🎀

the sharp crack of gunfire echoed through the range.

"stop hesitating."

you adjusted your grip slightly, steadying your stance the way you'd been taught.

a slow exhale slipped past your lips before you fired.

the target in the distance flickered as the round connected just off-center.

"again."

you reset your stance and fired a few more shots in quick succession.

"you're overthinking it." the voice behind you spoke, "you think too much before you pull the trigger."

you lower the rifle before turning to face your father.

you huffed quietly, "you say that every time."

"because you do it every time." he replied. then more firmly, "you can't wait on the battlefield. if you hesitate, you're already dead."

you rolled your eyes, having already heard that line leave his mouth a million times before.

"again." he ordered.

around you, the range was alive with movement. rda soldiers of varying ranks practicing their own weapon handling nearby. the constant rhythm of gunfire echoing off the reinforced walls.

majority of the time, you wore noise canceling headphones just to dull the sound.

you raise the rifle once more. this time, you didn't waste another second as you took your aim and fired.

the shot landed closer to the center of the silhouette target.

you turned just as your father gave a small nod of approval.

“there you go.”

you allowed yourself a quiet breath of satisfaction before lowering the weapon.

you weren’t great just yet. but for now, it was enough.

when your practice was over, you handed the rifle back to your father before pulling the headphones from your ears. the sudden absence of muffled sound made the range feel even louder.

"where you headed now?" your father asked as the two of you walked over to the locker holding your belongings.

"to see mom." you answered, grabbing your worn backpack from the metal compartment.

after unzipping it, you pulled your breather pack which consisted of a mask and a rechargeable exo pack. an essential for living on pandora due to the air being toxic to humans.

"i can get you a ride over there," your father said. "come on."

you quickly zipped your bag back up and slung it over your shoulder before following him away from the shooting range. the walk wasn't long. maybe three minutes at most.

the farther you moved from the range, the quieter it became until the sounds of gunfire faded almost completely.

you soon entered a massive garage-like structure filled with rows of RDA vehicles. some were built for cargo transport. others looked heavily armored, fitted for military patrols beyond the walls.

but the vehicle your father approached was one you recognized immediately.

a utility jeep.

its main purpose was transporting equipment, though you've ridden passenger with your father plenty of times whenever he didn’t mind taking a detour if you didn't feel like walking somewhere.

as you got closer, you noticed someone climbing into the driver's side..

"yo, hen!" your dad called out.

the man dressed in green camouflage turned at the sudden call of his name. his confused expression quickly shifted into a grin.

he hopped down from the vehicle and walked over.

"wassup?" he greeted as he gave your father a dap.

"same old." your father gestured toward you. "this is my daughter, y/n."

the man looked over at you.

"nice to meet you, y/n. i'm henry, but everyone calls me hen."

you gave him a small polite smile as you shook his hand.

"nice to meet you too."

"look, i've gotta handle a few things but would you mind giving her a ride to the ops center?" your father asked.

henry immediately shook his head, "nah, man, i'm heading that way anyway."

"appreciate it."

"don’t mention it." henry jerked his head toward the jeep. "c’mon, kid."

you gave your father one last quick hug before climbing into the passenger seat.

once buckled in, you pulled the mask over your face and pressed the activation button near the base of the filter. a soft hiss sounded as the airflow started.

henry glanced over as the engine rumbled to life.

"ready?"

you nodded, "yeah."

the jeep rolled forward, weaving through the sprawling roads of bridgehead.

even after living here for a year, the scale of it all still felt unreal.

not because it was beautiful but because of its sheer size.

the ISV venture star carrying your family had arrived on pandora one year ago in 2169. the journey itself had begun back in 2163, making it strange to wake up and realize six whole years had passed while you slept.

coming out of cryosleep had felt strange too. your body felt extremely weak and heavy. additionally, the urge to vomit had been almost unbearable.

the first meal they gave you after waking consisted of compressed nutrient blocks.

and they tasted exactly how they sounded.

absolutely disgusting.

unfortunately, the meal had been mandatory, packed with everything your body needed after spending years suspended in cryostasis.

the RDA's return mission had begun a year before your departure from earth, meaning they reached pandora in 2168.

so when your ship finally landed in 2169, bridgehead was already alive.

towering steel structures stretched high into the sky, their surfaces covered in glowing holographic advertisements and information displays. construction cranes loomed overhead in nearly every direction, as crews continued building outward into pandora.

and the city was still growing.

every week, new sections were being added within the secured walls. ships arrived constantly from orbit, construction crews worked around the clock, and military patrols moved through the city at all hours.

humanity was planting its roots here.

'BUILDING TOMORROW'

that was the motto.

at least, that was what most of the posters and advertisements scattered throughout the city claimed.

your life settled into routine surprisingly fast.

school lessons were held inside converted lab spaces alongside other students your age. in some ways, it was similar to school back on earth.

except here, the teachers moved from room to room instead of the students.

whenever you weren’t in class, you were usually at the shooting range with your father. he had kept his promise to your mother and waited until you turned sixteen before teaching you how to handle a firearm. the training sessions had started almost immediately after your birthday a few months ago.

other afternoons were spent in the ops complex watching your mother work.

the two worlds couldn’t have been more different from each other. one built around discipline and force and the other centered around research and discovery.

at first, arriving on pandora felt almost disappointing.

after years of hearing stories about endless jungles and glowing forests, you had expected something different.

but most of your life here has been spent inside reinforced walls and sterile corridors.

bridgehead felt more like an extension of earth than another world.

cleaner and more advanced, definitely.

but still very human.

as the jeep passed one of bridgehead’s outer sections, your eyes drifted toward the massive reinforced wall surrounding the city.

beyond it was pandora itself.

the real pandora.

untamed forests stretched far beyond the barriers, disappearing into the distance beneath bright alien skies.

you couldn’t help but wonder what it actually felt like being out there.

the jeep slowed as the ops center came into view.

large white structures stretched across the secured sector, connected by enclosed walkways and reinforced glass corridors. the buildings themselves were sleek and polished, almost futuristic in a way that reminded you more of the laboratories back on earth.

security around the area was noticeably tighter too.

armed guards stood at nearly every entrance while surveillance droves hovered overhead in slow, calculated patterns.

the jeep finally pulled up near the main entrance.

"well," henry said he shifted the vehicle in park, "here we are."

you unbuckled your seatbelt, "thanks for the ride."

"anytime."

you grabbed your bag before climbing out of the jeep. with a final nod, henry pulled off, disappearing back into the steady flow of traffic moving throughout bridgehead.

using the ID badge your mother made for you, you passed through security without any hassle. as soon as you stepped inside, the sounds of the city dulled behind the steel doors.

cool artificial air brushed against your skin as bright white lighting reflected off polished floors and glass walls.

you finally pulled the mask from your face, no longer needing it inside the contained environment.

scientists moved throughout the halls carrying datapads and holographic displays while low, hurried conversations filled the air around you.

everything here felt precise. like every person inside the building was working toward something important.

you adjusted the strap of your backpack before making your way deeper into the complex, already knowing exactly where your mother would be.

you turned down another corridor before finally reaching the section your mother usually worked in.

the automatic doors slid open with a soft hiss.

unlike the bustling hallways outside, this lab was quieter. more focused. the low hum of machinery filled the space alongside the occasional beep of equipment.

several holographic displays floated above nearby workstations, projecting streams of data in glowing blue light.

you spotted your mother near the center of the room almost instantly.

she stood beside a large glass containment chamber filled with glowing plant life. a few other scientists stood nearby as she spoke, gesturing toward a rotating holographic model suspended in the air.

even from across the room, she looked completely in her element.

you leaned lightly against the doorway, waiting for her to notice you.

it didn’t take long.

your mother glanced up briefly before a small smile crossed her face.

"well, look who finally made it."

you pushed yourself off the wall, "you know, dad thinks you practically live here."

"that’s not entirely inaccurate." she laughed.

the other scientists chuckled softly before returning to their work.

as you walked closer, your attention drifted toward the containment chamber beside her.

the plant inside glowed faintly beneath the lab lights, its tendrils pulsing slowly with soft bioluminescent light.

"what is that?" you asked.

"loreyu," your mother answered automatically before catching your expression. "sorry. that’s the na’vi name. we call it a helicoradian. loreyu roughly translates to 'beautiful spiral.'"

your eyes remained fixed on the plant as she explained what it was. honestly, most of the scientific terms she used often sounded like complete gibberish to you, but it was still interesting enough to listen to.

"and it does something pretty cool," she added. "wanna see?"

you looked up at her.

"go put a pair of gloves on first."

on your way over to the nearby box of nitrile gloves, you set your bag down on an empty chair.

once you slipped your hands into the light blue gloves, you returned to the containment chamber.

"what now?"

"stick your hand in and touch it." your mother instructed, "gently."

you hesitated before carefully sliding your hand through the opening in the chamber. slowly, your fingertips brushed against one of the orange spiral-shaped leaves.

you barely got to feel the smooth surface before the plant suddenly coiled inward and retracted into itself.

the sudden movement was so fast it made you flinch backward.

a quiet laugh escaped your mother.

"it responds to stimuli," she explained. "that reaction helps protect it from herbivores in the wild."

you stared at the curled-up plant in fascination. even something as simple as a flower on pandora felt alive in a way earth’s plants never had.

after a few seconds, the helicoradian slowly unfurled again, opening back up beneath the soft glow of the chamber lights.

you watched it carefully.

"…okay," you admitted quietly. "that was actually really cool."

your mother smirked knowingly, "told you."

one of the scientists nearby glanced over from his workstation, calling for your mom.

your mother nodded once, "i'll be right there."

she looked back toward you briefly.

"try not to touch anything expensive while i’m gone."

you glanced around at the equipment surrounding you.

"no promises."

that earned another laugh from her before she walked off toward the other side of the lab, leaving you standing beside the softly glowing alien plant.

you lingered near your mother’s workstation for another few minutes, absentmindedly watching the helicoradian sway from the light breeze in the room.

eventually, curiosity pulled you away.

the sci-ops complex was massive, and despite living in bridgehead for a year, there were still entire sections you had never seen before.

you wandered through the nearby corridors quietly, passing scientists speaking in rushed voices and secured lab doors requiring clearance levels far above your own.

most of the rooms looked similar. laboratories filled with glowing holographic displays, containment chambers, and equipment you could barely begin to understand.

at one point, a pair of researchers passed by you mid-conversation.

"—arrived late last night—"

"they’re already meeting with ardmore."

"do they actually think this operation’s gonna work?"

the voices faded as they disappeared around the corner.

who was meeting with ardmore?

your eyebrows furrowed, hating that you were so nosy while being unable to hear more of the conversation.

nonetheless, you kept moving.

the next morning, you stood in the cramped bathroom of your family's apartment while the low hum of the ventilation system filled the space around you.

after rinsing your mouth and drying your face, you stepped out of the small bathroom and followed the smell of coffee into the kitchen.

"you're gonna be late." your mother spoke as she poured coffee into a to-go cup.

your father was usually already gone at this time, his position requiring him to report to work at around 06:00.

"i still have, like, ten minutes before i have to leave." you responded, opening one of the cabinets and grabbing a granola bar.

"eight." she corrected, "so leave now."

you glanced at the small digital clock mounted on the wall.

she was right.

without arguing, you grabbed your bag along with your fully charged breather pack.

"you'll be home after your classes?" your mother asked.

you shrugged lightly, "depends on what everyone's doing after."

"just don't stay out too late." she took a sip of her coffee before adding, "love you."

"love you too."

the apartment door slid open and the noise of the housing sector immediately flooded in.

the hallways were already crowded with people heading toward their morning shifts and transit stations.

the residential complexes on bridgehead weren't luxurious by any means.

most families lived in compact apartment-style units stacked closely together inside massive dormitory towers built near the administration zone. the layouts were more efficient rather than comfortable.

sometimes, places like this remind you of earth.

the narrow hallways, reinforced walls, small kitchens, windows overlooking endless steel structures instead of nature.

but compared to how overcrowded earth had become, most people considered living here a privilege.

as you moved through the corridor, you finally pulled your mask over your face before stepping outside the residential tower and into the city itself.

bridgehead was already awake.

transport vehicles moved steadily through the streets as construction crews worked in the distance, machinery groaning within the city walls.

by the time you reached the education sector, groups of students your age were already gathering outside the converted classroom spaces.

unlike schools back on earth, there wasn't an actual campus on bridgehead.

most lessons were held inside repurposed labs or conference rooms depending on availability. the classes were smaller too, made up mostly of employees' children and younger recruits preparing for future work within the colony.

as you stepped inside your assigned classroom, the familiar hum of fluorescent lighting filled the room. rows of portable desks had been arranged across what had clearly once been a laboratory space.

a few students were already inside. some looked half asleep while others talked amongst themselves.

and judging by the atmosphere, something had everyone unusually interested this morning.

you had barely stepped fully into the room before you caught pieces of conversation flying between groups.

"who is it?"

"apparently he knows jake sully or something."

your brows furrowed slightly as you made your way into the classroom. when you reached your usual spot near the back, you spotted ethan and caleb first.

ethan sat slouched back in his chair, lazily spinning a pen between his fingers while caleb leaned against the desk beside him mid-conversation.

"hey." you greeted, dropping your bag beside your desk before sitting down. since the chair was an office chair instead of the usual 4 legged stack chairs, you spun around to face them.

"did you hear?" caleb asked immediately.

"hear what?"

ethan leaned forward slightly, "the recoms brought in a hostage."

you paused.

"the avatar soldiers?" you questioned.

the recombinant program, officially known as project phoenix, was essentially the RDA's replacement for the original avatar program.

instead of remotely controlling genetically engineered na'vi bodies through link beds, recombinant soldiers were something entirely different.

each recom body was fully autonomous. a living human-na'vi hybrid implanted with the memories, personality, and combat experience of an rda soldier who had already died. most of them had been killed during the battle of the hallelujah mountains years ago.

from a military standpoint, the project was considered revolutionary.

the recom unit had only arrived on pandora a few days ago, and people throughout bridgehead still couldn’t stop talking about them.

surprisingly, you hadn't come across any of them yet.

"so who did they bring in?" you asked when ethan confirmed your suspicions.

caleb shrugged lightly, "no idea. just heard about it this morning."

"i heard it's somebody connected to jake sully." ethan added, "which honestly makes sense. maybe it's a na'vi."

you leaned back slightly in your chair.

jake sully’s name had become impossible to avoid no matter where you lived. on both earth and pandora, he had somehow turned himself a household name.

the news broadcast painted him as a traitor to humanity. a terrorist who sided with aliens over his own species and nearly destroyed mankind's chance at survival beyond earth.

before either of the boys could say anything else, the classroom door suddenly slid open.

"guys!"

you looked over as your friend lila hurried toward your table. unlike most students who dragged themselves into class half asleep, she looked fully aware for once. excited, even.

"what?" caleb asked.

"i know who they brought in."

that immediately caught your attention.

lila glanced around briefly before lowering her voice despite the room already buzzing with conversation.

"it's spider."

you blinked, the name not ringing any bells for you.

but judging by caleb's reaction, that clearly wasn't the case for him.

