I just saw the movie, and the muse is making like an opera singer. Let it begin!

I was a marine. Most of my adult life, I lived with the notion that I was a part of a whole. I wasn't just Jake Sully: I was Corporal Sully, the guy who'd charge right in to take down the bad guys, save his comrades. The wheelchair put a dent in that, but before the shuttle and during my early days on Pandora, I still felt, in my mind that I wasn't just me. If anything, being with the Na'vi, my people reinforced that. I slowly came to See the world and myself. I was just a grain of sand in the beach.

This threw all of that out the goddamn window.

I was formless. Nameless. I was everything and nothing. Eywa had taken me in her embrace, and for a timeless moment, I felt what She felt. I was a tree, standing tall. I was an elderly matron, silently watching her grandchildren. I was a taronyu on the hunt. I was a lily. I. Was. Everything. Every living being that had ever existed on Pandora, united as a single being, a living organism. For an instant, I was part of a collective consciousness the size of a planet, that my mind was simply too small to comprehend. I was with Eywa.

It scarred the shit out of me. It made me want to laugh out loud. I wanted to cry hysterically, whether in joy or sorrow I couldn't tell. The emotions of eternity coursed through my being as I floated in the void, a wandering soul. I felt Grace, her human experiences standing out in the crowd, but still somehow meshing seamlessly with it all. I felt all the Na'vi that had been lost to save their home, my home. They were with Eywa now, on a deeper level than where I was now.

Like I said, I'm a marine. I'm no good when it comes to thinking in 'higher levels'. But here I was, mingling with a being so old, so large, and so vibrant that I was rendered numb. I heard a voice, both many and single, say "GO." And then I was gone. I was sane. I was freed from that beautiful, terrible presence as I fell into darkness.

As soon as I took a breath, I felt it. I wasn't human. Even when I was in my avatar, there was always a small part, at the back of my head, reminding me that it wasn't real. I wasn't really a Na'vi; I was just a cripple playing puppeteer. That small part anchored me, in a way, coloring every experience. Even when I was in tsu'helu to the Tree of Souls, feeling a tiny fraction of Eywa's embrace, there was still a tiny streak of Homo Sapien inside me, preventing me from fully immersing myself.

That part was gone. I was reborn. I felt the cool earth under my back in a way I never had before. I heard the cacophonous chorus of life around me; every animal's cry a distinct note, every rustle a solo, every breath a symphony. I felt my strong body, and Saw how it was a part of this orchestra, an instrument to be played, sometimes the center of attention, but always in tune with everything else. It felt so right.

One breath and my human life were completely shattered. All my memories, dim reflections of my time before Pandora and even my experiences of the past few months, were erased. When I led the Na'vi against RDA and Quaritch, I had preached how this was our land, as if I were one of them. Only now did I realize that I had never truly been one of them, never really thought as they thought, until this moment. I was a child of Eywa.

I opened my eyes, and I could See. I already knew that Pandora was worth protecting; it was an Eden beyond the scope of human comprehension. Now, I could fully appreciate. The sight that greeted my eyes would have sent Renaissance masters sprinting for their easels. There was the Tree of Souls above me, its uncountable vines glowing lines of light. There was the sky beyond, the gas giant Polyphemus a massive centerpiece of violet and turquoise, with the stars visible around the fringes. The scene was so perfect; I had never felt more serene.

Then, something even more beautiful entered my line of sight. Neytiri, crouching over me. She was so lovely. Her hair cascaded around her, haloing her perfect face, her glowing green eyes, and her skin that mesmerizing blend of hues. I could see worry in her eyes, but also wonder. In a trance, I moved my body into a sitting position, bringing us eye-to-eye. I stared into her eyes, a surge of raw emotion welling up within me. When I'd first met her, I'd been awed by her exotic grace and strength. Now, I loved her inside and out, all the little facets of her personality that added up to the most amazing woman I had ever met.

"Oe nga kame," I whispered, the familiar phrase slipping out as I my mind was in its daze, still adapting to the fact that this was my body now, I was a true Na'vi. She smiled, and her face seemed to light up. "I See you too," she replied, and her voice seemed to pierce the haze, bringing me firmly back to reality. I became aware of the crowd around me, my little bubble bursting as I turned to the assembled ranks of the Omaticaya clan, my new family. Mo'at came forward, lifting me to my feet with reverence. "Jakesully is now one of us, in all ways! Eywa has given him to us!"

