MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

╰⦇ T W O

This is going to be a looooooong day...

Suddenly, someone calls Jake's name. He looks around. I attempt to stand. Someone runs into me, and as I curse. I hit the floor, bouncing. Jake curses as well.

"Ooooh my gosh, I'm so sorry," the guy says. He stands silent. Jake grumbles at him.

"She's blind," Jake says in a sarcastic tone. "You have to actually help her."

Two skinny, yet surprisingly strong arms wrap around me. They heft me up, to what I assume is Jake's side, by how I feel a hand grab mine from lower down.

"I'm Iris, Iris Reaver," I say in a bubbly, yet irritated, tone. "Nice to meet you. By your voice I'm assuming you're a scientist. You sound more diplomatic than jarheads like Jake and I."

He chuckles and grabs my hand. Giving it a quick shake, he replies. He's skinny, yeah, but I feel potential workout muscles there.

"Norm, Spellman," the guy, Norm, says happily. He releases my hand and Jake does too. A moment later, Jake sits me on his lap again, and we go down the hall. Norm is leading us to the bio lab I figure, since he's going on about his avatar training.

"And here's the bio lab," Norm says, but his voice is cut off when Jake turns abruptly.

"Hi," Norm says. The sounds of a heavy handshake can be heard. "Norm Spellman, Avatar driver."

"Iris Reaver," I say, standing wobbly. I hold out a hand to the voices.

"No way," a familiar voice shouts. "Iris? From Avatar botany studies? The amazing blind plant lady?"

"Max," I say, astounded. "No fricking way dude. HOW are you even alive after the training I heard about?"

He takes me into a large embrace. I hug back with all the strength my tired arms allow me to. Max and I were inseparable on the four-month trip I took while Tom was still alive. Max helped me get around. A few people told me I wouldn't really make it, but Max told me that I would so I kept hope. Then, I got into the Avatar program. Not the way I wanted, but no body told me I couldn't, so I did.

Max begins to ramble, and I yawn. I curl up, my small form against Jake's chest. I slowly fall asleep as Jake wheels around, looking at the Avatars, I guess.

I am awoken by a woman yelling. I laugh when I hear who it is.

"Guys," says the all-too-familiar voice of Grace Augustine. "Where's my cigarette? What's wrong with this picture," she says, drawing out picture at the end a bit.

"Ah, and here she is," I hear Max say, "the princess back from the ball. Grace, I'd like to you to meet Norm Spellman and Jake Sully-"

"Norm, I hear good things," Grace interrupts. "How is your Na'vi?"

"May the All Mother smile upon our first meeting," Norm says, clearly formal.

"Not bad. You sound a little formal," Grace says, voicing my thoughts.

"And grace," Max attempts again, but I'm guessing she cuts him off. Again.

"Ah, Iris Eleanor Reaver, I've heard even better," Grace says. "And your Na'vi, my friend."

"As good as it was seven, maybe eight years ago, counting the five in space," I say. She chuckles. We studied together via video calls arranged by Jake before I left.

Time Skip to Avatar Driving

Feet scurry by me. Machines click. A scientist leads me to a place in what I assume is the Bio-lab. I become anxious. People have always tried to prank me, was this one? Was I to be left in the center of a room again?

I nervously waited for Jake. He was my only friend besides Norm and Max. Finally, someone grabbed my arm. Norm chuckled when I gasped and I smacked what assumed to be his arm. He helped me around.

He led me over to a link pod, or I assumed, and smacked the gel. I laughed loudly. I could feel weird looks from all around. Norm asked what I was laughing about. I shook my head before explaining.

"This is waaaaaay better than the Styrofoam they used in my mock training," I chuckled out. Norm and who I think was Max chuckled. Jake mumbled something. I slowly slid into the gel. I shivered from the coldness. Grace kept telling Jake "head down."

"Just relax and let your mind go blank, that shouldn't be too hard for you," Grace says, causing me to laugh.

"Kiss the darkest part of my lily white-" but Jake's voice is cut off by a lid closing.

"See you on the other side," Grace had said cockily. I felt my breath hitch. I couldn't stop myself from standing wobbly. The room seemed to stop as I let out a sob involuntarily. I shuddered, too.

"What's the matter," Max said shakily. He may have forgotten. Maybe I'd be blind in my other body as well?

"What if I can't see," I asked out loud. I began to panic. "Wh-what if-"

I was going to say something else but Grace shushed me and pushed my head back. She shut the clamshell shaped link pod roof.

I woke with lights in my eyes. I saw someone flailing. I think I heard Norm telling them something. I laughed as I could see. I jumped up. The doctors tried holding us down. It was a wobbly start for me, but I was up in no time. I spotted the door and opened it. I started running, someone following in suite. We ran, and I turned to see them, maybe male talking to two Avatar drivers playing a game of basketball. The other wasn't far behind.

I heard his heavy footsteps behind me. I yelled out. I heard what I thought was Jake laugh as a metal suit almost ran them over. We stopped in a field. I hugged my own arms. He laughed and dug his feet into the dirt. The other guy had fallen behind.

"Hey Marine," I heard a woman yell. She threw a fruit at him.

"Grace," the guy exclaimed.

"Well, who else do you think it is, numnuts," Grace replied.

He took a large bite. He made a sound like a groan and a laugh. He stared up at her, then me. I think it was Jake. I wouldn't remember his appearance, it was too long ago.

"You've gotta try this," Jake said, handing it to me. I took a large bite and sighed. After that, Grace gave us some normal clothes. We walked around, exploring. I learned what Norm and Max and Grace actually looked like. Jake, I'd forgotten what he looked like, even though we grew up together.

After getting into the sleeping house for our Avatar bodies, I found a bed next to Jake's. He laid back, seemingly happy. He grabbed his braid and began playing with his queue thingy. It was funny.

"Don't play with that," Grace said. "You'll go blind. Out, all of you, scat. See you at dinner, kitties."

I laughed. She sounded like a scolding mother. It made me wonder if she had any kids back on earth. Maybe she still HAS kids.

Just curious. . .

(( EDITED :: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH ))