Disclaimer:

The movie, 'Moana', is copyrighted by Walt Disney Animation Studio. It was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker and the co-directors were Don Hall and Chris William. It was released by Walt Disney Pictures in 2017.

I only claim copyright to the characters, and some of the elements of the story, that are of my own creation.

Chapter Soundtrack:

Strange Sight- KT Tunstall

P.S. I chose this song to describe the friendship between Maija and a 'friend' of her's. :)

Summary: 

A young woman, seemingly ordinary, is deserted on an island that is void of life but is then confronted by a man who completely baffles her with his words and actions. He couldn't really be a demigod now, could he? There was no such thing as real gods. Or was she the one mistaken? Could she trust in his friendship after all the heartbreak and disappointment in her life?

...

Chapter 8

''Oh, what are you thinking girl, you must be out of your MINDDDDDD!''

My holler continued throughout the fall, my ears almost missing the heavy, echoing thud of the entrance closing above me.

...

The drop seemed to go on forever until my feet broke through the surface of the shimmery liquid, and I had a second to take in a breath and hold it before I went under completely.

My descent continued underwater through what looked like a swirling underwater vortex.

'' Oh no, not another maelstrom,'' I groaned inwardly and closed my eyes, not wanting to see the damn thing around me throughout the descent.

SPLASHHH

My eyes flew wide-open when I felt my feet once again break through another surface and I heaved in a lungful of much-needed air.

But now I was facing a free-fall from a great height!

'' Oh my great Gods!'' I yelped as I fell through the air, desperately searching for something to hold onto and halt my uncontrolled descent into Lalotai.

And I found it in the form of a strong looking patch of vines coming closer and closer.

I made a desperate lunge for the nearest vine and snagged it, but it elongated with the force of my fall.

I let go as soon as I was close enough to the ground! I certainly didn't want to be pulled upwards again like I were some sort of bungee jumper.

Unfortunately, I was tossed off balance and straight into the middle of a patch of different sized, shaped and brightly coloured corals.

I hissed in pain when a few snagged at my knees, arms and hands. I recovered quickly from the stings but sunk to my knees when my previously wounded thigh buckled under me.

'' OUCH,'' I thought, breath hitching slightly as I hid amidst a large bioluminescent coral- patch (that looked a bit more familiar than the hanging vines of an almost tree-like coral), and leant my back against a massive Queen's conch.

The shell was much bigger than the ones up where people lived!

I looked from one direction to another, trying to spot the location of either Maui, or Moana, but I couldn't spot either of them from where I was hidden.

'' Well, ain't this just absolutely perfect. Will I become stuck in this place if I can't find either of them?'' I thought, sinking back to lean more heavily against the conch-shell.

But then, just moments later, I felt an impressively strong shove against my lower back and an angry voice cried out: '' Get OFF me whoever you are!''

I practically sprang to my feet and backpedalled away from the talking-shell, but stayed in the safety of the patch of high- coral. My heart was in my throat, as the voice had given me one of the biggest shocks of my life.

And now I was in the presence of one of the monsters of Lalotai.

What kind of creature had spoken? Was it the giant snail that lived in Queen conch shells?

Out here in the realm of monsters, they could very well be carnivorous, not herbivores.

The earth began to shift right in front of my eyes, and I watched on, heart hammering against my ribcage...

Then right before my widened eyes, the conch started to rise from the coral, sprouting legs, a neck, a head with two eye-stocks and two pincers that clicked together as it peered at me with an unimpressed expression on its face.

An aggressive series of chirps escaped its mouth and I backed away a bit more in shock. This was the biggest coconut crab I'd ever seen on any oceanic island and yet it still looked juvenile with its back covered in the massive queen conch shell. And, oh, she was an albino coconut crab with beautiful light pink eyes and barely noticeable, pinkish stripes on its body.

Then the creature's expression turned from unimpressed to one of shock when it realised what exactly I was.

'' A human?! What are you doing here in the Realm of the Monster kind?'' it chirped out with, I was surprised to realize, a distinctively feminine, girlish voice.

I sucked in a troubled breath and back-pedalled a few more steps before turning to walk away from the situation. It was better to say nothing at all then reveal the reason Maui, Moana and I had braved the underworld.

But as I looked back at the decapod one last time a prodding feeling coming from deep within my memory had me pause mid-step.

This crab was pearl white except for the faint pink stripes on its exoskeleton. And its eyes held the familiar pinkish-red hue I remembered from a time twenty years ago.

'' Could it possibly be?'' I thought, throat tightening with emotion as I peered at the crab who was staring at me with the same sort of contemplative expression like she was remembering someone she hadn't seen in a very long time.

I stroked the necklace nestled against my sternum for a moment before finally asking in a tentative voice: '' Peara, is- is that you?''

The crab seemed to jolt at the question and scuttle backwards a few steps, retreating into the safety of it's conch-shell. But then she re-emerged after just a heartbeat, seemingly having gotten over whatever shock my words had elicited.

'' Maija,'' she uttered, a sliver of hope coating it's feminine voice,'' i-is that you?''

