Hello, sorry for not updating any fanfiction in a long while. I was finishing my travel journal and I've just had the first half of my holiday with my family. Here's an Avatar chapter to make up for it and I will get to work on finishing Encanto 2, His Dark Materials and continuing with how to Unite Two Worlds.


Another Mission:

Miles and miles across the sea, Quaritch stood with Mick Scoresby and Ian Garvin at the helm. They watched the ginormous carcass of a dead mother Tulkun and her calf being dropped into the sea with a mighty splash. The orange bags pinned to their fins kept her from sinking into the sea. "Perfect," the Recoms smirked. "Once Sully learns what we've done, he'll come after us. He cannot hide however much he wants to,". He noticed Scoresby giving him a look. "Oh relax. You got that Mother Tulkun,".

"If it wasn't for that rogue Tulkun, we would have caught ourselves a calf and not got half my boats damaged,". Scoresby complained. The image of the Tulkun with the missing fin wouldn't leave his mind. He remembered to kill the calf of the mother Tulkun until it erupted from the water, tipping his boat over before taking the orphan to safety.

"I thought you said that the Tulkun don't fight back,".

"Well apparently this one does. And I know I've seen him or her before,".

"Colonel!" Wainfleet, the Recon number two came marching over to him. "It's the general!" he saluted. "She's called us for an emergency side mission,".

Quaritch and the two men walked back inside to the wheelhouse and hologram table, and a screen with Admore's face appeared. "Ardmore," he saluted. "We've just put our plan into motion in drawing Sully out. I'm afraid this emergency side mission will have to wait,".

"Not this one,".

"What could be more important than capturing that traitor?"

Two images of two black-haired men appeared on either side of the general's hologram, both with bristles and dark eyes. "These two subjects: Subject P99 and P100 escaped from our high-tech lab orbiting Pandora. Their ship was last seen crashing into the ocean about 50 clicks from your location. Your new orders are to secure them and deliver them back to headquarters,"

"You sent us out here to find Sully,".

"Sorry Quaritch, but this mission comes first. For seven years now, these men have been undergoing tests to make them able to breathe Pandora's air, to be able to thrive in such a dangerous environment that it will make colonisation all the easier for humanity. Right now, they are more important than tracking down Sully to punish him for his betrayal. If we lose them, all that work I've done on them, all the sacrifices I've made along the way to help humanity thrive on Pandora will be for nothing,". In the corner, Spider quivered. Whatever the RDA had done to these men was inhumane beyond anything he'd want to imagine. His torture couldn't be any worse from what he went through strapped to that horrifying machine.

"Well, I'm gonna have to defy orders," his Recom father answered back.

"No Quaritch. You will not," Admore said firmly. "Now complete this extra mission and find those subjects. Or there will be consequences. You know it is because of my top scientist you were brought back to life. It was entire to launch Project Phoenix. And there's no telling what he could to reverse that,".

The Recoms particularly their leader were surprised. Quaritch knew he had uploaded his memories but he never knew who aside from Parker would ask for them to upload what was needed to return to life in these blue bodies.

"Care to tell us who our resurrector is?" Quaritch asked.

"That is for me to know and you to find out once you bring back his property. Now fetch," Admore turned off her screen and the crew stared at the two subjects who had escaped captivity.

Quaritch stared at the two electric images. "Who are these chaps?"

"Let's see," Ian Garvin downloaded the information. "Erik Jones, former Marine in the US. And…" he glanced closer. "It seems he worked alongside Jake Sully in the past,".

"And the other chap?" Scoresby asked.

"His brother Peter Jones, doctor and scientist. His husband was Arthur Devens, a former scientist who used to work for the RDA unit back on Earth,".

"Well, as you said Scoresby…if you can't get out of it, get into it," Quaritch said. "It'll take some time before Sully finds out what's happened. We get those subjects,".

"I'm not hunting men who are not my problem," Scoresby complained.

Quaritch pulled on his intimidation game. "Do you wanna end up like Sully's gonna?".

Scoresby fumed. "Set the coordinates!"


Back in Awa'atlu, Skimwings kept arriving back from the open water and still no sign of the twins or the chief and generals' children. On a boat dock with their feet in the water, Neteyam, Kiri and Tuk sat silently, faces drained of hope. Aonung and Roxto approached from the entrance and came inside, both heads hung. Neteyam shuffled aside to let them sit down to fill the empty spaces.

"Still nothing," the chief's son lamented.

