#i think its so FUN how the trickster at rest could look like ashe

[double-a-bathory]

doodle DUMP. some of these are from months ago and some of them are from yesterday. yes all of the trickster ones were from yesterday i fucking love that horrible beast

[entityskillcount-archive]

Thoughts on everyone in the realms?

"Short Answer; I made a chart. Not a well drawn chart, mind you, but a chart. Sometimes you don't wanna put effort into drawing 50 something faces"

"Long answer, uh....well lemme go down the list"

Claudette: My Starflower~!! She's so sweet and kind and amazing in trials and every time I see her I swoon a little- I love her so much~ Dwight: He's cute- And he's a good leader, despite his nervous personality, he knows how to bring a group together. Final guy potential. Ash: ....Don't...Tell him I said this? But uh....Evil Dead was one of my biggest comfort series, the thing that got me through losing both my parents....the thing that helped me transition, pick my name, and fueled my FX hobby. And I'm still attached, even realizing he's a real person and all- But...it's weird to just, be upfront with something like that, so I'm just...burying it as best as I can. David: He's a little rough around the edges but he’s good to have in a trial, plus when you can get past the walls, he’s nice to talk to. Kate: Her music by the campfire is calming and she’s such a sweetheart. If we were in a better situation I’d love to learn Guitar from her, but, it’s hard when you’re a moment away from a trial at any given time. Amalthea (@askthewidowstars OC): She judged my entire vibe but jokes on her I’m the one who snagged a cutie for life- Meg: If I had a dollar for every time she left me for dead I would have enough money to paint the entire campfire in solid gold. The only time we’ve ever properly talked was about SAW traps and 90% of it was her admitting she could beat every single trap because she was ‘built different’  Jeff: He’s a sweetheart and really nice to be around. Sometimes when we’re by the campfire in our downtimes I’ll let him draw on my arm. it kinda makes me want a tattoo, honestly. If we ever get out of here, I might get one. Steve: Bros!! We kinda make up team ‘Altruistic Himbo’, Plus the ‘Babysitter/Brother’ Vibes mesh really well. I kinda wanna re-style his hair though, mostly because it looks fluffy, and nice to play with.  Quentin: Bros!! We’re gonna make matching T-Shirts about committing Arson on Freddy in particular. He’s fun to hang around in our downtime, and I hope there’s a chance he can get some actual rest, even in here. He deserves it. Adam: If Dwight wasn’t the leader I feel like he’d take over the Reigns. I feel like he’s the calm type that doesn’t handle energetic types well though. Which, y’know, makes things hard.  Nea: Anytime I see her she’s either sneaking around the map and watching everyone get killed, or doing something stupid to get herself killed. I’d get grey hair if We were actually friends.  Feng: Gamer bros- I got to find out we actually played a lotta the same stuff before we were taken by the Entity. We get a chance to nerd out in between trials- Laurie: Best Final Girl hands down. I kinda hope she can teach me Decisive Strike one day- I feel like its also just a little awkward since again, still a fan of Myers Nancy: She doesn’t agree that Demo’s a good boy, which makes sense, but we but heads over it. Also I’m pretty sure she wants me dead for touching the bones around the map one too many times. They’re just too tempting.... Jake: He’s pretty quiet, but he’s helpful in trials. I heard he’s been to a convention a few times, but I don’t think he’s actually into it as much as I thought...Which kinda sucks. I’d love more cosplay buddies y’know? Yui: Kinda makes me want a motorbike. We don’t talk but she seems really cool. A little too cool to me around if that makes sense.  Yun-Jin: She benefits off of throwing everyone else under the bus. And 90% of the time she will throw everyone under the bus. Even if she needs actual help to escape the trial.  Cheryl: Cheryylll!!  She’s really cool and honestly would add her to the ‘Can kill god if she was not nerfed’ Squad. Especially since y’know, she has- I bet if we got enough of the kids together we could just beat the Entity’s ass. I know she could.  Tapp: Always been a fan of Tapp before I was taken, although I feel like he’d wanna arrest me if we weren’t in the Entity’s Realm. I might be a little too excited for my own good about Kramer’s work. I don’t think he’d believe the fact its a movie either.  Ace: He’s kinda like the Uncle of the group around the campfire, but, coming into trials, He’s still for saving his own skin- You can also only stand dad jokes for so long. Especially in an eternity like this.  Leon: He’s cool!!! I got so excited first realizing He and Jill were here, and I wanna get a chance to talk to him about everything that went down, but Haven’t got the chance. He’s nice inside of Trials though, usually doesn’t leave anyone behind. Not a fan of getting blinded though.  Jill: She knows how to lead the trials well, and I look up to her a lot. She’s always been such a badass!!  Bill: If Bill gets his hands on a weapon the entire Realm would be fucked. Badass as hell and Kinda scary. Another one on the list of ‘Entity needed to Nerf’ Felix: You’d think a Childless Father and a Fatherless son would be able to bond a bit more, but, I think we each kinda get the same vibe of homesickness from one another. He’s kind though, and it’s neat to see his work whenever we’re by the campfire.  Elodie: She’s better at helping out than most of the others, but she’s still in a survival of the fittest mindset. I loved hearing about her studies from before she was taken though. I feel like if we had more time we could dig deeper into this whole world and what its about. But we don’t get that- Zarina: We just don’t really click as much, honestly. I’d love to get to know her better but I think she’s more into digging into the killers and what she can find out about this place. Which y’know, could be better done with a team. Sage (@askthewidowstars OC): HUSBAND!!! My husband. I love him to the Moon and back. He’s amazing and I miss him even when we’re five feet apart-  ...I need a hug now-  Amanda: Best girl hands down!! We vibed a lot in between Trials talking about her traps and old designs, she was impressed by my knowledge, and we hang out in Gideon sometimes!   Ghostface: He’s pretty cute- Also fun to be around, even if he’s kind of a dick when he’s actually at work, it’s better when you’re outside of a Trial. It’s also neat to see he’s not just two idiots in a halloween costume and his own person, as much as I love the Scream Series, too-  Leatherface: Bubba!!! Honestly I’d handle being chainsawed. Fuckin Love Bubba-  Huntress: I wanna learn how to throw hatchets but I know I never will. She’s kinda scary, but also I feel like if she could adopt some of the others in the Realms, she totally would.  Oni: The only times I’ve ever really seen him is just before my skull gets bashed in. All I really have associated to him is the splitting headache.  Twins: I’m gonna punt Victor into the sun. I haven’t been good around kids beforehand and this tiny gremlin motherfucker just makes it worse.  Pinhead: I was so excited to see him!! He’s one of the few that talks more often than not in a trial, and he’s always had this air of elegance about him which makes it so much cooler! I’d be tempted to grab the box to solve it, but, at the same time Dwight’s already been hunted. I just...want to see how it works, really. Maybe if I ask nicely? Nah, probably not.  Pyramid Head: He’s so fucking COOL!!! He’s always just been really fucking cool and I still get stars in my eyes. I wanna re-create his weapon one day.  Joey: Joey’s one of the chill killers to be around, probably my favorite amongst the legion. Also Cosplay gang?? Hello? Susie: She’s cute!! I like her vibes whenever there’s not violence involved. I wonder if she’d ever get into costume making, she has the artistic eye for it. I also wonder if she’d ever dye other people’s hair...I’d kinda want green tips one day- Frank: Still wanna throw a palette at him. He’s one of the more serious of the Legion, and usually the one you’d find with a Mori. Not as Serious as Julie but only because he has the cocky god complex to go with it.  Julie:  She’s definitely the most serious out of the Legion. There’s no real rest whenever we’re in a trial against her. Scary as hell and less of a bastard than the other three.  Hillbilly: I know he deserved a lot better than this, especially after hearing more about him. I...Haven’t gotten to see much than the end of his chainsaw though.  Blight: This dude’s singlehandedly bringing back my fear of needles and I thought I lost that with HRT- Also like, dude spits up orange fuckin everywhere.  Michael: My Mans!! I always get a little excited knowing we’re up against him. It’s habit- It’s kinda weird to see him easily affected by like, palettes or flashlights though.  Spirit: She seems like she could be nice when there’s some downtime. I’m also one of the few that can understand her well enough, which probably makes things easier. I found out she’s basically my age when I survived a trial by myself. I’d hope to hang out more sometime. Nemesis: God he’s so fucking tall. Kinda surprised it was Nemesis out of everyone that could’ve been brought, and also, kinda terrified? Still am kinda terrified. I’m surprised he hasn’t just torn up an entire map yet. His zombie minions are also annoying. Wraith: All this motherfucker does is roll up to pull me off Gens and Exist as a problem. I don’t see much of him outside of a Trial. Trapper: Motherfucker Incarnate. If the Entity lets us throw hands I’m fighting him first.  Freddy: ....Gross. I liked the Nightmare on Elm Street series a lot, but...Freddy as a person? Ew. Especially this iteration.  Demogorgon: Demopuppy!! He’s a good boy and he deserves to get treats. Even if the Treats are flesh....I wonder if he likes candy though. Trickster: Pretty!! He also Gives me DIO vibes because of the Jacket and the Knife throwing...Imagine if a killer could stop time...that’d be terrifying. Deathslinger: I wanna sit down and look at his gun more but I also feel like if I ask I’d just get shot on sight. Intimidating as hell but also cool. Mary: ....Still on the very complicated ‘Ex Girlfriend that murdered me’ State. It’s hard to avoid her though. Especially since she wants to get back together since we’re stuck here. Nurse: She does not help my fear of Hospitals, honestly. While she’s easy to go up against, it’s still eugh. Plague: I really, really hate her power. The Sickness and the Vomit is just- Eughhhhh- It just hits every bad sensory issue at once.  Clown: ...I get killers are Killers and aren’t supposed to be good people but also like....Disgusting. Please Remove from the Realm. He’s just- ...Ew.  Doctor: NOPE. NO. NEVER. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO.

