venus

“That’s to be expected.” The nurse chuckles as she unharnesses you. Your body starts to float up and you quickly grab the bar above your pod to pull yourself back down, not wanting to float too far away. 

She swiftly drifts off to the next person, yelling out, “You’ve all been in Cryo-Sleep for 5 years, 9 months and 12 days! It is important you don’t move too fast. If you feel nauseous please use the bags that are provided in your pod.” 

There is a familiar twist in your stomach as you eagerly search for said bag, finally locating it on the wall of the pod where you head once laid. Bile climbs up your throat, and you are quite thankful you located it at the speed you did. You barely manage to unlatch the bag before you are retching whatever nutrients and proteins they have been pumping into your body within these past 5 and a half years into the brown colored baggie. 

“You good there?” A familiar voice asks in between heaves and gags. Glancing at the owner with tears lining your lashline you shudder, trying to shake off the yucky feeling. Wiping your mouth with the back of your hand and blinking the tears out of your eyes, you are greeted with the sight of Shoko floating in front of you. 

“Sho!” You exclaim, happy to see a familiar face. “God am I happy to see you. I feel like I’ve been hit by a train.” Fingers rub gingerly at your temple as you try to massage the migraine away, the relief only temporary. You had met Shoko at the beginning of your training for the Avatar Driver Program, along with your fellow Avatar driver- Nanami. 

“Yeah, yeah hotshot, lets get you cleaned up, and maybe something to eat.” She takes your hands, not caring about the bits of bile on the back of them. 

“When did you wake up?” You ask as the two of you float through the other personnel. 

“About a week ago,” she hums. “Had to get ready for the influx of soldiers and others waking up. Would’ve been a complete shit-show other wise.” 

You nod in understanding, not trusting your voice. If someone asked how you were feeling in this exact moment, you would compare the experience to waking up the day before you have the flu. The throbbing pain in your head combined with the rawness in your throat from the stale, dry, spacecraft air doesn’t make anything easier on your now empty stomach. 

Shoko leads you towards the female lavatory, where you are really hoping that there is a toothbrush waiting for you. A chill travels through you as you place your sock-clad feet against the cold metal of the spacecraft floor, adding a hot shower to your list of needs. 

“Gravity is turned on in here, its going to feel a little strange at first. Just hang onto me for a moment while you get your bearings,” Shoko explains, tightening her grip on your arm. 

Strange was the understatement of the century. Your knees weaken as the room pressurizes; Shoko isn’t quick enough to catch you. You wince in pain as your knees connect with the hard floor. That’ll definitely leave a bruise, you think to yourself. 

Shoko reaches for you, trying to help you back on your feet. You quickly wave her off with a flick of your wrist, chest now heaving with the determination to stand on your own. Your hands find purchase on the wall closest to you. You move a knee out from under you so that your foot is placed firmly on the ground. Using whatever leg muscles that hadn’t fully deteriorated, you push yourself up to your full height. 

Using the wall to catch most of your weight, Shoko shoots you a concerned glance. “Don’t push yourself. You don’t have anything to prove, not to me.” 

“I’m not trying to prove anything,” you grit out between clenched teeth, both of you knowing damn well that’s a lie. Your thoughts eat away at you. What if this was all for nothing? What if you find nothing? What if this was a complete waste of time and resources? Was all the schooling and training for nothing then? Clicking your tongue against your teeth, you can taste the lingering stomach acid. It effectively snaps you out of your depressive train of thought and back to the mission on hand- a toothbrush and hot shower.

You assume the stance of a baby deer, weak-legged and scared as you push yourself off the wall. Shoko howls at your stance, you can only glare at her and mummer out a weak “shut up.” The words lack any real bite and you can’t help but join in with her infectious laughter. 

~~

It takes a week to descend to Pandora’s surface, and during that time you are busy with safety refreshers and numerous medical check-ups. However, all thoughts instantly clear when you step foot onto the surface. It doesn’t take long before you, along with the others, are quickly ushered inside the base. The warmth of the sun lingers on your skin as you walk along the skybridge to the link room where crews are currently unloading the avatars. 

Stopping in your tracks as you gaze out of the window, taking note of your surrounding scenery. Greens, blues and purples fill your vision, eyes darting to the flying creatures that soar through the pure blue sky, unlike the ones back home. Begrudgingly, you tear your gaze away before continuing down the corridor with a pep in your step.

The link room isn’t hard to miss- it takes up nearly the entire west wing of the building along with the other lab and research rooms. You unclip the badge that rest on the pocket of your pants, flashing it against the card reader. The keypad beeps in acknowledgement and the doors hiss open. 

At first glance it seems that the room is in utter chaos, but you know better. Weaving in and out of the numerous bodies, occasionally taking peeks here and there of other avatars in their pods, all seeming to be fully matured. You keep searching through the room, on the hunt for one particular man. 

“Nanami,” you call out with a raise of your hand, spotting him near a pod. He greets you with dip of his head, eyes never leaving the tablet in his hands. He continues typing away as you stop in front of him. You weren’t going to say it out loud, not wanting to risk sounding like an impatient child, but you are eager to see both your avatar and if all of Nanami’s hypotheses were correct. 

The process of creating your avatar had been a fairly simple one. Nanami and Shoko had once explained that your DNA shared more sequencing patterns with that of the Na’vi than ever seen before. That your genome was the most compatible one ever seen in the history of the program. Nanami had even theorized that your avatar would resemble the Na’vi more than the typical hybrid avatar.   

You tuck your hands neatly behind your back as you shift back and forth on your heels, glancing around the room at all the equipment. Everyone seems to be looking at their own assigned avatar or double checking the unloading process. Even the pod you were standing next to belonged to the blond man in front of you. Worry washes over you as you scan the room once more, seeing if you missed a pod. However, your Avatar is nowhere in sight. Nerves swell in your stomach as countless thoughts and what-ifs run through your mind. The silence only worries you more and it takes a beat before you finally speak up, “Did something happen to my Avatar during transport?” 

The question snaps Nanami out of his typing stupor. “No, in fact yours is already out of its pod,” he says as a matter-of-fact. “Would you like to see it? I believe they have just moved it to the infirmary.” 

A gasp leaves your lips at the information. Nanami eyes you curiously but you quickly recover. “Yes, I would like to see her please.” Nanami nods and you weave throughout the lab, muttering an occasional apology every time you bump into someone. 

A wall of glass separates you from the avatar infirmary. You expect to stop in the viewing room however Nanami keeps walking, eventually reaching the door that separates you from the outside. He hands you an exo-pact from the cabinet, carefully you slip the hard plastic against your face, sealing the vacuum so none of Pandora’s toxic air seeps through.

“Here to see your avatar, hotshot?” Shoko’s words are muffled, not because of her exo-pact but by your own blood rushing through your ears. Her words go in one ear and right out the other as you stare at the 9-foot-tall Na’vi lying on the bed. 

Nanami’s hypothesis holds true, you think to yourself as you stare at the blue creature, features nearly mirroring your own. Walking down the length of the table, you take a mental note of all the similarities and differences- there are four fingers on each hand, as well as four toes on each foot. A tail hangs loosely off the side of the bed, slightly longer than the other hybrids. The patterning on the skin looks healthy. Studying her- well, your- face, you can see wisps of eyebrow hair. Your eyes and nose still lean on the more human side of the spectrum, but they were pretty damn close. 

“Wow,” is all you can say in the moment. 

“Wow indeed.” Shoko and Nanami each take a spot at your side. “It’s impressive how fast we were able to get her out. Typically the processes is painstakingly slow, but it’s like she was ready.” 

You lightly ghost the surface of your avatar’s skin, the softness tickling your fingertips. All that work has finally paid off for tomorrow you will experience your first official link with your avatar. You silently pray that everything goes smoothly. 

~~

Flicking on the camera you launch right into a recap of your day. “Video log number one." You start off, "Today was the first time officially linking with our avatars, and I’ve got to say there are a lot of other things I’d rather experience than waking up from the link.” 

You reach towards a bottle of open painkillers off camera, shaking a few into your hand before popping them in your mouth, swallowing without a drop of water. “Ughkkk.” You stick your tongue out at the taste. 

“Shoko, and other avatar drivers say that it gets easier every time, like riding a bike.” You glance around, seeing if anyone was listening before leaning forward in your chair towards the lens. “I’ve never ridden a bike before.” You stare at the blinking red light for a moment, trying to find something else to say before leaning back in your chair. “Anyways, that’s really it. Hopefully it gets easier and everything continues to go smoothly.” 

That was 2 weeks ago, and they were right to a degree. It truly did feel like riding a bike, not like you would know. The flow from human to avatar was seamless, like going from one dream to another. All your fine and gross motor skill intact, your body knowing what to do before you could even think about doing it- you only assumed this is what they meant by ‘muscle memory’. Riding the bike was fine, it was the stopping. It’s as if your body couldn’t simply hit the breaks but needed to hit an unmovable force to stop. 

Headaches, nausea, and spotty vision were among the few symptoms you experienced upon awakening from the link. Once describing the entire experience in a video log, #10 or #12, which one you couldn’t 100% remember, but your exact words were- “Its like waking up from a lucid dream. Except you’re more exhausted than when you first fell asleep.” 

Shoko and the other doctors still hadn’t the faintest clue on why you were experiencing these symptoms. First, they ran numerous test while you were awake before deciding to run test while you were connected to your avatar. The symptoms weren’t too unmanageable, more annoying than anything. It didn’t really bother you as long as you could continue your research, sure feeling like you had to hurl every time you came back was tedious but, as long as you were able to conduct your research you didn’t mind puking up your breakfast. 

~~

During the first month of the expedition you and your team stuck relatively close to base and begun your research in the safety of the walls. There was plenty to study and gather without having to go too far, no need to expose yourself to the full force of Pandora’s food chain until absolutely necessary.  However, it seemed fate was not on your side. 

“Video Log number 17- No result yielded today either. We are finding fewer and fewer new samples here near base. We’re going to have to venture further out to find anything of substance.” Your hands rub at your eyes, a familiar dull throb makes it appearance behind them. Stars cloud your vision as you reopen them before quickly fading away, you press on. “I have meeting with the head of security-Colonel Sukuna tomorrow at 1000 hours for clearance. Not looking forward to that.” The thought of talking to that pink-headed brute was enough to make you dizzy.  

“I’m really hoping that we start finding things soon, or this trip is going to be a lot shorter than we originally thought.”

Reaching towards the camera you click the off button, it’s been nearly a month- 27 days to be exact, since the official expedition begun and you haven’t yielded a single result. It seemed that every time you left the safety of the lab something would happen. Whether it be to the plants, the weather taking a turn, a member of your team messing something up. If you could name it, it had probably already happened. Food poisoning to nearly every lab technician, a ravenous storm blowing away your equipment, some idiot whose never handled a syringe before- all things that were out of your control. It had left you no other choice, you needed this clearance. 

“I have a meeting with Colonel Sukuna tomorrow morning regrading the necessary clearance and security for going out side the secured perimeter.” Groans ring throughout the room, no one really caring for the Colonel nor his sparkling personality. “ If we want to start seeing results we are going to have to start going outside of our comfort zones people.” 

Before you lays a circular table, projected on it lays a map of the surrounding forest. Blue hues wash over your hand as you point to a specific spot on the map. “Just few miles south, near this ravine,” you point to the pocket in the moon, “lays a flux of biomes. The more diversity equals more samples, a higher chance at finding something we can potentially use.” Everyone hums in agreement, maybe some new scenery will lighten the dejected souls around you- including your own. Using your pointer finger and thumb you zoom in on the map. You begin highlight and marking areas you believe will have substantial results.  

“About time. And here I thought you were all just going to stay in the lab like a bunch of rats.” You turn to face the head of security- Colonel Ryomen Sukuna, as he leans against a priceless piece of machinery and you can’t help the roll of your eyes.  

You had only met him once before, back when you had just signed on to the avatar program. He never did anything to you per se but, you could hear your gut screaming at you to stay away from the man. And the more you heard about him from Shoko and Nanami the happier you were to listen to your seemingly wise internal organ. They mentioned once that he was dishonorably discharged from the Marines, something that was becoming more and more uncommon during this age of violence. That he was the type of man that joined this mission not for the money or prestige but, for the violence. He was someone who preyed upon the weak, and as someone who had been the prey before you could recognize the hunger in his eyes. 

Whether he ever admits or not makes no difference to you. You planned to stay out of his way, only interacting when necessary and you urged the others to do the same. You were here for one reason and one reason only- figure out how to save your home. You weren’t here imped the natural course of life, just to learn from it and were most definitely not here to start a war.  

“Colonel Sukuna, I thought our meeting wasn’t until tomorrow,” trying to hide the panic written on your face with a small smile. You weren’t expecting to see him here so soon, you had just filed the request an hour ago. If you would’ve known he would be here after reading it you would have prepared a proper argument or something, you felt like a fish out of water. 

A lazy smirk crosses his face, as if he can smell the panic radiating off you. “Well I saw the request on my desk and had to check for myself that it wasn’t a joke.” 

“I can assure you, its not Colonel.” 

“So the little lambs want to be led into the wolves den then?” 

You bite the inside of your cheek, trying to keep yourself in check, even if you didn’t necessarily want to admit it you needed this clearance and Sukuna was the only one who could permit it. “We aren’t cultivating any results around here, if we want to stay on schedule this is the best course of action.” 

You watch with a careful eye as he makes his way towards the holographic map. Large hand resting on his chin as he squints at your markers and you wonder if he’s preparing to shoot your request down right here. 

“Hmmm, you should be fine. Small team though, I don’t need all of ya’ getting eaten out there.” 

“Thank you sir.” 

“Don’t thank me until you come back alive, who knows if you will.” The comment leaves a sour taste in your mouth, its as if he wants you to get gobbled up by some six legged beast. Watching with a disgusted look as he saunter out of the lab as if he didn’t make three of you interns nearly piss themselves. 

The ache in your skull this time come in the form of an arrogant bastard with pink hair. “Nanami, Allen,” you rattle off a few more names, “you’ll be leaving with me first thing tomorrow morning. Pack light, I just want to get a feel if this is the spot or not. We can then go from there.” 

~~

The heli drops you off a few hundred feet from your first marker. Ducking to protect your head from the blades, you make your way into the clearing where the rest of the team awaits. Once a safe enough distance you extend to your full height next to Nanami, the two of you towering over your co-workers in your avatar form. As you walk through the tall grass you try and be mindful of your additional appendage so you don’t whack anyone in the face…again. 

The grass mimics the movement of waves as the wind cuts through the air, sun catching on the soft green and pale brown blades as they sway with the breeze. You lean in for a closer look, noting that it is nearly identically to the stuff that surrounds base. However, you notice the pale, almost invisible dots that run linear to the edges. “Nanami, come take a look at this.” Nanami moves towards you, away from the bright pink flora he was just observing, “What is it?” 

“It nearly identical what we took samples of before, but do you see these dots?” Nanami squits- his yellow tinted eyes, observing the blades. “They’re faint but they’re there.” “I don’t.” He admits and your brows pinch together in confusion. “Don’t forget that your senses are sharper than mine at the moment,” he reminds you.

You nod, forgetting for a moment that you are in a body that is made to notice these minute details. “Genetly gather some of these blade here,” you instruct the others. This little difference alone has you feels like a win, maybe this spot will have something after all. 

You spend the next hour in the small plains patch before moving towards the forest, the thick tree line making it hard to see what exactly lies within, hopefully answers. The day still young but you still didn’t want be out here longer than necessary. Your heighten senses causing you to be hyperobservant of every little movement, sound, or even smell. Each had you looking over your shoulder for something what was watching. You knew, as well as the others, that something was always watching you in the forest whether it was something that wanted to eat you, or the Na’vi clans who were closely monitoring your movements, you just hoped that you would be out of here before anything decided to make an appearance. It seems that your wish fell upon deaf ears for not even a moment later you feel a small, but steady tremor beneath your feet. 

“Do you guys feel that?” You ask. Everyone stops what they were currently doing, looking at you with confusion lacing their features.

“Feel what?” 

“That rumble, it’s coming from the ground.” Everyone quiets, focusing on trying to feel it. Seconds pass and the tremor grows stronger and stronger. It takes a moment for the others to feel it but, once they do they start rushing for their gear that is spewed about. You weren’t 100% sure what was causing the tremble but you weren’t about to stay any longer and find out. 

Your hands scramble for the vials containing the days samples. Off in the distance you hear a faint… neighing? You try to ignore it, scurrying to stuff as much as you can into your pack, only for curiosity to get the better of you. Your ears twitch at the growing commotion, and you know only one thing in this forest makes that sound. Quickly rising from your crouched position you watch as a heard of Direhorses- better known to the natives as Pa’li- heads straight for you. 

The awe of the situation quickly wears off when you realize that you are still very much in their path and they are not slowing down in the slightest. Your instincts seem to do the thinking as you take off in a sprint, running as fast as your legs can take you. 

Hair whips across your face as you hop over a fallen tree, losing your balance for a second as you slam back into the ground. Plants you’ve never seen before shrink in on themselves, trying to avoid your panicked footsteps. You could hear the Pa’li gain on you and while you were fast, the six-legged animals were faster.

You take a glance behind you, trying to gauge how close the truly were, truly a rookie mistake. One of your feet catches on something, what it was you weren’t too sure. Maybe a rock? Branch? Animal? Your little stumble send you flying down the side of a steep hill. 

Grunts and swears leave your lips as rocks, leaves and sticks alike smack you in the face. Little pebbles embed themselves into your skin along with the numerous cuts you are sure now litter your arms and legs. After rolling for what seems like an eternity but, in reality wasn’t any longer than a minute you finally land face first in a pile of leaves and what one can only hope is just mud. 

Rolling out of the mud and onto your back, truly thankful that this was just a small accident,  it could’ve been much worse than just a few scrapes and bruises. You breath comes out in pants as you try and regain your composure, knowing damn well that you shouldn’t be laying here in the middle nowhere. Your graceful tumble wasn’t quiet, especially with all the swears that poured out of your mouth. Sooner than later something was going to come sniffing around to see what made all that ruckus. 

Brushing the rock and other debris from your clothes and skin as you stand, a hand reaching to pick a stray leaf out of your hair as you think carefully about what to do next. 

You had two options really: Option 1- Hide and wait for someone to come find you. However, knowing what an ass Sukuna was he’d probably wait until tomorrow to send out a search party and you really didn’t want to spend the night out here. 

Option 2- Hike back the way you came and hope that someone from your team would spot you. 

Your internal debate is cut short when something zips past your face. Slowly, you turn your head to where the object had just flown past, only to see an arrow sticking out from the tree behind you. There is no time to think as a second arrow follows, this time nearly nicking one of your blue ears. Instinctively, they flatten against your head as you desperately scan the trees. A third arrow flies past you again, somehow even closer than the last. 

Yelping out as you fall straight on your ass, feet digging into the ground as you scramble backwards. Escape attempt cut short, somehow forgetting about the tree directly behind you. Ridged pieces of bark dig into your skin through your shirt as you look up to see the 3 arrows that were just shot at you in a perfect linear line, impressive if they didn’t almost kill you. 

Your relief is cut short when the owner of the arrows exposes themselves from their hiding place. Standing before you with their bow slightly raised is a native inhabitant of the moon. The male Na’vi at first glance looks like any other male Na’vi of the forest- broad shouldered and tall but, the main thing that catches your attention is his hair. Unlike yourself and other Na’vi he does not possess the typical black/dark brown hair, instead tufts of white sit atop his head unbraided. Your eyes quickly flick to the sliver of his queue you can see, the braid matching the snowy white shade of his hair. 

The two of you stare at each other for a moment, each seemingly studying the other. You notice a few other details- his skin is a more washed out, almost a pale blue compared to yours. Even seated you can tell he’s slightly taller than the average Na’vi. Finally you take note of his his eyes- a shade of sapphire blue, the hue only slighter brighter than that of the sapphires mined back on Earth.

