A New Life (Jake and Neytiri and Norm)

With the RDA leaving, Jake could finally be with the people he loved.
The Omaticaya, the Blue Flute Clan, had given him the option to be
transferred to his Na'vi body for good. No more link chamber and no
more human body. He had thought about it for a long time. While going
into his Na'vi body was the greatest adventure of all, it was not a
thing to be taken lightly. Even though he had already given himself
over to Eywa, there was still a part of him that wanted to remain
human. But that part was dwarfed by the part that loved Neytiri and
the Omaticaya. He finally decided that he would accept the offer. Then
a familiar voice broke him out of his reprieve.
" Hey Jake? You ready to go yet? You know how irritated Neytiri gets
when you keep her waiting especially with something this important."
" Yeah. Norm, I know. I was just saying goodbye to this place one last
time. After spending all my time here I feel kind of attached to the
place."
" Well," Norm Spellman said walking over to the link chamber beside
Jake, "You know it's still going to be in use right? I'm still here
even though a couple of the other drivers are going to have to help me
sit upright."
Norm's avatar had been damaged in the great battle that had taken
place the week prior. His avatar had been shot twice in the shoulder
and chest. He would be weak for a while but other than that he would
be fine.
" I'm surprised," Jake said," that you are taking your Avatar out."
" Yeah, well it needs to eat and exercise so I can get my strength
back."
" Well, don't go overexerting yourself. I don't want you collapsing on
me. That would be very bad."
" At least I'll have Tanhí to catch me if I do faint."
" Yeah. I noticed that you and her have been somewhat attached."
" Jake, she lost her mate to the RDA. It was only because of her did
my avatar survive. When she found it, it was close to death. That's
why I was ejected from it. All of the avatars have a built in safety
system. If they are close to death and you are linked up it will
automatically eject you back into your own body to protect you from
the shock of dying. I'm just glad she found me. Otherwise I would have
to wait another six years for an avatar. And well I want to be with
her and she wants to be with me. What more do you have to know?"
" Have you guys… you know…" Jake asked laughing.
Norm looked away then looked back with a red face.
" You didn't, do you?"
" Uh. Yes, we did."
" You know you can't leave her now. You are mated for life."
" I know. But why would I? I love her and she loves me."
" That's how Neytiri and I are. I love her and she loves me. Am I going
to need to buy cigars soon or what?"
" Well, er, yes, actually. She told me earlier today. She says it's a
boy. Don't ask me how but I actually felt him too. When we were bonded
I could feel him. Like he was actually right there in my arms."
" I'll take your word on that for the moment but only for the moment,"
Jake said with a mischievous grin on his face.
" Well we should get going. I'll see you there. I'm going to be in
avatar form."
" Okay I'll be looking for you. Neytiri said she was coming to get me
soon so I should get going too. I have to meet her at the East Gate."
" Alright. See you soon."
" Yeah, you too."
Norm slipped into his link unit and shut the top. The pattern on the
display showed his brain waves lining up to his avatar somewhere out
in the jungle.
Once Jake made sure Norm was properly linked up, he wheeled himself
down the corridors of Hell's Gate. A sense of nostalgia settled over
him as he went past the bio-lab. He thought he could almost imagine
Grace standing there over her microscope. Then he remembered Quaritch
had shot and killed her during their escape.
He continued on until he came to an airlock that led out towards the
East Gate. Even from a distance he could see Neytiri standing beside a
direhorse. From this distance he could just make out her outline. He
put on an exopack and cycled the airlock.
As he approached Neytiri he could see she was very wary around all
this technology. She kept looking around like someone was going to
jump out and attack her.
" No one's left on base besides those loyal to the Na'vi," Jake said
coming up from behind her.
" I know, my love," Neytiri said," but I'm still going to be cautious.
I do not like all this machinery."
" I know you don't. Listen this is the last time I'll be here in this
body. After this ceremony I'll be with you in my Na'vi body and we
will be together forever."
" I wait for that day. Now let's go. We must not keep sa'nok waiting.
For you it is a grand night. Tonight you will be reborn Omaticaya."
Neytiri helped him onto her direhorse then started at a brisk pace.
They traveled for most of the day until the Well of Souls came into
view. It was dark when they arrived.
" You will have to carry me. I can't walk."
" Do not worry. I will take care of you now and forever."
" And I you."
Neytiri placed him in her arms then walked down into the crowd of
waiting Na'vi. They parted and let her walk up onto the dais that lies
in front of the Tree of Souls.
She laid Jake down opposite his Avatar then grabbed his hand. Her
mother and Tsahik of the Omaticaya, Mo'at, started chanting a prayer
to Eywa after a moment of silence. Thin tendrils came up from the
ground to caress Jake. Most of them centered on the base of his
neck. The same happened to his Avatar except the tendrils connected
with his queue.
Jake had been staring into Neytiri's eyes until his eyes started to
dim. His breathing became labored even though he had his exopack on. A
chill had begun to creep over his body. His last thoughts were of
Neytiri before the world around him went pure white. In an instant
though he realized he was standing on the shore of a lake with a
brilliantly bright tree on the other side. As he surveyed his new
surroundings he realized that he was dead. Just then a voice broke him
out of his reprieve.
" Long time, no see marine."
He turned around quickly to find the speaker.
" Grace? How are you still here?"
" Remember I'm technically not dead yet. I live on in Eywa. My soul
and consciousness were absorbed by her. I have her promise that
someday soon I will return fully Na'vi but I don't know how. Enough of
me though. That is what I was supposed to tell you. Also Eywa blesses
you and your entire line. You will be prosperous as leader of the
Omaticaya. You will have many children. Another thing. You will have
an exceptionally long life. Again that is all I have for you. Now I
won't keep you any longer. Your mate is expecting you. One more thing.
If you find this place where we are now then you will find me."
Jake's vision started to blur and before he could ask Grace what she
meant he was, from the feel and sound of it, in his Avatar body. He
could feel Neytiri's hand on his cheek gently rubbing it and calling
his name.
" Jake, my Jake," she said.
He slowly opened his eyes to see his mate leaning over him, her face
filling his vision.
" I see you," he said in Na'vi.
" I see you," she replied with tears of joy streaming down her face.
She helped him sit into an upright position. He then looked around and
saw his human body lying dead only a few feet away from him. Mo'at
began to speak then. She walked over and pulled Jake to his feet.
" People, I give you JakeSully, our new olo'eyktan. I ask you have we
chosen well."
A chorus of cheers and shouts went up from the assembled Omaticaya.
After a few minutes it died down. The People then began to disperse
back to their individual camps.
" Come, my Jake," Neytiri said after the greater part of the Omaticaya
people had dispersed "I have a good night planned."
" I'm cool with that." he said. " Where are we going to?"
" Be quiet and follow."
Jake then gave up and followed her without question. It was only near
the end of their journey did he realize where they were going. Neytiri
had found another Tree of Voices. It was just like the one Quaritch
had destroyed. She had shown it to him but one other time before. Here
was where they were going. And in going there he knew what she meant
by a good night.
As soon as they were in reach of the branches, they started to hear
the voices of ancestors long gone. Neytiri had stopped and was facing
Jake. She held up the end of her queue in a suggesting manner. Jake
grabbed his queue and presses it to hers. He shuddered at the joining
of their bodies on such a subconscious level. She reached up and began
kissing him. He picked her up and she instinctively wrapped her legs
around his waist. Then he fell onto his back in the soft moss that
grew there sending out waves of light as the two melted into a love so
deep it could only be described as an abyss.