IVY AVOIDED EVERYBODY THE NEXT morning, her bag of things were packed, in denial of what was happening.
Her body was on autopilot, she wondered aimlessly, and had forgotten for how long.
She didn't make eye contact with anybody, the only person she interacted with was Tuk, who was still shaken up and puffy eyed, the girl had hugged her and carried her up to her brother, who she also refused to talk to.
How could everything of gone so wrong, how? Ivy kept wondering what would of happened if Lo'ak didn't see the footprint, or if they just kept going, or if they never went out in the first place, maybe then she would be staying, maybe then Jake Sully wouldn't of made this decision.
The news the Sullys where leaving had spread, she could hear people weeping, and no stop talk and gossip all around.
But Ivy wasn't paying attention to her surroundings in the slightest, she was feeling uneasy.
She sat at the Ikran docking bay, her legs hanging off the edge, a thousand feet below her she could see the forest, the forest she loved so much, the forest she was leaving, her mind was elsewhere while she fiddled with her jewlerry.
She hadn't wanted to go to the ceremony, where Jake and Neytiri would be denouncing their Tsahik and Olo'ekytan duties, and a new leader would be born, Ivy hadn't payed attention to who.
She light breeze lapped her face as she chewed the inside of her mouth.
She couldn't take her mothers videos with her, they couldn't risk being tracked, she was loosing th least part of her mother she had, she wondered if she would ever see her again.
She wondered if she would ever see Harriet again.
She felt strangely calm, though she was loosing everything again there was an element of violent peace, she didn't think the words made sense, but it did to her, she had always wanted to travel Pandora, and now she was getting to, but just not for the right reasons.
It was starting to feel more real, when the Sully family came back, she could hear Neytiris sobs through her one ear, the women had to leave her mother, Ivy felt for her.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Neteyam approaching her, her crouched down beside her "Cmon, let's go Ivy"
She nodded slightly and pushed herself up, not catching anybodys eyes but Zo'ans.
She pulled herself up, she refused to fall apart right now, she never did and she wouldn't start now, she was focused on thinking of how to adapt to the new clan, she knew she would need to think quickly and be on her feet, survival of the fittest, there was no use complaining to herself or getting upset.
She connected her queue with Zo'ans and felt her heartbeat, she would be flying across the world, with nothing but a small bag of her collections.
She saw Neytiri, who had quieted her tears down now helping Jake strap their luggage to their Ikrans, while Kiri and Lo'ak were talking quietly by his Ikran.
She looked down at them, shuffling around to sit cross legged on Zo'ans back as she waited "what do you think the sea will be like?"
Lo'ak shrugged "no clue"
"The Olo'ekytan and Tsahik are apparently Ronal and Tonowari" Kiri stretched her hands out "we just have to hope they welcome us in"
"But what if they don't?" Ivy asked tilting her head.
"I don't think my dads thought that far ahead" Lo'ak ran his hands down his Ikran calmingly.
Great, no back up plan.
"Come on guys" the blue teens heard Jake call, their heads snapped up to the former Olo'ekytan, and they all slightly nodded before turning back to eachother.
Kiri headed off to her own Ikran, while Lo'ak hopped up onto his, turning to the pale girl "ready?"
"Ready"
Ivy willed Zo'an to fly, she stuck close between Kiri and Neteyam as they headed to the coast.
She didn't want to look at the land beneath her, she feared she would burst into tears if she did, she she kept her eyes on the horizon, there was only one way, forward.
The sun warmed her face and body, in a sort of comforting way.
She turned back, for one last look at her home.
She was ready.
🌿🐚
She had flown for eight whole hours, her conscience drifting in and out as her eyes got droopier and droopier.
They'd taken one break, but needed to get their before eclipse.
Ivy simple watched the world go by her, in awe, she had never seen this much of the ocean, and it was beautiful.
She obeserved how the sun gleamed off the water and how somehow ocean air felt different.
They had flown throught rouch seas, water crashing against solemn lonely rocks, Ivy had endured the harsh rain on her body as she sheilded her eyes trying to protect them.
But after all of the storms and violent water she had been meet with the bluest, most crystal water she thought she'd ever seen.
The Islands of Pandora.
Below her creatures she'd never seen before glided through the water just like the prolemuris glided through the air at home.
Ivy glided a whiles behind from the Sully family, so she could spin and dive as she endukged in this new world.
She couldn't help but notice a certain Sullys head consisting glancing back to check on her.