[neuxue]

Wheel of Time liveblogging: Towers of Midnight ch 8

Mat goes bar-hopping and contemplates obligations

Chapter 8: The Seven-Striped Lass

Oh it’s Mat. Well, enough people have told me Mat is better in this book than last, so if nothing else, confirmation bias alone should see me through.

(Though my indifference towards Mat extends further back than just last book, so… who knows).

He’s in a tavern, which should surprise absolutely no one, and thinking about how Aes Sedai are the bane of his existence, which… also should surprise absolutely no one.

Hey, now he and Thom can fidget with their Aes Sedai letters together. Safer than juggling knives in a world that doesn’t seem to have invented stress balls yet.

‘Master Crimson’? What is this, Cluedo?

And of course he’s not looking at women any more, definitely not noticing any of their, ahem, assets or anything, at least not for himself, you know, just keeping an eye out for his friends of course.

He’s also asking tavernkeepers for advice, because sometimes you just need a sounding board to convince yourself of what you already know. In this case, what to do about Verin’s letter and the conditions set on it. Which, to be fair, is a rather infuriating dilemma. When Verin plays games, she doesn’t fuck around.

“I could open it,” she continued to Mat, “and could tell you what’s inside.”

Bloody ashes! If she did that, he would have to do what it said. Whatever it bloody said. All he had to do was wait a few weeks, and he would be free. He could wait that long. Really, he could.

“It wouldn’t do,” Mat said

Aw, but wouldn’t it? I mean, Verin of all people would appreciate that kind of loophole.

“The woman who gave it to me was Aes Sedai, Melli. You don’t want to anger an Aes Sedai, do you?”

“Aes Sedai?” Melli suddenly looked eager. “I’ve always fancied going to Tar Valon, to see if they’ll let me join them.” She looked at the letter, as if more curious about its contents.

Light! The woman was daft.

Nah, she’s one of the rare sensible ones! Seriously, if I lived in a world with magic, in which there was a chance I could learn to do it, I would give approximately zero fucks about the reputation of the organisation that would enable me to learn it. (Yes, I know, it makes sense in this world that people are wary of Aes Sedai, but to me it’s one of those things like… oh, I don’t know, characters who decide they’re not actually interested in immortality because it would mean outliving their loved ones. Like okay, yeah, there’s a price, but magic. Immortality. I will never understand some fictional characters. Or maybe this just says something about me and which side I’d be on in these fictional worlds… but then, are we really surprised?)

“Can I trust you to keep your word?”

He gave her an exasperated look. “What was this whole bloody conversation about, Melli?”

‘Can I trust you to keep your word’ is kind of a… tautological question, though. And one that always amuses me, along with variations like ‘how can I trust you’ ‘I give you my word’. Because ultimately you’re still just left with the decision of whether or not you trust that person’s word. And no real way of knowing whether or not you should. Once again, I am perhaps exposing myself as not ideal hero material here.

I will say I’m impressed by Mat’s ability to not open the letter. Though I hope at some point we get to see what it says; Verin’s so good at this kind of thing it would be a shame not to see what game she set up here.

The bouncer doesn’t like Mat, which is kind of not surprising given that a bouncer’s job is to stop shit and the purpose of Mat’s entire existence is to start shit.

The paving stones were damp from a recent shower, though those clouds had passed by and—remarkably—left the sky open to the air.

I see what you did there.

Also I’m now trying to place this against everyone else’s timeline and it’s hurting my brain a little. The weather would suggest this is post-Dragonmount but I feel like Mat still had a bit of catch-up to do… ah well, I’m sure we’ll find out. For whatever reason timelines are something of an exception to my usual ability to retain details, probably because, weirdly enough, I often just… don’t care that much? In the sense that usually, when you actually need to know (or when it would be interesting or add something to the story to know), you’ll know.

Mat was not about any specific task tonight

Oh, wandering about at random are we? Which, if you’re Mat, means that regardless of how you started the night, you’ll almost certainly be about a certain task before you finish it. The Pattern has plans, after all.

Getting a feel for Caemlyn. A lot had changed since he had been here last.

Wow, okay, yeah, as the reader we’ve been in Caemlyn plenty over the past several books, but Mat was last here in book three. Damn.

A lot has changed since then. In Caemlyn, yes, but also Mat has changed quite a lot since then. It’s interesting, even in real life, going back to a place you either visited or knew well in the past. The sense of familiarity but at a slight distance, along with the memory of when you were there last, which can then serve to highlight how you’ve changed. And then all the things that aren’t familiar, though you can’t always be certain if that’s just because you’re seeing them differently…

Light, he had heard of paving stones attacking people.

What is this, the French Revolution?

Mat’s found a better tavern, by which I mean a worse tavern, but it’s all a matter of perspective and perspective is a funny thing at the tail end of a pub crawl, so let’s just not think too hard about it.

I’m suddenly very interested in the story of this woman with breeches and short hair dicing in a dodgy tavern with three dudes and not responding to any of Mat’s smiles, ahem. Yes I’m being pandered to, no I don’t care.

But Mat did not smile at girls that way anymore. Besides, she had not responded to any of his smiles anyway.

Alright, that’s much closer to Jordan’s Mat. The absolute lack of self-awareness in being able to think those sentences side-by-side, because hey, Mat, if you don’t smile at girls that way anymore, how do you know she’s not responding to them? (Plus the fact that Mat’s ‘best smile’ has, I’m pretty sure, not actually worked once this series when he’s actually thought about it).

From these first few pages in general, Mat does sound somewhat more how I would expect him to—the way his thoughts and actions contradict themselves, his tendency towards an absolute lack of self-awareness, the running joke of his ‘best smile’… though it also feels like it’s being laid on a little thick? Almost as if Sanderson has picked out a handful of things that work, or that have appeared elsewhere, and is studiously applying them and avoiding adding in too much else or deviating too much from those narrow bounds.

But that’s almost certainly me nitpicking and also looking specifically for this; it’s not really a complaint and at first glance this does seem better than the writing of Mat last book, so… fair enough. Point is, this is definitely not as jarring to read as that first chapter last book was. Still different, sure, but more within the parameters of the rest of the differences.

Mat’s more interested in the local gossip, which—ah.

“They found him dead this morning. Throat ripped clean out. Body was drained of blood, like a wineskin full of holes.”

The gholam’s back in town, then.

Well, in town, anyway; I suppose it hasn’t actually been to Caemlyn before, that we’ve seen. Hey, Elayne? Maybe listen to Birgitte and your bodyguards for a bit and actually take a break from your errands and adventures into the city alone for a bit.

Dice are landing on their corners and also starting up in Mat’s head, so looks like your night of aimless fun and tourism is coming to an end, Mat. Don’t forget to sign the guestbook on your way out.

It seemed impossible that [the gholam] could have gotten here this quickly. Of course, Mat had seen it squeeze through a hole not two handspans wide. The thing did not seem to have a right sense of what was possible and what was not possible.

Oh, well, in that case you two have something in common! Good, you won’t run out of things to say on your next date encounter.

Though on a less flippant note, I’m pretty sure I’ve talked about this before, but I like how Mat gets paired against or linked with opponents or entities who fall into the larger umbrella archetype of ‘trickster figure’ but in different or darker ways: the gholam, the Eelfinn and Aelfinn, arguably Fain/Mordeth… and then there’s Perrin, who is set against Trollocs (the darker side of a mix between animal and human) and Whitecloaks (who exist to force questions of morality). As if they’re both sometimes set against those who reflect a darker or warped version of some aspect of who they are.

It’s not a perfect like-to-like matching; they have other opponents who don’t fit that kind of classification quite as well (though I would still argue that just about any enemy they—and quite a few other characters—face highlight some aspect of themselves via contrast or by presenting a warped kind of mirror), but it’s just a little… random thing I quite like. Particularly Mat set against other types of trickster, because it fits with the very definition or idea of what a trickster figure is in the first place. This idea of looking into a kaleidoscope of mirrors and seeing theme and variation until they flicker at the edges.

He had sent word to [Elayne], but had not gotten a reply. How was that for gratitude? By his count, he had saved her life twice.

Sigh. I sort of thought they had reached an understanding as far as the accounting between them last time they spoke, but I guess we’re still doing this. Which, okay, before everyone comes for me on this, yes he has saved her life multiple times, and no she has not always responded immediately with gratitude, but specifically in the last instance she very much did, and it was a rather lovely moment where they both saw more in each other than they had before. Where they each realised that their previous (first) impressions were not necessarily the full truth, and that there was someone to like beneath that. A friend, even.

And I liked that; I absolutely have a soft spot for the friendship between Mat and Elayne, in part because they’re actually quite similar in a lot of ways. And so for both of them to start to see beneath the surface, to see more than just what they expect to see, was a nice moment of character growth for both of them.

Anyway, leaving the gratitude thing aside, it’s a shame Elayne hasn’t replied, if only because I wouldn’t mind seeing those two interact again. I just like their weird relationship. I like weird friendships between characters in general, really; it’s a good way to get to see a character from an ever-so-slightly different angle, or throw them into a slightly different kind of light. (In all honesty there’s a small part of me that would have been very open to an Elayne/Mat relationship rather than Elayne/Rand and Mat/Tuon, but mostly I just like them as friends who sort of… force each other to take a second look at things, and in doing so to realise some things about themselves).

