+Savin' Me+
Sitting in my own little corner within the cell the RDA had thrown us in, I tried taking deep breaths as I calmed my angered heart. My hand still hurt from punching Selfridge, and my eye was still swollen and purple from where Quaritch had first hit me. Every bone in my body was screaming in pain from where I had fought against the soldiers, and every breath I took seemed like a sharp knife to my chest. Yet it was not the physical pain that was angering me. It was more so the mental pain. That was the pain that was slowly driving me mad.
I could still hear Neytiri's cries for her father ringing in my head. I could still see the bewilderment in Atan'eko's eyes for the destruction we had caused. I could even still hear Tsu'tey's voice echoing in my brain as he asked, "Why?"
Standing up, I began to pace as the others ignored me, since they too were in their own little worlds. Back and forth I went between each wall, looking as crazed as someone you'd find within an insane asylum. When the cries of the Na'vi began to echo even louder in my head, I stopped, closed my eyes, gritted my teeth, and tried to will them away with all my strength. However, even as I chanted mentally, "Go away, go away, GO AWAY." It only made it worse and finally out of a fit of rage I turned and punched the closest thing to me; a wall.
The others, hearing the impact, and my scream, turned to look at me in surprise. Breathing heavily I let my hand slide away from the drywall as I once again collapsed to a sitting position on the floor. Pulling my knees up close to my chest, I let my elbows rest upon them as I covered my face with my hands. Then, ever so cautiously, the tears slowly crept down my already tear stained cheeks.
Feeling a warm hand rest itself upon my shoulder, I carefully lifted my head up as I wiped away my runny nose with the back of my hand. I was a mess; a wreck. I hadn't been this upset since my grandmother's funeral. I felt like I needed to be doing something. Sitting here in this cell, after all that had happened was not something I needed at the moment. If we were forced to stay here any longer there was a chance I'd lose my mind completely.
Turning my head I found Grace crouching beside me. She gave me a comforting look, before she helped to hoist me up off the floor and bring me to sit with her upon one of the two bunk beds within the cell.
Pulling my feet up onto the bunk, Grace came to sit on my right side as she wrapped her arm around shoulders and let me lean against her. Grace was Mom to me. She had been since I had arrived here. Sure she was my boss, and she had a snippy attitude, but what mother didn't. She only wanted the best for all of us. I couldn't imagine what it would have been like without her being here this whole time.
Looking at my brother, who sat in the middle of the room within his wheelchair, I found him occasionally glancing at me. I don't know if he was doing it to make sure if I was alright, or if maybe he was just doing it because he needed something to look at so to keep his mind off of things. Either way, after awhile he stopped as he took to looking down at his feet with a numb sort of expression.
Gazing past him, I found Norm just casually reclining against his bunk. He didn't seem to be looking at anyone. He mainly just kept his gaze in the complete other direction, which at this moment consisted of the drywall that now had a tiny indent where I had threw my fist just mere moments ago. He was off in his own little world, just as much as all of us I guess.
Turning my head to look out the cell, I watched interestingly as the soldier on guard casually cleaned his two guns on top of his desk. Every once and a while he would look up to check on us, occasionally to look at me mostly from the earlier incident, before he'd return to what he was doing. Finally after ten minutes he placed the bigger gun into a cabinet behind him, where he locked it up. Placing the key back in his pocket he turned his eyes back onto the hologram computer screen. Turning back around, I sighed noisily before leaning into Grace's arm.
As I sat there I heard the sliding doors open from the outside. Craning my neck to see what was going on, I found Trudy entering the room with a food cart.
"What's going on, brother? Long time no see," Trudy smiled at the guard as she wheeled the cart up next to our cell.
"Hey," he replied back with a smirk as he came from around his desk to see what she had brought.
"Personally, I don't feel these tree-hugging traitors deserve steak," Trudy joked with the guy openly in front of us. I felt my blood began to rise, before I caught her gaze. It was then that I realized just what she was doing. Standing up from Grace's arms almost immediately, I started to watch with interest.
"They get steak? That's bullshit. Let me see that," he laughed as leaned down to check out what was in the cart. Chuckling, Trudy came around the side of it all the while reaching behind her back as she pulled out her gun. While he was still down, she grabbed a hold of his arm as she held the gun to his head, "Yeah. You know what that is. Down."
