Ch. 53 - The Great Pretender and Te Ka!

"Thankfully, everything goes as planned." Leo muttered under his breath after seeing how Moana taught Maui how to use his magical hook again which is more like giving him the inspiration to use it while in return, Maui teaches Moana how to sail albeit it was a ship and Maui had no choice but to beg Leo on teaching him how to use the ship or at least the basics of it.

Of course, who is Leo ot refuse him, Leo started to miss his home and wanted to finish the entire storyline while leaving without regrets, so Leo gladly taught Maui and also Moana who grumbled that Leo is more useful than Maui, much to Maui's broken heart.

A few days have passed and Leo was staring at the remaining days he has in this world.

[Days remaining: 10 days]

'10 days left huh? It's not much but enough to bring back Te Fiti and finish the remaining quests.' Leo said to himself while staring at the screen.

"Are we there yet?" Running up to the deck, Moana seems to have just woken up courtesy of her messy bed hair.

"Take a look at yourself, princess." Maui answered her while pointing at the darkened sky not far from their front.

"Oh no." Moana muttered to herself, seeing the storm brewing that is nearing.

"We can survive." Leo spoke out from behind, assuring her.

"...Thank yo-."

"I think."

"Don't just add 'I think'! I really thought you were assuring me!" Moana yelled out in annoyance.

"Haha! My bad!" Leo held his stomach and laughed out loud much to Moana's killing glare.

"Not funny. What we truly die there, what about Motunui? What about my island? I can't leave them!" Moana crossed his arms under her nonexistent bossom.

"....If you think we'll die then what? If you're afraid of death then you shouldn't have ventured beyond the reef and fulfill your destiny. You should've just tucked yourself back in your bed and wait until the world ends." Leo seriously said made Moana turn quiet.

"Listen to me Moana, going out there while thinking if you would survive, I'm a hundred percent sure you'll die. But if you go out there with determination to finish what you started, trust me you'll live." Leo slightly bent his back to reach Moana's eye level and stared at her while speaking in a very serious manner.

"...." After Leo's lecture upon her, Moana turned quiet, not uttering even a single word.

As for Maui, the moment Leo started his life-changing speech, he has already turned his head away and whistled as if he wasn't supposed to be here and tried to become a simple bystander. Which fortunately for him, worked like a charm!

*Whistles*

"I'm not mad at you, I just don't want any harm to fall on you." Patting Moana's head, Leo mentally sighed after noticing the slight tears slowly forming on Moana's eyes.

Thankfully, his words combined with the pat on the head, Moana ceased her cry and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Anyways, I don't think you should head into battle with those tear-stains, fix yourself and come back here later." After nodding her head, Moana was about to turn around and leave when she stopped in her tracks.

*Thud!*

Stunning Leo, Moana engulfed Leo in a hug while burying her face on his chest, speaking in a muffled tone.

"Thanks..."

With that, Moana left.

"....You were quite harsh with her." Finally, after the tense atmosphere died down, Maui took his chance to speak, commenting about Leo's actions.

"I just did the right thing. After all, I won't always be there to look after her." Leo said with a slight melancholy look on his eyes, staring at Moana's departing back.

"You speak as if you're leaving this world." Maui chuckled but when he saw no reaction from Leo, he stopped.

"You're not....dying are you?"

"Of course not. I'm still young." This time, it was Leo's turn to chuckle, lightening up the somber atmosphere.

"Anyways, you should get ready, polish your magical hook because we're going to face our biggest battle." Leo changed the subject, his expression being replaced by a serious one once again.

"Yeah." Hearing the new sh next of the conversation, Maui also changed his expression to a serious one while staring at the far distance.

"Moana should stay here and watch out for our escape ship, just in case we fai-." Before Maui could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by Leo.

"No one will be staying out, Moana will come with us. She'll be the one to put the heart of Te Fiti back."

"Are you crazy!? She'll die out there! She's not like us! She doesn't have our strength, agility endurance and-"

"But she has the will and heart. Unlike the both of us, Moana is more determined to bring the heart of Te Fiti than us. Trust me, Moana will not fail. Especially as long as I'm here." Finishing his sentence, Leo activated his Panther Habit.

Right in front of Maui's eyes, Leo's metal necklace released a black substance that slowly covered Leo's entire body, transforming him into a black panther with a meticulously designed whole body suit.