For once, there had been a battle and he had missed it. Remembering that lightened his mood somewhat. An entire war had been fought over the Lion Throne, and not one arrow, blade, or spear had entered the conflict seeking Matrim Cauthon’s heart.

Yeah, well, don’t jinx it.

Also Mat you were sort of in the middle of some of your own battles and while you’re pretty good, you’re not quite good enough to be in two places at once. Still, can’t fault him for looking on the bright side, I suppose. Especially because there’s a rather large battle headed his way any day now.

Three inns in one night. Making a proper pub crawl of it, I see.

Though Thom’s more in the mood to play sad flute music, presumably over Moiraine. I mean fair; I, too, would probably play several laments for her sake. Bring her back already.

Caemlyn was seen as one of the few places where one could be safe from both the Seanchan and the Dragon.

Oh no doubt it’ll stay that way. What could possibly go wrong in this beautiful Camelot that’s been held up since Book 1 as an example of beauty and (relative) stability?

I’m pretty sure one of the first things I said upon seeing Caemlyn back in EotW was ‘that’s a nice city you have there. It’d be a shame if something happened to it’ and, twelve books later, I stand by that.

Mat tries to get Thom’s attention by snagging his coins, and Thom just tosses a knife through his sleeve without interrupting his playing. Respect.

***

Oh hey a mid-chapter break without a POV change. That’s unusual.

It’s something of a location change, though, because Mat’s back at the Band’s camp now, considering the pros and cons of horse meat. Well, mostly cons in his opinion but I would like to state for the record that horse is actually quite tasty. No of course I don’t know this from experience what are you talking about.

The gholam of course has an even less discriminating palate—or I suppose technically more discriminating, just less socially acceptable.

But Mat and Thom have moved on to planning for their fieldtrip to the Tower of Ghenjei, because, you know, these characters have it easy: just one thing at a time, all easily dealt with, no piling on of way too many problems and decisions and things or people out to kill them…

“Maybe Verin will come back and release me from this bloody oath.”

Unfortunately she had to take some rather drastic measures to release herself from a different bloody oath, so uh… sorry, Mat, you’re out of luck on that one.

“Best that one stays away,” Thom said. “I don’t trust her. There’s something off about that one.”

I mean, you’re not wrong. But you’re also not exactly right. Man, I’m going to miss Verin. She’s one I very much look forward to seeing on a reread: there was always something about her and it was great fun to speculate and try to work out exactly what her deal was, but it’s different when you know. And we got so very little time with her once that was revealed—it was a hell of a way to go out, of course, but I’m definitely excited to see how she reads when you know from the beginning.

“Either way,” Thom said, “we should probably start sending guards with you when you visit the city.”

“Guards won’t help against the gholam.”

“No, but what of the thugs who jumped you on your way back to camp three nights back?”

You know what this reminds me of? Birgitte scolding Elayne when Elayne tries to go out on her own. It’s far from the only thing Elayne and Mat have in common, but it does amuse me.

Talking to that clerk meant Elayne knew Mat was here. She had to. But she had sent no greetings, no acknowledgement that she owed Mat her skin.

Maybe because she acknowledged it last time the two of you spoke? Or have you forgotten? I think that’s what irks me here: they’ve already had that conversation. It made sense (more or less) for Mat to be annoyed about Tear, before Elayne and Nynaeve gave him their thanks and apologies, but after that fight with the gholam in the Rahad, Elayne and Mat seemed to clear the air between them, so it’s just… kind of weird and a bit annoying to have this dragged out again. It seems like it would make more sense at this stage for him to just be annoyed at her for ignoring him, rather than for not thanking him for… something she’s already thanked him for.

He does shift after that to wondering how to get her to set all her foundries to making Aludra’s dragons, which is a much more pertinent question. I now kind of want Elayne and Aludra to meet. I feel like that could be entertaining.

Teslyn Baradon was not a pretty woman, though she might have made a passable paperbark tree

This should sound insulting but for whatever reason I find it hilarious. Why is this so funny.

Maybe this is why we were getting Mat’s grumbling about Elayne not thanking him (again) for saving her life: because thanks are the first thing Teslyn, an Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah, offers Mat unprompted. That would more or less fit with how these things are usually set up in Mat’s narrative, I suppose.

Though Sanderson doesn’t quite seem to have the hang of the Illian dialect; it’s close but some of the phrasing is just a bit off. But that’s me nitpicking again.

“It do be important to maintain some illusions with yourself, would you not say?”

Wiser words than you may even realise, Teslyn, given who you’re talking to. Though I think she does realise this; she’s quite perceptive, and she’s spent a fair bit of time with Mat now, and I think she very likely does see his tendency towards… perhaps not quite denial anymore, at least not as strong as it once was, but a degree of self-deception (and total lack of self-awareness, of course).

She nodded to him. A respectful nod. Almost a bow. Mat released her hand, feeling as unsettled as if someone had kicked his legs out from underneath him.

Yeah, this is what you’d expect from Mat. This is what he does: grumbles to himself about lack of gratitude, or Aes Sedai causing problems and having no respect… but then as soon as that gratitude or respect is shown, he doesn’t quite know how to deal with it. Because he’s not actually arrogant enough to accept it with haughty disdain, but nor is he self-effacing enough to truly not care about getting praise and credit. So you end up in this awkward in-between state that is, I think, actually quite common amongst people in general. It’s definitely something I see play out in the workplace, at least.

And so he offers her the horses that, last book, he refused Joline. Because she’s shown him respect and so he will return the favour. Because they’re treating each other as people, and Mat may push for what he feels is his due, but he won’t just take it without giving something in return. He’s better than he likes to think he is, as Thom once pointed out.

“I did not come to you tonight to manipulate you into giving me horses,” Teslyn said. “I do be sincere.”

“So I figured,” Mat said, turning and lifting up the flap to his tent. “That’s why I made the offer.”

And that’s it, really. It’s amazing what open and honest communication can get you, sometimes. It’s almost like that’s a running thing in this series.

There, he froze. That scent…

Blood.

Mmmm, dinner.

Next (ToM ch 9) Previous (ToM ch 7)

[inkribbon796]

Snakes and Ladders

Summary: Deceit goes to confront Dark about messing around in Deceit’s business. It’s not exactly how Deceit thought he’d be spending his birthday.

The League was a carefully walked tightrope. With people like Wilford and Anti who could be as murderous as they were impulsive, and Google who had his own murderous streak to boot, a villain or any renown or ability had to learn to read the room.

Deceit prided himself on being the best at reading any situation he was in. The Light Sides had taught him a couple things: they were never going to trust a known liar; and two, he wouldn’t last. Patton’s crutch was to be ethically accepted, and Logan refused to help Deceit convinced Patton that he was wrong. Then there was Roman. Gullible, excitable, energetic Roman.

The League was the only beneficial choice for him and Remus.

So he was standing in the hollowed out shell of the abandoned orphanage that the police had tried to investigate before it had been set on fire. So he was standing in it, an illusion over the dark Side to make him look like a perfect copy of Dark on the outside. However because of the fact he didn’t know Dark nearly as well as he knew the other Sides it was more like an outer shell at best. If he tried to use Dark’s pockets it would shatter the illusion almost completely because they weren’t functional.

It took a bit longer than Deceit thought it would for Dark to confront him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Dark growled at him, stepping out of the Void.

Deceit made a show of checking a watch on his wrist, “Getting your attention. We’re overdue a long conversation.”

Dark clasped his hands behind his back, “If I wanted to have a conversation with myself I would have brought a mirror and just took your head off your shoulders instead.”

The trickster side just smiled, and turned back into himself. His typical smug look on his face. “I needed a place the heroes wouldn’t overhear. A place they gave up on seemed like a good location.

The Entity still didn’t look too impressed, motioning with a hand for Deceit to continue. An air of impatience heavy in the room, a shrill ringing that always accompanied Dark’s presence. “Leave Anxiety to me, he was my apprentice, he is my problem. Stay out of it.”

Dark chuckled a bit, as if finding this conversation endearing instead of insultive. He took a couple Something Dee didn’t believe for a second. “You were a big fish in a very small pond. So I suggest you tread very carefully before I throw you off this building and see how functional you can make your illusions.”

Deceit dared to scoff, taking his own step or two forward. “Remus would stop listening to you if you did, I am the only one who could ever hope to contain him. Unless you want a fourth chaotic entity in the city you have to manage, I don’t think I’ve run all the sand in my hourglass out quiet yet.

The greyscale Entity seemed to give it some actual thought, but whether he was seriously considering just following through with murder or just maiming Deceit wasn’t clear, “Careful, shapeshifter, overstep your bounds too much and you might get your toes cut off. That’s usually not very lethal.”

“What are you using Anxiety for, you’ve killed more important to you over less?” Deceit demanded.

“Virgil has some sort of honor to him, very useful, if a bit gullible,” Dark bragged. “How you thought he was ever suited for the League is beyond me, it was obvious for me from day one that he lacked both the bite and the determination needed.”

“They why humor us?” Deceit scoffed, not showing the visible discomfort he had at Dark knowing Virgil’s chosen name. “His powers?”

Dark chuckled at that, “That might be true, if he wasn’t obviously petrified of his own power. No, it got boring to watch him fumble about and it became abundantly clear to all of us that you have no plans on following him.”

“If you have no need for him within the League, leave Anxiety out of your business,” Deceit warned. “You have enough thugs.”

