STORYLINE

How The Augustinian Cliffs Got Their Name

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The Kanaka have many sacred areas and revered places on the island, but a few stand out from the others. The Augustinian Cliffs are one such place. Sitting in the shadow of the great peak Pu’u Kukui and overlooking the vital Kahoma stream, the cliffs are a place where one can beseech the spirits of the island for protection and the ancestors for guidance. Although it was once a Thriver outpost, it is now considered a cherished Kanaka site, and a place where you can remember the power of bravery and belief.

Augustin never dreamed of being a leader, but the fracture allowed many to find their true purpose. Before Veilcorp tore the world apart, he taught the ancient Hawaiian martial art of Kapu Kuialua in his dojo on the beach. While countless screamed and ran in terror, he remained calm and gathered those that needed shelter inside until the earth stopped shaking, and the orange rain ended.

The world that was born from the fracture was a much harder one than before, with little mercy for the weak. Augustin took in as many Kanaka as he could, but soon realized that unless they had the tools to survive, he was not truly saving them. However, there were so many that he couldn’t possibly teach them all by himself. It was then that he picked his 9 best students, including his daughter Anakalia, and made them his Kumu, each a master in an aspect of Ku’ialua. With his 9 trusted Kumu at his side he could teach the people to protect themselves quickly, and the Kanaka had a chance.

The people learned how to break bones, strike with purpose, and bend vulnerable joints. No longer prey for the wolves, bandits, and the terrors of the forest, the Kanaka began to reclaim their rightful place on the island. Word spread quickly of the teachings of Augustin and his 9 Kumu. Soon, Kanaka from across the island traveled to his dojo to learn how to protect themselves and their people. One young man caught the eye of Augustin, a gangly young son of a fisherman named Ikaika.

The boy became his star pupil. He was not the most talented physically but what he lacked in body he made up for in heart and spirit. By the end of the first year he challenged and defeated his first Kumu, and eventually proved his prowess against all the masters, even Augustin. Fifteen years after arriving at the dojo, the great chief Ikaika began to rally other Kanka to sweep the island clean of the terrors of the fracture. He eventually cleared the menehune from Front street, drove the green ladies North, and aligned with the Thrivers of Pu’u to meet the vast night marcher horde at Black Rock Beach.

The outcome of the battle was not certain. Ikaika took virtually all the able-bodied with him North, leaving many Kanaka under the watchful eye of the aging Augustin and his Kumu. The Thrivers sent the old and infirm, as well as their children, to a stronghold in the mountains for their safety, but instead of protecting their weak, they had served them on a platter. A group of night marchers heading to Black Rock Beach had noticed the vulnerable Thrivers high on the mountain, and discovered the single trail leading to the outpost.

The walls kept the initial wave from getting inside but it soon became apparent that the meager defenses would not hold, and with only one trail up or down, there was no escape. 3 runners were dispatched, and one eventually made it through the throngs of claws and teeth, all the way to the dojo for help. She was heartbroken when she found that only a handful of Koa and the old Kapu Kuialua masters were left behind. She was busy trying to convince one of the young warriors to send for help when Augustin stopped her. Laden with as much rope as they could carry, he vowed that he and his 9 Kumu would save her people.

Knowing that the single trail going up would be their doom, Augustin and the masters began to climb the cliffs, fixing anchor points and securing lines as they went. Hands hardened by years of discipline and practice, now quickly found purchase in the cracks of the rock face. The group climbed over 1,500 feet as fast as most could walk. When they crested the top they could see that they were probably too late.

The walls burst in and the night marchers howled. Without hesitation the Kumu surged forward. Where stone and wood had given way, the screaming horde found a new wall of hardened fists, clubs, and expertly placed blows. So ferocious was their attack that the night marchers withdrew for a moment to assess their new foes. This was all the time Augustin and Anakalia needed. Together they began to usher down those who could climb the ropes, and began lowering down those who couldn’t.

Sensing the Thrivers escape, the creatures rushed forward again. The Kumu fought valiantly for as long as they could, but they were too few to fight off the hundreds of night marchers. Eventually only Augustin and Anakalia were left. The Thrivers say that they were covered with the creatures when they lowered the last survivors down, but did not stop to fight back until they were sure that the Thrivers were safe.

When Chief Ikaika returned and heard the story he went to the outpost himself to look for his old teacher. However, Augustin, Anakalia, and the other Kumu were never found. Some say their bravery and prowess helped remind the night marchers of their true purpose, protecting the Kanaka and their great chiefs. It is rumored that Augustin and his 9 Kumu still guard the cliffs from those who would harm the island and its people. Whatever the truth, the Thrivers agreed to respect the warriors by never using the outpost again, and the area has been known as the Augustinian Cliffs ever since. It remains one of our most sacred and beloved places.

STORYLINE

The Lahaina Lava Sledding Championships

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The Lahaina Merchants Association would like to invite you to the most exciting sporting event on the island, the 46th annual Lahaina Lava Sled Championships. Teams from all over the island compete each year to claim the Ikaika cup, but this year is special. Two local teams will be vying for glory and bragging rights. In two short weeks the Pu’u Blue Wolves will take on the Ka’anapali Screaming Nenes to see who is the fastest downhill.

As you all know lava sledding, or as the Kānaka say He’e hōlua, is an ancient sport well over 1,000 years old. The activity was seen as both a sport and a religious rite by early Hawaiians. With courses ranging greatly in size from a few hundred yards to miles, the practice was as popular as surfing when it was begun. Over the years it’s popularity grew and waned with cultural changes. A resurgence began in the early 2000’s and like most things, the activity was almost lost after the fracture.

