Changes in the Forest - Quaritch x Reader

Chapter 1 - Glimpses of life

Word Count: 2237

Sitting on his bed, Quaritch held a frown as he looked down at the screen in his hand. Displayed on the holographic, an image of himself – of his former self – sat.

He'd watched the recording probably three times by now, having devolved into just staring at the paused image of his own face.

It felt strange. His memories were him. He was colonel Miles Quaritch, yet everything felt so off now. His body wasn't what it once was, the muscle and strength he once trained every day for now reduced to the spindly limbs he held, the cryo and incubation of his Na'vi body unable to artificially mimic them.

Despite his increased size, he felt weak, feeble. Sure he'd started working out again, but it was a far cry from what he was once able to do.

Every time he walked past a window, mirror or other reflecting surface and caught even a glimpse of blue, his heart jumped as adrenalin pumped, only for him to realise it was himself.

Everything worked to frustrate him.

The life he had in his head differed so greatly to what he saw before him now. Hell, the labcoats had even told him he was back to being twenty years old now.

Sighing, Quaritch rubbed his free hand over his face before throwing the tablet onto his nightstand, too tired to think anymore.

Him and his team had three months to strengthen up and get used to their new bodies.

Three months until he'd finally be allowed to go after the man who caused all of this.

-

"Sister, come and get your children!" Yelling out in exasperation, you were trying your best to untangle the little limbs from your waist, playfully glaring down at the young boy dangling upside down from your body, his legs around your waist while his arms hugged your right thigh, his shorter queue swinging wildly as he giggled maniacally.

Gracefully running over, your sister laughed softly as her eyes settled on her son. "No'gue." She called his name with a smile, reaching forward and tugging his tail lightly to get him to stop ignoring her.

"Mother!" He whined, hugging your leg even tighter and you huffed, grabbing his legs and prying them off, dangling his lower body in mid air while he desperately tried to hold on to your leg. "No, Y/N!" He now called to you, pleading while you jokingly hissed at him before dropping his legs.

Letting out a little yelp, due to his hold on your leg, his body flipped and he landed on his feet, only for the impact with the ground to cause him to bounce back, forcing him to let go of you as he landed on his butt.

"That's one." You smiled as you then turned around, showing the other body hanging onto your back to your sister, little hands tangled in your hair. "And number two."

"Oh my." Chuckling, she reached out and grabbed her daughter, Yalai giggling and turning around to instead hang onto her mother, not seeming all that upset and seeing it more like a game.

That was to be expected though, considering the girl's younger age.

"Come on, you troublemakers, it's time to eat." Holding out her hand for her son, your sister took her children, thanking you wordlessly with only a gesture before making her way to the middle of the cave, where the communal area was set up.

Living in the cave systems of the hallelujah mountains wasn't something you'd ever imagined yourself or your clan doing, but all things considered, it wasn't so bad.

After the sky people returned, your people – who since the fall of Hometree had taken refuge in the forest – were forced to move once more, this time out of the forest and into the floating mountains.