"In the beginning, there was only ocean, until the mother island emerged; Te Fiti. Her heart held the greatest power ever known. It could create life itself and Te Fiti shared it with the world. But in time, some began to seek Te Fiti's heart. They believed that I they could possess it, the great power of creation would be theirs. And one day, the most daring of them all voyaged across the vast ocean to take it. He was a demigod of the wind and sea. He was a warrior, a trickster. A shape shifter who could change form with the power of his magical fishhook. And his name was Maui.
But without her heart, Te Fiti began to crumble, giving birth to a terrible darkness. Maui tried to escape but was confronted by another who sought the heart. Te Ka; a demon of Earth and fire. Maui was struck from the sky, never to be seen again. And his magical fishhook and the heart of Te Fiti, were lost to the sea. Where even now, 1000 years later,……"
An old woman told a group of children the tale while holding a blanket which had the pictures of the story inscribed on it.
"… Te Ka and the demons of the deep still hunt for the heart, hiding in the darkness that will continue to spread, chasing away our fish, draining the life from island after island until everyone of us is devoured by the bloodthirsty jaws of inescapable death."
All the children looked at her terrified as one fainted and another began to cry, except the two children at the front, the girl holding the boy's hand as they both giggled.
"But one day, the heart will be found by someone who will journey beyond The reef, find Maui, deliver him across the great ocean to restore Te Fiti's heart and save us all." Tala finished as [Y/n] and Mohan gazed at her in wonder.
"Thank you mother, that's enough." Chief Tui interrupted, entering the hut.
"Papa!" Mohan exclaimed and Tui picked him up.
"No one goes outside the reef." Tui told the children. "We're safe here. There is no darkness. There are no monsters."
Then he accidentally knocked down a pole making all the pictures come down to reveal monsters drawn on all of them. The children screamed and ran around the room as [Y/n] sat in the middle of the chaos, giggling lightly.
"There is beyond that reef but storm and rough seas. As long as we stay on our very safe island, we'll be fine." Tui said then he was knocked down by the children, dropping Mohan who crawled over to where [Y/n] was. She laughed at him, then he huffed giving her a smile, then tackling her to the ground as they both giggled.
"The legends are true, someone will have to go." Tala argued.
"Mother, Motunui is paradise. Who would want to go anywhere else?"
Something caught Mohan's eye as he stumbled away from his best friend going in the direction of the ocean.
[Y/n] gasped and looked back at the chief and his mother before going after her best friend.
"Mohan wait." She yelled before hitting a hard surface and landing on her bum.
"There you are pipi'i." Her mother picked her up.
"Mama, put me down, I want go with Mohan." She was squirming in her mother's arms.
"Mmm mmm. And where's Mohan going to exactly?" [M/n] asked gazing at her daughter lovingly, with an eyebrow raised.
"Down to the ocean." [Y/n] said pointing at the ocean.
"The ocean?" Tui asked coming behind them and they turned to him. "Not again Mohan."
He went down the path going after his son.
"Come on, let's get you back to the village." [M/n] name said.
"But Mohan…"
"Will be fine my love, don't you worry." [Y/n] pouted, gazing at the ocean.
**************************
Mohan came to the shore and looked at the ocean, drawing closer. The water Drew back to reveal a beautiful shell. Mohan bent to pick it, but then he heard crows calling and he turned to see the crows circling a baby turtle. He turned to the shell, but then plucked a palm leaf. He held it above the turtle as he guided it back to the sea. The crows tried to peck the little turtle, but Mohan shooed them away, the little turtle made it to the ocean and Mohan waved him goodbye as he swam away.
Then something strange happened, the sea parted to reveal a shell. Mohan walked in and picked it up. The sea continued parting as Mohan walked in further picking up more shells. He looked up to see the little turtle swimming around happily with it's mother.
Then the ocean rised up to look at the little boy curiously. Mohan titled his head to the side and the rest ocean copied his actions. He reached up to it and it squirted him. He giggled as the water twirled his hair making it stand with a flower on top. Then Mohan saw something glowing bright green and he reached out and grabbed it, looking at it curiously.
"Mohan!" Tui's voice called out.
The ocean quickly fixed his hair and carried him back to the shore, causing Mohan to drop the green stone.
Tui came up to the shore.
"Oh there you are. What are you doing? You scared me." Tui said picking Mohan up.
"But I wanna go back." Mohan replied.
"I know, I know, but you don't go out there. It's dangerous."
Mohan gazed back at the ocean sadly.
"Come on let's go back to the village."