"I've never seen my father in such a wreck," Roxto looked out and across the village walking on a platform, he saw Soxato's face scrunched up, no one daring to look at him. Not even for a second.

"I miss them," Tuk cried and Kiri held her.

"I know. We do too Tuk-Tuk. What's important is they're together and they're alive," not for a single moment had Kiri stopped praying to Eywa. "Mum and Dad will find them,"

"If Mum can talk to Dad again," Neteyam said. "She blames him for the twins leaving. We have to do something,".

"No," Tuk shook her head in denial. "She doesn't hate Dad right.".

"No, she doesn't," Kiri shook her head. "She's just not in her right self today,".

"Parents go through that all the time. You should have seen what my mother was like when I lost my brother," Aonung touched his pendant; it belonged to his little brother Tousal. He did not usually like talking about him but with all that his friends had been through, he felt it was the least he could do to comfort them.

"I just wish Mum would talk to Dad," Neteyam wished. "I hate seeing them like this. He's always been hard on Lo'ak and Sylwa but it doesn't mean he was trying to hurt or make them feel like they're not good enough,".

"We are all a little culpable as well for the twins leaving," Kiri spoke up sadly. "Tuk and I got Sylwa into big trouble with Dad by going after her. And you kept telling Lo'ak to stay away from Tsu'tey and told on them,". Neteyam couldn't think of an excuse at all.

"And I abandoned them out to sea leading to this whole chain of events," Aonung included himself, believing he deserved some guilt.

"And l played along with that cruel prank," Roxto added himself to the guilt. "There's nothing more we can do except hope and pray to Eywa,".

"It's what I've done every night," Kiri said. "But it hasn't been enough,".

"Look," Tuk pointed over to the hut and saw Neytiri walking sourly into the hut. Jake came riding towards it on his Skimwing in the water, but he didn't turn to her. He dismounted his steed, his children and their friends still watching him from afar. He walked inside and saw his mate crouching down holding her song bead chain. She touched two blue identical stones. She added them to her song bead chain the day the twins were born. She sang her song bead song, pausing when she heard a footstep.

"Ma Jake…" her voice was neither soft nor sour.

"I've searched every day," he confessed. "There's still no sign of them but that doesn't mean they're dead,".

"Just leave," Neytiri begged.

Jake sighed and his ears flopped. He turned around and walked away, their three children still watching unhappily. "I will talk to her," Neteyam said to his sisters. "You two go and talk to Dad,". The girls nodded and walked off to trail their father. The eldest Sully kid stepped inside and his mother flinched. "Mum, you know Dad misses Lo'ak and Sylwa as much as we do. Must you make him feel more guilty by treating him this way?". Neytiri still wouldn't turn to face him. "He never meant to be hard on them. He's just constantly worried all the time. He's always afraid that one of us is gonna die, I mean look what happened to them when they were lost at sea?".

"I know he means them well," Neytiri stood up. "But he had no right to make your brother feel like he committed a crime saving a creature who saved his life. And the least he could have done is made Sylwa feel like she wasn't a prisoner,".

"Just talk to him. Please?" her son came to tears. "Do it for me and the girls,".

"I'll talk to him," her mother agreed. She turned around and blinked her wet eyes. "I'm just so frightened for them. They're out there all alone,".

Neteyam pulled her into a hug and she held him close. "I miss them too. They have Tsireya and Atuiko. They'll be safe with them,".

"I hope so. Because if Quaritch catches them…" her finger grip tightened. "I will tear him apart,". Fear gripped her son's throat like iron.


Jake walked along the beach, tear-stricken and leaned against a tree. He breathed slowly, scrunching his eyes to hold back his guilt. "Dad?" he wiped his eyes away and saw his concerned daughters. "Hey, you two,".

"Are you okay?" Tuk asked.

"I'm fine," Jake wiped her eyes.

"Dad, it's not your fault the twins left,". Kiri touched his arm. "And mum doesn't blame you. She's just upset. We all are,".

"I still wish things had been so much different back then,". Jake wiped his eyes again and Tuk jumped into his arms for a hug.

"You're not a bad dad. You're a committed one," she said into his chest. Her dad appreciated the warm hug and Kiri joined in.

"Eywa will protect them," Kiri assured. "We'll find them and we'll all be happy together. Will you try and talk to Mum?"

Jake sighed. "I'll try. But I can't promise it'll be easy,".