He raises his bow, seemingly done with his observation. You screw your eyes shut in anticipation, awaiting the final blow. A beat passes. Then another. 

You peek an eye open trying to see what he was waiting for only to notice that he was no longer directly staring at you but, the strange jellyfish-like object sitting on the tip of his arrow. Opening your other eye you try to get a better look at the what sits atop the arrow. Your eyes never leave the strange object as you slowly stand. You watch as the creature floats off the arrowhead towards you. Holding your breath as the it lands on your arm. 

The man’s gaze burns as you try not to move a muscle, watching in awe as the creature floats away from the both of you. His bow now lays limp at his side you and you take the opportunity to try and talk your way out of the mess you’ve gotten yourself in. 

“Please, don’t hurt me,” you raise your hands in an attempt to show you mean no harm. His head tilting as he tries to understand you. Eyes roaming your body once again, surely now taking note of your ‘strange’ attire- a simple pair of cargo shorts, cargo boots, a t-shirt and jacket that now had multiple tears. Overdressed compared to what he was sporting-a simple loincloth made of some animal hide rest on his waist, wrapped around his biceps and wrists are leather bands, most likely crafted from the same material. A few necklaces lay around his neck, but to far to see what they are made out off. The thing most worrying is the large sheath that is strapped around his chest. 

Embarrassingly it takes a moment before realizing that he has likely never heard english before. While your Na’vi is still far from perfect you know enough to try again, this time in his tongue. “Please, don’t hurt me.” 

You can feel you heart drop to your stomach as the silence grows, eyes still locked on to yours. Only to nearly cry as he starts laughing. 

“Your Na’vi sounds like a child’s.” His accent is thick but his words are effortless. 

You can only stare at him dumbfounded as he continues to laugh. So much has happened in the last 30 minutes that you are more than ready to head back to base, take a shower and sleep for the next 12 hours. However, it seemed that none of that would be happening anytime soon as a low-growl resonates through the tree, your ears perking up at the noise. 

You can tell the man in front of you hears it as well because he is whipping his head around, eyes darting across the dense treeline behind him trying as he tries to  locate where the sound is coming from. Whatever it is, it doesn't seem happy. 

He must have the same thought. Because he quickly strides over to you, slinging the bow effortless over his head to rest against his back before  snatching your hand and pulling you into the trees. The only explanation he offers is a quick, “I hope you run fast!”

“Wait!” You shout over the sound of rustling shrubs. “What is that thing?” Trying to take a glance over your shoulder to see what is chasing you but all you can make out is giant shadow. Your attention is pulled back to the front of you with another rough tug of your arm. 

“Do you really want to find out?” His grip hasn’t lighten in the slightest as the two of you make your way deeper into the forest. You try your best to keep up with him but the exhaustion from earlier slows you down and your shoes weren’t doing a damn thing to help. 

The man in front of you stops abruptly causing you to run straight into him, your face smacking against a wall of pure muscle. He looks around before deciding that up was the best direction to escape the beast that was chasing you. You stare in awe as he starts to scale the side of the nearest tree, the shock is immediately broken by the sound of his voice shouting down at you, “You plan on staying down there?!” 

Shaking your head no, you begin your ascension. The moss that wraps its self around the branches is slippery underneath your fingertips, you can barely keep your footing due to these stupid shoes. The growls of the beast nearing as you slowly climb.  

“Climb, woman. CLIMB!” he shouts perched on a branch a ways above you, unimpressed by your climbing skills. 

“I’m trying GODDAMNIT!” You snap back. You’re a decent 20-something feet off the ground at this point, which is seemingly not enough because of course the damn thing chasing you can jump just as high. It’s breath is hot against your skin as jaws snap at your legs. Your hand slips from one of the knobs against the tree, a scream rips through you. Feet dangling dangerously close to the mouth of the beast, the only thing keeping you from being a early dinner is your single hand, one that is weakening by the second. 

You try and swing you other arm back up, only to slip even more. “This is not how I want to die,” you stubbornly think. Once again you try to swing your arm back up but instead of grabbing bark you are met with the rough hand of the stranger. Glancing up you notice that he has moved closer, legs wrapped tightly around the branch while his other hand steadies himself. His fingers interlock with yours as he pulls you up, arm muscles flexing as he does so. Your feet scramble against the tree trying to hurry up the process your effort only resulting in a less than graceful tumble, landing directly onto of him. Quickly, you roll off to hunch over on your hands and knee, willing yourself not to cry. 

“Thank you,” you finally manage to get out between labored breaths. 

“Those things on your feet nearly killed you,” he says ignoring your words as he points at your shoes. 

“No shit.” He takes a step forward and you lurch to your feet. You watch as he circles you like a predator does to its prey, his tail swaying side to side. His hand reaches towards you grabbing the tip your tail, giving it a slight tug. 

Hissing out at the feeling. “What the hell!?”

He chuckles at your reaction and lets go. “What is your name Dreamwalker?” he questions. His head cocks to the side as you introduce yourself. He test the name once, then a second time, almost as if he likes the way it rolls off his tongue. “Well,” he says you name again, “The beast has been watching you since you rolled down that hill.” 

Internally cringing at the fact someone saw that, “You saw… that.” 

“You woke me up from my nap. Laying out in the open isn’t a smart idea. Not in this part of the forest.” His arms cross over his toned chest before continuing, “I was planning on putting you out of your misery before that beast got to ya.” 

His reasoning shocks you, and before you can stop yourself you question, “Why didn’t you?” 

“The Great Mother didn’t seem to approve of my decision.” He shrugs as if it was the most obvious thing. 

“Thank you...” you trail off, realizing you never caught the name of your savior. 

“Satoru,” he reveals. 

“Thank you, Satoru.” His name rolls off your tongue and you can’t say you hate the way it sounds. 

Satoru plops on the ground in front of you and resting hands on his knees. “So why are you here?” 

“I’m a scientist, from Earth.” 

“I can see that.” Eyes raking your figure once more, “you reek of demon blood but yet you share my people’s features.”

Looking around you search for a way out. “It’s kind of complicated to explain.” 

“Well we have nothing but time,” he takes a seat, gesturing towards where the two of you climbed up, the low roars of the beast still being heard from below. 

“Our home- my planet, Earth, is dying.” You follow suit, crossing your legs as you sit.

“Dying?” He questions. 

Your fingers pluck at the moss by your feet. “Long ago, years and years before I was born my home used to be like this. Trees that reached towards the blue sky. Oceans and streams so clear you could see your reflection in them. Countless animals roamed the wilderness, coexisting with each other.” Sadness washes over you at the simple explanation. You never once got to experience the beauty the Earth once had to offer. Now being the first time that seeing any those once common sights back home, except now you were lightyears away.  

“What happened?” There is something in his gaze that is unreadable. Pity? Sadness? Curiosity?

“Well…” Pausing for a moment, trying to find the right words. “Greed happened. People got greedy. They kept taking, never pausing to think if they should. Only thinking that they could.”

Satoru gazes softens at your words, understanding the underlining meaning, “What will happen to your people?”

“Die.” Face blank at the admittance. Satoru’s face changes ever so slightly at your statement, its harsh but the truth none the less. Overcrowding, no sustainable food source, warming temperatures, harsher climates and the ever increasing chance of war. 

“I’m here to study the plant life. To see if anything here can be genetically modified to save my home.” You try your best to explain the basics of genetics, biology and your overall mission without spilling too much ‘confidential information’ and to Satoru’s credit… he’s an awful listener. Interrupting nearly every thirty seconds with another question, comment, or boisterous laugh.

“How come then you look like this and not all…?” He trails off, reaching a hand out to touch the tip of your ears, you swat his hands away. For someone he just met he seems awfully comfortable enough to try and touch you. 

“That’s a bit more complicated.” 

“Explain it then.” 

“Well, we call this an avatar. It is controlled by my human nervous system back at my lab.” 

“I’ve met one of these before but why do you look different from the others?” 

“You have to go through a lot of testing before they can grow an avatar that matches your genome. During those test my DNA matched closely to Na’vi DNA. They were able to splice them together to create,” gesturing at yourself. 

Satoru reaches towards you once again and this time you let him hoping that this is enough to quell his curiosity. Grabbing one of your hands he inspects your fingers, his grip isn’t tight just curious. He clicks his tongue and abruptly stands. “Come with me.” 

“I can’t, I have to get back. They’ll be looking for me.” 

“Come.” He say, firmer this time. You aren’t sure if you would ever get this chance again. You don’t know where he wants to take you, but this is a once in a lifetime experience that could greatly skew your research. You nod. 

“You might want to ditch those,”  he points to your shoes. “If you are going to keep up with me.” 

“Hey!” calling out as he darts across the branches. “Wait for me.” Managing to ditch both shoes, you quickly take off after him. 

The plush feeling of the grass tickles your un-calloused feet, you can already feel a significant difference running barefoot. Your four toed feet seem to adapt quickly, stabilizing you as you nearly slip on a few slippery stones. Satoru is still a ways away but still in your sights. The ground and world around you glow with bioluminescents with every touch. The sight of the forest at night was simply breath-taking, and if you weren’t trying so hard to keep up you would’ve taken the time to stare. Satoru slows as he reaches a small stream, waiting for you to catch up.

“Where are you takin-” Your question is cut short as your feet are knocked out from under you. Head bouncing off the ground, absorbing most of the impact as you fall. There’s a chorus of chants and shouts from around you, however all is muffled by the ringing in your ears. 

Before you can adjust to the situation a hand wraps around your biceps as you are hauled back on your feet. The assumption of things not being able to get any worse is quickly replaced when a blade is pressed against your throat. “I really should've stayed in bed this morning,”  crosses your mind, one too many near death experiences would do that to a girl. 

There is shouting from all around you, however Satoru’s voice sticks out over the others. You can see him gesturing wildly in your direction while shouting in Na’vi at another. You are able to make out a few words here and there that the Na’vi in front of Satoru is saying over the persistent ringing in your ear- “Demon, Can’t be here, and Fool” being the most repeated. “Great Mother, destiny, and I wanted too” all coming from Satoru. 

Satoru raises a hand, halting the conversation with the simple gesture. “The Tsahik will decide,” those four words alone ending all arguments. However, the harsh grip remains on your arm, the blade pressed to your throat only seconds before is now pressing against your queue. You are pushed and dragged through the terrain only to stop before a colossal tree, craning your neck as much as you can and even then you still couldn’t see the canopy in the darkness. 

“Where you taking me?” However no one acknowledges your question, snickering instead at your broken Na’vi. You are pushed through the entrance and all the sounds of village life that could be heard from outside the come to halt. The only noise you could hear is the sound of blood rushing through your head. 

All eyes are on you. Some children hide behind their parents legs, others teeter on the edge daring to get a closer look before quickly getting pulled back. The adults and elders seeming more wary of you. Hisses replace the crackling firewood and soon it is a symphony of different pitches snarls and hisses all directed to the unwelcomed guest: you. 

Watching as a head of white pushes through the surrounding bodies, Satoru makes his way towards you. The man who holding the blade against your queue hisses at him, pulling you closer to his chest. Satoru hisses back, lower and more aggressive baring his sharp canines. Your holder automatically lets you go into Satoru’s custody, he nods at the man not before giving one last snarl.

“Are you alright?” He cuts the binds from your wrist, you rub at them gingerly 

Looking at him bewildered. “Yeah, I’m fine.” It takes a second for it to sink in everything around you. Currently standing in the hollowed out trunk of a tree, however, based off the internal structure of the tree you could argue that this tree grew for the soul purpose of housing the Na’vi. The tree is old, you don’t need to see any rings to determine that fact. You can just imagine the genetic makeup. 

The question of what the hell is happening is just about to leave your lips but, before you are able too another bought of silence falls over the crowd. Watching as an older woman descends from the spiral that lays in the middle of their sanctuary. While you don’t know exactly who this is you can put two and two together that she deserves the silent respect by everyone's reactions. Searching for an answer you glance at Satoru whose head is now slightly bowed in recognition of the woman in front of him, you follow suit. 

“Ma’Itan. What have you brought before me?” Her voice holds no warmth nor coldness, just curiosity of who, more like what, her son has brought before her. The words are faintly familiar to your ears.  

“Sa’nok,” Satoru greets, “I bring a dreamwalker.” The crowd gasps, mummers and furious shouts can be heard throughout. 

She raises her hands, “Silence.” Everyone stills at the command, “A dreamwalker you say? Tell me child, why did you come to our home?” Her attention fully on you. 

“To learn,” clearing your throat, trying not to butcher the Na’vi that leaves your mouth. “I came to learn about your plants, animals, the way to co-exist. Hoping the knowledge will save my own home.”

She hums at the answer, “Many have claimed the same and yet they bring nothing but destruction.” She closes the distance in just a few short strides, now standing face to face with you. She reaches for your palm just as Satoru had earlier and you make no movement to stop her. 

The sound of a blade being unsheathed causes you to hold your breath. As still as a stone you watch as she runs the small blade against your palm. Hissing at the sting, your eyes following her movements as she raises the blade- now coated with your blood to her mouth, tongue darting across and you will yourself to hide the disgust that creeps up your face. “It is hard to teach when one’s mind and heart is closed to change,” she puts the small dagger away and turns from you. 

“Eywa has chose her mother,” Satoru interrupts eyes almost pleading as he reaches towards his mother. “A seed of the Scared Tree has blessed her.” His hands gesture towards where you stand, dumbfounded by all that is transpiring around you. 

“You did not let me finish my son,” she waves off his words, she faces you once again, eyes baring into yours. “Your spirit is pure, unlike others who have come before you.”

Eyes from the crowd linger on you even as she turns to address the masses “We will teach you the ways of Ewya.” 

“I will teach her,” Satoru clarifies to the crowd as protest ring out. “She will learn how we all have learned.” Protesting dies down, relieved that they won’t be the ones responsible for your teachings. 

“The path will not be easy, child,” she warns. “If you don’t not think you can handle, leave and never return.” 

Straightening to stand taller in the eyes of these people, you raise your head slightly determination lacing your words, “I can handle it.” 

She nods once in approval, beckoning towards a group of women that linger closer than others. No words are spoken, just a glance at you, more specifically your clothing. Instantly you are being ushered towards a nearby hut, your eyes search for Satoru’s in a panic. He tries to follow but is stopped by his mother you can’t hear the words that are spoken but watch as he stops in his tracks. 

You try to stop but the others are giggling to themselves as they continue to push you through the curtains. Satoru disappears from view and you feel curious hands lightly pull at your clothes and hair. The curtain flutters as Satoru’s mother enters. All the others bow their head, “Tsahik ,” they greet. 

She takes one look at you and clicks her tongue. “Tch, no.” Watching as she orders the others out of the hut before turning her attention back to you, “Sit.” 

Following her command without question you lower yourself to the ground, watching as she gathers items from various shelves and baskets. Making out what looks like a comb, beads and even some feathers, all things prevalent in her own hair. She moves directly behind you, hands guiding you head to the wall in front of you, “face forward.” 

Her fingers quickly unmake the work of the loose ponytail you hair had once been in. Hands parting your hair into sections, running the brush thoroughly each one. Her fingers weave in and out of your dark hair pulling it in multiple directions. Occasionally tugging a little too tight and forcing you to hold in a wince. 

She begins weaving the beads and feathers through the strands when she asks, “do you not wish to know my name?” You choke on your spit, not expecting the straightforwardness. She chuckles at your blunder. “I am Siyìaw, Tsahik of the Gojo Clan.” pausing for a moment before a deep sigh escapes her. “And  I see you’ve met my son.” 

“He saved my life, twice.” 

She hums, tying off your hair with some string, “I asked the others to bring you some clothes.” 

“I have clothes.” 

She tsks at you once more. “You have much to learn my child,” disappointment lacing her words. Deeming it safe to turn, you stare once more as she moves about putting away her material while grabbing something else. Questions burn at your tongue unsure weather or not you should utter them. 

She glances back, as if sensing your uncertainty. “Do not hold your tongue around me. Speak.” 

“Why?” Is the only thing you can muster out.

It’s vague but she seems to understand the meaning behind the word clearly, “Who am I to go against the will of Eywa?” 

She gestures for your hand, the same one that she had cut. Extending out your palm to her- a cold, slimy paste is spread against your skin, followed by a bandage that is made from of a rehydrated leaf. “My son will teach you the ways of our forest. The ways of our language, our people.  He will help you gain the knowledge you seek to save your home. But he is not the only one who will teach you.” 

Your head tilts in confusion at her statement, “Who else will be teaching me.” 

She smiles all knowingly but doesn’t answer your question. You watch as she moves towards the door now letting one of the women from earlier back into the hut. “This Utahime, a friend of Satoru’s. She will help you dress.” 

Utahime bows her head in greeting. Upon first glance you notice the scar that runs across the bridge of her nose. Her hair isn’t braided instead it is pulled into a bun that sits on top of her head, her queue draped against her back. She too tsks at your clothing. And you don’t blame her, your jacket is nearly ripped to shreds, shirt and pants still caked in mud from your earlier tumble. 

She holds out a green loincloth along with a woven top, you gladly take both. The material of the loincloth is rough between your fingertips. You lightly trace over the beads that dangle at the bottom. The top is a little more intricate, the entire thing is woven out of green feathers that cascade down, a string rest along the top and side for an easy connection. 

She steps out as you begin to strip out of you tattered clothes, being mindful of you tail and bandage that covers your hand. You start with the top, tying the string that lays across the neckline tight you slip it over your head. The feathers barely cover your breast leaving your entire back and sides exposed, the entirety of the top stopping above your belly button. The loincloth is next, during your earlier observation you failed to notice the woven beads that surround the perimeter of the waist. You also tie the loincloth off. Giving each piece a slight tug to ensure they wont come off. There is no mirror to double check whether or not everything is being worn correctly. The new clothing gives the chance for the bioluminescent dots littered on your skin to faintly glow. Your body’s patterning more prevalent than before. 

Taking in a sharp inhale before ripping open the curtain separating you from the outside world. You take notice of Utahime, who is watching Satoru pacing back and forth near the hut. The two of them talking in hushed voices. 

Satoru stops in his tracks as he spots you standing awkwarding at the entrance, Utahime glances towards you before looking a Satoru once more. She says something else before nudging him in your direction. 

Quietly giggling as he nearly stumbles over his own feet. The back of your hand resting over your mouth to hide your smile. His eyes wander over your new attire and you can’t help but feel bashful as his gaze roams over you. 

He reaches around to scratch the back of his head, stomach and arms flexing as he does so. You take a moment to stare at the pattern that dances on his skin. White and light blue lines, much like your own lace his skin thicker towards the outside of his body before tapering into thinner lines the closer to his navel. Little scars are spread across his body, likely from numerous hunts and spars throughout the years. 

“See something you like?” A smirk dances across his lip and you scoff smile now falling from your face, redirecting your gaze towards the crowds of Na’vi making their way up the spiral. You watch as they disappear one by one into the structure above.  

“You look,” he pauses, your eyes now returning to him. “Enchanting.” You murmur out a small, “thanks,” heat rushing to your cheeks as you turn away once more. 

“Come,” he extends a hand, “nightly prayer is about to begin.” Taking his open hand you allow him to pull you through the hoard that walks up the spiral. Stepping over those already seated on the ground, trying to being mindful of their tails as well as your own. Watching as more and more take a seat all forming a semi-circle around a large bonfire. Conversations die down as you make your entrance and you can’t help but feel out of place. 

Satoru gives you a light tug trying to move you from the spot you stopped in. Shooting an apologetic smile you continue through the masses eventually stepping up on a small boulder next to his mother. Looking around you can see that it is only the three of you seated on top of the boulder. 

His mother stands and starts what you believe are the opening lines to the evening prayer. You lean into Satoru, whispering into his ear, “why are we up here? Gesturing to the rock beneath you before nudging you head towards the crowd, “while they are down there.” 