"Trudy," Norm yelled in fear as he finally noticed the scene. Standing up from where he was sitting he watched in shock as she started coaxing the man down onto the floor.
"That's right, all the way down," and just when the man thought he was good Trudy reared back her hand and swung it forward hitting his head with the butt of the gun. He was instantly out cold as she stood back up and placed the gun back behind her back, while calling out, "MAX."
Right about the time she called him, he came running around the corner and straight to our cell. As he messed with the machine on the wall to let us out, Trudy took to getting the guy's gun out of his pocket, and anything else helpful. Noticing her drop the keys, I frowned. If only she knew how valuable they were.
Hearing the swish of the doors being unlocked, I immediately shot out and picked them up. Running over to the cabinet I heard Trudy call, "We don't have time. Come on!"
"Hold on," I replied as I got the right key into the keyhole. Hearing the sound of the click I threw open the door and pulled out the larger gun the guard had put in earlier. Turning back around I smiled, "I thought this might help." Chuckling she began to walk toward the door as she motioned for me. Taking to the front of all of us, I heard Jake from beside me ask, "Hear, give it to me."
"No, you need both of your hands right now. I'll be fine Jake. Remember, you and dad taught me how to shoot when I was little."
"Yeah, I also remember you shooting dad in the foot when you thought it was on safety," he threw back, as I frowned. Checking to make sure the gun was off of safety, we all made our way swiftly through the halls of the building.
Jake, being the smart one, called up to Trudy urgently, as he nudged both me and Norm forward, "Trudy, fire up the ship! Go!" Running ahead of him, I saw Trudy pass Norm the soldier's other gun before taking off down the hall as quick as she could. Checking to make sure there was no one around the corners she would motion for us to follow, as I too kept a look out for any unwanted problems.
Reaching the main hatch that led outside, we all ducked in as quickly as we could. She rushed to final door, and peeped out. Seeing that it was good to go she turned to Norm and I, "Clear, Come on." Opening up the door to the masks I pulled out one for Norm, and Trudy, before grabbing mine. Once we had the masks on, Trudy unlocked the door and rushed outside with us following close behind. Ducking behind other ships, and cargo, we checked to make sure we were good, before continuing on toward her ship.
As they moved away from the last hiding spot I turned to make sure Jake was coming, before looking over to the main control room. Even from a distance I could still make out Quaritch as he patrolled throughout the room, while making sure everything was running smoothly. Giving the man an unbeknownst dirty look I turned and headed on over to the machine to help Norm get ready to help get Jake onto the ship.
Jumping inside the helicopter, right as Jake arrived, I heard Norm give Trudy the go ahead before, she started up the machine. Turning to Jake and Grace, I looked around for Max, before asking, "Where'd he go?"
"He's staying here. We need someone on the inside," Jake yelled over the propellers Nodding, I started to help Grace and Norm get him out of his chair and help hoist him into the plane. Getting a little anxious though, I jumped out to help Grace get his wheelchair in when suddenly I heard the sound of sirens going off, and people yelling.
Turning in the direction of where I heard the noise, I didn't have much time to realize what was going on until I found Grace and myself being fired at. Doing a quick check on the gun to make sure it was off safety, I turned it toward Quaritch, aimed, and fired.
I missed him, by a lot, but I did scare the shit out of him as Grace and I boarded the helicopter as it began lifting off the ground. Managing to get inside first I noticed Grace having trouble. However as I went to help her I found Norm already reaching out to her as he urged, "Grab my hand!" Seeing he had it under control I headed to the other side of the plane where I pointed my gun at Quaritch again and began firing back.
I could tell from this distance he was definitely pissed off. Especially since most of his shots were hitting random parts of the plane; some even coming close to hitting me. Hearing Jake's protests for me to get away from the side, I found myself immediately being yanked back by his strong hand from behind. Stumbling a bit, I managed to fall onto his seat, where he continued to keep a firm grip on me. As we made it higher into the air and further away from Hell's Gate, the bigger our smiles and laughter became.
"YEAH, YEAH!"