The S-76 Sea Dragon soared across the ocean with its four turbine-spinning fan engines. They followed the coordinates the general sent and in the distance, Quaritch saw a small, lonely island. "No sign of the pod on land. Seems like they crashed underwater," Garvin theorized.

"We search the island. And recover that vessel,".

Scoresby sent submarines into the sea and they turned on their lights to search the seabed. There they found the pod with the crashed windshield and destroyed engines. Some scuba divers peered through the shattered glass and found no bodies meaning they had made it out. Still, they attached the vessel to some hooks and the Sea Dragon fished it out of the sea. Meanwhile, Quaritch and his team scouted the island on their Ikran and then walked along the beach but the flowing tide seemed to bury any signs of footprints. The colonel then discovered buried under the sand were the remains of a fire and eaten fish. "Interesting. Very interesting,".

Wainfleet landed before him. "We've looked over the whole island. There's no sign of anyone,".

"But they were here for sure,". Quaritch led his team back onto the Sea Dragon. They dismounted their Ikran and saw the fished-out pod being investigated.

"No bodies," Scoresby reported.

"No one on the island. But I found the remains of a fire and fish," Quaritch said. "One thing's for certain, they couldn't have made it out of that pod or off this island alone,". They made it back inside the wheelhouse and contacted Ardmore.

"Bad news general…" reported Quaritch. "We found the ship deep underwater but we found no bodies. They're alive. Somewhere out there in the endless stretches of sea. And one thing is for certain, they weren't alone,".

"So, this isn't any proper news then," Ardmore deadpanned.

"Surely as your top brilliant scientist must know a way of tracking them. As a matter of fact, perhaps you should let us speak to him,".

"I'm afraid he's not available right now. Surely as you found out they weren't alone, perhaps you should find a tracking them. And besides every pod from his lab has a hidden camera meant to handle anything from extreme heat to deep water. You find out who helped them, you'll find them. Now as I ordered before…fetch,". She shut off.

Scoresby sent his men to work, looking for the hidden camera she spoke of. They waited an hour until a man finally found a small microchip within the walls. "Impressive," the whaler glanced at it. "A good security measure that brilliant scientist cocked up,". They went back inside and plunged the camera into the main consul. Spider watched intently. The video appeared. They saw the men bashing against the screen. Then two young blue Navi appeared and pierced the glass and pulled them out.

"Wait! Pause!" Quaritch ordered. "Zoom in,"

Garvin zoomed in deeper and deeper. Quaritch narrowed his eyes and saw four-finger hands; the teens were a boy and a girl who looked so similar to each other. "Well, I'll be dammed," he smiled. "It's Sully kids. I recognise those two,".

Close by, Spider wrapped Sylwa's pink wrap around him tightly. He feared for her and Lo'ak.

"Looks like today's our lucky day," the Recoms leader faced his team. "It seems we find those subjects; we find Sully's kids. Bingo! Once they find that Tulkun mother, they'll hunt us down and we'll use them as leverage,".

"Uh, in case you're forgetting Colonel, they're long gone," Scoresby pointed out. "Might as well give up on this mission,".

Just after he said that Ardmore appeared again on the screen. "Good news Colonel. It seems the scientific genius has managed to program a tracking device for his subjects. All you have to do is follow them,".

"Would have been helpful an hour ago," Quaritch complained. "But I've got further good news. It appears they were rescued by two of Sully's kids. So, we track those subjects down, we find them and force Sully into our hands,"

"It seems luck was on your side today general. But don't go celebrating yet. Those subjects are vital to humanity's survival and if they are not found, humanity won't have a future on Pandora. Thousands of dollars and wasted sacrifices and resources will all be for nothing,"

"Aye, aye General," Quaritch saluted.


The twins and the brothers had flown far across the sea and it was getting to sundown. And sti, there was no sign of Tsireya or Atuiko. "We must rest the Ikran," Lo'ak said. "We shall rest on those sea stacks,". He pointed to a row of sea stacks which looked like giant 'T's and stumps made of rock.

"Are you sure they'll support us?" Erik wasn't keen.

"We've got no choice," Sylwa said. "We've got plenty of food to last us the night,". They landed on the stack with the widest platform and the Ikran panted for dear life.

"Thanks for taking it easy," Peter praised. "You're a good pilot…wait rider. Excuse me,".

"No problem at all," Sylwa helped him off the saddle. "There. Much better?"

"Absolutely," he said.

Erik stretched his cranky legs. "I don't know how you guys can sit that long on a saddle. What are we going to do about keeping warm?"