Satoru turns, leaning back into you. “Well, the higher the Tsahik is the closer they are to Eywa. This rings true in many aspects of our life. My mother stands here hoping that the Great Mother can hear her prayers. When my father was alive he stood here as her mate and the Olo’eyktan. I stand here as her son and the next Olo’eyktan.”

His clarification helps with the confusion leaving only one thing unanswered, “why am I here?” 

He pauses, mouth opening and closing. You poke his arm to gain his attention once again asking, “then why am I allowed up here.” 

“You are our guest of honor, after all. Why shouldn’t you be?” He doesn’t sound too confident in his answer but you let him be, not wanting to miss anymore than you already have. 

The prayer is quick, the events of the day creeping up on you. Sluggishly you trail behind Satoru as he climbs up and around branches, stopping in front of what looks like a hammock. 

“Get some rest, you’re going to need it,” tone teasing as he disappears into the bed next to you. 

Awakening with a start in your natural body, you can hear Shoko and Nanami eagerly calling out to you. Coughs rattle your body, cheeks puffing with each rough exhale, raising an arm in attempt to cover your mouth proves fruitless as they are nothing more than dead weight. “Water,” you rasp out. 

Shoko rushes off to grab your request and returns a moment later just as Nanami grips your neck and upper back, helping you into a sitting position. She pours you a glass before passing it to you. “What the hell happened out there?” 

Chugging the water as they stare at you, sighing out in relief once the glass is empty. “Alot, alot happened.” Unimpressed by your vague answer you launch into a recap of your eventful day trying not to leave a single detail out. The two of them look at you as if you’ve lost your mind. It takes some convincing but you reassure them everything is fine. 

“We haven’t shown any progress in over a month. They know the forest better than anyone. It’s a once in a lifetime chance, we’d be foolish to say no.” Your tone leaving no room for argument. Deep down they know you’re right, any more days with no progress and the program runs the risk of being shut down. No results equals no reason to continue. You all need this, whether or not they are comfortable with it. 

“Besides,” you grin, “I think they like me.”

~~

As your eyes flutter open they are met with another more light-sapphire pair staring straight back. “You are a heavy sleeper.” 

“Ughhhh,” You roll over tying to escape his gaze, however, this only causes him to lightly kick your hammock. 

“C’mon. Time to get up.” 

You groan once again, “for your information I don’t sleep in this body.” You pull yourself out of the hammock and onto the branch next to him. 

“What does that mean?” He stands and you follow suit. 

“When I rest in this body I’m disconnecting the link. Meaning I wake up in my human one.” 

Satoru hums and you for a moment think he understands. “I don’t understand.” Spoke too soon. 

“All you need to know is that you can’t wake me. For me to be awake and talking to you means my human body would need to be connected to this one.” 

He nods and you hope your vague explanation was helpful enough. You follow through the sleeping quarters down to where the nightly prayer was held the night before. Someone hands Satoru two bowls of something. He holds one out for you to take, “Eat. You will need the energy for later.” 

You take the bowl from his hand and peer inside. Vibrant fruits and a mix of nuts lay within the bowl and you can’t help but to bring the bowl to your noise inhaling the sweet fragrance. Feeling Satoru’s gaze you glance up. He says nothing as he plucks a piece of fruit out of his own bowl, guiding it to his lips as he takes a big bite. Juices drip down his chin, it takes all your willpower to lower your gaze back into your own bowl. 

“Satoru!” you hear his name being called off in the distance. “Satoru!” This time you can clearly see the owner- a male Na’vi who is currently making a bee-line to where you and Satoru stand.

“Suguru!” Satoru exclaims, a grin upon his lips. 

“What were you thinking?” Suguru, whose name you just learned, questions. Your eyes study him. He is just a hair shorter than Satoru, his own dark hair is pulled into a loose bun, some strands having escaped to frame his face. His eyes are an unusual color just like Satoru’s, he is graced with a deep amethyst hue. 

The grin falls from Satoru’s face at the question. “I have no idea what you mean.” 

“Bringing a skyperson here,” he sneers in your direction before redirecting his anger towards Satoru, “are you insane?” 

“It was the will of Eywa.” Satoru shrugs, not at all bothered by the accusation. 

“Yes, I heard you last night when you told the Tsahik the same words.” 

Satoru inches closer to Suguru, “If the Tsahik does not have a problem with it, I do not see why you should.” 

“Have you forgotten the last time we tried to help the skypeople?” 

You watch as Satoru’s eyes darken at the mention of the last time. “ I have not. This time is different, trust me my friend.” 

Suguru’s gaze turns back towards where you stand. He gives you a once over, “One wrong move from you and you will be wishing you stayed in the sky.” His warning has your eyes widening. 

The three of you stand in silence before Satoru finally properly introduces the two of you.  “Y/n, this is my best friend Suguru.” He slings an arm around Suguru, pulling his body into his own. “Suguru this is Y/n.” 

“Hello,” is all you offer, not sure of what else to say.

Suguru nods back, “So you are here to learn?” 

“Yes, my home is dying. Observing here will help me learn how to save it.” 

“Others have claimed the same.” 

“I’m different.” 

“Anyways!” Satoru claps his hands together before stepping behind you nudging you to the direction of where you had first entered the tree last night. “We should get going. She has a lot to learn if she is to become one of us. I’ll see ya around Suguru.” 

“So,” you start as you walk out into the forest, hoping to move on from the awkward encounter. “What will I be learning today?” 

“How to climb a tree.” There isn’t a drop of sarcasm in the statement. 

“What?” 

“Climb that tree,” he points to a nearby tree. 

“You can’t be serious.” 

“Oh, I’m serious.” Satoru leans in like he about to tell you a secret. “You were almost dinner last night because you couldn’t climb. I don’t want a repeat of that.” His arms cross his chest as he leans back and you take note of the slightly more flashy necklace and wristlets he wears. “You must learn how to exist with the forest. When to run, when to climb, when to hide,” he pauses before invading into your personal space once more. “And when to fight.” 

“You wanted to learn.” He continues, “so this is how I will teach you. Besides, I might not always be there to help pull you to safety.” He winks and you scoff at his ridiculousness. 

“Fine, I’ll climb the goddamn tree.” You huff, stomping over to the tree he pointed too. Looking up as you try to estimate the sheer height of the tree before you. Its shorter than the one from yesterday but, still gigantic none-the-less. Breathing in you let your instincts do the thinking, quickly scaling branch to branch, only loosing your footing a few time. 

You get a good distance up before looking back down at Satoru who is now just a small blue blob. You let out a small victory sound only to be interrupted by Satoru’s voice shouting at you. 

“What?” You shout back. 

“Come back down!” 

“How?” 

“Jump!” 

“Jump? Suguru must be right, you are insane!” 

“Use the leaves!” Spinning around you try to locate the leaves Satoru is talking about. Instantly knowing which ones he means when you spot the nearly 11-foot long leaves that descend against the trunk of the tree. Walking over towards one you poke at it with your finger. The leaf tensing as if expecting a heavier weight. 

“Come on, we don’t have all day sweetheart.” 

“I’m coming!” You shout back. “Just give me a second,” this time more to yourself. This was crazy, even by your standard. You shake your shoulders, trying to psych yourself up and to not think about it too hard as you launch yourself off the side of the tree and onto the leaves. Falling, less than gracefully down the cascade of leaves the impact knocking the wind out of you on each fall. 

Finally your back connects with the hard ground, staring up from where you just tumbled down. Satoru is howling from besides you as you huff into a seated position. Hands move to pick the twigs out of your hair. 

Satoru crouches down next to you his hands resting on his knees, laughter a meer chuckle now. “Well that’s one way to do it.” 

“You said jump, so I jumped.” 

He reaches towards you, plucking yet another twig out of your hair before extending a helping hand. “That I did.” 

The two of you spend the rest of the day in the forest, running through the trees, exploring the land, and unfortunately falling on more leaves- something you were greatly improving at. Satoru was truly a better teacher than listener. He knew when to push and when to back off when you got overly frustrated. He possess a natural ability to lead.  

“You will get stronger the more you move within the forest. It takes time to build the connection, when to do instead of think. You have a strong will, it will come to you in no time.” 

“Thank you.” You truly mean it too. He is taking the time to show you the ropes when no one else was willing to. You have questions, a lot of them. Questions about this connection they keep talking about, questions about Eywa, questions about their environment, but the most pressing one is about what that man, Suguru, said earlier. The Gojo clan had met humans before, that much you were sure of by the way they spoke english, but what exactly had occurred to instill such animosity towards your kind.

“I can tell you want to ask something.” 

Jerking back in shock. “You and your mother are alike.” 

Satoru groans, hands pulling down on his eyes, “Don’t ever tell me that again, please.” “It was just an observation.” Chuckling at his child-like response, continuing to pick at the sweet fruit he had gathered for you. 

“If you have a question to ask, I don’t mind answering.” 

“Even if its a little invasive?” 

“Those are my favorite kind,” he flashes you a wolfish grin. 

“Suguru said something earlier about me not being the first skyperson your clan has welcomed, what did he mean by that?” 

“Damn Suguru,” he mummers. A deep sigh leaves his lips, his long fingers picking at the discarded skin from his own fruit. “Years before I was born a group of skypeople with equipment far less advance than yours landed from above. My parents, unlike the rest of the clans, had welcomed them, taught them our ways, tradition, and about Eywa. In return they taught my parents and some of the elders English, medicine, and other things.” 

Listening carefully to his words. You yourself weren’t too familiar with the previous man-led missions to Pandora, the only one you had brushed up on was Dr. Augustine’s and that was for the botany. “However,” he glance at you before quickly return his gaze to his lap. “My mother tells me that everything changed when I was born. Many of the elders claims the world stilled when I was born, as if Eywa herself was acknowledging my existence. The scientist that were here were obsessed with my birth, with my very existence.” 

Satoru shifts uncomfortably against the dirt beneath him. "Apparently so obsessed that they stormed our very home in attempt to rip me out of my mothers arms. Luckily, my father was there to stop them. Him and many of our warriors drove them out of our home and deep into the forest. Life is not taken without cause, that is the way to maintain balance.” 

“The humans eventually left, not before taking the life of my father and countless others who followed him into battle. Na’vi mate for life, my mother was young when she lost my father, she was left to raise me and a mourning clan. I was too young at the time to take over as Olo’eyktan so my mother has been acting as both the Tsahik and Olo'eykte until I take the title back.” 

A wave of sadness and guilt wash over you at his story, ashamed but not surprised by the actions of your fellow humans. Reaching out to rest a hand against his shoulder you express an apology.  “I’m sorry about your father. I’m sorry that you and your mother had to go through all that pain.” 

“Why are you apologizing, it wasn’t your fault.” You shake your head, “That doesn’t matter. Something awful happened to you and your family by people I share blood with, it is only right that I apologize.” 

“Thank you.”

“Something doesn’t make sense though.” Pausing to collect your thoughts, “Why is she so kind to me, knowing what I am?” 

“My mother doesn’t hold grudges,” he pause. “Especially as the Tsahik. She is holds the closest connection to Eywa in our clan, she must sense something the others can not. You have done her no harm, therefore why should she treat you any different?” 

“I guess I’m just used to the way humans act,” it’s your turn to pick at the ground. “We are such a hateful kind and more prefer to hold a grudge then to learn the ways of forgiveness.” A comfortable silences washes over you, everything that needed to be said out in the open.

“C’mon” Satoru holds out a hand for you to take, which you gladly accept with a smile

~~

“Video log number…24, I believe.” Mentally counting  the number of logs you’ve recorded, having missed a few in order to catch up on sleep. “Yeah, 24. Anyways today was more progressive than the past few days. Satoru took me deeper into the forest today, and I found the most wonderful thing. A pine tree!” A smile blooms across your face at the memory of staring up at its sheer height, Satoru chuckling at your reaction. “Well the Pandora equivalent of what we once had on Earth. The samples I took being more promising than the last.” Spinning around to the table behind you, searching for the small slide containing a small splice from the tree.

Spinning back around towards the camera, the slide gripped between your finger and thumb, you hold it up to the light, “It’s fascinating, everything is so alive and reactive here.” You set the slide off to the side before looking back at the camera. “Oh that reminds me!” Clapping your hands together in excitement. “Tomorrow, Satoru has promised to teach me about Tsaheylu.” 

“We call it a queue but the Na’vi term is Kuru. It’s like a USB almost…” You wave your fingers around mimicking the strands, “It lets the Na’vi directly connect with their environment, including but not limited to plants and animals, to form Tsaheylu.” Your explanation is cut short by the sound of the lab door opening, you once again spin around in your chair to see who has interrupted you. Shoko stands there with a small smile on her face. 

“Ready for some slop?” She questions. 

“Yeah, just let me finish up here,” you spin back around to reface the camera. “Well I will see you tomorrow in log 25.” You wave a goodbye before reaching for the stop recording button, shutting the camera down. 

“How many hours did you log today?” Shoko asks. 

“14, I think, maybe a little less.” You answer, tucking your tree splice away along with your other samples you’ve collected over the past 2 weeks. Your collection was starting to grow quite a bit. 

“You’re averaging about 15 hours a day Y/n. You need a hobby.” 

“I’m basically gardening, isn’t that a hobby.” Standing, you grabbing your hoodie off the back of your chair, sliding it over your head.

Shoko scoffs at your witty remark, “I don’t know this Satoru but I think you’ve been spending way too much time with him lately.” 

“Oh please.” 

“He’s a bad influence,” she teases. 

“Ok mom,” dragging out the word. “I just think you don’t appreciate my humor.” 

“I appreciate it enough.” She links her arm with yours, walking down the corridor towards the cafeteria. “How have your headaches been? Any better? What about your nausea?” 

Groaning at her questioning you lean away from her, “No, if anything I think they’re getting worse.” 

“I’ll have to take a look at your most recent brain scans, see if something is going up in that noggin of yours.” She raps her knuckles against her own head. 

“I don’t know how they can legally call this food,” you hold up your slice of pizza. “Like how can you call this pizza? It’s basically a piece of wet cardboard.” 

“Yeah,” Shoko agrees, placing her own piece on her tray. 

“You know what I ate for lunch today?” 

“Nothing?” 

“No,” You roll your eyes, “fresh meat that Satoru and the others hunted along with the sweetest blueberries I have ever tasted. They literally exploded in my mouth.” 

She squints at your words, pointing her fork at you.“You hate blueberries though.” 

“That’s exactly my point Sho! It was fresh, I knew where it came from. I helped pick those berries!” Picking up your piece of pizza, waving it Shoko’s face. “Not like this crap.” 

“They could’ve at least served the pizza sticks, those are somewhat edible.” 

Humming in agreement, “I love those things.” 

“Hello ladies,” Nanami sets his tray down on the table next to Shoko, interrupting your exam on the quality of the cafeteria food. 

“Hey Nanami, how was your day?” You ask, knowing that he too had been out in the field all day. 

Watching as Nanami slumps into himself as he pushes up his glasses on top of his head to rub furiously at his eyes. “We haven’t had a single viable sample in nearly a week.” 

“Oh.” 

“Luckily you have been providing the team with more than enough samples for them to research, were bound to get lucky soon.” 

“Speaking of getting lucky,” a new voice speaks up. You and your two friends turn to look at the new voice and standing before you is Sukuna and his group of ‘goons’ as Shoko likes to call them. 

“What’s alien dick like?” Sukuna ask, smirking as his buddies slap him on the back. 

“Wouldn’t know but I can grantee it’s better than yours.” You bite back. 

“Watch it doc” he growls not impressed by your questioning of his manhood, “I would hate it for your little link room to be destroyed during an Irkan attack.” 

“Yeah me too. Considering that the only reason why you’re here.” 

“Don’t be to sure about that,” he utters before stomping off, his goons following closely behind. 

You turn back to Nanami eyeing you strangely, “I think you are spending too much time around this Satoru.” You let your head hit the table, a small thunk ringing out. 

Shoko latches onto his arm, “That’s what I said!”

“Will you two quit it.” You mumble out, cheek now pressed against the cool metal as you stare at their shit-eating grins. 

They stare at each other before both agreeing, “Nope!”

~~

Running your fingers across the expanse of the direhorses skin you can feel the small pur like rumbles. Satoru sits leisurely on top of the Pa'li, his kuru attached. You hold your other hand out with a handful of grain, giggling as she happily munches away.  

“Paying attention?”His gaze has been locked on you the entire day, watching each little movement.

“Hmm?” Waiting for the Pa'li to finish her snack before turning back to Satoru. “Yeah, the Tsaheylu allows for a deeper connection. To speak without words. Complete harmony with your mount.” You parrot back the main points that Satoru had told you earlier. 

“It isn’t just with Pa’il. Tsaheylu is used for a deeper connection with all life, it’s even used to fly with the Ikrans.” Eyes flickering towards him at the mention of the apex sky predators.

“Do you have an Ikran?” Curiosity has been getting the best of you lately and Satoru gladly indulges your every little question, whether it was about everyday life, the wildlife, or himself. The latter he was always more than willing to talk about.

“I do.” He hums, “However, I think you might like what I am about to say.” He hops down disconnecting his kuru from the Pa’il, moving to stand beside you his shoulder lightly knocking against yours.

“And that is?” You question, knocking your shoulder back against his. 

“Once you successfully initiate Tsaheylu for the first time the planet becomes more responsive to you and future bonds. Meaning you can finally connect to the plants like you have been wanting to.” 

“You remembered that?” Shock clearly written across you face as he mentions a small comment from a few weeks ago. Something about wanting to understand the plant life here, to really feel the planet and understand her. The fact that he had remembered something so small had you shocked. 

“I remember everything you tell me,” he replies, as if it isn’t that big of a deal. 

“Everthing?” You squint at him trying to call his bluff. 

“Everything.” He confirms. “Like how when you were in school you would eat the same thing everyday…” His hand scratching his chin, thinking about what the name is, “pizza sticks? For over 3 years.” 

“Well they were good.” You sheepishly admit. 

“Or the time you were at a bar on earth and some Marine punched an old man for hitting on you.” “No one helps anyone on earth.” Scoffing at the memory. 

“You are,” he says softly. Fingers now drumming across his lips at the other countless stories you have told him about, his eyes lighting up at one in particular. “Or the time you asked a boy-” 

Your hands quickly muffle his mouth, not wanting to hear the embarrassing story once again. “Ok, you’ve made your point.” Removing your hands slowly, making sure he doesn’t try to continue.  “I remember things about you too,” shyly you admit. And you did, Satoru talked a lot and talked about anything under the sun. 

“Really?” A boyish grin spreading across his features. 

“Yeah. How you and Suguru have been best friends your entire life. How you prefer to hunt alone instead of with a party.” 

“Those are things everyone knows though.” He pouts. 

“I wasn’t done.” You sigh out, annoyance dripping from the words. “How you only prefer to eat the sweetest of fruits. You prefer a bow over daggers and spears even though you are a master at all.” 

“I like the distance and range they give.” 

“You are terrible dancer,” giggling at the memory of Satoru trying to dance with the children at a feast a few days ago. 

“It was a bad song,” he huffs. 

“That the reason you have that,” you point to the faint crest moon scar on his temple. “Is because you pissed off Utahime when you were children- she broke her favorite handwoven basket over your head after you scared her at the river.” 

He rubs his head, “I can still feel the ache.” 

A smirk crosses your face, “or that the tips of your ears,” hands reach towards the top of his ears, “redden when your embarrassed.” 

His hands come to cup over his ears at your observation. “They do not!” 

“Really? Then move your hands.” Reaching to pull his hands away but, he quickly darts away from you. 

“No!” 

Stalking towards him, tail swishing back in forth playfully. “Come here!” Launch forward once again towards him, trying to grasp his hands. Satoru runs around the Pa’li who pays the two of you no mind, shouting at you to get back. Laughter escapes you as you raise your hands in surrender. Leaving him be, for now. 