I sunk to my knees on the soft ground, a choked sort of laugh escaping my lips as the crab inched closer. Tears of joy stung the corners of my eyes as I nodded firmly.

A choked chirping cry escaped the decapod's mouth as she full approached me and roamed her antennae over my open palms tentatively.

I let her antennae roam over my hands, knowing she probably needed to touch me, to familiarise my scent to fully believe she wasn't imagining my presence.

Another soft chirp escaped her mouth as she dropped onto the ground, passively resting her claws on my knees.

I tentatively reached out to lightly rub the soft area of the crustacean's head with my hand.

I was barely able to believe the little crab's presence as real, either. Well, not so little anymore. Gods, the last I'd seen her she could fit in my palms and now after twenty years she was the size of a slightly above averagely sized adult Coconut crab.

'' It really is you, Maija,'' Peara said quietly, her voice soft as her whole body seemed to relax under my touch. She looked like she enjoyed me rubbing her head.

'' It really is you, Peara.'' I added just as softly to the crustacean as I lifted my free hand to gently, but curiously feel inside the makeshift-home the crab carried on her back.

'' Her exoskeleton feels hard. Last time I remember she was still somewhat squishy. It's a bit surprising that though she has her own armour to use now, she is still small enough to carry a portable exoskeleton, too, '' I thought with a small smile on my face.

I jumped, laughing under my breath when the crab's antennae roamed over my torso curiously. Especially my breasts! That had been a source of curiosity for her in the past, too, when I'd begun to grow out of my child's body. Now I had to admit, with being a full grown woman, my body would have looked a lot different than she remembered.

I knew Peara wasn't interested in me in the sense that she was attracted to me, but because crabs had no such things on their torso.

'' You look different,'' she said quietly and removed her antennae.

I pulled my hand away from the crustacean's back and answered wryly: '' It is called physical growing up, Peara. And you seem to have done a lot of it during the years.''

Peara smiled up at me before an animalistic, bat-like screech overhead broke the calm and we both dived behind the corals for protection.

We both looked up with pounding hearts as the bat-like monster glided its way through the sky like a pterosaur of the prehistoric Ages.

'' For a moment there I forgot that I dived into the world of monsters,'' I muttered to Peara who glanced at me a bit shakily. She may have been larger than the tiny little crab that had once fit in my palms but she was still so small compared to those flying monsters.

'' You forgot, Maija?! ' she deadpanned, shaking her head in exasperation.

She waved a claw at me and admonished: '' So as you know, this coral could have been carnivorous and you wouldn't have known until it bit you. So, be cautious down here. ''

I uttered a shaken laugh, glancing at the brightly hued corals with new respect around me. The pair of us waited for a moment before straightening.

'' We should go to a safer location. Come on, I'll take you to the lair I'm staying in with my father,'' Peara told me as she scuttled behind me and started pushing on my lower back with one claw.

She was strong and I found myself scrambling to my feet with the added emphasis of her giving me a light pinch on the behind.

'' Ouch!'' I exclaimed, but then laughed quietly at her silent emphasis on: '' Get to your feet, now'!''

I remembered how Peara used to playfully snap at me when I'd been a kid. It had been a slight worry for my parents, but I'd known she'd not truly want to hurt me.

The only day that she had pinched me with the intent to cause harm was on the day I'd found her, and even then she had been too injured and weak to have done too much damage to my finger.

But boy, was she strong, now!

I was truly amazed at the strength in those limbs. Granted she was the size of a normal adult coconut crab but she was at least twice or thrice stronger.

I could hardly imagine how strong Peara's father... wait just one second!

'' Ermm... Peara, your father is he the crustacean who's name is Tamatoa?'' I piped out hesitantly as we walked side by side between the different patches of coral.

'' Yep, that's my dad alright. I guess I forgot to tell you that I was originally from Lalotai. Or of my father who is actually very caring of me and is sometimes a little too overprotective. But it's because he wants to see me grow big and strong,'' Peara answered, looking up at me with a fond smile on her face.

'' I thought Coconut crabs didn't care for family unity,'' I commented with a stunned expression on my face.

'' That is a massive misconception that comes from humans studying those crabs up in the world where humans walk,'' Peara retorted defensively before quieting down a little.

She looked deeply uncomfortable when she added: '' Albeit there are those Monster crabs who don't care much for family unity. Some of the huge females even strive to kill off another crab's young upon finding an eligible male for themselves. And all in the name of staving off competition for their own young, which is completely crazy because there are so very few of us left.''

'' Do you fear living here in Lalotai?'' I asked out of sympathy towards my crab-friend.

'' Everyday, Maija. Every day I live in fear that a big female lumbers into my father's lair with the intent to mate with daddy, but won't give a care about me. But I know if it were to come to it, daddy would protect me and give me time to escape death,'' Peara answered with deep discomfort on her face.

I frowned deeply at one of the big corals in my path. Now I felt absolutely terrible for the reason Maui, Moana and I had come down here to disturb this little crab's family- life.

It disturbed me that she'd been so very happy to see me and now she had reasons to be upset with me. To fear the reason I was here in the first place, and with the person, Peara's father shared a bad history.