Little has changed with the sport since its inception. Participants build a sled, or papa hōlua, and ride it down a prepared track. Traditionally, these sleds were 12’ long, 6 inches wide and made of wood. Riders would hold the sleds in front of them and run towards a specially prepared racing path. The tracks were composed of a foundation of gravel covered in sand or dirt with a top layer of grass or flowers. Racers would throw down the sleds at the beginning of the course, and ride them standing, crouching, or more commonly laying down, all the way to the bottom.

The modern unified rules allow sleds to be made of any material, although wood remains a popular choice. Sleds can be a bit longer as well, 14’ is now the maximum length, although a 6 inch width is still mandatory. The tracks and riding styles have remained the same through the years. Traditionally the length of a sledder’s run was measured to determine a winner, but since it’s been converted to a team sport, runs are timed. The team with the cumulative fastest 10 runs wins the day.

Like many things, we have Chief Ikaika to thank for the resurgence in popularity of the sport. After his successful campaign at Black Rock Beach, Ikaika used the traditional sport to keep ties strong between factions on the island. We think he’d be especially proud this year, as a classic match-up between power and finesse is sure to make for a memorable day.

The Pu’u Blue Wolves are back with a vengeance this year, hungry to once again display the Ikaika cup. Like their four-legged namesakes, the Blue Wolves rely on consistent speed and maneuverability to take out their opponents. Their fiberglass sled, and crouching riding style let them take curves at top speed and glide over any dips or irregularities in the course. The Blue Wolves are hungry, but the Nenes from Ka’anapali say their bark is worse than their bite.

The Screaming Nenes came out of nowhere this year to crush the competition. Highlighted by their thrashing of perennial favorites, the Luakoi Ridge Riders, the Nene’s have changed many minds about about what it takes to be a successful lava sled team. Focusing on traditional methods and materials, Ka’anapali has claimed many records and titles with their amazing run this season. They’ve managed to break the 100 km/h barrier a handful of times on their wooden sled this year. Retired sledding legend Rocky “Downhill” Hookeai says that the Nene riders are the quickest he’s ever seen adding, “They’re faster than a night marcher who stumbled into a Tapper camp.”

The Lahaina Championships are always an incredible event, but it is undeniable that this year may be one of the most exciting ever! Will raw power and speed beat finesse and skillful riding? Find out for yourself by being part of the story instead of just hearing about it the next day. A limited number of track-side seats are still available for 50 rai a piece, general admission tickets are 20. When your friends ask where you were on the day the greatest sporting event in history was held, tell them “I was 20’ away!”

STORYLINE

John Driscol: Restored from Backup

Saraphim? No, I don’t want you to burn anything in the room, or rub anything on me. I just want the usual treatment. Saraphim….restoration? No! I come here to catch up on sleep. I don’t want anything extra. I’m an Ambassador class account holder and I don’t come to the spa to be harassed! I don’t want any Saraphim or any extra restoration why do you keep asking me if I want……. Her name is Saraphim. There was an accident. Everything is gone. This is not relaxing.

I’m still a little confused and groggy. She asks me about the last thing I remember. I tell her how I’d been using the treatments to help me fill my sleep bank. I’ve found that getting a 10-minute treatment in one of the new machines was just like getting a full night’s sleep, and I like overfilling my sleep bank whenever I have the chance. I remember the machine shaking. That was it. That was when it all ended.

She says she’s a Newuskin account specialist and she was able to save a “select group of clients who were being held in the back-up system”. She recently got this restoration point working. It’s just off Front Street and she wants me to explore downtown. She says that I’m not the first person she’s restored. That’s all I need to hear.

I died the perfect death, and this overachieving customer rep decided to ruin it. It takes me a minute to figure out where I am. So much is ruined and overgrown. She says it’s been over 60 years since the fracture, and some other stuff that I don’t pay attention to. I don’t know about the other people she brought back, but I’m not going to go poking around for her. I went my entire life never working a full-time job, and I’m not about to start after the apocalypse. I tell her I’m going to see if the Laki Beach Lodge is still standing. I need to lay down and figure out what to do.

It’s still standing alright, but like this day, it looks like a nightmare. It’s out on an island now. I can see things moving in the dark channel that surrounds it. I can hear music coming from the building, but something about it doesn’t feel right. The closer to the water I get, the worse I feel. I see an old valet stand and a call button. Saraphim says I should push it. My gut is screaming for me not to. The fact that this lady thinks it’s a good idea to push the button, lets me know that I shouldn’t. I just need someplace to sit and regroup. She says it might be dangerous for me to sit in the open. I can’t understand why she’s doing this to me. I’m going to give her managers an earful if they’re still alive.

I can’t believe what I’m seeing at first. It’s one of the public Manimal ATVs and it’s running. That alone is shocking. With all the problems they had through the years, I never would have imagined they would have survived the destruction of the world. It isn’t the ATV that stunned me, however. It’s what is around it. A group of little….things are taking it apart. I suddenly realize what must have happened. Finally, my luck may be changing. The day isn’t a total loss after all. They’re aliens! I have a plan. I run towards the little hairy things.

Since I was a kid, I always loved stories about people being put into alien zoos. There are plenty of sc-ifi stories and comic books about hapless humans being forced to live on display for the amusement of an advanced species. While they are supposed to be scary, I’ve always thought it was a dream come true. All your meals are provided, top-of-the-line health care, nobody telling you what to do, not to mention the breeding programs, it just doesn’t get any better than being put into an alien zoo. I haven’t seen anyone yet so maybe humans are rare. I think I might have a shot, so I start yelling when I get close. Things do not go as well as I would have liked.