“I thought the you were supposed to be helping her connect to Tsaheylu?” A voice questions. You spot Suguru who is on his own Pa'li, looking unimpressed at the two of you. You look over at Satoru who has now lowered his hands from his ears, which are just the faintest bits pink. 

“I am, why?” 

“The beast has been spotted again by the scouts, it is getting bolder.” 

“When we are done I will come find you,” Satoru states. His response seemingly appease Suguru, for now.

Suguru glances at you before taking off in the direction he had just come from. Your few interactions with him have been civil, for the most part. You try to stay out of his way as mush as possible, not wanting to cause any problems between the two males. In return he stays out of your way when Satoru helps you research. Watching as he rides off your attention shifts back to Satoru. “Do you have to go?” 

“Eventually.” 

“We could always do this later if you need to go. I can wait.” 

“No,” head shaking as if it was such an obtuse suggestion. “They will survive without me for a little. I promised you that we would do this today, so that is what we are going to do.” 

Steadying your stance, your hands brace against the back of the Pa’li. Jumping from side to side trying to gain the confidence to hop on. It takes you a second before you leap stomach first on her back, swigging a leg over the side to rest against her stomach. She stomps in place, seemingly unpleased by the new added weight on her back, you rub your hand up and down her mane, trying to sooth her unease. 

“Good.” Satoru confirms. “It will feel strange at first, the Tsaheylu is a view into how they feel, it might be overwhelming for a moment, but it will cease.”

Reaching around your shoulder to grab your kuru off your back, you bring it to her own. Harshly you take in a deep breath before connecting with the Pa’li. A shudder runs through you as you try and focus on her heartbeat, on what she feels, on her as a whole. It takes a second before you can open your eyes, but once you do a sense of peace engulfs you. 

Satoru hasn’t moved an inch from his position next your leg as he watches your reaction carefully. “Good, you’re doing good.” 

“That was weird,” letting out a tight chuckle, shifting your weight as you try to get comfortable. 

“Try to tell her where to go. Not aloud, but through the bond.” 

You nod before refocusing on the connection. She takes a few steps forward, her actions unsure  match along with your own thoughts of uncertainty. Urging her to pick up the pace a tad into a trot around the small field. You hear the hooves of another ride up besides you, Satoru now on his own mount.

“You’re a natural,” he teases. 

“This is…” you pause, searching for the right words before settling on “Amazing. This is amazing.” Satoru smiles at your child-like wonder before gently tapping his feet against the belly of his mount, you watch as he and his Pa’li gallop into the distance. You quickly follow, not wanting to be left behind. 

The ride is uneven at first, too busy overthinking every little detail which consequently affects your steed. She trips and misses more jumps than you care to admit. You recall Satoru’s early advice- don’t overthink, let your body do the thinking. 

The ride smooths out, and you quickly gain on Satoru. He lets out a chirp at your arrival, and you let your own out in response, happy to have figured it out. The two of you complete a few laps around the clearing, hoping over stones and logs the both of you laughing as you do so. Satoru begins to slow, shooting you an apologetic look. “I have to go,” Satoru admits, looking dejected as he disconnects from his mount. 

Following his movements you unmount as well. Also disappointed that your time has been cut short. “I know. Your mother wanted to see me anyways.” You shrug. 

“I’ll be back before you leave. We shouldn’t be too long.” 

“You don’t have to.” You reassure. “I don’t know why you are so insistent on always seeing me off.” No matter what time it was or what he was doing Satoru always insisted on being the one to walk you back to your hammock. It was a sweet gesture, unnecessary, but sweet. 

His gazes softens as he looks down at you before countering with a simple, “I want to.” 

Your own gaze softens at his quiet words, “Ok, I’ll wait for you.” How could you say no to those big blue pleading eyes? The walk back is filled with comfortable silence, the memories of the day being ones that will be cherished forever. You watch along with the other members of the clan as the hunting party departs, all wishing for a safe return. 

Feeling Utahime slide up next to you, the two of having grown close over the past few weeks. You turn to her before asking, “What are they hunting exactly?” 

Utahime shrugs, “No one is truly sure. It’s been tormenting the forest for a long time, only recently growing antsy.” 

“That might be my fault.” You admit, hands picking at your skin. 

Utahime swats your hands, “Nonsense, that beast has been here longer than your skypeople. It does what it wants, when it wants.” Her words easing your worries only slightly. 

“Come,” she insist, “Tsahik is looking for us.” Grabbing your arm and dragging you up the central spiral. 

“Come sit girls.” She waves you to come closer, all around you sit other Na’vi of all ages. “Help us pray to Eywa for the warriors safe return.” You look at Utahime with uncertainty, a feeling of you shouldn’t be here washing over you. She only looks at you with a smile before pushing you down right in the middle of the group. You can feel the gaze of the others, it isn’t with judgement but acceptance. Hands on either side reach for yours, clasping your palm in theirs. You don’t know the exact words but you follow as closely as you can. 

The prayer is interrupted nearly 45 minutes later by the shouts of those outside, alerting you of the warriors return. Rushing out with the others to see the group that set out now looking worse for wear. Nearly everyone is limping, some heavily bleeding. Shouts for herbs, wraps and healers ring throughout the crowd. You look around frantically for a certain snarky white-haired individual.

You spot him slung over Suguru’s shoulder, thankfully not looking too injured. Without a second thought you rush over to him sidestepping over the other injured. “Satoru?” You can see him searching the sea of people at the sound of your voice. 

Pushing through a thicker crowd that surrounds him and Suguru. “Satoru, what happened?” Worry heavy in your question.  At your presence all those once surrounding him step away. 

“He got thrown into a tree.” Suguru says, shifting his weight to support more of Satoru. 

“You got thrown into a tree?” You question Satoru, not believing what you were hearing.

Satoru winces at your worry, “It isn’t as bad as it looks. I just got the wind knocked out of me.” A cough rattles through him and he hunches over in pain. 

Rushing over you grab the arm that Suguru wasn’t holding, slinging it over your shoulder now supporting more of Satoru’s weight. You do a quick once over, other than his limp and wincing he looks relatively unharmed. You take a quick glance at his back only to be met with various cuts and scratches from where he was thrown. 

“Help me lay him somewhere secluded.” You demand. Suguru looks at you, uncertainty laced in his eyes. You tilt your head at his silent challenge. “Now,” you hiss out. 

Helping Suguru hobble Satoru over to a more secluded area, despite the numerous protest falling from injured male. Gently you lay Satoru down on his stomach on a patch of soft grass, “Don’t move. Stay.” tone leaving no room for argument. 

Suguru follows you as you gather herbs and different salves from a healer to go use on Satoru. “You should get yourself checked out,” glancing at Suguru who is favoring his left side. 

“Why do you care?” It seems his civil attitude is only reserved for when Satoru is around. 

“You are Satoru’s friend, it would greatly upset him if you didn’t get yourself looked at.” 

“Like you would care if I lived or died.” 

Slamming the herbs on the table, you’ve had enough of these snarky side comments. You shoot a harsh glare at Suguru before challenging him, "Despite what you might think I am not here to ruin your lives. It might seem like it and you can twist your narrative all you like but The Great Mother seems to have a plan for me. Whether or not you are on the right side of that plan or not is up to you.” 

Suguru stares at you, stunned at your outburst. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go help Satoru because I care. Not because I want something.” Walking past him to get back to Satoru  lightly checking his bad shoulder as you pass, causing him to hiss out in pain.

You see that Satoru is no longer laying down you left him in. Instead the fool is trying to stand using the support of the tree. “I thought I told you to stay?” Walking over to him you help lower  him to a seated position, tsking at his stubbornness. 

“I’m fine.” He argues, not daring to look you in the eye. 

“I would have to disagree.” Lightly you move his kuru over his shoulder, apologizing when he hisses out in what you assume is pain. 

“Did you at least kill it?” You ask, mixing a few herbs with a salve to make the concoction more potent just like his mother once showed you. 

“No,” he mummers. You drop it, opting for silence instead. His back is strong under your touch, as your fingers spread the balm lightly coat the scrapes and scratches that litter the expanse of his back. 

“I want to teach you how to fight.” 

“What was that?” Your own thoughts too loud to hear him properly.

“I want to teach you how to fight, or at least how to defend yourself.” His eyes now strongly locked onto your figure. 

“Satoru,” you warn. 

“Y/n, please,” he begs, his blue eyes filled with worry. 

“I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a good idea.” 

Taking your hands he clutches them tightly against his chest. “There are times when you can’t always run. At least let me teach you how to defend yourself.” Your teeth knaw at your lip as his eyes dart across your face, pleading. “Please Y/n. Please.” 

He looks so sad, as if today had put something in perspective for him and you can’t help yourself. “Ok, you can teach me. Just the basics though,” you agree, once again falling victim to his charm. 

His arms wrap around you gathering you in a tight hug. You let your hands lightly rest on the top of his shoulders trying not to apply any pressure on his wounds as you return the gesture. Nuzzling his face lightly against the top of your head and you can hear him faintly thanking you. 

~~

Two weeks pass before Satoru takes you back into the forest, you insisted that he needed more time to rest but he simply ignored you. If you were being honest with yourself he seemed fine, you just wanted put this off as much as you could. 

“Again” Satoru musses, not impressed with your pervious attempt. The past week had been the same routine. You would wake up here, eat a quick breakfast, spend the entire morning practicing your various running, jumping and climbing skill. You would take a quick rest for lunch, collect a few samples, then move onto fighting. 

Your arms fall to your sides once again, the stinging from holding the bow being too much. Looking over at Satoru, he once again is wearing ‘warrior appropriate’ clothing- A tan leather hide rest across his stomach, his usual dagger is still strapped to his chest, another smaller one is secured around his waist, resting against his outer tigh. 

“Hold it firmly. Not tight, not loose, but with determination.” He instructs you. You notch the arrow before lifting the bow again, taking aim at the make shift target. Pulling the string taught, fingers resting against you cheeks. Taking in a deep breath before letting go of the string. 

The arrow flies through the air, before impaling itself a ways away from it’s destined target. You huff at your failure. 

“Well not everyone can be as strong as me,” Satoru muses, inspecting your latest hit. 

“Satoru,” you warn, not in the mood for his teasing. “This is hopeless!” Your hand fly against your sides. 

“You just need to keep practicing,” he reassures, trying to comfort your frustrations. 

“What I need is a break.” You roughly pass the bow off to him, stomping over to a rock crossing your arms as you sit down. 

“How about we try something else?” 

“I don’t want to.” You turn away from him not wanting to see his smug face or hear about how great he is for the nth time. 

He sets the bow down next to where you sit. “Come on, it’ll be fun.” He extends his hand to you, however you chose to ignore it. 

“You and I have two very different definitions of the word.” You object. He retracts his hand, now instead waving you up. Tossing your head back you let out a loud groan at his request. He takes the noise as a win and drags you from your seated position. You watch as he unsheaths the blade from his waist before balancing it on his fingers before turning it over to you. Carefully, you reach for the handle before inspecting it yourself. The blade craved from a singular bone giving it an equal weigh. The blade is craved into a uniformed line, there is no curve like the typical hunting knives you have seen. The handle is covered in a thick woven material. “I made it for you.” Satoru admits as you study the blade. He unlaces the sheath from around his waist, handing it out to you. 

“Why?” You stammer out, taking the sheath in your other hand as you look at him confused on why he would gift you something so beautifully made. 

“I knew you would need one eventually but, after what happened the other week I knew it was going to be sooner than later. I would’ve decorated the sheath better if I had more time.” 

Look down at the sheath in your hand, now noticing beads careful laced into the cloth. “Thank you,” looking back up at Satoru, “I love it but what am I supposed to do with it?” 

“Let me show you.” Satoru takes the knife in his hand, flipping it so that the blade rest in his palm instead of the handle. He fixes his stance slightly resting more weight on his back leg before bringing his hand up to his ear, flicking his arm out in one fluid motion. 

You watch as the knife flies through the air, landing dead center in the makeshift target from early. You stare at him in shock. “That. You do that.” Watching as he retrieves the blade, holding it back out for you to take.

Shaking your head in denial, “I don’t think you can do that.” 

“Of course you can.” Satoru steps behind you. “Let me help you.” 

He presses the hilt of the blade in your hand before cupping the back of your hand. “Feel the weight, just like you were before. The more even the weight, the easier the throw.” You shift the weight once again in your hand, following his instructions. “Now pinch the blade with your thumb and finger” he shifts the blade in your hand so you are now holding it the way he had.  

“Careful,” he warns, “It’s sharp.” Glancing back to give him a ‘no shit’ look, to which he pays no attention too now pressing his back against yours as he moves the both of you into the proper stance. His breath is warm against your neck. His hand slides up to your bicep as he brings it past your ear. His head now resting on your opposite shoulder as the both of you stare at the target. 

“You want to throw out on the exhale, that’s how you get the most power.” He guides you through the movements a few more times, making sure your comfortable with the motion. 

“Ready?” His voice deep in your ear. Nodding, he helps guide your arm back once more. You stare at the target, as if it was mocking you. Exhaling through your mouth you snap your arm forward letting go of the blade. 

You watch in shock as the blade lands dead center. Jerking your head to where Satoru is still resting against your shoulder staring at him in shock only to find him already staring at you a wide grin on his lips. “That was all you sweetheart.” 

The two of you stay locked in this staring contest, chest heaving with excitement at the first actual sign of improvement before you become very aware that your faces are only centimeters apart. You let out a huff before stepping out of his hold towards where your knife is embedded. 

“Thank you, Satoru. For everything.” 

Watching as he bows his head, “it’s my pleasure.” 

You tuck the blade safely away in its sheath. You tie of the ends in a secure knot before slipping it over your head and under one of your arms, resting just above your breast next to your heart. 

“How does it look?” You ask Satoru.

“Beautiful.”

~~

You spend nearly every waking moment in the link pod, much to the worry of Shoko and Nanami. You couldn’t remember the time last time you got more than 6 hours of sleep. You’re only awake long enough to eat dinner with your friends and maybe film a video log if you can remember. 

Every time Shoko sees you, you’re busy throwing up or sitting in the complete darkness to chase the headaches away. Eventually she prescribes you some migraine medication, it works for a while, the stabbing pain reducing itself into a dull throb. Nothing deters you from that pod, not even a stubborn headache. 

The weeks start bleeding into each other. Each day is filled with training, collecting samples, learning the ways of the Gojo clan. Everyday you and Satoru grow closer, every waking moment spent together. 

Today started no differently- training, collecting samples, all the usual, however Satoru had been antsy all morning as if he was nervous about something. His strange mood paired with him brushing off your multiple concerns had you on edge.  It was a little later in the afternoon when he snapped, claiming he “couldn’t wait any longer.” 

His grip on your hand was light, if you wanted to break out it you could easily do so but you didn’t mind the warmth of his hand as he dragged you all the way up to the canopy of the home tree. Satoru releases your hand as he moves further out on the branch that hangs over the forest.  Catching your breath you carefully follow minding your step, one simple misstep would send you plummeting into the trees below.  

Glancing down at the forest beneath you puts into perspective on how far up you truly were. Clouds past beneath you as you stare at the tops of all the other trees. Slowly, you make your way to where Satoru stands. He chirps out into the open sky, calling out to someone. 

Your only a few steps away from him when you watch in horror as Satoru loses his footing on the damp branch, his weight sending him over the edge and towards the forest floor below. 

“Satoru!” you wail out, darting to where he once stoop. “Shit! Satoru!” Eyes frantically search around trying to spot anywhere he could’ve landed. Vision becoming blurry with every passing second you scream into the void. 

A big gust of wind nearly sends you flying over the edge, regaining your balance you slowly turn to see what had caused the unnatural force. What stands behind you is a beast of an Ikran, pure white with gray markings. Light pink scars litter its body, the creature tilts its massive head as it continues to stare at you. 

There was a saying for when people were faced with a threat, fight or flight. However, right now you’d argue a secret third option- Freeze. The entirety of your body freezing up in terror as the creature in front of flaps its wing. Frozen in place you make no attempt to run, knowing damn well that this thing would gobble you the second you make a break for it. The Ikran takes a step towards you, letting out a deafening screech that has you covering your ears. His wings flutter again, your eyes screwing shut awaiting the feeling of teeth piercing your skin. 

A familiar voice calls out your name, causing your eyes to shoot open, gaze flickering up to where Satoru is comfortably seated on top of the large creature. Heart nearly beating out of your chest as you watch him slide down from the back of the beast. 

Satoru is wiping his eyes from his excessive laughter, a smile wide on his cheeks. “You should’ve seen the look on your face,” he laughs out. 

Eye twitching as anger swells in your chest at his childish stunt, not finding it funny whatsoever. Once close enough you start swatting at him, hands landing solid hits against his chest. “You ASSHOLE!”

“Ow, Ow, OW STOP!” He yelps out, attempting to grab your slapping hands. Dodging his grip you continue your assault. A series of chirps from the Ikran can be heard over the slaps, almost as if it was laughing at Satoru’s pain. 

“That wasn’t funny!” Assault on him finally slowing as you ball your hands against his chest. Tears brim your lashes as you dip your head from Satoru’s sight. “I thought you were-.” The admittance dies on your lips. 

“Hey,” he softly says, leaning down trying to catch your gaze but you refuse to look at him. “I’m sorry, I thought it would be funny.” 

“Well it wasn’t” you mumble out.  

“I know that now.” Glancing back up at him you can see the remorse written across his face. “I wanted you to meet Ke’wankxn.” He lets go of you hands before slowly walking to the beast.

“Ke’wankxn?” The name rolling off your tongue. 

“It means free, unobstructed. To be limitless. I call him Ke’ for short.” 

“It’s a beautiful name.” 

He waves towards you. “Come, pet him. He loves it.” Satoru reaches his hand to the underside of Ke’s jaw, the Irkan letting out a low growl of approval at the chin scratches. 

Taking a step back you shake your head, “No thank you.” 

“You’ll hurt his feelings,” he pouts, Ke’ chirping in agreement. 

Your feet stay rooted in their spot, “I’m ok.” 

“He doesn’t bite.” Satoru pauses before squinting at Ke’ and shrugging, “Well sometimes.” 

A scoff leaves your lips, “Oh, that puts my mind at ease.” 

Satoru leaves Ke's side slowly walking towards you. “Do you really think I would let something happen to you?” Deep down you know that he wouldn’t, which makes your feeling about him so much unclearer. “Do you?” he presses again. 

“No.” You confirm. 

“C’mon, we’ll go slow yeah?” 

“Ok.” Grabbing Satoru’s hand you take an uncertain step towards the massive creature, watching as he lowers his head to the ground, sensing your unease. 

“He like under his chin scratched the best, but he doesn’t really mind where as long as he gets his pets.” He gently grabs your wrist, bringing your hand to lay on his neck. “Be nice to her, she’s nervous.” He warns Ke’. 

Petting against the dry leathery skin, fingers running softly over the scaring that litters his body. The beast rumbles under your touch almost as if purring. You apply a little more pressure, nails now gently scratching his skin, you try to hide a smile at the now limp beast, not wanting to give Satoru any satisfaction of being right. 

“Wanna go on a ride?” 

Your eyes nearly bludge out of head at the question. You turn to face him, a refusal dying on your lips at the sight of a headband nearly identical his own dangling from his fingertips. “Are you crazy?” 

“Probably,” he shrugs taking a step forward to place the headband against your forehead, tucking the prongs behind your ears, “Come one, it’ll be fun.” 

“I shouldn’t.” You admit, lately it’s been getting harder and harder to tell him no. 

“Why? Give me a genuine reason why and I’ll drop it.” His assertiveness causes you to stutter, any reason you might’ve had vanishes from your head. Satoru girns as if he just won the lottery, “knew it.” 

Satoru scales the wings of Ke’, reattaching the bond. You move with uncertainty as you place your foot on the wing, following Satoru’s movements hoisting one leg over the back of the Ikran. Settling a comfortable distance away from Satoru trying to be mindful of his personal space. 

