Note: At the end of the first story Jake had arrived on Pandora and was told his sister Jasselle had died nearly four years ago. He soon realizes that the events he was told surrounding Jasselle's death may not be true. The events from after his first day in the yard to meeting Neytiri for the first time are as presented in the movie. This story begins when Jake is brought to home tree and meets the clan Omaticaya.
"My name is Jake Sully," he said and several of the Na'vi gasped. "What did I say?"
"Jake Sully?" the chief repeated, "Jasselle's brother."
"Yes," he answered and then asked quickly, "Do you know what happened to her? Because I know they lie to me." The warrior behind him gave his braid a firm yank. Jake took the hint and shut his mouth.
Neytiri turned away from him with a groan. She muttered something in their language. Another woman came down from the center and spoke in a clear voice, "But you will keep your word."
Neytiri frowned and said politely, "This is mother." Jake nodded not sure what else to do.
Mo'at walked around Jake testing his blood a moment, "To us, Jasselle was the only dreamwalker we trusted among us. Now, a sign shows you must be given a chance. Why do you think that is?"
Jake shrugged, "I don't know. I came to help Jasselle with her work. She's not a warrior, though she can… could take care of herself. I am a warrior among them. She wanted me to learn how to be a warrior among you. Man, it's so hard."
"What is?" she asked. Then she saw the pendant Jake and yanked it away snapping the chain.
"Hey, give that back," he snapped as warriors surrounded him, holding him back. "Please, it's all I have of hers."
Mo'at held it high for much of the clan to see. "Answer my question."
"To accept she's gone. It doesn't make sense. What I've been told and the messages she left behind. They don't fit together," he insisted trying to stay calm, but he really wanted the pendant back.
"Messages?" she said placing the pendant in his outstretched hand.
Jake carefully pulled back till the warriors were satisfied. "Her daily logs, she left hidden messages in them. I haven't gone through them all yet and I don't understand most of them. One that I did get was I need to find someone named Rameana."
The Na'vi began speaking among themselves. The chief ordered for silence and nodded to someone behind him.
"I am Rameana," a woman said coming beside Jake. Her English was spoken very slowly as though she was uncertain of the words. "I was her first friend among the clan."
"Thank you," Jake said nodding. He glanced about to see if anyone would stop him from talking to her. "Jass called you a garda de rúnda which means guard of secrets. She only ever called Tom or I that. Did Jass give you anything to protect?"
Rameana glanced at Neytiri and Jake guessed she was getting a translation. She looked at Jake, "Secrets?" She pulled out the card box and Jake breathed a sigh of relief.
"I knew you would find a way to tell me straight Jass," Jake whispered to himself. To Rameana, he explained, "Jass trusted you to keep her secrets safe." He held out his hand, "May I see the box?"
Rameana looked over the intricate carvings and spoke to Neytiri. She translated, "You believe this holds a secret. She thought Jasselle gave this to her because she liked it. They were like sisters."
He smiled, "Exactly, who better to trust than brothers… or a sister." Rameana nodded and placed it in his hand. Jake turned the box around and slid the sun panel aside. He pulled out the cards and held them against the outside of the box. "See," he said showing them. The cards' depth only covered half the box's actual depth. "Plenty of room for messages to hide." He smiled at the box thinking about Jass. "She may have had her quirks but my sis was really good," he said proudly and handing Neytiri the cards. "Could you hold these…please?" He closed the box and took a deep breath, "Now, for the hard part."
"What's that?" Mo'at asked.
"Opening it. What? You thought she would leave her secrets without protection. She trusted you, your people. She obviously didn't trust someone. If she couldn't get this to you, she would still want it protected."
Several of the Na'vi nodded in agreement. Mo'at kindly asked, "Very well, how?"
Jake raked his brains a moment, "How did Jass explain it? Just move through the day. The sun rises," He slid the sun panel aside. "Night fades," turns the box to the small star covered side near the opening. Jake carefully inserted Jass' pendant into the engraving. With a small click Jake slid that panel downward a little. "Sun moves through the day," slides the sun panel the other direction uncovering the other small star covered panel. "Night comes," slides the star panel up and flips the box over. "And the moon rises," sliding the moon panel aside. Jake laughed, "She actually managed to get one of those in there." He pulled out a small device.
"What is it?" Neytiri asked.
"An old fashion recorder, communication, and data storage device called a black berry," he said grinning, looking it over, "I think I'm going to need a twig or something to safely work it… Very small buttons." Shortly, he was searching through the directory. Among them, was an audio file labeled, 'For_Jake'. "Very blunt, sis. Now, what did you need to tell me?" He started up the file.
