As they continued training, sometimes, Neytiri and Jake would join them if they crossed paths. Like today. Lia and Jake followed the two Na'vi, sprinting and jumping through the trees, on the branches, and came to a ledge, and just before Neytiri and Tsu'tey jumped off, they put their bows on their backs, and Neytiri jumped first, with Tsu'tey following. Jake skidded to a stop, and grabbed Lia by the arm before she could go toppling down, and they both looked over the edge, to see how Tsu'tey got down, using the large leaves to slow his descent.
"You gotta be kidding me."Jake breathed out, shaking his head.
Lia, getting out of the hold Jake had on her arm, put her own practice bow on her back and jumped, copying what Tsu'tey had done with ease, and landed beside him as they all heard;"AMALIA!". Tsu'tey's and Neytiri's eyes widened at how loud Jake's voice had risen while Lia laughed softly. Suddenly, Jake's practice bow fell to the ground and Neytiri, who was waiting for him to appear, moved out of the way, while Tsu'tey suddenly started laughing when Jake appeared, falling to the ground.
"Jake, are you ok?"Lia asked rushing to his side as he got up and yelped softly when he grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Since when you do willingly jump from a cliff!?"Jake exclaimed, looking her over for any wounds."You hate heights!"He added, remembering her fear of heights.
"Yeah, Tsu'tey helped me get over that fear really fast."Lia said, suddenly side glaring at Tsu'tey, who stopped laughing and looked away from her, and Neytiri, who frowned as she looked at Lia in concern.
Jake, seeing the glare she directed at Tsu'tey, realised with horror what he did."He pushed off a cliff!?"
"Hm, yep."Lia admitted calmly.
"He what? Tsu'tey!"Both Neytiri and Jake snarled at Tsu'tey, who they turned to face, only to find that he was no longer beside them.
"Where did he go?"Jake asked, confused.
"He ran away...?"Neytiri stated questionably, shocked that Tsu'tey would run from a fight.
"Huh."Was all that Lia said, staring in the direction that Tsu'tey ran off."How odd. I thought he'd want to fight Jake."She added, blinking owlishly and tilting her head to the side.
Every time they came back from being in their Avatar, Lia noticed that while she was doing the exercises that Grace had made them do so that they were fit and strong in their real bodies while constantly being with the Na'vi, Jake was growing weaker.
"Jake, are you doing what Dr. Augustine asked us to do the exercises and whatnot in our real"Lia stressed the word real as a reminder to Jake that their Avatar Bodies were fake and that this was their reality."bodies when we're not with the Clan?"Lia asked, growing concern as she saw how skinny Jake was getting.
"Yes-No, he's not!"Grace, having overheard Lia's question, cut Jake off.
"Jake!"Lia exclaimed, scowling at Jake, who looked up at her calmly.
"I'm fine, Lil' Sis."He said dismissively and left the room before Lia could start scolding him.
"I've tried to tell him, but he won't listen to me."Grace said as she came to stand next to Lia, who looked up at her worriedly.
"He really is a Skxawng!"Lia grumbled before sighing tiredly.
"I understand that he loves being able to walk again, but if he doesn't do the exercises and regain his strength, he won't be able to go back into his Avatar."Grace said softly."He might even die while he's in his Avatar because his real body is starting to give up."Lia flinched at hearing this and by the look in Grace's eyes, she knew that it was possible. Someone had died while they were in their Avatar body because they had ignored their real body in favor of being in their Avatar Body.
"I'm going to go back in and speak with Neytiri and Tsu'tey, and tell them that Jake is sick."Lia said and Grace smiled at her."And then I am going to knock some sense into him!"She added before lying back down in her Link Bed.
"Good. Hopefully, he'll listen to you."Grace said, looking relieved that she wouldn't have to be responsible for another Avatar Driver's death.
"Of course he will. I'll even pull out the crocodile tears if I have too."Lia said with an evil smirk and a mad glint appeared in her eyes.
Grace laughed and shook her head."Oh and Lia..."Lia, who went to pull the lid close, paused to look up at Grace."Stop calling me Dr. Augustine, just call me Grace."Lia practically beamed up at her.
"Why are you back so soon, Marali?"Eytukan asked curiously as soon as he saw Lia walk down the spiral stairs of the Home Tree, and made her way over to him, Mo'at, Neytiri, and Tsu'tey, who all looked back at her questionably.
