I walked into my small apartment in the city. It was almost rundown, but it was cheap, clean, and ... adequate for someone my age.
I had my headphones on, I was listening to the phone they were tethered to tucked, in my back pocket as it played the movie "Avatar" on Disney+.
The good one that's about faraway places, greedy humans, and the most beautiful creatures and plants from 2009.
I smiled as I pulled out my keys; the movie was coming to a close, and Jake was going to his "birthday" after he did his last video log, in Hells Gate.
You could say I have a slight obsession... you could but I won't. I just really love that movie, and I cannot wait for the second installment.
The commercials alone look beautiful and I keep rewatching the few I find hyping myself up more and more beyond belief for it, I just need to see who the bad guy is already!
As the Na'vi chanted and the music swelled, I paused it and restarted it for later watching. I hung up my jacket and bag, walked to my living room, emptied my pockets in my dish on the coffee table, and turned on the TV.
After some shuffling, I managed to get Avatar on the bigger screen. It was a matter of going to another viewing option to watch the full uncut version, sadly watching Tsu'tey's death scene, and seeing the school while getting a more in-depth look at the whole world. But it's a sacrifice I do for love.
I pulled up Showbox, an app I use a lot for shows I can't get anywhere else. And I found the full director's cut.
Instead of the opening everyone knows, I was greeted with an apartment far smaller than mine, a TV far bigger than anything I've seen in anyone's middle- or lower-class home.
And a man who looked like he chose violence, and violence told him to take a time out.
That man, Jake Sully.
I smiled sadly, knowing when he gets to the bar, gets drunk, shows some chivalry, and helps the poor girl, he's going to get an ass-kicking and then the horrible news of his brother after he's tossed out like garbage.
I let the film play as I gathered my notes on the made-up language. It was a fun little thing I decided on doing since falling in love with the natives of Pandora.
I bought the books and talked to anyone interested until I showed far more interest than them, and they called me a "creepy space furry fan girl" before blowing me off completely, but then I found my community of dedicated fans who helped me out on Discord to further my knowledge as we wait for the other installments.
I opened my homemade dictionary, pulled my laptop out, and found the writing tab I used for things to remember.
This is how most of my nights go: I come home from my crappy retail job. After being yelled at by entitled customers and brats, I study a made-up language, then I eat a small meal of Ramen and whatever meat I decide to put in it, and then I sleep and count the days until my next off day.
"...more like a fifth of tequila and an ass-kicking." I smiled as I continued my self-inflicted studying, listening to the man yelling on the ship, about how long they had been in cryo and how best to handle it.
The scene changed, everyone loaded up on the valkyrie and soon the man in charge of the transport began shouting for everyone to put on masks, informing them of passing out and death and his reports.
I made my ramen, then cooked some chicken and onions to mix in. After adding the broth mix, I dumped in the shredded meat and veggie.
"Meals on Wheels." I heard Private Fike's voice from my living room.
"Oh, man, that is wrong!" I heard Corporal Wainfleet chuckle.
I could see the image clear as day in my head as Jake narrowly missed being stepped on by a passing mech and watched the large bulldozer with arrows in the wheels roll by him before making it inside to Colonel Quaritch's little briefing.
For some reason, it always cracks me up, and without fail, I laugh at his little shpiel about the dangers of the world.
The sun was beginning to come up when I restarted the film again. I watched Grace as she called out about her cigarette and something wrong, feeling sorry for the poor scientist bustling about for the redhead's coat and smoke.
It still made me sad how dismissive she was of Jake at first. Don't get me wrong she was rightfully pissed off, just misdirecting her anger to the downed Marine.
And for the not-last time, I restarted the film as I curled up on the couch with some hot cocoa, after properly storing my notes about Pandora into my pouch-like bag, and sat it beside the table so I could remember to go over it when I woke up later.
I listened as the movie began to muffle and echo as I drifted to sleep, empty cup in hand.
But my semi-conscious brain snapped my eyes open the moment the cup was out of my hands.
I opened my eyes to grab for it so it wouldn't break on my concrete floors, but instead, I was met with a wall.
I began to panic as I let my eyes adjust and soon found myself bound.