A warmth radiates across your thigh, looking down you spot Satoru’s large hand resting against your skin. Letting out a yelp as he drags you flat against his back, your hands grabbing the top of his shoulders for balance. 

“What the hell Satoru!” 

“Hold on, I don’t want you to fall off.” Ke’ stands on his legs, wings ruffling. Your hands quickly latch around Satoru’s waist as the two of you lift off the ground and into the sky.

Satoru doesn’t do anything to crazy during your shared flight, only startling you a few times when you loosen your grip. You watch in awe as Ke’s wings flap and glide through the air. Occasionally flying through a cloud causing you to shiver at the cold condensation. Ke’ and Satoru let out the occasional pitch and chirp as they communicate throughout the bond. You rest your your head against Satoru’s back as you continue to stare out into the horizon. His skin is warn against your cheek and you can hear the steady beat of his heart. Off in the distance you can make out the legendary floating mountains, along with other gigantic trees. 

You are drawn out of your appreciative staring when a drop of water lands on your skin. The sensation causing you to look up at the angry black clouds forming overhead. “Satoru!” You call out, his head snaps over his shoulder at you. “It’s about storm!” You feel his abs tense underneath you grip. He shouts something to Ke’, unclear to you as a clap of thunder rings throughout the sky. 

Ke’ picks up speed as the rain pelts against your skin. Both males eagerly looking for lodging large and safe enough to wait the storm out in. Lightning lights up the dark sky, illuminating the surrounding area just enough for Satoru to spot an adequate shelter. 

Satoru lands as another loud clap of thunder rattle through the forest causing you to lightly flinch. All of you are soaked to the bone, Ke’ shakes off the excess water from his skin. Your hair sticks to your skin and Satoru is fairing no better. White hair is matted down to his forehead,  you watch as he rakes his fingers through the mop of wet hair, pushing it back and out of his eyes. You can’t help the thought that runs through your head as you wring your own hair out: 

He looks good wet.

You can feel the tips of your ears darken as heat rushed to your cheeks. Shame washes over you at the thought, but before you can dwell on it Satoru speaks up, “I’m going to try and see if I can find something we can dry off with. Maybe something to eat too.” You nod in agreement, trying to wring out as much water as you can from your now soaked loincloth. 

“Don’t wander too far, ok?” Giving a thumbs up in response, still trying to get as much water out of loincloth as possible. 

You watch as Satoru disappears deeper into the forest you can’t help but think back to the thought that passed through your mind only moments before. Those thoughts have been passing through more often than not. Your feelings for the man becoming more unclear as each day passes. 

Your fingers work on unbraiding your hair so that it can dry faster when you first hear it. A faint hissing that only grows louder, Satoru hasn’t even been gone for five minutes and something was already angry at you. Surveying the area, you glance up in the trees and around the small clearing. A unnatural shine catching your attention and that’s when you notice it- a small reptile like creature, that you can’t remember the name of, stands just a little ways away baring it’s fangs at you. 

The creature limps as it circles you, its hind legs giving out with every step. Something must’ve gotten to it earlier hence its agitated state. Slowly you reach for the dagger secured around your chest, pointing the blade directly at the creature. It’s hide is thick but not impenetrable, you’ve seen it before when you spent the day weaving the same material into baskets with Utahime while Satoru was out on one of his solo hunts. 

Your dragger is clasped in your hand as you weigh your options. You could try and stall until Satoru came back but, he just left not too long along and you weren’t sure when he would return. You could wait and see if it would become uninterested in you, which didn’t seem like it would happen anytime soon.

The creature makes the decision for you as it leaps towards you. Quickly flipping the dragger in your grip you wait for the right moment to strike. Your attacker lunges towards you, effectively exposing its underbelly. The blade leaves your hand seamlessly, imbedding itself it the belly of the creature. 

The creature wails in pain as you walk towards the little guy, heart breaking at each little whimpers that leave its mouth. You quickly remove the blade from the belly, uttering the words Siyìaw and Satoru have taught you as you rest your blade against its neck. 

“Oel ngati kameie, ma tsmukan, ulte ngaru seiyi irayo. Ngari hu Eywa salew tirea, tokx 'ì'awn slu Na'viyä hapxì.”

Life leaves the creature, and you can’t help but hang your head low, eyes prickling at the fact this is the first life you have ever taken. Satoru finds you in this position nearly half an hour later, worried shouts dying in his throat once he glance upon what lays in your lap. He looks at the creature, then at your puffy eyes. You watch as he gently takes the animal from your grasp, setting it off to the side. 

“Oh sweetheart,” he gathers you in his arms as you sob. 

“I didn’t want to,” you choke out.

“I know,” Satoru’s hands run over your head, smoothing down your wild hair. “It was either you or him.” 

“Still.” You choke out. 

“You used what I taught you.” 

“You’re a good teacher.” You mumble into his chest.

“I’m glad you think so.” 

You spend a few more moments in his embrace, savoring the feeling of his body against yours. “I’m sorry,” you push off of him and look towards the ground where your kill lays. “I don’t know what came over me.” 

“It’s alright.” He cups your cheek, brushing a rouge tears away, “we’ll take it back home and I’ll skin it. That way you can use its hide and teeth to craft something. In memoriam of your first kill.” 

“I would like that.” You look up from where the creature lays to meet Satoru’s far away gaze, as if he was lost in thought. The silence sets alarm bells off in your head, now worrying that you did something wrong. 

“Did I do-” 

“We must return. I have to speak with my mother,” Satoru stands and you clamp your mouth shut. He reaches for the beast, passing off to you as you stand. His demeanor a complete 180 from mere seconds ago. You follow closely behind as the two of you trek towards where you left Ke’. You itch to ask what’s wrong but Satoru’s blank face has you holding your tongue. The storm had died down substantially, enough for a choppy ride home. 

Satoru helps you off as you land, feet losing their balance against the damp ground. Others gather around you, thanking Eywa for your safe return. Satoru pays them no mind as he heads straight for his mother’s prayer tent. Only stopping abruptly at the threshold holding his hands out for the beast once again. You wordless hand it to him and watch as he enters the small room, curtain cascading behind him. 

An hour passes before Satoru emerges, beast still in his grasps. “My mother wants to see you.” Is all he says before walking off, leaving you with more questions than answers. Your eyes adjust to the dim lighting of the prayer room as you enter, Siyìaw sitting crisscross behind a series of bowls and herbs. 

“My son tells me you experienced your first kill today, is that true?” 

You nod, “it is.” 

“He also tells me it was a noble kill.” 

“I didn’t want to,” you begin to explain yourself but stop as her hand raises. 

“You wept for the animal, is that correct?” Embarrassment washes over you. Not believing the fact that Satoru told his mother that your cried over an animal.

“It is,” you look away, rubbing at your arm sheepishly. 

“Sit my child.” Wordlessly, you follow her orders. “I’ve known it since the moment my son brought you here, it is the reason I deemed you teachable.” 

“What is?” 

“You are connected my child.” Her words shock you, connected? What does that mean? Connected to what? Connected to who? 

“You are connected to Eywa, my dear. The reason you feel for everything so deeply for everything around you is because of that connection.” 

“How? How is that possible,” You stammer out. “I’m not even real Na’vi. I come from Earth, a motherless place.” The whole concept seeming outlandish. 

“Tsk,” she shakes her head at your argument. “That makes no difference to the Great Mother. Your heart is pure for this planet and your own. Even if your own mother has abandoned her people.” 

She leans into you, her fingers lightly jabbing your chest. 

“You adapt.” Jab.

“You listen.” Jab.  

“You help.” Jab. 

Her hands interlock with yours, “In 3 days time you will have your rightful spot within the Gojo clan, this is the will of Eywa.” 

“I couldn’t… It’s not right.” You try and argue. 

“Are you arguing with Eywa my child?” 

Any dispute left in you disappears. You pull out of her hold, rasing your hands in surrender, “No, not whatsoever.” 

Chucking at your reaction you watch as she goes back to mixing her herbs. “My son thinks very highly of you.” 

“I think highly of him too,” a thoughtless smile crosses your face at the mention her son. 

She smirks at your response. “He is to become Olo’eyktan soon.” 

You nod at her statement, “He says that he still feels unsure, as if he isn’t worthy.” 

“Well do you think he is worthy my child?” 

“I do.” Your response shows no hesitation, “I believe that he will become a great leader.” 

She hums at your quick response, “he will soon have to choose a mate, someone worthy of standing by his side.” Heart sinking to your stomach at her observation. You had completely forgotten about that tiny detail. While you knew he would have to chose a mate eventually, especially with how some of the other women in the clan stare at him but, you thought you had more time. “Well whoever he chooses is extremely lucky, Satoru is an amazing man.” 

Exiting the prayer room with a small frown at the thought of any of these women being picked as Satoru’s mate. You shouldn’t care, the two of you could never anyways. The two of you were literal worlds apart and there would come a day where you would no longer be on this planet. 

You bite your fingernails, deep in thought.  Maybe it was time to start distancing yourself from Satoru. Maybe getting someone else to help with your research was the safer bet. You don’t know when he planned to assume his role of Olo’eyktan, but based off the way Siyìaw talked mention it, it didn’t seem like it was too far off. What would happen after the ceremony? What happens when your research is concluded and you are shipped back off to earth? You weren’t going to be here for forever, what happens to the people you’ve grown to care about? Would they mourn you? Be angry at you? These thoughts swim around your head, eating away at your resolve. You press the heel of your palm into your eyes, willing the voices to quiet down. 

“Sweetheart?” Your head snaps up at the familiar term of endearment. Satoru stand before you, blue eyes swimming with worry. “Is everything ok?”

You nod, not trusting your voice. 

“Do you feel sick?” 

“Just tired,” the meaning deeper than you care to admit. “Just thinking.” 

“About me?” He jokes as if he wasn’t acting strange only a few hours ago, his hands coming to rest on hips as he puffs out his chest. 

“No.” Your voice falls flat and his smirk flatters. “It’s just stuff back at the lab.” 

His eyes squint at your short response, “That man isn’t bothering you again, is he?” Cocking his head to the side he crosses his arms against his chest, remembering the stories you told him about Sukuna and his less than savorable behavior. “My offer still stands, after all I’d win.” 

“I know you would but, it isn’t him. I haven’t heard anything from my bosses regrading the samples we took.” 

“Oh,” is all he says and an awkward silence washes over you. 

“Yeah,” you click your teeth, “I should probably head back.” 

“I’ll walk you to your hammock.” 

For a moment you want to take him up on his offer but the thoughts from earlier come rushing back. “It’s fine.” You tell him. 

“I don’t mind it,” he presses. 

“I rather walk back by myself.” His face falls at your short words and you can feel your heart break the tiniest bit. 

“Umm….” He hesitates, hands coming to scratch the back of his neck. “Ok, if that’s what you want. I’ll see you tomorrow then?” He asks, hopefully. 

“Yeah,” you mummer out. Tears streaming down your cheeks as you walk to your hammock, alone. 

~~

“Once again I pretty much avoided Satoru all day.” You spin around in your office chair, eyes closed as you speak to the camera. “I only saw him twice, once in the moring when he dropped of my skinned kill and once right before I disconnected.” 

“He didn’t look mad,” you try and recall his facial features from the short amount of time you saw him. “I don’t know anymore. I can’t look him in the eyes anymore. I can’t think straight around him, not after what Siyìaw told me the other day.” You sigh, “It’s for the best. Still haven’t heard anything from the labs back home, who knows maybe this is all a lost cause and we will all be sent home first thing next week.” Groaning out you plant your feet on the ground, stopping the chair. Eyes opening back at the camera, “Utahime isn’t any help either. She keeps saying things like ‘he cares for you’ and that ‘he doesn’t ‘see’ anyone else. Still don’t really know what that means.” 

You scan your desk for the bottle of high dose pain-killers Shoko had given you the other week after another round of particularly grueling headache, locating the bottle you unscrew the top and pop one in your mouth. “I will say however I’m a pretty damn good craftsmen,” you point a finger up, emphasizing your point to the camera. “I made two arm cuffs today. One for me and the other for Satoru, if he wants it…” you taper off, once again getting lost in thought about the man who has captured your every waking thought . 

“Anyways,” You trail off. “I’ll let you know how everything goes tomorrow.  The cafeteria tonight is serving pizza sticks and I am not missing those again.” You reach towards the camera, clicking the end recording button. Your nerves buzzing throughout your skin at the mere thought of the induction ceremony tomorrow. You’ve been walked through it countless times and had question any poor soul who crossed your path. 

Its early enough that the cafeteria is still quiet when you enter, Shoko and Nanami nowhere in sight. You shrug at their missing presence, you were earlier than usual wanting to make sure you got what you desired. Granted they weren’t good by any means not compared to what you have been eating with the Gojo clan.  

You hum a tune that you heard the children of the clan singing softly this morning as you set your tray on the table. Smile growing as you think of how far you have come with the people who were once wary of your very presence. Too engrossed in your walk down memory lane you fail to notice the shadow that washes over you. 

“Having fun playing pretend out there Doc?” 

You rub your head at Sukuna's gruff voice, not wanting to deal with his mind games today. “Sukuna I am not in the mood right now.” 

“Boo-who,” he mocks. The smell of his overpriced cologne (how he managed to get it here was beyond you) only making your headache worse. “You didn’t answer my question.” 

“Don’t you have better things to be doing then harassing me?” You truly think that this man does not a damn thing. 

“C’mon tell me what it’s like out there. What’s the local life like? What do you even do out there? Are you their pet? Plaything? You gotta tell me something.” 

You’ve had enough of this bastard for the evening. “I’ll have you know Sukuna that tomorrow night I will become a true member of the Gojo clan. I will be one of them.”

“You can never truly be one of them.” He smirks at your response before standing over you, dwarfing you with his sheer height.  “Don’t forget whose side your on Doc. I’d hate for your little science project to get shut down and for you to never see your little boyfriend again.” 

His jab hits harder than you expected it too. While it was true you would never truly be one of them you didn’t really think it mattered. You were pretty damn happy with what you had and not even Sukuna could take that from you.  Pushing your plate away from you, appetite now ruined by Sukuna very presence you lay your head against the table and silently pray to whoever might be listening that tomorrow goes off without a hitch. 

~~

Your hair cascades down your back, the loose strands pulled behind your ears in a simple twist, the girls that had helped you get ready insisting on something other than your regular braid. The youngest presenting you with a handmade hairpin that holds it all in place. The smile on their faces was worth every tug. 

A heavy shawl is draped over your shoulders as Utahime finishes painting the ceremonial symbols on your back. The only place that remains unmarked is your neck and face, she is about to start when a voice pipes up from the threshold.  “Can I come in?” Satoru hesitantly asks. 

Utahime looks at you and you shrug, the decision up to her. “Yes, Satoru. You can come in.” She rolls her eyes as he stumbles through the cloth. 

“Hi,” you awkwardly greet. 

“Hi,” his gaze doesn’t meet yours. 

“Done,” Utahime declares stepping away from behind you. “Now for your face.”

“Can I do it?” Satoru asks. 

Utahime’s and your eyes meet once again. She gives you a knowing smirk before passing the bowl of paint off to Satoru. “Sure!” 

You shake your head at her, pleading silently for her not to go but she is out the door without another word. You turn back to Satoru who looks at you sheepishly. 

“Sorry,” Satoru sheepishly apologizes. “I should’ve asked you.” 

“It’s fine,” your voice cracks a tad and you cringe. 

Satoru dips his fingers into the bowl while your heart somersaults. He brings his hands up to your forehead before lightly pressing down and dragging the rough pads of his fingers across the expanse of your skin. You hiss slightly at the cold feeling of the paint, Satoru mumbles out a quick apology before moving down towards your temples. The feeling of his skin on yours making you internally scream. 

“You’re not mad at me. Are you?” He asks, voice quiet as is he is afraid of the answer. 

“No. I’m not mad at you.” You clarify. His question doesn’t shock you the past few days you’ve been avoiding him, barely speaking full sentence when you were forced to talk to him. 

“It seems like you are.” 

You let out a long sigh. “It’s just work. Something is happening back at base and I can’t figure it out. I’m also nervous about tonight.” Conveniently leaving out the part where your falling in love with him. 

“There’s no need to be nervous. I’ll be right there next to you.” His smile helping calm you nerves. 

“Yeah, that’s part of the problem,” you can’t help think to yourself. 

Satoru finish up with the marking on you cheeks and jawline. A shiver racks your body as his fingers trail down your neck, his touch tickling you. Satoru chuckles lowly to himself at you squirm before removing his touch. His fingers dip once more into the bowl, this time dragging down your lips. His fingers still for a moment on your lower lip, pulling it down slightly before releasing it with a slight pop. He places the bowl down and grabs a rag to wipe his hands with. 

“I made something for you,” he says, reaching around his neck to untie one of his many necklaces. He lays it in your awaiting palms, not a sound can be heard as you study the carefully crafted item. In the centerpiece lays a tooth about the size of your pinky, the beast it once belonged to must’ve been a large one. Beads flow from the sides of the tooth in an alternating white and blue color scheme- the blue suspiciously close in hue to the gifters eyes. 

“Its beautiful Satoru. Thank you,” you clutch the piece to your chest. “I’ll treasure it forever.” 

“I’m glad you like it.” Satoru adverts his gaze and you can faintly see the tips of his ears redden in embarrassment.

“Will you help me put it on? I don’t think I can lift my arms with this thing on.” Lifting your shoulders to emphasize the heavy shaw on your shoulder as you hold the necklace for him to take. 

Satoru silently takes the necklace from your hands and moves to stand behind you. He drapes it over your head being mindful of your carefully done hair and other ornamental objects that grace your body, he ties it off with a secure knot before stepping back around, making sure you were happy with the placement.

“You look stunning.” 

You can feel your own skin flush at the complement before quickly diverting your attention, now looking for he arm cuff you made just the day prior. “I also made you something.”  It isn’t as well-crafted as Satoru’s gift but you still tried. “It isn’t much,” you mumble out slightly ashamed that he gave you something so beautiful but all you could muster up was something simple. 

He takes it lightly from your hold turning it in his hands as he looks over the small details that you managed to crave into it. Face breaking into a wide grin, “I love it.” He holds it to his chest just as you did to the necklace. 

He kneels in front of you holding it back out to you, “it’s only fair that you help me.” Taking the band from his grasp, laying it across the middle of his bicep. His arm lightly flexing underneath your touch as you tie it off. 

It is silent for a beat, then the chanting of the Gojo clan picks up signaling that the ceremony is about to begin. Satoru stands, offering his arm which you gladly take. He leads you to where all the others were waiting and your heart begins to pound harder and harder with each step towards the prayer circle. Satoru stops just before the two of you can be seen sensing your unease. “You’ll be fine.” His hand squeezes your, grounding you. 

“I think I’m going to hurl.” You tell him truthfully. 

“They already see you as one of us, this is just making it official. To be shown to Eywa that we have accepted you.” You nod at his calming words, happy to have him next you. “Are you ready?” 

Taking a deep breath in, you nod. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” Satoru shoots you his biggest grin, eyes lighting up at your response before once again interlocking his arm with yours. 

The crowd goes silent at your entrance, you hold your head high. Never in your wildest dreams did you think that you would be doing something like this. But, here you were officially becoming one of the people. 

Satoru unlaces his arms from your once you reach Siyìaw, moving to now stand by his mother’s side, mouthing one last ‘you’ll be fine’.  All eyes are on you as Siyìaw takes your hands in hers. 

“I have seen the sky people come and go. I have seen dreamwalkers and others try to learn our ways, our people, our home but none have been worthy in the eyes of Eywa.” She drops your hands, now reaching for a bowl of mixed ingredients from the forest. “Until now!” 

The crowd erupts in various shouts, cheers, and yelps. The chaotic noise only last a moment before it becomes a unanimous prayer. 

