Chapter 18: Back in the Saddle
Chapter Text After breakfast, John goes in search of the captain and finds him outside the lab, dual swords in hand. He is standing with his back towards John, legs spread apart, booted feet flat on the ground and swords moving slowly through the air as if dancing with them. He moves to stand on one leg, bending slightly at the waist and bringing the blades around in an arc; at the same time slowly rotating on the foot that is on the ground. John can see his lover's arm and thigh muscles working to control the descent of the blades, perfectly timing each precise movement. He so rarely gets to see Sherlock this way that he stops and watches, happily indulging himself for a few moments. Finally, Sherlock notices him and puts his foot down. He tilts his head towards the side a little, asking John if he wants to play, looking for the entire universe like a giant feline asking its prey if it wants to have a bit of a game before it gets pounced on and eaten. John nods. They do not speak much once they have their masks on, as the visor shields tend to get fogged up. John adjusts his mask, making it a little tighter around his face. Sherlock does not move anything more than one arm as he tosses one of the swords in John's direction. It spins tip over handle in midair, glinting in the dappled mid-morning light. John reaches out carefully to catch it by the handle as he plants his own feet shoulder width apart, waiting. He will take anything the captain dishes out, knowing instinctively that Sherlock needs this, needs to see that not everything has changed. He needs to get back into the rhythm of his own body after spending so much time in his avatar. John needs it in order to get to the reasons why Sherlock feels that he needs to spend so much time in the avatar. Both men move around the clearing, following the line of green, purple and yellow foliage. Each waits for the other to strike. John knows he can out-wait Sherlock because eventually the captain gets tired of circling. Finally, Sherlock crosses through the clearing and strikes, the softly-glowing blade humming through the air to greet its twin. John meets him at the edge, the metal of the two blades creating a melody that sings across the clearing as if it is alive as they slam into each other. John's shoulder takes the impact; it is enough to let him know that the captain is holding nothing back. He parries and pushes Sherlock back a couple of steps. John moves forward as Sherlock steps backwards then turns away from him, keeping his eyes on John through the mask even as he spins. John knows full well what is coming next and drops to his knees, almost instantly feeling the wind of the flat blade touching the top of his head; a single hair is sliced and tumbles through the air, glinting copper and gold before it hits the ground. In that tiny span of time, John is back up on his feet and swinging his sword around his body. There is the loud clang of metal against metal and they are at an impasse. Sherlock's blade is faintly glowing blue, reminding John of the poisoned knife from so long ago…reminding John for an instant of his lover's heritage. It is enough to take his mind from the sparring and Sherlock pushes forward with all his strength, forcing John to back away. John realizes his mistake almost too late but recovers fast enough to block the blow coming straight ahead. Again, the two swords meet, this time with the wicked blades pointing towards the ground. John can feel the strain in his arms and across his shoulders as he pushes into Sherlock; finally Sherlock's eyes meet his and he shoves him backward, forcing Sherlock's full attention on him. As always, however, Sherlock is moving away, back into another spin; John, irritated and ready for this to be over for the time being, roughly stabs outward with the flat side of the blade. There's a thud and Sherlock hits the ground. "Dammit!" John shouts as he drops the sword and rushes to Sherlock's side. The captain is actually laughing: rolling around on the ground laughing like a lunatic. When he finally sits up, John takes in the slight dent of his mask and gives him a stern look. John's expression sets Sherlock off again; John waits. When the captain finally stops laughing and looks up to John, there is no anger evident in his expression. "Sherlock, that could have been nasty. What if I would have broken the visor shield?" "You would have had to rush me towards the lab. Would you carry me, John?" A little huff escapes Sherlock's lips as he fights to not look so amused. "Idiot." John smacks him on the shoulder. Sherlock grabs John's hand as he is pulling back and yanks him to the ground beside him. John's rear hits the sandy loam with a whump. He cannot stop the giggle that escapes his lips. For a while they sit with their shoulders touching, quietly taking in everything around them. When Sherlock finally speaks, John turns towards to see him with his palms flat on the ground as if he is searching for something. "Did you lose something?" John asks, watching Sherlock carefully skim the ground. "No." Sherlock replies. He looks up at John, cocks his head and one eyebrow then says "Yes." "Well, which is