"holy shit," he breathed, "for real?"

lila nodded quickly, "i saw him this morning."

"does he look the same?"

lila opened her mouth to answer before ethan interrupted.

"sorry to interrupt." he said, looking between them, "but who the fuck is spider?"

lila and caleb shared a quick look but before either of them could begin to explain, the classroom door slid open and your instructor walked in.

conversations immediately died down across the room as everyone hurried toward their seats.

"lila." the instructor sighed, already sounding exhausted, "please have a seat."

lila rolled her eyes dramatically before dropping into the empty chair beside yours.

at the front of the room, the instructor activated the holographic display above the board to begin the morning lesson.

but even as class started, the whispers about the captured hostage never fully disappeared.

by lunchtime, the rumors had somehow spread even further and was practically all anyone was talking about.

the main cafeteria was crowded when your group finally arrived.

unlike the makeshift classrooms scattered throughout bridgehead, the dining hall was one of the few places where nearly everyone crossed paths at some point during the day.

scientists, engineers, pilots, construction workers, administrators, etc. every sector of bridgehead eventually passed through the cafeteria.

the noise inside was overwhelming. conversations layered over one another while trays clattered against tables.

you were used to it by now being that bridgehead itself was rarely ever quiet.

you followed behind caleb, lila, and ethan through the serving line before finally finding an open table near the far side of the room.

"wait, they gave you a cookie?" lila pouted dramatically as she looked at your tray.

"i think it was the last one." you admitted, "but i don't want it. you can have it."

"see? this is why you're my favorite person." she smiled happily as you handed it over.

"enough about cookies." ethan interrupted, setting his tray down across from you, "who is spider?"

lila pointed at caleb with the hand holding her cookie.

"you got his one. he was your brother after all."

both you and ethan immediately turned toward caleb.

your eyes widened slightly, "what?

"brother?" ethan asked.

caleb sighed as he unwrapped his utensils.

"adoptive." he corrected, "his parents died during the war, so my parents took him in back when we still lived with the omatikaya."

you blinked.

right.

unlike you and ethan, caleb and lila had actually grown up on pandora.

before the rda returned in 2168, there had still been human families living among the natives. more specifically, the omatikaya clan. most were people who had sided with the na’vi during the war and were allowed to remain there after the rest of humanity was sent back to earth.

caleb and lila's families had been among the lucky few chosen to stay, along with some of your other classmates.

they had spent most of their childhood split between the remains of hell's gate, the old human settlement and life alongside the omatikaya deep within the forests.

that part still felt strange to think about.

the pictures you've seen and stories you've heard, they both lived it.

living among the natives, learning the language and traditions long before you ever learned half the things they taught inside the bridgehead classrooms.

but eventually, the rda returned to pandora and their families accepted the amnesty offers and returned to working for the company.

"he was supposed to live here with us." caleb continued, "but he ran away and we haven't seen him since."

"until now!" lila exclaimed, "the recoms somehow found him and brought him in."

"they probably want information on jake sully." you said.

"most definitely." ethan agreed, "if spider lives with them, then he probably knows everything."

you stayed quiet for a moment, absentmindedly stirring your drink.

a human raised by the na'vi.

for some reason, the idea fascinated you more than it probably should have.

"what's he like?" you finally asked.

"annoying." caleb answered immediately with a soft snort.

lila rolled her eyes, "ignore him."

"i'm serious. spider never shut up." caleb defended. honestly, it sounded like a pretty normal response from someone talking about their sibling.

"anyways," lila continued, grinning slightly, "he was really funny. and he was always running around the forest with the other na'vi kids. that's how he got the nickname spider."

"whats his real name?" you asked.

"miles socorro." caleb answered.

he leaned back slightly before adding, "gotta give it to him though. one thing spider wasn't... was scared."

that made you pause as you tried picturing it. a human boy growing up surrounded by people twice his size on a planet actively trying to kill him, yet still doing his best to keep up.

it sounded insane. but somehow… a little impressive too.

the next thing out of lila's mouth made your eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.

"we should go see him."

ethan choked on his drink. "you're joking."

"oh, come on,” lila groaned, "you're telling me none of you are even a little curious?"

you hesitated because if you were being honest, you were. but unfortunately, curiosity didn't change reality.

"even if we wanted to see him, it's not like we can just walk in and ask." caleb said.

"and why not?" lila challenged.

"because that's not how it works." ethan deadpanned.

lila looked completely unconvinced. after a moment, her eyes landed on you.

"you have a badge."

you immediately shook your head, "nope. my badge only gets me into the ops center because of my mom. that's it. it can't open any secure doors or containment units."

"really?"

"yes, really."

lila groaned before slumping back in her chair, "well, there goes that idea."

for a moment, nobody spoke. the sounds of the cafeteria filled with silence between your table.

then, almost simultaneously, every set of eyes at the table shifted toward ethan.

the boy looked up from his food, his chewing slowing as he glanced between the three of you.

a look of pure dread crossed his face.

"no."

"ethan-"

"no."

"you don't even know what we were thinking yet." lila argued.

ethan pointed his fork at her, "you want me to steal my dad's badge."

the grin spreading across lila's face told him everything he needed to know.

"you're our only hope." lila said dramatically, "your dad has access to stuff like this!"

she wasn't exactly wrong.

out of all your parents, ethan's father held the highest level of clearance.

while your mother worked in the science division and your father spent most of his days training soldiers, caleb's parents were both miners who spent most of their time outside the city walls gathering resources. and lila's father worked in the neurolab within the sci-ops complex.

ethan's father, however, worked for security operations. the department responsible for overseeing safety and security throughout bridgehead.

more specifically, he worked on the holofloor.

the command center of the ops center. it was where senior personnel monitored everything from security feeds to vehicle traffic and citywide maps. information from across the entire operation flowed through that room.

compared to everyone else's parents, ethan's father had access to far more restricted areas.

which was exactly why all of you were looking at him. and judging by the horrified expression spreading across ethan's face, he knew it too.

"my dad would kill me."

"he won't find out."

"he'll definitely find out."

"only if we get caught."

"that somehow makes me feel worse."

you had to bite back a laugh as ethan dropped his head against the table with a groan.

lila waited patiently as caleb seemed thoroughly entertained watching this entire ordeal.

finally, ethan sat back up and rubbed a hand down his face.

"can you get it or not?" lila pressed.

ethan stared at her for several long seconds. then he sighed.

"fine."

lila immediately sat up straighter.

"wait, seriously?"

"i can borrow it tonight."

"you mean steal it." caleb cut in.

"temporarily borrow it."

"that's stealing."

"do you want me to get the damn badge or not?"

caleb immediately burst out laughing.

"caleb, leave him alone. we've already stressed him out enough." you said, shaking your head.

"i’m just saying," caleb replied through his grin, "when your dad finds out, i want it to be known that i did warn you."

"and when security catches us, i'm blaming all of you and telling them i was a hostage." ethan says.

despite yourself, you felt a smile tug at the corner of your mouth.

the plan was reckless and probably stupid.

but it actually felt possible.

after your classes ended for the day, everyone went their separate ways.

you returned home, completed the small amount of homework that your instructors had assigned, ate dinner with your parents, and did your best to act normal.

which was surprisingly difficult when you were planning to sneak into a secured rda containment sector later that night.

something that was very much illegal and would most certainly result in serious consequences if you got caught.

luckily, neither of your parents seemed to notice anything was off.

by the time late night arrived, both of them had gone to bed. you waited until you heard the sound of your father's familiar snoring from their bedroom to finally start moving.

glancing down at your holo wristband, you watched the time change to 00:00.

midnight.

slowly, you pushed your blanket aside, revealing the all black outfit you had changed into earlier.

was it dramatic? probably. but the last thing you wanted was to be spotted sneaking around bridgehead in the middle of the night because you were wearing something colorful.

carefully climbing out of the bed, you grabbed your bag and slipped toward the apartment door.

every sound suddenly felt ten times louder.

the creak of the floor beneath your feet, the soft rustle of your clothes, the quiet hiss of the apartment's ventilation system.

you paused for a moment and glanced back toward the hallway leading to your parents' room to listen for any voices or movements.

when you were met with nothing but the steady hum of the apartment and your father's distant snoring, you took one last breath and eased the door open before stepping out into the corridor.

the housing zone was much quieter than it had been during the day. most apartment windows were dark now, their occupants resting before another early shift.

only a handful of people remained out and about. mostly night-shift workers heading to their posts and security personnel making their rounds.

after pulling on your mask, you kept your head down and made your way through the corridors down toward street level.

at this hour, the city felt different.

the endless construction never truly stopped thanks to the robotic swarm assemblers, but the usual crowds were gone. floodlights illuminated sections of unfinished structures in the distance while cargo vehicles occasionally rumbled along the roads.

eventually, the towering shape of the ops center came into view. even from a distance, security was impossible to miss.

the main entrance was brightly lit. armed guards stood at every access point while surveillance droves drifted overhead, as usual.

there was absolutely no chance you were getting in through the front. which is why your group had agreed to meet at the back of the building.

you followed a maintenance path that curved around the side of the complex before finally reaching the rear service area.

the contrast was immediate. there were still cameras as the security measures but no personnel.

large cargo containers sat stacked against the outer wall while maintenance equipment occupied sections of the loading zone.

and standing in the shadow of one of those containers were three familiar figures.

lila spotted you first. the moment she saw you, she waved enthusiastically.

"you actually came."

you playfully rolled your eyes, "obviously."

a grin spread across her face, "i was worried you'd back out."

for someone about to break several rda regulations, lila seemed entirely too excited.

your attention shifted toward ethan.

unlike the others, he looked genuinely stressed.

"you got it?"

without a word, ethan reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a laminated security badge attached to a black lanyard. his father's photograph stared back at you while the silver rda insignia caught the overhead lights.

"i still think this is a terrible idea." ethan muttered.

"you already stole it," you pointed out as you stepped closer. "might as well see it through."

"your dad's actually going to kill you." caleb added.

"thank you so much for your support." the sarcasm dripping from ethan's voice was impossible to miss.

nonetheless, caleb gave him a cheerful nod.

"you're welcome."

for a brief moment, all four of you simply stared at the badge. this was the point where the plan stopped being hypothetical and there was no backing out now.

lila was the first to break the silence.

"so," a grin spread across her face, "who's ready to commit a felony?”

"lila."

"what? i was joking."

ethan sucked his teeth and immediately turned toward the building, "bro, move before i change my mind."

despite his complaints, he was already walking, the rest of you quickly following behind.

the rear service entrance sat beneath a small overhang attached to the building's outer wall. unlike the brightly lit front entrance, this one looked almost forgotten.

almost.

a security camera was mounted directly above the door.

the four of you immediately stopped.

"..now what?" caleb asked.

"just keep your heads down and stay behind me." ethan instructed.

he stepped forward and approached the scanner mounted beside the door. then ethan pressed the badge against the reader.

a soft chime sounded and the blue screen flashed green.

all four of you froze as the lock disengaged and the door slid open.

"omg." lila whispered. "it actually worked."

"move!"

nobody needed to be told twice. you hurried inside before anyone could spot you. the door closed behind you with a quiet hiss.

immediately, the atmosphere changed. the sounds of the city vanished.

bright white lights illuminated a narrow maintenance corridor stretching in both directions. the polished floors reflected the overhead lighting, making the space feel even more sterile.

the building felt almost deserted.

"okay," caleb whispered, "now where exactly are we going?"

silence fell over the group as everyone slowly turned to look at lila.

then ethan groaned, "you people don't actually know where they're keeping him, do you?"

lila gave him an innocent smile, "...not exactly."

"fantastic."

for all the planning you'd done, somehow nobody had thought to figure out where spider actually was.

"well, how did you see him this morning?" you ask.

lila immediately perked up, "okay, so i came here to bring my dad the lunch he forgot at home. he took me into the neurolab for a few minutes and while we were there, i saw them bringing spider through a hallway on the right.”

everyone listened as she pointed down the corridor, "i didn't see where they took him after that, but i'm guessing he's somewhere on this floor.”

you glanced down the hallway before shrugging, "won't hurt to try."

"that's the spirit." lila said.

"if we get arrested, i will kill all of you with my bare hands." ethan muttered.

nevertheless, the four of you started down the corridor.

a few turns later, the maintenance corridor opened into a much larger section of the facility. several employees were still scattered throughout the floor, illuminated by holographic screens as they worked the night shift.

the sight immediately made all four of you duck behind a nearby corner.

"okay," ethan whispered. "new plan."

"we never had a plan to begin with." caleb whispered back.

"and that's the problem."

lila carefully peeked around the corner., "there's not that many people... and they look busy. maybe if we move fast, they won't notice us."

as lila, ethan, and caleb quietly debated the merits of sprinting through a restricted facility, your attention drifted farther down the hallway.

several signs were mounted above branching corridors, identifying different sections of the complex.

your eyes narrowed when one of them immediately stood out.

"guys."

the others stopped talking and followed your gaze.

at the far end of the hallway, a sign hung above a set of reinforced doors.

CONTAINMENT WING

a grin instantly spread across lila's face as she grabbed you by the shoulders, "you're a genius."

you looked back toward the hallway.

the stretch of floor between your group and the containment entrance was mostly empty. the nearest employees were focused on their workstations, their backs turned toward you. as long as nobody decides to look up at the wrong moment, you might actually be able to make it across unnoticed.

beside the reinforced doors sat a small security checkpoint, another badge reader.

ethan let out a long, suffering sigh, "let's hope this thing works again."

the four of you exchanged one last look before crouching lower and slipping out from behind the corner.

your heart pounded with every step.

it felt like at any moment, someone was going to look up. any second now, a voice would call out and ask what four teenagers were doing wandering around a restricted section of the ops center in the middle of the night.

fortunately, it never came.

the employees scattered throughout the floor remained focused on their work, their attention locked on holographic displays and data streams.

once you reached the containment entrance, ethan wasted no time. he quickly pressed the badge against the scanner. like before, the pad flashed green before the reinforced doors slid open.

"go. go. go."

lila slipped through first. you followed immediately after with caleb right behind you.

ethan lingered for half a second, glancing over his shoulder one final time to make sure nobody noticed. then he hurried inside. the door hissed shut behind him, sealing off the sounds of the facility behind.

immediately, the containment wing felt quieter. and, to your surprise, much smaller than you expected.

a narrow corridor stretched ahead with several secured rooms lining either side. observation windows were built into some of the doors while others remained completely sealed.

most importantly, every room appeared empty.

the lights were dimmed and the majority of the containment units sat dark and unused. it was almost unsettling.