"We've got plenty of blankets," Sylwa assured them. "Now come on. Let's feed Betze and Skeera,". They fed their mounts some well-needed fruit and they ate some meat and extra snacks. And as the sky turned dark, the auroras filled the sky with radiant light. It was beyond beautiful. With blankets around their shoulders and their legs dangling over the edges, they observed their night entertainment.

"It never stops being beautiful," Peter admired. "My whole life I've always wanted to see an aurora borealis. I've heard so many amazing stories about Pandora. I just can't seem to understand why humanity would want to destroy such a beautiful planet,".

"It's because they never learn. They choose to be ignorant of the consequences their actions have for other people," Erik said. "You know I've always wanted once, just once to see this planet. To see nature and greenery. And all this right now,". He gazed up at the moons that watched over them from behind the lights.

"Well, now your wish has come true," Lo'ak said. "And look!" he pointed upwards towards a bright star that stood out from the rest. "There's your planet,".

"I've almost forgotten what it looks like. But I can never forget that it was where we lost everything we loved,". He pursed his lips and Lo'ak patted his hand. Sylwa saw Peter clutch the locket around his neck, blinking tears.

"We're both sorry for what happened to you guys. But you're free now," Sylwa promised.

"I'm sorry we didn't find your friends," Erik comforted. "But we will. So long as we stick together,".

Sylwa cheered at his kind words. "Thank you. I'll take the first watch for tonight,".

"Sylwa, we travelled miles across the sea. There's no way, anyone is going to catch up to us,". Her twin said. "We could all use a good nap. And if something does come, Betze and Skeera will hear it,".

"He's right. I'd rather get some shut-eye now,". Concealing his wet face, Peter stood up and walked over to find a safe spot to sleep. Then Erik followed suit, leaving the twins alone. They held each other.

"Oh guys, where are you?" Sylwa prayed.


In the open sea, a glowing Payaka swam above the surface, a baby Tulkun beside her. It cried. It mourned. I'm so sorry, I couldn't save your mother.

You still tried to warn her. Why didn't she listen? Why didn't any of them listen?

Because they will always see me as a killer.

It's not right how they treated you. After you lost your mother and entire pod. They had no right to exile you like this.

And they had no right to abandon you and your mother. What is your name?

I can't remember.

Shall I give you one?

I would love that.

Papuya?

I love it.

I promise I will keep you safe Papuya. Payaka vowed. I will not let anything happen to you. The calf nuzzled his new guardian and Payaka whistled with joy. For the first time in a while, she was not alone. We must find somewhere safe. Then afterwards we must find my friends and warn them. I must warn you one of them is a Taquamare but whatever you know about them, it's not true. Tsu'tey is so sweet.

I trust you. Suddenly Papuya jumped to the screaming of names.

"Lo'ak! Sylwa! Tsireya"

Payaka recognised that voice. It's Atuiko. She raised her head crest a bit more above the surface and in the distance, she saw a lonely Metkayina kid riding an ilu. He was lost and alone. Oh no. Atuiko. She called into the air.


Farther ahead, Atuiko, with wet eyes kept on screaming out his friends' names. He started crying. A Tulkun's song hummed through the silent night air and he raised his head to see a lonely head-crest rearing towards him. "Payaka!" he yipped the ilu he had managed to find so far out at sea and his mount carried him towards his friend. "Payaka!".

Atuiko, it's so lovely to see you. Payaka whistled.

Atuiko swam to her face and hugged her, crying. "Oh Paya, I'm so happy to see you!"

What are you doing out here all alone?

"Lo'ak, Sylwa and Tsireya are missing out there," Atuiko informed, shocking her. "They tried to tell my clan about you and Tsu'tey being friends but they didn't listen. They said the most horrible things about the twins and we ran away with them. But there was a storm and we got separated. I've been looking for three days,"

Oh my gosh! Payaka squeaked. We've got to find them.

Hello. Papuya swam around to greet Atuiko.

"Hello there. Where did you come from?" she stroked him. "Wait a minute. You're the calf my Ronal's: spirit sister Roa,".

My mother was killed. The calf mourned.

Atuiko gasped. What happened?

Sky people. Payaka growled. The daemon ship killed his mother. I tried to warn her and her pod but they ignored me. They abandoned Papuya and his mother was killed. I just knew I couldn't leave him to die.

You're a hero. Atuiko praised. If the daemon ship is out there, we have to find our friends before they do. The Sky people controlling it are looking for my friends. We have to find them.