it then?" John queries, a bit stumped. "When you are in your avatar, John, what do you hear and see?" "The wilderness, the animals, you, Le'tay…everything." John gestures around them. "Besides all that." Sherlock turns back to his searching. "What do you…" John thinks for a moment. "Oh. You are asking about the connection aren't you?" "Explain." The captain does not stop his motions, moving his palms into ever-widening circles. "Ok. Did you hear when Le'tay was talking about Eywa?" "Go on." "Fine. Think about your que." John does not wait for a reply this time. Continuing on, he says "The little hair-like tentacles at the end of the que, did you notice how Le'tay uses them to connect with his ikran?" Sherlock nods. "The Na'vi, indeed all of the clans that once existed on Pandora, live with their world, not against it. Right so far?" Once again, he is awarded with a nod. "They believe that Eywa is the connection, the spirit that runs through every living thing on the planet. It connects them all to each other and to the ikran and the foliage and every other living creature—some we haven't even seen yet." John rests one hand against Sherlock's back. "Like this." Sherlock's head snaps up as if he has been stung. "It is a spiritual bond, is it not?" "I believe so. It is the pulse that we automatically feel when we are in our avatars." The captain wrinkles his nose. John can hear the words form in his own head before Sherlock even says them; if he wanted to, he could even mouth them at the same time they tumble out of Sherlock's mouth. "That is ridiculous. That is not science, John." John smacks his palm against Sherlock's back and chuckles, but he completely avoids saying anything else about it. "Come on, my mask is getting hazy, let's go back." Sherlock just gives him a glare that is simply not frosty enough to bother John. He turns away from the captain and makes his way back to the lab, thinking about spirits and spiritual connections. In all the time he has been with the captain, it truly was a subject they had never discussed. Literally finding themselves out in the middle of an entire galaxy really left to room to talk about such things. He mentally shrugged: either the captain would get it, or he wouldn't. John hoped for the former, because it is really the only way they are going to get through this mission. ~***~ The next day passes uneventfully. It seems to have gone by in an instant as John is climbing back into the psionic machine and getting ready once again to wake up in his avatar. Beside him, Sherlock is doing the same. John has thought of a way that perhaps he can better explain Eywa to Sherlock, he just hopes that the small remaining band of Na'vi will allow what he has in mind to really happen. The lid closes over his head and he can hear the muffled clicks of it locking into place. There are several other beeps and clicks, then Una's voice announcing to the rest of the crew that all systems are go. John closes his eyes and relaxes, ready to get back out there. ~***~ Indeed it is wonderful to get back out in the bright living wilderness of Pandora. John and Sherlock stride along side-by-side, shoulders and hands occasionally brushing. Both men are smiling as they begin to climb branches; they are sure-footed as they climb: their large, prehensile Na'vi toes clinging to the bark. Sometimes as they climb ever higher into the shadowy canopy, their tails swing into a loose knot. After seeming to climb for hours (it really only has been two,) they reach the meeting place that John set up with Le'tay two days past. The youthful Na'vi hunter stands below them, waving a large hand in the air. John waves back and they begin their descent to the ground. A hint of breeze caresses their marked skin as they move down through the branches, Sherlock just in the lead. Just as they both jump to the ground, Na'vi turns his head towards a woman who is leading several others. Le'tay holds out one hand towards the woman and she joins him to greet the avatars. "John, Captain, this is my life-mate Reneri." Reneri nods her head in greeting. She stands at Le'tay's shoulder, obviously curious but afraid to seem to forward with these strangers. "I am pleased to meet you." She says to them with a shy expression of wonderment on her face. Her golden eyes meet each of theirs in turn. She gestures towards the small group of Na'vi behind them, informing them that the dozen people left are truly all that are left of what at one time was several clans of Omaticaya that once lived all over Pandora. As they all introduce themselves to John and Sherlock, John's mind goes into a bit of hibernation as he watches their interactions. He studies the captain and once again finds himself wondering if Sherlock even notices the slight hum that permeates the air around them. John is brought out of his reverie when Le'tay addresses him directly. "Ambassador Watson?" Though John's avatar is very tall, Le'tay looms over him by almost a head. He tilts his head at an angle and John is surprised to notice that his irises are a darker shade of the golden ones the Na'vi possesses. The thrumming beat of the life pulse of the planet is white noise in his brain, allowing