about the unknown and unpredictability. 

"Something wrong, kid?" Maui asked as he started to be a little bit more concerned about her condition.

"No, I just have a feeling that some other horrible image might show up on the third floor," Moana explained. "You know, that image of giant eel being sliced in half is still stuck in my head. I mean, it's not that traumatizing as of that moment, but still..."

"Do I need to make you a blindfold?" Maui asked.

"How am I supposed to fight against evil if I can't physically see?" Moana asked.

"Geez, didn't have to be so bitter," Maui said in sulking tone.

"Sorry, I'm not a sweet person," Moana said. 

Mini Maui gave Moana another tally mark.

"It sounds like you feel better," Maui said.

"Talking to you makes me feel better for some reason," Moana confessed.

"Glad to hear so," Maui said.

Moana and Maui may squabble, seriously or playfully, but the situation always ends with a heartwarming words or actions.

The third floor was really... bright. They didn't even need a spare torch as a light source. There were lanterns with bunch of fireflies in each lanterns. They were able to see everything, in the third floor, which was basically hallway with bunch of rooms... too many rooms...

"How many rooms are in here?" Moana asked as she looked around.

"Uh... there's more than twenty..." Maui said as he skimmed through the hallway and estimated the amount of rooms.

Moana breathed hard, blew her hair, and let her breath flicker the strand of her hair sticking out of her forehead. "Oh my goodness..."

"'We gotta finish what we gotta finish'," Maui quoted Moana.

"I didn't complain," Moana said.

"Then what were you doing?" Maui asked.

"Being frustrated about the complicated step of finishing the mission," Moana answered. 

"Is it different from-" Maui started.

"Yes, it is different from straight-up complaining," Moana finished it for him.

"All right, chief," Maui answered.

"Let's check each room," Moana said. "There should be one at least every two rooms."

"Is that a staircase over there, by the way?" Maui asked as he pointed at the large stone door that looked almost the same one from the second floor leading to third floor. Only thing that was different was there was some sort of plate on the center of the stone door. "What is that thing on the center, by the way?"

"Let's go see," Moana said as she walked in towards the gate. The plate had some sort of holes that fit some figures in it. "One, two, three, four, five... there are ten holes," Moana said as she counted the holes. "Looks like we gotta find the matching cubes, spheres, and other things..." She said as she examined the size and the shape of the holes.