It was Christmas time and snow was gently falling around this time. In a small house, a young woman was finishing up setting the dinner table when she felt arms wrap around her waist and she grinned "I never pegged you for the 'sneaking up behind your spouse' type" His reply was a quick kiss on the back of her neck.
"Everything ready?"
The woman nodded before the man cupped his hands and let out a "Ho! Ho! Ho!" And no sooner did he finish the last "Ho!" there were sounds coming from upstairs and tiny little feet scurrying across the textile floor.
Two boys immediately barged together at the door and found themselves stuck, to their annoyance.
"Jake! I got here first!"
"No I did!"
"Move aside!"
Something kicked both boys to the ground and they both let out pained groans when a feminine childish laugh erupted behind them "And the first one to arrive is me!" Emersyn shouted gleefully, mindlessly stepping on her two brothers as she strutted towards her place at the table.
"Emmy..."
Both boys glared at her and she rewarded them with her tongue sticking out "Now kids it's Christmas be nice to each other" Their mother said with a sweet smile "Or. You. Won't. Get. Any. Presents. From. Santa..." She suddenly said in an ominous tone. Jake and Tom scrambled up to their seats with innocent expressions on their faces.
Their father laughed as he sat down "You would make a remarkable commander" Their mother scoffed at him "One commander in this family is enough, right kids?" Both boys nodded enthusiastically while Emersyn frowned and shook her head "Hahaha! You see, even your daughter admits it" She jabbed him.
"You spoil her too much"
The two parents sat and the three children immediately reached their hands to the food before their hands were spanked away "Don't forget to pray you little Hellions!" The children laughed before the family held hands began their Christmas Ritual of eating together.
***
It was morning in Pandora with the sun just beginning to shine, it was around this time that the pregnant females and the elderly would come back from gathering fruits. It just so happens that Emersyn had agreed to accompany them for the tawtute ritual of 'girl talk'.
"Kaltxì koakte"
Ahoragi greeted the elder lady who gave him a warm smile "Peseng Sa'nu? (Where is mommy?)" The child asked. The old Na'vi pointed to where a nearby lake was located. The young child quickly walked to where his mother is suppose to be.
***
At the edge of the lake, Emersyn frowned as she erased the drawing on the sand. She started again with a concentrated look on her face. She knew today was a special day (she had gone off to check the calendar at Hell's Gate every once in a while) and wanted to surprise not only her brothers but her kids and Tsu'tey as well.
"Sa'nu!"
That prompted her to quickly wipe away any evidence of her doing when Ahoragi bounded to her side with a wide toothy smile, it still gives her the shivers how similar his smile is to Jake when he was still a kid.
"What are you doing mom?" Ahoragi asked when he saw the obvious signs of the sand being disturbed. Among the two of them, Ahoragi preferred his mom's tawtute language (to her mate's obvious displeasure) while Ayla very much was a Na'vi learner.
"Ke'u (Nothing at all)"
Emersyn said with a smile before she stood up "Come on, your father and sister must be waiting for us" Emersyn said as she held her hand out which the boy joyfully took and dragged his mother back to where the Omaticaya were.
***
As soon as Emersyn saw the displeased look on his face did she groaned and knew another lecture was going to happen soon. It didn't bother her that she and Tsu'tey would sometimes argue like this, it was better to let it all out than to hold it in anyways.
"We were out" Emersyn said before Ahoragi could say anything else. Ayla frowned at her mother, the scowl reflecting Tsu'tey's own before she grabbed her brother's arm and dragged him away saying that she needed a 'sibling talk' with him.
***
That 'sibling talk' turned out to be a royal children meeting where all of the kids of the Royal Na'vi came together. Haurutu arrived late when his youngest brother, barely a few months old came crying out for him.
"What exactly did you call us here for?" Lo'ak asked. He was the youngest child of Jake Sully and a bright young boy "Tsonta lawk Christmas (To talk about Christmas)" Tuktirey answered. She had overheard her father talk about this special day where tawtute families would come together in celebration to receive presents.
The kids were oddly excited about the word 'presents'
"Fyape kem si nga fpìl te tsat? (What do you think of it?)" Neteyam asked "We should ask Uncle Norm!" Tuktirey said with a wide grin. Lo'ak and Neteyam immediately frowned at her suggestion "Sa'nok ulte sempul lu ke tung awngati ne kä (Mother and father are not allowing us to go)" Neteyam said.
"I can ask sempul to accompany us" Haurutu said which was immediately put down by the children, they didn't want to spoil their parents who kept constant watch over them.
"Kempe lu ayngenga parultsyìp pängkxo? (What are you children discussing?)" Tom asked when he saw the children huddled together. The children looked at him with wide eyes before answering in succession "Nothing/Kekem!" The children shouted with their tanhì glowing bright. Tom took a step back with his hands raised. Okay...
