POV: First person, Lo'ak
Flashback, the night before Neteyam was reawakened.
While everyone was sleep, I snuck out of the Va'ru. (I found out that Sully family's home is called a Va'ru) I wanted to go the spirit tree. I wanted to go see my older brother.
As I was going to the spirit tree, I met up with Pakayan. He seemed to swim a lot slower than usual. But he said that it was fine and he just been having too much fun with the other tulkan.
I was happy that he wasn't an outcast anymore. That meant we could spend more time together, with the others.
We made to the spirit tree, that was under water, "Pakayan... you know this is the first time I went to the spirit tree, to see him... I was afraid to see my brother again. Even if it's just my memories with him... I feel as if I will break down in front of him...,"
"It's alright to cry, Lo'ak... go.. go see your brother," Pakayan wailed at me. I nodded and went underwater.
I held my queue in front of the spirit tree's leave, connecting to Eywa. My pupils grew bigger and my vision was brought me to the forest.
I was looking at my reflection on a pond. I hummed to myself, because I didn't recognize this memory.
"Lo'ak," I heard a familiar voice, the voice that instantly made my eyes watery, "Hey, mom and dad are looking for you. Come on. Hey Lo'ak... are you okay," Neteyam turned me around.
I couldn't even look at my brother, I was too sad to see. Knowing that this is something that Eywa has created for me.
(Credit to hobimiiaa_ on TikTok, Im using their video here, so check it out cause I made me turn off my phone and ask why do I exist
Also this is not memory, more so what Lo'ak wants to see. Like how Kiri wants to see her biological mother)
"Neteyam...," I was shaking, "I'm sorry Neteyam... I'm deeply sorry since the moment I said those horrible words to you. Since the moment I saw you for the first time. Give up for an instant your shell of a responsible big brother to finally show that weakness in your eyes... What I didn't know was that I wished it was the last time. I deprived mother and father of their first born. And I deprived Kiri and Tuk of their protector," I began to cry, "What am I going to do Neteyam? Why didn't you let me shoot? Why did you let me run away with Spider? I could've helped you! How...,"
Neteyam smiled at me, and placed a hand on my head, just like that hurtful argument, "Tell me how, Lo'ak? It was my duty. I was the first born, the protector, your brother. I'm sorry I let you see this weakness in me but it's the truth. I wanted to go home. I wanted to find my people. I wanted to find us, because I kept remembering how we use to fly... How we all play together and never stop laughing. How excited we were to know how much we had grown. That was the truth. And I hate to be here knowing that every day and night, you'll be looking at anything hoping for something that for an instant. Bring me back to you and I'll be forever unable to answer you," his smile grew wider, showing his teeth.
I cried more tears and hugged my brother, he hugged back, "I want you back. I need you back. We need you back. S- sully stick together remember,"
"I know," he simply says, rubbing my back.
"Please, Neteyam..," I begged my brother to come back.
"Lo'ak I-," he stopped.
Everything moved so fast and then I noticed I was back at the sea again. I swam up to the surface to get airs. I cried again, forgetting that none of that was real.
Pakayan was there to comfort me, and he brought me back to the village. I crept back inside and silently cried myself to sleep.
———{ }———
By the next morning, I heard the sound of yelling. I quickly got up and curious on what's happening.
"What's happening dad," I asked him, looking at the frighten people.
"I don't know. I'm going to take a look," my father and mother ran to check it out, "watch your sisters, Lo'ak,"
"Yes sir," I nodded.
———{ }———
In a few minutes, my dad came back cradling someone who I saw the night before. With my mother crying see this too, and so is my sisters.
"Neteyam...," I gasped.