My panic increased as I felt myself floating, maybe I'm underwater and the shock won't let me process my drowning which would explain the blue. Was I being kidnapped and pranked to the cruelest extent of some sick joke? I was just home watching a movie. Did someone drug me and cart me off, did they raid my collectables and plan on selling them online.
"Easy sleeping beauty. Just take a breath." A voice murmured above me, as my view filled with complete white, and a blurry figure above me.
I scrunch my face in confusion as I watched the man, place his feet on the wall, almost hand-standing over me as he checked my pulse.
"Deeps breaths Summers. Deep breaths." He cooed.
He took a few breaths as an example and I followed suit, he smiled as he pulled cords off of me then slowly he loosened my buckles, I watched his hands move as he pulled a needle out of my arm.
"You have been in Cryo for five years, nine months, and twenty-two days! You will be hungry, you will be weak. If you feel nauseous please tell someone and use the bag given to you!" Someone called out from over my head.
I floated around a bit, my mind numb and racing as I watched everyone float to lockers, all of them now empty and open, except for one. I kicked off the wall I was using to keep me in place and flew to the tiny locker to see familiar initials.
"No," I muttered, opening the small locker.
I pulled the small door open to see my items staring back at me. I grabbed the familiar bag that I always have close by, a homemade enamel pin reading 'Nonsense Notes, for the Raven desk' telling me it was, in fact, my bag of fanciful lore.
There was a duffle bag inside as well it had a few things in it, but what made my stomach drop was the tags with my alias and a blank slot under it.
The name was a simple alias I used online.
Remy Summers.
A tag or title for anyone to recognize on like... packages or chatrooms. It is slightly alarming to see I was living in a world where my name was that of a name thought of using my favorite character from X-men.
From one space shuttle to the next. We were all strapped in, funnily enough, I sat next to Norm Spellman. I managed to keep my freak out to a freak in as we got a quick in-flight lecture about our seatbelts and how to get out to move to the next location as efficiently as possible.
"Exo-packs on! Let's go! Exo-packs on!" The man in charge called out with someone from the back of the shuttle echoing him. "Remember people, you lose that mask you're unconscious in twenty seconds, dead in four minutes! Let nobody be dead today! Looks very bad on my report." He spoke, making his way to the docking door.
We had landed on the Moon Pandora.
I watched everyone pull their masks on and followed suit, I watched Norm as he pulled the mask on and pressed the hidden valve to fit the mask and start the oxygen.
I copied him.
It was so weird doing it, rather than watching it from my home or in the theater.
I looked away sharply when I realized I was staring at Norm Spellman.
'Holy shit.'
My breathing was fully audible, as my panic began again.
I opened my pack to find my most treasured item inside.
It was a simple metal fidget spinner, when spun it makes a slight ringing, humming sound that is soothing to me. I held it between my middle and pointer finger before zipping my bag closed again. After moving it to my thumb and pointer I set my calming agent into motion.
I felt the shuttle shift as it touched down.
"Harnesses off! Get your packs! Put it together let's go! Let's go!" The man, in charge of the shuttle, called out and everyone did as told.
I fumbled with the belt around me, dropping my toy, as everyone else seemingly slipped out and ran to the soon-opening doors, I wasn't even a second thought as I struggled with the belts of safety.
"When that ramp comes down, go directly into the base. Do not stop! Go straight inside. Wait for my mark!" He called, his voice growing close and then further as he marched back and forth.
I cursed lightly as I kept trying to get out. Soon the order was given for everyone to go. I gave a frustrated grunt as I was still stuck, everyone just ran out. Then the wheels and legs I knew belonged to the hero of the film came around the barrier, splitting the shuttle, and he rolled right up to me.
With a simple click of a button, I was free. I hunched in my seat picking up my bags, I began spinning my fidget spinner when it was in my grasp again, before following Jake out.
"Let's go special case! Do not make me wait for you! Double time Summers!"
I felt worse when the man in charge called him out for being slow because this time it was my fault he was the last one out... second to last anyway.
His face was set in stone as he wheeled his way down the ramp. I followed him nearly crashing into him a few times as the mech suit nearly stepped on us and the dozer rolled by. We made our way to the entrance Jake slowed his wheeling a bit as we passed the guard dogs by the fence tunnel.