"ALL RIGHT! YES!"
Turning to Jake I yelled happily, "DID YOU SEE HIS FACE WHEN I PULLED THE GUN ON HIM." Laughing he called back, "I THINK THAT LAST SHOT HE WAS AIMING TO SHOOT YOU DEAD FOR IT." Shaking my head with a smile still stretching from ear to ear, I turned to look at Grace. It was then that my smile slowly faded away as I heard her whisper a firm, "Crap." I couldn't see what was wrong with her, but her face clearly showed something was. Moving toward her as the boys carried on, I could hear Trudy up front call out to us, "IS EVERYBODY ALRIGHT BACK THERE."
"Norm you good," Jake asked turning to look beside him.
"Pfft Yeah," he said as if it was no big deal.
"Mia you…" but he was cut off as he turned to find me pulling away from Grace with blood on my hands.
"MIA," he yelled, but soon realized it was not my blood, but Grace's.
"This is gonna ruin my whole day," Grace groaned as I ripped off the bottom my white tank and used it to start pressing against the wound. Jake and Norm immediately shot forward over to us as Jake called out to Trudy, "GRACE IS HIT."
"WHAT," Trudy asked shocked from the front.
"GET THE TRAUMA KIT," I yelled at Norm as Jake warned Mom, "Keep the pressure on Grace!"
"TRAUMA KIT," I yelled again seeing Norm still hadn't found it.
"TRAUMA KIT'S FORWARD, ON THE BULKHEAD," Trudy called back to me, as I handed Grace over to Jake, while I went to help Norm find the kit.
"Hang on Grace," he spoke calmly, as I started to feel a shaking feeling coming over me. Freezing in my tracks as I grabbed a hold of the wall next to me, I gritted my teeth as I mumbled through the shakes "Not here, Not now." The panic attack was slowly starting to build up. I could feel it as I stood there. However feeling Norm's hand on my shoulder, I turned my head to look at his as he asked, "You alright. You didn't get hit did you?"
"No, panic attack," I said closing my eyes while taking a deep breath.
"JAKE, MIA'S HAVING AN ATTACK," Norm called as I immediately twisted around and smacked his head, "He's busy, I'll be fine." Taking one last deep breath I turned my head to my side, where I immediately found the trauma kit. Grabbing hold of it, I handed it off to Norm as he rushed over to Grace. Taking a seat, from where I stood, I held on tightly to the wall, as I took deep, cleansing breaths just like Grace had taught me to do after the incident during the storm. It helped little by little, just as long as I kept my eyes staring out at the sky. Once my whole body seemed to calm down I stood up and made my way to the front of the ship where Trudy was. Sitting down in the seat next to her, I asked, "Where are we going? We can't go back to the shack, they'll find us there."
"That's exactly where we're going. We need to try and relocate the trailer somewhere else where they can't find it. It's our best shot right now," she said as she gazed out the window in front of her, but after a moment or two she turned to look at me, "Are you alright?"
"Panic attacks, can't live with them, can definitely live without them," I joked nervously, as she laughed just as unnerved, before her eyes suddenly bugged out of her head, "Mia, your bleeding!"
"What? No it's Grace's blood," I said, but it was then that I felt it. She was right, I was bleeding. Looking down I saw the source of the new found pain on the side of my thigh.
"GUYS, MIA GOT HIT," Trudy suddenly called as Norm came rushing to the front.
Taking one look at my leg, he called back to confirm it to Jake as he went to work on treating me as well. After a few minutes of not looking, plus wincing, and growling in pain, he finally finished as he patched it up and said, "You're gonna be alright you big baby. It was just a flesh wound. Quaritch only skimmed you with his bullet, which I might say is lucky considering how you were out in the open shooting at him like that."
"Yeah, well the bastard deserved it," I growled as I stood up, and limped to the back with him, where we found Grace dozing off, and Jake keeping a watchful eye on her. Turning the moment he heard us, his hand immediately shot out for mine as he pulled me too him. Checking me over, he said, "Thank god. I thought it was really bad."
"No, just a flesh wound. Still hurts like hell though. I'm surprised I didn't feel it at first," I replied looking between him and Grace as she mumbled a little half in, half out of it.