"doesn't even look like anyone's here." ethan said as the four of you slowly made your way farther down the corridor.

room one, empty.

room two, empty.

lila sighed in defeat, "damn. maybe he's not-"

"holy shit."

everyone immediately turned.

caleb stood frozen in front of a door labeled 3, his eyes wide as he stared through the observation window.

without hesitation, the rest of you rushed over.

the moment you looked inside, you understood why he stopped.

a boy sat alone inside the containment room. his back turned toward the door, making it impossible to see his face.

he sat on the edge of a metal table bolted to the floor, elbows resting on his knees as he stared at the floor.

for a moment, nobody spoke.

from where you stood, you could already tell he looked nothing like anyone in bridghead.

long sun-bleached locs fell down his back, some reaching past his shoulders while others were noticeably shorter and uneven.

his skin was tanned from years spent outdoors, a stark contrast to the paler complexions of most people who spent their lives inside the city walls. scars marked his arms and shoulders, remnants of a life lived far from concrete buildings.

what caught your attention the most were the streaks of what appeared to be blue paint brushed across his skin and arms. the markings looked deliberate, but you weren't sure.

then there was his clothing.

or lack thereof.

at first, you thought he wasn't wearing anything at all. it took a second to notice the simple brown loincloth tied around his waist. even the way he dressed resembled the na'vi more than any human you'd ever met.

this was spider.

the boy everyone had been talking about.

the boy who had somehow spent his entire life outside the walls of human civilization.

after hearing his name all day, after listening to stories from caleb and lila, seeing him in person felt strangely surreal.

"open it." lila said, breaking the silence and pulling you from your thoughts.

ethan stepped forward, gripping the badge tightly in his hand. before he could scan it, caleb grabbed his arm.

"wait."

ethan's eyebrows furrowed, "what?"

caleb then pointed toward the far wall inside the containment room.

your eyes followed before landing on a large mirror stretched across one side of the room. immediately, all of you understood.

it wasn't just a mirror.

it was two-way glass.

which meant there was an observation room on the other side. and for all you knew, someone could be sitting in there watching spider right now.

"go check if someone's in there." caleb said.

ethan's face immediately paled, "why me?"

"because you're the one with the badge." caleb replied, as if the answer were obvious.

you looked over at ethan to gauge his reaction. you were starting to get the feeling ethan regretted agreeing to this entire plan.

"i'll come with you." lila offered. before ethan could argue, she grabbed his wrist and began dragging him down the hallway.

"wait-lila-"

"come on."

their footsteps gradually faded as they disappeared around the corner.

that left you and caleb alone outside room three.

for a few moments, neither of you spoke.

spider remained seated on the table, completely unaware that four teenagers had just broken into a secured containment wing to stare at him through a window.

"are you nervous?" you asked quietly.

caleb kept his eyes on the room and for a moment, he didn't answer. but eventually, he shook his head.

"nah." a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, "spider's family."

there was no hesitation in the way he said it. no uncertainty, just a simple fact.

a few minutes later, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the corridor. you looked up just as ethan and lila reappeared around the corner.

"the coast is clear." ethan reported quietly, "we're good."

the tension in the group eased slightly.

lila, on the other hand, looked like she was going to implode with excitement.

"okay, open it!"

ethan looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here.

"this is such a bad idea."

"yet here you are." caleb pointed out.

"unfortunately."

with a long sigh, ethan stepped forward and pressed the badge against the scanner beside the door.

after a second, the reader flashed green and a sharp click echoed from the lock.

inside the room, spider's head immediately lifted. as the door slid open, spider immediately pushed himself off the table and turned around.

for a moment, you simply stared.

seeing him face-to-face felt different than watching him through the observation window.

taller, for starters.

he had to be around six feet tall, easily towering over most people your age. even caleb, who wasn't exactly short, had to look slightly up at him.

his face was lean, sun-bronzed from years spent outdoors beneath pandora's sunlight. the blue paint you'd noticed earlier continued across parts of his face, painted in clean streaks across his cheekbones.

he looked nothing like the people of bridgehead. nothing like the soldiers, scientists, engineers, or worked you passed every day.

there was something untamed about him. not in a threatening way. just... different.

it caught you off guard. somehow, this wasn't what you'd expected at all.

spider's eyes widened in disbelief before a grin spread across his face.

"no way."

before anyone could react, he crossed the room in a few quick strides, "what are you guys doing here?"

caleb grinned, "could ask you the same thing."

lila immediately stepped forward and pulled him into a quick hug.

"i've missed you, skxawng."

spider laughed as he returned it, "missed you too, lila."

for a moment, the containment room felt less like a prison cell and more like a reunion. spider then pulled back and looked between them.

"how'd you know i was here?" he asked, curious.

"i was here this morning and i saw you," lila answered, "so we decided to sneak in after hours to come see you."

the word 'we' made spider's gaze drift past them. his eyes landed on you and ethan, who were still lingering near the doorway. an obvious look of confusion crossed his face.

"oh, right." lila laughed, "spider, this is ethan."

ethan lifted a hand in greeting, "hey."

spider gave him a small nod before his attention shifted to you.

"and this is y/n."

for some reason, being singled out made you suddenly aware of the fact that you'd broken into a secured containment wing to meet a complete stranger.

you offered an awkward smile and a small wave, "hi."

spider tilted his head slightly, "hey."

his expression wasn't unfriendly. if anything, he just looked curious. which was fair since you were probably just as curious about him as he was about you.

then almost immediately, his attention shifted back to caleb and lila. and honestly, you couldn't blame him. it had been nearly two years since the last time he saw them.

“how’re your parents?” spider asked, looking at caleb.

caleb smiled and shrugged, “they’re good. pops getting up there, though. bro's got gray hairs already."

spider laughed, "damn."

"they miss you though." caleb's smile softened.

"really?"

"yeah... they still talk about you sometimes."

the grin on spider's face faded into something harder to read. for just a moment, he looked caught between a smile and something much sadder. you couldn't quite tell if it was guilt, sorrow, or something else entirely.

whatever it was, it was obvious that despite everything that had happened, he still cared deeply about the family that had raised him.

“but enough about us." lila said, cutting through the brief silence, "tell us what’s been going on with you. last time we saw you, kiri and lo'ak were breaking you out of hell's gate."

spider let out a short laugh, "bro... that was crazy."

"what happened?" caleb asked.

"kind of a long story."

"we have time." lila replied.

"no we don't." ethan deadpanned from beside the door.

lila waved him off without even looking at him.

"ignore him. continue."

with an exaggerated sigh, spider leaned back against the table and began recounting everything that had happened after his escape from bridgehead, which used to be called hell's gate nearly two years ago.

you listened quietly as names you didn't recognize were tossed around as if everyone else already knew them.

spider spoke about them like they were family. and, in any way that mattered, they probably were.

according to him, the three siblings had snuck into one of the facilities in hell's gate to break him out before the RDA returned to pandora. their plan had fallen apart almost immediately after they were caught by caleb's father, nash, who separated all four of them by trapping them in different rooms.

somehow, spider managed to escape first. using a fire extinguisher to smash through a window, he freed the others before the four of them fled into the forest with rda security close behind.

from there, the story only became more unbelievable.

there were countless close calls, aerial chases, the death of an ikran, and a desperate escape that ended with their shuttle crashing into the ocean before another human pilot arrived to rescue them.

by the time he finished, caleb and lila looked completely invested, interrupting every few moments with questions or laughing at details they seemed to appreciate.

you, on the other hand, were still trying to process the fact that someone could tell a story like that so casually.

somewhere in the middle of spider's story, ethan leaned over just enough for only you to hear.

"i'll be right back."

you turned toward him, lowering your own voice.

"where are you going?"

"just need to take care of something."

"do you want me to come with you?

ethan shook his head, "no. stay here."

"ethan, you shouldn't go alone." you said, your eyebrows knitting together in concern.

"i'll be fine." he offered a reassuring smile, "just trust me."

you hesitated for a second before giving a small nod.

without another word, ethan quietly slipped out of the containment room, the door shutting behind him.

spider never even paused his story.

the conversation carried on as he, caleb, and lila slipped effortlessly back into the rhythm they'd once shared, finishing each other's sentences and laughing over memories you couldn't quite follow.

every now and then, you glanced toward the doorway. you trusted ethan. if he said he needed to take care of something, there was probably a reason.

still, the thought of him wandering around the ops center alone made you uneasy. you were all trespassing inside one of the most secure buildings in bridgehead, after all.

you pushed the thought aside and turned your attention back to spider just as another laugh echoed through the room.

eventually, caleb glanced at the time displayed on his wristband and his smile faded.

"...we should probably get outta here."

lila sighs dramatically, "already?"

"we're lucky we made it this far." caleb replied, "let's not push our luck."

"yeah. you're right." she huffs.

as everyone began gathering themselves, lila glanced toward the doorway where you stood by your lonesome.

"...wait." her brows furrowed, "where's ethan?"

the room fell quiet as three pairs of eyes landed on you.

before you could answer, the door slid open.

"somebody call my name?"

ethan stepped back into the room, looking far more pleased with himself than when he left.

"where'd you go?" caleb asked.

instead of answering, ethan held up a freshly laminated access badge alongside his dad's.

"no way." you breathed, "you copied them?"

"if you idiots ever decide to come back, i'm not stealing my dad's badge every single time."

caleb smirked as he immediately began teasing his friend, "aw, you already planning more visits?"

"shut up."

lila excitedly snatched the copy badge from his hand, "you're literally a genius!"

"i know."

he reached into his pocket and handed the rest out before adding almost as an afterthought, "oh, and i may or may not have set a timer to automatically wipe the security footage from tonight."

you blinked.

"...you did what?"

he shrugged, "i'd rather not leave evidence of us here."

"you really thought of everything."

"it's actually concerning that the rest of you didn't," ethan replied, giving the group an unimpressed look. "now let's go before my dad wakes up and realizes his badge is missing."

nobody argued.

the goodbyes to spider were quick. promises to visit again were exchanged before ethan ushered back into the hallway, the copied badges tucked safely into your pockets.

as the containment door slid shut behind you, you glanced back one last time.

the four of you then retraced your steps through the quiet corridors of the ops center, slipping out the same way you came in.

only once you were back outside did you finally let yourself breathe.

somehow, against all odds, the plan had actually worked.

the next few days passed without much excitement.

life in bridgehead settled back into its familiar rhythm.

school, shooting practice with your father, and afternoons spent with your mother as she worked.

life as usual.

if it weren't for the copied rda badge tucked away in your drawer, you almost convinced yourself the night you snuck into the ops center had never happened.

almost.

you caught yourself thinking about spider more than you'd expected.

not obsessively.

just... every now and then. you found yourself wondering what he did all day inside that containment room. whether anyone ever bothered talking to him or if he was always as bored as he looked when you first saw him a few nights ago.

the thoughts came and went just as quickly, disappearing beneath the routine of everyday life.

a few nights later, an unexpectedly long nap had completely ruined your evening schedule and you didn't finish your homework until nearly 23:30.

with a relieved sigh, you tucked your notebooks back into your backpack changing into an oversized t-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts.

the apartment was quiet as you made your way down the hallway toward the bathroom.

the steady hum of the ventilation system echoed softly through the walls. a sound you'd grown so accustomed to over the past year that it had just become white noise at this point.

your father had already gone to bed in order to be well rested for his early shift, while your mother lingered in the kitchen with a cream colored mug of tea warming her hands before she planned on going to sleep herself.

stepping into the bathroom, your eyes immediately met the mirror.

"...oh hell no."

your usually thick, kinky curls had warped into absolute chaos. you had forgotten to wrap your hair before your nap.

while you knew you would regret deciding to deal with the problem in the morning, you still reached for your toothbrush instead of your hair products.

a few minutes later, just as you finished rinsing your mouth, three quick knocks echoed through the apartment.

your brows knitted together.

who could possibly be knocking this late?

you stepped into the hallway just as your mother looked up from the kitchen, her mug still in hand. judging by the puzzled look on her face, she was wondering the exact same thing.

"i'll get it." you said.

she gave a small nod, though her eyes remained on you as you crossed the apartment.

unlocking the door, you pulled it open.

"...lila?"

your friend stood in the hallway, slightly out of breath as if she'd hurried all the way over.

"hey."

"it's just lila!" you called over your shoulder to your mom, who was still watching from the kitchen.

"what are you doing here?"

lila glanced over her shoulder before leaning in and lowering her voice, "i need a favor."

you narrowed your eyes at the words.

"i don't like the way that sounds."

"it's not that bad..." she paused, "sorta kinda."

you folded your arms across your chest, "lila."

she let out a dramatic sigh, "okay okay... caleb bailed."

that only caused more confusion.

"bailed on what?"

"we were supposed to go see spider tonight."

"so what happened?"

"he got in trouble with his dad so he's basically on lockdown and can't come." she explained.

that tracked. if there was one thing nash mccosker was known for, it was running a tight ship. maybe not quite as strict as ethan's father, but close enough. so caleb getting grounded wasn't exactly a rare occurrence.

"so i'm guessing you need someone to go with you?" you said.

"exactly!" lila clasped her hands together, "please come with me."

you hesitated, glancing toward the kitchen where your mother was finishing her tea.

"did you ask ethan?"

"ethan would shut the door in my face." lila gave you a flat look.

you couldn't help but snort at that, "no he wouldn't. you know that boy can't say no to you."

"yeah but i want you to come with me." lila gave you the most exaggerated puppy-dog eyes you'd ever seen, "...please?"

you sighed, already knowing you lost.

"you're lucky i love you."

her face immediately lit up, "yes!"

you shook your head, laughing quietly, "just give me a few minutes."

"i'll be right here."

closing the door, you headed back to your room. your hair situation would definitely have to wait until morning now.

you changed out of your pajamas and into darker clothes before opening your drawer to retrieve the copied badge. after slipping it into your pocket, you quietly cracked open your bedroom door and poked your head out.

your mother had disappeared into her shared bedroom with your dad, the lights inside already dim.

perfect.

you grabbed your breathing mask along with the exo pack, eased the apartment door shut behind you, and stepped into the hallway.

lila was still waiting, leaning casually against the wall.

the moment she saw you, she pushed herself upright.

"okay," you said. "let's go."

a grin spread across her face, "i love you so much."

"yeah, yeah."

you rolled your eyes, though there wasn't much conviction behind it.

together, the two of you disappeared down the corridor.

the trip felt much less intimidating this time around. sneaking into one of the rda's most secure facilities probably shouldn't have been getting easier.

yet somehow... it was.

the front entrance remained just as heavily guarded as before, but the rear service entrance was nearly deserted, just as it had been a few nights earlier.

lila pulled one of the copied access badges from her pocket.

"moment of truth."

she pressed it against the scanner.

a familiar chime echoed before the reader flashed green.

a grin spread across lila's face, "gotta love ethan."

the building was just as quiet as you remembered. night shift employees remained glued to their screens, far too absorbed in their work to pay attention to two teenage girls passing through the halls.

with only the two of you, navigating the facility was even easier than before.

a few familiar turns later, you found yourselves inside the containment wing. just to be safe, lila ducked into the observation room beyond the two-way mirror to make sure it was empty.

a moment later, she peeked back into the hallway.

"clear."

you nodded before stepping up to the scanner yourself. and just as the other times, a green light flashed before the door opened.

as the door began to slide open, your eyes landed on spider.

this time, he wasn't sitting with his back to you. instead, he was stretched across the metal table with one arm tucked behind his head, lazily tossing a small rubber ball toward the ceiling.

you watched for a moment before realizing he wasn't doing it because he enjoyed it. he was doing it because there was nothing else to do.

the door hadn't even finished opening before spider caught the ball midair, sat upright, and looked toward the entrance.

the moment he recognized the two of you, his face lit up.