And we will. Payaka said with determination. Hang on tight, Atuiko.

Flapping her tail fins, she carried Atuiko across the surface, keeping Atuiko safely under her fin so she could hug him.


" It's a waterspout!" Sylwa cried. Ahead of them, a towering column of spinning water vapour drew power from the storm clouds. "Get us out of here Skeera!"

"Give us what you've got Betze!" Lo'ak begged, clinging tighter to Atuiko.

Tsireya clutched onto Sylwa. The Ikrans flapped their wings harder and harder but the aerial currents were too strong. They were being sucked in. "Brace yourself!" Atuiko cried.

They were sucked right into the eye and they were spiralling all around. "I'm gonna be sick!" Tsireya struggled to hold in her lunch.

They collided with one another. Atuiko slipped off. "Atu!" Lo'ak tried to grab him but Atu was spinning round and round in circles. Tsireya slipped off too. Then the twins. A flying bag knocked Tsireya unconscious. Sylwa managed to pull herself back onto Skeera. She tried to reach out and grab Tsireya but she couldn't reach her.

"Come on, Atu!" Lo'ak grabbed Atuiko's hand but his fingers slipped off. And then whoosh! They were shot out of the waterspout and Lo'ak lost sight of Atuiko. "Atu!"

Splash!


"Atu!" Lo'ak shot awake, breathing heavily. He wasn't in the air. He was on solid rock on the top of a sea stack. He looked around and saw Sylwa and Peter deep in their sleep, and the Ikran too. A hand touched him.

"Woah! Woah! It's me! It's me!" Erik calmed him down. "It's okay. You're alright. Deep breaths,". Lo'ak calmed down and the image of that horrible storm left his mind. But not Atu being carried away from him. "Are you okay?" his friend asked. The teen shook his head and walked away to sit at the edge again. Erik chose to join him. "I couldn't sleep either. I don't even think I can even sleep again after all I went through,".

"Why not?"

"Most of the time they just kept us asleep with drugs. But what they did to us, to our insides…" Erik touched his chest where underneath his shirt lay too many dissection marks. "I still feel it. All that pain,". He paused seeing something on Lo'ak's mind. "What's wrong?".

"I'm just worried about Atuiko. He's probably all alone scared. When Sylwa and I were separated in that storm and waterspout, I couldn't save him. He's still a child. So far away from home. And he chose to run away with us,".

"Wait? 'Run away?'" Erik repeated. "What do you mean?".

Lo'ak had said too much. "It's nothing,". He tried to move but Erik grabbed his hand. "It's not nothing. Why would you and Sylwa run away from your own people?".

"I don't want to talk about it," the teen begged.

"That's okay," Erik soothed. "You don't have to. But you mustn't feel guilty for your friend. It's not your fault that storm separated you guys,".

"It doesn't feel like it," Lo'ak sadly lamented; guilt crushed his shoulders. "In my gut…".

"You still blame yourself," his friend sympathised. "I know that feeling. I've lost people I loved too to the same ones who put me through so much torture. And I always tell myself that I could have done something when my head always told me that deep down, I was not to blame. We will find your friends Lo'ak. You just have to have faith. It's the one thing that kept me and Peter going in that lab prison". Lo'ak felt encouraged. "Come on,". Erik led him back to his sleeping spot but as the boy knelt to lay, his eyes caught sight of three long scars striking across his back. "What happened to you? Who did that to you?".

"Some lizard creatures," Lo'ak did not want to dwell on it.

"Still, it can't be any worse than mine. Goodnight Lo'ak,".

"Goodnight Mr…"

"Oh right, you don't know our surname. It's Jones, Mr…" Lo'ak gave him a look. "Well, you and Sylwa are hybrids so you must have a human surname,".

The boy's face seemed to darken a bit but he chose tanswerer. "It's Sully. But that doesn't matter to me anymore. Good night,". He tucked back into bed, narrowly missing Erik's stunned face. Erik lay back down on his bed and stared up at the stars, reflecting on that single word. Sully.


That's another chapter done. What did you all think? I hope you all enjoyed it. So Erik knows Jake Sully and Peter has a husband. Mmm. Maybe he could nudge Sylwa into confessing her feelings for Tsireya? So Payaka found Atuiko but there's no sign of Tsireya or Tsu'tey. We'll have to wait and find out. And everyone the twins left behind is so miserable. Especially Jake who feels guilty. I hope you all enjoyed this. Look forward to more reviews and a big thanks for the ideas. See you all soon in another story and chapter.