It turns out that I know the old man. His name is Pa’ani Mahelona, he was a few grades ahead of my daughter Rachel. He explains that what I thought were aliens are something called Menehune. They take things apart and sometimes eat people. Unsurprisingly, Saraphim seems completely unconcerned that a group of armed people had to save me from being eaten alive by a group of tiny cannibal-car-strippers. She won’t stop asking questions and telling me what to do. I wish I could shut her off. All I want is a nice place to lay down for a while. I’m hopeful that is finally going to happen until he recognizes me from the Veil Sale show.

He asks if I’m John Driscol, and I say that I am. He seems really excited. He hits me with a barrage of questions: Where have you been? How did you get here? Are you injured? Are you affiliated with anyone? On and on. It’s giving me a headache. I think for a moment about jumping off and trying to find more of these Menehune. At least they’d eat me in peace, without wanting to hear my life story, or ordering me around. When he asks me about Rachel however, things change. I ask if Rachel is alive and if he knows her. Immediately the mood changes. He says that he thinks she’s still around but isn’t sure. He says she and that dancing kid Kaholo started something called the Tappers, and asks if I’d be willing to try and talk to them. I can’t understand why everyone is so quiet and why he’d ask me something like that. I tell him, “Of course I will. Why wouldn’t I want to talk to them, especially if it turns out that she’s still alive.”

A few of them start to whisper, and Pa’ani says we’ll talk about it when we get to Pu’u.
It’s hard to filter Saraphim’s constant talking out, but I manage. Today might be salvageable after all. With any luck, there is a comfortable chair waiting for me in Pu’u, and by the end of the night I’ll be living it up as Grandpa Tapper. Hopefully, Rachel has a nice cozy place and a soft bed for her long-lost father. I just hope she’ll hold off with the questions until morning when I fully relaxed. It’s been a rough first day back, and I’m not sure I can handle much more.

STORYLINE

Greg Iona: Restored From Backup

This was not how I imagined my day would start. She says her name is Saraphim, and that the world as we know it is gone. She says something about backups, and Ambassador class accounts and some other stuff, but my head is spinning. My body feels strange. I turn around and recognize where I am for the first time and can’t quite believe it. She’s telling the truth. I’m about half a mile away from the veil station. Everything is ruined.

I realize I’m saying “What happened,” over and over again. She keeps telling me, but I can’t process it yet. It’s over 60 years later, but I don’t remember anything about…the veils fractured!?. She says she restored me from backup. I must have died. I don’t remember dying. I’m not even sure that I’m really me. I don’t know what I’d think if I was a religious man. She says there’s lots more people waiting and needs me to walk around, make sure my body is working correctly. She wants me to see what I can find and if there’s any survivors. I look around. My eyes hurt, but I see something in the distance. It’s a beached whale and there’s someone near it. I start walking.

The smell is almost over powering. I get close and see that there’s actually someone inside the body cavity and more people around. It’s some kind of bar. There’s a sign that says “Rita’s Refreshments”. They stare at me as I walk up. I take a seat on a stool. “We’re all out of Scrimshawberry,” the woman says before pushing a glass of something greenish blue at me. She says it’s 10 rai, but I don’t have whatever that is, and I give her my hat instead. They call the drink Whalmanimal. My mouth rejects the liquid as soon as it touches my tongue; it’s awful but my fellow patrons seem to like it. They compliment my clothes and ask if I want to sell or trade them and if I’m from Pu’u. I tell them no to both.

I ask if the DLNR came out to talk to her about the whale. She gives me a strange look and says she’s not interested in selling. I realize I haven’t heard an engine yet, seen a boat, or watched a drone fly by. I’m not sure what I can do here. I was once appointed to study the effects of 127 on the native flora and fauna. I think I can do the most good by looking around the beach and forest to assess the fracture’s impact the environment. My body is feeling better despite the fact that the first thing I had to drink in close to a century was this murky swill.

After a few miles of walking, I find a gigantic banyan tree, at least twice the size it should be. Everything else seems normal at first. I find ohi’a and rattlesnake plants and watch a red-crested cardinal for a few minutes. I close my eyes and listen to the song of a saffron finch. Maybe nature withstood the fracture better than people did. I walk a few more hours in the forest when I see them, and I stop dead in my tracks .

There’s three of them, whatever they are. I assume the two facing off and circling are males fighting for the attention of the less colorful female. They look like wild pigs but are covered in some kind of carapace. Their eyes are on stalks like a crab or prawn. I can’t get over how shiny and colorful their shells are, they sparkle when the sun catches them just right. They just keep circling and occasionally butting heads. I don’t move because I don’t know if they’re dangerous. If this is what happened to the pigs, I don’t want to see what happened to the geese. There were many reports of them getting more aggressive back in my time. Who knows what they might be capable of now.

The sun will be down in a few hours. I decide to walk back to the whale and figure out where I’m going to sleep for the night when I hear a cry. I recognize it. It’s an axis deer alarm call, but it keeps going. Something has the deer scared. Despite my better judgement I walk towards the sound. The forest is very thick here, and fog is coming in, making it hard to see. The deer keeps calling and it sounds like I’m getting close. I stop to untangle some vines from around my boot when I feel him grab me. He puts his hand over my mouth and pulls me down. I start to fight back but he’s stronger. I turn my head and see that he has a finger up to his mouth, urging me to be quiet. I calm down and he points ahead.