"finally," he said, hopping off the table. "i was dying of boredom."

his grin faltered when he realized it was only the two of you.

he looked past lila toward the hallway, "where's caleb? and your other friend?"

"caleb's grounded." lila replied as she wandered farther into the room, "and i didn't even bother asking ethan."

spider stared at her for a second before bursting into laughter.

"no way he's still getting grounded for dumb shit."

"sure is."

you couldn't help but smile. judging by spider's reaction, this clearly wasn't anything new. caleb must've been getting himself in trouble long before bridgehead was born into existence.

"i guess some things never changed." he shook his head, still grinning.

lila then gestured toward you, "so i brought his replacement."

spider's eyes shifted to you. standing this close, you were reminded just how tall he actually was. you shifted slightly, feeling a little nervous under his gaze.

"so..." a teasing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, "you volunteered?"

you immediately shook your head, "not exactly. i was guilt tripped."

lila gasped dramatically, "i did not guilt trip you!"

"you absolutely did."

"all i said was please."

"you also hit me with the puppy-dog eyes."

"but it worked."

"barely."

she shrugged innocently, "i mean... you're here, aren't you?"

you rolled your eyes, unable to hide your smile.

the awkwardness that had lingered throughout your first visit seemed to disappear almost instantly.

lila claimed the chair tucked against the wall while you climbed onto the edge of the metal table spider had been lying on only moments before.

spider leaned casually against the opposite wall, absentmindedly tossing the small rubber ball from one hand to the other as the conversation drifted naturally from one topic to the next. most of it revolved around stories from before the rda returned.

spider and lila laughed as they reminisced about growing up alongside the na'vi clan, the omatikaya. they recalled different childhood adventures deep in pandora's forest before their lives eventually split in different directions.

spider had followed the clan to high camp while lila had returned to human civilization with her family.

you mostly just listened.

every now and then, your attention drifts around the room before settling back on spider. the rubber ball continued its lazy path between his hands.

his hands looked mostly clean, though faint traces of dirt still lingered beneath his fingernails. it made you wonder if they even let him shower while he was being held here. the thought sat uneasily in the back of your mind.

and while the stories themselves were entertaining, they weren't your memories. your childhood had been filled with a much larger version of bridgehead.

crowded apartment blocks, gray skies and smog.

not the endless forests and growing wildlife that they knew.

eventually, spider seemed to notice how quiet you had been.

"you're quiet."

the comment pulled you from your thoughts.

"hm?"

"you haven't said much."

"i don't really have much to add," you gestured vaguely between them, "you guys actually lived this life. i'm from earth which is... very different."

spider nodded, his expression softening with understanding.

for a moment, the room fell silent before he tossed the rubber ball toward you.

you caught it instinctively. it was nothing special, just a worn red rubber ball with a small black rda logo printed on one side.

spider folded his arms and tilted his head, "what's earth like?"

you looked down at the ball, rolling it slowly between your palms before meeting his eyes again.

"...nothing like here."

not wanting the conversation to drift into thoughts of earth, you held up the small red rubber ball instead.

"where'd you even get this?"

"one of the guards gave it to me."

you raised an eyebrow, "seriously?"

"guess they thought i would be less bored."

he reached over and took the ball back, absentmindedly tossing it into the air before catching it again.

"still bored," he admitted with a small shrug, "but it's better than staring at the walls all day."

lila's smile softened into a frown, "you must be so bored in here."

spider let out a quiet breath through his nose, "you have no idea."

his gaze drifted around the small containment room before settling back on the ball in his hand.

"you guys gotta get me outta here."

"we would if we could." lila sighed, "but we're already breaking about a hundred rules just by being here right now."

you nodded in agreement, "and even if we somehow got you out of this building…getting you out of bridgehead is a whole different story. that's nearly impossible."

spider understood, you could see it in the small nod he gave. but it didn't make him any less disappointed. no one wanted to spend every hour of every day trapped inside a room barely large enough to pace across. especially when the closest thing to a bed was the metal table he'd been sleeping on.

"...yeah." he said quietly.

the room settled into comfortable silence for a moment. after a moment, lila glanced down at the time displayed on her holo wristband.

"we should probably go."

you then looked down at your own wristband.

"yeah."

neither of you wanted to push your luck.

spider pushed himself away from the wall as the two of you headed toward the door.

"thanks for coming."

"of course." lila replied with a smile.

she stepped forward first, wrapping him in a quick hug. spider returned it with no hesitation.

when she stepped aside, his attention shifted to you. the two of you were still little more than acquaintances. so instead of a hug, spider simply held out a closed fist.

a small smile tugged at your lips as you bumped your fist lightly against his.

"later." he said.

"bye, spider."

the containment door slid shut between you with a quiet hiss.

for a moment, you watched him through the observation window. he was already absentmindedly tossing the ball into the air again. you then turned away before it got weird.

the walk back through the sci-ops complex was just as uneventful as the walk in. before leaving, however, you and lila made one final stop.

the security office sat empty at this hour.

lila moved straight to one of the control panels while you took your position beside the doorway, keeping an eye on the hallway outside.

"you know how to erase the footage?" you asked quietly.

lila nodded without looking up, "yeah. i asked ethan how he did it and he explained everything to me."

as she worked, she talked you through each step, explaining what every command did in case either of you ever needed to delete security footage yourself.

a minute later, the final confirmation disappeared from the screen. every trace of the two of you entering and exiting the facility would be gone in 10 minutes.

by the time you slipped back out into the cool night air, it was as if you'd never been there at all.

nearly a week passed before you found yourself back inside the sci-ops complex.

the afternoon sun hung high over bridgehead as you approached the ops center after another shooting lesson with your father. your shoulder still ached faintly from the recoil, but according to him, you were improving.

you scanned your badge at the entrance, stepped inside, and immediately removed your breather mask as the filtered air washed over you.

it didn't take long to reach your mother's lab.

the room buzzed with quiet activity. scientists in white lab coats moved between workstations while holographic displays hovered overhead, streams of glowing data constantly updating.

everything operated with the same calm precision you'd come to expect.

"hey, sweetheart."

you looked up to find your mother smiling at you from across the room.

she was standing beside another researcher reviewing statistics on their datapad. after finishing her thought, she excused herself and walked over.

"perfect timing."

"for?"

"i was just about to grab lunch." she smiled, "wanna join me?"

you didn't even hesitate, "i'm starving."

"i figured." she laughed before nodding toward the hallway, "i just have to pick up something from the neurolab first."

you nodded, already preparing to wait at her workstation until she got back.

your mother had barely taken a few steps before she paused and looked over her shoulder.

"you've never actually seen the neurolab before, have you?"

you shook your head, "i've heard about it from lila, but that's about it."

"then come on." she motioned for you to follow, "i'll give you the grand tour."

you quickly caught up beside her as she led you deeper into the sci-ops complex, passing laboratories you'd already seen dozens of times while you've been living here.

the farther you walked, the quieter the hallways became. unlike the other research divisions, security became noticeably tighter. reinforced doors replaced standard ones, and each required multiple levels of clearance before sliding open.

you noticed the security during the day was much tighter than it was at night.

"so... what exactly do they do down here?" you asked.

"mostly neurological research." your mother replied.

you hummed, "sounds complicated."

"it is. but it's so fascinating."

the final set of reinforced doors slid open with a quiet hiss.

you stopped in the doorway. the room beyond was unlike anything you'd ever seen.

the laboratory stretched across multiple levels, its dim lighting casting the entire space in cool shades of blue and green. scientists in white coats moved between sleek workstations while technicians monitored streams of neural data flowing across holographic screens.

dominating the center of the room was an enormous translucent hologram of a brain floating several feet above a circular platform. thousands of glowing neural pathways pulsed through the projection, shifting constantly as fresh streams of data poured into the display.

"...woah."

your mother smiled at your reaction.

"that's the neurosect scanner." she explained, "it maps neural activity in real time. thoughts, memories, emotional responses… the system collects the data and converts it into something we can visualize."

you barely heard the rest. your attention had already wandered.

several towering blue figures stood gathered around the central platform. for a split second, your brain struggled to process what you were seeing.

na'vi.

...not quite.

your breath caught.

their skin was unmistakably blue, complete with striped markings and long tails, yet the way they stood, the way they talked, even the casual confidence in their posture felt undeniably human.

recoms.

human memories implanted inside genetically engineered avatar bodies. hearing about them was one thing but actually seeing them in person was another thing entirely.

there were several of them, each standing nearly ten feet tall in military gear. even surrounded by scientists and equipment, they dominated the room simply by existing.

for a moment, you couldn't decide where to look.

the floating brain.

the recoms.

the unfamiliar machinery surrounding the platform.

everything was competing for your attention.

your mother led you up the short set of steps toward the platform. but before you could get a closer look at the recom soldiers, a scream ripped through the open space.

your head snapped toward its source.

on the other side of the glass sat the actual neurosect scanner.

your stomach dropped when you saw the subject strapped beneath it.

spider.

he was restrained in a reclining medical chair positioned beneath the enormous machine. thick metal braces locked his neck, chest, arms, and legs against the seat while a circular ring of machinery surrounded his head. a small neural face mask rested against his temples and cheekbones, feeding directly into the scanner overhead.

he couldn't move even if he wanted to.

the once easygoing boy you'd shared jokes with only days ago looked completely trapped.

standing directly in front of him was a woman in a sec-ops camouflage uniform.

you recognized her immediately. it was the commander of bridgehead, general frances ardmore. the woman every department ultimately answered to.

she stood with her hands strictly at her sides, her voice firm and calm as the boy in front of her screamed.

"where is jake sully?"

"i don't know!" spider snapped back.

"we know that you know."

your eyebrows drew together.

"...mom?" your voice came out quieter than you intended, "what are they doing to him?"

"it's okay." she replied, "the scanner isn't dangerous."

your mother kept her eyes on the procedure.

"it's alright," she answered gently. "the scanner isn't dangerous."

you looked back through the glass. it didn't look alright.

spider's breathing had already become uneven. his fingers strained so hard against the restraints that the muscles in his forearms visibly tightened beneath sun-darkened skin.

"just form a picture in your mind," ardmore continued. "is it one of the floating mountains?"

"let me outta here!" the crack in his voice was undeniable.

one of the scientists stepped closer to the glowing holographic brain hovering over the platform.

you immediately recognized him as lila's dad.

"he's fighting us," he said as streams of data raced across the displays. "give us a minute."

the machinery answered with a deep mechanical hum as it grew louder. the circular housing above spider's head began rotating faster, emitting a high-pitched whine that crawled beneath your skin.

"i don't know!" spider shouted again.

"just form a thought," ardmore said, her expression never changing, "and we will see it."

spider screamed once more. every muscle in his body seized at once. his back arched violently against the restraints, the metal frame shuddering beneath the force.

you physically flinched. the sound bounced off the laboratory walls, lingering long after it should have faded.

around you, scientists barely reacted. some continued watching data streams while others quietly discussed readings with one another. the detached professionalism made your stomach twist.

"it's not going to stop until you give us something. which clans are harboring him?"

spider's breathing came in desperate gasps, "you're gonna have to kill me!"

your hands curled into fists without you realizing it.

a week ago, you'd watched this same boy burst into laughter because caleb was grounded.

now he was crying in pain and everyone was just acting like this is normal.

then one of the recom soldiers moved. without saying a word, he abandoned the elevated platform and walked straight to the control console.

with one firm press of his hand, the machine shut down. almost instantly, the piercing whine vanished and the rotating ring slowed.

the brilliant holographic brain dimmed as streams of data faded until it was gone and the space was now empty.

the silence that followed somehow felt even louder.

spider sagged forward immediately. only the restraints kept him from collapsing completely.

his chest heaved with rapid, uneven breaths as his entire body trembled. his eyes were barely open and unfocused, like he wasn't even fully aware of where he was anymore.

a thin line of blood slipped from one nostril, tracing slowly over his lips before falling onto his chest.

he looked so broken which made your heart clench.

the recom soldier began speaking quietly with general ardmore, but their conversation dissolved into meaningless background noise.

you couldn't stop staring at spider.

your mother stood beside you, watching the same scene. her face remained composed. the expression of someone who had become accustomed to things like this but you caught the smallest hesitation in her eyes.

she quietly cleared her throat before turning away to retrieve the files she'd originally come for.

you remained where you were, unable to tear your eyes away from the boy in the chair.

for the first time since meeting him, the containment room didn't feel like the cruelest place in the building.

this did.

the rest of the day passed in a blur.

you still went to lunch with your mom. she talked about work, and you nodded when you were supposed to. you even laughed once at something she said.

but afterward, you couldn't remember a single detail of the conversation because every time your mind wandered, it drifted back to the neurolab.

to spider.

to the sound of his screams echoing through the room.

even dinner with your parents that evening felt unusually quiet.

the three of you sat around the small kitchen table as you always did, plates of pasta covered in a red sauce with a slice of bread on the side.

normally, your dad filled the silence with stories from his own work. complaints about the newest recruits or funny moments with his coworkers.

tonight, however, you barely heard any of it.

instead, you absentmindedly pushed the pasta around your plate, watching it more than eating it.

"...kid."

you looked up, "hm?"

your father lowered his fork as he sat up, "you've been pushing that food around your plate for about five minutes."

you glanced down at your plate before giving an embarrassed smile.

"..sorry."

he exchanged a brief glance with your mother before turning back at you.

"you alright?"

"yeah."

"you sure?"

you forced a smile, "just tired."

your mother studied you for a moment before speaking, "long day?"

you nodded, "yeah. practice wore me out."

it was a believable excuse. but your father still looked unconvinced.

"you've barely touched your food."

you hesitated before answering, "mom and i ate lunch kind of late."

it wasn't a lie and your mother could easily back you up. still, it hadn't been a large enough meal to explain why you weren't hungry now. all three of you knew that.

neither of your parents said anything. instead, the conversation faded into another stretch of silence.

feeling their eyes on you, you forced yourself to take another bite. the scoop of pasta tasted like nothing. honestly, your appetite had disappeared hours ago in that lab.

instead, images kept forcing their way into your mind. spider straining against the restraints, the metal cage surrounding his head, and the blood running from his nose.

you swallowed hard before quietly setting your fork down, "can i be excused?"

your parents exchanged another glance. this time, your mother nodded first.

"of course."

you offered them both a small smile.

"night."

"goodnight, sweetheart," your mom replied.

your dad gave you a gentle nod.

"get some rest."

you pushed your chair back and carried your plate to the sink before making your way down the narrow hallway.

the moment your bedroom door clicked shut ,you leaned back against the door for a long moment and closed your eyes.

you'd only met spider a handful of times.

you barely knew him.

so why couldn't you stop hearing his screams?

the sky above california had not been truly blue in decades.

in its place hung a dim, chemical gray. the smog was thick enough to block out the sun entirely, reducing it to nothing more than a pale glow behind the layers of pollution. but very few people looked up anyway.

there was no reason to.

high-tech neon advertisements wrapped around every visible surface there was. the city itself was a light show. recruitment campaigns, corporate slogans, half naked holographic women glowed from every corner. even the roads pulsed a bright teal.

y/n had never seen a real sunset.

not in real life, anyway. she had seen recordings, though. hundreds of archives of what the world once looked like. lush green forests stretched endlessly, oceans so blue they looked unreal, and fluffy clouds that looked soft to touch. it baffled her how much of the planet had once been covered in nature.

by 2163, most of humanity had never even seen a real tree that hadn't been artificially created like most of the animals that have been brought back from the state of extinction via cloning in recent years.