“Oh, you and the heroes can have him back, after he completes his end of the bargain,” Dark threatened. “I gave him a chance to back out, and he didn’t take it.”

“If he’s done, I suppose you’ll be done to him?” Deceit asked.

At Deceit’s words, Dark just laughed. “Yes, I suppose, no matter what he returns to me with, I doubt he’ll be of much further use to me. Not with that pathetic doctor and the rest of the heroes taking pity on him. You should have been rid of him years ago.”

“And should be rid of that puppet you have at city hall,” Deceit warned. “You can practically see its hinges and strings when you move it.”

“My business is not of your concern,” Dark growled.

“Leave Anxiety be, and I won’t care about what you do at city hall,” Deceit threatened back.

Dark just smiled again, and Deceit decided that Dark’s smile was probably his most obvious lie he had. They were dangerously close, but Deceit made sure not to flinch. The Entity was obviously waiting for it, like a wolf surveyed a herd for its old and feeble.

“Then you better help him find what I want, so that you can have him back,” Dark ordered. “Like I said, he’s unfit for the League.”

“You better,” Deceit reminded.

“Well I have to say,” Dark’s smile didn’t fade, neither had the ringing. “You never cease to amaze me, Deceit. You and your little attempts to undermine me. If you weren’t so useful, I probably would have killed you by now. But I’ll offer you this, I’ll give you back Virgil if you can tell me one thing.”

“Which is?” Deceit was eager to just be done with this whole mess.

“I want Captain Morality’s real name,” Dark told him. “Or I want him brought to me alive. I can have him unmasked either way.”

It took every ounce of control and illusions not to show any type of emotion. Not the concern and actual fear he felt at whatever had gotten Patton of all people singled out by Dark and not Logic. Or the desperate clawing need to get Virgil untangled from Dark’s network.

So he managed a chuckle, “Morality? What could that manchild be doing that could threaten you or your Network?”

Dark didn’t like that, his aura starting to curl around Deceit’s feet, “It is my belief that he’s seen something. I aim to figure out what he knows and strangle it out of him. The issue is, as far as Gainesville documents suggest, he has no paper trail beyond his superheroics. Which couldn’t possibly be true, because Average and Marvin have paper trails, so Morality is either being hidden by someone.”

Deceit felt a dangerous tap at his chest, glancing down to see Dark’s aura before casually looking back at Dark’s face.

“Or he’s not nearly who I think he is, and I’m looking in the wrong place.”

“So, I get you the oblivious Captain, and Anxiety is mine?” Deceit inclined his head, going for nonchalance.

“Immediately,” Dark promised, still smiling.

“I’ll give it some thought,” Deceit dismissed. “Morality is no threat, and I’m more intrigued by your need to have him over his cohorts, than turning him in.”

“Either way, I will find what I want to know,” Dark took a step away. “Besides, you’ve given me enough information to start.”

“Best of luck,” Deceit smiled.

Then Dark stepped through a tear in the Void, leaving Deceit “alone” with nothing but the city below and silence.

Checking the streets, Deceit turned into Logic in full costume and left the scene. A couple citizens tried to stop him, but Deceit gave his best impersonation of the side he knew all too well.

He just went back to the apartment he’d been staying at with the other Dark Sides. He felt drained and didn’t want to loop Dark around to Patton. As frustrating and infuriating as all the “Light Sides” could be, they were still Sides. Deceit still needed Virgil if he was ever going to form the Dragon Witch again. The serpentine Side was almost positive that if he was ever going to be Thomas again he needed Logan.

The instant he walked in, Remus physically jumped on him. The unexpected attack almost knocking Deceit over.

“Do you mind?” Deceit glared at him. He took stock of the apartment to find that, to his amazement it wasn’t completely trashed. Orange was on the couch, watching the Room, ignoring both of them.

“Hey, Dee,” Remus smiled, face dangerously close to Deceit’s.

Deceit grumbled, “Remus, you need to take a bath, you smell like sour garbage.”

The dark green villain just smiled, “Why thank you Dee, I’ve been dying to know when you would recognize my new cologne.”

He gave a little shoulder shimmy against Deceit’s arm.

“Ugh,” Deceit pushed him away. “Get off of me, before you make me smell like you.”

“So how’d the meeting go?” Remus asked.

“As well as could be expected,” Deceit took off his fedora to get some ash from the burned out shell he’d been in off of it. “Virgil’s gotten himself into trouble and Patton is not helping.”

“When will they learn to enjoy life?” Remus jumped onto the little table they had, assuming what he usually called his “paint me like one of your French boys” pose. “They’re no fun, Patton least of all. I mean, he’s even making Virge boring.”

Before Deceit could do anything more than stare at his hat, trying to figure out how to frantically dig the other Sides out of the hole they were digging for all of them, Remus took the fedora and placed it on his own head.

“Look at me,” Remus said in a poorly constructed Deceit impresion, even holding his hand up to pretend like it was talking. “I’m Deceit, I whine about everything, and worry too much to have any fun. Blah. Blah. Blah.”

Deceit glared at him, “Give me my hat back.”

Remus shrugged and took it off, reaching his whole arm inside the hat. Which was a talent that would have worried Deceit if he hadn’t become completely desensitized to it years ago. His face scrunched up and Deceit was mentally braced for the intrusive Side to pull out just about anything. He’d once reached in and used his powers to pull out a dead pigeon for a laugh, and that was currently on the hopeful end of Deceit’s expectations.

But to Deceit’s surprise he pulled out a beautiful lion heart lily. The yellow tips perfectly curled. The black and yellow flower looking out of place in Remus’s hand. Remus handed the hat, now looking like it was full of the black and yellow lilies, and knelt on the table to place the lily he’d been holding behind Deceit’s ear. “Happy birthday, my little snake.”

Deceit was completely speechless, just staring at Remus as he took his hat back, looking down at the flowers. Finally he managed out a, “Thank you.”

As if completely unaware of the effect he was having on the other Side, he jumped off the table like a feral raccoon, almost knocking the whole thing over.

“I’m bored, let’s go bother Roman,” Remus decided.

“Sure,” Deceit smiled at the flowers, gathering all five of them put in his hand to admire them.

“Then we can steal and ice cream truck,” Remus grinned.

“Sure,” Deceit was still admiring the flowers, remember to take the lily behind his ear and place it in the vase with the others.

“And drive it into the hero’s base,” he summoned a glass vase with skulls and snakes on it.”

“Sounds like fun,” Deceit place the flowers inside the vase. He carefully set it on the kitchen counter.

“Come on,” Remus told him, grabbing his hand in his. “Ory, try to burn the house down for me, I never got around to it.”

Orange flipped him off, but Deceit could only laugh, his mood greatly improved.

“Let’s go,” Remus pulled him out of the apartment, the two off to cause trouble.

With a hand still tangled in Remus’s, Deceit had to admit, as frustrating as Remus could be, he was a familiar type of frustrating. And the Deceit would take that over any type of villain or hero in the city.

[lacrossepapi]

Enchanting

This is the first @fandomcares auction piece for @jilrene who wanted fae!Stiles and was kind enough to let me split the 5k+ into two smaller fics. Yes I did reuse the same fae edit I used for my fae!peter fic

Ao3 link

Enjoy!

The first time Peter met one of the Fair Folk he was four. Having a family as old as the Hales meant growing up with stories of the old world and the creatures that resided in it. Every Saturday night the entire Hale clan would meet in the main family’s mansion and listen to the tales of days long since past, and his aunts and uncles bickering over the details of those stories. Cautionary tales of the dangers that lurk in the deep dark woods. Tales that Peter had always enjoyed and lived by, even when the other children mocked him about it. His grandmother was Peter’s most favorite person in the world and her favorite thing had always been the little bouquets of wildflowers the children brought her. Peter was a competitive child, who prided himself on always giving her the biggest brightest bouquets, which is how he found himself further out into the forest than the others. Each day he ventured farther and farther into the beckoning woods with the goal of bringing back brighter, more beautiful flowers for his darling grandmother.

The forest was always a loud symphony of life, but it grew quieter as Peter followed a trail of blooming Bolander’s Lilies. His grandmother had shown him Bolander’s Lily the night before as she read from their book of flowers until he fell asleep. Peter had been so excited to see the rare and beautiful flower and his small feet carried him deep into the whispering trees. With his arms full of lillies Peter started hearing soft humming; he was immediately nervous and yet he also felt himself drawn to the sweet melody.

He soon found himself standing outside a circle of candles and flowers he’d never seen before, not even in his books. Peter had been so focused on the wonderful new flowers he could give his grandmother he hadn’t realized the source of the soothing melody was watching him.

“Hello little one.”

Peter flinched. He hadn’t meant to get so distracted by the wonderful flowers in front of him, good boys always paid attention to their surroundings. He looked up at the speaker shyly, scared he was about to be reprimanded.

“What brings you out here, precious?” The man speaking to him had pale skin and bright burning amber eyes.

“My Abuelita likes flowers. Yours are pretty.” Peter replied nervously, still waiting for the punishment he knew was coming.

“We all enjoy the delights of flora don’t we? Would you care to give me your name darling boy?” The man now wore a smirk Peter had only seen on his Uncle Michael right before he did something bad.

The question sent up a flag of warning though. His grandmother had always told him to never give someone his name. All those nights sitting on the floor at her feet as she told the family the warning signs of a trickster fae and it still took Peter a while to recognize the slightly pointed ears, the too sharp teeth, the slight glow about him, the ring of plants he was in. Peter was going to get in so much trouble.