"The adrenaline is what made you not realize it. Adrenaline can be a wonderful thing at times," she chuckled lightly as I smiled. Moving away from Jake I came to sit beside her as I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. Leaning into me, I let her use me as something to lean against for once. Within no time she was fast asleep, as well as I until I heard the helicopter land just ten minutes after finally dozing off.
Opening my eyes I found Norm coming over to get Grace to carry her inside. As he picked her up, I went to finally stand, however my plans were soon shot as I felt a sharp pain shoot up my side from the wound on my thigh.
"You need help," Jake asked looking at me, as I collapsed back in my seat.
"No, I'm just dandy," I said sarcastically, however catching my rudeness I sighed as cracked my eyes open and said, "I'm sorry Jake, it just hurts, and it's not helping our situation."
"I know, trust me," he said before motioning to Trudy who came over and helped me down. Limping back to the trailer with her and Jake at my side, I couldn't help but feel like an idiot for earlier. Maybe I should have handed the gun over to Jake.
Making our way through the final door, Trudy came and sat me down on my bed as Norm came from around the corner.
"So what are we gonna do," he asked looking between everyone.
"I vote we move the trailer. They're bound to come looking for us, and this is the first place they'll come to," Trudy said, as I seconded, "She's right. This is the only place they know that we'll be safe at. I say we move this old shack somewhere deeper into the jungle below."
"Sounds like a good idea, but we can't take this whole thing…" Norm began, but Jake cut him off with, "Maybe not the whole thing, but just the link room. I mean everything we need is in there except for the beds and the kitchen. I mean we can move our things into that part of the trailer, along with some of the stuff we'll need like… the fridge, the microwave, and whatever else we can fit. I think it's possible." Looking between the three of us, Norm finally shrugged and said, "Fine it's worth a shot."
With that we all went to work, unhooking things, and gathering up our clothes and other various objects as we went to put them on the other side of the trailer. Soon Norm moved Grace to the link room and placed her down on one of the open beds. Placing a blanket over her, we found she didn't even stir. The wound must have been worse than we thought.
Finally, after everything was set, Trudy left to go fire up the helicopter, while Norm went to link with his avatar. During all of this though, I took to sitting down next to the window beside Grace. I was tired, that much was certain, but not tired enough to close my eyes and risk letting something bad happen to her. Sure Jake was keeping a close eye on her as well, but that didn't stop my fear. I had lost too many people in my life to lose her too. Grace was the glue that held all of us together. She was the mom to all of us. We were her children, and without her…what would we do? Closing my eyes I rolled my head in a circle, as I heard the sickening cracks it produced. My whole body was tense, and every time I moved I only heard another pop coming from somewhere.
Jumping slightly when Norm passed the window, Jake finally noticed my discomfort. "You alright," he asked rolling over to me.
"I could be much better," I groaned as I heard another pop come from my back.
"Why don't you go lie down on one of the open link beds? It'll do you some good," he insisted, but I merely shook my head while commenting, "I can't sleep."
"Is it you can't, or won't," he asked with raised brows.
"Does it matter," I replied as my eyes wavered away from his to Grace's sleeping form.
"Don't worry, Mia. I'll keep an eye on her," Jake spoke noticing my gaze.
"I know you will…I just…it's hard to explain Jake," I replied as I leaned forward to rest my elbows against my legs, while using my connected hands as a prop for my head.
"Listen Mia, I'm gonna do all that I can to make sure she makes it, but you gotta accept she's in bad shape. People in that shape, in this type of situation…well…they don't always…"
"…make it," I finished for him with a scowl. With a sympathetic smile he nodded. "She won't die. Eywa can't do that to me," I said more to myself than him. Rolling forward he went to comfort me, but Trudy suddenly came over the radio to say Norm had gotten everything in its right place. Moving away, he rolled over to the window where he looked out to make sure. Tuning him out, I leaned back into my seat again as I too went to stare out the window.
What had we done? Maybe we shouldn't have left. Then maybe Grace would be perfectly fine. Maybe then…NO! I wouldn't think of the what-ifs. I wasn't the person to do that. I didn't like Jake doing that either. Everything happens for a reason, right? Who knows…maybe a day or two from now we'll all be laughing about this.