The surrounding Na'vi quieted as they heard Jasselle's voice coming from the device.
"Jake, I hope you won't hear this message accidentally, because I know you would say I was predicting doomsday or something again. If you are listening to this, then you should already know something has happened to me and I am so sorry.
"I've gotten myself into a jam and I can't see a way out. It all centers around the mining and mother approves of my actions along with others. The rest of the files in this device will give you an idea what I was up to. Jake, please be careful who you trust at the base. There are so many agendas. If you haven't already, find Rameana or someone from the Omaticaya. They are the nearest clan and many of them have learned English, but you better start learning their language."
"On my to do list," Jake muttered.
"They will be able to explain everything better than I can in a single message. Please try to mind your manners…"
Jake whispered, "Too late." A few Na'vi nearby tried not to smile.
"…Polite and good manners to us are not necessarily what they interpret as correct behavior. Walk softly till you learn the difference and you will learn." Everyone heard her take deep breath and her voice turned very sad. "This is such a beautiful place Jake and I have barely seen any of it. I had hoped you wouldn't have to hear all this stuff and I can… could be there to share all this with you and more. I know you will be the warrior I never could be. Jake keep all your senses open and your heart. I love you little brother. May Gaya and Eywa keep you safe till we meet again… I love you, wonderful idiot." The message ended and Jake grinned slightly stared at the device. Rameana rubbed her eyes.
"Always had the last word." No one spoke as Jake put the box back together. He looked about and offered the box to her. She said something, he wasn't sure what but told her, "She gave this to you. She trusted you as she trusted me." Rameana nodded and accepted the box and the cards. He turned to the chief and asked, "Would it be all right if I asked what did happen to her?"
"You may ask," Mo'at said, "but you are not ready to know." Jake blinked and stopped himself before saying something he shouldn't. She smiled, "Jasselle said I remind her of your mother."
He thought about it and didn't noticed that his ears flattened against his head or that his tail twitched at the end. Several Na'vi did and knew what the movements meant. "I can sense that, but I wouldn't mind having some family here… So what happens now?"
"Now you rest. My daughter will teach you our warriors' ways as she promised your sister."
Neytiri led him away and he said softly, "You do realize I have a dozen things I want to ask you about Jass?"
Neytiri glanced back and asked, "What is dozen?"
Jake winced, "Literally, twelve, generally a lot."
"When you can ask me in my language?"
Jake groaned and muttered looking up, "No wonder you loved these people."
"Who are you talking to?"
"Jass' spirit, I guess."
"Why do you look up? And call her Jass?"
"I'm her brother, I'm allowed to call her that." He shrugged, "Why not? … The sun, moon, and stars are up. Why wouldn't she be up too?"
"You must miss her."
Jake looked away, "I've already been through this with Grace. Where do we start?"
"Change out of those," Neytiri said pointing to his clothes. "Your sister made her own to be closer to our way."
Jake smiled, "Doesn't surprise me at all."
A week into living with the Na'vi Jake began to take up the bow under Neytiri critical eye. It didn't seem long into that day before an alarm was raised. "Quickly, back to home tree," she snapped. He ran after her as he saw much of the clan running for home tree. There he saw two banshees circling to land in its upper branches.
"What's going on?" he whispered.
"Strangers," she said, "Either very brave or stupid to trespass."
The red banshee landed first. Shortly, the blue one followed. There was some time before the warriors came down with the strangers. He could see it was a man and a woman. They seemed different in subtle ways. The man was dressed like Tsu'tey, a young Na'vi clan heir but with decorations of shells among the feathers. The woman's outfit included a near halter-like top and wraps around her feet and legs. She was probably no stranger to the clan as several Na'vi greeted her warmly, even Tsu'tey. She held a large object wrapped in brown cloth at the crook of her arm. As they were lead down, Neytiri's mother greeted them. She seemed startled to see the woman but quickly looked relieved. After an exchange of words, Mo'at lead her quickly to the center of home tree and the man rushed to keep up. Though the woman didn't look over toward him, Jake thought there was something almost familiar about her.
"Sister," shouted Rameana. The woman laughed with obvious joy and clasped the other's arm.
"Neytiri, who is she? She seems…"
Neytiri glared at him, "Be quiet and listen."
"Well, sorry," he muttered.