He shook his head to signal that no, he was not going to give this fae his name.

“Ah yes, ‘Stranger Danger’ as the humans these days call it. If you give me your name we won’t be strangers. Here, I’ll start. You can call me Stiles.” The fae gave him a wide smile.

Peter shook his head again and mumbled a quiet, “I know what you are mister.”

The fae’s eyes flashed a bright gold as he squatted to eye level with Peter, “You know what I am? How peculiar. Was it your Abuelita that told you about me and mine?”

Peter made the motion of putting a key in his mouth, locking it, and throwing it over his shoulder.

The fae laughed a bright happy laugh that made Peter think about the warm summer days he’d swing on the porch with his grandmother.

“Fair enough little one. If I cannot have your name I will think of one to call you instead. Come here and let me get a look at you.” The fae’s smile was welcoming and Peter felt himself take a step forward before his brain caught up and reminded him that once inside a faerie ring they will never let you out.

Peter shook his head again.

The fae laughed once more and looked at Peter with something like fondness in his burning eyes.

“Clever boy. You can stay there then.”

The fae’s eyes flashed again as he looked over Peter, who was feeling like he should’ve ran away a long time ago.

“Ah that’s unfortunate.” The fae tapped his index finger over his lips as he hummed.

“It seems your new name will be Ash Prince.” Something in the man’s voice seemed both sad and yet also pleased.

Peter opened his mouth to ask why that was his name, but between one blink and the next he found himself sitting in his bed surrounded by a small ring of beautiful and unique flowers, that definitely didn’t belong in this realm.

If he kept them for himself, no one had to know.

-

Peter continued to see Stiles throughout the years. He tried to stay away, to not purposefully seek the fae out, yet he always found himself just outside that ring of luminescent flowers. Stiles’ humming floating around on the breeze until it wound its way around Peter no matter where the boy was.

“Where are you going, mi corazón?” Peter’s grandmother’s soft voice found him from her place on the porch swing.

“Hello Abuelita.” Peter smiled at her as he altered his path to take him to his grandmother.

He settled in to swing quietly with her and watch the sunset, but unfortunately she was looking at him with a glint in her eyes that spelled trouble.

Peter knew better than to speak first and give her an opening, so he got more comfortable and let himself enjoy the gentle swinging as she stared at him.

“I know where you go when you think we aren’t watching.”

Peter smiled softly at her and continued to wait her out, he knew his grandmother and there was no way she was finished.

“I know they don’t see, but you should know that I do. And I hear mi corazon.” She lifted an eyebrow at him as if daring him to argue.

He would not.

“What do you hear Abuelita?” Peter asked quietly.

“I hear the death knell that rings each time you step into that forest. I hear the dirges that play each time you go beyond our reach. I hear our family’s lament each time you meet with that fae in the woods.” She gently held his face between her hands, “And I hear the love songs he sends you each time you feel alone.”

Peter didn’t know what to say. She was right. He knew meeting Stiles was wrong. He knew that with each visit he got closer and closer to that ring, to telling the fae his true name. Stiles was slippery yet dazzling, devilish yet charming, doom yet peace. Stiles was enchanting and Peter was lost in his spell.

His grandmother must have seen the turmoil on his face, because she ran a soothing hand down his arm and sighed, “I know my darling boy. You are only fifteen, and he has had you for nearly ten years already. Be strong mi amor.”

Peter nodded, tears welling in his eyes, and words stuck in his throat.

“He will come for you one day.” she leaned forward to place a kiss on his forehead before continuing as if she could speak directly into his mind, past the melody still calling him into the woods, “Remember your family. Remember my teachings. Remember who you are.”

Each sentence ended with a kiss until finally she sighed and leaned back into her space.

“Go to him mi corazón. He is waiting.”

Peter took her dismissal for what it was and kissed her head before he headed into the ever darkening forest.

-

“Stay with me awhile longer my beautiful Ash Prince.” Stiles was looking at him with earnest amber eyes.

“I cannot. You know I cannot.” Peter sighed.

Stiles huffed once before turning a sad little pout Peter’s direction, “What if I gave you more flowers?”

Suddenly Peter was surrounded by his favorite of the flowers Stiles had shown him.

“What if I gave you books?”

The flowers disappeared, only to quickly be replaced by great big chests filled with every book Peter could ever wish to read.

“What if I gave you nothing at all other then all of my attention for the rest of your life?”

The chests disappeared and all that was left was Stiles, hovering above the ring of flora so that he could lay on his stomach and yet still be eye level with Peter.

The human rolled his eyes fondly.

“You are sly and quick Stiles. I can never let my guard down with you. One wrong word and I’m just another brainless human slave.” Stiles opened his mouth to protest but Peter continued, “The fun is in the fact that I will not submit. I am too smart to fall into your beautiful deadly traps and you like a challenge.”

Stiles righted himself so that he could stomp his foot while he crossed his arms and frowned like  child.

Fourteen years they’d played this game. Fourteen years of Stiles trying to swindle Peter’s name out of him. Fourteen years of almost stepping past the ring of flora when he relaxed too much around the trickster.

Peter was turning eighteen soon which meant college was on the horizon. College, a job, a life of his own was waiting for Peter outside of these comforting woods,and of the loving home he’d grown up in. He could not keep Stiles. He could not continue the wonderful back and forth banter they had together. It was time for Peter to grow up.

“I leave tonight and I will not return.” the finality in his voice was a shock to both human and fae.

Stiles tried to call for Peter as the man walked away, but he would not return.

-

Peter returned to Beacon Hills the summer after his freshman year of college. He felt like a new man. He felt changed in a way that made him embarrassed to talk about. Somehow he felt both more mature and incredibly immature all at once. It had only been a year and yet for better or for worse,  Peter was different.

All summer he heard Stiles’ songs. All summer he ignored them. He was done playing games with the fae and he would not let himself act on the temptation. As the weeks passed the melodies became increasingly chaotic, like he was trying to tell Peter something with his songs because the man would not go to him.

Peter ignored the warnings.

As he laid burning, listening to the screams of his family around him Peter wished more than anything in the world that Stiles would come save them.

“I’m here my sweet Ash Prince. What do you ask of me?” Stiles voice washed over Peter’s burning body, making the dying boy smile.

“Save them. Please Stiles.” The words were a croak on the ash filled air.

“If you’ll give me your name darling boy. I’ll never let anything hurt you again.” Stiles words brought him back to that warm summer day when he was surrounded by his favorite flower and meeting an interesting stranger for the first time.

“My name is Peter Lobo Hale. Save my family Stiles.”

-

Peter woke up in a beautiful green forest in a country he did not know.

“Where are we today my love?”

Stiles smiled brightly at him and gestured to the trees around, “Welcome to the Black Forest!”

“And why are we here?” Peter asked, the corner of his mouth curving up in a smirk that showed a bit of fang.

“All apart of your introduction to the wonderful world around you darling!” Stiles’ joy made the male glow like a small star.

Peter would never tire of basking in the warmth Stiles spread with each grin, cheer, and exaltation of ecstasy.

Good thing he was immortal.

[pengychan]

Te Rerenga Wairua - Ch. 4

Title: Te Rerenga Wairua Summary: Found by the gods drifting at sea, Maui always assumed he had been thrown in it to drown. When that assumption is challenged, there is only one way to find closure: speaking to his long-departed family. But it’s never a smooth sail to the Underworld, and he’ll need help from a friend - plus a token that fell in the claws of an old enemy long ago. Characters: Maui, Moana, Tamatoa Rating: K Prologue and links to all chapters up so far here.

A/N: Sorry for the wait. Here’s a longer chapter than usual to make up for it. I’ll try to keep updates regular from now on, possibly every two weeks. 

***

Tamatoa had never been especially fond on the sun.

Yes, it was probably the shiniest thing in existence, but staring at it hurt his eyes and really, what’s the point of being shiny if no one can stand looking at you for more than a few seconds? There wasn’t any, that was it. And even without looking at it there was that annoying glare to deal with, reflecting on water and sand; it was one of the main reasons why Tamatoa hardly ever left his cave during the day, unless it was to do pretty deep underwater.

All in all, he preferred the night a great deal more. Stars were a lot better to look at, too:  nice and shiny, but not in a way that made your eyes burn. So, really, short days and long nights seemed a really sweet deal to him.

But of course humans were weird and annoying, and for some reason they also were the apple of Maui’s eye, so obviously he just had to bend the laws of nature over and backwards to please them. It wasn’t the first time he had done it, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. However, as he struggled to hold onto the net where a very angry, very hot, flaming and roaring immortal entity struggled with all its might to break free, Tamatoa knew it would definitely be the last time he would be involved in any of it.

It will be easy, Maui had said. It will be fun, he had said. Just hold onto the net, tire it out a bit, and I’ll handle the rest, he had said, and gone into hiding, to catch the sun by surprise.

Well, the sun sure had been surprised, finding itself trapped in a magical net - was it really magical? ‘Cause, he had only Maui’s word that it was - and now was putting up one hell and a half of a fight to break free.

“Aaagh! Just be still! Be still! Pretty please?” Tamatoa gritted out, struggling to hold onto the net, but of course the sun - Tamanuiterā, Maui had called it - didn’t comply. Tamatoa’s legs skittered over the hard stone ground, digging tracks in it while he desperately tried not to be dragged over the edge of the abyss the sun had risen from, the light so intense it made it hard for him to keep his eyes open at all. And then there was the heat, growing more and more unbearable by the second, making Tamatoa feel like he was about to just be cooked alive.