I might have missed them if I was still walking. A pack of wolves is working their way across the ridge ahead. It’s hard to tell how many in the fog but it’s at least 6. The deer keeps calling and it sounds close now. The wolves look hungry and I turn to thank whoever this is. There isn’t much I could tell Saraphim from inside a wolf’s belly. That’s when I notice he’s still pointing at something else in the forest, just beyond the wolves.

I still don’t see anything, but the fog is really thick now and it sounds like the deer is only yards away. I notice the fog swirl a bit before I see it. It’s like the forest comes alive around the lead wolf. It’s a tangle of leaves, vines, and teeth. One of the wolves is hurled through the air and the rest run off. I watch it stand up in front of the pack leader. It’s a woman covered in leaves and vines. For a minute I think she’s wearing some kind of ghillie suit until I see the vines dig their way into the side of the wolf. I’m too scared to move. She leans over the animal and mimics a bird call as she feeds on him. I let out a gasp and she looks our way. She opens her mouth and lets out a deer call followed by a loud hissing noise. I don’t know if I stood up on my own or if he picked me up. I just remember running and screaming every time a vine hit my face.

His name is Laki and his people are called the Kanaka. The thing we ran from is a Green Lady, and from the way everyone looked at us when he told the story, we were lucky to make it back to the village alive. They ask me if I’m from Pu’u as well, but some seem happy when I tell them no. This is a strange place. I see people walking around with shark-toothed clubs and night vision goggles. I watch a group of them invoke the spirits to keep the green lady away and draw warnings in the sand before cooking their food in a flash oven. I listen a lot and say very little. I think that’s best until I figure out the situation. Laki says that he’ll take me to Pu’u in the morning, but for now I’m going to have a meal and try to get some rest. Here’s what I’ve learned so far. Being restored from backup makes your body tingle for a few hours, but everything seems to be working fine now. The power grid seems to be gone and working technology seems to be rare. Food and water must be scarce because people are drinking some sort of disgusting Manimal knock-off inside the body of a dead whale. Oh, and monsters are real now! It’s been a hell of a first day back, Saraphim.

STORYLINE

Sergeant Kaua’s War Academy Announces Youth Program

For years you’ve known Sgt. Kaua’s War Academy as the premier hand-to-hand combat academy and school of battle on the island. The academy has deep roots and a long history. Colonel Kaua fought alongside the legendary Kānaka chief Ikaika at the battle of Black Reach Beach, helping to make the island safer. Sergeant Kaua took a lifetime of his father’s battle philosophy and training to develop a system of combat that is unparalleled in its effectiveness. Now, he’s ready to pass on that knowledge to the next generation. For the first time ever, the War Academy will be accepting a limited number of child students.

Most combat and self-defense programs concentrate on the rigorous drilling of moves to perfect technique and complete focus, but not the total battle system. Without the unnecessary shackles of discipline holding your young one down, he or she will be able to grow into the perfect instrument of slaughter that you always knew they could be. Your child will not only be able to protect themselves and those around them, they will gain the confidence and know-how to charge heedlessly into their enemies and send them running.

“My father knew that the problem with plans is that they could always go wrong. Battle is a messy game and the rules are always changing. Without relying on tactics, I’ll teach your child the power of mindless battle. The shark isn’t the king of the reef because of its carefully thought-out stratagems and complex contingency plans. It bites and it bites in a frenzy. I’ll help your child roll back their eyes and channel their inner shark.”

The Sgt. will help your child unleash their personal volcano, and allow their vengeance to erupt on the battlefield. Our system will pinpoint the fury hiding deep within their psyche and teach them to harness it. Do you make them go to bed earlier than they like? Do they have a sibling that is constantly teasing them, or breaking their things? Maybe they have an unusual physical trait that other children make fun of. All of these can be harvested and transformed into a dish best served cold. The Sgt. has a way of helping you recognize things that you didn’t even know made you angry and amplifying them into a blackout rage. It’s hard for your enemies to foil your plan if you don’t have one. When obliterating the enemy is your only job you can get a lot of work done.

While we believe the cornerstone of any good instrument of war is the correct attitude, we also recognize that it is important to learn a few more practical skills as well. We will train them in the ancient Hawaiian art of Lua. Your offspring will learn to stop opponents by breaking bones, using pressure points, and more. We teach our students to be proficient in all three major weapons: pololu, newa, and koa axe. Guns jam and rust. Ammunition is expensive and untrustworthy. At the War Academy, we believe in getting our hands dirty. Your youngster will learn all three standard pololu thrusts deemed most effective in real-life combat situations. Their enemies won’t be able to do much when they’re spiked to the ground. If they can break a coconut they’ve got all the strength they need to harness the lessons learned in our advanced newa techniques. You’ll have a hard time telling if all that blood is theirs, or their partner’s when they begin the Sergeant’s patented koa axe dance. They’ll be chopping their way to victory in no time thanks to the Academy.

We strive to keep things simple, effective, and realistic to best simulate real-life situations. As such, there will be times that your child won’t have a standard weapon within hands reach so we believe in a rich improvised weapons curriculum. “Most people don’t realize that the average child’s bedroom contains at least 11 ways to die. Whether it be a pillowcase full of batteries, a well-placed spray of Manimal to the eyes, or the corner of a block to the temple, I’ll teach your kid how to shut down a threat in seconds and get back to their coloring.”

