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pandorafallz · 2 months

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Skeletons in the Closet (the rot under our skin) | C1

Alma’s heart was beating fast as she helped Nalin adjust her avatar’s position into a reclined position on the gurney now that the Tsahìk was here. Her eyes lingering mostly at the singed and bruised side that her avatar had received from the bombing. Two broken ribs, inhalation burns and second-degree burns along the exposed skin of the right side. Some debris from shrapnel and landing on broken metal had been pulled out but Alma was uncertain how well it would heal; the infection rate was high in this sort of environment. Nalin had clearly done her best to patch up what she could and Alma had tried to work with her in handling the avatar’s health since she knew a lot more but… the lack of supplies was what stopped her from being able to help more.

Until now, of course. She hadn’t actually met the Kame’tire Tsahìk before; only Mokasa back before TAP so she hoped this went well but she was anxious nonetheless. The only silver lining was that her avatar was the one most like Na’vi so it should be easier for Anufi to treat than just the humans around base. New learning with them but the Tsahìk has adapted recipes in response to their flora intolerance from what she had heard.

Before Anufi’s arrival, Alma had tried to help Ri’nela in the time for Kìoetey to get help, and she was glad to help lift the young woman’s burden over the small things, managing the people and getting areas set up. Alex had been glad to let her set up the seed bay for new food production; they needed supplies more than ever that were safe for both Na’vi and humans, the human side more since the Na’vi could go out and get their own fruit and meats without fear of dying to toxic foods.

With all of this that had happened to them, Alma couldn’t imagine how everyone else was feeling; her human body had been resting in the link-bed so she was in some ways, better rested but her inactivity in the link-bed meant her human body was weaker than average. Her mind weighed with tiredness of the overworked days more than her body but she kept going; for everyone’s sake. Those still healing were now working to help but it was still slow going.

“I’ve got to help the last few others,” Nalin said, “I’ll leave your avatar in the care of Anufi.”

“Okay.” Alma nodded, watching as the doctor hurried off for a moment then pushed a stool closer to the gurney to allow her proper height to lift her Avatar’s head a bit off the kuru and bring it around her shoulder, her hand carefully peeling up the half-shirt further to make preparations for the area to be treated. The wounds looked to be weeping a little, blistering in a few areas as well. Nalin’s ice pack was water now but a touch to it showed it was still a good amount of cold to stay on and soothe the burns.

Kìoetey’s appearance was an immense relief, the top of the young warrior’s face was easy to spot on her little perch as she arrived and spoke to Anufi.

“<Ah, the fat.>” There was a warmth in the Tsahìk’s voice as she was handed something from her, “<See how rich and smooth it is? A healing south to soothe their burns. It is gentle, yes. But powerful.>”

“<Anything else I can do to help?>”

“<Hot water, I need to melt the fat from the meat to use it. I have everything else that we need.>” Anufi spoke, her head turning back to the table she had been given as her set-up space to organize now she had everything.

Alma waited, smiling tiredly as Kìoetey came around the corner as a greeting as she handed the Tsahìk what she needed.

“How is it? You?” Kìoetey eyes flickered between them.

“Better,” Alma said, looking down at her second form. “Turns out, pain can make it difficult to unlink. I had to wait until the sedation had taken effect before I could leave the link bed.”

Kìoetey’s head tilted. “I had no idea that happened.” The alarm wasn’t missed in the large yellow gaze, “I thought…it was a second body. You’d be fine if something did happen.”

“It’s not well known but avatar drivers have been known to die when linked up if their avatar perishes in the field. It’s…most likely something to do with the bond between the driver and avatar that causes it. Years back, one of the scientists at Hell’s Gate said the severing of a bond like that was comparable to pulling a rubber band too far that it snaps. The recoil damages the human brain.” It was a rough metaphor but one that she hoped would be understood the most in this.

Kìoetey frowned, “Then it’s good you were…separated and that you weren’t killed at the bombing.”

