The morning consisted of archery as she'd planned. Like before she settled into the stance Tsu'tey had shown her before pulling the arrow back and holding it as long as her arms would allow before letting it fly. A few still didn't make it to the tree she'd designated as her target, but she made more than she missed. Her accuracy was still something to want but it was getting better, bit by bit. A few Na'vi watched her but none said anything, glares all she needed to see to know what they thought so she paid them no mind and sought out Nanti.
Despite her saying they'd go in the afternoon she was waiting impatiently for Gene.
"I was about to leave you."
"You said to come around Mid-day meal. Is there something wrong?"
"No let us just hurry. These seeds are a bit hard to get." She connected with a pa'li, helping Gene swing on behind before urging the horse like creature into the forests of pandora. Gene carefully held on to her, mindful of the large bow draped across her back.
They rode for awhile, trees blurring past as the sounds of life grew along with the energy. When in hometree the energy was like a distant buzz under the skin, noticeable only if she was focused. However the further they went the more it grew till it almost felt like her limbs were asleep.
"Damnit." Gene focused back at Nanti's curse, the Na'vi hissing as she gazed up at the tree before them. A few pods were already open and empty. A few however looked ready to burst and more still looked as though they'd been gutted.
"What's wrong?"
"The Episoth seeds I was waiting to harvest are gone. Someone else grabbed them it seems and the next one that looks harvestable is among the higher branches." She sighed, clearly having looked forward to gathering the seeds. Ikeyni had told Gene about the seeds, a sweet treat many Na'vi enjoyed. She'd told her how to harvest them but without one in front of her she was unable to picture what harvestable ones looked like.
"Which ones look harvestable?"
"That one at the top. It's not safe to climb the plant. Most look ready to burst though so we'd better leave."
Gene slid off before she could turn the pa'li around though and began climbing.
"Hey didn't you hear me!? Moron you'll kill yourself."
"I'll be careful. Besides you seem like you really want them. Just be ready to catch them in case I drop them. Or me for that matter." Gene laughed, carefully maneuvering around a strained seed pods. The plant was large like most of life on pandora, not too much larger than a Na'vi but enough she had to climb it. She felt a seed pod brush against her stomach lightly, Nanti sucking in a breath as she watched Gene brush with possible death. The acidic seeds could do some damage when they were flung, burning through anything before finally growing and with how close Gene was there would be damage.
Finally the cluster was within reach, Gene's fingers trailing over it slightly. She needed to go a bit higher but already she was stretching it. There was a chance she'd damage her avatar but she needed to. For as stiff as she was, Nanti had shown her kindness. This was something she wanted to do for the other Na'vi. She stilled her tail in its movements, placing her foot on the next branch carefully before peeling back the cracked pod and gathering the seeds. Their mucus was sticky in her hands, leaking from the pod and seeds but not hurting her, not quite acidic enough to do damage.
"Move back a bit I'm going to jump down." Nanti backed away with her pa'li, eyes watching gene's every move carefully. When she was far enough did Gene push off the tree and throw herself to the forest floor. Nanti ducked when a seed pod burst, spraying the seeds in every direction. One grazed Gene's ankle, mucus burning slightly but not to horribly.
"Got them."
"Idiot. What if that pod had exploded with you next to it?"
"But it didn't. Eywa was watching over me." She grinned proudly, holding out the seeds for Nanti. "Even if it did though it'd still been worth it." Nanti huffed at her grin, pushing her a bit but accepting the seeds all the same.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Shall we head back? Between us both i'm the one in danger with my poor archery skills."
"They are not so bad. They are like a childs and you are at least trying. Just need time and a proper teacher." She muttered, swinging onto her pa'li before taking them back to the hometree.
"A promise is a promise though. I'll teach you hand to hand. Be ready to put everything into it."
She carefully placed the episoth seeds in a pouch before pulling Gene to the practice area. There were already a handful of Na'vi there, warriors fighting each other or those still training practicing with their teachers. Most chose to ignore them, too engrossed with their own training but a few sent them looks.
"Do you have any previous experience or knowledge?"
"No I hadn't thought about practicing fighting so I mainly used my time to grow accustomed to moving with limbs."
"Then we'll start there. Get into a fighting position." Gene set her feet shoulder length apart before bringing her fist up in front of her face.
"Center yourself. Without good balance you will fail." To demonstrate she got into stance. Gene observed the difference, squaring back her shoulders slightly from their hunched position before stiffening her stomach.
"Good. Now swing at me." Her punch was blocked easily, Nanti giving her a push and knocking her back.
"Even while swinging you much maintain your balance. I could push you back because you abandoned it in your swing. Try again." A few Na'vi snickered but quieted when Nanti hissed. Breathing in deep she tried again. Attempt after attempt, swing after swing blocked but she was trying. She could almost feel the difference, planting her feet and holding when Nanti pushed.
"Good you're learning. Now dodge."
"What?" The punch landed, nose stinging as Nanti threw her own punch. Gene lightly touched it, glad it wasn't bleeding before shaking it out.
"Again." She couldn't catch Nanti's attack like the women could hers and her dodging was pitiful but she could block. The skin still stung from the strikes, steadily growing numb and no doubt going to be sore the next day but it was something.
"You demons never listen." A voice hissed, male showing himself when Nanti paused as well.
"She said to dodge. Do you love pain so much you wish to experience it and inflict it?" He spat, drawing attention to them once more.
"Rotxo." Nanti hissed at his approached, his cocky sneer aimed at Gene.
"It is said pain is a good teacher. The pain in muscles showing growth and the pain of the skin showing your mistakes."
