Author's Note: Yeah, I know I said next Thursday, but I just couldn't wait until then... Thanks so much for the reviews! They make my day everytime I read one :) I hope all of you that have this on your Story Alerts enjoy this chapter, and thanks to all the people that faved. I respond to all my reviews! I luv you guys seriously...:D
Story Notes: Tsu'tey's accent is very thick in this, so that's why his English is subpar if you were wondering :) Unfortunately my writing of his voice isn't very consistent *glum* The P.O.V switches around at times, so sorry about that too (believe me, I have trouble even keeping it in the right tense) Not many details revealed yet, but they're coming :) I plan on updating weekly by the way, so expect a new chapter every week.
+Despite the war not happening, Jake managed to hold off the R.D.A for a period of time; that's why in this chapter Eywa says he saved them. But the R.D.A are going to continue to attack.
+More plot comes in this chapter.
+Sorry for any mistakes regarding the Na'vi language, if you see any, please correct me.
+Mo'at died during the Hometree attack. I wanted to put her in this story because I liked her a lot in the movie, but honestly I couldn't find room and her being there during the future chapters would complicate things...so I'm taking the easy way out. Of course, this an AU afterall, I guess I'm allowed some liberties...
As usual, translations at the end!
/end extremely long intro
X*X
Jake's mind pulls away from the grasping arms of sleep with a sense of vertigo as he watches the ceiling move up above, then the pretty sky overhead and then feels cold air assaulting his skin. Gasping, he jerks upright, hands struggling to find purchase in his off-kilter world. They knock against something, and it takes him a few more moments to realize that someone's carrying him away from the tree. Lethargic, all he sees is the side of Tsu'tey's face.
Goosebumps alight his arms as the freezing air moves past him. "I'm cold," he murmurs, not bothering with pride as he's still half-asleep. "What are you doin'?" In the corner of his vision he sees the tail slowly moving back and forth, and looks up the see the Na'vi's ears pressed forward, intent and determined.
"We are going to see Eywa."
Jake sharply inhales, his mind coming awake fully. "What? Eywa...why? Are we gonna die or something?"
Tsu'tey doesn't laugh, but he smirks slightly. "No, we are not going to die. She told me to fly my ikran over the waterfall, so I going to do just that."
"Wait a minute, why do I have to come? I thought only the Clan Leader and their mate could talk with her..."
Tsu'tey doesn't reply for a moment. "Perhaps that has changed," he says after a few seconds.
"You could've at least put me in my wheelchair," Jake grumbles, but settles down.
It's early morning on Pandora, and the calls and chatters of the native animals along with the waking of the clan is all he can hear, like the whole planet is waking up.
He might of fallen asleep again, because when he opens his eyes they're at the clearing. Tsu'tey hollers and his ikran seems to fall from the sky, his landing almost shaking the land below them. The Na'vi sets him atop it before climbing on in front of him. Jake's about to lean back on the heels of his hands but when the beast jumps off the cliff his arms shoot forward, locking around Tsu'tey's waist. Pressed against the Na'vi's back, he feels hopelessly small.
They soar over the water, the wind pushing strongly at him and making the numerous braids on Tsu'tey's head whip around. The sound of the falling water crashing down is mesmerizing and the steady bunching of muscles against his shins makes it all the more peaceful.
Suddenly, a potent iridescent glow fills his mind, and he's filled with such a feeling of awe that his eyes open wide. "Wow..." He murmurs as the Goddess' presence fills his mind. "Wow." It's an alien sensation, but not unpleasant. Momentarily he's confused on how to separate their thoughts from each other, but eventually his own come back to him; their awareness running fully parallel.
He feels her happiness, her smile. 'I feel likewise humbled, Jakesully, savior of the Na'vi race and Pandora.' Her tone is smooth with only a slight inflection, like flowing water.
Jake gapes, unable to believe the astounding presence in his mind. She continues, 'I regret having to put more of a burden of you, Jakesully, but this must be done. I would like you to listen what I have to say, garnering that Tsu'tey has not told you, as I expected he would not, though he is changing.'
'Yes, I have noticed. Last night...he was different. Please tell me what you have in mind, Eywa, I'm curious. I'm willing to do anything for the people.' His response comes automatically, his own voice echoing in his mind.