Unless, of course, Tamanuiterā decided to up the game and just turn him into a heap of smoking ashes. Which was definitely what it would do if Tamatoa let go of it, so dropping the net wasn’t an option at all: he had to hold on and hope that Maui would finally decide to do his part to–

The flaming entity roared again, and gave another jolt that almost, almost threw Tamatoa off the edge and into the flaming pit below. Tamatoa shrieked, throwing all of his weight back to counter and sliding further on the rocky ground despite his efforts. Just another pull like it, and–!

“Maui? I can’t hold on much longer! Now would be a good moment to show up, don’t you think, buddy? Maui? MAU–!”

“CHEE-HOO!”

The scream was barely out of his mouth when another cry rang out, louder than even the sun’s roaring, and something snapped - the net. Tamatoa was thrown back and away from the pit, landing heavily on his shell, his underside terrifyingly exposed. He cried out, lifting his claws to shield himself from a blow that… never came. There were screams and roars, the sounds of a fight, but most of it was lost to Tamatoa: stuck as he was and still half-blinded by the light, be couldn’t see a thing. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the burning sensation and really hoping that, should he come out of that mess alive, he couldn’t end up blinded or–

“GOTCHA!”

Maui’s triumphant cry was what made Tamatoa dare to crack his eyes open to take a look. The sun was up in the sky, but not too high up: holding it in place was Maui’s fishhook. The magical - again, was it really magical? - line attached to it was pulled taut, Maui holding onto it with all of his strength, muscles straining.

“Who is this? Why are you trapping me?” something roared, the voice coming from all directions at once, and it took Tamatoa a moment to realize who must have spoken; he had never wondered whether or not a flaming ball could talk at all, really.

Maui, on the other hand, didn’t seem surprised at all. “It’s Maui, demigod of wind and sea! Warrior, trickster, shapeshifter! Have you heard of me? Sure you have!” he yelled, and yanked the rope, causing the deity to be pulled back closer to the ground. “Now listen up, Tamanuiterā! You’re going way too fast in the sky, and that’s no good for humans - so how about you take it slow, huh? So that days last longer? Friendly suggestion there!”

The sun went very still, a noise that sounded a lot like sputtering filling the air. “Is this what you call a friendly suggestion, demigod??”

“Yeah, would hate to be on the receiving end of his suggestions,” Tamatoa muttered, trying and failing to get himself upright. Well, wasn’t that awesome: he had grown too large and heavy to flip himself back on his feet. Great.

Maui laughed, but when he spoke again he was talking to Tamanuiterā. “Hey, at least no one can say I don’t get stuff done. Because I did get my point across, didn’t I, hot stuff? Won’t have to come here and repeat it all over to you again?”

“No. You have made yourself very clear indeed,” the deity grumbled. “Let go of me, if you want me to begin my journey through the sky at all.”

“Oh, sure. There, you’re free. Get going - slowly, got that part?”

No answer was uttered, but it was clearly a yes: as Tamanuiterā lifted itself in the sky, tired and beaten, it was moving a fair deal more slowly than usual. With a loud laugh, Maui let himself fall back on the ground next to Tamatoa.

“Mission accomplished! Hah! You okay, Crabby? That was amazing, wasn’t it? I’ve got to admit you looked pretty cool back there, holding back a giant ball of flames! Goes with your name, huh? If I were the kind of guy who thinks fate is written in the name, I’d say you were born for this!” he added, and gave him a shove powerful enough to flip him right back on his stomach. “What, not saying anything? Why so quiet?”

“You’re never, ever, ever going to drag me into something like this. Ever,” Tamatoa groaned, forcing himself to stand. At least he could do as much, all limbs in working order, but he was rather sure he was gonna feel that for weeks to come. He’d never had to strain himself so much before.

Maui laughed. “What, did you think slowing down the sun was gonna be easy? But we did it! Look! Now days are going to last longer and humans aren’t going to have to do everything in a rush! Isn’t it awesome?” he added, gesturing to the sky with a wave of his hand, the grin on his face so wide it threatened to split it in two.

“Good for them,” Tamatoa said drily. There had been no love lost between him and the few humans he had met. At least he had gotten a pearl out of it, and the thought of it made him  feel a bit less grumpy. He was about to ask if he could go home now when Maui suddenly turned back and lifted his arms, puffing out his chest.

“Ah-ha! You’re gonna love this! Look!”

“Look at what?”

“My pecs!”

Tamatoa opened his mouth to point out he had absolutely no interest in his pecs either, but he found himself blinking, taken aback, when something on Maui’s skin shifted. The ink from his tattoos was rearranging itself to show something new. There was Maui, unmistakable, using his hook to hold the sun still, and right next to him… wait a sec…

“Hey, is that… me?”

“Yep! Cool, huh? Hero stuff, and you’re in it! Right here on my skin. I know, I know, it’s a lot to take in - breathe and take it easy, okay?”

Tamatoa wasn’t that ecstatic he’d forget how to breathe, really, but he still had to admit it was rather cool to see himself there among Maui’s tattoos, doing something that really was the stuff legends were made of. He opened his mouth to concede that yes, it wasn’t half bad, but Maui spoke first. He had turned to glance at something towards the west, and the grin had faded into a pensive frown. Which wasn’t something Tamatoa had seen on him often, really. Especially the ‘pensive’ bit.

“Hey, didn’t you mention once that you’ve never been in Lalotai?” he asked, causing Tamatoa to blink. He had probably mentioned it, of course, but he was rather sure it had been a long time ago - maybe even thousand years or so. No less than a few hundred, at any rate, so he was rather surprised Maui remembered that detail at all.

“Never been there, no. Not that I remember. Why do you ask?”

“Because it’s not too far away from here, come to think of it. So, what do you think? Up for a tour of your ancestor’s place? After today, you’ve earned it,” he said, gesturing towards the horizon. “Plus, the fight was fun and all, but I’d still be up to clobber a monster or two.”

“… Huh. Why?”

“What do you mean, why? ‘Cause Lalotai monsters are fun to clobber. That’s why. Also, it’s a hero thing.”

“But I am a monster from Lalotai, too,” Tamatoa pointed out, frowning. He may not have grown up there, but that was where his family had been from and where his egg had hatched, so it felt a lot like he was from there; his Gran saying over and over again that was their real home had probably something to do with it, too. Was he saying that, if they’d met there, beating him up would have been a heroic thing to do?

Unaware of his thoughts, Maui laughed like he had just told some kind of joke and punched his left claw. “Hah! Good one! Of course that doesn’t apply to you. You’re my buddy,” he said lightly, and threw the hook over his shoulder after discarding the rope he had tied to it. “So, are you curious to take a look or not? We’ve got all day now that out friend up there is taking it nice and easy!”

He was curious, really, and he followed him without asking further questions, the conversation soon entirely forgotten about.

Or so they both had thought.

***

“… You really don’t like the sun, do you?”

“What gave it away?”

“You complaining non-stop about it was a good hint.”

Tamatoa scoffed, still squinting against the light. “Just got to get used to it again,” he said. Truth be told, Moana could see why he’d have a hard time adjusting: not much light made it into Lalotai. Some part of it were completely dark, some were left in a sort of half-light, but none of them was anywhere as bright the surface in full sunlight.

“Well, don’t take too long getting used. We’ve got places to be,” Maui said, loading another handful of coconuts on the boat before turning back to them. “For the record, the chicken and the pig are off limits. You’ll be catching your own food. If you can still do that without luring them without shiny crap, that is.”

Actually, Tamatoa still had some shiny trinkets on him: he had placed what was left on his treasure back on his shell before leaving the cave. It wasn’t much, but enough to make one long shiny stripe in the middle of his back, and it did shimmer quite a bit in the sun - enough to attract some fish for sure. “Just so you know, I took down a whale once and I could do it again!” Tamatoa snapped, glaring at him, and paused for a moment before looking down at Moana. “It was actually pretty cool. Would you like me to tell you about it?”

“Maybe another time,” Moana said, then glanced at the boat again, entirely missing the disappointed pout on his face. Come to think of it, her boat was barely the size of one of  Tamatoa’s claws. “So. How are you going to come with us? Are you going to swim?”

The giant crab shot her an unimpressed look. “Do I look like I’d float?”

“… Not really.”

“Didn’t think so. And you’re supposed to be the smart one.”

“Are you really going to keep that up for–”

“He’s going to walk,” Maui cut her off, and grinned. “Follow us while walking on the bottom of the ocean like a good little bott–”

“Maui,” Moana cut him off, warningly. Last thing she needed now was for another fight to break out. To her relief, Maui got the hint and dropped the matter with a shrug.

“… Anyway. If he can keep up, he’ll follow us from the bottom of the ocean.”

“Of course I can,” Tamatoa snorted, sounding rather offended. Maui shrugged off his protest.

“Suuure. How long can you hold your breath now? Used to be a decent amount of time.”

It was Tamatoa’s turn to shrug. It was impressive to look at, really: Moana had thought that maybe seeing him in the open would make him seem less of of a giant, but she had been wrong. It was like watching a mountain rising and falling; not quite as impressive as Te Fiti had been, never like it, but still quite a sight. “I can stay without breathing for a whole day now.”

“A whole day as in, a day and night? Or just a day or a night?”

“Huh. Good question,” Tamatoa muttered, reaching to tap his chin with a claw. “A day and a night if I’m at rest, but I’ll be moving, so… probably just the day? Or just the night.”

“Then you’d be fine following us through the day, as long as we stop on an island at night?”

“Yep! Or shallow water - I can make do with that, too.”

