Chapter Thirteen:
An Earnest Ahola
A great feast was held. However, instead of the lavish lu’au being a peace offering to the gods, it was a lu’au to celebrate the friendship and love of Eneki, Leilani, and the Aulani tribe. It went on for days. The people sang and danced. Nani and Keonu taught Piper a few simple hula dances, that were challenging at first, but Piper performed well enough, and without humiliation. They all received gifts from the graceful pyrovile: flowers, all crafted from obsidian. Even Eneki bestowed the tribe effortless fishing trips by steering the fish towards the Aulani. It was the dawn of an exciting time.
.
After a while, the Doctor decided it was time for him and Piper to move on. It was a bittersweet goodbye. Puani, Keonu, and Nani adorned them with new, freshly made leis, all with warm, radiant colors. Leilani granted Piper a specially crafted stone blossom. Piper received it gratefully, vowing to treasure it always.
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“So, if my memory serves me correct,” said Piper, “The word for ‘goodbye’ in Hawaiian, is the same as ‘hello’: aloha.”
“Indeed your memory serves you well,” Nani giggled.
“With that being said, this isn’t a true goodbye,” the Doctor emphasized, “I get the feeling that we will visit here again.”
“Maybe you won’t be so weak when collecting coconuts and bananas next time, eh wahine?” Keonu joked to Piper.
Piper laughed. “We shall see, Keonu.”
“Perhaps we’ll have another surfing lesson, without the dangerous waves. Just a simple day.”
“I’d like that.”
“Farewell, hoa. A hui hou kākou, until we meet again” Puani announced.
The Doctor and Piper nodded.
“Aloha ‘oe.”
Puani specifically turned to the Doctor.
“Take care of yourself, Doctor.”
The Doctor inclined.
“I will, Puani.”
.
And with that, the Timelords embarked back towards the beach, where the Tardis had landed when they first arrived. The Doctor pulled out his key and unlocked the door. As they went inside, Piper took one last look at the beautiful Molokai, clutching the stone flora in her hand. Then, she stepped in, and closed the door tightly behind her.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
The Moloka’i Ka Hula Piko Festival was alive with music. It was dark, but the glow of the tiki torches remained. The Doctor and Piper watched the hula performances enthusiastically. Some gave hour lectures of the history of hula, and some of its styles and expressions of music. Piper inevitably purchased a few snacks from local vendors, but no souvenirs, since the gifts their new friends had given them were far superior, though she appreciated the modern artistry.
.
But most notably, at one particular performance, Piper noticed something intriguing. The lead singer, a young woman, wearing a pink, pa’u skirt, similar to the one Piper had seen Nani wearing, stepped forward. She explained her name was “Lanimele,” and she was of the Aulani tribe. She spoke of a song passed down from generation to generation exclusively to the Aulani. A song of messengers from the sky, reuniting grieving lovers, born of fire and stone. Then, Lanimele and her team began.
.
Because of Nani and Keonu’s crash course in hula, Piper recognized a few of the moves. After a while, Piper began to notice the hula poses reflected a familiar story: Two inhuman creatures separated by love, one so grieved he nearly swallowed Molokai by the quakes he caused. However, two travelers, who came from the sky, sought to unite the two lovers. It was then Piper realized: the young lady must have been a descendent of their friends: Pauni, Nani, and Keonu. Piper felt love and pride wash over her, but also sadness.
“Of course. They all have the same nose.”
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“It’s impossible to forget,” Piper finally stated, “that everyone, Puani, Nani, Keonu, Eneki, Leilani, everybody that we knew, inevitably passed on. They’re gone, like ghosts…like dust.”
The Doctor frowned. He assured:
“That’s true. They did. Everything dies eventually. But you were right: hula was created to share the tales and legends of Hawaii, spread by word of mouth for generations to come. I wouldn’t be too sad. Their story lives on through their descendants. I guess you could say, it’s a bit of immortality.”
Piper smiled, and nodded.
“Yeah. You’re right.”
.
After a while, when the festival was coming to a close, the Doctor asked:
“Well, you ready to go?”
Piper glanced one last time at the hula dancers in front of them, and continued fingering the stone blossom in her hand tenderly. Finally, she said:
“Yes, I think I’m ready.”
The Doctor smiled. He reached his hand out to her. Piper grasped it, thoughtfully; and together, they trekked back towards the Tardis, and onto their next adventure.
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Hawaiian Chants Cited:
Aia La o Pele i Hawaii:
https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2013/11/aia-la-o-pele-i-hawaii.html
Oli Aloha: Chant of Greeting:
https://apps.ksbe.edu/olelo/sites/apps.ksbe.edu.olelo/files/Oli%20Aloha.pdf
Oli Aloha: Künihi Ka Mauna:
No Luna Ka Hale Kai:
Tomboyhns Productions 