“Txe’lan si virta ‘awsiteng pixel ‘aw mi nawm sa’nok menari,” can be heard chanting from every corner, not a single soul silent. 

“Eywa accept this child as we have accepted her.” She dips her fingers in the bowl collecting a decent size glob. “Her pure heart,” she spreads the cold mixture right above your heart, “ her soul, and her mind.” Her fingers run from up your neck, across your lips before stopping right in the middle of your temple. 

“Zola’u to the Clan, my child,” her words a whisper only you could hear. The thundering of hands surrounds you followed by numerous cheers. “She is welcoming you home child,”. You watch in shock as bioluminescents of the surrounding forest glow a shade stronger. More chants and cheers can be heard as others take notice. Siyìaw lifts a silencing hand, once the crowd is quiet enough for her liking she declares that it is time to feast. Your stomach grumbles at the mere thought of food and it is now your turn to join in on the chirps.

Your belly is full as you watch the children sing and dance. The song that you overheard them practicing the other day they now sing loud and proud. Parents dance with their youngest, tiring them out before the festivities truly begin.  Other older teens and young adults join in on the fun, the steady sound of drums and singing fills your ears, rhythm quickly gaining speed as the more experience join. 

You had just finished a round of dancing with the few children left awake, trying and failing to keep up with their excited energy.  You carefully disrobe your shawl, the weight now taking a toll on you, the white paint that once covered your skin had also been cleansed at some point during the night. 

Utahime joins you at some point after that, taking a seat next you as you catch your breath, handing you a cup of fermented fruit juice, a ceremonial wine.  “Where did you get that?” she points at your newest jewelry addition. 

Your hands reach towards the necklace resting against your chest, carefully fiddling with the large tooth. “Oh, Satoru made it for me.” An unconscious smile making its way across your face at the mere mention at his name.  

“He finally said something then.” She smirks. 

“Huh?” 

“That my friend, is betrothal necklace.” She gestures at the necklace before taking another sip of her mulled drink. “It is custom for the men of the Gojo clan to gift their intended a necklace made out of the vines of the home tree, along with a piece of their largest kill.” She squints at the tooth that you continue to fiddle with. “From the look of that tooth, I’d say from the beast he killed just the other week during his solo hunt.” 

She leans into your chest now taking a closer look at the jewelry that adorns your neck, you can’t help but shrink away from her curious gaze. “It looks like he’s been working on this for a long time. Those beads are handpainted.” 

“What?” You ask again, the situation not sinking in what-so-ever. 

“He want to become your mate.” She smirks at your dumbfounded face. You look over to where Satoru is talking to a few of the adolescents and by his animated gesturing you can assume he is telling them about one of his journey’s with Ke’. 

“I’m surprise he was able to wait this long,” she continues, your gaze doesn’t break away from Satoru. “He was convinced that you were sent from the heavens, which I mean you kind of were.” Her voice is drowned out by the sound of your own heart in your ears. The rest of your surroundings fade away, the only point of focus: Satoru. Watching as one of the teen point at his newest accessory and he is quick to look at where you rest, eyes now meeting. Your heart beats unseemingly quicker as he ruffles the hair of the child before jogging over to you. 

“Hi.” Is what you settle on, no other words coming to mind. Too caught up in the information Utahime has just dumped on you. 

“Hi,” he breathy chuckles out. You can hear Utahime snort into her cup from besides you and you are half tempted to shoot her a glare, but Satoru is quick to offer his hand hand. “Dance with me?”

“You don’t dance.” You state, remembering his past attempts. 

“I think I can make the exception.” He doesn’t wait for an answer, instead pulling you up onto your feet. “Besides I like this song.” 

The beat of the drums rings in a heavy pattern, only a tad bit slower than the energetic beat the children had danced too. Multiple voices from all throughout sing along to the lively tune that plays a perfect harmony, just like the forest. The dance has no set step, no pattern to follow. It’s all about what you feel in the moment, you don’t think as the music takes over for you. Satoru steps in small circles around you, spinning every so often as he claps with the beat. Your own feet stepping side to side as the tempo increases. 

Your tail flickers with excitement as Satoru takes one of your hands moving it up and down to the beat, fingers on his other hand fluttering through the air as they move in synchrony. You follow his lead, bouncing back and forth to the beat on the balls of your feet. 

Others join in, creating a small huddle around you, eventually all of you move in time with the beat, essentially creating one big conga line of movement. The circle grows in size and among the bodies you can spot Utahime and even Suguru getting in on the fun. The latter seeming more tolerable of your presence since the failed hunt. Slowly you and Satoru dance your way to the outskirts of the circle, the both of you desperately trying to catch your breath. 

“Do you want to get out of here for a little bit?” Satoru asks as you continue to watch the crowd. 

“Can we do that?” A look of uncertainty written on your face. 

“You’re the guest of honor, you can do whatever you want.” He looks over at the crowd  “besides, I don’t think they notice.” Nodding in agreement as you take once last glance at the crowd that is too lost in their own pleasure to even notice that the two of you had stopped dancing.  Satoru takes your hands in his pulling you away from the excitement. 

Vines of pink and purple sway in the breeze as the two of you stroll through the Trees of Voices. Only having been here once before with Satoru and his mother. It was was breath-taking during the day it but, something about the night made it even more enchanting. 

“Did you have fun tonight?” Satoru asks, voice soft. 

“I did.” Confirming with a nod as the two of lazily rest against the trunk of one of the trees. “It’s nice to officially be apart of the clan now.”

“You’ve been apart of this clan since the first day.” He reaches for one of your hands, clasping it in his own tightening grip. “My mother adores you, the children love you, even Utahime likes you.” 

“Do you like me?” The question leaves your mouth before you can stop yourself. 

“More than you know.” He shoots you a playful wink. Lightly you shake his hand off yours with your own playful eye roll. 

“The people respect my mother a great deal, that’s why no one has challenged her on me becoming Olo’eyktan. I know she’s tired though.” The sudden confession has you looking over in confusion. . 

“Honestly, I never could picture myself becoming Olo’eyktan. That I would ever be ready for that burden, until I met you.” He shifts away from the tree, body now knelt in front of you. His hands reach your own, a small gasp escapes you at the gesture. “Teaching you all these months have been some of the best days of my life.” 

His forehead comes to rest against your interlocked hands. “Everytime you leave I find myself eagerly waiting for your return. I hate when I can’t spend every waking moment with you. These past three days have been torture, you wouldn’t even look at me.”  

“Satoru-” you try to pull away, however his grip remains firm. 

“Let me finish, please.” He begs. “You’ve taught me many things as well. I understand why Eywa has chosen you. You are brave, kind, selfless…” he pauses for a moment, his eyes searching yours. “Beautiful.” 

“I assume my mother told you that after this ceremony I will officially claim Olo’eyktan.” How could you forget? That once Satoru claims Olo’eyktan he will need to chose a mate. The entire reason you had been avoiding him for the past 3 days, your stomach tightens at the thought.

“She did,” you say, swallowing the lump in your throat. 

“Once I become Olo’eyktan I will need to chose a woman,” he reaches out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind your ear. “Become my mate, please.” His question barely above a whisper 

You stand abruptly, Satoru follows without a sliver of hesitation, hands never leaving yours. “What?” voice cracking as you ask for clarification. 

“I want you.” He reaffirms. “I want you to stand by my side when I become Olo’eyktan. All I’ve ever wanted is you.” 

For a moment you let yourself indulge in this little fantasy. The man you love is standing in front of you telling you that he feels the same. But that is all it can be, a fantasy. “We- We can’t Satoru.” You shake your head, trying to take a step back from his grip.

“Why not?” Voice cracking he continues, refusing to accept your answer without an explanation. “Do you not feel the same? Please tell me if I understood wrong.” 

Shaking your head, vision blurring as tears well in your eyes. “It isn’t that. It’s just- its-” The explanation dying in your throat. 

“What is it?” He pleads. 

“I’m human Satoru!” You shout, finally ripping your hands from his as you take a step back. “Even if I walk and talk in this body, my real body lays dormant back in a lab!” 

“That doesn’t matter! Not to me, you know that.” Taking a step forward, trying to regain the distance that you created. 

You sigh, running your hands through your hair. “We lives worlds apart Satoru. I care for you deeply.” He perks up at your confession only to deflate, “It just not feasible.” 

“We could do it, nothing would change.” He tries to take another step towards you only stopping when spotting the pity in your eyes. “What? We could make it work. I know we could.” 

“Satoru,” you choke up. “I’m not going to be here for forever. One day we will have to pack up and I will have to go back to Earth.” 

“That doesn’t matter. I love you.” His hands cup your cheeks as you try to turn to away, forcing you to look deep into his eyes. A feather light kiss is pressed against your lips. 

“We shouldn’t Satoru,” you mumble against his lips as you try and pull away from his embrace, tears slowly streaming down your face. You can’t look him in the eye, not like this. 

“Look at me, please.” His voice breaks along with your heart. His grip is bruising, afraid you’ll disappear if he lets you go. You screw your eyes shut and shake your head, tears now rapidly failing. Letting out small hiccups as you try and contain your sobs. Why did this have to be such a mess? Where was all that talk about being rational? About not getting involved and observing from a distance? Some scientist you were. 

Warm, featherlight kisses across your tear streaked face startle you out of your self-deprecating thoughts. You open your eyes to find Satoru only centimeters away from your face. His gaze filled with longing but also dejection. It pains you to see him this way, even if the fault was your own. 

“Lets go back, yeah?” Satoru asks, pressing a final kiss against your forehead. 

“In a minute,” you mumble in his chest, not wanting to go back into reality, for as long as you are here with him at the Trees of Voices you can pretend that you really belong. Going back means having to face the truth. You will never be full Na’vi and worse- you can never be with Satoru. You keep your eyes closed as you rest against his chest, the steady beat of his heart providing comfort as he subtly rocks you back and forth, trying his best to comfort you and if you had to guess himself as well. 

The exhaustion from your cries combined with Satoru’s soft movements are the perfect recipe for sleep. Blinking the water out of your eyes only to find yourself staring at the ceiling of your pod instead of the canopies of the trees. You push open the heavy door and sigh. As you sit up you bring your hands to your face and quietly sob. No one else is logging anymore hours, so you are completely alone in the link room. How fitting. Your pity party is quickly interrupted by the whoosh of the lab door opening. Wiping your tears and swallowing down the lump in your throat you glance at Nanami who just stares. 

“You logged 18 hours today,” he says. There is no bite, no disapprovement, just a plain observation. 

“Yeah, I know.” 

“You need to get some rest.”  

“I think that’s probably a good idea.” The two of sit in silence for a beat before you stand. It’s a struggle at first, exhaustion weighing your bones. Nanami makes a slight movement as if he was going to try and help but you wave him off before he can get any closer. 

“Shoko is going to baby you tomorrow, you know that right?” 

Squeezing your eyes shut as you feel another one of your migraines start to form,. “No doubt about it. Goodnight Nanami.” 

“Goodnight, get some rest, please.”

Making away to the exit, you turn over your shoulder and shoot him a small clearly tired smile. “I will.” The walk back to the dorms is longer than you would like it, having to pass multiple corridors and empty board rooms. Luckily it seems that majority of the staff is asleep, you didn’t need anyone else witnessing you like this. Headache continuing to grow as you continue your trek to your room. 

“Reinforcements will arrive soon, it’s just a matter of that damn doctor getting in our way.” The voice makes you stop cold in your tracks. You glance around to see where it is coming from the halls are empty, the only soul that wanders them is your own. Slowly you walk towards the corridor that splits off into the bunks and common room. You might not be in your avatar but hunting is hunting. You silently pad over and take a slow peak around the corner. There on the phone is Sukuna, his voice hushed as he speaks to someone. 

“No sir, getting the materials shouldn’t be a problem. The natives are savages but we have a few bleeding hearts here. Once they are out of the way everything will continue smoothly.” You gasp silently, forgetting that there are other, more experienced hunters in this world. Quickly reminded of the fact as Sukuna whips around, now staring at the spot you were just at. “I’ll speak to you later sir.” Sukuna ends the call. You can hear his footstep inch closer and closer to the post where you had tucked yourself behind. 

“Hmm. I hate this goddamn place,” he grumbles. “Always making strange fucking noises. I can’t wait to go home.” You hear him retreat, still grumbling to himself about his hatred for Pandora. You wait a moment until you are sure he is gone before tumbling back to your room. It takes you a few tries to swipe your keycard, the pin pad finally lighting up after a few panicked tries. You collapse face first on the bed and silently scream into the pillow. Thoughts racing around your head- Satoru asking you to be his mate, your refusal and now a coup? Could it get any worse. 

~~

Shoko all but screams at your appearance the next morning. Your plan to avoid her seemingly ruined by Nanami’s heads up, the blond must’ve told her about what happened last night because when you opened your door this morning she was already there waiting for you. You didn’t even have a chance to get a word out before you were forcibly dragged to the cafeteria. You didn’t have the energy to fight back. 

A plate of eggs and sausage are all but shoved in your hands as Shoko forces you down into a seat. “I don’t have time for this,” you mutter trying to stand and get to the link room. You needed to warn Satoru about what you heard last night, even if it turns out to be nothing

“Oh no you don’t.” Shoko grabs your wrist. “You look like crap.”

You roll your eyes at her concern, “I’m fine.” 

You words do little to convince her, “No, you’re not. I know the headaches are getting worse Y/n. Do you honestly think that spending all that time in the link is good for you?” 

“I said I’m fine,” you snap.

Shoko crosses her arms, “You are killing yourself doing this. And for what?” 

You turn away from her in shame. Honestly at this point you were lost. Anytime you spent in this body made you feel sicker and sicker, only getting worse with each passing day. “I don’t-” you sigh out. “I don’t know anymore Sho.” You turn towards her, folding in on yourself. “I just don’t feel right anymore. Not in this body. Something is wrong and I don’t know what. I feel so sick all the time. 

Shoko examines you- the way your eyes have sunken in, how your clothes sit looser on your body, how your hair has lost its shine, this isn’t the you she met all those years ago. “How about you take today off.” She lays a comforting hand on your shoulder. “You can come with me to my lab, we can run some test, try to get you some supplements and nutrients and you can take a nice long nap while I figure out what’s going on.” 

Her suggestion sounds nice, but deep down you know it isn’t possible. “ I can’t Sho. I can’t.” 

“Why not? What is so important that it is worth your life.” You can tell she getting pissed at being left in the dark and honestly, you can’t blame her. 

Glancing around the cafeteria, thankful that there are only a couple other people are scattered around the room. You look at her before you leaning in. “I overheard something last night.” Your voice low, “I heard Sukuna talking to someone about reinforcements. That getting the material wouldn’t be hard as soon as the bleeding hearts were out of the way.” 

Shoko hands fly to her mouth to muffle her gasp, “What? Are you sure?” 

You nod in conformation. “That’s why I have to link as soon as possible. I have to warn Satoru.” 

You look at Shoko as she tries to digest what you just told her, “I need you to do something for me. I need you to tell Nanami to meet me at the Home Tree and that I will explain everything to him there.” 

“I can do that.” 

“Are you also still friends with those pilots?”

“Yeah, Yuki and I go way back, why?” 

“I’m going to need to move one of the field labs out. We need to get a safe distance from here as soon as possible.” 

“Ok, ok. I can do that.” She nods before looking at your plate of untouched food. “I know you need to go but will you please eat just a few bites? After I get everyone on board I'll take a look at all your logged vital to see if I can see what’s going on with you, ok?” 

You take the fork and start shoveling the eggs into your mouth, “I would appreciate that.” 

“I’m going to figure out what is going on with you, and help your big blue friends, I promise.” 

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from you Sho.” You shoot her a grin. 

“Now go, I think someone is probably waiting for you.” She winks, pushing you out from your chair seeing as you had finished majority what was on the plate. You flick her off as you leave, her laughter carrying down the halls. 

~~

The first thing you feel while adjusting is hands playing with you hair. Gently twisting the loose strands between their fingers before letting it fall against your back. “I know you’re awake sweetheart,” lips kiss the shell of your ear. 

You notice that you are no longer in the position you fell asleep in last night. Instead Satoru is laying on the hard ground underneath you. “I hope I made a good pillow,” he teases. 

You go to push yourself off of him, embarrassed by the position, however, his hands lock around your torso pulling you back down into him. “Satoru,” you warn. “We shouldn’t.” 

He hushes you eyes closed as his head rest against the grass. “I know. I know. Just let me pretend for a little longer.” 

You study him, he looks so peaceful here with his eyes closed, hair messy from sleep. “Fine,” you make the decision to indulge him because you know that this can’t happen again. “Just for a little bit because there is something I have to tell you.” 

“You can tell me when we go back,” he hums out. A gentle breeze passes through the trees and you can feel Satoru’s tail wrap itself around your thigh as you shift from the bite of the wind. It doesn’t seem to bother Satoru in the slightest as he takes a deep breath in. “I can feel you staring,” he cracks an eye open to stare at where you are perched on his chest. 

“Ok. That’s enough.” You roll off him and onto the warm grass. Taking a moment to yourself, hoping the embarrassment of being caught wears off soon. You feel his eyes on you as you stand and stretch your arms over your head. You turn, ready to tell him to get up so you can make your way back to the home tree, but your words die in you throat as you see him on his side, head propped up on one of his muscular arms, tail waving playfully. 

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?” He challenges, smirk growing on his face. 

“Like you are going to eat me up.” 

“Maybe I want to.” 

“Satoru, please.” 

He chuckles, “I’m sorry, I can’t help it.” 

You step over to where he lays, “I know.” You extend your hand to help him up and he smiles like you just gave him the world on a silver platter. His hand interlocks with your and instead of rising to his feet he pulls back down. You can’t help the giggles that escape you as he rolls the two of you around in the flowers that surround the clearing. 

“There’s that smile.” He stares down at you, positions now swapped from when you first woke up. “I don’t like seeing you upset, especially when it’s because of me.” You smile up at his as he finally stands and pulls you up along with him. “Now lets get back, I’m sure my mother is looking for you.” 

“I’m sure she’s probably looking for her son.” 

He shrugs his shoulders, “Eh. I think she likes you more than she likes me. She enjoys someone listening to her teachings.” 

“I enjoy being taught, especially by your mother.” 

The rest of your journey is back to the home tree is spent in silence as you think about how to warn him about the impending doom. Satoru occasionally bumping his shoulder into your and cracking a bad joke trying to lift your mood. But, that playful mood from this morning is long gone. You can hear the shouts before you can see what the commotion is about. You spot Nanami trying to calm members of the clan down. You rush from Satoru’s side to interfere. 

“Stop!” Heads turn at your voice, “he’s my friend. Its alright.” Nanami thanks you as the others back off. 

“Who are you?” Satoru walks up behind you, questioning the new face. 

“This is Nanami,” you explain, “he’s one of the other scientist that I told you about. I asked him to meet us here.” 

Satoru continues to glare at Nanami, “What is he doing here?” 

“It’s about what I was trying to tell you earlier. Satoru, I don’t know how to tell you this.” His head tilts in confusion at the sudden change of your tone. However, before you can explain you hear shouts of Satoru’s name. 

“Suguru?” Satoru questioningly calls out to his best friend. 

“She isn’t to be trusted,” Suguru shouts as he pushes  through the rest of crowd to stand in front of you and Satoru. You weren’t a fool, you didn’t think that Suguru had fully warmed up to you but he always acted civil in front of Satoru. 

Satoru brushes off your hand from where you had grabbed him to take a protective step in front of you, blocking you from Suguru and his anger. Satoru hisses at his closest friend, daring him to continue. “Watch what you say.” 

“You are too blinded by your infatuation to clearly what she is, a demon disguised as one of us.” You try and step around Satoru and his protective grip, he turns as he feels you move- his glare effectively keeping you in place behind him.  “I saw it with my own eyes.” Suguru gestures wildly at himself, “she claims she is only here to learn but yet they prepare for battle. They are going to destroy our home and our lives!” Suguru pushes a finger into Satoru’s chest. 