Soon their destination came into view. a cluster of islands, huge and mighty, painted green with thousands of trees.
Ivys lips parted as she looked around curiously while catching up to the Sullys, anxiety ripples through her body's as below her she could see Metkayinas roaming around in strange turquoise rock pools with winding rocks entangling over them.
As the shore came more into view Ivy noticed huge trees, with massive zigzaging roots above the ground and ropes strung up between them forming pathways.
She felt her heart beat loudly, with nervous ant and, and excitement, a whole new place, she'd had the forest memorized, but here was a blank map ready to be filled with exploring.
Ivy heard the sound of a horn while her and Kiri caught eyes as the descended onto the sand bank.
Ivy watched as hundreds of Metkayinas poured in wondering what all the commotion was about.
She disconnected her queue and jumped down, feeling the need and strange feeling of the powdery warm sand beneath her feet, her eyes stung slightly from the brightness as her and Kiri immediately found eachothers sides.
"Follow me" Jake ordered quietly while Neytiri called her youngest daughter to her side.
More and more Metkayinas poured in and Ivy narrowed her eyes hanging behind the group besides Kiri, ready for anything.
"Be nice" Neytiri told her children in a serene voice as Ivy listened to the calls of the people.
Jake raised his hand and the Na'vi encircled the group quietly looking intrigued at the newcomers, Ivy felt hundreds of piercings eyes on her making her uneasy, she couldn't blame them.
She strided up besides Lo'ak to get a better look at everybody.
The pale girl could now observe the features of the Metkayina, they were a more turquoise colour, the their builds were wider than her and most Omaticayas, their ribcages were enlargerend for why Ivy assumed was for prolonged breath holding and the ends of their limbs had stretched out skin and were wide, unlike their thin limbs, and their tails were also much flatter.
Many had tattoos inked over them, not like the Avatars from the forest, theirs were drawn un magnificent patterns and strange shapes, some over their faces, some over their bodies and some both.
Ivy looked to see two boys walking forward, one significantly taller than the other with a tight braided bun, and the other with poofy hair.
The tall one looked menacingly at her, Lo'ak and Neteyam, she moved her hand up to signify I see you just like the brothers, in hopes to ease the tension, the unknown boy nodded at Ivy and her eyes fluttered down awkwardly.
"Easy just be cool" she heard Jake speak quietly.
"Look!" She heard the tall boy say giddly, she snapped to see the duo giggling "is that supposed to be a tail?" She resisted the urge to hiss knowing this might her only chance at a new home, Ivy was never good at keeping her cool.
She had to stage her head away to try to ignore them and she saw a girl, her age perhaps coming to join the group of Na'vi.
The girl gracefully stood out of the water, she had long and luscious curly hair unlike Ivys wild birds nest of a hair, the girl moved with such elegance as she flipped her hair out of her face, she was beautiful and maybe one or so inches shorter than Ivy, she was everything Ivy wanted to be.
"It's to small" her attention shifted back to the two Metkayina teenagers behind them, the shorter one was now speaking "how are they supposed to swim?"
"Do not!" She noticed the girl slap the boys hand away scoldingly "Rotxo, Aonung"
Before Ivy could say anything all attention turned to the unfamiliar creatures approaching them, Ivy smiled at them, their wings reminded her of a dragonfly, bright, orange and colourful, they were sort of flying on the surface of the water, Ivy didn't have time to see how before they glided through the air above them and splashed into the water on the other side.
The leader, a man dressed in colourful fabrics and adorned with tattoos like the rest as holding a large spear moved foward, Ivy assumed he was Olo'ekytan.
The man strided up towards Jake, he had a powerful sort of aura, he was very tall, looking a couple inches over Jake who greeted him "I see you Tonowari"
"Jake Sully" the man—Tonowari greeted back.
Ivy and the rest of the Sullys mimicked his actions and she raised her pale hand towards her head before dropping it down respectfully.
Ivys eyes shifted towards a woman, moving through the crowd by the way the Metkayinas quickly pulled out of her way she assumed the lady was Tsahik.
"I see you Ronal" Jake greeted her "Tsahik of the Metkayinas" he bowed gently to her confirming Ivys suspicions.
"I see you Ronal" Neytiri did as well.
"Why do you come to us Jake Sully?" Tonowari raised his arm questioning it and Ivy pursed her lips, this all depended on his answer.
Jake momentarily glanced back to his family and Ivy before turning back and bluntly telling him "we seek uturu"
"Uturu?" Ronal repeated with a hint of disbelief in her voice making Ivy start to worry.