"Then allow me to teach you."
"Stand down Rotxo." Nanti stepped forward, almost chest to chest with the male.
"They say they want to learn from us. They try to be one of us yet they have others fight their battles."
Gene relaxed despite his words before gently urging Nanti to step back.
"You would defend your friends and family. She is only doing the same for me. However you say I will have her fight my battles. I came to learn, let's see what you will teach."
He spat at her feet, stepping back as the others formed a circle around them, cheering for the male to teach her a lesson.
"Why would you challenge him? You're just now learning how to fight." Nanti hissed, staring at Gene in disbelief.
"Because he is right. He has challenged me. You would not have me fight a challenge for you, so I will not have you fight mine. I may lose, nay I will but let it not be said that I did not at least try."
Nanti continued to stare at her, mouth open and face pinched. "You are an idiot."
"Yes but I like to learn. Perhaps I will have the idiot knocked out of me." She joked, knocking her shoulder against Nanti lightly before stepping fully into the ring. With next to no training and connection to her home body stretched, she didn't have any knowledge on fighting but she could improvise. If she could not win by strength, she'd win by endurance if possible. Draw out the fight and surprise them. If that failed at least hit them once, it might impress Nanti.
"I'll make sure to send you back where you came from. Demons are not welcomed here."
"You can try." Provoking someone was always a wildcard. Either in your favor or what ends you. There is a very real chance she picked wrong if his snarl was anything to go off of. He charged at her, fist faster than she'd thought it be as it slammed into her side. She fell back a bit, trying to put space between them but he wouldn't allow it, on her in an instant throwing punch after punch.
"Dodge Idiot!" Nanti yelled, voice almost lost in the crowd cheering for him. It was hard to dodge something that was fast though, she was doing everything she could to block him and protect herself. Think.
However no matter how she observed the situation she couldn't figure out a solution, practically running in circles as she attempted to avoid him. His snarl was the only warning she got, body dropping to avoid the punch aimed for her head before bringing her leg up, noise loud as it slammed into his side. His eyes widened in shock, cocky sneer gone before twisting into a vicious snarl. Her own eyes widened, having not expected her body to move in such a way but now vulnerable as he landed a kick to her chest, knocking her air out.
She just barely managed to roll out of the way of his next kick, avoiding it slamming into her stomach. He advanced on her, feet slamming into the ground where she was as she rolled away before stumbling to her feet. Her body ached, pain flaring everywhere he'd hit. No doubt Grace would have her motherboard if she told her about this, she could only hope Jake didn't hear.
She shook out her limbs, eyeing down the male with a glare before hissing. She needed to trust her body, it knew what it was doing more than she did. He hissed back, form seeming to grow before he was advancing on her once more, anger fueling him as he pushed against her, hits harder and more viscous.
She heard the crack before she felt it, side taking the brunt of his punch and gasped at the pain that flared up. The only thing he needed to completely overwhelm her. She curled around herself, protecting her face and quene as he continued to assault her form. Distantly she felt the energy hum under her skin, ears ringing from the noise or silence she no longer knew.
Colors blurred before her eyes, images indistinguishable as the hum grew more. Warmth and electricity zapping across her skin and delving deep into her chest. Under it all though she thought she heard singing, the words lost in the quiet and tone but a whisper but it called to her. It was new, something she'd never heard. When she tried to reach for it though she found herself looking at the roof of a room of the hometree, the glow of the rising sun telling her that it was a new day.
"So you finally wake." She tilted her head, taking note of who sat next to her. When she went to perform a greeting though she found her limbs sluggish and barely got a twitch out of them.
"Don't move. You are still healing. Rotxo did a number on you before Nanti threw him off. You have her to thank for your life." Her tongue was heavy, mouth opening a few times but no sound came out.
"It would be best if you returned to your other body and let this one rest. I've done all that I can so all that is left is to let time heal what remains." The Tsahik brought over a bowl of water before carefully pouring the contents into her mouth.
"Thank you."
She nodded before turning as someone else entered.
"How is she Tsahik?"
"She is awake if you want to say something but she needs to rest." The Tsahik excused herself then, beads announcing her departure as Nanti came and sat next to her, face unreadable.
"Thank you for help me Nanti." The Na'vi was quiet for a time, eyes raking over Gene's form. No doubt her body looked as bad as it felt.
"I barely did anything Idiot."
"The Tsahik said you pulled him off me. You very well saved my life."
"You wouldn't have died." She said bitterly, refusing to meet her eyes.
"I only have one heart. One chance to be alive. No need to undermine yourself."
"You were an idiot to challenge him."
Gene hummed, tilting her head a bit, "True. But I did hit him." She grinned, laughing only a little before her ribs protested. Nanti barked out her own laugh, eyes finally settling on her face.
"Yeah you did. Actually impressed me a little. For someone who'd just started training in combat you managed to hit an experienced warrior."
"Then I win that fight."
"He beat you though."
"Yes but he also underestimated me. Not only did he teach me a bit about how to fight but I also showed him that we can find our place. I may not be one of the people but I am training to be one of you." Nanti sighed exasperated, taking in Gene's smiling face before shaking her head.
"I'll make sure to tell Amhul about this."
"Color me in a good light?"
"Never." She laughed at Gene's offended look before covering her eyes. "Sleep and heal. I'll continue your training when you have the Tsahik's permission."
Gene closed her eyes and let her grasp on the avatar loosen. The pull to her home body was there, drifting just in the back but she didn't grasp it. Instead she drowned in the energy and let her body rest.