The young man wasn't sure what woke him, but when he cast a weary glance toward the doorway of his simple hut he immediately stiffened, alerted at a faint, fiery glow. It bobbed slowly in the distance before vanishing, carried away out of sight. Someone was taking a midnight walk, and he could easily guess exactly who it was. The boy shook himself and sighed. He wouldn't rest peacefully if the person was who he thought it was.

Akamu left his hut and quietly made his way through the sleeping island village. He just wanted to make sure. By now he had sort of become used to the old woman pulling these stunts, and there was no power on earth that would allow him to sleep if she was up to her tricks at this hour of the night. Unlike most reasonable people, she tended to be unpredictable.

He poked his head inside her hut. The small home was dark, her sleeping area bare. A carefully made, hand woven tapestry of a huge, muscular being with a giant fishhook hung securely on the far wall; the mighty demigod himself, Maui. Everything was in it's place. Except for the hut's occupant.

Akamu backed out from the doorway, swiping a hand over his dark head with a bewildered hum. "Where could she have gone …?" He swung around and faced the edge of the village hill that stretched down to the island beaches.

Of course.

He ran at full speed, leaving the slumbering village behind, not even bothering to get himself a torch. His eyes were well adjusted to the dim moonlight. At the bottom of the hill he dashed across the beach toward the sole glimmer of a torch in the distance.

In the back of Akamu's mind he wondered if this was how the rest of his life would be. His concerns for this old woman in particular kept him from focusing on anything but ensuring her life was cared for, and like tonight, those concerns kept him awake. She just didn't seem to register she was an elderly woman and not a child on the verge of adulthood anymore. No one else really confronted her about taking time to slow down once in awhile, and with good reason. Akamu couldn't remember another woman in his lifetime with the stubbornness of the village storyteller.

But she would listen to him.

Well, sometimes she would consider listening to him.

Akamu was panting as he slowed down, stopping by the torch planted firmly in the sand. He bent over, hands on his knees for support. "I saw your fire … huff … Isn't it a little late to be … taking midnight strolls?" He looked up. What he saw made him gasp.

The old woman he had chased after was standing with her back to him, humming a slow, cheery tune. She swayed and dipped her hands, folded her arms in a steady, soothing dance.

First of all, she seemed to be ignoring him.

Secondly, and more astonishing than that, was that where the ocean should have been reaching her knees, it was instead bare, smooth sea floor. Around her the ocean rose up in walls of smooth, flowing water, the greatest point being a wave flowing upright before her. Moonlight glimmered off it's head while it swayed and followed her movements and she laughed as if sharing a joke with an old friend.

Akamu shut his open mouth and shook himself, wondering if he were seeing an illusion. The scene did not change. "Moana?"

She continued to sway in her dance, turning herself in his direction. A huge smile beamed from her warm face. "What is it, Akamu? It's a little late to be out all on your own. Young man like you needs his rest."

Moana's voice sounded so carefree and relaxed. Like her usual self. Never mind the fact her statement could have been just as logical if he'd applied it to her need for rest at her old age.

"I saw your torch's light." Akamu straightened and inched closer, sending the abnormal wave of water a bewildered stare. "How can the ocean be moving like that? Am I dreaming?"

"Nope." Moana winked. She swept one graceful hand to the side, gesturing at the tallest point of water without missing one gentle movement to her dance. "Akamu, this is my friend, the Ocean."

He wandered closer. "Th-The Ocean? Your friend?"

Moana stopped dancing and reached for his arm, pulling the young man into the open circle within the sea to stand next to her. He tensed and eyed the walls of water around them, but when they did not collapse over their heads his fear switched to dumb wonder. He stood bone dry where the sea should have been.

Moana peered into his face, reading his disbelief, and chuckled. She scolded in a teasing tone, "You've heard my stories, haven't you? Akamu, I'm disappointed."

The Ocean almost seemed to be regarding him. Akamu could have sworn it would be smiling if it possessed a face of its own.

"Ocean, this is Akamu." Moana touched his shoulder. "Akamu, the Ocean." She waved her hand and it was clear that the gesture was meant to include the entire ocean, not just the renegade waters flowing in front of her.

Akamu blinked. He hesitantly pressed his fist to himself with a barely detectable bow of his head."Uhh … Greetings, O-Ocean?"

He was instantly blasted in the face by a small torrent of sea water and was sent falling onto his backside, caught off guard.

Moana threw back her silver head and laughed shamelessly. "Well, don't drown the boy, Ocean. He's not used to water at all, really. I don't want him being scared away."

Akamu spluttered and coughed, wiping his face. "I'm not afraid, Moana. Just, well … stunned."

"Mm." Moana sort of studied him with a smirk that said she knew something more. She gave a small shrug and smiled back at the wave. "Ocean and I keep our friendship to ourselves these days. Otherwise the little ones ask for rides on the waves and I've not done that in ages."

Moana moved closer to the curling wave and smiled warmly. "But you're the best dance partner a girl could ask for, my friend." To which the Ocean gently trickled sea water over her wispy hair and Moana chuckled.