Feeling the sudden jerk of the trailer being lifted off of the ground I turned to look at Jake once again.
"Just keep going north. Get us deep in the mountains," Jake said over the radio to the others as he looked out the window.
"Copy that," came back Trudy's voice. Rolling away from the window he rolled forward over to the medical kit. As a water jug fell in his path he picked it up and moved it out of the way before holding up his radio to his mouth again and asking, "Norm you all good up there?"
"Yep still here," he said over the radio, before Trudy's voice came over it once more and commented, "Well, at least they can't track us up here. Not this far into the Vortex."
"It's strongest at the Tree of Souls, right." Jake asked looking over the medical supplies as I finally stood up. Heading over to him, I stopped halfway there near my bag. Picking it up with all my strength, I hoisted it onto the link bed. Opening the zipper I went to looking for a change of clothes since I hadn't changed in a while. Plus my current clothing wasn't in good shape considering it was ripped, and blood stained.
"Yeah," Trudy finally answered back as Jake replied, "Good. Cause that's where we're going." Finally putting down his radio he turned to look at me.
"You should get off your feet, Mia. Just because it's a flesh wound doesn't mean your not hurt," he urged, but I shook my head as I replied, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Besides I'm going to the restroom to clean off the best I can, and put some new clothes on. I'm sure that'll do me more good right now than anything." With a strained look he finally nodded as I head back to the other side of the trailer with new clothes in hand.
As I shut the door behind me I breathed out a sigh of relief. One more, "please lie down," and I was sure to beat my brother upside the head. Right now I didn't want to lie down. Right now I wanted to be moving around or doing something. I needed to be needed at the moment. I felt useless if I just sat there doing nothing.
Turning on the faucet, I grabbed a clean rag from nearby and wet it. Stripping down to nothing I wiped every inch of my body clean, before dipping my head into the sink and washing my hair. I was afraid to use the shower. With my luck something bad might happen if I tried.
Finishing, I dried myself off, brushed through my long wet hair, before turning to grab my clothes. Putting on my underwear and bra first, I took a moment to stand there and look at myself in the mirror. I didn't recognize myself as I carefully gazed into the glass. How could I? I had been a Na'vi for the past few months. I was still a Na'vi at heart, so the person standing there in that mirror…well…I almost dared to say was a stranger. I wasn't this person anymore. I had long since left her behind; at least until now.
Turning my eyes away from the mirror quickly I picked up my long, tan, baggy-shorts off the floor and stepped into them. Pulling them up to my waist I buttoned them quickly before I grabbed my white, tight-fitting, t-shirt and threw it on. However as I stood there fully dressed, I felt like I was overdressed. I felt like I should have stayed the way I was. I wasn't use to these many clothes anymore. I was use to the traditional Na'vi clothing.
Growling in frustration, I heard Jake from the other side of the door call out, "You alright in there?" Shaking my head I said, "Yep," before opening the door and walking out. Giving me one glance to make sure I was okay, he nodded over to the chair for me to sit. Doing so, I watched carefully as he administered a shot to Grace.
"Ouch," came Grace's snarky reply as the needle entered her skin. Smiling, glad that she was awake, I listened as Jake replied stoically, "You big baby." Pulling back her covers to check her bandage, I moved forward to see how she was. Taking one look I knew it wasn't good. The bandages were quickly beginning to soak up the blood.
Pulling her covers back over her, I moved my chair closer to the link bed as she asked, "We're moving." Nodding, carefully, I listened as Jake replied, "I'm gonna get you some help, Grace."
"I'm a scientist, remember? I don't believe in fairytales," she said looking between Jake and me.
"Maybe not you, but I sure as hell do," I tried to joke, but it didn't come out the way I would have liked, but still the point came across as she threw back at me, "Okay Cinderella, who exactly are you going to get help for me then."
"The People can help you, I know it," Jake spoke from beside me as serious as ever. Turning her gaze upon him she asked, "Why would they help us?"