"Haurutu, krr ne kä. Sa'nok lu pey (Time to go. Mother is waiting)"
Haurutu pouted but then said his goodbyes before Ayla patted Ahoragi at the back "It is time for us to head home too" Ahoragi nodded and the two bid goodbye to their cousins before scurrying back to where they left their parents
***
"Sempul, can you tell us about this Cristmas?"
Tuktirey asked. Neteyam and Lo'ak looked at her with stunned expressions while Jake had a long of surprise but he smiled as he tried to recall the times he had Christmas back at Earth where his family was once complete and happy.
"It's a tradition passed from my tawtute ancestors in celebration of family and the blessings we have received in the past year. Every year, families would come together and celebrate. The best part is when my brothers and sister used to fight over every single present we had and count who has the most"
His three children looked at him with awe and wonder in their eyes and Neytiri couldn't help but give a light chuckle. Her children always loved to hear their father's stories back in his tawtute home.
"The other part is when your old man, your Aunt and Uncle made our parents' favorite food"
Lo'ak yawned and Jake finally told them it was time for bed. The kids protested but complied under the stern expression of Neytiri. The kids hugged and kissed their parents before they scrambled up to their nivi.
Jake shook his head "The old man was right. At some point I did marry a commanding woman" Neytiri's answer was a kiss and a forceful push to the nivi covered in moss.
Well...not that he's complaining.
***
Norm Spellman was a wonderful teacher and a patient man with children. After they reopened Grace's school, many Na'vi children didn't hesitate to return to the school for their love in learning and of Grace's memory to educate the Na'vi of their kind.
His avatar body recovered after they had found it lying dead weight in the middle of the wilderness. He had refused to enter his Avatar body to take care of Trudy after she suffered major burns and almost losing her limbs in the process.
But she somehow managed to convince him to return back to his Avatar to teach the Na'vi children. Seriously, Emersyn often wondered what methods she used to coax the lanky but strong headed scientist.
***
"Sempul, we'll be fine!" Ahoragi's pouting voice could be heard close if a Na'vi would casually walk pass the. The ever stoic Tsu'tey would let out a "hmm..." before glancing at his surroundings with quick eyes.
Emersyn sighed and gave each of her kids a kiss "Ayla, make sure you learn hard. Ahoragi don't go pick fights with the boys please" Ahoragi was quickly reminded of the incident back when he was still new and silent.
One of the Na'vi joked about his mother and he took it seriously.
"Srane (Yes)..." Ahoragi said, giving his mother a hug before following after his sister who was already walking towards the school's entrance. Emersyn wrapped her arms around Tsu'tey "Come on ma yawne, time for us to depart as well" Tsu'tey still would not budge and it wouldn't surprise her or any Na'vi if he were to stay for one whole day here to wait for his kids.
Looks like she'll have to convince him in another way.
"Tsu'tey..." Emersyn purred as she turned and let her tail brush in between in thighs. She laughed when his ears shot up and his pupils dilated when he turned his gaze on her. Quickly jumping up on a tree, she heard him shout out her name in warning before she ran across the branches with him following after her.
Who knew being a married woman can give you so many pointers in public foreplay.
***
Norm had just been teaching the Na'vi children of the different religions in Earth when Neteyam suddenly asked "Karyu, 'upe lu Crismass? (Teacher, what is Christmas?)" That unfamiliar term made the rest of the Na'vi children confused and curious of the new word. Norm had a surprised look on his face but he answered truthfully in English.
"Christmas is a time where tawtute families come together and celebrate together and get presents"
As Norm continued on, many Na'vi children caught the Christmas tradition interesting and by the time class was over, all Na'vi children were talking on how to gain presents secretly for their parents before Christmas arrives which was a few days away.
"We need to find something for mom and dad" Lo'ak suddenly spoke and his two siblings looked at each other in contemplation "Sempul and Sa'nok almost have everything. I don't know what to give them"
Tuktirey answered with her ears slightly lowered in despondent. Haurutu answered them "I'm going to give my sempul a book on all about flora and fauna" Haurutu said with a smug grin "Isn't you sempul a singer already Hauru? He most likely knows about all of this" Ahoragi countered back.
Haurutu felt something in him break and his shoulders slumped "Ngaru tìyawr (You're right)" Ayla patted him in the back for comfort when the children heard the sound of their parents calling from above the trees. They quickly scampered up before Ahoragi and Ayla noticed the dark spots marred on their parents' skins.
"Was the hunt hard?"