"y/n, please eat the rest of your breakfast before you leave for school."

your mother's voice pulled you back to the present.

you looked down at your plate, processed slices of grilled spam staring back at you.

"we can't afford to waste anything." your mother continued, moving briskly around the small, cluttered kitchen. a white lab coat hung over her arm, her badge already clipped to the pocket.

you rolled your eyes, "don't you guys work for the biggest company in the world?"

"doesn't mean they pay us like it." another voice replied.

your father stepped into the kitchen, already dressed in full camo with black boots to match.

how your parents fell in love was beyond you.

two completely different personalities stood before you but somehow perfectly balanced despite being opposites. even their occupations were contradictions, even if they did work for the same company.

they were part of the earth base for the resources development administration, also known as the RDA.

your mother was a neurobiologist, she spent her work hours tucked away in one of the secured biomedical labs studying things that the average person would never be able to understand.

your father on the other hand, was a soldier. his days were spent on training fields with other recruits, preparing for a war that would inevitably have to be fought.

your father gave you a pointed look, nodding toward your plate, a silent order to finish your food.

with a huff, you shoved the rest of the processed meat into your mouth, chewing quickly before pushing back from the table.

you were only halfway out of the kitchen when your mother called after you, "you have your permission slip?"

you responded by holding up your phone, the digital permission slip with both your parents signatures at the bottom.

after exchanging goodbyes, you were on your way.

today wasn't a normal school day.

today, your class was visiting pandora park.

the name alone was almost enough to make most people buzz with excitement. because for them, it would be the closest they would ever come to stepping foot on another world. everyone grows up hearing and learning about pandora, but actually going there was almost unthinkable.

it was no secret that the RDA went to pandora in search of a new home for humanity. a second chance and a future beyond earth.

but the idea of it becoming earth 2.0 still felt distant. like something meant for generations to come, not yours.

pandora park was one of the RDA's proudest projects on earth. a massive climate-controlled conservation center built to showcase the flora and fauna of the distant moon.

you had seen the advertisements hundreds of times. but today, you would be seeing it in person.

a transport shuttle dropped your class off in front of the building.

you stepped out onto the pavement and tilted your head up, reading the massive holographic banner shimmering above the entrance:

'PANDORA PARK: EXPERIENCE HUMANITY'S FUTURE'

armed guards stood posted at the doors. each one carried a model of a weapon that you recognized instantly. they were carb base unit automatic rifles. your father had shown you many firearms before, explaining their abilities and damage. he promised that one day he would teach you how to shoot.

he would have done it already, but your mother insisted that 15 was too young to handle an automatic assault rifle.

you followed your class inside. the moment the doors slide open, cool air wrapped around you. recycled air, you were sure.

your teacher ushered everyone toward the security scanners. you placed your bag onto the conveyor belt and stepped through the body scanner, standing still as the machine hummed and blinked around you. once you were cleared, you grabbed your things and moved aside, waiting for the rest of your class.

that's when you decided to really look around.

the interior was massive. extremely high white ceilings, smooth walls, polished floors that glowed under sterile lighting.

it didn't feel like a park. it felt like a laboratory.

as your gaze drifted toward the secured doors leading to the exhibits, you noticed another guard standing watch. he carried something heavier than the rifles outside. a reinforced tactical weapon you didn't recognize immediately.

he was already looking at you.

not casually.

intently.

like he was waiting for you to make a wrong move.

you held his gaze for a moment longer than necessary before looking away.

eventually, your entire class had gotten through security and you were finally ready to go inside.

a woman in a fitted RDA uniform approached the group, a polite smile on her face.

"welcome to pandora park." she said brightly, "my name is cynthia and i will be your tour guide as you take a walk through pandora. today you will have the opportunity to take a closer look at the flora and fauna of our future home. everything in this building is real and has come from pandora."

she paused her practice speech, glancing briefly at the armed guard before continuing.

"for your safety, please remain with the group at all times. do not touch the containment glass and absolutely do not cross any barrier lines."

first up was the flora.

the exhibit doors slide open with a mechanical hiss, revealing a long corridor lined with reinforced glass chambers. the sterile white of the entry way continued into this section, the laboratory aesthetic new quite disappearing despite the life contained inside.

"this section contains several of pandora's most resilient plant species," cynthia began, her voice smooth and lines clearly rehearsed, "as you know, pandora's atmosphere is much denser than earth's and toxic to humans. as you look around, you will notice that inside these containment units are tubes that push out a fabricated replicant of that oxygen that allows the flora to survive. that same process is used for the animals that you will see later."

you stepped up to the first enclosure.

at first glance, it looked like a tree. the bark was familiar in texture, but there were sharp spikes sticking out and the leaves were a shade you had never seen on earth. thick and leather-like, they were a deep midnight blue, fading into a much lighter, almost electric blue at the tips.

a digital panel beside the glass displayed all of its data.

unidelta tree.

you scanned the description. the leaves contained a natural toxin capable of killing certain insect species.

the next chamber housed a plant labeled panopyra, along with its na'vi term listed underneath it, tawtsngal.

you recognized a few words in the language, thanks to your mothers occasional lessons, but you were far from fluent.

inside the enclosure hung a large pinkish plant shaped like an upside down mushroom. the one difference it carried was the long tendrils that hung from its center, swaying slightly in the controlled air current.

according to the display, the na'vi harvested liquid from this plant, using it for hydration, nutrients, and healing. you leaned in closer, trying to imagine drinking from something like that.

“as fascinating as this may look under standard lighting,” cynthia continued, her smile widening slightly, “i promise it looks better in the dark.”

the overhead lights then shut off. for a brief second, the room fell into complete darkness.

then, the plants began to glow.

the panopyra transformed from muted pink to a vivid, radiant purple. the unidelta tree’s leaves shimmered electric blue, their veins pulsing faintly.

you turned in a slow circle.

the entire corridor had come alive. hues of blue, green, violet, and pink illuminating the glass walls.

the cold lab turning into something almost magical. for the first time, it felt like another world.

"holy shit!" "that's so cool."

you heard from other students around you.

slowly, the glow began to fade.

one by one, the overhead lights flickered back on, washing the room in its blinding white lights once more. the vibrant blues and purples dulled into muted tones behind the reinforced glass.

“the fauna exhibit is just ahead,” cynthia smiled brightly. “and i can assure you, that section tends to be everyone’s favorite.”

you glanced back at the enclosures one last time. you couldn't understand how something so alive could be considered boring. especially when your world had nothing like it anymore and what little nature earth once had was gone. at least here, this was real. even if it wasn't in its natural environment.

"alright," cynthia called, guiding the group forward along with your teacher, "this way."

the tour continued deeper into the facility. conversations continued on as all the students shuffled forward.

the next section was the fauna exhibit. and before the doors even opened, you could hear them. the low chattering and unfamiliar noises that made its way through the reinforced walls.

the doors then slid open and you were introduced to the animals of the distant world.

the first enclosure was a large unit that stretched nearly to the ceiling. artificial trees rose from the floor, their branches twisting upward. small, monkey-like creatures clung to the trunks and leapt between branches with effortless grace.

“prolemuris,” cynthia said. “the na'vi call them syaksyuk."

they were about one and a half meters tall. their small and lean bodies included 4 arms and 2 legs. they clung to the artificial branches that twisted through the enclosure. their tails flicked lazily as they shifted from perch to perch.

“herbivorous and tree-dwelling,” cynthia explained. “they inhabit the rainforest of pandora. they are non aggressive so you wouldn't have to worry about these guys hurting you."

one of them crept closer to the glass, tilting its head. its wide amber eyes studying the class.

a girl beside you squealed. “it’s so cute!”

the prolemuris blinked slowly as you moved on.

the next enclosure widened.

much larger animals stood grazing in an artificial grassland habitat, their sleek bodies supported by six slender legs. their skin shimmered in soft blue tones, faint white striping running along their flanks. their heads were small compared to their long necks, with fan-like sensory fins flaring gently at the sides.

“these are hexapedes or yerik as the natives say,” cynthia said. "these land herbivores can be found across multiple pandoran biomes. rainforests, savannas, tundra, even mountainous regions.”

as cynthia explained more about them, you read their description, learning anything she left out. you read that they were extremely sensitive to vibration and sound. this trait helped them detect predators early in their habitat.

this fact was proven true when the hexapede's head lifted sharply when a student walked past, the keychain attached to their backpack rattling.

the animal's attention turned to you before it hissed.

"y/n, come on." your teacher called, wanting the class to stay together as they moved on.

you stared at the animal for a moment longer before following your teacher.

the next habitat was significantly larger. the animals in here were housed in a much larger containment field.

cynthia immediately began introducing them, “pa'li aka direhorses. you may notice, they are very similar to horses. they actually do perform similar actions too. the na'vi bond with them and are utilized by the na’vi for transportation."

you watched their massive bodies, supported by six muscular legs move within the space. their elongated skulls dipped and rose as they paced.

the tour continued as you were introduced to more pandoran animals such as stingbats, tapiruses, austrapedes, sailfin goliaths, etc.

soon enough, you were entering the predator wing. cynthia, the tour guide, gave another warning as the next animal could be very hostile. but even if she didn't give a verbal, she didn't need to.

warning signs and symbols lined the entrance as you walked through.

inside this next room, the lighting was dim.

"these next creatures are called viperwolves. they are very energetic carnivores that live in the rainforest like many of the other animals that we've seen today. they always move in packs and hunt that way as well."

as you approached the glass, viperwolves prowled through a simulated forest floor habitat. six legs carried their lean, muscular frames. their torsos were narrow but powerful, built for endurance. their jaws were long and heavy with layered rows of sharp teeth.

everyone watched as one moved closer to the glass. its eyes locked on all of you. suddenly, it lunged.

the impact against the reinforced barrier echoed sharply. several students flinched and screamed in fear. the animal's teeth scraped against the glass before it dropped back to the floor, circling again.

“don't be alarmed. the containment glass is very sturdy.” cynthia assured calmly.

the viperwolf slowly backed away, teeth still bared. it never stopped watching, even as you walked away.

the final chamber stood apart from the rest.

you stepped inside and immediately laid eyes on it.

at the center of the room, suspended within a preservation tank, was the mountain banshee. its wings were fully extended, patterned with streaks of emerald and deep blue

but unlike all of the other animals, this one wasn't alive.

“mountain banshees are apex aerial predators native to pandora,” cynthia explained. “they live along the cliffs of the hallelujah mountains. they are carnivorous and highly territorial. many na’vi clans have formed neural bonds with them for thousands of years and use them for travel, aerial hunting, and warfare.”

a holographic overlay displayed the calculation of its wingspan along with other facts.

“but due to the species’ aggressive territorial behavior, live transport was deemed nonviable. this preserved specimen allows researchers and visitors alike to appreciate one of pandora’s most formidable aerial predators.”

you stared at its outstretched wings. even in death, it was breathtaking. for the first time that day, something inside you felt unsettled but you weren't sure why.

the next and final part of the museum was the theater room. your class would be shown a short film about the creation and purpose of pandora park. after that, it was back to school.

near the entrance stood a sleek display race lined with glossy pamphlets.

you slowed when the cover caught your eye. you hesitated for only a second before pulling one from the stack. the RDA logo shimmered at the bottom corner in metallic ink.

upon opening the pamphlet, inside were perfectly captured photographs. bioluminescent forests, direhorses running freely across open plains, a mountain banshee frozen mid-flight against a flawless sunset.

the images enthralled you. looking at all the creatures in their natural habitat. not contained behind reinforced glass or suspended in a preservation tank.

but as you flipped through the pages, the pictures filled with less and less nature. the pictures displayed were now of the museum, showcasing the plants and animals you've seen today.

behind you, the doors to the theater room began to open. you followed your classmates inside, still flipping through the pamphlet as you walked.

the room was dim, rows of curved seating facing a massive holographic screen that stretched from floor to ceiling. you slipped into a seat near the back just as the lights lowered.

a polished RDA insignia shimmered to life at the center of the screen. soft orchestral music swelled as footage of pandora’s forests filled the room. the footage was beautiful.

then the scene shifted. the wild greens faded into sterile whites. the room was now filled with the laboratory interior.

“yo, y/n. ain’t that your mom?” someone whispered behind you.

your stomach flipped as you quickly looked up from the pamphlet.

there she was. on screen, your mother stood in front of a flora enclosure, her hair neatly pulled back, lab coat crisp, RDA badge gleaming beneath studio lighting. she looked calm, confident, and proud.

“pandora’s plant life is unlike anything we’ve ever encountered,” she said, her voice steady, “the atmospheric density, the biochemical defenses, the neural-like signaling between root systems. it challenges everything we thought we understood about botany.”

the footage shifted to glowing tendrils inside a containment chamber.

“by studying these species in controlled environments, we can better understand how to sustain life beyond earth,” she continued.

the screen displayed technicians adjusting atmospheric regulators, inside the park’s plant enclosures.

“at pandora park, we’ve successfully replicated portions of pandora’s atmosphere within secure units,” your mother explained. “this allows these species to thrive here on earth, while giving humanity the opportunity to learn from them.”

the video then went on to explain the other portions of the park.

the video continued, highlighting other divisions of the park. wildlife containment, environmental systems, corporate partnerships, etc.

then your mother appeared one last time. she smiled warmly at the camera.

“pandora is not just a resource,” she spoke. “it is a lesson. and if we are willing to study it carefully, it may teach us how to survive.”

the screen faded back to the RDA insignia before the lights slowly brightened.

students began murmuring around you, stretching, gathering their things.

you looked down at the pamphlet still resting in your hands. your mother’s face lingered in your mind and how much of a constant this company is in your life.

the RDA wasn’t some distant corporation to you. it was breakfast and dinner conversations. security badges hanging by the door, your father’s boots by the entryway, and your mother’s lab coat draped over a chair.

you slowly slid the pamphlet back into your bag as your class began filing out.

the city lights bled in through the narrow apartment window, flickering against the kitchen walls as you and your parents ate dinner.

the meal on your plates wasn't anything special. just slices of synthetic meat engineered to taste like steak (did it? you wouldn't know) and a side of mashed potatoes.

"how was your trip?" your mom asked.

"it was good." you said, "i saw you."

her brows furrowed slightly, "me?"

"in the video. you were talking about the plants and stuff."

realization crossed her face, "oh yes, i remember filming that"

you nodded, taking another bite before she spoke again.

"so... how do you feel about pandora?

you shrugged, "it's cool. looks nice."

"could you see yourself living there?" your father chimed in.

that made you pause. the questions themselves weren't strange but the way you were asking them, one after another, was strange.

"okay what's going on? do you have something to tell me?"

your parents shared a look before your father nodded his head.

"alright." your mother sighed and set her fork down, "you know how the RDA began their return to pandora last year?"

you nodded.

"they've offered your father and i positions at bridgehead." she continued, "it's the main city they're establishing there upon arrival."

your father leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table.