The woman unwrapped the cloth, inside was a blue crystal. She raised it over her head for everyone to see. Jake's jaw nearly hit the ground. The crystal was in the shape of a skull. The Na'vi cheered at the sight, as Jake wondered aloud, "Neytiri, is that a crystal skull?"
She was surprised, "You know of them."
"Yes, there are supposed to be, I think, 13 human crystal skulls back home. I can't remember how many have been found. My sister knew legends and history. Do you have a legend about them?" The woman walked around encouraging the Na'vi to touch the crystal, the man stayed by the chief Eytucan. She lifted her eyes and Jake saw they were deep purple not yellow. Jake remembered what Grace had told him about the strangeness of the eyes of his sister's avatar. The face had elements that were his Jass'. She even wore a necklace with a pendant that looked like a cross star, larger than the one he wore in her memory. In his mind, he had to remind himself that his sister was dead. "She's dead, everyone said she was…" he whispered. The woman turned his way and froze as their eyes met. "Jass," he breathed.
Her eyes brightened before she shouted, "Jake!" She tore through the crowd shoving the crystal into a random Na'vi's hands. He smiled and began moving to her. The Na'vi separated letting them through. She practically leaped into his arms. He held her tight while he pulled himself together. She didn't smell quite the same, but the way her head pressed against his and her arms wrapped around his neck with her fingernails slightly digging into his shoulders was exactly like her. When he could pull away, it was only enough to look at her face. Her eyes were so bright. She stroked his face as she had after one of his tours. She spoke in rapid Na'vi, till she realized Jake didn't understand. She struggled a moment with the English words, "I would know you no matter what. I had hoped you would be fine. I was worried, so very…"
"I should have known you were too crafty to die. Everyone had different stories. Everyone was hiding something about you." Jake held her tight again and glanced about at the clan wondering why no one told him.
Jasselle pulled back and placed her fingers over his mouth a moment before saying, "It's a very long and complicated story, but the short version is RDA and the security chief needed me dead."
"Why? The files Rameana was guarding… didn't seem like normal blueprints."
"Among other things, I was sabotaging the mining equipment," she looked straight back at Jake's shock.
"You always have a reason," Jake waved a hand between them. "I'll need the long story, later. First, where have you been?"
"It was too dangerous with these eyes to stay here. I had to get as far away as I could. I missed this place so much," Jasselle smiled and made her usual signs for embarrassment. "Come with me," she said taking his hand. She led him back to the man who had come with her taking back the crystal without missing a beat. He didn't seem pleased or certain about Jasselle's reaction to Jake. "Brother, this is So'kon from the Ikran people of the Eastern Sea. So'kon this is my younger brother Jake."
So'kon suddenly relaxed, "I see you, Jake."
Jake attempted to return the greeting. He knew he got it wrong when Jasselle instantly corrected him. Two tries later she asked, "How long have you been on Pandora?"
"Less than two weeks. I am trying."
"It's all right, we can work on this," she said and then repeated her words in Na'vi, which was how she taught him Gaelic years ago. "Two weeks? You are living at home tree after just two weeks. It took me a couple months just to get someone to talk to me. Eywa, that's not fair," she said smiling the whole time.
Neytiri and Rameana spoke in Na'vi to her and they exchanged several words and many were laughing with them. "I really need to learn this language," Jake muttered feeling very left out.
Jasselle quieted and rested her hand on his cheek saying, "If you are willing to pick yourself up, I will help you walk."
He covered her hand with his and forced his voice to be cheerful. "Always appreciated but right now I think everyone is more interested in where that skull came from," he said still dizzy with relief that she was alive. "It is what I think it is, right?"
Jasselle lifted it again, gazing at it like a proud mother to her child, "I was so surprised when I realized just what I was holding." She sighed and winced looking back at him, "Jake, I will explain everything, I promise."
Mo'at nodded warmly, "you will tell us all tonight of your crystal. Now, there are many who are not here and many who wish to see their violet eyed sister again."
"Thank you, we shall let this rest within home tree for all to see," Jasselle said offering the skull to Mo'at. The shaman took it carefully and left. "So brother, what have you been learning? Why are you here?"
"I am here to learn the Na'vi ways, the right way," Jake explained knowing Jasselle would approve of the wording. Her smile told him he was right. "Neytiri was just starting to teach me the bow when you came."
"Oh Eywa," Jasselle said wincing and fingering a long pouch full of strange looking arrows on her belt. Jake noticed then she didn't have a bow, but So'kon did.
Rameana laughed, "Still a poor hand at the bow?"
