The Red Reaper

10 - Jake's training

Before Grace, Norm and Jake were to move to the remote station, Laip'xi was shown where it would be so she could wait there for them. Although she was familiar with the place, as she and her mother Grace spent many of her childhood days there. Tsu'tey instructed her to tell him immediately if there were any humans. Laip'xi rolled her eyes at that, knowing full well all three of them were humans. She nodded, but wouldn't do it unless it was someone other than Jake, Grace or Norm. Tsu'tey patted her head and let her go. 

Lai'xi took off and quickly made her way to the hallelujah mountains, swiftly making her way through the forest and then skillfully climbing all the way to her destination. She arrived just a minute before them and watched as they landed their helicopter next to the building. She cautiously eyed the helicopter, unpleasant memories surfacing.

"Thank you for flying Air Pandora"

When they all got out, Laip'xi was shocked to see that one man was in a wheelchair. Due to her strong sense of curiosity, she approached them carelessly and accidentally scared Norm and the pilot, who took out her gun. Laip'xi growled at the pilot, daring her to shoot and see what happens.

"Enough, put away your gun, it will ricochet off her skin and hit someone else"

The beast hummed in agreement, proud of herself. Then her attention was back on the man in the wheelchair. She sniffed him and observed his legs.

"Grace, a little help?"

Jake asked, anxious about the beast, who was a little too close for his liking. He was already nervous being around her in his avatar body, but his human self was even more defenceless.

"Jesus Jake, she won't harm you, she's just curious, probably never saw someone who can't walk on their own"

Laip'xi couldn't believe that the wheelchair man was Jake, the curious baby-like avatar driver that has been spending time learning from Neytiri. Her attitude changed right away and she stepped away from him and went to bother Norm instead.

"That's Norm, Laip'xi, you've met him already, we have two bodies"

'I know that, but you don't know that I know, mum' Laip'xi thought.

Norm just like Jake, was very skittish around her, with every little movement of hers making him jump. It made Laip'xi playful and wanting to scare him even more, just for fun. He didn't appreciate it.

"Norm, man up and let's go"

Grace ordered them to go inside as they were both taking time. Jake was admiring the floating islands and Norm was trying to get past Lip'xi, whose playfulness was growing and wouldn't let him pass. Grace then coughed in a motherly angry way and Laip'xi's ears stood up straight and she froze, allowing Norm to jump past her and run inside.

Once they were all in, Laip'xi looked through the windows, seeing how the place hadn't changed at all. There were still her yoghurts inside the fridge and photos of the school, the avatar kids, Grace and herself back when she was a human girl.

"Alright Jake, you'll be on the left, the last link, Beulah, unit one, she's the least glitchy"

As Jake was positioning himself into the pod, Grace stepped out to talk to Laip'xi.

"You should get going, please look after Jake so he doesn't do anything stupid, oh and meet us here tomorrow a few hours before the village wakes up"

Laip'xi nodded and left. Grace watched as she jumped from island to island until she reached the ground before going back in and connecting Jake to his avatar.

It took Laip'xi about half an hour at full sprint to reach the home tree. The run warmed up her body nicely and she felt full of energy now. She went to find Jake like Grace had instructed her to. Unknowing to her, Tsu'tey spotted her from afar and wondered why she wasn't coming to find him, so he followed her. They found Jake and Neytiri at the top of the home tree, calling out to Neytiri's Ikran. Both onlookers watched as Neytiri flew around the tree, motivating Jake to do his best so he may be chosen by an Ikran one day.