"if we accept, we'll be part of the early development phase." he added, "the first wave arrives a year ahead of the main population to begin construction."

your mother picked up where he left off, "by the time we arrive, the city will already be operational and livable."

your fork stilled.

"for how long?" you asked.

your parents shared another glance.

"could be permanently." your mother said gently.

you look down at your plate, absentmindedly pushing the food around.

"so… we’re going,” you said. it wasn’t really a question. "i mean, it’s obvious you’re going to accept it."

your father didn’t deny it.

"it’s an opportunity that most people don't get." he said.

your mother’s voice softened. "we wanted to talk to you first."

you let out a quiet breath, still staring at your plate. their mouths are saying they wanted to include you in the decision but it honestly didn't feel like a conversation. it felt the decision had already been made and this was just their way of softening it, making it seem like you had a choice too.

you tapped your fork lightly against the edge of your plate.

"when do we leave?"

"two months."

you nodded as the words settled quietly in your mind, like you were still processing them.

"and what about school?"

"everything will be handled," your father said. "you won't be the only person your age there, don't worry."

your mother watched you carefully. "so you are… okay with this?"

you paused.

you thought about your current world. the gray sky outside, the constant hum of the city, the artificial food sitting on your plate.

there was nothing here that made you want to stay. no reason to argue.

you shrugged lightly.

"i mean... i guess. it's not like there's anything keeping me here."

your parents relaxed slightly. your father nodded, satisfied while your mother reached for her glass, though her eyes lingered on you for a second longer. like she was searching for something you weren't showing.

dinner continued the same as always after that. but something had shifted.

you glanced briefly toward your bag, resting near the doorway where the pamphlet resided. in two months, that would be your future.

then you looked back down at your plate and finished the rest of your dinner.

the next two months passed faster than you expected.

between paperwork, medical screenings, endless briefings about life on pandora, and packing, your days filled themselves without much effort.

your parents were busier than ever.

and surprisingly, so were you.

the days blurred together into a routine you didn’t question.

at home, boxes slowly replaced clutter.

your father packed efficiently. everything you were taking was categorized, labeled, sealed. your mother was more selective. about what to bring and you found yourself somewhere in the middle.

you didn't care much about what you were taking. what you packed was mostly clothes and a few personal items.

and the pandora park pamphlet.

it sat on your bed for a while before you finally it with your things. you weren't sure why you kept it.

maybe because it held significance to both your present and present.

two days before departure, you found yourself standing outside, overlooking the city.

the sky hadn't changed.

still gray and heavy.

below the smog, traffic hummed, neon lights flickering against metal and glass.

you leaned against the railing, looking out over the only world you had ever known. knowing this would all be just a memory soon.

the day of departure came quietly.

a transport shuttle carried you and dozens of others across the city, toward the spaceport on the outskirts.

it was there that you finally saw it.

the ISV venture star.

it was massive. bigger than anything you had ever seen.

you tightened your grip on your bag as you stood beside your parents, waiting in line to board.

one by one, you passed through security checkpoints before stepping onto the boarding platform.

you followed behind your parents as they led you inside to where you would spend the next six years.

rows of cryosleep pods stretched farther than you could see. the staff moved efficiently, guiding passengers to their assigned units.

you watched as the staff moved efficiently, guiding passengers to assigned units.

when it was your turn, you stepped forward and climbed inside the pod. the white interior was colder than you expected.

a technician adjusted something above you before speaking.

"just relax. it’ll be quick."

you stared up at the ceiling for a moment.

then the lid began to close.

and just like that, everything that went dark.

the pain woke him before anything else.

a sharp, throbbing pull tore through ao’nung’s side as his body shifted against the hard surface beneath him. his eyes snapped open and he sucked in a sudden breath, the movement sending another wave of pain through his ribs.

he shot upright. the motion lasted barely a second before he immediately regretted it.

"ah!"

his hand flew to his side as he doubled forward slightly, teeth clenching while the world spun around him.

the sudden movement and noise beside you stirred you awake.

your eyes blinked open slowly, the bright morning light making you squint as your mind struggled to catch up.

you turned your head just in time to see ao’nung hunched forward slightly, one hand pressed tightly against his side.

"don’t do that." you muttered, your voice still thick with sleep.

ao'nung's gaze immediately snapped to you. the confused expression on his face only deepened.

his breathing remained uneven as fragments of the night rushed back all at once. the swim past the reef and most importantly, the tsyong attack.

his head snapped up as he instinctively scanned the open water around them.

morning light stretched across the sea, the rising sun painting the water in soft shades of gold. gentle waves lapped quietly against the basalt rock beneath them.

ao’nung huffed softly, a faint hint of relief crossing his face before his hand instinctively moved toward his side. his fingers brushed over the bandage wrapped tightly around his torso.

he looked down, seeing a thick bandage that had been secured around his torso, layered carefully over the deep gashes along his side. herbs pressed beneath the wrap in a way that was both precise and practiced.

ao’nung frowned slightly as his fingers brushed against it. slowly, the tension in his shoulders eased before he looked over at you once more.

"…you did all this?"

you nodded once.

his fingers traced the edge of the wrap again, clearly assessing the work. for someone who had grown up with a tsahìk for a mother, ao’nung knew what proper treatment looked like. and this was done really well.

"…thank you."

"you don’t have to thank me."

"i should, though. i could've died."

for a moment, neither of you spoke. the ocean breeze moved gently across the water, carrying the distant sounds of the waking village with it.

you frowned slightly as a familiar pressure began to form behind your eyes. you rubbed your temple once, wincing as the dull ache slowly spread across your forehead.

realizing your hair had been pinned up for too long, your hands moved to the back of your head. your fingers worked at the tie holding your bun in place, loosening it in a practiced motion.

the moment the tie slipped free, your hair fell. long strands spilled down your back and over your shoulders. the loose curls shifting softly in the cool morning breeze as you ran your fingers through your scalp.

you exhaled quietly as the tension eased almost instantly.

beside you, ao’nung had gone completely still. he had seen you countless times before. usually across an argument or through the tension that used to exist the two of you were near each other.

but sitting here now, quiet beneath the morning sun, you looked… different.

your hair fell well past your shoulders, the dark strands appearing almost brown in the bright light. without the tight bun pulling everything back, the loose curls framed your face in a way he had never really got to see before.

for a moment, ao’nung forgot what he had been thinking about.

"…what?" you asked suddenly.

his eyes snapped back up to your face, "what?"

"you’re staring."

"i’m not."

you gave him a strange look but didn’t press the matter. instead, you stretched your arms above your head before letting them fall back to your sides.

“anyway,” you said, glancing back toward the water, “i appreciate you letting me come with you guys last night.”

ao’nung blinked once, still trying to recover his train of thought.

"even if it almost got you killed?”

you snorted softly, "i’ve been through worse."

for a while, the two of you simply sat there, the quiet of the morning settling around you again. in the distance, the sounds of the village beginning its day drifted across the water as people started their day.

the noise caused ao'nung's ears to flicker. he knew he had to get home. but when he tried to push himself to his feet, pain tore through his side.

he sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth.

you turned to him immediately, "don't move so fast. the wounds are still open."

"i’m fine." he insisted, though his hand had already returned to the bandage wrapped around his torso.

you gave him a flat look. without asking, you reached over and gently pulled his hand away so you could inspect the wrap yourself.

your fingers pressed lightly along the edge of the bandage, checking the tightness and making sure the cloth hadn’t loosened while the two of you slept.

ao’nung froze for half a second at the sudden closeness but didn’t stop you.

"i have to get home before my parents realize i'm gone." he said.

"i'm sure they're already awake and wondering where you are."

ao'nung groaned quietly, "i don't know what i'm gonna tell them when they see this."

your hand moved once more along the wrap before pulling back.

"i'm sure you’ll figure something out." you said simply.

carefully this time, ao'nung pushed himself to his feet again. The movement was slower, though the tight pull in his side still made him wince slightly.

you watched him for a moment, making sure the bandage held.

when he finally steadied himself, he glanced down at you.

"…thanks, again."

you waved a hand dismissively as you finally stood from the rock yourself.

"i already told you, you don’t have to thank me.”

“still going to.”

you huffed quietly but didn’t argue.

ao’nung shifted his weight slightly before nodding toward the village.

“i should go.”

you nodded once in agreement, "yeah, me too."

with one last glance in your direction, ao'nung turned and began making his way down from the rock.

you watched him for a second before turning in the opposite direction. the two of you headed back toward the village separately.

by the time ao'nung reached his family's marui, the village was fully awake.

voices carried across the woven walkways as people moved, getting ready to attend their morning duties. children ran along the platforms while hunters prepared their gear for the day.

normally, ao’nung would’ve blended right into the routine. today, however, he moved a little slower.

every step sent a dull pull through the wound along his side, forcing him to keep his posture carefully controlled as he approached the entrance.

the moment he entered, two sets of eyes snapped toward him.

ronal and tsireya sat across from one another, sorting through a bundle of medicinal herbs.

both of them froze when their attention landed on ao’nung. more specifically, on the bandage wrapped tightly around his stomach. it was impossible to miss.

tsireya’s eyes widened, “ao’nung-“

“what happened?” ronal’s voice cut across the room before tsireya could finish.

the teenager stopped where he stood.

“nothing.” he answered rather quickly.

“you leave during the night and return with your stomach wrapped.” ronal’s sharp gaze dragged across him, taking in every detail, “and you say nothing happened?”

ao’nung shifted his weight slightly, already regretting coming home.

“where’s dad?” he asked instead.

tsireya blinked at the sudden change in subject.

“he left to look for you. he thought you woke early.” she answered.

“sit.” ronal commanded before ao’nung could respond to his sister. when he didn’t move fast enough for her liking, her tone sharpened again, “now.”

with a quiet sigh, ao’nung lowered himself onto the woven floor. ronal crouched in front of him, already reaching for the bandage.

“if you will not explain it, then i will see it myself.”

ao’nung tensed as her fingers began loosening the wrap.

layer by layer, the cloth came free. the moment the final strip fell away, both tsireya and ronal went quiet. tsireya’s hand flew to her mouth, a quiet gasp slipping past her lips at the sight.

ronal, however, remained composed but her eyes visibly softened as she realized the severity of the wound on her eldest child.

the reaction from his mother alone made ao’nung look down. it was the first time he had actually seen the wounds… and it was worse than he thought.

deep gashes carved across his side, jagged marks from where the tsyong's claws had torn into him. the skin around them was bruised and darkened, the damage far more severe than he imagined. his stomach tightened slightly at the sight.

ronal said nothing at first. instead, she leaned closer. her fingers hovered over the wound before pressing lightly along its edges.

it was then that she noticed how well he had been treated. the wound itself had been cleaned thoroughly. the crushed herbs had been applied to the leaves correctly and pressed properly onto the cuts to slow bleeding and prevent infection.

her brow bones furrowed slightly, confusion settling deeper across her features.

this was not rushed nor sloppy work. whoever had done this knew exactly what they were doing.

"did you do this?" she asked

it was the only explanation that made sense. over the years, ao'nung had watched her tend to countless people within the clan. he and tsireya had been on the receiving end of her care more times than he could count. it would not have been surprising if he had picked up something along the way.

but ronal's confusion intensified when he answered.

"no."

"if you did not handle this yourself... who did?"

ao'nung simply stared straight ahead.

"... a friend."

the words slipped out before he could think them through. and for a brief second after, he paused.

ronal's eyes narrowed as she studied him in silence, clearly unconvinced. the friends she knew he kept around were loud, reckless, and entirely incapable of something like this.

without another word, she began securing the bandage again. after seeing the condition of it, there was a little to nothing for her to correct.

"you are fortunate." she muttered, "this friend of yours is very skilled."

ao'nung said nothing in response.

"you tell me nothing. but you will need to answer to your father." ronal continued, tying the final knot with precision.

still, ao'nung did not answer. his thoughts elsewhere as he was stuck on he just referred to you as.

a friend.

your steps slowed as you neared your marui.

the space was already alive with movement when you stepped inside.

nari and omatu were finishing up from breakfast, cleaning up as soft conversation passed between them. the morning light filtered through the woven walls, casting bright patterns across the home.

koa sat between them, holding a piece of fruit up to his mouth. finally old enough to eat solid foods, bright juice stained his cheeks and lips as he ate messily, completely unbothered.

all three of them looked up when you entered.

while koa's face lit up at the sight of you, the two adults exchanged a glance, concern flickering across their expressions.

"you are just returning?" nari asked. there was no accusation in her tone, only concern.

whenever you spent your nights on the rock by the water, you always returned before anyone woke. so when the family rose to find you gone, it had not gone unnoticed.

"everything okay?" omatu asked as he glanced over at you.

"i am fine." you said with a small shrug.

nari didn't look entirely convinced. her gaze lingered on you for a moment longer, more observant now.

"...you look well rested."

that alone was unusual. it was no secret that you often looked exhausted, though none of them knew why.

omatu let out a quiet hum, clearly about to add something of his own. but your attention had already begun to drift. their voices fading slightly into the background.

"i was with a friend."

the words came out rather easily. perhaps too easily. and for a brief moment, you stilled.

before the thought could settle any further, something bumped lightly against your leg.

you blinked and looked down to see koa. the small child managed to crawl his way over to you, small hands grabbing at your leg as he looked up, babbling softly.

your expression softened as you bent down and lifted him into your arms, settling him easily against your hip.

koa immediately reached for you, small fingers tangling into your hair as he played with it.

you adjusted your hold on him, but your mind was elsewhere. still lingering on the word you had just used.

a friend.

later that day you, you sat in the marui by your lonesome.

the space was much quieter now, the earlier noise long gone as most had left to carry out their duties.

your hair still hung loose around your shoulders. it had been hours since you took it down and you hadn't bothered to tie it back up.

absentmindedly, your fingers moved to your scalp, scratching lightly. but your fingers movements slowed as your fingers worked more deliberately, feeling along your scalp through the strands.

it had been a while since you had properly washed your hair. it was starting to feel dry and slightly brittle. between everything going on, you hadn't taken the time to care for it the way you usually would.

you exhaled quietly before reaching over to your belongings and grabbed a small collection of herbs you kept stored away. your hands worked without much thought, selecting what you needed before beginning to prepare the mixture.

you ground the flesh from paywll leaves, crushing a few herbs together before adding a small amount of water in a mortar bowl. the mixture slowly came together, grinding until the texture was just right.

the process felt familiar. something you didn't have to think about, much like a routine.

once finished, you gathered everything you needed and slipped through the entrance.

the path to the stream wasn't long. the further you walked, the quieter it became. the sounds of the village faded behind you, replaced by the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant, steady flow of water.

by the time the stream had come into view, the air had cooled.

as you stepped closer, you realized you weren't alone.

kiri was crouched near the waters edge, carefully filling a bag with water. not far from her, spider lingered, crouched low as he skipped rocks across the surface. each one skimmed the water before sinking.

as he went to grab another rock, his gaze shifted. his body tensed up almost immediately.

then, slowly, he pushed himself to his feet, his body tensing as he took you in, already mentally bracing himself for whatever this interaction might bring.