“Once it’s on the mend, it should be safe for me to relink.” Nalin certainly was going to restrict her usage of the avatar beyond basic care; to allow the avatar to heal without strain. Less need for pain-meds when she wasn’t using it, she supposed. Despite her personal preference for using the avatar, now more than ever she needs to be useful for the resistance. It itched at her to be useful.

“How are you? I heard what happened with Billy. I was so relieved to hear of your escape.” Alma didn’t get off the stool, but reached for her and was glad that the Na’vi allowed her to touch her arm softly. “I’m sorry for what happened to you.”

Kìoetey looked away. “I got out. That’s what matters. I just wish Billy could have let me bring him back. He didn’t need to have died.”

“You can’t control his choices but he died a hero’s death. His death was to protect us, the resistance and you.” She pattered her arm softly. “We won’t forget that sacrifice. Our fight is to keep those who died part of us.”

Kìoetey’s shoulders relaxed a little but she spared a look down the loop-way out where the planets were. Ri’nela, Nor and So’lek were about those ends with organising new places for some Na’vi food to grow.

“Did... Ri’nela tell you everything?”

“About what?” Alma’s head tilted a little, her mind running through what conversations she had had with the girl but… nothing stood out. They had been too busy for personal talk but she had done her best to assure her that she was doing extremely well under this stress and pressure. She would make a good leader one day. That much was very clear.

Kìoetey sighed, “Later. I do have some questions I want answers for but… that can wait. Privately.”

Alma’s stomach tightened a little but she forced herself to nod. A private talk. That didn’t feel like a particularly good omen but… she’d have to see what she wanted to discuss before she could worry.

Movement around the medical screen pulled their attention away. Kìoetey moved to the back wall to allow Anufi to enter the space. Alma leant away too from her avatar for space but the Tsahìk seemed to pause in step, her eyes widening in recognition as she looked at her avatar and even her breath caught as she took it’s sleeping face in.

“” Her eye turned and fixed on Alma intently but there was no mistaking the likeness between them even if a part of her felt the impulse to lie to such a… vitriol response to her avatar.

Alma nodded once nervously, her hand touching the avatar’s bun softly. “<Yes.>” Her voice sounded strangely quiet to her own ears.

Anufi’s breath held but her eyes were lit with more emotion and her prosthetic arm rose to point at her directly. “<You brought the sky people. You wanted our children. I saw you in the depth of Mokasa’s memories. He told you where to find the Sarentu clan. To end them.>”

Her mouth ran dry and her heart thudded in her chest at the Tsahìk’s words, very aware as the sound carried but it was the accusation that stuck her most. “<No, no. Not to end them!>”

“<Alma? You were there? You led Mercer to us?!>” Ri’nela’s voice broke in alarm as she abandoned her previous work and hurried toward her with an expression to match.

Alma twisted about, her heel unstable on the stool age but the tallness of the Sarentu and So’lek swamping around her was scarily daunting; how small she was in comparison if she didn’t choose her words wisely. “<M-Mercer’s school, the Ambassador Program was designed to save lives. Na’vi and human. I… was part of it but I was trying to help—>”

Nor hissed out angrily. “<You stole our lives.>” He snapped, stepping closer. “<Just like you stole everything else.>”

Alma flinched at his words, her hands raised softly towards him. “”

She didn’t have time to finish before Nor seemed to close the space between them like a thanator before she felt the white hot sharpness through her right side with the cold bite of a blade like ice in her gut. A sharp sound left her lips, eyes widening in alarm but she couldn’t stop herself falling off the stool and onto the floor.

“<No!>” So’lek’s voice echoed the loudest, pulling Nor’s shadow away from her.

“<Get off me!>”

Alma could barely comprehend what had happened, warmth spread out quickly from the source of the cold, throbbing pain, her hand came to her side; touching the large hilt of the blade and stirring the pain through her side that left her gasping for air. Large hands armed to try to help—So’lek—she distantly realised but she could feel her blood seep fast around his fingers even as he tried to put pressure around the knife.

She gasped tightly, whimpering a little as he tried to steady the blade as he forced her to sit up against her avatar’s gurney. Not good. The blade…too big for her small body. Nalin couldn’t fix this. She was going to die here. Alma coughed, already feeling the rise of blood in the back of her throat.