"A sanctuary for my family—and our friend, Ivy" Jake nodded while the Tsahik and Olo'ekytan looked around to see the reactions of their people.
Ronal moved forward as Tonowari answered "we are reef people, you are forest people" but Ivy caught his eyes glance at her in confusion before countinuing "your skills will mean nothing here"
Ronal stalked closer to Ivy and the brothers with an intense look on her face, Ivy unconsciously tucked her extra finger back and moved a foot back leaning away without noticing it.
Ronal passed the trio and Ivy exhaled a sigh of relief, the Tsahik moved through towards Neytiri, picking up her tail to observe it, she dropped it and pulled Tuks arm up causing Ivy to furrow her brows "their arms are thin"
Tuk pulled her arm back and scattered away while Ronal moved to Kiri to pick up her tail, the teenager smacked it down in protest "ow"
"Their tails are weak" Ronal countinued observing "you will be slow in the water" she picked up a flabbergasted Kiri's five fingered hands and raised them up for everybody to see "these children...are not even real Na'vi!"
Ivys ear was filled with the horrified gasps of the Metkayina around her, she was about to storm forward ready to shove Ronal off Kiri, but Loak grabbed her hand knowing what she was gonna try do, her shook his head at her and she snatched her hand away, hating that they were just supposed to take this.
Kiri took her hands back "yes we are!" but Ronal ignored her moving to Lo'ak who pushed Ivy behind almost telepathically telling her to not do something stupid.
The Tsahik pulled Lo'aks hand up who looked down ashamed "they have demon blood in them!" She announced.
The growls and gasps of the Metkayina growed louder and filled with more disgust.
"Look!" Jake raised his extra fingered hand, the attention turned to him "Look!"
Ronal kept Lo'aks hand up as Jake countinued trying to explain "I was born to the sky people and now I am Na'vi, alright you can adapt"
Ivy was sick of this, she aggressively slapped Ronals hand down and pulled Lo'aks back ignoring the threateningly growls and yells at her from the Metkayina, though Ronal remained unbothered, the neutral look still stained on her teal face.
The Tsahik tilted her head and pushed past Lo'ak towards Ivy "and what are you young one?" Ivy stood her ground, refusing to stumble or move back as Ronal moved dangerously closer.
"Ronal" Tonowari called from behind them, Ivy removed her glaring eyes to look at him, Ronal gave Ivy one last cautious look befoe moving away from her.
Lo'ak pulled her back "are you trying to get us killed?" he whispered into her ear barely audibly, that was dramaticised, they weren't going to be killed "we've got nowhere to go after this"
"This looks like a nice place for you to drown" she commented her eyes still trailing on Ronal as she moved back to her mate.
Lo'ak rolled his eyes at her as Neteyam whisper-shouted "Shut up" at their bickering.
"My husband was Toruk Makto..." Neytiri moved forward as Jake cringed at the formality of the title "he led the clans to victory...against the sky people"
"This you call victory?" Ronal replied and Ivys neck had started to hurt from all the directions she had been looking "hiding among strangers" Ronal moved closer to Neytiri and Ivys eyes widened smiling ever so slightly at the drama, but Ronals next line made the smile drop "it seems Eywa has turned her back on you, chosen one"
Neytiri stepped forward, hissing at the lady, Ivy immediately looked up to Lo'ak who was already looking down to her with a oh shit look "what the fuck is happening?" She heard Neteyam whisper and he head turned back as she realised Ronal was hissing back.
Jake immediately intervened "I apologise for my mate she's flown a long way—"
"Do not apologise for me!"
"—and is exhausted"
"Jake!"
Ronal walked off while Tonowari awkwardly watched her, before moving forward and placing a hand on Jake "Toruk Makto is a great war leader, all Na'vi people know his story...but we Metkayina...are not at war"
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
"Dad!" Ivys narrowed eyes flicked down to Tuk, who was calling for her father to pick her up, she hid a small smile at the smart young girl, who was trying to make the Metkayinas feel bad, Jake picked her up before turning back to the Olo'ekytan.
"We cannot let you bring your war here" Tonowari told him while Ivy squeezed her eyes shut and muttered various swear words.
"I'm done with war" Jake held his daughter tightly looking up to the man "okay...I just wanna keep my family safe" he begged.