So'kon grinned, "Very much so, but she has a different weapon that has served her well."
"Jass," Jake whispered, "What's going on?"
Jasselle elbowed So'kon before answering, "I'm no archer, but I will help you as I can." She quickly shooed away So'kon with Rameana to show him around and then the siblings followed Neytiri back out for more lessons. While Neytiri made him practice drawing the bow over and over, Jasselle repeated Neytiri silent instructions in Na'vi. Even when Neytiri let him rest before switching to another lesson, Jasselle rubbed his sore muscles and told him what the words were for his limbs. When he repeated something wrong more than twice she flicked his ear, which seemed to hurt more in his avatar than his human body. From the look in her eyes, Jake could tell she wanted a moment, a private one, just to hold him to let her really know he was there. He wanted the same, but duty came first. They had always respected their duties.
As they ran over to the dire horses, Jake asked, "So what do you use instead of the bow?"
"An atlatl, it is like a catapult for arrows, like the ancient humans of Africa and North America." She demonstrated, pulling the long stick-like weapon out from among her arrows, setting an arrow into the notch.
"Your knowledge of human history must have been a great help here."
"That and the Wicca," she said putting her weapon away.
"Wicca?" Jake nearly squeaked almost stumbling at her ease, "Jass, I thought we agreed not to talk about that in public."
Neytiri stopped and turned to him with a smug look, "It was her Wicca ways that allowed her entrance into our clan. It makes her a part of Eywa. Are you Wicca?"
He looked about as though for an escape before blurting, "I haven't dared practice Wicca since… since… ah Jass."
"Since those kids threw rocks at us, right," Jasselle finished, "You were trying to protect me and the family by letting Gaya fade from your heart." She touched the small cross star at his throat, "yet you wear this, why?"
Jake hung his head clutching his hair, "I don't know, I really don't. It was… is yours and some of the entries I saw from you sounded… I don't know. Something seems wrong about the base, but not all of it. And out here I'm really confused but comfortable, trying to figure it all out. Then you're here, alive when everyone, every sky people excuse me, said you were dead. And you're telling me things that are really butting heads with what I took as the truth for so long."
"I've thoroughly flipped your world upside down, haven't I?"
Jake nodded as Jasselle slipped her arms around him and he did the same, "I'm sorry Jake, but unfortunately I haven't even started to explain and that is really going to make things crazy."
"I am going to have a splitting headache before this is over, right?" he asked.
"At least, for now horses. Word of advice," she said pulling away kissing his nose.
Jake nodded this was the sister he remembered, "Anything."
"First and foremost remember your manners and know these creatures know more about themselves than you ever could," she said and took off running with Neytiri expecting him to catch up. As they reached the clearing another woman rushed over to greet Jasselle. Her mate was also pleased to see his sister. Even as Neytiri started his lesson Jasselle was pulled away by her old friends to catch up. She looked at him worried and Jake smiled waving her off.
"Is it hard?" Neytiri asked as he watched Jasselle being led away.
"Yes and no, things change that is how time works… that was a Wicca saying I think. It's from somewhere," he shrugged, "but some things are the same. She's alive I have family here again. Her human body is dead? Her avatar is her only body now, right?"
"Yes, it was the only way to save her. She…"
"Later please," he said lining up his priorities whether he liked it or not, "Now is the time to learn, right?" Neytiri nodded both in agreement and promise.
It was hours later as the clan gathered together around the fire before he saw Jasselle again. She sat in the inner most circle with So'kon on one side and Mo'at on the other. Neytiri and Jake sat behind her. Jasselle quietly greeted him even as she settled the skull in front of her. "I won't be able to speak English to you."
"I will," Neytiri offered immediately.
"Thank you," they both said and grinned at each other.
Once the clan settled, they waited for Jasselle to begin. "I see you all, just as I have missed you all these past few years. I am both pleased and proud to say I have found my place. I fit in here on Pandora as I never had on Earth. I am home and I am happy," she said looking from face to face and seeing the approval and welcome in those faces. "This skull I bring for you to see and know was found by me and I have accepted the duty that goes with its care," she nodded to So'kon and he smiled and nodded. Jake looked between them and wondered what those looks meant and more so why Tsu'tey suddenly frowned. He made himself stay quiet as Jasselle began the story. He always liked listening to her voice when she was caught in a good story.
