➤ Underwater
The next day, Tahani received a visit from her brother, accompanied by Jake. Tonowari had come to entrust Jake to her for his apprenticeship.
She was happy and eager to share her knowledge of the underwater world with him and help him understand his new environment.
Tonowari leaves them and goes off to do his work as an Olo'eyktan. Tahani doesn't speak and heads towards the edge of the reef.
"Before diving into the depths of the ocean, we're going to work on your breathing a bit more. Sit here," Tahani instructs as she sits on the sandy beach. Jake Sully sits in front of her, and Tahani puts her hand on his chest, over his heart, a heart that beats a little too fast.
"Take a deep breath and focus on mine," she instructs him, taking his hand and placing it on her heart. "Breathe deeply through your nose." Jake listens to what she says and inhales through his nose. "Now exhale slowly through your mouth." Jake does as she says once more. "Come on, one more time," she tells him.
"Now, tense each of your muscle groups for a few seconds. That's it, stay a little longer... And relax."
Despite this, his heart rate was still quite high, so Tahani decides to try another method.
"Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a calm and peaceful place. Visualize all the details of that place, the colors, the sounds, and the sensations. Let your mind immerse itself in this image and feel the relaxation and tranquility that come from it."
Jake then projects himself into the forest of Pandora, where he met Neytiri, where he had his children... where she died...
Jake opens his eyes again and clears his throat as he stands up. Tahani furrows her brow and stands up too, a little surprised.
"Shall we go?" Tahani asks the male in front of her. Jake nods, and the two jump into the water.
As they swim together in the depths of Pandora, Jake is amazed by the beauty of the ocean. He discovers a colorful reef, home to a multitude of tropical fish with vibrant colors. Luminous jellyfish gracefully float in the dark waters, creating an enchanting spectacle.
As they venture further into the ocean, Tahani's ilu approaches her. She strokes it and mounts it. She then extends her hand to Jake, who takes it and climbs on behind her. The ilu takes off, and Jake holds onto Tahani's hips to avoid falling into the depths of the ocean. But Tahani notices that Jake is struggling to hold on and brings the ilu back to the surface, where he can catch his breath.
"I think that's enough diving for today. I'll show you around," Tahani says with a smile to the Na'vi in front of her, whose heart starts to flutter involuntarily. She didn't know why, but she knew it was a trick of Eywa.
The two of them emerge from the ocean and walk among the villagers, who are going about their usual tasks. Some young girls weave and sing, while some men clean the fish they've caught.
The young children, on the other hand, play and run around, while others search for crustaceans.
"Is one of them your child?" Jake asks, seeing some children smiling and waving at Tahani.
"No, Eywa has not blessed me with motherhood yet, but maybe one day I will be," Tahani says, looking at the children she has already taken care of several times.
"You're still young, Eywa will probably grant you that happiness later," Jake says calmly. "When I was just a human, I never thought I would become a father, and then I came here, and Eywa made me the father of four children. By the way, I apologize for Kiri's behavior, she has trouble with people she doesn't know."
"You don't have to apologize, I understand her. To suddenly leave for a different place and be treated as someone different, it's tough," Tahani says.
Tahani then gives him a comforting look and takes a deep breath, confessing to Jake that she too has had a tough life.
"I was also called a monster for years, and then overnight, I became Eywa's daughter, the beauty of Pandora... and our differences make us who we are, Jake," Tahani expresses thoughtfully as she continues walking alongside Jake Sully.
"Why did you put me on her path and that of these children, Eywa? Why?" Tahani wonders silently as the night begins to show itself in the Metkayina clan's reef.
"I apologize for my English and my mistakes. English is not my native language, I am French."