Iron sharpens iron and there’s no bigger piece of iron on the island than Sgt. Kaua. His father was a hero, and his campaigns have made him a modern-day legend. With years of warfare under his bloody belt, who better to teach your children the skills necessary to turn them into tiny terrors. Help us help them learn the lessons they need to survive. The world is a dangerous place. Let’s make your kids dangerous too. You owe it to them!

A limited number of slots are available, so hurry! Tryouts begin at midday tomorrow at the Duracave bunker outside of Pu`u village. Please have them bring a short essay (~500 words) describing why they would make a good herald of carnage and what battle means to them. We’ll assess your children’s physical skills, potential, and temperament. We’ll post our acceptance list, and contact you with scholarship options by the end of the week.

STORYLINE

Addressing Your Concerns About Pu`u’s Newest Student

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For as long as I’ve been responsible for teaching your children I’ve tried to prepare them for life on the island while teaching them the importance of knowing how we got here. Up until now that task has been a difficult one because of our tendency to remain locked down as a community. Children aren’t even allowed outside the walls with an adult without showing proficiency with a gun. While I can appreciate why these rules were put in place things are changing beyond the gate.

Every day more and more people are appearing on the island bringing with them new hopes and ideas. We have to be careful not to stagnate or become too comfortable with our ways up here on the hill. It is our job to prepare our children to successfully navigate this new world. To that end, the council has agreed with me that we accept a Kānaka boy as a new student.

This has led to some disappointing reactions. I’ve heard the well-reasoned concerns at the meetings and the reprehensible attacks behind my back. The truth of the matter is that this is an issue with the adults. I have spoken with the children at length about our incoming student and the response has been a positive one charged with wonder and curiosity. They understand that we are building a school for tomorrow and the old ways need to change.

To help the parents feel more comfortable and dismiss any rumors or misconceptions I agreed to field any questions you had about the new student and school policies. I was happily surprised by the number of questions and only disappointed in a few. Many seemed to touch on the same or similar concerns so I’ve grouped them together. I hope this will enlighten those who didn’t know much about the Kānaka people and ease any fears.

The world beyond our walls is dangerous so I don’t blame the little thing, but I’ve heard that they will sometimes turn to cannibalism. Is that true? What are a Kānaka’s dietary needs and will watching them eat upset my child?

The world beyond the walls is a dangerous one, but being stuck behind them is not without peril. This question is a perfect example of that. First, “the little thing” is a 10-year-old boy named Kava. His people are not cannibals. You’re thinking of Night Marchers, Menehune, Green Ladies and other aberrations. The Kānaka are expert hunters and fishermen. Chances are you have some Kānaka harvested meat in your house right now. We have traded with them almost since our settlement was founded. They even saved many from certain starvation by introducing the giant Taro and sharing their agricultural knowledge after the fracture. Kava eats the same things as your children, in the same manner as they do, because he is just like your children.

I understand that the Kānaka don’t understand time the same way we do. Will he be subject to the same tardiness policies as others?

You understand wrong. Kava knows how to tell time. He’s actually quite a brilliant young man with strong math skills. I assure you that he will be subject to all the same rules as your children and he will follow them.

Is it possible that my child can get sick from him? Has the council thought about the dangers of bringing a plague through the gates?

Kava is no more contagious than any other visitor, probably less so because he is from a nearby village that we have been trading with for years. Like you I have a child who attends our school. I would never do anything that I thought would endanger my daughter, or any or your children. You don’t need to worry about a new plague running through our community because we decided to teach literature to a young man whose home is at the bottom of the hill.

Is he amazingly strong or agile? Will he be allowed to join the lava sled or swim team? It would be great if we could bring home the Pohaku Cup this year!

While it’s true that the Kānaka tend to be physically impressive because of their lifestyle, Kava can’t lift boulders or leap over houses. He has all the physical abilities of an active 10-year-old. He will be allowed to participate in any extracurricular activities that any other student can. Having said that, if he shows an aptitude for either I will push him to join the team. Like you, I think the Cup has been absent from the Pu`u trophy case for way too long.

Will he show the proper respect for the school colors and does he understand the implications of the Alma Mater song?

I’m not sure *I* understand the implications of the Alma Mater song. Something tells me that you are taking the song a little too seriously. I’d say the same goes for the school colors. I take pride in our school just as you do. I think it is amazing what we’ve built here through hard work and determination. I think you diminish that accomplishment by trying to turn something as trite as colors and a shared song into a tool of division. My advice is to take a deep breath and understand the implications of your question.

Is this the beginning of an exchange program? My great-grandfather was an exchange student and told the most amazing stories about it. When can I sign my child up?

We don’t have any plans currently to start an exchange program, but I applaud your enthusiasm! This is the kind of attitude that will serve our children well. Learning to adapt to new situations, and examine old ways of doing things is the only way we secure a bright future for them. Kava isn’t coming here to hurt our students or take anything away from them. He’s coming here to learn from us and teach them firsthand about his people. I’m hopeful that those lessons will be good ones from both sides.

I hope that this has reassured some of you and answered some of your concerns. I understand that change can be difficult but it is needed if we are to grow. Let’s try and make Kava’s time with us an enjoyable and educational one. Who knows, he might just teach us something.

STORYLINE

The Story of Bulai Joe: The Untrustworthy Trader

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Before the fracture a person could get anything they wanted delivered to their home. My grandpa says they could even return it and get their money back if they didn’t like what they got. There were special stores that sold anything you could imagine, even things like candles and weird smelling oils. Things aren’t like that anymore. There are a few places you can go in Lahaina that have basic necessities, like clean water and clubs, but other things are hard to find. That’s why traders are so important. If you want to buy some medicine or ammunition, a trader is your best bet. Since so many count on them for important items, everyone loves honest traders and hates ones that lie. This is the story of Bulai Joe, the most untrustworthy trader who ever lived on the island.