'' Listen, Peara, I have no regrets on seeing you again for so long, but my original reasons for being here are most regrettable. You see, I was travelling with another human, Moana of Motunui, who is a future Chief of her people. The other person is Maui the Shapeshifter, Demigod of the Wind and Sea. We came here to retrieve the magical fish-hook that Maui believes is in your father's lair,'' I said after a moment.

Peara paused mid-step and whirled her neck up to stare at me. Her eyes held shock and a sudden onslaught of fear and with something akin to hurt and betrayal.

'' Oh, Peara, I honestly hadn't even an inkling that you would be here, or that your father is the monster crab that holds Maui's hook in his keeping. But I understand if you feel hurt and betrayed,'' I sighed out sorrowfully.

I continued walking past the young crab towards an almost hidden entrance to a vast lair (now noticeable because I was so close to it).

The lair itself was an absolutely gargantuan clam that towered over me.

Just how big was Tamatoa if he needed such a large space for a lair?

Maui's tattoo had given an inkling as to how big he was but it would be quite a different tale actually seeing the decapod with one's own eyes.

Then I heard the sound of scuttling decapod feet behind me and felt a small nudge to my uninjured calf. I looked down to see Peara peering up at me imploringly.

'' Do you think the demigod would hurt my father?'' she asked me quietly.

My heart twinges at the barely veiled fear in the young crab's eyes.

'' I was told how your father lost his leg in the battle he fought against Maui. I was stuck on the same island as the demigod and I've heard all the stories he so kindly bestowed upon me, after all. I can try to convince Maui to not cause more harm on your father, Peara,'' I answered, softly.

'' Did Maui tell you he was unsure as to why my father had gone into a full-blown rage, other than the obvious with him breaking into the lair to rob riches for the humans he's worked to gain recognition from?''

I shook my head and answered:'' I think he put it into the whole '' I'm in his lair stealing the treasure that Tamatoa's coveted so the humans would worship me'' kind of thinking.''

Peara grimaced and gently pushed me forwards towards another patch of towering corals and once there I could see the entrance to Tamatoa's lair displayed before me.

The doorway really was well concealed behind the plantation and only seen if you approached it at a certain angle.

'' Then I suppose he stayed completely ignorant to the full truth as to why my father tried to kill him. You see, It takes five hundred years for Monster- crab larvae to hatch from one's egg, and another five hundred years for the larvae to grow into the size I'm right now. And because of that guy trodding on a nest of eggs on my father's shell my siblings' lives were crushed before they'd even hatched,'' Peara muttered in a sad, bitter voice.

I inhaled sharply at her words.

I'd known Peara had no siblings, to begin with, but I'd never truly asked for the reason she was alone. Now I knew, and it was horribly disheartening.

'' Everyone's lives were lost, but your's. That's why Tamatoa went into a blind rage,'' I mumbled out sorrowfully.

'' Our kinds senses are extremely sensitive and we can hear low-frequency calls even inside eggs. Daddy likely heard each and every cry of pain the moment my siblings were crushed underneath the demigod's feet,'' Peara said quietly.

I nodded slowly, trying to wrap my head around the information that despite still being very young my friend was a thousand years old.

It was mind-boggling that Monster crabs took so long to hatch from their little eggs and grow to the size of an adult coconut crab.

'' So when I found you wounded and weak on that beach twenty years ago, you were but a baby? You used to fit into my palms, Peara. You were so little and vulnerable that a borrowed conch shell was a necessity for you,'' I mumbled out quietly.

'' I actually still need to hermit around for extra protection even though my shell is tougher than back then because it's so very dangerous down here in Lalotai. And I never forgot how afraid I was when you and I first met. I felt so scared, confused and vulnerable that I snapped at your fingers. But you were so gentle when you lifted me up and carried me to your parents' house,'' Peara said quietly.

'' And eventually, you trusted me enough to actually speak to me. Boy, was I surprised when you spoke up, saying 'thank you','' I commented with a sad, wistful smile as my parents were mentioned.

'' Once the overwhelming feeling of panic started to recede I began to realize you weren't gonna cause me harm and that you were giving me careful care. It was then that I started to actually trust you. I remember that comfortable terrarium with that massive hideaway shell. It was my home for the next five years.''

I smiled at the memory of that huge queen shell my grandpa had found on the beaches of Hawaii. Indeed, even with the gastropod shell on Peara's back, she'd slept in the safety of that beautiful conch during the nights.

'' My father helped me put up a do-list on how to keep you well fed and comfortable. And helped me understand what moulting was all about when I had my first, and only, crab as a pet. My father had hermit crabs as pets in his house as a young boy so he didn't put up much of a fuss, and my mother was always very passive with the whole idea of me having a pet. The only warning I did receive from either of them was 'watch out for the pinching. She's a coconut crab and will grow big', '' I answered with a wry smile.

'' Then your daddy must never have told you of his concerns towards the fact that I'm a monster of Lalotai,'' Peara said in a hushed tone as she pushed me towards the hide-out.

My world was suddenly brought to a crashing halt at my crab friend's words. Words I'd never expected to hear in a million years. It couldn't have been true, could it?!'

...

End Of Chapter 8