His statement confirms what you had overheard last night. You turn to see Nanami, confusion clearly written across his face at what is transpiring in front of him. He turns towards you for clarification along with the crowd that has gathered around you. You can’t sit in silence as the two of them argue. Shaking out of Satoru’s grip you insert yourself between the two of them. Satoru turns to look at you, something swimming in his eyes that you can’t quite place a finger on.

“Is this true? Did you know anything about this?” Satoru’s voice cracks ever so slightly as he questions you. 

You reach towards him, “I was trying to tell you-.” Explanation cut off as Satoru jerks away from your hands. 

“I let you into my home. I teach you our ways. I help you gather knowledge about our world so that you might save yours” Satoru sounds off all the things he has done for you, inching closer and closer. Voice dropping as he continues “I open my heart to you. Told you my secrets, my feelings towards you and this is how you repay me?” 

Tears prickle at your eyes at his harsh words, hands still frozen in the spot where you tried reaching for him. “This morning I was trying to tell you what I overheard from one the Colonel’s last night. ” Suguru scoffs at your words, not believing your weak defense. “Fine!” Anger finally boiling over, “I swear on The Great Mother that I have no doing in whatever those pig-headed brutes that I came here with are planning.” Gasp and mummer break out from behind you. You can feel the concern and hesitancy seep from the crowd. These people had welcomed you into their home, taught you there ways and saw you as a member of their clan- you would never betray their trust, not willing. Tears well in your eyes just thinking about if something were to happen to them. 

“Satoru, please look at me,” you beg. He is quick to remeet your gaze at your desperation. You continue, voice softer as you explain. “Last night when I woke up I overheard Sukuna talking to someone about reinforcements. From what I heard it sounds like they are getting ready for a battle. Over materials is what I assume. The only reason they haven’t started yet is because of ‘the damn doctor that keeps getting in the way.’ I can only assume he is talking about me.” 

Your words seem to shock Satoru because all he does is nod along with what you are saying. “You knew nothing about this.” He questions, trying to take in everything that you have told him. 

“No, not until last night.” You confirm, “I came first thing this morning to warn you. Please, please believe me. I will get to the bottom of this, I swear it” you declare, chasing Satoru’s wandering gaze so that you can continue to  look him in the eye. 

Hands come to rest on top of your heart. You turn your attention to Suguru and the crowd of Na’vi who stand witness, “You have welcomed me into your home and deemed me worthy enough to take claim in your clan, I will uphold my promise to ensure the safety of all.” 

Satoru closes the distance that he created, reaching out to take hold of your arms. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I should’ve listened to what you were trying to say this morning.” You readjust your grip so that now you are both grabbing each others forearms. Satoru continues to mummer out apologizes, he takes a half step closer to you and lowers his mouth next to your ear,  “You have nothing to prove, not to them, not to me, and especially not him.” He glares at Suguru and you can’t help but giggle at his serious expression. “You’ll be ok though, right? Sukuna wouldn’t do anything to you. 

“I think I’ll be ok, I have friends helping me.” You reassure him. 

“I don’t like that I can’t be there to protect you. It worries me.” 

“I know what I’m doing, besides I had a good teacher,” you tease, trying to ease the tension.  “It’s okay Satoru,” you own hands finding their way to rest on his cheeks. You smile as he leans into your touch, “Everything is going to be o-”.

~~

Eggs and sausage leave your stomach as you are pulled out of the link pod by a pair of rough hands. Head spinning and ears ringing as you are jerked into a standing position. “Son of a bitch!” A voice exclaims and you look down to see the chunks all over a pair of freshly shined shoes. You can’t help but chuckle at the sight, bastard had it coming. “What are you laughing at bitch?” A harsh slap lands across your cheek. 

You finally glance up to see who the hell had just yanked you out of your pod. Some baby-faced military man you never bothered to learn the name of stares at you with a curled lip. As the ringing in your ears fade you hear the familiar shout of your name. 

“Y/n! Y/n, are you ok?” You head pounds as you turn towards Shoko who is zip tied to one of the rails across from your pod. “I tried telling these meat heads that disrupting a link was a bad idea. You could’ve killed her you assholes!” She shouts at the man. 

“Less problems to deal with then,” a familiar voice rings out. The sound of Sukuna’s boots are heavy on the metal grates as he makes his way to where you stand. “I thought I saw a animal last night watching me,” he hums out. “You just had to run and tell your little boyfriend, didn’t ya.” 

“Fuck you,” you spit out, pieces of bile that were left on your lips landing on his face. 

Sukuna simply flicks them away with a swipe of his hand, “It’s funny. Your whole life's purpose when I first met ya was to study this place and used what you learn to save our home. And now you want to abandon that mission for what, some Alien lovin. Sweetheart, if you were lonely you could’ve just asked me.” 

The nickname makes you shutter, it lacks the warmth and love compared to when Satoru utters it. “Why are you doing this,” you question. “JJK corporations isn't going to be happy with you. Or any of this.” You gesture your head around to the small platoon of men in your lab, watching as they drop a slumped Nanami next to Shoko. 

“See maybe if you paid more attention to your own race you would’ve known.” 

“Known what?” 

Sukuna laughs, a deep unsettling sound that rattles you to your core. He leans in as if he is about to tell you the worlds biggest secret. “The Government bought out JJK Corp. Anyone can be bought with the right amount of money and promises sweetheart. All it took was some cash and the promise of a spot on this planet when we take over and the owners couldn’t sign the paperwork any faster.” 

You thrash in your captors hold, “Bullshit!” 

“Afraid not,” he smirks, amused by your reaction. 

“You can’t do that, there are people who live here! Children, families!” You cry out. 

“Do you think I care about some blue-skinned freaks? News flash- I don’t. Don’t worry I’m not going to kill them.” He pauses, before smirking. “Yet. I’ll let them leave, live thinking they got away. Only when they try to settle back down and get a feeling of peace is when I’ll strike.” 

“They won’t let you.” 

He moves closer to you, intrigued by your wording, “who won’t?” 

“Satoru, his people. The clans. The Na’vi. All of them. This planet is connected Sukuna, more than you will ever know. All living things intertwined with another, more connections than our measly human brains. You think this place is going to stand idle as you ruin her?” 

“I’d like to see who would try and stop me.” 

You smirk at his wording, “Well, I for one.” During your conversation Sukuna had only inched closer to you. The baby-face private had a strong grip on your arms so bitch slapping him was out of the question. However, you had regained enough strength in your legs to land him a swift kick to the family jewels. Sukuna kneel over in pain and you hear Shoko howl out, laughing at his expression. You join in, this is most amusement you’ve had in this body in a long time. Unfortunately, Sukuna recovers pretty quickly and your laughter quickly ceases as he headbutts you. 

Pain blooms across you chin and lips, from his knelt position Sukuna is now the one to laugh. Your tongue is met with the familiar metallic taste, blood seeps out from the gash on your lower lip, blood painting your gray shirt with dark dots.  “Lock these traitors up, their fate is still undecided.” Sukuna barks out the order to his fellow men. He grabs your cheek, squishing them together and you hiss out in pain. “So pathetic.” He drops your head and walks away. 

Shoko, Nanami, and yourself are all dragged off into an unfamiliar part of the building, there they toss the three of you into a single cell. The blood, once a steady trickle from your face now only drips once every couple seconds. Shoko checks your face as gently as she can, trying not to make anything worse. “Doesn’t look like anything is broken, you still have all your teeth too, so that’s a good thing.” “Yeah, don’t want to loose my killer smile.” You grin at her. You can only imagine the gnarly sight. 

“You spend too much time around that man,” Nanami finally chimes in. 

“What happened after I passed out?” You ask, you weren’t really thinking about it while getting smacked around but you can only imagine the confusion you caused. 

“He wouldn’t let anyone near you. Pointed his dagger at me when I tried to check on you.” You face warms at the thought of Satoru being all protective over you. “Then,” Nanami continues, “he demanded to know what happened. At first I thought it was because of how sick you’ve been feeling lately because I was still there.” 

“You didn’t tell him that though.” You ask, not wanting to worry more people then you already have. Nanami doesn’t respond right away so you ask again, “you didn’t say anything about me feeling unwell, right?” 

He looks at Shoko then back at you, “I did. I had to explore all possible theories. It was only after I said it did I realize it was probably because of the information you learned. When I woke up here and saw you alive I knew the second option was correct.” 

Shoko looks at you and calls your name softly, “I think it’s good that Nanami said something.” 

“Why? So he can worry Satoru while he should be focusing on what’s coming?” 

“No!” She snaps, “It’s because something is wrong Y/n! What happens when you get too sick to link? How would you explain it to him?” 

“That doesn’t matter right now.” Is all you can manage to say. 

She says your name in a way that makes you still. “After I did what you asked I looked into your vitals and logged stats. Your cells, they’re-” She takes a moment to collect herself, “I don’t know what it is but your body is slowly killing itself. Your cell regeneration is slowing down every time you come out of that pod.” 

Your mind blanks as you stare at her. Not a single thought enters your mind. Your body is basically killing itself?  Every time you connect to your avatar, every time you experience true happiness in that body, you die a bit back in this body. “Is it-” you clear your throat, “Is it radiation poisoning?” 

“I don’t think so. Its only you I saw this in. Everyone else, including Nanami,” she jerks her head in the blond’s direction, “has normal vitals, normal regeneration. I don’t know what’s causing it. But every time you go in there is another chance you don’t come back.” 

Her words sink into you. No one wants to be told they’re dying, and you don’t blame them because this shit sucked. “You’re sure its because of the link between me and my avatar.” 

“It would explain all those headaches you’ve been having. Your nervous systems are attached to one another, your brain can’t handle the stress. It’s sending signals to your other organs that they don’t need to work as hard.” 

Your memory travels back to that day when Nanami first showed you your avatar. Back when he excitedly showed you how common your genome was to those of the Na’vi, that they were going to make you one of the most realistic avatars to ever grace the program. How certain genetic traits that have never been compatible before, now could magically fit together like a puzzle piece. “Is it because my avatar and I are more alike than others?”

Shoko gives you a puzzled glance, “I’m not sure what you mean.” 

“Back when I was first going through testing the both of you were stunned to see that I had the closest matching genetic sequence to the Na’vi DNA. That our patterns were similar enough for the creation of the most Na’vi like avatar in history.” 

“I mean, it’s definitely a theory,” Nanami pipes in, “I was so amazed at the fact we could make an avatar using more Na’vi than human DNA I never stopped and thought of the consequences to the driver.” 

“We would have to run more test to be sure,” Shoko adds. “But in the meantime, please do not link unless absolutely necessary. No more trips just to see your boyfriend.” 

Crossing your arms you look away from the two of them, “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Well, look what we have here.” You turn to face a woman you have never seen before, she stands in front of your cell spinning a keycard around her finger. 

“Yuki!” Shoko shouts. Yuki swipes the key card on the access pad and the doors whoosh open. The three of you rush out of the cell. “We need to get out of here, and quick.” Shoko rushes to where your confiscated belongings lay at the counter. 

You look over to Yuki, “Your heli can carry the field labs, correct.” “Yup, she can carry anything you throw at her.”

“Perfect, start up the heli. You two go with Yuki and I will meet you in the field lab.” They look at you, and you urge them to go. “I’ll be fine.” The four of you split up. You have to make sure the link pods are working before you transport the field lab anywhere. You sprint through the hallways, body protesting the movement. Forgetting for a moment that you aren’t in your avatar and that this body isn’t used to all the running. 

Once you reach the main link lab you make a sharp left, in front of you lays the door to the Pandora wilderness. It’s a short trek to the small labs but your body is already at its limit. You catch your breath and reach in the cabinet of exo-pacts, once secured over your face you push open the dense door into the wilderness. 

The sun is setting on Pandora, lighting the world in a hue of orange and pinks. You cautiously make your way towards the labs. They are no bigger than a shipping container, but they hold two link pods and just enough equipment required for you and Nanami to have a successful link.  It takes a couple tries for your badge to be accepted, but soon you are prying open the door. The room reeks of bleach and disinfectant,  otherwise looking untouched. You quickly look over the equipment everything seeming to be in order. Both pods are online, there is an untouched trauma kit in the corner, along with a flare gun. 

You hear the blades of the heli before you see them, you rush outside waving your hands frantically. You can tell when Yuki spots you because you see a giant claw descend. You rush back in the container and wait for movement, it only take a moment before you are being plucked into the sky like some crane game toy. You rummage the room for a walkie, or any other sort of communication, only to find one tucked away in a drawer. 

“Shoko, Nanami, Yuki. Does anyone copy. Over.” You aren’t sure if you were even on the right channel. 

“Hear ya loud and clear. Over.” 

“Perfect, you know that ravine about 7 miles from here?” 

“Yeah, what about it?” 

“Head that way, land us 3 clicks south of the biggest opening. You’ll see a tree about a mile and a half away. That’s where our avatars are.” 

“Copy that.” 

“I’m going to try and get some rest. Call me if you need anything.” 

“Roger that. Yuki out.” 

~~

It’s early morning when you wake to Shoko calling your name, the sun isn’t even out yet and the bioluminescents are the only light that pours through the windows. You rub the sleep out of your eyes. “How long was I out.” 

“Just a few hours, you slept right through the landing. I figured you might be hungry.” 

You shake your head “I have to go warn Satoru.” 

“Y/n” she whines, “what did we talk about. You can’t be doing these unnecessary links.” 

“I have to warn him.” 

“Nanami is calibrating the pods right now.” She says, trying get you to lay back down. “He can go instead when he’s done.” 

“There’s no time.” You push her hands off you, “I have to go now.” You grab your boots and start lacing them up, tying each with a secure knot. A simple thought crosses through your head, “I really hate shoes” You stand grabbing a jacket off the back of a desk chair, whose it was you had no clue but it worked for the time being. 

“You can’t be serious.” Shoko throws her hands in the air. 

“Sho, I know these forest. I know where I am going, I know the animals. Trust me.”

“You aren’t in that body, you know that right?” 

“I don’t need it,” you grab your exo-pact but before you can slip it on Shoko grabs your wrist. 

“Be careful.” 

“I will, I promise.” Securing the strap over your face you engage the vacuum seal before stepping into the decompression chamber.

The trek through the forest is a hell of a lot easier when you are 9 foot something and have the modifications for it. Every step feels like a mile, the lower gravity doesn’t make it any easier on you. However, you’ve managed to avoid anything that wanted to eat you so far, so you’d say you were doing pretty well.  You make your way to the clearing where you first met Satoru. He had told you once, during one of your many random conversation, that it was calming out here and he would always come here to think when everything got to be too much. The sound of the running water from a nearby waterfall and the singing of the birds who always knew how to hold a tune always put him at ease. You just hoped that he was here now. 

“Satoru,” you call his name out like a prayer. Silence greets you, so you try again. 

And again.  And again. 

Each time you are met with silence. Sighing you move towards the tree you once sat against, you rest your head against it and breathe. The release fogs up parts of your mask and the filter muffles some of your hearing. A poor design, truly. 

“Who are you?” A familiar voice cuts through the stillness. You turn around to be face and well, belly button almost with Satoru. “I have no patience for meddling humans today.” He states, drawing his dagger that sits across his chest. You can see that he wears no embellishments as he usually does. His neck is bare from any necklaces, wrist lacking the usual wristlets and not a single decorative piece other than your arm band sits on his skin.  He doesn’t seem too impressed with how distracted you were. “Don’t make me ask again.” 

Breathlessly you call out to him, “ ‘Toru.” He stares at you, head tilting as if he was looking into you.  He whispers your name uncertainly. “It’s me. Well, me the way I was born into my world.” You gesture at yourself. 

Satoru only stares, a beat passes and then another. You take a deep breath to speak again but before you can utter another word Satoru is on his knees before you, trying to shirk down to your height. “And I thought you were short before this,” he jokes. 

“I am not short,” you assert. “In fact I am average height for a female human and just slightly above average height for female Na’vi. It’s not my fault you're freakishly tall.” Satoru doesn’t even have the decency to try and conceal his laughter, he howls clutching at his stomach. “It’s not funny,” you pout. 

“I’m sorry,” he chuckles. His large palms coming to rest on the cheek of the mask. His playful smile disappears from his face and is replaced by a darker expression as he shifts your face in his hand. You can only assume he has seen the nasty bruising and deep cut that litter your jaw. 

“Who did this to you?” He growls out, brandishing his teeth at the thought of someone hurting you.

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” You try and brush it off. 

“It’s not nothing, tell me.” He demands. 

“It was Sukuna. Happened right after I got disconnected.” You take his hand in both of yours and bring it away from your face. “That’s why I’m here. I needed to warn you. They’re coming Satoru. Hundreds of skypeople and their machines are coming to wipe your clan and countless others out. They want the land, the material, all of it for the same people who destroyed my planet.” 

“We’ll be ready.” 

“They have guns, bombs, and sheer determination Satoru. Your tribe alone won’t be enough to stop them.” 

Satoru looks at you, white hair falling over his eyes and you have to stand on your tippy toes to brush it away. “I’ve spent the past day since you fainted going clan to clan to gather supporters. I have the man power. Thanks to what you have taught us about the humans and their machinery I think we stand a chance.” 

You sigh out in relief. “I appreciate your concern, but there is something I am worried about,” Satoru continues and you cock your head at him, urging him on. “You. You’ve explained in the past that this you and the other you are connected but when you fainted your friend, Nanami, told me that this you has been ill. What is going on.” 

“It’s nothing serious,” you lie. 

“Sweetheart, don’t lie to me. Please.” He knew what he was doing when he looked at you like that with those piercing sapphire eyes. 

“This body isn’t regenerating, well, healing itself as it should be. I have these headaches that only occur after I link. They go away after a while but my brain,” you knock your knuckles against your skull, “is telling my other organs to basically shut down. We don’t know what’s causing it exactly.” 

“Is it the linking?” Satoru asks. You’re surprised that he remembers anything you’ve told him about the linking process, or any of your work for that matter. However, really thinking about it he has always paid attention to everything you did- what fruits were your favorite, how you liked to dance, the braids you wore your hair in the most, what jewelry pieces you wore the most, the ways your eyes lit up when discovering something new, and how closely you paid attention to everything him and his people showed you. 

“We think so. You see my genome, my DNA has the most genetic matching with Na’vi DNA in the history of the avatar program.” You link your fingers in demonstration. 

“That’s why you don’t look like the others,” he confirms. 

You nod, “that’s exactly it. My friends Shoko and Nanami agree with me that its worth looking into, but they argue in the meantime no unnecessary linking.”

“I agree with them.” 

“What?” Your head jerks in surprise, knocking your mask against Satoru’s forehead. 

“You said it’s dangerous, that it can kill you. Do you think I want you doing something like that?” 

“No, I suppose not.” You look down at your feet.

“Sweetheart, I respected your decision at the tree of voices, but it does not mean those feelings have simply vanished. I love you.” He reaffirms what he had told you only a few days ago. “I care deeply about your well-being whether it be in that body laying in my mother’s prayer room or this body standing in front of me.” 

“ ‘Toru, I-” 

“I know what you are going to say. It’s foolish of me to care like this, I should move on but I can’t.” He cuts you off. “Ever since that moment when the pure spirit landed on my arrow, halting my shot, I have been entranced by you. Those feelings only growing each day we spent together. I-” 

You need to cut him off before he rambled the night away. “Shhh, let me speak.” He quietly obeys and you giggle at his eagerness. “I love you too.” 

You swear you hear Satoru’s jaw pop from how fast it drop, “but I thought. You said.” He stutters out. 

“I know what I said back then and I meant it at the time however, I can’t continue to lie to myself or you about how I feel.” You take a deep breath, mask fogging up slightly before you continue. “Satoru we live worlds apart, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care for you. I’m betraying my planet and my people because you made me realize what it truly means to care for those you love, for the things that surround you. I love you.”

