Becoming one with the Sea

The Sullys woke up a little later than normal, eager to start the day again and proceed in their training. Jake was determined to exceed in his lessons and tame a Skimwing. The children were eager to start. "Okay kids," he said. "Yesterday was quite a tough start but we'll get better,"

Lo'ak pursed his lips and crouched down for breakfast which Neytiri had prepared.

"Where's your sister?" asked Jake, noticing Sylwa wasn't among the rest of the awake children.

They peered around and they say Sylwa wasn't in the hut at all. He growled. "Where did she go to now?"

"Jake, she probably went for a walk," said Neytiri.

The loud clicking of ilus echoed from outside the hut. They peered out and looked across the water.

In the distance, ilus were leaping around, two riders upon them. The young spirited Sylwa was riding an ilu, leaping to and fro out of the water. Tsireya on her own ilu watched them, smiling. She had been giving her extra lessons.

At first, it was quite a challenge but she had managed to get the hang of it in the end. She managed to last on the ilu for a long period of time and she didn't slip off. As they emerged from the water, Sylwa cried out: "I did it!"

"You did it!" praised Tsireya proud of her new favourite student.

Sylwa held up a hand. "High five!". Her teacher became confused. "You don't know what a high five is?"

"I don't," said Tsireya awkwardly.

"It's when people do this…" she gently reached over from her ilu and grabbed Tsireya's hand, raised it up and high-fived it. "It's something people do when they celebrate an accomplishment or something. You probably should do four fingers. A high-four,"

"Cool,"

"Thank you so much for these extra lessons Tsireya," she said.

"Call me 'Reya'," she insisted. "You've done very well,"

"You're a pretty good teacher,"

"And you're a spectacular student," she complimented back, making Sylwa chuckle back. "My brother will be shocked when he sees how much you've improved,"

"How do you put up with him?"

"He's not usually like this. But he is quite a bully. Not to me but to little kids or people who aren't like him,"

"Sounds like he's got a lot of growing up to do,"

"He does," agreed her new friend. She noticed how a little withdrawn she was. "You know you don't have to hide them,"

"Hide what?" she wanted to pretend he didn't know.

"We all have our marks," his words made her curious. She turned around and showed her hip, three slash marks stretching right across her skin. "There's no shame in carrying them,"

"How'd you get that?" she asked. Reya pursed her lips and turned her head away. "Sorry,"

"I don't want to talk about it," she said.

"I really like your braids. They've lovely,"

"Thank you," Reya touched the braids on the scalp of her head. "How would you like me to braid your hair?" she offered.

Sylwa was surprised by the offer. "I would love that. Thanks,"

"First make your hair completely wet again,"

Sylwa hopped off the ilu and dozed her hair wet again. They then went over to some rocks and sat down, her in front of Tsireya who got to work on her hair. She sat very calmly, watching the scenic sun whilst her hair was braided by the sweet stylist.

"There. All done," Tsireya placed a sea flower on the back of the head, like a clip. "What do you think?"

Sylwa looked into the surface of the seal like a liquid mirror. She saw the scalp of her head had been braided like Tsireya's. In addition, she had tied up some strands of her hair into two separate braids flowing down the rest of it with a few strands dangling in front of her ears. "I love it. Thank you,"

"It suits you very well,"

Sylwa reached behind and touched the sea lily on the back of her head. "I love this flower. I didn't think any flowers grew on these islands,"

"Around the island they do. A lot of accessories we love wearing are mainly kelp and shells and pieces of coral. You know I could help you and your family design some lovely items of clothing,"

"That would be wonderful,"

"At least you'd all feel more like you're part of the community,"

"It would help us make a better impression. I guess," She still felt conflict from all the mean faces from the other day.

"It will take time for the people. Things will get better. You'll see. Tell me…what are the ways of the forest like?" She sat a little closer to Sylwa.

"Well…" she began. "You learn how to shoot a bow and arrow. How to swing and leap through trees. How to hunt. But the most important ritual one takes to become a true member of the Omaticaya is to tame their own Ikran. It chooses you. It tries to kill you. And you try and make the bond. I actually nearly died taming my best friend Skeera. Got me a scar in the process," she showed Tsireya a scar on her thigh. "But it was worth it,"

"It must be a real wonder to fly,"

"You have no idea how far our Ikrans travelled to get us here. Have you tamed a Skimwing yet?"

"No. But when I am old enough I will eventually. My father and General Soxato are the finest warriors in this clan,"

"My dad unfortunately has the general as his teacher,"

"Quite determined he must be to try and ride one. It takes a lot of practice,"

The girls admired the sunrises. "I never realised how so beautiful sunrises can be. They're beautiful back home but they are nothing compared to this,"

"I usually wake up early to see this,"

"Lucky you,"

The girls were silent. They enjoyed a moment of peace and quiet when they heard loud voices behind them.