Nobody knows what Bulai Joe did before the accident but one thing was for sure, he was a great liar. Joe could convince almost anyone of anything. Joe sold little things at first: water, canned food, colorful rocks and shells, and was very successful. People liked talking to Joe and many looked forward to a daily visit because he told such good stories. Joe’s name began to spread in the area and soon he was the busiest trader around. Even though he was popular and made a good living, Joe wasn’t happy. He didn’t like the people he sold things to, and the people in charge of his village. He wanted to make more money and he knew just how he’d do it.

He started lightening the loads of his bullets, so he could sell the extra powder. They’d still work on small game, and he figured anything larger would take care of his customers before they had a chance to complain. He’d sell used medkits as new. His scales were always a little off, and he’d steal something from a person’s house only to sell it to their neighbors later.

Joe lived his life lying and cheating people for years. It would usually take a few weeks before people could figure out what he was doing, and by that time he had moved on to a different part of the island. Joe would lay low for a while, and start the whole thing over again when he was running out of rai. Then one day he wandered into Lahaina and he couldn’t believe his eyes.

There were two big groups that hadn’t heard of him, and while the Kanaka had a lot of trade goods, it was the Thrivers that caught his eye. He couldn’t believe how much rai the Thrivers had, and how good their equipment was. He thought to himself, “They have so much that I could retire if I come up with a good plan.” Joe emptied all of his emergency caches and introduced himself to the people of Lahaina.

He sold worthless gadgets and water to the Kanaka, and gave the Thrivers a great deal on some boxes of his special ammunition, and a few crates of old guns. He told them that in addition to lots more weapons, he had two hospital size Reparre med units that he was willing to sell for the right price. The Thrivers couldn’t believe their luck. Back then, there were lots of sick people in Pu’u and two medical units that size could take care of everyone for years. The price was high, but not as costly as the people they might lose if they didn’t have the machines.

A few days later Joe made a deal with the Thrivers for the imaginary med units. The Thrivers gave him half the rai, and for security, he left behind all of his worthless goods and worries, or so he thought. News that someone was selling Reparre machines had spread beyond Lahaina. A group of bandits was watching Joe, and waiting for just the right time to grab him and the valuable machines. Joe wasn’t even out of town before the bandits grabbed him.

Joe woke up inside the bandits hideout. The leader told him how much they wanted the units and that they were willing to spare his life if he told them where he was keeping them. Joe didn’t know what to do. He didn’t have the machines, but was sure that the bandits wouldn’t believe him. He decided to draw a map to buy some time, but he knew it wouldn’t give him long. Some of the bandits took the map and left, while Joe counted how much time he had left.

A few days passed, and he knew that the bandits would be returning soon. His lies had finally caught up with him. Then he heard someone call his name. It was group of Thrivers come to rescue him. It had taken a while, but they had discovered where Joe had been taken. They told him to go to the back of his room as they put explosives on his door. Unfortunately, they brought the detonators they bought from Joe. The first one didn’t work, and neither did the second.

While the Thrivers were trying to figure out what was wrong, gunfire rang out. Most of the Thrivers were using equipment that they had bought from Joe. Their guns jammed or misfired, and the few bullets they managed to get off were unable to get through the bandit’s armor. Instead of freeing Joe, the Thrivers found themselves captives too.

It didn’t take too long before everyone figured out what had happened, especially after the bandits with Joe’s fake map came back. Joe pleaded with the bandit leader to set him free. He promised all of his inventory, and that he’d find the units he had promised the Thrivers in exchange for his freedom. But the bandits didn’t believe him. Instead of dealing with Joe themselves, they thought it was better for the people of Lahaina to pass judgement. They kept many for ransom but let a few Thrivers free to escort Joe back to town. After hearing the story, the Thrivers and Kanaka tied some of Joe’s heaviest equipment to him and threw him into the sea. The water washed Joe and his lies from Lahaina.

Telling the truth is important for everyone, but especially for traders. I don’t want to be a trader when I grow up because I think it would be boring trying to get people to buy things, but my lying cousin talks about it all the time. My grandpa says he’ll be fine as long as he doesn’t sell anything heavy.

Akamai Mahelona
5th Grade
Pu`u School Lahaina

STORYLINE

The Night Ice Dancing Came To Lahaina

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Snow may not be the first thing people think about when they think of the island, but the summit of Haleakalā does occasionally get snow, and it’s not unusual for the top of the volcano to be covered. Of course Lahaina is different. Before the fracture snow was only recorded a few times and it didn’t last long, but the accident changed a lot of things, including the weather. Some people might tell you that a little snow is nothing to worry about, but they are wrong. The people who lived through the big blizzard years ago like my grandpa know that the ice brings more dangers than just the cold. This is the story of the week long snow storm that hit the island, and the horrible night that ice dancing came to Lahaina.

There were only a handful who had actually seen snow before on the day the first few flakes fell on Front street. At first, most loved the unusual weather. Often violent and dangerous, the Veilstorms would usually send people scrambling for shelter. The snow was different. It was cold, but not deadly, at least not at first. Kids learned how to make snowballs, and for a couple days everyone had fun, but then people began to worry.