"The day of its finding was as normal as one could hope. It was clear, a good hunting day or for several a day to pick their Ikran. I had not had such a day of choosing, like many things on Pandora I have stumbled into and made the best of a poor situation." Several Na'vi laughed and Jake could only wonder."On the nesting ground near the rocky shores of the ocean, we gathered: So'kon, myself, and a handful of young soon to-be warriors. The attempts were smooth and selections were made until the last. She was young and a bit impatience. This nearly cost her, her life. For when she chose, the Ikran was angered by the previous hunter and tossed her when the rope was wrapped about its muzzle.
"Before anyone could say or move, she had fallen over the rocks into the water. I did not stop to look for dangers under the surface, though many of you know of my fortune with water." More Na'vi laughed at the private joke. "So I jumped in after her. The water was clear and by Eywa's grace was empty of life but hers. I swam to her and drew her to the surface, but as I turned to the surface I saw a flash of blue light. I could not stop to look as the woman was fading. So'kon was surprised but ready when we broke the surface. He drew her out even as she screamed in pain; her shoulder had been destroyed in the fall. Bones broken and much bleeding. As I bound the wound I could not get the blue light out of my mind. I asked my ikran if there was anything in the water. He didn't think so, and so I went back in against So'kon's orders. I swam down to a small crevasse in the rock. There was what I thought was only a large piece of blue crystal. I only picked it up because didn't want to come up empty handed to my angry clan brother. When I turned, I saw to my horror, I was surrounded by several fish with sharp teeth as long as my finger." Jasselle shuddered and stroked the skull as So'kon touched her shoulder.
"But the fish came no closer than arms-length. When I held out the crystal, they swam back even further. I was not about to stay any longer to test just what was going on. I swam to the surface as quickly as I could. So'kon was furious and practically dragged me out by my braid." Some Na'vi growled as So'kon glared warmly at her, "Peace I deserved it for going back in without telling him why. As I stumbled by the young woman we both were able to see the crystal I held. Never had I seen such a clear stone just so softly touched with color or so beautifully shaped. This, a crystal skull," she said holding it up again. It gleamed in the firelight and somehow still remained blue in the fire's glow. "Among humans they have such skulls and a legend, but to see we share this… oh Eywa and Gaya. To hear So'kon tell me that these skulls were known to heal as human skulls are said to. What a wonderful world we live in."
Jake listened to both Jasselle and Neytiri as the story continued. A plan began to form in his mind as Jasselle handed the skull to So'kon so she could finally speak privately to Jake. They went to the lower branches of home tree and didn't watch as the clan members touched the skull like the sacred relic it was. Jasselle told him a new story of what happened at the base before she was 'killed'. "I should have been here," he told her several times, "I could have helped."
"I wished for you and Tom many times," she admitted when the story got too difficult to continue, "There is nothing you can do about the past."
"But we are here in the present," he said taking her hands.
"And we shall build the future," she finished, "There just so many of them now and their weapons."
"Easy, you just went about the wrong way. You're not a soldier."
"I know, that's why I knew I needed you more than… I'm sorry I didn't mean," Jasselle covered her face embarrassed to have even mentioned their brother Tom like that.
"It's all right," Jake said and let himself think about the Wicca way, "Tom's here."
"What?" she asked confused.
Jake took her hand and placed it on his heart. "This was to be his avatar. His blood, he's right here. Even I forgot."
"Thanks Jake. So, marine, what are we going to do?"
"First, we need Grace in this circle."
"Grace, she always reported everything," Jasselle said worried.
Jake shook his head, "Not this, things have changed. I believe she has changed."
"Well perhaps, but how are you going to get her anywhere alone and not monitored?" she demanded. "If they at the base get so much as a hint I'm still alive…" she shuddered.
Jake looked down at the skull, "How willing would she be to meet visitors from another clan that are carrying a sacred object that is a lot like the very expensive, very mysterious objects from Earth? Would somebody on base know about the crystals skulls?"
"The rock doc most likely," Jasselle said immediately.
"Who?"
"Oh, what was his name? He was one of the avatar operators when I was there. He even sneaked my weapons out to the Na'vi after I was arrested."
"It's all right, if he's there I'll find him. Your notebook would have the history info, right?"
"Yes, but I would have thought they had destroyed it or erased the data," Jasselle explained.
"Nope, they oh so politely gave it to me."
"You're joking," Jasselle said surprised and then groaned, "and they call the Na'vi naïve. Unbelievable."
"Would tomorrow work?"
"Tomorrow, how are you going to swing that?"
"I'll handle Grace. You need to help me handle the Na'vi."