Ayla asked. Emersyon grinned shamelessly at Tsu'tey whose tanhi glowed dimly before it faded. Emersyn coughed and answered with a serious look on her face "When you grow up, you will know what it's like" While Emersyn was thinking of the actual hunting itself, Tsu'tey thought of the other meaning.
"Pehrr poe lu koak si oe lu kerusey (When she is old and I am dead)"
"Pehem lu nga lawk teri (What are you talking about?)" Emersyn asked in confusion before realization hit her like a pack of nantang feasting on a yerik "Tsu'tey...I meant actual hunting" The two kids looked at their parents in confusion before Tsu'tey made a noise before heading off back to home. Emersyn laughed as she looked at her confused and somewhat worried looks faces of her kids.
"You'll know when you grow older"
I don't want too...you make it sound like it's scary...
***
Neteyam lay restlessly on his nivi as he looked up to the Pandora stars with a contemplative look on his face "Tsmukan? (Brother?)" He turned to see Lo'ak and Tuktirey awake as well "I can't sleep.." Lo'ak whispered harshly "What are you thinking about this time?" Tuktirey asked. Neteyam pondered for a moment before opening his mouth to answer.
A low thud close to their nivi made their ears shot up in surprise and all three turned to see Ayla and a sleepy Ahoragi "Pehem lu nga si fìtsenge? (What are you doing here?)" Neteyam asked in astonishment with his voice slightly raised. Ayla quickly shushed them when Jake slight moved before shifting to a more comfortable position with Neytiri in his arms.
"We're going to visit Uncle Norm. Do you want to come with us?"
Ayla whispered quietly "We've already called Haurutu, he's waiting outside" The three children looked at each other before their parents before nodding and they quietly snuck out of thier nivi and out where Haurutu was waiting for them.
"Ngengeyä hawngkrr (You're late)" Haurutu said before the kids made their way towards Hell's Gate through the trees to avoid encountering predators.
***
Max Patel was working on a late shift when the alarm systems began to roar rapidly with red blinking lights. Temporarily blinded, he stumbled around for the camera feed and found six Na'vi children who he was familiar with waiting with anticipation outside.
Thank Eywa they did not try to touch the fence!
Max did not want to go through the whole ordeal of a Na'vi princess, a very renowned and respected singer and the Chief Warrior staring down at him with looks of murder right now.
Max quickly went out to greet the kids who stared at him, taking in the tawtute form right in front of them "What are you kids doing here?" Max asked politely as they went into the court yard. The kids pondered before Ahoragi answered "Christmas" Max blinked in shock when the doors outside opened and out came Norm and Trudy.
Ayla and Tuktirey beamed when she saw her very own tawtute idol, much to the hurt ego and pride Emersyn had when she was a tawtute once, and waved at her "Oel ngati kameie" Ayla saluted and Trudy saluted back in tawtute "At ease..."
"You guys came all the way here for this? Did your parents even know you will be visiting and at this time of the night?"
The children looked at each other with guilty looks.
***
Emersyn woke up feeling the urge in her bladder and shifted herself away from Tsu'tey's iron grip (A miracle she didn't suffer suffocation after all these years) and blindly went out. Feeling an empty space, Tsu'tey woke up and shook his head to get rid of sleep and decided to wait for Emersyn to come back.
Emersyn quickly finished her business and decided to take a quick check on the kids sleeping in their swaynivi (family hammock). She activated the sänrr (light source, lamp) and froze when she saw an empty swaynivi and let out a yell loud enough for Tsu'tey to hear her alarmed and distressed sound.
"Pehem len?! (What happened?!)"
"The kids are gone!" Emersyn shouted out in a panic as the two moved around the sleeping area to search for their kids to no avail. Tom came running pass them with his face pale and Emersyn noted with this look, he looked like he aged 10 years older.
"Have you seen Haurutu?"
"Have you seen our kids?!"
Tsu'tey let out a silent cuss and promised to discipline those two not to go out especially at night with nantang and palulukan around. Meanwhile, the disturbance caused a few Na'vi to wake up from their slumber and asked around what was going on.
When the news spread that the children were missing, many of them went into a panic "Frapo mawey nekll! (Everyone calm down!) We got their tracks, get back to your nivi. We'll get the kids" Jake ordered calmly as Neytiri went to prepare her bow.
"Oe lu kä hu nga (I am going with you)" Ni'nat said seriously and Tom was just about to say no when she glared at him "I may not be a hunter but I can still use a knife.." Mental note: Never say no to your mate, Tom thought when he heard Jake snicker slightly and shot him a glare.
The parents quickly gathered their weapons and headed out to find their kids all the while making sure that when they get back, discipline and grounding would be on the forefront of their minds.
***
Max and Norm felt like buckets of sweat raining down on them when the kids explained how they got here. Trudy, on the other hand, laughed "You kids remind me so much of your parents" Trudy snickered and Norm grimaced when he remembered Jake's first time here in the lab.