"Tsireya!" they turned around to see Aonung and Roxto approaching the scene. The pair rolled their eyes and stood up. He marched upon them, focusing only on Tsireya. "What's the big idea of walking off like that so early? Dad was so mad at me. I'm so supposed to be responsible for you and he's already mad enough at me for letting you do all the teaching yesterday,"

Before Tsireya could answer back, Sylwa did first. "At least she's being more responsible with her duties. All you've done is laze around and be irresponsible when you're supposed to set a good example for her,"

"Sylwa…" Tsireya was afraid of her getting into trouble with her brother or worse her dad.

Aonung glared at her leaning closer. "What do you know about responsibility forest girl?"

"Your sister is a very good teacher. As a matter of fact, she's helped me improve a lot with ilu training,"

"Prove it," Aonung goaded.

Sylwa smirked. "With pleasure,"

Tsireya watched intently as she mounted her ilu, forming the bond. She knew she couldn't talk her out of it. Then to the boys' surprise and her amazement, Sylwa stayed on the ilu as they swim through the water with no signs of slipping off. Her work had paid off. Sylwa rode on her mount to the boys, smirking at Aonung. "Your sister is such a wonderful teacher. And you had better learn your lesson of not loading the weight of responsibility on her shoulders,". Her ilu slapped the water and splashed Aonung and Roxto's faces.

Tsireya giggled before she mounted her ilu. "She got you there Aonung," Together the girls rode off across the water, choosing to race each other, leaving her brother fuming mad.

The girls cheered as their ilus leapt to and fro out of the water like dolphins. They were having the time of their lives. They rode alongside the boundaries of the reef watching sea birds flying around the island. For a bit of fun, Sylwa splashed Tsireya and she splashed back making her laugh. They rode towards the mangrove roots.

"That was so fun," said Sylwa. "Best fun I've had in forever,"

"Thank you for sticking up for me,"

"No problem. Your brother shouldn't talk to you like that when he should be more responsible and not have you do everything," she said. "I'm sorry if I went a bit too far like that. Sometimes I just act without thinking first. I just feel like I can't stand back and do nothing,"

"There's nothing wrong with that,"

"Sometimes when I do I tend to get into all sorts of trouble. It's happened to me before and I nearly got myself killed as a result,"

The girls' conversation was interrupted by the loud voice of Neteyam on the platform closely. They rode over to see him, Lo'ak, Kiri and Tuk.

"Hey guys," Sylwa waved.

"You're riding an ilu," cheered Tuk.

"We saw you riding on it. You've improved a lot," complimented Lo'ak. He knelt and held out his hand and she high-fived it.

"I had a good teacher," Sylwa smiled at Tsireya.

"Dad is fuming mad right now," said Neteyam. "He told me to keep an eye on you and you're making it harder for me than it needs to be,"

Sylwa groaned. There was just no escaping their protective gazes.

"Neteyam," Kiri hissed. "What did you do to your hair Sylwa?"

"Reya did it," Sylwa called her by her nickname. "You should try it," she encouraged.

"I'd rather keep my hair as it is,"

"Are you guys ready for some more lessons?' Tsireya asked.

"Yes please!" cheered the youngest Sully.

They eagerly started and they got back to learning how to breathe more easily. Hours turned to days as the children felt like they were becoming in sync with the sea. Sooner than later, they had all mastered riding ilus together. As the sun was setting one evening and the sky turned red and pink and orange; the group were riding ilus together underwater.

Lo'ak and Sylwa circled each other, exchanging high-fives before leaping out of the water, betting to see whose ilu could leap out the highest like a dolphin. The other girls and Neteyam were swimming around each other before they weren't up for some hair. "You are learning to breathe," the teacher said with a soft smile on her features.

"Wanna race?" dared Sylwa to her twin.

"You are so on," he cheered. They raced off away from the group much to Neteyam's annoyance.

"Come on bro. Let them have their twin time," Kiri said to them.

As she said 'twin', Tsireya hid her face away, as tears were wetting them. As she watched the twins race each other across the water, she imagined herself and a Navi who looked so much like her having that same kind of fun.

Lo'ak and Sylwa's race took them underwater. As it became dark, they glowed and they saw underwater algae glowing everywhere. Their ilus glowed too as their fins left behind trails of bubbles. They resurfaced for air and cheered, exchanging high-fives.

But their excitement was cut shore by water splashing all over them. They heard laughing and they saw Roxto and the rest of Aonung's friends laughing at them as Aonung circled back to them, sending back an arrogant smirk.

"What's the big idea?" Sylwa shouted.

"That the way you think you can beat us? Splashing us when we're just having fun?" Lo'ak retorted back too.