Akamu thought over what she'd said about the rides on waves. Moana didn't seem to realize that could be an activity she could watch without participating in … Nah, she'd do it anyway if only one child asked her.

"Well, I know he's going to ask me to get back to where it's safe … and dry, sooner or later," Moana remarked to the Ocean, "so I'll bid you farewell for now, my old friend. Now, here's the message I'd like you to take with you, as we discussed."

"How can you discuss anything with water?"

Moana batted a hand toward him without tearing her gaze from the wave. "Hush. It's rude to interrupt in a conversation. 'Specially when an old lady's talking."

The old woman stepped close to the wave and laid a worn, wrinkled hand against the flowing surface. Her fingers left behind gentle trails in the flow of sea water. She lifted her head, a certainty shining behind her eyes. The playfulness had abandoned Moana now. For once, she appeared as if her true age has caught up with her. She leaned forward and whispered.

"Bring him back to me, Ocean. Bring me … Maui."

Moana appreciated her young companion's silence after she spoke her message to the Ocean, because she was sure he had a volley of questions to ask her. She had been planning her meeting and sharing her request with Ocean for some time now, that once it had finally been done, and there was no turning back now, she felt rather … tired. Sure, her body was beginning to complain and ache over the late hours she'd danced into, but it wasn't just that. Her hopes and dreams had just been set in motion, and knowing the Ocean wouldn't let her down gave her a sense of confidence.

But while confident, there was one other factor that stared her in the face, that weighed her down. The message she had sent required an answer, and part of her heart worried she wouldn't like it.

Akamu grasped her arm carefully as they began to climb back up to their village. He glanced at her face and frowned worriedly. "Are you all right, Moana?"

"Mmhm. Just watch where you're going, okay? My eyes aren't so dependable in this dim light anymore."

" … You seem sad. A-Are you sad, Moana?"

She smiled softly and patted his bare arm. His muscles tightened in silent response. "No," Moana reassured. "Just feeling a little tired."

"I know when you're tired."

"Well, at my age, looking sad and tired can be confused for each other, yes?"

Akamu gave her a dull, unimpressed look, not to be sidetracked. Moana chuckled quietly, still smiling. "Oh, what shall I do with you, eh? I won't be around forever, Akamu. You need to find yourself a young lady. Hmm … and you're just embracing adulthood. You should have someone to share your future with."

There. He looked ahead of himself, likely hiding a blush. "I-I … That's something I'll worry about later, Moana. I'm more worried about you, right now."

He eyed her cautiously, probably expecting a smack. She would willingly smack him sometimes for being foolish. "What's making you sad tonight, Moana? Please, let me help. If I … you know … can."

She finally let out a long sigh as they scaled the hill. There was the village, peaceful and inviting in the quiet darkness. Moana turned and took up one of Akamu's hands between her own. She could feel the strength in the boy's hand that came from diligent work and care for those on the island. And so much of that recent work and care had been for her.

"Akamu, you have a strong, tender heart. The heart of a true guardian. You know I am more grateful for you every day since Feleti's passing."

Akamu's gaze lowered, sorrow and respect passing over his features at the mention of the young man he had once called his best friend. "I'm no replacement for your grandson, Moana. I could never fill that hole in your life, but I … I will make sure you are safe. For Feleti."

"You are more to me than you think," she expressed, giving his hand a wobbly, yet strong shake. "But I have no more family on this island. They've returned to the island of my father … You see, I will go to join them. Very soon, I think."

Akamu looked up, puzzled. "You've planned a trip with the wayfinders, then?"

"No, no. I have someone special in mind to get me where I'm going."

"Who?"

The elderly woman smiled in a bittersweet, semi-smug manner. Akamu's eyes widened. "You don't mean … You … M … Maui?"

Moana nodded. "Yep. That's the one."

"You've sent for a demigod to take you across the sea? Moana? I don't understand you."

She nodded again, though a little less brightly. "And what I cannot understand," she said with weariness in her voice, starting off for the direction of her hut, "is how a friend could forget their friend for decades at a time. Hmph. Welp, we'll see what he says about it when he arrives, yes?"

Author's Note: I've been wanting to write this for a while, and I couldn't be more excited. First of all, I apologize for any lack of Polynesian terms or history that some may catch, and I mean absolutely no offense. This is a fanfiction, and I aim to be creative with this story, so bear with me.

Akamu was a bit of a last-minute character of mine. While this story will focus mainly on Moana and Maui, I needed someone else around for the plot as a "sidekick", and obviously Hei Hei isn't living anymore :P So let's give a great, big welcome to Akamu!

Yes, I'm basing old Moana largely off of Grandma Tala. I adore Grandma Tala, and it's very obvious how close they were, both in relationship and appearance. Gotta love how Disney captures family resemblance in animation. I hope to do my best to keep the characters in character, and an old Moana is definitely going to be a fun challenge.

All writers appreciate hearing feedback for their work! Please review and let me know what you think.