Ronal and Tonowari shared a glance, both in visibly deep thought and the tension for a final answer was rising, Ivy tapping her foot impatiently "uturu has been asked" Neytiri spoke holding Kiri's hand from over her shoulder.
Jake comforted Tuk while Tonowari and Ronal shared their thoughts silently, Ronal closed her eyes and nodded, Ivys hopes sky rocketed up.
Tonowari turned to his people and banged his spear down onto the sand "Toruk Makto, his family and friend will stay with us" he announced and Ivy exhaled a sigh of relief "treat them as our brothers and sister, they do not know the sea" he turned back to the newcomers "so they will be like babies, taking their first breath" Ivy scoffed lightly as he proceeded "teach them our ways so they do not suffer the shame of being useless"
"Ouch" Ivy mumbled lightly.
"What do we say?" An unbelievable grateful and reliever Jake asked Tuk.
"Thankyou" Tuk answered breathily while Ivy and Loak muttered their thankyous.
"My son Aonung" Tonowari turned to gesture to the taller boy who has made fun of their tails earlier "and my daughter Tsireya will show you what to do"
Tsireya smiled brighty and calmly while Aonung had the complete opposite reaction "father why-"
"It's decided" Tonowari interrupted and a finalising tone while the boy looked up to him annoyed.
Tsierya ignoring her brother elegantly moved forward still beaming "come! I will show you our village"
"Ok alright" Jake nodded.
Once retrieving their belongings Tsireya led them up onto the string up nets between the roots, Ivy looked around at the water beneath her in awe from besides Lo'ak.
Infront of her Tuk was happily bouncing around on the nets, the girls cheerfulness had alwa us been contagious.
Ivy looked at the creatures the Metkayinas seemed to be riding and smiled as the clicked and cooed up at her "just up here" Tsireya informed them.
Out of the corner of her eyes she saw a kid, maybe Tuks age start to approach them, but almost immediately a lady she assumed was the mother scrambled forward in fear to drag him back.
Ivys small smile dropped quickly as she was reminded, this wasn't some sort of paradise holiday, from now on, she would be an outcast.
Lo'ak looked down at her frown and back up to the mother dragging the boy away "Cmon Ivy" he said quietly.
"Through here" Tsierya ducked, Ivy followed her through a small hut, they came up to a large sort of triangular room, Tsireya who had kindly offered to help carry the Sullys luggage dropped it down at the entrance "this is for you, your new home"
The Sullt family moved in while Ivy stood at the edge observing the place next to Tsireya "yeah this'll work, this is nice right?" Jake said trying to be enthusiastic.
Neytiri in reply just dropped the rug she was holding with a sigh, and Ivy felt Tsierya tap her shoulder "we have a place for you"
"Oh o—ok" Ivy nodded, she looked up to see Neteyam nodding her forward.
"Come back here after you've settled in Ivy" she heard Jake and nodded.
"Come" Tsireya smiled, leading her back through the dome "I thought you might like a place of your own, you seem like someone who prefers the quiet"
Not only was Tsireya unfathomably sweet she should also easily read people "yes actually I'd love that" Ivy nodded ignoring the stares from the Metkayina that has been subtly following the around to catch a glimpse of the new Na'vi.
"It was very kind of your family to let us stay here" Ivy told Tsireya quietly, the Metkayina girl had led them off the nets, and had jumped ont the sand, which had hundreds of trees Ivy had never seen before littering the coast.
"Of course" Tsireya answered politely hopping over a rock "and please, if you want another place, just let me know, this is from our old setup, when our clan expanded we took it down to build a bigger and better home, this was left"
She turned to a small, but not tiny dome, strung up between the roots facing the lapping water at the shore, a long piece of orange fabric as a sort of door, maybe sixty or so metres from the main place "this is really perfect" Ivy exhaled happily, she had really not wanted to stay with anybody else.
"I'll leave you to get settled in" Tsireya turned looking up at her "if you need anything, feel welcome to ask me, we can start basic lessons tomorrow, and if you'd like come to dinner, but I understand if you are tired"
"Yeah ok" Ivy nodded "Thankyou Tsireya"
The Metkayina girl smiled before starting back to the net city.
Ivy stepped up into her new home, god she hated thinking about it like that, this place was indeed beautiful Ivy could easily admit, but would she ever be able to easily call it home?
She chucked her string bag down, hearing her collections clutter as she looked around, she was pleasantly met with an opening in the roof, staring directly at the sky, perfect for star gazing.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad?
🌿🐚
Ivy could barely handle the intense piercing stares she received on the way back to the Sullys.