In an instant, the clearing was an explosion of noise. I was practically blown off my feet as cheering and shouts of exultation filled the air. In all honesty, I was intimidated. Then Neytiri put her hand in mine, and I was suddenly much more confidant. "What's going on?" I asked her, unable to understand the language flying through the air. I watched in bemused wonder as fruits and meat seemed to materialize out of thin air, and the Omaticayas started to dance.

I felt her warm breath on my ear as she answered. "This is a time for celebration. You have truly become one of us: the toruk mak'tao that saved us from the tawtute has been born a third time. Is that not cause to rejoice?" Her words made sense, but I didn't really feel festive. I was still a little over-awed: every single action I had ever taken for granted felt different, sending my mind into sensory-overload. In a way, I was the exact opposite of drunk: instead of everything being dulled, it was being brought into stark clarity.

I felt Neytiri's tail curl around mine, and I calmed my thoughts. One step at a time, I told myself. Her touch sent tingles up my spine, but I focused around that. I felt my attraction to her almost like gravity, but I managed to ignore it; human or Na'vi, I was certain it was awkward to make out in front of the public.

I took my mind off my mate and the growing party in front of me. With some trepidation, I turned to where my old body was. Let me tell you, it was weird. I looked so… frail. But, it wasn't me, not anymore. It's kinda hard to explain, but seeing your body from another point of view, particularly if it's the view from your new ten-foot alien body, is disconcerting. I was struck by how much I looked like Tom. Without the mirror flipping things around, I saw how alike I was to my late brother. The thought made me sad, in an odd kind of way.

Neytiri squeezed my hand comfortingly, as if she could tell exactly what I was feeling. I watched as the roots from the Tree of Souls receded, their job done, leaving my cold, naked human body to itself. With an odd fascination, I knelt down and touched my face. I couldn't help but compare my pale and getting paler shade to the brilliant blue of my new hand. It should have felt unnatural, but instead, the observation carried with it an odd finality. My mind seemed to confirm that it wasn't my body anymore that I was in a new body, one that I felt right in.

Mo'at touched my shoulder; I was somehow able to tell who it was, though I couldn't tell whether it was by her smell or how the air moved around her. "We have a pit prepared. If you wish, you may bury it before the celebration." Her treatment of body as an object both assured me and freaked me out. I knew now from my little experience with Eywa that the body was just a shell, but it still felt weird to see the one I'd spent thirty or so years in as baggage.

Still, marine training held true: get something done, don't think about it till later. Silently, I lifted my human body, which felt small and fragile in my new hands. With every step I took following Mo'at, the more the realization sunk in. This wasn't my avatar anymore, it was my body. When I fell asleep, I would wake up in it. I could live life with my chosen family the right way, missing nothing. By the time I reached the burial pit, I felt quite detached from the body in my arms.

I slowly lowered it into the pit, while Mo'at said a small prayer in her native language. An atokirina drifted down to land on the corpse. I smiled at that, glad the old thing would have a companion. Mo'at finished, and I quickly filled the pit, my arms picking up and then filling the hole with rich earth. In a few minutes of effort, it was done. I paused, and found myself thanking Eywa, for moving me from my old body into my true form, the only body that I could ever feel truly comfortable in, anymore.

I stood up, leaving my old life and all its worries behind me. I was one of the People now, and it looked like I was going to start with a bang. I turned, and there was Neytiri, who'd shadowed me here. Without thinking, I found myself hugging her, clutching her to my chest. I repeat, I was a little over my head with all this, and I needed her, the feel of her body next to mine, to reassure me. She didn't resist; again, she seemed to have some psychic sense of exactly what I needed.

Mo'at, a tad exaggeratedly, cleared her throat. I couldn't repress a small smile as I pulled away from the embrace of my mate. Neytiri's eyes shined with annoyance, but also satisfaction and maybe a dash of anticipation. I could feel it too; this night was going to be special for us, but that could wait till later. Apparently, I needed to go to my birthday party.