“<Don’t become what you hate, Nor.?” Ri’nela’s voice was distant.

“<P-please…>” Alma tried to find her voice; she couldn’t…couldn’t die. She had to let them know.

“<No! You deserve this!>” Nor snarled

“Let her speak!” Kìoetey snapped, her voice echoing above him.

“<Why?>” Nor scoffed, “<She is the reason for every bruise and broken bone. She murdered our families.>” He glared that statement into Ri’nela who looked away from him with a tight jaw. “Aha’ri.”

Kìoetey flinched but shook her head at him. “<We can’t get answers from her dead, Nor.>”

“<I…I never meant to hurt you…any of you.>” Alma rasped, closing her eyes for a second as she felt her head spin a little, wavering a little.

“<But you did!>” Nor crouched but didn’t get closer, his attention onto So’lek. “<This is what you wanted, yes? Revenge against the humans?>”

So’lek’s eyes twitched but remained narrowed as he stared down at the younger Na’vi. “<Revenge? This is not revenge. You are being consumed. Where does it end?>” So’lek fired back, “<These are our allies. Would you kill them all?>”

Kìoetey’s heart hammered but she watched Nor rise to his feet, almost indignantly but she couldn’t tear her gaze from Alma’s form, crumpled and bleeding out on the floor. So small…. but all she could see was the fact everything that the woman knew was also fading with every laboured breath from her lips. If she died, they would have no full answers for them. What had happened that day, Why it happened the way it did, why she didn’t do a damn thing to help…, why she never said…

Too many questions.

No answers.

There would be no answers either; her human body was too small for that blade. She could cling onto life for a bit but… she could barely respond. No way to get answers from her like this.

So’lek didn’t move his hands as Anufi went but there was no mistake in the Tsahìk’s assessment that this wound was untreatable. Even to her.

“<Jakesully, Toruk Makto was once a Dreamwalker. With the help of the Omatikaya Tsahìk and the clan, he passed through the eye of Eywa and returned in his Dreamwalker to be one of the people. Is it possible for you to do the same for her?>” So’lek asked, “<If she dies, then the knowledge of what happened with the Sarentu clan dies with her.>”

Kìoetey’s heart leapt at the thought. A spark of hope. “<It’s possible?>”

“<Yes, but there was another one, Graceaugustine was their first attempt. Dying from a wound inflicted by a sky person, but succumbed to her wound before the ritual was complete. She resides within Eywa now.>”

Kìoetey’s eyes widened but… she found herself nodding. Even if Alma died; if she became part of Eywa then that still gave them the chance to connect and see into her memories of those events. They could still get answers.

“<Please, we have to try>,” Kìoetey asked, her hand coming to Anufi’s shoulder. “”

Anufi rose to her feet, her eyes coming to the Dreamwalker’s still form, examining her untreated wounds. “<The Circle of Ancestors should be enough to attempt but I cannot make promises it will work. Omatikaya are more adapt to such spiritual matters than the Kame’tire.>”

“<As long as we try.>” Ri’nela said.

The discussion of who was taking what was swift and Anqa was fast in getting the Samson up and running to take most of them. So’lek stayed behind to oversee the Hideout and Kìoetey followed the ship until it landed outside of the Hollows. With Alma’s life fading, they had little time to argue on what was acceptable and what wasn’t in where they were going.

Her stomach turned as she took Alma’s human form from the Samson. The woman was barely conscious under the mask and groaned quietly as each jostle disturbed the blade but Anufi made a call for Zamhil to call some of the clan together to aid; more voices to call for Eywa’s attention to get this to work. Kìoetey hadn’t known what to expect and so suddenly but…she needed this to work.

She needed to know.