"Woah. Would you consider trading your suit with my hook just for a day?" Maui said while raising his magical hook.

"Nope. Even if I want, it's not like you can wear this. It's created just for me. Only me." Leo answered with a smirk hidden under his mask.

"That's a shame." Maui got sad.

Leo shook his head, not bothering to comfort the giant demi-god.

***

"Moana, you can do this. Why are you crying over a few words from Leo! You're stronger than this!" Moana stared at the mirror in front of her, which amazed her when she first saw it as she hadn't seen it even on her island, Motunui.

"Even dad's harsh words never brought this much pain to you. Just why?" Confused and disoriented, Moana was seeking for the answer yet the answer is far from her reach.

"It is love." Suddenly, a familiar elderly voice sounded behind her.

"Hah!" Squealing out of fear, Moana quickly turned around and saw her Gramma.

"G-Gramma? Is that you?" Moana hesitantly walked towards the slightly bluish figure of her Gramma.

"Maybe yes? Maybe not? Just kidding, it's me Moana." Gramma replied with a joke.

"....It's you." Moana said with an expressionless face as if she wasn't impressed by the joke.

"Haha, I always wanted to see that face of yours." Gramma laughed.

*Sniff!*

Still, Moana came rushing and hugged her Gramma.

Or at least she tried as she just passed through her Gramma, as if she was an air.

"Huh?" Moana was confused while her Gramma answered her confusion.

"I'm not alive, Moana. I am no longer in the physical world. I am just here to give you advice about your current situation."

"Really?" Moana's beamed up like a traffic light.

"Yes. All I'm going to say is to reach for him before it's too late!" Gramma made a fist gesture and said with an aspiring tone.

"Huh!" Moana tilted her head out of confusion.

"Oh dear." Gramma shook her head.

"Your father never really gave you a chance to seek love." Gramma rolled her eyes while speaking, clearly not approving of how her son, Tui taught his daughter.

How can someone especially a woman not know much about love.

"He probably filled your head with some mumbo jumbo chief things and such." Gramma continued with an unfavourable tone.

"...." Meanwhile, Moana just kept quiet as her Gramma trashtalks her father.

"Anyways, let me enlighten you child. Come sit here beside me." Gramma said while patting the bed next to her.

***

"We're near now." Maui said while squinting his eyes just to see a charred island with lava flowing around it.

"Now where's Te Ka?" Maui muttered under his breath.

"I'll call Moan-." Before Leo could finish his sentence he was interrupted by none other than Moana herself.

"I'm here." Moana said, walking up a bit close to Leo.

"Why is your face red?" Leo asked, which made Moana froze.

"R-Really? I must've washed my face too much earlier." Moana made an excuse.

Did Leo take it? Obviously not but for her sake, Leo decided to pretend as if he fell for it.

That's what he is great at, to pretend.

"I see. Then you shouldn't wash your face in a rough manner." Leo replied with a nod of his head. Meanwhile, Moana mentally sighed in relief, not knowing that she's already been discovered by not only Leo but also Maui, however both didn't say anything towards it.

"Ready to face Te Ka?" Leo changed.

"Absolutely for the sake of the entire world." Moana seriously nodded her head, with all the advice and experience she has gathered throughout her journey, Moana is ready to finish what she is destined to do and go back to her home with pride in her chest.

As soon as the Black Pearl slowly reaches the vicinity of the charred island, it seemed to come alive when a figure with a lava body slowly rose up with an angry expression, looking at their 'small' ship with pure anger in her eyes.

"Roooaarr!" Te Ka roared, as if she was acknowledging their determination to challenge her. After all, Maui is not the only one who tried to fight her as many aside from Maui also came to try and defeat her, only to fail.

Once near, Leo grinned under his mask.

"I'll go first, old man!" Without hesitation, Leo used the strength on his legs to jump high towards Te Ka.

"You're not leaving me out here!" Shouting back, Maui turned into an eagle and flew towards Te Ka.

"Rreoooarr!" Seeing the two, Te Ka grabbed a burning rock and threw it towards them.

It seems like a great battle has begun!

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[I smell Power Stones in your pockets kid, hand it over!]

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[Next Chapter: Ch. 54 - The Great Pretender is invincible!]

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