Mune Olo'eyktan [Neteyam x Aonung]

Part 48

As Aonung begins to regain his consciousness, he can feel the cold floor beneath him. He opens his heavy eyes and they adjust to the sudden bright light. His mind is still disoriented, and his senses are still dulled, but he hears someone speaking to him in Na'vi.

When the groggy feeling begins to fade, he finally sits himself up to face the person talking to him, but when he sees the face of a human he immediately snarls at him. Spider remains calm and gives him some space to let his memories come back to him.

But letting him remember how he was captured doesn't help him calm down, it riles him up even more. He hisses at the human boy, and lunges at him. Spider quickly moves out of the way and stands behind Aonung. He grabs the end of Aonung's tail, then the Metkayina boy pins him to the floor in an instant.

Spider- Damn, it's like Neteyam all over again.

These muttered words stop Aonung's actions completely. He blinks for a moment, then finally uses his words with the boy.

Aonung- What?

Spider- Uh . . . A friend of mine, he hates people touching his tail too.

Aonung- A friend?

Aonung releases him and sits down. Spider leans up, glad he's communicating now instead of trying to kill him.

Aonung- How do you know him?

Spider- I grew up around them, Jake's family.

He observes the painted blue stripes and loincloth, and tilts his head the slightest.

Aonung- What are you, some sort of Na'vi wannabe?

Spider- Are you a friend of Neteyam's?

Aonung- Yeah, and he has never mentioned any human friends.

Spider- You don't believe me?

Aonung- I have no reason to, you're with the sky people.

Spider- They captured me, before Jake's family left the forest.

Aonung looks at him skeptically, but also thinks he does seem to know his native tongue very well, so perhaps he was raised among Na'vi.

Spider- Look, I can't make you trust me, but just know that you can. I'm the only one here who's on your side.

Suddenly the door opens, and in walks Colonel Quaritch and a couple other avatars. Aonung stands on guard and hisses at his captors. Spider immediately notices the taser one of them is holding, and walks over to them.

Miles- Good to see you awake.

Aonung hisses at the man, not understanding a word he said but feeling threatened nonetheless. The man smirks in return.

Miles- Now we can get started.

Spider- On what?

The male avatar with the taser hits a button, turning it on with a devious smile.

Spider- An interrogation. No, you can't do that.

Miles- And why not?

Spider- It's wrong.

Miles- What's "wrong" is harboring fugitives.

Spider- What if he doesn't know anything?

Miles- What if he does?

He glances back at Aonung, thinking, then looks up at the Colonel.

Spider- Let me handle this. Without the taser.

The other avatars mumble in annoyance, and the Colonel glances back at them, hearing their protests.

Miles- How exactly are you gonna get anything out of him without a threat?

Spider- I can talk to him.

The other two laugh, and Quaritch scoffs.

Miles- If talking was all it took, we would've found the Sullys long before now.

Spider- Trust me, I can do this. Just don't hurt him.

With a roll of his eyes, Quaritch gestures for the other two to leave. They reluctantly comply.

Miles- Knock yourself out.

With that, the Colonel leaves the room, closing the door with a heavy hand. Spider turns back to face Aonung with a sigh of relief.

Aonung- What just happened?

Spider- I told them to let me talk to you instead of hurting you for information.

Aonung- If this is your way of trying to earn my trust, it'll take more than that.

Spider- I didn't do it for you, I did it for Neteyam. Plus this whole thing is just wrong to begin with.

Aonung- So you really are his friend?

Spider nods, and Aonung thinks for a moment. Neteyam isn't there to confirm their relationship, but for now he won't completely distrust the human boy. Simply because of the morals he seems to have.

Aonung- What's your name?

Spider- Spider. What's yours?

Aonung- Aonung.

Spider- Okay, Aonung, let's talk.