“What if we find neither?” Moana asked. Mapping out an itinerary that would allow them to stop on land or shallow waters regularly shouldn’t be too much of a problem, at least according to Maui, but anything could happen out at sea. A bout of bad weather could be enough to throw them off course for hours, or even days.

“Then he drowns,” Maui said lightly.

“HEY!” Tamatoa protested, crossing his claws. “You still need me, you semi-demi-mini-god! Got to tell you if we find the hairpin, remember?”

Maui gave a dramatic sigh. “Way to bring in reality. Ah well. A guy can dream,” he said, then shrugged and held up a hand when Moana rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine. Serious answer: if we find no land or shallow waters by night, I’ll turn into a whale and drag this gigantic pain in the butt up to surface to breathe. Pretty sure I can still do it. How does that sound?”

… Can still do it?

“Better than drowning,” was the grudging reply.

“We’ll just agree to disagree on that,” Maui muttered, and reached to hit the drum on the boat. “I’ll be putting this in the water and give it a hit every once in a while, in case the water gets deep and you can’t see us all the way from the bottom,” he added. Thankfully, Tamatoa didn’t seem to quite catch on the way he had stressed out the last word. “You can still pick that up through water and follow, right?”

“Sure I can! Tell me one time I ever got lost!” the giant crab huffed, only to pause and blink as thought a thought had suddenly occurred to him. “… Wait. You’re not going to lead me astray on purpose and then just leave, right?”

“What, to make you drown? Don’t make me laugh. There are more satisfying ways to kill you off. But as we have a deal, or at least as you and the kid do–” Maui trailed off when Moana cleared her throat. Both him and Tamatoa turned to see her staring at them, eyes shifting from one to the other and back, arms crossed over her chest. “… What?”

“I’m going ignore the ‘kid’ part for now. Correct me if I got this wrong, but… you guys have done this before, haven’t you?”

“Not at all!” Maui snapped.

“Well, duh,” Tamatoa muttered.

Moana raised an eyebrow. “I’ll take it as a yes. So the two of you used to travel together?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Duh.”

“You say duh one more time–” Maui began, lifting his hook, but trailed off when Tamatoa snorted and kicked up some sand in his direction, causing him to shout and reach up to shield his face.

“Don’t worry, I’m done talking about old times. You’re the one who won’t shut up,” he grumbled, and gave Moana a passing glance. “Did he tell you how he slowed down the sun? Bet he did. He must have told that story a million times, just minus a detail or two,” he added, and turned his back to both of them. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be in the water having breakfast while you get that piece of wood ready to sail.”

Moana watched him get in the water with the grace of a falling tree, the ripples causing the boat to rock violently and both Pua and Heihei to jump on land. She picked up Pua, made sure Heihei wasn’t up to walk to his doom in some crevice, and turned to glance at Maui. He was glaring daggers at Tamatoa, but it wasn’t his expression Moana focused on - it was his tattoos. One of them, really, the one in which Maui was shown slowing down the sun. It looked pretty straightforward - what had Tamatoa been talking about, then? Why had he brought it up?

Before she could ask, or even just wave back at Mini Maui and her own tiny self, Maui snorted and looked away from the water. “Uugh, this guy. At least we won’t have to listen to him while sailing.”

Moana had to admit that sounded like a plus, even though she couldn’t shake off some nervousness at the thought the giant crab would be beneath the boat all along, hidden from sight. Of course she knew he wouldn’t dare attack, especially having nothing to gain from it, but it was still unnerving.

“So… you said we have places to be. That’s great, but… where are we going?” she asked. “Do you really have an idea of where to look?”

“Sort of. It’s called the Vault - not very original, but still. Treasures have a tendency to find their way there - it’s a bit of a magnet for valuable things. Blame the currents, old tales, pirates, magic, whatever. Crabcake took plenty of stuff from there, believe me. Wouldn’t be surprised if that was where he found my old hook, too,” he added, then shrugged. “I’m not sure that’s where his treasure may have winded up, but it’s the best place to start looking. I don’t have better ideas,” he added, and turned to go get the boat ready to sail.

Moana watched him walk away, biting her lower lip. His hair hid one tattoo from sight, the one of his abandonment or perhaps his funeral, but there was another one plain to see on the left side of his back: Maui and Tamatoa at a stony cliff, locked in a vicious struggle.

Make him talk about himself. He loves bragging about how awesome he is.

You two must get along perfectly.

Well, not since I ripped his leg off.

Back then, she’d been too surprised by the casual revelation first and then by Tamatoa simply rising up from beneath her to really give what he had said much thought, but now she couldn’t help but wonder what he had really meant with that since. And, most of all, just what had happened before. Maybe she was just reading too much into things, but–

“Bwoook!”

“Wha– Heihei! No! Come back here! I’m not going to come take you out of a monster’s jaws again, you hear?”

If he heard, Heihei gave no sign of it. Then again, it was to be expected - he was a chicken, and not an especially bright one at that. As she chased after him, Pua in her arms, she failed to realize that Maui had turned to glance back at her for a few seconds before marching towards Tamatoa in quick strides, the hook held tightly in his right fist.

***

“Here, fishy! C’mon, a little closer… just a little bit… thaaat’s right, look at the shiny– OOF!”

“Hey, Crabcake. A word?”

The sudden weight on the back of his neck shifted, and something sharp - not much guesswork was needed to figure out exactly what it had to be - pressed against the vulnerable spot where his neck ended and his shell began. There was no telling how much damage he could caused if he decided to press on, but it would definitely hurt quite a lot. And Tamatoa wasn’t a fan of pain, no sir, not at all.

“Seriously? What do you want from me, man? We can just talk without–”

“Keep your voice down,” Maui hissed. The tip of his hook sunk slightly deeper and Tamatoa had to clench his jaw not to let out a very undignified whimper. “Actually, you know what? Don’t speak at all and listen. Are you listening?”

“Do you see me covering my– ow! Okay! Yes! Listening!”

“Good. Here’s the deal, plain and simple: if she gets hurt, you get hurt.”

… Seriously? “Where’s that coming from? We have a common goal, remember? I have no reason to hurt her! She’s actually better company than you are, if you ask to–”

“Nobody asked you anything,” Maui snapped, but he relented: the painful pressure on the back of his neck eased some. “But as I have seen what happens when a human is unlucky enough to stand in the way when you see any treasure, here’s your official warning. You ignored it once and lost a leg. Next time, it could be a claw, or both. Or your head.”

The smartest thing to do at that point would have been just nodding, saying that yes, he got it all crystal clear. Just say yes, be very still and breathe out a sigh of relief when Maui moved away without maiming him further.

But Tamatoa hardly, if ever, went for the smartest option. So he scowled and turned his head as much as he could, eyestalks poking towards Maui. “You haven’t changed at all, have you? Thousands of years and still the same fixation. No one touches your pets.”

“Humans are not my pets,” Maui bristled. “They’re–”

“Your fans, then. Some difference. It’s eat or be eaten for everyone, but no one touches them because you say so, huh?”

‘Cause Lalotai monsters are fun to clobber. That’s why. Also, it’s a hero thing.

“Don’t give me that! There was no eat or be eaten! You just wanted more treasure and didn’t care who got hurt–” Maui snapped, but Tamatoa had had enough. With a snort, he spun suddenly, causing him to be thrown off him and into the water; an old trick, but it still worked. Maui immediately stood, dripping water and holding up his hook, ready to fend off an attack that didn’t come. Tamatoa was angry, but neither stupid nor suicidal.

“Says the guy who chased after monsters ‘cause it was fun and you looked so amazing doing it,” he snapped instead. “You step all over a giant eel for just being a giant eel doing giant eel things, and you’re a hero. I take some trinkets from humans, sink a few ships, and all hell breaks loose. I was the exception only until you decided I wasn’t anymo–”

“You had been warned to leave them alone,” Maui snarled, cutting him off. “You have no one to blame but yourself. If you know what’s good for you, you won’t ignore my warning again.”

Tamatoa scoffed and turned away. “Fine,” he spat, crossing his claws.

“Fine,” Maui echoed, crossing his arms.

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

“FIN–”

“BWAAAAK!”

“What the…?”

They both turned just in time to see the chicken being launched through the air by a geyser, followed after a few moments by the squealing pig and then - of course - the human. All three landed in the sea, splashing up varying amounts of water; moments later the human emerged again, the pig on one shoulder and the chicken on her head.

“We’re all fine!” she called out, waving. Like anyone had asked, Tamatoa would have thought if he wasn’t too busy blinking, wondering exactly what had just happened.

“… I have a few concerns,” he finally said.

“Lucky you. I have more than a few and you are most of them,” Maui muttered, causing Tamatoa to scowl. He was about to point out that of course the feeling was entirely reciprocated, but he fell silent when he realized that something was up in the water: the sea seemed to be shifting around her and then… wait, was it lifting her on the boat? What? How?

Maui seemed to notice his surprise, and grinned. “Oh, right. Just thought I’d mention she’s all buddy-buddy with the Ocean. And she’s the one who took on Te Ka. Slipped my mind.”

“That’s kind of a big thing to slip your mind,” Tamatoa pointed out, unable to look away as the human… did she just high-five the ocean? Yes, that was exactly what it looked like. Tamatoa blinked, mentally noting that staying on her good side would probably be a good idea. But how was he supposed to know that some skinny human would be that well-connected? And powerful enough to take down Te Ka? How could that be? What power was she hiding?

“Not the biggest thing that ever slipped my mind,” Maui was saying. “I was more than happy to let you slip my mind for a thousand of years or so.”