Opening my mouth to retort I found nothing to say. She was right. Why would they help us after all that we had done? Just the memory of how Neytiri had reacted when she had found Eytukan's body proved her theory. Turning to look at Jake, hoping that he'd have an answer, I found him just as duped as I was. However, after a minute or two he final spoke up.
"They will," was all he said before rolling away to check on the others statuses. Watching him leave I heard Grace speak, "You better look after him once I'm gone. No telling what trouble that marine will get himself into." Turning back to Grace startled, I spoke viciously, "You're not going to die."
"Mia, sooner or later we all do. I've just finally hit my expiration date. When the almighty comes calling there's not much we can do to prevent it, and I think it's time you accept that. I've taught you well kid. Hell, you and the others are like my own kids if I ever had any. The closest I've ever had to a daughter in my family was my niece," she said as a shadow passed over her eyes, "Mia, be sure to tell her what happened, be sure to tell her that I love her, and wish her my best." Nodding as the tears grew in my eyes she reached out her hand right in time to wipe away a few stray tears off my cheek.
"Grace, you've been like a mom to me. So don't go saying all of this. I'm not going to tell her…you will," I said taking her hand and clutching tightly to it.
"Mia, please do what I say for once," Grace groaned, as I chuckled sadly, "When do I ever listen, Mom."
"Yeah, I noticed," she rolled her eyes before something suddenly popped into her mind. "Tsu'tey, huh? I'd thought you pick someone who looks less like a monkey," she giggled shaking her head.
"Hey, what can I say? I like blue monkeys," I laughed, before turning serious, "He's a good man, Grace. He cares for his people and would do anything for them. He might be stubborn, and a hard head, but it's nothing I haven't dealt with before. He's beyond anyone I've ever been with. He makes me feel…alive I guess. I'm in love with him." Smiling from ear to ear, she continued to rub my cheek with her thumb as she said, "I'm glad you and Jake found someone here. I'm glad you found love, because both of you deserve it after the hell you've gone through. I just wish I could have stuck around a lot longer to see." Seeing that hopeless look in her eye I tried to vanish it with, "You know, if it wasn't for you, and this program… Jake and I wouldn't have become the people we are today, or have fallen in love. Thank you, Mom; for everything." Nodding softly, I felt her hand slipping as all of this talking finally exhausted her. Placing her hand at her side I pulled the cover over her again, and placed my lips to her forehead swiftly before pulling away.
Walking over to Jake, I once again heard him say as I took a seat on the link bed beside his wheelchair, "Why don't you get some rest, Mia. You're going to need it."
"I'm fine…"
"Mia, listen to your brother," came Grace's voice from the end of the trailer. Smiling at her I replied, "Alright, but if I wake up in heaven, I know who to blame." Looking pointedly at Jake, he chuckled lightly before saying, "Are you sure it's not the other place, Mia." Slapping him upside the head, I heard Grace laugh from the end of the trailer, before it carefully died off. She must have finally fallen asleep.
Sighing heavily, I finally lied down on the link bed myself, where I felt Jake throw a blanket or two on me, before lifting my head to place a pillow underneath. After that I lost consciousness as I slipped into a dreamless sleep.
When I awoke though, it was earlier morning, and it was to Jake shaking me awake. Opening my eyes as I reality set in, I immediately shot up from off my link.
"Hey, whoa, everything's alright," Jake said noticing my panicked stare. Breathing in deeply, I sighed in relief as I wrapped the blankets around me. It was cold in the early morning, especially without the temperature control.
Looking around, I noticed we weren't moving. Standing up, I limped over to the windows to look out, and imagine my surprise when I found we were deep within the jungle.
"Where's Norm," I asked looking behind me at Jake.
"He's finding a safe place for his avatar to rest before he comes out of…" and right then was where the machine cut off, and his hatch opened. Stepping out of his link bed he came to stand next to us.
"Well I got some good news and some bad news," he replied looking between us.
"Okay, bad news first, because we might as well get it out of the way," I said taking a seat on Jake's lap.
"Okay, bad news is, I couldn't find your avatars so at this point I have no clue if you guys are good to link or not," he said looking between the both of us.
"Alright, and then good news," Jake asked from behind me.
"Well that's sort of half good news, and half bad news. Good for Mia; bad for you," he said looking between us as we both quirked an eyebrow.