"kiri." he spoke quietly.

something in his tone made her pause. she glanced over her shoulder and the moment she saw you, she straightened immediately.

for a moment, no one moved.

the sound of the stream filled the space between you.

your grip tightened slightly around the bundle in your hands before you stepped forward.

it wasn't aggressive but it was enough for the two teenagers across from you to tense up immediately.

kiri's grip tightened around the water pouch, her eyes tracking your every movement. spider shifted subtly, placing himself in front of her without making it obvious.

but you noticed.

"i'm not here to fight." you said. your voice was even, lacking the sharp edge that they were met with the first time.

neither of them responded.

spider's brows pulled together slightly, clearly not expecting that while kiri's gaze sharpened a bit, studying you more closely. the body language itself said more than words ever could.

the tension didn't ease as you moved past them toward the stream. their bodies turned with you, now facing your back.

you stopped at the edge of the stream and crouched down, setting your things beside you as if this were any other moment. but it wasn't.

the silence stretched long enough to become uncomfortable. your hands hovered over your things for a second before stilling.

a breath left you slowly.

"…i was wrong." the words came out more reluctantly this time.

behind you, kiri and spider exchanged a brief look. confusion flickering between them before their attention returned to you.

"about before," you added, your gaze fixed on the water, "and how i handled it."

spider shifted his weight, glancing once more at kiri before looking back at you.

there was another pause before he spoke, "i'm sorry about what happened. i didn't know they were going to do that and i hate that i couldn't really do anything to help"

your eyes flickered briefly toward the water. you stood, turning to face them again.

for a moment, your gaze lingered somewhere between the two of them before you spoke.

"i shouldn't have blamed you. it wasn't your fault."

the tension in kiri’s shoulders eased just slightly.

you held her gaze this time.

"i was angry." you admitted, "and you were there... so i made you reason for my anger."

kiri finally decided to weigh in, "…you’re not wrong for being angry. but we're not your enemies."

the words settled between you. you held her gaze for a moment longer before giving a small nod.

"…yeah."

and that was enough. it was necessarily an apology but more of an understanding between you.

kiri suddenly adjusted the strap of the filled water pouch over her shoulder before glancing at spider.

"we should go."

he nodded once, giving you one last look before turning with her. they didn't say anything as they walked away and neither did you.

soon, it was just you.

the stream moved steadily before you, water slipping over stone in a soft, endless rhythm.

you exhaled, shoulders loosening before deciding to finally do what you came here for.

the cool water met your feet as you stepped in, the shallow current rising to your knees. slowly, you lowered yourself until you were seated cross legged beneath the surface.

you dipped your hands into the mixture you had prepped earlier before working it through your hair. the strands clumped together as you carefully began applying it to your scalp.

and then, without thinking, you began to hum. it was soft at first but as your fingers continued their work, the hum slowly shifted into a quiet tune.

your voice carried gently over the water, blending into the sounds of the forest.

it felt easy, peaceful.

not too far from the stream, ao'nung and tsireya moved through the forest.

they carried small woven baskets, sent out to collect supplies for their mother. ronal would normally collect them herself, but this time, she had deemed it a fitting punishment for ao'nung since he refused to any of her questions pertaining to his injury.

tsireya, on the other hand, wasn't in any trouble. she had simply been roped into it. but tsakarem, she had to gain more experience with gathering and identifying what was needed.

when they reached a koaktutra plant, tsireya instructed ao'nung to cut a few of the fungal sprouts from the trunk. they were one of the main ingredients ronal used in her healing practices.

ao'nung crouched down to do as told, reaching for his knife. but the moment he shifted, a sharp pain pulled his side. his hissed under his breath.

tsireya glanced over at him, a small smile began to form.

"so," she started casually, "y/n is your friend now?"

ao'nung paused for a second but didn't look up from what he was doing.

"...what?"

"you called her your friend earlier."

ao'nung's hands finally stilled. his lifted his head and looked over at tsireya. she already seemed to know what he was about to ask, so she continued without waiting.

"i remember rotxo saying she was able to heal a gash on her arm. so i figured that's who you were talking about" she gave him a look like the answer was obvious, "and besides, i know all of your friends, none of them would even be smart enough to do something like that."

ao'nung opened his mouth then closed it again. she was spot on and her reasoning made perfect sense.

"she saved my life." he admitted. he pushed himself up from his crouched position, placing what he gathered into the basket.

"i thought you said the only thing she knows how to do is get on someone's last nerve."

the taller boy huffed lightly, looking away.

"i was wrong." he said after a moment, "... i misjudged her."

tsireya blinked before letting out a quiet laugh, "wow. this is the first time you've ever admitted being wrong. i'm impressed, skxawng."

ao'nung shot her a look, but there was no real bite behind it.

before he could respond, something caught tsireya's attention.

she stilled, "wait..."

her feet moved before she could think, following the faint sound that reached her ears. it didn't take long before she found the source.

ao'nung followed behind, not fully understanding until he followed her gaze. and at first, he didn't see it.

then he saw you.

through the trees, you sat in the stream, unaware of anything beyond the water.

for a moment, he didn't move. and just as quickly, everything else seemed to fall away. the sound of the forest dulled and the movement around him silenced. all he could see and hear... was you.

your hair fell down your back in soaked waves, clinging to your skin. droplets slipped from the ends, catching the light before disappearing into the stream below. your hands moved through it with careful precision, fingers working through each section like it was second nature.

water traced along your arms, beading against your skin before slipping down to your fingertips.

above you, sunlight filtered through the trees and casted shifting patterns across you. the way the light touched you made everything feel different.

the tune that fell from your lips was soft, but it lingered.

ao'nung's gaze followed the smallest movements. the subtle tilt of your head, the slow drag of your fingers through your hair. even the way your shoulders relaxed like you were truly at peace it didn't feel like the same person he was used to.

and for second time today, he forgot what he had been doing.

"stop staring." tsireya whispered, nudging him again. "you’re being weird."

ao’nung blinked, his expression tightening slightly as if he’d just been caught doing something he didn’t mean to.

"i’m not." he muttered.

but he didn’t look away. not that very second, anyway. it took him a second longer than it should have before he finally forced his gaze elsewhere.

"let's go."

he turned before tsireya could say anything else, already moving back the way they came.

tsireya followed, though not without one last glance over her shoulder, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.

in the stream, your voice slowly faded as your hands stilled.

your ears flickered at the faint sound of shifting foliage, catching your attention.

your head turned toward the trees. you straightened, water slipping from your arms as your gaze fixed on the spot.

you waited for something to happen but nothing came. there was only an empty space between the trees.

after a second, you exhaled softly, the tension in your shoulders easing just a bit.

maybe it was nothing.

still, your eyes lingered there a moment longer before you finally turned away.

the morning passed quietly as the rhythmic hum of a traditional ta'unui tune drifted from your lips, steady and familiar, grounding you as your hands worked.

you sat just outside your marui, legs folded beneath you, the broken ilu harness spread carefully across your lap. the same one rotxo had asked you to fix some time ago.

you had meant to do it sooner. but after your unexpected run in with the sullys, fixing the harness had been the last thing on your mind. instead, you kept yourself busy with anything you could find, filling your days with small tasks so you wouldn't have to think about that night and how you let your feelings pour out.

it wasn't until your conversation with ao'nung the night before that you finally allowed yourself to slow down. you figured it was time to fulfill the promise you made to your friend.

you adjusted the woven fibers on the harness, exactly how you were taught by your family. it took longer than expected, but by the time you finished, the harness felt solid beneath your hands. you slung the harness over your shoulder before standing and walking back into your marui.

it was still fairly early, the majority of the village still not having woken up. you were used to it, though. being that you haven't gone to sleep to begin with.

as you were putting the harness with your things, a soft cry broke the quiet.

your head turned immediately toward koa's bassinet. he was stirring as his face scrunched uncomfortably. you crossed the marui in a few quiet steps, crouching beside him.

"hey," you murmured softly, brushing your thumb along his cheek, "it's okay."

the simple sight of your face and the sound of your voice was enough to calm him a little. his cries fading into quiet whimpers as you carefully lifted him into your arms. he settled almost instantly, tiny fingers gripping the fabric of your top.

you swayed gently, humming the same ta'unui tune under your breath. his breathing evened out, warm and steady.

it didn't take long before his eyes fluttered shut again. for a moment, you just stood there, holding him.

it was strange how natural it felt. you never thought of yourself being good with kids. but somehow, you found yourself caring a great deal for koa. and he seemed to be extremely comfortable with you.

you cautiously eased him back into the bassinet, wrapping his blanket around him. only once you were sure he was asleep again did you straighten, quietly gathering your things.

the scent of food reached your nose before you even stepped inside the marui that belonged to rotxo and his grandmother.

when you entered, you were met with the sight of mei'alu crouched near the center, grinding ingredients in a shallow bowl. beside her, the cooking shell rested over a small but steady fire.

the smoke curled upwards, traveling through the home and drifting into the open air outside.

mei'alu did not look up right away.

it wasn't until you spoke and made your presence known.

"oel ngati kameie, mei'alu." you greeted softly, pressing your fingers to your forehead before lowering them in a proper, traditional gesture.

mei'alu's hands stilled for a moment before she lifted her head. her eyes softened immediately when they found you.

"ah," she hummed, "oel ngati kameie, 'eveng."

you stepped inside fully. the marui felt warmer than the morning air outside, the fire casting a soft orange glow against the curved woven walls. the scent of crushed herbs wrapped around you, feeling both familiar and comforting.

“i assume you are here for my grandson.” mei’alu said knowingly.

you nod, “yeah. i came to give him something."

“he will return soon. i sent him to fetch some water.” she motioned for you to sit. “come.”

you set the harness down carefully before kneeling beside her. moments later, she placed a board in front of you, a large root vegetable resting on it.

“mince this.” mei’alu instructed.

you drew your knife from its sheath and began working, slicing the vegetable into even cubes before finely mincing them with steady precision.

the older woman beside you glanced over, a pleased hum escaping her throat. she was far more accustomed to rotxo’s uneven, rushed attempts at slicing and crushing ingredients.

when you finished, mei'alu nodded toward the simmering pot, "put it in the stew.”

you gathered the finely minced vegetable and scraped it carefully into the mushroom broth. the scent shifted immediately as it hit the heat, earthy and rich.

you picked up the wooden spoon and stirred, folding the new ingredient into the stew with patience, even movements. the liquid thickened slightly beneath your hand.

“slowly,” she reminded.

mei’alu watched you for a moment, her sharp eyes taking in more than just your technique.

“you look tired,” she observed.

you didn’t pause your stirring. “i am fine.”

“that is not what i said.”

your grip on the spoon tightened just slightly.

"i just woke up early." you added after a moment.

mei'alu made a quiet sound, clearly unconvinced but unwilling to press further.

just then, footsteps sounded outside the marui.

rotxo ducked through the entrance first, a woven water pouch slung over his shoulder. he stopped short the moment he saw you kneeling beside the fire, spoon in hand.

his eyes moved from you, to his grandmother, then back to you.

“you’re… cooking?”

“helping,” you corrected calmly.

behind him, ao’nung stepped inside. he paused at the sight of you as well.

his gaze swept over the scene. you held his gaze for only a second before you placed your focusing back on the pot.

mei’alu finally stood, satisfied with the preparations. “good. you are back. set the water down, the food is ready."

the two teenagers blinked at you once more before obeying.

by the time the stew was finished, the four of you had settled into a loose circle around the fire. mei’alu served each of you without fuss, pressing bowls into waiting hands. when she handed yours over, she gave you a pointed look.

“eat,” she said simply.

for a while, the only sound in the marui was the crackling of the fire and the quiet rhythm of soup meeting lips.

rotxo’s gaze drifted toward the entrance, stopping on the harness. he leaned slightly, squinting.

“…is that-”

"i fixed it." you said before he could finish.

a few feet away, you could feel ao'nung's eyes flickering to you.

when you finally glanced up, your gaze met his for half a second. before a conclusion was drawn from this eye contact, the two both of you looked away.

soon, the meal ended and the four of you began cleaning up. even though you finished cleaning the utensils that were used, rotxo and ao'nung kept getting berated by mei'alu when they didn't put things away in the way she wanted.

you hid your smile as you stepped out of the marui.

the air was lighter now, the sun didn't feel as hot as it did earlier in the day. you lowered yourself onto the edge of the walkway, letting your legs dangle.

for a moment, you just sat there, staring down at the water. you could see the small and medium sized fish swimming around freely. this gave you both a peaceful and calming feeling.

behind you, footsteps approached. you didn't turn as the person lowered themselves beside you. a small silence stretched between you, the water moving lazily beneath your feet.

“i wasn’t sure you’d still fix it.” rotxo said finally.

“i said i would.” your replied, your gaze remained on the water under you.

“that’s not what i meant.”

a quiet sigh left your lips. after a moment, you lifted your head and looked at him.

“i shouldn’t have left like that." you admitted softly. “or said what i did.”

rotxo shook his head immediately, “i should’ve told you who was going to be there. that’s on me.”

“still, i definitely could’ve handled it better though.”

“you were hurt.” he replied, “they, out of all people, understand that.”

you sighed, "yeah, i get that now."

the words lingered between you as a comfortable silence settled again.

“i appreciate you fixing and bringing the harness." rotxo broke the silence.

"i felt bad. so i wanted to apologize for taking so long… and basically ignoring you.”

“it’s all good.”

you glanced at him. “really?”

“yeah.” he nudged your shoulder lightly with his. “besides… you’re kinda stuck with me now.”

a breath of laughter slipped from you before you could stop it. then, another set of footsteps approached.

“bro.”

it was ao’nung’s voice.

both of you turned this time.

he stepped out onto the walkway, the repaired harness casually slung over his shoulder. his expression neutral as he got closer.

“mei'alu told me to come get you, she needs your help with something."

rotxo stood, brushing his hands along his thighs. “don’t fight while i'm gone.” he teased before heading back inside.

the silence returned, thicker this time. ao’nung remained standing for a moment longer before stepping forward. he lowered himself into rotxo’s vacated spot beside you.

he pulled the harness from his shoulder, turning it over in his hands as his fingers traced the reinforced binding.

"you fixed it better than i did."

you looked over at him, “honestly, i think you just kept making it worse."

ao’nung exhaled softly through his nose, something close to amusement slipping through. “that sounds more accurate.”

for a moment, neither of you spoke.

you looked back toward the water before speaking again.

“i probably wouldn’t have fixed it without you, though.”

his gaze shifted to you immediately.

"what?"

you hesitated. not because you didn't mean it, but because saying it out loud meant admitting it.

"after our talk," you began, quieter now, "i realized that i was blaming the wrong people. i was so angry at them and even though i didn't admit it... i was angry at rotxo too. but none of them deserved that. you were right, we all have the same enemy."

ao’nung’s jaw shifted slightly as he looked at you.

"i wasn't trying to prove anything, by the way." he said after a moment.

"i know. you just helped me see it from a different perspective."

and this time, when your eyes met, neither of you looked away too quickly.

the moment stretched as the two of you just sat in one another's presence. a harsh contrast to a few weeks ago, where the silence would have been replaced with an argument.

your clashing personalities had led to a mutual misunderstanding. but now, it seemed like you and ao'nung had finally found some common ground.