“Oh, har har,” Tamatoa said drily. Maui just shrugged, and turned to walk up to the boat.

“Well, we’re good to go. Try not getting lost, because I really don’t feel like fishing you up.”

Tamatoa scowled at his retreating back, but it melted in a grin when he thought about the hairpin safely tucked away in his carapace. Let him think he was so smart while being played like a fiddle to get him what he wanted; it just made everything more amusing.

“Oh, please. I know the way to the Vault like the back of my claw,” he finally called out. A long time had passed since they had first met, after all. Things had changed. “I never get lost.”

***

“Did we just lose him?”

“Naaah, don’t think so. I’m not so lucky.”

Moana bit her lower lip, her gaze wandering over the waves. The sun had just begun lowering in the sky when they had reached the island and begun settling up for the night. Now it was disappearing at the horizon, the sky streaked orange and purple, some stars already starting to show… and there was still no trace of Tamatoa. Of course most of her concern was due to the fact he really was the only one to know what the hairpin they were after looked like, but to be completely honest, she didn’t really like the thought he might have drowned. He had relied on their directions to reach someplace to come to surface for the night, and they’d had a deal she didn’t mean to break.

“Maui, we need him–”

“I know, I know. Just kidding, honest,” Maui said, lifting his arms. He was sitting next to the campfire he’d built, cracking a coconut open. “Well, mostly kidding. Either way, I’m sure he followed us just fine all the way here and will show up soon. He’s probably stuffing his face on seafood somewhere in the lagoon. And if he doesn’t come out by the time the moon is up, I’ll go looking for him,” he added, holding out half of the coconut for her. “Deal?”

Moana smiled. “Deal,” she said, taking the coconut and sitting on a log, pushing her feet beneath the cooling sand; the sensation was all the more welcome after an entire day of sailing. Next to the log, Pua was already napping. She drank some of the milk, gazing at Maui’s tattoos. Mini Maui and Mini Moana both waved at her, and she returned the wave briefly before clearing her throat, her gaze falling back on the one showing Maui in the process of catching the sun. “Look, I don’t mean to pry…” she began, and Maui raised both eyebrows.

“You know there is no reason to start off like that unless that’s exactly what you’re gonna do, right?”

“Okay, fine. I’m kind of curious,” she admitted, and added nothing more. She was certain that Maui would guess just fine what she was wondering about and, if he decided he didn’t want to talk about it, she wouldn’t ask. As it turned out, she didn’t need to.

“There isn’t much to say. Tamatoa and I used to be friends. Or at least we thought we were, but I’m not so sure anymore. We just did stupid things together. A treasure hunt there, some wrestling here, slowing down the sun… yeah, he was there when that happened,” Maui added, clearly having noticed her surprised expression. He reached to tap on his chest, over the tattoo in which he held the sun still. The cast flickering shadows over it. “He used to be here, too, just like you on the other side. But that was a long time ago.”

And now he’s on your back, Moana thought. The two of you, locked in a fight.

“Then what happened?”

“I tore off his leg.”

Moana raised an eyebrow. “There was a reason for that, right?”

“Nah, just an arm wrestling match gone wrong,” Maui replied, and to his credit he managed to keep up a perfectly serious expression for three whole seconds before snorting out a laugh. “Hah! Yeah, of course there was. Do I look like the kind of guy who’d just go around and tear limbs off monsters for fun?”

Moana opened her mouth.

“… On second thought, don’t answer that.”

Moana closed her mouth, and Maui sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Anyway. He always had a thing for hoarding treasure, but it wasn’t a problem at first. I liked the treasure hunting part, and he could keep most of what we found. I gave my part of it to humans, of course. Until one day Tamatoa decided he wanted it all, and…” he paused, and glared into the fire. “Things began to happen.”

“What kind of things?”

“Ships going missing, for one. Some disappeared entirely, while others were found shipwrecked. Treasures were stolen from villages. There were talks of monsters that came at night, but I didn’t think for a moment it may be him. Until one day he raided a village in broad daylight. Can you believe he seriously expected me to think it had been another giant monster crab?”

“And you knew it was him?”

“It couldn’t be anyone else. I was rather sure he was the last of his kind to begin with, but when I went to check at his cave - the old one, I mean, you haven’t seen that one - the missing treasures were all there. The big idiot hadn’t even bothered hiding it elsewhere, and at least he realized denying was pointless after some yelling. I was, how should I put this? Slightly annoyed.”

Well, no wonder. Moana could definitely see why he’d be furious, and how it had led to a fight. Providing for humans, and protecting them, was what Maui had been all about. Because he’d needed to be someone’s hero. Because he’d needed to be wanted and wanted to be needed. “And that was when you fought?”

Maui grinned. “Seems pretty obvious, huh? But no. As in, we didn’t trade blows, but we sure yelled a lot. Mostly me, I guess,” he added with a shrug. “I told him - no, no, stay outta the fire, you dumb chicken - that if it were anyone else, I’d have already torn him apart and taken all the treasure back to humans. I warned him that humans were, and would always be, off limits. That if he tried pulling that one more time, he’d be sorry.”

He fell silent, and for a few moments there were no other sounds but the crackle of fire, the waves rolling on the sand, the light breeze among the palm trees. When he spoke again he did so slowly, his voice lower. “He ignored the warning. I made him sorry he did. But just to make it clear,” he added, his voice lighter, “I didn’t go there and rip off his leg while he was snoozing. I was just thinking of beating some sense in his stupid head. I confronted him, he attacked, and that escalated. He thought he could take on me and he was wrong.”

Honestly, Moana wasn’t certain she wanted to imagine what the fight had been like. Maui was incredibly powerful, and Tamatoa terrifyingly big and strong; the potential damage they both could deal was huge. All things considered, losing one leg wasn’t the worst possible outcome by a long shot.

“I see. And he, uh. I assume he’s held a grudge against you ever since?”

Maui raised an eyebrow. “Now, why would you go assuming that? Just because he tried to eat me after reminding me that I had been abandoned at birth, left to either drown or become food for–”

“SHARK!”

“Wha–”

The warning cry wasn’t anything Moana hadn’t heard before: there had been times when she and other villagers had been idly swimming in the shallow waters around the island - not something her father liked them doing, but sometimes the days were too hot for anyone to resist - when somebody had spotted a fin. The cry had been immediately raised, and a mad scramble for the shore had followed. What followed now, however, was a shark landing from the sky on the sand next to them, causing Pua to squeal and bolt off while Heihei dropped down on the ground, stiff as a stick.

Moana moved before she even had time to process how absurd that was: she immediately stood, reaching out to grasp her oar at the same time, and jumped back, the oar held between herself and the shark.

Except that the shark stayed motionless, just as still and stiff as Heihei. Which was normal for her chicken, but for a beached shark… not so much. With a sigh of relief, Moana lowered the oar and turned to see Tamatoa looming only a short distance away, partly in the water and partly on the sandy beach. For a being that huge, he’d been incredibly quiet: Moana hadn’t heard him coming at all. It was kind of unnerving to realize just how easily he could sneak up on them if so he chose, but she had no time to dwell on it.

“Hey! What’s the big idea here?” Maui was protesting, crossing his arms. “Throwing dead sharks at us? Seriously?”

“What now? I got you guys dinner. You just like complaining about everything, don’t you?” Tamatoa said with what looked a lot like a shrug. “Well, whatever. If you don’t want it, your problem. More food for the human. I’m sure she won’t complain,” he added, and looked down at her somewhat expectantly. “Right? It was a good idea. I thought it was a good idea.”

Moana glanced at the shark, and had to admit that well, he wasn’t wrong. The supplies she and Maui had with them weren’t half bad, really, but nothing really beats something juicy and fresh. Plus, it might be best to try their best to be civil as long as they were stuck together, and she supposed that the fact he had gotten them food was an effort from his part, at the very least.

And Maui wouldn’t be able to protect me all the time. Best to make sure he won’t want to eat me even if he gets a chance to.

“It was a great idea,” she said, and gave her best smile. “Thank you.”

Tamatoa’s uncertain expression melted in a grin that was more than just a touch smug. “You’re welcome!”

“Quit stealing my line,” Maui snapped, then looked at her with a frown. “If you said you wanted fish, I could have caught you–”

“Let’s get cooking this!” Moana cut him off, trying to sound as enthusiastic as possible, and grabbed the shark’s tail fin to drag it closer to the fire. Hopefully, Tamatoa wouldn’t pick up anything wrong with her tone and Maui would get the not at all subtle message to just leave it be. “Don’t think we can eat it all on our own, though. You’re having some too, right?”

Tamatoa - who had just started to turn back to the ocean - paused and blinked down at her. He looked incredibly confused. “What?”

“You’re… staying to eat, right?”

“I already had a shark for dinner. And a few dolphi– wait, that’s an invitation! Right? Is it an invitation? It sounded like one.”

Moana pasted a wide smile on her face. “Sure! So, stay for the company?”

Please say no. Please go away.

“How about no?” Maui snapped. Unaware of her real thoughts and entirely ignoring Maui’s protest, Tamatoa grinned.

“If you insist,” he said, taking another few steps on the sand before dropping down on it, legs tucked beneath him and claws under his chin. Even so, he towered over them both. “Wouldn’t deny you the pleasure of my company.”

“I’m not pleased,” Maui pointed out.

“That’s a plus,” Tamatoa replied without missing a beat, then looked back at Moana and grinned again. “I always said you’re the smart one.”

***

[Back to Chapter 3]

[On to Chapter 5]