"Go on," I replied wrapping my blanket even tighter around me.
"Well I passed by a group of Na'vi heading toward the Tree of Souls. Don't worry they didn't see me or hear me. They were out looking for the injured. Anyhow, Tsu'tey is alive and well, Mia. However, he's Olo'eyktan now, so there's no way you two are getting near that place," Norm explained as I stood up and headed over to my link.
"Doesn't matter, Norm," I said without emotion as I turned to Jake, "Jake, you ready to link." Nodding he looked up at Norm who simply groaned before stalking off to set his link bed up. Within mere moments both of us were ready to jump in.
"Link's running," Norm said as Jake rolled over to him. Placing his arm against the machine, he leaned down closer to Jake and asked, "What's the plan here, Jake?"
Readying himself to get into the machine, Jake merely replied, "There's no plan." Looking at him in shock, I saw the frustration building as his voice raised a decimal or so, "Tsu'tey is Olo'eyktan now. He's not gonna let you near that place."
"I gotta try," Jake replied as he lied down, and pulled the net over him. Looking over at Norm, before he could say another word I spoke, "Don't worry Norm. There's a chance he might let me near the place long enough to convince him to let us bring Grace there for help. We have this under control. Jake and I are not complete idiots." Snorting at that, he turned to Jake and said, "Launching," as the machine was slowly starting up. Closing the hatch, Jake was soon separated from us.
"Listen, don't worry Norm. We have this under control, and if not Jake, then I do," I said as he shook his head, "Mia, just be careful alright. I don't need hear about anymore deaths okay." Nodding I headed over to my link as I pulled down the net and the hatch. Closing my eyes, I let my mind go blank. In no time I as being thrown through that familiar neon tunnel I had come to call home.
Opening my eyes cautiously, I found only the normal white blur, but as they slowly adjusted I saw the sky looming high above me. Breathing in, I only found myself coughing the next second as I sat up. As the fit of coughs subsided though, I soon found myself looking around at the landscape while I took in the sight of all the dead plants, and charred trees. Everything was glazed over in a thick coat of gray ash, including me as I stood up.
Carefully watching my steps, I began to move through what once was a beautiful jungle. Anything I seemed to brush up against or touch, turned to a pile of ash the moment my skin made contact with it
It seemed as if this whole world right here, right now, was only being held together by a simple hope and prayer. Just like me.
Outcast… Betrayer… Alien… I was in the place the eye does not see. A place not even Eywa herself would look at. If there was a hell, then this was it.
Coming over the top of the ridge, I looked out over what had been the lush jungle, but now was a barren wasteland of blackened tree trunks, and ash filled grounds. The branches around me that had survived reached out to the only life left living amongst it. The tears glazed over my eyes, but they never spilled. No, not today, I needed my strength. I also needed something else; the Na'vi.
I needed their help, and they needed mine, but to ever face them again, Jake and I were going to have to take it to a whole new level.
"MIA," Hearing my brother's cry I turned and found him walking toward me. Smiling in relief, that he was okay, I walked over to him as well.
"You alright, no damage, right," he asked looking me over.
"I'm fine, and you," I questioned, as he simply replied, "I'm good."
"Come on, we need to get somewhere safe. I saw some thanators over the hill. I think they're…" I held up my hand already knowing. The dead were here, and where there was dead, there were scavengers. No doubt that the other predators, viperwolves, were roaming nearby as well.
Hearing two loud screeches behind us, we turned in time to see, a pair of ikrans flying straight toward us. Without fear I stood my ground as they came to land in front of us. I knew by their colors, and by their eyes, whom they belonged to. It was Sage, my ikran, who was perching next to Jake's.
Walking over to Sage, he bent down to nudge his head against my chest. "It's okay, I'm alright," I said patting his beak. Then as I stood there comforting him an idea struck me. The memory of the large red banshee chasing after us a mere month ago popped into the front of my mind.
"Jake, Toruk…" and as he stood there without moving, I knew he had already thought of it. Nodding he replied looking straight at his ikran, "There's something we gotta do. You're not going to like it." I couldn't really tell if he was talking to me or his banshee, but as he connected his queue something else hit me as I heard the roar of a thanator nearby.