“so,” you said, breaking it, “you said something else last night.”

ao’nung’s brow lifted slightly. “yeah? and what was that?"

“when i asked how you knew i was out there,” you continued, “you said you saw me when you were sneaking out.”

he didn't react immediately, just letting you finish voicing your thoughts first.

“why were you sneaking out?” you asked.

ao’nung leaned back on his hands, gaze drifting toward the horizon.

“i meet up with my friends,” he confirmed. “once a week, we swim past the reef.”

your eyes narrowed slightly, "past the reef?"

"it's fun to get away from the village for a little bit, especially at night. my parents would kill me if they knew so we sneak out."

"does rotxo go too?"

ao'nung shook his head, "we invited him the first night. mei'alu caught him before we could leave and he was grounded for like two weeks."

the memory caused him to laugh. only something like that would happen to rotxo of all people. and you could absolutely see that occurring.

"when's your next meetup?" you asked.

"next week, why?"

"can i come?"

ao'nung blinked, "really?"

"yeah, why not"

"it's not exactly... safe." he warned.

“you think i don’t know that?” you shot back.

“if you think you can keep up with us,” he said, a challenge threading through his tone, “you can come.”

you tilted your head slightly, "oh, i think we both know the answer to that.”

that earned an amused scoff from him.

"alright, i'll meet you by your rock in a few days."

you nodded once. a comfortable silence settled between you again. that was, until rotxo came out to join you.

you felt slightly different, actually having something to look forward to.

the basalt rock stood where it always did, dark against the clear blue water.

eclipse had long since passed, and the woven walkways laid empty beneath the glow of bioluminescence. the sea hummed softly against the shore, steady and endless.

you sat atop the flat surface. legs crossed as your eyes fluttered closed. rolling your shoulders, stretching out the lingering aches from the day.

most nights when sleep refused to come, you sat on the rock and meditated. it helped ease your mind, so you wouldn't go insane. it was exhausting being so tired and still unable to sleep. you missed when rest came easily.

when you finally opened your eyes again, you let out a slow breath. you stared out, awaiting ao'nung's arrival.

for a fleeting moment, doubt slipped in.

what if he didn’t come?

ao’nung was many things. proud, stubborn, and definitely infuriating at times. but unreliable had never seemed to be one of them. but still, your brain wandered into that possibility.

your thoughts barely had time to spiral before a low, sharp yip cut through the night air. the sound caused you to turn your head.

ao’nung stood on the sand below, tilting his head, a silent motion for you to come down.

and you did, standing from your seated position and not stopping your movements until you were right in front of him.

"you ready?" he asked.

you nodded and the two of you were on your way.

"do your irritating friends know i'm coming along?" you found yourself asking.

ao'nung shook his head, "nah... but they're cool."

"they thought koa was my child." you deadpanned, "and rotxo said he doesn't really like them."

"they're just not rotxo's crowd. so i keep them separate. but you should be good. if anything, they're probably scared of you."

and even if you didn't say it out loud, the thought of ao'nung's annoying friends being slightly afraid actually swelled you with pride.

ao’nung slowed slightly as the meeting spot came into view. male voices conversing and laughing carried through the air. as you got closer, you could finally make out the three figures at the shoreline.

koro was the first to notice the new individual arriving with his friend. he straightened immediately as you got closer.

“…why is she here?” he asked flatly.

kalen turned next, eyes widening in surprise. ongu couldn't help the way his face scrunched up as the two of you approached.

“relax,” ao’nung said casually, stepping forward like this was the most normal thing in the world. “she’s with me.”

“with you?” koro repeated, confused.

“yes, she's coming.” ao’nung replied.

an awkward silence followed. the three teenage boys just staring at you in confusion. to their knowledge, you and ao'nung couldn't stand one another. so what changed and more specifically, when?

"behave and we won't have a problem." was all you said as you stared at all of them.

kalen clapped his hands once, “fine. less talking. hope you can keep up, headache."

koro and ongu snickered at that. the nickname 'headache', calling back to what ao'nung used to refer to you as when you first joined his group.

you rolled your eyes, not even entertaining his statement. you were more comfortable with just showing them up in the water instead of verbally responding.

after mounting your ilus, you slipped into the water, disappearing beneath the surface.

together, the five of you swam past the reef, the village lights faded behind you as you were swallowed by the open ocean.

out here, the world felt much bigger.

schools of hammerbrow fish split around your group as you cut through the water. trails of bioluminescence followed in your wake, as if the sea itself was tracing your movements.

the five of you raced aimlessly, laughter and muffled shouts echoing through the water.

koro whooped loudly as he surged forward, the sound distorted beneath the waves but his excitement was obvious. ongu lingered further behind, more interested in atmosphere than actually winning.

kalen, on the other hand, was determined. he banked sharply left, his ilu twisting effortlessly as he tried to gain speed.

but you and ao’nung were already ahead. his ilu stayed just a few inches in front of yours, the two creatures cutting through the water side by side.

your ilu spun smoothly beneath him and surged forward again. in one swift movement, you shot ahead.

by the time you all finally slowed, it was clear who had won. the five of you surfaced together, breathing hard as the dark ocean stretched endlessly around you.

"not bad, headache." koro joked.

you rolled your eyes, though this time the gesture carried far less attitude than before.

you pushed a few loose strands of hair back into your bun while the boys started arguing about who had actually come in second place.

for the first time in what felt like forever, your chest felt light. you felt at peace.

but like everything else in life, moments like this didn’t last.

your ilu suddenly chirped beneath you.

your brow bone furrowed as her body shifted uneasily in the water, fins beating in short, restless motions. through the bond, you felt the nervousness.

“easy, girl,” you murmured, running a hand along her neck.

her response came instantly as she dove underwater. the sudden movement forced your gaze downward into the glowing depths below.

at first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

then, you noticed the faint movement of creatures moving towards the surface. your eyes narrowed as you tried to make them out through the dark water.

as they got closer the bioluminescence helped your vision as you finally realized what they were. and once you did, your heart dropped.

you broke the surface immediately to warn the boys.

“tsyong!” you shouted.

the reaction was immediate.

“go!” ao'nung barked.

your ilus surged forward, diving beneath the surface without needing to be told twice. powerful fins cut through the dark water as the five of you raced toward the distant glow of the reef.

behind you, three tsyong tore through the ocean in pursuit. they moved with terrifying speed, their massive bodies slicing through the water as they quickly began closing the distance.

you already knew there was no escaping this without a fight. there was no outrunning them and definitely no tiring them out.

as you swam, your fingers found the handle of your knife. you pulled it free from its sheath and glanced over your shoulder.

and just as you expected, one of the predators was directly on your tail.

ahead of you was a colony of dense coral. a quick plan formed in your mind as you approached it. there was no time to question whether it would work.

it was now or never.

you angled your ilu sharply and shot toward a narrow opening between the jagged coral. your body pressed low against the saddle as you slipped through the gap.

your ilu cleared it easily. the tsyong, however, did not.

the creature lunged after you without hesitation, but its large body got wedged between the rough coral walls.

it thrashed violently, struggling to free itself.

you circled back without wasting a second.

as the predator fought against the coral, you surged forward and drove your knife straight into its eye.

the thrashing stopped almost instantly as dark blood clouded the water. you almost felt relieved but you knew the attack was far from over.

ahead of you, the second tsyong had already locked onto the others.

but unlike you, the boys had numbers on their side.

koro glanced back once before signaling with a sharp flick of his hand. the three teens split immediately.

kalen swerved sharply to the left while ongu dove downward. koro continued to swim straight. the tsyong hesitated for half a second before following after koro.

koro urged his ilu faster, weaving through all the wildlife swiftly as the creature stretched out its tentacles, eagerly waiting to catch him.

suddenly, kalen struck first. he surged in from the side, driving his knife deep into the predator’s flesh before darting away. the tsyong wailed in pain, twisting harshly as it tried to turn on its new attacker.

ongu then rushed in from below, slashing its underside. his ilu followed the strike immediately, clamping its powerful jaws onto the wounded flesh.

koro wheeled his ilu around and charged into the fight. all three of them began to strike all at once. within seconds, the wounded creature faltered and its movements slowed.

the three boys backed away, letting the creature sink, drifting lifelessly toward the ocean floor.

as you retracted your knife from the creature, you felt something dart past you. your head snapped toward it instantly.

an ilu.

riderless.

your eyes widened as the realization hit. something was wrong.

without hesitating, you turned your own ilu and followed the path it had come from.

it didn’t take long, only a few seconds before the sight ahead made your heart sink.

ao’nung.

and the third tsyong.

the predator’s long tentacles were wrapped tightly around his torso, dragging him closer to its awaiting jaws.

the barbed limbs constricted around him as the creature pulled him in. the two hooked claws inside its mouth snapped open, ready to tear into him.

the claws raked across his side, sinking into the teenager's flesh. his scream was muffled by the water as blood spilled into the ocean around them.

but ao’nung didn’t stop fighting.

even through the pain, he dragged his knife free and began hacking at the thick limbs coiled around him, slicing desperately at the tentacles constricting his body.

you didn’t waste another second. disconnecting from your ilu, you pushed forward through the water, knife already clenched in your hand as you surged toward them.

ao’nung’s movements were slowing by the time you reached him.

before the tsyong could even notice your presence, you drove your knife straight into its eye like you did to the other one a few moments ago.

the creature convulsed aggressively.

but you didn’t stop.

you struck again.

and again.

the blade plunged deep into the ruined socket as the predator thrashed in blind panic. dark blood flooded the water, and the tentacles finally went slack, loosening their grip around ao’nung’s body.

the creature drifted downward into the darkness.

but you didn’t have time to watch it fall. all your attention was on ao'nung.

he was barely conscious when you reached him. one hand weakly pressed against the wound along his side as blood seeped through his fingers.

you called for your ilu as you grabbed hold of him, pulling his arm over your shoulders to keep him afloat.

the animal responded immediately, swimming back toward you. you made tsaheylu quickly, steadying yourself as you held ao’nung against you and urged the ilu toward the surface.

his body was already going limp in your arms.

your heart pounded as you continued to swim upward. the moment you broke the surface, you sucked in a desperate breath and screamed across the dark water.

your voice carried across the ocean as you called for his friends. or anyone in this instance.

your distressed screams ended in success when kalen, koro, and ongu came racing toward you within seconds.

the moment they reached you, their expressions shifted from confusion to horror. ao’nung’s body sagged heavily against you, blood staining the water around his side.

koro’s eyes widened as he grabbed ao’nung’s other arm to help keep him upright.

“what happened?” kalen demanded.

“tsyong,” you said quickly, breath still uneven. “he's losing blood, we have to get him to the village, now."

the boys exchanged alarmed looks and koro swore under his breath. without another word they turned their ilus toward the reef, panic creeping into their movements as they pushed forward through the water.

but as the glowing outline of the reef drew closer, their speed began to falter. reality hit them all at once.

“we can't bring him to the tsahìk like this." ongu said suddenly.

koro grimaced, "we'll get in serious trouble."

they all knew what that meant. sneaking past the reef, night swimming, and disobeying the clan's rules. all of it would cause bringing great shame to their families.

"bro we can't let him bleed out!" kalen snapped.

their arguing only grew louder until you tightened your grip on ao’nung and cut through the panic.

“i can help him,” you said firmly. “we don’t need the tsahìk.”

all three boys turned toward you at once.

"what-"

"we don't have time."

you quickly directed them toward the basalt rock along the shore.

“that rock,” you clarified, “take him there and wait for me."

once the water grew shallow enough, you disconnected from your ilu. the moment your feet hit sand, you broke into a full sprint toward your marui.

the run to your home felt longer than it actually was. your bare feet barely touched the woven walkways as you cut through the sleeping village. your heart pounding as you pushed yourself faster.

when you reached your marui, you slipped inside as quietly as you could despite your racing heartbeat.

nari and omati slept soundly in their shared hammock, their slow breathing steady and undisturbed. koa rested in his bassinet nearby, small chest rising and falling peacefully.

your eyes immediately moved to the corner where your supplies were kept. you dropped to your knees and began gathering what you needed with quick, practiced movements.

for a brief moment your eyes flicked toward koa. he shifted slightly in his sleep, small fingers curling against the blanket wrapped around him. you hesitated only long enough to make sure he hadn’t woken.

you then slipped back out of the marui, immediately breaking into a run again. the ocean air hitting your face as you rushed back toward the shore.

by the time the basalt rock came into view, your lungs burned and your legs ached. but you didn’t dare slow down.

koro, kalen, and ongu were gathered on the flat surface, crowded around their now unconscious friend. panic rippled through them the moment they saw you approaching.

“hurry!” kalen shouted.

you didn’t slow down until you reached them. dropping to your knees beside ao’nung, you quickly took in the sight before you. he had been laid slumped against the stone while kalen pressed both hands against the wound, desperately trying to slow the bleeding.

your stomach twisted at the sight.

but your hands were already moving. you opened your satchel and began pulling out the supplies.

"move your hands." you told kalen.

he hesitated for only a second before doing as you said.

the four of you looked down at the deep gashes carved across ao’nung’s abdomen.

koro frowned. “you know how to treat that?”

"yes." you replied without hesitation, "now stop talking."

the next several minutes passed in a blur.

the boys watched in tense silence as you worked, using everything you had brought with you. your movements were quick and practiced as you cleaned the wound. you lathered a few leaves with a healing paste before pressing them against the gashes.

finally, you wrapped a clean strip of cloth tightly around his torso, securing everything firmly in place.

only when you finished did you lean back slightly, assessing your work.

you watched as his breathing had begun to steady.

“he’ll be fine,” you said quietly.

for a moment they stood there awkwardly, shifting their weight as if unsure what to do next.

then koro cleared his throat, “…thank you."

you nodded once in acknowledgment.

another silence followed before kalen glanced back toward the marui's.

“we should probably get back,” he muttered.

ongu immediately stiffened. “what about him?”

kalen gestured toward the sleeping boy. “he’s not exactly going anywhere right now.”

all three of them then looked at you. and you understood the unspoken question.

“i’ll stay with him,” you said.

they thanked you one more time before leaving. you watched as their retreating bodies returned to the village to sneak back into their homes, minds at ease from knowing that one of their oldest friends was going to be okay.

once they were gone, the air fell quiet again.

you turned your attention back to ao'nung. he hadn’t stirred. his chest rose and fell slowly beneath the bandages you had wrapped around his torso. carefully, you shifted closer and adjusted the bandage slightly, making sure it stayed tight enough.

when you were satisfied with how it looked, you sat back against the smooth stone.

you then leaned back, resting your palms against the rock behind you, a small sigh escaping you.

the night had grown calmer now, the ocean stretching endlessly under the soft glow of bioluminescence. gentle waves lapped against the base of the basalt rock, the sound steady and soothing.

the adrenaline of the night finally settled into your muscles, and the exhaustion hit all at once.

you rubbed at your eyes, stifling a quiet yawn as you shifted beside ao’nung.

for the first time in a while, your mind felt strangely quiet.

and before you even realized it, sleep finally came.

i hope you all enjoy this chapter, i took a small semi-break from my socials bc i was feeling depressed but i think i'm back.