The slow nod isn't seen, but he feels it nonetheless. 'The Na'vi race is dwindling, Jakesully. Female Na'vi are conceiving less and less. I have a theory this is do to the large quantity of human materials in the water they drink, diminishing their chances to produce offspring. Fixing this...problem, is beyond my ideas of balance. Do you understand?'
'Yeah. The same thing once happened on my planet over fifty years ago, but we had pills to...' He stops when he realizes that She probably doesn't know what a pill is. '...things the women would eat to counteract this.'
Her laugh is like a melody. 'If only we could do that here! No plants have a property such as to make the chances of reproduction better. And so the Na'vi race have gone on. Right now the chance of a Na'vi female conceiving is one to fifty. It is very rare.'
In front of him Tsu'tey tenses, and he has to wonder whether the same conversation is going on in his head. Maybe not. Jake figures it's wholly possible that she can talk to them both at the same time.
'Before I tell you more, I have to tell you this: I know your past mate has joined me here. She tells me often that you need to let her go, that you should move on with your life. She also watches over you right now. She understands the task you must undertake, and wishes you best and good luck. Take these words seriously.'
'Would it be possible...to talk to her? Just for a few minutes...'
A twinge of sadness ripples through his thoughts in the form of a limpid teal color, 'I am afraid not. It seems I am the only one who is able to communicate this way. I have tried to enable the dead and the living to speak to each other, but there is a...barrier. Essentially, the dead and the living are two different species, they seem unable to speak.'
'I...understand,' he sends through the link, disappointed. God, what he would do for one more minute, a few seconds with her. Her face swims in the forefront of his mind, more beautiful than he ever imagined; a pang of pure loss that never seems to go away.
'Do not grieve, Jakesully. Keep her in your thoughts and your heart, and that will sustain you. I have chosen a new mate for you.'
Jake can't believe what he's hearing. To think that anyone would replace Neytiri is absurd. He's prepared to spend the rest of his life on Pandora alone. His anger clouds their mingled thoughts.
'Do not be this way. This mating is especially important, as it will guarantee the survival of a species.'
Jake doesn't listen to her. 'No, I don't think you understand. I'm not taking another person as my mate. Ever. Neytiri—'
'Is dead, Jakesully. It is time for you to move on. You must continue your life,' Her voice says, gently admonishing him. 'I will not allow such a person as you to be alone.'
His heart feels conflicted by warring emotions. 'Who is she? I don't many people besides-'
She laughs again. 'Jakesully, he is sitting right in front of you!'
'What the hell do you mean by that...'
And then it dawns on him. 'Are you crazy! He's a guy! Not to mention he hates me!'
Jake slaps Tsu'tey on the back to get his attention. "Is this true? Did you know about this? That Eywa wants us to be—"
"Yes, I knew," Tsu'tey says, scowling.
"Yesterday right? That's why you took me to bed. That's why you acted different..."
Jake opens and closes his mouth several times, trying to overcome the shock because holy shit I'm mated to a man! and holy shit Tsu'tey! But Eywa's presence thickens suddenly, nearly filling him whole until he is not sure whether he can keep his own awareness in check.
'I see that in your culture, Jakesully, relations between two males is...frowned upon. It is not this way with Na'vi. You love your mate, regardless of what gender they are. Love is pure. Love transcends.'
He sighs, managing to reign in his anger to speak coherently. 'But I don't love Tsu'tey. I don't see how we could be mates, much less friends.'
'Love happens, Jake. It builds overtime. I do not expect either of you to fall in love right away, knowing your history together. I will...do my best to make this time happy for you, as it should be.'
He frowns as the cold wind blows against his neck. 'What were you going to say...before? Something about babies?'
'I will tell you when the time comes. You will change many things, Jakesully. Be prepared. I will watch over you both...always.'
With that, her presence his gone. Jake is silent as he tries to process his future, tries to process how him and Tsu'tey could ever be together; being so fundamentally different. Vaguely he feels Tsu'tey's heartbeat where his hand rests around his stomach, faster than a human's. "Ugh, I can't believe this," he whines; he's mated to a guy! What, is he supposed to forget about the past 33 years of being nothing but straight?