"That'll teach you to mess with us, forest girl," mocked the prince, completely ignoring Lo'ak.

"You get one of us, you get all of us," warned Lo'ak, pointing a finger at him. "You mess again with my sister, you can mess with me too,"

"Is that right, forest girl?" Aonung mocked. "You need your brother to protect you?"

"No. We protect each other," she said, smiling at her twin. "And it's what your sister would do for you if you weren't such a big bully,".

The twins swam off on their ilus, their mounts splashing all the bullies back in the faces making Aonung growl in annoyance.

The twins sniggered and then regrouped with the others and they spent the rest of the evening having fun together.

Days soon turned to weeks and it seemed as if the struggles of learning the ways of the sea had become a distant memory. Aside from practising breathing and diving, Tsireya also taught them the sign language that her people use to communicate underwater. It involved using facial expressions and fingers. It took days to get this kind of communication thick through their skulls and the children wondered if their struggle to understand was the same level of difficulty it was for their father to understand the Navi language when he was learning from their mother.

Eventually, Lo'ak and Sylwa decided to develop secret code signs together much to the amusement of Tsireya. Neteyam however was a little hesitant but he had a feeling they might use that language to cause any sort of mischief if ever they got into any sort of conflict with Aonung or the boys.

Jake had struggled more and more with riding a Skimwing until eventually, he managed to get the hang of it. "Wahoo!" he cheered as he rode on his new mount with the general beside him.

Soxato wasn't the slightest bit pleased at all. He still disliked the Sullys staying here. He had not been happy wasting his time trying to teach him.

Soon Tonowari joined them and he pulled on a look of satisfaction on his face as he saw how much Jake had improved. He had dived into the water on his mount and he hadn't slipped off against the rough currents of the water. He had done it beautifully.

Their wives watched them. To the amazement of Neytiri, Toruk Makto had successfully mastered the rider of this warrior mount in no time.

"Your husband has indeed mastered it," said Ronal. For the past few weeks, she had taught Neytiri about the ways of the reef Navi and to her amazement, she had got the hang of it. She could now hunt underwater, fish with nets, and collect shells and other underwater fauna for clothes. Already these forest people were becoming sea people.

As Neytiri observed Soxato, she frowned seeing his unamused face even though her mate had already excelled at riding a Skimwing. "I don't like your general. What is it with him?"

"Grief for a mate makes one cold and unfriendly," said Ronal. Neytiri became curious.

"Alunal was a great warrior of this clan, my closest friend. Her death tore a hole in his heart. As it did mine,"

Neytiri felt sympathy for the general for the first time in a while. Their mates swam over to them.

"You have done well Jake," said Neytiri proudly.

"Your mate has done well too," said Ronal to Jake. "I have heard your children have excelled very well as well. It seems you were right. One can indeed adapt to a way of life they weren't born into,"

At another part of the coast, Tsireya was helping Sylwa in her final lessons on breathing. Whilst Sylwa took deep breaths in and out, Tsireya pressed her hand gently against her abdomen as she recited the Metikyena's philosophy. "The way of water has no beginning and no end. The sea is around you and in you," As she spoke, Sylwa focused on flickering the imaginary flame in her chest, holding her breath in for as long as she could. "The sea is your home. Before your birth and after your death. Our hearts beat in the womb of the world. Our breath burs in the shadows of the deep. The sea gives and the sea takes. Water connects all things. Life to death. Darkness to light,"

She retracted her hand back and gave Sylwa a moment to meditate and finish her breathing exercise. Now it was time for a final task. "Are you ready?"

"Ready,"

Tsireya threw a shell into the sea. Sylwa gave it a moment to sink underwater. Then she took in a deep soothing breath, holding her air in with her stomach muscles and dived. She swam underwater, pushing herself deeper and deeper. The pressure compressed her ears but she overcame the stress. She just focused on the shell, descending in front of her. She dove feet below the surface, past corals until she caught it before it could plummet into the darkness below. She looked up and saw the surface high above her, Tsireya's figure now floating high above. Sunlight stretched down to guide up upwards. And she swam. And then…Splash.!

"I got it!" she held up the shell.

"You did it!" cheered Tsireya, clasping her hands. "I'm so proud of you! You were amazing!"

"That philosophy you said really helped out a lot,"

"It is a teaching that has been passed down through our people since the days of the first songs,"

"Well then it's a teaching I will always remember,"

"Come on. Let's find your family. I wanna show you all something at night,"

Whilst Sylwa had performed an amazing achievement of diving, Tuk had played around with the ilu she had made friends with. She swam underwater hugging its head. Kiri had formed an uncanny bond with much of the sea life. And the boys were practising again on the ilus. They had resurfaced when Lo'ak could see Atuiko all by himself, sitting on one of the village's platforms, his legs dangling over the water. He decided to swim over on his mount to say 'hello'.