We passed Fike and Wainfleet, both men sizing us up, I scrunched my nose as Jake met their eyes easily.
"What are you limp dicks starin' at?" Jake asked, maintaining eye contact with them.
"At you stumpy." Wainfleet responded.
We moved past them and through the cage around the entrance, a Stingbat driven crazy charged us getting caught in the fencing before Lyle shot it down.
"Seen a lot of guys leave this place in a wheelchair, never show up in one." He smiled at Jake proudly.
We made it inside and down the halls, to orientation as Quaritch began his speech.
"You are not in Kansas anymore. You are on Pandora, ladies, and gentlemen. Respect that fact every second of every day." He stated walking down the aisle between the scientists and grunts. I stood in the back near the door as Jake pulled up to the table a bit further in.
"If there is a hell, you may want to go there for some R&R, after a tour on Pandora." Quaritch stated as he reached the line of soldiers and windows he pointed his hand at the window beyond the chainlink fence outside. "Out there, beyond that fence, every living thing that crawls, flies, or squats in the mud wants to kill you and eat your eyes for Jewejewebee." He stated as he faced us, a glare set in stone.
Hearing him say it in person, killed whatever joy I found in it from the safety of my own home. I frowned sitting with Jake as my entire situation sunk in a bit deeper.
"You wouldn't mind if I stuck with you for a bit would you?" I asked Jake in a whisper.
It reminded me of talking in class and trying to not get caught by the teacher.
He smirked before extending a hand. "Jake Sully."
"Remy Summers." I smiled snapping back to watching Mr. Miles as he fixed us with a warning glare, his eyes lingering on Jake.
"We have an indigenous population of humanoids called the Na'vi. They're fond of arrows dipped in a neurotoxin that'll stop your heart in one minute. And they have bones reinforced with naturally occurring carbon fiber. They are very hard to kill." He stated pacing again.
I smiled to myself at that. He was right, but then I frowned thinking how wrong he was all in one go my thoughts kicked up.
Grace, Sylwanin, Eytukan, Tsu'tey, Trudy, and even Norms other self. I gave my spinner another small flick as he continued.
"As head of security, it is my job to keep you alive." He stated, taking a small stroll from the window to the middle of the room and back as if sizing up everyone in the room
"I will not succeed. Not with all of you. If you wish to survive, you need to cultivate a strong mental attitude. You got to obey the rules! Pandora rules." He finished walking to the window again. "The rules are there for a reason, they are not there to bypass, drag ass, or pass gas on. You got that numb-nuts?!" He asked loudly making his way to Norm.
The poor guy snapped to a straight sit as Quaritch approached. "This is for all hands, so you wanna wake up and pay attention?" He asked as he approached Norm. He went to the scientist's bag and pulled his exo mask to parade to us all. "Keep your exo pack within reach at all, times! Failure to comply with rule number one can have fatal consequences. So don't leave home without it." He stated punctuating this by throwing the mask back to Norm. "Rule number two! You have been issued DMTs." He explained as he pulled his tags up for us to see and made his way back up front. "They are to remain on your person now and forever during your soul journ on Pandora. Your dead meat ticket will let the chaplain know that he should cite the New or Old Testament the Quran, or omit God entirely from the few words he says to you, over what's left of you. Should you fail to comply with Pandora rules. This is a harsh place people, it is not a cake walk but the money's good. Let's make sure you stay alive to spend it when you rotate off six months from now." And with the last theatrics, he was done.
"I'm here with a trigger-happy psycho." I scoffed, quietly.
Jake tapped my elbow as he pulled his duffle on and wheeled down the halls, I walked behind his chair as a few people moved to the side for him.
Did I feel bad for using him as a human shield? Yes. Am I going to move from behind him? Hell no. Everyone we passed was a beefed-up grunt or a laser-focused scientist. I held a finger on one of his handles as someone called out to him. I smiled as the image of Norm weaving past everyone was presented to us.
"Jake! You're Jake, right? Toms brother. Wow, you look just like him." He spoke with a sigh, then he regained his senses. "Sorry, I'm Norm. Spellman. I went through Avatar training with him." Norm Elaborated, as he shook Jake's hand.