The plants started to die and lots of people didn’t have warm clothes. Many Kanaka got frostbite and the Thrivers wondered what would happen if things didn’t warm up again. Four days into the blizzard, streams began to freeze over and many began to panic. The Kanaka burned their boats and the Thrivers began crafting coats as fast as they could, and making plans on how to keep the pumps from freezing. Then the snowmen appeared and things got worse.

They were in pairs, dressed in sequined outfits, with odd looking shoes strung over their shoulders. They were in front of every compound in Lahaina that morning, and the people who discovered them didn’t know what to think. The shoes were really strange, and nobody could figure out what they were at first. Then the elders got a good look and knew immediately what they were. They were skates.

The storm was really bad that day and it was hard to see outside, but strange sounds could be heard all morning. Faint dance music was being broadcast from somewhere that mixed with the sound of the icy waves. Bells could be heard coming from the forest, and the sound of skates being sharpened carried on the wind. Terrified of what might come the Kanaka gathered in The Mission for protection, and the people of Pu’u assembled in the courthouse waiting to see what was next. The answer came later that night when many heard what they had been dreading, a rhythmic tapping on the walls of the buildings. Shots rang out and everyone was yelling and screaming, but the Thrivers and Kanaka were no match for the Tappers. They had challenged all of Lahaina to a ice-dance-off and they weren’t about to let anyone bow out.

Everyone knows that The Tappers really know how to capture and hold an audience so escape was impossible. The tinseled terrors had dammed a stream and constructed a makeshift rink. Pairs from each group were chosen to participate and showed the routine for the short dance portion of the competition. The remaining captives were bound and encouraged to watch and cheer at gunpoint.

It did not go well for the Thrivers who were quickly served and received savagely low scores by the scintillating judges. The Kanaka seemed to fair a bit better until their second couple made the fatal mistake of following the melody and phrasing instead of the beat. They were immediately disqualified and destroyed. The judges ruled that no replacement would be allowed, much to the relief of the Kanaka in the audience. The Tappers on the other hand nailed every lift, spin, and twizzle despite the soft ice and sense of dread in the air.

During the break for ice smoothing, the captives discussed their fate. It was over for them. Their best bet was the short dance. The free dance was up next and the scoring would weigh creativity most heavily. They didn’t have the costumes, choreography, cross roll, or choctaw skills to survive. Their chances of making it out of the competition alive were as thin as the edge of their skates.

However, just before the next round began the audience noticed something wonderful, a thin stream of water across the ice. It had stopped snowing hours ago and the weather was returning to normal. The Tappers were as furious as they were fabulous. The conditions were already poor, and continuing on even softer ice would interfere with the quality of their programs. There would be no more swing rolls, slide chasse’s, or icey murders for the day. Before departing, they promised to save the scores and resume the competition when the streams froze again.

Some people say that the Tapper ice dance never happened, and that it’s just a story they tell kids around the campfire, but my grandpa and his friends say it’s true, so I’m not sure. I’ve been practicing forward crossovers on the beach just in case.

Akamai Mahelona
5th Grade
Pu`u School Lahaina

STORYLINE

Lono Hahai and the Lahaina Wolves

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There are a bunch of animals on the island that aren’t native to the land. The first people brought some of them here on purpose like pigs, dogs, and chickens. Some like rats, were accidentally dropped off here by explorers. Still others like the mongoose, were brought in because people thought they could kill other animals that were eating too many crops, or destroying the forest. But the wolves fit into a special category of their own.

For many years, hunting the deer on the island was a popular pastime. Hunters from all over would come to the island to bring down a trophy buck. It wasn’t long before a number of hunting lodges and ranches sprang up. The biggest and best-known by far was the Hahai Ranch. If you wanted to hunt anything on Maui, your best bet was to hire a guide from Hahai.

There were a lot of good hunters and a few great ones at the ranch, but the best by far was the owner’s daughter Lono. Even though she was still a teenager, Lono seemed much older and was wise in the ways of the forest. She could track any animal and seemed to be able to tell what the boar or deer would do before they did. She soon became the most sought out hunting guide at the ranch, but Lono had very strict rules and ideas about how to hunt.

She never used guns when she went hunting and refused to guide anyone who did. After a while she even started to refuse bow hunts, insisting that using a spear was the best way to truly appreciate the primal nature of hunting. If it hadn’t been for a chance encounter with a wolf expert during a trip, Lono might only be remembered as a great guide.

The young woman became obsessed with how wolves took down their prey and the plight of pups orphaned by nuisance hunts. She turned part of the ranch into a wolf sanctuary, and 3 years after taking in her first pup, Lono began hunting with them. Soon she opened the hunts up to the public and the waiting list to go with one of the packs became huge. Hand-raised by the young woman and trained to hunt in combination with guests, the wolves made the ranch and Lono famous.

Armed only with a spear, knife, or club, hunters would join a pack, led by Lono, for up to 3 days. The wolves would track game, and run it until it was exhausted. When Lono was sure the target animal was tired and careless enough, she would have the pack steer the prey towards guests who lay in ambush.

Eventually, the hunts got more and more elaborate with technical upgrades. Each of the wolves were fitted with Ceremplants so hunters could see their quarry through the pack’s eyes, and Lono could better communicate with the wolves during the hunt. An entire pack was upgraded with bioluminescent fur for special night hunts. Nobody knows what Lono had planned next for her pack because the great accident happened.

One of the first places the people on the hill checked after the fracture was the ranch. They were hoping to find other survivors, food, or weapons but they didn’t find much. The entire ranch had been cleaned out by the time they arrived, and fresh graves had been dug in the back. Almost nothing remained but one half-starved wolf buried in the rubble. The beast snarled at first, but seemed to understand that the people meant no harm and let them help. Once free, the wolf let out a howl and ran into the forest. Almost a week later the survivors started to find deer left outside of the village.