“<Lay her head close to the roots, ensure her neck touches the root surface. This will aid the Great Mother’s work of connecting to her since she doesn’t have a kuru in this body.>” Anufi gestured to the spot to do so, so Kìoetey complied and gently set Alma down into the grass, her head propped up over the White great cap’s root and the back of her neck was firmly in place. Ri’nela carried the Dreamwalker and set it down closer and Anufi connected the kuru to the sacred plant. Kìoetey remained kneeling beside her as many came to join the Tsahìk’s request.

Some were confused and more so at the sight of a clearly dying human in their midst; they hadn’t removed the blade and it stuck out in the light and the blood didn’t help.

“<Come, we do not have much time. We have to call for the Great Mother’s aid in number to preserve this life within her Dreamwalker.>”

Kìoetey didn’t connect but Ri’nela did as many took seats and bonded with the Great Mother. She could feel Alma’s hands shake so she took her to at least provide comfort and to ground her, but the build-up of blood under the mask was concerning. She was bleeding into her lungs now. Not long.

Would they be too late, like with Graceaugustine?

There was a sudden lull across the crowd, a soft pulsing calm as Anufi started the ritual but Kìoetey kept her gaze down to watch and to monitor Alma but a part of her praying to Eywa too. The Circle an Ancestors’ light seemed to pulse around in time into a steady beat. Like a heartbeat.

It took a second to really notice anything but growth from the root seemed to extend up around Alma’s neck like tiny, white tendril roots seeking through soil, only it seemed to grow across her skin, weaving into her hair at the back but also around her neck and disappeared a little into her collar. A few seemed to form around the mask but nothing more around her body

Alma’s eyes fluttered open behind her mask, looking confused but not resisting anything. She was certain she could feel something was happening. Kìoetey squeezed her hands to keep her mind from wandering...or worrying just in case.

Anufi’s voice was soft, directing the soft chant before she watched as Alma’s eyes widened in alarm, pupils dilating hugely. A connection no doubt made. Unexpected.

“Alma?” Her voice was soft. “Let her guide you away. It’s okay.” She whispered, hoping to assure the dying woman to allow Eywa to do what she needed to without resistance.

Alma tried to speak but her voice was nothing but a soft but gurgled slur of sound as more blood pooled from the corners of her lips and down her cheeks and chin and some splashed against the inside of her mask. Her small, shaking hands gripped her hands tightly.

“It’s okay.” Kìoetey soothed, “You’ll be okay…”

All she got was a pitiful whine but her movements were fainter. Anufi’s echoed once before the voices of the clan stopped, moving to kneel beside the Dreamwalker but Kìoetey watched as Alma’s eyes became unfocused, her hands ceasing its shaking and the strength in her grip began to wane in her fingers.

“Alma?” Kìoetey spared a look to the unmoving Dreamwalker and back.

Alma’s body began to become flax beside her, her head rolling off to the side a fraction, her grip loosening entirely. Her eyes glazed over as the light of life within seemed to fade but most predominantly, the blood-choked rasped breath came to a stop to leave an almost deafening silence in its wake.

Alma’s human body...had died.

“<D-Did it work?>” It was a…odd shock to feel but… she pushed it aside for now. She set Alma’s hands down on her stomach, moving enough to kneel beside the Dreamwalker; her eyes searching for any sign of movement from its body; its peacefully sleeping face. Of life. That this had worked.

Anufi’s only hand touched the woman’s face, tilting her head for any signs of consciousness. There was no reaction to touch, even as she clipped her finger beside her ear to test the reflexes “” Her hand trailed up Alma’s kuru to check the bond the Dreamwalker had with Eywa.

“<S-She was sedated. This body. After the bombing. Put to sleep to allow Alma to slip back into her own body.>” Ri’nela pointed out. Kìoetey hoped that was the case. “<Perhaps the sedation has not worn off>”

“<Then we must wait. Perhaps it will take time for her to fully settle within the Dreamwalker>” Anufi seemed to relax a little then gently addressed her clan to return to their duties and thanked them for their efforts. She was sure she planned to properly talk to them later but they need no prying eyes further to see if this would work.

“<I…>” Ri’nela paused. “”

“” Kìoetey decided, trying to keep her voice even as she spoke, “<If she wakes, I’ll radio you.>”

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