"You go on, Jake. I'll catch up," I replied as he looked at me carefully.
"Are you sure," he asked.
"Yeah, there's something I have to do first. You'll be fine," I said reassuring him. He sat there for a moment, before he was finally convinced. Then with a loud, "YAH," him and his ikran were instantly soaring up into the air. Turning my eyes to look at Sage, I replied, "I know you're going to hate me for his, but like Jake said, we've got something to do, and you're probably not going to like it,' sweetie." As his emerald eyes caught mine I could see the understanding in them before I felt it when I connected my queue. Without a word spoken he took off into the air, as I looked down below for what I was searching for.
Every once in awhile I'd see something similar to him, but the thought was soon pushed aside as I noticed that they didn't have the same markings. However the closer I got to where the base of Home-Tree had once been, the stronger this feeling inside of me became. It was like I knew.
Then that's where I saw him as he lied in the ash looking around the barren wasteland in sadness. His home was gone, destroyed, and now he and the others were all that was left.
At first Sage refused to land, but finally calming him enough, he came to land five yards behind him. Dismounting, and disconnecting my queue, I carefully inched up to him.
When he finally did hear my approach he turned and growled viciously at me, as if to say I should not be here.
"Trust me. If I had a choice, I wouldn't be here. I'd already be with Tsu'tey right now at this moment," I said as he stood up, and readied for an attack.
Looking down at his paw, I saw the familiar scar from our last encounter. It was still healing, but it was getting there.
"You remember me right. I'm the one who helped you out," I said as I continued to step closer. I refused to draw out my weapon, fearing that if I did I might spook him.
Finally the creature seemed to calm. It was either considering the fact that I was stupid prey, and he was just waiting for his dinner to come to him, or that he really was starting to realize who I was.
When I was about three feet from the thanator, something in its eyes changed. It was as if something dawned on him. Moving forward, as he quickly lessoned the three feet between us, I felt him nudge his head up against me. Giggling, I smiled brightly as I ran my hand across his skin.
"You do remember me don't you," I laughed, before it licked me in a sort of 'yes,' like answer. As he looked up at me finally, as I continued to pet him, I replied, "I need your help, do you think you can do that much for me?" Then with a soft purr and a nudge to my hand, I took that once again as my answer. Walking around to its side, it kneeled low enough for me jump onto its back. Grabbing its queue, I pulled mine forward as a few last thoughts rang throughout my mind, 'I guess Jake gets to be Toruk Macto, while Eywa planned for me to be one of the first Omaticaya to be a Palulukan Macto. I guess sometimes your whole life just boils down to one insane move, and this one was mine' Then, pulling our queues forward, I instantly binded myself for life to this fiercesome creature.
The way I had it figured, Palulukan is the baddest cat on the ground. Nothing attacks him. So why would anyone every challenge someone, who has challeneged this creature before and lived. Then again, that was just a theory.
Well I hope you loved this chapter. I know I do. That scene between Grace and Mia got to me a little as I wrote it. I just keep remebering what's going to happen to her, and I so want to rewrite that part not to happen, but I know it's crucial to this whole movie. Grrrr, I really like Grace. She's so funny. Damn why do they kill the funny people LOL. Oh and I hope you loved the thanator part. That's why the thanator earlier in the story was so important. If you didn't catch it then you need to start paying attention :-) LOL. Either way I hope you really liked it, and I'd love to hear feedback about the parts you liked. It gives me an idea of what to stick to, and what to calm down on.
Thanks to those who reviewed, I really did enjoy them-… lightan117… midnight84118… SOSlove… Emmalime… Haunted Shy Girl… Archermusician… Ryle Culler… Diamond-Rose Sisters… Emy Negro… LordxXxofxXxDorkness… and annajewel.
Also thanks to those who are wonderful enough to just read the story. If you made it this far then you're a trooper for sticking to it with my bad grammer LOL. You and the reviewers are my inspiration, and are what keep me writing from day to day.
P.S. I named this chapter after the song, "Savin' Me," by Nicklback. If you haven't heard it, then check it out on Youtube, or Grooveshark. It's a really good song, and was part of my inspiration for this chapter.