“You love me?” He ask as if it was too good to be true. 

“I do.” 

“I would kiss you right now if I could.” 

You chuckle at his response. “Unfortunately I need this to live, so I would appreciate you save that for another time.” 

“I will, I promise.” You let out a loud yawn, the long journey catching up to you. “I need to head back, the pods are probably done calibrating right now, Nanami should be waking here soon to help you.” 

“I’ll carry you back,” Satoru stands, his full height towering over you. 

“No, you need rest.” 

“No, I won’t be able to rest knowing you are out there all alone.” 

“I made it here just fine.” 

“Yes, I realize that now and that very thought has me seething. I will be carrying you back, I can make it in less the time.” 

You’re honestly too tired to fight him on this and the idea of resting your legs has you smiling. “Fine, you can carry me.” You hear Satoru let out a little chirp of happiness, “but no funny businesses.” 

“No funny businesses, understood.” He nods. 

Thankfully he listened, the walk home was peaceful and you could just start to see the sun creep up on the horizon when you make it back to camp. Shoko greeting you upon your arrival, you begged Satoru to put you down a little ways before making it back to camp but he refused, too busy nuzzling your neck with his head of hair.  He gently places you down before looking at Shoko. The two don’t exchange words but there seems to be a mutual understanding of “I won’t let her do anything stupid if you don’t let her do anything stupid.” 

Satoru turns towards you, his hand extending from his forehead out to you, muttering a soft- “I see you.” 

You mirror his motions with a smile on your face, “I see you.” With a grin on his face he takes another look at you before disappearing back into the tree line. 

“What the hell did I just witness?” 

~~ 

You watch as Nanami settles in his link pod. You are eager to join him but the look on Satoru’s face when asking you not to put either form of your in unnecessary danger linger in the back of your mind. You hold on to what little self-restraint you have left to not jump into the pod. 

“Let me know everything that happens,” you tell Nanami. 

“I think he knows. You’ve told him six times.” 

You shoot Nanami an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I’m just nervous about not being there.” 

“It’s ok. Is everything ready.” Nanami is truly a saint with having to deal with you all these months.

Shoko gives him a thumbs up, “all set over here, sweet dreams sleeping beauty,” she muffles, cigarette tucked between her lips. The machine whirls to life and you watch on the screen as Nanami relaxes, creating a successful link. You look at Shoko who taps her cigarette on a nearby ashtray that somehow magically appeared. 

“I thought you quit. You know those things will kill ya?” 

“Says the girl who is dying?” She quips back. 

“You know what? I deserved that.” You chuckle out. 

“Soo,” she draws out. 

“Sooo,” you mimic her, confused. 

“We aren’t going to talk about the 10 foot man who is built like a Greek God that carried you back to camp?” 

Your hands rush to cover your face in embarrassment. “Oh Satoru?” Is the only response you can offer her.  

“Yes!” She shouts, fist banging against the table.“I’m dying here tell me something! Anything I beg.” 

You can’t help but chuckle at her reaction. “Fine! I’ll tell you.” Raising you hands in surrender, “what did you want to know? 

“Anything. Everything. Is he good in bed. Shit like that.” She takes another drag from her cig with a smirk. You laugh even harder, stomach cramping from the sheer force.

“What?” 

“Na’vi mate for life, its more than ‘sex’ for them. It’s a deep connection between two souls, a bond that can only be broken by death.” You explain. “Satoru did ask me, to be his mate I mean.” 

“When?” She leans in, excited for the gossip. 

“The night of the ceremony.” 

“The night Nanami said you were crying?” She questions. Shoko does what she does best- listens silently, then after you are done explaining judges. All her judgements are well meant. “I say this with love and as a friend. You are incredibly stupid.” 

The sound of your head hitting the table resonates throughout the small room. “Ugh I know.” 

“You mean to tell me you have the soon to be leader of a clan, and one who looks like that, wrapped around your finger and you turn him down?” Her voice raises an octave. 

“I know but, I think we have it all sorted out.” You turn to rest your cheek against the cool metal as you look up at her, a smile on her lips. Its been forever since the two of you have sat down and just talked. Your conversation almost making you forget about what is happening outside your little hideout, almost. Yuki’s frantic voice can be heard from radio sitting next to you, shattering your little bubble of peace. 

Shoko scrambles for the radio, trying to answer as fast as she can. “We’re here Yuki, what’s happening?”

“They’re launching the attack tomorrow morning! All vehicles move out at 0700.” You can hear rustling in the background, “I’m coming to pick you guys up.” You look at Shoko and then the link pod, eyes pleading. Shoko groans and nods, you nearly land face first on the floor as you rush to the pod and you can hear her tell Yuki that the only person she’ll be taking is herself. You settle in, pulling the door down as Shoko walks over to you. 

“Stay safe, please.” 

“I will. Promise me the same.” 

“You got it, “She winks, her words muffling as she closes the lid. I’ll see you on the other side.” 

~~

The thick smell of incense is the first thing to hit your senses, quickly followed by the low voice mummering a prayer. Blinking your eyes open you take in your surroundings before coming to the conclusion that his is the prayer room Satoru had mentioned last night. Quietly groaning as you roll on your side, the other voice stopping at your sounds.

“You’re awake,” Satoru’s mother sits in front of you wearing a grim expression. 

“Sa’nok?” You ask, sitting up. 

“Yes my child?” “Where is he?” 

She gives you a knowing smile, “Satoru is at the tree of voices, getting advice from his father.” 

Stretching out your heavy limbs as you stand, “Thank you.” You push through the beaded curtains, around you groups of Na’vi are prepare for battle. Blades are being sharpened, bows restrung, arrows being crafted and war paint being mixed. These people have trained for this, and you feel like a fish out of water. You make your way to where the trees of voices lay, hoping Satoru is still there and hadn’t wandered away. 

The vines of the trees sway out of your way as you try to locate Satoru. Eyes scan the forrest, looking for that familiar head of white and out of the corner of your eye you spot exactly that. Slowly you approach him, trying not to interrupt. Watching as he removes his kuru from one of the vines, letting out a deep sigh. 

He nearly falls over as he tries to stand, your presences startling him. “What are you doing here?” His tone isn’t angry, just concerned as he takes a step towards you. The first thing you notice is the orange war paint that is smeared under his eyes. You quickly study him, taking note of the colorful armor plate that covers his chest along with ornate headpiece laying where he once knelled. 

“I swear it’s an emergency. Please don’t be mad.” 

“Sweetheart…” he trails off. 

“Tomorrow.” You take a step forward, nearly chest to chest. “They plan on launching their attack at 0700. It’s less time than we thought.” You rest your palms against his steady chest, “I swear I wasn’t going to come but who knew when Nanami was going to come back-” 

Lips crash against yours, effectively cutting off your ramble. You try to pull away, however Satoru chases your movement not wanting to lose contact. His hands making their way to cup the back of you head, locking you into the kiss. Accepting your fate you allow your hands to travel to his snowy locks, giving them a small tug. He pulls back, a small gasp escaping his lips.  

The two of stare at each other, chests heaving as you catch your breath for a second. You are the one to close the distance this time and Satoru doesn’t hold himself back. Teeth clash as the kiss heats up. Satoru’s teeth softly nip at your bottom lip causing the tiniest whimper to leave your throat. His tail wraps around one of your legs as he moves to pepper kisses against your face, leaving no part untouched. 

His lips move down your neck, causing you to give his hair a harsh tug when he kisses a particularly ticklish spot. A deep moan leaves his lips and he moves to kiss the same spot again, however, before he can get ahead of himself you pull his hair again forcing him to stop. “What was that for?” You tease, pressing your forehead against his. 

“Don’t tell me you forgot my promise from last night.” He teases. 

“I didn’t,” you might have. “I just wasn’t expecting that.” Satoru’s hands move from the back of your head to rest around you waist, mischief swimming in his eyes.  

A yelp escapes your lips as Satoru hoist you into the air. Instinctively, you wrap your legs around his waist. This new position allowing him to easily attack your neck and chest with an onslaught of kisses. Your hands travel to the expanse of his shoulders, nails lightly scratching at his skin before making your way to the nape of his neck. Lightly twisting the small strands between your fingers admiring the softness before traveling to play with the base of his kuru. 

“Be my mate,” He mummers against your collarbone. Without any hesitation you grab your own kuru bringing it to rest against your shoulder, Satoru’s eyes never leaving your own. Carefully, without putting you down Satoru squats his large hands spread across your back as he gently sits, you fully in his lap. 

“If you don’t want this,” he says breathlessly, reaching for his own kuru. “Say something. Now because if you don’t, I won’t be able to stop myself.” 

“Please,” you whisper into his skin. “Please be my mate Satoru.”

Slowly Satoru brings his kuru to yours, giving you enough time to back out. You weren’t denying him, not this time. Bringing your lips to his as you form Tsaheylu. A lifetime commitment, bonding the two of together until death. Your head falls to his chest, overwhelmed by the emotions coming from both yourself and Satoru. His chin rest on top of your head as the feelings move from overwhelming to pleasurable. You can feel Satoru’s tail flick at your thigh, yours surely doing the same. 

It takes a few moments for the two of you both regaining your senses, the two of you now mated for life. Slowly Satoru disconnects the bond and a strange feeling of emptiness washes over you. Satoru slowly stands, “Stay here,” he mutters, leaning down to capture your lips in another kiss, the promise of sweet berries and fruit among his return as you watch him disappear behind the trees.

You stare up at the light pink vines that sway in the evening wind, the rest of the forest quiet. Slowly sitting up you stare curiously at the tree. Satoru came here to pray, maybe you could do the same. You reach for your kuru, bringing it to the one of the many vines that dance in the wind.

“Back home I never really prayed much,” you trail off, “I never really saw the point.” Pausing for a moment trying to gather your thoughts. “Everyone keeps saying that you chose me. For what, I’m still not too sure but, I can hear you, it was you I heard when in cryo, I’m sure of it but now I need you to listen to me.” You plead. “The skypeople are going to kill you the way they killed our mother. The know no mercy, only greed. I’m begging you for help, save yourself, save your people, save the place I now call home.” 

Too wrapped up in your thoughts you’ve failed to notice Satoru’s return, it is only when he call out your name do you turn around, hurt swirling in your eyes.  “I had to try. I had too.” A tear slips down your cheek and Satoru is quick to wipe it away. 

“I know sweetheart, I know.” 

“I’m worried Satoru.” 

He cups your cheek gently, “I know, but I have faith that everything is going to work out.” Leaning into his embrace you savor the feeling of his skin against yours. “I need you to promise me one thing.”

“What is it?” 

“I need you to stay here and protect the home tree.” Your eyes widen at his request, however he doesn’t let you get a single word in before continuing. “Suguru and I will be leading the attack, there is no one I trust more.” 

You nod into his hands once more. “I can do it,” you reassure him. Satoru captures your lips in a final kiss before the two of you head back to the others, hand in hand. 

~~

Four hours have passed since Satoru and the rest of the warriors had taken off to try and stop Sukuna and his followers and you are pretty sure there is a hole forming in the ground from your pacing. Utahime just watches you, piping up every so often with the suggestion of joining Satoru’s mother in prayer. 

With the arrival of the fifth hour something in the air shifts and you can feel it instantly. A unfamiliar feeling crawls under your skin causing you to shudder violently. Utahime casts you a strange look as you stop in your tracks. “Somethings wrong,” you declare, walking off in the direction of the fields. 

“Wait!” Utahime calls out as she chases after you. Members of the clan glance at you with unease, however you ignore them as you continue on. You can faintly hear Utahime talking to you but the blood rushing in your ears drowns most of her rambles out. 

“Stop,” Utahime calls out your name again. Her hands gripping your arm, stopping you in your tracks. “You need to tell me what’s going on. You can’t just leave.” 

Realizing that she’s right, you can’t just leave the people wondering where you disappeared to. “I don’t exactly know,” you admit. “But, I can tell Satoru is in danger. I can feel it.” 

“I’ll be fine,” you assure Utahime as you finish connecting with the Pa’li. “I just can’t stay here and do nothing.” 

She nods, “I’ll let Siyìaw know. Please, stay safe.” Nodding at her you click your heels against the belly of the Pa’li, urging her to move.

Wind rushes past your ears as you gallop through the forest. Honestly you had no idea where you were going, its not like you knew where Satoru was instead you simply listened. To the Pa’li underneath you, to the vines that swayed in the wind, to the birds that sang, you had faith that Eywa would lead you to where you were needed. 

And it doesn’t seem like she led you wrong. Bodies of human and Na’vi alike scattered across the forest ground, it pain you to leave them like this but after you find Satoru you will make sure that all of them are laid to rest properly. You urge your mount to slow her pace as you continue through the scene. 

You slow to a stop as you start to recognize more of your surrounding, heart dropping to your stomach as you spot the familiar shine of the portable lab. Quickly, you dismount from stead and survey your surroundings, the eerie silence making you on edge. Off to the side you spot a heap of machinery on the ground. You take a cautious step closer only to let out a cry at the familiar figure that lays limp beneath it. 

“Satoru!”  You wail, rushing over to the unconscious male noticing that nearly half his body lays underneath the metal. Using all your strength you push as hard as you can until you are able to wiggle him out. You pat his cheeks frantically, voice rasing every second he remains unconscious.“Wake up! Satoru if you don’t wake up I swear to Ewya I will-.” 

“You’ll what?” You nearly burst into tears at the sound of his voice. A groan escapes his lips as you crash into his chest. “Where is- “ another groan leaves his lips. “Where is Sukuna?” 

Your blood runs cold at the mention of the man, chill travelling down your spin as you take notice of the trail of blood leading from the machine towards the lab. “What do you means where’s Sukuna?” You ask as you help him sit up. 

“He was in that thing just a few minutes ago.” He points to the metal he was just trapped under, arrows sticking out from multiple places. Driver seat empty. Satoru watches in confusion as you scramble to your feet, trying to rush towards the lab, vision going black before you can make another step. 

Coughs rack your body as the familiar metallic taste blooms across your tastebuds. “Shut up!” Sukuna growls out, man handling you out of your pod. You glare up at the man, only to be met with a very pissed off glare in return. 

The room spins as you are forced to stand, knees buckling at all the sudden movement. However, Sukuna’s bruising grip prevents you from falling fully. Somethings is roughly pushed into your hands and through blurry vision you can make out the outline of an exo-pact. 

“Put it on,” the order quickly followed by the pressure of a knife against your stomach. You look up at Sukuna, vision now clear enough to see blood pouring from his head, seeping through his own mask. Wordlessly you do as he says. Outside you can hear Satoru’s frantic voice grow closer. Sukuna breaks into a wicked grin at the sound. 

Sukuna pulls you outside without a care, your fingers claw at his arm that wraps itself around your throat and with each step you take you can feel the sharp point of his blade press into your back. “Oh Satoru!” He sings out and you can pinpoint the exact moment Satoru takes notice of the two of you, his entire body locking up.  

Sukuna’s grip flexes around your neck when Satoru tries to take a step forward, and you can’t stop the violent coughs that leave your lungs. Specks of blood fly across the inside of your mask, starling you. 

“Looks like your little girlfriend isn’t doing to well over here ya’ blue bastard.” Sukuna teases. “But don’t worry I’ll make it quick!” The pressure from your spine is removed as Sukuna waves the blade above your head. 

You watch as Satoru raises his bow, fully ready to embed an arrow between Sukuna’s eyes. Only hesitating when another coughing fit racks through your body. “I don’t know what you are waiting for?” Sukuna taunts, his blade now pushing against your side. “We both know she’s a dead man already. You want me dead, then you’ll have to take both of us.” 

Satoru locks his eyes onto you shaking his head ‘no’ as if he could sense that your next movements. “I love you,” you whimper out before using whatever strength you had left to throw your head back into Sukuna’s face. The sheer force of your attack has his grip faltering just enough for you to drop down to the ground, pain shooting through your head and torso as you land harshly against the grass. 

An arrow flies above your head and you watch in awe as it strikes Sukuna’s heart. A blur of blue follows as Satoru leaps over you. His fist curing in Sukuna’s hair as he pulls his head back, you close your eyes right before Satoru slices his throat. 

Satoru stumbles next to you, eyes widening at the sight of you. “No. No. Nonono,” the word pours from his mouth. Frantic hands clutch at your side, where you can now feel the knife. 

“Ouch,” you hiss as he tries to move you. 

“I’m sorry,” tears stream down his face as he tries to stop the bleeding. “Oh sweetheart. No, no. You’ll be ok.” You can faintly hear shouts of your name along with Satoru’s off in the distance. Satoru says your name again, the ringing in your ears getting louder every second. You reach for his hands that are still pressed against your wound. You can feel them tremble as you pull them away from your side, they are slick with your blood as you tighten your grip. 

“It’s ok.” You tell him, voice cracking. 

“How do I fix this. Y/n, please tell me how to fix this.” He pleads, begging you for an answer. 

“I don’t think you can ‘Toru.” You struggle out. “But it’s ok.” You can feel your eyelids get heavier and heavier, the idea of closing your eyes become ever so tempting, however, deep down you know that once you do, you won’t be opening them again. 

Faintly you can make out the outlines of others as they surround you, their voices overlapping each other, all you really wanted to hear was Satoru’s voice. Weakly, you bring his hand to cup your check, your own tears now streaming down them. “I’m sorry we didn’t have more time,” you choke out. 

“Don’t say that.” He begs as he rubs his thumb in small comforting circles against your cheek

“I lo- I love you.” You whisper out as the darkness steals more and more of your vision. You can see his lips moving however you can’t make out a word. The world is eerily peaceful in the silence no sounds of cries or gunshots, just a welcoming silence. 

“It’s ok my child. It’s ok.” a voice warm and familiar calls to you from the silence, and you can’t help but listen. 

With the reassurance from that motherly voice, you close your eyes for the final time. 

~~

They say when you die your brain is active for another seven minutes, playing a rapid replay of memories. 

You beg to differ. 

The warmth of the sun radiates against your skin as your stand in a familiar stream. This time there is no laughter of children or chirps of the birds, just the rushing water. Looking down at your reflection you are met with your avatars face staring back, however when you look at your arms you are met with human skin. 

Confused, you try to take a step forward, this time the stream allows you to walk freely. With careful steps you make your way upstream only growing more and more confused with each step. 

“Hello?” You call out. “Is anyone there?” 

You take a couple more steps before trying again. 

“Satoru?” No response. 

“Shoko?” Nothing. 

“Nanami? Utahime, Siyìaw, anyone?” Only the rustling of the leaves greets you in response. 

You walk for what feels like forever, every so often calling out for your friends. The sun never moves from its position in the sky so it is impossible to tell how much time has passed since you awoken here in this…purgatory? 

A huff falls from your lips at the thought of this being the afterlife, because if it was then it sucked, God sucked. 

You stop in your tracks at the thought. Clearing your throat you quietly utter, “Great Mother?” A pause. “Eywa.” 

The wind swirls around you, familiar voice being carried within. 

“My poor child.” 

“You keep saying ‘my child’, why? What does it mean.” Voice pleading as you call back out. 

“Born to the wrong world. To the wrong mother.” She hums out.  

“The wrong world?” Each sentence leaving you more confused than the last. 

“You are home now my child.” 

You aren’t able to ask another question before she speaks again. 

“Time is running out, so I give you a choice my child. Return to your original world or to this world.” 

“That doesn’t answer my question!” You shout, furious at the lack of answers. 

“You must choose.” 

~~

You blink open only to see a familiar pair of sapphire blue staring down at you. They look lifeless and tired, however you watch as those emotions are quickly replaced as Satoru realizes that you are staring back at him. The shout of your name is loud enough to have your ears fold against your head. Satoru gathers you in his arms, your tail lightly swaying with content. As you rest against his chest all you can think is: 

I’m home. 

tags: @arieslost @froggietoki @mrsfuck0ff @miakxn