"Maite,"Neytiri and Tsu'tey looked startled at hearing Mo'at referring to Lia as her Daughter."is something wrong? You and Tsyeyk said that you would return for the evening meal after you spend some time in your real bodies."Mo'at stated, looking at Lia in concern as she came to a stop in front of them
"Olo'eyktan, Sa'nok,"Lia greeted them with a nod."I have to apologise but Tsyeyk and I will not be returning for a few days."She said, and glanced at Tsu'tey and Neytiri, who both looked at her in confusion.
"What has happened?"Mo'at asked, clearly worried and Lia smiled softly at her, trying to reassure her that she was fine.
"Tsyeyk is ill and I am the only Healer who knows how to care for him."Lia said cryptically.
"What happened to Tsyeyk to make him ill?"Neytiri asked, looking worried."Sa'nok can help!"She added, looking at Mo'at.
"His Dreamwalker Body is fine, Neytiri."Lia said, raising her hands up, making calming gestures to Neytiri, all the while reminding them once more that she and Jake were Dreamwalkers."It is his real body that is causing him to be ill."Lia explained, once more being cryptic.
"Go, tend to your Brother."Eytukan said, smiling at Lia, who looked at him thankfully.
"Thank you, Olo'eyktan."Lia said gratefully
"Call me Sempul, Marali."Eytukan suddenly said, and the two younger Na'vi's and one Dreamwalker stared at him in shock and disbelief before Lia nodded, almost dumbly.
"If Sempul and Sa'nok see you as their 'Ite, you must refer to me as your Tsumke, Marali!"Neytiri said, smiling at Lia, who looked back at her, dumbfounded, but nodded before running back up the spiral to her hammock to quickly get back to Jake.
"Did I just get adopted?"Lia wondered to herself in English.
When Lia returned to her real body, she told Jake that Mo'at and Eytukan had allowed them to rest in said real bodies, which was something her Older Brother wasn't pleased about, Lia put her foot down. Lia told Norm and Trudy that they were to stop him from entering the Link Room, which they agreed to. Turning back to Jake, Lia decided that she needed to use the crocodile tears to get him to listen to what Grace had been trying to warn him about his body giving up.
"You promised me you wouldn't leave me alone!"Lia cried and fell to her knees in front of Jake, who had started to protest but froze when Lia fell to her knees, putting her face in her hands and made it look like she was crying."You're killing yourself and you don't care! Your body is giving up, Jake! If you keep ignoring it, you'll die!"Lia sobbed, her shoulders shaking.
"Dude..."Norm trailed off from his spot in the doorway, that he was blocking with Trudy and Grace."Have you looked at yourself lately?"He asked and Jake's frown grew at his words.
"You look like shit."Trudy said bluntly.
"No, he looks like he's gonna pass out any minute, or die."Grace retorted, just as bluntly, and Lia sobbed louder.
"Ok, ok! Enough!"Jake snapped at the trio, causing them to shut their mouths from making anymore comments, before turning back to Lia."Hey, hey, Lia, look at me."He said in a gentler voice, and Lia looked up at him from in between her fingers, hiding the growing smirk on her lips."I'll rest for a couple of days, I'll do the exercises, and I'll eat proper food."
"P-promise?"Lia asked softly, making her voice sound shaky and even added a fake hiccup in there to seal the deal.
"Promise."Jake sighed softly."Look, I'll even go to bed right now."He said and turned his wheelchair around."I'm not gonna leave you, I swear."He added before he left for his bunk.
Once he was out of sight and hearing range, Lia stood up and turned to the trio with a proud smirk on her face and said;"Told ya he'll listen to me.", sounding pleased with herself.
"You really went all out on him, didn't you?"Grace asked, trying to keep herself from laughing too loudly, least of all Jake hears and figures out that Lia had been faking being upset with him.
"I said I would, didn't I?"Lia stated, raising an eyebrow at Grace.
"Damn girl."Trudy whistled."That was some great acting skills."
Norm nodded in agreement."I am so glad I don't have a Sister."Lia chuckled, amused.
~~~Preview~~~
~~~Singing Lessons & Grace Returns~~~
One of the Na'vi women stood up with a gentle smile."I am Ninat."The Na'vi woman introduced herself and Lia recognised her name instantly."I see you, Marali."She added, making the proper hand greeting.