I kept behind Jake as the lanky awkward man spoke. "He was a great guy, just funny and... well it was a big shock to all of us." Norm stated when Jake gave a minimal response of "uh-huh" it was so awkward. "So you're taking over his avatar?"
"That's the plan," Jake stated.
"Well, hey. Wanna check 'em out?" Norm asked.
Jake looked over his shoulder briefly at me he then faced Norm nodding.
"Good to see ya again Remy." Norm smiled and began walking with us pointing to various rooms as we passed explaining what they were.
Now I feel like shit. He knows me, but all I know of him is, the guy who threw a tantrum that lasted a month or so on a moon.
"And if we go here we find our way into the bio lab." Norm smiled as the doors opened. "We're gonna spend a lot of time up here. Hey, how ya doin'? Norm, Avatar driver." He introduced himself to the first person to look at us.
I stayed behind Jake as we made our way through.
"Link... oh here's the link room." Norm smiled, as he turned while walking pointing to another area. "This is where we're connecting to the avatar." He spoke smiling.
I smiled seeing a blue light from the corner if ny eye, I watched Jake waiting for him to notice as he does in the film, but he followed Norm still, chuckling at the childlike glee of the other man.
"Jake." I stage whispered. He looked up at me, then he saw the blue almost glowing tanks and the beings held within.
I smiled a bit more seeing Max. He greeted Jake as Norm ran over to us looking over his avatar.
Jake gave out a chuckle as he stopped his chair. "Damn! They got big."
"Well. Six years is a long time to stay in an incubator." I mumbled.
Jake heard as he looked up at me chuckling.
"Yeah, they fully mature on the flight out. So the proprioceptive sims seem to work, really well." Norm smiled at his tank.
"English?" I asked Jake.
He chuckled shaking his head, as we made our way over to the scientists.
"Yeah, they've got great muscle tone." Max complimented. "It'll take us a few hours to get them decanted, but you guys can take 'em out tomorrow." He smiled, before pointing behind Jake and me. "There's yours."
Jake wheeled over to his Avatar clone as I made my way to look over a few scientists' shoulders.
They gladly let me look over the DNA schematics of a few avatars before handing me a paper with my "name" on it.
My jaw nearly hit the floor when I realized it was a map showing in detail, how my DNA took and I had an avatar in Hells Gate being unloaded somewhere now. I folded it, tucking it into my back pocket, making sure it was okay that I stole this bit of info before finding Jake again.
He wheeled over and passed me as he was handed some gear for his video diary.
I was handed the same gear.
"You can park right over here for now." Max smiled pointing to a slightly free desk.
I sat down and copied Jake's movements in setting up his camera and log screen.
"Okay. Freaking out. That's all that comes to mind. I made a friend. Still freaking out." I chuckled, nervously at the camera, I turned it a bit pointing to Jake then shift it to Norm he glanced up chewing on a pen, and smiled. I return the camera to myself.
"PEY!" I shouted a bit too loud as a few heads looked my way. I saw in the corner of my camera Jake inched his recorder over to me. I turned offering a thumbs up and smile before facing my own. "Oe lu ultxarun sänume sa'nok." I giggled, to myself.
I saw some people give me looks from the monitor screen again. I took a breath. "Jake, säfyep 'o' kawngtu. Eyawr?" I asked, myself raising a brow at the man who just shut off his camera.
"Remy. We gotta go." He spoke wheeling over and smiling at my camera.
"Frawzo." I smiled, before turning off my camera and following everyone else.
Jake smiled at me as we all traveled the halls sticking close to Max.
"Tell me you were talking about how good I'll look out there," Jake smirked.
"That was the most you've said, and it was to yourself so? I'm plugging it in." He shrugged.
"Depends you gonna give me a ride?" I hummed, I was practically buzzing. I was going to meet Dr. Grace Augustine. The teaching mother to the Na'vi children, the main person who got close enough to be considered family with the Omatikaya.
"Sure. After you tell me what you said exactly." Jake smiled, back interrupting my flickering thoughts.
Never have I been so happy to have tan skin as my blush was slightly hidden, I looked away from him before he could tell.
"Nah. I'll walk." I hummed falling into step behind his chair again.
Her voice filled the air in utter exhaustion. "Who's got my goddamn cigarette? Guys! What's wrong with this picture?" She called out standing from her link bed.