Nobody saw who was leaving them, and at first, some people thought it was a trick. It wasn’t long until hunger beat out their caution, and they started eating the venison. For a little over a year, the people on the hill would find a deer left at the gate every week. They began to hear wolves howl during the night and while they were hunting, but nobody ever saw one. Everyone thought that the wolf they saved was just thanking them in the way he had been trained, then the mutants came, and they learned the truth.

One night scouts ran through the gates followed by a group of those monsters. Soon the village was surrounded. People fought as hard as they could, but back then the wall wasn’t very high so the mutants just climbed over it. All night long the people fought but it was no use, there were too many of them. Almost everyone was killed and the survivors barricaded themselves inside the school. They knew it was just a matter of time before the monsters found a way in. Everyone had lost hope, and they were sure they’d be eaten. Then, just as the sun was coming up one of the remaining guards looked out the window and saw a woman standing by the gate with a deer thrown over her shoulders. It was Lono!

She dropped the deer, threw her head back, and let out a howl. From every direction, wolves howled back. From inside the school the people watched as streaks of fur slammed into the mutants, knocking them to the ground and tearing them apart. A few of the monsters tried to run but they weren’t fast enough to escape the fury of Lono’s spear and her pack.

It was then that the people knew that it was Lono leaving the deer to thank them for saving one of her wolves. She must have thought they were even after that because the deer stopped being delivered. It’s been a long time since that day and there are a lot more wolves on the island now, but nobody ever saw Lono again. I like to think that she’s still running with her pack somewhere on the island protecting people from mutants, but who knows. The only thing that’s certain is that there’d be no wolves on the island if it wasn’t for my hero, Lono Hahai.

Akamai Mahelona
5th Grade
Pu`u School Lahaina

STORYLINE

Pu’u: The Home of the Thrivers

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When the veil fractured everything that people counted on to live their lives was gone. Many of the roads were damaged, there was no internet or electricity, phones wouldn’t work, and there wasn’t even clean water to drink. With: earthquakes, deadly diseases spreading across the island faster than they could be treated, and extreme weather stirring up volient storms, more destructive than anything seen before, many were lost in the first few days. Many more gave up, because they hadn’t worked hard enough before the accident, and didn’t have the drive to fight all the bad things stacking up against them. But not my grandfather Pa’ani, he and a handful of others knew how to work hard, and knew that they’d have to work even harder if they were going make new lives for themselves and their families. That’s what they did when they founded Pu’u. From that day on, they were known as the Thrivers, and they made the best home that they could for the people who deserved it.

People tried to make it through that terrible first month in lots of different ways. The Kanaka turned back to many of the old ways, by honoring the land and learning what new treasures it held. The people of Tanager Lane closed their gates and nobody was allowed to come or go. The Lucky Dodge Hotel stayed open for those who were secretive, or wicked enough to get a room. Many went off to create a new world and a new way of life; some believing in the power of dance and destruction, and others focused on the drinks of the past and living a reckless life. None, however, had the determination, drive, and resources that the Thrivers did.

As soon as he made sure my grandma and my dad were ok, Pa’ani knew who he had to find. As Vice Principal of Pu’u high, my grandfather knew that he’d need the talents of everyone in his PTA golfing team. If he was going to help his family make it through this catastrophe, living the life they had grown accustomed to, he’d need the help of “The Hole-In-Nones”.

Grace Luahi had connections at the SSHAM factory and owned a number of warehouses filled with useful items, food, and drink. Chris Treadwell helped run a turbine and geothermal energy company. He had maps of well sites and plenty of equipment. Trip Alunu owned the islands biggest HVAC company and had plenty of spare solar cells too. Lastly, my grandpa had keys to every building on campus, including the vocational buildings with medical supplies, and all the extra tools and equipment they would need.

The surviving members of the golf team pulled together and worked to lessen the great burdens of life after the fracture. They had power and water running again within a week. Soon, others found their way to the school, and asked for shelter, but it was always the same. These people didn’t work hard or prepare before the accident, and they didn’t after. They would steal, and not do their assigned tasks. Even though the team tried to give them a chance, they didn’t share the same values and had nothing to give or contribute. Worse still, they let a number of Kanaka in even though the ube fever was running rampant. They gave the Kanaka water without getting anything in return. The Thrivers knew that it was only a matter of time before these outsiders would ruin everything. They needed to find more people like them.

Then someone said they knew a retired officer from the yacht club, and suggested that they try to find him. It turned out to be a great idea. Colonel Kaua had set up his mobile bunker along the beach and had taken in many influential families, but they were under constant attack by desperate people, and the horrors of the forest. The team explained that the yacht club people would be much safer on top of the hill at Pu’u, and that the mobile bunker would be just the thing to deter people looking for handouts. The colonel agreed, and over the next few days, they moved the bunker to where it still sits today, with his son guarding Pu’u and teaching the ways of war.

Along with other families like: the Pahili’s, the Hoomana’s, and the Palakiko’s, The Hole-In-Nones created a paradise within paradise by sharing values, working hard, and being smart enough to have things before the accident. They didn’t just survive, they thrived. I’m proud of what my grandpa and his friends did, and I hope that nothing like the fracture ever happens again. If we have to count on the hard work of people like my brother, we won’t make it. He can’t even pick up his toys.

Akamai Mahelona
5th Grade
Pu`u School Lahaina