finer details like the tiny brown specks that surround Le'tay's feline-like pupils to stand out in relief to him. Somewhere behind all of that he finds himself curious as to what the ever-observant captain sees now. "I apologize, Le'tay." Next to him, Sherlock gives a little snort. John flat out ignores him. He has bigger things planned for the day. Le'tay gives him a slight nod, grinning, his sharp white teeth a marked contrast against his skin. Reneri has walked away from them, back towards the group. "I have something for you, John." Le'tay makes a guttural shout in the back of his throat and everyone present turns their attention towards the forest. Reneri lets out an answering shout and suddenly the air is full of the sound of entirely too many pounding hooves. Several very large, six-legged horse-like creatures round the corner and come to a halt. Le'tay crosses towards the animals and holds out his hand. The largest member of the herd steps forward and dips her rounded muzzle into his palm. A long, gray tongue swipes against his skin and the animal closes her eyes. John stares at the creatures, taking in their almost hairless gray and tan skin, their blue eyes, six legs with broad hooves and their long antennae. Just behind the leader, two of the animals are stretching their necks towards one another; he can see them touching each other softly, the antennae acting as hands. If John were to say that he is absolutely fascinated with the animals it would be an understatement. Reneri comes to his side holding a pair of large tangerine-colored flowers. She holds one of them out to him, showing him how to hold it with the open side outward. Reneri tugs on John's arm enough to get him moving towards another one of the herd members. He follows her lead, holding the flower out towards the animal. "What do I call them?" John asks as his eyes widen when the animal's tongue pokes out to swipe at the interior of the flower. Standing this close, the pulse in his head is stronger, perhaps even happier. "I say pa'li, you would call them direhorse, I believe I heard Jakesully call them by that name." Reneri informs him. John gives a short laugh as the direhorse's antennae gently probe his arm. It is a curious sensation, once again pushing the pulse in his head into a new rhythm. He hears a similar sound from Sherlock and cannot stop himself from searching in the direction it came from to see the captain being coached in a similar manner by Le'tay. Smiling broadly at everything in general, he reaches up with the other hand and taps his ear piece, stating quietly to whomever is listening back at the lab: Are you getting this? When he is answered in the affirmative, he clicks the microphone back off and slowly reaches out to stroke the side of the massive animal. The direhorse shakes her giraffe-like neck in exactly the same manner an earth equid would do to shake its mane. She seems to be finished with the flower, so he allows it to fall to the ground and steps up next to her flank. Her head comes around to gently butt at his hip, otherwise she is still. "She likes you, Johnwatson." Reneri puts her hands together to form a stirrup and encourages John to step up. He wonders if he is ever going to get used to the way the Na'vi run given and last names together to form a single word. Except for Le'tay, apparently he was close enough to his grandfather to pick up the human speech pattern. Once John is settled astride the direhorse, Reneri pulls at the end of his que and flips it over his shoulder. She steps around him and quickly mounts the direhorse standing next to them in a single fluid movement. Reneri reaches up towards an antennae, pulling it down towards herself. She tosses her head in an imitation of the animal, flipping her own que over her shoulder. John copies her movements until he has completed his own neural bond. The world around him suddenly gets much brighter, sounds are crisper, clearer and the pulsing him becomes the thump of a shared heartbeat. John is amazed to find that he can not only feel the direhorse's heartbeat against his bare legs, but his own heart seems to beat with the same rhythm. It is exhilarating. He feels movement beside him and then Sherlock is there, mounted and experiencing the same thing. John cannot stop himself before the words tumble past his lips. "Do you understand it now?" Even in his avatar, the expression he graces John with is so incredibly him; a slight nose wrinkle and the corners of his lips turn upward. "I believe I am beginning to get it." John is satisfied with that answer. Le'tay brings his own mount to a stop in front of them and tells John that he and Reneri will lead them only so far, and after that they are on their own. They have chosen calm mounts for the two new riders, so there is no fear of being dumped along the way. John can almost see Sherlock's ears prick up. "You still have no idea where we are going, so don't even ask." He quips to the captain without looking at him. "To ask the pa'li to move, just think it, Johnwatson." Reneri supplies. John relaxes onto his seat bones and thinks about moving forward. The direhorse steps out easily, her body making a rocking motion beneath him.