A slightly aggressive thanks was tossed to the assistant who held her lab coat and cigarette, lighting it quickly.
I smiled more as we got closer, her cigarette smoke wafting over us, as she walked to Max.
"Grace Augustine is a legend." Norm started.
"She's the best. She's the main reason I'm so happy to be here." I smiled, taking a nervous breath.
"Feeling the love Remy," Jake mumbled as he wheeled up the ramp.
It amazed me how quickly a friendship can form on this planet, as I rolled my eyes at my chosen friend.
"She's the head of the Avatar program. She wrote the book, I mean, literally wrote the book on Pandoran botany." Norm chuckled.
"Well, that's because she likes plants more than people." Max chuckled. As he approached the fiery redhead. "Here she is, Cinderella back from the ball. Grace, I'd like you to meet Norm Spellman, Jake Sully, and Remy Summers." Max introduced us.
She faced us but her sole focus was on Norm, as she removed her glasses and handed a clipboard off to another scientist. "Norm. I hear good things about you. How's your Na'vi?" She asked.
Norm smiled just as I did. "Awvea ultxari ohengeyä, Nawma Sa'nok lrrtok siveiyi." He spoke.
"Tsun tivam. Aylì'u ngian nì'it skepek lu." Grace responded, a small smile gracing her face.
"Zìsìt amrr ftolia ohe, slä zene fko nivume nìtxan." Norm was quick to respond.
I chuckled imagining the subtitles. Wrong move. I soon found as Grace's sharp gaze was shot at me. I froze at her simmering rage.
"Za'u Fìtsenge." She ordered.
I took a small step away from Jake feeling as if I just fed him to the extinct wolves. "Kempe si nga fìtsenge?" She asked tilting her head at me.
"Fra'u leratängem. Oe newomum kaw'it tslolam." I smiled, kicking my left foot into the tile. I felt my pocket for my fidget spinner, which I left in the lab...
She smiled at me as Max reintroduced Jake again, I stood to hide behind him. It just feels safe hiding behind the fighter. He extended his hand and Grace all but brushed him off.
"Yeah, yeah. I know who you are, and I don't need you. I need your brother. You know the Ph.D. who trained for three years for this mission?" She asked, more so stated looking at Max.
"Wait. I'm going to?" I muttered to myself.
"He's dead." Jake nearly spat. "I know it's a big inconvenience for everyone." He stated straightening up a bit.
"How much lab training have you had?" Grace asked, in an almost huff.
"I dissected a frog once." He spoke, so serious in his answer but his laugh was hidden in his eyes. I smiled looking away committing the room to memory and avoiding the redhead's wrath.
"You see? You see? I mean, they're just pissing on us without even the courtesy of calling it rain." She huffed, facing Max, and pointing an accusatory finger at Jake.
The scientist leaned into a rail crossing his arms, watching Grace fume, quietly.
"I'm going to Selfridge." She stated, before leaving. This caused Max to stand and try blocking her path.
"No, Grace," Max called, knowing his words were unheard. "I don't think that's a good idea--"
"No, man. This is such bullshit!" She shouted, now on her mission to be civil and hostile to the greedy small man. "I'm gonna kick his corporate butt. He has no business sticking his nose in my department!" She continued, to rant as she left the room.
"Awesome." I smiled, seeing her in action was a whole other level of savage. Sadly no one else shared my joy as we got advice from Max about time and speech on the way out.
"Alright. Norm, where too?" I asked as he faced us.
We found ourselves in the sleeping quarters. It was a building almost separate from the labs and military presence.
We settled in but I left my room quietly after Jake and Norm went to their rooms, and made my way back to the link room. I got lost a few times and a few scientists showed me the way after they recognized me. After finding the link bay, I made my way to the part of the lab we first entered. I found my recording equipment and a bonus, my fidget spinner was sitting on the same table as if waiting for me, I then made my way back to the sleeping quarters. Slightly less difficult now that I had a few markers to go off of.
I made it back to my room a sleepy smile in place as I set up my stuff.
This must be what Alice felt like when she was a kid and didn't just want to wake up from Wonderland like in the live action remake. Pandora would make an awesome wonderland... just not for Alice, probably not even for me, or anyone... Nevermind.