"Come on uncle Norm, we want to understand this Christmas thing. Our parents have been thinking about this tawtute tradition since yesterday" Ayla pleaded and for Eywa and all the Mother Planets known to man, Norm cannot say no to a young child's face.
"Okay, there might be some items that can be used to create a Christmas Party" Norm relented as the kids beamed. Trudy crossed her arms "You're gonna regret this.." She said and Norm ignored her before he could have second thoughts.
"How about you kids help me gather these boxes outside and see if we could find a place for them to store somewhere in the morning while Norm and Trudy find some Christmas decor" Max asked. The kids eagerly grabbed as many boxes as they can and headed out with Max in the lead.
They were about a halfway outside when they saw six glaring parents staring down at them. Max quickly hid behind the kids who then hid behind him. It would have been comical to see Na'vi children the size of a car hiding behind a puny tawtute if the deadly atmosphere wasn't present.
"It's their idea!" The kids shouted, pointing at each other while avoiding eye contact with their parents. It didn't last long before barrage of shouts came.
"What were you thinking?!"
"Do you have any idea what time it is?"
"Predators lurk at this time of night!"
"Did you forget all of the warnings we gave you?"
"Do you have any idea how worried we were?"
The kids lowered their heads and Ayla felt tears come out when her father wrapped his arms around her "Don't ever do that again parultsyìp (term of endearment for children)" Jake soothed. Max sighed and hastily wiped the sweat forming in his head.
"The kids were merely here to ask about Christmas. You Sullys always wear your hearts on the sleeve when it comes to this holiday" The siblings looked at one another with guilty smiles while their respective mates gave them looks.
Haurutu yawned and rubbed his eyes "It's getting late, we should spend here for the night" Tom said as he hoisted up a sleepy Haurutu. Tsu'tey wanted to protest when Emersyn elbowed him gently and gestured to the kids already feeling the effects of exhaustion.
"Do you still have the Avatar Sleeping Area?" Jake asked and Max nodded "Still up and running even though there are only a few Avatars left" Jake bowed in thanks as the parents led their kids to a building far from the Hell's Gate Main Building and secluded from any predator in sight.
"Woah..."
Neteyam breathed deeply in shock as he lightly poked a sleeping Avatar body. Ni'nat lightly slapped his arm and shook her head. They must respect a person's slumber even if the one sleeping was merely an empty shell.
The parents tucked their kids in to bed. It took some time for the children to get use to the feel of lumpy beds before they quickly fell into a deep sleep "Brothers, I think it's time we have a talk" Emersyn said as she motioned Jake and Tom out.
"Let me be honest, I can't...I really can not ruin the Christmas mood they had on and they did it all for us three"
"Why did we ever brought up such memories?"
"Yeah-WHAT?!" Emersyn looked at Tom in shock and he shrugged "Sorry, it's just that...this all happened in the past and we came here to build a new life together as a family. I just don't want it to hold us back" Tom explained. Jake patted him in the back "So why not make new ones with the old ones?" Jake suggested and both Emersyn and Tom looked at him with confusion.
"What do you mean?"
***
The kids woke up to feel nothing but feel slight cold "What is this?" Haurutu gasped when he saw nothing but white everywhere. The kids made a mad dash outside and saw their parents standing over an odd looking tree that had lights all over it.
Jake grinned at them and beckoned them to come. Tuktirey lightly poke the grownd that seem to swallow her finger whole before she placed her foot down "WEW! (Cold!)" Se squealed before running towards Jake with a smile on her face.
The other kids followed her lead and raced towards their parents "Is this snow?" Lo'ak asked and Tom laughed and ruffled the boy "It is. Do you like it?" Haurutu noticed machines that were creating the falling white dots and stared at it with awe.
"We love it!" The kids said before they began to do all sorts of things with the snow "They are going to catch a cold in this..." Neytiri sighed when Tsu'tey sneezed "How can you survive this much?" Emersyn chuckled and scratched his chin.
"Haven't you heard? Tawtute are very adaptable" His tanhi glowed as she smirked when something cold landed on her back and she gasped "You're it!" Jake laughed before he threw a snowball at Neytiri who immediately dodged. Sensing a challenge, she grinned toothily and kicked a large amount of snow towards Jake, some even entered his mouth.
"ACK!"
The kids laughed at Jake who spat out mouthful of snow. With all the duties he had to fulfill as olo'eyktan of the Omaticaya Tribe, it was nice to let loose once a while.
They all laughed and celebrated a new way of Christmas as the Sullys shared stories of their times back in their Home Planet in front of a fire.
The kids smiled to themselves and wondered if they should do this again sometime.