Eclipse was starting and an orangey ethereal light was casted over the reef and island, the breeze was getting cooler and cooler and Ivy could see Metkayina children playing and giggling in the shore while the adults threw out nets to catch fish.
Ivy turned to corner into the Sullys home, where she found the family sitting around in a circle, she leaned against the entrance and crossed her arms "ok Ivy, kids listen up" Jake was knelt down seriously looking around "I need you guys, on your best behaviour. I mean it, learn fast pull your weight" the former Olo'ekytans eyes flickered to Ivy and Lo'ak "don't cause trouble...got it?"
"Yes sir" Lo'ak nodded while Ivy rolled her eyes, Neteyam turned to tease his brother who returned a hiss to him.
"Yup" Ivy replied with a sigh.
"I want to go home" a teary eyed Tuk spoke up, and Ivy tilted her head in guilt as the girl satrted sobbing into her hands.
"Oh Tuk" her mother spoke sympathetic.
"Tuk" Jake whispered up to his daughter unsurely "this is our home now" he turned back "we're gonna get through this, we're gonna get through this if we have eachothers back, right?"
"What does your father always say?" Neytiri spoke up to her children, Ivy felt very out of place.
"Sullys stick together" the children muttered out of time and incoherently, Ivy took this as her chance to leave, she slid out and made a beeline back to her place, she kept her head down, not wanting to hear the nasty comments or glares from some of those who weren't as welcoming.
She couldn't blame them, if it was her she'd of been perplexed by her strange looks as well.
"Ivy!" Someone stepped out right infront of her, the pale girl flinched violently, and her head snapped up to meet a guilty looking Tsireya.
"Sorry!" She quickly apologised to the startled girl.
"No no it's good" Ivy breathed deeply.
"Oh well, dinner is starting, are you going to come?" Tsireya asked tilting her head.
"Uh yeah yeah sure" Ivy nodded exhausted, but nothing was overpowering her hunger now and she had to admit she was curious to see what the Metkayinas ate.
"Great!" Tsireya clapped brightly "this way"
Ivy followed the turquoise skinned girl through the maze of nets, on the sand Ivy could see hundreds of bowls a various and colourful foods, the smell was heavenly and her ears perked up.
There were litten fires around and a couple women and men were playing strange looking instruments unfamiliar to Ivy.
"Here" Tsireya pointed at a bare spot on the sand by some bowls of food "you must try everything!"
Ivy sat herself down while Tsireya went to go collect a bowl of food.
"So what are you?" Her head snapped up to see Aonung and another boy Ivy didn't recognise, but it wasn't Rotxo standing above her.
"I'm sorry?" Ivy tilted her head narrowing her eyes.
"Like...what are you?" He repeated it again.
Ivy swallowed before realising what he meant "oh, I'm Veytanikan"
She didn't know what to expect from him as an answer, the Veytanikan clan was the most secluded clan in all of Pandora, nobody really knew anything of them, not even Ivy.
The boy besides Aonung scoffed, he had an annoying high pitched voice "I thought they were all dead"
Ivy squeezed her eyes shut in annoyance, when she joined the Omaticaya clan a year and a half ago she had received this question hundreds of times, now she was going to have to answer it hundreds of more times "no, I mean I'm here"
"So where are your parents-" Aonung began and Ivys heart dropped, this was a question she was not prepared to answer, but the two boys heads looked up and they stopped talking, Ivy turned to see Tsireya with wide eyes shaking her head.
Aonung scoffed "whatever" and the two walked off.
Ivy noticed Kiri and Lo'ak had walked up, Tsireya turns to them and smiled "hello! please help yourself"
"Alright" Kiri replied grumpily, the girl was definitely not happy at all to be here.
Tsireya led her off while Ivy started drawing flowers in the sand "what did he say to you?"
Ivy had forgotten Lo'ak was there and her head moved up to the standing boy "nothing" she said with a finishing tone.
Lo'ak looked like he didn't believe her, Ivy had noticed he had a talent for always knowing how she was feeling and it pissed her off "ok" he replied.
Ivy stood up, she had lost her appetite "I'm going back" she told him awkwardly not looking at him, she turned on her heel and returned to her place, checking the cut on her on her collarbone and laying down.
Her eyes caught the night sky and she smiled softly.
The stars were still the same.
🌿🐚
Please pleaseee vote if you're liking the story 🙏🙏 love you all and I hope you are enjoying it