"This is never gonna work," he mutters to himself. "I can't believe Her..."
"Do not talk about Eywa like that. She knows what is...best."
"Shit, really?" Jake says sarcastically. "Listen, I have a lot of respect for Her and everything, but how can she expect us to...to—"
Tsu'tey's ears prick up then swivel to lie down against his head suddenly, signaling something's up.
"What?"
"Ayvrrtep, nìn," Tsu'tey points downwards to where there's some machinery and humans, his voice a snarl of anger as his ikran jerks to the left, then turns wing to head downwards, opening it's own mouth to roar fiercely.
So okay, he's willing to put aside the whole Tsu'tey-is-my-mate-holy-shit mindset for this. The other male's tail slaps against Jake's foot as he reaches behind and draws his bow from the fastenings on his back. Absently, Jake finds his eyes watching the muscles in his back and arm twitch and contract under the blue skin.
The ikran drops suddenly as it careens over the arc of a cliff and then over the trees, and Jake keeps his mouth firmly shut to keep from yelping as he nearly slips off. "Jesus Christ!"
"What a baby," Tsu'tey says, snorting softly.
"Wow you sound just like Ney—...AH!" He screams as suddenly he's upside own, using all his strength to hold onto Tsu'tey and stay seated on the ikran. As they become upright again, Jake feels sick; it's like being on a flying rollercoaster. "You did that on purpose!"
Tsu'tey chuckles. "Kehe," he says innocently, then resumes being serious. Jake shakes his head in exasperation.
They clear the trees and are flying over the humans, causing them to look upwards, orders being issued left and right. "Don't go too close," he warns softly, eyes catching sight of a helicopter and humans with guns pouring out. He clenches his teeth at the way they stomp carelessly on the flowers blooming, killing them, and the parachute lizards, batted at with guns as they scatter.
Tsu'tey scoffs and says something in his native tongue that Jake doesn't understand but is probably a sarcastic remark. His right arm draws back the feathered arrow as his ikran drops low over the humans, automatically swerving too and fro to avoid the bullets that suddenly rain upon it.
With a rush of air and a slight twang, the arrow is let go by Tsu'tey's fingers. Jake peels his eyes to watch it sail through the chest cavity of soldier. Just as quick, the Na'vi grabs several arrows from the quiver tied to the ikran, pulling them back against the string and turning the bow sideways. The extremely dextrous fingers carefully let one go, then another, and finally the last one. All three strike different targets with precision accuracy.
Jake is wowed by the other male's skill, and irrationally feels the urge to ask Tsu'tey to teach him how. Sure, Neytiri had taught him enough to be able to kill, but not with that kind of finesse.
Time drags on, and Jake knows nothing but the sounds of arrows and screams of humans. Eventually, the arrows are gone, but there is still more soldiers on the ground. Tsu'tey commands his ikran higher in the sky to avoid being hit.
"What now?"
Tsu'tey's ears are now lazily held; one off to the side while the other is pricked forward, showing his tiredness. "We go warn clan." As the ikran turns in the sky, Jake casts a look back at the rows and crowds of humans, trepidation worming through him at just how many there are, more and more helicopters arriving until the whirr and hum of them is almost deafening
As soon as they are back on land, Tsu'tey breaks the tsahaylu with his ikran and helps him onto the ground. "Fitseng i'awn," he says, making the human rest on the dirt.
"No! Take me with you!" He protests as the Na'vi is turning away.
"It will be all right Jake, do not trouble yourself. I will be back soon. Ikran hawnu you." As if assuring himself, Tsu'tey nods to the creature before he takes off running in the other direction, "Kllfriyo!"
Jake grumbles, wishing for his wheelchair, the ikran's hot breath puffing above him, ruffling the hair that has started to grow longer on his head. He presses the exo-pack into his face and leans back against the sturdy creature, watching Tsu'tey's braid whip around his shoulders as he gets further away, nearly a spec now.
Glossary:
Kehe - No
ayvrrtep, nìn - Demons, look
Fitseng i'awn - stay here
hawnu - protect
Kllfriyo - be safe/responsible