Neytiri at my side, we followed Mo'at the short distance to the clearing, where the party had gone into full swing. Everyone was laughing, eating, or dancing; I could feel the excitement like a tangible presence in the air. Watching them, I felt my mind start to shift, turning in gears that I had only tapped before. This was my family. We were brothers and sisters under Eywa. This was home.

The next few hours were a blur to me. Pieces and fragments stand out in my memory, but otherwise it was a haze of having fun and a sense of homecoming. I remembered eating a strange meat with a bunch of males, their boisterous voices regaling me with war stories, or at least that's what I thought they were. I recall a few black glares, as a few of the Omaticayas hovered at the edges, whispering among themselves. I was reminded that I was the underlying cause behind the death of Hometree and all those lost, and berating myself for thinking every Omaticaya would just welcome me with open arms. I also remember a discussion with Mo'at and a few of the other elders, regarding who the new olo'eyktan would be. Like the jarhead I am, I bluntly told them that I wasn't up for the job. I could tell that they hadn't given up, though, as I walked away.

My clearest memory was dancing with Neytiri. Her eyes were playful as she moved with a sinuous, sensuous grace that set a fire deep in my belly. I moved with her, trusting my body to the steps, as we soaked in each other's presence. I felt a primitive joy as I realized this beautiful creature, this warrior goddess, was mine, as much as I was hers. Before I knew it, the party was dying down, the People having sated their hunger for jubilation. All around me, people were slowing down, making their ways to the temporary shelters set up around the Tree.

I could sense Neytiri, like an ant crawling up my leg. She was nearby, and was eager to go someplace quiet. I was happy to oblige. Silently, I made my way away from the clearing, feeling Neytiri behind me. Once I reached the trees, I picked up the pace. I stretched my legs and raced through the forest, feeling the heat of exertion in my limbs and the delicious scent of the air in my lungs. My mind went blank, relishing in the beauty of Pandora, of the blessing Eywa had given me.

When I stopped, I found myself in a clearing. The trees provided a gentle canopy above me; while more flowers than I could count glimmered in full bloom around me. I was struck dumb by the simple beauty of the place. I was reminded of how much a paradise Pandora was. Then, Neytiri entered the clearing, and I forgot about the world around me.

(Fair warning: the following content, while not exactly a lemon will still send prudes running for the hills)

My body moved of its own accord. I rushed forward, wrapped my hands around her waist, and kissed her with all the strength in my being. She responded in kind, her arms entangling around my neck, her tail twirling with mine, as she pressed her body against me. All that I'd gone through, everything we'd done together, had led up to this moment, where I could hold her and be with her as one of her kind, as a true Na'vi.

I found myself on the ground, with no idea how I'd gotten there. Neytiri was still kissing me, and I could feel the warmth of her body overpowering all conscious thought, triggering within me instincts and desires I had rarely ever felt. My tongue reached out, deepening the kiss as her scent, her taste, threw my conscious self out the window, leaving only fiery want and passion.

I moved my hands up her glorious body, cupping her face. I pulled her back, so I could look her in the eyes. "I love you," I said, the words filled with every ounce of my conviction and adoration. "And I you," she responded without hesitation, twirling her fingers in my hair.

An eternity passed, filled only with heat and pleasure. Her every touch was an addictive substance, every moan an encouragement, every movement a sensory explosion. She was a part of me, more vital to my survival than air. I couldn't get enough of her, I felt like I never would. Our bodies moved in a dance as old as time, as I showed her how much I loved her, and she did the same.

When I was once again sane, I found myself spooning with her, feeling her curling into my chest. I was weak, and certain parts sore, but I felt so joyful and loved that I couldn't help but smile. I felt her smile too. Her voice broke the silence, melodious as a golden harp. "I wish to never part from you, my Jake. I wish that you will never leave."

I held her even tighter, her smooth and powerful body molding to my own. On TV and in the movies, these kinds of things sounded corny. With her, they seemed to fulfill my wildest dreams. I whispered back "I need you, more than you know. How could I leave?" I felt her relax with my words, and we drifted into sleep together, her dreams twirling with mine as the first night of my new life came to a close.

This isn't a oneshot, first off. There will be more; I just can't guarantee when the updates will come. I plan to make an honest story out of this. Please, enjoy, and review. So long!