"Hello," The ilu squeaked 'hello' and Atuiko stumbled back. "It's okay. It's just me,"

"Sorry," the kid apologised.

"Are you sure you're okay kid?"

"I'm fine really. You should just focus on your training,"

"You know you can talk to me," he offered condolence. "About what you said before about you and your dad…and your brother…"

Atuiko sighed. It felt great to talk to someone. "I feel like I'm living in my brother's shadow because I feel as the younger brother I can't do anything good enough to win my dad's approval. And sometimes I try to do things I'm not supposed to in the hope that he'll recognise that I'm not just the younger son. But I always screw up because…" he drifted.

"Because what?"

"I don't want to talk about it," he pulled his legs up and hugged them, hiding a face of shame.

"I know how you feel," Lo'ak comforted. "I try to earn my dad's approval but I always feel like I'm living in my brother's shadow too. It's really to do with the fact that I'm more alien…" he held up his hand. "And I'm not perfect like him,"

"I don't think your hand means you're alien," said the kid. "And why does earning your dad's approval mean you have to be perfect?"

"It seems to be the way the world works. Do you have any friends?"

"Not really. Growing up, I've always made fun of. And in my own family, I've always felt alone,"

"Me too," said Lo'ak. "Sylwa's the only one who truly understands me,"

"That's because you're both twins,"

"We don't really look like twins though,"

"So why be called twins? Because you're born at the same time?"

The boys laughed for joy.

"Hey. Would you like to ride with me?" Lo'ak offered. But when he asked his question, he noticed how pale Atuiko was looking. "What's wrong?"

Before Atuiko could answer, they saw the general approach. He hauled Atuiko roughly by the hand. He glared at Lo'ak. "This is your last warning. Stay away from him,"

"Hey. There's no need to get so…" Lo'ak tried to say.

Suddenly Neteyam appeared and grabbed his wrist pulling him away. "He gets it generally. Buy," he pulled Lo'ak and his ilu away. Lo'ak looked back and saw the general leading Atuiko away, who looked out at him with longing eyes only to have his dad force his vision away.

Neteyam led him away, till he turned him around with a frown. "What are you trying to do? Get yourself in trouble?"

"That general was being mean to his own son,"

"Why are you hanging out around him when you know how the general doesn't like it and this could lead you into trouble?"

He frowned. "Maybe because for the first time in my life, I've met someone other than Sylwa who understands how I feel," he swam away on his ilu, leaving his brother to frown. He had actually overheard a bit of Lo'ak's conversation with Atuiko earlier and he could understand completely why he was a bit rebellious. He still didn't like the fact that he was prone to getting close to or into trouble.

Tsireya gathered all the Sully children together and they dove down to the reefs which glowed multiple colours. They saw swarms of ray-like creatures called Gill Mantles swimming towards them. They glowed pink with ocean-blue tentacles. Tsireya gently caught one and attached it to Tuk's back with her queue.

It gives life underwater. She signed.

The others tried it too. As they did, they could feel oxygen flowing right into them, helping them stay underwater for a very long time. They took the opportunity to explore the glowing reefs where they saw Navi including Ronal plucking clams and shells from the corals and the seabed. The twins went together, passing by glowing fish and they saw clams opening. Some pearls were inside. They plucked them out before the clams smacked. They decided to keep them as treasures. Sylwa then spotted another pearl and took it.

Are you being greedy? Teased Lo'ak.

Nope, this is gonna be a gift for Tsireya. She signed back.

You've grown quite close to her.

Of course. We're just friends Lo'ak. She swam off but Lo'ak held a teasing grin on his face.

Sylwa swam over to Tsireya and offered the pearl to her. For teaching us. Thank you for everything.

Tsireya took it. Thank you. I found these for you. She pulled out some colourful seaweed and some shells she had found. You can use them to make some lovely items of clothing.

Thank you. Sylwa signed back.

Guys. Tuk had come over and gestured them over. You've gotta see this.

She led her sister; brothers and their tutor to a large coral rock and they peeped over. They saw Kiri, standing on a platform of coral, swaying her arms around, swaying small glowing squid-like creatures to move in synch with her arms.

Amazing. Said Lo'ak.

This is unlike any act of Tsahik I have ever seen. Observed Tsireya.

They continued to observe Kiri, not realising that Ronal was doing the exact same thing from another part of the reef. And just like them, she was absolutely astounded.

That's another chapter done. What did you all think? I hope you all enjoyed it. And please let me know what you thought of all the new dialogue and scenes. i would love to hear your opinions. Also please send over any ideas for this story and what you all think will happen in Avatar 3. If you could all do that, it would really help with planning. Until then see you next week.