"As long as I live, I will protect you."
When Jake and Neytiri had their first daughter, she was said to be a miracle as twins were not common to Na'vi.
A miracle indeed yet she had never felt she has any purpose in life, she never felt she is as sp...
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"Today you'll be riding ilu," Tsireya said, informing them before Ao'nung clicked his tongue. Making noise as he calls for his ilu. "If you want to live here, you have to ride."
Tsireya had paired everyone to help them with riding their ilu for the first time. Unfortunately for Neteyam, he was paired with Ao'nung. Aé'teya hoped for that boy doesn't irritate her brother or make him feel worse.
More Metkayina teenagers began to watch them as they train. It had made Aé'teya anxious about how they'll be watching her failing to ride an ilu until another girl walked up to her with an ilu. She walked towards her away from the group of teens that were snickering at her.
The girl held a friendly smile, ignoring all the laughter from the other Metkayina kids. Apparently, she had offered herself to teach the Sully kids when Tsireya said they needed an extra hand. "Hi, my name is Yääfey. I'll be teaching you how to ride your ilu."
Returning a warm smile, Aé'teya waved to the girl, "I'm Aé'teya." Her introduction was interrupted by another ilu rubbing its head against Aé'teya's cheek.
"Looks like she likes you already," Yääfey said, rubbing her hand against the ilu's skin. "She's very clingy and very excited to finally have a rider."
"Does she has a name?" Aé'teya asked, now she is stroking the ilu. Yääfey shook her head before facing away from the ilu to her, "You can name her," she gave her an excited smile.
Yääfey took her hands off the ilu, walking backward to give some space between her and the ilu, "Okay, make the bond with her. They're very gentle and easy to tame like how you did with your ikran,"
Aé'teya chuckled at the last words, "Ikrans are not gentle and easy to tame at all." Yääfey now had a frown, feeling confused. "Ikran will try to kill you if you want to tame them."
The Metkayina girl had her mouth open, speechless. "Oh...well–um, ilu are very gentle so you won't worry about dying." She laughed awkwardly.
With Yääfey's guide, Aé'teya had gone up on her ilu to connect her queue. Fixing her position on the ilu before Yääfey told her to ride it. "You might wanna hold her tightly and be ready, they'll go really fast." She warns.
Her ilu dived under the water and Aé'teya held onto it, securing her position so she wouldn't throw herself off. Right after the ilu faced the surface, another ilu swam right in Infront of them. Aé'teya could feel herself nearly fall into the water.
There was laughter again, mostly to Lo'ak who had failed terribly. He flew away from his ilu under the water.
Some Metkayina were laughing at her for how Lo'ak's ilu nearly hit hers. Yääfey turned to them with a warning look, glaring at them, shutting them all up immediately.
Aé'teya walked up to her with the ilu by her side, "It's okay, you'll get the hang of it by the end of the day! I'm sure of it." Yääfey gave her a positive and firm smile.
Aé'teya could only return with a small and embarrassed one. Her ears twitched up, eyeing those Metkayina people who hold their laughter and snickering at her. Some were even giving her a look of disgust.
•••
Breathing exercise was much easier than riding the ilu, well not really for Lo'ak. He wasn't able to concentrate when Tsireya placed her hands on Lo'ak stomach and chest. Aé'teya watched with a grin seeing how flustered Lo'ak look.
"Lo'ak, your heartbeat is fast," Tsireya said.
Aé'teya snorted, holding her laughter behind her hand. She turned to Neteyam who gave her a mocking grin then back to Rotxo. Kiri felt annoyed by them and rolled her eyes, thinking how stupid they act.
Aé'teya couldn't keep herself away from the sea, it was beautiful and she loves how cold the water hit her body. Her ilu swam around her, making a clicking noise. Yääfey was right when she said her ilu is clingy. The ilu won't leave her side, often wanting her attention. Aé'teya wasn't complaining.
Tuk was with her, patting the nameless ilu with a laugh. "She's so cute!" Tuk clapped her hands, smiling at her sister. Aé'teya couldn't resist the smile and smiled back when Tuk hugged the neck of her ilu.
"Look who we have here," An irritating voice spoke up from behind. Aé'teya glanced at Ao'nung and rolls her eyes, ignoring the boy. "Are you even a real Na'vi?"
Aé'teya grabbed Tuk's hand and walked out of the water. "Come on, Tuk." Tuk looked at the group of boys, half confused and curious.
"Why are you and your freaky family here in the first place?" Another voice asked. They were now trapped by the boys who stood in front of them in a circle. Tuk now had a different look, she felt angry at them for calling them freaks.
Feeling nervous, Tuk looked at her sister for protection. "Go away," Aé'teya hissed at them, pulling Tuk closer as their feet no longer touches the water. They both could hear Ao'nung and his friends laughing from behind, they wouldn't leave them alone.
Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, another group of Metkayina walks up to her, "Is the forest girl lost?" An unfamiliar boy asked. Aé'teya most definitely felt overwhelmed by their approaches.
"Go back to where you came from demon," He laughed, looking at his friends who were also mocking her with a howl of laughter. "I bet not even the demon wants you freaks,"
"Look at her tail," They began. She tried to walk past them but swirl back to face them as she felt a tug on her tail. She tried slapping every hand that tried to pull her tail.
She slapped another hand that was going to Tuk, "Don't touch her, skxawng." She lashed out at them. They let out a howl at her lashing out, grinning, "Big sister is mad," A boy mocked. Aé'teya felt the urge to slap them all in the face but she doesn't want to cause any trouble, she did promise Jake that. "Why don't you go back to hugging your forest trees,"
"Why don't you go back to kissing your fishes and leave us alone, fish lips." She snapped at them, most directly at Ao'nung as she used the name Lo'ak uses to refer to Ao'nung.
The boy held up his hand, gesturing for his friends to stop with a devilish smile. "Let's go," He said to his friends before turning away.
Some kids were sticking out their tongues at her to insult her. Aé'teya gave them a sarcastic smile. How she wishes she could flip them off with a middle finger like Lo'ak.
Finally, after the groups had left, the two sisters could walk back to their pod with peace. But so peaceful as thoughts started to overflow in Aé'teya's mind. Tuk noticed her silence but never spoke a word.
The young girl was stopped from entering the pod by the hand of her sister. Aé'teya bends down to reach the same height as Tuk. Her eyes were closed as she was doing so, huffed out a sigh.
She gave Tuk a look, "Don't mention any of this to mom or dad," her eyes were partially pleading with Tuk not to say a word. "Not even Neteyam, Lo'ak or Kiri. It's not a big deal and keep it between the two of us, okay?"
Tuk sadly nodded. Aé'teya took her hands away from Tuk as she stood up, watching the girl going into their pod.
By the entry of the pod, she noticed her twin was standing right next to it with a frown and arms folded. "Don't mention what?"
"Nothing that bothers you," She retorted, rolling her eyes while she brushed through Neteyam into the pod. The boy grew more confused as Aé'teya left him to his own thoughts.
